Birds

I told someone last week that if God wiped birds off the face of the planet I wouldn't mind. And I wouldn't. I now, hate them. Three years ago when we brought Saige home from the hospital we had a nest-a mud nest-above our front door. Poop was literally everywhere. So so gross. The birds would get scared and fly in and out of the porch when we came in and out and one baby bird fell out and died. It was crazy. The next year the same exact birds came back to build the same nest in the same spot. I googled the birds and they were barn swallows. They keep the same mate their entire life and come back to the same spot every year to mate. Ohhhh I was NOT having that. I tried 2009 and 2010 to make them go away but they wouldn't. I decided 2011 was MY year. No birds, no poop. (I will admit watching a mama bird feed her babies was a cool experience for the girls ...but having poop on our door and porch was not a cool experience for ME!) So as soon as I saw them flying around I tried to "trap" the door. I put up foil and knives, a lizard and cd's. It did sort of work but all the foil started falling off and I was frustrated. As soon as I thought they left the next day I found them putting mud all over my porch. I sprayed it down again and again. They left but this week they tried again. I must of look like a crazy person spraying the birds in the air with the hose. I seriously sprayed the start of their nest down 10 times yesterday. Feeling frustrated I opened the front door and gave the girls a broom and plastic golf club and had them wave it at the birds when they tried to come back. These birds have been such a problem and will not leave. So yes, I hate birds.

Girls first t-ball game

Saige had her first "instructional" t-ball practice/game. They practice first and then everyone takes a turn batting against the other team. It was really SO cute. Saige was overwhelmed at first and didn't want to go out there by herself. But after holding my hand and running the bases together she warmed up. I helped her throw the ball (or roll the ball)...which is funny bc I'm not a sports person AT ALL! But Aaron had to work so I stepped in and played "dad." She took a turn batting and ran to first. But did run the other bases and (thankfully) the game was over. She says she likes it though! Go Yankees!








Reese also had her first game (an hour after Saige's)! She was very enthusiastic about running after the ball when the batter hit. But at one point a little boy and her hit each other and she was knocked on her bottom and hit her head on the ground. I don't normally "baby" the girls but I just knew that hurt her head but my tough girl said she was ok and didn't need a hug. She went up to bat and did great! She hit the ball *yay* and ran to first. After that though, she was DONE! She had dirt in her eye (did I mention we had like 20 mph wind gust?) and she said her legs hurt (which is always code that she is exhausted). They did great! Go Astros!!

Oh the opinions!!!!!!!!!!!

My girls are so big! Every morning I go into Reese's room and tell her to pick something to wear. She has a hard time deciding so I try to help her ...or on days when it does matter I show her what to wear and it is DRAMA! She pitches the biggest fit, that shirt will be too long, this doesn't have sleeves (who hates sleeveless??) and on and on. Same with the hair. I need two braids, or two pigtails or a headband. Sometimes we combine it. Forget bows. Those days are over :(

But more interestingly is that Reese wants to wear pj's all day. Seriously! We go to the store and the second she gets home she rips off her clothes and says "time to be normal again." hahahaha. She has even started playing outside in them and I don't care. Judge me if you want. I even bought her a new dress I thought "why am I buying her new clothes I should go see what new pjs they have."


Saige is the same or worse! That girl is so into shoes and clothes. I bought myself some new clothes today and I'd take something out and Saige said "Ohhhh Mommy that is CUUUUTE!" She was just as into MY clothes as hers! ha! I think I have a future shopper on my hands folks!

Easter

We had a great Easter. We dyed some Easter Eggs and I made a basket for the girls. We do not do the Easter Bunny for many many reasons but we still gave the girls a little treat and they liked it. We really didn't go "hog wild" with their baskets either and I'm glad. They got a few eggs and some christian books, a cross to color and a dvd to watch along with bubbles and chalk. I just want our focus on Easter to not be about gifts.. We did our last resurrection egg where we talk about Jesus going up to heaven. How wonderful!! It was so exciting that Reese started to understand some of that this year. She can tell you that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and even tell you what sins are. She includes not cleaning her room as a sin and I haven't corrected it. hehe. But we also went to church, had (ANOTHER) Easter Egg Hunt and grilled steaks with Kara and Momo! We all took a little nap after. I never nap so that was very exciting for me. I went to bed feeling very grateful for the free gift I have received and very full from wonderful food :)

Saige's new room!

It isn't finished...in fact I have SEVERAL more things planned to do but I'm excited how it is coming together. When we got pregnant with Saige I never really went "all out" for her room. I really hate painting so we went with a nice tan color (boring I know but I didn't care!) and then I hung a few things on the wall but never really finished it. For example, she had blank picture frames hanging on her walls for about 2 1/2 years. Oops! :) But I have big plans for the big girl room. We went with a really cheap bed. But I like it! Then, I found her bedding at Home Goods for almost nothing. Like really!! And it is so cute and not from a store that everyone else will have the same thing. I bought big letters and used scrapbooking paper and some mod podge to have them match. I am hanging a bird cage, some canvas pictures and going to mod podge some more things for her room. Yes, it could be an addiction. But here is the letters and bedding. It is going to be so cute when I ever get around to finishing it all.

Reese's First T-Ball Practice

We signed both (YES BOTH) girls up for T-Ball at the YMCA. I decided to do Saige too because the poor thing has to keep "sitting out" of all the activities. Some might say she doesn't know any different but then you wouldn't know my daughter. She KNOWS! At dance she lays on the floor and looks under the door or stands on the bench and stares through the window. She often copies their little dance moves. She is SO ready to do SOMEthing. So T-Ball it is...for now. But her practices/games won't start for another week. Poor girl...

Reese and Daddy have been practicing hitting the ball some. I'm not sure if she is really good at it but he swears she is. :) I think he is just happy she is doing something HE can enjoy. Ballet isn't his thing and with no boys he has to do a lot of girly activities. But T-Ball is something he can actually have some fun with!

Reese got all dressed in her clothes and announced that she looks really good in this! We got out there and she was so excited to have a couple of sweet friends on her team. She did great at hitting the ball and running the bases. I think they had them run the bases three times! She let us know that part made her tired. :)

I'm really excited for their first game! Go Astros!!

Grandpa Jim

Yesterday we lost Grandpa Jim. He came to live near Jerry and Jill because he needed more help than the assisted living facility he was in could handle. Around Christmas he came to live here. We were all glad we would get to see him a little more but I know he missed being in Ohio. After a few weeks he went to live in a nearby nursing home. We went to see him a few times. I wish we had made it up there more. Aaron went alone several times because he had fallen and his bumps and bruises were more than they thought the girls could handle.
Something happened at church yesterday that upset me and we left before we even sat down. I was upset and grumpy but as soon as we got home Aaron said he was leaving to visit Grandpa. I'm so glad he did ...and almost glad that situation at church happened or I would not of left and Aaron may of not made it to the nursing home. He was able to see him. A few hours later we got a phone call that he had passed away.

When we told the girls I explained that Grandpa was not living at the nursing home anymore but that Jesus had come to take him back to heaven. Reese gasp with excitement and said REALLY! She was very excited for Grandpa Jim. She obviously doesn't understand this all but her response is exactly what it should be for a fellow believer. She has heard the wonderful exciting things that lay ahead for one who believes and she knows that Grandpa is experiencing that now! She did ask if that means he is dead, to which we said yes and she asked why we were crying. We explained that when someone dies we can't see them anymore and that makes our hearts sad but we will get to see Grandpa Jim again one day in heaven.


Things I remember best about him in the very short time I knew him was how much he enjoyed sweets! He would throw chocolates at us :) And how much he enjoyed my girls. I'm sad for Aaron's family. Pray that they are comforted during this time. We will miss you Grandpa Jim!

Resurrection Egg stories

Two funny stories...

We were doing our day two of the resurrection eggs we talked about how Judas turned Jesus in for money. We opened the egg to find coins but as I read the story Reese gasped really loud and said "Oh my that isn't nice."

Ya think? But I was glad she was listening and started to "get" this some.

Tonight, talked about how Jesus was whipped and we opened the egg to find a small brown whip. Saige, who is looking down and appears to not be listening at all, pops up and said "if you beat someone with a whip you have to say you're sorry!!"

Hmm...well, first we don't beat people with anything Saige! :)

Love these little monkeys!

Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt

Our neighborhood had an Easter Egg hunt today with lots of other activities as well. Aaron had to work, Momo had to work, and KK had other plans so we went solo. Saige is pretty busy so extra hands definitely help but that wasn't an option today. We walked to the park in the wagon (meaning I walked and the girls rode)We tried to be smart and got in line for the face painting right away. The girls BOTH did it this year!! Saige normally doesn't like this at all. She requested her entire face to be painted PINK but we talked her into a pink butterfly. She was beside her self excited to see glitter on her face too!








Next we went over to the egg hunt. Saige was READY to go and we almost had a big scene when pull her back because they hadn't said "go" yet. She went right out and ONLY picked up PINK eggs. Seriously, this girl has an obsession!!!!!





Next Reese wanted to visit the Easter Bunny. Saige did not want ANY part of the bunny but stood and watched. Reese has always loved pretend things like this. The first one of these we ever went to she chased that bunny around and wouldn't leave him alone. LOL!!



Then it was Reese's hunt time.





We also got to see a clown with a real monkey!



We also got to pet/hold real bunnies. I felt sorry for the bunnies and told my girls to just try and pet them. Several came and snuggled with Saige.




We also rode a train and did a cake walk which Saige won! There were a few other games to play but I felt like we had done enough and we still had that walk back to make! The girls ate candy for lunch and I was pretty tired! Successful morning!!

Strawberry heaven

We went to King's Orchard on Wednesday with some of Reese's school friends. We went the back way and drove through lots of two lane roads with trees. It was a nice break from the freeway driving. :) The girls were very excited to get there but when we did Saige wanted to be held. I think she gets overwhelmed by new places/people sometimes. The girls all got their boxes and went to picking. Reese and Saige quickly learned to watch out for the squishy strawberries and I was thankful we had last years summer clothes on. :) The girls both didn't pick a ton (to which I was also thankful) but enough to cover the bottom of their boxes. We paid for our strawberries and had a lovely picnic lunch. The kids all played in the "forest" aka trees nearby while the Moms talked.

When we got home Reese wanted to eat the strawberries but I wanted to make something with them. We decided on jam. I googled a quick recipe (seriously, how did people survive w/o google before? LOL) and we got busy. We washed and then cut the strawberries. I gave the girls a butter knife and they cut them with me. Reese LOVED doing this with me. She was so into helping me in the kitchen. We then got to mashing and Reese was happy to help. We added the important stuff...sugar and cooked it up. After dinner the girls had toast with their homemade jam. Reese also had toast and jam for breakfast and a peanut butter and JAM sandwich. Her teacher said she talked about it all day at school too. Mrs. Burris said "you certainly made a memory with her." She was spot on.

Spring Show

Reese had her spring show at school. I think it was called under the sea. The kids all sang sea/ocean/fish songs. Reese was all the way at the top row second from the right. We sat all the way in the back row so it was hard to see her. Then a lot of parents stood up. But when she sang her song her class came down to the front and I elbowed my way in to see my baby sing. :) Her Nana, Papaw, Momo, Aunt KK all came to see her sing. She is truly loved!

*When we were getting ready I put her shirt on and the kids were to wear jean something (shorts, pants, skirt). Reese choose a skirt-no surprise-but when I put her shirt on she threw a fit. It was too big so I bunched it up and she started LITERALLY crying and said "this isn't beautiful enough for me" REALLY??? How on earth did I end up with this child? I am soooo not like this and she is!! We put a bow on her shirt and rolled the sleeves. After that she was almost ok with it but finally I had to say "dry it up" and we moved along. Can you imagine how much worse of a diva she would be if I was into the glitz and glam. WOW!

Saige...

Saige got a much needed haircut. Daddy likes the girls (and mommy's) hair long but he doesn't get that it needs to be shaped. I got her a little bob and oh my goodness...it is CUTE! I always thought her hair was going to be really thin but once we cut it her hair seemed to thicken up. Here are some before and after shots. I went ahead and used a round brush and blow dryer the other night and could not get over how fluffy and cute she looked.