"Eau De Toilette El Poopie"

I took Gracie to a new story time. After the story the kids sat down at a table, each child had their own brush, paint set & white paper. One girl had created polka dots with her fingers in pretty pastel colors. Her friend Sarah made funky Japanese looking art. All the kids were doing a great job, while I look over at my daughter, she has mixed every single color together to make a brownish black color and had created a big blob on her paper, her interpretation of her art was exactly what it looked like..."Look, mommy!" she exclaimed "I made poopie!" Nice, what a proud moment. All the moms snickered and then peaked to see her lovely artwork, they couldn't agree more. I have to say she was given great inspiration for this piece of art. She had poop on the brain between her poop, Shelby's poop and her little friend came over the day before & had smeared his poop into our carpet with one of her toys, she witnessed it first hand. Luckily she didn't take part but she did create a masterpiece from her experience. Here is her pretty art work, "Eau De Toilette El Poopie" :)

Who's 32? I feel 16!

Whenever I'd ask my Gran how old she was she said "Why, I'm 19!" "GRAN!" I'd exclaim, "you're not 19!" Looking at her beautiful silver hair. "Why yes I am, I'm 19, I'll always be 19." That must have been her favorite number or time of life in her younger years and she was holding on strong. I'm sure inside she still felt 19 and so what did her age really matter? She had the most beautiful silver hair, in such a stylish cut. Big blue eyes and pretty lipstick to finish it off. So 16 must be my number, when my grandkids ask how old I am, I may say I'm 16. :)
I am fortunate to get homemade cards since Todd's a graphic designer. Here is the one I got today, so cute. I took this photo of Gracie yesterday on our way to have lunch with my parents & my grandma (who also wears pink lipstick with her beautiful blue eyes) at Bahama Breeze...so yummy!

Thursday on our way to Bahama Breeze, more photos to come



Silly mommy...silly Gracie...




This morning kicked off to a great start. I noticed it's overcast and breezy out, due to the hurricanes swirling about, so we went outside and it's cool, almost fall like. Picking up orange leaves. Wow, what a gift, it's my favorite. Thank you, God!
Todd wanted to buy me some jeans for my birthday so we went to Macy's and got the cutest pair of Calvin Kleins, whoo hoo! I tried on at least 30 pair, I am NOT over exagerating. Poor sales lady!
So then off to Chuck E. Cheese for lunch of all places so we could eat & play, had lots of fun, got lots of tickets for prizes! Gracie was so cute.

My knees killed me because we went up into the tunnels and crawled around endlessly. I was lying on my stomach up there just waiting to come down, ouch. Next time, knee pads.
Squirmy wormy wouldn't sit still for the etcha sketch machine so this is what we got!

2nd try...even better!

Then we headed over next door to a miniature golf place that has alligators you can feed. So we fed the gators & went home. (will insert pics later)
For dinner, Todd wanted to make me dinner, which was a nice gesture but I was starving and he still needed to go to the store to buy whatever he wanted to make, so I was like, um...Mexican & Margaritas?! My kinda night, chips, salsa & a good margarita. Then 2 margaritas, he ordered me another one without my knowledge and so I felt obligated to drink it. Thing is, it doesn't taste like there's alcohol in them, these Mexicans are sneaky, they're on a mission. Every time we go, Todd asks what's in them & every time we get a different recipe. hmmm?! I haven't had that much to drink in a very long time and haven't felt right all night! Whewww. (twang insert)...Nothin' like bein' tipsy around your 2 year old daughter, kind trailer park trash-like. :) It would be more trailer trash if I'd been on a mission to get trashed, made them at home & drank out of a pitcher! haha Imagine that!
We got home and heard Shelby barking really profusely and there was the MEGATRON, GINORMOUS, bear outside and it was clawing it's way into our pool screen. Luckily our Super Dog Shelby scared him away and ran back into the woods. A little nerve wracking to say the least. So Todd has a little project, to fix the screen. Poor guy, like he doesn't have enough to do!
Coldstone has THE best cakes & great ice cream. My latest craze is dark chocolate ice cream with raspberries & a brownie, now make that into an ice cream cake and you have one amazing dessert!! Todd & Gracie put all 32 candles on it, nice. And sang "happy birthday old fart mama bla bla bla" That's a good husband for ya!
(Pictures soon to come!)

Ballerina vs Gymnast

I will start and say yes I know my daughter is only 2.5 years old. And I will say that before having children, I always dreamed of having a daughter & taking her to ballet lessons at 2.5 and I think it stemmed from my niece, Kailee. I watched my sister bring her to ballet when she was 2.5 and thought how amazing it was they could learn at that age, but also how incredibly sweet & adorable they looked in their little leotards and tutu's with their hair pulled back in a bun. Her chubby little baby legs poking out from under her tutu at her first dance recital & her little knees were knock kneed... precious. I remember her like it was yesterday, tearing up just thinking about her because now she's 11.5. How time flies.
So I took Gracie to a trial lesson a few months back and signed her up. I took a few photos & posted them on the blog, I was so excited. Yeah! We were going to start ballet in a few months. The day came and went this past Tuesday and it was not what I expected. Gramma Kay went with us. It first started at home, she didn't want her ballet outfit on at all. We got it on and got a few photos. She seemed fine, see here, she's smiling.

So we're on our way, I go to turn left at the light and I get a back seat driver on my hands, she's telling me, "mommy, no, that way! Mommy, other way!" I think, could she possibly remember? We pull into the parking lot and she is screaming "no, no, mommy! NO!" So we get out, go in, I figure we're already here, she's signed up, let's go try it. The entire time, she's throwing herself back on the floor, crying, scowling at anyone who tries to talk to her. The only thing that sparked her interest was the ballerina bar. So we walked over to that, she put her leg up and then threw herself on the floor. Okay. Well. I give up, we tried and I'm done, poor thing she was done before we walked through the door. We didn't make it half way through the class. I am standing in line to cancel and see what I owe for the not even half class we took that day and a sweet lady comes to show us the other dance rooms. Gracie finds this balance beam in a room and is completely content & good at it. To back up, just that morning before getting ready to leave, her and Gramma Kay were outside & Gracie was walking all by herself for the first time across this wall she calls a bridge that simulates a balance beam & is SO proud of herself and keeps walking across, back & forth. So of course before even going I'm thinking we may be going to the wrong program. As we're leaving the ballet school, she has climbed 2 other things that aren't supposed to be climbed on & people are commenting & saying "oh no, honey you're going to get hurt." While I'm thinking, "na, she climbs on everything, she's fine." She's been very strong ever since a baby & always sure footed and never a klutz like me. So I canceled our ballet class & we went to the gym trial yesterday. The night before the class she was doing summer saults on her own. Like I said, I know she's only 2, I just want to find something fun for her and with all the God given signs, she's not a twirling, frolicking ballerina! And that is okay with me.

We just got home from gymnastics, see the smile on her face? First of all, she loved wearing her outfit. It has hearts & sparkles, & it's pink! As soon as she saw the inside of the gym she was SO excited. Yelling "open, mommy, open!" So we went in and she ran full force to the gym equipment, climbing & jumping on everything she could get a hold of. She was like a monkey swinging in a jungle, she'd found her environment. We had a great time, except as we go she'll need to learn how to take turns, share & enjoy warm up session with everyone. Following instructions is not her cup of tea, she likes to do what she wants when she wants. So after fighting and struggling with her, and watching her throw herself on the floor screaming numerous times in the middle of the circle because she wanted the balance beam & we had to do warm up, she was great! She should get used to the routine eventually, hope so anyway and not be so upset. She's a stinker though...as she climbed the ladder and realized girls were behind her, she started going backwards to hog it so they couldn't get on. Then when they were to jump on a long trampoline forward and hop off, she'd get to the end, not jump off and go the opposite direction, the oncoming traffic of the other 2 year olds, she hogged that, too. And she said that the balance beam was hers. JEEZ. Well if anything this class will teach manners, sharing, taking turns and patience! haha :) And I failed to mention that because this is a mommy & me class, parents are involved in the workouts, too. I haven't thought of doing a split in years! Boy do I suck at those & do they hurt. I need to practice so I don't look like such an idiot next time. I think we're getting a 2 for one on this deal!