What a Week!

We had a crazy busy week around here. Madeline started swim class two nights a week, and she loves it. She can swim for as long as she can hold her breath. She still hasn't mastered breathing and swimming at the same time, though.  

Tuesday, we attended Madeline's open house at her elementary school.  Here she is standing next to her accelerated reader board.  She has earned three patches so far this year.  Since she can't read by herself, Kent and I have to go to her school between 2:30 and 3:00 to read and test her in the school's library. It took 70 books and 70 tests to get those patches! 

On Thursday, my partner teacher found this stray puppy on my school's campus.  It's fairly common for dogs to run around the neighborhood where I work, but this one happened to be adorable and super sweet.  We hid her in our classrooms for the day, and I seriously considered taking her home.  Then I remembered how much work, poop, and pee are involved in a pet and came to my senses.

On Thursday evening, I had my own open house where I work.  Since I put in a twelve hour day, Kent was very nice and brought the girls to see me.  They loved playing with the puppy and seeing where I work.

Here are a few of my students, the sweeter ones. 

The Heat is on

Look Uncle Josh, not only is it hot enough for us to wear shorts, it's hot enough for bathing suits!

Check out the tan lines from Sophie's glasses in the pictures below.

Madeline started swim class last week, so we had to go swimsuit shopping.  She picked this one out at my favorite children's store, Carter's.  This may be one of the last pictures of Maddie with all of her baby teeth because two of her bottom ones are loose!  She is over the moon, and I am desperately trying to keep time from moving forward.

Ethan's Party!

We spent the afternoon at Ethan's 5th birthday party.  The party had a racing theme, and as usual, his parents did an incredible job with games, decorations, and the CAKE!

Sophie wouldn't take a turn at the pinata, but Milo took several swats.  What a big boy he is getting to be!  Madeline, well, I think I need to sign her up for some t-ball. 

This cake is a work of art.  I think my friend Jennifer needs to open up a bakery and sell her creations.

A Conversation with Sophie

Last night's conversation between Kent and Sophie at dinner:

Kent:  Did you have fun at school today?

Sophie:  No.  I couldn't have fun because Mommy left me.

Kent:  You mean you couldn't have fun because I left you?  I am the one who leaves you at school.

Sophie: No, because of Mommy.

Kent:  You can't have fun because you're not with Mommy? 

Sophie: Yes.

Kent:  Can you have fun if you're not with me?

Sophie: Yes.

The woes of a working mom.   At least in 9 short weeks, I'll be a stay-at-home-mom for two and a half months. About 40-some days and counting!

Happy Easter!

Last night while we slept, guess who came to our house? The Easter Bunny, of course! He filled all of our plastic eggs with candy and hid them all over the house. Kent and I were awoken nice and early, 6:45 am, by our excited children. Kent said, "Why are they up so early today?" Duh! Christmas morning and Easter morning it is illegal for kids to sleep past 7am!  

Since the eggs were filled with candy, the baskets were full of new toys.  Madeline got a new jump rope, an umbrella, a bug box, and various art supplies.  Sophie got a stuffed animal bunny, magnetic letters, and some new bath toys.  And wasn't the Easter Bunny creative?  He left all the loot in two oversized sand buckets. Perfect for the beach, hint, hint.

After going through the new toys, the girls embarked on the egg hunt and proceeded to feast on little chocolate bunnies and jellybeans for breakfast. Tomorrow, we are back to fruits, vegetables, and our regular routines!

Me and Daddy didn't set our coffee maker for the morning since we are out of our regular routine.  Who will make us some coffee, we are tired today!

After the candy breakfast, we headed into the backyard to burn off some sugar induced energy.

Then, it was back inside to try out some art supplies.  Check out cookie monster, he is actually painted the right color and is somewhat inside the lines!  Well, just his head, after that Sophie went back to "process" rather than "product," typical two year old.

We'll round out our Easter with a lovely meal of ham and sweet potatoes.  Our good friends Carrie and Ryan agreed to join us this afternoon.  Then it's back to work I go.  After a very lovely week with my girls, I am ready for a day of work!  Happy Easter everyone!

Dying Eggs, Round Two

Yesterday our friends Ethan, Jonas, and Jennifer came over to dye more eggs with us. Their timing was perfect because Madeline was in desperate need of a playmate after being out of school all week. Mommy was ready for some adult conversation, as well.  

Jennifer brought over these gorgeous and delicious cupcakes that she made herself, including the edible flowers. Very impressive handiwork that I will use as a centerpiece for Easter dinner.

A Picnic and the Park

Easter Cookies

Sophie Reading

Here Sophie is reading her Brown Bear, Brown Bear book that she made at preschool. Just disregard her post-nap hair and focus on the overall cuteness.

Easter Eggs

In between rolling and edging our new living paint, we dyed Easter eggs today. We utilized the Malisch method and just used food coloring rather than purchasing a kit.

Strawberry Pickin'

Mid morning, I decided I would take the girls strawberry picking at a farm about 30 minutes west of us. It sounded like a good idea, but in actuality, it was too hot, too close to nap time, and too close to lunch time. Alas, we made it through the adventure. The weather forcasted a high of 75 which sounded perfect, but when we finally piled into the van with our fruit around 1:30, my car claimed it 91 degrees outside!  

When we first arrived, we checked out the animals and were very impressed with our favorite, the goats, of course!  Check out the balancing skills of this one!

This picture is not in the right place, but I am just going to leave it.  That's the kind of day I've had!

Both girls were enthralled with this pig that really was playing in the mud.

So we finally made it out to the strawberry fields.  I don't know where the tractor pull-wagon ride was, so we (I) hoofed it out there with our wagon.  I tried repeatedly to get Sophie out of her sweater, but she resisted saying, "I cold.  I cold."  I am sure it was near 90 with zero shade, but I didn't fight her since, as I said before, it was basically nap time and post lunchtime with no lunch to be had.  

Madeline was a trooper.   She never complained once.  She is like her Dad, and the heat really doesn't seem to phase her.  She pulled the wagon all the way back because a certain two year old insisted on being carried.  Next time, we will go earlier and only if the high is around 65!