Bargain Hunter! Who, Me?

I'm quite the shopper. Confirmed addict, in fact. There's no denying it. Especially when it comes to the girls. Lately I've bought very little for myself but buy a ridiculous amount of things for them; toys, clothes, books, you name it! I know I should stop but I cant, it truly is a problem. In the past I've not been much of a sale shopper as it's usually at an inconvenience to me. However, I'm beginning to turn a new leaf. If you recall, I did go to goodwill and a consignment store before hitting Target when looking for the double stroller. Anyway, I found this wooden xylophone today from Land of Nod on sale for $9.95 and free shipping and handling! Total cost for it to be delivered to my door: $9.95! AND! I didn't buy anything else while I was on the website. That's practically unheard of for me!

So I bought it and will set it aside, possibly until October 2010 for Lindsey's 2nd Birthday! See, We've already got several things for Natalie's birthday this year (although she would love that xylophone) and Lindsey will be too young for it at the end of this year and Natalie will likely be too old for it, so I think it will be perfect for Lindsey's 2nd.

I also already have a box in the top of my closet with "XMAS" written on it. I fantasize that it will be chock full of toys bought on sale for the girls and that I won't have to buy a single thing for them after September or so.

Here's to shopping! Smart Shopping, that is!

=)

Can't wait to see the hubby's comment on this one!

It's Amazing...

... what 3 months and 7 pounds can do to a kid!

Funny how she has her legs the same way, isn't it?

(same outfit, size Preemie and 3-6 months)

Success!

If you remember, back in November we started with some serious potty training.
Today, I shout success!


me: If you want to put on clothes and shoes you can play outside on the back deck.

Nat: No. Poo Poo Potty.

and off to the bathroom she goes!

Toes!

Lindsey found her toes today!
I walked in the room with a bottle, and there she was, holding on to her toes! I turned for the camera and, naturally, she let go. Knowing what a crazed photog I am, she promptly resumed the position and let me snap away! She then drank a bottle and grabbed 'em again! What fun!

My, How Time Flies!

3 1/2 months

sitting,
smiling,
playing,
laughing...


...loving!

Ready Or Not...

Natalie's 3rd birthday is a mere 3 weeks away. The other day I asked her, purely for my own entertainment, "Natalie, what do you want for your birthday?" The answer I expected was any of the following:
"Yes." "Birthday." "Presents."
Or she might have rephrased the question and posed it back on me.

One of the long lasting delays with Natalie's speech has been her inability to answer a question. She simply just didn't have the vocabulary for it. Only in the last month has she started using the words "yes" and "no" appropriately.

Needless to say, I was shocked when she answered my question with this:
"Party!"

I cracked up.
My girl wants a party. A party she shall have! A party like no other!
Except for one thing.
The party I've planned is a soccer party.
10 kids, 1 ball, 2 goals, and 1 coach, booked, paid for, invitations sent.

And Natalie has been saying she wants an Elmo party. She keeps searching for the plastic Elmo topper from Last year's cake. I truly think she's only saying "Elmo party" because she either remembers last year or has seen the pictures a few too many times. When watching Sesame Street lately she turns it off when it gets to Elmo's World, so I really don't think she wants an Elmo party. But she doesn't seem to want the soccer party either.

So today I offered another option:
"Natalie, do you want a Dora party?"
See, Dora plays soccer and we could so easily tie these two together.
"Dora Party!" She replies in all smiles.
Thirty minutes later I clarify:
"Do you want an Elmo party or a Dora party?"
"Dora Party!"
An hour later I show her two pages on the interweb, one with Elmo party supplies and one with Dora.
"Dora Party!" as she points to the corresponding window on the laptop.
Now, at random intervals in random places during our day,
"Dora Party." "Dora Birthday Cake."

A Dora Party you shall have, my Natalie.
A Dora SOCCER party.
=)

And So It Begins...

Girl Talk!

Can I just tell you how much I love these two!?

My List

I've seen this floating around the blogging world.
Things that I have done are typed in bold.
For my own little twist, when available, I've added a picture of me doing said item. Most are from the pre-digital age and are a picture of a picture and usually out of my scrapbooks, so I appologize for the quality, but it should make for fun reading.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited the Bahamas









5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Solved a Rubix Cube
7. Been to Disneyland ~I've been to Disney World!









8. Went inside a pyramid
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Performed a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris









13. Flown a kite on the beach
14. Met a US president

15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France









20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice












29. Seen a total eclipse








30. Watched a sunrise or sunset






31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise









33. Seen Niagara Falls
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa












39. Gone rock climbing ~ as long as Stone Mountain Counts!


















40. Seen Michelangelo's David












(editors note: this is a copy of the real one. the real one is in that building behind this statue)

41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight









46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person









50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris






51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Fainted
53. Drove over 100 mph
54. Visited Grauman's Chinese Theater
55. Learned Sign Language
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Watched a space shuttle re-enter the Earth's atmosphere
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Earned an Eagle Scout award ~ I got the Gold Award, the equivalent in Girl Scouts
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma ~ I totally would but am not qualified
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial









71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square












74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London






77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican












82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House









87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someones life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous









92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one












94. Had a baby




















95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own

"Fix It Birdies!"

Natalie has two security items: "Bayee," a crochet blanket and "Birdies," a Fisher Price mobile type toy that puts a light show on the ceiling while it plays a lullaby. Being run off batteries, naturally, every now and then the Birdies get slow and dim and a little off key and Natalie will call from the bed, "Fix it Birdies!" Here she and Josh are, around 11:00 the other night "fixing" the birdies together.