Miss you already Mom!!

My mom came out for a week for a visit/ babysit while Tony and I got a night out/ help me tackle some organization stuff around the house.  It was awesome although I wish she had been here for like 3 weeks so I could get everything done!

Last week the state did some scheduled tornado drills only I didn't know they were scheduled until after I yanked my sleeping Emma out of bed and huddled her and Ada in the basement scared out of my wits while they happily watched some PBS show.  I franticly searched the web until I realized what was happening and it ultimately made me realize I need to get my act in order and have my tornado box ready so I'm not so frantic.  One of the things my mom and I did was get that in order.  I still need a couple of items, but it's basically done.  Plus we straightened out the closet in the basement where we would go so there's actually space for us if we need to spend some time in there.

While we did get an amazing amount accomplished and I am feeling infinitely more hopeful that I will get things under control, the best part of the Nana visit was the playing.  Ada and Emma were so happy to see her.  I didn't get many pics while she was here, but this was a fun thing to find after Emma and I got out of the shower.

Ada and Nana made the planets (and a couple moons) with Ada's planet work.

Can't wait for your next visit Nana!!!

Have I told you about my laminator?

I am in love with this machine.  Today I made some labels for Ada's drawers that I have been wanting to make for months!  I found a bunch of images on Google, printed them with labels and laminated them with a brown border to match her bedroom.  I found a sweatshirt with a "red sox" emblem, a t-shirt with "girl power" on it, and long sleeve shirt with a triceratops.  I think she'll like them.

I am beside myself waiting for her to wake up from her nap so I can go put them up.  They have the velcro dots and are ready to be stuck on the drawers.  I opted for velcro figuring we might move things around seasonally or as she needs it.

**********UPDATE***************

Ada woke up and we put these up.  Please excuse the lame phone picture, but you get the idea.  This is the same dresser that I had as a baby- I think it was also my changing table, and we used it as a changing table for both of the girls.  Love that!

1000 + Linux

This blog has officially been viewed over 1000 times and for some reason that makes me feel super happy an validated.  Thanks for reading!

On a side note, I love that 25% of viewers use Linux as their operating system.  Reminds me I have cool friends :)

Thankful

We are extremely fortunate to have amazing friends and family.  One of Tony's amazing cousins has been unbelievably kind in passing us TONS of clothes, shoes, and toys.  We have had to buy very little as a result.  One of the nice things about Ada getting older is she now understands more and has been getting excited about all the things she has that her cousin gave her and Emma.  On a recent visit with Gramma Deb, she delivered another bunch of goodies and Ada has been positively giddy about her new to her toys.  The big hit has been an awesome Lego castle set.  Her pretend/ imagination play has been taking off lately and this has been a fun vehicle- Ada and Gramma Deb had loads of fun playing with it during her visit.

After a failed attempt at figuring out how to build an outdoor toy that got sent along I finally decided to look up some diagrams and instructions and build from a model.  I printed a few off and Ada decided this one looked good, so we counted out the number of each piece that we needed and got to building.  She was a bit distracted (she is 3 after all) but a good little helper.  Emma was napping.  We finally got it built and this is the result.

Ada was giving a warning to Emma about being careful not to step on the fabric part of the roof or she might "get a bad booboo on your head and papa will have to fix you" 

In action...

This was a good basic structure to get a hang of the set up.  Our plan when we get tired of climbing on this one is to build a "garage" for the cozy coupes.

Later the same day Ada was swinging.  She has had the legs down for a bit but the body motion has been a work in progress.  Our little Miss Independence wants to be able to swing on her own so she has been practicing.  Here is a snippet of the beauty that is mama not pushing constantly.

Melon balls

When possible it's nice to have meal time be a learning experience.  Our grocery store had some melon on sale that looked good so I bought it knowing the girls would love to have a fruit we haven't tasted in months.

I sliced off a big wedge and cut off the bottom so it was flat on the plate (no rolling around).  Ada has used the melon baller before and loved it so she was excited to use it again and the more she used it the more she got the hang of it.

Yummy + small motor skill work + nutritious = Snack time success!!

Happy Bear got a booboo

If you are one of the lucky folks who has spent time with our little Emma, you know just how precious Happy Bear is around here.  He is a little brown bear that Emma has taken an extreme liking to and is a huge form of comfort to her.

Emma hanging with Happy

Last night in the midst of a huge bedtime fail Happy got a booboo.  I had noticed the rip a few days ago but hadn't gotten to the repair yet.  I should tell you that we are still in the first week of the girls sleeping in the same room.  So here we are at 9:30pm after the girls have been waking each other, giggling, at one point Ada actually climbed into Emma's pack and play with about 17 books, I tried taking Ada out of the room to let Emma fall back to sleep before Ada went to lay down.  When we came back in I discovered the fluffectomy in progress.  I grabbed him and quickly collected all the little pieces.  I was in a panic knowing that getting Emma to sleep was already a huge production and to try this without Happy was unthinkable.  I was trying to think of what I could do to get him through the night without getting out the sewing kit.  I was about to get some packing tape when I realized I could just tuck his arm in all the way and it was too hard for Em to get out.  So off to bed in separate rooms they went and I would reassess his condition in the morning.

He definitely needed a total hand replacement.  I went scrounging for scraps of fabric while Emma had her breakfast.  I was thrilled to remember I had a bunch of my grandmothers scarves.  She is Emma's namesake (Rose).

I debated putting on one of the flowery ones but ultimately I liked the shiny texture of the beige one- most similar to what was already there.  And I can replace or patch Happy with the rest of the scarf as needed.  It makes me happy to have a little reminder of Grammy Rose in our everyday life.

Well here is the repair in progress.  It was a pretty rushed job, but I think it will hold.

Reunited!!

On the same page as the "fixing stuff with tools" bit, I want the girls to be able to embellish their clothes, fix their toys or clothes, make something their mind thinks up, or fix their own kid's bear some day.  Ada is already on her way.

Ada's first buttons.

I am woman hear me mow

Last fall the pull handle rope broke on our lawn mower.  I just put it in the shed since we didn't need to mow anymore (we were using it to pick up leaves at the time) and forgot about it.  With the super warm spring weather we have really needed to mow for a week or two.  All our neighbors have mowed at least once already.

Notice the bright white new pull cord:)

Figuring our mower could use a service I decided to call around and get some quotes on someone fixing the pull cord and giving it a tune up/ sharpen too.  I was quoted for $50-$75 just for the handle!  I tried to find a replacement at SearsDirect (parts for our craftsman mower) but to no avail.  I couldn't justify the money for an almost 10 year old hand me down mower so I decided to just take it apart and go to the hardware store.

I got a replacement handle. Cost $4.99

I searched on google to find some instructions on how to replace it since I don't have a manual.  I found some videos and it looked doable.

Out came the wrenches and I got to work.  Took about 20 minutes and was fixed.  Not sure if I mentioned we put it away for the winter without running the gas out because the cord was broken- no way to start it.  I wasn't sure if I could get it to go but I just made sure there was oil in it and I pumped the primer a few extra times.  Turned over but no go.  Time.  More pumps.  Then it started!  Sweet satisfaction.  Emma was pretty brave about the whole thing.  I mowed as much as I could with Emma using her mower and playing with bubbles.

When she had had enough I threw her in the backpack.  I couldn't take a picture but here's one from last summer -so you can imagine this with a lawnmower:)

I am feeling pretty awesome.  Saved us some money and did it on my own.  When I think of the things I want to teach the girls one of the most important is the feeling that they can accomplish whatever they set their mind on.  That they can do anything.  That women can do anything... including fix stuff with tools.

When all was said and done, Emma decided to climb on to this chair and hang.  Little Miss Emma can mow the lawn with mama all the while wearing head to toe pink and her beads :)