ketchup

A few things I've forgotten to post this week:

Easter photos. (I feel compelled to point out that these were taken after church due to a dead camera battery. It was windy and rainy. And they were hungry. Okay, okay, enough excuses.)

In other news:

• Mads insisted on calling Eliza - "Diego" for a few days. I guess that's better than when they play house, because then they always make her be the "Mom".


• Wednesday morning we were almost completely without food, so for breakfast I spread jelly on buns. The girls ate two a piece. Sophie called them "jelly burgers". I called them "gross", but whatever.


• I, unfortunately, have gotten sucked into the whole "Twilight" thing this week. Yes, I know it's soooooo 2008 to be into Twilight. I've always been a late bloomer.


• Sophie can tie her shoes. Up next: washing her own hair! (just kidding)


• I no longer think I look like Suri Cruise. Tonight we decided I look like "Boof". You get a special prize if you know who that is!

I'm a little teapot ...

Let's see...

Sophie in her new pink accessories? check

Mads in her cowgirl boots? check

Eliza with a mouthful of dirt? check!

Well, I guess it must be T-ball season!! (or as Maddie calls it, "teapot" season)

Scenes from our very first practice, ever:

Sophie wore this goofy grin the entire time... even when I was cheering for her nice and loud, which usually makes her incredibly embarrassed. (already embarrassed by me at age almost 5. Man, the teen years are going to be awesome.)

She did it!

Now, I have talked before about how I feel some milestones are more important and relevant than others.

Admittedly, I celebrated Sophie's first sneeze, her first splinter, her first spit bubble, etc....

I was being ridiculous.

As each of my children have learned new things, I have realized that some really are worth celebrating.

Such as: holding their own bottle, eating finger foods, being potty-trained.

See a pattern?

All of these things make my life a little easier!

(Some of you may be saying to yourself, "she's so selfish."

And I say to you, "Oh, stars. I don't have time to be selfish.")

So, guess what!

Mads hit one of my favorite milestones yesterday!

She learned to "pump her legs".

Again, some are saying, "whaaaaa?????"

But, I have a feeling that a lot of you are giving me high fives. You know the number of hours we spend listening to these words - MOM, PUSH ME! And when you have more than one and you are doing the "pushing juggle", standing between the two swings and trying to push each with one hand. That never really makes anyone happy.

So, there you go. Yesterday was a really good day. Maddie can swing by herself.

Two down, one to go.

10 Things Wednesday

It's been a while!

10 things I am thankful for over the past couple of weeks:

1. Our anniversary weekend. We hung out and did home improvements while the girls went to Nana and Papa's. I laughed until I cried at least 15 times a day. Some handiwork: (All furniture built by Jeff, bedding and fabric by Danna. we're slightly Amish.)





2. The girls' music program this year was it's typical cuteness. Even better, didn't have to sew any costumes!





3. Speaking of sewing, I am thankful that I have finished all Easter orders! Everyone I sewed for was absolutely fantastic. Such pleasures to work with! Now to work on my own children's dresses ...





4. I am thankful for Dave Ramsey and FPU. We are turning a corner in responsibility.





5. Fridays, because that's when my People magazine is delivered.





6. My children are finally all healthy. I feel like I have only gone to church every other Sunday for the past two months.





7. I am soooooo pumped about Sophie's upcoming birthday party!





8. My eyebrows have been tamed. Man, they can get bushy.





9. My new haircut! I have suspicions that I look like Suri Cruise, but really, don't care. It takes me less than 2 min. in the morning. 5 if I actually want to fix it. (which.... I don't.)





10. Our baby chickies. They have given us a lot of joy.

On a sad note, we couldn't find them last night. They were at the back door, chirping to come in (they are like dogs, I tell ya), and I didn't put them in the garage right away. When I went back to get them, they were gone. Jeff and I were both out there in our pajamas with flashlights searching and calling them. No luck. I am a little devastated. surprisingly so.

One last photo. Eliza, starring in The Great Jello Massacre. I do not know how she always gets food on her forehead.

I love today!

I have happily been known as "Jeff's wife" for 7 years. Woo woo!

It's official. I'm a woman.

Guess what I got to do today?

It's something special for just us ladies.

I got my boobies squished.

My mother is going to love that I just said that.

Yep, I got my first mammogram today.
When I walked in they handed me a list of things for me to check yes or no on.

• Has anyone in your family had cancer? yes
• Was it BREAST cancer? yes
• WAS IT YOUR MOTHER?!?!?! ack! yes! I get it, I'm high risk! Stop shouting at me stupid questionaire!

So, there I was, high-risk patient, 32 years old, getting my first mammogram.

It wasn't bad at all.

But I did celebrate when it was over.

Cheetos were involved.

photo op. I'm thrilled. really.

The Ramsey family was ambushed and forced into getting their picture made Sunday night. (for the church directory.)

First, the girls.

1,2,3...squish Eliza! Sophie was tickling her. These shots are edited because E kept hiking her dress up to show off her Luvs. My fave. Just look at them! They could be triplets. *cough,cough*

The lovely group shot:

Some things I'd like to point out:

• This was after the banquet. I'd already eaten my lipstick off.
• Mads is covered in Wal-mart stickers. She wears them like some kind of redneck badge of honor.
• I'd let them pick out whatever they wanted to wear, so Sophie is wearing a way-to-short sundress with a pair of Maddie's pants on underneath and some sandals that were 2 sizes too small. Maddie of course chose purple shoes to complete her outfit.
• None of this seemed to matter, because all the people standing around could say was, "Man, are you sure that baby is yours?"