Pre-school Easter Party

Today was Handley's class Easter Party.  It was such a fun day for the kids.  After saying their blessing they enjoyed a yummy pizza lunch.  

Then it was time to head out for the Easter Egg Hunt!  I'm so happy we were positioned to see the kids running into the garden because it was priceless.  While Handley was one of the few really into finding eggs at the playgroup egg hunt, that was not the case today.  All the kids were excited to take off and fill their baskets.  I love this picture because it shows them all coming out the door and making a mad dash for the eggs. 

I love this picture too!  Before the kids discovered the eggs that were actually a little more hidden around the garden they were all gathered in the middle and looked like little chicks pecking around as they collected their eggs. 

As you can see from Handley's bucket, she racked up and filled it to the top!  To be fair, the teachers divided the eggs evenly while the kids were having cake after the hunt.  We still have more than enough candy filled eggs to last us a while though. 

Have I mentioned how AWESOME Handley's teacher is?!?  Mrs. Deborah is the GREATEST and we just love her.  I know Handley and I will both be sad when this year is over.   Today she brought in 2 baby chicks and 2 baby ducks for the kids to see and hold!!!  They were so soft and sweet.  Handley was excited to get her turn and did great holding it gently, even though it was trying to wiggle. 

Here is an adorable Easter card she made for us.

Fun at Gigi and Papa's

Last night Handley got to spend the night with Gigi and Papa.  Today she had a fun filled day with dying Easter Eggs, lunch at Chuck E. Cheese, and a special treat of getting her finger nails painted.  :-)  

She was excited to bring home her eggs and put them on our counter as decorations.  I was excited that Gigi let her get messy dying eggs at her house so I didn't have to do it here. :-)

Play Group Easter Party

This afternoon was our play group Easter party.  The hostesses, Sarah and her mom Jessica, had planned a perfect party!  There was an Easter egg hunt, lots of snacks and goodies, and the Easter Bunny even made an appearance.   

As soon as we went outside to find the eggs Handley took off.  I didn't even need to give her any direction.  She knew just what to do and set to fill her bucket with as many eggs as it would possibly hold.  Hands down she won the prize for collecting the most eggs. 

When the Easter Bunny came around the corner Handley took off running to see him.  She gave him a big hug!  
Not everyone felt the same way though.  Several other kiddos (including Harper) weren't thrilled to see the Easter Bunny up close and personal.  She was much happier back in my arms and actually interested in seeing him as long as I was close by. 

 It was a great afternoon and the perfect way to practice for our big neighborhood hunt next week!

Princess Dress and Spaghetti

Today we received a package in the mail from Mimi.  Inside were the girls Easter dresses that she made (they are beautiful), some Easter goodies for the girls, and a beautiful Cinderella princess dress for Handley.  She put it on immediately and it took some convincing for me to get her to take it off before we went outside to play and again before we sat down to eat spaghetti for dinner.  

I could have just let her wear it during dinner.  She didn't care for the spaghetti.  Harper on the other hand LOVED it.  I think it's safe to say she has a new favorite food.  

Happy Birthday Gabby

Today we celebrated our neighbor, Gabby's, 3rd birthday.  She had a kite party and the kids got to paint their own kites.  What a fun idea!

Handley concentrated really hard while painting her kite and waited very patiently for the pink paint.  We live in a pink world right now and she requests that everything be pink.  The only way I got her to wear this blue dress instead of a pink one was because Harper was wearing blue and she likes to match Harper.  After her paint dried she had fun trying to fly her kite around the yard. 

Speaking of Harper's dress, doesn't it look cute on her?  You'd never know it was probably about 28 years old!  That's right, it was one my mom made for ME when I was a little girl.  I love that she kept all of the smocked dresses she made for me in such good condition because Handley and now Harper have been able to wear them. :-) Harper got to try out a bouncy house for the first time and liked it for just a minute before she was crying for me to get her out.  

Here are the girls with their friend Addyson at the party. Addyson just adores Harper! 

Wearing Nothing on Our Legs

Today was absolutely beautiful!  We got to *wear nothing on our legs, spend 2 hours at the neighborhood playground and enjoy popsicles on the porch after dinner.  

*Handley is just as ready for spring as I am.  For several weeks now she's been asking if she can  "wear nothing on her legs" (meaning she wants to wear shorts, a skirt, or a dress without tights). This morning when she was getting dressed I let her go without tights.  It was cold, but I knew it would warm up fast.  Before we headed to the playground this afternoon I changed into shorts and took Harper's tights off and Handley was just beside herself.  She was so happy that we were all wearing nothing on our legs.

Speaking of wearing nothing on her legs, Handley wore her leotard to tumbling class yesterday for the first time (she normally just wears clothes) and when we got home, I could not convince her to take it off.  She loves that thing and wore it the rest of the day!  She had a very special tumbling class yesterday because not only did she get to wear her leotard and "be a gymnastics girl" (her words), but her Daddy also got to come and watch her.  Here's a video of her: 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

This morning we got dressed in our green and headed to Costco after Harper's nap.  When I got up to the door I thought I had forgotten the card at home.  Thank goodness it was in the car.  Because Harper wakes up just before lunch time I had planned on us eating lunch there during our outing. 

Handley loved all the free samples and after making our way through the store and the checkout I somehow managed to get my cart full of stuff and the girls through the crowd and over to the food window to order our lunch.  When I made it to the front of the line and handed over my card the woman informed me that they only accepted cash and I didn't have a dime on me.  

It was past lunchtime now so we headed to the parking lot, loaded up our goodies, and went to the Fresh 2 Order restaurant right next door.  It was my first time there and it was really good, but let's just say it cost me a lot more than the $1.99 slice of pizza we were going to have at Costco.  

It was a fun day and memorable day.  Both girls were happy and had fun during our outing and I guess that is what matters most!

*The Leprechaun hat Handley is wearing is something she made at school yesterday. Cute!

Donuts with Dad

Today was Donuts with Dad at Handley's pre-school.  I have been looking forward to this day since Handley started pre-school.  I guess because this was the first time Robby has been to Handley's school and I knew how much she would enjoy having him there with her. She was thrilled for just the two of them to drive off to school this morning.  I was thrilled to get to stay in my PJ's a little longer than normal.  I took a picture of them before they left because I somehow thought he might "accidently" forget to bring in the camera I sent with him.  He said he did forget it initially, but went back out to the car to get it just to make me happy with pictures for the blog!  

When I talked to Robby after the breakfast he said she ate lots of donuts and kept telling him, "These are good Daddy!"  I really think that was her first time having a donut!  He said she was so proud to show him her classroom and her school.  

Fun with Friends

Check out my friend Tiara's blog to see the fun Handley and Harper had this afternoon with the Atkinson's.  We're lucky to have such great friends. 

Living Room re-do

We've been wanting to get a new TV for some time now.  Honestly, I thought the TV we had was just fine, but it was way too accessible to the kids.  It drove Robby nuts when Handley would put her fingers all over it and Harper had recently discovered all of the buttons on our cable box and DVD player.  She seemed to know how to eject the DVD just as Dora was starting to play, which caused Handley to pitch a fit every time.  We agreed that a TV above the fireplace was the way to go.  

After Robby spent 3 hours at Best Buy using his negotiation skills he came home with a new TV and all of the "extras" to go along with it.  I don't even know how to turn the thing on!  I'll definitely need lessons in how to work the fancy remote after he figures it out.  For now, I'll let Handley watch her Dora and Super Why upstairs on the TV I know how to use.  It sure does look good hanging up there though. 

The new TV also meant that I got to rearrange some furniture and it's no secret I've been searching for a new rug.  The one we had was OK, but it was very uncomfortable and hard.  Since I spend a lot of time on the floor with the girls I really wanted something softer and with a little more color.  I'd searched everywhere, but after a second visit to Lowes, we found something that we both agreed on. Not to mention, it was 1/2 the price of the other's I'd found I liked.  Handley and Harper were thrilled as we rolled it out and kept running/crawling around on it.  They love it just as much as I do. :-) 

Here's a shot of the whole room (including the nice dog bed in the corner and the toys/books that I cleaned up just for this picture. 

All kinds of fun

We had all kinds of fun this weekend.  It started on Thursday night with a trip to Chick-fil-a for dinner.  It was CRAZY there because it was an elementary school night so kids were running around everywhere.  However, the good side of that was that the COW was out walking around and Handley couldn't jump out of her chair fast enough to get a pic with him.  Harper seemed confused, but curious and kept an eye on Mr. COW as he made his way around the restaurant.  

Friday night was lots of fun for Robby and I.  Lisa, one of my good friends from high school, got married in Mexico a few weeks ago and had her reception on Friday night.  My BFF, Jen, came over to watch the girls for us.  It was fun to get dressed up, celebrate with her and to catch up with some old friends.  

When we got home there was a big box waiting for us.  I knew right away what it was - new Pottery Barn chairs for the girls, which are early birthday presents from Gigi and Papa.  Handley had the small one and all we needed was a new cover for Harper and then a bigger chair for Handley.  I had planned to at least wait until Harper's birthday, but Robby couldn't wait so we got them ready and gave them to the girls first thing in the morning.  I must say they were a hit!  Thanks Gigi and Papa! 

It's as if Harper knows that it drives Handley nuts when she tries to get in the "wrong" chair because she did it all weekend!  

Maybe it's just that she wanted to get back at her for all the big sister torturing that she endures...

getting her make-up done

And wearing "bowl" hats. :-)

Story of the BIG bed

Handley has been sleeping in her BIG BED (as she calls it) for almost a month now.  However, I wanted to wait and blog about it until I was done with all her bedding.  Here's the story: 

Handley saw a few friends who had big beds and started asking about switching hers.  Knowing what she meant, but trying to buy me some time I told her she did have a big girl bed (toddler bed - basically her crib with the front off of it).  She would get frustrated and say, "No Mommy, not a big girl bed (what she called her toddler bed).  I want a BIG BIG bed."  I told her we'd get her a big bed soon, but I was thinking down the road, like maybe this summer.  However, she kept asking so finally I gave in.  It wasn't that I didn't want her to have a big bed, but I didn't want her to have a big bed with out big pretty bedding and I just honestly didn't have the time.  As it is right now I had/have 2 big sewing projects I was/am working for other people, I'm planning her class Easter party, somehow volunteered myself to head up our huge neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt, and I'm planning Harper's 1st Birthday Party.  Whew.  There are just not enough hours in the day.  

A few weeks ago Handley spent the night with Gigi and Papa so Robby and I decided that would be the perfect time to switch her bed.  We already had a mattress and bed rails in the basement and I'd gotten some princess sheets at Wal-Mart that were waiting for this big occasion.  An hour later it was done and when I stepped back to take it in the bed looked SO big.  Too big and way too tall for my little girl.  However, when she got home and heard her Daddy tell her about a surprise in her room she couldn't get up there fast enough.  All I heard from behind her was a gasp and a squeal, "A BIG bed!!!" She was so happy.  She tried to climb up and couldn't even get up because it was so high.  We went to Target the next day to get a stool to help her get up and down on her own. 

I was worried about her falling out since it is so high and we didn't have bed rails, but I tucked pillows around her and she did great.  Slept like a baby and has ever since the big transition.  She was happy as could be, but I was not.  Every time I walked past her room I'd cringe at the sight of the un-finished bed with only sheets on it.  I don't know why I cared so much.  She hated to be covered up while she slept and could care less about a comforter, bed skirt, and pillow shams, but I wanted it so I got to work.  

I know a lot of people look forward to doing a "big girl room" so that they can re-decorate and start from scratch.  However, I love her room and curtains that were already there.  I have such great memories of my mom coming to FL while I was pregnant to help me sew all of her crib bedding and curtains when I was just learning to use my sewing machine.  I was in over my head with that project, but it was totally worth it in the end.  I knew I wanted to keep the same look going in there so thankfully my mom found the $40-a-yard fabric at a discount fabric shop for only $7.99 a yard!  She sent it to me and I got to work right a way, but it has still taken me almost a month to get it all done.  When Handley first saw her "BIG covers" she was thrilled.  I didn't think she'd want to sleep under her comforter since she never wanted to be covered up before, but she is a changed woman! Finally the rest of it is done and her big girl room is complete!  

Harper - 11 months

I can't believe that in 1 month my baby girl will be turning 1.  Robby asked me the other night if I'd planned her birthday party yet.  (I know he asked because when Handley was 11 months old the only thing left to do for her party was wait for the big day.  I'd been working on it for months!)  Everything is in my head for Harper's, but I think it isn't done yet because I'm in denial.  :-( I know there are many fun times ahead, but I love, love, love the baby stage and I don't want it to be over yet. Lucky for me she doesn't seem like she is going to be an early walker like Handley was so I can hang on to that part of her being a baby for a while longer.  I'm not ready to be done nursing, but I have every intention of weaning her when she is one. On the bright side, I can't wait to turn her car seat around in a month and be able to see her sweet face in my rear view mirror.  

At 11 months she: 

• loves sleeping with her giraffie and has gotten pretty attached to it 
• says "uh-oh" every chance she gets
• says "Dada" like it is her job, but will only mumble  "Ma" every now and then
• thinks crawling around and bouncing on a bed is just as much fun as being at Disney World
• likes to play with cell phones, remote controls or anything else that has buttons
• is very sensitive and can cry at the drop of a hat
• gets very excited when I read her books
• enjoys lift-the-flap books
• plays "ball" with Handley and I and likes rolling and throwing a ball to us
• is very social and will happily climb up into anyone's lap who is sitting on the floor 
• loves being around other babies her age
• still doesn't like when I am out of her sight
• can "love" her baby - gives her hugs and kisses
• has 8 teeth, 4 on top and 4 on the bottom
• weighs 21 lbs.