Our new Friday Nights

Since Sophie is in preschool and apparently has "themes" each week... ( BTW, did we have theme weeks at school? I don't remember that.) I thought it might be fun to have her help me on Fridays to incorporate her theme of the week into our Friday night plans. Yeah, we are wild around here. This week's theme was colors. So, I decided to turn our dining room into a restaurant. Sophie helped me set a "fancy" table, and gather candles to create a mood romantic enough for two toddlers. Then, she got some paper and make a menu. She had to color three boxes with different colors and that is the color of the meal I would make tonight. Her appetizer color is red, so we are having tomatoes and strawberries. No, they are not together, but I want a fresh tomato and I know no one else will eat that, hence the strawberry addition. Her second color she picked was yellow. Luckily, this corresponded to the meal Lee has been hinting around to make lately, our chicken carbonara. I think even if Sophie picked the color purple we would have made carbonara work. Her third choice of color was pink, so I made a strawberry cake.

I have decided we are dressing up tonight. I told Sophie she had to wear a fancy dress and she immediately informed me her Sleeping Beauty costume was perfect for her colorful meal. Let's hope Lee gets into the spirit and gets a fancy outfit together!

aaahhh..... the life

Being a stay at home mom is a choice Lee and I made for our family about two years ago after much talking and prayerful consideration. I loved my job, loved my child (one at the time), and the two worlds didn't seem to mesh well with the ideas we had for what we wanted our children to experience as they grew. Some days of an at-home mom are ruthless, some days are boring, some days are laughter-filled, and some days are very trying. Today is an awesome stay at home mom day. Sophie had preschool, so I just had Harper for three hours by herself. We went grocery shopping, had some quality playtime, got a room clean during a nap, and picked up one hungry little 3-year old, who instantly told me in the car as we left carpool she missed me so much today. We have lunch of orzo and sliced cheese and strawberries, and Sophie volunteers to take a nap so she can rest her eyes for playtime later. Harper is playing independently as I lug clothes to the living room. As soon as Harper settles I plan to continue my lunch of monkey munch, fold clothes, watch some ridiculous reality show about 5 year olds being spray tanned and paraded around for a pageant, and set up our playroom for a fun art project. Seriously, about 4 years ago if you would have told me while I was writing 50 page papers for my MPA that I would love cutting letters from a magazine, I would have given you a sarcastic sneer.

School Daze

We are officially in our school years around our house. Sophie started preschool last week! She was so excited to meet her new teacher and new friends and figure out what the difference is between Cherub Church (her Sunday School), Bible School, and Pre-school. Once we get all that straight, I think she will be flying high!

Sophie was so cute and independent going to school the first day. She picked out her own outfit, complete with ribbon and lacy socks... typical Sophie. She didn't want to hold my hand into class, but got a little close to me when it was time to introduce herself to Mrs. Kohn. There were no tears on Sophie's part, but I must admit Lee and I had a big gulp as she marched to her room . I am already dreading Kindergarten!

I am sure I will have plenty of posts regarding other way overprotective moms, bully kids, and carpool (by the way, I messed up on carpool the first day...) but for now, just a sweet picture of Sophie and her new hero- Mrs. Kohn.

Pictures... bday and ballet

Here are the promised pictures of Sophie's birthday, and a few of her first ballet class!

Happy Birthday Sophie!

I will only do this a little in this post, but I CANNOT believe my little girl is 3! It seriously seems like yesterday I was in those hideous blue Gap khakis I thought were cute (noone told me they were ugly), waddling around our house, waddling around the hospital for 36 hours of contractions 3 minutes apart, and finally seeing the absolute cutest baby ever. Sophie has changed our lives in many ways, from how we view our weekends (no sleep, more zoo) and how we view our jobs (or lack of job for me) and showing us what is important in life. Happy Birthday, my sweet, innocent, quirky, sometimes a little whiny, dancy, prissy, smart, and beautiful Sophie!

Okay, back to the non-sappy parts... Her birthday has been a BLAST! I think I truly missed my calling in life by thinking of fun things to do for kids' birthdays. I love it! I know some people may hate buying noise makers, writing invitations, and cleaning up wrapping paper, but I LOVE IT. Every single minute of it. We (well, me) originally thought it would be so much fun to have a tea party at our house. After seeing our expanding guest list, we thought otherwise. Her party was at Gymboree, and it was a blast. I will post another section with pictures (I seriously have to learn how to add pictures IN a post... volunteers to help me with that?)

For months Sophie has wanted a "racecar" like our older and cooler neighbor friend Savannah. Lee picked out her car, and it is an awesomely tacky blinged out FJ cruiser with princesses plastered all over. She is in love. We tried the low gear in driving, but went straight for fast after the second cruise. For her birthday in 2023 I suggest everyone clear the roads. The funniest part about her birthday has been her present excitement after every absence from the gifts. Whenever Sophie takes a nap, leaves the house, plays outside, etc, I have put the presents on display. They are slowly finding their homes, but for the few in the living room, I arrange them neatly. If she walks in the room to see them, she just squeals "Oh, all my gifts are all still here! yyeeaahh!"

It has been a fun weekend. Now, bring on Harper's birthday!

Go War Eagle Biscuits

Yesterday, Lee called and had suite tickets to the Montgomery Biscuits game. As it has been unbearably hot this summer, we have not taken the girls to the game, holding on to the chance we would get AC seats... score one for us! Sophie was still napping, so I started getting our stuff together for the game.

For everyone who knows Sophie, she llooovveeesss her daddy. She likes me and all, but Lee is definitely her pick for seats in a restaurant and hand holding. You must know this to fully appreciate the following from our afternoon wake up.

Me: (entering Sophie's room after nap) Sophie, you need to wake up, we have to get ready!
Sophie: (not really liking waking up) I don't want to get up! What are we doing?
Me: We are going to a Biscuits game!
Sophie: (jumping on her bed now) Yippee! We can go eat a hotdog, and yell War Eagle. Oh, and I guess we could yell that other thing too.... what was it again?

Where did I go wrong? By the way, the picture is the girls and I at the game. The shirts I whipped out in 30 minutes for the game! By the way, soon I will figure out how to actually put a picture somewhere besides the top of the post. Baby steps...

My first thing i will let the girls wear out....

I made this!!! woohoo!!!