Easter egg extravaganza!

We had such a fun day today, and it all started with gorgeous sunshine. We walked from our house to downtown, about a fifteen minute walk, and waited in line for the Easter egg hunt at wild birds unlimited. The girls were very excited, especially lillian. When they let the kids in to get eggs, lillian jumped right in and got some eggs. Eleanor was skeptical and I had to hand her eggs to put in her bag. :-). Both girls got to meet the Easter bunny, and much to our surprise, lillian ran right up to him and gave him hugs. She kept going back to him and holding his hand. So sweet. Eleanor needed daddy to hold her if we got near the bunny, but she was definitely interested in him! We walked back home, well mostly I crawled up the big hill, and tom powered through with lillian in a backpack and Eleanor in a stroller. So strong!

After the hunt, we went to the farmers market at uptown, which was a little much for Elle. She didn't want to walk, be held, or ride in a stroller, until we got tutti fruity popcorn. She Sat down right away in the stroller for that. ;-). We went to a fun lunch, then home for naps. After naps, the girls "decorated" Easter eggs, which were plastic, and decorated by putting stickers on them. They had a blast.

What a gorgeous day we had today. Tomorrow is supposed to be just as nice, and what a great way to remember what Jesus did for us! It is so cute because when you ask lillian why we celebrate Easter, she says "baby Jesus", and when you ask what Jesus did for us on Easter, she says "Jesus saved us". So sweet.

One last cute story. After dinner, we wanted to go on a family walk, but I couldn't find my jacket. Tom looked in the car and downstairs. It was mo where to be seen. I went upstairs to look again, and tom yells to me "Eleanor found it!". She dragged it in the kitchen from who knows where saying mama, mama, mama, mama, and smiled when I praised her for helping us. Amazing what she understands and how helpful she is. So sweet.

The wait!

Today was a fun and super busy day. We started off with a little mommy lillian time and daddy Eleanor time. Lillian and mommy got to go to her ymca sports class together which we both loved. Daddy and Eleanor watched pickleball, and she loved that! We went to trader joes, and had told lillian we were going to the grocery store. Upon entering, lillian was pretty sure that it wasn't a grocery store. Ha ha. When we checked out she said "mama this not grocery store!" She's used to a cookie at the regular store and trader joes doesn't offer them (no bakery!), so it must not be one. Afterwards we ran some errands then went to tacoma to try a new restaurant! We decided to order to go, but after thirty minutes of waiting realized we should have eaten in or left! I took Elle outside and we walked up and down the sidewalk in a not so nice part of tacoma. She had a blast though, despite the 40 degree rain. We danced, we sang, and we jumped off curbs. Lillian had fun chatting with dad inside the warm restaurant building. :-). Such fun time together. After naps we got a little sun and played outside.

Cable cuddles

Today was incredibly busy and also incredibly fun. My highlights of the day were first when we went to comcast cable and there was a bit of a wait. Of course I wasn't much entertainment returning a giant cable box, so when Elle asked.me to walk around with her I said not now, ask lillian. So she went and got lil and dragged her around the store, hand in hand. So cute. My second fav memory was when we were in the car after a somewhat rough afternoon and I was on the phone with tom. I told him "everything is right now, I have my coffee, the girls have lollipops, we are driving and the girls haven't made a peep". From the backseat I hear lillian go "peep!". I cracked up, we all did. Oh how they can turn you from grumpy to happy in minutes. :-)

Tucson trip in a nutshell

We have been back from Tucson for about three weeks now. It was a great trip, but was also very exhausting with both girls getting hardly any sleep. We had so much fun visiting with all the grandparents, went to the zoo a few times, went to the mini museum, discovered how awesome chuck e cheese is, went to the children's museum, visited with lots of friends and family, and spent lots of time outside. The girls loved playing at gapa you's and c-shells house, they loved feeding the birds in the evenings, playing chuck e cheese, playing mcdonalds in the back yard, and laughing and having fun. They loved the mini museum and chuck e cheese day. I especially loved Elle nervously walking over the glass village, and lillian look at all the miniatures in wonder. We also had a blast with meemaw and gapa tom. The girls loved playing with all the fun toys, going out on the patio, playing under the dining table in the "tent", snuggling up to read books, feed Jackson some Yummy food, and having a blast. They loved the children's museum. It was fun to see how excited they got to explore all the fun stuff there! As a family we had a blast at the u of a. We went to the bookstore and let the girls pick out shirts. Lil picked out a wilma shirt and Elle picked out wilbur. They loved walking around the campus. After we went to lunch at frog and firkin and had a delicious pizza. Such good memories and so fun being home. We look forward to our next visit!

It's been a while!

Lots has happened and I've been horrible about blogging! We found out that precious baby three is another sweet little girl and are beyond excited! It's really fun because lillian kind of gets it, so she talks about how excited she is a lot, and kisses new baby a lot, and sings to her. When mommy eats, lillian says "new baby likes that!" Ha ha. So sweet. Eleanor loves babies now, and is so curious about them. She kisses my belly lots too, and wants to touch and blow kisses to new babies. When you ask her if she wants her own little baby, she enthusiastically shakes her head yes and smiles. So sweet.

We've been having tons of fun, and enjoying nice weather. We have already been playing outside a lot, and fall in love more and more with where we live everyday. It's just a great fit for us here!

I'll post some pics to catch up with what we have been up to. Mostly we play at home or outside, and just enjoy being together. :-). Lillian and Eleanor are becoming such great friends and I love seeing their relationship blossom. I'll try to get back to a blog a day. :-)

A day in our shoes :-)

I recently read a blog where the mom was tired of all the fantasy fairyland posts from moms of how perfect and wonderful their lives our, how they would NEVER. EVER. find a week old chicken nugget under their car seat. She posted a true view of a day in her shoes, and the down and dirty of what really happens with two little ones. My days, although quite perfect in my eyes since I spend them with two amazing little girls and a wonderful husband, are often times crazy and hectic. Sometimes I just want to throw a giant tantrum on the floor of target. My day today:

520am- Eleanor wakes up, I bring her to my bed hoping she goes back to sleep, but instead she feels like it is grab mommys nose and use mommy as a jungle gym time. I rock her and put her back in her crib at 6, she goes back to sleep.

6:10- I fall back asleep but then sweet lil is up at 610. I am so tired from my 520 wakeup that I ask, ok beg, her to watch a show on my phone after cuddling in bed for 20 or so  minutes. She agrees. I drift back off, every once in a while awakened by lillian saying "I need nana!" (Banana) to which I reply, half asleep, ok, just a second. Cue more sleep for me. Repeat.

7am ish- Eleanor wakes up. (this is a much more reasonable wake up time, I tell her!). We all snuggle a few more minutes while lillian finishes her show.

7:30- breakfast. I try to clean, cook breakfast and entertain them all at once. Charlie is dancing around like a circus clown, lillian is trying to make her own eggs, and Eleanor is yelling because she wants food. Yesterday. I get them fed (3 eggs, 4 sausages, a banana and jelly toast), feeling a weight off, only to hear lillian say "more hot dog?". Time for me to be Martha Stewart again. More sausages coming right up. Restaurante de tarazola.

8:30am- cleaning time. Cleaning with two little ones is like trying to clean while a hurricane is blowing through your house. You pick one thing up, turn around, and two new things are out. I dust. I wipe. I put away toys. I attempt to vacuum. Since Elle is scared of the terrible horrible vacuum monster, and lil loves to do everything herself, vacuuming is really interesting. I carry Elle the whole time, and practically wrestle lillian while she "helps" me vacuum, which really entails her trying to take over the vacuum. Really, that one little spot you have gone over 800 times is clean. Really. It is super cute though. :-) 

930: house is cleaned but looks like an army of college boys tore through it and had a rave. They say a messy house = happy kids. I'll tell ya, these kids must be REALLY happy some days. :-) I try to start laundry while Eleanor pushes the buttons and stops it each time I start it. Lillian is crying for a lollipop. I'm crying for no reason at all. ;-).

10:30am- we decide, and by we I mean me, that running around in gorgeous sunshine would be fun. I try to get ready (but look more like a mom who didn't look in the mirror, and well, I didn't!), and get the girls ready. After chasing lillian in circles to put her shoes on, we are outside. And it is so fun! The girls laugh and play and I take in my two beautiful girls and enjoy how much fun they're having. We play chase, hide and seek, and house. So fun.

1130 am- we make lunch. And yes, I said we. I decided egg salad sandwiches woould be fun and easy. Why did I think that? I bribed lillian inside from playing by saying she could help make them. Elle melts down since she missed her morning nap. Lillian bangs way too many hard boiled eggs on the counter and gets shell everywhere. She puts a cup of mayo and pickle relish in the mix. Of course with that much relish she decides it is "yucky" and only eats her bread and apples. Elle devours every bite. And lillians.

12:30- Eleanor asleep, lillian watches a show. 

12:50- lillian asleep, or so mommy thinks. I take a quick shower and step out to get some studying done. Lillian is running around her room. I leave her to see if she sleeps more.

1:00- Eleanor is screaming. No naps today. I go get lil, who has demolished her closet, turned her rocking chair upside down, and is nowhere to be seen. I panick a moment, when she finally squeezes out of the closet. Naked. Yep. I ask her why, and she says "go pee pee in that!" As she points to a soggy pull up. Poor girl.

2:00- quick snack, I actually look in the mirror and put a hat on, and we leave. I take the girls to vacuum my car, which they thought was hilarious, probably because they knew what I was getting knee deep into. Week old French fries. Moldy silly putty. A half eaten fossil of a chicken nugget. All clean. I vow that we won't be eating in my car anymore. We leave, they start fussing, so I shuttle back goldfish. Shoot. Already.

3:00- successful target trip, got a coffee and headed home. Lil wants to walk her doll, so I tell her we can play outside again. Again, fun.

5:00- the I'm hungry, you're boring and where is daddy time! We play. We eat a snack and daddy is home. Phew.

545- pizza and a movie. So fun!

630- my favorite time of night. Baths and play in mommy and daddys room. The girls love this and so do we. They are so funny and calm .

7pm- bedtime for them both.

750- they actually are both asleep.

8-930- shows and bedtime for mommy and daddy, ready to do it all again tomorrow. Wouldn't trade hr for a thing. I must have been really bored before kids.

Brush, play, and beautiful day!

We enjoyed another gorgeous, sunny and warm day here! We got to play outside twice in one day! The girls loved it. We were getting ready to leave to head to vacuum my car, go get a coffee and run to target, and I was rushing to get lillian ready. I was helping her get dressed and Elle started fussing. I couldn't juggle both kids, so asked Eleanor to go find me a brush for lillians hair. She stopped fussing and looked at me with big bright eyes. She waddled into our bedroom, and I kept getting lillian ready. I figured she found a toy to play with, but she came back a few minutes later with a brush, held it up to me and smiled. She understands everything! So sweet.

I also love how when we play outside lillian goes in her playhouse and closes all the doors and says "mcdonals momma! Dee dee boots need fench fies?". She then pretends to make some for Elle, and gives them to her. Elle always tries to go inside and lil says "no inside mcdonals dee dee boots. No." This is because I always say we aren't going inside when we eat there (which is a rare treat). Such funny little girls.