Spring Break Makes Mommy Tired

I just realized that "Spring Break" is over. We had a nice week, but it went by so fast.

I flipped the calendar to May and did not like what I saw! Maggie has her school birthday party Monday, a doctor's appointment on Tuesday, a field trip on Wednesday and then of course, our usual Thursday and Friday with Library and preschool.

We had a nice break with our zoo trip and visit to Sanford (and delivery of donations for tornado victims). Maggie & Ellie loved seeing Gammy Gladys and having lunch and going to the park with our friends.
On Friday evening, I realized that I had to come up with food for Maggie's party on Monday at preschool. Over an hour of my Saturday was spent making these...
Cake Pops!

I have a hard time making anything that you have to roll into balls or dip into a chocolate or candy coating. Thank goodness, Maggie said they were "the most beautiful things" her eyes had ever seen. The lavender candy coating matches the Disney Pricess plates, napkins and cups that we are using. I'll be stepping on those darn sprinkles for the next week or so even though I have swept and mopped and swept again!

Turning Five

We saw almost all of the animals up close when we went to the zoo, but the day was really about Maggie turning five! I took lots of pictures of her, not just because it was her birthday, but because she actually asked me to. Very rare these days!This is a five year old walking backwards up a hill.

Maggie wanted to wear a shirt that I bought her last week, but she wanted to wear it with capris. The only capris that she has for this year are the orange pair that Aunt Lisa gave her for her birthday. Imagine that, she doesn't match.

I'm not sure how it happened, but we missed these beetles last time and Maggie LOVES beetles! They're right up there with caterpillars in her book!

She chose the bird nest-spinny-thing on the carousel. Of course, Ellie wanted to ride with her, but she didn't like so many different rotations. I think she would have enjoyed a normal animal a little more.

Ellie carried an umbrella 95% of the time. I put it in the stroller because it seemed extra cloudy when we arrived at the zoo. We had perfect weather, but Ellie liked the extra protection.

Of course, it's always fun until someone gets hurt. We were getting in the car (minivan) to go to the Library to deliver a birthday card to one of our special librarians when Ellie had an accident. She was following Maggie and they bumped (Maggie really smashed into her) in the driveway and Ellie's face smacked the concrete pretty hard with her face. I reminded Maggie that it wouldn't have happened if they had stayed in the garage like they were supposed to.

Ellie's face changed colors several times after the fall and before bed last night.


Maggie was in the floor and reached for a book just as Ellie was handing/throwing it to her and of course, it hit her in the eye. She had two little marks that bled and started to swell...and then bruise.

It turns out that five is just as dramatic as four!

And that is how we celebrated turning five and how both of my children ended a most perfect day with black eyes.

Pictures will have to follow

I have four loads of laundry sitting in (on and around) the basket waiting to be folded.

I spent the first half of the day at the zoo with my two girls celebrating the five year old that may want to be four "just a little longer". Amazing. (Maggie wore clothes that totally didn't match and thought she looked great...again.)

Big Daddy's overnight trip is now one night longer.

Both of my girls have black eyes from two separate accidents and both involved a little help from a sister.

The house is a wreck and it looks like I'll be mowing the yard again tomorrow.

Thank goodness it's Spring break from preschool!!

Today You Are 5!!!

April 25, 2006
12:28 pm
8 pounds, 8 ounces and 21.5 inches long

We weren't sure that you would make it or that we would be able to celebrate your birth.

Here we are five years later celebrating the anniversary of the day that you were born...

and remembering all of the Vasa Previa babies that haven't had this chance.

M-Miracle
A-Amazing
G-Girly
G-Giggly
I-Independent
E-Endearing

L-Loving
O-Over dramatic
U-Under estimated
I-In love with your sister
S-Sweet, Sensitive, Strong-Willed
E-Easy to love

BIG Weekend!!

We sort of started our weekend on Thursday since Big Daddy had been out of town all week! We went out to dinner and then to buy a tree.

Maggie helped pick out a Weeping Cherry tree. Since it was April 21, I told her it was her due date present. :-) Both girls LOVE it! It is their job to water it every evening.Ellie's new favorite thing is to pick out her own clothes. I know that Maggie started doing this early, but not this early! Ellie's favorite thing is to wear two shirts at the same time. We call it "Ellie's layered look". I tried to ignore her when she wanted a second shirt, but she put it half of the way on by herself and I gave in.

Maggie came down with a fever (and puked on the couch) on Saturday. She was fine by mid-afternoon, but the fever came back before bed and was till there on Sunday morning. Ellie and I went to church alone.

Maggie stayed with Daddy and enjoyed wearing her jammies a bit longer.

Ellie's getting so big! Her teacher said that she'll probably move into the "big" class next week. I know she'll love it because it has centers and tables where the class that she's in know is just a nursery for "movers".

Maggie's first concern when she was ick was missing her little party on Sunday afternoon. She was fever-free and feeling good, so we had the party.

I could ask every single day, but how on earth did they get so big????

Happy Easter!!

He is not here. He is risen, just as He said.

Wordless Wednesday

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Yesterday evening, I hit a really low point. I have been checking facebook constantly for updates on the Sanford tornado donation needs. They were asking for baby bottles, formula, diapers and onesies. It really broke my heart to think of mothers that had babies that needed things that they couldn't provide. (I also think of orphans sometimes in the middle of the night because that is what I do.) It bothered me all night and then first thing this morning too.

I decided to go through clothes and ask people that I know for any donations. Big Daddy called and when I told him about it he said he thought we should plan to go to Sanford on Friday. We both feel like we need to do something. So, I have a friend that lives close by that had felt like she should donate some clothes that she needed to get rid of. She was just about to try and find a donation sight when she received my email. Right now, my minivan has a little less room in the back because we went over after dinner and picked up the clothes! I'm going to check with a few local groups on Friday and then Big Daddy are planning to purchase some of the most needed items and deliver them to Sanford asap.

**I just had another facebook friend from high school contact me to let me know that his church will also be collecting items for me to deliver!!**

I spent my morning getting things together and then right before lunch, the children lost their minds. Oh.My.Goodness. I'm not sure what happened, but they have taken turns crying all day. Maggie's excuse when Big Daddy is out of town is always "I just miss my Daddy". Of course, Maggie can't stand for Ellie to be upset so she read books to her (in her bed) for at least thirty peaceful minutes. Then she said, "Well, Ellie whined the whole time I read books and I gave her all of her babies so I think she just misses her Daddy".

Tomorrow has to be better. Maggie has an Easter parade at preschool. Ellie will have a "Nana Day" so that I can walk with Maggie three blocks to an old theater, see a magic show and then hunt for Easter eggs. Sounds fun, right?

Long Story Short

• Maggie & I had SO much fun at the Preschool Pajama Party at our church on Friday night. I love spending alone time with her! Ellie stayed with Nana & Pawpaw and didn't want to come home. The kids didn't go to bed until after 10:00 Friday night!
• Saturday afternoon we went to a special Awana event at church. Maggie raced in a Pinewood Derby at church. She built a car with her Daddy and it was fast! She came in fourth place out of 42 cars in her age group. We were very proud! (pictures to follow when I remember to upload them)
• On Saturday afternoon, a tornado hit out old hometown, Sanford. It really devastated our small town. We were at church from 3:30-7:30 on Saturday, so we didn't even find out about it until my sweet friend A called me Sunday morning before church. Land lines and cell phones had been out of service and she wanted to let me know that she was okay. (She knows that I'm a worrier!) I was hoping that she was exaggerating when she told me about the damage, but she wasn't. As soon as we were home from church, Big Daddy looked up news footage from the storm. We are SO thankful that we've been able to talk to most of our friends. Thankfully, Gammy Gladys lives on the opposite side of town and was safe. Maggie was really worried about her.

And that, is all I have.

This week is going to be big with Maggie's preschool Easter party, parade and egg hunt. we also have an egg hunt with our library friends on Thursday.
Of course, a certain four year old will be celebrating her birthday on Sunday. Maggie will be turning FIVE on Monday.
She's still an amazing miracle!

What a week!!!

I can't believe that it's only Tuesday! I have had a crazy-busy week so far, but really nothing exciting to share.

I mowed the yard (or is is cut the grass?) last Monday. Big Daddy did it again on Friday. I have just finished it AGAIN today. Can you say "they spent a lot of money on grass seed and fertilize and then God sent the rain, warm temperatures and sunshine"?

We went to a bakery today and ordered Maggie's birthday cake... for her fifth birthday! I still can't believe it.

I fold LOTS of laundry and sometimes I put Ellie's pants in Maggie's stack of clean laundry. Then, I find a pair of Maggie's pants and realize that she really is that big.

We converted Ellie's crib into a toddler bed. That means that I've gotten no more than four hours of sleep the past two nights. At 2am this morning she cried out. When I went into her room she was missing. Big Daddy and I looked for a few minutes and then he found her on the couch in the living room. Pray for Mommy!

My friend A is having surgery again on Friday. She'll be having more of her bottom lip removed. Hopefully, she will be cancer free and it will NOT come back this time. The surgery is incredibly painful and she is really worrying about it. Please pray for her.

Also, my friend C that delivered a stillborn baby boy in February is having a really hard time. We don't talk a lot in person because it's really hard for her, but we email often. She is having a hard time with going about daily activities and is just trying to figure out how to make it through each day. Big sister S is having a hard time too. I can only imagine how difficult this is and I pray for her so much.

Big Daddy's going to be traveling a bunch during the rest of April. Please pray that Maggie & Ellie can survive while he's away. They are both turning into Daddy's girls and they miss him so much when he's away.

We spent the day at the zoo, bless our hearts!

Today was Maggie's preschool "field trip" to the zoo. We all met at the entrance and then went our separate ways. Big Daddy went along and we made sure that we were far away from the preschool group. I like the students at the preschool just fine when they're at school. When you put them in a public place with their parents, things sort of go bad.

At the first exhibit, one of the parents from Maggie's class asked her if she'd registered for kindergarten on Tuesday night. When I told her that we were homeschooling, she said, "Bless your heart". It is a total rumor that you can say "bless your heart" after anything in the South and get away with it.
Big Daddy had never experienced the whole mommy unsolicited advice/opinion thing. He has now and he doesn't like it. I have never criticized people who send their kids to public school and I'd really like the same courtesy.