Thankful

There are a lot of things that I am thankful for but honestly this Thanksgiving I was thankful for a little girl who loves to play in the leaves and bake. She is just a fun loving toddler that makes my heart melt each and every day. We are back to reality though and are gearing up for Christmas. I can't believe all the organized people out there that have already put their decorations up and the tree. I told Kyle after coming home from his parents house that I felt sure our whole neighborhood would be decorated with Christmas lights and sure enough they were. Personally, I like to wait until December to get our tree. Something doesn't feel right to decorate for Christmas before you celebrate Thanksgiving but maybe that's just me trying to talk myself out for being so behind in the preparations. I actually thought about cutting our tree on Christmas Eve and decorating that night. You know like the Christmas Story, something about that family makes me feel the Christmas magic. Who knows, but I will probably go out sooner than later since Allie-Ann is in LOVE with Christmas trees. She loves all the twinkling lights. I just hope this year our Nativity scene will make it through Christmas without any hot gluing.

Allie-Ann helping mommy with the cupcakes
Watching as mommy cracks the eggs, maybe next year she can be in on all the action...


Busy little chef..





Having fun sliding in the leaves


We will have some exciting news to post here shortly, so stay tuned...

ZOOadventure

Last Friday I took Allie-Ann to a ZOOadventure class at Riverbanks Zoo. It was a great 45 minute class that taught her on animal sounds. I didn't personally know that a frog hears sound behind its eyeball, so I thoroughly enjoyed it myself. Everything was well organized and perfectly designed for toddlers. After a brief discussion on how animals hear, and a close-up look at a snake, we were able to go around to different centers in the room. They had a listening center (she could listen to many different animal sounds), a center to make a grasshopper out of a black comb (using her finger to make grasshopper sound along the comb's edge), a music center (to which Allie-Ann REFUSED to leave), a puppet center with different animal puppets, a center to make an owl megaphone (to which all the pieces where already cut and sticker ready) and a marble station. It was wonderful!! I WILL do this again. Allie-Ann had a ball and didn't want to leave, which I believe made the staff happy or somewhat angry. I highly recommend these classes for toddlers!


So, I've been doing a little Santa shopping and I must say after combing through all the many toys that they have out there, it's quite a change from what I remember growing up. I can't believe the toys they have out today. I was very surprised to see a "Tattoo" Barbie doll...yes, that's right, a Barbie doll that a little one can put tattoos on. WHAT!!!??? Personally, I've never been a big fan of Barbie and I will not be getting Allie-Ann a barbie anytime soon, until she takes anatomy classes. But, seriously, what is this teaching our little ones. I don't mean to rant on this but I couldn't believe it...and then to see some of the clothes some of these dolls come with. No, no, no...call me too protective and I know that one day I will be having a conversation with Allie-Ann on dressing but this is not the time. What ever happened to Strawberry Shortcake, or Shirt Tales, or just the good 'ol baby doll that when you turn her upside down her eyelids close. Now, they have babies that you can feed, change diapers, play horsey, and many other things that requires you to buy all the extra accessories and batteries that go with it. Maybe I've just been out of the loop, but personally, it's not something that I was proud to see as I was walking around in complete awe.

I will say that I'm very excited about giving Allie-Ann her flannel board this Christmas along with some classic flannel board stories. It's a great flannel board because it's like a suit case that she can take with her anywhere. I am also proud to say that Santa will be giving her a Mr. Potato Head....ah, the Mr. Potato Head that I absolutely loved to play with when I was little. Hopefully, she will enjoy it as much as I did when I was little, or I might just have to result in getting her the "REAL LIFE" baby doll with all the accessories and batteries.

Playing with puppets
The music center that she did not want to leave
The Listening center, she was able to get most of the animals correct...she knew the monkey, elephant, owl, and frog...had trouble with the cricket.
Not a fan of snakes...but Allie-Ann seemed to enjoy looking at it
Watching closely as the instructor talks about how a snake hears

Allie-Ann's Preschool Pictures

Here are Allie-Ann's preschool pictures!! I'm just so proud of my little girl, she is growing up way too fast. I love the fact that when I take her to preschool, she runs (I mean a fast dash) to her classroom. She isn't the least bit afraid and has such a good time with all her new friends. It makes me feel so proud that she is confident and can take on situations without mommy around. She absolutely loves her teachers and I do too. They take such good care of her and do many different activities and crafts. I also love that they are teaching her about our Lord. She comes home with coloring sheets with scripture on the bottom. I just love it! I'm so thankful and say my prayers every night for my many blessings.

I've been slack in the blogging world, a whole week has passed and I haven't posted a thing, the horror! But, we've had colds and are just getting back on our feet. I'm looking forward to the busy Thanksgiving that is quickly approaching and excited about cooking and EATING! I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's simple, stress-free, and all you do is spend time with family and friends eating!! I hope to get better at posting more in the events ahead.


I love that they were able to capture a serious shot and a smiling shot.

Under My Umbrella

Allie-Ann loves to go out at night to look up at the stars and find the moon. This has been a regular occurrence for us to go out after dinner so that she can look at the dark sky. She just loves it and has even been using our binoculars to look at the moon. It's quite interesting, but whatever entertains her we will take it. So last night she found my dingy umbrella that was left on our porch because someone has been too lazy to bring it back inside (um...me). So she found it fascinating to push the button and watch it shoot out into a nice umbrella. It has a duck on the end that she likes as well, needless to say this was quite an event. She carried that umbrella all through the yard and I just know my neighbors think we have lost our mind. I always think back to good ol' Chevy Chase and my favorite Christmas movie of all time, Christmas Vacation, and I just can't help but think we must look like the Griswolds at times. So I had to take a few shots of her holding the umbrella. Sorry the pictures are so blurry, I'm wishing for a new camera this Christmas.

Mommy's Free Weekend!

So have I told you what an awesome hubby I have? He is wonderful in all his craziness and marker proficiencies. Let me tell you how wonderful he is, first he gave me all day Saturday to do as I pleased, not that he has never let me have a day off but he works so hard and he appreciates me enough to take on Allie-Ann duty even on HIS day off, to which I continually feel guilty but I take it because I know that I need my time too. He also took her off my hands today so that I could get some much need rest and blogging time, so he took her to the zoo. But in all fairness, Kyle loves to be on the go and he enjoys going to the zoo and being outside as much as Allie-Ann does or mommy for that matter. But, just for today, I'm enjoying the quietness of the house, my warm cozy socks and my bucket full of Halloween candy at my disposal. So on my day off I went to see The Social Network, very interesting movie and hard to believe that one individual named Mark Zuckerberg, could be so brilliant as to create Facebook. How can people be that smart, I just went home thinking, I will never be able to do what his brain is capable of. It amazes me but the movie didn't portray him so nicely. But nonetheless it was a great movie in this day in time.

Well, since I haven't posted any current pictures of Allie-Ann, here is one to share of her riding daddy with the "Daddy Saddle." Best invention ever, take that Mark Zuckerberg!!!!



I can't wait to share Allie-Ann's preschool pictures, they are ADORABLE!!! I couldn't believe how she was smiling and looking straight at the camera, there is a reason these people get paid so much. As soon as I get them I will be sure to post.

Happy Halloween!!

Halloween was so much fun this year with Allie-Ann. She fully understands that when using the words "trick-or-treat" to neighbors she gets a surprise in her bucket. All night she kept saying, "next house mommy!" and pulling me along as fast as her little legs could move. It was adorable and it was also nice to see that some of our neighbors had "appropriate" treats for toddlers, how wonderful! By the time we got home she was exhausted and ready to put on her pajamas, but only after she looked at all her treats from the night with a surprise Halloween treat from mommy and daddy was she fully ready to go to bed. Now I get the pleasure of eating all the chocolate my heart desires for the next couple of days...you've got to love Halloween!!! Until next year....

Playing at our neighborhood Halloween Party

Can't you tell from her expression that she is digging this Halloween stuff... (by the way, she wore her costume three nights in a row and didn't even try to take off the tutu..I've got her trained pretty good...ha)
Some of Kyle's camera work...
Back at home from the long night of Trick-or-Treating