Like Mother, Like Daughter

Lilly is a spunky, fun-loving two year old. She is so full of life and has a way of making everyone smile. She also has a special way about her...and this I believe comes from me. I am not so sure I am proud to admit it, but I show signs of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). I like things to be a certain way and I also like to do just about everything myself, because I know it will get done to my liking and in my time.

This can be viewed as a strength and a weakness. Giving up control is difficult for me...I wouldn't really consider myself a control freak, because I am flexible and like to go along with other people's ideas, but I definitely need order in my life. Mike and the kids have learned that, "Mom will find it...she knows where everything is". One of my resolutions was to relax a little bit more and remember that everything doesn't have to be perfect, but honestly, it is more difficult than it sounds.

I have been organizing things since I was very young. My parents can attest to that! I alphabetized my music cassettes in grade school, and sorted books by author and put them in ABC order on my bookshelf. The clothes in my closet were hung by season with color coded hangers and the socks in my drawer were sorted by color and style. I put things back in their cases and proper places and was mortified if anyone disturbed my madness.

Lilly is turning out to be the same way. She is very independent. She needs to do things her way and in her time. If a sock is turned the wrong way or her jacket is bunched up in the car seat, look out!....a major meltdown might be on the way. She closes drawers and doors behind people and cleans up after herself- putting everything in their proper places. She likes routine and everything LINED UP and IN ORDER!!! These photos were taken throughout the week. Every time I turn around, she's either sorting things into separate piles or lining things up. She orders us to stay away while she's doing this and becomes very upset if we mess with things. I can relate Lilly... you're so much like me...like mother, like daughter. I love you and your organized ways!

25 Random Things About Me

I was tagged...again. This time I had to list 25 Random Things About Me. They may be random, but they won't surprise you.

1. My love goes deeper than I ever thought possible for my husband and kids.
2. I enjoy my job so much, that most days it doesn't even feel like work.
3. I love the smell of a new car, fresh paint, clean sheets, and bread baking in the oven.
4. I used to hate chocolate when I was a kid, now I eat it with just about every meal.
5. I love to stay up late.
6. Vacuuming and cleaning my house gives me a sense of control. I clean to relieve stress!
7. I never leave the house without making the beds.
8. I love to workout...it can't be considered a workout, unless I can wring out my clothes.
9. I start each day with a diet coke. I love the smell of coffee, but still can't drink it.
10. I have never tried smoking.
11. I regret quiting piano lessons...I hope to take lessons again someday, maybe with my kids.
12. I have a real passion for scrapbooking, blogging, and anything that involves using creativity.
13. I love to shop! Shirts, purses, and shoes have a way of sneaking into my closet without my husband knowing. =0) Good thing he doesn't mind!
14. I love to call Denell...talking to her gives me the best "high". Her friendship is priceless!
15. I LOVE to entertain. I could have people over just about any night of the week.
16. I call my dad every Sunday night.
17. I am going to Grand Cayman in two weeks for a relaxing, romantic, fun getaway with my husband (and the Kruse's).
18. I love to make lists...and cross things off. It makes me feel productive.
19. My sister would say I have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), but truthfully I am just an organized freak, who likes/needs everything perfect!
20. I love to laugh until my belly hurts! I love to hear the sound of my kids laughing. Laughter is the best medicine.
21. I am so glad things like Hello Kitty, Strawberry Shortcake, CareBears, My Little Ponies, Barbies, and Easy Bake ovens are still popular...because now I get to enjoy some of my favorite childhood toys with my daughter. It's so much fun being a kid. If only they knew how good they have it.
22. Twenty-two is my lucky number! It's my b-day and I feel that birthdays should be an extra special day...
23. I love to be surprised. I also love to surprise other people with random acts kindness.
24. My family and friends mean the world to me.
25. My God is an AWESOME God...I am truly blessed. I thank Him everyday for the strength He gives me. Through Him all things are possible!

Underwater World

Nolan is turning into a real pool shark. We found ourselves by the pool more this week than usual, because on Sunday night, a whole new "underwater" world was discovered. Mike found an old pair of goggles and thought it would be a good way to teach Nolan how to hold his breath when going under. Nolan was a little hesitant at first...probably because he's swallowed and choked on his fair share of water this past month. Magically, the goggles did the trick! Once Nolan saw Mike underwater, he was anxious to get back under. Mike entertained him by making faces, holding up fingers, and dropping toys to the bottom. Mike was so impressed, that he made a special trip to Target to purchase Nolan his own pair of goggles the very next day.
Nolan was pretty excited about the new pair and also loved the fact that a snorkel came with it. Mike shared a couple of snorkeling stories with him, and before we knew it, we were back in the pool trying them out. Nolan couldn't get enough of it. He'd bob up for air, and go right back down to explore some more. By the end of the night, he even dove down to retrieve various toys off the bottom. Soon he'll be able to accompany us on a snorkel excursion in Grand Cayman...

Pinkalicious

It's too cold to go outside...
So, we decided to make our own batch of Pinkalicious cupcakes!
Baker's Man
Lick them clean...
I love the reflection of her in the glass.

Are they ready yet? "Look at them puff up Lilly."

Lilly's favorite part...sweet frosting!

We had to wash and switch out the spreader several times,

because she couldn't resist licking it.

These are Pinkalicious!

This posting was inspired by one of Lilly's favorite books,

Pinkalicious

written by: Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann.

It was a rainy day, too wet to go outside.

Mommy said, "Let's make cupcakes! What color do you want?"

"Pink!" I said. "Pink, pink, pink!"

Mommy put in some pink.

"More!" I cried. "More, more, more!"

I gobbled up a couple of cupcakes while Mommy and I frosted them.

There were so yummy- they were PINKALICIOUS!

I offered one to Peter, my little brother,

but he is very picky and didn't want to eat his.

So I ate it.

The story goes on to say that the little girl eats so many pink cupcakes that she turns pink. Her face turns pink, her hands turn pink, and her belly becomes the color of a sunset. She takes a bath and tries to wash it off, but it won't come off. She ends up having to go to the doctor. The dr. says she has a very rare and acute case of Pinkititis. She is told not to eat anything pink for the rest of the week. She is only to eat green food. Yuck!

The little girls continues to eat the cupcakes and suddenly realizes she needs to listen to the doctor! The next day, when she looks in the mirror, she is no longer pink, but RED! Instantly, she eats grapes, relish, pickles, spinach, okra, artichokes, brussel sprouts, and olives. Luckily, she returns to her normal self. The ending is good: Peter, who was once picky- sneaks the remaining pink cupcakes and comes out to yell, "Pink-a-boo!"

So tonight, because this is Lilly's absolute favorite book...and it was too COLD to go outside, we decided to make our own batch of delicious PINKALICIOUS cupcakes. We had a lot of fun acting out the story, while making a yummy pink treat!

Happy Birthday Bruce!

The family was able to get together today to help Bruce celebrate his 58th birthday. One would never guess Bruce is pushing 60. He is so energetic, spunky, and full of life. Age is a state of mind... he is very young at heart. Some may say, "He's aging gracefully", or "He's like a bottle of wine...the older it gets, the better it is". Whatever saying a person wants to apply is fine, but I believe he will be spending his retirement years with more gusto than ever before! Everyone was able to meet for lunch at the Green Mill after church. We had a delicious lunch and yummy b-day cupcakes! Of course, Lilly wasn't able to focus on the meal...she was itching to get her hands on all the frosting! Happy Birthday Grandpa Brucie!

Bunco Babes

Brenda, Carmen, Terri, and Steph...who is going to get the win?
Denell, Carmen, Steph, and Kim
Three rounds of six are played to determine the winner!


Love ya D!

Kim was also a winner at the end of the night!
Nice rolling Kim!

Denell walked away with the prize for most wins: $25.00

Happy 31st Birthday Melissa!

Welcome to the world baby Greta!

On Tuesday night, my dear friends gathered in the community center in our apartment for our monthly Bunco get together. I thought it would be nice to recognize Melissa's birthday and the birth of baby Greta (Kim's new addition) so I ordered a cake and went with the whole "Birthday" theme. Everyone came geared up for a fun night...and that it was! Our chatting, story-telling, and laughing made for a memorable evening. I was lucky enough to win first place...not sure if it is legal for the hostess to win. I guess in a sense, I was the "hostess with the mostest!" =0)

We Have Dreams...

May all your dreams come true little man!
I dream nothing but the best for you, sweet Lilly!

I took these pictures of the kids wearing my glasses yesterday, because for some odd reason they think it is so exciting to put them on. I am not sure if it makes them feel more grown-up, a little more like dad and me, or just a bit smarter. They do look cute in them, but I am not so sure it's the best idea since they've cost me approximately $450 a pair! Yikes!

Anyway, they looked cute...and visions of a scrapbook page entitled "My Little Einsteins" flashed before me. Whenever, I have a scrapbooking vision, am pretty easy to sway. In fact, Nolan is starting to remind me to go get my camera, so I can capture whatever silly stunt they're performing.

The scrapbook page was going to be used to show some of the things their proud of doing at age two and four...

Nolan @ age four:

* Writes the alphabet and knows each of the letter sounds

* Can identify all upper and lower case letters

* Can count to 100 and up to 10 in Spanish

* Can count by tens to one hundred

* Knows a lot of the basic addition facts by heart

* Buckles his own seat belt

* Can zip and button

etc...

Lilly @ age two:

* Can count to 20

* Knows her colors

* Can recite mealtime and bedtime prayers by heart

* Can get dressed and undressed all by herself.

* Knows the days of the week.

etc...

My visions took a slight detour this morning, when Nolan went to turn on our usual 8:00 a.m. cartoon program. Curious George was not in it's scheduled time slot, because today is Marting Luther King Day! A documentary of his life was being shared with young viewers like Nolan. Nolan wasn't at all disappointed, but curious. Who was this man that they were talking about? I explained how unfairly African Americans were treated many years ago, and the fact that Martin Luther had a dream. Through determination and hard work, his dream for all people to be treated equally (regardless of their skin color) became a reality. I did go as far as the "I Have a Dream" speech with him, because he seemed to be grasping my mini-lesson.

It was after our discussion, that it dawned on me! I realized that the photos of them in my eyeglasses could be used as a scrapbook page about their dreams! Nolan has been sharing goals with me in last couple of weeks, because not only did I write resolutions for myself, but our whole family came up with goals and things we hope to accomplish in the coming year.

So this morning, I asked the kids again what their dreams were. The lists stayed pretty consistent:

Nolan:

* I hope I can ride my bike without training wheels this spring.

* I want to be able to tie my own shoes.

* I want to learn how to read. (This goal makes me SO HAPPY!)

* I want to ride in an airplane. (Every child's dream!)

* I hope I can rollerblade to the park without tipping over.

* I want to have a pirate themed birthday party when I turn five.

* I want to be a good boy.

Lilly:

* I want to learn how to write my name.

* I want to go to preschool.

* I hope that I can have a princess party.

* I hope I get to go to the doll store (American Girl Store).

* I want to get more treats!

* I hope I can get a puppy at our new house.

My biggest wish is for my family to be safe, healthy, and happy! With God in our lives, I believe that these wishes are very realistic. We all have dreams and things we hope to accomplish in our lifetime. May each of us remember that all things are possible. We can do everything through Him who gives us strength. Philippians 4:13

Monster Trucks...Oh Yeah!

Pit party- before the show...
Brandon, Carter, and Nolan

Engines roaring! Loud! A Blast!

I didn't think it would sit real well with Nolan if Lilly and I left him in the dust...so, Mike arranged for the two of them to head down to the big Metrodome for the MONSTER TRUCK SHOW! Uncle Jason and his two cousins, Brandon and Carter were able to join them for the great manly, man event! We had seen commercials on T.V. and talked briefly about the possibility of him going someday, but weren't real sure of just when that day would be. Well, it just so happened to land on the same day as Sesame Street Live, so off they went to have a little fun of their own.

Mike located some "Pit Party" passes which gave them the opportunity to walk around and see all the big trucks in person before the show. The boys were amazed by their size... it makes me giggle to see the binoculars hanging around his neck (of course they were for later).

There were 16 trucks in the show, all of which had special attributes and stunts. Nolan particularly loved the Superman Truck. He informed me of the real Superman inside and the fact that it was able to crush an R.V. with just one blow! COOL! He brought home a toy replica and T-shirt. This was our main topic of conversation today...and I think it will be something he'll talk about and remember for a long time.

P.S. Because this was a male outing, Mike refused to take a camera...just too much to carry and keep track of he told me. He thought his phone would do the trick (and it did), but it's just not the same. Maybe the boys were able to enjoy the show more without their pesty mom/aunt in their face with the camera all the time. =0)

Sesame Street Live!

Before the Show!

Lilly and Jayna

A special day for mom and me!

I love my sweets!

Abby

Elmo was Lilly's favorite

Lilly attended her first "big" show today...Sesame Street Live! Her and I, along with her friend Jayna and my friend Terri, headed down to the cities this afternoon for a fun mother/daughter/girls' trip.
The enormous stage, bright lights, animated characters, upbeat music, and constant motion kept Lilly highly entertained. She watched with wide eyes and open mouth for the first 10 minutes of the show. She loved all the music and dancing, and pointed out with excitement as each new character came on stage. There were many special affects that also caught her attention throughout the performance.

Of course, as you all know....this show was not only about singing and dancing, it was also about treats! Lilly spotted the cotton candy the minute we got there. I was able to hold her off until the intermission, but this was another one of her highlights. A light-up Elmo spinner and Zoe doll also found their way into my purse... at least these are not edible treats and something she can keep as a remembrance of our special day.

On the Catwalk.

Feeling a bit sassy!
Be nice to me, or I will turn you into a frog!
Then, I will put you into my witch's brew!
Being a princess isn't as easy as it looks...neither is walking in these shoes.
But I forge on, because these shoes are so fashionable.
Dressed up and ready for church!

Hamming it up for the camera- or just to make mom happy!

As many of you know, Lilly loves to dress up! If she could be in a dress 24-7, she would be. This is quite a change too, because it was only this past summer that I could get her in one. She loves sticker earrings, play shoes, purses, necklaces, braclettes, nail polish, and anything with jewels, lace, or glitter. She's been asking me to blow dry her hair (only because she hates it when it's wet) and will allow me to curl the ends of her hair under if we are doing something or going somewhere special.

Lilly likes to pretend she is at a beauty shop and smiles at herself in the mirror the whole time!

Today, she wanted to try on everything in her dress-up trunk and put on a fashion show. She paraded and giggled around the house in each of the costumes. It was quite the performance...

I do love having a little girl to do girly things with, but am not really trying to push this on her. She is just a "girly" girl by nature... and I have to admit, I LOVE IT!

Dribble! Pass! Score!

Nolan did a great job dribbling the ball across the gym floor.

He shoots....he SCORES! Nice kick buddie!

Lilly's idea of soccer...she has to warm up before the big game you know!

Okay, that's more like it...Good ball handling sweetie!

Our kids have also been playing soccer at the school on Tuesday nights. Lilly is in the two and three year old class, and Nolan participates with the four and five year olds. Both enjoy going for the most part. I think the hardest part is getting home from daycare, shoveling in some supper, and then heading out the door so quickly.

Adults are required to play in Lilly's class, which is a good thing, because I am not so sure the little ones would be as eager to follow the instructions without mom or dad present. =0) This also allows some one on one time with Lilly- which is nice too!

Nolan, on the other hand, is happy to have the gym to himself...running up and down the court, dribbling, passing, and scoring. It is fun to see him play independently with his peers. We enjoy being his cheering section!