I want to be one of those people who love (or even just like) to run. When I was in high school, a friend of mine asked me to start running with her. Knowing that she was there waiting for me was the usually the only reason that I would actually go to run. Now, at 32 years old I decide I want to run again, so I asked my friend and neighbor, Ashley, if she wanted a running buddy, as I have seen her running in the neighborhood. She said it was perfect timing as she was wanted to start running again. After the third run, my knees started to hurt. This is probably not the first time a runner at any level has had knee pain, so I was hoping it was just my body getting used to running and in a day it would subside. Five days later, they still hurt (in a get out of bed and have to hold on to something because of the pain). In those five days, it occurred to me that when I was a kid I used to have to wear orthotics in my shoes when ever I participated in any athletic event, and that was probably one of the reasons I was now in pain. (I have also gotten tips on stretches and good running shoes).
This week, we have VBS at my church. We're going into day three and it has been such a blessing to me! It is so encouraging, and everyone is having fun and learning "Who Is Jesus?" During prayer request time last night, I was told that Aubree asked for prayer for me because my knees hurt after I ran with the Potty Princess (played by Ashley, with a tiara and toilet brush as a scepter collecting pennies to build potties in Guatemala). It was so funny, but it reminded me of the sweetness of Aubree and also that she is observant and does have a clue to what's going on, when I think she's mostly in her own little dream world.
I was very happy to tell Aubree this morning that my knees felt better. For five days I've had the same level of pain, today I woke up and they felt better, still sore but definitely better. She was so happy to hear her prayer had been answered. God is a great listener to little voices in prayer!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Monday, July 1, 2013
Babies Are Sweet!
Danny's Brother and Sister-In-Law, Ben and Lindsay, are having their first baby, due September 11th! We were so excited to hear the news. Yesterday, we held a Baby Shower for her. Here are some pictures of the day.
The shower was a success! Lindsay even prepared a speech where she shared a little about her Mom giving her the strength to be a good Mom, and also a way to thank everyone she worked with and those who planned her shower. She even gave the planners a very pretty charm bracelet as a thank you. She may not even realize how much she is like her Mom. Her Mom did the same thing at Lindsay's bridal shower, giving out a little gift bag of goodies to all the girls who planned the shower. Last week when I was looking for a gift bag, I found the bag from the bridal shower. The tag was still attached, and Nancy wrote "you are a gift to me." Of course, I cried, but I was also so happy that I didn't throw this little note out all those years ago. It's something I will treasure now.
I know that Lindsay and Ben will be great parents, they are already a fantastic Aunt and Uncle to my daughters. There baby is already so loved, and we can't wait until September when he or she arrives!!!!
The shower was a success! Lindsay even prepared a speech where she shared a little about her Mom giving her the strength to be a good Mom, and also a way to thank everyone she worked with and those who planned her shower. She even gave the planners a very pretty charm bracelet as a thank you. She may not even realize how much she is like her Mom. Her Mom did the same thing at Lindsay's bridal shower, giving out a little gift bag of goodies to all the girls who planned the shower. Last week when I was looking for a gift bag, I found the bag from the bridal shower. The tag was still attached, and Nancy wrote "you are a gift to me." Of course, I cried, but I was also so happy that I didn't throw this little note out all those years ago. It's something I will treasure now.
I know that Lindsay and Ben will be great parents, they are already a fantastic Aunt and Uncle to my daughters. There baby is already so loved, and we can't wait until September when he or she arrives!!!!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
A Pink and Green "Floo Floo" Party.
Saige turned two, and of course, I had to throw a big party for her. I don't know if "floo floo" has a real definition, but it seemed to describe the theme well!
The Decorations
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The Cake
The Pink Lemonade Stand (I asked Danny, "Hey, can you build a lemonade stand for the party?" "I guess. What do you want it to look like?" I showed him a picture. This is what he came up with!)
The Photo Props
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My Beautiful Birthday Girl
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The Decorations
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The Cake
The Pink Lemonade Stand (I asked Danny, "Hey, can you build a lemonade stand for the party?" "I guess. What do you want it to look like?" I showed him a picture. This is what he came up with!)
The Photo Props
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My Beautiful Birthday Girl
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Monday, April 8, 2013
Happy 2nd Birthday, Saige!
My Baby is two. I don't know how that happened. My niece, Ava, turned two in October and I was prepared for Saige to only have half a year left before she turned two. Then my niece, Luci, turned two in December, and I was prepared for Saige to only have 4 months left before she turned two. I got so used to the other girls being two that it seemed like it was taking forever for Saige to turn two. I've been telling people for at least a month that Saige is two. Then, last week, Saige went to the doctor, and the nurse declared her a "big girl now" and put her on the regular kid scale. Saige also started buckling herself into her carseat, and she went to her first movie. It seemed like my little itty bitty baby grew up so quickly in just a week or two! I asked her if she's my "Big Girl" or my "Baby." She told me she was my baby. I think she will always be my baby! Here are 100 things about the Birthday Girl:
1. For a while, instead of saying just “thank-you” Saige would say “thank-you, honey.”
2. She puts too much food in her mouth, and then she spits it all out.
3. If she is done eating her food, she will tell you “I don’t like it” in place of saying “I’m full.”
4. She climbs up and down the ladder to the top bunk with no problems.
5. She likes to wear other people’s shoes, especially one hot pink croc and one light pink croc.
6. She takes a calculator, two phones, and two babies to bed.
7. She tattles on her sisters. She’ll show us that Caura has stuck her tongue out, and Aubree has stomped her foot.
8. She has taken over one of Aubree’s baby dolls as her own, and takes it to bed every night. This is in following in the footsteps of Aubree, who took over one of Caura’s baby dolls and claimed her as her own.
9. Her favorite song is “Happy Birthday,” although she initially pronounced it “Happy Da-day” and now says “Happy Dur-day.”
10. She makes the cutest fish face.
11. When she goes to bed, she needs a kiss, hug, and a high five from everyone in the house.
12. If I tell her to “do nice” she will move her hand across my face and say, “nice.”
13. We sing her “head, shoulders, knees, and toes” before bed.
14. We call going to bed “saying good-night.”
15. She wants to sleep with every blanket in her room.
16. Her favorite shows are “Baby” (which is an on demand nursery rhyme collection), Barney, and Deinsteins (Little Einsteins), but only during the songs.
17. She likes to do things by herself and says “I do yit.”
18. She likes to hold my bag at the store.
19. She likes to feed the chickens with me in the morning. She wants to hold the cup of food going out, and an egg going back into the house. She got used to me saying (about the egg) “Don’t squeeze it,” so now she says “Don’t skeeze it.”
20. She is obsessed with phones. She wants to always make sure I have mine. She wants to hold mine. She wants to watch videos on it. If I get a text, she wants me to answer it immediately. I don’t let her play with it, though, because she once called 911.
21. She was too cool for the baby swing and the high chair before she really was ready to be done with them.
22. She likes to dump out toys just to clean them up.
23. Often when she goes down the steps, she will sit on her butt and say “boing” as she hits the next step.
24. She likes to play on the “rocky rock” (rocking horse).
25. She knows she’s funny.
26. She says “again” all the time.
27. If you ask her “why?” she’ll say “cause.”
28. Sometimes she will burp, and she thinks it’s funny, so she’ll try to do it again and instead makes a growling noise.
29. When I fold clothes, she likes to watch, and as I hold up a new article of clothing, she tries to name the person it belongs to.
30. She has several pairs of shoes, but will only wear the same pair over and over.
31. She loves cookie dough, so whenever I give her a cookie, she asks “cookie dough?”
32. She mimics the Kitchenaid mixer.
33. I can’t sit on the floor very often with her because she’ll want me to play “The Duke of York.”
34. She loves chapstick.
35. She can count to 41: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, durteen, dicteen, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 41.
36. If you ask her to count to 10, she will follow it with ABC’s and then Twinkle Twinkle.
37. When she sings “Twinkle Twinkle” she sings “Up ba ba ba world so high.”
38. When she needs to go to the potty she’ll say, “I go pee pee potty too.” When she wants to eat, she says, “I hummee too.”
39. She has issues with socks. If they are slightly crooked, she wants them off, and she wants a new pair. She also doesn’t like plain white socks, they have to be purple, or patterned.
40. She likes to open and close doors, and when she shuts the door she says, “I shuck a goor.”
41. She used to hate her picture taken, now she’s a ham , and if she’s doing something cute, she’ll say, “take pishure.”
42. Right after she turned one, she would scream a lot because she couldn’t yet talk. We taught her the signs for milk and food. Even after she started talking, she continued to do her version of the sign for “mulk” which was banging the sides of her fists together.
43. She likes to wear pants and shirts with pockets.
44. She is a very good eater, but she still eats the best when it’s off my plate.
45. She likes to share her food with Aubree.
46. She cheers for Caura when she comes off the bus.
47. She likes to help me unload the dishwasher.
48. She is good at blowing her nose, and when she’s done, she’ll tell you it was a “good one.”
49. If she needs to blow her nose, she’ll tell you she has “boogie nose.”
50. She loves to dance. She likes to mimic dance moves.
51. When someone laughs, she laughs too, and will ask, “that’s funny?”
52. She loves both Grandpop, and Poppy.
53. She doesn’t like when food gets on her fingers, clothes, or on the table.
54. When she gets her way, she gives you a smiley face that says, “I won.”
55. She likes to “honk” your nose.
56. She does not like bugs. If she sees a stink bug or ladybug, she’ll point to it and ask you to get it, then she’ll continue to point to the spot and say, “Mommy got it.”
57. She puts a toy bucket on her head and waits for you to call her “buckethead.”
58. She loves to watch the train. She hears it and goes running for the back door yelling “Choo choo!” Then says, “bye choo choo” when she sees the last car.
59. Her favorite color is pink. She started specifically picking pink items before she even knew what the name of the color was.
60. She likes to have her hands traced on paper.
61. Don’t give her a crayon because she will either eat it, pick it, or break it.
62. She likes ponytails, for a few minutes.
63. She loves to jump, especially on the jumpy jump (trampoline).
64. When you get in the car, she will immediately tell you to put your seatbelt on.
65. She calls belts that you wear around your pants a “seatbelt.”
66. She’ll go into the other room and tell you she’ll “be right back.”
67. If she’s not ready to go to bed, leave the room, or stop playing, she’ll say “5 minutes.”
68. If she doesn’t want to wear a shirt or another article of clothing, she’ll say “I don’t want to shirt.”
69. She kisses my booboos.
70. She likes to smell candles.
71. She calls her bottom lip her “boo boo lip.”
72. If you ask her how she got a boo boo, she’ll tell you Ranger scratched her.
73. Her favorite song to hear in the car is “na na oo oo.” (Stories by Go Fish Guys)
74. She calls any chewy candy such as tootsie rolls “gum.”
75. She likes to brush her teeth.
76. When she gets clingy, she will ask you to “hold you “ meaning hold me, or will say “I need you.”
77. When you ask her what a pig says, she snorts instead of oinks.
78. She likes to pray for dinner: “Dear God, Thank ew food, thank ew food, thank ew food, AMEN!”
79. She knows her birthday is “eh eh 8” (April 8)
80. She knows she’s cute.
81. She likes to “help” me cook by sitting on the counter and asking me what everything is, and tells me if things are hot.
82. She likes nail polish way too much.
83. She wants to know where my Ipod and phone is at all times.
84. She can sing most of the words to “Kings and Queens.”
85. She has extremely long eyelashes.
86. She likes to push buttons, like the ones on the Comcast box.
87. If you put a put a short sleeved shirt on her, she will immediately tell you she needs a “fweater.”
88. If you put on a show for her, she will want to hold the remote while watching.
89. She gives very tight hugs.
90. She calls herself “Saige Girl,” which is what I call her.
91. She likes to stick things in her mouth, she even swallowed a penny once.
92. She likes to crawl on the floor and pretend she’s different animals.
93. She likes to blow raspberries.
94. She tells you to “come on” when she wants to go to another room.
95. She points out every doggie she sees.
96. She likes to run in circles with her sisters.
97. She stands on her little chair to turn on the lights
98. She loves bath time, and doing a nakey dance.
99. She likes to play monster.
100. If you tell her to say “I love you” she will instead blow you a kiss.
Happy Birthday, Saige!!!!!
1. For a while, instead of saying just “thank-you” Saige would say “thank-you, honey.”
2. She puts too much food in her mouth, and then she spits it all out.
3. If she is done eating her food, she will tell you “I don’t like it” in place of saying “I’m full.”
4. She climbs up and down the ladder to the top bunk with no problems.
5. She likes to wear other people’s shoes, especially one hot pink croc and one light pink croc.
6. She takes a calculator, two phones, and two babies to bed.
7. She tattles on her sisters. She’ll show us that Caura has stuck her tongue out, and Aubree has stomped her foot.
8. She has taken over one of Aubree’s baby dolls as her own, and takes it to bed every night. This is in following in the footsteps of Aubree, who took over one of Caura’s baby dolls and claimed her as her own.
9. Her favorite song is “Happy Birthday,” although she initially pronounced it “Happy Da-day” and now says “Happy Dur-day.”
10. She makes the cutest fish face.
11. When she goes to bed, she needs a kiss, hug, and a high five from everyone in the house.
12. If I tell her to “do nice” she will move her hand across my face and say, “nice.”
13. We sing her “head, shoulders, knees, and toes” before bed.
14. We call going to bed “saying good-night.”
15. She wants to sleep with every blanket in her room.
16. Her favorite shows are “Baby” (which is an on demand nursery rhyme collection), Barney, and Deinsteins (Little Einsteins), but only during the songs.
17. She likes to do things by herself and says “I do yit.”
18. She likes to hold my bag at the store.
19. She likes to feed the chickens with me in the morning. She wants to hold the cup of food going out, and an egg going back into the house. She got used to me saying (about the egg) “Don’t squeeze it,” so now she says “Don’t skeeze it.”
20. She is obsessed with phones. She wants to always make sure I have mine. She wants to hold mine. She wants to watch videos on it. If I get a text, she wants me to answer it immediately. I don’t let her play with it, though, because she once called 911.
21. She was too cool for the baby swing and the high chair before she really was ready to be done with them.
22. She likes to dump out toys just to clean them up.
23. Often when she goes down the steps, she will sit on her butt and say “boing” as she hits the next step.
24. She likes to play on the “rocky rock” (rocking horse).
25. She knows she’s funny.
26. She says “again” all the time.
27. If you ask her “why?” she’ll say “cause.”
28. Sometimes she will burp, and she thinks it’s funny, so she’ll try to do it again and instead makes a growling noise.
29. When I fold clothes, she likes to watch, and as I hold up a new article of clothing, she tries to name the person it belongs to.
30. She has several pairs of shoes, but will only wear the same pair over and over.
31. She loves cookie dough, so whenever I give her a cookie, she asks “cookie dough?”
32. She mimics the Kitchenaid mixer.
33. I can’t sit on the floor very often with her because she’ll want me to play “The Duke of York.”
34. She loves chapstick.
35. She can count to 41: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, durteen, dicteen, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 41.
36. If you ask her to count to 10, she will follow it with ABC’s and then Twinkle Twinkle.
37. When she sings “Twinkle Twinkle” she sings “Up ba ba ba world so high.”
38. When she needs to go to the potty she’ll say, “I go pee pee potty too.” When she wants to eat, she says, “I hummee too.”
39. She has issues with socks. If they are slightly crooked, she wants them off, and she wants a new pair. She also doesn’t like plain white socks, they have to be purple, or patterned.
40. She likes to open and close doors, and when she shuts the door she says, “I shuck a goor.”
41. She used to hate her picture taken, now she’s a ham , and if she’s doing something cute, she’ll say, “take pishure.”
42. Right after she turned one, she would scream a lot because she couldn’t yet talk. We taught her the signs for milk and food. Even after she started talking, she continued to do her version of the sign for “mulk” which was banging the sides of her fists together.
43. She likes to wear pants and shirts with pockets.
44. She is a very good eater, but she still eats the best when it’s off my plate.
45. She likes to share her food with Aubree.
46. She cheers for Caura when she comes off the bus.
47. She likes to help me unload the dishwasher.
48. She is good at blowing her nose, and when she’s done, she’ll tell you it was a “good one.”
49. If she needs to blow her nose, she’ll tell you she has “boogie nose.”
50. She loves to dance. She likes to mimic dance moves.
51. When someone laughs, she laughs too, and will ask, “that’s funny?”
52. She loves both Grandpop, and Poppy.
53. She doesn’t like when food gets on her fingers, clothes, or on the table.
54. When she gets her way, she gives you a smiley face that says, “I won.”
55. She likes to “honk” your nose.
56. She does not like bugs. If she sees a stink bug or ladybug, she’ll point to it and ask you to get it, then she’ll continue to point to the spot and say, “Mommy got it.”
57. She puts a toy bucket on her head and waits for you to call her “buckethead.”
58. She loves to watch the train. She hears it and goes running for the back door yelling “Choo choo!” Then says, “bye choo choo” when she sees the last car.
59. Her favorite color is pink. She started specifically picking pink items before she even knew what the name of the color was.
60. She likes to have her hands traced on paper.
61. Don’t give her a crayon because she will either eat it, pick it, or break it.
62. She likes ponytails, for a few minutes.
63. She loves to jump, especially on the jumpy jump (trampoline).
64. When you get in the car, she will immediately tell you to put your seatbelt on.
65. She calls belts that you wear around your pants a “seatbelt.”
66. She’ll go into the other room and tell you she’ll “be right back.”
67. If she’s not ready to go to bed, leave the room, or stop playing, she’ll say “5 minutes.”
68. If she doesn’t want to wear a shirt or another article of clothing, she’ll say “I don’t want to shirt.”
69. She kisses my booboos.
70. She likes to smell candles.
71. She calls her bottom lip her “boo boo lip.”
72. If you ask her how she got a boo boo, she’ll tell you Ranger scratched her.
73. Her favorite song to hear in the car is “na na oo oo.” (Stories by Go Fish Guys)
74. She calls any chewy candy such as tootsie rolls “gum.”
75. She likes to brush her teeth.
76. When she gets clingy, she will ask you to “hold you “ meaning hold me, or will say “I need you.”
77. When you ask her what a pig says, she snorts instead of oinks.
78. She likes to pray for dinner: “Dear God, Thank ew food, thank ew food, thank ew food, AMEN!”
79. She knows her birthday is “eh eh 8” (April 8)
80. She knows she’s cute.
81. She likes to “help” me cook by sitting on the counter and asking me what everything is, and tells me if things are hot.
82. She likes nail polish way too much.
83. She wants to know where my Ipod and phone is at all times.
84. She can sing most of the words to “Kings and Queens.”
85. She has extremely long eyelashes.
86. She likes to push buttons, like the ones on the Comcast box.
87. If you put a put a short sleeved shirt on her, she will immediately tell you she needs a “fweater.”
88. If you put on a show for her, she will want to hold the remote while watching.
89. She gives very tight hugs.
90. She calls herself “Saige Girl,” which is what I call her.
91. She likes to stick things in her mouth, she even swallowed a penny once.
92. She likes to crawl on the floor and pretend she’s different animals.
93. She likes to blow raspberries.
94. She tells you to “come on” when she wants to go to another room.
95. She points out every doggie she sees.
96. She likes to run in circles with her sisters.
97. She stands on her little chair to turn on the lights
98. She loves bath time, and doing a nakey dance.
99. She likes to play monster.
100. If you tell her to say “I love you” she will instead blow you a kiss.
Happy Birthday, Saige!!!!!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Brown Eyed Girls
I had always envisioned that I would have daughters, beautiful daughters with blonde hair and blue(ish) eyes. I have blue-green eyes, and although my husband has brown eyes, he has several family members with blue or green eyes, I thought we had a good chance. My oldest daughter, Caura, has light brown eyes and my second daughter, Aubree, has dark brown eyes. When I was pregnant with my third daughter, Saige, I thought that maybe this one would have blue-ish eyes. When Saige was born, she had lighter eyes than my other daughters, and I was excited. Then gradually, her eyes got darker, and at 21 months, her eyes are now a slightly darker shade than Caura's.
I look at my Daughters' eyes every day and think they are the most beautiful sets of eyes I have ever seen. You could have called me predjudice against brown eyes at one point because I never would have said they were the most gorgeous. However, I have changed my opinion completely. Here are pictures of each of the gorgeous "eye candy" in which the pictures do not do them justice.
Caura
Aubree
Saige
I look at my Daughters' eyes every day and think they are the most beautiful sets of eyes I have ever seen. You could have called me predjudice against brown eyes at one point because I never would have said they were the most gorgeous. However, I have changed my opinion completely. Here are pictures of each of the gorgeous "eye candy" in which the pictures do not do them justice.
Caura
Aubree
Saige
Monday, October 29, 2012
Happy 4th Birthday, Aubree!
On October 29th, 2008, the Phillies won the World Series. Danny, my nurse (when she wasn't being called elsewhere), and I watched it in a lovely little hospital room with my newborn daughter, Aubree, sleeping nearby.
Last year, on her third birthday, it snowed. I believe it was the only day that snowed all of last Fall/Winter.
This year, on her Fourth Birthday, Hurricane/Megastorm/Frankenstorm Sandy is moving in.
I'm worried what next year will bring.
Even the hurricane will not flood the birthday celebration. We will still be making the day all about Miss Four Year Old Birthday Girl, Aubree. (I tried to convince her to turn 3 again, but so far she hasn't agreed).
Here is a lot about Aubree throughout the last year.
1. Aubree tells people that she’s not a little girl, or a big girl, she’s a medium girl.
2. When presented with 3 or more objects, she will always pick the one in the middle.
3. When she runs down a hill, the ramp at Church, or if we go down a hill while in the car, she puts her hands up and says “weee!”
4. She likes her blanket spread completely out over her bed.
5. She loves hummus.
6. She likes to point out “Grand Old Flags.”
7. She loves the songs, “God’s Not Dead,” and “Put You In A Song.”
8. I’ll ask her, “Aubree, guess what?” She’ll ask, “What?” Then I’ll reply, “God’s not dead.” Then she’ll get annoyed and yell, “I KNOW! Stop asking me that!”
9. During the winter, she noticed she could see her breath when she exhaled. She was very excited and said “I can make my own clouds!”
10. She calls any big truck she sees a “monster truck.”
11. She can’t read yet, but likes to make up words in books and “read.”
12. When she’s hungry, she’ll tell you her belly has holes to fill.
13. When we are approaching a traffic light, she will shout “stay green! stay green!”
14. She thinks any belt is called a seat belt (including the ones you wear around your pants).
15. She doesn’t say “today” she says “on this day.”
16. When Caura finds a bug, Aubree will say, “Where is it? I’m good at squishing bugs.”
17. She has good manners.
18. She will wear any clothes that once belonged to her cousin Bianca.
19. She is still kind of a loner.
20. She likes that she gets to do tap at dance class this year.
21. If she wants a new toy, she’ll say she “I want it very bad.”
22. If she likes something a lot she’ll say, “I very like that.”
23. She is very into imaginative play, she loves playing doctor, shop rite, restaurant, babies, etc.
24. She likes to wear dresses.
25. She is pretty mellow, but needs to ease into change.
26. She is a very sweet big sister.
27. She likes to wear loops in her hair.
28. She likes to eat her tuna (mixed with mayonnaise) in a bowl, not on bread.
29. Her favorite kind of eggs are the “kind you dip your bread in.”
30. Her favorite color is hot pink.
31. She can paint/draw/color for hours.
32. She likes to wear my shoes.
33. She looks ridiculously gorgeous in any hat.
34. She enjoys going to Pre-School.
35. When I pick her up from Pre-School, she doesn’t offer much information about what she did in class, it has to be pried out of her.
36. She loves to sing.
37. She likes to lie down on the floor and make (snow, sand, imaginary) angels.
38. She is a very good sharer.
39. She is patient and can actually sit still.
40. This year she learned to swing on the swings all by herself.
41. She likes to collect the chickens’ eggs.
42. She likes to pretend that people are over to visit.
43. Earlier in the year, she had two invisible friends, Me-A lived in a red house, wore a red shirt, and sat next to her on the (make believe) bus. Holly had brown hair and lived with us.
44. She likes to play “Rapunzel” from Caura’s bed on the top bunk.
45. She likes to play school with Caura.
46. When she takes a picture, she says “cheese” with her whole face. Her eyebrows often perk up.
47. She likes to find the smallest of items and declare them “babies.” For instance, she picked the smallest pumpkin in the patch because it was a “baby pumpkin.”
48. She likes to wear a toy bucket on her head.
49. She wants to like showers, but she doesn’t like the water in her face.
50. Anytime she does something cute, she asks me to take a picture of her.
51. She looks at the camera until a millisecond before I snap thepicture.
52. She loves to play dress-up.
53. When she plays dress-up, she goes all out, wearing shoes, a wig, a crown, and jewelry as well as the actual dress.
54. She loves oatmeal.
55. She likes to pretend she’s a rock star, singing with her guitar.
56. She’s still a little shy.
57. This summer she learned how to hold her nose underwater. She wanted me to count how long she could hold her nose underwater. One time she wanted me to count by tens.
58. She can swim underwater, but still claims she cannot swim above water.
59. She loved the beach, especially getting buried in the sand.
60. She lets me put her hair up in ponytails and braids now.
61. She likes the crunchy stalk part of romaine lettuce.
62. She likes to dance and be silly.
63. “Aunt” Danielle is her BFF.
64. She squeals in excitement when she opens presents.
65. She likes to line things up.
66. She likes to put on make-up.
67. She can spell her name.
68. She likes to put on my deodorant and perfume.
69. She still puts everything in her mouth.
70. She gets her feelings hurt easily.
71. She doesn’t have an arsenal of synonyms so she uses adjectives semi-incorrectly. For instance, she’ll say “Mommy, I love you the biggest biggest biggest.”
72. When she gets out of the shower, she makes a footprint on the bathrug and says, “Look how big my foot is!”
73. She likes her shampoo and conditioner mixed in her hand before she puts it on her hair.
74. She goes from super independent to super needy in a blink of an eye.
75. She likes to wear long nightgowns.
76. When she’s hungry, she says she’s a “hungry hungry hippo” and when she’s thirsty, she’s a “thirsty thirsty hippo.”
77. Sometimes when she eats she’ll take a big bite and say, “I have a biiiiiig mouth!”
78. When she gets something “stuck” in her head, for instance the sound of a cricket, she’ll say, “There’s a cricket it in my head,” and will try to shake it out.
79. She’s quick witted. One day this year, Caura asked, “Mommy, what do pigs make (as in beef, bacon)?” Aubree answered, “Dinner.”
80. She likes to take pictures.
81. Even though she does have a long Rapunzel wig, she likes to take long scarves or blankets to make Rapunzel hair.
82. When picking out a snack, she waits until Caura has picked something, then picks what Caura picked.
83. She thinks her Daddy is the best ever.
84. She likes watching the same movies over and over and over.
85. She can work the IPOD
86. She doesn’t like sports.
87. She loves Katie D so so so much.
88. She loves jumping on the trampoline
89. If she doesn’t want you to say something, she will put her hand over your mouth
90. She likes to lick the cream cheese off of a bagel.
91. She likes butter...a lot.
92. She likes to pick out her own fork and spoon, and also likes to have a “big girl plate.”
93. She compares her cup to Caura’s to see how tall it is.
94. She likes to brush her own hair, but wants me to finish to make sure she did a good job.
95. She likes to draw with sidewalk chalk.
96. She is easily frightened, but doesn’t have a problem with bugs.
97. She loves to ride the lawn mower, but always gets off before she falls asleep
98. She likes to play in the car and pretend to drive
99. She likes to tell Danny ”Daddy, you’re silly”
100. She loves to pray every night for “all our friends and family”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUBREE!!!!!
Last year, on her third birthday, it snowed. I believe it was the only day that snowed all of last Fall/Winter.
This year, on her Fourth Birthday, Hurricane/Megastorm/Frankenstorm Sandy is moving in.
I'm worried what next year will bring.
Even the hurricane will not flood the birthday celebration. We will still be making the day all about Miss Four Year Old Birthday Girl, Aubree. (I tried to convince her to turn 3 again, but so far she hasn't agreed).
Here is a lot about Aubree throughout the last year.
1. Aubree tells people that she’s not a little girl, or a big girl, she’s a medium girl.
2. When presented with 3 or more objects, she will always pick the one in the middle.
3. When she runs down a hill, the ramp at Church, or if we go down a hill while in the car, she puts her hands up and says “weee!”
4. She likes her blanket spread completely out over her bed.
5. She loves hummus.
6. She likes to point out “Grand Old Flags.”
7. She loves the songs, “God’s Not Dead,” and “Put You In A Song.”
8. I’ll ask her, “Aubree, guess what?” She’ll ask, “What?” Then I’ll reply, “God’s not dead.” Then she’ll get annoyed and yell, “I KNOW! Stop asking me that!”
9. During the winter, she noticed she could see her breath when she exhaled. She was very excited and said “I can make my own clouds!”
10. She calls any big truck she sees a “monster truck.”
11. She can’t read yet, but likes to make up words in books and “read.”
12. When she’s hungry, she’ll tell you her belly has holes to fill.
13. When we are approaching a traffic light, she will shout “stay green! stay green!”
14. She thinks any belt is called a seat belt (including the ones you wear around your pants).
15. She doesn’t say “today” she says “on this day.”
16. When Caura finds a bug, Aubree will say, “Where is it? I’m good at squishing bugs.”
17. She has good manners.
18. She will wear any clothes that once belonged to her cousin Bianca.
19. She is still kind of a loner.
20. She likes that she gets to do tap at dance class this year.
21. If she wants a new toy, she’ll say she “I want it very bad.”
22. If she likes something a lot she’ll say, “I very like that.”
23. She is very into imaginative play, she loves playing doctor, shop rite, restaurant, babies, etc.
24. She likes to wear dresses.
25. She is pretty mellow, but needs to ease into change.
26. She is a very sweet big sister.
27. She likes to wear loops in her hair.
28. She likes to eat her tuna (mixed with mayonnaise) in a bowl, not on bread.
29. Her favorite kind of eggs are the “kind you dip your bread in.”
30. Her favorite color is hot pink.
31. She can paint/draw/color for hours.
32. She likes to wear my shoes.
33. She looks ridiculously gorgeous in any hat.
34. She enjoys going to Pre-School.
35. When I pick her up from Pre-School, she doesn’t offer much information about what she did in class, it has to be pried out of her.
36. She loves to sing.
37. She likes to lie down on the floor and make (snow, sand, imaginary) angels.
38. She is a very good sharer.
39. She is patient and can actually sit still.
40. This year she learned to swing on the swings all by herself.
41. She likes to collect the chickens’ eggs.
42. She likes to pretend that people are over to visit.
43. Earlier in the year, she had two invisible friends, Me-A lived in a red house, wore a red shirt, and sat next to her on the (make believe) bus. Holly had brown hair and lived with us.
44. She likes to play “Rapunzel” from Caura’s bed on the top bunk.
45. She likes to play school with Caura.
46. When she takes a picture, she says “cheese” with her whole face. Her eyebrows often perk up.
47. She likes to find the smallest of items and declare them “babies.” For instance, she picked the smallest pumpkin in the patch because it was a “baby pumpkin.”
48. She likes to wear a toy bucket on her head.
49. She wants to like showers, but she doesn’t like the water in her face.
50. Anytime she does something cute, she asks me to take a picture of her.
51. She looks at the camera until a millisecond before I snap thepicture.
52. She loves to play dress-up.
53. When she plays dress-up, she goes all out, wearing shoes, a wig, a crown, and jewelry as well as the actual dress.
54. She loves oatmeal.
55. She likes to pretend she’s a rock star, singing with her guitar.
56. She’s still a little shy.
57. This summer she learned how to hold her nose underwater. She wanted me to count how long she could hold her nose underwater. One time she wanted me to count by tens.
58. She can swim underwater, but still claims she cannot swim above water.
59. She loved the beach, especially getting buried in the sand.
60. She lets me put her hair up in ponytails and braids now.
61. She likes the crunchy stalk part of romaine lettuce.
62. She likes to dance and be silly.
63. “Aunt” Danielle is her BFF.
64. She squeals in excitement when she opens presents.
65. She likes to line things up.
66. She likes to put on make-up.
67. She can spell her name.
68. She likes to put on my deodorant and perfume.
69. She still puts everything in her mouth.
70. She gets her feelings hurt easily.
71. She doesn’t have an arsenal of synonyms so she uses adjectives semi-incorrectly. For instance, she’ll say “Mommy, I love you the biggest biggest biggest.”
72. When she gets out of the shower, she makes a footprint on the bathrug and says, “Look how big my foot is!”
73. She likes her shampoo and conditioner mixed in her hand before she puts it on her hair.
74. She goes from super independent to super needy in a blink of an eye.
75. She likes to wear long nightgowns.
76. When she’s hungry, she says she’s a “hungry hungry hippo” and when she’s thirsty, she’s a “thirsty thirsty hippo.”
77. Sometimes when she eats she’ll take a big bite and say, “I have a biiiiiig mouth!”
78. When she gets something “stuck” in her head, for instance the sound of a cricket, she’ll say, “There’s a cricket it in my head,” and will try to shake it out.
79. She’s quick witted. One day this year, Caura asked, “Mommy, what do pigs make (as in beef, bacon)?” Aubree answered, “Dinner.”
80. She likes to take pictures.
81. Even though she does have a long Rapunzel wig, she likes to take long scarves or blankets to make Rapunzel hair.
82. When picking out a snack, she waits until Caura has picked something, then picks what Caura picked.
83. She thinks her Daddy is the best ever.
84. She likes watching the same movies over and over and over.
85. She can work the IPOD
86. She doesn’t like sports.
87. She loves Katie D so so so much.
88. She loves jumping on the trampoline
89. If she doesn’t want you to say something, she will put her hand over your mouth
90. She likes to lick the cream cheese off of a bagel.
91. She likes butter...a lot.
92. She likes to pick out her own fork and spoon, and also likes to have a “big girl plate.”
93. She compares her cup to Caura’s to see how tall it is.
94. She likes to brush her own hair, but wants me to finish to make sure she did a good job.
95. She likes to draw with sidewalk chalk.
96. She is easily frightened, but doesn’t have a problem with bugs.
97. She loves to ride the lawn mower, but always gets off before she falls asleep
98. She likes to play in the car and pretend to drive
99. She likes to tell Danny ”Daddy, you’re silly”
100. She loves to pray every night for “all our friends and family”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUBREE!!!!!
Monday, October 15, 2012
Thanks For Bagging!
Almost every day of the work week, my husband makes his lunch. Usually everything he brings for lunch does not fit in a regular paper bag and so far, he's too cool to take a reuseable lunch bag (although I almost got him to agree to a camoflauged one, but as soon as he realized I would actually have to buy this bag, he declined). His bag of choice is a plastic shopping bag. However, a half a year ago I really started to be committed to using re-useable shopping bags and my plastic bag stash had become depleted. He's now making do with whatever bag we have, but asks me if I can please bring a few home now and again!
There is no denying that plastic bags are bad for the environment, which is why I have been convicted to use the re-useable ones. Plastic bags are not biodegradable. They are ingested by animals. They use a ton of oil to make. There are hundreds of billions of them made each year, and it is estimated that only 1-3% are recycled, which means the rest take up a lot of room in landfills. There are many ways to re-use plastic bags, such as using them for trashbags, for used kitty litter, for wet clothes, and ---insert one of a thousand other reasons here---. However, I hope you will consider reducing your usage of plastic bags. Here are a few tips to reduce your need for plastic bags and some rah rah pro re-useable bag benefits that apply to you.
1.You can fit much more into a re-useable bag (and it holds much more weight), meaning less trips from your car to your house.
2. Most re-useable bags have long handles meaning you can carry them on your shoulders. More comfortable and again, less trips from your car to your house.
3. Keep some re-useable bags in your car so you don't "forget" to bring them to the store (which was my #1 reason for not using them). My awesome, now retired Midwife, Gwen, gave me the tip that if I hung one on my door knob or somewhere that I will see as I'm leaving, it will remind me to grab them.
4. When you are at a store and you buy one or two things, ask the cashier not to give you a bag. They will look at you wierd, and ask you if you are sure, but still insist.
5. When you are shopping at multiple stores, put your purchase from the second store into the same bag that's holding your purchase from the first store. (For instance if you buy a shirt from Macy's and already have a bag you are carrying from a toy you bought at the Disney Store, just put the shirt in the Disney Store bag.)
6. If you buy something in the store that is already in a bag, just put it in your cart, you don't need to put it into another bag. For instance, if you buy a 5lb bag of potatoes, it will just go into another plastic bag and there will be no room for any other items. Why waste the bag when it's alread in a bag? I do this with a gallon of milk, too. It already has a handle, why do you need it to go into a plastic bag that has a different kind of handle?
7. Not all produce needs to go into a plastic bag. For instance, a bunch of bananas will be fine in your cart without being in a bag.
8. Make sure your cashier knows that you have your own bag. They are very used to scanning and putting the item right into their bags that sometimes you have to tell them several times that you have your own bag. Side note - I once was exchanging an item in a store and went to put the new item in the bag I brought the old item in. The cashier was insisting I take a new bag because the one I had was all "wrinkly." Because I guess the bag needs to remain pretty for me to enjoy the item I bought?
9. Many stores now offer a small cash incentive to use your own bags. The stores I go to give you $0.05 per bag. For me, it works out to about $20 a year. Not a big deal, but I'll take it!
10. It's a really easy step to take to helping the environment.
There are some states that have plastic bag bans. There are many that hope this happens in NJ, too. I think if it does, we will quickly be used to not using plastic bags. Try to get used to it now. Please humor me and next week do something to use one less plastic bag.
Please feel free to add to my list...and Thanks for Bagging!!!!
There is no denying that plastic bags are bad for the environment, which is why I have been convicted to use the re-useable ones. Plastic bags are not biodegradable. They are ingested by animals. They use a ton of oil to make. There are hundreds of billions of them made each year, and it is estimated that only 1-3% are recycled, which means the rest take up a lot of room in landfills. There are many ways to re-use plastic bags, such as using them for trashbags, for used kitty litter, for wet clothes, and ---insert one of a thousand other reasons here---. However, I hope you will consider reducing your usage of plastic bags. Here are a few tips to reduce your need for plastic bags and some rah rah pro re-useable bag benefits that apply to you.
1.You can fit much more into a re-useable bag (and it holds much more weight), meaning less trips from your car to your house.
2. Most re-useable bags have long handles meaning you can carry them on your shoulders. More comfortable and again, less trips from your car to your house.
3. Keep some re-useable bags in your car so you don't "forget" to bring them to the store (which was my #1 reason for not using them). My awesome, now retired Midwife, Gwen, gave me the tip that if I hung one on my door knob or somewhere that I will see as I'm leaving, it will remind me to grab them.
4. When you are at a store and you buy one or two things, ask the cashier not to give you a bag. They will look at you wierd, and ask you if you are sure, but still insist.
5. When you are shopping at multiple stores, put your purchase from the second store into the same bag that's holding your purchase from the first store. (For instance if you buy a shirt from Macy's and already have a bag you are carrying from a toy you bought at the Disney Store, just put the shirt in the Disney Store bag.)
6. If you buy something in the store that is already in a bag, just put it in your cart, you don't need to put it into another bag. For instance, if you buy a 5lb bag of potatoes, it will just go into another plastic bag and there will be no room for any other items. Why waste the bag when it's alread in a bag? I do this with a gallon of milk, too. It already has a handle, why do you need it to go into a plastic bag that has a different kind of handle?
7. Not all produce needs to go into a plastic bag. For instance, a bunch of bananas will be fine in your cart without being in a bag.
8. Make sure your cashier knows that you have your own bag. They are very used to scanning and putting the item right into their bags that sometimes you have to tell them several times that you have your own bag. Side note - I once was exchanging an item in a store and went to put the new item in the bag I brought the old item in. The cashier was insisting I take a new bag because the one I had was all "wrinkly." Because I guess the bag needs to remain pretty for me to enjoy the item I bought?
9. Many stores now offer a small cash incentive to use your own bags. The stores I go to give you $0.05 per bag. For me, it works out to about $20 a year. Not a big deal, but I'll take it!
10. It's a really easy step to take to helping the environment.
There are some states that have plastic bag bans. There are many that hope this happens in NJ, too. I think if it does, we will quickly be used to not using plastic bags. Try to get used to it now. Please humor me and next week do something to use one less plastic bag.
Please feel free to add to my list...and Thanks for Bagging!!!!
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