Field Trip to the Museum of Science & Industry

Before Christmas Annaliese's class at school took a field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry, one of my favorite museums to visit. I signed up to drive and brought the twins along for the fun. Annaliese's teacher wanted the class to draw pictures of their favorite Christmas Tree from the Trees around the World exhibit. It was cute to see all these little pre-schoolers laying down on the "clean" floor of the museum working on their masterpieces. The class got to go into the Idea Factory which is always fun. After lunch I took my three off on my own and we did our own exploring of the museum. It was definitely a mob scene that day but still we had fun. I do love that place!

All aboard the Potty Train...

The last few weeks we've been working on PT. Jumbo marshmallows are the bribe of choice.

I knew that they were ready when one night after I lectured them for 10 minutes not to make pee pees (or anything else) in the bathtub....they each got out of the bathtub to take care of business. I could not believe it! They understood! They got it! I was almost jumping up and down! I know that they are now three years and ought to get it...but seriously they had NO desire what so ever to ever use the potty before. They like diapers. I also really had no desire to tackle training. I would rather change a diaper than an clean up an accident. So the real thing that pushed me to do this...Sunbeams. They are now Sunbeams. I'm pretty sure the other classmates all are potty trained...so a little bit of pressure to get it done!

Addie has done amazingly well! She takes care of business on her own! "I have to go to du toelet..." and off she runs. She also likes to tell me, "Go away mommy, I need privatcy." She's earned a whole bag of marshmallows on her own. Bravo Addie!

Avrie loves marshmallows...she gets a couple a day. She doesn't like a big fuss though. She tells me not to say "Good Job." She wants me to say nothing. So I try not to...but it's hard not to! She'll get it too I know. Maybe after Addie masters it she'll feel more motivated?

The funny thing is...they both still want to wear diapers like it is their security blanket or something. I have fancy princess pull ups and cozy cotton underwear but they choose to wear good old Mickey Mouse Huggies and rip them off when its time to go. I'm thinking once the diapers are gone...they will be gone. I know, cruel.

Inauguration Day

I turned on the TV this morning looking for a local traffic report. I was debating loading the kids up and heading to a suburban shopping mall to do some returns, and a traffic report would help me decide. All I could find was LIVE Inauguration coverage, no traffic reports anywhere to be found. Annaliese became immediately captivated.

"What are all those people doing?"

"Why are the all cheering?"

"Who is Barack Obama?"

"Why is he the president?"

All very good questions.

We got comfortable on the couch as I tried to answer all of her questions. She was curious about each of the former presidents that she saw on the screen and wondered why they weren't the president anymore. I got to explain that every four years America votes for a new president. Who ever gets the most votes gets to be the new president.

"Mom, did you vote?"

"Can I go with you next time?"

We watched Sasha and Malia being escorted to their seats.

"Do they have a mom?"

We watched Michelle Obama being escorted.

"Oh, I get it...they're the Obama family just like we're the K__ Family! Now their dad is the new president, right? When is he going to be on?"

We watch, we watch, we watch....She waits, she waits, she waits....

Finally she gets to see who Barack Obama is. She was thrilled to be able to know who the new president of the United States is. It was the same kind of thrill when we watched the Olympics together this past summer....patriotic.

I was glad that we had this little learning moment together. I may not have voted for Obama but I do want him to be successful for America's sake.

I thought Obama's speech was appropriate and fine. I found his choice of words interesting as they were clearly meant for the world to hear, not just the America. I am glad I stayed home to watch this historic event with my girls instead of fighting traffic. I have to admit that there was one thing that got my goat a little. I don't think it was appropriate for Mr. Preacherman Joseph Lowery to take racial jabs in the closing prayer...the closing PRAYER of an INAUGURATION! Pretty low.


Before I turned off the TV Annaliese told me, "When I get older I want to go into that show." In other words...when she grows up she wants to go to an inauguration. I hope she gets to someday.

This afternoon I pulled out my photo album. I found pictures from 1997, Clinton's 2nd Inauguration. I was there. It didn't matter that I didn't vote for him either, it was just cool to be there. Patriotic.

Baby it's COLD outside!

This winter has been so cold. The coldest its been in 12 years in fact. It's been a long time since I've seen so much snow too.

The things about snow and cold that make life bearable :

Cute kids in cute snow clothes

Lots of hot cocoa with marshmallows &

Fresh baked bread right from the oven

Oh yeah, and soft cozy fleece PJs.

Welcoming myself back...

Time flies, eh? A month since my last post!

My parents were here for Christmas then after they left we've been SICK...all of us (coughing, runny noses, fevers, pneumonia, ear infections, PINK EYE, etc., etc. etc.) We're on the mend... and I'm back! =) This darn pink eye though...I didn't think I'd get it...wrong.

Lately with Avrie....

12/17/2008 - Today Avrie ate string cheese for the first time EVER (knowingly). Also last week she ate and ate and ate corn and spaghetti pie! WooHOo! What's next? PB&J?!
12/15/2008 - When this girl is sweet...she is the sweetest thing EVER! She has been sweet the last few days. It's been heaven! love this girl!
12/15/2008 - Very good at coloring in the lines.
12/12/2008 - Today at ther 3 year check up she weighed 29 1/2 lbs. (50%) and was 37 1/4 inches tall (50-75%) . Her BMI was 15 (25%). Cute kid! Love her!

12/07/2008 - Her language is so cute. She loves talking and talking! Lots to say! She also loves to color. She is really good at coloring in the lines.
12/07/2008 - We started potty training, but we may have to wait for after the holidays to make any progress. I need to find a treat she's willing to work for.
10/05/2008 - Just spent the last 15 minutes mastering the art of tracing her own hand. "Look mom, I'm big geel!"
10/05/2008 - She calls the airconditioning "airplane machine". We laughed and laughed. Makes sense I guess.

Lately with Annaliese.....

12/23/2008 - Got to go see "Welcome Yule" at the CSO with her dad. What a special treat! They both loved it.

12/15/2008 - LOVES the snow! I love how she is so excited to lay right on down just about anywhere to make a snow angel!
12/07/2008 - She is an amazing artist. I've had to teach her a few times that it is not appropriate to tell everyone that she is the most wonderful artist ever. =) (But it is perfectly okay for me to say so!)
12/07/2008 - She has found that coming in to bed with mom and dad at about 3am is quite nice. That's fine-whatever but I think we need a bigger bed.
12/07/2008 - She has always loved to tell stories. She has her sisters gathered around as she draws pictures on her doodle pad and tells stories about her drawings. So cute.
12/07/2008 - Is trying out some of the tactics that the twins use to get attention. What? Tantrums don't work...or do they! She's a sweetie though. Love her.
10/05/2008 - Sometimes when we take her picture, she will pose by closing her eyes and turning her head to the side and down. I always wondered why. The other day she told me that is how you look pretty. "First you close your eyes like you are asleep, then you turn your head like this mom. That's what you do if you want to look pretty."

Lately with Adeline....

12/16/2008 - This girl cracks me up! She DANCES down the stairs! So cute, I need to get video.
12/16/2008 - Has been calling me "mudder" (mother) all week. Melt me. =)

12/15/2008 - Dress ups are her thing! I love to watch her pretend! She also LOVES to pretend she is a dog or cat...or baby....She just loves to pretend. Cute thing!
12/12/2008 - Today at her 3 year check-up she was 31 lbs. (>50%) She was 39 1/2 inches tall (95%) and her BMI was 14 (5%).

12/07/2008 - When singing you are my sunshine she says "You'll never know dear, how much I love with you...please don't take my sun sine away." MELT ME!
12/07/2008 - Is getting so good at drawing! She loves to spend time drawing over and over on her doodle pad just like her big sis.
12/07/2008 - Calls the little Mermaid - "little ermaid" - so cute! She also calls Belle from Beauty and the Beast "Tinker Bell" - silly girl!
10/05/2008 - Is very very in to Cinderella. The other day we read all 15 Cinderella books that we own. We also watched it twice. She plays with her little "cindawella" figurines. Dresses up like Cinderlla, (if it's Avrie's turn she will gladly be the "pwince"). She loves to wear her cinderella pjs.