Moo! Trunk Show

Felicity & I went to our library and met the author & illustrator or the book "Moo!" They even did a puppet show & signed books afterwards. The library gave us a free copy the day before at the library reading circle. Poor Elizabeth was in school, but is getting a kick out of the book. The place was packed. This is their 58/59 library tours. Lots of free-bes & lots of fun!  My busy-body even stayed still to soak it all in today. 

Fun with Nails

I had a half an hour before our library group so I decided to paint my nails for fun. Polka dots were done easily with the use of a bobby pin. ( Boy my hands are showing their age!)

People used to ask me, "how do you spend so much time on your fingernails?" Well this only took me less than a half an hour including dry time. I'm not much of a TV watcher. And some of my coworkers used to watch 2 to 4 hours of TV a night. I think I found enough time to do a little something for myself once a week. ;)

Circus!

The 3 of us went to the circus (too loud for Felicity).  It was so much fun seeing the amazement in Elizabeth's eyes and how much she enjoyed it.  It's much more fun living it through your children!

David, Elizabeth, Christi & Dora!

I loved the elephants! I cannot believe they got one to balance on a ball!

 

Jack Sprat Nursery Rhyme

This about describes David & my diet. We could split a hamburger and he could eat the bun while I eat meat. Haha

Jack Sprat could eat no fat.

His wife could eat no lean.

And so between them both, you see,

They licked the platter clean.

Frozen Yogurt

Take Gogurt sticks, freeze, and cut in 1/2 to serve to toddlers.  LOVE!!!
Great idea I stole from Sister Jen.

Elizabeth Shue or Shoe? :)

Fun Ideas for Kids

5 cheap and fun baby activities

Let 'er rip: Maybe it's that pleasing shredding sound or maybe it's the satisfaction of making a permanent change in something, but babies love to tear up paper. So plunder your recycling box for magazines or junk mail – when you see that gappy smile on your baby's face as she gets to work, you won't even mind the mess.

Dog days: You could take your baby to the zoo, but don't be surprised if he falls fast asleep – or favors the water fountain over the orangutans. Instead, try a park where he can see dogs playing. It's a lot less overwhelming and every bit as exciting, plus it doesn't cost a penny. Just be sure to practice good doggy-and-child safety habits. You might want to carry your baby in your arms or a baby carrier to make sure he's safe when watching and petting the pups (with permission, of course).

Flashlight games Kids' Activities Turn off the lights, close the blinds, grab a flashlight, and lie back on the floor for a rockin' light show with your little one. Dance the light beam along the ceiling and walls as your baby stares in delight. An older baby might like to try holding the flashlight herself (though you shouldn't be surprised if all she does is gum it). Just don't let her shine it directly in her eyes – or, for that matter, in yours.

Dining out For a change of pace, set up your baby's highchair in the backyard or out on the front stoop and, between bites, let him fling the food wherever he likes. He'll feel like he's won the lottery! A bit short in the yard department? No worries – bring a booster chair to the park and set it right on the grass. Throw in some bubbles and you've got a perfect recipe for a fun-filled morning.

Go clubbing In your living room, that is. Turn on your favorite music and dance with your baby in your arms. She'll be in seventh heaven – after all, she'll be enjoying three of her favorite things in the world simultaneously: music, bouncing, and closeness to you.

Hop a freight: Toddlers love transportation, especially if it's a departure from the same-old-same-old car seat. Check out your local airport or hospital – many have a free shuttle or tram that you can ride as often as your little one's heart desires. If you don't usually travel by bus, check your local bus system and take a spin around town, enjoying things from a thrilling new vantage point.

Play dough: Borrow a tip from kid-friendly restaurants and let your toddler play with a gratifying hunk of pizza dough. Not too sticky and not too runny, it's the perfect consistency for little fingers. Get some from your local grocery store or pizza parlor or mix up your own. A rolling pin is the icing on the cake for this activity (or, shall we say, the cheese on the pie). If you're feeling motivated, you can bake a pizza with the rest of the dough while your child plays with his portion. Otherwise, simply freeze or refrigerate the rest for future playtime.

Fancy wrappings: If you've ever watched a toddler open a present, you know that she's likely to ignore what's inside and focus all her attention on the box, wrapping paper, and ribbon. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Wrap up something small, such as a pretty postcard or a toy you already own. Make sure to use lots of ribbon and paper (Sunday comics work great). Present it to her with a flourish.

It's a plane! Check with your local airport to see whether it has an observation tower – or a room with huge windows where your toddler can watch planes take off and land. Bring along some lunch and enjoy the show.

Baker's man: While your toddler isn't yet old enough to wield an electric mixer or flour sifter, he may be ready to be put in charge of the cookie-sprinkle department. So bake up a batch of cookies (you can even buy pre-made dough) and let him go nuts with a container of sprinkles. You'll probably end up with several bare cookies and a few heavily sprinkled ones. Don't forget to take a picture! 5 cheap and fun preschooler activities

Bathing in the pink: Or the green, or the blue… A few drops of food coloring can go a long way toward making bath time something special. It's especially fun to mix a couple of primary colors together, such as blue and red to make purple. And no, your child won't emerge from his bath looking like a grape – a few drops of food coloring diluted in a tub of water won't dye your child's skin.

Time travel: You know those old photographs of your own third birthday party or your ninth-grade dance? Dig them out and snuggle with your preschooler for a trip down memory lane. Wedding videos work well too! Of course, she'll also enjoy seeing pictures and videos of herself when she was "little." So break out the snacks and make an evening of it.

Ravishing radishes: When it comes to instant gardening gratification, radishes are the way to go – they pop up in a matter of weeks! After winter's last frost, take your preschooler to the gardening store and let him pick out the package of seeds with the picture he likes best. (It'll cost just a few dollars.) At home, find a sunny patch of yard and have your child plant the seeds directly in the ground or in a small planter. You can even grow radishes inside in a container set in a sunny south-facing window. Your little gardener will love digging a hole, sprinkling in the seeds, and covering them up. The fun continues as he gets to water the radishes and watch them grow.

Monochrome meal: We grown-ups like a little variety in our meals – but kids, who often love uniformity, get a kick out of having a special dinner in which everything is the same color. So serve up a meal that's entirely orange (macaroni and cheese, sweet potato, orange juice, carrots), green (pesto pasta, limeade, broccoli), or yellow (lemonade, scrambled eggs, corn, pineapple).

Hunting down nature: Give your child a bag or bucket and go on an old-fashioned nature hunt. Take your time and let him collect whatever he likes – pinecones, leaves, rocks, sticks, burrs. When you get home, break out the glue and cardboard and get him started making a collage or sculpture. He may also enjoy painting a rock or two (it could become his new favorite pet).

Bon appétit!: Let your child be in charge of dinner – with you as her helpful assistant. She gets to decide what to make. Some suggestions: English muffin pizzas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, pudding or gelatin for dessert. She can act as the "head cook" and even draw up some fancy menus. She may especially enjoy doing this activity with a friend.

Rest for the weary: You know those nights when you're beyond exhausted, and you just wish someone would put you to bed for a change? Here's your chance! Tell your child that you need a special helper to put you to bed early – and ask if he'd like to do the honors. He can pick out your pajamas, make sure you brush your teeth and wash your face, read you a book, tuck you in, give you a kiss, and turn out the light. It's a safe bet that you'll hear some delighted giggles from beyond your closed door! (Of course, this assumes your partner or another responsible adult has agreed to take on the nighttime duties for your child – and you'll likely find yourself returning the favor sometime soon.)

Camp in: Wait for a dark and dreary day. If your child has a case of the "nothing-to-do" doldrums, all the better! Now suggest that you go camping – in your family room. Make a "tent" with sheets and blankets draped over chairs. If you have sleeping bags, dig them out – or just create some bedrolls with blankets and pillows. Tell stories and sing songs around an imaginary fire. And when the lights go out, make a beautiful galaxy appear on the ceiling of your tent by shining a flashlight through a colander.

Kid's choice day: Let your child "run" the day. She can make the important decisions such as what to eat, what show to watch, and what activities to do. Give this day a special name so that she can plan it, as in, "On my next 'Ali Day,' I want to ride bikes, wash the dog, and eat spaghetti. (Helpful hint: To avoid power struggles with your child's teacher, don't do this on a school day!)

Treasure hunt: Send your child on a treasure hunt, right in your own house. It takes a little preparation, but the excitement is worth it! Give him a note that says something like, "Look in the flour canister." Or make it a bit trickier by writing a clue he has to solve, such as "Look for the white powder that we use for baking." (If your child's reading skills are still primitive, simplify your notes, help him read them, or draw pictures instead.) In the flour canister, he'll find another note telling him where to look next, such as in the refrigerator or under the welcome mat. Let the hunt include a few more hiding places, and put a prize in the very last one (try under his pillow). The prize can be very small – for example, a piece of candy or a pad of paper. As in all true treasure hunts, the real joy is in the search.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_cheap-fun-for-kids-simple-ways-to-make-your-childs-day_10309947.bc?showAll=true#articlesection2

It Finally Happened

It finally happened: I went to work in my robe. I was waiting for the day that I would make that mistake. Often times I walk out of the house with my "house shoes" on or leaving w/o breakfast, but this? In the mornings I put my robe on over my clothes since the house is chilly. Today, I also kept it on as I put on my coat to load the car before work. I got to work, took off my coat, and wha-la, black & white leopard-print robe. Luckily I did have my work clothes on underneath, but for a split second my mind went, "OH MY!" Also in my favor is I'm the first one here in my dept, so no one was the wiser, but it will definitely be something I remember in the future.
Well, on the bright side, I did have a nice cozy drive in to work in our first -10 morning. :) What else can you do but laugh at yourself -- and then blog about it to let everyone else chuckle at your expense? Hope this isn't a prelude to the rest of the day....

Work Halloween Pics

Introducing: the butcher, the baker, and the candle-stick maker. Bahahaha! :)

Our Wii Family

Hehe, this is just for fun. Here's our Wii Family: Lexie, David, Christi, & Elizabeth. Both "girls" are about 20#.

Motivation...

A Royal Coincidence?

Season's Last Shamrock Shake

And you wonder why spring is such a glorious season...it's the Shamrock Shakes! Why not post this in March? Because I got the last one last week -- First week of April. (Do you notice the small halo around the top?) And now they even put whipped cream and a cherry on top, BONUS! Mmmm, see you next year Shamrock Shake! Until we meet again!

Email: Garbage Truck Driver

I received this as an email from a good friend of mine. Figured I'd share it, too.
Law of the Garbage Truck
One day I hopped in a taxi and took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded and missed the car by inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My driver just smiled and waved at the guy and I mean he was really friendly. "So", I asked "Why did you just do that? The guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

This is what my taxi driver taught me what I now call "the law of the garbage truck."

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.
Just smile, wave, wish them well and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home or on the street.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love the people who treat you right and pray for the ones who don't.

Words of Wisdom

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Here's Your Sign

I was heating up my leftovers in the microwave today around noon. A coworker walks in a says "ya heatin' up your lunch?" Disliking small talk like I do, I reply, "nope, seeing how many crayons I can melt together before they explode." Here's your sign. (That's for you, Bill Engvall.)

Goodbye Flem our Faithful Floridian Family Flamingo

David had a pink flamingo while residing in Florida (like everyone does in FL), a gift which he brought back with him. Flem lived in our living room and changed his outfit with every season and every holiday for teh past 3 years. He was our pet. Since the adoption of Lexie and the expectation of BB1, he needed more attention than we could give so I brought him to work and one of my staff members gave him a new home. I thought she was going to split a gut as she dressed him up in his many outfits. She has 2 grandchildren who will love him and a new camper he can travel the states in and see more of the world than just our living room. Thanks, Flem, for the good memories and for being part of our family! We hope you bring as much joy to other families as you did to ours.

David's Long Lost Brother?

Have you ever wondered if there's someone out there who looks like you? I haven't found my face double, but the guys at David's work tell him he looks like Daniel Tosh from Comedy Central. I've watched Tosh.O and while I do find him funny, I don't think he looks much like my husband, but it was something different to blog about.

Maki-Brooks Temperature Intolerance

I have come up with a new diagnosis: Maki-Brooks Temperature Intolerance. I can tolerate about 71-72 degrees, and that's about it. It's about 68 in our house right now and I'm in my layers of PJs and sweats. On the other hand, 74 and I'm too hot.
Did you know that there is a name for people who eat only one portion of their food at a time and cannot let their food touch? Serial Eaters. (This is what I learn sitting in the breakroom.) They have a diagnosis for everything. No wonder why we're such a self centered and over medicated society. Everyone has something wrong with them. It's not just quirks anymore, it's diagnoses. Arg. Well, if you can't beat em, join em.

13 Weeks

Fingerprints have formed on baby's tiny fingertips, veins and organs are clearly visible through the still-thin skin, and its body is starting to catch up with its head — which makes up just a third of the body size now. Baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce. Baby can now suck its thumb!
That being said, I have been doing relatively good at still fitting into my regular clothes. I had to be a little creative, but was still pulling it off...until I went to switch from my nice work pants to my house pants and realized that my zipper had busted. WIDE OPEN, not able to be salvaged. I chalked it up to them being old pants. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.