The Strauss House

2009-02-13T20:16:00.001-05:00

Obviously, I am...

2009-02-06T10:03:00.002-05:00

bit behind in posting. I hope to have the blog updated by the weekend. Wish me luck!!

Is this really Christmas Eve?

2009-01-04T07:15:00.006-05:00

So Christmas Eve arrived and I was still down and out. Emma had been sick Monday night and Tuesday morning. Dana's girls weren't feeling great. So the decision was made to cancel our Christmas Eve celebration. Dana, Amy & I have spent every Christmas Eve together since 10th grade, that would be 1989!! 2001 was the exception and we will all tell you that it was just wrong. We belong together on Christmas Eve. It has been so wonderful to share those nights with my two best friends and their moms and our siblings. As we have gotten older the celebrations included the boyfriends who eventually became our husbands. And now all three of us have beautiful daughters who are along for the ride. We certainly are very blessed to have remained friends and become family. So this year it was, as if, Christmas hadn't really come. But it was for the best. I certainly was in no shape to socialize, I spent 90% of the day asleep. I was awake long enough to get the girls ready to visit Santa in the afternoon(Thanks Grama). And then again later in the evening to watch them open their new Christmas pj's and prepare for Santa's arrival. The girls wrote Santa a note and left him some milk and cookies.

Latkes (well sort of), Dreidels & Gelt...

2008-12-27T15:06:00.008-05:00

Hanukkah has arrived and the girls are very excited. It's always a fun night here and I love celebrating Eric's holidays just as much as the one I celebrate. At the very least, we are well rounded.

Now latkes are the traditional food of Hanukkah and while we all like them, I hate frying them. It's always a mess and they're usually cold by the time we are ready to eat. So I make up a pan of "Baba cake" and all is good. When Baba would visit us she taught me how to make her potato knick, it's basically one huge latke baked in the oven. I mix together the shredded potatoes, onions, eggs, flour, salt and pepper and spread it out in a pan that has a layer of oil, the oil after all is a big part of the Hanukkah story, and baked til brown and crispy. So it's a little less traditional but it's much easier to fix and clean up!!

Some of the night's festivities...

Zinnert Family Christmas Breakfast

2008-12-21T23:11:00.003-05:00

When I was little every Christmas morning Sara and I would wake around 4:30am and hurriedly open all our presents from Santa and Mom & Dad. We play for a bit and then get ready to leave. Our first stop was our NanNan's where we had breakfast with our aunts and cousins. And more presents, of course! I remember all those Christmas mornings fondly. Breakfast was always delicious, NanNan's special egg omelet, creamed chipped beef and toast, sausage and bacon. And hot tea, I can remember Joe, Wayne and I fixing cup after cup of hot tea with milk and sugar. Now that we're all older we gather the Sunday before Christmas and still enjoy the same traditions just with much less worry about being on time Christmas morning. This year we hosted our 1st breakfast.

Christmas Concerts & Pageants

2008-12-15T04:31:00.005-05:00

Emma's Concert
Emma started taking violin lessons in school this year, a rite of passage for most 3rd graders. I was so looking forward to hearing the beautiful music she has learned to play over the past few months. Fast forward to the night of the concert. I drop Emma off early and try and secure seats with a view for all of us, Daddy, Mo, Dada, Grama and I. I failed miserably, apparently you need to arrive at 5pm and not 6:30pm! We were way in the back on the opposite side of Em, we could just barely make out the top of her hair.Anyway, the concert started, fashionably a few minutes late, and all I can say is it was "beautifully awful". I have to say though it brings back such great memories of all the years I spent in band and tortured my parents. I guess it's time for paybacks. I will say that Lucy loved it. She danced and danced, most appreciative of the music her sister made that night.

Molly's Pageant
Molly attends Community Christian Preschool, the same one Emma attended. Every year they have a Christmas Pageant for all the parents. Now this is the hottest ticket in town, the church is jammed packed with parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brother and sisters. Standing room only, the director even auctioned off front row seats! We did manage awesome seats here, thanks to Papa & Emma. Molly had a lot of fans watching her~ Papa, Grama, Dada, Emma, Aunt Sara, Alyssa, Brenden, Gabe, Daddy and Mommy. Samantha also sang that night so Aunt Peggy, Uncle Terry, Nicholas and Bradley were there too!
The past 3 times we attended them they've all been the same, although good, the same nonetheless. This year the school hired a new Music Director, Faye, who just so happens to be a very good friend of mine. It's evident that Faye loves what she does and is great at it! The kids love her, the proof is in the pictures.
It was a great night, there is something special about seeing those little kids up there singing their hearts out. Great memories are made from nights like these.

Gingerbread Houses...

2008-12-14T21:31:00.000-05:00

It was that time of year again to gather the girls and tackle the gingerbread, icing and mountains of candy. For the past few years, at least '06, we have gathered with Aunt Dana, Sydney, Katelyn, Grama, Aunt Sara and Alyssa to decorate our houses. We've learned a few things along the way but the mishaps we inevitably have are half the fun!!
The decorating of...

Showing off their creations...

And you may wonder where Lucy was during all this fun? She was napping but that didn't stop Mom from letting her enjoy some icing and sprinkles!

Think they love him?

2008-12-07T16:57:00.001-05:00

Papa, Grama, Sara, Alyssa and Brenden joined us for dinner after church, they came to see Emma play the bells.

Anyway, Mo and Lu loved doting on their new cousin. We are still calling Brenden "Baby Buzz" but not Mo. She insists that he is "Brenden" and I love the way she says his name. Too cute.

Our Christmas Angel

2008-12-06T22:25:00.001-05:00

Emma had the joy of playing the hand bells in our church Sunday school play, The First Noel. The girls, who practiced for about a month, a 1/2 hour weekly, learned to play Silent Night. They did an awesome job. It was beautiful.

Some sad news...

2008-11-30T23:18:00.001-05:00

While we were in Michigan, we were saddened to hear the news that a dear friend, Paul, had passed away. Paul's daughter Barrett and Emma have known each other since they were 3 and attended preschool together and have played soccer together many times.

We want Christine, Barrett and Rebekka to know that they remain in our thoughts and prayers as they face a new chapter in their lives.

Can she really be 9?!?!

2008-11-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

There is no way that my beautiful Emma can be 9, no way. It has been a fast and fun ride. Emma is a great girl, and really I say that in all honesty. There's no bias there at all! She is incredibly smart, made Principal's Honor Roll in her 1st marking period in 3rd grade. She has this wide eyed wonder about the world that I hope and pray takes her many places in her lifetime. She loves all things Egypt and history. Reading is her chosen way to pass the time. She has a few close friends that she adores and loves spending time with. She is very funny, mainly a result of her "dumb blonde" personality. It's with total love that I can say how smart she is and then in the next breath say how ditsy she can be as well!! She is very thoughtful and caring, the first to help out where ever she is, well, with the exception of home. She has this need to make sure all is right with everyone around her. We are told, over and over again, how well behaved she is and what a joy she is to be around. It's nice to know that we are doing something right! She certainly can have an attitude, mouth off or be mean to her sisters but it's not all that often. And there is nothing I'd change about her. I am sad she's not this cute little girl any more but so looking forward to seeing her grow into a beautiful young lady, both inside and out.

Thanksgiving in Michigan

2008-11-30T15:25:00.012-05:00

We spent this Thanksgiving with the Mason crew in K'Zoo. It was such a fun time and I know that this house wishes there weren't 10 hours between us. I am sure, though, that by now they have moved and not told anyone!!

We left home Wednesday morning, around 6:30am. Breakfast was a quick stop and eaten in the car.

We made it safely in about 9 1/2 hours, not bad, with 3 kids and a few stops. We were greeted with open arms by Nana and Uncle John. The girls quickly made themselves at home, a true testament to how welcomed we were. The girls were "playing" the piano and entertaining us with their antics. We enjoyed a nice dinner, a visit with Jane and Jim and then another celebration of Emma's birthday. I so want to turn 9 again!!!

Thanksgiving
We enjoyed 2 celebrations while in Michigan. We spent a quiet morning around the house just being. It was a great way for me to spend some quality time with Linda, I thoroughly enjoyed our chats and strolls down memory lane.
From our early dinner with Nana & Uncle John

Later that afternoon we traveled over to Dave and Beth's house for our 2nd celebration. Dave and Beth, thank you so much for including us in the festivities. Dinner was delicious and I am in love with your home, perfect for the 2 of you. I really wished Linda and I could have stayed longer. I would have loved to have spent more time with everyone. But Miss Molly is not one to fight with. When she's ready, she's ready. I am just grateful that going "home" meant going back to Nana's and not Maryland!

Friday
What I like most about our visit was the slower pace. Our lives are very busy, sometime much too busy. We never, ever seem to just enjoy time at home. I am sure it's the same in any family with small kids, nowadays. But the days seemed a little longer out there and not so rushed. We all ate breakfast together at the table, unheard of with us. It is a great way to spend the morning. Then Uncle John and Eric braved the Black Friday madness to take Emma and Molly to the mall. They were on a mission to ride the Merry go Round and hit the bookstore. Missions accomplished. While the gang was gone and Lucy was down for a nap, Linda and I rummaged through all the old family photos and papers. We had some good laughs and sad moments but it was time well spent. I will make it my mission in '09 to get the photos scanned. Once they returned we enjoyed another meal together, Thanksgiving leftovers are the absolute best!!

We were to meet Jane and Jim at Jane's house later in the afternoon. Jane had booked a suite at the hotel she works at and we had a little party there. Emma and Molly got to swim for bit, always fun to do when it's freezing outside.
After the swimming we all met back up in the room for pizza. The girls thought this was the best part of the trip. I mean who goes to a hotel just to swim and eat pizza?

Lucy had a blast checking out the swanky digs...

After the room was cleaned up, everyone bundled up and we made our way to Bronson Park. It was time welcome in the Christmas season with a tree lighting ceremony. The girls, again, had a great time here.

We left the park and headed back home to drop the girls off. Nana & Uncle John had offered to keep all 3 girls so Eric and I could enjoy a night out with Jane, Jim, Dave & Beth. We were most appreciative of this time we spent just hanging out. Eric and I never do anything like that any more, mainly because we're so tired to drag our butts out of the house past 7pm. We hit their hangout for a few hours and chatted and chatted. It is always delightful to talk to adults when day after day your world revolves around the under 4 set. It was a great end to a perfect day.

Saturday
Our last day here :( We woke up Saturday morning and again got to enjoy a nice long breakfast. Eric and I then had the task of getting everything ready to go home. It never ceases to amaze me how much crap we bring. Once we were packed we just hung out and enjoyed spending a bit more time with our hosts. Dave & Beth stopped by to say goodbye as did Jane & Jim. We ate lunch together, chatted some more and then said goodbye. It was sad to leave. Linda and John, I don't think words can adequately convey how much it meant to Eric and I all that you did for us. We enjoyed our time there more than you'll know. I think you know how much the girls loved having you around. I just wish the miles weren't so many.

A new chapter in Brownies...

2008-11-26T12:45:00.005-05:00

Emma joined a Brownie troop about this time last year and has enjoyed the time she spends with her friends every week. There were 4 other girls that are her age in her troop. Those parents and I were very dissatisfied with the direction the troop was going in. We got together and planned to branch off and start our own troop. We did just that and what an adventure it's been. Lots and lots of meetings, training and most importantly, a real sense of sisterhood between our girls and us as parents. We have 6 parents (we had a new girl join right as we were leaving the old troop) that are all willing to share in the experience and each of us brings something different to the troop. The girls are actually getting a real "Girl Scout" experience and we are thrilled to help them along on their journey. Well, ask me in another year and see if I'm still so thrilled ;)

Sleepover fun

2008-11-15T13:57:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Emma's birthday (apparently 9 is the year that your birthday lasts for well over a month with multiple celebrations!!) with a few friends from family, school and brownies. A total of 8 girls, 6 of who spent the night. The girls arrived around 6:30 on a Friday night. They started out the evening by dancing and just being silly.

Pizza was dinner, after all, it's a sleepover. Then the girls decorated their very own Tinkerbell pillowcase, this was their favor to take home.

A few other random shots from the night...

My thoughts on the night...Emma has some really great friends. There was no fighting and all of the girls got along well even though some of them had just met. We had a great time and would do it again in a heart beat.

Disney on Ice

2008-11-02T12:13:00.000-05:00

Grama has, since Emma and Alyssa were little treated us to the Disney on Ice show that comes around here in November. As most of you know, I love Disney, just about all things and wish that we could live in the Magic Kingdom. This year our gang included: Emma, Alyssa, Molly, Sydney, Katelyn, Grama, Dana and I. The first part of the show had bits from Cars, Lion King and the Little Mermaid. The second half was all about Tinkerbell! It is amazing how well done the show is. All of the girls loved it and we can't wait til next year when we can bring Lucy along!! Thanks Grama for a fun girls night out!!!

Boo to you...

2008-11-01T22:19:00.000-04:00

Halloween is a great day in our house. Since we moved next to Gail our tradition has been to have her over for dinner and then Eric takes the girls Trick or Treating while Gail and I sip margaritas!! I think it's one of the best traditions ever!! Eric, eh, not so much!

This year was a crazy day. Emma had early dismissal at 1:25pm with her parade starting at 12:45. Normally Mo wouldn't had school with the early dismissal but beings that it was Halloween she did and had a program where all the kids parade and then sing the songs they've learned. I have video and will get it up later, it's hilarious watching all the kids sing and dance. We managed with a lot of juggling and help from Aunt Carol(she was lucky enough to get to watch Lucy and the youngest 2 daycare kiddos) to see both the girls at their schools. Once we got home and all the boys left we spent the time before dinner hanging out with Papa. Shortly after we got home Grama, Sara, Alyssa, Dada, Gail and Emma's friend Sandy showed up for dinner. We made pizzas, remind me next year to just order them, and once everyone was fed the girls got ready to hit the neighborhood.

Emma went as Felicity dressed for the Governor's Ball. Her school likes to encourage the kids to come as their favorite story book character.

Molly went as a butterfly fairy. It was a recycled costume of Emma's. She originally wanted to be Barbie as the Island Princess. We agreed and made her a dress from a white bed sheet. That's what she is wearing at the nursing home but it was a bit too cold for a sheet, not to mention that it didn't stay up very well. I managed to convince her that the butterfly was the way to go!

Lucy was Pooh's Hunny Pot. It was Emma's first Halloween costume so it brought back some wonderful memories. She was none to thrilled to have the lid on her head, nor did she want to Trick or Treat. She plopped herself in the front yard and stayed there til she went to bed at 7pm. I think she was outside with us a total of 20 minutes. A far cry from her 1st Halloween when all she wanted to do was sip the margaritas, at just shy of 4 months old!!

Tricking or Treating with NanNan...

2008-10-30T23:38:00.000-04:00

The nursing home that NanNan resides in hosts a Trick or Treat with the residents followed by a magic show for the kids. The girls enjoy this a lot, we've gone now for the past 3 or 4 Halloweens. We almost missed it this year as Grama told us it started at 7pm. Well at 6pm she called us and said it had already started. I told the girls we weren't going to go as we'd miss most of it. They threw a huge fit so we raced around and arrived at the nursing home at 6:33pm.

It's always fun to see the residents interact with the kids and vice versa. One little old lady in a wheelchair took a liking to Lucy and I thought for a moment she'd wheel off with her!

The Big "D"

2008-10-22T14:04:00.018-04:00

Emma and I just got back from our weekend getaway to Dallas to visit Uncle Joe and see the King Tut exhibit. Emma has been fascinated by all things dealing with Egypt since she met her friend Sandy. Sandy isn't actually from Egypt but Emma will tell you differently, her parents are though. I had a great time with just Emma and I think she enjoyed the one on one time a lot. Joe was a fabulous host (but the American Girl store pushed him over the edge!).

We arrived on Thursday night. Emma has flown a few times before but this was the first time she actually remembers, the last time she flew she was 3. She was extremely anxious but once we got in the air she "Loved It!" (She must have said "I Love It" a thousand and one times. Uncle Joe ordered pizza for dinner and we headed to bed around midnight our time.

Friday morning was the day we were most looking forward too. King Tut was on the agenda!! But we made a stop at the Chase Tower where Joe's former room mate was working. Paul took us up to the Sky Lobby (it's on the 40th floor and has gorgeous views of the city). He was fabulous with Emma and she took right too him.

From there we walked the few blocks to the Dallas Museum of Art. The exhibit was incredible and something that if you get a chance to see, please see it. Emma enjoyed it immensely, although she wished for more King Tut stuff. A lot of the exhibits were artifacts from his relatives. But the pieces are breathtaking. Unfortunately, they allow no photos from inside the exhibit.

We hit the Grand Lux Cafe for a nice lunch and yummy, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. Next stop was the American Girl Bistro and Boutique. Emma brought along Felicity so she could have her hair done. Nothing like paying to have a doll's hair done!!!
The boutique was great and as much as the dolls cost, Emma loves them and they have great messages behind them which sort of ease sticker shock.

At this point we had worn Uncle Joe out and headed back to his place for a short break. Emma snuggled up in the living room for a read.
Later that night we enjoyed a performance of the play "The Mummy's Claw" at the Dallas Children's Theater. We were able to get 2 free tickets through the Free Night of Theater. Next year it's worth checking out, lots and lots of free shows all over the country. The play was hysterical and was a fun night out.

Another full day was on tap for Saturday. We enjoyed a leisurely morning lounging around the house. Emma helped Joe take care of Bella and Cooper, his 2 adorable doggies. For lunch we met up with 2 of the girls, Elizabeth and Marci, that I chat with online. I've "known" them for the past 2 and 1/2 years and it was fun to put a face to their online persona. I am sure some of you may think I'm nuts but I feel so at ease with the group of online friends that have become part of my life. I have had the pleasure of meeting several of them in person and everyone is just who they are on the boards. We share the ups and downs in each others lives and some days I'd be lost with out them. It's very hard to explain but I am glad that I found them. Elizabeth's husband and son, he is only a few years older than Emma joined us for lunch as well. We had a great time. Afterwards, we made our way to the Dallas Arboretum. It was an absolutely beautiful day and was a great way to spend the afternoon.
When we finished up at the arboretum, Emma and I said goodbye to Joe, he had a party to attend that night, and headed off to play putt-putt with Elizabeth, Elizabeth's son, Marci, Marci's husband and their 2 boys. It was a lot of fun and all 4 kids got along quite well. Here are the final scores from the game:
Randy (Marci's Husband) - 43
Andrew (Marci's oldest son) - 49
Marci - 50
Robyn - 50
Elizabeth - 51
Elizabeth's son - 54
Jake (Marci's youngest son) - 56
Emma - 76 (She was hilarious! She would swing her club right handed, left handed, one handed, not looking at the hole, anything goes!)

After the game, Randy and Andrew went home for to watch the Longhorns play. The rest of us headed out to dinner at Applebee's. Again, it was a fun time and I am so glad that I got to meet up with 2 absolutely wonderful women that I consider my friends. Elizabeth was kind enough to chauffeur us around and brought us back to Joe's for the night. Emma quickly headed off to bed and I spent a few quiet hours by myself. Sunday morning was spent packing up and getting ready to head to the airport. Joe dropped us off at 11:30am and Emma and I spent the time recounting our trip. The thing that impressed Emma the most...The Chase Tower!! We got back to Baltimore about 7pm and Eric, Mo and Lucy were there to greet us.

Marci and Elizabeth gave each of the girls a Longhorn and it seems that the girls loved them!

My final thoughts...A great weekend with Emma. I am proud to call her my daughter. Well, most of the time anyway! She deserved some special time away from the day to day craziness of our lives.

Corn Mazes and Pumpkins

2008-10-12T20:33:00.015-04:00

This year we made our trek out to North Run Farm with Dana, Kevin, Syd, Kate and Alyssa. We were very excited to trek through the corn maze. Last year the maze was short and dried up over the vast majority of it therefore, not very fun to navigate through. This year the corn stalks were taller than all of us so it was much more challenging. We choose the Republican path, why, because it was shorter. A good thing when you've got 6 girls who can always find a reason to complain!

See for yourself:

This year

Last year

After the trek, which really didn't take all that long by the way, we went on a hayride. There was not stop at the patch, we just circled around the back of the farm. We had to go back to the farm entrance to pick our pumpkins.
These 2 cuties were the only 2 that would look at the camera while on the ride.

The girls showing off their pumpkins

Just a few random shots from around the farm...

Apple Picking

2008-10-11T21:17:00.010-04:00

On Thursday the girls and I, along with my girlfriend Dana, her girls Sydney & Katelyn and Allyson (my daycare kiddo) went apple picking at a farm nearby. Ok, really it wasn't so close, 30 miles or so, which seemed like 3,000 miles when you have 6 loud, chatty girls in the back.

The farm was packed. I guess most of the schools were off since it was Yom Kippur so everyone decided it would be a great day to visit. (Remind me, I have a funny story regarding Emma and Yom Kippur. I'll get to it at the end of this.) Anyway the girls had a fun time finding their way in and out of the straw maze. I will say that none of the girls would do well living in the country or working a farm. They are all big complainers- "It's too hot, I'm tired of walking, When are we going to pick apples?"
"Now!"

One of the things that Eric and I struggle with is religion. Neither one of us are terribly religious but know that it's very important to instill a faith in the girls that will help guide them through life. We celebrate each others holidays and have since we've been together. What we need to do now that the girls are getting older is to really get into the meaning behind all the celebrations, not just the fun parts. While I know we don't have the ideal solutions all the time we try our best. Eric and I have talked about when the girls are old enough to give them the option of partaking in each holiday's ritual. Emma was insistent upon fasting with Eric this year. Eric said to go for it and Emma gave it her best shot. She ate dinner on Wednesday night and then off to bed. Thursday morning she came downstairs, looking rather sad, and asked me when she could eat again!!! I tried to explain to her that she couldn't eat until the sun went down. "But mom, that's a long time from now!" Needless to say, she wants to try again next year.

A picture is worth a thousand words....

2008-10-06T14:37:00.011-04:00

So what are these worth?

I have no words. I do find it hilarious, even though I cried. She loves her new 'do. I thought about letting it stay that way but Eric refused to be seen in public with her. He's absolutely no fun whatsoever. I did take her for a proper haircut and held strong when she asked for a lollipop. I told her she didn't deserve one and then the tears came. But no lollipop for her. Oh and Eric brought her to tears once again when he told her she looked like a boy after she asked me if I could put her hair up in a bun. :(

Here's a pic of her new 'do

She's walking....

2008-09-22T21:10:00.007-04:00

Lucy that is! She started taking a step here and there about mid August. She'd get so excited and couldn't get past those first few steps before she fell down. But the past week she is all over the place!!!

Here are her 1st Birthday pictures. Promise me that you won't tell anyone she really is 14 months old in them.

Mo's first day...

2008-09-05T17:50:00.005-04:00

FINALLY!!!!! I've longed for the day that she started school this year and it finally arrived. I love her with all my heart but the afternoons we spend together are sometimes (well most times) exhausting. Mo doesn't nap unless I threaten her which some days it comes to that. Yes, I know that horrible but it is what it is and she still loves me. So the fact that she will be attending school on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from noon to 2:30 is a welcome relief. We will garner a new appreciation for one another I'm sure. I love her versions of the events of her day. Today she told me that she had a great day even though "the boy in the blue shirt didn't listen to the teacher you know." I asked her if she listened to her teacher and she told me "of course Mom!" with a roll of the eyes.

Emma's First Day of 3rd Grade...

2008-08-25T13:34:00.008-04:00

Today Emma excitedly started school! She is even hoping for homework tonight. Gotta love the girl who loves school. As excited as I am to get some semblance of a routine here I am sad that summer is over. It means she is growing up (way too fast by the way!) and I feel horrible for wishing her life away.

Here's a look back from the past few years....
Preschool

Kindergarten

1st grade

2nd grade

Tea Time!

2008-08-17T19:18:00.009-04:00

Emma and Molly's cousin Nikki (along with her grandmom, Aunt Carol) hosted an all girl Tea Party. 10 little girls all dressed to the nines showing off the hats they each made.

They showed off their practically perfect manners while enjoying all the delicious treats Nikki and Aunt Carol made.

How cute are these 2?!?!

It was definitely a fun day and something all of the girls enjoyed tremendously.

Camping with Grama and Papa...in Millersville!?!

2008-08-17T10:17:00.002-04:00

The girls love to camp or at the very least stay in the cabins but the thought of dragging them far away is daunting. The local KOA campground is right around the corner from Papa and Grama's and provided for a getaway while not getting away too far!

Nikki, Aunt Carol and Gramps joined us Saturday afternoon for a bit.
The girls spotted this car at the campground and thought it was the best thing ever.

We ended Saturday night with by roasting marshmallows.
The girls really had a great time throughout the weekend. I would love to start taking the girls camping on a regular basis as it is a great way to get away and relax (well sort of as it really is a lot of work, but fun nonetheless!) Maybe next year we'll invest in a tent and hit the road.

Feeding Time

2008-08-11T14:18:00.000-04:00

The other night Lucy made her way out to the kitchen while Blackie and Brandi were eating. She must have been hungry as she helped herself to a few bits of kibble!

She threw a fit when we took it out of her mouth. The dogs didn't seem to mind one bit. I can remember Emma doing this and freaking out and not even letting the dog food touch her lips. I guess we've learned to relax over the years.

Emma and VBS

2008-08-08T23:09:00.006-04:00

Emma has always loved to go to Vacation Bible School in the summer. She thoroughly enjoys the music, time with friends and most importantly the messages. This year she has spent the past week at not one but two VBS's. In the morning she went with her friend Lizzie to the "Emma Church". The church is the Emmanuel Lutheran church and we'd pass it every day on her way to preschool, she nicknamed it that. She loved going there and she came home saying it was the best VBS ever. She got a ton of goodies and a new CD that she has been singing along too. She even made this cool shirt there (once I find the camera cord I'll post a pic!), the theme for the week was the Rainforest.

At night she attended VBS at Jenkins Memorial. We love Jenkins, everyone is always welcoming here and it's right up the street. I hope to actually attend services with the girls on a regular basis this fall. But anyway, she has been going here since she was 4. The volunteers all know and love her. She gets a big kick when we run into someone at the grocery store and they recognize her! This year Mo tagged along for the 1st 3 nights and did surprisingly well. The theme here this year was "Surfin through the Bible". Lots of cool crafts and goodies came home along with some really fun beach songs. Molly, Mama, Dada and I joined Emma for the last night. The kids sing the songs they learn, Emma even got a small speaking part and she did great! The program was followed by an ice cream social, perfect for Molly!!

Thanks Jane!!!

2008-08-08T15:00:00.000-04:00

Emma and Molly were so excited when they opened a package that came for them and found these great "Tiggers" shirts!! They have already gotten a lot of wear. Thanks Jane, and Jim too!

Tonsils and Adenoids and Anesthesia, Oh my!!

2008-08-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

Molly, Grama and I were at the surgical center bright and early yesterday. We met with the nurse, Mo's Dr. and the anesthesiologist all who were very nice and took the time to explain things to Mo. Mo was not happy and all she wanted to do was go home. I finally managed to get her in her gown and cap, isn't she cute?!?

When they took us to the operating room Molly was fine until we had to get her onto the table. It took 4 of us to hold her down and keep the mask on her face to get her to go under. Once she was under, I left, found Grama and we waited. The surgery took about an hour. The nurse came and got me and was telling me that Molly was awake and very agitated. Boy, were they right. Molly was thrashing around in the bed, kicking and screaming. At one point she tried to jump off the bed. What a difference between Emma and Molly. Emma came out of anesthesia perfectly, she just sort of woke up and was ok with the world around her. Molly asked for Grama and the nurse went out and found her in the hopes it would settle her down a bit. What did settle her down was the pain meds, they took the edge off enough for her to sleep a bit. Even sleeping you could tell how unhappy she is (she really is sleeping and not faking it)!!

I have to say that even though the time at the surgical center was horrific once we got her home she has been a great patient. She is taking her medicine when needed and she is eating a lot of ice cream and popsicle sticks. Her and I have spent the down time coloring, reading and watching a few movies. It's been wonderful to slow down a bit with her. Today has been a good day as well. The only way you can tell she has had anything done is by her voice, she sounds slow and swollen.

Keep your fingers crossed this helps her sleeping habits!!

Mo's Imagination

2008-07-31T10:31:00.004-04:00

Monday morning Mo found a bag of powdered sugar and started carrying it around like a baby. She aptly named her baby "Sugar Baby". Sugar baby went on many adventures around the house, to the grocery with mommy and daddy (Mo and Ty), the zoo and the park. All of which happened inside our house. One other thing about Sugar baby she took great naps too. If only her mommy would do the same! ;) Mo really surprised me with her devotion to a bag of sugar. It lasted for 3 days and then finally the novelty wore off when Mo declared (with her hands placed firmly on her hips) "Sugar baby is no baby, just a bag of sugar, mom!"

Welcome!

2008-07-22T21:36:00.000-04:00

Well, it's 7 months into 2008 and I can't figure out where the time went. Every day drags on yet the months fly by, how does that happen? I thought that by blogging I could keep everyone that is near and dear to our hearts up to date on the goings on around here.

Life in this house is never dull and how can it be with 3 amazing, beautiful girls. Eric and I are truly lucky to have been given this opportunity to share life with them. Years from now I hope that the 3 of them can look back and know that 1.) We love them with all of our hearts, 2.) We tried our very best to give them what they need (even if it's not what they want!) and 3.) We hope we haven't screwed them up too terribly!!

My intentions are to try and stay current and update the past 6 months when I get a chance. I hope you'll come along for the ride.

July 2008

2008-07-22T21:30:00.007-04:00

So far this month we have...

Visited the Paul/LaCroix/Bavieri crews on our annual 4th of July road trip to Massachusetts and Connecticut. Since 2003 (the only exception was last year) we have spent 4th of July up North. The kids, who range in age from 19 to 1 year, see each other once a year and effortlessly enjoy the few days they have with one another.

While there we celebrated Lucy's 1st birthday!!

Emma, Molly and Lucy hung out with Alex and Sarah, their cousins who were visiting from England. Emma really enjoys spending time with Alex. They arrived here on Sunday and Emma spent Monday to Saturday at Eric's parents. I think we saw Emma for about 3 hours total during those few days. There have many tears since Alex left. I wish they could see each more often. Molly who exists in her own world most of the time was happy to see everyone and thoroughly enjoys the time she spends with them but isn't devastated when they leave. I think Lucy got a kick out of having someone her own size around!

June 2008

2008-07-10T20:32:00.033-04:00

June was a busy month (well, they all are but this one was jammed packed!) Emma played her last soccer game of the Spring. This was the first season that wasn't co-ed. We won 1 game and tied 1 and lost many! But Emma had fun and her skills really developed.

The first year of preschool ended for Molly. She absolutely loved it, much to my surprise. Her most favorite things about preschool according to her- 1.) the playground, 2.) coloring- black was by far her favorite color as evidenced by the many pages she brought home to hang on the fridge and 3.) singing. She walks around a lot and sings bits and pieces of the songs she learned throughout the year.

Here is a link to the end of year program. It's long but fun to watch, even if you only watch a minute of it. The kids are hilarious! The one little boy who is screaming, eh I mean singing, is one of Mo's favorite friend's from school and soccer. http://www.youtube.com/user/mom2emmolu
Her preschool hosts and end of year picnic. It's just a few hours spent at Downs Park. Aunt Sara joined us for the day and Molly had a lot of fun.
She insisted that I take her picture by the water. For some reason she could not keep her eyes open.

I finally told her she had one last try and this is what I got!!

Emma's school year ended on June 6th, about a week earlier than it normally does. I don't think we used a single snow day :( As much as I hate it that she is growing up we were thrilled to see 2nd grade come to an end. Emma's teacher was out from the week before Easter until the last week of school. That brought on a lot of drama with various substitutes and the fact that the kids could not handle the rapid change of routine that was thrown at them. Sometimes I forget that she is only 8 and she is girl who thrives on routine, chaos not so much! Emma has always done well in school and struggled near the end. Eric and I were frustrated and heartbroken for Emma as she was upset that she wasn't doing as well as she normally did. But it's over and she's moving up to 3rd grade!!

Molly and I spent the night of the 11th at the hospital. She had a sleep study done to determine if she had sleep apnea. The test showed no apnea which I guess is a good thing. Her sleep though that night was far from her normal. Not once did that child move whereas at home she is all over the bed all night long. Her lack of sleep makes for grumpy Molly and Mommy. After consulting with her doctor we are going to go ahead and have her tonsils and adenoids removed. The surgery is scheduled for August 7th.

Molly celebrated the end of her 1st soccer season. I really thought soccer would be her sport. After all the time she spent at the fields for Emma's games and practices she couldn't wait to play. At her first game she went out there and played her little heart out. That is until she got trampled on, not once or twice, but 3 times. Each time got a bit worse. On the last one she was run over from her feet to her head and came up with a mouth, nose and eyes full of dirt. From that point on she seemed to not enjoy it quite as much. I certainly don't blame her. She has decided that she is "done with soccer". She wants to do "ballerina" so we'll enroll her in the county rec and parks ballet class and she how she does.

May 2008

2008-07-10T20:32:00.001-04:00

April 2008

2008-07-10T20:31:00.005-04:00

March 2008

2008-07-10T20:31:00.003-04:00

February 2008

2008-07-10T20:31:00.001-04:00

January 2008

2008-07-10T14:31:00.002-04:00