Dirty Thirty

Two week ago, M and I celebrated our birthdays together. D came up with the theme and then went to G for her help in thinking of desserts, games, etc. So for our Dirty Thirty and Dirty Three party we had sloppy joes for dinner, dirt cake in the dump truck, chocolate cupcakes with chocolate pudding inside, Oreo Blizzard ice cream cake and brownies with caramel and marshmallows. The only downfall was that M has given up chocolate (since Easter and for at least the next few months due to the fact that it doesn't agree with C). But M tried a little of every dessert...and even with only about 6 bites felt somewhat sick. So according to M that makes it even easier to stay away from chocolate for the duration of her "ban". Anyhow, D said dirty was the only word he could think of that rhymed with thirty (other than flirty and he didn't think that fit very well!!!!)Aren't we just the cutest birthday girls? G even put dirt on our faces so that we fit in with our theme!! The handprints on the signs are mine!!

My present from P&G--in accordance with the theme--was a Mud Pie Maker. I've had hours of fun with it already, even if I am just using water and grass!

I also got some golf clubs that I just had to try out right away. I even took them camping with us so that lots of people could enjoy them with me.

D and I in our silly party hats!!

Look how much I (and the tree) have grown.

I almost reach the lowest branch!

Cupcakes

On Tuesday night M helped me make my birthday treats for Day Camp. I picked out my own cupcake box at the store. I mixed it with M's help. Then M put the cupcakes in the oven for me. We made one pan plain and the other pan with mini white chocolate chips in them.

I had to taste test them to see if they were good enough to share with my friends.

Once M took them out of the pans, I did all the decorating. I spread the frosting on....

and sprinkled the sugar crystals.

Don't they look yummy?

I was very proud of them and super excited to take them to Day Camp to share with all my friends.

Day Camp

While M is at work all day, I get to spend my days at YMCA Day Camp. I love it. I get to be outside all morning long and play with my friends (back inside after picnic lunch for naps). M knows I have tons of fun, but I get tired and hungry by the evening. I usually finish my sack lunch off in the car on the way home, scarf down supper and fall asleep fast at bedtime.We have snacks and sack lunches outside. We sing lots of songs with fun actions first thing in the morning.

We make fun things and even get to paint our faces.

The best part about DC is that every Thursday we get to ride ponies (every Friday is swimming!)

The first time M told me that we were riding the ponies--the baby horses. That afternoon I corrected her and told her, "Not babies M, big horses!" M just laughed. She realized when you're 3, even the ponies look big!

I try not to have all the fun. C enjoys her time at daycare, too. This summer Miss L invites animals to come and visit her once a month. First they learn about the animal and then they get to pet it.

The first animal was Dora, the Lamb. DC hadn't started yet for me, so I got to have fun with that one.

Look, Ma, no hands!!! Even C is trying her hand at pony riding.

Quick MN trip

This past weekend, we took a quick trip to FF. We stayed with Uncle S and Aunt S. It was fun to see Cousin L's new house. We had lots of fun playing together.Aunt M even came up to join in the fun. We wanted to go to the lake on Saturday but it was too rainy and cold. So instead we hung out at the house, played some games and took a walk downtown to Summerfest.

On Sunday after church, we went and saw M's aunt. Most of M's cousins were also there. We then went and had supper with another aunt and uncle. Even though it was a trip planned on short notice, we saw everybody we wanted to see. Here's Aunt M and C relaxing after the long day. C and I did really well on our car trip. 14 hours each way and we only stopped twice on the way up and 3 times on the way home! M couldn't have asked for better travelers.

Random fun

Since the tattoo on my arm wore off, I got a new tattoo from P&G. I thought I looked pretty good with it.We are ready for summer to get here.

Here we are getting rid of all that summer dirt.

Then we have to help D get rid of the dirt off his bikes.

While M&D worked on the bikes, I played in the swimming pool and C practiced her sitting up.

Look Ma, no hands!!

M wasn't sure if she was practicing sitting, or practicing rolling over!!

Friends Reunion

Over Memorial Day weekend, D had a friends reunion. A lot of people from his days in Montana came and we all hung out at P&G's house for the weekend. Nothing exciting happened, but it was fun just playing outside and talking.

Sunday morning, the younger generations came to our house to have breakfast, while the older generation stayed at P&G so we could all have more intimate conversations.

Here's the whole group of us. Almost 40 people for 3 days of memories from the Camp Cherith and Sidney days.

Camping

C went on her first camping trip this weekend. She seemed to like it. She loves being outside because there is so much to look at.Uncle Wade was in town so he came with us.

He was the very first one to ride M's new bike (other than the test driving M&D did when they bought it). We will have lots of fun with it this summer.

C just enjoying the outdoors and the fire. The weather was absolutely beautiful. We couldn't have asked for a better weekend. The nights were still a little chilly, but the days were warm and mostly sunny. All of us got a little sunburned on our cheeks and noses--even with all the sunscreen M put on us.

I ate lots of watermelon and crackers. Notice my funny hats...I was helping M carry the bowls over to the fire.

Here I am sporting my sunglasses.

The last morning we were there was the most beautiful...no wind, sunny and warm. We didn't even start a fire, just enjoyed breakfast in the sun. 3 hours later the wind started, the clouds moved in and just as we were leaving at noon the snow started falling. Crazy Colorado weather!!!

Almost all my cousins were able to camp with me. Even G came out....she said it was better than looking at 4 walls at home in her bedroom! She did well, although she got tired easily and one morning was somewhat dizzy from her medicine.

Don't I just have the most amazing family?? I think so. We have lots of fun together.

Five months

Carrie is 5 months old.
I have a lot of fun playing with her. This weekend I tried playing hide and seek with her. I let her hide and I counted....I covered her with a blanket and stood up to count to 5. M & D thought it was very funny. I think C thought she was playing peek-a-boo.
She loves to sit up so that she can see everything that is going on. She still hasn't rolled over...she's just not interested in being on her stomach!!! We've introduced rice, oatmeal and peas to her.

She definitely has started noticing toys and will grab for her rings & books when you put them in front of her. While we were camping this weekend she noticed the design on her pj's and was trying to reach for it.

Just wanted to let you know that the look at the end just cracks me up every time!!! Kind of a "Help me I'm falling and can't get up" look!

Allergies.....

Since M went back to work I have been having some minor health issues. It started off as a persistent cough in the mornings and whenever I was really active. At first M&D just thought it was a little cold, but after coughing for 3 weeks and coughing so hard I threw up twice, M finally took me to the doctor. The first time we went they treated me for a sinus infection. That didn't seem to work, so when C had her 4 month appointment in mid April, M asked the doctor what else to try. He suggested it might be allergies, so try Benadryl. That didn't work either...I was still coughing at night and in the morning and after a week of sleepless nights we went back in a third time...this time the doctor examined me and when he got to my nose he knew it was an allergic reaction so he prescribed a nasal spray. That seemed to help some. But then a week ago, I got a cold on top of my allergies and really felt bad. I went to bed Saturday night with 101 fever, but woke up Sunday morning with a normal temperature. However, all I wanted to do was lay around and moan, so D stayed home from church with me. After I woke up from nap I had another 101 fever. Once M gave me pain medicine I started feeling better, so I got up to start playing. That's when the wheezing started. M thought it was because I was actually moving around, so she waited until Monday morning to take me to the doctor. The doctor was very concerned that it might be pneumonia, so she sent me for a chest x-ray.
Luckily it wasn't pneumonia, but I did have inflammation in my airways. Basically I was having a asthmatic episode.

So the doctor prescribed a nebulizer for me to try and clear up my airways. I had to wear this mask for 20 minutes, 3 times a day for one week. The only side effect was the it made me super hyper--more than I already am. I was bouncing off the walls most evenings! This treatment seemed to be the solution, since I haven't coughed for 2 days now.

However, M has a feeling this isn't over yet. Last year she suspected I had allergies, but it only lasted a few days not 3 months. But the news has said that this was the worst allergy season in many years, so I guess it makes sense that it hit me so hard. The next step (according to 2 doctors--since my main doctor is leaving and another is taking over his practice) is to see an allergist/asthma specialist to try to narrow down exactly what I am allergic to. M suspects it is pine pollen (since that is what she is allergic to) and this all started when I started going to the Y school every day. Lots of pine trees, wind and dust up in the mountains!!
Anyhow I am feeling much better these last couple days. Hopefully the allergy season is over for me...maybe I am just a spring hay fever victim, not summer and fall also!

Mother's Day

For Mother's Day, D and I sang in church, while M played the piano for us. This was my first time singing with people actually watching me. I love to sing and sing a lot in public, but not when all eyes are on me. As you can see, I started off really strong and then got a little shy once I realized everyone was listening to me. When I got to the back of the church, I told M, "more" and tried to run back up to the front. I guess I will probably sing in church again sometime soon.
Even though I was shy and somewhat quiet M thought I did a really good job.

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day.

Tattoo

I received a tattoo last week. G had to shave her head and to help me cope she put a butterfly tattoo on her head. I am the only grandchild that didn't see her the first time it was shaved--I did pretty well although I was a little intrigued because she looked different to me. I decided that I wanted one also. So G helped me put a butterfly on my arm. I was excited to show it off to everyone. Monday morning at school I showed it to all my teachers.It didn't last very long though. Tonight it is almost all gone. But it was fun while it lasted.

Eating ceral

I got to move to the "big girl" chair this week. The reason was because C had to start using my high chair. She was starting to get upset just in her bouncer. She likes to sit up and see what is going on. So M let her sit in it for supper in order to get used to it before trying to feed her.

Tonight was the first time M fed C rice cereal. Here she is getting all ready for rice cereal.

She loved it.

E-I-E-I-O

M thinks it is very cute that I have confused my McDonald's. Old McDonald might have had the farm, but the place I get my chicken nuggets from I call E-I-E-I-O. Here I am telling M about our lunch at McDonalds.

(if you look very closely at the beginning and end of the video, you can see my chalk person I was working on that night).

Brag time

I am letting M take over my blog today so that she can have some brag time!

Yesterday was my first ever Parent/Teacher Conference. I wasn't nervous at all, but it just hit me what a big event that is. B has only been in preschool 2 months, but already I can tell how grown up she is getting. She looks forward to going to the Y school every morning, so I know how much she is enjoying it. Every morning I leave her at the easel painting. She has started to draw faces and people. This was the first ever picture she drew at home (even before she started doing them at school), that I actually SAW what she was drawing--even if the people do look more like octopus than people. Her teacher at Y school is very impressed with her and says she is ahead of her age. She's gotten even better at the people since this drawing (done at the end of March). I've been trying to upload a video of her drawing with chalk, but I think I made it too long because I've been having trouble with it. Anyhow, now for sure there are only 2 legs (still extending directly from the head!!) and arms. Sometimes she draws the eyes as the letter i. Very distinctly a line and a dot!! Which brings us to this next picture of her tracing her name. She has recognized her letters for a while, but now she is starting to learn their shapes and sounds. She still has trouble saying the whole alphabet by herself but she will repeat it after us. The other area B really excels at is puzzles! The teachers brought out a brand-new 25 piece puzzle on Thursday and B mastered it that day. Some of the puzzles she does at school, the teachers say the older 3 year olds have trouble doing. She has always loved her puzzles. I guess I didn't realize just how ahead of her time she was!!
The other thing she really enjoys is music circle. That one didn't surprise me at all, since her P and uncles are such good singers. B has always liked her music. I remember when we went to a Southern Gospel concert while I was pregnant with her. She had kicked a few times before that, but that first half she was really dancing in the womb. Her D found that his only way to calm her down at as a baby was to play some music for her.
So I just wanted to brag up my daughter a little bit. I've always been a little partial to her!!!