An outing, outside, out of doors, just for fun!

It was warm enough on Sunday to just take a walk because we wanted to.

We do walk. A lot. But in the cold, we walk only to get from point A to point B.

We couldn't sit inside on the warmest day of the year thus far, so we went up the hill to "our" foot bridge to watch trains.

This was the first time Claire has watched the trains outside of the stroller and up close to the fence. I would say it's a rite of passage if you live in these parts. I think it makes a big difference with her little self out there in the big world without the comforts a stroller can provide.

Like her sisters before her, she got really excited, yelling and bouncing her little knees, shaking the fence.
She didn't budge as it rode right beneath her.

We moved on to the little square or plaza beyond the trains.
I am always amazed at how easily Hannah can make friends, and when there is a dog involved, there are no barriers.

Claire had no reservations about this big man in the biker jacket. She walked up to him and raised her arms up for him to pick her up. She wanted to see the dog too. The man tried to put Claire down but she wouldn't let him. As comfortable as she seemed in his arms, she was just as curious about him as she was the dog. She continued looking back and forth between the two.

Still, she stayed.

Jane was around. As usual when there is a crowd, she was doing her own thing in the background.

We practically had to drag the girls away when it was time to leave.
It was nice to get out... and to make new friends.

~•~

Interesting to Dan, and us

Dan has this Tumblr blog (seen it?) where he posts all the videos, photos and articles he used to send to me throughout the day. He titles it Interesting to me...

I like watching the videos. Some are stirring, some are thought-provoking, some are shocking and some just really crack me up.

This music video of OK Go that I watched with the girls was just fun and interesting and it made us feel good. If videos were rated based on how many times the girls watch it, this one would be in the top ten.



The video was filmed live and features the Notre Dame marching band. Pretty cool.

And if you haven't seen the other version of this song in video, you should. It's crazy genius! Crazy fun!

*******

If we are talking about the girls' favorite video, this one that Aunt Kerianne shared with us a while ago would be it.

Another kind of tea party

The girls were wild today. Not only that, but they just couldn't/wouldn't get along.
The usual indoor activities are just aren't good enough in this final phase of Winter, so we have to get creative.

I suggested having a tea party in the bath tub with bathing suits, and the girls went wild again, in a good way this time.




They were friends again, and for once, they got to drink as much tea (water) and be as messy with it as they wanted.

~•~

Happy Birthday, Papa!

This video is for my dad, but if it's your birthday and you want to pretend your name is Papa, you can have a birthday tea party with Hannah too.

This video cracks me up. You would think she was reading a script or that lines were being fed to her in her ear. I definitely helped her think of things to say, but it's like she was nervous or something. I'll let you see for yourself...



She really does love her Papa. She kept saying "I love you, Papa!" but I only put one clip in there.

~•~

Shh...

I took the girls to Primary after Sacrament meeting, and I came back to a nearly empty chapel.



I won't say where these two spent the next hour, but I will say they had a peaceful rest.

~•~

Grounded, sort of

As I sit here, Hannah is brushing my hair and going through her list of things she wants to be when she grows up...

I'm going to be a hair-brusher, (pause) and an author and drawer.

Aaannnd I'm going to play the piano and dance.

And I'm going to be a mom because everyone needs babies.
And I'll be a fire fighter.

But I don't want to be a princess because they have too many things and too much gold.

But I'll be Hannah forever. I love being Hannah.

There's one more thing. I am going to have a good husband and I'll keep him forever.

The end. That's all.
I think I'm tired.

That's our girl.

Snowy morning from our kitchen window

It has been snowing again, a lot!
Even though March is around the corner, it's hard to be hopeful that Spring will be here soon. Last year, we had snowfall in March.
As much as I don't totally love Florida, I wouldn't mind being a snow bird there for a weekend getaway.

~•~

My closet challenge

Behold, my closet!

Some of it, at least. It goes back behind the wall to the left. However, my everyday clothes are front and center.
Fascinating, isn't it?

I don't have a ton of clothes, but I have more than I wear. With so little room, I have to go through it every few months and purge the things I don't, won't or can't wear anymore.

Sometimes, I keep things because I really, really do like them. I'll look at something on the hanger and think, "I really like that still. I would buy that at a store today." That's my test. I have to still be willing to buy it. If it passes the test, I keep it.

The problem: I still haven't worn 30% of those things that I kept since the last time I purged.
The challenge: I am going to wear one new thing every day throughout the entire day. If the item doesn't make it through the day (if I change because I don't like it on me), I have to get rid of it.

There are things in my closet that are very cute and quite new (well, new meaning before I had Claire) but might not fit. Even if something could fit me someday, and it doesn't work, I have to give it away.

Today, was the first day. I pulled a shirt out that I haven't worn in a while and I wore it all day. I'm still wearing it. I think I'll keep it.

When I have completed my challenge, you are all welcome to ransack my pile of giveaways. :)

~•~

What gets me through

is this...


(Photo by Hannah)

It's no secret that I want winter to be over,
that I want a yard,
that I want a bigger home,
that I want to be in a better place to raise my children,
that I want friends who live close to me,
that I want to leave the house right now just to go buy a light bulb for our darkened kitchen but I can't take the car because when I get back I won't be able to find a parking spot (maybe that last one was less commonly known).
It all makes my everyday in New York... tough.

Some days are just like that. I know that no matter where I live, I will have tough days, even if I have my very own, private parking spot. That doesn't make me feel any better though.

BUT, I do have these little rascals that smile at me, that say the funniest things, that give me crazy love, that pretty much make all of the everyday in New York worth it.

Good thing I have them.

~•~

Transformer

What started out like this...

Ended like this.

Goofy kid.

A letter to Gramma Gracie

Dear Gramma Gracie,

You have pretty hair.

Thank you for coming to visit us in the snow and for [Hannah's] birthday.

Thank you for helping us make blankets, for reading to us, for taking good care of us, for taking us on the carousel and train and for playing with us when mommy and daddy were gone.

We love you and miss you.
We want to come visit you sometime to jump on your trampoline, and we want to give you a flower.

Love,
Hannah & Jane (& Claire too)

Hannah's birthday

It was a great day for Hannah. Dan took the day off, grandma was in town, school was out. There were a few low points, but still, a great day.

We took Hannah and Jane roller skating for the first time ever. They were both very excited.
It was harder for Hannah than we both expected (she skates, and falls, like she's on stilts). I forgot to tell her that she would fall and that it was no big deal. She took a couple of hard falls and she cried. I felt pretty bad for her. I tried to teach her some techniques which seemed to help because she started to get the hang of it, but when the time came to go, she gave no complaints (although, not willing to get photographed).

Jane had a different experience. She took to skates so well, keeping her balance and moving quite fast for a little beginner. She often wanted to do it on her own. She was not NEARLY as eager to leave as Hannah. She wouldn't get off the floor (we may have been the last ones). She screamed as we pulled her off the rink. She screamed as we ripped her skates off. She screamed as we carried her out to the car. She screamed in the car until she screamed herself to sleep.
If you're lucky, we'll be able to show some choice video footage soon.

One of Hannah's birthday wishes that she made months back was to have cotton candy. Not sure why. We bought some at the skating rink and we tortured her by making her wait until we were done skating. Finally, I gave her a handful of the stuff, and I knew right away she didn't get what she was expecting. She almost spit it out.

I guess I should be glad she didn't like it, but too bad it was a disappointment for her.

Hannah was expecting to open presents first thing in the morning, before everyone else even got up. So as soon as we got home from skating we made preparations for a little party.

We invited two of her friends over at the last minute and the frenzy began. She couldn't even stay in one place in between presents.

In no time, the party was over and playtime with new toys began.

Later, I crashed hard on the couch with the girls and we watched a movie.

Happy Birthday, Hannah! We think you rock!

*******

These were your gifts on your fifth birthday, Hannah:

• A tea set (your favorite and long awaited for)
• DVD's Beauty and the Beast & Madagascar (you just love movies)
• a TinkerBell puzzle
• clothes and shoes, including some fun dresses and haute couture jeans
• a baby doll (you can't have enough)
• deluxe princess sticker/work book

*******

Some stats:

Height: 45 inches, 90th percentile
Weight: 40 lbs. (it seems like she has been 40 lbs forever), 52 percentile

Out of our mouths- Hannah and city living

I know that Hannah wants to move to get into a bigger place with a yard, but I didn't know she wants no more to do with the big city.

We were watching the Olympics and the camera panned the city of Vancouver. It looked huge, like New York, I guess.
"Wow! Look at that city," I said.

Hannah just stared at the screen and said,
"I don't want to live in that kind of city. I want to live in a village. A small village."

She always knows just what she wants.

~•~

Packin' it in

With the Olympics on TV, Gramma Gracie in town, Valentine's Day, and Hannah's birthday, it was a busy weekend.

Friday morning, Dan's mom arrived. After Hannah got home from school, the girls started making blankets with grandma. It was fun to watch her teach them and to see the girls get into it.

Saturday, Dan and I were able to go to the temple and get a city bite to eat-- that means food from a corner cart.

We came back knowing we'd have to get the girls out, but it was so cold, we didn't know what to do, where to go.
We decided on a mall with an indoor carousel and train ride. The girls were so excited.
I've taken them on the carousel before, but they got to do both this time.

I got to do some shopping so it was worth the travel.

Valetine's Day seems to get a bit overshadowed by Hannah's birthday, and with it being on Sunday, we kept things simple. We kept the girls entertained with a heart craft, games and other activities. Then we watched some Olympics.

Hannah woke up way too early on the morning of her birthday because she was so excited about being five, but I think I'll save the rest for her own birthday post :)

~•~

Lest we forget...

Hannah has been worried that we are going to forget her birthday.

We printed up a calendar page for her when February began because she was so anxiously excited about when her birthday was. She has been placing it where she knows I'll see it, but I've had to return it to it's hiding place behind her bedroom door a couple of times when we've had to show our place.

The other day, the calendar was strategically placed on the inside wall of our bedroom right next to the door, with a few hints.



I didn't even know she knew how to use exclamation marks.
I seriously doubt we will forget her birthday with these new reminders.

~•~