Crazy Cold, Snowy Weekend

Despite the crazy weather (since when does it snow in November!!??!), we had an excellent weekend. In case you had not already heard, we had an awesome blessing hit our family last week. Scott's schedule changed and he now works the 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM shift at the hospital!! We are SO excited that he is home for dinner with us even when he's working! He's still 7 days on / 7 days off but we hardly notice since he's with us at night now. It's glorious. Truly glorious. A definite game changer. 

It was chilly on Saturday morning, but Lila & I braved the outdoors to make a donut run. After breakfast, I found her like this on the couch. There really are no words for how big her personality is these days. 

The kids got on a kick this weekend where they wanted to print out coloring pages and then spend copious amounts of time sitting at the back table perfecting their creations. I was totally into this plan.

On Saturday night, we went to the movie to see Big Hero 6. As a FAMILY! It's the first time we've all been to the theater at the same time. We're diggin the new schedule.

Then we got the dreaded almost 2 inches of snow on Sunday. The kids were ecstatic. Me? Not so much. But I helped them get suited up and out the door for some physical activity.

I took this from the kitchen window. I'm sure it's super safe for her to be up there with the slippery branches. Grandmas - pretend like you didn't see it.

After they got cold, they came in and we made our chocolate turkeys for the first time with snow on the ground. Again, since when does it snow in NOVEMBER!?!!?

Happy Monday!

Opinions

Nate allows me to have full control over his clothes, socks, shoes and haircut. Someday this may change, although I have my doubts because he seems more than content to let me make these decisions for him. 

With Lila, I knew that she would have more opinions because she's a girl. So I savored every day that she wore the smocked clothes with matching hair bow that I wanted her to wear. I knew the day would come where she would have her own opinions about her clothes and hair. I just didn't know it would come at full force when she was 3 years old.

She had this white puffer vest that she adored last winter. And she looked so very cute in it. This year? She can't stand it. "It's white, Mom. Just plain white. I can't wear a vest that's just plan white." Wedding dress shopping should be fun. 

Her hair. Oh her hair. I probably didn't take a big enough stand on keeping it fairly short when she was younger. Rumor has it that I had very strong opinions about my hair when I was young and my mom cut all of my hair off. Ok, not all of it. But let's just say I don't like the trip down memory lane when those pictures come out. So I wanted Lila to have the opportunity to have longer hair. 

Long hair would be fine at this juncture if she would A) Let me comb it without letting the neighbors know she's in distress, B) Would be agreeable to keeping it out of her face. She has no appetite for either. However, she is very protective of her hair. Every time I say we are going to get a haircut, she starts whining that she does not want to cut her hair. So I started saying "just a trim" to soothe her. 

Yesterday was haircut day. We had already had the "just a trim" conversation a few days earlier. We were going about our business at Target yesterday morning, when our hair lady notices us and comes over to say Hi. Lila looks straight at her and says, "I'm coming to see you today." Missy starts responding and Lila puts her hand up like a STOP sign and says "Just a trim!" 

Uh-huh. 3 years old and already has strong opinions about her hair. Thankfully Missy is very laid back and successfully "trimmed" 2 inches off her hair and then had her receptionist sweep it up before Lila saw how much we cut off.

Phew. No meltdown.

Until next time.

On the Road to Indianapolis

I may have mentioned a time or two or 50 that some of our best friends recently moved to Indianapolis. The Pooleys used to live lots of hours away from us but now they live just a short drive away in Indiana. We are VERY excited at the possibility of getting to see them more!

We headed out of town after school on Friday for a Boyle road trip. It was an uneventful trip if you don't count the customary sibling fighting that always seems to occur at an increased rate in the car. It's a right of passage though, right? We arrived at the Pooley's gorgeous new home and were so happy to see our friends.

After some catching up and a good night's rest, we hung out on Saturday morning, with the kids doing a lot of this...

After we got cleaned up, we grabbed some lunch and hit the Indianapolis Children's Museum. Sometimes it's hard to believe how much these two have grown!

Getting ready to ride the elevator down to the Egyptian exhibit.

Classic Lila face!

Coincidentally Nate has a new found love for all things Egyptian and King Tut. He was very happy to get to read and explore this exhibit. They even had a mummy's tomb that you could piece back together. He loved it.

...and it took nearly every adult there to figure out how to get it back together. Team effort!

Our motley crew!

After exploring pharoahs, a shipwreck, and the Chinese Terra Cotta Army, we  hiked up to the Science floor. Where Nate learned about sounds and vibration. He more than loved touching the prong to his nose (and our noses) after banging it on the table. All in the name of science!

This exhibit was about how much sugar, oil and salt are in foods we eat. It was gross. And educational for the kids:)

Scott & Ryan also found a microscope in this area, so they were occupied for a while. Science geeks!

A carousel ride finished out our trip the museum. It was a success!

It warms my heart that these 4 always pick up right where they left off. I hope they are friends forever! 

Until next time...:)

Halloween & Then Some

I started checking the Halloween forecast 10 days before it got here. You see, it was raining last year and I hoped it wasn't going to do the same this year. Well it wasn't raining, but it was the coldest Halloween in St. Louis in decades according to the local news. Welp. At least it wasn't raining. And my kids didn't seem too deterred. I told my mom earlier in the day that I didn't think my kids got cold unless they needed something to complain out! 

When we got home from school, I let the kids chill out while I finished getting ready for dinner since we were having some friends over before trick or treating. After I was done, I proceeded to get them ready. I put Lila's hair in a bun and had her put on her leotard and tights for an extra layer. I thought she looked like a perfect ballerina. 

The making of the Elf King after Scott got home from work. Thankfully he understood what Nate wanted to be because I was lost. 

Queen Elsa!

I didn't get one of Nate by himself, it was a little crazy, but here are all the dressed up peeps. Scott was Clark Kent. He had the best glasses too that didn't make the picture. Since he works at a Children's Hospital, he thought he should dress up that day. 

My Halloween cuties! 

The Ice Queen all bundled up! 

After Halloween has officially passed, we got into full Thanksgiving mode. On Sunday, I taught Lila how to make a turkey with construction paper and a tongue depressor. I thought she would be done after the first turkey...

but she sat there for almost an hour and a half making the first turkey some friends...

because he was lonely, she said:)

Happy First Week of November!

Flashback Friday - Happy Halloween!

Leaves, Family & Pumpkins

The weather in the STL was fantastic last weekend! I snapped these pictures from our front porch. I think I say this every year, but the leaves are really gorgeous this year.

On Friday night, we attended the Fall Festival at Lila's school. It was every bit of crazy, but the kids had fun and weren't too sad when Scott & I decided it was time for us to leave, even though it wasn't over yet. I try so hard to do those little kid crowds, but after a while my OCD kicks in and I get a little cranky. Thankfully they didn't notice we were the only ones leaving:) 

On Saturday afternoon, we were able to go to Elena & Sonia's birthday party! Evan & Olga rented a bouncy house and it was a huge hit! Scott & I so enjoyed visiting with the rest of my family - Lee, Kathy, Mark and David! I didn't get many pictures because they bounced and ran around nearly the whole time, but I was able to get this one of the sweet cousins. Sonia & Lila. They are both so cute, with a hint of mischief in their eyes! 

Sunday was even more gorgeous that Saturday, so we played outside most of the day. Lila decided she wanted to garden in my flower bed. Thankfully I didn't mind too much since my flowers will probably be on their way out soon.

I was pulling some weeds in the flower bed, when I saw the leaves of this hosta start to move. I jumped back and gave a little squeal. When I looked back down, I saw this bunny right next to Lila. Ah, our never ending bunny population. Lila wanted to take him in the house, but I stood my ground on that one!

We also carved pumpkins on Sunday. We meaning Scott. He lets the kids pick out their patterns and then he goes to work. 

They are spoiled. I don't remember my parents getting this fancy with our pumpkins. 

Lila's Kitty Cat...

and Nate's Grim Reaper. Because of course.

Happy Halloween Week!

Dance Class Nostalgia

Dance class is going really well for Lila, she loves it. As for me, I am so incredibly thankful that we have a studio right down the street (literally, we could walk there if we wanted to) and that they offer a class during the day on one of her non-school days! 

I texted this picture to Jane Ellis this week to tell her that everything about sitting in the studio reminds me of her. The sights, the smells, the words, everything. We spent a lot of time in one of these, and her more than me. 

Nostalgia prompted me to ask my Mom to find a picture of JE & I doing "Put Your Little Foot" when we were younger. She couldn't find a picture of both of us, but she did find my solo shot. I'm guessing 1982 or 1983? 

I showed it to Lila and asked her if she knew who it was? She guessed me. On the 6th try. I guess I don't look much like that any more.

Bummer.