Life and Times of the Pfaff Family

Love Monster

2012-02-17T05:07:00.000-08:00

This little monster needs love too

Because I ~~enjoy stretching myself thin~~ wanted to help out, I signed up to co-ordinate Shelby's Valentine's Day party at her pre-school. The monster signs at Target were my inspiration. Luckily, Oriental Trading had some adorable design-you-own Love Monster sticker kits, monster garland, and treat boxes to add to the theme.

Stickers + Kids = 15 minutes of quiet time

I was able to snag the monster signs at from my work, as they were going in the trash that very day. Score!

Me and my little Love Monsters

My awesome co-helpers, Kim and Christy, were the best. They brought all the goodies for the kids to make their own edible monster, using rice crispy treats and all kinds of candies.

Shelby's 3 eyed creation

We then played "Pin the Heart on the Monster" using stickers. The kids totally cheated, opening their eyes to get their stickers just where they wanted them. Two girls followed the rules and didn't even get on the heart. They ended up with the prizes!

No peeking, Missy!

The little monsters also traded cards. Gone are the basic cards from my day. And, because I ~~enjoy stretching myself thin~~ am trying to encourage creativity, the girls and I made cards for the class. It turned out to be a fun project, and the cards were surprisingly cute too.

All in all, it was a fun day. Now that I've paid my dues, I'm off the party coordinating obligation list until next year!

I Wish I May, I Wish I Might

2012-02-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

Last Fall, I had a girls weekend with some old friends. Jessica gave us all a "wishing necklace" from dogeared.com. The idea of the necklace is that you make a wish, put it on, and then wear it until it falls off. Then, your wish will come true.

Adorable elephant wishing necklace

I've only taken mine off once for day surgery, and it is still on, 5 months later. I just love my little daily reminder of my fun weekend with the gals! Plus, I'm not a huge jewelry person, so the idea of a disposable piece is right up my alley. I have since ordered several styles for friends. My mother-in-law is even getting the "Love, Laugh, Live" one for her birthday this weekend.

Shelby is now fascinated with the idea of wishes. She has various requests from the magical jewelry:

all her friends can come to her house and play all day AND all night
she was a kitty cat
all her friends from her class and her whole school and storytime could come to her birthday party
that Lilly, our dog, could talk

When I explained to her that if she were a kitty cat, she couldn't go to Chick-Fil-A, she almost started crying. She was so distraught that her wish was going to come true. If only it were that simple, Sister! I explained that the wishes only came true if I was touching the necklace while she made her wish. Whew! She was in the clear as far as becoming a kitty cat...

Only pic I could find of me and my dragonfly "Friendship" wishing necklace

So, if you see us and wonder why my kid keeps asking me to touch my necklace, you will know why.

Co-Conspirators

2012-02-06T11:04:00.000-08:00

We've had lots of issues with Shelby tinkling in her panties. So, in the spirit of trying anything that works, we created a reward chart. She gets to put a sticker on for each day she goes without wetting her pants. Once she gets it full, she gets to pick out a toy from the cute toy store by her swim class.

While I was at work yesterday, the girls were upstairs playing while Bryon was downstairs watching the Super Bowl. He said he heard Shelby go to the potty and then start whispering Haley's name. He then heard her ask Haley to go get her a pair of panties from downstairs and not to tell Daddy.

Haley ran down and did exactly as she was told, taking the clean pair up to Shelby without tattling on her. Hearing the story, I couldn't help but laugh. It brought back many memories of my sister and I trying to get away with stuff behind our parents' backs.

Later, when I asked Shelby if she got to add a sticker to her chart, she didn't miss a beat telling me she didn't have any accidents all day. Do I call her out for fibbing, or do I just giggle and move on?

Serious Business

2012-01-29T17:00:00.000-08:00

My niece, Carly, is in a cheerleading squad. I had NO idea how big of a deal this was until we went to her first competition last month. I teared up just watching how professional her entire group was at performing. Miss Carly is one of the smaller girls, so she ended up being on top of most of the stunts.

Hard to tell, but that's my niece in the middle!

I could NOT wait to see her in action again and was so excited to hear she was going to be in Dallas this weekend. The girls and I braved the Dallas Convention Center and, lucky for us, ran into my mom in the parking lot. She was a HUGE help keeping the girls contained!

It was worth all the effort (and $27 worth of tickets and parking) to see the girls' amazement with the cheerleaders. Shelby barely moved except to jive to the music in between performances (and, boy, can that girl jive). Haley was a little overwhelmed by the sounds and didn't take her hands off her ears for most of the day.

"Mommy, Woud!" (loud)

My favorite girls!

I'm so glad we went yesterday, as I heard that today, one of the girls broke her arm during the performance. Between the time and money commitments, this cheerleading is some SERIOUS business, not to mention the fear of your daughter getting SERIOUSLY hurt....

Like a Cat or Fish?

2012-01-25T05:56:00.000-08:00

My sister and I suck at swimming. We both hate to go underwater or get dunked. It's embarrassing to admit that I still hold my nose when I jump in, if I jump in at all. It's a running joke that Molly and I are like cats in water.

If you splash me, I will hiss.

Haley, on the other hand, has taken to the water like a little fish. She would spend the entire day in the bathtub if I let her. Our water bill is outrageous thanks to her turning on the water faucets as often as she can get away with it.

Last October, I heard about a swim class for 2-year-olds where the parent didn't have to get in the water with the child. Bingo! I couldn't sign up fast enough. Emler Swim School turned out to be awesome. Haley was the class pet. Her teacher, Ms. Vilma, told me she was a "natural". As a ~~cat~~ mom, I couldn't be more proud!

Our future Olympian in action:

BooFull Words

2012-01-25T05:08:00.000-08:00

The girls just crack me up with the funny things they say. I always think I will remember these cute expressions forever, but in the back of my mind, I know I will forget in a week.

The annoying things that I hear all day long will probably be what I remember. Unfortunately, "Own. Self. No. Teeth hurting." is not what Haley wants me to think of her in 30 years. And, I don't think "Tummy hurting. Not tired. Milk NOW" is a true representation of Shelby either. So, here's what I want to remember:

Haley
~BooFull (Beautiful)

My BooFull girl's teeth are hurting, hence the finger in the mouth.

~Nook (Milk)

~Wuv you, Mama! (She said this about 2 weeks ago for the first time and melted my heart)

~DeeDee (Lilly, the dog). She will scream "DeeDee, NOW!" when she wants her to come inside.

~Me: Don't touch that.
Haley: Why 'cause?

~Profey (Privacy, when she is doing her business in the bathroom)

~Guan (Juan), Jonson (Jonathan), Suess (Jesus), and 'Me (Jaime), our nanny's kids that the girls adore

Making cupcakes with Suess and 'Me

Shelby
~Shelby: Daddy, Haley, Daddy, Haley was, Daddy!
Bryon: Stop tattling on your sister.
Shelby: I'm not tattling on her, I'm just telling you the truth about what Haley did.

~Me (while dancing around the living room): Shake your bum!
Shelby: But, princesses don't shake their bums. They just jump and turn.

~Me: Get in the tub, NOW.
Shelby: But, I don't want to get my crown wet.

~Rest-er-hunt (Restaurant)

"I Like Your Craft Posts"

2012-01-14T21:28:00.000-08:00

I recently had lunch with a "girl" I used to babysit back in the 80's, Regan. Funny thing is, she isn't a "girl" anymore, but a grown up, incredibly smart, and very classy woman. Must have been my great babysitting skills!

The conversation somehow came around to my little ol' blog (probably because I brought it up!), and she mentioned how much she liked the craft posts. I was totally flattered since she and her sister are beyond talented in the craft department. Just take a gander at their pieces of art on their blog, Artes Domesticas Miztontli.

So, Regan, this post is for you! The rest of you looking for adorable pictures of my children will just have to wait...

My sister recently slyly requested I make her a tree skirt she had seen on pinterest.

Source: mycrazylife-lauren.blogspot.com via Molly on Pinterest

And, since we all know how everything on pinterest turns out EXACTLY like it should, I just knew it was going to be an easy, yet incredible, project. Once again, I was wrong.

I used this post for the general directions, but changed it up a little to save on money and effort. Maybe I should have stuck to the original plan..

I scored a red felt tree skirt at Target for 90% off ($0.59 to be exact) and some green stretch taffeta at Joann's for $3.50/yard. It took almost every inch of the 3 yards of taffeta I bought. Using 3" strips, I used a ruffler foot to make miles and miles of green ruffles.

Great practice for making ruffles

Only the best for my sister ($0.59!)

Against the advice of my friend, Mya, I sewed 9 rows of ruffles onto the cheap red felt. She wisely thought I should glue the strips on since the felt was so thin.

Only 7 more rows to go!

This project only took me about a week, a record considering I have two eager "helpers" climbing around. It also doubles as a can-can skirt for a REALLY skinny girl....Enjoy, Ms. Molly!

It's the German in Her

2012-01-07T05:35:00.000-08:00

This may be completely normal in all kids, but I'm thinking mine is special. Shelby has always counted to five on her fingers starting with her thumb and then skipping her ring finger. Is that cool or what? I think it has to do with her strong German heritage, as anyone that has seen the movie Inglorious Bastards knows the Germans count differently than the Americans.

So, parents, is our child cool or just normal?

Princess Wishes and Silicone Dreams

2012-01-07T04:28:00.000-08:00

I tried really hard to shield my girls from the "I am a princess" idea that Disney has implanted into society. Alas, it didn't take long before Shelby shocked me by announcing she was, indeed, a princess. I'm still wondering where she heard the term first. We can no longer go through the check lanes at Target without her begging for these tiny princesses that you can dress up in odd silicone clothing.

Oh, Cinderella, what a lucky girl you turned out to be!

Needless to say, we now own several of Disney's stupid little princess dolls. I first saw the Cinderella version when my niece, Carly, was about 3. My sister told me how annoying they were, but I didn't believe her. Being the official Best Aunt Ever, I humored Carly by dressing and undressing the teeny-tiny-plastic-people until my fingers were cramping.

Only half of the princess spread in our house.

By the time Shelby was begging for the same toy, I foolishly assumed that Disney had improved on the clothing and that the dressing and undressing part would now be easy enough for any 3-year-old to accomplish herself. DUH! Anytime the girls start playing with them, my heart sinks, as I know I will be changing their outfits non-stop. And, the pieces are so tiny, I'm constantly finding them in the most random places i.e. under my sheets, in the bottom of my shoe, chewed up in the dog's crate...

Just look at that concentration!

So, for now, we will humor the princess syndrome. But, I will also be teaching them the idea that they can accomplish anything all by themselves. No prince or silicone dress necessary!

How to Potty Train in one week (or less!)

2011-12-28T05:22:00.000-08:00

1. When picking out the baby you want, be sure to get a strong-willed and competitive one.

2. Deal with your strong-willed child's need for independence for two years. Try not to pull your hair out with the "Own" and "Self" statements (as in, "I'll do it on by myself, and I do NOT want any help from you.")

3. Use your child's older sibling as an example, which may or may not turn into a competition for the potty each and every time one decides to sit on it. This will test your patience to the limits, but hang tough.

4. Pick a day, and go for it!

In other words, training Haley has been a breeze, totally opposite from Shelby. I didn't have to offer any bribes and didn't have to spend days at home with a naked kid. Maybe picking out that strong-willed child wasn't such a bad decision after all!

Christmas in New Mexico

2011-12-26T19:41:00.000-08:00

For the holidays this year, we braved the Irving-to-Los Lunas drive to Bryon's parents' house. Just hand over my "Mother of the Year Award" for riding in the car a total of TWENTY-FIVE freakin' hours. I think we had to pull over at least 25 times for potty breaks. Good thing we keep a $1.99 IKEA potty in the back seat!

Nothing but the best for our kids!

Unfortunately, a stomach virus joined us on the trip. Shelby puked in Bryon's favorite Mavericks cap. Haley learned to puke in the potty like a big girl. Janice didn't come out of her bedroom for over 24 hours. Monica actually lost weight instead of gaining 5 pounds. Fun times!

The girls did have a great time with their cousins.

Ashlee, Shelby, Isa, and Haley before the puking began

We got lots of great gifts, but the winner was the legos for Shelby. Something tells me she got her dad's engineering genes.

Look what I made!

I was most excited about giving Janice a quilt her mother had started before she passed away. I pieced the back to look like a garden, which reminded me of her, and my cousin Meredith finished piecing the front that she had started. Meredith also did the binding and quilting, since I was WAY short on time. I just loved how it turned out!

Back by Monica

Front by Helen and Meredith

Other highlights included lunch with Bryon's nanny from when he was little and also a wild adventure to the mall to let the kids ride the carousel.

Aaron, Leao, and Bryon

Haley, Mom, and Candy Cane, the horse

Santa's Visit

2011-12-26T16:27:00.000-08:00

You know how some Christmas celebrations stick in your memory, while others have faded? I'm hoping today's Christmas will stick in my kids' minds forever!

Since mid-November, the girls have been asking Santa for a "fluff", a shovel, and some dirt. When Haley first said dirt, I thought she was kidding and would be asking for a pony in no time. Lucky for Santa, she stuck to her guns!

"Fluff"

And, what about that "fluff"? Shelby first saw it at Walgreens and fell in love. Again, I thought she would fall in love with the next sparkly thing she saw, and then the thing after that, and then the thing after that. Wrong! She stuck to her guns too and kept asking for that fluff. Santa couldn't be more thrilled at the $4.99 price tag. Proof that Santa made his annual visit to the Pfaff house:

Dirt and a shovel for Haley, sand castle by ~~Bryon~~ one of Santa's elves

I was still half asleep while taking pics this am...

Following in every kids' habits, the girls had just as much fun with the boxes as the toys.

The kids' "boat"

You Get What You Get, and You Don't Throw a Fit!

2011-12-18T14:11:00.000-08:00

Sorry, co-workers, for the crappy gifts you are about to receive. Just know they are from the heart, even if they are ultra-ugly!

Our employer recently adopted a new policy that mandated no one could bring a non-clear purse, cup, lunch box, ~~uniform~~, etc. into the pharmacy. I get why they did this. After all, we do work around narcotics...but, it's really hard for 6 women to no longer carry a purse. We've been doing it for a collective 125 years between us. We need our belongings within eyesight, or we just feel lost.

With this in mind, I decided to sew lovely clear "purses" for everyone for Christmas. Take a gander:

U.G.L.Y! But, functional.

My favorite. Matches the fabric-covered calender I made.

I thought the ric-rac would make it cute. I was wrong.

Really odd size and shape. Sorry gals!

Note to self, NEVER try French seams on heavy vinyl.

You think Coach is going to be calling soon to make me head designer of the clear-purse division? Yep, I have my doubts too...

Trying to Get Into the Spirit

2011-11-27T14:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas is only 28 days away. In my best effort to get into the holiday spirit, I purchased the Elf on the Shelf. I had seen some amazing things people had done with their elves and wanted to steal some ideas. Just google it to see what I mean! The idea is that the elf picks a new place each morning to be discovered. We've now caught him in the chip bowl, munching on Tostitos, on the couch, watching tv, and hanging out in Haley's room watching her be ~~naughty~~ nice.

First things first, we had to name our elf. After much deliberation, the girls came up with "PeePaw Elf". I'm guessing since my dad, PeePaw, and his family were here visiting for Thanksgiving, the girls were heavily influenced by his presence! So, without further adieu, meet PeePaw Elf:

Silly PeePaw stole the remote!

So far, they aren't buying his "magic" powers of reporting good/bad behavior to Santa at night. I guess my hopes were a little too high...

In another attempt to lift my Christmas glee, I pulled all the stuff from the attic to decorate. After putting up our Christmas "Palm" tree (a gift from my sister years ago that I absolutely LOVE), I climbed into the attic to find the rest of the ~~crap~~ decorations. That is when I discovered this beauty:

Nope, this is not a model from an anatomy class!

It is a battery operated candle. It melted. All over a snowman rug. Nope, that is NOT normal. Except in extreme heat...So, I guess my attempts to get into the winter holiday spirit did work a little with the reminder that this past summer's heat is something I never want to see again. Bring on the snow and cold!

What Does Not Kill You...

2011-11-10T19:59:00.000-08:00

After suffering through several weeks' worth of home improvement, I can now safely say our family has survived! It was a little rough going the night we spent in a hotel due to paint fumes, but it was all worth it in the end. Haley seemed to be the most traumatized, running around with her hands over her ears, crying "Loud! Loud!" She did enjoy sleeping in Shelby's bed one night when her crib was shoved in our bathroom.

Before we started, I had an interior decorator come over to give us some direction. In one short hour, Erika Basham (www.ebdesigns.org) gave us some great ideas, specific paint colors, and motivation to get the project started. Unlike my sister, I have NO home decorating skills, so Erika was worth every penny of the $50 it cost.

Some before and after pics:

Before-formal living

During--formal living

After--formal living

WAY Before--Study/future nursery

During--Nursery

After--nursery

Before--kitchen cabinets

During--kitchen mayhem

After--kitchen cabinets, much cleaner

After--kitchen

Before--living room carpet (this picture does not give the stains justice)

During--Living Room

After--living room (bad pic...sorry!)

During--accent wall

After--accent wall

Meep, Meep!

2011-11-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their outlet for stress reduction. For me, it is sewing. For Bryon, it is tinkering with his 1947 Ford is the garage. This afternoon, I heard a strange "Meep, Meep". He was so excited to get the horn working. Here's video evidence that even a three-year-old can honk an old horn!

Watch out world! These two will be cruising the streets in Sparky before you know it!

The Unexpected Costs of Parenting

2011-11-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

Our "spirited" child, Haley, is VERY ~~conniving~~ curious and ~~stubborn~~ determined. Turn your back for five minutes, and you never know what you will find her doing. At this point, all I can do is grab the camera and laugh.

When we became parents, we knew it would be expensive. Diapers, formula, piano lessons, all kinds of therapy, car insurance, college tuition, and wedding dresses were all on the list of expectations. Little did we know, parenting costs also included:

Full boxes of trash bags strung across the house

The wasted bottle of sunscreen was the least of our worries. Replacing the carpet was a little more expensive.

Ink on ~~high-quality~~ pleather...finally removed with acetone.

Yet another bottle of mom's lotion

A full bag of brown sugar...not that expensive, just a pain in the a#@ to clean up.

A case of bar soap, again a pain to clean up after she used it as a "crayon" on the floor

YUM! Powdered coffee creamer mixed with water makes for a messy, yet delicious, treat! Just ask the carpenter ants now living in our kitchen...

This is a toughy. It's dried lavender with lentils mom was using to stuff eye masks for her friends. At least the carpet smells good...

Tabasco, EVOO, sesame oil, and worcestershire sauce go well with sprinkles.

Also included in Haley's adventures are not one but FIVE bottles of shampoo, all the same brand and all newly purchased, squeezed in the bath for bubbles. It's taken me this long to learn to buy the cheap stuff.

So, to those of you replacing your flooring, NEVER buy light colored carpet. NEVER put carpet in a dining room. And, most of all, NEVER leave "spirited" children unattended in your home!

A Trick and Two Treats

2011-10-30T04:47:00.000-07:00

When the going gets tough, I get busy. I deal with stress by putting it into overdrive at home. So, this week, I dealt with my troubles by making some of the fun Halloween ideas I had on my pinterest boards.

The first project was treats for Shelby's classmates. It was super easy and fun to do with the girls. The tutorial can be found here. I added a ribbon through the top with a tag saying "from shelby". The only problem was that I bought the "big pack", so the printable labels weren't quite big enough.

Next were some fun deviled egg eyeballs. These turned out better than I expected and were a big hit!

Finally, I made one more treat for the special trick-or-treaters in the neighborhood. The lucky ones will be getting one of these:

The not-so-lucky ones will be getting one of these: (I ran out of white chocolate...)

The tutorial can be found at one of my favorite websites, howdoesshe.com. I made the mistake of letting Shelby and Haley help out on this one, and I think Bryon was ready to throw the whole mess in the trash after the eighth time I yelled, "Stop eating all the eyeballs!! Stop touching that!! No, you can't eat another cookie!!"

Enough with the Halloween creations. Time to move on to Christmas! Just wait 'til I have another stressful week to see what's up my sleeve.

Sugar High Part III

2011-10-30T04:24:00.000-07:00

Before babbling about the THIRD Halloween party, I want to say last week was one of the worst weeks of 2011. There is NO way I could have made it through without such wonderful people in my life. My mom watched the kids while I was recovering. Our awesome nanny, Gloria, helped me prepare tons of freezer food. My husband was the shoulder I needed to cry on and was the rock that kept me focused. And, then, there are my incredible co-workers. Seriously, how many people are lucky enough to work with their great friends?? Especially ones that send you these:

Lori, Annette, Anneva, and Emily ROCK!

So, on to the party! Ms. Annette had six adorable munchkins over to celebrate. We had a great time decorating pumpkins, playing "Pin the tail on the cat", and busting the pinata. Haley was an absolute riot, taking off her costume and running around with just pink tights on for half the night. All she could talk about on the way home was "'Nett. Party. FUN!" Thanks, Annette, for entertaining my crew!

Who's ready to party?

Fruit of the Loom?

No one was injured!

Go, Haley!

The "blindfold" completes the dinosaur costume

Pin the tail on the cat

Our little artist

Ethan's creation

Sugar High, Part II

2011-10-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

Mother-of-the-year, Bev, recently had a Halloween party at her house. Talk about one brave Mama! All of the Pfaff girls had a blast eating, crafting, and decorating. My summary in pictures:

Pre-party posing

Mom, having her own fun!

Look closely, it's a jack-o-lantern pizza (a la Papa Murphy)

Hostess with the Mostest, Bev

"My dog bone cupcake" a la Shelby

"Is there a little something on my face?" a la Haley

Sugar High, Part I

2011-10-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night was open house at Shelby's school. Festivities included:

Fall Festival Pictures by the "paparazzi"
Deep Sea Bean Bag toss

Is softball in her future?

Just look at that follow-through!

Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Bowling

Is bowling in her future?

Halloween Tattoos

Hopefully temporary tattoos are the only kind in her future!

Fishing Fun (the kids "caught" bags of goldfish)
Cake Walk (where mom actually scored some amazing cookies made by Ms. "Macole")
Treasure Hunt

Look at my loot! A spider ring!

And, to top off the sugar supply, they got cotton candy at the end.

Strawberry made by Monica, watermelon made by Children's Place

As a side note, I learned that my friend Jessica harbors deep hatred for Halloween. She largely blames that fact that her mother sewed or pieced together costumes for her instead of letting her buy one from the store. Jessica made it very clear to me that I shouldn't be sewing costumes for my kids. Sorry, Jess, but it is so darn fun sewing something that doesn't have to be perfect!

The Power of Four

2011-10-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

Four girls. Four days. Four years since they had seen each other. Such was my much-needed girls' weekend in Colorado!

Liberated women drinking some libations

I grew up in a teeny-tiny town in the Texas Panhandle. Spearman, to be exact...ever heard of it? Nope? You're not alone. It's rumored that there are more cows than people in the whole county. What was cool about growing up in such a small place was that most of the classmates I started Kindergarten with ended up in my graduating class of 1992.

Blink and you'll miss it

Four of us from that class of fifty-something were able to meet up this past weekend. It's always amazing to see my friends, Leslie, Suzanne, and Jessica. Since they've known all my business since birth, they are friends like no other. It's impossible for any of us to be anything other than ourselves when we get together. I can't hide the fact that I was in the band, wore huge glasses until the 8th grade, cried my entire 5th grade year because of my parents' divorce, or my somewhat amusing dating history. The same goes for my friends, but I won't expose the skeletons in their closets!

Our four days together were proof positive that laughter is indeed the best medicine. We laughed until we cried during our "Yoga for Dummies" class. Like Suzanne said, it was just like we were back in the Methodist Church in 1988, giggling until one of our moms or dads would come sit beside us to get us to behave. Our poor yoga instructor was trying to get us to center our "chakras", and all we were doing was trying not to laugh.

We also howled at all the new words we learned:

Yurt, I learned, is some sort of tent set up in remote areas for hikers to rest and recover. After Jessica explained the term, we would get a kick out of using "yurt" in a sentence.

Excuse me while I go center my chakras in the yurt!

Speakeasy, Leslie learned, was a termed used during prohibition for a secret bar. I thought everyone knew that, but I guess I was wrong. Leslie doesn't get out much (ha!). So, we went to "Wednesday's Pie", where the hostess asked if we were there for "pie". I guess we made the cut, because she took us to the back, where the decor was total throw-back 1920's.

Warning! That silver door leads to the world's dandiest bar!

Namaste, a common term used at the end of a yoga class, meaning "God is great" or "What comes around, goes around" or "May the force be with you". Hell, we were all laughing too hard to get what the teacher said, but "Namaste" did make for good laughs as we all murdered its pronunciation with our Texas twang--na-MAST-ay was more like it!

What's great about this group is that I am a few years behind them in the child-bearing business. Their kids are all older than mine, so they had lots of valuable advice for this newbie. In one of my very first blog posts, they contributed to the list of rules Bryon and I had for parenting. Here are the new rules they inspired me to try:

1. Pull-up diapers at night might be the reason Shelby has so many accidents during the day. No more Pull-ups!
2. NEVER compare the kids in front of them. For example, don't say, "Shelby sat quietly for 30 minutes. Why can't you do the same, Haley?"
3. Make breakfast mandatory. Every morning, have a routine, and the day will go more smoothly.
4. Have "couch time" to get the kids to stay in bed at night. One reason they might be coming into our bedroom at night is to see mommy and daddy together. A way to curb this is to set aside about 5 minutes of each day as "couch time". Mom and Dad sit out the couch and talk, while the kids can do whatever they want except talk.

There is NO way the weekend could have happened without our incredible significant others. A HUGE thank-you goes out to Dennis, Bryon, Luke, Larry, and Coy. We owe you guys one!

Haley is Two (or five?)

2011-09-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

Haley turns two tomorrow, but if you ask her, she will tell you she is "Fiiiive!" Boy, kids sure do grow up fast these days!

Fun Haley Facts

~Favorite foods: artichokes (!), broccoli (!), lollipops, yogurt, sips of mom's coffee and diet Coke, macaroni and cheese, ice cream, and even an occasional taste of spicy food

~Favorite activities: going to the park, feeding the ducks, watering the plants, taking baths, climbing the cabinets to turn on the water, squeezing contents out of bottles (i.e. shampoo), playing with dolls, cooking with mom, being carried around on my hip ALL day

~Haley LOVES water. She will spend hours splashing in the bathtub. When I am at my wit's end, I'll put her in a warm bath to get a few minutes to myself.

~Character traits: energetic, strong-willed, determined, curious, independent, and happy

~Speech: Haley has really started talking in the last month. She is much happier now that she can express her wishes. Shelby loves to tell her words to repeat, and she is so proud of herself when she "talks" with her sister. The funniest line so far was when I asked her if she wanted to go to Chick-Fil-A. She responded, "COKE!" since she always gets one when we go.

~Dislikes: Being told "NO", sitting still to watch tv or read a book, not being able to do exactly what Shelby is doing

Pictures from Haley's 2nd Birthday Party

She LOVES her new high chair

Jeff and Haley's cake. Not your typical 2-year-old cake! (Jeff HATES armadillos)

These are the People in your Neighborhood

2011-09-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

To say the least, we live in a very diverse Dallas suburb. Just check out the demographics for Valley Ranch:

I have yet to meet that one person from Ireland, but I can't wait!

In some ways, I just love that we are so exposed to other cultures. I've learned so much about Vietnam, India, curry, Islam, pho, tapioca tea, arranged marriages, Thai chilis, and saris. We have some of the best and most diverse restaurants in all of Texas!

Being from a small Panhandle town with only two races, Caucasian and Hispanic, it is still a shock to me at times. Just the other day, Shelby looked outside and asked if it was Halloween. I assumed it was just another attempt to get some candy until she followed up with, "But, why is that lady dressed up?" I had to giggle just a little at her keen observation of an Indian woman wearing a Sari while out walking.

Generic example of Indian clothing

Kids say the funniest things! I've become so accustomed to seeing Indian styles that I don't even notice such things anymore. And, while I'm still trying to learn as much as I can about the people in our neighborhood, my kids are just worried they are going to miss out on free candy.

That's How We Roll

2011-09-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Pfaff's house is every kid's wonderland. They have enough toys to keep my kids entertained for a solid five days straight. The newest addition is a mini John Deere tractor, complete with a foot throttle, 2 speeds, reverse, and heated seats. (just kidding on that last one!)

In 14 short years, Haley will be a legal driver. Might as well start practicing!

Hold on tight...

Shelby, Haley, and their cousin, Ashlee, had a blast driving each other up and down the street. They quickly learned how to push the pedal to make it go, but they all were steering-wheel-challenged. Turning was quite an issue, so we got a workout chasing them down.

...keep holding on!

It was only after 30 minutes that they stopped the tractor long enough for me to read the warning sign in the back.

"No riders in dump bed! Riders can be injured if bed dumps unexpectedly."

Oh well...no harm, no foul!

Cabinet Climbing

2011-09-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

Several things to take from this video:

~iMovie is the best invention ever
~We are raising mountain goats
~This explains why nothing is off limits in our house anymore

Upon Closer Inspection...

2011-09-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

It's been one long, hot summer. I reached my breaking point about day 40 of 100+ degrees. Not only have all Texans had to spend the whole summer indoors, many creatures have decided to brave it and attempt to live in some a/c too.

We've always seen a few geckos inside, but this year has been over the top. Those cute little lizards are fast, but not quite quick enough at night to escape getting stepped on. Bryon and I both have squished one in the dark. Sorry, Little Lizards! The girls love chasing them, but our nanny, Gloria, is terrified of them. She is convinced all lizards are poisonous. Poor lizards don't stand a chance around here.

Look what I found, Mom!

Can I keep him?

We've also seen a few wasps. Bryon was out one night for poker, and Haley kept telling me, "bug!" I would go try to find what she was talking about and kept finding nothing. Then, while I was trying to get the girls to relax a little before bed, I saw the wasp on the top of the wall. I had the "brilliant" idea to get the Swiffer and squish the little sucker before he would sting one of us.

Photo credit: Shelby Pfaff

What I hadn't planned on is that the Swiffer was made of foam and wouldn't completely squish the wasp. So, I had him pinned for a good 10 minutes before I got the nerve up to let him go. After a big scream from all three girls in the house, we were able to put him out of his misery.

Swiffer, more than just a cleaning tool!

Next on the list of our fun bug finds from Insect Lore. I ordered a kit that includes 5 caterpillars, food, and a butterfly house, similar to this one from amazon:

What's hiding in the house?

Since the weather was so hot, the company wouldn't ship it until it "cooled off" to below 110 degrees. When they finally arrived, the girls and I had a blast watching the caterpillars eat, grow, and finally turn into a chrysalis. Gloria, on the other hand, thinks all caterpillars are poisonous. She wouldn't go near them! Needless to say, we can't wait to meet our Painted Lady butterflies.

Haley giving the butterflies-to-be kisses

Today, we finally got a "break" in the heat, with a comfortable high of only 101 degrees. It was actually cool enough this morning for us to do some yard work. While pulling weeds, I managed to come across a certain scary momma hiding out. Can you spot her?

Here's a closer look:

Thank goodness for the zoom function

EEKK!! She had about 100 babies on her back. Luckily, she was moving very slowly and was just about as afraid of me as I was of her. Gloria and Monica think all spiders are poisonous!

Bryon has informed me this is a wolf spider. The next time you see my sister, ask her about her run-in with a wolf spider on Golden Circle. She loves them!

It's an Honor Just to be Nominated

2011-09-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

**Warning: Shameless bragging by a proud mama to follow. Stop reading now if you are nauseated by the thought of hearing about overachieving three-year-olds!**

At the beginning of the summer, we enrolled Shelby in Texas Dreams gymnastics. The first week was a freebie, and after class, the coach came over to tell me how strong my daughter was. After gloating to my hubby about the thought of our Shelby becoming the next Mary Lou Retton, he quickly concluded it was Texas Dreams' way of getting us to sign up for three months.

Oh, M.L.R., how all of us thirty-somethings loved you!

Fast forward three months to renewal time. After class, Shelby's coach found me to tell me, "I've been a coach for a long time and know talent when I see it. Shelby has real natural ability, and we would like for her to join our team classes. Someone will be contacting you with more information."

Tonight was the night "someone" contacted me. I received a letter stating, "Shelby's coaches have mentioned how much they enjoy having her in their class. She has demonstrated continual progress with her gymnastics skills, and has shown an interest in the sport beyond what we normally see in our students. Based on the recommendation of her coaches, we would like to invite Shelby to join our morning Pawesomes Pre-Team."

WOW, WOW, WOW!! I am still glowing thinking about my little girl being a gymnast. I was OBSESSED in the '80's with anything and everything to do with the sport. In fact, in 1984, my family went to the World's Fair. All I cared about was seeing the gymnastics performance. We went to find the stage and arrived way too early. I was thrilled that there were still great seats open, so I went down to save us some right up front. After about 30 minutes, I looked around and realized I knew NO ONE around me. Both my mom and dad had left me there, thinking I had gone with the other family traveling with us. Long story cut short, I hung out in lost and found for a couple of hours until my mom finally came back to rescue me.

Anyway, back to my olympian-to-be...As much as I love the idea of it and after giving it lots of thought, team gymnastics just isn't an option for us at the moment. Three hours a week for a three-year-old is a HUGE commitment. Classes are during my work shift. The cost is much greater. Etc, etc, etc...maybe when she gets a little older and is still the star, we will go for it. For now, Miss Shelby, keep being the athlete your mom never was!

The Big City Isn't So Big After All

2011-08-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

Meet Mrs. Nicole:

She is Shelby's new pre-school teacher. The first time Nicole saw Shelby she was this big:

That's right! Nicole has known Shelby since before she was born. We knew each other in passing from Target. The first outing I had with my newborn baby girl was to the grocery store. I just happened to run into Nicole. To tell the truth, I had a hard time remembering her name. After all, I was sleep deprived and only deal with about 1,000 people a month at work. And, I was scared to death that I was doing something wrong already as a new mom. Did I have Shelby in the car seat correctly? Was the car seat supposed to go in the top of the shopping cart or the basket? Will Nicole think less of me now that she knows I buy far too many Oreos?

It was that chance encounter three years ago that lead us to Nicole's classroom. One afternoon at work, she and I got to talking about how nervous I was that first time I ran into her at the grocery store. I found out she was a teacher at the pre-school I had been trying to talk my husband into for months. I had lots of questions, and she answered all of them honestly and perfectly.

I was still laying my case for Bryon when I ran into Nicole once again here:

Yep, gymnastics! Nicole confessed that there was a chance she would be teaching the three-year-old class. It was like it was meant to be. My wonderful husband finally agreed to give it a try. Which leads us to today:

Today was the big day. Shelby started pre-school!

All went well. Haley was the only one upset about the situation. She spent the entire five hours saying, "SheBy?" I had to reassure her Shelby would be coming back soon.

Nicole's exact words when I picked her up were, "She was a ROCK STAR!" Shelby's not-so-exact words to me asking what she did all day were, "Played, colored, read a book about bunnies, had a raisin snack, and drew squiggles and an 'H' in my peach-colored journal." She was also obsessed with what she could and could not do in circle time. Yes, you can sit still and listen. No, you can not play a pretend horn or beat on some pretend drums.

So, the moral of the story is, be nice to everyone. You never know who is going to end up being your kid's superhero!

Shelby's First Fish!

2011-08-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

This morning, Shelby caught her first fish, a perch on Lake Grapevine, using some smelly pink bait on her small pink Barbie pole.

Her face says it all--scared and excited!

I also caught a small perch using pink bait on the pink pole.

Haley admires Mom's catch

Bryon caught nothing using his silver lure on his fancy Bass Pro pole. Maybe he needs to downgrade his equipment!

I'm not sure who was more excited about the perch, Bryon or Shelby. I think Bryon is secretly hoping one of his girls will be the first professional bass fisherwoman. (Or maybe there are pro-bass-fisher-women. I'm just not that up on the pro-fishing world and am too lazy to google it.)

Yo-Yo Ma-Ma

2011-07-27T13:16:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend, Bev, asked me to make her a yo-yo monkey way back in the spring.

Looks easy enough, Simplicity 2441!

Making fabric yo-yo's always fascinated me, so I was eager to dive right in and make my friend a monkey. Little did I know, the pattern called for NINETY of those suckers. I kept telling Shelby I was going to turn into a yo-yo if I had to make any more. She just thought that was hilarious. I can now officially say I am a yo-yo expert. "Rufus" is finally off my back!

Shelby might not let go of Rufus!

And, on another sewing note, my heart went pitter-patter when I saw my sister walking up to my house carrying a mysterious box from her mother-in-law.

Since the mother-in-law is a retired home ec. teacher, I couldn't wait to open it up. Come to find out, it was a box full of all her scrap fabric. YIPPEE!! Thanks so much, Susie, for re-igniting my sew bug!

All that fabric will come in handy making the hippo from Simplicity 2441 that Shelby has been begging for since I started Rufus. "Make me the hippo in pink, Mama!" Okay, so maybe my yo-yo making days aren't quite over!

Love all the yellows

A few more bits a pieces to add to my collection

Things that make you go hmmm

2011-07-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love a good book that makes you stop and reexamine your life, maybe even make a change or two? I can think of just a handful that have affected me and won't ever forget.

I could probably do a blog on each on these books, but this post is about The Help.

I loved it so much back in 2010, that I am re-reading it in 2011 and am throwing a Girls' Night Out party when the movie opens. (Go here for details, be sure to speak in your best Southern accent and wear your favorite apron!)

So, how did this book change my way of thinking? Believe it or not, it has more to do with my parenting than to do with my views on race, which is the real point. One of the book's mothers, Mrs. Leefolt, totally ignores her only child, Mae Mo, while her hired help, Aibileen, attempts to protect and raise the darling baby girl.

Reading how Mae Mo yearns for her mom's attention got me a thinkin' 'bout my own treatment towards Haley. (See me slippin' into that Southern drawl??) She is now 22 months old, and still isn't sleeping through the night. I've tried everything--let her cry it out, whole milk right before bed, carnation instant breakfast in bed, tummy drops, tylenol, a bear that makes noises that mimic sounds of the womb....

At yet another 5:00 am awakening, I had an epiphany. Why not just rock my baby girl and spend some time with her? I wasn't going to be falling back asleep anytime soon, so I might as well make the most of the sweet time I have with Haley. It was the best morning we've had in 22 months! We snuggled for a good hour until the rest of the house woke up, and I just loved watching Miss Priss sleep in my arms.

How many hours have Haley and I spent in this chair together?

Hopefully I will be given many more bonding mornings and won't grow weary of this special time!

Necessity is the Mother of Re-Purposing

2011-07-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Child-Resistant Closures. They're normally used for this:

But they also work well on this:

To delay Miss Haley, Queen of Emptying Bottles, from pulling yet another one of her stunts:

She even conned Shelby into trying her hand at the Child-Resistant Closure:

So far, my ingenious idea has worked. If you happen to be at my house and see the Child-Resistant Closures on everything, now you know why!

One Tough Skull to Crack

2011-07-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

While running from her sister, Shelby managed to conk her head on a post. After hearing the crack, I just knew I was going to see gushing blood since this is what I saw first:

Not a good sign when the sheet rock is damaged

After lots of drama, she finally calmed down with an ice pack on her head. Poor baby!

This morning, I was shocked (and maybe just a little disappointed) to see just a tiny bruise and no swelling since I had gone to bed last night already planning on great titles for my blog post:

That's Gonna Leave a Mark
Please Don't Call CPS
Why We Haven't Been Out in Public Lately

Oh, well...at least we got some pictures and more item added to the to-do list: fix the dining room post.

I "Built" it myself...

2011-07-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

One of these days, I'll have enough money to buy furniture that comes ready-made. Until my ship comes in, I'll continue to have furniture "I built myself", which sounds a whole lot better than furniture with "some assembly required." It's a good thing I have a handy engineer for a husband and two girls that are more than eager to "build" with me.

My latest room to improve? The sewing/crafting/leftover furniture room. It's in the middle of being transformed into an actual room with function and design rather than just hodge-podge. Before, I had to sew in that teeny-tiny corner while sitting on a tiny-tiny stool with no lighting for my teeny-tiny eyeballs.

Wow...

And, my worktable doubled as a bed:

The bedspread had to come off just in case my scissors slipped while cutting...

Yes, I always "build" furniture in my pj's while my "hired help" goes shirtless...

"See, Haley, you turn, turn, turn the bolt just like this."

Ta-da!

Needless to say, I can't wait to sew on my new table I "built myself" along with some help from my girls. The matching chair is on order. Any bets on how many steps are involved in its construction?

On another note, any ideas on the wall color? My awesomely hilarious sister has volunteered to help paint once we both have time.

I'm so over being L.A.M.E.!

2011-07-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one that goes through times of "Lost Another Major Element"? I call these my L.A.M.E periods in life and am hoping this latest L.A.M.E. period is just about to wrap up. It all started in May, when this was lost/stolen/mysteriously disappeared:

Yep, that would be my (okay, not mine, but an image very similar to mine) wedding ring.

Next on the L.A.M.E. period list was this:

I know, not near as valuable as the ring, but it was another thing I was searching for that was driving me crazy. I KNOW I left those stamps on the counter, but suddenly, they were gone.

Then, last week, I lost this:

Yep, that would be my (okay, not mine, but an image similar!) debit card. At this point, I was endlessly searching for my wedding ring, a roll of stamps, and my debit card. No pant's pocket, drawer, couch cushion, or purse had gone un-searched.

The final breaking point of my L.A.M.E. period was the disappearance of this:

Not the kid (Haley!), but the pink blanket (Pinky!) she can't fall asleep without. For a solid week, Haley would whine "Pinky" before nap or bedtime.

Well, My Friends, I have good news to report! My INCREDIBLE husband surprised me with a new wedding ring he thoughtfully picked out in Santa Fe for our anniversary (seven years on 6/26). Forever, I will be unconsciously looking for my original ring, but my replacement just warms my heart everytime I glance down at my ring finger. Feel free to ogle over it the next time you see me.

Those lost stamps? Found! I really should clean out the hutch above my computer more often...And, that debit card? Cancelled! I really should have done that on the first day I realized it was missing.

Most importantly, Pinky? FOUND!!! That sneaky ragged blanket was hiding at the bottom of one of the 15 baskets of toys my girls have. I really should make them clean those out more often....

Not For Use For Kids Under Six

2011-07-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

One of Haley's favorite things to do is to empty out various bottles of stuff. Bubble bath, mom's expensive shampoo, mom's cheap shampoo, tubes of toothpaste, and sunscreen are no longer safe in our house, as seen in exhibit A:

s#*t-eating grin...

I'm used to going through a whole roll of paper towels on a daily basis just cleaning up behind my little tasmanian devil. But, I'm hoping today's antics taught her a lesson. I present to the jury, exibit B:

"Not for use in children"

I left this kid alone for TWO minutes, only to discover she had covered herself in IcyHot. I know some adults (me?) that can't handle the heat of this stuff. Twenty-one month olds kids REALLY don't like it. And, squeezing the remaining drops into dad's inhaler might not be the best idea either...

Dad will be making the same face the next time he uses that inhaler

Hopefully, I can start storing my stuff in normal, reachable cabinets now that Haley has tortured herself...

Our Staycation

2011-07-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

All dressed up for July 4th

Quite by chance, I ended up with 5 days off for July 4th. Bryon and I decided to take advantage of the time together and took the girls to the Dallas World Aquarium this morning. Here are the highlights in pictures:

Look! It's a bird. It's a plane. Nope, it's an anteater!

We were so close to the sloth, we could have touched him

Haley and the stingrays

Looking up at the waterfall

Every trip to the aquarium requires a picture just like this

Look! It's a Sparkle-Nosed Bottle Rocket!

Mom's favorite, the "Man-Eat-Er" (Manatee)

Hello!

The Spider Crab was HUGE. All of the Pfaff gals were fascinated.

Shelby demonstrating how the penguins stand

The prettiest colored chameleon ever!

Shelby's favorite, the "talking" sharks. I think she's been watching too many cartoons when she thinks sharks talk...

After escaping the gift shop without a single breakage or purchase (Whew!), we had a wonderful lunch at Chuy's, where I had the most delicious frozen watermelon margarita ever. All in all, it was the best vacation we've had all year!

Forced Family Fun

2011-06-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was the annual Poling Cousins' Reunion, and this year's was the best ever. My wonderful aunt, Wendy A., found the perfect location, The Sundown Resort, on the Guadalupe river in the Texas Hill Country. Just check out this view:

The river was the perfect way to cool off, wear the kids out, float around while sipping on a beverage, practice our awesome canoeing skills, and laugh at the old men attempting to keep up with the next generation.

Teaching the little ones how to canoe

Teaching the bigger ones to canoe

He missed canoe lessons and managed to fall in a few times! (Jeff)

I hoped all that kicking would equal a good night's sleep. It did not.

Conrad showing off his bravery

Soaking and sipping

As usual, my family had me cracking up. Here were some of my favorite quotes:

"Did those fajitas upset your stomach as much as mine?" said Landon, as he had fun blowing bubbles through his pool noodle.

Everyone loves a good fart joke*

"He's a three-joke-wonder" (Carson referring to Landon's antics)

"Poop?" Haley after seeing certain things for the first time...I'll spare her the total embarrassment and not give all the details. Needless to say, it has a lot to do with this picture:

"You think I can teach you two semesters' worth of canoeing in 5 minutes?" Robert said to Meredith. It took him 30 minutes to convince me he really had 2 semesters of canoeing at A&M. No wonder he was nicknamed "Gondolier"!

"Time for crap swap?" asked Carly. "Nope, it's craft time," said Molly. "What's 'craft'?" asked Carly. Best line all weekend from Robert, "Your daughter knows what crap is but not craft?"

Our weak attempt at crafting

"You are coming home with less crap than you are taking, right?, " Bryon informed me while I was packing. Needless to say, I found lots of goodies at our traditional crap swap i.e. lots of Julianne's dresses, Carson's handmade doll-sized rocking horse, and Wendy's old maps that I plan on using in a craft project.

It's like a garage sale, but everything is FREE!

Unfortunately, Bryon and Shelby missed all the fun. They were in New Mexico for a wedding. No worries though because they will get to experience Forced Family Fun next year!

Some random fun pics that will make you jealous that you aren't one of my cousins*:

Carson, Landon, Gary (We never claimed to be refined!)

Molly, Meredith, Julianne, Monica (showing off our custom made aprons by Wendy P.)

Andrew and Kelsey (Ah, to be so young and in love)

Stan and Bobbie (Ah, to be not-so-young and in love!)

Wendy P. and Robert (Aren't they the cutest!?!)

Bathing beauties! (Haley and Carly)

Huge thanks goes out to my Aunt Wendy A. for all of her hard work and Landon* for picking such a great place!

We love you guys!

*Single ladies--it's not too late to join in all this refined fun...Landon is single and is looking for someone that will appreciate his humor. Let me know if you think you might want to go out!!

Dear Shelby

2011-06-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Shelby,

You turned three last week. Amazing, no? You are the most intriguing and charming three-year-old I've ever raised. You put a smile on anyone's face that comes within 10 feet of you. Here are some fun facts all about you!

Likes:
~Anything with sugar
~Macaroni and cheese
~Steak (not ground beef, but filet!)
~'nastics class (gymnastics)
~Gloria, your nanny, and her kids
~Going out on the boat
~Bounce houses, trampolines, and beds to jump on

SUGAR!

Dislikes:

~Bedtime (but doesn't every kid fight going to bed?)
~Getting your hair washed
~Daddy or Mommy leaving without you getting a hug and a kiss
~Sharing with Haley

Talents:
~Video games. You get it from your dad and could play on the Nintendo DS all day if I let you.
~Drawing. You can draw a great picture of mommy, a dog, balloons, and flowers.

Opportunities:
~Potty training...Seriously, kid, the "accidents" are getting old.
~Can't pronounce "l" sound. Still say "wuv" instead of "love".
~Following directions at gymnastics. You want to just do your own thing.
~Swimming. Yep, we've got a long way to go on mastering the water thing...

Walk sideways, not forward.

Things you do to make your momma smile:
~Pronounce "th" as "s" (Jonason instead of Jonathan)
~Tell me, "I love you momma. You're such a good girl."
~Tell me, "Will you be happy?" when I am mad at you.
~You will try any food we make for you. You may not like it, but at least you try it.

You are a true joy, and we love you. Happy birthday, Dear Shelby!

The World's Most Annoying Invention

2011-06-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

Shelby shows off her new hair cut, along with the worst invention EVER (www.pickleshoes.com):

First Fireworks Show

2011-06-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I was scared to death of fireworks. The first presentation I remember seeing was in the backyard of some friends of my parents that lived near the stadium where the city of Spearman was launching its fireworks. I clung to my mom and cried the whole time while the rest of the kids were thrilled.

Needless to say, I was a little worried about taking Shelby and Haley out to see their first fireworks show last night. HA! I should have known they would love every minute of it and would be much braver than I ever was.

Haley pointed at the sky for 15 straight minutes!

The show is presented every Friday night on Grapevine Lake during the summer. The girls were fascinated by it and loved just being out on the boat up past bedtime. Shelby's comment on the way home was "FAN-TAS-TIC!"

OOOHHH!!! AAAHHH!!!

My Baby Can Read*

2011-05-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

When I first saw the "Your Baby Can Read!" info-mercials on Nick Jr., I had my doubts. I mean, really, what kid under 5 needs that sort of pressure?

Seriously, can you imagine a 2-year-old reading Tolstoy to all her little toddler friends at storytime? But, to all you doubters out there, check it out:

See? It really works!*

*Child seen in video has been read this book at bedtime EVERY SINGLE NIGHT for over a year. She may or may not have it memorized.

Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater

2011-05-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

As I am always looking for new ways to wear the girls out and get them away from the t.v./Nintendo DS/nickjr.com, I just had to steal this great idea from my friend, Rita.

The concept is easy:
1. Chalk out a super long series of activities.
2. Do one demo run-through so the kids will know what to do.
3. Sit back and play Angry Birds for an hour while everyone else burns lots of energy, all the while dreaming of the long nap they will be taking soon.

One can dream, right?

Here's how it actually went:
1. Chalk out activities, stopping every 2 minutes to tell Haley to stop pulling the neighbor's grass and throwing it into the a/c unit.
2. Do ten run-throughs, stopping half-way each time to put Haley in time out.
3. Give up, go inside, and let the kids color.

So, Rita, what next? Keep posting those great ideas, and I will eventually find one that renders my girls completely exhausted!

"Make an animal sound"

"Stop and smell the flower"

"Drive the truck around the track"

"Wave your arms in the air"

"Sing a song at the end"

Sip and Sew

2011-05-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

The perfect gift for this momma for Mother's Day? A night with the girls! Thanks to my mom taking the girls, Bryon going to see a show, and houseparty.com sending me lots of free goodies, I was able to have twelve great friends over for "Sip and Sew".

Ready, Set, Sew!

The Singer sewing machine company loaned me a Confidence 2467 machine and sent 4 yards of material for all the gals to play with. Even though most everyone hadn't touched a sewing machine since Home Ec. circa 1989, they all were able to sew cute little bags in a flash.

Cute reversible bags

I can't speak for everyone else, but I can say I had a blast just chatting, sewing, and crafting. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures during the party...oops! Avani, Gigi, Fanchon, Annette, Lori, Lilly, Corey, Lauren, Anneva, Bev, Heather, and Karen, you have officially been bitten by the sewing bug!

Showing off our creations at work

Dear Haley

2011-05-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Haley,

You have no idea how much we have in common. Despite you absolutely wearing me out on a daily basis, I have to giggle at the genes you were lucky enough to inherit.

~You wake up in the best moods, laughing and ready to face the day.

~You will eat anything we give you. In fact, you love anything spicy, including pickled okra and salsa. You love edamame ("pops"), pizza, corn on the cob, filet mignon, and ketchup. I love watching you try new foods and making "yum" noises!

~You are ~~stubborn~~ strong-willed. If at first you don't succeed, you try, try, try, and try again, and are very resistant to help from others. I have to phrase my help as, "Let's do this together," so that you won't be admitting you need help. For instance, you love unzipping things but sometimes struggle. So, I have to hold your tiny fingers and un-zip things "together".

~You are VERY smart. (Just like your momma!?!) You can follow directions and are eager to show off how much you understand. We can tell you to "Go get some wipes out of the basket, bring me one, and we will wipe up this mess together," and like a flash, you do exactly what we ask. It's like you have a lightbulb above your head going off, and you get SO excited.

~You haven't stopped moving since the day you were born. Even when sitting on the couch to watch t.v., you still wiggle around constantly. Don't ask me why, but I think we get this from your great-grandma Susie Blackman. She was always in motion.

~You love to have your hair fixed.

Check out those cute bows!

~Hugging isn't really your thing, but you are learning the value of a good hug. I can count on one hand how many times you have wrapped your tiny arms around me, but each time, you get better and better. You seem a little resistant to hugs. We are both learning!

Ah, at least pretend you want to hug!

~ You are eager to be just like your sister. In fact, you already want to use the potty and wear panties like her. I'm just not quite ready to let you out of diapers yet, even though you have tinkled several times now in the potty and are definitely ready to be potty-trained. I think my sister is pretty cool too, and I try to do things just like her even to this day!

But, my adorable Haley, there is one thing you do that drives me CRAZY. I think you get it from your dad...Anyway, you love water. Running water, puddles of water, bathtubs full of water, water from the water fountain, dumping cups full of water on the floor, watering plants that don't need water, and especially toilet water, you love it all. I have to follow you around all day cleaning up your water messes. Isn't it getting old yet!?!

You are already more comfortable in the water than you momma!

Oh, and Haley, I can't wait for you to start talking in sentences. You have a few words and are really trying. Keep it up! Mama, up, duck, bike, bawoon (balloon), and some animal sounds are about it right now. Maybe in a few months, you'll be able to tell me why you can't stop moving.

Love,

Momma

Dear Monica, Age 56

2011-05-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Monica, Age 56,

Today, I realized that Monica, age 56, will not remember the true Monica, age 36. In twenty years, as a coping mechanism, my mind will have blocked out how extremely hard parenting truly was. I've seen this with my mom. No offense, Mom, but I kind of doubt Monica, age 2, potty-trained herself and would sleep through the night without wetting the bed.

I think human nature has evolved so that children wake up their parents in the middle of the night to purposely cause sleep-deprivation. This in turn causes parents', and especially moms', brains to turn to mush so that they will continue to procreate.

So, Dear Monica, age 56, here is a tiny reminder of the "fun" times in Monica, age 36's, life:

~You were so tired, you eyes were in a constant state of blurry vision. Focusing on things took much more effort than ever before.

~You were so forgetful, you couldn't remember if you worked or had the day off when climbing into bed. If you worked, you had a hard time naming the co-workers you had just spent 8 hours with.

~You were so forgetful, you left your wedding ring at the tanning salon. Thirty minutes later, when you ran back to get it, it was gone. You were too drained to truly grieve over the loss.

~You were so exhausted that by the end of the day, disciplining your children seemed more of a chore than tolerating their antics. Plus, you hoped their screaming and fighting would wear them out so that they would sleep just a little more.

~You were burning you candle at both ends and didn't have enough time most weeks to even watch a 30 minute sit-com on t.v. If you did get the time, you sat through the entire episode thinking of other things that needed to be done.

~You cancelled breakfast with an old friend that you were desperate to see just so you could catch your breath for an hour. (Sorry, Rita, age 29!)

~Your brain doesn't fire on all cylinders, so your co-workers and your three-year-old have to finish your sentences for you.

So, Dear Monica, age 56, you get the idea. I can only hope I will look back on these years and be reminded of that great Garth Brooks song's lyrics, "I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance".

Here's to hoping the rest of this parenting thing is one big dance!
Monica, Age 36

Blooming Hearts

2011-05-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

How cute is this idea?

I really love the idea of homemade cards, so when I saw this tutorial on a photo bouquet, I decided to use it to make cards for Mother's Day. I really wanted to involve the kids, so I decided to have them watercolor plain white cardstock. I then cut out the shapes, glued our cute faces to the center, "arranged" my bouquet on another sheet of cardstock, and had Shelby draw the stems.

The girls loved watercoloring, and the crayola water colors washed off very easily. I even painted a page of my own and loved it.

Haley showing off her "skills"

Shelby loves crafting

Voila!

Happy Mother's Day to my mom, Bryon's mom, and our kids "second mom", Gloria. You make our hearts bloom!

How I Spent my Good Friday Vacation.

2011-04-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

For this year's Good Friday, my mom ~~got conned into~~ bravely volunteered to take both girls for a whole 24 hours. I had the day off and had a list a mile long of things I couldn't wait to do in my empty house. After ~~making a run for it~~ dropping the girls of, I hit the ground running. Here's the breakdown:

Stopped by Guardado Landscaping. Bought an agave plant. Chatted with the salesgirl for a full 15 minutes without any interruptions from the kids.
Randomly discovered the best fabric store in DFW, The Cabbage Rose. Spent an hour in my own little heaven looking at all the fun patterns and colors.
Dropped $150 at the liquor store, and enjoyed laughing at the drunk guy trying to find 100 proof vodka.
Mailed a "Coping-with-two-kids Survival Kit" to our dear friends, Joe and Susan.
Stopped by Target to pick up a plastic storage unit for my closet and some Round Up for my weeds.
Cleaned every single nook and cranny in my house and realized just how hard it is to simply walk around my house with kids demanding my constant attention.
Hemmed a dress for my nanny, Gloria and some pj's for Shelby.
First attempt at alterations....dress is now shorter by a foot!
Organized all our meds, creams, sunscreens, etc. Label makers make me happy. And, I might be a nerd.
See all those cute labels? It's as organized as a drug store.
Went to dinner at Cafe Italia with my hubby. Since it is BYOB and we didn't have to pay a sitter, I sprung for the expensive champagne to enjoy with our meal. Like Italian? You MUST go to this little hole in the wall and order a steak!
Went to Lowes. Bought tons of flowers and two sago palms to replace the dead ones in our front yard.
Converted Haley's crib into a toddler bed. Find out why here. Also hung a painting in her room that had been sitting on her dresser for two months waiting to be attached to the wall.
Planted agave, two sago palms (too shallow), and some ground cover.
I hope you like your new home, Mr. Agave!
Filled out my new dry erase-magnetic-weekly menu planner and headed to the grocery store.
Wonder how long this will last...
Remembered how wonderful grocery shopping can be without kids.
Cooked a Poppy Seed casserole to freeze for nights I do not want to cook.
Love those freezer casseroles!
Made Paula Deen's "Not yo' mama's banana pudding" to take to mom's on Easter. Resisted temptation to have just a tiny bowl.
Savored my quiet house for a few minutes and then went to ~~save my mom~~ pick up the kids.

All in all, I would say I accomplished everything on my list. It was indeed a Good Friday!

Our Over-Achiever

2011-04-24T18:19:00.000-07:00

Haley is 18 months old. She just gained the wonderful ability to climb out of her crib by learning to use her tiny little toes to grip onto the slats and shimmy over the side. Something about the idea of her plopping onto the hard tile was keeping me up at night.

So, her crib got converted to a toddler bed WAY earlier than I would have liked. She quickly fell in love with the idea of being able to get in and out on her own.

And, Miss Monkey was very eager to pose for pictures in her big girl bed!

I wasn't so thrilled with the idea of Haley no longer being contained at night. But, at least I can sleep knowing she won't be cracking her head open in the middle of the night.

Nothing brings a smile to a mother's face more than a sleeping and safe baby!

Easter Egg Hunting...

2011-04-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

Nash Farms in Grapevine has the best Easter egg hunts. This year didn't disappoint! We arrived early to make sure Shelby and Haley snagged a great spot when it was time to storm the field for eggs. Needless to say, keeping them entertained for an hour before egg hunting was tough.

Where do the eggs go, Haley?

Her newest favorite thing? Pushing the stroller!

Waiting to see the Easter Bunny

One's picking her nose. The other's screaming for dear life.

Once we finally got to hit the field running, it was all over in a matter of minutes. Both girls snagged lots of eggs and then really loved discovering the goods in each one. They ate their weight in sugar before we could blink our eyes.

Yum!

What sugar delight does this egg hold?

YUM!

Cheese!

Haley's still wondering if there are more eggs to be found!

The Highlight of our Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

Today, we took the girls to Nash Farm in Grapevine for the Lions' club's annual Easter egg hunt. We arrived way too early and lucked out be being the first ones in the petting zoo. We had a blast with all the baby animals.

Feeding grass to the llama and horse

Haley was in hog heaven

Checking out the goats

Feeding a baby goat

The biggest, fluffiest bunny I had ever seen. Plus, some chickens that barely survived Haley's taunting.

Ducks and chickens

Guinea pigs, "Just like Linny on the Wonder Pets," said Shelby.

baby ducks

Haley trying to squeeze the baby duck. No worries, it survived!

Pretty Please?

2011-03-31T18:59:00.000-07:00

My amazing cousin, Meredith, (http://www.piecedonearth.blogspot.com/) was the only one of my family to inherit some of my amazing Granny Nelle's artistic talent. She designs invitations, birth announcements (Shelby's was adorable!), and even some really impressive quilts. She was recently cattle-prodded by me and my other cousin Wendy to enter a fabric design contest. Needless to say, she was chosen as a finalist!! My plea is for anyone out there in blogland to go vote for her NOW! Here is her design, titled "On the Move":

And here is where you go vote:

http://www.spoonflower.com/contest_voters/new?contest_id=78#conpage1

You may have to scroll through the pages to find hers, but PLEASE vote!! Again, it's the one that says "on the move by meredithok". Since I am the one that pushed her to do this, I feel obligated to do some campaigning. Just click her design and then skip to the end and hit "submit". After she wins, you can say, "I knew her when..."

Party Girls!

2011-03-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

Shelby was invited to a Princess Tea Party for her friend Arden's third birthday. I think I might have been more excited than she was. If you have girls and are ever near Let's Pretend Tea Parties in Grapevine, you MUST check it out! Not only do they host the most fabulous parties EVER, they have some of the cutest, most girly trinkets around. Most of the items for sale were handmade, so I walked around getting lots of sewing projects ideas.

First, eight little two- and three-year-old girls got to play dress up. Shelby couldn't get enough of herself in the mirror. Her friend Avery was the funniest, insisting on a mermaid costume that was about 2 sizes too small. Her mom kept joking that she looked like "Ariel with a beer belly".

Mirror, mirror, on the wall...

After getting all dressed, it was time for MAKEUP! I thought Shelby was going to pee in her tutu at the thought of getting a full face of the stuff. They even put glitter on the girls' cheeks to finish it off.

"Pucker up like you are about to kiss Prince Charming"

Look at meeeee!

After getting completely prepped, it was time for a fashion show. Each girl had to whisper into the hostess's ear what they were going to be when they grew up. Six of the eight girls said "princess". I was jealous of the mom whose little girl said "librarian". She was the only pre-schooler that had her head on straight!

"Little Miss Shelby is sporting a pink ensemble. When she grows up, she wants to be a pretty princess."

Next, it was time for tea and snacks, which really translated to sugar, sugar, and more sugar. I was cracking up at the little girl asked her mom, "Oh, did you get some wine?" after spotting her tea goblet. I want to be that mom's BFF if her daughter is already familiar with mom's need for wine!

Sipping tea like a princess.

Shelby and cupcakes...a match made in heaven!

Since they were all hyped up on sugar, the hostess then took the ~~girls~~ princesses on a parade around the town square. The girls were instructed to wave "Elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist. Flip your hair, and blow a kiss."

All the pretty princesses waving to the paparazzi (and poor bystanders on Main Street)

Don't you just want to give them all a big squeeze?

Happy birthday, Miss Arden! You had a fabulous party that Shelby will never forget.

Green Thumbs?

2011-03-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

The ONE* time I disobeyed my mother, she made me pull weeds and dig holes for bushes. Little did she know, she was throwing me into the briar patch by making me do something that I learned to love. To this day, pulling weeds is therapy for me. "Playing the dirt," as Jeff, my step-dad, would say, runs in our family.

On my dad's side, there was a history of farming. I remember running through barley and cotton fields as a kid. I just look back on those times and hope my cousins and I didn't damage the crops too much!

It was the highlight of my day when the girls' grandmother sent them pumpkin and sunflower seedling kits.

Adding a little water

There is such a thing as over-watering!

Yum, this looks like brownies....

Planting the seeds

Why aren't they growing yet??

I hope I've "planted the seed" in nurturing their love of gardening. After all, it's in their genes!

*Okay, so it was more like five times....or TEN!!

The REAL Head of our Household

2011-03-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

Meet Mr. Ducky, the newest member of our family. He may be small, but he means business.

My mother-in-law actually passed the "brilliance of the timer" secret to me. Mr. Ducky has done nothing but charm me with his control over my children since the day he came home with us from the grocery store (Market Street--love them!). Here are some of his best perfomances:

Ring, Ring..."I'm sorry you have to get out of the bathtub, but Mr. Ducky just said time was up."

Ring, Ring..."Shucks, Mr. Ducky is making us go inside. Mommy really wanted to chalk with you all day."

Ring, Ring..."Oh, goody, Mr. Ducky said you can get out of time-out now."

Ring, Ring..."I would let you stay up until midnight, but Mr. Ducky just rang letting you know it's time for bed."

I've been absolutely amazed at how both kids obey his commands and can only hope Shelby respects Mr. Ducky's announcements for many years to come. Ring, Ring...."I am so sorry you have to stop talking on the phone, but you-know-who just rang."

Need another great parenting secret? Check out Rita's advice on how to scare away the monsters.

Knitting, '70's Style

2011-03-02T06:09:00.000-08:00

Recently, I came across these two knitting magazines from the 1970's at my mother-in-law's house. They belonged to Charlotte Pfaff, Bryon's paternal grandmother. Just let the captions speak for themselves. (click on any picture to enlarge it)

First off, the poses:

"You are a giraffe, dressed in braids! Stretch that neck high up in the trees!"

Work it, Girl! Pop those toes!

Look, high up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's ~~Superman~~ Knitted Neck-Brace Man to the rescue!

Just waiting for my eggs to hatch....

Next, some oddities:

Candle busts, lanterns, odd naked statues, and tiki heads all cast in wax are in!

What do I make of Aunt Lydia? I make that she is wearing ice cream cones for a bra.

Okay, so this one is no joke. You submit an afghan shawl, and you win an actual GOLDEN AFGHAN PUPPY. All that knitting and following 8 very specific rules, and you get stuck with a prize that will shed all over your lovely creation?? I just wonder how many entrants they had....

Yep, every heroine dreams of two pre-pubescent boys giddy to just be touching a female...

I was shocked to see something actually very modern and wearable in this century!

Saving the best for last, the knitted clothing:

Makes you wonder how many times those tights got worn. White itchy yarn and little girls don't mix well.

She's actually cute. He, on the other hand, needs a haircut, a shave, and a decent pair of shoes.

Taking a cue from Scarlett O'Hara, Carol fashioned some lovely skirts from doilies she salvaged from the tablecloth.

Rainbow sweater, pants, scarf, belt, and hat? Check, check, check, check, and check.

The perfect "Let me slip into something more comfortable" outfit!

Wow. Just wow.

I just hope she doesn't get too hot. Sweating in this outfit could turn out to be a disaster.

You can tell they're in love by the spark ~~in their eyes~~ on their sweaters.

Even the model is thinking, "Seriously?"

A Castle Fit for a Queen (or three!)

2011-02-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

Check out this playhouse at Costco:

My kids saw it in the store recently and both became quite wide-eyed over it. You can only imagine their surprise to see an even spiffier version at Grandma and Grandpa's house! Shelby, Haley, and cousin Ashlee all grilled, washed, ding-donged, shopped, cultivated, shared, and pretended 'til we made them come inside.

Welcome to my castle!

Check out what's cookin'!

Ta Da!

The windows open and close!

A "real" sink!

Ring the doorbell!

Join me for tea!

I think if I could have fit it in our carry-on luggage, the whole thing would have come home with us. There is nothing a mom loves better than something that entertains the kids for more than the time it takes to make dinner!

A Whole New Bear

2011-02-27T05:52:00.000-08:00

Haley has been a wee bit high maintenance pretty much since the day she was born. She has her own agenda, and most days I am just here to interrupt that, causing major screaming and wailing. The bottom line is that she uses her adorably cute smile to try to get away with anything.

True joy

All of her challenges were gone for one night on our recent get-away to New Mexico. Bryon's parents bravely volunteered to keep Shelby overnight while we stayed in Santa Fe. It dawned on me that it was the first time Haley Bear had been an "only" child. She ate it up!

Look, Ma, just one car seat!

She was happy to follow my commands and obey. She didn't try to run away while I changed her diapers and clothes. She sat still in the restaurants and ate her meals like a champ. I think she went a whole 24 hours without one classic meltdown.

Who is this kid that sits so still?

The bottom line is Shelby needs to start watching her back. Haley's new agenda might just be to get rid of her big sister!

Because You Want to be JUST Like Me!

2011-02-17T07:36:00.000-08:00

To be just like me (nerdy, sleep deprived, and cheap), just become obsessed with the following:

Target Wedges (perfect height, not totally uncomfortable, and on sale for $22)

My doll-sized quilt, finally finished!!

The clothes at www.bodenusa.com. Check out this adorable tunic! (It's been in my shopping cart for 2 days. I just can't bring myself to pay $75 for one shirt, but since I am going back to work full-time soon....)

Ruffled pillow cases. Adding ruffles to anything makes all the girls in my house happy.

Cutest mushrooms ever!

Hannah Anderson Dresses I stumbled upon a whole table full of tons of these last week at Costco for only $13, WAY cheaper than the website

Great books I've read lately: The Glass Castle: A Memoir, Those Who Save Us, Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset, Fancy Nancy Collector's Quintet (I Can Read Book 1)Sid the Science Kid: What's that Smell? (I Can Read Book 1)*

*None of the things I am currently obsessed with are paying me for this post. However, I will take commissions on the ruffled pillowcases. Price is the cost of fabric plus drinky-drink at girls' night out!

What Started Out So Lovely...

2011-02-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

Wednesdays are my favorite day of the week. It's always my day off. My house is always clean thanks to my wonderful nanny, Gloria, being here all day on Tuesday. And, our favorite activity, storytime, is at 10 am at the Valley Ranch library.

On this Wednesday, I woke up thinking it was going to be a fabulous day. I knew before we even left the house that I was going to write a blog about our wonderful librarian, Stephanie, and how much my kids love her.

Stephanie teaching the kids a new song

We arrived early at storytime, so we went down to the canals to feed the ducks. They were delighted to get bread from the girls, and in return, the girls squealed at the ducks' actions.

We stopped at the water fountain, just like always, to get a "quick" drink beforehand, and I was able to snap some decent pictures for once. Still, the day was going well.

Miss Stephanie has the kids sing the best songs every week. "Turn Around, Turn Around", "Shake, Shake, Shake Your Sillies Out", and "Open Them, Shut Them" are our favorites.

Zip your mouth up tight!

Check out how much energy they are burning dancing to "Shake Your Sillies Out":

It was shortly after that video that things started to go south. Apparently, Shelby didn't "shake all her sillies out" and refused to sit still. While I was desperately trying to get her to behave, Haley was busy bumming snacks off of anyone willing to share (and even some kids that weren't so willing).

After about 15 minutes, I jerked them both out the door and drug them to the car. Shelby LOST it, in classic two-year-old style. Ten minutes later, I finally had her pinned down long enough to buckle her in the car seat. After slamming some car doors, we made it back home.

My sister once told me she repeatedly had to remind herself she was bigger and stronger than her toddlers. Her words were ringing in my head and were the only thing that kept me from giving in.

Sorry to tell you this, Miss Stephanie, but we will be back next week to terrorize the toddlers. I can only hope my threats of "If you don't sit down and be still, we will just go home" will be a little more effective!

THUMB-body loves you!

2011-02-12T20:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks to bone-chillingly cold weather, I was forced to come up with way too many ideas to keep the family entertained. Thanks to familyfun.com, I saw some cute Valentine card ideas. So, out came the red paint (eek!), some card stock, and lots and lots of towels.

"More paint, Mama!"

It all added up to about 20 minutes of fun, but keeping toddlers covered in paint corralled got to be too much for this ol' lady. Red paint and cream carpet do NOT make for a good mixture. Getting decent pictures to go along with the project was close to impossible.

Yes, those are Christmas PJ's Haley is wearing in February. Do you even have to ask why?

But, in the end, I thought the cards turned out adorable.

Thumb-body loves you
We TOE-tally want you to be our Valentine
We think you are TOE-tally HEEL-arious (for Grandpa Walt)
You are one HANDsome guy
You knock our socks off

Time to Party!

2011-02-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

Recently, the folks at Coffee-Mate sent me a whole bunch of freebies to use to throw a baking party.

Goody bags for everyone

Did someone say "free"??

Being trapped for days on end gave me plenty of time to get everything together and do some baking. I hadn't ever used Coffee-Mate in baking and decided to try Parisian Almond Snickerdoodles, Peppermint Mocha Cheesecake, Cream Cheese Cookies, and whip cream flavored with Hazelnut creamer.

Powdered creamer in baking?

We had lots of fun trying the new things. I plan on flavoring my whip cream with different CoffeeMate from now on, as it didn't add too much sweetness and thin it out like vanilla. Thanks to everyone for braving the weather and coming over for a playdate!

Bev helping scoop the cookies

Snowed In...Again...

2011-02-04T07:38:00.000-08:00

It's been below freezing in DFW for FOUR straight days now. The whole area is going stir crazy being shut up indoors for that long. Needless to say, my house is included. What to do when it looks like this?

"A light dusting" was predicted.

Bryon shoveled the sidewalk.

I baked.

Playing with puff pastry to make "shells"

Mint mocha cheesecake

Bryon built the girls an obstacle course.

King of the Mountain

I fed the girls limes just to see their faces.

Ready, set, eat!

Haley's sour face

Shelby's sour face.

And, the snow is falling even heavier than ever today. I see sledding this afternoon followed by heavy drinking, eye gouging, and hair pulling. Pictures to posted later!

This Made My Day!

2011-01-25T19:07:00.000-08:00

It's the little things in life that really make me smile. Is there anything cuter than these two girls?

Their sitter, Gloria, must have used promises of candy to get them to sit still long enough to perform these miracles with their hair.

Not only did Haley get her first pigtail, she got FIVE! I'll fall asleep with a smile thinking of my cuties!

Sewing in a whole new way (at least for me)

2011-01-21T07:43:00.000-08:00

Who knew that:

My sewing machine could stitch through cork board?

My ~~guest bedroom~~ sewing room was crying out for a bulletin board that could be used to remind myself what projects I wanted to create next. I found this really cool tutorial. The last step is to sew through your fabric and cork using a zipper foot. I had my doubts, but after some ~~cussing~~ seam ripping, I finally got the hang of it.

Practice board that my lucky sister will receive

Wonder Under can be used to adhere fabric to cork board?

The cool tutorial also called for ironing Wonder Under to the cork like so:

It started smelling like burnt cork for just a minute or two...But, the finished project turned out really cute!

Message board for myself

Belen, New Mexico has a really cool vintage fabric store?

Did you notice the green and blue trim used in my board? I found it at Bernie's in Belen while on a shopping excursion with my mother-in-law. It was stocked to the gills with all kinds of vintage fabrics and notions. Just wait until you see the loud and obnoxious 70's polyester fabric! I have FIVE yards just waiting for the perfect project. The next time you find yourself in Belen, you must stop by Bernie's, even if you don't sew or craft.

It's a Love/Hate Relationship

2011-01-19T19:55:00.000-08:00

Oh, IKEA, how you tease me, with your cheap prices and your unusual style!

You helped furnish Bryon's apartment when he was temporarily transferred to Austin. We stocked the whole place for under $300. But, the "metal" you used to make the pots, pans, utensils, and silverware was so flimsy that it bent with the first use.

Your beautiful blue mega-store is like a beacon to all that pass by. That place you have up in Frisco, Texas is bigger than the whole town I grew up in. Unfortunately, everyone within a 180-mile radius gets sucked into your vortex, causing the population in the store to swell to double that of my hometown. This small town girl can't handle that many people in one place.

Step into the light

IKEA, you are so good to my friends. I go to their houses and admire their cool stuff. When they break the news that their awesome decor came from you, my heart sinks knowing I will never find that particular item again.

(Unless it is the ubiquitous POANG chair that exists in 78.4% of homes, mine included)

And, so, it comes to this. My cousin Wendy had these perfect step stools:

And, of course, when I found out they were from you, IKEA, I just knew my chances of finding another one were slim to none. I was willing to take that chance just to drop my now-potty-trained kid off in your "Smaland" to play while my other munchkin and I searched for the cool stools.

Yet again, our love/hate relationship reared its ugly head. Shelby was two tiny, itty-bitty-but-oh-so-huge inches too short to ever see the inside of "Smaland", so I was stuck hauling both kids around your ginormous store.

Two hours later, you managed to sell me two stools (score one for me!), eight yards of fabric, and four different Swedish toys that my kids will play with for all of 12 hours before they fall apart. You also managed to feed all three of us for only $11 (including a "princess" dessert) and let us use your restroom FOUR times.

Pretty fabric, but will it wash well?

Who knew $1.99 finger puppets could be so fun?

Time for the puppet show!

So, IKEA, with today's successful shopping adventure, our relationship will go on. In the future, try to make just a little more commitment to your manufacturing so that your merchandise will last a little longer than it takes to write a blog post!

Wake Me, I'm Dreaming!

2011-01-10T10:51:00.000-08:00

It was a long weekend. A VERY looooong weekend. One of those weekends where we all have a meltdown at some point. Potty training, back pain, freezing rain, broken promises of sledding, and teething wore us all out. Just when I think I have reached my parenting threshold, a day like today comes along to remind me that I do love my kids afterall.

Haley woke up at 7:00, and she actually snuggled (!) in bed with me for a solid hour. This little girl hasn't snuggled with me for more than 15 seconds since the day she was born.

When Shelby rolled out of bed at 8:00, she and Haley played "tea party" for quite awhile. I had a hard time getting a decent picture because they both were so into their pretend playtime.

In fact, they played for so long that I had time to sew some goodies for my sister's desk. Being a Spanish teacher, I figure the Day of the Dead fabric will go well in her classroom. So my seams don't line up and the inside of the pencil holder looks like it ate a sour grape, but it was fun making the bias tape and piping.

Also better today has been potty training. I decided to quit asking if it was time to tinkle and just let Shelby come to me. So far, so good! Lucky me gets to go to Chuck E. Cheese once she fills up her sticker chart...

One last high note of the day is the recipe I found online this morning (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chicken-creamy-corn-potatoes-90081.aspx). I'm actually excited to try this one tonight, as cream cheese is one of my favorite things of all time! I'll definitely be trying lots of recipes from the Philadelphia cream cheese website.

And, in conclusion, after proofreading this post, I have realized I need to get a life when recipes, bias tape, and tinkling make me happy!

My Quilt is Coming Along...

2011-01-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

Emily and I finished up steps 3 and 4 in our little quilt along series. Check us out:

Finally got the chain stitching down!

Emily's quilt + 1/4th of the border

Adorable...until you are trying to sew, and she won't move!

Monica's top

End of step 4 (about 5 hours total so far for Emily and I)

I am having a ball learning to quilt and can't wait for the next session!

Public Television, My New BFF

2011-01-07T19:12:00.000-08:00

Before kids, PBS was a channel we never watched. Now, it is one of our favorites, with Sesame Street and Word World being recorded every day. Those Word World writers are so creative, making objects out of letters. Just check out that adorable pie:

Watching Sesame Street has brought back so many memories for myself. I grew up with Snuffy being Big Bird's imaginary friend. Now, everyone knows him. Some of the old songs (1-2-3-4-5...6-7-8-9-10...11-12 by the Pointer Sisters) end up on the new episodes, and I just love it! Even my old favorite, the Tweddle Bugs make an appearance now and then.

The biggest change from PBS 1978 and PBS 2011 is the internet. Moms, have you checked out www.pbskid.org? Miss Shelby L-O-V-E loves it, especially the island link. We reached a milestone this week when she finally learned how to work the mouse. She spent well over an hour tonight, with her cute pudgy legs propped up, exploring the website and playing the games. I couldn't even snap a decent picture since she wouldn't take her eyes off the screen!

Just be glad I don't know how to download videos off of my new camera yet, or I would be torturing you with a 38 second video of a toddler putting together a virtual puzzle!

What's Up With What's For Dinner??

2011-01-05T10:56:00.000-08:00

Notice that new gadget in the right column, titled "What's for dinner"? My witty friend, Rita, came up with the idea. Her New Year's Resolution is to "Be a Better Meal Planner". In an effort to inspire each other, she is posting what is for dinner at her house. So, I'm going to attempt to post "What's for dinner" at our house each night also. I'm sure 99% of you really don't care, but maybe it might hold me a little more accountable to planning decent meals around here.

And, as I am finishing this blog post, I just realized I left my frozen pizza in the oven 4 minutes too long...maybe I should change it to "What's for lunch?"!!

And How I Spent My Evening....

2011-01-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

Most of the day was spent listening to screams of "Just put a diaper on me, Momma." I am determined to win Standoff at the Pfaff Powder Room 2011!

While Mom was busy fighting the good fight, Munchkin #2 was busy seeing what she could get into.

And after they were both tucked in bed, I got busy making a baby gift for our new niece, Isidora, born 12/31/10. Congrats to Bryon's brother and family! I had seen this great tutorial and couldn't wait to get started on it once I found out the name Here's the sample I was going for:

Unfortunately, Little Isidora made her appearance two weeks early, so I got started on it a little late. Such is life...

You can read the tutorial for yourself, but here are the changes I made:

1. Letters printed in Cooper Black font size 500, printed in outline.

2. I traced the letters onto wax paper using a sharpie and then traced a second set about 1/4" inside the printout to use as a pattern for the batting to stuff the letters. I used two thicknesses of batting.

3. Forget hand sewing! I used my machine to stitch them together. If I was a more experienced sewer, I could tell you the name of the stitch I used. At this point, it is known as "#14".

Felt + batting + batting + felt waiting for #14

The perfectionist in me sees some flaws....

Hopefully the colors with match her nursery! The felt is from www.heatherbaileystore.com and comes in a handy pack.

I would love to hear your thoughts on my little gift!

The finished product

How I Spent My Morning

2011-01-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again, time to make my New Year's Resolution(s). One is to potty train my oldest daughter. I won't bore you with the details. The second is to sew something new every month. January is a quilt. Being January 3rd, it was time to jump right on in.

My co-worker, Emily, bravely volunteered to do this with me. Here she is cutting out our strips:

our cheat sheet (extra scribbles thanks to some kid)

After we got it all cut out, somewhat to our instructions, it was time to sew! I just love hearing my little machine go to work.

Notice that white circle thingy trying to hide under the machine? Rookie mistake...

Seams sewn folded like that are bad. Time to get out the seam ripper!

After two short hours, we had 8 fun squares. Emily is the perfect quilting bee companion!

Emily's squares

Monica's squares