Sunday, August 21, 2011

I am truly blessed to have a best friend (since 8th grade) who has a daughter around the same age as Olivia.  I’m even more blessed because they have become quite the little friends.  We’ve been able to do quite a bit together this summer with plans to do even more in the coming years. 

And, I’ll finally admit to this. . .Madison has a nickname for me. . .she calls me. . .Gunk.  I don’t know why, but it’s always “Gunk, come here! Look at this, Gunk!”  As unappealing as the name is, it makes me laugh every time I think about it.  I mean, seriously, it’s like the funniest thing I’ve ever heard!  What a story that will be to tell her when she gets older!  Let’s just hope the name doesn’t stick.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

We’ve had quite a lot , ing on lately.  Today, we went to Izzy’s surprise 4th birthday party.  She said she wanted a surprise party, so they told her no one was going to be able to come to her party. Then they opened the garage door and we all yelled, “Surprise!”  It was a great party and we had a lot of fun.  If only my husband would have been able to attend.  He worked until 1 am this morning and then all day today. 

The birthday girl!!

KitchenAid

Today, Stacie and Madison came over and we were all happily playing in the basement.  I then came upstairs to a smoke filled room that smelled of burning plastic.  Let me back up a bit.

Last weekend, we purchased a new dishwasher.  Our old one only worked about every 4th time and when it did work, the dishes weren’t always the cleanest.  So, we did our online research, went to three different places and felt we made an educated choice with KitchenAid.  We wanted one that was middle of the road and this one was priced right with rave reviews.  It was installed on Monday. 

We pinpointed the smell to the dishwasher and honestly I was afraid to open it with visions of flames escaping every which way.  But, we did and found that a knife had fallen down onto the heating element and was literally sizzling to the point of almost being on fire!

Here is what is left of the knife.  That is the blade on top.  For one, I didn’t realize that some dishwashers have an exposed heating element and others don’t.  I personally think all of them should be unexposed.  It’s a major fire hazard.  I can’t tell you how many times Olivia’s sippy cup lids have fallen to the bottom of our old dishwasher.  And, I didn’t realize that heat dry is the default option and you actually have to turn it off for auto dry.  I’m terrified that I’m accidentally going to have it on heat dry and something is going to fall to the bottom.   

Now, we’ve got this mess to deal with, the smell to get rid of and I’m a very unhappy customer who was told, “To be more careful from now on when loading my silverware.” 

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Here are two things that have made me smile this week.

Olivia’s drawings.  She has started drawing more and more objects and I LOVE to see them.  This is a self portrait.  I love that girl!!!

A sweet, cuddly kitten.  Kelsey is a total sweetheart.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Olivia and I. . .we had quite the sweet moments today.  You see, she has never been able to watch an actual movie. .they don’t hold her interest for that long.  We watch TV episodes of Caillou, Olivia, etc that last 15 minutes or so.  Well, today I got out Fox and The Hound. . one of my favorite movies when I was little and thought we’d try to watch it.  To my surprise. . .she watched the whole thing (the whole hour and a half of it!)  And, she loved it and asked questions about it and got excited and sad and scared.  That movie has always made me cry, but today I cried because I got to share it with her.  I just can’t describe the amazing feeling.  Then, later, she didn’t want to go to bed because she wanted to cuddle with me.  (She normally isn’t a big cuddler.)  So, I soaked that all up.  We talked a bit about our movie and how Tod and Copper were the best of friends.  I asked her who her best friend was and she said, “Mommy is my best friend.”  And my heart just melted.  What an amazing day!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Olivia was hilarious today! Here she is preparing a picnic lunch for Tobey and me.  She used garden flags as placemats.  Tobey is such a good sport. . .he actually played along and sat by his dishes. 

We cleaned the house A LOT today, including the front closet full of winter gear.  She walked around with a hat, gloves and boots for awhile today.  Of course, then she made me wear a stocking cap as well.  So, yes, I was cleaning my bathroom in August in a stocking cap. 

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Since the weather is finally bearable, we went to the zoo today and renewed our membership that expired in June.  It’s just been too hot to go all summer. 

Daddy and Olivia in the jungle

On a mission to go see the zebras.

Being silly

Being silly again

Olivia and her new pet parrot.  Yes, for once we let her buy something in the gift shop.  LOL.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Yeah, so I’ve been neglecting my blog lately.  Things have been going well.  I’ve been trying to get Olivia to play board games.  We’ve tried Memory for a long time, but she can’t resist the urge to mess up all the cards when they’re in their nice straight rows.  So, we got out Let’s Go Fishing.  She loved the game, but loved the little fishies more (and of course had to sleep with them for several nights.)  Then, we tried Candyland.  She had to be the red gingerbread man, but only wanted to land on the red squares because they had to “match.”  So, we tried Hi Ho Cherry-O and she made up all kinds of games to play with her cherries. . .everything except the actual game.  And, she carries her cherries around in their little buckets all day.  She always keeps a smile on my face, that’s for sure. 

I’m gearing up for her 4th birthday party.  We are having a Lily party (frog theme.) Now, I’m kinda kicking myself because she has turned into a Caillou nut!  I mean, I think it is her favorite show ever!!  Most shows don’t always hold her attention, but she could watch Caillou all day if I let her.  Regardless of the theme, she’ll enjoy it.  It has really been fun because this is the first year that she truly understands birthdays and knows hers is coming up soon!  She’s going to be so excited!

The Children’s Garden

We’ve really enjoyed having my nieces over these last two days.  Today, we all went to see the new Children’s Garden at Botanica.  Wow, is all that I can say.  Many places try to construct a true child wonderland, but few succeed.  Botanica has succeeded.  It was amazing!

Julia, Olivia and Rebekah in the party barn.  I was determined to get their picture in front of the cows, but Olivia was having none of it.  So, this is the best that I got.

Playing in the kitchen at “Grandma’s House.”

Julia and Izzy playing in the kitchen.

Julia the butterfly

Olivia sitting on a ladybug.

Rebekah

Playing at the rain table.  You poured rocks in and it sounded like rain.

Painting the rock cave

The awesome tree house

Izzy and Olivia playing at Ant Hill. 

But, if you go. . .prepare to get REALLY wet and messy!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Olivia and I enjoyed the company of my nieces today. 

Rebekah, Julia and Kelsey

Rebekah and Kelsey

And as you can tell, Kelsey enjoyed their company too.

Bedtime

This is what Olivia’s bed looks like most nights.  Her nighttime companions consist of:

Lily*

Butterfly*

Her pillow pet*

Two blue gogums*.  Pink gogum must sleep on a pillow on the floor covered up by a blanket because she got chocolate milk on her once which seemed to have banned her from bed.

Her dollhouse changing table that plays music

Two dollhouse cribs

A bear figurine

An elephant figurine

A mouse figurine

A panda figurine

Percy the train

Lily*, Leap and Tad toys

A flashlight*

Her ballet mat which is really the door to her tunnel

A doll

A blanket*

A few books*

A cup of water*

Whew. . .try finding all of those things before bedtime!  And she knows if one thing is missing.  It sometimes varies each night, but the ones with the asterisks remain the same.  And she goes to sleep listening to Kids Praise 5: Psalty’s Camping Adventure after reading two books with mom and dad.  Talk about a creature of habit!

Busy Day

Our day started out with Olivia’s last Kindermusik class.  It was kind of sad because it’s over and she really enjoyed it.  We are unable to take the fall class because it is on the same day as Olivia’s preschool.

Izzy and Kelsey

Then, we took Kelsey into the vet for conjunctivitis.  My niece, Izzy, took one look at her and said, “She has pink eye just like I had one time.”  And, isn’t conjunctivitis kind of another word for pink eye?  But, I think it can be more serious in cats.  So, I’m hoping the antibiotic takes care of it and we don’t have any further problems from it.  But, she wouldn’t be my cat if something wasn’t wrong with her (like Tobey with his diskospondylitis and Autumn with her asthma.)

Afterwards, the girls came home and played for awhile.  Then, we got ready to go to the carnival at Olivia’s preschool.  It kinda reminded me of the fun nights of yesteryear.  We used to have them every year at my elementary school.  The funny thing is. . .I don’t know how many cake walks I did as a child and I never, ever won anything.  And tonight. . .I won for the first time ever!  Now, that I’m diabetic, of course. 

Olivia had her face painted for the first time ever.  She wanted a pink mouse and made quite a cute one! 

And I thought Izzy made an adorable panda.  All in all. . .a great day!!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Here is Olivia and her buddy, Mckenna. Olivia and I enjoyed a great play date this morning with great friends.

All of my kitties (Autumn, Tobey and Kelsey) eating together. . .with no hissing! LOL!  They are all doing very well together.

And look who Kelsey has wrapped around her little finger!

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Olivia’s cousins were in town this weekend from Arkansas and we really enjoyed seeing them.  Olivia received some early birthday gifts including some handmade bows by her aunt Kimmy.  Down in Arkansas, all the girls wear big bows in their hair.  I find that fascinating because that really isn’t a big thing here, which is a shame because it’s adorable.  Isn’t that funny how there are so many differences between parts of the country?  So, Olivia embraced her inner southerner today and wore a hair bow and a Razorback shirt. 

Here she is playing DS with her cousins.