Crafty Week

I visited my friend Karin this week and was at awe with the cardboard Vikings ships she had made. She got the idea from a friends website (http://ikatbag.blogspot.com/2010/01/narnia-and-north.html). Very cool website of a stay at home mom who is incredibly creative and crafty. Anyway, I borrowed some cardboard and away I went. I did need a project for my procrastinating anyway. So, below is Mikayla's ship. In the first picture you can see the wheel, it can really turn. There really is nothing you cannot make with a glue gun and cardboard.




Next, I wanted to make my sister a Valentine's wreath. I haven't mailed it yet, so I'm hoping that she isn't a regular reader. Tee hee!


And finally, I have wanted a toy box since Christmas for our growing Thomas the train collection. It wasn't in the budget and I had found a good sturdy box that was the right size. So, I used some leftover white contact paper and made one. I'm looking for some Thomas the Train wallpaper stickers to apply to it for a final touch.



Oh, I had to post this next picture. I'm trying to help more folks out there with organizing. I was at a friends house this week giving her some ideas (per her request). I saw a similar closet space as ours and came up with an idea to organize dress up clothes. I've wanted a better way to be able to see all the clothes at once without having to dump out the whole box. (Kristin, I'm really liking it. I still think it's funny that I took my own idea for you!)

Monday

Today Ellie had her first dance class. She wore Kayla's dance outfit from years ago, but I think I need to get her some shoes that fit. I'm still looking for a class for Mikayla. I'm thinking I might go with a class at the Y until next year and then get her into a regular place for the Fall.

Poor Ellie woke up with Mikayla's cold and after dance class asked me if she could go home and nap.


This afternoon for some reason the idea of creating a bus evolved. The bus driver drives with a wheel from one of Nate's old Dreamcast games. The nearby rooms became a doctors office, a school, and a grocery store. They are actually taking turns being a bus driver. Well, it passes the time.

April 18th

It's official, I'm doing an indoor triathlon at the YWCA in Minneapolis. I'm so excited. If you feel like cheering me on, that would be awesome, if you'd like to help watch the kids for the day, that would be great too, it looks like Nate has to go on a business trip for a week. It will really be interesting to see how we pull this one off.

Ellie seems to be sleeping better lately, still is having bad dreams once in awhile. I think mostly because her imagination is wild lately. The kid is making up crazy stories non-stop. For example, did you know that today is Santa's birthday party. According to Ellie, "It's gonna be huge!" Ellie is doing better with potty training. Every few hours she's holding it and going when I ask her to (sometimes it takes some discipline to get her to). She stays dry though and can hold it. However, she has yet to tell me that she has to go and even worse, she knows she shouldn't poop in her diaper and refuses to go in the toilet. We've gone a week without anything and I know she needs to go. I'm at complete loss what to try next with her. Everyone says that it will happen in it's own time. However, she is 3 1/2! Pull ups are expensive and my patience is thin.

In February, Mikayla will do several more reading to therapy dogs at the library. AND, we are signing her up for a kids self defense class for 12 weeks. It's at RCTC's field house and I'm hoping to get some running in on their track while she's in class. I'm still looking for an affordable pre-ballet/tap class to get her into, but I think that I missed my opportunity this year as most of the schools are into recital practices right now and aren't doing the basics.

Amazon Plush Toy Collection

I put this out on Facebook. I accidentally came across these on Amazon. Some of the reviews are funny too. I'm not sure why anyone would actually buy one unless you are a med student with a sense of humor.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_6?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=giant%20microbes&x=0&y=0&sprefix=giant

New Bed!

I'm so excited. I've wanted a new headboard for a long time. Not to even mention how cool a footboard would be too! I've had narrowed it down to what I wanted at the stores to the oak mission style. "It would be years before I could ever dream of it," I thought! Miracles can happen thanks to Craigslist! What a steal, solid oak and under $200! I'm so happy, I had to share...

Snow Fun!

It's finally warm enough to play in the snow. You give a Minnesotan weeks of below zero to single digit temps and when it is in the 20's it feels like spring. Since I didn't get to experience snow as a kid, I'm all for playing outside. Of course there is the usual snow man, dig a tunnel in the snow, and the convince your old mom to pull you around the house several times on a sled. But our favorite snow tools are spray bottles with water and food coloring, snow "brick" makers (rectangles with a handle for a few bucks at Menards), and all of our sand castle tools.

Cute Things Ellie's Been Saying Lately

Even though Ellie is causing great sleep deprivation in our family, she has made me smile a lot lately with her cuteness. Here's a few things I wanted to jot down before I forgot:

1) She discovered her heartbeat. With her hand over her heart she came to me wide eyed and said, "There's a bouncing ball in there!"

2)Sometimes I'm so concerned about getting the girls to go to the bathroom before we go somewhere that I forget to go myself. We got back from an errand and I ran inside to go potty. Ellie is standing in the doorway and says, "Wow, you made 100 pee pees."

3) She's really into orange tic tacs lately. Yesterday, holding out her hand, she says, "Please put 3 tic tacs in my sweet little hand. Hmm? Yes? You want to give me some?"

4) She caught me in my bra the other day and said, "Oh, you put your boobies on."

There was a few more lately, I can't recall. Nate, you think of any? If we do, I'll add them to the list.

Satan Tempts Jesus?

This cracked me up. This is what Elyana brought from Sunday School this weekend. She was very proud of it. Pointing to the Asian mommy, she says, "That's you."

What does seatbelt safety and safely crossing the street have to do with Satan tempting Jesus?

The Soda Box

Ellie wanted a "window" in the box so I did and the box became a robot space helmet.




Then it became a rocket ship for bear. What will the soda box become next? Why did we buy them toys at Christmas?!



PS, I guess Mikayla had a similar idea when she was Ellie's age:

My Creative Girls

Below is a picture of Mikayla napping with her "kids." She's been into playing mommy or teacher lately with her stuffed animals. Brings back memories. I also liked to play library with mine.



Below is Ellie's new "hat." Yes, it's a soda box. If we painted it black, it would make a great Abe Lincoln hat. Put a few mirrors inside and you have a cool spy scope. : )

Yeah Mikayla!

I was doing my Thursday volunteering in Kayla's class when her teacher asked me if I was coming to the school assembly this afternoon. Then I learned that Kayla was getting the personal achievement award for her class this quarter. Her teacher said that she's greatly improved with her reading and is really participating in class. So we went back to school for the assembly. Kayla was surprised (they don't tell the kids, it is a surprise who's won the awards). I'm bummed with the quality of my camera, but at least you can tell who it is... In the last picture, Ellie snuck over to give Kayla a big hug. With Mikayla's other arm, she's raising her achievement certificate in the air.

Easter Island Statue

The girls love this statue in the movie The Night at the Museum. On the route to take Kayla to school someone made this huge snow sculpture. It's not a very good picture, but the scultpure has great details on it. To learn more about the real statue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Island