First Part of October

Still warm enough to take Caroline out on a few runs.

Then it wasn't warm enough.  First snow fall. 

Computer at the library.  She was fascinated but couldn't figure out how to play the games. 

We had Ty-Ty over for some bowling fun. 

Maggie had a minor cold so I kept her home.  Caroline was thrilled to have her sister home all day and showed her approval with a little happy dance. 

Pumpkins started to appear at the grocery store so we grabbed a few to get a head start on decorating. 

Second trip to the dentist was much more successful than the first. 

September (Pt 2)

One Saturday the girls woke up and decided their little stuffed friends deserved a birthday.  So...Raspberry and Blueberry got pink ableskeivers with candles.  I'd like to just give myself a pat on the back for being such a nice mommy and obliging my kids but really I just wanted ableskeivers with buttermilk syrup.  Adding a bit of food coloring to them was not such a toughy.

 

Caroline has long held the belief that Maggie's friends are her friends and she is in every way their contemporaries.  Since starting preschool we've been carpooling with another little girl in our ward and they've become better aquinted (Ainsley is still a year older and already a Sunbeam in primary whereas Caroline is still in Nursery).  I had little Ainsley over for a playdate which was so darling and fun.  They had a small picnic in our backyard. 

Caroline's Blueberry.  One of her very dear friends. 

Caroline found an empty box of Hello Kitty Band-Aids.  On her own she found some of my knitting yard and asked me to make straps for her new backpack.  Clever girl. 

I take a bath.  Daddy is supposed to be in charge but he wanders off with one child and gets involved elsewhere. Caroline ends up like this: 

Maggie's school did a running fundraiser this year called the Timberwolf Trot where she begs asks friends and family to sponser her as a runner.  Now, Maggie is not much of a runner.  Like...at all.  I did buy her some new shoes (Keens) for school this year that she's taken to calling her "super speedy running shoes".  I sent her to school that day wondering if she'd even run one lap at the event.  When I picked her up she seemed upbeat about it but didn't say much.  The second we got home she ran upstairs with her unopened backpack and came back down a minute later looking like this and said, "I'm like Mommy!".  I DIED!  She had five tally marks on her little race bib indicating 5 laps which not only shocked me but made me very proud.  I didn't think she could run five laps let alone want to! It was a good moment for me.  Sadly, since I apparently can't keep up on the school news I didn't know that parents were allowed to run with their kids.  I was bummed but definitely won't miss it next year!

September (Pt 1)

Five Guys burgers.  Ok, well, the girls won't eat burgers but they do take a bite or two of their grilled cheese then fill up on the fries.  I go next door and get Chipotle:

I've turned most years of this little blog into blog books.  They are one of the kids' favorite things to look through.  I regularly find one or both of them curled up on the sofa staring into their brief past and chatting mindlessly (to each other or themselves) about what they see.   

This little girl is ALL personality and passion.  She was made for expressive dance and theatrics. 

On Sept 6th Maggie finally, finally lost her first tooth.  She actually had her adult tooth grow in behind her baby tooth and even though it took a long time to even get loose Maggie took an even longer time to....let it fall out in her mouth all on it's own.  Needless to say she's a little shy and freaked out by loosing teeth.  So was I so I can't blame her.  The picture clearly shows her adult tooth already half way up!

She lost the tooth at school.  When I came to get her that day she was proudly wearing her little tooth necklace with the tiny baby tooth placed inside.  It was happiness and celebrations all around.  Not to be outdone, Caroline has been insisting for weeks now that she also has loose teeth that will be falling out any day. 

"Mommy, take a picture of me in my bed": 

Our friends John and Astonna invited us to join them for Mead Community Days.  Pancake breakfast, park fun, and even a small parade: 

After the parade we headed over to their newly built home for a little play time and pizza.  They have two cats and a dog that the girls were more than a little thrilled to play with.  Bailey the dog is as sweet as they come!

A Visit From Meredith

My sweet niece came to Colorado for a visit.  I really (really!) needed some swim help.  My kids needed swim help.  Mer also happens to be a seamstress extraordinaire and the best darn friend to me and my girls EVER!

So we swam...and swam...and swam.  I learned a lot! 

 

Mer reading to Caroline:

Mer does "princess hair" for the girls: 

She was in town to experience our stray cat drama: 

And she was here to see Maggie off to her first day of first grade.  I was much more emotional sending my sweet Mags off than I expected.  She is gone all day now and it seems like a long time to have her away from me. 

Not only did I get sewing lessons (I have a darling new skirt to show for it!), but the girls each got a private lesson with Meredith as well.  Both adore their little tote bags.

There might have been a little bit of shopping as well.  Having Meredith there makes mommy trying on clothes so much more fun!

We could not have had more fun with dear Mer and we miss her immensely.  We can't wait to have her back for another visit!

August

August.  Hmm...only 2 months behind in blogging.  Ugh.

Maggie got this Merida doll for her birthday.  She loved it!  I was very surprised because she's more of a stuffed animal person.  I snapped this shot because I have never seen her "mother" a doll.  wow!

I'm definitely getting too old and tired to push this massive stroller to run any more!  The girls have such a good time together.  They chat, sing, play silly made-up games. Good thing Maggie has started school again and I can run alone or, if I have to, run with the single stroller. 

One random day we found  small cat in our yard upon returning from a shopping trip.  The kids immediately fell in love and named him Twinkles and I made the cardinal mistake of feeding the darn thing.  For several days it lived in our house during the day (being adored to pieces by the girls) and in our yard at night (scratching at our back door in the early AM).  I seriously contemplating keeping it.  I am NOT a pet person and even I was becoming attached...until it sunk it's tiny little claws into my favorite yellow chairs.  End.Of.Story.

Cat moved to the neighbors--good thing she was in the market for a kitty cat.  The kids miss him terribly and I do feel bad.  Maybe a pet is in our future.  Just not the immediate one. 

With school getting under way, other activities are resuming as well.  Gymnastics for Maggie and dance for Caroline.  I really wanted Maggie to stick with dance but she was adamant.  Caroline was the opposite.  I asked if she wanted the gymnastics/dance combo class and she said gymnastics could go.  Luckily we found a class for each child at the same time on the same day which is a huge time and driving win for me! 

Driving across town to pick up Maggie from school at 3pm could not be a worse time.  My dear Caroline who never naps is now passing out on the drive over.  I have to wake her up when we get there to walk over and grab Maggie.  She has then had just enough of a nap to stay up later at night and drive her dad and I nuts! 

The one and only picture I took at our church carnival.  I manned an archery booth almost the whole time so I didn't get an opportunity to follow my kids around with a camera. 

Caroline started preschool.  She was beyond thrilled.  She had been waiting for this for what seemed like forever--talking about it constantly.  We picked the same preschool we sent Maggie to, Cornerstone.  Maggie had such a positive experience there we are confident Caroline will as well.

Utah Trip July 2012

More pics of our July trip to Utah.

 

4th of July family picnic.

Big family candy bar game. Me explaining the rules to Maggie (what is UP with my creepy hands?):

She's so happy to be here!:

All the goods we scored:

 Happy mom (creamsicle--hard to find in Colorado!), happy kid (Utah fun rocks!):

Where was Caroline? Convincing her older cousins she's allowed to go through my purse and put on my lipstick: 

 

 

Games with cousins.  Maggie throwing the water balloon:

And...getting hit by the water balloon:

My mom and Aunt Janet watching the goings on:

My kids love, love spending time with Julie.  I guess they had her take pics of them from inside the house:

Then a little photo shoot in her backyard with huge umbrellas:

 And finally, an adorable morning pic of these two loves: