It's Summer!

Summer is here!  I love summer because it gives us the opportunity to be outdoors, enjoy our beautiful Earth that God has created for us, spend time together as a family, try new things and go on adventures. 

The girls' last day of school, a few weeks back, were filled with mixed emotions.  I love their school, the staff, and the way they teach to the entire child.  However, come mid-May, I'm ready, as much as the girls are, for a break.  Thank goodness for summer!  We always make a list of activities and/or adventures that we'd like to try to accomplish over the summer.  We don't always get everything crossed off the list, but we have fun trying. 

Last day of Second Grade

Last day of Kindergarten

We recently took in our first game of the season.  The girls love attending and getting into the spirit of it, dressing in the team's colors, wearing their team's gear, and cheering/screaming loud when the stadium goes crazy.

All three girls have been taking swimming lessons daily too.  Both Katelyn and Vanessa already know how to swim, but it is not always pretty, so I was looking for them to get some stroke refinement and breathing techniques.  Paige thinks she can swim, but her brain hasn't told her body that she isn't water safe yet.  But at the rate that she is learning the skills, she'll be swimming on her on within the next year.

We visited some sea life at the Academy during our visit with Uncle Barry and Hannah.  I hear so often from others that Paige is no longer considered a baby or a toddler given that she is now (as of just a few weeks back) three years old (so why is she using a sippy, having toddler snacks, so very curious about the world...the likes of comments I am told!!).  However, look at her cute fingers and how can you not call those the fingers of a toddler?   

Check off of our Summer To-Do List...Visit the beach...

She's as happy as a clam living in the waters behind her!

She REALLY wanted to go run, roll, and play in the sand, but I made her stop and pose for this picture.  That must have been the longest 2 1/2 seconds of her life!  Just look at all of those grains of sand and gallons of water calling her name to come play with.

Ever wonder what they're thinking?

First they were just running away from the waves....

Then it became fun to stand in the deeper part of the wave without actually getting taken down by the wave.  No, we didn't go home dry. 

Summer is a time when many of our friends are in camps week and week.  Camps are a wonderful way to keep your kids busy, as well as to expose them to new things.  However, historically, we may do one or two camps, but then take the rest of the summer as unstructured and unplanned time.  It allows the girls time to just be kids.  We may stay home, hang out at The Lake, and go on picnics or on other fun day adventures.  I have never forced them to take a camp.  We talk about it, but ultimately it is up to them. I don't want to burn them out at such a young age in something that they really don't have any interest in.  This year, both girls participated in Vacation Bible Camp (at our Church) right after school was dismissed, but I don't have any really good photos during that time.  It's a lot of fun, like one big play-date every day, and the girls enjoy it tremendously.  

Last week, Katelyn participated in a soccer camp and Vanessa in a dance camp.  Katelyn had a wonderful time and made some good connections with her coaches.  She said she learned some new skills and refined some she already knew.  She made a strong bond with one of her coaches, which made attending every day fun and exciting for her. 

While Katelyn was on the soccer field, Vanessa was in the dance studio learning all kinds of crazy dance moves.  This was at a new studio for us and, so far, we are really impressed with it - the staff/instructors, the dances that they can teach the kids in just a few days, and the excitement for dance that they recognized within Vanessa and gave her an opportunity to express it.  I loved watching her passion develop over the week...this is a kid who sings, dances and does gymnastic moves from the moment she wakes up until five minutes after she is in bed for the night!

All the dancers in this dance, Kids, had some kind of kid-related prop, hence Vanessa's attached teddy bear.

And it's only June...we have so many wonderful adventures awaiting us in the coming summer days!

Under the weather

This is the beautiful collection of drugs that currently live on my kitchen counter. Yes, I have been a drug-giving Mommy, something that I usually don't do. We are sick. Or as Bill keeps telling me, it's a mental game and that we need to tell ourselves that we were sick and are getting better...but that comes easy from the ONLY person in the household who has not been hit with something. This has not been a fun week, to put it nicely. I'm hoping that with tomorrow, being Sunday and the beginning of the next week, that we'll be on the mend.

The flu knocked me out for a few days and now leaves me with a throat so raw and sore, and little energy to move from the couch. Bronchitis took over Katelyn's chest, Vanessa is fighting a good strong cold and an ear infection, and Paige has been battling a sinus infection. Apparently, we all have weak spots in our bodies and each of us got attacked in those spots.

Today we ventured outside for the first time in days, taking a little stroll outside. The girls had a good time in the sun and enjoyed taking in the fresh air. I'm hoping that tomorrow, being Easter, brings wellness and energy to my family.

Beautiful afternoon

We spent yesterday afternoon playing in the backyard. It was a beautiful day - the sun was shinning bright and there was a cool breeze. If I didn't know that it was only February, I would have thought it was the middle of Spring. Apparently, the flowers think it's Spring too.

Getting over guilt

I was visiting one of my dearest friends a few months ago and she told me to just start writing…write about our visit, or anything to just get over the fact that I’ve completely ignored this part of my life for so long. That was in September 2011. It is now February 2012. But here I am, writing, finally! Where I have been and what have we been doing for the last two years? So many
questions and probably not enough answers.

I was recently digging around on my computer and came across the post below that never actually was posted. I could say I have no idea why I never posted, but that would just be more excuses and I really don’t like excuses. Here's what I had the best intentions of posting back in September 2010...

Well how about that?
I blink and time passes…and I’m not talking about a few seconds, but like months and months. We are all still here and growing and changing as quickly as possible. So fast, that I seem to have very little time lately to write down memories, which just makes me feel soooo guilty. But either I’m going to sit here and have a glass of wine and wallow in my self-induced guilt, or I’m going to start typing again.

So here I go, again…

With drink in hand… Oh, speaking of wine, I’ve discovered a new tasty beverage that Bill and I have been enjoying lately. It’s a spin-off of a drink I had at a restaurant recently – light and refreshing, not too strong on the alcohol nor too heavy to drink. You mix Elderflower
liquor, club soda and lemon Italian soda. If you want it a bit sweeter, add champagne. It’s yummy!

Sorry, back to where I was headed…oh yah…and no guilt…We spent the majority of the summer at the lake, which is always such a blessing. The girls can run all day long and get filthy dirty and have the best time doing so. We rode horses, went on long bike rides, paddled kayaks and paddle-boats, went for walks, hung out at the beach, played miniature golf, had picnics, ate ice cream (a lot!), made s’mores over the new outdoor fire-pit, camped in the backyard, made ice cream, went out on the lake, visited with family, went up the gondola, and took the trolley on outings. I’m sure there are more things I’ve forgotten, as each day was extremely busy and full of adventures.

Paige:
She is now 15 months old and has 7 teeth. Her eighth is just starting to break through, so that’s been fun! She took her first few “real” steps at our friend’s Rusty and Jen’s going away party in mid-July and she’s been nonstop since then. She loves to try to keep up with her sisters and actually does a pretty good job at it. Paige is a happy girl and loves her baths, playing, snuggling, dancing, and “driving” her car (including pushing the horn, a.k.a. the beep-beep). She
communicates very well and has a few words – Mama, Dada, dog, book, ball, milk, done, more, no, shoe, hat, up…of course, all are pronounced in her dialect but understandable nonetheless. She understands conversations and is able to follow directions. Her hair is blonde-blonde and curly in the back…both things that the other girls never had.

Vanessa:
At four and a half years old, my dresses-only-wearing girl, is full of energy and spunk, yet has a real compassionate and nurturing side. All day long, she goes and goes and goes, until her head hits the pillow and then literately, she is asleep in about 30 seconds. She is a busy girl,
attending gymnastic and ballet classes and is in a pre-K class every afternoon. Attending school every day is a new experience for her and one that I wasn’t so sure of. But she is a child who needs consistency and repetition, as well as socialization with peers her own age. It’s only been a week and so far she seems to be handling it alright….tired, but always ready for the next day. A few weeks ago, she swam across the swimming pool all by herself, which was just awesome to watch. She took lessons at the beginning of the summer, but then we headed to the lake so didn’t get much pool time after that. But since being back, she seems to have picked up right where she left off in her lessons and really enjoys swimming. Vanessa has a very soft side to her, one that most people probably don’t notice too often. When someone gets hurt, she is the first person to run and get the ice pack or a band-aid or if needed, an adult. To Vanessa, a band-aid makes everything better, so I’ve started purchasing band-aids at Costco in the jumbo pack and
learning to let go of, what seems to me, the wastefulness use of them.

Katelyn:
My first grader! At six and a half, she is becoming a girl. I took the girls shopping the other day for a few new fall outfits. Usually, I purchase online or when I’m out by myself, but I needed to go to the mall, so decided that I would just take the girls with me and let them pick a few
outfits out themselves. It brought a smile to my face as I watched Katelyn choose her outfits carefully and thoughtfully, picking items that were no longer “little girl” looking, yet
still very much age-appropriate. She loves horses and is getting very good at soccer. This is her first year on an U8 team, which brings a larger playing field, more rules to follow, goalies, positions to play, and referees. I am the coach of her team and that has brought a new experience for all of us. I was able to recruit Coach Papa, which was a blessing and when Bill is able, he helps at practices too. She recently figured out that she was able to tell time, so I guess that means no more little white lies about “only five more minutes” and then leave in two. At
least she’ll keep me honest. Katelyn is social and has lots of friends at school, playing with girls and boys. She loves her teacher and really is thriving – in all ways possible.

Bill is amazing in his position for work and seems to really be enjoying it. Assisting with
Katelyn’s soccer practices has brought back a lot of fond memories for him. He was, and still is an exceptional soccer player, so I think is eager to pass on those skills to his own children. The old soccer cleats that have been sitting in the garage for years got pulled out the other day and wash clean. He is an amazing father and watching him one-on-one with each of his daughters is rather special. His relationship with each of them is very different, and rightfully so. With Katelyn, they’ll lie in bed and read together and he is always teaching her new things,
as she is so inquisitive. With Vanessa, she calls him her snugly, as she’ll climb into out bed and snuggles up to him and you know he just loves it (even if it isn’t always the best night’s
sleep). With Paige, she just makes him smile and melts his heart.

I’m super busy with the girls and all of their activities, as well as my own volunteer work at the girls’ schools and my work on the Board of Directors that I’ve been serving on for several years now. Recently, it occurred to me that the girls’ childhood years are so few – from age 0-10 is only 10 years. They have years and years of being an adult. Since their childhood years are so few and go by very quickly, I better make the most of them and cherish every day. Perhaps that is why I enjoy being a mom so much and giving to my family as much as I give. I want each day to be full of memories and adventures for all of us. It is always something I’m working on and by no means am I even close to having it all together, but I strive to happiness.

Speaking of memories, last weekend the girls were swimming and asked for an ice cream.
Feeling generous at 4pm on a Sunday afternoon, I brought one out to them, knowing that their dinner appetites wouldn’t be very big. We joked that they were having dessert before
dinner and that led into the thought of having a “backwards” night. And that is exactly what we did. After swimming and eating dessert, we took baths and put our pajamas on backwards, and then ate dinner complete with the table set backwards and then said grace at the end of the meal. It was a completely spontaneous evening, but one that was extremely funny and entertaining.

Fall is quickly approaching us – the evenings are getting darker earlier, the leaves are already starting to turn, and the weather is cooling off. The girls already have their Halloween costumes picked out and have started working on their Christmas wish-lists. The days are passing so quickly, that I need to go find some toothpicks to hold my eyes wide open so that I don’t blink as often…then perhaps I can keep current on recording our memories and adventures on this amazing journey.

Apparently, I have two budding fashionestas

I was helping Vanessa with her hair this morning and asked her if she wanted to wear one of her favorite headbands - an adorable pink and blue plaid around-the-head kind with a bow on top. She looked at me and proceed to tell me, "Mom, that is plaid!"

"Ya, so? It is cute and the pink matches your outfit"

"But I am not wearing any plaid. It doesn't match."

"But you have solid pink leggings and a white and pink shirt on. How does it not match?"

"But I don't have any plaid on!"

"Where did you learn about plaid?"

"Katelyn."

She is 6, not 16!

Dear Fashion Designers,

I'm trying to stay on top of my ever-fast-growing children making sure that they are fully clothes in appropriate-sized outfits. Since they are constantly growing, I feel like I am always having to purchase new clothes. Furthermore, our seasons have changed, once again, and now I need to start to prepare for Summer, which means new shorts and shirts, skirts and dresses to buy. I appreciate a well-made item, especially one that is from a good piece of material that I know will handled even the toughest days outside in the dirt and handle the many washings it will have to go through.

However, here is where my struggle begins. I do not want to pay an arm-and-a-leg for ONE piece of clothing. But if I don't, I get shotty quality and material, not to mention inappropriate items. So I'm asking for good-quality, age-appropriate clothing. Demanding, I know. But really, is it too much to ask?

My child is 6 years old and therefore, should dress like a 6 year old. She is not 16 and in High School. She is in KINDERGARTEN. Therefore, I expect her to dress and look like one. She should not be wearing a barely-there swim suit or a t-shirt that says "I'm Hot" or have a need to be covered from head-to-toe in bling. Don't get me wrong, bling is nice, but there is an appropriate age and place for it. But she does not need to be wearing a mini or short-shorts or a tube-top. Please, I wouldn't even wear these things, why would you think I would let my daughter wear them! Where are they bright colors and cute designs? Where are the rainbows and hearts? What about dots or plaids or stripes? Why does everything have to have that already-wore-and-washed-a-million-times look or have a fringed hem?

I know I ask a lot, but I cannot believe that I am the only mom out there who feels like this. Look to higher-end lines for some ideas. Hannah Andersson, Boden or Gymboree are perfect examples...adorable age-appropriate fun outfits, full of color and fun patters and designs. Yes, I could shop these stores exclusively and I am starting to head that way, but replacing a child's wardrobe every few months gets costly. I'm sure there will be a time and a place for what you are producing for young children, but not now. Give them a few years and let them be kids. What's the rush to make them grow up so fast?

Sincerely,
A fashion-conscious and, apparently, conservative, Mom

A budding photographer

I was downloading some pictures and noticed a few additional photos taken by a young photographer in my home - Vanessa. These photos are hilarious! They capture what is important to her - some of her favorite toys, her laptop, the mouse to the laptop, her dolls, and her sister. In all, there were 38! Thank goodness it was digital, otherwise she would have wanted me to change out the film roll for a new one. Seeing the pictures caught me by surprise, but gave me a good laugh, especially since so many of them were taken at crazy angles angles like this one...

My favorite girls

Proud BIG sisters!

We have a picture of Katelyn looking at Vanessa, just after she was born, in almost this exact same pose. Even after two months, she still loves to hold her baby sister and sing to her.

A chilly Winter afternoon at the park

Happy Halloween...only a week and a half late!

We carved pumpkins for Halloween, just as we do every year. This was the first year, however, that Katelyn wanted to transform her pumpkin by herself.
She drew the pumpkin’s face and then carved it all by herself. She was hesitant using her hands to scoop out the insides, often insisting that it was gross and didn’t want to get her hands dirty. So she found a spoon to use and continued on her way. Her completed pumpkin was very impressive and she was so proud of her artwork, as were we. I loved watching her use her imagination and capturing some of the best facial expressions I’ve seen.

Katelyn’s pumpkin is on the top row, second from the right. Notice the small triangles above the eyes? Hair. Yes, this pumpkin had all the features of a regular human’s head.
Vanessa's desire to carve her pumpkin lasted just a few minutes, espeically after she stuck her hand insided the pumpkin...then, she wanted nothing else to do with it.

And on the actual day of Halloween, the girls had so much fun dressing up and helping me pass out candy. Katelyn was a ghost and Vanessa was a dog.

Making smores over an outdoor firepit adds to the memories

Our doorbell has rung a lot this summer. It’s always the group of kids from the block asking if Katelyn and Vanessa can play outside. YES, of course they can! So the girls would join in on the fun, usually a game of tag or hind-n-seek or riding bikes. They would play until they were exhausted and dirty, just in time for dinner, bath and bed.

You see, this is a big deal to me. Our street is made up of all boys, ranging in ages 5-12. Actually, there are two families with girls just around my children’s ages and a few years older, but they never come outside to play. I’m not sure what is up with that – maybe it’s the personality of the family, perhaps their children just don’t like hind-n-seek as much as mine do.

So the boys on the block play like…well, um, boys. And it’s usually very different than how girls play. However, we have been spending a lot of time outside this summer and the boys have gotten to know Katelyn and Vanessa better and know that these girls enjoy digging for worms as much as they do.

I am always nervous when the girls are outside playing, especially since all of the other children ride their bikes without helmets up and down the center of the street. That may be fine for their family, but it is not acceptable in ours – helmets must be on and you must be on the sidewalk (at least when you are as young as my children are). I am so mean, I know. Anyways, I am always more nervous than I probably ever need to be, but I always wonder how a group of boys is going to play with two younger girls. But amazingly, every time this group gets together, it is as if each one of these boys (the older ones particularly) come from a home with younger sisters and are familiar with “girl” play. But that is not true; each one comes from a family of all boys. In many ways, they’ve adopted Katelyn and Vanessa as their younger sisters and are always watching out for them. They know that playing “cops and robbers” with toy guns is not acceptable in our family, so they’ll switch the game just so Katelyn and Vanessa can be included.

I grew up on a cul-de-sac with approximately 30 children. We were always outside playing together and it did not matter if you were the oldest in the group or the youngest, a boy or a girl…everyone played together. Watching my girls play outside reminds me of many summer days as a child myself. And I know the memories that I have from my childhood and couldn’t be happier that my children get to experience similar, and make their own, fond memories.

"The Greatest Show on Earth"...or something like that

My sister-in-law Jennifer and I took the girls to the Circus this weekend. It was a new experience for all of us, although my mom tells me that I went when I was very little and since I have no memory of that joyous event, I am considering this my first Circus. I know Vanessa won’t remember much of it and Katelyn will only remember her favorite parts, but exposing my children to the vast world is something that I am striving to accomplish as a mother. I look back at our outings and activities this summer and can almost see the memories forming in the girls’ hearts and hear their minds trying to understand the world around them. And the Circus was just another avenue of, well...fun, laughter, silliness and risk taking. On the way home, I asked the girls what their favorite part of the performance was. Katelyn thought that the man walking upside-down hooking his feet into loops hanging from a beam high in the ceiling was cool – although she was a little concerned because he didn’t have a net or rope attached, so what would happen if he fell? Good question and one that I avoided to answer truthfully. And her second favorite part is also Vanessa’s favorite…the elephants. Not just the elephants, but what they were doing. Pooping. And peeing. On the show’s floor. And then one sat in it, which just got the girls into hysterics. Bodily functions of animals…what a precious memory we made together that night!

Blinking lights, bumps, neon signs...something!

The girls, Riley (our dog) and I took a walk to our local park. This is not something out of the ordinary, so we are all familiar with the rules: ears on, stop at all corners and do not cross a street without Mom next to you. Katelyn leads the way on her bike wearing her bright pink helmet, with Vanessa following on her tricycle sporting her yellow helmet and Riley and I bring up the rear. We are fortunate enough that from our house to the park, we only have to cross residential streets. We cross from corner to corner, handicap ramp to handicap ramp.

As we were crossing the other day, I checked to make sure that there were no cars in sight. We started to cross and were perhaps about half way when a car started to come down the road. No problem, right? We are a good several hundred feet in front of them – they can see us and slow down to let us finish crossing. Katelyn had safely crossed when Vanessa got stuck trying to cross. By this point, the car is coming at us very fast and not slowing down. CRAP! I have one child on one side of the street, the other is stuck and I’m going to be taken out by this oncoming car. I hold up my hand, as if I was some cross-walk guard (without my neon vest) and start yelling at the car to “STOP”. Nope, not happening. “STOP!…STOP!!…STOP!!!”. At this point, he starts to maneuver to drive around me, so that he wouldn’t have to slow down. I step over to block him, because after all, we are in the middle of the road and if he tried to go around me and didn’t gauge correctly, he would have hit Katelyn. And don’t forget, I have Vanessa sitting about two feet from the ground on my other side, so I was terrified that the driver wouldn’t even look for her.

I finally got him to stop, after several “choice” words in my head. I really wanted to tell him off and yell everything in my head out-loud to him, but what kind of example would I be setting for my girls. And talk about a vocabulary for them too! They would have learned several new words if I had made that decision. And furthermore, if the driver had decided to get out of his car to confront me, what kind of place would I have been in to safely protect my girls and me. Perhaps Riley would have helped defend us – actually, I know he would have, especially if I started to scream. But I really didn’t want to go down that path.

We finished our walk around the park, with me fuming the entire time. Since then, I have made contact with my representative from the Department of Transportation with the goal of getting a cross walk, and perhaps blinking lights, in efforts to make sure that others visiting the park can do so safely and perhaps drivers will slow down in that area. Personally, I would love several speed bumps on this road too, as obviously this driver was going too fast if he was able to get from one end to the other end on this long street before we crossed (and he wasn’t even on the street when we entered).

I am anxious to see my tax dollars at work.

Enjoying Summer Playtime

Our doorbell rang and it was a group of kids from the block asking if Katelyn and Vanessa can join them outside to play. YES, of course they can! The girls joined the group, a group of all boys by the way, outside for a game of tag and a few rounds of hide-n-seek. They were so tired by the evening, after the constant running and laughing all afternoon long.

You see, this was is a big deal for me. Our street is made up of all boys, ranging in age from 5 to 12. Actually, there are two families with girls just around my girls’ ages and a few years older, but they never come outside to play. I’m not sure what’s up with that – maybe it’s the personality of the family, perhaps their kid’s just don’t like hind-n-seek as much as mine do.

So the boys on our block play like…well, um, boys. And it’s usually very different than how girls play. However, we’ve been spending a lot of time outside this summer and the boys have gotten to know Katelyn and Vanessa better and know that these girls enjoying digging for worms as much as they do.

Bill and I recently cut down the 50 foot tree in our front yard. We did not want to remove the tree, but it has been causing sidewalk damage, plus it sits, rather, sat, atop of the main water and sewer lines to our home. Therefore, since we’ve had problems inside our home in these areas previously, we are guessing the tree roots are invading the pipes. We talked to several arborists and each one said that as soon as we trim the roots enabling us to repair the sidewalk, the tree will die from a form of root rot and shock which this tree is prone too. We were really left with no option. We applied for a permit to remove the tree, along with a permit to repair the sidewalk. As homeowners, you are responsible for all maintenance starting at the street, including city trees and city sidewalk. And of course, you cannot just fix these things on your own…you have to apply for a permit, do all work to city specs and then have all work approved upon completion. It’s rather a cumbersome process, for which you are paying entirely out of your pocket for.

While we were outside cutting down the tree, we had everyone on our block out watching, encouraging and gasping as we cut the tree down. By the late afternoon, all of the kids ended up in our front yard playing in a small portable pool we had set up on the front lawn. The older boys took charge and made sure no one got hurt and that everyone had a turn. They watched out for Vanessa, the littlest of the group, making sure she felt included. I was a little nervous about how the group of young boys was going to play with two small girls. But they, especially the older ones, were amazing…almost as if each of the families that these boys belong to have younger sister siblings to watch out for. None of them do – they each come from families of all boys. It was as if they’ve adopted Katelyn and Vanessa as their younger sisters and they are playing the older protective brother role. I grew up on a block with at least 25 children around the same age, so watching my own children play a game of tag outside brings back such warm wonderful memories, the kind that you always hope your own children would get to experience.

No matter how much you shelter (or protect) them, they still learn it

Vanessa has a Little Tikes’ Coupe Car. You know this one…












Well, anyways, the girls love to drive it around the house. Often times, they are schmoosed into the seat together or one is driving and the other is hanging off the roof on the outside, like catching a free ride. When just one of them is driving, they take turns and are pretty good about sharing driving opportunities.

Usually.

The other day, Vanessa was driving her car and Katelyn asked if she could have a turn. Vanessa told her “no” and that she was still driving somewhere. Where? I have no idea, but somewhere very important apparently. Katelyn was not satisfied with Vanessa’s response. In frustration, she walked up to the side of the car and kicked the driver’s side door. Vanessa stopped the car in mid-push and threw open the door. With a look of pure anger, she ran after Katelyn with her arms in the air, and if words would have been permitted, she would have probably been yelling something like, “How dare you kick my car! Now, I’m going to hurt you!”

True road rage.

Now, let me clarify a few things here. My children do not watch television. Yes, the occasional parent-censored DVD, but not traditional television where you would expect children to learn about such acts of violence.

And no, neither Bill nor I have ever chased after someone in anger…maybe a few choice words, but never physical violence.

I'm still finding sand!

We went to the beach one day last week to avoid the heat. This was the first ocean-beach experience the girls have had and they were just thrilled to experience something new! The sand at the beach is soft, more like playground sand, compared to the rocky beaches the girls are familiar with at Tahoe. Katelyn ran across the sand barefoot shouting “this is cool” and ended up covered head-to-toe with sand. Two baths later, we still found sand on her! I was a little nervous as to how Vanessa would take to the sand, as she hates to even have her hands dirty and now I am making her walk in it. Well, I was so wrong. She totally surprised me and loved the sand. At one point, she was laying and rolling in it, with a big grin on her face.

I have always been a little hesitant taking the girls to the beach, because usually it’s just me and the girls on our day adventures and I only have one set of eyes to watch both girls and there is an enormous body of water at the beach that can easily take over a small child. Maybe I am a paranoid mom, but too often we hear about horrific, yet preventable, accidents involving children and water. There is a reason we have two locks and a child-safe gate before one can even get into our pool area at home. But then again, my children were the only ones on the beach wearing sun-shirts and hats, even though it was over-cast out (but that’s when you can get the worst sun-burns!).

We had a wonderful day, ending with a stop to treat ourselves to some ice cream before heading home. I am so glad we ventured out to try something new and enjoyed our time together.

I wanted to cry from frustration, hide from embarrassment, and laugh from the chaos of it all

The girls and I went on several errands yesterday; nothing out of the ordinary. We were all having a good time, everyone’s ears were “on”, and a red balloon was waiting for us as soon as we got through the check-out line. That was until we visited Trader Joe’s. To be more specific, the egg section of Trader Joe’s. We then lost the privilege of the red balloon. And yes, there were eggs on the floor.

As different as...

I often get the question, since having two daughters who are close in age, if they are similar in personality and preferences. Umm…no. No, not at all, to be honest. Don’t get me wrong, there are some similarities between them, like they are both girls and came from the same two parents. But other than that, they are as different as night and day, salt and pepper, apples and oranges. And I’m not talking developmental differences. I’m describing differences of what they like, how they do things, what they prefer. Here’s what I’m talking about…(Sorry these columns are not lined up nice and straights. I have been working to get them that way and have been having some problems, but figured you'd get my point anyways)

Katelyn -------------------------Vanessa
Deli sandwiches ------------------ Chicken Nuggets
Apples without the skin ---------- Skin of an apple only, no apple flesh
Milk ----------------------------- Water
Curious George ------------------ Clifford
Doesn’t mind her hair in her eyes -- Does not like her hair in her eyes
Headband or nothing in her hair --Clips or ponytail in her hair
Tomatoes ------------------------Carrots
Experiences the entire playground -- Will swing for the entire trip to the park
Fresh fruit ------------------------Freeze-dried fruit
Books -----------------------------Movies
Fudgesicles -----------------------Juice popsicles
Poses for the camera --------------Shy for the camera
Ready to start her day as soon as
her eyes open in the morning ------Takes her time waking up in the morning
Skittles ----------------------------Red Vines
Does not like gummy worms -------Loves gummy worms
Raisins ----------------------------Dried Blueberries
Eats potatoes ----------------------Wants potatoes on her plate, but won’t eat them
Nothing spicy ---------------------- Everything spicy

They come with so many features

Continuing from my post below…

The other day, I asked the girls to “turn on” their ears as we were about to head into a store and I wanted it to be a successful trip. Katelyn then proceeds to tell Vanessa that she now needs a key to “turn on” her ears and that Katelyn is holding the key for her. She gives Vanessa the key, allowing Vanessa to “turn” them on. And then Vanessa hands Katelyn the key back. I smiled at this very clever imagination my girls have and thought that that would be the last time I saw the key.

Nope, now they need a key every time they turn their ears “on”.

And today, they informed me that their ears have volume control too.