Easter Eggs...

Since I am not able to go shopping that job has fallen to Jon...and he is getting quite good at it! Yesterday he even bought some summer clothes and an Easter sweater for Elsie...and he did a good job picking it all out! He also had to buy all the goodies for Elsie's Easter basket...while he was picking out Easter treats he saw an Easter egg kit he thought Elsie would enjoy...so last night Jon blew out some eggs and helped Elsie decorate them...
This little kit was perfect for Elsie since she loves to paint and stamp...and now we have some lovely Easter eggs for the table...

Here We Go Again...

This past week has not been a very good week as far as pregnancy goes...one evening was spent in the hospital getting monitored...not fun at all!
Elsie and I spent all of last week at my parents house so they can help watch Elsie and make meals...thankfully they haven't seemed to mind me taking up the couch...again! Since they didn't mind last week we will be spending this week at their house also...and probably every week until the baby is born at the end of July unless I suddenly stop getting contractions! I have my fingers crossed...because it never hurts to think positive!

Spring is Here...

Spring is here and there is no hope of keeping Elsie in doors anymore...she loves the fresh air and the freedom of playing outside...with all the fresh air she is getting Elsie has been pooped out! Last weekend she fell asleep in the car and never even woke up when Jon carried her inside...she has not taken any day time naps since she was about one-and-a-half...I just might get used to what this fresh spring air is doing to her!

St. Patrick's Day...

This year Elsie went all green for St.Patrick's Day...She talked for days about having green hair...we searched all over for some green spray on dye...and it was green!

Elsie was thrilled with her hair...and her pink st. Patrick's day shirt...

This year just Daddy and Elsie went to the big parade with papa Wayne and the aunties...They always have so much fun at the parade...

After the parade everyone went back to our house for a little green dinner in honor of St. Patricks day...everyone brought one dish to share...the only stipulation was that the food had to be green! We had some green avocado dip...green jello...green beans...lettuce salad...

Elsie choose to make green potatoes for her green dish to share...we used the Wiltons dye to get super green potatoes...everyone thought they looked like a big dish of play-doh...with a garlic smell to them!

Lots of laughter and good times...after dinner everyone headed off to the last home game of the season...

We have a big dining room table but not quite big enough it looks like...so my dad and Jon had their own table for dinner...I thought it was cute to see the big guys at the little table...

Denim and Cowboy boots...

Elsie loves nothing more than being just like her aunties...a few weeks ago Elsie went with her aunties to the basketball game...and they all had to wear jeans, denim jackets and their cowboy boots...
What spiffy looking girls...

Elsie loves going anywhere with her aunties...but going to a basketball game is the best...the girls have even taught Elsie how to cheer the team on and who the "good" players are...

Every girl needs a pair of cowboy boots to wear with her jeans...

Belly...

We are almost 20 weeks along...half ways there! I have been feeling the baby move around for quite some time...but now the kicks are much stronger...soon Elsie will be able to feel the kicks on her hand! Yesterday we decided we do a little Henna art to my belly...
Laura is our Henna Artist...she can do very lovely work...yesterday we were almost all out of ink...and the ink was quite old so it didn't turn out very good...by today it had all washed off already! I am hoping she will mix up more so my whole belly can be done!

I can't wait until I reach the 9th month so Laura can do my huge belly right before having the baby...

Lots of little scrolls, flowers and the baby's initials...Laura has quite a gift for henna!

One last belly picture...love this one...makes my belly look quite big!

Sunday Afternoon...

Sunday afternoon found us a Grammie and Papa Wayne's house for dinner...and playing outside after dinner...Elsie and her little aunties have discovered the trampoline...and I think jumping half the afternoon wore her out!
Love this picture...the dog jumped up the trampoline...and this picture captured the kids personality's perfectly...Marissa is the mother swooping down to protect a scared little Elsie...and Emma just stands there laughing like it is a great joke!

When you put a couple guys, a ton of mud and a couple 4-wheelers together this is what you get...my parents yard and drive way will never be the same...it seems that every year they have less and less grass in the front of the house and more and more and more 4-wheeler paths...

Jon and Ted were each on a 4-wheeler throwing mud everywhere!

We girls were a bit more responsible and stood back at a safe distance and cheered them on while taking lots of pictures...

Taking a break...those poor 4-wheelers get quite a works out in the spring! Makes for good memories...

Outside Play...

It seems that little kids just cannot keep away from mud puddles for long...Elsie has some new pink mud boots that work just right for puddle jumping...the only puddles we have are in the road in front of the house...so she prefers to go to Grammie and Papa Wayne's because they have huge puddles...
When we are at our house Elsie prefers to play at the swingset...

I love the contrast of the colours in her sweater against the white snow...

I have a feeling this summer we will be spending most of our time outside at the swingset...she just can't enough swinging...and notice that Elsie has no time for a baby swing...after all she reminds me quite often that she a toddler now!

Warming Up...

I think Spring just might be on its way...and I know a certain little girl who is loving the warmer weather! Last week Elsie had her little aunties over for a play date...and they ended up having a pretend picnic on the deck outside...Elsie is loving the freedom of not having to wear a coat outside...and she is counting down the days till her little toes can run free from shoes on the green grass...

More Craft Time...

A few nights ago Elsie was having another crafty evening...She took out her crafting things while I was in the shower...and managed to open some of the paints up by herself...when she could not get some the containers open she brought them to me in the shower...after I noticed how messy she was already I just leaned out of the shower and opened the remainder of the paints for her...
This craft time took place at 9pm at night...Elsie had a small nap that afternoon so bedtime was the last thing on her mind!

water colour, washable paints, glue, markers, stickers, sequins...all over Elsie, the table and the floor...maybe even the wall, who knows! We now have all the beautiful art work hanging on the wall beneath the window in the kitchen...

Playing Outside...

Yesterday was such a nice day outside that we just had to go out and enjoy the fresh air...For some reason Elsie was not interested in the water puddles...I am sure that will not last for long!
Elsie really just wanted to play on the swing set...so daddy helped her go down the slide and swing on the swing for a bit...

The snow piles are slowly getting smaller and smaller...and Elsie keeps talking about getting a little pool and a beach ball...so hopefully spring in on its way!

Sewing...

I have been busy sewing again...last week I finished a little summer top for Elsie...
Every girl needs lots of flowers and bows...so this shirt got a pretty flower pin for added detail...

Before we knew James was a boy I made some little pink flower shoes...I love the way these turned out...I have plans to make some more in a more boyish print...and no flower! Dressing a boy might take some getting used to!

Art Work...

What do you get when you give a little girl a bottle of glue, some paper and a tin full of sequins? A huge mess...but some very lovely pictures!
Elsie is very into her art work right now...today she took the top off a bottle of glue and poured half the bottle onto her sheet of paper...next she took handfuls of sequins and sprinkled them on top of the glue...

My favorite part was watching her shake her hands wildly in the air to get the sequins off that got stuck to her hands...sequins went flying everywhere...and she did it several times! We have carpet in the dining room...so picking up was interesting!

We keep markers, crayons, some stickers and paper out on the play table in the living room so Elsie can craft whenever the mood strikes...and we keep the messy projects in the dining room tucked in a drawer...and Elsie can now get the drawer open by herself! Today she found her Hello Kitty stamper in the drawer again and stamped all over her face again...She is a very creative child...it would be boring to have a child who did not like to explore and create!