Valentines Day Dinnerware Fun... brought to you by Target

I have sort of sworn off my very favorite store Target for a little while. I go in needing something like diaper wipes, and $100 later who knows what I might be coming home with. However, on Saturday I needed diapers so I ventured in, and here is what I would have bought if Chris wouldn't have had fits about it. He's way too practical to understand buying an entire set of dinnerware dedicated to one day of the year, and a day that we usually eat take out straight out of the box at that. But, I just love these little valentine's cups and dinnerware set. Don't you just love the little birdies perched on the handles? How cute are they? They made me smile, I thought they might give you a little smile as well.

Walking, At Last!

Today, Steven decided he wanted to walk, so he did. He is almost fifteen months, and has had the balance thing down for quite some time now. He would even take steps from time to time when he felt like it. He just didn't really have the desire to walk for whatever reason, until today. Now all of the sudden, he is a walking fool. He is walking wherever he goes. I think it makes him look like such a little boy rather than a baby to see him walking around. I'm sure this will just be a way for him to get into that much more trouble, but it is fun to see him toddling around.

Artist's Tote

Since Elise fancies herself both an artist and a little fashionista, I have been meaning to make her an "artist's tote" for some time now. I finally finished it this weekend, and she loves it. She has insisted on taking it to church, to the grocery store, and to her cousin's house. It is both a handy and fasionable way to carry her crayons and her coloring books together in one convenient spot. I am going to try to modify the pattern into a backpack to make a more masculine version for Steven. It was a lot of fun to make. Here are some pictures of the bag.

I love the cherries theme on this bag. I may have to make another bag like this one for a friend or family member.

What month is it, anyway?

I keep forgetting it's January, because it is so dang warm. I've seen on the news several times what an unusually cold winter everyone is having. I'm not sure where all of that cold weather is happening, but we definitely aren't seeing any of that here. I took my kids to the park yesterday, and I thought it seemed kind of warm. When we got back in the car I looked at my thermometer and it was 85 degrees! And I think it is even warmer today. Here are a few pictures from the park, just for the fun of it.

A Conversation that Perfectly sums of the emotional ups and downs of my 3 year old

As Elise and I were getting back in the car after a grocery store trip, she was struggling to get her carseat buckles done because they were twisted a little. So, I started to untwist them, and she said, "No Mom, I can do it myself!" I helped her anyway because I didn't want to be all day, and as I did so, she exclaimed, "Stop Mom, I can do it." When I didn't stop, she yelled, "You ruined my life!" I asked her where she heard that, and she told me Zach. I had my doubts (Zach is her very well mannered and even tempered friend) so I asked again, and she said, "Ummm, maybe not from Zach. Maybe I heard it from me." I told her, "We don't say that to anyone because it is not nice and it makes them sad." "But it doesn't make me sad mom. I like to say it," Elise said. I told her that was not the point. The point was that it made someone else sad. So she said, "Well, then I will just say it to myself quietly so no one else can hear it." It was quiet for about two minutes, I assumed she was saying I ruined her life to herself quietly. Then she said. "Never mind Mom. My life is better now." If these are the ups and downs we can experience in under 5 minutes at age three, I don't even want to imagine 13.

Singing in the Rain!

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling.... Keep that Wagon Rolling

Elise and Steven

I took some fun pictures of Elise and Steven today. Here are a few of my favorites. I took some of each of them individually as well... maybe I'll post some of those later.

The Little Gardener

Elise has been asking for cowboy boots for a long time. So, the other day when we were at Target and she saw "cow boots," she thought those were just as cool and decided she needed them for sure. Especially since they had a matching shovel and watering can. They had a really cute matching umbrella too, but I made her choose between the shovel and the umbrella, and since she fancies herself a gardener, she of course decided on the shovel.

Steven even decided to get on the fun and was trying to put his feet in the boots, so I helped him try them on. That is pretty amazing for a boy who won't keep shoes on, and is constantly pulling off even his socks.

A Surprise Debut

UPDATE: THEY NAMED THIS CUTE LITTLE BOY BLAKE RICHARD STRONG. A CUTE NAME FOR A CUTE BABY.

My nephew was born yesterday, a little over six weeks early. He is my brother Eric's son. My sister Kathryn is pregnant too, and due a week before Lindsey was, so I don't want to confuse anyone whose kid is whose. His mom developed preeclampsia on Sunday (high blood pressure during pregnancy), and by Tuesday, there he was. I think he is pretty darn cute. He weighs just 4 lbs, 2 oz, and has red hair like my brother which I love. I always wanted a red head child, but I may have to settle for a red headed nephew. They haven't named him yet because Lindsey won't get to see him until later today when her blood pressure has come down a little more. Here are a few fun pictures of him though.

More Elise - isms

Since I have a very stubborn three year old that refuses to use the potty, I have taken to bribery. Her using the toilet is my New Year's Resolution, so I told her yesterday about 2:00 that if she could go 24 hours wearing underwear with no accidents, I would take her to the indoor playpark that she has been begging to go to. So far no accidents, but she has only used the potty once yesterday, and not at all today so the little stinker must be just holding it. I just asked her if she wanted to use the potty and she said, "I don't think so." I said, "Do you remember, if you have an accident in your underwear you can't go to the playpark?" Elise responded, "I remember, I remember, I remember. But I don't think I want to use the potty because I'm having a rough time right now." I wonder what makes for a rough day for a three year old?

Aunt "Kratin"

My sister Kathryn is in town, and Elise just adores her. She calls her Aunt Kratin. I took this picture of them last night waiting to get in at a restaurant. Kathryn is 7 1/2 months pregnant and claims she has no pictures of herself pregnant, and doesn't want any, so I sort of went for the surprise shot. Actually, you can hardly tell she's pregnant at all in this picture.

A Rose Parade Tradition

Every year for more than 50 years, my mom's family has attended the Rose parade. My grandparents live in Pasadena within walking distance of the end of the parade route, so we always sit near the end, and as Chris has said, it is really a different parade down there (He used to sit near the beginning of the route in the parking lot of his uncles dental practice, so he's seen the parade when all the floats are still working properly, all of the bands are still playing with finesse, and all of the official "rescue vans" for those in the parade who can't make the whole route are still empty.) It is a lot of fun though. My family sits out on an island in the middle of a busy street (along with a lot of other crazy people) starting at 4am on the 31st, so they are out there for more than 24 hours saving our traditional spot. We play games, eat lots of junk food, chat, and depending on the weather that year, try to stay warm while saving seats. (Yes, we attend rain or shine - or at least some do). By the time the parade actually gets there, the teenagers who are usually nominated for the over night shift, are often too tired to care about the parade, but it is fun anyway.

Elise absolutely loved the parade this year. She loved the bands, loved the floats, and LOVED the horses. It was fun to watch her be so excited. On the other hand, Steven slept through more than half of the parade. Isn't it great how kids can sleep anywhere when they are that tired? My parents were in town (they come for the parade about every other year) and Chris' parents decided to join in our fun this year, so my kids had two sets of grandparents to cater to them, which made it especially nice for their parents :-).

After the parade they park all the floats at a High School just a couple of blocks from my grandparents house, and you can pay to go look at them. We had never done it before , and will probably never do it again, but it was an experience. It was so crowded you could hardly walk, which was not great with a double stroller, but we survived, and Elise enjoyed being able to see the floats again (Especially her favorite - Elmo!!)

Steven, Dad, and Grandma waiting for the parade to start:

Elise, looking for more donuts (one of her favorite parts of the parade):

Elise, hanging out with her Papa:My dad always has to see two floats. One is the Sierra Madre City float (where he grew up), and the other is the Cal Poly Float (his alma mater). We always give him a hard time because every year, with out fail, the Cal Poly float is broken down by the time it gets to us. I thought it was funny that this year, not only was teh Cal Poly float not functioning quite properly, but the Sierra Madre float was actually being towed, so I had to take a picture for him.:

Elise watching the parade wearing her great Nana's hat (my Nana):

Steven, sleeping trough the parade in his Grandma's arms:

Feeding Rudolph!

Elise's favorite movie is Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. She just adores Rudolph. We have light Reindeer in our yard, and Elise has named them Dasher, Dancer, Blitzen, Comet, and of course, Rudolph. She preteds to be Santa and goes around the yard feeding the reindeer play food and limes from the lime tree. She has to wear her red shoes and her santa hat, because, of course, she is Santa. She uses her deepest voice, and says, "Yo Ho Ho, I'm Santa. Here is some food for you," to each reindeer. Yes she is confused, so her Santa sounds a bit like a pirate. Here are a few pictures of her feeding the reindeer.