sending wishes for happy travels to my brother and my sister-in-law......

see you soon





70's



March 9, 1996



2003, pregnant with Little One

Little Einsteins

Little One just came in the room & said "preshendo!" with great gusto. After a sec, I realized she was saying "crescendo" . Oh, how I love the Little Einsteins on the Disney Channel! Both girls have been learning crescendo, decrescendo, staccato, the differences in the sounds of the instruments (Dancer Girl already knew most of them). Each show has a piece of theme music, and some theme art that is used for the the little cartoon children to complete their mission.

I suppose I am particularly happy about all of this because I am a musician (or at least I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with emphasis on oboe--I guess that qualifies me, though I graduated from college in '95). Well, I have recently heard them singing themes from Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Bizet.

What a wonderful head start they are getting. Dancer Girl can sing an arpeggio, and can tell you if she is hearing Mozart or part of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite.

I guess I am just a little proud....

Family Day

Still here

Husband took off part of today to have some family time with us. We rented a Mulan II and some My Little Pony Paradise movie from the video store, got some take-out, and spent some time at home.

We were going to eat lunch at the park but it was a little too breezy and chilly for the little ones.

My daffodils are still blooming, though I have to say they never turned pink. The middle started orange and kind of morphed into a peachy color, but maybe they are not finished changing colors. I have a few little purple hyacinths still blooming, too, and the redbud is almost ready to bloom.

Tomorrow will be back to the grind, but it was nice having a family day today.

The party was a hit!

Hurray! Little One's birthday party was wonderful! It has been so great to have so many friends and family visit. The children had a wonderful time. They loved making bean bags and icing their own cupcakes. They loved the bubble machine and the balloons. In a little while, everyone will get up, and the family will meet for breakfast before they head on the road home.

On Friday night the girls and I got to go swimming in the hotel pool. My Dancer Girl has been looking forward to doing that for almost a year. She is so grown up. Both girls had on their life jackets, but Dancer Girl just jumped in and started swimming. Last year in the pool she was timid, but I was so proud to see her just swim around on her own. It will be a fun summer now that Motherkitty and Tomas (my mom and dad) and Long Hair Daddy's parents both have a pool.

The next big events are Motherkitty's birthday and upcoming knee replacement surgery and a possible visit from my brother from California. She and I are both very nervous about it, but are optimistic that it will go well. Hopefully my brother and his wife will be able to come in. I miss him so much, and I don't want the girls to grow up without knowing him. Dancer Girl remembers him, but Little One only saw him when she was less than a year old, so she may have to meet him "for the first time."

Her favorite gift was this ball.

Your prayers for everyone's safe travels and safe surgeries would be appreciated. I would like to be with mom for her surgery, but am unsure if I will be able to arrange childcare for a couple of days. I am sure it will all work out, though. Thank you to everyone who helped with the party and who came to visit, you know who you are :)

I love you all, and you have made me very happy!

Big Plans

Well, my parents Motherkitty and Tomas will be coming down this morning after Dancer Girl's dentist appointment, and then some of Tomas' family will be here later today. I pray that everyone travels safely. We are all so excited! I still have to wrap Little One's presents, make the goody bags, and get the food for the party ready today, but Motherkitty will be here today to help. We will have lots of fun. I decided to make PB&J sandwiches (and maybe another kind), make cupcakes the children can ice themselves with cool whip, Goldfish crackers, some chips and some fruit, thanks to Long Hair Daddy's mommy. She and her husband came up yesterday to celebrate Little One's and Daddy's brother's birthdays. We had a lot of fun. I guess the party is just beginning! While all the family is in town, we will be meeting at the hotel for some pool parties, too!

I haven't got all the details of the party together, but it will mostly be 2 yr olds, so I have a feeling that most of the plans will just fly out the window. I am not worried though, because I am sure it will be memorable. I will be bringing Dancer Girl's tunnel that my brother got her so the children can crawl through when they arrive to get to the first craft table. They will be making bean bags. I will have an area for bean bag activities, and hopefully this will keep everyone busy til all the guests arrive. Then they will have snacks, then bubbles/balloons/songs. After that, we will do the cupcakes, then presents. By that time I am sure it will be time to go. On their way out, the children will fish for their goody bags (hopefully.... I have to make one or two clothespin fishing poles today). That just gave me an idea....I think I will get the girls to help me make them today, and then they can help the children "catch their bags" at the end....this sounds like a good project for Grandpa, he is very artsy & crafty. What do you think, Dad, I supply the materials, you help the girls make fishing poles??? I guess we'll see how the day goes.

This is going to be great! I am sooo, excited and it is not even my birthday.

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now if you can understand that, hurray for you...

Raindrops

my new daffodils were blooming this morning, so i went out after it rained to take a few pictures, which i will post later...

my redbud is about to bloom, hostas are coming up, tiny purple hyacinths are blooming

the daffodils i got are white and orange right now but will become white and pink, which is the reason i picked them

----------------------------------------
busy day, lots to do, hope your flowers are blooming too

Countdown to 2

Little One's birthday is on Tuesday, and it seems like the celebrating has already begun. She is sooo excited. Lots of friends and family will be visiting next weekend to party with us.

I love my little sweetie. She loves to sing. As you can see, she also loves to brush & comb dolls & ponies with long hair.

For her birthday I signed her up for a Mom 'n Tot gymnastics class. She loves that too. Long Hair Daddy surprised us today & took us all to see Curious George--how cute! This was Little One's first movie theatre experience, and she did great!

Happy Anniversary

We made it ten years!

Hurray for us!

1John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.



Thanks goes to Mrs. Gardener for her wedding gift to us, this precious album filled with her photographs of our wedding. Thanks to all our wonderful family for their love and support. Thanks be to our God who has helped us make it this far.

Happy Sunday

Duchess sleeping on baby afghan I made for Little One, who will soon be 2.


Close-Up of reverse side of baby's afghan that I crocheted for her. Front has little bubbles on it

Hubby's Doctor Visit

My husband gave me permission to share this info he sent me in an e-mail today to tell me what the doctor said. He has been sick all week, bad sore throat, etc. Apparently he was pretty bad or he would not have gone to the doctor. So, since he doesn't have his own blog, and I thought it was funny, here it is:


Temp.: 102.3

Blood Press.: "Slightly elevated"

Heart Rate: 128 ("Very high"), causing him to check my oxygen levels,
which were OK at 96.

Chest X-Ray: "Mostly clear" (now he's a weatherman)

WBC Count: "Elevated"

Other: "I'm concerned that these symptoms keep returning and persist
so long." Join the club.
"signs of dehydration," "signs of sinus infection," "breathing
*very* raspy," (gasp)
"obvious signs of throat irritation" (duh. Remember, he went
to school for this.)

Contagious: Yes, for at least 48 hrs.

Instructions: Get the fever down in order to reduce body aches/dehydration
and increase appetite.
Use inhaler, eat, drink, rest, Levaquin (levofloxacin) 750 Mg
for 10 days.
"Very potent antibiotic." Right. He said that the last two
times he gave me meds, too.
"If you're not better by Monday, come back." (sigh)

Prognosis: "Sounds like you may lose your voice for a couple of days,
but hopefully you'll get better." (rolls eyes)


It's not often I meet a doctor I don't want to punch in the mouth.
Relatively speaking, I really like this guy. I just hate having to pay him
to tell me the bleeding obvious.

He did give me $100 of free antibiotics, which partially atones for the $473
he cost us in December.

So I hope you feel better Sweetie. We gotta make to next week and our Ten Year Wedding Anniversary. I got you a bottle of NyQuil.....just teasing.

By the Shores of Silver Lake

That's right, folks, I am reading a Little House book. Actually, it is book number 5 in the series, and it is my current escape from reality. Motherkitty wants to borrow these books she got me for Christmas when I am done with them. At this rate, it won't be long....only 4 after this one. I only read when the baby is nursing to sleep and at night-time. Yeah, right. And if you believed that, I have a marshy patch of ground to sell you way down south. In my life I find I read in binges. Don't get me wrong. I am always reading something. But there are times when I start and won't stop until all the books are read...Apparently, some part of me finds this necessary at this time of sicky-poo kids, overtime working hubby, and general why can't I find any clean socks and underwear stress.

I think my little white Duchess cat is pregnant. I am not for sure, but I just couldn't take her to her special date with Vet when I found out they would spay anyway, even if she were pregnant. I just couldn't deal with that right now. Some would say she is just an animal, and that there are too many homeless animals out there. Well, I agree. She is just an animal, and there are too many homeless animals out there. Yes, and most of those that go to the Shelter don't come out alive. And yet, I cannot bring myself to take my cat in to abort baby kittens, even just the possibility of kittens.

So, here I am, with a very annoying Duchess cat-in-heat. I am keeping her in the house for a couple of weeks to see if she shows any pregnancy signs. If yes, then does anyone want a pretty little calico kitten? If not, then I will reschedule her Date with Destiny at the vet. Did I mention very annoying? Pawing the windows and climbing the front door annoying. Mewing and mweeping annoying. And yet, I would rather put up with that for a few weeks than live with myself after possibly killing baby kittens.



So, anyway, I thought I was talking about Little House on the Prairie....

but it morphed into Nines Lives on a Sunny Street.

What are you reading?

Don't forget to Wash Your Hands

We have been under attack from the Great Gushing Gooey Stuffy Nose Syndrome. For a week now we have all been dodging bullets-- sore throats, sick headaches that makes you feel nauseaus(and throw up if you are 4.5), runny gooey noses, slight fevers, random cough...you name it, I guess it has come our way a little bit. All of the symptoms are off and on, hit and miss. A couple of times this week I thought the girls were well enough to go somewhere only to find them totally drained and feeling yucky again by the time we got home. Thank God I only felt bad for a few hours last Thursday.
http://www.21kc.cn/content.shtml?id=3432

Just posting today to let everyone know we have not dropped off the face of the planet. The Little One barely has any symptoms besides an intermittent runny nose, and yet she is clingy, whiny, crying at the drop of a hat, and apparently unable to sleep without being on top of ME.

So, how was you your day? I had leftovers & burnt frozen pizza for breakfast & lunch, and I have no idea what we are having for dinner. Any volunteers coming to make me dinner?

[just kidding, Motherkitty! you had better not show up til Saturday :)]

Franny's Feb Meme

1. The Only Dragon I Know

It is the rare hard to find triple-headed Daddy Dragon. As you can see in the lower right, below the date, Barbies cower with fear when this dragon is near.

2. A Reason to Return Home

Big surprise here. It is the girls who dress themselves! This is love like no other.

3. The Eighth Wonder of the World.

No, that is not an optical illusion. That is both sides of my kitchen sink, at one time! This is accompanied by the fact that there were no dirty dishes anywhere in the house, not the counter, the living room, or the dishwasher! Ooooooh. And it happened in February.

There you go, Franny! That was lots of fun! I am glad I was able to get this done before February was over.

Baby Steps

This might be worth trying. Every little bit counts.

For Grandpa

Grandpa picked out the pretty multicolor skirts for the girls. This is why she is called Dancer Girl. Grandma picked out Little One's outfit.


Unfortunately, the one of Little One by herself came out quite blurry, and I tried to fix it. I couldn't get myself to delete it. Too pretty.




Grandpa is so proud of his girls!




You should have seen them dance in person! My sweeties are beautiful!









This is Dancer Girl wearing Little One's yellow blouse with her skirt! She says, "Which one do you like better?"




Check out the news headline on the television!


Top Story!

Crusty Morning

The girls have not been feeling well....so I have been busy in Mommy Land. They both woke up with very crusty noses, & I just paused for a minute to post before we commenced Tubby Time, as the girls fondly call it.

Here is a pic of me & my babies earlier this month. It is probably morning because the girls are still in their nightgowns and Sweet Hubby took the picture. He was undoubtedly on his way out the door to work and saw his beautiful family and stopped to take our picture :)

Signs of Spring

I found this crocus on the way to the mailbox this morning. It motivated to look around for signs of spring. The other buds are coming up in the snow under the rosebud.

Now that is the 70's

a bit fuzzy(was a polaroid), but copied this from my aunt's blog, Abandoned in Pasadena....

on the left it is...
me, my dad, and my brother

on the right...
mom, me, brother

same time period..a little older, i think

how cute!

if you listen closely, you can hear the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young or the Doobie Brothers....

Gravity

'>
Snowing here.

Making up for the last few days of errands, Mommy groups, company, and library visits

I Washed some towels

Loaded dishwasher the first time today. Forecast: 3 loads of dishes,27 loads clothes

Easy cheesy baked potatoes for lunch today (already in oven)

Happy children watching TV and Snow for the moment

And hopefully all of this will snowball

Peaceful, clean home one day

Pieces of snow drift down as I pick up pieces of clutter

Yes, I am happy and content, and I am glad you stopped by.

Resistance is Futile

I want tubby. I want tubby. I want tubby. Mama, I want tubby. I want tubby, please. I want tubby. Jinga Bells, Jinga Bells, Jinga all duh waaay. La la la la, nana nana nana. I want tubbee. I want tubbeeeeeeee.

As quoted by CliffHanger on Between the Lions.....

Can't........hold.....on.....much................longer!

http://pbskids.org/lions/

if you want the cliffhanger song to run through your head all day long, click here
http://pbskids.org/lions/songs/cliff_hanger_rp.html

Between the Lions is a great kids show. Unfortunately, I like it better than my kids. It teaches phonics and reading skills, similar to Sesame Street. It also reminds me in some parts of Electric Company. Anyway, Cliff Hanger is sooo funny.

And I guess I am off to find the bath bubbles for Little One.

btw, I would love to have this book....http://pbskids.org/lions/coats/

for a cliff hanger story, click here....http://pbskids.org/lions/lastcliff/ (though this one is not as good as some of the others on the show)

Stir Hot Dog Mixture with Coconuts...

Ok, in my dream I had to make a snack for Dancer Girl's playgroup or party. I made macaroons. Ok, so far. In my dream it was a very detailed recipe that included hot dogs. Eeeewwww. Oh well, thankfully it was only a dream, can't imagine having to eat those sweet coconut cookies with hot dogs in them.


However, in real life, I brought a sliced apple and orange tray for a Valentine's Party at church last night for Dancer Girl's class (ages 3-5). They painted shirts with markers, played with play doh, and passed out valentines.

Motherkitty & Tomas are coming for a visit today. Grandma & Grandpa around here. I am not sure what kind of excitement the day holds, but everyone is really excited. We might be going to El Mariachi Loco. Long Hair Daddy even said he would take a break from work & come eat lunch with us!!!

The only bummer is that I woke up with a headache & my left ear hurts a very tiny bit. I know neither will last all day, but I hate waking up feeling yucky. Maybe I am just tired after yesterday's Barbie Mermaid Bathtub Fiasco. Well, I am sure we will have a great day, as long as Grandma & Grandpa don't give me a hard time about the dishes & laundry & lack of floor space. Hey, I cleaned off a chair and the couch so we could sit down.

Scroll Down....

This is a test. I wanted to see if this posted correctly. To see my "real" post for today, you may have to scroll down....

Gold for Mama

Now this is my kind of Olympian!! What a hero! She is my age, and won Olympic Gold with a 2 year old. Wow!

And she is from Russia. My mom's side of the family is from Russia, so I am very glad she won!


Svetlana Zhurova Was born in St.Petersburg. She was the world speedskating champion in 1996 and the silver medal winner in 1998-2000. Zhurova won the bronze medal in the 2001 World Championships.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/13872519.htm

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/02/15/092.htmlstories/2006/02/15/092.html

http://www.tsn.ca/olympics/news_story/?ID=154894&hubname=olympics

Under the Rosebud

this is what i am waiting for....the replete daffodil....the orange actually turns into a pale pink....Happy Valentine's Day

Princess Rose

I wanted to post another picture of a flower, because yesterday's Camellia was so pretty. It also makes me think of Spring. I keep looking out the windows towards the little sprouts under the trees and hope they will survive the snow and ice.

I asked Dancer Girl what kind of flower I should post, and in classic form she says, "A Princess Rose." So, here you go, Dancer Girl, here's your Princess Rose. That is actually its name.

Camellia

This one is for my beautiful cousin (http://camelliainjune.blogspot.com/). This is a camellia, and this is a flower I don't know much about yet. I am very proud of my cousin. She has been through a lot. She doesn't know it, but I have always looked up to her and thought she was very beautiful. One of the greatest comments I got in high school was that I looked like my cousin! :)


Yesterday was an accidental blogging vacation for me. Life got busy, and I only spent 30 minutes on the computer total, and that includes e-mail and skimming a couple of blogs. It has snowed a little the last couple of days, and the girls are sooo excited. Our two white snow kitties have been inside a lot more....I guess they don't like their white fur cold and wet. Big Fat Kitty stands at the door and meows, "Hey, can't you make it dry and warm out there for me, Mommy???" She goes in and out in a state of indecision, but finally curls up on an afghan and falls asleep.

So far

I have cleaned the toilet, washed husband's clothes, washed towels, emptied & loaded dishwasher, cleaned out cat litter, bagged up garbage, pushed garbage out to the curb, fried some bacon, cleaned off the counter in front of the coffee pot, found both sides of my sink, started to make coffee for hubby, nursed Little Sister, helped Little Sister go potty (2 times, I think--she's been dry since yesterday morning I think! Hurray!), fed Little Sister chocolate donuts, sliced cheese for a small cheese and cracker tray for a Valentine Party we are going to this morning....

And it is not even 9 o'clock. I think I will take a break....Wait, hubby just woke up, gonna go make his eggs. He overslept, and needs to go to work right away, can't keep those Brazilian farmers waiting....

rdosw

WORDS
this what i did this morning....click to play

Neighborly Day

Meatballs, Playdoh, Soup, Glue, Baked Potatoes, Scissors, Getting Dressed, Dishwasher, Mr. Rogers, Crochet with Yellow Yarn

You guess the order.....

Welcome to Our Neighborhood!

for children's activities and stories, including Mr. Rogers, goto
http://pbskids.org/

Snow Kitty

Here is Duchess, watching us play in the snow.











Peek-a-boo!






We are Masters of the Picnic Table!


This was the same day as the tea party and hot chocolate.

Hot Chocolate

These were taken in January after playing the Snow. They are drinking hot chocolate, of course. You will notice the unused sewing machine in the lower left and Barney on the pj's and on the tube.













Little Sister is on top, and Dancer Girl is on the bottom.