Fairest of Them All....

Bree's Snow White party went very well. She had a wonderful time and is very happy that so many family and friends could come and celebrate. As she put it when guests were arriving...."Look Mom, more customers are coming..." Thanks for making her party so special.

School Pictures

Just wanted to share the school pictures of the girls I received this week.

Aren't they cute???

Kyla's Birthday

I don't have any pictures downloaded yet from my camera but my Mom sent me some via email today. I will post these couple for now and then add more later. A fun time was had by all. She wanted a Toy Story themed party. Why does she always pick the most difficult themes? Last year it was Blue's Clues. She seems to know when the popularity wanes enough to make decorations difficult to find and picks that one. Anyway, she had a great time and I will have the pictures to prove it. Thanks again to everyone who came to the party. She loves to have everyone over. She is also loving all of the gifts.

Halloween - Pictures of the Event

Here are some pictures. I didn't really get into the dressing up thing this year. Since they like dressing up as princesses anyway we just grabbed some dresses from downstairs and were good to go. Bree was actually a fairy princess and Kyla was Cinderella. They got a veritable ton of candy from trick-or-treating at school so we didn't need to make the rounds to very many houses. We went to Great-Grandma's and my Dad's then we went to the Lutheran Church's Halloween event. They got to go around and trick-or-treat at all of the different rooms in the church and then there were a bunch of games set up that they could participate in. All in all a fun event and better than freezing to death outside going house to house.

These are some pictures of the Halloween costume preparation that my mom took. I still haven't downloaded (and don't know if my husband downloaded) any others.

Fall Pictures

Here are a couple of fall pictures I took of the girls. We were able to get some fall color at Sharon's house and I had them wearing matching outfits. I just couldn't get a good picture of them together. Can you tell I photoshopped the one above? Make do with what you got!

First Bus Rides

Here are the girls on their first bus rides to school at the beginning of this month. (Kyla's picture uploaded but I am having trouble with Bree's. I will put it up soon.) It has been awhile since I have made an entry. They both seem to really enjoy school and have been bringing home lots of interesting artwork. Kyla's sentences seem to be improving however she refuses to eat lunch. That really is no surprise. Nothing else is really exciting around here. That should change with Halloween, birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas coming up. I should have more to write about then.

My Princesses

Just another picture of my princesses. I can't resist.

Kyla's First Day

Both girls are enrolled in preschool programs this year. How did they get so big already? Kyla started this week and Bree will start on October 9th. They attend Tuesday through Friday, Kyla from 11 - 1:30 and Bree 12 - 2:30. Kyla really seems to enjoy it and is so proud of the papers she brings home every day. She didn't get to ride on the bus this year because it would have been an hour long ride for her. Luckily she has a good daddy who is willing and able to bring her. We aren't sure of Bree's bus schedule yet but I hope it works out well.

Anyway, here is a picture of our "baby" holding her first school project after her first day of school. Isn't she cute???

It's In the Blood...

A couple of weeks ago I found a snake at work...yes I did type "a snake" and yes I did type "at work". The little guy (or girl) happened into our office building and was wandering around the hall when I was leaving for lunch. The snake was lucky that I was the one who happened across it. Not too many people are keen on snakes. It was a cute smooth green snake and just the right size for Bree's first biology lesson in snakes. The biologist in me couldn't wait to get it home for her to look at (and hopefully marvel over). I put it in a cup from work and carted it home. Bree was pretty excited to see it and wanted to hold it on her own. I didn't let her however because I was afraid for the snake. I am not sure if her grip would have been quite gentle enough when it would start moving. Anyway, we held it together and I let it wrap itself around her fingers and she was able pet it for awhile. We learned about snakes smelling with their tongues, how it's scales felt smooth and not rough, and that they ate grasshoppers, crickets and worms. Kyla wasn't too excited about seeing or touching the snake. She was interested from a distance but didn't feel comfortable enough for a "hands on" experience. By the time we were going to put the snake out in our yard to live, Kyla warmed up a bit and got a really close look at the snake but still didn't want to touch it. We let the snake go for what I hope will be a long and happy life in our yard. Maybe we will happen across it next summer and Kyla will be more interested in the experience and we can have a more advanced lesson for Bree. For now I am positive I have at least one budding biologist in the family.

At The Movies...

Kelly took this video of the Owen and Kyla this morning while they were watching Baby Shakespeare.

Everyone has heard of Siskel & Ebert....

Meet Kyla & Owen, toddler movie critics extraordinaire....

They must give Baby Shakespeare "Two thumbs up!"

Pool Pictures

I finally added the pool pictures that I promised in the "Kyla's Ocean" post. Check them out. Some good ones of the girls and their cousin Jeremiah!

Owen's Butt

Another email memory from Bri. This happened a couple of weeks ago. I just love sharing these tidbits.

"I'm taking care of Owen this morning. He wasn't here 10 minutes and he had stinky pants (I strongly suspect that Cor knew the whole time and just saved them for me...) Anyway, the changing session began with both girls clustered around watching intently...

Me: "Owen, we have to change those stinky pants."
Owen: "Stinky pants, Bwian?"
Me: "Yep."
Kyla: "Stinky pants. Eeeewww, yucky! (Waves hand in front of nose) Whew!"
Bree: "Look at his silly butt!"
Kyla: "Silly butt!"
Owen: "Silly butt, Bwian?"
Me (chuckling): "Yep."
Bree: "Look at the top... (pointing) It looks like a ROTTEN EGG!"

Poor kid, he's going to be scarred for life..."

Gotta love kids.

Bri's Unforgettable Morning

This happened a couple of months ago but I couldn't resist posting it. I laugh every time I read it. My husband had a wonderful experience and couldn't resist emailing me about it. Here is the excerpt from his email....

"Well, this morning didn't start out too badly. The kids were in relatively good moods when they got up. We watched some Nick Jr. while eating our breakfasts. Then the "horror" began...

A couple of days ago Kyla's cup spilled some milk on the big blue chair in the living room. The milk pooled up in the crack at the back of the cushion so I cleaned it up with some water and dried it. I had hoped that none of it had gone down in the crack itself where I couldn't reach it. Anyway, I was sitting at the computer in the living room on this big blue chair and the kids were playing nicely in the playroom. Every once in a while one of the kids would come out to "see what I was doing", and to show me whatever they were playing with at the moment. Suddenly I would get a sporadic whiff of something horrible. I started thinking to myself, "Ah, man. I bet some milk got down in the crack and it's starting to crust up, and whenever I shift my weight on this chair I let some of the smell escape. I thought no more about it, because I wasn't about to get into it right then and there.

After a while I grabbed some clothes off the back of the couch and went into the playroom to get the kids dressed. I threw Bree's clothes at her and grabbed Kyla, ready to wrestle her out of her pajamas. Suddenly she starts going "Eeeew, yuck. Eeeew, yucky!" I asked her, "Do you have stinks, Kyla?" Then the smell hit me. I nearly gagged. It wasn't fetid rotting milk, it was our youngest daughter that smelled so horribly. I thought, "Well, it's a good thing I'm going to change her now." I undid the top snaps at the back of her neck and began to unsnap the legs. My hand brushed against something mushy and slimy. I examined my hand and looked in horror as I realized it was covered in brown mush. I quickly undid the rest of the snaps and pulled back the legs of the pajamas to reveal thick nasty poop covering Kyla's legs and coating the inside of her pajamas from ankles to waist! Her urine-soaked diaper had proven no protection against the explosive force of this colossal dump. You could see, by closely examining the evidence, exactly where the seal around her leg had failed and muddy crap had blown through to dribble down her leg. My first reaction was to rip the soiled pajamas off of her, but that required pulling them up over her head. Not only would her leg be covered in gnarl, but so would her entire body! Panicking, I scanned the floor within reach for something to help. I spied a paper plate which had recently held someone's waffle. I slid it over. Then I carefully stretched the neck of the pajamas as far as they would go and slid them over her shoulders and off onto this paper plate. Then I peeled off the remains of her diaper and added it to the stinking pile. All the while I'm holding her up by the ankles so only her shoulders are touching the floor. Fortunately she seemed to grasp the severity of the situation, so instead of fighting to get away like she normally does, she sat staring complacently at me while I tried to figure out what to do next. I grabbed the box of wipes and began to clean the layer of crust and mush from her legs. As each wipe landed on the growing pile of nastiness on top of that poor paper plate, Bree would pipe up, "You sure are using a lot of wipes, Dad..." I wanted to laugh, but with that gut-wrenching smell assailing me, I though I might puke instead.

Finally I could tell that no amount of wiping was going to get the job done. It was like trying to "clean" a dirt road with a washcloth. I asked Bree if she wanted to take a bath this morning. She was all for it. So I stood Kyla up and went to draw the bath. It wasn't until I had the water running and was adding the soap that I remembered an important fact about Kyla: whenever she is allowed to roam without a diaper on she ALWAYS piddles on the floor. I ran back into the playroom and was assaulted once again by the lingering smell. Sure enough, there was Kyla standing by the toy box with a confused expression on her face, and a line of pee making a trail through the gnarl on her leg. I screamed, "NO!" and grabbed her under the arms. "Get in here," I yelled, and set her on the tile floor in the bathroom. She giggled. "How come you wanted her in there, Dad?" Bree asked innocently, completly oblivious to the mess. I silently grabbed a handful of toilet paper and toweled off Kyla's legs as best I could, then dropped her in the tub. Bree went in next. Then I turned to the task of cleaning up the aftermath. I had to spray and scrub the carpet in the playroom, spray and rinse out Kyla's pajamas then throw them in the washing machine, and towel up a small puddle of urine on the bathroom floor.

So anyway, the kids are clean, the house is clean..."

Ahh the memories....

Big Girls Bed

I again have been waiting for a couple of weeks to post this picture. This is the new sleeping arrangement in the girl's room. We said goodbye to the crib and toddler bed and said hello to a daybed. (The whole room is redone but I am waiting to post pictures of the final product when we get everything on the walls.....it could be weeks. That is why I waited so long to post this. I finally gave up on myself.) It has been interesting but we are surviving. There are many nights that we hear giggling after bedtime but they would do that before. Now things have changed because they can actually physically interact with each other. They have been staying in their own beds though, which surprises me a little. They seem to like the new arrangement and I have to say that I do too. They are getting so big...

Kyla's Ocean

It has been an unbelievable hot streak here with only one day out of the last 18 with a daytime high less than 85 degrees (thank goodness for central air) and no rain for the past 15 days. It wasn't even a real rain though. We have only had 0.16 inches of rain for the past 27 days. Every thing is brown and the grass is crispy when you walk on it. Therefore, we finally broke out the pool for the year. The girls really enjoy swimming. Kyla calls it her "ocean". They havent been in it much this week and now it has to be dumped and cleaned. Ugh. It doesnt take long for it to get gross and slimy in the hot weather. I do have some pool pictures but I havent downloaded them yet and I was sick of waiting for me to do it. I have no patience, even with myself. :) I will post them...eventually.

My Beautiful Girls

Just a couple of pictures of my beautiful girls.

Bree is my little princess and one of her favorite pasttimes is dressing up like one. She loves feeling beautiful in her special dresses.

Here she is as Sleeping Beauty....

Here she is as a Fairy Princess.....

Kyla has one of the best smiles I have ever seen. Her smile and laugh are infectious and no matter how mad I am, she flashes one of those and I can't help but smile. I am, of course, still angry but she seems to know it softens the blow a little.

Ride Kyla Ride

Here is the video I promised.

Go Go Speed Racer....

Kyla has a new passion in life. She always liked 4-wheeling with Gramps but it has taken on a whole new meaning now. She immediately knew what she was doing. It seemed totally second nature to her. She learned how to rev the engine and shift into reverse all on her own. Grandpa created a monster now and he will be getting a lot of exercise for the rest of the summer trying to catch up to her in order to steer her away from crashing headlong into trees, buildings, etc. Gramps finally got her to steer so that she was going in a continuous circle so that he didn't have to run after her constantly. She must have ridden around the yard for 45 minutes. I am sure there are going to be more stories posted about this addiction in the future.

(I tried to upload a video but it was giving me grief and it wouldn't work. I will keep trying so check back. For now you will have to be satisfied with some pictures.)

This is what happened on the way home in the car.....

Bree on the other hand was having a really tough time with not having much attention (as you can hear on the video). Gramps ended up giving her a feather and telling her that she could be an Indian Princess to help ease her attention deficit. It seemed to help but it was hard to get over the fact that Kyla was the center of everyone's attention for about an hour. Here is my little Indian.

Let a Sleeping Baby (or should I say Toddler) Lie.....

Just wanted to share this great picture of Kyla passed out in the floor. She missed her nap that day. She got upset at something and went into the bedroom and slammed the door. Well I thought I would just let her cool down from her little tantrum but after a while it was quiet....too quiet. When I went to check on her, this is what I found. I let her sleep for about 45 minutes or so then had to get her up so she would sleep later that night. Needless to say she was not very happy about getting up and let me know it for quite awhile thereafter. Just goes to show that the old saying still holds true even into the terrible twos.

Grandma GG Comes To Visit

For the past month we have had the pleasure of having Grandma GG visiting us from Texas. The girls really enjoyed the time they got to spend with her (as did I) and hated to see her leave. I typically ask Kyla about her day at snuggle time before bed and she has been asking if Grandma GG was going night night too. I guess she made a real impression. I certainly hope she comes to visit again soon. We all love her very much and can't wait for her next visit.

My Princesses

Click on the picture above to get a better view of the royalty...

Bree loves to dress up. Her favorite is to become a princess. Well on one visit to Gma/Gpa Olson's house, both she and Kyla dressed up. Kyla has really not shown much interest at home for dressing up but apparently she was in the mood this time. They are surveying their kingdom and Kyla even looks as though she is decreeing something from the throne in the picture on the bottom right. If nothing else, these two do have rule over something, our hearts.

Memorial Day "Baby Soiree"

We had the 2nd annual Memorial Day "Baby Soiree" (Baby Party) in our backyard this year. Next year we are going to have to change the name, maybe "Toddler Soiree". Anyway, everyone seemed to have a great time. We had 8 adults and 8 toddlers.

Milwaukee Zoo Trip

We went to the Zoo on May 19-20. The kids had a great time even though the temperature barley reached into the 50's. I think we are paying for it now though with colds running through the family. The kids really didn't get very sick though so it was a blessing. Bree really enjoyed the night in the hotel pool too. It was the first time she was in a pool and loved it. They had their life vests on most of the time but we took them off near the end to see what they would do. Kyla is a real fish and already has the motions down. Bree did well too. The zoo was exciting. Seeing all the animals close up, the ones that weren't hiding from the cold, was very impressive. The train was one of the most important things that Bree wanted to see/ride. The family shots above are on the train ride. They also had fun at the petting zoo. Grandpa also had a good time as shown in the pictures. The drive went pretty well. Portable DVD players are wonderful. This is probably going to become an annual event.

Weekend Fun

We had a great time this weekend. Jeremiah and Miranda came up for the weekend and the kids loved playing together. There was lots of hugging action going on. Then Owen came over on Sunday and we had a nice playdate. We spent time outside because once again it was beautiful weather. I am uploading quite a few pictures this time because I just couldn't decide which ones to choose.