Easter

We again spent Easter in Canada this year and as usual we had the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday.  Aunt D helped with hiding all the eggs.  The girls had a blast looking for all the eggs, even though I forgot their Easter baskets at home and they had to improvise.

On Sunday morning we all went to church and when we returned Q was fast asleep and Y, after waiting several hours, couldn't wait any longer and wanted to see what the Easter Bunny had brought them.  

We took them on a wagon ride to the park where, among other things, Y enjoyed pushing Q on the swings!

We weren't able to get photos of the girls in their Easter outfits because Q was fast asleep and Y didn't want to stay "dressed up" for that long, she wanted to go out and play.  So we took photos at a later date, but since I'm writing this post after the fact, here they are:

Can you tell that Y is a lil' diva already?

Already?!?

Q has proved to be an exact opposite of her big sister at the same age.  Q is VERY girlie!  She loves shoes, purses, enjoys having her hair done (as long as it's quick), loves wearing jewelry, etc.  Every morning she goes into my room selects a shoe box, removes the shoes and parades around the house in them...EVERY morning without fail.

We took her to the Crocs store recently to figure out her size and it was nearly impossible to get her to take the shoes off, we had to bribe her with a trip to the cookie store or something like that.

So you can imagine her excitement when the mailman brought a new shiny pair of shoes to the door!  And for those of you who can't imagine, here are some photos and a video!  I can't believe how well she walks in them already (and they're open-toed AND way too big for her).

Trying to put them on...

She did it...

One happy girl...

She's a lil' pro

 

Thanks Pinterest

More purposeful crafts ideas from Pinterest!

I'm not sure what's come over me in the last year or 2, maybe it's the realization that I'm really in my 30's and should probably look the part a bit more, but I have rekindled my love of shoes and developed an intense appreciation for fashion jewelry.  That appreciation can mostly be attributed to a fabulous store, Charming Charlie!

We have a wonderful outdoor mall that's really close to our place and several times last summer while walking past the store I expressed to B my desire to go in.  He'd always tell me to go in and take a look but I made the assumption that it was a super chic and expensive store so I always decided not to torture myself.  Well once while at the mall with a friend I decided to throw caution to the wind and went in...

I loved, loved, loved the layout of the store; everything is color coordinated! And then there were the prices...absolutely nothing like I had assumed...I walked out with 2 sets (necklace and matching earrings) that day.  I have returned many times sense, and that explains my need for my next Pinterest projects:  Jewelry Storage!

I went back to Michael's and bought another (smaller) unfinished open back frame. Some craft paint in a shade of my favorite color and some pretty damask ribbon from Joann's.  A towel bar, window screening, and circular screws from Lowe's; some "S" shaped shower curtain holders from Walmart and bugged my neighbor to cut a piece of wood that I had laying around my house...and then I went to work!

Kindergarten Registration

The past 4½ years have flown by!  Tonight we took Y in to register her for Kindergarten.  Despite the smile (forced) that you see in the photo she is not excited about it.  She still tells me all the time that she does not want to go to school.  My heart breaks a little each time I hear it because truth is I know it's going to be hard to let her go that first day.  I know it's something almost all parents go through but with Y being our oldest it is a whole new experience for me.  

I know she will be ready (and hopefully excited) when the time comes but for now I am just enjoying the time I still have with her at home with me each day.  She and Q really enjoy playing together and it's another reason I am glad that we decided to forgo preschool.  As a parent we only get a few years before we have to send them out in the world, and I personally like having as much of that time as I can!

Hair Bow Frame

For years I have had the intention of making one of those awesome hair bow frames and well, I just never got around to it until now.  Like I've said previously I enjoy making crafts but I especially appreciate and love crafts that serve a purpose or solve a problem.  And my current problem is what to do with the growing number of bows that I have for the girls.  I have moved them from box to box to larger box and they are now bursting out of said larger box.  Add to that the fact that I am STILL making MORE bows for them, it was past time for me to solve the problem once and for all.

So I went to Michael's and bought a 16x20 unfinished open back frame:

Painted it a beautiful, bright lavender:

Mixed some purple glitter with Mod Podge and apply it to make it sparkle:

Added some pretty rainbow colored ribbon using a hot glue gun:

Hot glued on a pretty flower that matched some of the flecks of glitter and hung on the wall:

Added some of the bows (enough to keep it looking neat) and took a final picture:

Discussing Marriage...With A 4 Year Old

Earlier in the week, Y decided it was her wedding day (she was marrying Simon from Alvin & The Chipmunks).  And this is the dress she designed for herself.  I think I will keep this picture and display it on her actual wedding day which is hopefully far, far in the future.

Today B was home fairly early from work so he was able to accompany the girls and I on our trip to Old Navy.  After we returned home, I began cooking dinner and Y came over to help me.  This is the conversation that followed:

Y:  Mom, I'm gonna marry Steven.
Me:  Steven who?
Y:  A different Steven (as in, not her cousin Steven who's 21 years older than her and already married. Whew, glad we dodged that bullet).
Me:  Who is Steven?
Y:  He's a different Steven (she was growing frustrated at this point).
Me:  (change of approach) How do you know Steven?
Y:  From Old Navy.
Me:  You met him at Old Navy?
Y:  Yeah.
Me:  Did you play with him while we were there?
Y:  No, I just saw him.
Me:  How did you know his name was Steven?
Y:  Because that's what I heard his mom call him.
Me:  Oh, OK.  Well, I think you're a little too young to get married already.  You should probably at least wait until you go to college.
Y:  Why do I need to go to college?
Me:  So you can keep learning and get a job and go to work.
Y:  Why do I need to get a job and go to work, Daddy goes to work.
Me:  But you don't want to live with Mommy and Daddy when you're married.
Y:  Yes I do.
Me:  Sweetie, when you get married you're gonna wanna be with just your husband.  It's no fun living with Mommy and Daddy when you're married.
Y:  Then I don't wanna get married!  I want to stay little FOREVER!

"Love You Too"

Q has a habit of repeating (or at least trying to repeat) absolutely everything that her big sister says.  I really have to credit Y with much of Q's vast vocabulary.

Ever since she was born and definitely ever since she uttered her first word I have been anxiously awaiting the day when she would say, "I love you."  It is hands down my absolute favorite phrase especially when it's coming from my husband or kids.  It is also a phrase I use extremely often, there is not a single time that I leave my home without them that I don't say it.  If I'm talking to B on the phone, regardless of how brief the conversation, it is always the last thing to leave my lips before I hang up.  So it's needless to say that my girls hear if often throughout the day.

Well tonight as I was leaving for the gym I gave Y a hug and a kiss and we did our usual "I love you", "I love you too" exchange.  After Y walked away Q strolled over and gave my legs a squeeze.  When I bent down to give her the kiss and tell her I loved her she replied, "love you too" just as she had her Y say.

I was beyond happy as it was her first time saying even a variation of I love you.  She kept walking around the room aimlessly saying it over and over again until she became distracted by something else.

Up until that point I had already had a decent day but that one little phrase turned it into an awesome day!  And I hope my girls never forget just how much their mommy loves them.

Snow

When Y was 2 she was given a sleigh for Christmas by her great aunt and uncle.  She got lots of use out of it that year but the following year (last year, 2011-2012) she didn't get any use at all out of it because of the extremely mild winter we had.

Well it's a new year and she has definitely gotten to use it a few times this year.  On once occasion B took her out while I stayed warm inside our house with Q.  On the next occasion she decided not only to share with Q but to she even pulled her along for a bit.  There are a few videos below of them playing in the snow. You will notice that I am, yet again, absent from the "fun."  I ended up joining a friend on a shopping trip (nope, I didn't buy anything for myself.  But I did get the girl's Easter outfits)!

It looks as if I'll have another lover of snow on my hands.  If you listen closely in the video you can hear Q referring to the snow as bubbles.  She has done that since the first time we were outside and snow was falling.

Y pulling Q in the sleigh.

Q loved being pulled along by Daddy in the sleigh.

Y making snow angels!

Chalkboard Menu

I have completed my first (non-recipe) Pinterest project as well as my first project using my Silhouette Cameo.

It has solved a huge problem I had; remembering what I planned to make for dinner at the end of the week.  I always plan the menu for the week on Sunday night and then go grocery shopping on Monday.  By the time Thursday or Friday rolls around I have usually lost my list AND forgot what was on the menu.

I didn't have a beautiful armoire like the original one I attempted to mimic but I do have some pretty crafty friends.  One is really good at carpentry so I bought the materials (wood board and an open photo frame) and cut it all down to the size I wanted.

I am extremely satisfied by how it turned out and it is serving it's purpose extremely well!

18 Months

Time has really flown by, Q is now 18 months old.  She's healthy and happy, has 12 teeth, and can repeat almost anything that she hears (and she does repeat almost everything she hears).  I won't bother listing all of her words here because she's really moved on to phrases.  Her most recent phrases/questions are:  why not? (which she always asks after I tell her no), what happened?, are you okay?, and of course, mine.

She weights 23 lbs. 7 oz. and is 32 inches tall which makes her almost exactly 2 lbs less and 1 inch shorter than Y at the same age.

She is a complete joy and fills our home with such joy and laughter and she has such a sweet and loving personality.  We are so very grateful to have her in our family.