World's Best Daddy Let's Mommy Nap

A while back, many Sundays ago, but still fairly recently, I was SO tired that I took a nap and Daddy was left in charge. Here's what kept them occupied for part of the time.

Playing with Masking Tape! Who'd have thought. I think I left it out from my staff project. Oh, you have to have a picture of that one now. I made a giant staff for my piano students. I LOVE it. Meredith is SO interested in taking piano lessons that she's faster at finding the notes than a some of my students. After reading lessons though.

Meredith with her "belt"

Emily with her house made of masking tape.

World's Best Daddy. I have NO idea who was in charge of the camera. Meredith?

Emily's First Day of School

Yes, this is a very late post, but I'm going to do better. This is the best and easiest way to get pictures to my sister on her mission. (I love you, Mandy!...oh...I mean Sister Jones!)

A traditional, and our second because we have pictures for preschool, picture on the first day of school in front of the door.

My Sister-in-law had many cute left over bows from a boutique she did just before 4th of July, so Emily's school bows came from that stash. Saved my bacon because I STILL haven't had time to make hair bows.

Emily LOVES kindergarten. Meredith can't wait to go, but she wants me to go with her. Haha! Love it.

Emily's First Piano Recital

Here's Emily with her piano teacher after her first recital. She was very excited about it.

A Reader and a Talker

Emily is really enjoying reading. She loves to read now. She reads by herself and here she is reading to her sister. I love it.

One random picture of the best Daddy with two of his beautiful daughters.

Rebecca is talking on my phone. She says, "Hi!", as she puts it up to her ear. She'll walk around the house with it saying, "hi, hi, hi." When we play peak-a-boo she says, "Hi!" When Daddy comes home she says, "Hi!", with her fabulous great big smile. She's so funny. She's so social and yet she doesn't want anyone but Mommy. She will walk around the room at church and sit there and stare down a person until they look at her and smile and then she'll just give them when of her great big smiles back. And then she runs back to me. Let's just say, I love being the favorite.

Making Pizza

Making dinner together. Such good little helpers.

The girls love making food with Nathan and me. We love having little helpers.

A Friend's Birthday Party

One of our friends had a party at a children's gym. The girls loved it.

Rebecca, watching the girls jump on the trampoline. Even she was getting excited.

This was the girls favorite part of the party. The zip line!

This is when the kids were going down the zip line. Meredith was so excited.

Emily loved her butterfly face, until she saw that Meredith got a crown. The face painting lady was nice to redo it for her. I just forgot to take a picture.

Emily buried in the ball pit.

Birthday Party

Nathan's parents and my parents happened to come to Tucson on the same weekend, so we took advantage and had a Birthday party for Emily. She's turning 5! I don't know how that happened. But she is my big helper and eager to be an even bigger helper. Here's a few of the great big smiles I got from her. She was so excited. She got her beloved, pink scooter and is busy riding it outside right now. I was surprised by all the presents she got. I'm glad I only bought the one for her and one from Meredith for her. She is still talking about her 4th Birthday and carrying around what she got for it.

I've been teaching her how to vacuum. Which means her new job is to not only tidy our Living Room but vacuum it. It's wonderful because now I only have to vacuum about once a week. I let the girls make their own sandwiches now, so lunch is easy. She's also doing a better job at making her bed. And I just have to drop the perfectionism and let her do it. We also simplified the toy mess so that cleaning the room would be totally doable, and mom can still keep some sanity because all the toys don't get just thrown in any bin. Honestly, half the toys are in the garage. When they get bored I'll just bring in one of the bins. This being 5 is going to be great!

Almost 5!

Emily is almost 5. What does she want for her Birthday?
Well, she'll tell you.

Entertaining the Baby

The girls asked me to dance. So they put on their dresses, I turn on "Carnival of the Animals" and the girls dance for the baby. Oh, I love having some entertainment for the baby.

Then the music turned off. Rebecca still liked having them to look at.

Yesterday I told Rebecca, "hey bubs."
Emily: She's not a "bubs" she's a baby.
Me: She is a baby.
Emily: Yah. She's a "Pumpkin"
Meredith: Yah. She looks like a "Pumpkin"
Emily: "Hey bubs."

I guess I do call her "Pumpkin" alot.

A Coat?

Who would wear a coat when it is 100 degrees outside?
Miss Meredith, I love you.
Even if my kitchen looks like a wreck from you helping yourself.
Or the fact that you love to pull everything out of the drawers and get out ALL of the toys.
Or even if you help yourself to all of the band-aids and the living room is strewn with books.
All of this you do in seconds flat. It tries my patience, but I think it's worth it.

*To the person or peoples reading this. No, I will NOT post the pictures of my home right now.

After Meredith ditched the coat, Emily tucked it around Rebecca. She really loves the baby. All babies really. But especially "her" baby.

My sweet, beautiful baby.

Picnic

The 4-wheel rides

+ good company + pretty smiles

+ cheetos

= The Perfect Picnic.