Sticky Fingers

It's been a foolishly fast fall....I really don't know where time went or once again, how to catch everyone up on the happenings of my dynamic duo, so I will start with a breaking story... one that most moms...would most likely keep a secret, never to speak of again....but I am NOT most moms. We shall call this entry STICKY FINGERS.

THE ACCUSED
AKA: The RHW

about 35 inches tall, 45lbs

strawberry blond, green eyes

missing her two top front teeth from a runin with an entertainment center

And so, yesterday afternoon - following a long night of Pinterest (follow me!)

I decided I would recreate these fun ornaments... which of course required me to take a trip to Michael's. I had the RHW with me, we took our time, we piled things into our cart....paint, brushes, paint pens, plastic ornaments, glitter and a 4ft tall house of cardboard. You know, the usual. We approached the checkout line when I looked at my phone - I don't wear a watch. Time reads: 3:25pm. I have to pick up Kenz at 3:30 (and the other two girls we carpool with)... I make a plead to Allie to not throw a fit, but we have no alternative but to leave our cart and come back with Kenzie. I am in a stare down with a 4 year old and I am praying that the gods above grant me victory. I tell Allie, it's a game, let's play a game and see if we can hurry back before they put our cart away. I tell a sales associate, "I'll be back, I have to pick up my kid" - - which to a 17 year old I look like, "um, whackjob, you have your kid WITH you."..... but question he did not, he stood at my cart and trusted those words.....

I pick up Kenzie and drop off our friends. I tell Kenzie we are going to make amazing ornaments and all we have to do is go back and rescue our fully loaded cart. The really great thing is...neither of my children think this is ridiculous. We walk into Michael's and it is then that I learn my cart was just put back --- quite possibly because since I was late, I was at the end of the pickup line, thus increasing the time it takes from pick up time to drop off... ughhhhhh. And so, we begin the journey again through Michaels.....

glitter, paintbrushes (ooh! new colors!), ribbon (don't ask)....and of course the cardboard house to color. This allows for no one to travel by cart (remember, it's 4ft tall)...

As we walk through the aisles, I am impressed...both of my children walking freely through the aisles, nothing falling, nothing getting touched, it's glorious and may have been a first...I always have Allie captive in cart. It's safer for everyone involved...when I turn around and see my little RHW with her hands in her pockets (wearing a jumper with a front pocket)....I see her rummaging inside her pocket when I say..."UM! What is in your pocket?!?!?"

She looks at me guiltily and says, "Nothing"

I say, "SHOW IT!"

She slowly pulls out a sparkly little holiday berry.

I say, "ALLIE! Where did you GET THAT?!?!"

I asked her to put it down and after arguing with me about it's beauty and sparkle I asked if it was worth a trip to jail and gave her a brief hard knock life story.

She pouted and stomped and I headed to the checkout.

Lesson learned: Allie still needs to ride in a cart.

All hands need to be within my vision at all times. I will also be doing pocket checks before leaving every store for the next few weeks.

And for those of you wanting to see the "house" - and Allie's hidden dress pocket (it's behind the peace sign) - enJOY!

Fancy First Gradin'

Yup! Here she is - confident and READY for first grade. Kindergarten felt like she still needed me! But first grade - it's a different story - she's way cooler than I ever was, and has no hesitations. Even if she is nervous, she'd never show it. At least I still get to do her hair and pick her wardrobe, although I don't think that will last much longer. I will take what I can get. Here we are...ready for preview night - the night to check out our new school and our first-grade teacher. Mommy was a wreck - turns out we had the best teacher anyone could ever wish for in Kindergarten - Mrs. Pulsa set the bar pretty high. I think I was more nervous about checking out the new school/teacher.

Sisterly Love - These two are nothing if not adorable. Yes, as a mom of two girls, I feel as though it is my DUTY to dress them cute. This is my contribution to the world - two nicely dressed girls. It's that or I am reliving my childhood through them. Either way, they love to dress "fancy" - and again, I'll take what I can get. These skirts were made by Creative Bee - check out her awesome creations - at affordable prices.

Her very first DESK! ;) I don't even think Christmas morning created a smile this wide! For added cuteness - I really love the top teeth gap. ;)

Here is Kenzie's teacher, Mrs. Bohman. Isn't she the cutest first grade teacher ever?

Thanks to our friend Jenna - she suggested a yearly picture by the sign - to watch them grow. Go Mustangs!

Tomorrow is the very first day. I am more nervous about drop off/pick up lines than I am for Kenzie. She is ready to go! As for me, another year home with the RHW and carting her to speech/preschool.

Wishing all of you and your kids a GREAT school year!

Slip N Slide

What you see above would be a lid to a long storage bin. Can you think of other uses? Well, think no further because last week while I was responding to a client email within my "office" - I hear my oldest yell out, "Mom! You have gotta get down here...there is water everywhere!" ....apparently, the RHW decided to create a slip n slide out of the lid....I came down to her covered in water from skidding across the lid like a pro.

And of course in the MIDST of this drama, Mackenzie, my oldest (and more responsible of the two) had a mosquito bite growing faster than I could say "HOLY CATS!" I quickly said, "ALLIE! Change your clothes and we are going to the doctor!".....

Pictured below is what her outfit of choice entailed. This is also exactly when I told my husband about the slip n slide - here is Pete asking her what she was doing. I, too, often get this scolded look from him. Hmmmmmmm....

And for those of you wondering what happened with the mosquito bite - Kenzie is fine, but not without a real scare. The swelling was hot to the touch and had grown considerably in size. Because of her history of infection, they did treat her with antibiotic.

So, moral of the story --- there really isn't any....well, except tell your kids slip n slides are outdoor toys - not to be created on top of a wood floor. :)

Wrap Warp

So, it's summer and every touristy place you find will offer to do a hair wrap for your little girl - often charging upward of $20-$30. Thankfully, I honed my skills as a hair wrapper during my high school years which obviously granted me the title of "BEST BABYSITTER EVERRRRR!"

Fast forward a decade and a half - my two darlings are old enough to sit long enough to enjoy the benefits of my hair wrapping skills - not without whining or "are you DONE yet?"

- Note: I highly suggest swapping children for this activity - find a neighbor with a daughter and swap. Research (personal research done by me) has proven your daughter is LESS likely to whine, fidget or complain if your neighbor is wrapping her hair. I call this entry the Wrap Warp because it does take a bit of time and patience, one would wish time would warp quickly ahead, but the truth is, to ensure a tight well wrapped look, you can't rush it.

What you need:

Embroidery Floss (Michael's carries colors for .35 each)

(I recommend choosing 4 colors)

Scissors

Beads - Optional

Measure about 3x the length of hair. Cut each color to this length.

1. Select a small amount of hair from desired wrap spot. Wrap ribbon around this piece of hair - not a knot, just tie it once. Don't be discouraged if this slips. It will for the first few wraps, you can easily slide this up to the scalp as you gain further wrapping.

Choose your first color - wrap around the hair and other colors - Wrap as long as you wish. Pictured I wrapped around 12-15 wraps. When you are ready to begin a new color simply begin wrapping in the same style with the next color. Continue pattern. As you begin to grow the wrap, remember to wrap tightly and slide the wrap upward - the beginning knot should now be more secure.

At this step the whining will begin. At this stage I encourage distraction. Offer coloring, turn on a movie, do all that you can to distract hair wrap candidate.

What happens if I run out of Embroidery floss!?!?!? No fear, I have figured out a brilliant solution to this. Simply add colors one at a time as needed. Simply tie a knot at the bottom where you have left off and continue wrapping. Again, wrap hair and remaining colors within the wrap.

Optional - add beads... These lil' buggers are feisty - they fall off if not knotted tight enough. The openings within the beads pictured have a large opening, make sure to wrap wide enough to ensure they don't slip off. Tie knot at the end. ;)

All done! ;) Hair wrap will last as long as you wish to keep in the hair...you can bathe with it, swim, and go about your daily routine.

And that's a WRAP! ;)

Just Bleachy.....

As a mom of two little girls we are always looking for things to wear, do, craft and experiment. Today, was unlike no other - but today, we had a playdate with our neighbor, Chloe. Yesterday, Kenzie came home after her playdate at Chloe's with pink/blue hair with glitter and came home raving about how Chloe's house is better than ours and she has so much more to do. That's all I needed to send me into mad mommy surfing the net for something original for us to do - you know, to make my Kenz proud of her old mom... and remind her I can do cool just as well as Chloe's mom. --- after reading up and watching a few youtube videos I decided we would make bleach t-shirts. :)

After posting a few pics today I had some other moms asking how to do this - it was quite simple, fun for the kids and inexpensive.

Here is what you will need:

T Shirt - I recommend choosing a dark vibrant color (blue, red, hot pink, etc)

*I purchased shirts at Target $4 on sale this week - Cherokee brand

Bleach

Water

Squirt Bottle (mix 1/2 part bleach to 1/2 part water)

Stencils (I used fonts I liked on my computer in a large size to create initials and cut out flowers - I used a heavy cardstock) -

Lay shirt flat *unwashed* - I precut out stencils for the girls, older kids may want to do this for themselves or create their own patterns/look. I used basic scrapbook adhesive to adhere stencils to the shirts.

My "studio" - backyard - I placed shirts over garbage bags! Squirt bleach/water on shirt -I've read many ways to do this - you can squirt upward and let the drops fall into a pattern, or you can squirt directly onto the shirt. Doing this the first time I have learned that less maybe more. Next round I think I may be a bit more creative with the bleach process....

Allie's shirt - left side - just after adding bleach - Right side - about an hour later!

Mackenzie's shirt - left side - just after adding bleach - Right side - about an hour later!

The finished product - Mackenzie and Chloe - Shirts were washed in cold

Allie's Finished shirt

And just as I am about to publish this post Mackenzie came upstairs and said to me, "Mom! Wasn't today fun!?!?" -----Yup! This mom is still COOL!

Six

6.29.05 ...A day that is etched into my heart forever. It was the day I became a mom. Everything before that day was a different life, a different me. June 29 is not only my baby's birthday, it's a day that forever changed me. She is the best of me, and the worst of me and a lot of my husband - both good and bad! ;) How can I be so lucky?

My Beautiful Blond, Blue Eyed Girl - She's 6 years old. What do you get a little girl who doesn't ask for much? You give her a surprise that she'd never expect. We bought her a DS. Even though many of her friends have them, she's never asked for one, never said "I NEED this" or "that" - Kenzie is quite simple and very content. So, to see her reaction when opening her gift - it made my heart melt (behind the lens of course)...

The mere joy of a birthday cake and being sung to by family is something Kenzie enjoys every year. This smile, is one that tells me, Pete and I have done something right. She is so appreciative and aware of those that love her, and in recent years, while those people have dwindled, she's come to learn the ones who really matter - and that friends, can too, be family. Here, she is smiling in such delight as we sing an off key rendition of Happy Birthday. May she always continue to bring this warmth to others...I find her innocence and love to be contagious.

And it wouldn't be a special day if it wasn't shared with her favorite loving lil' sister and sidekick-If I left this world tomorrow, I know that together, these two could get through anything. The love of a sister is a bond I never experienced first hand, but what "joy" I find in watching it as a the mommy of two sisters. I am so very lucky!

Mommy Loves you, Sweet Kenzie-Bear - You were my wish come true when I wished on a wishing star....and that star has been blazing and lighting up my night sky ever since. Thank you for your sweet heart.

Catch up Time!

So, the last time I blogged about my sassy duo was early May. There really isn't any excuse for me not updating this...we went on vacation for a week - and when we came back I had all intentions of posting pics from our Disney Vacation - but then the coulda/shoulda's turned into a week, then a few weeks and now it's the end of June. So, rather than write a novel, I'll go forward from here again.

Kenzie will be turning 6 this week. We are in the single digit countdown now, only 2 days (because it's 1:30 a.m. as I type this!) to go. Unbelievable. I look at her sweet face and she is so very grown up. The only ounce of baby left in her is the innocence that looks back at me in those beautiful big blue eyes. She is everything I could have ever wished for and more. She is kind, responsible, athletic, caring, inquistitive, witty and is an all around great kid! We had her 6th birthday party with friends earlier this month and it was an awesome time. We had it at our neighborhood clubhouse with about 21 of her friends. We tie dyed, did nails, glitter tattoos and doll hair. It was a sleepover without actually sleeping over. The girls had a great time, and so did the moms.

Allie is great at being a little sister, she, too is inquisitive, but she is also my little experimenter. If there is trouble to be found, Allie will find it. My heart is bursting with love for my little RHW, but my head is equally filled with grey hairs from this little darling.

The summer has been wonderful so far, daily trips to the pool (when weather permits), we have seen a few movies and are just enjoying the freedom of doing things on our own time without a school schedule to be followed. And on the rare occassion - they sleep in until 9 - and that is DIVINE!

Fans in the Stands

Today we took the girls to their first ever baseball game - started small scale - The Kane County Cougars. Kenzie took part in the reading program and completed so many hours of reading and we received free tickets to the game. They had all sorts of fun kid-friendly things such as a guy making balloon animals/items and facepainting, games, coloring, you name it. In fact, while Pete was in the stands, I had the girls in line to get balloons. We missed the opening pitch and made it to our seats at the beginning of inning 2. Shortly after sitting down, Allie decided she wanted to go back to have her face painted....After consuming a tasting of all items the concession stands sold (pizza, pretzel, fries, popcorn.....and yes, what daddy's little girls want, daddy's little girls get)..the girls decided they wanted to leave. I can honestly say I didn't watch one ounce of the game. But it was fun, and that is all that matters!

Go Cougars!

Got Eggs?

So this year, we gave simple instructions to the tone of ---

"Ok, girls when you wake up on Easter morning you need to wake mommy and daddy up before you go downstairs."

I don't know how this could be misinterpreted as "go downstairs and find the eggs, then, when you can't find the rest, come and get mommy and daddy."

And need I add... when a ticked off Daddy asks the older one, "Did you open your baskets?" and she replies, "No!" that same Daddy gets more ticked off when we both go downstairs to find where once sat nicely put together baskets - a tornado of a toystore.....

My husband LOVES the holidays, and was very hurt that the girls did not include him in their Easter morning. He even said, "Girls, you ruined my day. Mommy and I find happiness in seeing you happy to find your things from the Easter Bunny." Now... do you think they really internalized this? The RHW 2 eggs into sweet tart jellybeans and Kenzie counting cash from her filled egg stash? The Easter bunny - ever so cleaver as he/she may be left a note for the girls specifying which color eggs should be found by each girl. Kenzie quickly retorted, "Um, dad, I knew which eggs were mine because I read the note." (in a tone surely to be followed with "Duh!?"

I at least was able to get them on the stairs to appear they are walking downstairs on Easter morning. If nothing else, to capture the lovely bedhead they both possess.

American Girls - and the Dolls, too....

As a little girl I dreamed I would be a mom -- and I always hoped I would have a little girl. I hit the jackpot - I have two. My girls and I have a lot of fun together, so for some time now, I wanted to plan a special trip just for us girls that we would create a very special memory. My girls have been invited to many neighborhood parties where the craze is to bring a doll to do hair and style. It didn't take long for Mackenzie to say, "Mom, why don't I have an American Girl Doll?" - We talked about how special the dolls were and I asked her why she wanted one. We talked about how special they are and how to take care of them. I told her that we could talk about getting one for a special occasion...and THANK HEAVENS for grandparents. Grandma Noisy Toys and Grandpa Cubs sent giftcards for the girls for their birthdays---which prompted my idea for the American Girl Doll experience.

This trip took quite a bit of preparation - with two young girls, it was imperative that we study the catalog and go in with a plan. I knew, without a plan I could easily lose control of the situation. For weeks we contemplated...the girls changed their mind on which doll they would choose. And then, I came across a brilliant idea.....the BITTY twins! --you could pick two for the price of one ---and then I could justify a few accessories to be purchased. I used my powerful psychology to bring this idea to the girls. We all agreed that the girls would each pick a twin. We began the countdown weeks before our trip... 10 sleeps, 8 sleeps, the girls could hardly contain themselves.

Did I mention that I reserved us a hotel at the Chicago Intercontinental on Michigan Avenue? Because I did. I live by the words GO big or GO home. Why do this any differently? I work hard, and oftentimes miss things with the girls. This was my time to show them just how we make memories - not by how much money I spent, but by creating an experience that they will look back on and smile. I love anytime we do things with just us girls, we have a cheer "GIRL POWER!" - it's quite adorable. We checked into our hotel on a Sunday afternoon - our room, on the 15th floor, provided a beautiful view of the city where the girls proclaimed, "WE LOVE CHICAGO!" - within our room was two American Girl beds along with princess crowns for each girl. Once we settled into our room, it was off to a long walk down Michigan Avenue to visit the store. The girls could hardly wait. Not only were they in awe of the magnificent skyscrapers, they were tickled at seeing the horse/carriages and were convinced that Cinderella may have a part time residence near watertower place.

We got to the store and I will admit, I was awestruck. Don't judge...I'd like a doll of my own. There is something for every little girl - every personality, each hobby, every ethnicity. It's a museum of sorts. The girls were very much into the moment and gasped rounding every corner. And there they were - the bitty twins----with my plan fully in tact, we were set to purchase our first set of dolls. Kenzie was prepared to pick the blond twin, and Allie the brunette. :) All set ---all paid for ----and then, the tears...."BUT I WANT THE BROWN haired girl!", says Kenzie. Just as I am flustered and about to beg the cashier for an exchange something happened that has never happened before, the RHW says, "Kenzie, you can have mine. I will have yours"....time stood still. I could hardly believe it. Allie, offering to share and to do something for her sister. I was equally proud and astonished....for as you learn to know Allie - it's Allie's world and we are all livin' in it. It was a proud mom moment, one that I smile in my heart just remembering it.

Arriving back at the hotel after dinner we arrived to cupcakes and milk left for each girl. It was quite the site. That evening, one of my best friends, Kim, joined us at the hotel (in town from Minnesota). We all had a great time and couldn't wait for our brunch reservations at the American Girl Cafe the next morning.

And so, Monday morning arrived ready for lil' American Girls and their dolls. We took our first taxi ride to Watertower - learned the walk was far too long the night before! Brunch was amazing - the girls were able to have their dolls sit at the table. After brunch, we had the dolls get their hair styled. Kenzie and Allie loved every second of this experience. I still smile remembering every special moment of our first girls trip together. We left American Girl, and left our hotel, but all through this week I keep hearing the girls say, "Remember when!?" --- mission accomplished.

If they only knew how much 'joy' they brought me.

Sugar and Spice

I have been planning this for some time now ...while I definitely think the antics of my girls could command a loyal following on a primetime network, I figured we'd start small... and so, welcome to my blog. If you know me, you know the very heart and soul of me - my two girls, therefore, that's what this blog is all about. Part of me will think of this as the modern day baby book, the other will use this to update out of state family. Mostly, I love to share the silly stories and amazing milestones of my two little ladies and this will allow me to do it in an organized way. Sugar and Spice - that's my two sweethearts - One is all sugar - and the other---well, we'll just say she is extra spicey.

I definitely am feeling the pressure of my first blog entry...there's so much to say starting out late in the game, so rather than start backwards, I figure we'll go from here forward.

I'm a married mom (going on 10 years this November)...and together we have created the most amazing two little girls I have yet to encounter. Since they are the showstoppers let's introduce them:

Mackenzie Elisabeth - we call her Kenzie. Kenzie will be 6 this June. She is a blond haired, blue eyed beauty. She loves to play outside where you can often find her swinging happily on the monkey bars or playing soccer. She also loves gymnastics and the color orange. Kenzie is very serious and at times I worry when I see her "perfectionist" tendencies. She is an amazing artist (which excites me to no end!) - she has a knack for color/design. Mackenzie loves to play with her friends, and she is always the first to share, the one to let friends go first, and the kindest little girl. While most kids enjoy junkfood, Kenzie is my healthy eater and demands a serving of vegetables at every meal. She is 3/4 of the way through Kindergarten and LOVES school. She has a smile that melts my heart, with deep set dimples and a sparkle in her eye, she is the most sweet and sincere child I have yet to meet. She loves her friends and is very courteous and helpful. She has the patience of a saint....as she is a big sister to Allie.

Meet Allie - Born Alexa Delaney - also known as the "RHW" - I often refer to her using this term (affectionately, of course) - RHW stands for RED HAIRED WONDER. People often laugh as they meet my children for the first time because I have dark hair and dark eyes. My daughters are completely opposite in their coloring. Allie, in particular was born with red hair. Over the years, it's lightened to a strawberry blond, but she will always be our lil' RHW. Allie is a free spirited little girl, who hasn't got a care in the world. She's cute and she knows it and will challenge anyone who doesn't see that at first meeting. Allie turned 4 this past March. Like her sister, she loves the outdoors, but wants nothing to do with sports. She likes to sit on the sidelines in a dress and look cute. She loves to draw - on anything but paper...she has a particular interest in drawing on her sister's homework papers or artwork. She also likes to experiment with mediums such as paint with nailpolish, drawing on toys - because they were "boring" without her flair, and of course, on the walls. Allie adores her big sister, and wants to be just like her. Unlike her sister, Allie prefers the other four food groups: Candy, Fruitsnacks, Ice Cream and Chicken Fries. She will tell anyone who asks that her favorite food is "Junk". Allie loves to attend ballet class, enjoys her time in preschool and her favorite color is green.

I'm so excited to share my two little wonders with the world. Attached is a picture from the first day of school this year. I love the body language in this photo. Their personalities really show through here.

Are you interested in starting your own family blog? Looking for an adorable design and personalized features? I have to thank Jana with Little Web Writing Hood. She has created this blog design for me as well as my business blog. Let me know if you want to contact her - she is OUTSTANDING. Of course - tell her Supermom sent you.