WHAT did you do?

You might ask how in the world did I fill FIVE days alone?? OH...projects and TO DO LISTS!! :) And tonight as I write this...I have 2 more hours by myself before I pick up my family and I STILL have more things!! But they can definitely wait! I'm ready to see my favorite people!

I made tons of hair bows and head bands so they have matching bows for their summer outfits! :) And I did a ton of scrapbooking...I'm all caught up! Yay!

My NEXT project...curtains for our bedroom. I thought the diamond stiching on the fabric went well with our "art" above our bed! (I don't know if you can call it art when I made it with tape, paper and ribbon!) But I'm excited to have another sewing project!

Ali's surprise

So, when the girls get back tonight from their FIVE day trip (I'm SO excited to see them again!!) Ali will also have a surprise waiting for her...not as dramatic as Lizzie's painted room but I moved her bed diagonally and put up her letters from Sheila. Do you notice her bed? We got it from Chris' cousin Kirstin and brought it all the way from Minnesota last summer. I thought it went really well with Ali's decor so we put it in her room. Hope Lizzie doesn't mind! :)

New PINK Room!

What do you think of Elizabeth's new room?? I forgot how long painting takes but it was so fun to accomplish it! I LOVE TO DO LISTS and I love checking off things even more. Paint Lizzie's room=CHECK, Put up those GORGEOUS letters that Sheila (Pete's fiance) painted for the girls=CHECK, Paint other decorations in room=CHECK!!

Big Girl Room

For Lizzie's second birthday, we painted her room PINK!

And got her big girl bedding for when she is ready to move out of her crib!

I'm going to make the pink curtains (the fabric in front), I bought pink sheets, pink bed skirt, and the quilt and sham. I'm SO excited!!

Off to Colorado

Playing Ring Around the Rosie together before we leave for the airport....

I can't believe my girls will be leaving me for FIVE days! When Chris had another training in Denver like last year, he said he could bring Ali again and have her stay with his parents. And then he said, "Why don't you send Lizzie too and have some time to yourself?" For a few days I thought "No way! What would I do??" And I thought some more and came up with about 1,000 things I could do!! So...Ali and Lizzie are going to stay with Oma & Opa for a few days! This has NEVER happened to me before...HOME with NO children!! SO are you wondering what I'm going to do during my FIVE independent days???

Well, Here is my list:
Day 1: SHOP! For as long as I like!! Buy paint for Lizzie's bedroom, jeans for Chris, scrapbook stuff, Lizzie's new bedding & birthday gifts
Day 2: PAINT! Lizzie's room is going to be PINK!
Day 3: Scrapbook! I have so much catching up to do!
Day 4: Errands, decorate Lizzie's new room
Day 5: Grocery shop, CLEAN and cook some meals to put in the freezer!

I'm so excited...a bit lonely but very excited!

A regular dinner

Ali wanted to take a picture the other night when we were eating dinner. Now I can't remember why but I thought these pictures were cute because this captures what a regular night is like. We're all using the ABC plastic placemats (nothing fancy!)...I'm in my stay-at-home outfit (VERY fancy!)...Ali is in a dress (any dress, even a summer one, will do!)... Lizzie started refusing to sit in her booster chair so now she is all wiggly in a big chair!!

Just a nice night with our nice family. I love it!

Neighbor dinner

The ladies...me, Julie, Stephanie and Susan drinking cranberry margaritas! Yum! We made taco salad for dinner and had the kids play...it's so fun to have such great neighbors!!

The guys...Chris & Lizzie, Tony, Chad, and Doug

Lillian wore her matching dress over to our house that night. Ali was so excited and ran upstairs and put hers on too! I made Ali's last summer and made another one for Lillian for her birthday. I never had gotten a picture of them in the dresses...so cute!!

Tea Time

Oh how I love it when they play so cute together!! The other day they got this idea to go into the pantry, close the door, and eat peanuts together. Ali made sure that Lizzie was chewing them completely and not choking! They then proceeded to make a "fort" inside Ali's closet and eat more peanuts...Ali also read books to Lizzie and she wrote "Ali Lizzie Fort" on a white board! Then they decided to move the fort to underneath the dining room table. Chris and I had ONE WHOLE HOUR to ourselves after dinner that night!! Oh my gosh....it was a glimpse into the future when we'll actually have some time to do things BEFORE they are in bed!!

It's potty time!

Lizzie is half-way poopy potty trained...meaning about every other time she will go poopy in the potty. Which is great for me...that's a less poopy diapers I have to change! She is getting there and I'm SO excited! She really is motivated to go when A) she wants a treat or B) she doesn't want to go to bed or C) she is bored and wants to spend quality time with Ali! She calls in her big sister and they talk in the bathroom together, Ali reads her books, they play....it's great because I get about 10-15 minutes to get other things done and they're having a ball!! Sometimes Ali even wipes her!! :)

Finally...a SNOW day!!

Hurray! It snowed and this year we were prepared! We had gotten a sled in the hopes that someday there would be enough snow to use it! Ali loved it...the hill by our backyard is the perfect slope for a four and a half year old! Our almost two year old did NOT like it, however! I think it was probably because she rode in the front of the sled and got lots of snow in her face poor thing!

The 2 cutest snow angels!! Ali tried to make the most perfect snow angel by having me lift her up without ruining the imprint! She got quite good at it!

A true gift

A few days after we had gotten back from our Christmas trip Ali decided to give 2 more presents to her little sister. Her 2 very favorite pairs of jammies were getting quite small (they are size threes) so she finally bequethed them with great ceremony to Lizzie. She said because Lizzie was such a good girl and was starting to use the potty that she could have her "most, best favorite" ice-cream and cupcake jammies. It was so sweet. I love it that they are so nice to each other.

Baptism

Lizzie and Nora weren't so happy getting their pictures taken!! Here is Grandpa, Grandma, Erin, Tony, Nora, and our family.

Grandma Ginnie, Lizzie, Chris, and Great-Grandma at Lizzie's Baptism

Since almost all of our family members were in town (or agreed to come especially for the event) we wanted to have Elizabeth baptized. We think it was so special that Pastor Joel was such a big part of my growing up, he married Chris & I, baptized Alexandra, and now baptized Elizabeth. We had the baptism outside in Nana's backyard and Aunt Erin, Aunt Wendy, Uncle Colin, and Uncle Pete (who was unable to come due to his busy doctor work schedule) were her sponsors just as they were for Ali. Pastor Joel introduced Lizzie as "The newest member of the Christian faith." It was a lovely event.

We miss AZ!

Grandpa & Grandma's Bistro...It was SO nice to spend time outdoors! The girls loved that Grandma brought lunch out to them at the little cafe table. After that, everytime Lizzie saw the table in their backyard she said, "I want applesauce!"

Merry Christmas crackers! We just love the hat tradition at Christmas dinner!

We also were spoiled and got taken out to dinner by Great Grandma (my Grandma) and my Dad and Janey. Lizzie and cousin Nora were running all around the restaurant while Ali colored. Then Nora sat down for a nice dinner and sat nicely the whole time. Ali ate well and sat the whole time.....and where was Lizzie??? Underneath my chair!!