Blog Changes

I posted the other day that I made my blog 'private'.  I explained why in that post so take a look if you are wondering why!  I knew this wouldn't be easy because people need to have a google account and I have to 'invite' them of sorts.  So, I opened it up again for a few days to let everyone know!  If you want to read Brother See Sisters Do just email or comment and I will email you the info!  If I know you read it I may have already emailed you, but may have emailed an email you don't check often or one that isn't associated with your Google Account.  I hope that everyone that wants to continue reading the posts will still do so!!

Shoe Shopping

I know dh and I can't be the only ones who dread shoe shopping.  The seasonal trip to the shoe store is such a stressful experience, but I'm not sure why.  Our kids are all really good shoppers(I think it has to do with early exposure thanks to Grandma and I;)  Shoe shopping on the other hand involves irritated parents who do their best not to leave empty handed because shoes are essential!  I knew it was time when Kb's only pair of shoes were a struggle to get on.  Kg was down to one pair that fit well and also needed a pair.  R's feet haven't grown that much and she didn't need any, but if you go to a shoe store with a six year old girl she is leaving with a pair.

We decided to go to the Sketcher Outlet because they always have sales and the sizes we need.  We've done this to many times...going to stores that don't have the right sizes in the shoes the kids like or the sizes that are right are in ridiculous shoes we don't want them wearing even if they love them.  Sketchers never disappoints!

We split up once inside.  I took the girls, dh took Kb. 

Kg is an easy shoe shopper.  Show her a pair with sparkle, bling and some flair-she is set!  Ten seconds after walking in she spotted a pair of glittery gold shoes with unicorns.  Done! 

She then stood proud holding her new shoes while R and I shopped.  R was a bit trickier than usual.  It seems that now that she is in Kindergarten she is influenced by what her friends have.  Her friend C has a pair she spotted..twinkle toe tennis shoes that light up.  They were cute, but pretty heavy for spring.  It took some persuading, but I got her to look at the light up twinkle toes that were a canvas material instead and she picked a pair of those.  Done!

Both girls were done and holding their boxes when we went to the boy aisle to check on Dh and Kb.  Dh looked stressed.  Kb is not a pick a pair and go type of kid.  He has to analyze and pick the perfect pair.  He tried on a few pair of the laceless shoes, but they were to tight across the top and hard to get on, which he didn't like(seriously, they are a pain to get on...I ended up trying to shove a pair on his foot to see if they would fit...imagine doing that every day for the next four months).  Then he found a pair with "pirates" as he calls them(they were skulls).  They were fine for wearing out and about, but not to wear to a Catholic preschool.  At this point Dh took the girls out to go to another store while Kb and continued the search where he left off with his dad.  Pretty much we looked at the entire one aisle of shoes that he and Dh had already looked at.  I was losing my patients with him and was ready to call it quits when a little boy and his mom were finished and were leaving the aisle with a pair of shoes.  She commented to me how much she loves shoe shopping(sarcastic of course).  I took that as an opportunity and asked the little boy if he would mind showing us what shoes he picked.  He seemed like he was a little afraid(can't imagine why-a strange woman just asked him to open his new box of shoes and show them to her!).  He had a pair of light up Sketchers for boys, I didn't even know they existed!  I immediately started trying to sell Kb on them and it worked.  Done!

When Dh was walking out with the girls he said it was 'buy one get one half price' so I should check out the sandles.  He didn't have to tell me twice so I asked my shopping helper, Kb, which pair of black sandels he liked better and we were on our way.  I was thankful to be done as we walked up to the register to pay.  The clerk gave me my total and I stopped to see why it was so much.  The fabulous shoes I sold Kb on were a heck of a lot more expensive than the girls shoes!!  We walked out, met dh and the girls and Kb showed them what he found.  When in the car I told Dh how expensive Kb's shoes were and he told me he knew, that was why he didn't show them to Kb in the first place! 

Well, lesson learned for mom-check prices before showing(even though I probably would have spent more than that just to get out of that store:)!  Shoe shopping is done for a couple months, next up is sandles...

5th Avenue...

I was looking at my camera and found a few pictures I had taken on there while on vacation.  Since I have already posted wayyyy to many, what is a few more...

I love the sisterly love in this picture...

Winter Warm Up!

It was 40degrees here today so you know what that means....

we break out the bikes for a ride!!

Can you tell who is wearing which cute boots(I looked down at all our fun feet and had to snap a picture-that and I just love my new rain boots that I drooled over for months at the store and finally bought when they were on a super sale last month:)...

 R said her helmet felt funny and asked me if it was backwards.  Sorry R, you were right and I didn't realize it until after I let you ride around the neighborhood like this....

 They were off...

 The fun didn't last long.  After two blocks I heard, "I can't peddle, my bike won't move"; "I'm stuck in the snow"; "I forgot how to get started" along with a bit of screaming and dramatics.  Ahh, the joys of spring for our neighbors.  I will say they did have reason to complain a bit.  Kg's tires were almost flat so that was why her bike wouldn't move, Kb's seat was way to low and his knees were hitting the handle bars and sending him to the snowbanks and R did forgot how to get herself started.  She ended fall as an expert two wheel rider and expected to start out that way today.  After a few more minutes of practice she had it down, but it took a little tantrum and my refusal to do it for her to get her there.

 Yep, we looked a little silly with winter hats under bike helmets, but it is still a bit chilly outside!

It was nice to get outside and have a little pre-spring fun!

Gone Private

If you're reading this you may have realized I changed the blog to a private setting.  Nothing happened, no crazy comments or weird events.  It is just that dh isn't very comfortable with my posting the kids full names and certain details with the entire cyberworld and I completely understand and respect his feelings on that.  To find a happy medium (I can post whatever I want and he is comfortable with what is being posted) I am giving this a try.  His first question was, "how do I read this now?"!  It will definately take some trial and error to see if this a good idea or a total pain! 

I sent the e-mail to a few people that I know read the blog (they have left comments or have commented to me on what they've read on it).  Based on my stat counts there are more people who take a look, but I'm not sure who.  If you know someone who does and they mention they don't have access, it is nothing personal.  Tell them to send me an e-mail w/the e-mail they want used and I'll add them to the blog list!  I'm not trying to keep any family and friends from keeping up with our chaos here...please message me:)

Pretty Pretty Princess

Dear Pretty Pretty Princess Game,

Kb & Kg have had a lot of fun playing you every day this week.  Now, I enjoy the game as well, but I am getting a little tired of it and would really like to take a day off.  But, I get sucked back in to play again and again because the Pretty Pretty Princess is to darn cute to say no to...

After School Art

I realized that we do a lot of projects while R is at school, but not many when she is home.  I feel like she is missing out on some of the fun so I decided to start 'After School Art' a couple days a week when R doesn't have other after school activities.  Last week we made some rainbows...we are channeling spring and St. Patrick's Day...

 R taught Kb to paint his hands and make hearts like she did at school for Valentine's Day...

 The finished rainbows!  Every child has their own artistic spirit...

 Kb likes things done clean and within the lines...

 Kg doesn't like any white left on the paper and likes to mix the colors...

 R likes her paintings done with an abstract feel...

Three different children, three different personalities and three very different rainbows!  I love them all and that they put their own personalities into their work!!

**This week we need to add our pots of gold:)

Marco Island Vacation

Marco Island Vacation 2011 was a wonderful vacation!!  I took a LOT of pictures and tried to post only a few, but as you know from reading previous posts I am not good at that.  I did post only a few of what I took, but it is still a lot of pictures...

We got packed and ready to fly out for our winter getaway!

At the airport for an early morning flight and ready to go!!

On the plane...

We made it to Naples!!  The kids were so excited to see Papa(we hadn't seen him since the end of December)...

R was on Grandma's bike right away checking out the park where Grandma & Papa were staying...

She gave Kb & Kg rides...

Moose got decorated with some flowers.  The kids were so excited to see flowers!  I didn't realize how long it has been...

We got to Marco Island and  our "Vacation House" or "Florida House" as the kids called it and put on our summer clothes!

The people we rented from told us about a great neighborhood park, it was fantastic!

We went to the Naples Botanical Garden.  The kids loved the Children's Garden!  Definately recommend it to anyone visiting the area....

There was an area to dig up shells in the sand...

A very fun playhouse that the kids loved cleaning(I hope that love is the same this summer in their playhouse:)...

The butterfly house was very neat..

The kids knew to keep their hands behind their backs and hold out one finger for the butterflies to try to land on...

R & Grandma having a chat...

The Asian Garden had this beautiful water feature.  Only flaw was there was no ledge and you could fall right in (obviously most adults know better, but I did have a little fear when the kids were looking at the lily pads...thankfully no accidents!)....

R and Papa got good at cruising around on the bikes!

Papa planned a trip to the Everglades!  First we went to Everglades National Park and took a tram through the Everglades...

It was really neat to see the wildlife and alligators in their natural habitat...

The tour guide took off his shoes/socks and waded out in the water.  He offered to have anyone who wanted to join him.  Seriously, it was disgusting.  Not just the wading in the water, but the fact that alligators are everywhere and he said pythons are also all around.  No way was I stepping off the solid ground, even it was a once in a lifetime opportunity...

We went up a tour, which had an amazing view of the Everglades(and alligators hanging out around it!)...

R took over as photographer for a while...

We stopped for a picnic lunch...

Then went on an Everglade Airboat ride.  It was amazing!  We saw so much wildlife...

The guide was petting the alligator(he did feed him marshmallows first;)...

The kids were able to hold a baby alligator!  None of them were willing to hold him, but they did pet him.  R didn't want to get to close, I think she was a bit afraid after seeing all the big ones(that and we told her alligators like to eat six year olds because they are the perfect size, kidding of course!)...

We enjoyed the pool at our rental house!!!  Lots of fun every afternoon/evening....

We had a lot of great meals outside at some fabulous restaurants(such a treat that we didn't even realize we missed until we could do it again!)...

Also, ate at a restaurant that knows how to entertain kids after they finish eating.  They gave them pizza dough to play with...

The kids loved the Marco Island Farmer's Market!  Seriously, a huge hit....

We picked up some German brats and kraut to make for dinner, guacamole that was made right there in front of us and some Monkey Bread(key lime and coconut flavored frosting)-all delicious!!

I think this was one of the kids favorite outings!  We took a Dolphin-Shelling Expedition.  We saw a lot of dolphins and found some gorgeous shells.  I fell in love with the secluded island we went shelling at.  Along the island were boat docks and a few scattered homes.  A lot of docks had for sale signs, I told dh that I would love to build our retirement house there someday.  It was so nice to be shelling on a beach without any hotels or condos.  It was quiet, peaceful and just relaxing.  I don't know if he was as fond of it as I was, I guess the fact that the only way you can get there is by boat is not ideal and expensive, but it is a good dream:)...

Our shells from our trip...

We went to a couple beaches.  This trip we went to Clam Pass Beach in Naples and South Beach in Marco Island.  Both really nice beaches to swim and play at...

Grandma & Papa got a little relaxing time(not much, we kept them pretty busy!)...

The water was cold!!

I am not one to post pictures of myself in a swimsuit, but this was a beach vacation and I am posting everyone else... 

This is my reaction to being splashed, the water was really COLD!  I promised dh I would post this picture, he got a chuckle out of my reaction to the water...

The kids were so tired after the busy days that they looked like this at 7pm-8pm every day...

After 8 glorious days we said goodbye to our vacation house...

and Grandma & Papa...

We have wonderful memories of our week in Marco Island and a new picture in a frame sitting next to our picture frame from our Naples trip of 2009...