Two Precious Girls

Puppy Love

2012-02-08T16:16:00.000-08:00

Joe wanted to be certain that Lily came home from school to a precious treat on her birthday...

Such a kind daddy!

A Song for My Sister

2012-02-08T09:26:00.000-08:00

Surprises are always extra special on your birthday.

But imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when Sophia's teacher texted me these pictures...

Apparently the Pre-K 3 teachers got Lily from her class to come to their class so they could sing her "Happy Birthday!"

Such a sweet and thoughtful thing to do.

20 Questions for Liliana

2012-02-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

Today my big girl turns SIX...

So what exactly does a six year old like?
The truth is, you never know.
It can change from day to day.
But on this, the 8th of February 2012, Lily's favorites are the following:

1. What is your favorite color? PINK and PURPLE
2. What is your favorite toy? KOO KOO BIRD
3. What is your favorite fruit? APPLES
4. What is your favorite t.v. show? MR. MEN SHOW
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? HAMBURGERS
6. What is your favorite outfit? A DRESS
7. What is your favorite game? TAG
8. What is your favorite snack? CHEESE BALLS
9. What is your favorite animal? DOG
10. What is your favorite song? MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB
11. What is your favorite book? BAD KITTY CHRISTMAS
12. Who is your best friend? LYLA
13. What is your favorite cereal? RICE KRISPIES
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? PLAY HIDE AND SEEK
15. What is your favorite drink? WATER
16. What is your favorite holiday? HALLOWEEN
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? MY WHITE BLANKIE
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? CEREAL
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? MEXICAN FOOD
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A COWGIRL

Happy Birthday big girl!
I love you so very much!

Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood

2012-02-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

Our monthly "play" date came again today.

We did just as we did the last time.

We had lunch at Chili's and then went to see Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood.

As always, the girls had a fantastic time and enjoyed each other's company...

With the news of our move, I feel that these moments are even more important for my girls and their friends.

The move and house selling may keep me busy.

But there will always be time made to be with our most special friends in this little bit of time we have still in Arkansas.

A Little Bit of Big News

2012-02-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

In all my craziness of cleaning house and keeping kids from getting sick, I forgot to mention the little bit of news we got.

WE ARE MOVING!!!!

Joe got a job working for the PTRA in Houston, Texas.
This isn't just any job.
Joe is taking a two position leap from a Director to Superintendent.
He will be the second in command for the PTRA just under the General Manager.
Did I forget to mention that Joe is the youngest EVER to be promoted to a Superintendent position.
He is only 34.

First let me say how proud I am of his accomplishment.
His past six years in Pine Bluff have been rough.
He has done a tremendous job.
As of now, he has gone 500+ days injury free.
This also has never happened before.

We have been waiting for news like this and let's just say that us city folk couldn't be happier to be moving to a big city.
(The 4th largest to be exact)

The girls were excited to hear the news.
Then Lily got a little sad because at the age of almost 6, she knew this meant that she wasn't going to see her friends anymore.
I felt bad for her.
She must have sensed my weakness because then the negotiations came.

"I am not moving to Texas unless you buy me a horse."
This was the one time Joe's asthma was on our side.
"We can't have a horse at our house because daddy gets sick and can't breathe."

So we promised her cowgirl boots, a cowgirl hat and that we would go visit a horse.
Not sure if she bought it, but at least it bought me some time.
For now.

So here we go on our big adventure.
Goodbye Arkansas! Howdy Texas!
Congratulations Joe!

Three Times as Cute

2012-01-31T16:11:00.000-08:00

In honor of Catholic Schools week, today was twin/triplet day at I.C.

Since Sophia only goes to school MWF, I had to scramble to get a twin for Lily...

So don't you know that Lily was quite surprised to find out she was a triplet...

(Adeline, Grace Anne and Liliana)

If You Are Happy and You Know It

2012-01-28T13:12:00.000-08:00

Lily is really taking all that she has learned in school very seriously.

She loves to read every sign we see.

Some signs require a little sounding out...

After working a minute or two through the sounds, Lily looked at me and said,

"Mommy, does this say 'HAPPY WHORE'?"

After getting my fit of giggles under control, I was able to correct her.

The funny part is that maybe she wasn't too far off from the truth.

Sometimes too many drinks at Happy Hour does lead to Happy Whores.

70's Revisited

2012-01-23T17:11:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wonder what a love child of Olivia Newton-John and Elton John would look like?
I have an idea...

My little, free spirited hippie chick...

My Budding Artist

2012-01-14T17:11:00.000-08:00

Lily attended a birthday party today.

It was our first time dropping her off for a party.

She felt like such a big girl.

The party was at an art studio.

The concept was simple.

Each child sat and followed the directions of the artist as they painted.

When we walked in, the paintings were all similar.

So you can tell this group of little girls listened well.

I was just amazed at what they produced...

So contemporary.

So simple.

So my taste!

And all done by a five year old.

This is by far the best party favor we have ever been sent home with.

The Great Clean-Out of 2012

2012-01-13T17:09:00.000-08:00

Much of January has been devoted to cleaning my house.

I mean REALLY cleaning my house.

Every closet that is opened gets cleaned out.

I have used the old adage that if you have not used it in a year, chances are you never will.

So my garbage has been filled to the brim.

I am proud of my progress so far.

I knew tackling the girl's play room and organizing it was inevitable.

I have organized it well in the past.

Sometimes too well.

I had stacked and put everything some place.

But many of their toys were hard to get to because there were others stacked on top.

This time, I wanted a better storage plan.

With some help from pinterest, I turned their play room into an organizer's dream.

The girl's can easily get to their toys to play with them AND

they can just as easily clean up after themselves (also an O.C.D. mom's dream).

Just take a look for yourself...

This crazy bin lady also became the crazy labeling lady.

But it paid off.

Now on to the rest of the house which should be a whiz compared to this.

Long Lost Pictures

2012-01-08T08:04:00.001-08:00

While cleaning out closets yesterday, I came across an old digital camera.
Lily had been asking me for one, so I knew this one would be perfect.
I was about to hand it to her when I thought about checking it for pictures first.
I'm glad I did.
I came across some gems and just had to share them...

My little popcorn monger...

Just look at that face...

So sweet while napping...

Yet so naughty when awake...

She has ALWAYS loved the water...

First toenail polish experience...

That famous pucker...

The only other ice skating adventure...

What can be better than chilling in your diaper gnawing on a whisk...

Lily lending a hand making her 3rd birthday cake...

Those days went by way too fast.

But the reminiscing definitely made me smile.

Fashion Trends

2012-01-05T08:02:00.000-08:00

I love dressing my girls in the latest fashions.
Quite honestly, I live vicariously through them.
I have quickly discovered that I look like like a grizzly bear in one of the latest trends, furry vests.
I may not be able to pull it off, but I know someone who can...

Trendy Toddlers of the world unite!

Mardi Gras Munchkins

2012-01-04T14:55:00.000-08:00

Mardi Gras is just around the corner.
The girls are getting into the spirit at this very moment...

Have you ever seen anything as cute as these Mardi Gras munchkins?

Party Day: The Final Frontier

2011-12-30T19:15:00.000-08:00

After a day of much celebrating, we finally got to the grand finale.

Party at Jump Zone...

Her royal highness was taking a mini break before all her friends showed up...

My happy birthday girl...

Four years ago this little one made my heart grow bigger than I ever imagined.
She makes me laugh.
Shows me love.
Makes my life complete.
Happy Birthday to my sweet baby girl!

A Three Part Birthday Celebration

2011-12-30T12:02:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Sissy was going to be like a three or four part event today.

First there were gifts.

Now it was going to be lunch at Purple Cow with ice skating downtown to follow.

To help Sophia celebrate, her good friend Caroline came along...

Because there can never be too much sugar consumed on one's birthday, Sophia indulged in a famous purple milkshake...

All three of the girls got stickers...

And then they all got super silly...

Following lunch, Sophia got her second sugar rush of the day.
A big bowl of whipped cream.
I mean a big bowl of ice cream...

Which she was willing to share...

When no one else wanted any, she decided two spoons would be faster than one...

After lunch, we rushed over to the skating rink...

It wasn't quite open, so the girls had some time to play in the sun...

Ice skates on...

Time to skate...

Each girl got to do a lap with Joe's assistance...

Michelle helped Caroline...

Then each child felt brave enough to go on the ice alone.
Lily chose to hold onto the rail and scoot around the ice...

Sophia used Joe's help one last time...

Held on to the edge like Lily...

By the time the first half hour of skating was over, the girls had given up on the wall and daddy and just took off on their own.

(I wish I could show you the video, but unfortunately it won't upload.)

I was amazed that after just one hour how well the girls did.

It was Sophia's first time on the ice and she was cruising right down the middle.

Lily held on for a while and then also let go.

They loved it!

It made for a very special birthday treat.

An unforgettable birthday memory.

Sissy's Got a Brand New Ride

2011-12-30T08:05:00.000-08:00

Sophia turned the big "4" today.

We have a lot planned for this special day.

Probably too much.

But it's not every day your baby turns four.

Sophia's party isn't until later tonight, but we were itching to give her a couple of her gifts.

The first one was very fitting for a birthday girl having a princess birthday party...

Princess crown earrings...

We told her they were from Lily...

Her "big" gift was from Joe and I.
It is so cute.
I was a little upset that I exceeded the weight limit because I really wanted to drive it...

Sophia tore through the neighborhood (at a speed of 2 miles per hour) like a real motorcycle mama...

Here's some video to enjoy.

(I apologize for my loud voice)...

Sophia's 4th Birthday: 20 Questions

2011-12-30T07:07:00.000-08:00

Today my baby turns 4...

Here are a few of the things that are important to her at this moment in her life:
1. What is your favorite color? Pink
2. What is your favorite toy? Bubble Boat
3. What is your favorite fruit? Banana
4. What is your favorite t.v. show? Dora the Explorer
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Bok-Bok (Chicken)
6. What is your favorite outfit? A Summer Dress
7. What is your favorite game? Ice Cream Shoppe
8. What is your favorite snack? Peanut Butter Crackers
9. What is your favorite animal? a Butterfly
10. What is your favorite song? "ABCDEFG" (The ABC song)
11. What is your favorite book? Fancy Nancy
12. Who is your best friend? Lily
13. What is your favorite cereal? Cheerios
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play dolly
15. What is your favorite drink? Milk
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Pillow
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Oatmeal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Doctor

From Our Family

2011-12-25T19:12:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas...

From our Family to Yours!

Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

It seemed we had just gone to bed when it was time to be woken up again.

At 5:00 in the morning.

Good thing we did because Santa left us with a lot of loot.

Two girls must have been really good this year...

I love the memories this morning makes once every year.

Merry Christmas to you!

On the Eve of Christmas

2011-12-24T20:17:00.000-08:00

With the last hours of Christmas Eve coming to an end, we had to make sure the final preparations were done to ensure a smooth delivery from Santa.

We left out the obligatory milk and homemade chocolate chip cookies...

As funny as the girls thought that Snowflake's little mess was, they thought that all the ribbon may trip Santa up.
So my tiny elves went to cleaning (being extra careful not to touch Snowflake)...

The girls wanted to take a picture with their new friend before she had to make her trek back to the North Pole...

Then the sugar from the cookies the girls taste tested for me kicked in...

So it was time to get everything wrapped up and get nestled all snug in our beds.

Ducks and Dinner

2011-12-24T17:45:00.000-08:00

With Tom and Rachael in town, we decided to follow one of their Christmas Eve traditions, eating out.
Tom did not want to go to Chili's.
This bummed out the girls slightly.
Until we told them we were going to the Peabody Hotel to watch the ducks walk...

Every night, at 5 p.m., the ducks get the red carpet treatment as they are walked upstairs to their rooms.

Seriously.

A red carpet.

Every morning and night.

This was the first time seeing this spectacle.

So the girls wanted to make certain that they had a front row seat...

These ducks were quite silly.
The girls laughed every time they went diving for their food.
I admit, I laughed as well...

After the ducks, it was dinner.
The countdown to Christmas day was getting closer and closer.

E.O.S-Day 24

2011-12-24T06:07:00.000-08:00

With this being Snowflake's last day at our house, I guess she wanted to leave her mark...

She had always been such a good elf, but I guess the temptation of shiny bows and rippling ribbon got the best of her...

She was quite the stinker.
She didn't just use new bows, she removed the bows from all of the gifts...

At least she was thoughtful enough to leave a little snack reminder...

Even with her mischievous morning, we are all going to miss our little elf friend when she returns to the North Pole tonight.
Lily has even shed a few tears for her already.
I am not sure how that is going to be.
She will need a distraction.
I'm sure lots of gifts will do the trick.

In the meantime, I will still be waiting on someone to invent that Easter Elf.

E.O.S-Day 23

2011-12-23T06:07:00.000-08:00

After a very long hunt, the girls finally discovered Snowflake.

Lily said that we couldn't find her because she was "camouflaged."
We know a lot about camouflage in Arkansas.
After all, you don't want the squirrels to see you when you are hunting them, right?

Snowflake must just be embracing her environment.

Gingy's House

2011-12-22T18:20:00.000-08:00

Tonight marked the annual decorating of the gingerbread house...

As usual, Sophia snacked and sampled along the way.
Mostly the icing and gumdrops.
The house actually turned out kind of pretty.
That's because Lily had a design plan that she followed from start to finish...

I hope Gingy enjoys her house.

It was done with great care by two little girls.

E.O.S- Day 22

2011-12-22T05:07:00.000-08:00

This morning we found Snowflake reading.
To a VERY captivated audience...

T'was the Night Before Christmas...

and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...

Except for all of the Disney characters who were vying for a very special spot to hear a very special story.

E.O.S.-Day 21

2011-12-21T06:06:00.000-08:00

Snowflake was trying to pass time waiting for the girls to awake and find her...

Computer Central

2011-12-20T06:24:00.001-08:00

When Papa comes to town, it's all business...

Coffee, chocolate milk and computers.

E.O.S.- Day 20

2011-12-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

Tea for three...

E.O.S- Day 19

2011-12-19T05:06:00.000-08:00

We found Snowflake in the guest bedroom this morning...

Anxiously awaiting the arrival of our visitors.

E.O.S- Day 18

2011-12-18T06:05:00.000-08:00

Snowflake seemed to be having a "ball" this morning...

Santa Baby

2011-12-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas Memories 2011...

E.O.S- Day 17

2011-12-17T06:05:00.000-08:00

I never knew Snowflake was a gamer...

or maybe she was just doing me a favor and preventing Joe from playing video games for a day.

I'm sure that's what it is.

Thanks Snowflake!

Christmas Celebrations

2011-12-16T11:17:00.000-08:00

As if the excitement of a Christmas Party isn't enough by itself, look who decided to surprise the kids...

Many of the kids in Sophia's class were very intimidated and quite shy.
I believe one little boy even wet his pants after his Santa encounter (poor guy).
But not Sophia.
She knew if she wanted to get her list of gifts, she would have to talk to the big guy...

And maybe even seal the deal with a hug...

Lily's class got the Santa Surprise next...

They were all very shocked to see him with their own eyes.
The little girl behind Lily didn't know what to do.
So she kept covering and uncovering her eyes...

After the excitement of Santa passed, Sophia and her buddies had a snowman snack...

And played some reindeer games...

All the kids were blindfolded...

But only Sophia was wise enough (or should I say "sneaky" enough) to take advantage of a not so strategically placed blindfold...

Please pay close attention to where my "blindfolded" child places her red nose...

The others weren't so obvious in their cheating...

After snack and games, the preschool class went about their normal daily activities.
Centers is a favorite of the whole class.
Sophia spent her center her time with her favorite buddy, Caroline...

After lunch, the kids gathered around the Christmas tree...

They did a book exchange...

This was the perfect type of gift exchange for Sophia...

She LOVES her books...

Although she really liked the getting side of Christmas, she couldn't wait to give to her teachers...

From one event on to the next.
Lily's class party...

Once again, the kids had sweets galore...

And Chippy looked on with just the tiniest bit of jealousy...

Another book exchange was done in Lily's kindergarten class.
A wonderful idea for these emerging readers...

Another busy party day.

Two more successful parties.

Merry Christmas!

E.O.S- Day 16

2011-12-16T06:05:00.000-08:00

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo...

All aboard the Polar Express!

E.O.S- Day 15

2011-12-15T06:15:00.000-08:00

Snowflake kept it pretty simple last night...

But the girls still loved it nonetheless.

Peppermint Sticks

2011-12-14T12:03:00.000-08:00

Today I am trying my hand at making peppermint sticks for Sophia's class party.
I am fully aware that these three and four year olds will probably not appreciate these treats as much as some of the others, but I thought they were too pretty to not do...

See, not really practical.

But certainly pretty.

E.O.S- Day 14

2011-12-14T04:50:00.000-08:00

This morning we found Snowflake in our arts and crafts cabinet...

Coloring a very special picture for her very special friends...

The girls were amazed at how well she stayed in the lines.
They decided this is their favorite morning surprise to date.
Good job Snowflake!

The Artist and the Quilter

2011-12-13T11:54:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you cross someone with artistic ability with someone with a sewing ability?
You get a Preschool Board that looks like this...

The stockings were hung (thanks to my Mom) by the chimney with care (Thanks to Traci Lock)!

These two are pretty awesome.

And so is this bulletin board.

Do Not Disturb

2011-12-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

The image of pure concentration...

E.O.S- Day 13

2011-12-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

Just cruisin'.

"Hey Girl!"...

Oooh!
Ken's making the moves...

Does Barbie know about this?

E.O.S.- Day 12

2011-12-12T07:19:00.000-08:00

Snowflake was hard at work last night...

The girls happily helped her finish this morning.
With the exception of the final piece in Snowflake's hand.

A Year with Frog and Toad

2011-12-11T14:05:00.000-08:00

With Joe working this weekend, I made plans for a girl's day with my friend, Michelle, and her daughter (and Sophia's best friend), Caroline.

First was lunch at the ever kid friendly Chili's.

Then we were off to the Children's Theater to see

A Year with Frog and Toad.

Although we each had a seat paid for, Sophia and Caroline preferred to share a seat...

The Three Musketeers...

The play was incredibly cute.
Sophia and Caroline really enjoyed Toad...

While Lily 's favorite character was Frog...

Whenever together, these three have a great time.
No tears, no tattling.
Only laughter and silliness...

In actuality, this is Sophia's first friend that was chosen by her.
She is not a sibling of one of Lily's friends, but Sophia's first true friend...

And she could not have made a better choice.

E.O.S- Day 11

2011-12-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Snowflake got to do today what I only wish I could do on a Sunday morning...

Sleep in.

E.O.S- Day 10

2011-12-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

Snowflake appeared to be on a little camping trip when we found her today...

Roasting marshmallows, sleeping bags and a cozy "fire."

Yep, they are definitely camping.

Of course, I am not too sure how Barbie plans to "rough" it in that dress and those shoes.

Race to the Finish Line

2011-12-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

I am so proud of this little girl...

Today she passed level 16 (her final level) of her Reading Racer sight word program.

She was the first in the entire kindergarten to do this.

On Monday, she will receive the key to her little car.

At dinner, she said, "I must have been really lucky to pass my final test."

To which I replied, "It wasn't luck sweetie. It was hard work. You reviewed your flashcards every night. YOU did this. It has nothing to do with luck."

Congratulations Lily!

Job VERY well done!

Polar Express Pajama Party

2011-12-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

You know it is getting close to Christmas when you get a notice that the kids will be watching "The Polar Express" at school.

In their pajamas...

The kids did their morning activities and then pulled up a spot on a chair...

or the floor and prepared to watch the movie...

They were served donut holes and hot chocolate (more like luke warm chocolate)...

They drank, munched and were mesmerized by the movie...

When the movie ended, we roasted some S'mores.

This was the first S'more experience for many of these kids.

Many weren't sure how to eat them.

Ricky dug right in...

While Ava ate hers a little more daintily...

Sophia did a combination of both...

To be three again.

E.O.S- Day 9

2011-12-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

Here fishy fishy...

E.O.S.-Day 8

2011-12-08T05:52:00.001-08:00

Apparently Snowflake wanted her inner cowgirl to come out...

Good thing she enlisted the help of the rootinest-tootinest cowboy and cowgirl out there.

YEE HAW!

A White Christmas?

2011-12-07T06:27:00.001-08:00

What we woke up to this morning...

Isn't a little too early for this?

E.O.S.- Day 7

2011-12-07T06:25:00.001-08:00

The fresh fallen snow outside must have inspired Snowflake's newest landing spot...

The girl's agreed that this has been their yummiest find yet.

E.O.S-Day 6

2011-12-06T07:05:00.000-08:00

Snowflake was hoping to be a little incognito today...

This elf hunt took a lot longer than normal, but eventually the girls found her.

Then squealed with delight.

E.O.S-Day 5

2011-12-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

Sophia spotted Snowflake this morning...

Nestled all snug in Sasha's stocking.

Sound It Out

2011-12-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

As I was walking to Lily and Sophia's room to grab pajamas, I noticed this sign stuck to the door frame...

It was a sign letting us know of a Christmas Parade.

It warmed my heart seeing this.

The words weren't spelled right, but Lily took the time to sound out each word and write how she thought it should be spelled.

I asked her what it said.

She told me, "Christmas Parade. Here please. Only fancy people allowed."

Yep, I totally see that.

Trimming the Tree

2011-12-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

Is there anything better than being dressed in your fuzziest footed p.j.'s while trimming the tree?...

Is there anything better than watching your girls find the perfect spot for each ornament while singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"?...

Even the sound of the occasional ornament dropping on the ground didn't phase me (that's why I buy shatterproof)...

Especially when the sound is followed by the giggles of two little girls.

I have been a little grumpy lately, but my babies gave me a glimpse into what the Christmas Spirit is all about.

E.O.S-Day 4

2011-12-04T07:04:00.000-08:00

The tiny purple tree was adorned with ornaments and garland last night.
The girls said that this was going to be Snowflake's tree.
I think this made our teeny elf feel special because this is where we found her this morning...

This little gesture by my girl's to their new special friend most likely just sealed them a spot on the "Nice" list.

Santa and Sophia

2011-12-03T11:50:00.000-08:00

Lily had no interest in taking a picture with Santa today, but Sophia did.
And I believe the end result was simply precious...

Christmas in Whoville

2011-12-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

This morning we took a little trip to Whoville.

It is Christmastime after all and nobody celebrates better than the little people in Whoville.

The girls hoped to see Santa.

They could do without seeing the Grinch.

The girls were greeted by a very welcome surprise just outside the doors of Whoville.

Friends from school...

Sophia and her classmate, Katie...

Lily said she was too shy to talk to Santa, but she stood by to support Sophia.
Sophia had no reservations whatsoever.
She wanted to make sure she was going to get that bubble boat...

The breakfast was a sugar lovers dream.
Mini red velvet whoopie pies, muffins, Krispy Kreme donuts that you get to decorate yourself...

The decor was so fun and whimsical.

It truly captured the spirit of Whoville...

This was the only appearance the Grinch made...

This Whoville Party had crafts and games galore...

This is one Whoville Celebration my Lily Lou Who and Sissy Lou Who won't soon forget.

E.O.S-Day 3

2011-12-03T07:03:00.000-08:00

Lily and Sophia left a snack for Snowflake to munch on when she got back from the North Pole.

We quickly found out that she is a slightly messy eater...

Lily was happy that Snowflake took the time to eat her snack...

Let's just hope that Snowflake knows how to run a dust buster.

E.O.S.-Day 2

2011-12-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

At four this morning, Lily came into my room to inform me that Snowflake was no longer in their room.

I told her to go back to bed and we would look for her in the morning.

Like when the sun was up.

At 6:30 a.m., both of the girls came into our room.

Lily grabbed a cup and went to the sink to guzzle some water.

She said she was so thirsty.

"I was too scared to get out of bed because Snowflake might tell Santa."

(Thank you Miss Snowflake)

The hunt for Snowflake's new landing spot began shortly after Lily's thirst was quenched.

Lily spotted her first.

In our family room, above our computer...

Snowflake found the perfect spot to keep an eye on the girls during their meal times.

Just in case one little girl decides to feed the dog again.

Elf on the Shelf Makes a Visit

2011-12-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

This time of year always gets crazy.

It gets cold outside.

The girls get a little antsy.

They tend to fight a lot more and listen a lot less.

Tonight at dinner was no exception.

The girls wouldn't eat.

Sophia cried (because she got caught feeding the dog her dinner).

It was a mess.

So Joe did what was pretty much a last resort.

He looked up to the sky and asked for help.

After baths and brushing of teeth, the girls and I went to read a book.

Lily began squealing.

There was a new book sitting on her dresser.

And a little elf sitting on their shelf...

Help had indeed come.

After reading the "Elf on the Shelf" book, the girls named their new friend.

Snowflake Butterfly.

She is here to look after the girls and report back to Santa each night.

Both good and bad.

There is only one rule.

Snowflake cannot be touched.

If she is, she loses her magic and Santa won't know what to bring the girls.

The girls can talk to her and tell her what they want.

Just no touching.

The girls whispered one of their Christmas wish list desires to their new elf friend.

Making sure not to get too close.

Lily said a prayer for Snowflake wishing her a safe flight to the North Pole and back to our house.

The girls said "Good night" to Snowflake.

The magic of Christmas.

It's all around us

and truly what this season is all about.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-24T08:40:00.000-08:00

I am always thankful for the many things I have.

This year I was especially thankful for my close friend who invited us over for Thanksgiving dinner.

Unfortunately, one of the people I am so thankful for, Joe, was not able to be there with us.

He had to work.

At least I had my girls with me...

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Preschool Turkeys

2011-11-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

The preschool feast is upon us.

Along with the feast, there will be treats galore.

Here are the little guys I was responsible for...

I am thankful for so many things.
This little turkey ranks very high on that list...

I am thankful that she has her own little friends this year.
Evan is one of her favorites...

Our turkey day celebration began with a turkey craft...

Then it was snack time.
We tried tying in the idea of the Mayflower with these boats that we filled with goldfish...

In order to prevent the kids from poking themselves on the flag stick (a.k.a skewer), we added a marshmallow.
Notice what is missing from Sophia's...

She couldn't resist...

The goldfish snack was a hit with all of the kids...

After the snack, while the kids played, we got the feast all set up.
Here is Joe's contribution...

The kids had a very personalized table setting...

They munched and chatted...

About all of the things they are thankful for.

Christmas Photo Session

2011-11-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

In lieu of paying someone to take the girl's pictures for our annual Christmas card, I figured I would give it a shot (no pun intended).

The girl's seemed to be camera ready this morning...

I tried to follow some tips from other photographers to make the most out of my mini shoot.
I found a good backdrop
(I actually used the roundabout in our housing development).
I made sure to take the pictures between 7-10 am, when the light is best.
8:30 seemed to be a good time for us.
I set up my two subjects and began clicking away...

I never normally have trouble getting cute pictures of my girls, but because I wanted them really bad, I couldn't get them to focus.
Sophia would look away...

But then she made up for it by giving me these shots...

They would do this when I told them to put their arms around each other.
(For the record, I love this shot of them, but wasn't sure if it was what I wanted on our cards)...

After asking Sophia to calm down, she got a little melancholy...

So I focused on a smiling Lily for a moment...

Then Sophia was all good and ready to finally give me the shot I was hoping for...

Which one will it be...

I guess you will just have to wait for our little card in the mail to find out.

Anyone interested in being added to our mailing list?

The Pilgrims and the Indians

2011-11-18T11:45:00.000-08:00

There was a feast today.

It was to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Today's feast brought together the Indians (kindergarteners) and the Pilgrims (their 8th grade buddies)...

Lily sat at a table with her two buddies, Madison and Lexie...

Also at the party was Indian Grace Anne (one of Lily's closest pals)...

The kids feasted and then sailed away on the Mayflower...

Joe and I wanted to sail away with our little indian as well...

I'm just thankful Lily allowed us to do so.

Turkey Tags

2011-11-17T06:54:00.000-08:00

Pinterest has given me MANY great party ideas.

I thought nothing would be cuter than seeing three and four year olds with these name tags around their necks...

Turkey name tags.
So cute and so easy.
Sissy loves hers...

Lily (a.k.a. Mya) wanted to try one on for size as well...

Can't wait for these little turkeys to sport these tags!

Back to the Bob

2011-11-15T18:49:00.000-08:00

Sophia's hair was beginning to get a little shaggy again.

So we went back to the tried and true style that I think looks best on her.

The bob.

Although this picture doesn't show it, I swear she is happy with her haircut...

That's better...

I LOVE this sassy little cut for my sassy little girl.

Thomas Edward

2011-11-14T18:39:00.000-08:00

Last night, the newest addition to the Murphy Family entered this world.
Please allow me to introduce you...

Thomas Edward Murphy

November 14, 2011

at 6:29 p.m.

8 pounds, 2 ounces

20 1/2 inches

Welcome little man!

Congratulations to Kevin and Katie.

We can't wait to meet him!

The Cutest Craft

2011-11-14T11:36:00.001-08:00

This is by far my favorite school craft thus far...

My Pet Dragonfly

2011-11-05T14:29:00.000-07:00

Early this morning we set our clocks back.

I don't know about you, but every year when we do this, the day seems to last an eternity.

Not that I am complaining.

It's just that the kids tend to get a little antsy.

Luckily the weather was perfectly fall-like and they were able to play outside...

Sophia saw me snapping away with my camera and came over to let me take pictures of her throwing leaves in the air...

While gathering leaves, she discovered this little dragonfly and decided to make it her pet...

The dragonfly didn't seem to mind.
Maybe because it was dead...

Sophia didn't seem to mind that one minor detail.
She kept playing with her new friend...

Then went back to the leaves...

Lily wouldn't sit still long enough for me to take any really good pictures.
So I took what I could...

It's nice to have days like this once every 365 days.

Super Sleepy

2011-11-04T14:45:00.000-07:00

Something leads me to believe that all of the excitement of the past week has finally gotten to someone...

This is one super sleepy Sophia.

Acorns for Fall

2011-11-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

I found this cute little snack idea on Pinterest and thought it would be great to make for Lily and Sophia's class as a way to welcome fall...

Super simple.

Super cute.

Super delicious!

All Saints Day

2011-11-01T09:03:00.000-07:00

As if the planning for Halloween and the Halloween parties wasn't enough, I had one more task that lay ahead of me.

The day after Halloween is known as "All Saints Day".

With Lily attending a Catholic school, this is a big event.

The kids go to Mass on this day.

If they want, they get to dress up like a patron saint.

Of course Lily wanted to dress up.

She chose to be Saint Dorothy.

The patron saint of florists.

Here is a little background on this Saint:

Saint Dorothy is said to have been taunted on her way to execution by Theophilus, a young lawyer who asked her to send him fruits from the paradise to which she believed she was going.

She agreed to do so, and after her death an angel brought him a basket holding three apples and three roses; this converted him, and he too was executed.

Her emblem is a basket of fruit and flowers, and her feast day is 6 February.

This was my version of a proper outfit for Saint Dorothy...

Notice the three apples and three roses at the top...

We didn't want to miss seeing our little Saint Dorothy walk down the aisle, so Sophia and I attended the Mass...

There were many tiny saints...

But only one Saint Dorothy...

Let's not forget about this saint...

Our very own "Saint" Sissy.

A Friendly Halloween Night

2011-10-31T18:37:00.000-07:00

Halloween is one of those nights that is best spent with friends.

The more the merrier seems to be the motto when walking from door to door collecting candy.

So tonight we invited two of our favorite families to go trick or treating with us.

The Tong Family and the Burkett's...

We walked from door to door, but had to stop and take a picture when we got to Kip's house...

Then we continued around the block until the bags were full...

and the kids were tired.

We walked home, at some candy and said goodbye to our friends.

Then once the sugar rush wore off, the kids were off to la la land with their dreams of what they would be for Halloween 2012.

Party Time with the Big Kids

2011-10-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

After spending the morning with Sophia's class, I then moved on to Lily's class for the afternoon party.

But first I had to attend the Pep Rally...

Where Lily and the cheerleaders were going to perform once again...

Just like on Saturday, Lily once again had a blast...

All that cheerleading really worked up an appetite.
Good thing we had PLENTY of treats to satisfy her...

And the rest of the kids...

After eating and playing a little pumpkin bowling, we discovered that we had enough paper to split the kids in groups and wrap them like mummies...

In the thirty minutes that they had to party, the kindergarteners made the most of it.

And enjoyed every last second.

Halloween, Halloween, Trick or Treat

2011-10-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

I have been prepping this party since September, so I was unbelievably happy when October 31st finally came.

Today thirty-seven little kiddos were going to party, eat treats and be just a little bit spoiled...

Did I say just a little bit spoiled?
What I meant to say was they were going to be spoiled rotten.
Starting with these precious trick or treat bags that my wonderful mom made for each child.
(if you are keeping count, that is a total of 37 bags).
This one was for the boys...

This was for the girls...

All the preschoolers began showing up in their best Halloween disguises...

I couldn't get enough of my seriously spooky Sissy spider...

The kiddos went through their morning routine.
Very quickly...

They did a mini performance of "Witches Brew" which is one of my absolute favorites...

Then they grabbed their extra special treat bags and went to each classroom where all of the big kids oohed and aahed over these little characters...

One final group picture...

For a snack, they made witches hat cookies.
Their craft was to make those ghost popcorn bags I made for Lily's class...

The snacked while they stuffed their bags...

and then showed off their creations to one another...

As to not overwhelm the kids, their party was going to be split up throughout the day.

After lunch and naps, they were going to munch on all of the treats the parents made.

I am not sure how the second part is going to go, but part one was a definite success!

Treat Yourself

2011-10-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

Although I am the teeniest bit exhausted, I had to finish the rest of the treats for the Pre-K 3 and Kindergarten Halloween party.

First up was making these silly little owl cupcakes...

Which the girls kept giggling over every time they saw them.
A good reaction to get...

Dipping marshmallows to make these Pumpkin Pops was next...

Then the completion of these sweet ghost popcorn bags rounded out the day...

So looking forward to spoiling these little ones with all of these treats.
But for now, I must sleep!

Three Cheers for Falcon Fest

2011-10-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

The school carnival moved from spring to fall this year.

Last year it was Son Fest.

This year it is Falcon Fest.

Even though the time of year changed, as did the name, the one thing that did not change is that the girls were still super duper excited...

They spent hours playing games...

We ran into many friends, but spent most of our time hanging out with the Tong family...

An added booth this year was the hair painting booth.
All of the kids loved it.
Most of us parents did not.
Luckily it was washable...

One booth that did not change was the ping pong fish booth.
Playing this game resulted in our fish family tripling (from two to six)...

Also new this year was the cheer exhibition.
We signed Lily up and she spent three days this week after school learning cheers.
Today they got to show off their hard work to all the parents...

Lily knew all of the words and most of the moves...

But I suppose she should know them considering she woke me every morning at six to perform them for me...

Lily was in her element today.

I couldn't think of a better way to spend $20.

I think we may have a future cheerleader on our hands.

Hip Hip Hooray for that!

The Costume Contest That Ruined My Life

2011-10-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

I always look for a good excuse to get the girls to wear their halloween costumes more than once.

Tonight our little library down the street was having a Fall Festival.

This seemed like the perfect excuse...

Our first stop was to feel some gooey guts and broken bones...

Then the games...

Notice the line that you are supposed to stand BEHIND for the ring toss?
Good thing she followed that rule...

Determined to knock down that soda can...

Arts and Crafts...

While the girls were happily immersed in the craft project, the story time leader came and got us for the costume contest.
The girls were super excited for this.
I wasn't so sure it was such a great idea.
But the girls wanted to do it, so I followed them out.

Once everyone was lined up, the girl announced,
"Okay, we are going to see who has the cutest costume."
Immediately Sophia stepped forward, hand raised making sure everyone took notice of her.
This made a few parents laugh.
The few parents laughing made Sophia cry.

Lily urged Sophia to get back in line.
Lily really wanted the prize.
When neither of them got cutest costume, they moved on to the spookiest costume.
Guess who won...

As each category passed, I could see Lily's heart breaking a little each time.

She had one final hope when the most creative costume category came up.

She looked at me, with a glimmer in her eye and said,

"Mommy, I know my costume is the most created."

But lo and behold, she didn't win that prize either.

That bad feeling I had about the costume contest idea in the first place just reaffirmed how silly of an idea it was when you had all of these young kids.

Especially when one of the young kids is crying on my shoulder and telling me that she doesn't want to wear her costume anymore because it is not beautiful.

After Lily dried her tears and we left, she still wasn't completely over the outcome of the costume contest.

As she was going the bathroom, I could hear her mumbling,

"Most created. Most created."

Then as she walked out of the bathroom, she had a teenage moment when she looked at me and said,

"That costume contest ruined my life."

At least it wasn't me.

Haunted House

2011-10-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

We typically save our house decorating for Christmas gingerbread houses, but this year I thought it would be fun to decorate a haunted gingerbread house as well.

Joe thinks one house is enough "fun" for the year.

Putting the gingerbread together seems to test his patience a little.

For Christmas, he said he's using the glue gun.

Onto our haunted house...

There was icing and candies to give the house some spookiness...

There was a lot of concentration put into making sure each candy is put in the correct spot...

As always, there was a little candy tasting...

And some frosting licking.
Apparently the black icing isn't as tasty as the others...

But it does really cool things to your tongue...

and your teeth (maybe we have been in Arkansas a tad too long)...

Wouldn't you like to live here?...

Happy hauntings!

Not Your Typical Patch

2011-10-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

We had plans to go to the pumpkin patch today, but all of the rain from last night prevented us from doing so.

The girls still wanted to pick their own pumpkins, so we took them to a little patch at a church across the street from their school.

Not your typical pumpkin patch, but it would have to work...

Professional pics

2011-10-17T10:31:00.001-07:00

These pictures were taken by Double Shot Photography for Tami's wedding.

They melted my heart, so I had to share...

Thank you Mike at Double Shot.

They are exquisite.

Fortunate

2011-10-17T10:10:00.001-07:00

Sometimes there are seemingly bad moments in your life that bring out the best in other people.
These are people who are always good to you and just when you think nothing else can be done, these people go above and beyond any expectation you may have ever had.
These people are few and far between and I am so fortunate to have two of them in my life.

Please let me set the scenario for you:
The other day, as Joe was driving home from work, the car he was driving (my RAV 4) just stopped.
He was driving on the highway, the car made a funny sound and then the power steering locked up.
I picked Joe up and the car was later towed.
Our mind wasn't really on the car, but instead on the meeting Joe was heading to at that precise moment.
The meeting yielded an outcome that made none of us happy.
To add salt to an already festering wound, Toyota called and said it would cost us $5000 to replace the engine.
Was it really worth putting a $5000 engine in a car valued at maybe $1500 that already had 190,000 miles on it?
We had a feeling that something would have to be done with the car next year, but we weren't prepared to have to do anything this soon.
Joe and I kept going back and forth on what to do.

Then I received a call from my dad:
He proceeded to tell me that to help us out until next year, we could borrow their truck.
It was something he and my mom had discussed.
My dad was willing to drive it 2,000 miles to us.
Just so they could help us out.

See that.
Fortunate.
The only word to describe what it means to have two people, correction, two parents such as these in my life.
Although we passed on their offer, I will never forget the goodwill they bestowed upon us.
My parents: definitely good people.

Party Prep

2011-10-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

There's not much time left before the girl's school Halloween Party (and my first official party as room mom).

I wanted to go with ideas that weren't just the same hum drum party ideas.

I spotted this game on Pinterest and thought it was too cute to pass on.

Pumpkin Bowling...

I also wanted to take the kids boring beverages and make them a little more special...

This is just a glimpse into a few of the creative ideas I went with to ensure that my preschooler and kindergartener's halloween parties are extra special.

A Day in the Life of Mr. Franky

2011-10-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

As a weekend project for Lily's class, we got to bring home the class pet.

His name is Mr. Franky and he is a caterpillar.

For the project, Lily had to bring Mr. Franky everywhere she went and then chronicle the events of the weekend with pictures and by writing up a summary.

So much for our lazy weekend.

We couldn't just take pics of Mr. Franky on the couch all weekend, so up we go and off we went.

First Mr. Franky needed to begin his Saturday with a nutritious breakfast.

But what do you feed a caterpillar?

Why candy corn of course...

We introduced Mr. Franky to the other furry member of our family...

Then we showed Mr. Franky what sisterly love is all about...

Off to Michael's where Mr. Franky took his first ride in a shopping basket...

Then Mr. Franky and the girls played a little dress up...

Mr. Franky giggled while he watched Sophia get witchy...

From Michael's, it was on to the Butterfly Garden where Mr. Franky hoped to be someday...

Lily then read him a book at the library...

Mr. Franky's likeness was captured in some artwork by Lily...

Mr. Franky went on a tour of the neighborhood...

Where we stopped at Nia's house so he could have a proper introduction...

Then Mr. Franky needed to stretch all of his legs and had a little play time at the park...

After a long Saturday, Mr. Franky was tuckered out.

On Sunday, he ate some breakfast...

And then slept the rest of the day.

Eight is Great

2011-10-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrate our eighth year as husband and wife.

In those eight years, you have given me many things.

Love.

Happiness.

Confidence.

Stability.

Security.

A hand to hold.

A shoulder to cry on.

A listening ear.

Best of all, you have given me this...

A beautifully, wonderful family.

I have all that I will ever need.

You have given me that.

I loved you then.

I love you now.

I will love you always.

Happy 8th Anniversary to the man who has given me so much.

I love you forever!

The Foot Book

2011-10-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

Every night for homework, Lily has to have a book read to her.
If she is able to, she is supposed to help us read the book.
By doing this, her teacher is hoping that they will pick up on their sight words and see how often they can be found in books.

Tonight, Lily chose to read this book...

The first time through, she sounded out the words and read about 85% of it herself.

She was beyond elated.

So she read it again.

And again.

She took her time with each word.

Some she knew right away.

Some she sounded out.

But by read thru #4, she no longer needed my help.

She read it all by herself.

There are many milestones that a child does in their life that can make a mom proud.

First steps.

First words.

First "I love you's."

First day of school.

And now this.

My daughter read her first book tonight.

She's five and she is reading.

I am beyond proud of this little girl and her huge milestone.

The Big Day

2011-10-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

All dressed and ready to go...

My beautiful mom and my handsome dad...

Big hugs from my hunky husband...

The groom...

The precious flower girls...

The amazingly gorgeous bride...

All men should look at their future bride to be this way...

And all brides should be this happy...

Mr. and Mrs. Basey...

My family.

My greatest gifts...

A little toast...

Delicious food...

Delectable desserts...

The beautiful couple...

Congratulations to my cousin and her new husband.

Thank you for the party.

Without this celebration, I would have never known just how much of a party animal Lily is.

As my mom said, she was the "pied piper of the dance floor."

She led perfect strangers out to the dance floor.

Who could resist this five year old?

Apparently nobody.

Especially a five year old doing the Humpty Dance.

Terrence,

I know you will forever hold my cousin's heart, but do you mind sharing her with us every once in a while?

Otherwise Sophia may get upset again if you vow to keep her forever.

We love you both!

Welcome to our crazy family!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Basey!

The Pre-Wedding Prep

2011-10-07T13:05:00.000-07:00

All of the hard work that Tami has put into the last year in planning her wedding is finally coming to fruition.

Today is my sweet cousin's wedding day...

See how happy she is...

While Tami opened some personal wedding gifts...

The rest of sat back and allowed others to help make us more beautiful...

All done.
Time for the Ms. to become a Mrs.