I remember...

...some of the stuff I was going to post but forgot! Some more reminders about what the kids are doing.

I. is obsessed with rhymes- her new thing is to use her body to block doors/top of the stairway/whatever and refuse to let you pass until you've told her a rhyme. She's got R. imitating her and doing it (but does she really recognize a rhyme when she hears one? Hmmm...) She's also a total pop diva- She makes up her own songs and totally sings them like a young rock star- I wish I could get her on video doing it! R. sometimes makes up songs too...the first one she made up was almost a year ago- the lyrics were "All the animals are crying. All the animals are sleeping". Set to her own tune. These days though, she's big on singing songs she learns at school. The latest is Jesus Loves Me...and she's also pretty obsessed with the VeggieTales theme song. Her other big thing is asking "Mommy, what does X mean?" But she doesn't want to know a definition- she wants to know significance. Like "what do panties mean? What do pullups and diapers mean?" And tonight it was "What do green monsters mean? What do black monsters mean?" Also- big news for her- she's moving up to the 3 year old preschool room in 1-2 weeks! So she and Isabelle will share a part-time preschool teacher (the daycare participates in a preschool program the school district has started to help with kindergarden readiness, and the district sends a teacher out for about an hour or so daily, in each of the preschool rooms.)

I think that's all...and I'm working this weekend- so time for bed!

Cool Picasa actually uploaded properly (although the formatting is a little weird) . This is the 5th and most recent of the layouts I mentioned in the post below. I love this one! The picture was taken last summer- I still have lots of great photos to scrap from that picnic :)

Haven't updated the blog in a while. Things have been busy at work and at home. When I haven't been working, playing with the kids, or sleeping, I've been scrapping! I created 5 layouts in the last week (although, it looks like only 4 are uploading- hmmm). It's the last week of my contest, and I've been doing a bunch of challenges as well. It's really inspired me, and I can't believe how much I've learned in a week.

The big event of the weekend was R's birthday. We got her a new baby doll, some clothes for it, and a new stroller. She loves it! We had gotten her a highchair for it as well, but one of the pieces was broken when we tried to assemble it, and we haven't been able to exchange it yet. The doll is one that cries and says mama. A bit annoying, but just so sweet the way she interacts with it. When it cries, she says "shh, shh" and when it says
"mama" she says "yes, dear". My heart just melts... We had cake on Friday- it was actually a Valentine's cake, but she didn't care- you can see a bit of the red frosting in the scrapbook layout at the top left! :)

We had even more snow over the weekend. DH decided we should take the kids out in a nature walk in the snow. Only problem- the place he drove us to was closed for the season, and he decided to do a 3-point to turn around. In the 12-18 inch bank of snow. Fortunately a good samaritan came along almost immediately and pulled us out. So instead, we drove to the memorial park on the way home- there's a pond, and some swans (amazingly, still out all winter) and the girls just ran around for a while in the deep snow. I managed to get some great snowy pictures- good thing since it's all melting and slush now. But, I'm ready for spring now, so that's ok :)

Our other adventure of this week was the dying of our dryer. It really shouldn't come as a surprise- both it and our washer are really old. My mom had just bought a new one right before we moved into the house (we didn't come with those) and let us take hers. So we knew we'd have to get new ones sooner or later. So tonight, after dinner, we went to Lowe's and bought a new set :) The girls were maniacs though, running around trying to stick their heads in the dryers, and playing hide and seek among the refridgerators. They crashed hard when we finally got home. So, the new stuff will be here in the morning.

I had lots of stuff I meant to write about earlier in the week, but life just sort of got ahead of me, and I never did.
Maybe I'll think of some of it later.

Snow days...

Oh boy, what a couple of days it's been.

Monday started out normal enough, until DH got Rebecca up, and brought her over to me- her cheeks were red, and she felt warm. Uh-oh. So, we quickly came up with a plan- DH would stay home in the AM, and me in the afternoon. All day of course, the buzz was about the snow that was forecast, whether we'd be open or not, whether schools would be or not...And of course, I wondered whether R. would be well enough to go to school.

And the next day....R. actually was feeling better- but the snow had come. DH and I were up early shoveling out the drive. He decided to cancel his work day, so I could go in, if we stayed open. We actually were open for half a day...and then I think most of the town shut down! It was exciting to say the least.

Then this morning, we got up to shovel out...and found one of our neighbors had plowed us out (bless him!). I had to go into work for a little while- and a big utility vehicle was blocking the plowed exit from my street- Grrr...I ended up driving the back way, which was a bit of a mistake...I was slipping and sliding along ok, until I came to a big truck that was idling outside someones house waiting to pick some one up (and it took up all of the passable road of course)...and then I got stuck. Happily they left soon, and with lots of backing and forthing, I got out (that'll teach me to go out without the shovel and kitty litter the radio told me I should be traveling with! I didn't even have my gloves!). Later this morning, I went to ask the girls what they wanted for lunch (Isabelle's vote- heart shaped French toast and bacon) and R. wasn't in with I. watching TV. I found her curled up under the covers in our guest room looking very droopy, and feeling very warm. She didn't eat much all day, and has been so congested! I hope she's better by tomorrow- it's supposed to be her birthday party at daycare (if daycare is even open)

Little things...

I'm working this weekend, and DH took the girls up to MIL's- they just left an hour ago. It's amazing how quiet the house is!

I've been inspired to think about the kids little phrases and mannerisms, though, and record them for posterity...

Isabelle is very inquisative about everything- one of her most heard quote is "Is there such a thing as 'x' in this world?" Always "in this world". She's also on a major pirate kick right now- when she and her best friend Sarah are 20, they are going on a "pirate inventure". Sarah will be the captain, because she thought of it and Isabelle is the "matey". The girls like it if we play pirate with them...DH will "drag" one of them off to "walk the plank" (go in for toothbrush time, or jammies, or something)...Isabelle started with "Give me back my daughter" whenever he takes Rebecca...and she's got Rebecca saying it to, when Isabelle is being carried off (is that ever funny!). Isabelle was also the inventor of the running hug. On many nights, when they say good night to me, and give me a hug, they now take a running start and leap into my arms- usually 2 or 3 a night- and all initiated by Isabelle.

The purple hugs are Rebecca's...although, I suppose I started that. Rebecca is a great hugger- when she wants to be. Sometimes, she doesn't want to, and I've had to get creative to get my nighttime hug. Once when she was in a particularly anti-hugging phase (but really big on learning colors!), I came up with the idea of her giving various different colored hugs and kisses, and it stuck. Most nights (but not all) we like to come up with a lot of different colored hugs and kisses to give and receive. Rebeccas big phrase right now is "when I get big, can I..." The main things she wants to do are drive the car, and chew gum. LOL. She's also our big music critic. If she doesn't like what someone is singing, or if she wants to sing one of her songs solo, she'll yell "No, don't sing!" and get more and more agitated, until whoever is singing stops. She's done that since she was two probably...she could barely talk, otherwise, but she could get those words out!

The big event...

happened last night. Isabelle started having some bleeding around her tooth, and crying that it hurt, when she brushed. So DH took the bull by the horns, and pulled it out. She cried a bit, mostly because of the blood, but then was SO excited! And it was just in time for us to put it under her pillow for the tooth fairy. And boy, was she excited about that! (Rebecca's comment "I didn't get any money" :( ) And now, Isabelle is busy wiggling the tooth next to it, which is also loose (the two bottom front ones...)

Snow Days, and scrapbook contests...

It's been an interesting couple of days. Got to work on Monday (DH takes the girls to daycare- I leave early) and a woman I work with who uses the same daycare asks "So are you taking the day off or is your husband?" I must have looked pretty blank because she said "To stay with the girls? While the daycare is closed?" Apparently if the wind chill is low enough, the daycare closes, along with the public schools. Seems kind of weird to me, since they don't go outside when it's cold, and none of the kids walk or take a bus...but...whatever. DH found out when he got there and saw the note on the door- we don't listen to the radio or TV in the morning to hear the announcement (but we better start!). So he stayed home with them...

Then yesterday, we got The Big Snow...probably about 5 inches. The girls daycare closed at 1, so it was my turn to get them. The irony is, that I was driving through probably the worst conditions of the day to get them, and had to wake them from naps to bring them home...so they were cranky much of the afternoon. We played in the snow for exactly 10 minutes before R. lost her mittens. I asked what had happened to them...and I. took that as a cue to bury them in the snow. Ugh...so R. was screaming hysterically, because it was cold, her hands were wet from the snow, and when we found them, they were covered with snow inside and out. So we had to go in...and of course, I was on the cordless phone trying to wrap up something from work, while also trying to calm R. and warm her hands up. About halfway through the tantrum, she starts screaming "I want Daddy." Way to make me feel like a bad parent! So then we all cuddled, and watched Signing Time together....I. was bored and started playing tic-tac-toe by herself, but R. was really interested in making the signs- sure, now that she can talk really well. LOL.

My other recent obsession has been the New Kids on the Block Contest for new digi-scrappers. It started this week, and I've been totally obsessed. I think I jinxed myself earlier when I talked about how easy it was to upload photos with Picasa- the last couple of times, I've got an error message...so I'll upload my layout the old-fashioned way... It says "While Isabelle and Rebecca were captivated by the drummers, they captivated us..."

To-do

I read a quote a few days ago that I liked. "Make a list of important things to do today. At the top of your list put 'eat chocolate.' Now you'll get at least one thing done today." Gina Hayes.
Well- the top of my work desk is almost visible, I worked on my craft area a little today...but nothing has been done on my exercise area...instead, I baked brownies.

Isabelle was sick today, so she and Rebecca got to stay in jammies all day today. Just as well...it was really cold today. I only went out once, to the grocery store (bad timing- lots of people stocking up on last minute Superbowl stuff- oh well.).

I also did the "assignment" for the DSLR for newbies class at scrapbookgraphics.com. It was supposed to be a picture of running water taken outside, with different shutter speeds...but I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to get any running water outside...and didn't really feel like going outside to find out. It was a pretty neat exercise though- I still haven't uploaded the pics to see them full size.

DH and I watched half of Brick last night- then I fell asleep. No reflection on the movie (although it is a bit hard to follow)...I was just tired. So we're going to watch the rest of it tonight. And we need to reorganize our Netflix queue to figure out what's next.

Frustration...

Frustration is 9:30 at night having just one last little thing to finish to make a scrapbook layout complete- and realizing 2 hours later that it's impossible, and needs to be redone in a different way. Finally finished though, and I'm happy with it. Today we spent the day shopping- mostly for birthday presents, for Rebecca, and for our nephew. Lots of eating too- yummy mocha and cookie for me as a late morning lunch, and a late afternoon salad at Chili's. We decided to get Rebecca a baby doll, a new doll stroller, and a doll high chair- I think she'll love it. I asked her a day or two ago what she wanted for her birthday, and she said "cookies". LOL. Not quite as funny as when I asked her a week ago though...she said chicken! :)

And the text on the layout below says "The preschool teachers asked Isabelle's class what they thought love was, in preparation for Valentines Day. The other kids said "I love Mommy". But not Isabelle. Her response..."Stuff you forgive about your family. And you hug them!""

Things that are exciting...

The Police are getting back together to perform for the Grammys this month! And the entire month of July is going to be one big Potter-rama!! Rebecca is FINALLY starting to get the hang of using the potty!!! (although we are still having a lot of accidents). And, most exciting of all- Isabelle is about to lose her first tooth!!!! Guess it's time to figure out how much the tooth fairy leaves these days...