The infamous sheep-skin rug

There is just something about the sheepskin rug that Grandpa Lou and Grandmommy Jeanne have at their house. Ellie commented on it years ago, and this time it was Addie's turn. When she saw it spread across the back of the couch, she asked in a concerned voice, "Is dis part of Mernin?"

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Camping

We went camping a couple weekends ago and I am so thrilled that it's getting easier and easier each time. It's not quite perfect yet, but I have high hopes for cheap adventures into the woods in the future!

Ellie has become a pro at helping to set up the tent! It's such a wonderful thing when they get old enough that their "Help" is actually helpful!

Ellie spent quite a bit of this trip playing in the dirt, but take note of the chain that is clipped to her pants! Yep, she's our new doggie. As well as getting really dirty, she spent that time tied to a tree. Her choice, not ours.

She also walked Merlin a couple times. He's such a good dog when we're out away from his "known" home. I love it when Ellie steps up to be with him.

And how did Addie do? Well there is still room for improvement on the "must sit on Mommy's lap" attitude, but she was MUCH better than last year. I'm sure she enjoyed it.

But her absolute favorite thing about the trip was the blueberries. You have to chuckle at this photo. Go ahead. I'll wait for you to finish.

But she also loved being able to run and be free. Addie has certainly always been more independent and willing to explore than Ellie ever was, and it was nice for us to not have to worry about her wandering off quite as much.

As for Niffer, I have to say that seeing rainbows above the trees... and smelling the scent of freshly fallen rain and pine needles... I miss living in the mountains.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Ellie's Photos I

Ellie got a camera for Christmas and I've been excited to see what things she thinks are worth taking photos of. It's a whole different way of seeing the world through a child's eyes that I have yet to experience. I think we need to figure out how to get the flash to work better, but these aren't too bad for a first-pass. I love how so many of them are pictures of Addie, and pictures of Addie up close to the camera at that. It makes me giggle. And I love how Ellie will ask "Is it ok if I take a picture of you?" Yes! Yes! Please... take a picture of whatever makes you smile!

Anyway, without further ado, I give you Ellie's photos:

Mommy at Christmas at Nana's house.

Grandpa, Haydn and Brandy... and of course a little bit of Addie.

Nana.

Daddy flying Ellie's magical flying fairy.

Brandy taking a picture of Ellie taking a picture.

Uncle David's birthday cake.

Uncle David.

Little sister Addie.

Mommy and Daddy.

Addie and Mommy.

Addie and Mommy.

Mommy.

Mommy, Addie and Merlin.

Mommy.

Addie playing with Gniffer Gnomes.

Little Addie.

Mommy being silly.

Little Addie.

Little Addie.

Tid-Bits

I love watching preschoolers try to make sense of the game Duck Duck Goose. Some never pick a "goose" and only continues to say "duck." Some don't know they need to run. Some don't stop running. Some run through the circle instead of around, while others simply run into the corner for safety. It is fantastic.

I love when I say and sign "I love you" to Addie, she crosses her arms and gives herself a big hug.

I love how instead of waiting for her teacher to arrive in her own classroom, Ellie wants to wait in Addie's classroom with her. She likes to stay with her little sister, even if for just a few minutes every morning.

I love how even now I hear stories from their teachers about how "Addie gave her sister a big hug when we went out to play" or "Ellie went over to see why Addie was crying and gave her a hug."

I love how when either of the grandmothers first show up, Addie has to give them something. If she's already holding something, that's what she'll offer. If not, she'll grab the closest thing and hand it to Grandma.

I love how when I go to pick Addie up from school, she eyes light up, but instead of running to me for a hug like she used to (that's great too), she now takes off running in circles around the room. She laughs and laughs as though to say "Run run as fast as you can! You can't catch me!" So funny.

Grandpa told me a story about when the girls stayed with them recently. Addie pointed to her coat and said "Da!" Grandpa put on her coat. She then pointed to the door and said "Da!" Grandpa opened the door. Addie proceeded to climb down the front steps (Grandpa grabbed his coat to join) and just continued to walk down the sidewalk. And that's how Grandpa decided to go for a walk with little Addie.

I've said it before - how much I love that Addie goes to sleep so easily, but recently she has started to not be so eager to get out of bed. I'll go in to get her in the morning and she'll wiggle around on her mattress for a few minutes, teasing me but not letting me pick her up. Cute. Perhaps it's a sign that some day she'll love to sleep in too?

I love a warm day at the park. I love living in a place where the sun and the shade know what their different roles in life are.

I love watching my Ellie make friends. Teachers at school say she is very social and is liked by everyone, but nothing beats witnessing it first-hand. Meeting a new friend at the park, and making up games to play with her. It is a sight to see and makes me so proud.

I love how it seems whenever Addie doesn't know how to answer you, she hesitates and then decides to lift her shirt to show you her belly. "Addie, do you want to help me clean the kitchen?" Uhhh... let me think... Here, this oughta distract you.

I love how even though we got Merlin when Ellie was Addie's age, he is definitely Addie's dog. He belongs to Addie. No doubt about it.

I love how Addie will pretend to sneak up on you and then when she gets close, she reaches up and grabs your nose. She giggles and runs away.

I love how sometimes when Addie grabs my nose I can say "Gentle. Be gentle." And then she'll start petting my nose instead.

I wish I could have gotten this on video... Daddy said the other day when he was putting the girls to bed and reading them books in Addie's room, they were both laying on her big puppy listening to him read. But they weren't really paying attention. Instead they were taking turns grabbing each other's noses and making funny sounds. Lots of laughter occurred. I wish I had seen it.

I love that I just wrote three separate Tid-Bits about Addie's obsession with noses. Make that four, I guess.

I have observed Addie sneaking (or perhaps it's flying) up on Merlin. She lowers her head and sticks her arms straight behind her, and then walks slowly up to him. Then she starts pounding on him; Merlin got up and moved. Then she "flew" over to him again for more.

I love how much Addie loves her bouncy balls. If you asked her, there is nothing more fun than a bouncy ball. She has a point.

I love how 99% of the time, Ellie is running in circles within a couple minutes of eating candy or ice cream. Literally. CIRCLES. It's the craziest thing.

Wordless Wednesday

Look Ma! I'm crafty!

A whlie ago, I bought these two fellows from my favorite Etsy shop. I quickly came the conclusion that I had to learn how to make these little guys for two reasons. 1.) If I bought all of the ones I loved, there would be no gnomes for anyone else to bring to their home and 2.) There would also be no money in my bank account to bring anything else to my home. But, please... feel free to give her your business. They're adorable!

And here is my first Niffer-made gnome. I. MADE. HER. Can you believe it??? Not bad for my first try! My little fellow looks older and wiser than the Etsy ones, and her flowers are huge... perhaps a gnome's flowers grow with old age? This wise soul taught me a lot about the ways of the gnomes. She loves to pass on her knowledge to anyone who is willing to listen to one of her stories of her many adventures beyond the garden.

So... Why has Niffer decided to learn how to make these little gnomes? I have no freakin' idea. There is just something about the wee ones that make me smile. They seem to give me a hint of magic in my life. I like them. I look at them and I have to smile. They make me happy. Enough said.

So now I'm making more. I'd love to make them and post stories about fantastic cute little gnome adventures like the Etsy seller has in her shop, but then I'd be nearing the point of blog-overflow. Regardless, I may end up with a whole colony of little Niffer gnomes who live in my purple Niffer glass bottles and old Niffer steamer trunks (two other obsessions of mine). Or perhaps you may end up with one showing up at your house some random afternoon. They might make occasional appearances here. Who knows. All I know is I'm bringing more into the world. Life is good.

UPDATE: Sadly my little old gnome passed away last night. Merlin got to her. May she rest in peace.

The World According to Ellie (3 years old)

I've been waiting a very long time to post this. I got the idea from this book I found online. I figured that I could save money and make it more personal if I just wrote about it on my blog. So without further ado, I present you with the World According to my Ellie... All answers and drawings are provided by Ellie herself, with a little help from Mommy.

My name is LORI-LELLE VINCENT

I am TREE years old. STILL?

This is how I write my name:

This is what I look like:

I have LELLOW... NO, BLOND HAIR. DA SUN MAKES IT LIKE DAT. I have BROWN EYES - JUST LIKE MOMMY! AND DADDY HAS BLUE EYES.

The people in my family are MOMMY AND DADDY AND ADD-A-LINE AND MERLIN. AND DERE IS GWAMMA AND NANA AND GWAPA AND PAPPY AND GWAMMIE AND AUNT ER-YIN AND UNCLE DAVID AND UNCLE JACOB. OH YEAH, AND GWAPA BLUE AND GWAMMA DEANE.

I love my mommy because SHE IS PRETTY. I LOVE GAMES WITH HER.


I love my daddy because HE LIKES TO PLAY WIF ME. HE LIKES TO SNUGGLE WIF ME.


I love my baby sister because SHE LAUGHS AT ME. SHE IS REE-AH GOOD AT CRAWLING.


I love Merlin because he is soft and HE LOOKS REE-AH REE-AH FUNNY.


My favorite toy is BUN BUN. I love Bun Bun because SHE'S MY BABY. SHE'S REE-AH SOFT. WANNA SEE?


My favorite friend is BRYNN. I love Brynn because SHE LIKES TO GO TO BOUNCE TOWN WIF ME. SHE LIKES TO CATCH ME. SHE IS MY SPECIAL FWIEND. WE ARE FWIENDS FOREVER.


The best things about me are I HAVE A BABY SISTERY and I'M A PWINCESS.

I am good at spinning...

... standing on one leg...

... and swimming.


My favorite color is GWEEN:
My favorite food is CHICKEN NUGGETS.

My favorite animal is A LION.

My favorite song is DA I LOVE YOU SONG! ("Say Hey" by Michael Franti)

My favorite book is THE SLEEPING HOUSE, WHERE EVERYBODY'S SLEEPING!

If I were a superhero, I would be ARIEL.

When I grow up I want to be TINKERBELL! NO... NO... ANGE-O-LINA BALL-O-INA!

My favorite place to visit is NANA'S HOUSE.

The most beautiful place I have ever visited is GWAMMA'S HOUSE.

I would like to help the world by... YOU KNOW DA RULES. IF WE ASK-A-NICK-KLEE HURT SOMEONE WE HAF TO SAY WE ARE SORRY. AND WE DON'T TALK WITH FOOD IN OUR MOUFS.

How many people are in a hot air balloon? SDIRTY FIVE.

How many people are in the entire world? SIXTY FIVE. ASK ME HOW MANY PEOPLE DERE IN DA SUMMER!

How many people are there in the summer time? FIFTY FIVE. ASK ME HOW MANY PEOPLE IN DA HOUSES!

How many people are in their houses right now? SDIRTY HUNDRED. NO, TEN! NO, TEN SDIRTY TWO HUNDRED!

What we will remember most about Ellie at this age is...
You are so proud to be a big sister and you take it upon yourself to make sure Addie is as happy as possible. You absolutely adore your best friend, Brynn. The smiles that the two of you give each other are so big and contagious. There's nothing else like it in the world. You are a very serious little girl, but you like to tease us and play certain little games with us. You love to read books and are very proud that you know some of them by heart and can read them to your sister. Whenever you're in a new, unfamiliar setting, you usually stand back and take it all in before deciding what to do, but to our surprise you're also very brave and have no problems with things like swimming (with a life jacket) or walking across a balance beam, even though many other kids might. You absolutely adore your grandparents and get super excited to visit either Gramma or Nana and always assure us that you will be back really soon. You are very smart and know so many numbers, letters and even the spelling of some words. You are very confident and very tender. You have a beautiful soul and you make Mommy and Daddy smile every day with the things you say.

You know how life works: First you grow up. Then you find your prince. Then you kiss for this <----> long. Then you are married. Then you spin and dance. Then you live happily ever after.