ilove these moments

This has been a great week of letting the car sit in the garage, catching up on the laundry and letting the kids play with friends after school...summer is starting to set in!  It's starting to slow down just a bit and I love it!  One more tennis lesson, less trips to the allergy doctor since Alex's shots are back on maintenance, starting a new summer Bible Study {Romans} and hopefully more lazy days to swim {if the sun ever decides to show up again!}

Yesterday I soaked it in...

Alex finished his Lego kit that Dan brought back from Chicago and was so excited to show me...he just layed on the floor and drove it around so happy and proud from his hard work...

This is what I was able to do while I enjoyed his company...

I actually watched an entire, uninterrupted episode of Oprah!  {It was with Ralph Lauren, what a neat family!}  And I got to snuggle with Elizabeth {and Whiskers & Snowball}...

...it doesn't get much better than this!  And I'm not embarrassed to show myself with uncombed hair and no make-up {well...maybe a little} when it shows that this is my life today...in the moment...soaking up the little things that might get lost during those frenzied going here and there and everywhere times!  Although I love watching the kids grow in all their activities and am happy they have friends to celebrate birthday parties with every weekend...I'm truly a homebody and I like staying home and having no agenda!

And I love when we can all be home to eat at a decent time and talk about how our day was!

It's not always calm and quiet when we're home...don't think it doesn't get a little ugly when I start feeling the house and chores falling apart and toothpaste on the ceiling and chips in the couch and pet hair collecting on the furniture...sigh...

But I'm just here to tell you that these little moments outweigh the hairy ones {pun intended!} far more and makes it all worth it!

And that's what i want to remember!

{ilove this video because elizabeth was talking to herself and studying herself so intently...she could see herself as i was recording it...and each time i play it back, she screeches and jabbers back to herself!  ilove this stage!}

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return."

-Mary Jean Iron

{I saw this quote from here after I posted this and thought it was just perfect!}

{these moments captured by my ipod}

She's Got {Pear}sonality!

I hope these two are always the best of sisters...

I thought I'd try Elizabeth with some rice cereal and baby food this week...

Emily loved feeding her {pears} for the very first time...

...I think Elizabeth loved it too!

...but after about 10 seconds...Emily dropped the spoon and said she wanted to go play!  ha! 

It's hard to believe that she's getting so big and already trying new food {we've got to get her on a bottle though...she is literally attached to me all day...and is starting to miss me too much when I'm not there.  I know...I don't ever want to let her go...but a mama's gotta get some time to herself!}

Even when I'm not feeding her...she's still attached to me!

Friday night the kids had a Going Green fair at their school which included pizza, games, crafts and a magic show!  Alex was not able to go because he woke up with a fever and missed school...shoot...he was pretty upset that he didn't get to go...but we brought him back some goodies...a frisbee, pencils and a magic wand from the magic show!

{Can you ever get enough of Emily's fashion?!  Gotta love her!}

{Emily and some friends getting ready for the magic show...she didn't even save me and Elizabeth a seat!}

{making a recycled paper flower}

{learning oragami to raise money for relief in Japan}

{Emily pedaling to light up the light bulbs!}

It was a fun night and a dad even came up to me to tell me that I had the cutest little girl...um...thank you?  But he was telling me how sweet Emily was during her Talent Show Auditon this week!  That's right...as if Emily doesn't already have enough on her plate {ice-skating, gymnastics, tennis...and baseball is gearing up to start soon!}, she came home last week and said she wants to be in the school Talent Show!  I tried to talk her out of it because I was a nervous wreck trying to figure out what in the world her talent was going to be.  And...bless her heart...she has absolutely no fear and said she was just going to dance!  To relieve my anxiety...I had her practice something so she had an idea of what to do...and she made up her own ballet dance to Taylor Swift's Love Story!  I can't wait to see her perform in a couple of weeks!  

{all dolled up for Spring pictures!}

I love my girls and Alex too, of course...but I can't ever get a picture of him to save my life!

It's a joy to see their personalities come out...Alex told Emily he wouldn't be in the Talent Show if he was her!  ha!  But Emily seems to thrive on that!  Not me! 

It's so fun to watch them grow and learn...and how amazing it will be to see where Elizabeth fits in!

{Gifted}

We are already on Spring Break this week...and although it started feeling like Spring a few days ago...now it's cold, dreary and rainy again...blah! 

Monday we decided to take our fun and use the kids' gift cards for some {almost} free fun!

And by almost I mean...it's hard to go into Toys 'R Us and only pick one thing!

{A DS game, Wii accessory and a couple gumball machines later...}

Thanks Grandma for the gift cards!

And thanks Santa for the Chuck E Cheese gift cards!

Elizabeth loved her first visit so much! 

She was mesmerized by all the lights and sounds!  And she slept like a champ all the way home and then some!  When can we go back?!  We still have a dollar and change left on the gift card...ha!

{turns out...as I look at these pics of Emily...we maybe should of bought her some new britches that cover her!  ha!  Looks like we need to retire this skirt/tights combo to Elizabeth!}

It may be a day of laundry/catch up around the house pajama kind of day today...we definitely need a Chili's date...and then Chicago! 

iCapture

{my view feeding Elizabeth}

{Alex @ tennis practice}

{Emily and i @ Steak 'n Shake...yum!}

{Elizabeth napping on my lap}

{Whiskers playing hide 'n seek...can you find her?  ha!}

{bubble fun @ kids commons}

{Emily's self photos}

{Elizabeth's 3-month check-up...12 lbs of sweetness!}

{photos taken with my iPod}

Bad Hair...Pretty Sky

Last week Alex had a check-up with his allergy doctor...and came away with four prescriptions and a big hit to the wallet...ouch!  His breathing treatments are pretty pricey.  But he is doing much better...and his reactive airway disease usually reacts this time of year...so it's expected.  But I had to make the comment that Emily never gets sick...

...shoot...I had to open my big mouth...

She has had a fever and cough since Sunday and has missed school all week...poor thing...just look at that hair!  {I know I'm so mean to take her picture when she's not feeling good!}

The doctor didn't find anything wrong with her...but gave her some cough medicine...and her fever keeps lingering... sigh... 

She hasn't really eaten much all week either...but she finally ate Wendy's last night and seemed to be feeling better... we even went outside to enjoy the beautiful pink sky at sunset and the warm weather...

...then when I took her temperature, it had gone down...to 101 at least...she fell asleep... but then decided she didn't want the Wendy's after all...ugh! 

This morning was no different...we've been meeting around 3am every morning with Emily greeting me saying, "I feel hot."  Temperature...102.6  So we went back to the doctor {this time it was her pediatrician and not the walk-in clinic we went to before...thank goodness!} and she was given the pink antibiotic {that always goes down so much better!} and was told to take breathing treatments 3-4 times a day for the next few days for the wheezing in her chest...so glad those will be getting their money's worth!

...and of course...lots more of this...

Alex told me her friends are worried about her and have been asking him when she's coming back to school...so sweet.  And he's tired of bringing her homework home and taking it back to her teacher...ha!  I told him he gets the gold star this week for being such an awesome big brother!  Let's hope she can finally get back to school tomorrow!

...well...at least her hair is looking a little better!

Sympathy and Science

Emily has such a sincere heart...I {heart} that about her...and this is the note she wrote for me yesterday...

{I hop tat yor day wel by good}

{I hope that your day will be good}

I wasn't feeling the best and she brought me an envelope with this letter and some stickers inside while I was lying on the couch.  Wow...did my heart fill with joy and happiness!  How can you not feel better after receiving that?

So I perked up and took some pictures of her sweetness {after she reclaimed the stickers she gave me, ha!} outside with the beautiful blossoms. 

Thank you Emily for your sweet, sincere sympathy!  You sure know how to make me feel better and appreciate these special moments!  I love you!

Now...could you put some of that energy in an envelope too and give it to me?  ...sigh...

Dan is also out of town for a couple days...and Alex has a science fair project coming up...blah so exciting!

...well...at least this part was actually kind of fun...

...now...trying to help Alex explain this reaction using the Scientific Method and what ratio of vinegar and baking soda creates the strongest volcano-like eruption...not so much!  ...um...I'm not feeling so good again...  Dan, help!