Indulgence

The shoes are a Christmas gift from Grandma and Grandpa Wuehler. Liesel first spotted them in the Von Maur shoe department and she cried when we left without them. For months we "visited" them but I couldn't bring myself to buy them. Thank goodness for grandparents or she never would have owned a pair. Liesel gets nothing but smiles when she wears them in public. For that matter, Liesel IS nothing but smiles when she wears them, as you can see.

Christmas

There's a reason I've been putting off this post. In spite of my planning, organization and study of The Container Store's "How to Wrap Presents Like a Professional" tutorials, I feel like I failed with Christmas this year. Looking back, I'm sure a part of it stemmed from the fact Liesel was more in tune than ever with the idea of the holiday. The closer we got to Dec 25, the more determined I was to make it magical for her. My good intentions culminated in a very sleepless night Christmas Eve. My mind was plagued with doubts. Were the stockings sufficiently stuffed? What if she didn't like her presents? Had I done enough? It was ridiculous really. She's not old enough to remember this Christmas anyway so I'm not sure why I wasted all the mental energy.

I later read an article that advised picking what is most important TO YOU for Christmas and focus on that rather than try to do everything. After some contemplation, I realized for me it's not the presents (I know, I know... DUH!). At the top of my list is our Christmas card. I book the photo session at the end of October. I write draft after draft of the newsletter. I haul the pile of cards to the post office the day after Thanksgiving so they're the first one our friends and family receive. Throughout the year I keep two copies of our address list as up-to-date as possible. Our Christmas cards are what fill me with holiday cheer. That feeling only multiplies when we receive cards in exchange.

Next is the train. Growing up we always had an LGB train scooting around the tree. As my siblings married, they each got a train of their own. The first Christmas of our married life I eagerly anticipated getting mine. I love our train and am so happy we have one. Because we were at my parents house for Christmas, they obliged us with putting out their train. Initially they were concerned the girls would get into it but both of them showed surprising restraint. Grandpa even had the time of his life letting Ireland be the conductor.

Finally, my favorite part of Christmas is seeing the girls in Christmas pajamas. Gymboree made pajamas this year that coordinated very well with year's past. Because of that, the girls looked adorable in coordinating stripey sleepwear. It warmed the cockles of my heart to see them running around in these!

Christmas card? Check. Train? Check. Coordinating pajamas? Check. I wasted a perfectly good holiday needlessly worrying. Next year I'm going to try and keep things in perspective and just enjoy it. Hopefully this was a lesson learned for me. What's your favorite part of the holidays?

Meeting Saint Nick

Christmas just keeps getting better and better as the girls age. This year, Liesel really caught onto the idea of Santa Claus. She fell in love with books like 'Twas The Night Before Christmas and The Polar Express. Whenever she saw the jolly old elf at the mall she'd yell out his name and carefully watch him. I repeatedly told her we'd wait until Dad was in town and then we'd go meet Santa Claus as a family. Christmas Eve seemed the perfect time to do it anyway. I dressed the girls in their most festive holiday outfits and prepped Liesel for the introduction. Considering all her excitement about Santa up to that point, I thought it would be a breeze.

Liesel cried as if we'd handed her over to a serial killer. Ireland contentedly sat on his lap like it was her second job. Santa was great though and patiently waited until Liesel warmed up to him. Turns out he used to do gymnastics and they bonded over their shared hobby. Santa handed his sleigh bells over to Ireland and they were fast friends from the start. I love, love, LOVE the photo! They had to take a few because Liesel was crying so hard. Believe it or not, this is her most mellow moment. Classic.

Merry Christmas!

This was a forward from my sister Reagan. I laughed, laughed, laughed. Hope you do to!!!

Army Crawl

I received a request from my sister to get video of Ireland doing her army crawl. She can actually crawl like a regular baby but seems to prefer this method. Both of her big toes have blisters on them from doing this. Believe it or not, she can really haul when she wants to. From behind it's cute to see her little bum shifting rapidly from side to side. Sorry some of the video is shaky. Liesel was hanging on me.

The Tumbling Toddler

One of the benefits of squatting at my parent's home during Brent's job search is we were able to enroll Liesel in gymnastics. The local gym offered a Mommy and Me class on Thursday mornings which was ideal because it was during Ireland's nap time. My mom was happy to cuddle with the sleeping baby while I took Liesel to the gym. Ireland slept better and Liesel and I loved having our private time. In just a few classes I was amazed at her progress. She went from being afraid of being upside down to doing somersaults repeatedly. In spite of being afraid of the swing at the playground, she was eager to hang onto the rings and swinging by her hands. I think most kids enjoy the trampoline but she was able to bounce on her butt which is actually a little tricky for her age. Now every time I turn around she's doing a handstand on the couch. During her last class she was holding onto a parallel bar and she put her feet through her hands and flipped backwards. I couldn't believe it! I was so proud of her.

Liesel not only loved the class but she absolutely adored her new wardrobe of leotards. I put her hair in pigtails to keep it out of her face but to still enable her to do her headstands and somersaults. Her teachers always gushed about her pigtails and I have to admit she looked dang cute. The only downside to a Mommy and Me class is it's hard to get video when you're assisting with handstands and backward rolls. I got a couple though and thought I'd post them even if they aren't terribly impressive!

HALLELUJAH!

Brent received a job offer from a capital funding group. They are located in downtown Chicago next to the river and the Opera House on the loop. They seem to be as excited to have him as we are for him to work there. He begins January 18.

Brent pointed out he received the good news exactly 5 years to the date we ran into each other at that fateful Christmas party in Arizona. You know, the party that led to our reacquainting which led to our long-distance relationship which led to Brent moving to Boston and our engagement, marriage, two children and desire to move to Chicago. The adventure continues!

We are SO ecstatic!

Negotiation

While sitting in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday Liesel asked for snacks. It was the Christmas program and I didn't want to rustle through the diaper bag to find them. She frowned at me and said, "But I'm being QUIET!!!" Up to that last word she had actually been very well behaved.

Despite the irony, her argument won her some Veggie Tale fruit snacks.

Stranded

For Brent's latest round of interviews in Chicago I decided to take Liesel along to meet him. Even though the day would be spent driving him from one appointment to another I thought she might enjoy some face time with him. She's also really good in a car. Brent and I agreed to rent a car that had cruise control because driving my parent's truck which is a stick through heavy traffic isn't much fun. Not to mention the extended cab, long bed and super long trailer hitch are a little tricky to parallel park in downtown Chicago.

Turns out even Liesel has her limits in the car. About an hour outside of Chicago she informed me she didn't want to get Dad from the airport, she wanted to go home. She also told me she had to go potty and it was a loooong stretch until the next exit. The poor girl had to hold it for almost half an hour. She made it though and cheered considerably when we finally had Dad with us.

The day went by relatively quickly and I was able to take her to the Woodfield Mall so she could get her energy out on the playland. We also went to a Crate and Barrel where she charmed the shopkeepers while I coveted just about everything there. We battled traffic to pick up Brent from his final interview of the day and then departed downtown Chicago at 5:30 PM. Needless to say it was practically gridlock. After an hour we decided to pull off and get a good meal. Brent spotted a place called Uncle Julio's Hacienda and we decided to try it.

Bad move. VERY bad move. We got back on the freeway with very full bellies and traffic hadn't dissipated as much as we'd hoped. It was getting later and darker. We'd both been up since 3AM and now we were digesting Mexican food. Then there was the fog. Not a creepy fog that keeps you on your toes, but a dream-like beautiful fog that should be accompanied by Enya music. Our conversation turned from the events of the day to generic talk just to keep each other awake. "So uh... you're TALL, right?" Then Liesel started to fuss.

After a lot of debate, we called my parents and told them we were finding a hotel for the night. With another two hours of driving to go there was no way we'd make it. We pulled off in Dixon and stopped at the Comfort Inn. Luckily there was a Wal Mart next door. After securing a room I ran in to get some Pull-Ups and grabbed the first pair of pajamas I saw. Liesel was thrilled to be in a bed and she LOVED the pajamas. After a good night's sleep and a hot breakfast, we headed out.

The funny thing about all of this is how it made me feel so grown up. I remember traveling with my family as a kid and Mom was always the one to run in and take care of things. To break up the tedium she usually got treats like cookies... maybe even new pajamas. As a kid it was always so exciting to stay in a hotel and I guess I never considered what it was like on my parents end. Nonetheless, it was an adventure and I actually enjoyed it. The Comfort Inn in Dixon, IL will always hold memories for us now!

Still Not Funny

Liesel decided to go swimming in a brand-new 41.8 oz can of Enfamil formula. Bought from Costco on our last trip to Chicago since there are none anywhere near Iowa City. For $38 if you'd really like to know. If it weren't all over the floor I might have been able to salvage some but it was a complete loss. I had to vacuum the vacuum because the powder was EVERYWHERE! I sent pix messages to my family. My parents who had been out to lunch abruptly came home. Dad asked me what possessed Liesel to do this and I told him, "There is not to make reply, there is not to reason why, there is but to do and die." As part of Homicide Prevention Week they offered to watch the girls while I either went to the gym or took a nap. I burned 600 calories on an elliptical.

Maybe another 10 years and I'll laugh? Oh, and Ireland is now on regular milk.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

While having breakfast Liesel noticed the whipped cream Mom got out to top off her hot chocolate. She wanted some so Mom went to squirt it directly in her mouth. Liesel hesitated and to allay her fears Mom demonstrated on me. The only problem was that I had a load of whipped cream in my mouth and I made a face. Upon seeing that, Liesel's response was "You kill me Mom."

She kills me.

Turkey Bowl

After a delicious Thanksgiving dinner we headed over to the bowling alley to burn off some calories. We've never taken the girls bowling before and they both loved it. The kids had a lane all to themselves with bumpers and a ramp. Liesel didn't immediately catch on to the rules of the game and she was upset when her ball rolled away from her. Eventually she figured it out and

she even got a strike. Ireland was just generally excited, especially when someone sat her in front of the computer scoring thingy. Turns out my sister-in-law Krystal used to be on a bowling league and she won hands down. All the women beat their spouses but I only edged out Brent by a point. I was hoping to score at least 65 and I got 101 thanks largely to 2 strikes in my last frame.

The kids had a blast. Afterwards we went home to finish up the night with some pie. Mom made the most amazing apple cranberry pie! Unfortunately she thought it was too tart and isn't planning on a repeat. The bowling however I think we just might make a family tradition.

Marie Antoinette

Marketing companies for baby products really deceive the American public. They lead you to believe babies and children are perpetually happy, loving and most of all, CLEAN. They aren't. Usually they have some mess on them somewhere that good parents try hard to prevent. I guess that's why I really love my girls when they're fresh out of a bath or shower. Their skin glows and they're happy and loving. I was actually going for a bubble afro when I gave Ireland a bubble bath but this was the result:

I think she likes the look!

LOL

We had fajitas for dinner last night and out of nowhere Liesel said this:

"So Grandma, how is your tortilla?"

She was so very grown up about it I very nearly keeled over laughing. And that was my laugh for the day.

Hi Liesel

My name is Liesel, and I'm potty trained. It's been two weeks since I had my last relapse and even then it was in a Pull-Up. I guess I subconsciously traded naps for potty training but I think it's really a change for the better. Now that I don't have to wear Pull-Ups, I just feel free. I don't have any master plan per se, I just take things a day at a time.


You heard it here first folks! It's only been a couple of weeks but I'm cautiously optimistic Liesel is over the potty training hump. I'm sad she no longer takes naps but I'm more than happy to take the trade-off. She still wears a Pull-Up at night but she's been a champ during the day. First she stayed dry during a day at home. Then she stayed dry even when we spent the morning running errands. Last weekend she stayed dry while being in the car for 7 hours. I've high-tailed it out of a couple of places when Liesel stopped what she was doing and announced, "I have to go potty!"

When I'm running with her like an idiot through crowds to get to the restrooms she laughs and yells, "RUN! RUN MOM! RUN!!!" like a musher in a dog-sled race. You know how asassins always look for the exits when they go anywhere (well, according to the Bourne movies anyway)? I look for the restroom wherever we go. Interestingly enough, Liesel prefers to have her "privacy." She even asks for privacy when we're in a public restroom stall so I have to face the front door. If I turn my head to look at her she scolds me. On the flip side, when I have to go to the restroom and she's with me she says very loudly, "Did you go potty Mom? I'm so PROUD of you!" and then she cocks her head and smiles. People in surrounding stalls get a kick out of it.

I really am so very proud of her though!

Shabby Apple All That Jazz Dress Guest Giveaway

Shabby Apple All That Jazz Dress Guest Giveaway

Art Imitating Life

My sister Katrina found this comic strip and passed it along. When I saw it I immediately called Brent and we both had a good laugh. We're having this one printed out and laminated for our fridge! (you may have to click on it to read it clearly)

First Words

To my surprise it wasn't Mama or even Dada. Ireland's first words were boo boo. Bright and early this morning I was hanging out with the girls in my bedroom when Liesel started jumping up and down saying "BOO!" to make Ireland laugh. She responded in kind with her own "booooo... booooo". At first I thought it was a fluke but after a few minutes it was clear she was trying to communicate with her sister. I love that her first words were a result of their interaction.

Now we're working on Mama :)

Dancing Queen

My mom often dances in the kitchen when she was in a good mood (which is pretty much all the time). She noticed Ireland really enjoyed it. Mom and Ireland often end up in matching outfits like they were on this day.

Which Witch is Which?

I know a witch is a classic Halloween costume some might consider boring. However, I was so excited to dress the girls as witches this year. Liesel got these crazy sunglasses in a happy meal not long ago and I thought they were the perfect touch because they kind of look like flying goggles. Don't you think witches would have protective eye wear when flying through the skies on their broom? While taking pics in the backyard I got some footage. I love how Liesel just stares at Ireland when she falls over. Yeah, she's NOT her sister's keeper.

We had a lot of fun at the ward trunk or treat. Surprisingly, Liesel was incredibly shy as she went from trunk to trunk. Maybe she felt like she was begging for candy? She seemed happy with her spoils though...
...as was Ireland

Hawkeye Fans

Game day in Iowa City is a big deal. I mean a big, BIG deal! Even the workers at the local grocery store are completely decked out in Hawkeye gear. I've gotten in the habit of dressing the girls in black and gold every Saturday. I noticed these tiger hawk stickers and thought they'd be a cute addition.

To get them off, the instructions said to just use some baby oil and rub with a washcloth. Turns out it wasn't that easy and both girls had bright, red cheeks for a couple of days. I'm glad I got pictures because we won't be using these again!

VROOM! VROOM!

After weeks of army crawling (with surprising speed might I add), Ireland seems to have her sights on a new form of movement. She's started the engine and her foot's on the accelerator.

Stay tuned for race results!

Baby Fresh

We were given strict instructions not to get Liesel's cast wet. After two days it was apparent we'd have to get creative. Mom covered her cast with a ziplock bag and covered a folded quilt with a towel so Liesel could prop it up. Sitting in the kitchen sink, she was able to look out the window on the backyard and field beyond while Mom sponged her down.

Now that Ireland is sitting on her own, Mom thought she might enjoy the same treatment. Mom really knows best.

There's nothing like a squeaky clean baby!

Sunday Best

Every time I do laundry I find myself setting aside clothes Liesel and Ireland have grown out of. It's a bit more painful with Ireland because I have no guarantee I'll ever pull them out again. Thank goodness for cameras! Here are some photos of the latest fall fashions:

This dress is very old. I don't think I wore it as a kid but

Reagan or Whitney did. I flipped out when I found the tights with red hearts and anchors on them. Ireland only got to wear it once. *sniff* *sniff*

Liesel rocking the mod look.

I gave her a zig-zag part to tie in with the dress pattern.

Liesel's cast kind of became an accessory. Lots of people didn't even notice she HAD a cast on because it coordinated so well with the outfit.

I love my girls!

For Brent

Thank you for the lilies you sent for our anniversary. They were beautiful and kept the bedroom fragrant for weeks. Thank you for being an amazing husband and stellar father. It feels like we've been married for so much longer than four years. We've been through a lot--both good and bad. I look forward to the adventures that lay in store for us. I love you with all my heart and soul.

Gimme a Break!

Per usual, Liesel climbed out of her crib and made her way into my room. Ireland had gotten up at 5:30AM but she was finally, finally asleep again. I'd had horrific nightmares and was exhausted to say the least when I heard my door creak open. I decided to lay perfectly still. When Liesel sees we are both asleep she lays next to us until there are signs of life. I'm guessing she actually started to fall asleep and then startled and that's how she fell off the bed. She's fallen off the bed before. She's fallen off higher beds. She's fallen head-first onto hardwood floors and this was carpet. But something was different. She sobbed and sobbed which is unusual for her. Typically if she's injured she can "shake it off" and move on. She doesn't really cry for attention. Something wasn't right. I made her a sippy cup of warm milk. She still cried. I put her in the bath. She was still crying. It had been over an hour since she fell off the bed and she kept asking me to kiss her boo boo. Dad volunteered to stay with Ireland and Mom agreed to drive me to the U of I Hospitals and Clinics. I'm glad I followed my instincts because she had two breaks in her wrist.

They say a coincidence is what happens when God chooses to remain anonymous. However, I felt the hand of the Lord at so many points during the day:

• A few weeks ago I mentioned to Brent that Ireland is overdue for her 6 month check-up. He called around to see which Iowa City hospitals would accept our Massachusetts insurance. Ireland is scheduled to go in on Monday and I happened to have an appointment reminder card. I knew if I went to U of I Hospitals and Clinics we'd be okay and didn't have to waste time. I also had the address of Pediatrics in hand.
  
• This hospital is the largest teaching hospital in the WORLD! It's really a good-sized village. No seriously, it's huge. Ginormous. Even with the address it could have taken us a while to find it but Mom knew exactly where it was so again, no time wasted.
  
• I made an executive decision to take her to Pediatrics and not the ER. Pediatrics is usually much better set up to help children and it was regular business hours. While I was there I realized our ER copay has recently gone up from $50 to $100.
  
• The doctor was already double booked for her first appointments of the day. Because we were there a tad earlier than either scheduled patient, she agreed to see us anyway.
  
• Because Brent had made the appointment for Ireland, we were already in the system. They just had to create a record for Liesel and transfer the same info. Again, time saved.
  
• Before leaving the house, I put Liesel's hair in pigtails and slipped in some of the huge bows I just bought when I was in Utah. Call me crazy, but we got a lot of mileage off of those bows. No matter where we went we didn't have to wait long before being seen. She got lots of extra attention which I think helped to alleviate her fears somewhat.
  
• Ireland was really good for my dad during the 4+ hours they were together. Now that I think of it, when Liesel fell off the bed and bawled Ireland woke up but made no sound. It's like she knew something serious had happened to Liesel.

I felt horrible holding her down for x-rays, especially when I found out it was a broken wrist. I've had a broken wrist in recent years and I remember how painful those were for me. That I was adding to her pain stung me to the core. You can even see part of my hand holding down her fingers in the x-ray picture. Casting was also no fun. Liesel cried big tears while I held her on my lap and a nurse held her arm in the air. Thank goodness I'd thought to bring along my iPod. I played Beyonce's Single Ladies and tried to convince her she was getting kind of the same thing on her arm only in pink! The doctor quietly told me normally they'd cast a child under sedation but since they'd already started... I interrupted him and said I could handle her crying if they could. The cast has to weigh about 5 lbs and it's twice the size of her arm. That night I gave Brent the full run-down on the days events and as soon as I finished telling him I burst into tears. I honestly never felt the urge to cry during it all but in retrospect it finally got to me. Brent told me he'd never had a broken bone. Both my parents also told me they've never experienced a broken bone. Well little Liesel at the tender age of 2 is now a veteran. Poor thing!

What's in a Name?

Tonight while eating dinner with my girls, Ireland looked up at me with her big blue eyes. I couldn't help myself, I exclaimed, "Hello Gorgeous!" Liesel overheard and piped in enthusiastically, "Hi Gorgeous!" Not wanting Liesel to feel left out I addressed her next, "Hello Beautiful!" She smiled and responded, "Hi" there was a brief pause, "DANIKA."

And that was my laugh of the day.

Frenemies

When we first arrived in Utah I would say Liesel and her cousin Paisley had a love-hate relationship. That eventually blossomed into pretty much just a hate-hate relationship. Poor Paisley is the youngest daughter and suddenly found herself in competition with someone not only younger, but a guest. My sister Reagan repeatedly told her Liesel could do whatever she wanted... including poop on her bed. Reagan has some unconventional parenting techniques I'm eager to try out. Anyway, in spite of Reagan's threats, Paisley would lock Liesel out of rooms, take toys and yell at her. Liesel developed some coping tactics of her own that culminated in a confrontation during family dinner. Paisley wanted to go outside and Liesel was apparently not in a giving mood as she held the door closed. I'm told Liesel reached her hand waaaay back and b!#@$-slapped Paisley... hard. I didn't know whether to apologize to Reagan or have bumper stickers made, "My kid can b!#@$-slap your honors student." There's a video of my interrogation on the matter, but it is too large to include on the blog.

Not that Paisley is any wimp. She body checked Liesel the next day when Liesel wasn't looking. I have to say I was impressed. One bonus of these two not getting along is they were too busy irritating each other to bother their sisters. It was kind of a nice break for both Reagan and I. As my mother always says, "You'll be friends another day." At least I hope so!

Home Base

Here's a group of my most favorite people in the world... my siblings. Sadly Logan was not at Frogurt that night and Lisa was my only in-law who could make it. However, this is a good representative of the people who don't let me get away with anything, who will call me on my crap, who ground me, inspire me, believe in me, would walk through fire for me and who love me no matter what. I'm so very grateful for each and every individual pictured here. We had such a blast just talking and laughing together. Good times, noodle salad.

Memo to Me, Memo to Me

Don't leave the camera where Reagan can get it...

Ballet Lessons

Ireland had a major blowout on the way to the outlet mall in Park City. It was the perfect excuse to frequent the Gymboree for a fresh outfit! They had these ballet onesies that I couldn't resist. When Whitney saw her in it, she decided to pass along some of her wisdom:

We Are Family

While we were in Utah my sister Katrina thought we'd take the opportunity to get cousin photos. All the Nielsen cousins were together minus Hunter and Harley. We're still looking to see if we can Photoshop them in. I think the photographers did an amazing job getting all the kids looking in the same direction and smiling. Liesel went into a fit of tears for unknown reasons. I'm posting some individual shots of the girls we didn't end up getting prints of. It was really tough deciding between so many good photos. Ireland always looks so concerned when Liesel holds her. Kind of like she's thinking, "Haven't we already determined this is a BAD idea?" They looked adorable though and I'm glad we could use the watermelon outfits again.

Afterwards we celebrated Jack and Benjamin's birthday at a gymnasium. By gymnasium I mean a place where gymnastics is taught. It was bar none the BEST children's birthday party I've ever attended! The kids were able to jump, flip and tumble into foam pits. There were trampolines and climbing walls. The idea was to exhaust the kids so after photos and the party they'd nap all afternoon. Somehow the adults got into it too. Reagan decided to take a running jump into one of the foam pits using a springboard. That was seriously one of the funniest things I've ever seen in my life because when she hit the springboard it somehow threw her backwards rather than propelling her forward. Katrina agreed to hold Ireland while I dusted off some old cheerleading jumps on the tramps. I haven't even attempted those in years and I laughed myself sick trying them again. Too bad my camera battery died. If anyone out there has any video or photos, please, please, PLEASE pass them along!

At one point I noticed Liesel had braved a foam pit and I decided to jump in and join her. Bad move. More like no move. I am not a light toddler! I am a woman who recently had a baby. I could feel my pregnancy weight sinking me deeper and deeper into the foam. I tried moving the foam pieces directly around me but that just sunk me further. My nephew Eli noticed and ran over to where I was. "Need some help?" he cheerfully asked from the edge. "Yeah, I'm kind of stuck." He somersaulted in the pit. "You just have to get on top of it and crawl!" he said as he did just that. I didn't want to tell him I couldn't roll over on my stomach so crawling was a remote possibility. I managed to do it but couldn't get on top of it all like he advised. "Use your knees!" I was like a fish on dry land as I ever so slowly flopped myself over to the edge. When I got out I was completely sweating and everyone else was wondering why I took so long. Still the best birthday party I've ever been to. The girls had a blast, the cousins bonded and the adults were greatly entertained by it all. What a brilliant idea!

Peach Days

The girls and I went to Brigham City to visit some dear friends and celebrate Peach Days. My home ward bishop who later became our stake president, and is now again bishop is from Brigham City. He often talked about their peaches... usually on fast Sunday. He'd describe how you could take just one bite and the juices would drip down your chin. Visions of a bowl of fresh cut peaches and sweet cream danced in my head while my stomach rumbled on those Sundays. I of course have forgotten the spiritual message that went along with these stories. I was thrilled to experience these legendary peaches first hand.

Liesel went on her first carnival rides. She enjoyed the cars which just went around in a circle. Then she didn't enjoy them so much... not sure why. Then she cried to go on them again. We did the slides which looked innocent enough. It was midway down that I realized my extra weight was making us go faster. By the last bump we were airborn and I'm sure Liesel was wondering why I forced her onto something she wasn't so sure about in the first place.

Not only did I score some peach cobbler, but one booth sold fried Twinkies and I just had to try it. I had a fried Oreo at a street fair in NYC and looooved it. They dip it in batter, fry it and then put powdered sugar on top. I'm salivating remembering it. The Twinkie came with some jam too. I'm still regretting that Twinkie but I'm glad I tried it. I've heard fried Snickers are supposed to be amazing and someone told me about fried cheesecake. If I come across them, I'll definitely have a taste but I'll pass on the fried Twinkie.

Powder Fresh

I was alone with my girls at Reagan's house when I realized it was awfully quiet. "Liesel?" "Uh, I okay!" I thought that was an odd response so I tried again. "Liesel?" "I okay Mom!" This clearly required investigation. When I went into the living room I was met with this scene:

Watermelon Babies

My sister Reagan and I are similar in many, many ways. Among those traits is a love for all things Gymboree for our two daughters. While we were at the Gymboree outlet in Park City, I pitched the idea of getting coordinating outfits for our girls and taking some photos. I already had some items from their Watermelon line and she spotted the same tops. Then she held up the white tennis skirt with tiny watermelons for Ireland and I found myself yelling across the store, "I WANT THAT!!!" So the photos became a reality. Here are some of the results:

Liesel, Piper and Paisley
All the girls. I have about 6 photos and one person isn't looking at the camera in each of them. I selected this one because Liesel and Ireland's faces crack me up.
Ireland's first taste of watermelon
We were finished taking photos so the girls ran to change and I started playing with Ireland. She went into a laughing fit and Reagan got some pictures of it.
I had SO much fun hanging out at Reagan's. She has no idea how lucky she is we actually left because we would've happily stayed another month!
I hope my girls grow up to be good friends like I am with my sisters!

Oldie but Goodie

Can you tell Brent is in town and I'm frantically catching up on my blogging while I have access to our laptop? Anyway, this pic is just too cute not to share. We were minutes away from O'Hare airport to catch our flight to SLC when the girls fell asleep... holding hands. Moments like these make me love being a mom!

Over the River and Through the Woods

The girls love being here in Iowa! Grandpa not only has a dvd player but Grandma picked up some ultra cool pink headphones. Throw in a spippy cup and some Veggie Tales on top of all that and Liesel's happier than a pig at slop.
Not that it's a free ride around here. After some training from Grandma:

Liesel was charged with watering the plants and flowers:
For some reason Ireland didn't seem happy with her work:
Ireland is the consummate observer. She particularly loves taking in all the wildlife as she looks out on the deck from her Bumbo:
Aside from the usual squirrel we've seen a raccoon, many deer and wild turkeys. Our evenings are relaxing with a bit of local entertainment:
And the sun goes down on another beautiful Iowa day: