Back to School

School has started back up. I am teaching (or at least I will be soon once all my blessed assements are finished). 3 (almost 4!) year old will be starting preschool in a couple weeks. She is also ready for tap/ballet, swimming lessons, soccer, and Sunday School. 2 year old is going to *attempt* ballet (we will see if she lets me leave the room for this as she is a massive "mama's girl"). She is also taking parent tot swim lessons.

Both my girls are growing up way too fast. Today I witnessed my older daughter writing her name independently for this first time, and my youngest counting to 30 without prompting. It makes me proud yet emotional to watch them mature.

Summer Time!

I need to get better at updating this blog!

Yikes! What a busy summer this has been for my family. I am off work for the summer (teacher), and my husband seems to be a working machine. He is in the process of switching jobs though..so I am hoping it gets better in the work department.

Three year old and two year old are busy with trips to the zoo, family museum, movies, and mini vacations. We have traveled to Nebraska, Illinois, and multiple Iowa Cities visiting family.

Both girls are taking swim lessons and attended Vacation Bible School. Two year can still take "drop in" free classes around town. Three year old is takng several museum art/science classes, and tumbling.

Busy, but fun! I am starting to wish we lived in a location that was always warm!

The little girls meet the Easter Bunny

This is such a wonderful time of the year in Iowa. The weather is starting to warm up, and the excitement of outdoor activities is in the air. Ahhh.

Three year old has been busy preparing for her upcoming ballet recital and concluding her three year old preschool program.

Two year old is busy being two...and that means saying the word "no" over and over and over. I know it's just a phase, but boy am I tired of it.

We took the little girls to see the Easter Bunny at the mall on Sunday. Admittedly, the Easter Bunny is kind of creepy character. He doesn't speak, and let's be honest he is way too big to be a "normal" rabbit.

Three year old spent a lot of time speaking to the bunny. Begging for a Dorothy Barbie from the Wizard of Oz (don't ask!). She asked him about his creepy eyebrows and huge glasses.

Two year old stayed clear and shouted "NO NO NO NO NO" at him. Yep, she's a sweetie. I have a bit of mother's guilt that I didn't get a photo op of two year old and the bunny for her scrapbook. However, I don't want to pay for years of therapy for forcing her to sit by him.

Therapy or a rockin' scrap book????? What a dilemma! ; )

Valentine's Day

Ah, Valentine's Day...the holiday of love (at least according to Hallmark). While I think it's nice to recognize those you love, I am sort of jaded when it comes to Valentine's Day. I think this is due because I spent seven years of my life working in a floral shop. It was a wonderful job, and there are many days I wish I still worked there. However, there were a lot of downfalls to the floral business. One of them being LONG hours. There are several times of year that are challenging as a florist:
1. December- Pointsettia's are a tropical plant, and I always found it odd that they were so popular for a winter holiday. If you have ever broken a stem on a Pointsettia plant, you will notice that they have a white milky sticky substance inside of them. Imagine watering HUNDREDS of these plants. Of course stems will be broken, causing a sticky mess. I have vivid memories of the bottoms of my shoes sticking to the floor as I walked.
2. February- Valentine's Day=Floral Hell. Keeping arrangements fresh, and high flower cost make for much stress. Deliveries are a real pain. Many men want flowers sent to their Valentine at work. The problem is...getting every delivery to a recipient during work hours is tough. Delivery drivers start very early, and work very late.
3. May- Mother's Day, Proms, and Graduations. Arrangements and corsages keep a florist very busy. The big pain is latex balloons at Graduation time. They are VERY cheap, and VERY time consuming. I have a small scar under my eye where a latex graduation balloon popped and hit me. Balloons are also filled with Hi Float to keep them afloat longer. STICKY!

Valentine's Day will forever remind me of my Floral Shop days. Even with thorn scars on my thumbs, and balloon scars by my eye...I remember my days working there very fondly. I worked with amazing people, and genuinely felt like I was appreciated and cared about as a person.

It's been 7 years since I've had this job, and I am now a mom of 2 little girls, a wife, and a teacher. Life is totally different. This year I enjoyed a small bouquet of roses from my husband, and a night at home with all 3 of my Valentines.

My Sweet Baby Turns 2!

My sweet baby is two years old today! I can hardly believe it. It seems like only yesterday she was born.

We celebrated yesterday with a party at "Monkey Joe's". Today she spent the day with her family (including my parents, sister, brother in law, and niece). We went out for breakfast, shopping, and had dinner/play time at Chick Fila.

She arrived two years ago today, on her due date! I can remember it so clearly. The night before we went to the hospital for a "refresher" class. The class was suppose to be in December, but got snowed out. The class was from 5-7. A few short hours later (about midnight) contractions began, and we headed to the hospital. A good friend of mine came over and watched big sister. I remember sleeping at the hospital a few hours, and walking the hall the next morning to get labor to "get moving". My dr. broke my water early in the afternoon, and I was able to get an epidural. Later that afternoon, I delivered my sweet 7 lb. baby girl. I felt minimal pain, and smiled upon meeting her.

What a blessing to have a healthy little baby. Today, as she turns two, I am so thankful that I have both my daughter's in my life.

Deep Thoughts...Sleeping with Blue Fruit Snacks

Neither of my daughters have had the opportunity to get their first haircut. 3 year old has pretty long curls (which I don't want to cut), and 2 year old has barely any hair (poor thing).

2 year old is obsessed with hair. It's such a shame she doesn't have more. She really enjoys stroking my hair (or her sister's). She is so gentle, and whispers the word "hair" like it's a magical term.

Lately she's taken to "styling" her baby mullet with a Sleeping Beauty pretend curling iron and blow dryer. It's cute.

This morning disaster hit our home. Somehow 2 year had smuggled a blue fruit snack into her crib. She had fallen asleep on it, and it had cemented it's gooey self into her hair. I tried to clean it out, while 2 year old cried. At last, I broke out the scissors and snipped. Thankfully you can't even tell where I cut. 2 year old was so sad though. She looked at me like "how could you take away the little bit of hair I have"!

Life lesson learned...don't sleep with blue fruit snacks.

Winter Blues

This time of year is truly the pits. It's cold and dark most days. I want to be cheerful, but instead I tend to find myself getting annoyed very quickly. Not at my children (thankfully) but more at adults that I encounter. It can't be just me, because it seems like everywhere I go I hear complaints. Complaints about the cold, the roads, illness, how far away spring is, yadda yadda yadda.

So, I am devoting today's blog entry to annoyances I have. My hope is that I'll type it all out, take a deep breath, and let it go. Here's to hoping...

1. Constant complainers. Life isn't roses all the time, suck it up. It seems like so many times I hear and see people more consumed by life's journey then the destination.
2. Road Rage. Nothing begins a morning like watching an irate driver yelling at the person next to them.
3. Lack of RSVPing. It happens, but I dislike it. Especially in the world of text messaging and email...it's so easy to respond to someone!
4. People with the "one size fits all" mentality. What works for you, may not work for me. Close minded people annoy me.
5. People who don't hold doors. Yeah, I know it's not a rule..but when you see a person with a wheel chair or stroller, does it hurt to just hold the door?
6. Delusions. Liars too, but people who actually believe that the story they are telling you is true(when it's so far off base) really bother me.
7. Dirty looks when a child is crying or making noise in a "quiet" situation. It happens. Personally I typically feel empathy for the mother and annoyance toward the "dirty lookers".
8. Rude cashiers. Is it too much to ask for a "thank you" when I make a purchase. Micheals Hobby Store is the WORST. Usually there is one check out line open, and about 5 women in line with coupons and baskets full of craft materials. I'm sure we're annoying to the cashiers, but I can't stand the rudeness.
9. TMI...when random people tell me way more information then I need to know about their personal life.
10. Using social networks (like Facebook) to spout religious, political, or financial issues. Also, post after post complaining about your life. Isn't there anything positive you can look at?

This list applies to nobody in particular. I'm sure I've annoyed someone a time or two too. I'm just feeling the stress of winter (like many are). What I would like right now...a little consideration, respect, and tact from my fellow humans. ((SIGH)).

Now, because I must end on a positive note. I am very thankful for the good friendships I have in my life, my family, and my health. Amen.

Beauty and the Beast

Both of my little girls are Disney Princess fanatics! 2 year old is simply in love with Ariel (from The Little Mermaid) while 3 year old changes her favorite weekly. The past couple of weeks we have been on a "Beauty and the Beast" kick. I was sick for about a week, and must admit I let the DVD player "babysit" for me quite a bit. We have been watching Belle dance with Beast non stop.

At the baby sitter's house on Friday, my 3 year old was given a "time out". She was calling objects (not people thankfully!) "stupid". Babysitter tells me this when I come to pick the girls up Friday afternoon. I was a bit embarrassed, and wondered where she had heard that term. I don't typically call things "stupid".

Fast forward to today. Good old "Beauty and the Beast" plays on the TV, while I get in a little quality face booking. In this scene Beast is taking a bath, and all the enchanted household objects are helping him get ready to have his first dinner with Belle. 3 year old announces "get ready for the stupid part". I start to scold her, when I hear/see the rest of the scene. A candle stick is telling Beast how to behave while a pair of scissors cuts and styles his hair. He ends of with a "do" that includes curls and a giant blue bow. The candle sticks tells him "You look so, so...." and Beast finishes his statement by saying "stupid". He then gets a new handsome haircut.

I explain to 3 year old that saying "stupid" is very naughty, and the Beast made a bad choice. The secret of where the she learned the term in uncovered.

Shame on you Disney! Shame on me for not catching it! It's amazing to me how observant little people can be. Seriously, they don't miss a beat!

Potty Training- Check!

Winter break has come and gone. Two glorious weeks off of work and with my sweet little girls. It's been so good to be home, and I admit I am more then a little sad to go back tomorrow.

Staying home has really been productive. The past few weeks I have gotten so much accomplished. I cleaned out a hall closet, linen closet, my closet, and both girl's closets. I hosted Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations, along with a scrap booking night. I cleaned and re-cleaned the house. Baked and multiple meals, did a little shopping, and played many games with my daughters.

The MAJOR accomplishment, I potty trained my three year old! It took about a week of staying home and wearing underwear, but we did it. I'm sure she'll still have an occasional accident, but I am so darn proud of her. The first day of break I told her that she would be wearing underwear. We went to Target and she picked out her own undwear. She selected "Princess and the Frog" undies. I told her that everytime she went potty on the potty that I would give her a chocolate Santa. I put her on the potty, she peed, and I gave her a chocolate. The concept clicked instantly and she began using the potty on her own. Pooping was a bigger issue. She seemed to be afraid to poop on the potty. Twice she had an accident in her undies. However, most of the time she held it until I put her bedtime pull up on (we're not night trained yet). I decided to pull out the big guns as far as bribery goes. I knew she wanted a Disney Princess Mulan Barbie. She has had a Mulan obsession since seeing her at "Disney Princesses on Ice". I told her that if she pooped on the potty I would give her the Barbie. I went out and bought the doll at HyVee, and hid it in my closet. I knew that when she pooped she would need the instant gratification. It took two days after the doll promise. She would run to the potty but "just miss" and have an accident on the floor/undies. I knew she was getting close. Then it happened! We were sitting on the floor in her room playing Barbie when she stood up and said her "underwears were wet". I could see she started to pee. I was a little disappointed because she hadn't had an accident in a week. I put her on the potty and went to get a change on undies and pants. I then heard her SCREAM..I GOT NY MULAN BARBIE! I replied with "You will when you go poopy in the potty". I then realized that she had finished peeing and and pooped in the potty. She must have started to pee and then finsihed when I put her on the toilet. I gave her the Barbie and she was so proud. Cloud nine all day. She has gotten the concept ever since. Now she is pooping and peeing on the potty (WOO HOO!) She is making a list of other things she wants, and tells me everytime she poops what she wants as an award. I smile and say "We'll tell that to Santa when he comes next year". I must say not changing three year old diapers is amazing.

So, that is my break in review. It sounds kind of messy...and I loved every minute of it!