A smile makes it all better

Last week we had some major sinus/congestion/headaches in our home.  We spent a lot of time on the couch with a box of kleenex, water, books, and the tv remote.  We snuggled and sneezed together and blew our noses more times than I can count.  At one point we ran out of kleenex and used the next best thing.  A roll of toilet paper (extra soft of course).

This little face helped me through the yuckiness I felt.  She would sit with me and tell me how cute I looked and asked if I was ok.  Thanks Lila.  It was so sweet:)

(Now if I could teach her how to do all the laundry, dishes, cleaning while I was sick we would be set)

Week 8 {365 project}

Week 8 and almost March now!  This winter here in Michigan has flown by with all our mild temps, sunny skies, and non-exisistent snow.  This past Thursday we had a Winter Storm Warning and hopes of some real snow.  We ended up with a couple inches and it started melting around midday.  It was a disappointment for lots of kiddos and teachers who were hoping for a snow day.  We had a lot of sniffles, headaches, and nose blowing in our house.  My husband and I were both feeling sick most of the week and not a lot got accomplished.  Oh well.  Rest was more important than chores. 

(My 6 year old helped me pick out the pictures this week.  Enjoy!)

February 19 (50)

Brendan made up this car game.  We roll a car across the felt board onto the Chutes and Ladders board.  If your car lands on a number you get that many points and the most points win.

February 20 (51)

Playing Heads and Tails.  Watch out he can really flip that quarter around!

February 21 (52)

Lila and I were watch an episode of Bubble Guppies and she was scared of the witch.  She wanted to cuddle with me while she watched.  I loved every minute.

February 22 (53)

Here is her "pretty face" look.

February 23 (54)

What happens when you don't feel well and you go into the kitchen to make lunch for the kids.  All the cushions come off the couch and they make a slide.

February 24 (55)

Our "big" snowstorm we got.  Look at all that snow!

February 25 (56)

Brendan always falls asleep when we are at our friends house late.  He tells us it is his bedtime and then he goes and sits on their couch and goes to sleep.  I'm not sure how comfortable this spot is for him.

The simple things in life

A 2 year old has very simple needs...

Balloons

and

Tutus with Dora jammies

Her life is full with these two simple things:)

Week 7 {365 project}

Week 7 and a very busy week at our home.  I'm glad I'm getting this up on Sunday.


February 12 (43)

Uno Attack competition: Me vs kids

Brendan got the switch cards hand and this is what I got when we switched.  Brendan and Lila got my four cards and then proceeded to beat me.  I lost to a 6 and 2 year old at Uno.

February 13 (44)

Lila loves the little slide and babies at her play class.  We started last year when she was 8 months old and couldn't really sit up on her own yet.  Now she is one of the "big" kids in her class!

February 14 (45)

On Valentine's Day my husband made this crossword puzzle for me and the kids to figure out.  It was cute and sweet.  That's about as sappy as I can get:)  We had fun filling out the answers together.

February 15 (46)

The best invention for pineapples ever made. I have a whole post dedicated to this little gem I received as a gift.  It makes "cutting" a pineapple enjoyable and easy.

February 16 (47)

What I saw when I put our breakfast dishes in the sink.  A creepy squirrel on two legs.

February 17 (48)

We had game night with friends and Brendan always falls asleep.  He was stretching before we left.

February 18 (49)

 Saturday was very busy for me.  I just began selling Thirty-One bags and hosted my first show.  Jason took the kids out for a few hours while I had my party and poor Lila was so tired (no nap+fun with Dad) she fell asleep around 5:45pm and took an hour nap and then had dinner and went back to bed.

If you give a toddler a nap...

then hopefully they will fall asleep.

 Lila's naps are becoming a lot less sleeping and a lot more playing.  She is always excited to lay down and "eep" except she wants to continue playing with her friends and not sleep.  I usually have to go in more than once and ask her to lay down and stop throwing her toys, kicking/hitting the wall, or trying to get out (she has fallen out a few times...oops.)  She also loves to lay quietly for about 30 minutes and just when you think she is asleep, you hear her yelling,

"Mommy!  Lila toot!  Yay!  Lila toot! Pee-yew"

No nap also equals toddler meltdown/dramatics for the rest of the evening.  Lila is into the throw yourself down on the ground and kick your feet kind of tantrums.  (they are pretty funny to watch and I need to get a video of her drama queen moments)  Brendan napped until he was almost 4 years old and I am not ready to accept that Lila at 2 is done with naps.  She will still have her nap time and if it turns into her quiet time then so be it. 

Oh Lila.  How can I be upset at that little smile.

An important lesson to learn

For every holiday I love to make little treats for us to eat.  Because I really just want to eat them myself.  Valentine's day is no exception.  Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate!  Brendan got a crash course this year on how to make a yummy treat for someone you love. 

The very best Valentine's Day food has got to be chocolate-covered strawberries.  These are quite pricey if you go somewhere to buy them.  We made them for $3 as opposed to $39.95-$89.95! 

My future (very, very, very far into the future) daughter-in-law will thank me for this.  He also said he can cook dinner for someone he loves.

Brendan's talent show act

I told Brendan about a talent show that will be held at his school in April.  He asked what a talent was and I explained it is something like singing, dancing, or snapping your fingers while double hula-hooping (which is what Brendan likes to do). 

He goes, "I can sing a song. I know one."

I'll be interested to see if there is a grade/age limit for the show and if he would actually want to perform something.  He does know all the words to the alphabet song:)

Heart cupcakes

I've seen this on pinterest (from Family Fun) and figured Valentine's day was the perfect time to try.

here

I used a cake mix and premade frosting to make this recipe even easier.  Chocolate fudge and strawberry icing.  My tips for making the heart shape are:

1. Only fill the cupcake liner halfway.  

2. Make sure marble is pushed down all the way to get the best shape. 

3. If your cupcake doesn't look like a heart then use the frosting to make a heart shape.

Heads or Bald Eagle?

Brendan is really into coin tosses right now.  When he plays football games in the house he has to toss a coin to see what team plays first or he just likes flipping it and asking himself heads or tails.  I swear this kid would be happy playing with his blankets from his bed, a quarter, and a football.  We should just get rid of all their stuff! 

After dinner they were trying to decide who would take a bath first.  Brendan or Lila.  Jason has the smart idea to have Brendan flip a coin to see who wins.  This turned into about 10 minutes of playing heads or tails and us taking turns picking.  Brendan noticed a bald eagle was on the back of the quarter so it turned into a game of heads or bald eagle.  What a funny kid.

Week 6 {365 project}

Week 6 already and into February!  Love this photo project and the fact that it actually makes me put all my pictures onto the computer instead of just having months of pictures on my camera...

February 5 (36)

Preparing snacks for the Superbowl.  Lila loves to help in the kitchen (no one ate her snacks expect for her...she was licking this too)

February 6 (37)

The full moon rising.  Anyone  notice a change in their kids this week?

February 7 (38)

Brendan filling out another part in his bird book.  He saw two bald eagles fly over his school while at recess. 

February 8 (39)

Lila and I went for a walk at our local nature center.  We were almost finished and she stopped walking and kept saying, "Mommy no want to.  Mommy no want to."

February 9 (40)

Playing Pretty Pretty Princess.  If Brendan doesn't have the crown, he says he doesn't feel pretty:)

February 10 (41)

Family Valentine's Dance at Brendan's school

February 11 (42)

Impromptu bowling night with friends.  Brendan loves to bowl (he is a better bowler than me!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday funny: Lila edition

Oh Lila...I love your impersonation of a "meow"

Organization...check!

Well at least Brendan's room.

Since he turned six a week ago, he seems to think he is Mr. Know it all and Mr. I can do whatever I want...

He needed a reality check.  So I told him his room was going to look completely different when he got home from school and he would have to earn stuff back.

See his messy room...

Something needed to be done.  I couldn't put all the blame on him since a lot of the new things from Christmas/birthday did not have a place in his room.  It just ended up on the floor.  So after a very mouthy morning, I got to work.

First up was pulling his bed out and getting everything that was shoved underneath it and tossing out the junk.  I moved his bed to a different spot and used one of my under the bed bins for storage.  I cleared out part of his dresser and put all of his games (he has a lot!) and I went through all the books on his bookshelf (he has a lot of those too!).

I came away with a pile to donate, a bag of trash, and a bag of sports stuff that had to be earned back.  Oh and a much more organized room...

He was so excited for his "clean" room when he got home and I took time to go over the rules.

1. If you are done with a toy then put it back in the same spot

2. If you are done with a book then put it away in the same spot

3. If you are done with a game then put it away in the same spot

  He was also told if he does not put his toys away then he may lose them and he can earn them back for being a good listener, following the rules, and getting himself ready for school without an argument.  He has earned back two toys and kept his room nice over the weekend.

One room down! 

Next up: the dreaded storage room (Jason began that project over the weekend.  This room scares me.)

Week 5 {365 project}

Welcome to my week 5 pictures.  This last week in January/first week in February has been lovely.  Blue sky, sunshine, mild temperatures.  Every winter should be this nice!

January 29

A very blurry picture of a bald eagle.  We saw this in Toledo after my cousin's baby shower and my mom about had a heart attack because it flew right over her car.  By the time I jumped out with my camera it was far away and this is zoomed in and cropped.

January 30 (Brendan's 6th birthday!)

Happy 6th birthday Brendan!  He was excited because there were 6 balloons on the table for him.

January 31

Lila and I went for a nature walk to enjoy the beautiful day.  It ended up being in the low 50's this day!

February 1 (32)

We walked to Brendan's bus stop because it was another  nice day and Brendan decided he wanted to push the stroller home.  He kept letting it go and Lila would say "Weeee!"

February 2 (33)

Box Top competition time at his school.  We counted and he has over 200 to turn in.

February 3 (34)

Lila did a painting project which quickly turned into her painting her hands and arms.

February 4 (35)

 Brendan and I enjoyed this sunny Saturday by going to the nature center and feeding the ducks and swan.