All before 9am

Disclaimer: I promise I DO watch my children.

On Monday morning, Sarah-Jane got into my craft box and spilled paint all over the bathroom.
(Why do I even have a craft box, since I hardly ever do crafts?... good question)

A few minutes later, (while I was taking a VERY quick shower) she pulled out the grease catching-tray on my griddle and spread bacon grease (luckily cooled) all over the 1st floor of our house. I mean all over. Little greasy footprints were everywhere... even in my bed.
(Lesson learned... take my showers at the gym, while she is being watched.)

While I was mopping the floor, stain-treating the carpet, and washing the sheets, her big sister went to the bathroom, didn't flush, and left the door to the bathroom open.. Can you guess what happenend next? Yup, wet toilet paper was pulled out of the pee -filled toilet and strewn about the bathroom.

I looked at the clock. 8:50am. It was the start of a very long day.

Good thing she is so cute and cuddly.

little love notes

a surprise, hidden away for you

and one from me, too:

you didn't know that i heard
it was early morning
i was grumpy (redundant, i know)
worried about caring for 2 sick little girls and teaching with you away
you prayed they would feel better
AND THEY DID
thanks for taking care of us even when you are gone
thanks for not letting me take myself too seriously
and for reminding me to look at the bright side
and for making me have fun
you may not know it, but i heard

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday, Greg! Love you more than I can say!!!

(Let's make it a tradition, shall we?)

Clara at 4

boisterous, dancing, girly-girl, pretend-player

37 lbs
41 1/2 inches tall

Favorite Quotes:

• This is going to be the best (insert whatever we are about to do) ever!!! I.e. snack, swim lesson, party, school day
  
• I just very very love you.! OR I just very very want to!
• Why?!? (Usually in the context of "why not")

Newborn Clara

Favorite Activities:

• Drawing
• Hide and Seek
• Dress-up
  
• Board Games with Mom and Dad
  
• Swimming
• Library books
  
• Any kind of pretend play (especially involving planning and throwing a party)

Funny Quote: I asked her if she wanted French Braids, and she said, "No, I want toast braids." Get it?... French Toast, ha!

1 year old Clara

Interview (question ideas stolen from Andrea... thanks friend!)

What's your favorite treat? blow gum (sucker)

What's your favorite game to play? Candylane (Candy Land)

What scares you the most? ghosts

2 year old Clara

How tall do you want to be when you grow up? as tall as Dad

What job do you want to have when you grow up? to make nachos

If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Macaroni and Cheese

If you could choose a different name, what would it be? Tinkerbell

3 year old Clara

Favorite color: pink and blue and red and orange and white
Favorite TV show: Cat in the Hat
Favorite movie: Cinderella
Favorite pastime: bouncy castles
Favorite animal: doggy and kitty-cats
Favorite book: my science journal (way to go, Ms. Shelley!)

4 Years Old!

Milestones achieved over the last year include:

• learning to swim
• learning to read/sound-out/spell (straightforward 3 and 4 letter words)
• learning to write the letters of the alphabet and the numbers 1-10
  

Clara's 4th Birthday

A Flower Fairy Party:

the invites

the decorations

the party
1st- dress up like fairies... including wings, wands, a crown of flowers, and pixie dust (glitter)

2nd: Games
fairy paper dolls
a magic show (by Daddy)
fairy dance freeze
musical chairs
catch the butterfly (bouncy ball)

3rd: A Treasure hunt - make your treasures into jewelry

4th: Lunch!
flower PB&J
pretzel wands
parfaits
fairy punch

Last: The Cake (made by the lovely and talented Anitra Simpson)
Good Night!

Sisters

Sarah-Jane is growing up! Yesterday she walked down the stairs- standing- all by herself. She also sat in a regular chair at dinner. I'm a little sad that her babyhood is disappearing, but my grief is tempered by the joy I get when I see these two big girls play together. They utterly love each other. I love to see the games they come up with and I love to hear them giggle.







For the most part, they get along really well. I am amazed at Clara's patience and tenderness with SJ. It is great to see her mature in that way.

Christmas Eve

Had some friends over tonight to decorate cookies and act out the Nativity.

"Hey, Unto you a Child is born!"

These are the cookies Clara made for Santa

Merry Christmas, everyone!

P.S. This is why our tree looks a little (ok, a lot) disheveled. She tore down everything she could reach, already, so she used the laundry basket to reach a little higher. Crazy baby!

First Snow!

I love the fact that the neighbor kids rang our doorbell as soon as the snow started. Were they asking the girls to come out and play, or to borrow a sled? No, they were challenging my husband to a snowball fight. :)

This little bear cub likes to eat the snow

Haulin'

Greg has been getting lots of good upper body workouts, lately.

Raking leaves

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Ice Skating!

A few years ago, I was in a meeting (for work) of arts leaders in the community. Some guy was going on and on about how downtown Greensboro could have everything NYC has, even an outdoor ice skating rink. Cynical me, I just rolled my eyes at him and thought "there is no way." Turns out I was wrong... look what we got this year!

(You'll see how this fits into our weight-lifting theme if you watch this video)

Last, but not least, SLEDDING! We got our first snow of the year, yesterday. It was fun enough to deserve it's own post, so stay tuned.

The First Thanksgiving

(You can see the entire play on video on Miss Shelley's blog)

As I watched my beautiful girl act out this story filled with sharing, helping others, and expressing thankfulness, my heart brimmed with gratitude for the blessing of being her mother.

I have been meaning to post my "take-away's" from October's General Conference. This time, one single message from President Monson stood out from the others. Here is an excerpt...

In the book of Matthew in the Bible, we have another account of gratitude, this time as an expression from the Savior. As He traveled in the wilderness for three days, more than 4,000 people followed and traveled with Him. He took compassion on them, for they may not have eaten during the entire three days. His disciples, however, questioned, “Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?” Like many of us, the disciples saw only what was lacking.

“And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And [the disciples] said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

“And [Jesus] commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

“And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.”

Notice that the Savior gave thanks for what they had—and a miracle followed: “And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.”⁴

I, too, am filled to overflowing!

Sarah-Jane: 15 months

Sarah-Jane is growing up so fast and becoming a busy, busy toddler! At 15 months, she is 31 3/4" tall (75th-90th percentile) and weighs 22 pounds (25th-50th percentile). Her new favorite trick is CLIMBING (anything and everything) and it is keeping me on my toes. Especially since she likes to bounce and dance and do tricks on top of whatever she has climbed. She is very social and friendly, saying "Hey" to everyone we pass. She still loves music and dancing (who doesn't?) and she loves to play outside. Her favorite food is still bananas "na-na" and she is becoming a pickier eater. (I have to hide the bananas from her, because if she sees them she won't eat anything else!) Other likes include copying her big sister and sitting in big people chairs (she asks for help getting into them by saying "Sit? Sit?"). She thinks she likes to read books, but she just flips one page, then closes the book and says "de n" (the end). Just like her big sister, if she wants something, there is no holding her back. We can't get enough of her sweet hugs and kisses. We love her!!!