Growing Up...

Elsie is growing up...and becoming quite independent! She lugs her little chair around with her were ever she wants to go...we have a chair in the bathroom, the kitchen, the bedrooms...if she can't reach it her answer is to stand on a little chair!
Her favorite thing to do is stand by the kitchen sink with the water on a little so she can "wash" the dishes...she gets water all over the counter and floor...but she has so much fun that it is worth it! Every time I wash dishes she comes running, pulling her chair behind, stating that she going to help me...I just don't quite know what to do with such a good helper! I wonder if washing dishes will be as much fun when she old enough to have chores? I think I better take advantage of this now...so make sure you think twice before eating off the clean dishes at our house...they are being "washed" by a 2 year old!

Baby Bee...

Last night we tried Lilly's Halloween costume on her for the first time...and she makes the most adorable baby bee! Elsie is dressing up as a bee as well...with sparkles on her cheeks and nose!
I didn't get any pictures of Elsie in her costume yet...tomorrow night we will be dressing the kids up to go trick-or-treating at Grandma B's house...

Even though Elsie we in just her undies and a an old t-shirt she really felt I needed to take a picture of her also! Such cute girls...

Gettin' the Mail...

Last week when the kids were at our house for a visit we pulled put the baskets of dress-up clothes. They kept themselves busy all afternoon trying on new outfits...when they were dressed as ballerinas they decided to out and get the mail...never mind that it was cold enough for snow! I love this picture of Emma...she looks so confidant!
At least they both remembered winter hats and boots!

I love watching Elsie and Emma play...they both have such spunk and childish freedom...they just do whatever pleases them...I hope they will never lose their zest for live...though when they are teenagers I will wish I never never said that!

Halloween Candy...

Yesterday Elsie I filled some little candy bags for the aunties (and Uncle) for Halloween...skittles, candy corn and pumpkins...
I think Elsie ate 4 pieces for every one she put in the bag...and I am pretty sure the kids just might find some half-eaten pieces in the little bags!

Elsie is always so excited to give little things to the kids...she even had to give a little bag of treats to her great-grandma yesterday when we went visiting! We made the little bags out of some old Halloween fabric Grandma B. gave us...it made some very cute little bags...

So much candy...I don't think it is wise to let Elsie eat all of it...I guess I will have to help her eat it!

Girl's Weekend...

Last weekend my mom and some of my sisters all went on a girls weekend...we had 2 days of shopping, laughing, fun and memories...oh and aching feet! We hope to do a girl's weekend every year...and leave the kids home with the guys. Oliver did get to go with us this year because he still breastfeeds. I left Elsie home overnight for the first time ever...and we both survived!
We had so much fun browsing and getting inspiration...I came home with my imagination and creativity overflowing! I think our favorite store was Anthropology...if only I had a million dollars...

My mom was the photographer of the weekend...and she captured some very good shots of the weekend...

We had lots of laughter...I am sure people must have looking at us like we were crazy! Francesca's was another favorite store!

One more favorite store..."good things"...I think I will be going back to this store for Christmas gifts!

One more inspiration shot...We had a fabulous weekend...I am trying to come up a good reason to have a girl's weekend once a month...that wouldn't be too much...would it!?

Tea...

Last week while Elsie was digging in the pantry she found some tea...and simply had to have a cup of warm tea for snack time...It was stinging nettles tea...we used that as a natural Benadryl for Elsie.
She was one happy girl when I gave her the tea...

I think Elsie's favorite part of the tea was the loose tea in the tea ball...She wanted to eat the loose tea!

The finishing touch to her tea was raisins! She put a handful of raisins in her cup, let them get big and squishy and ate them up!

Pumpkin Carving Party...

Yesterday my parents had a pumpkin carving party for everyone...my parents had planted a pumpkin patch in the spring...so there were plenty of pumpkins to go around!
I love this picture...it demonstrates the safety in our house...Elsie was standing on a chair while using a little knife to cut slices in her pumpkin...she would push the knife in , pull it out and start all over...

We pushed the dining room and kitchen tables together so everyone could fit around the table with their pumpkins...

Elsie was not about to stick her hand in all the goop on the inside...that was mommy's job! I think Jon eventually talked her into sticking her hand in...but for the most part she was not interested!

Happy faces...what a fun family day...

Lilly was a good baby...she slept on the couch through most of the pumpkin carving...when she woke up we just watched...uncle Colter had the honors of carving a pumpkin for Lilly...

Daddy and Elsie...trying to decide what kind of face to give the pumpkin...Elsie requested a "pretty" face...not a scary face!

Elsie's finished pumpkin...all ready for a candle on Halloween night!

Lilly wearing her new first Halloween shirt...and holding a dum-dum! I think the aunties must have had a hand in this!

Lounging...

Elsie has been into grouping her toys together into colours...one evening she grouped together all her big foam blocks...than layed down for a rest...it must be hard work organizing colour groups!

Snow...

Yesterday we woke up to a lovely dusting of snow...the look on Elsie's face was priceless as we rushed her to the window to see the snow! She looked out with her mouth open as if in shock!
We opened the slider door in the dining room so she could touch and eat the snow...it was so cute to see her sitting in her pajamas in front of the open door...she was just looking out taking the beauty of the first snow fall in...

After eating a few hand-fulls of snow in front of the open door...we scooped some up in a little bowl...Elsie sat on the couch eating a bowl full of snow before breakfast!

Later in the afternoon we went over to play at Grammie and Grandpa's house...and Elsie and the aunties (and uncle) went outside to play of a little bit...Nothing is quite as exciting as the first snowfall!

Monday Night Football...

Last Monday my family all came over to watch the big football game between the Vikings and Packers. I know nothing at all about football...all I know is that everyone was super excited about this game! I am not into sports at all...sadly I don't even know how to read the score!
Emma and Elsie found lots of things to do to keep them busy while everyone watched the game...they looked through a box of little treasures while munching on Mike-and-Ike's and chips...

and looked through toy magazines...telling each other what they wanted for their Birthdays. (which are only 2 weeks apart!)

What a messy living room! I love this picture...so many people...so much going on! The game didn't end until after 11:00pm and Elsie and Emma fell asleep on the floor...What a fun evening...even if I had no clue what was going with the game...I just enjoy having good company!

Adventures in Potty-Training...

Last Saturday we began potty training Elsie...she is doing okay! The first day she didn't make it to the potty at all, the next day she made it once, the next twice...yesterday was the best yet...1 accident all day...even dry through nap time! After the first day and a half of potty training this was how many pants and undies of Elsie's I found in the wash! She has 18 pairs of undies and I had to wash because she ran out! For some reason I have tons more laundry to do!

Just Like Mommy...

Ever since Lilly has come to be part of our family, Elsie has been mocking my every move! She reminds me of the story book by Eloise Wilkins..."Baby Dear". When I change Lilly...Elsie is right there changing her baby...When I feel Lilly...Elsie feeds her baby...she watches every thing!
Apparently wearing Lilly in a sling has made an impression on Elsie because she found an my swimsuit top, wrapped it around herself and wanted me to put her baby in it! She very proudly walked around wearing her baby for awhile!

What a little mommy...she already knows that babies need closeness and wearing is the best thing for them...

Play-doh...

I broke down today and bought some store-bought Play-Doh for Elsie...I never buy play-doh...I only make it...but I was out of rice flour and just simple haven't found extra time with a new baby. I am sure Elsie will survive...even if it is made with wheat flour...if she wakes tomorrow with a huge rash at least we will know why! But she did have fun...
She had the little rolling pin out and some knives and spatulas...Jon even sat down and played play-doh with her for awhile!

So full of colours...we have a strong belief of "colours must be mixed" in this family...let the imagination run wild!

With such a happy smile I think store bought play-doh must have been an okay thing!