Stella's Ballet Recital

We enroll the girls in ballet and gymnastics through the recreation center for exposure and exercise.  They love it.  I love that there is an actual recital at the end of the year.  This year the theme was The Wizard of Oz.  Each age group was a different character, from farm animals to tornadoes, from poppies to witches.  Stella was a lion (and she was not lacking courage).  Esme is too young, the recital started with the three year old group. They were my second favorite group...farm animals.

Although the ballet class is in a real dance room and the recital was in a large auditorium and the girls were on a big stage...the rehearsal was in a large gym.  This is where we, parents, were allowed to take pictures. Here the girls are waiting patiently for their turn.

"Does my mane still look okay?"

Stella getting her groove on.

 Lion paws...I love it.

Getting ready for the actual recital. Stella was so excited to put make up on. 

My makeup job still was not dark enough - this snow white still washed out on stage.  

Posing with lion paws.

Esme...waiting for to give her sister flowers following the recital.  This is also Esme, turning in circles away from me as I am trying to take her picture.

Tiny Dancer.

Just Hanging Out

I am in count down mode.  I have less than a week to go.  It is hard to do things. Go places.  I started getting the, "you must be due any day now" about SIX weeks ago.  So, now that I am really with in "any day now," I do not enjoy going anywhere.  Even Target.  I know! Crazy!  Oh, you know I still go, I just do not enjoy it as much...it is harder to move, I have to pee halfway through shopping, and people stare...or ask ridiculous things like "twins?"
Well that is enough talk of that.  I really wanted to share how the girls go outside every day...on their own.  I love that.  I love that they love being outdoors so much, they choose it on their own.  I have to admit, it is nice on me too.  Sometimes, I even feel bad after a day outside because I haven't engaged with them as much.  They engage with each other, play, explore, make up games, climb on their playground, or make sand sundaes.     I was recently asked for an updated picture of the two of them together.  I thought capturing them outside would be easy...hmmm.

She actually looked at me and smiled!  This was a photo shoot Stella set up and demanded I get my camera and take a picture.

Can you see the evil look I am getting from Esme? Stella is trying to get her to pose.  Shortly after this, she started yelling at me.

I told the girls to get their summer hats to help with the sun.  They came out like this...

They really thought they were funny.

Came right inside to read books.  They love their Easter dresses.  I may have to start hiding them.

This day was better...almost together in this shot.

Better...

Finally!

Oh, thanks girls.  Not quite what I was looking for, but still cute.

A New Fave in Paint

So, I may have painted this bathroom in October.  I have been pretty anti-paint rooms in this rental because I do not want to paint all the walls back.  But there was this yellow through the living room and this bathroom that make me slightly ill.  That may be an exaggeration, but I swear I had at least one head ache from it that was not from being pregnant. 

I also may have forgotten to take a complete "before" picture.  Here is the yellow...

Real bad, right?  I really do not have a problem with yellow...just this one. Maybe it was the combination with the orange floor. 

My point with this post is really the paint color.  It is Benjamin Moore's Jute.  I love it.  I am thinking our bedroom when we move.  It is not quite gray, not quite beige...Greige.  Some day, when we have projects rolling in again, I will list all my favorite paint colors...since I love paint.

The Poser and the Angry One

Something has happened the last couple weeks.  My photogenic two year old no longer wants me to take pictures of her.  She used to walk around saying cheese, now she yells "NO PIC!"  My four year old is into silly poses now.  Can't a Mommy just get a picture of her two girls together smiling????

  Oh, I can get lots of lovely pictures from behind.

Yes, she typically has some form of dress up clothing on and lately her boots, even though it is in the 70/80's.  They are the only shoes she can get on herself quickly enough to chase after her older sister. The other shoes, like her Keens take too much time when she is trying to catch up.

In this picture, I have been caught.  The two year is yelling, "NO MAMA! NO PICTURE OF ME!"

I did not listen to her and continued to snap a picture.  She started running towards me, still yelling, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

She is real close now.  I can not focus the camera quickly enough.  Soon after this shot, I was hit.

By the way...we are talking real tears here.  

A few minutes later and dared another shot.  She gave me this look and said, "NO THANK YOU, MAMA!"

Then there is Stella. 

I did not post the pics with her tongue out and googly eyes.

Here she is climbing and noticed I was taking a picture.  She stopped what she was doing to flash me a smile.

 Esme ran away and hid underneath the playground.  She popped out to give me a serious look.  Almost, as if saying..."you better not do it mama."

A New Look

...with paint of course.  The following little projects may have been completed a while ago.

We bought this little desk from Goodwill for the girls' computer in November.  It was originally $30, then $24.  I sent Ben, the negotiator in to do some magic.  It is solid wood but there was a little crack on top and down the side (also totally fixable).  At home, $12 later (woo hoo!!) , I started working on it.

  After filling in the crack with wood filler, I sanded it down and painted it with left over paint from our house in Kansas.  This was an accent color in our kitchen on the chalkboard.  I also reused the fun primary colored knobs from the girls' art station in our house in Kansas.

For some reason, any pictures from the basement tend to make colors neon.  This is really a fun greenish yellow.  I imagine it perfect in the playroom when we move into a more permanent space.

Next up...the old vanity stool.  This was originally my Mom's, and was never used, so traveled with me to school...back in the day.  In our last house it was in our walk in closet...primarily used for getting things off the top shelf. Ha.  Our bedroom here is quite a bit smaller than our last so there isn't room for a sitting area...which brings us to the stool.  It has been sitting at the foot of our bed, used for an outfit the following day, sitting to brush teeth, or if you are four, climbing on top of in order to launch self on to bed.   Point being...it is visible and I want it to look nicer.

Our bedroom furniture is dark already...so white paint was perfect for a fresh look.  Add some nice upholster fabric from the clearance section that will coordinate with all of our bedding...and VOILA. So fresh and so clean.



Lastly, also from our bedroom...nightstands.  These have been with me since before Ben and I were married. They are not pretty and yet another shade of wood in our bedroom.  But, I enjoy the storage vs other styles that I would actually prefer.  Especially with another baby arriving soon, I thought it better to change the look than the table.  Seriously, having drawers to toss toys in, nursing gear, extra  diapers is a time saver when you are trying to do a quick pick up.

I didn't mind the color of hardware but REALLY disliked the bottom handle.  A little trip to Home Depot and Martha Stewart to the rescue.  Again, so fresh and so clean.  

Morning Bed Head

Most every morning, Esme looks like this.  She sleeps with her head down, forehead against the mattress, knees tucked under, with her bum in the air.  This is the result. Stella and I think it is a "cute funny."  I think I will start taking this shot every morning.  Esme will probably hate them when she is older.

Fun Paint Giveaway!

Follow this link for a chance to win paint giveaway!

http://www.favoritepaintcolorsblog.com/2012/04/celebrating-one-year-at-fpc-my-favorite.html?showComment=1334949861145#c6974541371237378137

Beautiful Spring

I know most of the country has experienced the early spring, but it has been so nice here.  We could use more rain, but the temps are incredible.  We are outside everyday.

Esme has replaced sparkle shoes with her princess dresses.  Yes, she sleeps in them.  She also likes to carry her Easter Bunny flower with her when she has her princess dresses on.

Stella is biking like a pro.  Our biggest problem, initially was reminding her to look up and forward vs looking down at her feet.  We're all good now.  Esme peddles, but doesn't steer. 

Does anyone else have kids who think Dandelions are beautiful and insists that they go in a vase with water?

Let's talk pregnancy.   Fill in the blank.  Comment or message me.

You know you are nearing the end of your pregnancy when _______________ .

I write this because, tonight, I had one of those moments.  You know you are nearing the end of your pregnancy when your feet start to tingle and swell during a long shower.

 I mean, really?  How is that even fair?!?

Easter Weekend

Before we get too far from Easter, I better get to sharing!  Still learning the area and the "going ons" for holidays, we steered safe for Saturday; the Children's Museum.

 There was free ice cream...

 Animals...

And of course and Easter Bunny...

The girls were scared out of their minds.   They would not even think of going near him.  He is kind of scary, right?  I think they are all scary, even the ones at the mall that sit in a chair. 

And just because it was cute...the girls playing house.

Later, a little egg dyeing.

Then Sunday Morning...

 So, the Easter Bunny was very generous this year and brought more than a little basket.  He may have left "big girl" bikes.  I love Stella's face here.  Like she really can't believe what she is seeing. 

The first thing Esme grabbed was the fake Daisy that was in the bike basket.  Love it.

Then, later that day...the hunt.  We had our good friends over for dinner and the hunt.  Getting the kids to stay like this long enough for a picture was torture for them.  Pretty funny.

Esme and I having a spoon race.  She was so excited to do this. 

Lovely, lovely day.