Self Portrait

Noelle is a great artist. She especially likes to draw pictures of people. After a very long day of waking early, running errands, no nap, and eating lots of stuff she drew this self portrait.

She was really sad about five minutes before because I had told her that she needed to go to bed, but she wanted to watch the "dancing show" also known as Dancing With the Stars. So I put her little weepy self on my bed and she told me that her feelings were really hurting. So this is what she says she looks like when she's sad. I'm not sure where her mouth is, but usually she does draw a mouth, but the tears are a new addition to her art. Very funny and expressive for a three year old.

Produce Mania

I know I go on and on about this great produce co-op that we participate in every other week, but seriously I love looking in my fridge to find it full of good things, that we even eat. I encourage my Utah friends to keep an eye out for one near them since they just started doing produce offerings in that area. Check http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/ to see how it all works.

Let me just tell you what I got for my $15 today. (This does not include the extra stuff I got for volunteering)
Broccoli - 2 crowns
Acorn Squash -2
Lettuce
Cucumbers - 2
Celery
Apples - 7
Grapes, lots of grapes - 2 bags, don't know in pounds.
Bananas - 7 or so
Cantaloupe - 1
Pineapple - 1
Blackberries - 1 pint

Here's a picture from one of my first baskets. Look at all that good stuff. Its cheap too!

Its That Time of Year

Welcome to Arizona! We can all pretty much assume that from here on out its going to be hot and just get hotter before a major cool down happens.

Time for popsicles.

Time for swimming in the pool.

Chatty

Most mornings when Noelle wakes up she greets me with a very enthusiastic "Good morning." Then the next thing out of her mouth in a not so enthusiastic voice is "Where's my dad?" Every morning its the same thing. However this morning she was so chatty, maybe it was the fact that she fell asleep in the car on the way home from a friend's house at 5:30pm and I could not wake her to save my life. So after nearly fourteen hours of sleep she was a chatty little thing. Through her deep thoughts on things like pillows and blankets and what Dad might be doing at work and quoting lines from the movie Annie, she turned to me and said, "I love you Miss Momigan." as in "We love you Miss Hannigan?" Who could ask for anything better at 7:00 am?

My Sentiments Exactly

Cousin Jen posted this on her blog and I laughed so hard at points that I was crying. Because we've flown recently this is so fresh on my brain. Hilarious! Just think of me with Noelle in the back coloring away as we watch people trying to stuff their overly large bags into the overhead. I often have to laugh at those folks because I can use the space under the seat in front of Noelle.

Happy Easter

Well we "celebrated" our first Easter as a family. Nothing super fancy, just an egg hunt. She thought is was kind of silly. The Easter Bunny put plastic butterflies and ladybugs in the eggs along with some "bunny money," ie. chocolate coins.

It didn't take her long to bust into all her loot. This basically meant that she wouldn't be eating a decent breakfast unless the candy was sequestered by the parents.

Noelle in her new "poofy" dress.

Rach in all her Easter dress glory. (Picture taken by Noelle. Not bad eh?)

Magic

Noelle informed me today that she does magic tricks. When I asked her to show me her tricks she started waving her hands around and making some squilly sounds. And that my friends is how you do magic, when you are three.

Pregnancy

You would think the second time round I'd be smarter. But no. Anyone who has been pregnant would know that you do outgrow pregnancy clothes, especially the ones you buy early on. I put on one of my favorites and braved it out most of the day, only to realize while driving home that I quite possibly was cutting off my circulation at the waist. I'm sad. Time to move on.
Oh and 'baby sister' was much happier too.

Birthday Celebration(s)

What would birthday week be if it didn't include celebrating for more than one day? That's how its been at our house, one perpetual celebration. We celebrated with a birthday party/ playgroup hijacking. Since I'm a one-track-brain I made some poofy princess skirts for the girls. But what do you do for boys? Capes. Tell them they are knights capes and then they'll actually wear them. Thanks to Mama Heather for talking me through birthday parties. It would have been a real bomb had she not helped me figure out what three year olds like to do.

If you need suggestions use these: pin the tail on the bunny, memory with fairy pictures from your clip art files, jump the dragon's tail (jumping back and forth over a shiny belt like thing), freeze dance, Easter egg hunt, cake & ice cream.

Memory

Jumping the dragon's tail

Freeze dance

Party friends, poofy skirts and all!
Cupcake anticipation

Lesson learned - put better candy in the plastic eggs. Note to self, Dave likes chewy Sprees.

Noelle had fun with her friend Bea. Thank you Sundahls.

After a week in Massachusetts we joined up with Grammy, Great Grammy & Great Papa, along with all the aunts, uncles and cousins would could imagine. Noelle got to have a joint family party with cousin Andrea who turned five. We took a train ride on "Dinah" which Noelle thought was great since she didn't have to sit the whole time.

Thanks to all of you who have helped us celebrate in one way or another. I think next year we'll just have a family night at Peter Piper and call it good.