Commercials

I'm kind of proud of the fact that it has taken nearly 7.5 years before Ellie discovered commercials. We started watching So You Think You Can Dance and unfortunately we can not fast forward past the commercials. It didn't take Ellie long before she was hooked. There was a shampoo commercial that claims to de-tangle your hair for 7 days! Ellie thought that was simply incredible because that means you only have to brush your hair once a week. After I explained to her that commercials are meant to trick us into spending money, she admitted she was tricked. She admits that she's having a hard time believing it's too good to be true. Hahaha.

Married to my best friend

ELLIE:  Some people think that just because I'm a girl it means I should marry a boy. 
MOMMY:  What do you think about that?
ELLIE:  I think that it shouldn't matter just as long as you marry someone you really love.
MOMMY:  I agree completely. 
ELLIE:  I want to marry Brynn because she's always been my best friend and will be my best friend forever.  I want to be married to my best friend like you and Daddy.

Family Photos - Outtakes

I have to say, that if *THESE* are the photos that "didn't make the cut," then DAMN!!! Did I mention that life is JUST. THAT. GOOD.

A sincere thank you to Jenna Dancy Photography. A new friend gained and new memories captured.

Family Photos

LOOK! LOOK! I wasn't sure the blossoms would last through the Mother's Day snow, but they weren't too shabby. Perhaps they were a little less pink, but I'm thrilled with the results! Life is good.

In fact, life could not be any better...

Next Year's Photos

I stumbled across a grove of blossoming crab apple trees. How could I have not noticed them sooner? I pass this grove every day! But alas, it's likely too late to use this stunning grove as the backdrop to our annual springtime family photos. By the time that Daddy gets back into town, these beautiful blossoms will likely be gone. Or covered in snow.

So what's a Niffer to do? Of course, she makes the most of her options. If I can't have family photos, what's the next best thing? Sister photos! The girls LOVED this tiny corner of magic, and as they ran around the grass, I saw blossoms drop to the ground like snow with every giggle from the girls.

My fingers are crossed that the blossoms will hold out until next week when I get a chance to do family photos, but if they don't, you can rest assured that this will be the location of our 2015 spring time photo shoot!

Happy Mommies

The girls designed jewelry for Mother's Day...

Gramma's

Nana's

But mine is the best!

The Easter Bunny Race!

"The Easter Bunny Race!" illustrated and ritten by Ellie (for Grammie on Mother's Day)

On a hill beside a stream a mother bunny was so exited because she was going to have her first baby bunny born!

finily her baby bunny got born.  She was so cute.  She was so tiny and her ears wear so small her nose twitched.  today was her Birthday.

then another baby bunny was born!  the mother bunny was now so exited!  She hopped around exidedly in a circle!  another baby bunny!

Then another baby bunny was born.  he was just like his brother and sister just he was tiny tiny! than his mother said you are so cute and tiny.

than the mother bunny said it is now time for the easter bunny race.  the little bunnies wear so exited the mother led them to the race.

they started raceing.  thay won! the mother bunny was so exited to see the trophy.

they took the trophy home and than took a nap!

My Very Own Horse Tale

"My Very Own Horse Tale" by Ellie, written for Grandmommy Jeanne for Mother's Day.

Once upon a time there was a family of horses who loved to play games!

(Horse #1:  Tag!)

(Horse #2:  I am it!)

(Horse #3:  I did not get tagged.)

The more fun games they did the more funner it got!

(Horse #1:  Tag!)

(Horse #2: Tag!)

(Horse #3:  I am it!)

It got so much fun they all laughed until there sides hurt!

(Horse #1: My sides hurt)

(Horse #2:  My sides hurt to)

(Hors #3:  My sides do not hurt)

When they got tired of playing games, they took a nap!

(All horses:  zzzzzzzz)

The horses dreamed that rabbits where bowncing on a hill!

Than some ants joined the bunnies!

When the horses woke up they said lets play a game!

Inspiring Parenting Moment FAIL

She's just a girl and she's on fire
Hotter than a fantasy, lonely like a highway
She's living in a world and it's on fire
Filled with catastrophe, but she knows she can fly away
Hmmm... I kind of like this song...

Ohhhh oh oh oh oh
She got both feet on the ground
And she's burning it down
Ohhhh oh oh oh oh
She got her head in the clouds
And she's not backing down
Nice lyrics about a girl who grounded yet hopeful... I'm liking it even more...

This girl is on fire...
This girl is on fire...
She's walking on fire...
This girl is on fire...
Yeah she is! You go girl! OK... OK... I shouldn't try to pull of the "you go girl" thing.

Looks like a girl, but she's a flame
So bright, she can burn your eyes
Better look the other way
You can try but you'll never forget her name
She's on top of the world
Hottest of the hottest girls say
She's awesome! Look how strong she is! Girls, are you listening?

Ohhhh oh oh oh
We got our feet on the ground
And we're burning it down
Ohhhh oh oh oh oh
Got our head in the clouds
And we're not coming down
Listen closely girls... This song is for you!

This girl is on fire...
This girl is on fire...
She's walking on fire...
This girl is on fire...
Yep, that's you! You're on fire!

Everybody stares, as she goes by
'Cause they can see the flame that's in her eyes
Watch her when she's lighting up the night
Nobody knows that she's a lonely girl
And it's a lonely world
But she gon' let it burn, baby, burn, baby
Be strong, my daughters, be strong! Let them all wish they were you!

This girl is on fire...
This girl is on fire...
She's walking on fire...
This girl is on fire...

Oh, oh, oh, oh ohhhhh oh oh oh ohhh oh oh oh ohhhh... [4x]

She's just a girl and she's on fire!
No doubt this is a great song for little girls to listen to and know that they can grow up to be awesome. Right? Who's with me on this?? Can I hear a "Hell yeah!" Right???

ADDIE: It's sad that they put the girl on fire, right Ellie? That's not very nice!
ELLIE: Yeah. I hope that someone is able to help her out soon. I wonder what she did to make them so mad at her.


"Girl On Fire" by Alicia Keys

The Other Side of Sea World

There was a whole side of Sea World that I did not remember from nearly 20 years ago (UGH! 20 years? REALLY?)

There were lots of rides, lots of water and lots of Elmo. Even Addie was big enough for a few of the rides (we avoided the others). Fun times.

Grover even tried to mess up Ellie's hoola-hooping! But my personal favorite photo? Addie hoola-ing with Elmo.

We call this "dancing"

Some of my favorite moments in parenting are those you can't plan. They're the ones that just HAPPEN and you have to embrace it for what it is - magic. It makes me smile.

Sea World

The real reason we went to San Antonio was so that we could take the girls to Sea World. To be honest, Daddy and I are not keen on the concept of Sea World (more on that later) but we were able to acknowledge that the girls would love it and at this age it can be very inspiring for them.

Let's avoid some of the background info for the time being and just cut to the chase. Sea World is not the same as I remember it being. The big show? You'd think it would be Shamu. And yes, Shamu was impressive and yes the girls loved the show. And yes they wanted to talk to the trainers afterwards. Addie even asked the trainer what kind of school she went to in order to learn what she needed to know to be a trainer (she got a degree in animal psychology, in case you're wondering). Yes they loved seeing Baby Shamu. Yes and yes.

But no. It didn't have the same WOW factor that it had up until just a few years ago. The trainers are no longer able to get into the water with the orcas. So though the girls loved the show, it wasn't a stuffed animal Shamu that they wanted to go home with. You might wonder what could be BETTER than Shamu???

The Belugas, of course. Why? Because the trainers were IN THE WATER with the belugas. In an instant Addie says "No, I change my mind! I don't want to be one of the blue girls (Orca trainers). I want to be one of the red girls (dolphin/beluga trainers) when I grow up!" The show was quite entertaining. There were Belugas, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins (so pretty), synchronized swimmers and divers and even a flock of Macaw Parrots.

After the show, the girls once again loved the opportunity to talk to the trainers. Since Ellie is taking diving class, she decided to ask the diver how long she has been practicing, but I think she was a bit surprised by the answer being 20 years! Addie didn't hesitate to go up and ask the trainer questions about what it takes to do just that (she got her degree in Marine Biology, just fyi). I personally loved the fact that they weren't anxious to just get up and leave to see what's the next source of entertainment. These girls wanted to learn MORE.

On the way back to the hotel, our own Beluga trainers were quite happy and tired. Addie made sure to add one more request, "Mommy, now that we know what school those red girls went to, can I go there too?"

We even snuck in a night time swim in the lazy river. Both girls thought this was one of the best parts of the entire trip. Who gets to swim after it's dark outside??? Crazy stuff I say!

P.S. My sincere apologies to the hotel staff for all the marks on the window.

Little Family Trip

Daddy does quite a bit of traveling for work. Most of his work travel takes him to the wondrous state of Maryland or the exotic city of San Antonio. We often try to tag along to visit family and friends in Maryland since we used to live there ourselves, but this weekend was the first time we tagged along on a trip to San Antonio!

Yay! I LOVE trips with my Little Family!

Since it was basically just a weekend trip, we did very little. In fact, we didn't even get to go see the River Walk. WHAT? I know. We may be the very first people to visit San Antonio and NOT stop to see the River Walk! Sigh.

But we DID get to hang out at the hotel all day Saturday! Yay! Hotel!

Actually it wasn't that bad. The hotel had great grounds with a long lazy river (I think a 1/2 mile long!), pools, activities and playgrounds for the kids. The time passed by quickly and the girls went to bed with smiles on their faces and new pet snakes by their sides. Ok, so they're not real snakes (thank goodness)... but the fun kind of snakes that are made out of wood.

Life is good.

Easter Cards

Easter cards for our kind neighbor...

From Ellie

From Addie

Double Trouble Birthday

Once again we did a double birthday party this year for Ellie and her cousin. It was FABULOUS. We hired a magician who was truly magical. I've never seen a group of kids (we had 30 in the house!!) laugh so much, squeal with such delight and cheer with such enthusiasm! Magic.

Family Dinner Question of the Day

What is the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?
ELLIE - I want to go back to sleep!
ADDIE - It's coronation day!

SEVEN!!!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

And so I leave you with one of many memories...

Tid-bits

After a typical, nothing special, Friday dinner out at a restaurant, Addie informs me, "Mommy, I just had the best, most special-est day ever with my family tonight!"

I love that after the girls return from spending a few days at Gramma's house, they talk nonstop for hours upon hours as though we haven't seen them in ages. They don't even stop long enough for us to tell them we're going to get ice cream. Instead, we end up herding them out into the car without a word - from us anyway.

I love that Ellie is reading "Matilda" by Roald Dahl out loud to the rest of the family. Watching her stumble across new words is fascinating to watch and sometimes creates a whole tangent of laughter. Take the word "Now-here" for example. Nowhere else would that word create such a giggle attack.

I love that when I found Addie hiding in a corner, obviously not wanting us to see what tasty treat she was stuffing into her face, it was an almost completely eaten container of tomatoes we had bought not 5 minutes before.

Playing the Family Dinner Box of Questions, "Have you ever gotten in trouble for showing you didn't do?"
Ellie responds, "Yes! I once got into trouble for not getting ready for the day!

MOMMY: GAH. I can't remember what I was going to blog about!
ADDIE: Oh, fiddle sticks!

100 years from now

Taken from some of Ellie's schoolwork:

The world will be a much different place 100 years from now! It would be like everywone would be a fairys and the teacher would teach in the sky! And cars could fly! And peaple would have no drinks so peaple would have to drink from ocens and lakes! That would be weard!

Wordless Wednesday