While I was at work

Emily was so excited to finally get to spend a day at Nona's house. With the holidays and my work schedule Pauline hasn't watched Emily for a while. After Emily expressed her excitement about coming to her house, Nona asked Emily if she'd like to make cookies and what kind. Emily responded with the phrase "I don't know what do you have in mind?"
Well this is what Nona had in mind. Isn't she a fun grandma!







P.S.
You like the aprons? Pauline found them at Market Square for a couple of bucks. I think there adorable and perfect for cookie making.

Oh mom this tastes awful..

was Emily's response after she took a couple of bites of a pop tart that she begged and begged me to buy her while we were at the grocery store because it had pink frosting and sparkles.

This does it for me my 4 year old child is way weird about food. Who doesn't like pop tarts? You want more evidence of the strangeness?
1. I seldom buy sugar cereal but one day there was a great sale and we desperately needed more cereal so I let Emily pick a few that looked good to her. For the next couple of days that is all Emily wanted to eat. Day three as she opens the cupboard full of her cereal what does she pick for breakfast? Plain old Wheaties.
2. At a birthday party they had a spread of the birthday kid's most favorite food. Emily turned her nose up to the macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets and sloppy joes and opted for the green beans.
3. I think the only "kid food" Emily likes is hot dogs but may I add she prefers them drenched in pickle relish which is made out of her favorite food pickles.
4. She's thinks the best meals include a heaping scoop of refined beans straight out of the can or better yet Nona's baked beans.

Now don't get me wrong Emily has a sweet tooth. She cobbles up chocolate like it's her last meal (she knows the really good stuff is in Papa's study) and hands down she'll choose cookies, cake and candy over anything else. I've noticed with candy that she often has a bite or two and then changes the jelly beans/gummy bears etc. into imaginary characters that she'll play with for a while and then I'll find them tossed aside and forgotten.

I know I know count my blessings right? Well sometimes when my life is really busy I'd love to be able to come home stir up a quick pot of mac and cheese, nuke some chicken nuggets and call it good but in this house that doesn't fly.

A Message from my Grandpa & Grandma Morrell

For Christmas my Grandparents inserted this message into the Christmas Cash envelope they give to all of us grandkids each year. When I read it I could almost hear my Grandpa's voice with my Grandma's voice inserting the we love you parts. Here is the message...

Christmas 2010

A message From Grandpa & Grandma

Always Remember Who You Are!

You are a Great Person!

Be Grateful that You’re An American.

Be Grateful you have a Family

that loves You.

Get a Good Education.

Get to know Good People.

Be honest & Pay Your Bills.

Live Within Your Means

Be Smart. Be Prayerful.

Make Us Proud of You.

We are Very Thankful for,

and love Each One of You.

Good Luck and God Bless Us All,

Grandpa & Grandma Morrell

Good sage wisdom from a man I considered to be the most wise person I know and the woman who is the most optimistic and loving person I know. I love my grandparents

All her Lollies

Jane loves her Lollies (dollies). When she opened the doll Santa brought her she made the cutest Ahh started low and raising her pitch and repeating it over and over. The next day on her birthday Max and Benny gave her another doll as well as one from Emily. When Max was leaving her birthday party she ran up to him to give him the doll back saying Max's lolly. They told her it was a present to her but I think she still thinks it's Max's doll on loan as she refers to it as his.
Now days Jane usually is carrying around at least two dolls and is carefully taking care of them. She feeds, rocks, and puts them down for a nap (while telling me to shh...) When she goes to bed she has to have them laying next to her in their spots before she'll settle down to sleep. A few nights ago Jane fell asleep on Bart while he was rocking her and he put her in her crib asleep. The next morning when she woke up she immediately started yelling for me. I entered the room to a very upset Jane that her lollies were not in the crib with her.
At her 2 year old check up Jane clung to me and would not look at or let the doctor exam her. He then asked her what she got for Christmas and she released her grasp of me turned and looked the Doctor straight in the eye and said Lollies, Max's Lolly too.

Who turned 2? Jane turned 2 that's who!

Although Jane you've only been a part of my life for two years now I feel like I've known you forever. I just can't get enough of you! I love the way you run around like you own the world and are as big as everybody else. Grandpa Dick told me he thinks you have the most self esteem of any two year old he has ever seen. Your a person who is straight to the point. You are not much for jabber. You talk when you need something or have something direct to say but most of the time your happy to simply be part of the action. You're an easy going sort of gal but believe me you know what you want in life and hate I mean HATE it when you are told no. At these times you can go from the happiest kid to nearly unapproachable in a blink of an eye. There really is no in between with you but that stubbornness with carry you through in life! If I could freeze time I'd do it during those moments when you ask to sit on my lap and then rest your head against my shoulder and we rock while I rub your back.

Since your birthday was on a Sunday I brought in some cupcakes to share with your nursery class. As the nursery leader had everyone sit up a the table for snack she announced that today is a very special day because it's someone's birthday. She then asked who's birthday do you think it is today and in unison the nursery class responded Baby Jesus'! I guess I'll apologize again for giving birth to you a day after Christmas.

After church we had a party with your family members that live close by. JB, Mary, Max, Ben, your new cousin Andrew, Nona, Papa and Scott and Emily came. I thought you'd be more excited when you opened a tickle me Elmo, you love that guy, but I think it frightened you a little. Oh well at least you got a couple more dollies, one for each hand, to make your day! Here's a few pictures of the day.

Merry Christmas!

Jane's turn for her first play

A few weeks ago I saw an advertisement for the upcoming play "If you give a Mouse a Cookie". It caught my attention because both of my girls love those books. I knew Emily would love the play but I was a little leary to take Jane because she can barely sit through 10 minutes of a cartoon on TV. Carolyn, a co-worker of mine, who is very much an expert on child development, assured me that 2 year olds love these plays and she went to one last year and loved it. So I booked my whole family tickets still unsure how Jane would handle it.
Well my Carolyn was right. Jane was mesmerized for the whole show as she watched a beloved book come alive. Emily told me the best part was when the Mouse climbed up the fridge and got stuck hanging there. I loved all the over sized props to make you feel like your a 10 year old boy. Bart well he just likes being with his girls!