Mother's Day - [A post that was never posted]

Written on Mother's Day weekend 2013, but accidentally saved as a draft post and never published on the blog

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Husband isn't feeling well, so the girls and I went out shopping this morning, met grandma for lunch, and more shopping this afternoon.

At one point, Megan started to cry that she really wanted to go to Dillon's -- because she wanted to buy me flowers for Mother's day there -- but it was a surprise. Could they do it themselves and would I not look?

It was quite entertaining to people watching us as I let them pick out a bouquet of flowers while "not looking" (even though i had to help them get it out of the holder -- "Dont look, mommy!").

And then had to help them put it back and get a different one "Close your eyes, mommy!"

They finally they settled on some light pink roses (which happen to be my favorite, but they didn't know that -- just that pink was my favorite color).

More grins and giggles by the people in line with me and the cashier as they would squeal, "DONT LOOK, MOMMY!" while we paid for them.
 

The sheer joy on their faces when we were at home and they finally "let me see them" was priceless.
Love them!

Thanksgiving Heart-Warmer

The girls are 5 now.  They're in preschool and I am continuously amazed at the things they come up with these days!

Sometimes they bring the most creative things home from school.

And sometimes, they bring home things like this.

I apologize in advance for the pictures that will make it difficult to read.
This was one of those preschool projects where they make a Turkey out of a handprint.
Then they had a paper and they asked the kids to draw a picture of something they were thankful for, and one of the teachers would write it what they said to complete the phrase, "I am thankful for __________."

Now I realize that at 5 years old there may be coaching or prompting, but I'm choosing to ignore that possibility and just enjoy the sentiment.

Megan made this:

 Megan's handprint-Turkey, "GIVE THANKS"

 Megan's picture of her and Kayla "I AM THANKFUL FOR ____KAYLA______"

Doesn't that just melt your heart?
Well, maybe it's a mommy thing.

Lost Pictures of the Third Birthday (Oct 2011)

In cleaning up, I found some "lost pictures"!
Apparently Mike and I were using different filing systems for storing files on the picture drive!

We posted previously about their third birthday, but didn't have the pictures of their birthday cakes!
Their third birthday, in 2011, was a Dora and Diego birthday.

 

Before they woke up, we had some decorations out, and little presents to start their day.

At the party, they each got their own cake -- Kayla had a Dora cake and Megan had a Diego cake. (Thanks, Walmart!)

 Kayla's Dora themed cake

 Kayla's Dora themed cake

 

Megan and Kayla

After all, a string of catch-up posts wouldn't be complete without pictures of birthday cakes from over a year ago, would it?
Now I'm off to see what other lost treasure pictures I can find!

Pictures by Megan and Kayla

Megan and Kayla got Fisher Price cameras for Christmas from Santa.
The picture quality isn't good -- but we knew that.  The girls aren't very interested in the pictures they've taken except in the moments right after, when it displays on the camera's screen.

Here's a few from their collection of HUNDREDS of pictures.  They've taken pictures of everything from the floor to the ceiling, people to pets, toys, decorations, beds and bathrooms.  You name it, they've taken it.

Megan's portrait of Kayla -- with her thumb in the way

 Someone's snack.

 Tree skirt and part of the tree

Grandma's dog, Penny

 Taking a picture of taking a picture

Christmas 2012

This year Christmas was exciting.  Several of us had health issues that interfered with one Christmas family celebration or another, but the girls were okay and enjoyed everything anyway. 

Last year, Santa put up the tree on Christmas Eve.  But this year, the girls helped with the decorating.

Kayla decorating the tree with Daddy

Megan decorating the tree with Daddy

"Chilly", their "Elf on a Shelf", that landed on the clock

Christmas at Cabela's

We tried to go see Santa when he was at Cabela's store, but he had already left by the time we got there.

 

 Christmas at Granny and Grandpa's

 

 Christmas morning at home

Megan, Kayla

 Kayla, Megan

  Kayla, Megan

  Megan, Kayla

 Both Kayla and Megan are always asking to paint their fingernails and toenails.  Santa brought them some children's nail polish in their stockings.  I finally relented and let them paint their nails.  They sat at the table and diligently painted their toes.  And when I say toes, I don't mean toe-nails -- have you ever seen a 4 year old with their own nail polish??

Kayla, Megan

(Megan picked her own clothes.  Apparently, to a 4-year-old, striped tops match striped pants, even if they don't.)

October 2012 - Halloween

Both Kayla and Megan decided to be kitty cats for Halloween.
I decided to get used costumes off of Ebay's auction site.  Unfortunately, I didn't end up with two exactly the same.

One turned out to be smaller than the other -- but the girls would NOT trade!  So, Megan wore the bigger costume, and Kayla wore the smaller one.

Kayla-cat and Megan-cat

The girls had fun going Trick-or-Treating, but Megan had her fill of it before Kayla did.
Grandma and Megan went to Grandma's house, while Kayla and Mommy went to a couple more houses.

When we got to Grandma's house, she had told Megan she could pick one piece of candy to eat.  Megan picked a full-sized chocolate bar!  She didn't finish it all, and most of it went home with us in a plastic bag.

Easter 2012

The girls were of course spoiled on Easter.  They each had full baskets that did include chocolate bunnies.

They ate part of their bunnies.  The rest of them went into the fridge "for later".  They remembered them several months later, but didn't fuss when we said they were old and we had thrown them out.

They had an egg hunt with cousin Nathan.  They really enjoyed running through the front yard, looking for the colored eggs.  Last year they wandered around a lot, not really understanding things -- but this year, it all fell into place.  They found lots of coins and a few pieces of candy.