Evening Walk

Ross found a new paved trail for us to take wagon walks!  Our girls just love going on a wagon ride and it is so hard to pull the wagon on our busy street with all the hills.  We were excited to find this long trail by the river.  After the ride the girls got out and got to walk around a little bit.  The breeze was blowing and the sun was shining through the trees.  Pretty perfect, low-key evening to end a fabulous weekend.

A Few Pics

Aaron, Ross, and Caleb on our quick Jonesboro trip

The new addition- Miss Claire Elizabeth

Checking for a rainbow

Mismatched Day at school

Waiting for Open Gym to start

Stretches

"Swinging" on the bar

Elise getting her stretch on

Cutest gymnast ever

Painting the old school way

Elise did a really great job on hers!

Wagon ride with Daddy and new popsicle holders

Yummy baked macaroni and cheese.  Buy the package by Kraft and make it--so worth it.

Yep, She Said It

Picture this.  My best friend from high school who ALWAYS decides to go to Branson instead of Springfield, finally comes up to eat lunch with us. I load the girls up and head to the mall and it decides to pour down uncontrollable amounts of rain. I have on TOMS and flare leg jeans. Cue soaked feet and water up to my knees. Amelia has on flip flops. I carry both girls into the mall, RUNNING through the puddles mind you, and I enter the doors soaked and have a girl on each hip. As I am blowing my pasted bangs out of my face, a happy little worker says, "You like free sample?" as she waves the sweet and sour chicken in my face.

Me: "Um, yeah sure, just pop it in."

Worker: Losing her huge smile, she leans over like I am diseased and attempts to put the free sample in my mouth, all the while clutching the toothpick.  Loud nervous laughter.

Amelia: As it gets close to my mouth and consequently, Amelia's mouth, she yells, "That STINKS SO BAD."

Me: "Nevermind."

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A:  Yelling in some question to me about princess jewelery.
M:  Not responding because I am not quite sure how I want to answer yet.
A:  "Hey, do you have a kitten in your mouth?"
M:  "Excuse me?"
A:  "Yeah, you know when someone doesn't talk to you and you ask them if they have a kitten in their mouth?"
M:  Dying laughing.  "Yes, sweetie, you ask them if the cat has their tongue."
A:  "That's what I said."
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We took Amelia to Dixie Cafe for the first time and she loved it.   Her G and Pa came up to take her to dinner and when she was asked where she wanted to go, she replied, "Umm Pixie Dust Cafe.  I love that place." 

Oh, to have your world revolve around pixie dust :)
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We have had several really warm days and all of us busted out our shorts.
A:  "Mom, something is wrong with your legs."
M:  "What do you mean?"
A:  "Well keep them away from me because they are very poky."
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I was telling Elise how great her painting was and this followed...

A:  "What about mine?"
M:  "It's nice too, but Elise is taking extra time to use a lot of colors."
A:  "Well since I'm older, everything I do will always be better than hers.  That's good, right?"
Me: "Oh dear..."  Launched into huge speech about age having nothing to do with effort.  I'm sure it was well received and sunk in. 

Mommy and Elise

Another beautiful day at the park. What a blessing to live in this area! The park system is so awesome here and we love to go to different parks all the time because they each offer something different. This weather is just perfect before it gets too hot. Memorial Park has a fabulous area for running free, and Finley River Park has sand and water, and The Park By The Mall (not sure on the name) is in a great location with FIVE slides that Buzzy loves. There are a ton we haven't even checked out yet. I know I have said it before, but I cherish the time that I have with Elise on Mondays and Wednesdays while Amelia is at school. I hear her more clearly, am able to focus on just her, and see that she is just growing up in a flash. She honks at the ducks, asks to hold my keys, and said "WHEE" when she wants to swing higher.


She has a blast, but is always looking for her sister. The moment we drop Amelia off she starts crying for her and asks for her several times in the few hours she is gone.  I  had intended to put Elise in the program next year for one day and keep Amelia in the two day program.  They would have gone on alternating days, and I would have had some alone time with each of them.  Unfortunately, that isn't going to work out.  My family told me that for several weeks leading up to the deadline for the paperwork, but I finally had to realize it myself.  There are several reasons; like when I take Amelia to go swimming on a day Elise is in school.  Seems fun and fantastic, but she will realize that if WE are doing fun things on her day out of school, then Elise and I are doing fun things when she is in school. They worry about where the other sister is and what she is doing.  What can I say, I raise nosy, clingy babies :)  They are also adorable, intelligent, and fabulous!

I turned in the paperwork for them to both go on M and W together. This was a big step for me and I'm still feeling very nervous about Elise going to school two days a week at such an early age.  She still gets very upset when we leave her in the nursery, so I will definitely be holding my breath. And praying, and crying, and all sorts of other fun stuff.

School will be out at the end of May and until then, Elise and I will keep going on adventures.  We mainly go hiking and to the park because her favorite thing is to be outside. 

It's all fun and games until it is time to leave.  Then, I am the meanest mom ever.

Dance

When I was little, I remember having a hard time understanding much of the sermon at church, but I definitely knew that the worship songs were special. One of my favorites was holding my Meme's hand and singing "The Lord of the Dance." I just loved belting out the words and smiling. It gave me a special feeling in my heart and although I didn't know totally what being a Christian entailed, I knew it was something powerful.

Amelia always wants to dance in the mornings before school or before we go somewhere. She gets a few minutes to dance in the driveway without a care in the world. This morning as she was dancing, those beautiful lyrics danced through my head.

I danced in the morning when the world was begun
I danced in the Moon and the stars and the Sun
I came down from Heaven and I danced on the Earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth:
Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!

They cut me down but I leap up high
I am the Life that will never never die!
I'll live in you if you'll live in Me
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!

Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!

Silver Dollar City

Ross wanted to go to Silver Dollar City on Thursday, but it was freezing. Like 47 freezing. I told him no way, but he had his heart set on it. I agreed if we waited until after naps. It was still so cold! I packed hats and sweatshirts and big jackets and kind of forced a smile. Ross rarely says he really, really wants to do something and when he does, I definitely go with it. I am so glad we went! When we got there, the sun came out and it was in the low 60's. There was not a big crowd at all and the day could not have gone more smoothly.

We didn't tell Amelia where we were going and just surprised her when we got there. Here is her excited face. It was a special moment.She couldn't believe we tricked her and she immediately wanted to see if she was tall enough for the roller coaster this time. Serious face as we measured...
Happy girl to get to ride.


She rode the roller coaster five times and just couldn't get enough. I honestly think I was more scared than her and I screamed the whole time.


After riding the swings in the kids area, she decided she wanted to ride the "big people swings." I just knew she wouldn't be tall enough, but I was wrong. She rode in a double swing with Ross and I about peed my pants watching. They were so TALL. Amelia just smiled the whole time and rode again.


Then she wanted to ride the swinging boat- which I wouldn't ride if you paid me. I knew there would be no way she was tall enough, but I was wrong again. She LOVED this ride. There were seven and eight year olds on there screaming their heads off (and I know a 30 year old who would have been too) but she just grinned and rode it again. Can you see them in the middle?


Ross was definitely her riding buddy. I am scared of almost all rides and get sick on the little, easy ones. Elise got to ride the frogs several times and she loved it.


She also got to do the rope treehouse several times and had a blast on that too. Ross took her on the merry-go-round and she was all smiles again.


We hung out a lot while they rode the big rides and she loved the frozen lemonade and getting to wander around.


She also got VERY excited when she spotted Amelia and Ross on a ride and would scream, "SISSY, DADDY."

When we got back in the car and headed home, I was trying to tell Ross how much fun I had and I burst into tears. It was one of those moments where I felt so overwhelmed with blessing. Our kids aren't always perfect and don't always have cute smiles. There aren't always outings with no fits or whining. BUT, this special day was one of those times. We had a perfect day together and it made my heart so full.

Thanks so much to G and Pa for our SDC passes, which allowed us to go have a fabulous day together.

Vacation, Baby

Ross has worked so hard this year; in fact, at times it feels he has worked harder than he did first year. This last month was intense and he didn't get home many times until seven or eight. So, when his vacation rolled around this week, we were jumping up and down excited. Like, you would have thought we were going to Hawaii excited. We got a few projects done, like putting up our new picnic table!


And planting our new spring flowers. This was a really fun activity, actually. I had no idea Amelia would be so into it, but she was quite the serious gardener. Elise loves dirt, so she was in heaven.

We tried to do a little special something each day. Amelia went to school Monday and had a fabulous day! We discussed that Elise and I weren't doing anything fun without her and for her to just enjoy herself. Ross worked on charts and after we picked up Amelia we went to the park. The weather was perfect and she loved having Ross there to show off for.

Tuesday was another gorgeous day and we went to the zoo. I love watching the girls get so excited. It is like Elise just can't believe that the animals are REAL. She was elated the whole time. And I never tire of seeing Amelia delight in the simplest of things. I do believe she could have fed the fish all day. Fish. At the zoo. :)

Next up, we went to paint pottery, which is one of Amelia's favorite things to do. The problem is that you have to PAY for each piece you paint and she views it as more of a coloring book type system. Paint a coffee mug, then a lightswitch cover, then a turtle, etc. Haha. Elise got to go for the first time and she had fun painting a flower pot with me for my Mother's Day present from the girls. And she may or may not have painted the table, her dress, her hair, and her hands.

Amelia and her Daddy painted a coffee mug for his Father's Day present. He is already trying to weasel his way into getting it early. That will be a no go.

She also painted a mug for Pa for his birthday...which is in September. However, that is what she picked and she was very tickled about it. She already has things lined up to paint for the next time we go.


Today we just lazed around the house and this afternoon we went to Silver Dollar City. I have some cute pictures and a whole lot of fun to report, so I will save that until tomorrow.

As I look back over this post, we didn't do anything out of the ordinary or extra special per se, but this was the greatest week. One plus to Ross working so much is that we SO cherish our time with him when he is home. And, it was so nice not to do everything by myself. Ahhh I loved our staycation.