Style

We have ventured into the stage where she wants to pick out her own clothes and dress herself. She did just that, she picked it all out and put it all on herself.


Annaliese has her own little style. She knows what she wants to wear, and it doesn't matter if it goes or not, she will tie it all in with accessories.


Totally wouldn't have worked without the glasses and Minnie ears. These were her poses by the way. The kid only poses when she thinks she looks adorable.

Father's Day in photos

This is Jonathan and Annaliese on Sunday morning. It was Father's Day and Jonathan was playing the cello that morning in Castro Valley at his parent's church. I stayed home with Madleyn so she could get her morning nap. When they got home I went to the first part of our church solo. And oh my goodness, church is a completely different experience without a 1 and 3 year old. I love them, but it's nice to have a day off from wrangling. They came later for Sunday School. Again, Annaliese cried for scriptures. I just happend to see Jonathan booking it down the hall towards the library for the mini. Luckily it was there, and she was a happy girl.


Annaliese working on her Father's Day card.


So proud of her artwork.


Her pictures kill me. They have so much personality. Although she's evolved again where she did about 8 pictures in a row and every single one was exactly the same picture. I'm kind of bummed. I liked the Tim Burton crazy drawings so much. But these twin drawings are still fun.


Daddy and his girls.


Started to stop Papa from doing this because I didn't think Madelyn liked this kind of thing, but I was wrong. Just mama that doesn't like it.

Brain misfunction

Yesterday we went to a good-bye party for Joshua at the Val Vista Park. Since our buddies are down to their last 5 days or so, unfortunately. But the kids had a great time playing together, that is, until the incident. Yes, we had an incident, and when I say we, I mean Annaliese. I didn't see exactly what happened before said incident. But what I did see was a gleeful Annaliese coming off the slide and intently pushing the little girl in front of her. The little girl ran to her mom crying, so I had to march Annaliese over to the mom and tell her what I saw and then force the ever so unfelt apology out of Annaliese's mouth. Since she wasn't acting very remorseful, I wasn't going to let her stay at the park. So I had her loaded in the car and I was so frustrated I just asked, "What made you decide to push that little girl?" She pondered for a second and then replied, "my brain...got bad." Between that incident and this morning something must have clicked because in her morning prayer she said, "Help that my brain will get nice and better."


This was the coolest. Annaliese came across this little squirrel and decided she wanted to see it up close. I thought he was going to immediately dart up a tree and be gone, but I swear this little guy was playing with her. At first it ran around the playground equipment. It even stopped and waited for what looked like, her to notice him again. Once she spotted him, he ran around again, then onto the sidewalk. Then over by the trees where he jumped on the tree and ran 4 or 5 circles on the trunk while she was running circles around the trunk. I have about 8 pictures of what I swear was them playing. I do remember when I visited Vancouver, there were black squirrels that would come right up to you, so maybe they can get used to people. Who knows? He probably was entertaining for her goldfish.


I've really got to keep a close eye on this one. She knows where she wants to go and she's fast. I'm going to lose my mind chasing these two. Speaking of losing my mind, I think I did last night. (Jonathan didn't get home until late, so it was just me wrangling the kids and it was a little chaotic.) I put her to bed last night and she woke up in the middle of the night, so I went in to check it out. When I reached to pick her up, I noticed her pajama bottoms were wet, then I noticed her shirt was wet. I thought, "oh her diaper must have slipped to the side." I felt around for it and felt no diaper. REALLY?? Then it hit me. I totally forgot to put a diaper on the baby last night! How do you forget to put a diaper on your baby?? But I did. And she peed everywhere. Maybe it's time to pray for my brain to get better.


Last playdate with Joshua until Disneyland in September!! We will miss them! But now the countdown for Disney is on!

Silly Kids and Evolution of Art

In charge:
This is Annaliese with her best buddy in the world Joshua. He was at our house playing over the weekend while his parents (our good friends Lief and Laura) got some packing done. Unfortunately these guys are moving to Oregon in one week. So bummed! But they will be back to come with us to Disneyland in September.
When Laura dropped him off and said good bye, Annaliese turned to him and said, "Be good Joshua." Like he would be the naughty one. He's so so quiet and just goes right along with everything she wants to do. She was thinking, "Since your mom didn't say it, I'm going to say it." Maybe it's because that's the last think I say to her when I drop her off, "PLEEEEEESE be good Annaliese!"

My Reader and funny 4 year olds:
Yesterday at church I saw Annaliese leave the primary room and head down the hall totally crying. I thought, Oh no she doesn't want to go to her class. So I asked her what was wrong. Through her pitiful sobs she said, "I forgot my scriptures!" This was entertaining on many levels. For one, she doesn't have scriptures and has never brought any scriptures to class ever! And secondly, she's three! The child can't read. So, I said, "Give me one second!" I headed to the church library and found the teenie tiniest little scripture book. There was only one like that. So I checked it out. The Librarian said, "Will you even be able to see that?" I said, "It doesn't matter, it's for my 3 year old and she can't read yet. It's perfect." I'm going to have to try and find her one like that. It sounds like a job of Becca and Josh.

Later on that day, I was in my Sunday School class with the 4 year olds. We were talking about being Peacemakers. I said to them, "Did you know that you can create peace in your own homes?" 4 year old Ryan who perpetually has me in stitches said, "Yeah! If you live alone!" True that Ryan! True that! He has a way of bringing reality into the sugar coated discussion. He is wise beyond his years.


Art Evolution:
I have loved watching the evolution of Annaliese's art. This is her first drawing that I discovered of hers. We were at Jonathan's work and she was doodling away. I just happened to look down at the notebook she had been scribbling in to notice it actually resembled something. I think it looks like Wall-e. But who knows how long she had been doing little people for and I just never paid any attention. So I started paying really close attion.


By the next month, she had really gotten into the faces. I had a dry erase board and she'd draw the cutest faces, but then she'd scribble over it or erase it. So if she ever drew something adorable, I would be running through the house like a crazy person screaming, "Don't erase it! Don't erase it! Don't erase it!" While I searched for my camera. This one is probably my all time favorite. She told me it was Papa, and I about fell over laughing because it looks exactly like Papa, beard and all.


The Frigidaire Collection:
I call this her Tim Burton period. (Lasted through most of her 3's) Especially the one on the right. I think I'll frame it. By far my favorite stage, but today I realized that stage has come to a close.


Now that we're in her late 3's she's starting to pay attention to the shape of the eyes, add rosey cheeks and she does hair spewing out from the top of the head. I'll miss the circle mismatched eyes and the zig zagged hair along the top of the head. Also in the last 2 months she's evolved from just drawing people to now drawing animals and insects. She now draws mice, snakes, sharks, fish, dragonflies, butterflies and snails. I'm watching her closely now because she may have Grandpa White's Artistic talent. Time to send her to his Oil Painting classes. And yes, I am that crazy mom who lets her 3 year old use sharpies. Dangerous I know, and I know better.

Barenaked Ladies anyone??

I bought two sets of tickets to Barenaked Ladies for Wed, July 21st at 7:30 pm at the WArfield in SF. I am selling one set. They were 179.85. This is where the seats that I am selling are located. Row F, seats 1&2. So on the left side of the stage. So those are the 4th row in that section there. I had to enlist a lot of man power, actually woman power (thanks Andi) to pull that off. Then row D came up so I had to buy those too. That's where I'll be. Anyway, I'd like these to go to my family first, but if the fam isn't interested, my friends get dibs, if my friends don't want them the BNL forum of BNL fans online will get dibs. So here it is. Who wants dibs? It was a fun show in Reno. It'll be great! Especially up close.

If John Madden host's a BBQ, you go!

We went to the annual John Madden KCBS BBQ at the stage. It's basically a work party for KCBS and all the vendors. It's hosted at the stage because John Madden has a segment on the show in the mornings. So, we chalk it up as a Goal Line work party for us as well. And seriously, when John Madden has a BBQ, he doesn't mess around. He brings in the most amazing cooks and they start the night before at the stage just cooking. Out back they have all these different meat stations of every kind of meat you can imagine. You go from station to station trying different things. Then, after you gorge yourself on that, you head inside for the catered meal. Oh my gosh, I hurt I ate so much. But I only do it once a year. You can't not have the whole Madden BBQ experience if it's presented to you, right? That's my reasoning anyway. Although, my favorite part is Virginia Madden's cakes. They are heavenly. I usually snag about 3 pieces and one is usually Jonathan's. This year he protected his piece. I'm lucky I got out without a fork stab wound to the wrist. Irresistable cake can bring out the dark side in people.
The photo of Annaliese up above was her outfit selection for the event. Not pictured is the purple and black Jack Skellington purse and feathery kid heals. She was a hit at the party. I shouldn't have doubted her fashion sense. I just wasn't seeing it.


The party set up. JOnathan had to set up the Madden viewing wall for the event this year. People were pretty impressed with the insanity. So cool were the center pieces. They were little BBQ's. The flowers were coming up through the grill. So creative! Here you can see Annaliese's purse and heals. It all just works.

We've gone to this event every year for the last 7 years. I don't know why we jumped in line to get photos with John last year. It's his boss, it's not like JOnathan doens't see him every day at work. Actually I do know. Jonathan's twin interns, also known as the remote concierges, were swindled to get in line because some girls wanted them in their photo along with John Madden. The twins are pretty cute. The line started by our table, so somehow we were pulled in line with them. Anyway, we were convinced to get a picture last year, and we decided to keep up the tradition and get one this year. Note my shirt totally blended in with the chroma key green backdrop. This year I remembered not to wear green. I love Madelyn's face. "We've been waiting in line awhile. You must be Santa."
Ananliese was pretty cute too. I pointed to John in our photo and asked, "Do you know who that is?" She replied, "Daddy's Boss." Smart cookie.
And on a different note, I think I like my hair better shorter. I think I'll cut it again.

Sassiness

"Annaliese that's a bad idea!"
"No, it's a good idea."
One of the first of many bad idea's for the day.


Annaliese has always been all about animals. She wants a dog so bad it's killing her. We had lunch with papa yesterday at the park and the topic of dogs came up. She said, to papa, "We can't have a dog in the house where we're at. But when we have our farm we'll have all the animals. Zebra's and Birds..."
Papa said, "What if we just get a white horse and paint black stripes on it?"
Annaliese said, "Papa, that doesn't make any sense?"
Papa said, "We can just paint it."
Annaliese said again, "Papa, you're not making any sense."
I'm just excited we're getting a farm.


Annaliese has been all about this dress lately. I had to peel it off of her yesterday. It was so trashed by the end of the day. It was caked with ice cream and flowers were popping off of it.
Today she tried to put it back on and I had to redirect her to something else. I held up another dress and said, "Oooh, look! We forgot about this dress!" She stared at it for a minute and said, "No. That dress doesn't do it."


Annaliese loves listening to music in the car. We had on "Jump in the line" and she was singing along. I started dancing and touching her belly during the "Okay, I believe you" chorus. She said, "mommy what are you doing?" I said, "Dancing with you." She snapped back, "Dance without me."
She's such the boss. I just call her management. And management seems to always have a problem with something.

Where are your clothes?

Have you ever looked out the window into the backyard only to find your kid running around buck naked? That happens quite frequently at my house lately. Yesterday I found her on the couch naked eating from the secret stash of m & m's that had been on top of the fridge. Then she said, "look at me" as she shoved one in each nostril. So, since I couldn't take photos of either of those lovely events at the nudest colony, how about I post sweet Madelyn in a tutu bonding with a little dog statue. That works.

Garage Sales

Frog Story: We walked down the court to our neighbors garage sale and while I was talking to my neighbor Annaliese started looking around. She picked up this frog, held it up and asked, "How many for this?" The kid is not shy. It was a quarter. Perfectly within her price range.

I'm a garage sale addict. This is a new thing that started right about the time I moved. We have an arrangement that on Saturday's I get the morning "off" from the kids, so it doesn't matter where I go, I just have to get out of the house. So I'd get in the car and drive, then I'd see a garage sale sign, so what the heck I'd just follow it. Then it wasn't long before I developed a habit where I'd research them and write down directions ahead of time. (I really started learning the area that way.) Some houses there is just nothin. I discovered you have to get in about 8-10 to really find treasures. I'm blown away at just how many new things, still in the package or with tags you can pick up. And if there is something I'm in need of, I usually can find that exact item within 2 weeks of garage saling. So I have a stash going that I keep in the garage for Annaliese. It's toys that have never been opened. So far I have a Belle Barbie (when she play's princesses, she has to be Belle), a tinkerbell, the cartoon Alice in Wonderland DVD, The 1st Chipmonks movie DVD (she watches the sqeakqual all the time!), and a princess game still in the package. I can save things for Birthday/ Christmas or if I need a present for her doing something special, I can whip something out.


At Christmas and her birthday she got a ton of really nice gymboree clothes. Within 2 months she outgrew all the tops and within weeks, she had holes in the jeans and had pretty much worn them out. It hit me when I walked into a cute little second hand store downtown called Savvy Seconds. It was gently used name brand stuff but displayed cute but priced still about 1/2 off the original. (which in my opinion was still high for something used.) I thought, this is just name brand garage sale stuff! I'll just find it myself. So I just started looking at garage sales for clothes for her and have found so many cute things. Usually for a dollar. Then if she trashes it or gets holes in it, or out grows it in a month, I don't worry about it because I paid a dollar. It's so fun to hit the nice neigborhoods where you find cute Gymboree, Janie and Jack and Gap outfits. I also pick up shoes that are in really good condition. She destoys shoes the fastest. Usually within a week they are toast. This is so the way to go if you have a kid that goes through clothes like mine does.
She's such a tom boy it's crazy. Last night on the way home from Nanny's she held a bug the entire way home. She wouldn't put it in a cup. I knew she would drop it when she fell asleep and she did. So sure enough, mom had to fish it out of the car later. Fun! At least she's a tom boy that likes to wear the occasional princess dress.
In this picture she is wearing her official Disneyland shoes for our next trip. Wearing those shoes she is exactly 41 inches and can go on almost all the rides. Although she'll probably grown another inch by the end of summer anyway. She's also wearing cute little gap capris. I saw the exact style at target earlier this week and thought, Annaliese would be cute in a pair like that. Found a gap pair at garage sale just yesterday for like 2 dollars. And when she gets holes in them next week, I'll be okay with it.

Getting out of the house

Annaliese at the Pleasanton Street Fair in Maddie's car. In one of the first shops we went in she saw that dress. She pulled it out and showed Joshua and she said, "Joshua's isn't this beautiful! Isn't this the most beautiful thing you ever saw!" And he went along and said, "yes!" He knows the drill, when he gets married he'll have no problem. Smile and nod at whatever the ol lady says.


Annaliese with her best buddy Joshua. She said to his mom, "I told Joshua that he wants to hold my hand."





I was having a really hard time early this week. I guess I was feeling sorry for myself a little bit about not being as successful as I would have liked making friends since I've moved. But then again I really didn't even try at all before I moved since I had old friends already. So if you think about it, my friend making skills peaked at age 5 when I made my 2 best friends that are still my friends today. Really, all I had to say was, "let's play!", and everything worked out. I guess that approach could still work now. Jonathan tells me I'm impatient and he's probably right. I've only been here about 7 months. I'm really trying to eliminate being negative, (I guess MOnday and Tuesday I fell of the positivity band wagon). But I really am trying to be focused and have a clear direction about all the things I want to do and change in my life. But it's true, I'm pretty impatient with all of it.
Then on Wednesday, one of the mom's I became friends with at a local park called me and took me out to lunch at an awesome Japanese food restaurant, which was incredibly nice of her. The bonus was one of my kids was with Papa and the other one was asleep next to me. It was a nice, much needed break. And that restuaruant...AH-mazing.
Then the wife of Jonathan's old buddy from his movie theater days, called and invited me and the kids to hang out with her and her son at the street fair downtown later that same day. It all happened just in time to save my sanity. So nice and I had so much fun. Just what I needed before I threw in the towel.

Naptime

Everytime that I have put Madelyn down for her nap I have wanted to get some photos of her because she is just so cute. Well I finally have a little series of naptime.








Those are little tears on her pillow. She protests for a few minutes and then she is out.