Pre-pool activities (before the pool)

Here is a short video of the girls and Fenric the dog are playing in the sprinkler. The girls almost always have to get their hair wet before doing anything else! I don't know why, it just is the way they are. So for the entire time the girls are working on their hair-do's, Fenric is trying to conquer the sprinkler, at one point, not on the video, putting his mouth around the sprinkler to contain it!! I like just watching, it's pretty entertaining.

Monopoly 101

We've had a Monopoly game in the house sitting in the wrapper since the girls have been home and yes that would be almost three years!! But really, we couldn't play it with them way back when, no counting skills, buying and selling property, houses, wheeling and dealing. . . . the list goes on. . . so last Sunday we pull out the game, set it up and begin playing. . . we stopped after about 90 minutes as it was creeping up on bedtime. Tonight we resume play and after the last property was sold the dealing began. "I'll trade you this place for that place and an additional $500.00 bucks" So on and so forth. . . the girls get to count money, albeit it fake, it's still cool. I mean really, when does the bank ever give you $1500.00 start up cash for nothing? So, in tonights game houses and hotels were purchased and lots of rent was paid. It got a little scary for Miss Kidist, she took it a little too seriously. Mr. B just sold me his stuff and became the girls financial manager. Then Kidist went out and the game went on a little longer between Miss B and me. We sold back houses, mortgaged properties and eventually the game came to an end and the Queen, that would be me, took over the neighborhood. It was done in fun and we had a really good time. It's nice to be able to play some of the more sophisticated games with the girls now that they have some good solid language, counting/money skills and well frankly some really good bargaining skills!

fun stuff

This would be me and Miss B. playing with the new macbook pro. . . talking silly pictures with the camera in the laptop. . .
fun halloween pictures. . .

hair, hair, and more hair

So the girls and I are driving home a few nights ago and I'm scanning the radio stations for something to listen to. I come across a sort hip hop song and I think I hear "I whip my hair back and forth" and then tonight on the prowl for hair pretties I come across this. . . . and well. . . quite frankly it caught my attention. So with all the talk about hair, "I want long hair, straight hair, etc." I present two videos I've found on the great internet. . . . I have to say I well. . . like the second one best. . .

I like this one, it's cute, adorable and well just plain true! It gives little girls a positive image about having hair that is versatile.

Introducing my synchronized swimmer~ Miss B.

Here she is! Ready for olympic competition! She had a great time playing in the itty bitty pool (mommy is frightened to get anything bigger right now, and they are not complaining) and got real silly! Anyway, here is Miss B in her new Speedo performing the best of the best moves in synchronized swimming.

date night with Bobbie

Girls night out, kids home with the hubbies! Bobbie, the great COTA that I work with, and I went for mexican and a movie tonight! Food was good and movie was mostly silly! We saw Sex and the City II. So much gratuitous (mega extra) spending on clothes, food so not needed by any regular person that I know, but then again, I've never lived in New York City! It was a nice time anyway and sometimes its good to have a change in routine!

so many things to talk about - how about shooting stars or satellites?

We had an eventful day. Madison's farmers market, the apple store twice, picked up projects for the kids at Joann's, and purchased the new Andover fabric line, The Very Series from Eric Carle. Lots and lots to discuss. But I will share the end of day. I decided that it was a beautiful night and Fenric (that's the dog) was running around like a crazy dog and needed some exercise. So I put on my running apparel and when I got out my shoes, of course Fenric starts jumping 5 feet off the ground, I donned them, stretched and we ran 2 miles, actually 1.75 miles, but close enough to two. We had a good run, just enough of a breeze, still light out, etc. etc. We get home and are recouperating in the backyard with water and I see a small light traveling at a pretty quick rate of speed moving the sky. I said to the hubby, is that a satellite? of course it's not, it has to be an airplane. No, a satellite, then we say what looked like a very big reflection happen for maybe two seconds and then went back to its initial state while moving through the sky. Very weird. I think it was an alien space ship looking for a friendly place to land and just happened to be flying over our town. It was pretty wierd and it was definitely not a plane. Until the next alien ship siting. . . . .

writing prompts?

I'm sure you are getting bored with my random posts by now! And I just don't feel like writing serious stuff right now. So I'm going to write from a prompt from the NaBloPoMo website. Here is the question?

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

WOW, what a question! Well, the answer? No laughing please, remember I was little! I wanted to be a ballerina!

Like I said, NO LAUGHING! Can you believe I actually thought I'd grow up to be graceful and thin! Well, I think I am anything but graceful, ask anyone who knows me. I bump into things, trip over the invisible, and well, my vestibular system, well. . . probably isn't as well nourished as I think it is. Am I sad that I'm not a ballernia! Heck no. I love being an occupational therapist, playing with little kids and helping my teams at school! It's cool and fun and outside of the box. My girls think it's pretty cool too!

There were many things I wanted to be when I was little, but I'm glad I am what I am! I remember drawing picture upon picture of ballerinas and the multiple types of tutu's they would wear! Each of the ballerina's also had a different color ballerina shoe (I'm sure there is a technical term for ballerina shoe, but well. . . I don't know what it is). Anyway, ballerina? Not today!

TGIF

I'm posting now because I don't want to forget and we hae a very busy day! Work and school, and then drive 1 1/2 hours to drop doggie at grandma and grandpa's, eat dinner, drive home. Tomorrow we are going to the Wisconsin Dells. DH has a synod meeting Sat. and Sun. so the girls and I are going to play in the water park! Good times! I'll try and be a good mom and take pictures. New suits are already to go. Beach towels - check, swim caps - check, now mom has to get packed! I work hard on posting again later. But I didn't forget.

What a surprise!

Normal work day. . . come home and the girls are unusually excited to see me. We give each other hugs, which is pretty normal and then I'm told, "Mommy, stay in the kitchen, we have a surprise for you!" So I'm thinking well, it's the end of the school year and what projects have they put away that they now want to share. What did they color, what rocks did they pull out of our rock pile, wash and are ready to give me. . . .then I hear crinkling. . an odd sign and out from the dining room comes Miss B and Kidist with a bouquet of flowers and Miss B saying, "It was my idea" with daddy behind them smiling. What a great surprise! It made me smile and cry just a little. They then told me I was the best mom! We'll see how long that lasts. . . So just a wonderful surprise and such beautiful smiles when they presented me with the flowers! It was really COOL! Love my princesses!

WOW!!

So Kidist and I entered a photo into a photo contest for Adoptive Families a while back. It was just for fun. Well about 3-4 weeks after entering the contest, I started receiving emails from Adoptive Families asking for a better resolution picture, kids names and ages and then lo and behold, we were announced at the winner!! It's kind of neat. Take a look here and you'll see we are featured on their website too!! Our lovely girls also made to the inside of the front cover of the Adoptive Families magazine!

Totally off topic, but it's summer!

A friend, Julie, put this on her facebook with the caption, "You can't help but smile when you watch this . . . . . . ;-)
It's pretty neat!

First week of Summer School and Swim

Another first!
Girls first day of Summer School

Just to keep routine and to work on those basic skills the girls are taking "Getting Ready for Kindergarten" and "Getting Ready for 1st Grade" Second day and they are still liking it! It's a good thing.

Girls first day of Swim

The girls also are taking a swim class through our school district and it's for three weeks: 45 minute sessions. First day parents were allowed to stay and watch and of course listen to all the rules, but today. . . well, we were highly encouraged the first day to just drop the kids off so that we wouldn't be a great distraction. So that's what we did!

And it's so true! The first day Bayat is turning around and waving at us and of course not listening to the instructor. But, when it's her turn in the water, she is all serious and won't even take a second to look at us. Kidist on the other hand, ignores us during instruction, but upon entering the pool, it's look at me, total eye contact! Just what the teacher does not want to happen! So we decided to just drop them off!

Bicycling

The girls got bikes! Memorial Day weekend!
The bikes were second hand, but in excellent condition!
The bikes needed a little TLC!
Bond was able to get the bike that needed the most work fixed up!
This Saturday, mommy (that would be me) put on her little girls training wheels! All by myself! I know it's really not a big deal, but it was pretty cool!

The girls and I walked their bicycling route (very short route too). I was a laxed mommy and did not require helmets the first time. (OK, bad parent award coming, I'm ready).

OMG! How did I ever learn how to ride a bike? I don't remember training wheels. I remember sitting on my bike with one foot on the curb for stability and taking off and then stopping and doing it again, and again and again. . . . get the picture??

I truly understand why Bond wants full face masks, knee and elbow pads, gloves, etc. I forget that the girls have not ever ridden a bicycle, perhaps a tricycle, but not a bicycle. They want to use the Fred Flintstone method of braking!













It was just a little nerve racking for me! So we practicing a figure eight pattern between our driveway and my neighbors driveway and that seemed to work out ok. And it did work OK! Take a look.





So everyday now when there is a free moment you will be able to find me on the front porch watching and giving little tips and tricks to the girls while they continue to practice riding their bikes!

Another one!

This is just fun!!

Wild Wednesday

So I'm a little late!! So here is the picture of the day! Mommy with both Kidist and Bayat and of course our beloved dog, Fenric! Who just loves when my hair goes in a ponytail and the running shoes come out!!
Since the weather has been trying to be nice, Fenric and I try to run a few times a week. Well, the girls are wanting to go too! But they can't keep up with the dynamic duo (ha ha), so I've been taking Fenric first and then coming home, catching my breath and then running about 1 mile with the girls! At a much slower pace, but we get it done :-)

So Wednesday while getting ready, it was all about the fashion. Mind you, not for me but for the girls. As you can see, I don't really mind what I wear running as I take into consideration weather, wind, temperature, etc. But the girls have to find clothes that match my clothes, so it was finding brown pants and an orange shirt!! That was almost tricky, but we were successful in finding them the 'proper' running gear!! Brown pants with an orange shirt! So when summer comes, they will have to find different clothes.

So for the record, the girls ran approximately 1.2 miles with me yesterday!! Watch out for the Summer Olympics come 2020!! My girls will be ready!

Terrific Tuesday!

Good Morning ~

This week is our Spring Break week so the girls and I are home all week. So each day I thought we could post. . Actually I can get caught up. I downloaded pictures and everything.

SO. . . . . .
I've asked the girls what they want to say on the blog today and Kidist would like to tell everyone that it is almost Easter. Bayat wants to tell everyone to have fun with their family and to have a good day!

Good Bye Winter Hello. . . . .

SPRING!!

Warm weather, anything that looks like, smells like or even just resembles a little bit of spring would be welcome right about now!!

WE HAD SNOW YESTERDAY! No accumulation, but still!! Taxes are almost due!! It's April, shouldn't it be raining and in the 50's. . . . . .

So I've had the snowmen up for quite a while. WHY?? Well, it's Wisconsin and it's still cold, and has been cold forever. Well at least that's what it seems like!! So, last weekend, I told myself I would finish the "bunnies" and have it hanging up by Palm Sunday!! And before midnight last night, it was hanging where the snowmen have taken residence for the past 5 months!! YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

It at least has some hints of spring!! (And it's one more project I can check off the list!)

WALL-E

AND EVE. . . . . . .

What a great movie! The girls like this movie and it's the first movie they were able to see on the big screen. We watched this movie over deer hunting/thanksgiving week. Ask my father-in-law about it and I'm sure he'll give you rave reviews!! He loves that environmental stuff ya know!