Ten on Tuesday—Parenthood

I got this idea from Sara…The top ten things that adventurous parents should know…here are mine.

1. The words to all the fun primary songs like; “Popcorn Popping,” “I’m all Made of Hinges,” and of course “Snowman!”
2. How to shape anything out of play-dough.
3. All the rest stops between you and Grandma.
4. How to make household chores into a game.
5. The never-fail going to bed routine.
6. How to communicate ideas to your spouse before telling your children (i.e. Spelling the words “P-A-R-K,” “F-R-I-E-S,” and “T-R-E-A-T-S”)
7. How to make Cool Aid, chocolate milk, and all the other cool kid drinks.
8. The perfect hiding spot for kid treats and adult treats.
9. How to get through the grocery store check out line without buying any candy.
10. How to get marker off walls, sheets, doors, and sisters.

Obviously I don’t have any of these down, but perhaps someday I will be an expert. So what are your TOP TEN? Post them in the comments or on your own blog…I can’t wait to read them!

My Little Packrats

Eliza and Liesel love their strollers. Most days you can find them filled to overflowing with stuff. There is usually a purse or two hanging off the handles...filled with books or papers or dolls or anything else around the house that looks interesting. Sometimes Eliza has loaded up a purse, or bucket in this case, and then tries to hang it on the handle only to have the whole thing tip over to her great dismay. It takes everything I have to not laugh and gently coax her into putting it in the seat instead...which of course isn't nearly as fun. Liesel is just along for the ride but gets really excited when her sister thinks on of her ideas is a good one...like placing a bread pan between the handles and filling that too. Aren't sisters the BEST!

'Pretend' Play

Here is a quick snap-shot of our house at 6:30 every morning!
Dad is usually reading in the Living Room unless he is already gone (or teaching seminary)
Liesel is eating--unless someone hasn't got her out of her crib yet...in which case she is yelling...and Eliza is here...trying to wake me up.
This morning I saw Eliza set up this scene with the little girl by the mom in bed and then she proceeded to yell "WAKE UP MOM...WAKE UP MOM...MOM!" Is it really considered 'pretend' play if it is exactly like real life? I sure wish this room didn't always look like this so early in the morning.
Luckily Lydia and I are kindred spirits and would both stay in bed until at least 8am if we could.

Happy Belated Easter

Our Easter was grand...complete with a cute centerpiece (actually we used this the week before for our pre-Easter celebration)On the Monday before Easter we colored eggs...of course.
Careful--don't spill!

Wow this is the coolest thing we have ever done!Careful with the stickers now! (Actually between the two girls we broke all but two of the eggs--we would say "Be soft" and then hear a 'crunch'...luckily the girls didn't mind)
Then on Saturday we had the Easter Egg Hunt in the back yard. Can you see the girls excitement?
Eliza got just inside the back yard fence, picked up and egg and handed it to us to open...smart girl...she knew what was inside and couldn't concentrate on anything but 'TREATS!'

We were so surprised at how well Liesel picked up on the Easter Egg Hunt. She had her basket half full before Eliza had picked up another egg. Those silly girls.
We also go the girls some pre-made Easter baskets from Wal-Mart. They had princess jewelry and shoes in them...It was so fun to see how excited Eliza was about it. She wanted to wear the shoes everywhere and when she woke up Sunday morning the first the she wanted was her shoes.
Then on Sunday the girls finally got to wear their Easter Dresses...they loved them and wore them all day Sunday...and Monday too.
It was a great week and a great holiday.
Happy Easter Everyone!

Ten on Tuesday

1. I was so excited to post tonight that I had the whole house ready for early morning seminary before the girls were in bed…I thought about setting up the chairs too but that thought of one of the girls falling off one and needing to go to the emergency room stopped me.

2. I waited by the door almost all day yesterday for my Old Navy package to come in the mail…amazing how a few new things can brighten your mood.

3. Yesterday we played Hop Scotch for Family Home Evening. You should have seen Eliza’s face when her dad got home and told her we had to do the lesson first…needless to say we played first.

4. Confession: I can’t tell you the last time I actually exercised…so when my 8 min Abs DVD came in the mail today my abs and legs where a little shell shocked by the end of the exercise…I have a long way to go!

5. I think that my whole body is still recovering from getting my wisdom teeth pulled on Friday. It went well but I am so tired (that seems to be a constant ailment).

6. So it seems as if Eliza and Liesel have become best friends over night. Yesterday and today they have just played their hearts out with each other. Before I was breaking up a fight or putting on of them in time out every couple of minutes—literally. Now I just have to stop them from filling the training potty with water or drinking milk from the jug…A HUGE improvement.

7. Did you notice the new pictures of Eliza and Liesel on the side bar? We had a photo shoot the other day and I was trilled with them…too bad that Liesel was done after three shots…someday I will get them together.

8. Since Easter is rapidly approaching I have been working on the girls Easter dresses. The fabric is cute…three different colors of the same pattern…stay tuned for more details!

9. I braved a visit to Target today to buy these. I think the guys behind me in line were a little uneasy when they saw me red faced trying to hold Lydia in one arm, keep Liesel strapped in her side of the two seater cart, and keep Eliza from opening any of the candy—who decided that candy should be at a toddlers level in the checkout line anyway.

10. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Stampin’ Up! stuff that I ordered from Rachel the other day…the money I made from my first photo shoot is dwindling fast…can you tell?

Hope you all have a great week!

A random update...

So what have we been up to lately? SURVIVAL! Not that anything has gone really wrong but it seems as if we are just barely hanging on some days...I am sure all of you can relate. But we have managed to do a couple of fun things.

A couple of Sundays ago we made these...Eliza loved treading the noodles onto the pipe cleaners. We had to make Liesel's for her because she was too busy eating them. Then we tried gluing the noodles on paper...again Eliza loved it and made three whole pages covered with noodles and Liesel just ate the noodles...and the glue.

Then this last Sunday we put curlers in the girls hair. Neither of them really like it but I love how their hair looks when it is done. Daniel took this picture while he let me nap (what a saint). When I saw this picture I was reminded of when I was about 5 and my mom gave me a perm. I had a picture taken too...I think I was grinning just like Liesel.

Lydia seems good. She spends most of her time in the swing...mostly because that is about the safest place for her. Too bad she still has been poked in the eye, covered with a flying coat, and hit with a beach ball (not to mention all the things I didn't see) sigh. Maybe by the time we have another baby the girls will understand the meaning of soft...then again maybe not.

I have been thinking about my friend Rachel lately. She woke up on Sunday to a blizzard and went to bed with and eye patch, scratched cornea, and a brand new car in the shop after sliding into a pole. Poor girl. Then she found out her daughter is allergic to penicillin. But she is handling it all with grace and humor. I love you Rachel.

Daniel is at class tonight. He seems good. We just found out that Daniel's mom might come out in April to visit and give us a much needed weekend away...I can't even begin to explain the excitement that idea is bringing...Thank you sooooo much Grandma Nancy.

And on a final note...I love this new web site from the church about Jesus Christ. It is the perfect time of the year (with Easter coming up) to be reminded of Him and of all that He has done for us. I know there is no better gift than that of the Father giving His son! Happy Easter everyone and my God strengthen you as He is us!