Rocketman

The other night Elie was all dressed up in her Cinderella dress, crown, heels and sceptor. She had been waiting all night for Nick to get home so he could be her prince and dance with her. She asked him to pick her up and showed him how to put one hand in hers and how to keep it up in the air. They danced that way for a little while and then she said "daddy when I am big, you won't have to hold me up anymore. We can just dance." I'll admit I shed a few tears. Thinking about her being that big and how much she loves Nick... Dancing with dad in the family room already had a special place in my heart because of how often I used to do it as a kid. One of my favorite childhood memories were our dance parties, we would take turns being spun around by him in the living room and singing to Elton John, America, Phil Collins, Chicago. There are so many songs that I hear and can vividly see him singing them. I wonder what songs my kids will think of as the soundtrack of their childhood? The family room dance parties are definitely a tradition I want to pass on. And thanks dad for being wonderful.

lessons...

I do not read my Bible nearly as often as I should. I could list off a million different excuses (and I have plenty of legitimate ones) but deep down I know I could find some time in my day. I occasionally get pangs of guilt because I somehow manage to read for pleasure. Is it blasphemous to say that the Bible just isn't as exciting as the books I read? I have been attempting to make my daughter better than I am though, and we try and read a bible story every night before bed. Through doing this I have discovered that maybe it isn't because the Bible is too boring, but I am just too stupid. Kari got Elie the "Jesus Storybook Bible" and I love it. Not just because she loves it, but because I get something out of it every time I read it to her. Tonight she asked for the story of Jesus and the big storm on the fishing boat. This is what I read "they had forgotten that, if Jesus was with them, then they had nothing to be afraid of. No matter how small their boat- or how big the storm" (242). I have been stressing a little lately about money, school, work... etc. etc. My tiny little storm that I can't control has "blown and buffeted and tossed and turned" and all I have to do is wake up Jesus and let him say "hush." I know this is a lesson I have learned over and over, but somehow reading it in such simple words tonight really got to me.

3 years, 3 parties, 3 cakes!!!

I have really been embracing my inner Martha these days. I have always wanted to create things, but never thought of myself as artistic. Lately I have been blog stalking like crazy and realized that baking, sewing, and crafting are all my forms of creative outlet and I love it. Too bad I am trying to get of all this baby weight!

On Saturday, we had our "family" birthday party and Elie requested an ice cream cake (my family birthday tradition). ps. I also sewed that crown!



On Wednesday, her actual birthday, she wanted a blackberry, raspberry, blueberry pie. Luckily, my grandma taught me how to make a pie last Thanksgiving. So, I brought out my 1950's Betty Crocker cookbook and hand rolled pie dough for my first solo pie! It was delicious! (if I do say so myself.)


Yum! Pie and ice cream!



Tomorrow is Elie's "friend" party. I made her cupcakes in ice cream cones!!! I think they are adorable and I am soooo excited about them. I even did some improvising.

Happy Birthday

My baby is turning three tomorrow. I can't believe three years have gone by since she was born. Where has all that time gone? Nick and I were watching movies of her from the last year and I can't believe how much she has changed, even in the last six months. For whatever reason, I am having a tough time with this birthday. We are rapidly entering into unfamiliar territory. I am comfortable with babies, toddlers and preschoolers. In two years she will be a kindergartner! That's less time than she has been alive. Before I know it she will be driving. I can't think about that yet though. I am also proud of myself. I have three years of motherhood under my belt. So far I haven't screwed up too bad...

my day thus far

Elie (still in bed having just woken up): DAAAAADDDDDYYYYY (continuous yelling since I am attempting to wake up myself)
Enter me drowsy and exhausted: Good morning Elie
Elie: NOOOO I want Daddy not you (breakdown)
a minute elapses while I get her calmed down i.e. I leave the room
Me: what would you like for breakfast?
Elie: (breakdown) I DON'T WANT BREAKFAST I WANT LUNCH
Me: Alright, what would you like for lunch?
Elie: (breakdown) I DON'T WANT LUNCH I WANT TO GO POTTY FIRST
Me: Alright go potty
Elie (breakdown) I DON'T WANT TO GO POTTY I JUST WANT TO WATCH A MOVIE
Me: walk away with Elie still sobbing on the floor
end scene.

Just a glimpse at five minutes of my morning. Multiply that by the last two days and subtract sleep and you would see about where I am. Luckily, I don't have the cold Elie does and neither does Lainey. I am convinced that if God had really wanted to test Job he would have sleep deprived him, locked him in a small house with a sick, emotional three year old AND THEN made it rainy and cold outside. Oh, and had an infant strapped to his chest for most of the day.

Using my brain again

I started school officially this week. After reading through the syllabus on Sunday, I gave myself a little cry fest, convinced myself and Nick that I was going to quit and then sat down and did some of the work. It will be difficult to get myself in the homework groove again. So far, I have all my assignments done for this week (hardly anything) but I have had multiple brief panic attacks thinking I forgot something (doubly stupid since nothing is due until Friday). Getting the work done is scary enough, but I am worried about my ability to even be smart. School was so easy for me, but I have not written anything besides blog posts and grocery lists in six months and frequently when I am speaking I forget easy words and when I open my mouth nothing comes out (I guess that is the benefit of it being online, I can think about what I say AND have a thesaurus handy. Although I don't think a thesaurus can translate "you know...that thing" ). Oh well, I just have to pass the class I don't have to get an "A."

Tribe Weekend

Tribe Babies... hurry up baby Kelley




Fun on a walk






what the boys did for a lot of the weekend



family photo at Colton and Michelle's wedding



the girls dancing with "princess Michelle" Elie talked about it like she met a celebrity


Yeah! SNOW!!






All bundled up


Time for sledding


Elie loved it so much she requested to go by herself AND to go to the very top of the hill


Even Leslie went!