Project Life: Week 23

Sunday, June 3

 Today we had a “lunch date” with some friends who will be watching the girls for a few days next week. After, Mom and Dad stopped by on their way home from a visit to Rockford. The girls were so happy to see them. It was a great pick-me-up for the start of the week!

 Monday, June 4

Sometimes, a snuggle with Daddy and a flower headband are all she needs to get through the afternoon…

 Tuesday, June 5

We went on our first black (rasp)berry picking extravaganza after the girls went to bed and came away with 12 cups…enough for a pie and a sorbet we’re going to try for our anniversary next week. Well worth the venture into prickers and thorns!

Hands of a hard-workin' man

  Wednesday, June 6

 Usually, there is no way in h-e-double-hockey-sticks I would ever, ever post a picture of my feet. (No need to traumatize you, my dear readers, with images of my freakishly long toes, for starters.) That being said, I couldn’t pass it up when I tried out my new nailpolish: Minted. Isn’t it fantastic?

 Thursday, June 7

 Took the girls to the park. Armed with a mason jar, Elaina and Josh collected rocks and seashells, while Ellie and I enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

Friday, June 8

Tonight we took the girls to the town fair.  Elaina and Arcadia had such fun riding the rides together, and Ellie plotted her adventures for next year.

Smile says it all

Big girl

Next year...

 Saturday, June 9

A busy Saturday. We went to watch Rylan’s tball game in the morning, came home for lunch, and then headed out for the parade in town. Mom and Dad spent some time with us afterwards, and it wasn’t long afterward we discovered Elaina had a fever. She and Ellie were both in bed an hour early…a sign of things to come…but thankfully the day itself had been a success.

Batter up!

Snuggles with Pampa

Ellie enjoyed the parade in Gramma's arms

Watching it go

Nothing like a popsicle on a hot day...

Project Life: Week 22

Sunday, May 27
Today I dressed Elaina for church and the patriotic holiday--two for the price of one :) This little sailor dress was a hand-me-down from her cousin, and I've been waiting for just the right moment to get it out. So sweet :) Later in the afternoon, we all cooled down with the girls' pool. Ellie particularly enjoyed exploring her aquatic surroundings.

 Monday, May 28
Memorial Day--a wonderful day home with the girls. We took them to the park in the morning, where Josh and Elaina collected seashells and Ellie and I played in the grass. Later, Elaina made cookies with me for the very first time. I think she was more interested in the "Em-Ems" than the baking process itself, but she did ooh and ahh at the appropriate moments. Can't wait to do it more as she gets older.

This is her "cheese" face

 Tuesday, May 29
Tonight Farmer Joe Josh strawed (is that a word) our strawberries and other sundry berries while I worked in the garden. Makes for one handsome farm hand, no?

Wednesday, May 30
Tonight while we were outside checking the plants (which we do every night...even though they look pretty much the same...every single time), our neighbor Jo stopped by with a gift for the girls. Seeing Elaina following after us every evening, she bought them both little watering cans so Elaina (and one day Ellie) could "help". She was even nice enough to give Elaina a gallon of water for a head start, since we were on a boil order. Elaina occupied herself for most of the rest of the evening "watering" Daddy's plants, and even insisted on taking the watering can with us on our walk, and to Gramma's the next day.

Thursday, May 31
Grocery shopping after work. Ellie was asleep for the majority of the trip, while Elaina, in a Kroger-induced state of euphoria (brought on by a trip there earlier in the day with Papa), pretty much held this expression the entire time:

 Friday, June 1
Sisters, Sisters, never were there such devoted sisters.... Ellie showed Elaina how to crawl, and Elaina showed Ellie how to play in the tub. Love. Them.

 Saturday, June 2
Today we ventured to the farmer's market for the first time this season and then made an impromptu trip to Target (joy!!!), where Elaina proceeded to melt down right before I found what I was looking for (and that's life). Then this evening Rita (Gramma) came over for dinner. Both girls were so happy to see her, and we had a lovely meal and a great visit. (Message from Elaina and Ellie: Hey Gamma! Come back soon! and bring Papa with you!)

 

Project Life: Week 21

Sunday, May 20
Today we had a play date at a local park, and then Josh grilled the. most. amazing. kabobs ever for dinner: tbone steak, onions, and a duo of sweet peppers. My tastebuds were in heaven. While he cooked, the girls enjoyed one another's company in the shade.

Hum YUM

Monday, May 21
We've recently discovered that Ellie loves going down a slide, as evidenced by these pictures:

Up!!

And down!!!

Tuesday, May 22
Our local True Value store has a small pet section where a variety of  birds, mice, and marine life are sold. Elaina loves to go "see the sishes", so she was extra happy when we had to make a run to the store to get paint. When we got home, she decided to cool off from the heat of a late spring evening with water from her ducky. Bottoms up!

Look, Mommy!! Sishes!!!

glugglugglug

Ahhhh.....

Wednesday, May 23
Tonight Josh pumped up the new pool we got for the girls. Ellie enjoyed exploring the pool, and Elaina had fun playing in the car. At one point, I found her trying to feed loose change to the octopus floaty that came with the pool. Love her imagination!

Thursday, May 24
Got the girls in the pool for the first time. They loved it, and it was such fun to watch.

 Friday, May 26
Today was my very first paid vacation day in four years. I used to daydream about how I would spend such an occasion, and it usually involved sleeping in, a hot cup of coffee, and copious amounts of R&R. After dropping the girls off, Josh and I had a relaxing breakfast at Happy Thoughts Coffee before heading home to paint (at least I got the coffee...priorities, people, priorities). This is an activity that apparently we love to do, since we've painted two rooms (x2), doors, windows, and baseboards since we moved. Oh, and the entire house before we moved. Today Josh tackled our window sashes and frames (note: if for whatever reason you build a house, and you're not sure what you're ordering, ALWAYS PICK WHITE). Meanwhile, I painted Ellie's room. This is the third time the room's been painted. It started out "tatami tan", which, after we moved, we decided was far too rich a brown color. So Josh lightened it up with his own houseblend of leftover tan paint. This would have worked fine if Ellie had been a boy...but she's not...and I wouldn't trade her for the moon, but brown walls for a pretty little girl just wouldn't do. Now they are a lovely cream (minus the accent wall) dying to be decorated. Here is the progress:

Before

A well-deserved icypop break

All done! Minus the curtains

View with accent wall...am thinking of stenciling it!

Saturday, May 28
Today Hippie Fest Summer Camp Music Festival was going strong at Three Sisters Park, so we stayed as far away from town as we could. A friend of Josh's dropped by with his girlfriend, and after lunch we went to Sam's to stock up on fruit. Came home, relaxed, ate delicious food, and enjoyed a quiet Saturday (until the thumping and guitars...oh, the thumping....started around 8:00). Here is why we stayed home:

Josh dubbed this "the patchouli parade"

PS

And if I could, I would ask that you please keep my Gramma and Grampa in your prayers. We got a call yesterday morning that Grampa was in the emergency room with vomiting and dehydration, and Gramma must've decided she needed to be right next to him, so she got sick today and was admitted to the same room. 66 years together, in sickness and in heath. Grampa was feeling a little better as of this evening...praying Gramma soon follows suit. Thanks :)

If you've made it this far, thanks for staying with me :)

Vacation Brain

In just over 24 hours, I will be celebrating my first paid vacation day in almost four years (if by "celebrating" I mean "painting Elysia's room in 90 degree heat"). The last time I was paid to not be at work, Josh and I went to Nash-vegas and visited my old stomping grounds. That was two weeks before I started my current job--three moves, two cities, two babies, and a *few* grey hairs ago.

Today at work, it became clear to me that my brain didn't get the memo that vacation had not in fact started yet and was still two days away.

 

Case in point:

I couldn't remember if outtake was spelled with one T or two, so I went with "outake" first. I then spent the next few minutes trying to figure out how this would be pronounced if it were a Japanese word. Would it be ou-TAH-kay or ou-TAK? Why this mattered, I couldn't say, but it did. It had to be decided before any productive work could be conducted. After some careful consideration, I settled on "ou-TAH-kay", probably because it sort of looks like sake.  With this very important matter settled, I commenced my search. No hits. So I tried "outtake" (which is much less fun to say in a Japanese way). No hits. Then I realized the word I really needed was "outlet."

The day continued along that vein and included a reference to Young Frankenstein that only my dear husband appreciated and a typo (churky instead of Chucky) that set me off laughing for a good five minutes.

That I was able to get anything done at all I think speaks to the fortitude with which I pushed ahead despite the obvious mental setbacks I was facing.

And I still have to get through tomorrow. Oh dear.