American Girls

Walking to the store

We took the girls to AG in Chicago for their birthdays. They had an amazing time! We asked them if they wanted to go for breakfast, lunch or dinner and they chose breakfast. We took them for shopping and fun and FUN was had by ALL.

They were so excited looking at everything and enjoying everything. Ruthie chose a trundle bed and outfit for her doll and Lucy chose a backpack and a ballerina outfit for her doll.

They were so funny begging to make this our team birthday tradition, and having so much fun with all they could experience.

Simon and I kept looking at each other the entire time with huge smiles on our faces.

Look at that dad with his cute kids toting his treasures from AG. TOO CUTE!

Chicago!

We took the girls to Chicago for their birthdays. To American Girl and to see Grammy Ruthie.

We had an AMAZING time. We first went to see my Grammy, the girls Great Grandma - Grammy Ruthie. (Obviously Ruthie's namesake) Ruthie is AMAZING She was so loving and understanding at the nursing home. Telling Grammy how much she loved her and not afraid at all. She loved playing in the wheelchairs and hanging out in Grammy's room.

We also loved playing at our cousin/Aunt's house in Highland Park. The girls loved playing with Kelly's dogs and cousin Kelly is great with kids!

When we finally made it to Chicago in the mid-afternoon on Easter the girls were thrilled that the Voigts were still at their condo. We hung out with them and went to dinner at Gino's East. Pizza and writing on the wall was tons O fun for everyone!

Only thing......Why does it ALWAYS rain whenever we go anywhere!



Walking to dinner on Sunday night.

Seriously, it is getting kinda old!

Happy Birthday Lucy

Happy Birthday Lucy. Wow 4 years old! We no longer have any babies at our house. Nothing but big kids.

Lucy's birthday request was a princess party! She had specific requests for the cake - a castle with princesses on it, the decor - wall hangings to make the inside of our house to look like a castle, a costume party, a castle pinata, and a tea party.

Pinata

Well, she received it all! Nothing was left out. When I brought the cake home before her party and took it out of the box, she was speechless. Took a huge gasp and had the BIGGEST smile on her face you ever did see!

We humored the boys that attended and let them dress up as Pirate's full with foam swords. And even let them do a pirate craft instead of princess.

Her party was just a few hours before Ruthie's so we had a very full day of activity! But I know that she was SOO happy with the way her party turned out!

Ryan the pirate

Happy Birthday Ruthie

Who is having fun!!!

cupcake

obstacle course

throwing confetti

Happy Birthday Ruthie!!!! I just can't get over the fact that we have a 5 year old. It really seems like it was just yesterday we were at the hospital with our brand new baby girl!

We had tons of family and friends stay at our house for the weekend so that we could all enjoy the festivities. And enjoy we did. The girls LOVED celebrating in Michigan and unfortunately for some this may be a new tradition. But we have tons of room and love visitors!

Ruthie shared her birthday with her great buddy Ryan from school. His mom, is the photographer that took our awesome pictures and is my wonderful new friend. Their birthdays are only a few days apart and they both wanted to have their parties at Jungle Joes (The indoor bounce place)

Their were lots of school friends and family friends and tons of bouncing, food, and fun. I am a firm believer in parties away from home now! There was something awesome about seeing the mess and walking away from it!

Uncle Marty - he is literally about 2 stories up on a bounce castle.

Ruthie, Ellie and David

Gammy and Lucy

Harper and Lucy

My shopping buddies

Oh my gosh, were they really this little?

Today was a wonderful day. Weird in a way. I had the most amazing fun day with my girls. I needed to go shopping for the girls summer stuff and I had to take them since I would need Ruthie who is so hard to shop for so she could try stuff on. With the closest mall being 25 mins away, it was easier to bring them with me, than to buy stuff, bring home, then return. The first store, we PILED our arms with clothes and away they go to the fitting room and they must have tried on about 100 different items. At that point they both had huge smiles on their faces and said they were having SO MUCH FUN!

***Funny side note, Lucy has decided she will not wear anything unless it has yellow, orange, or pink in it. She even went as far to pick out the brightest orange Keen's you ever did see. Great, may as well embrace it with her. Ruthie even picked out a few dresses!

Then off to the mall, we went and tried on more clothes, where we had even more fun. At one point Lucy says to me.... Mommy, shopping with you is SO MUCH FUN!





Off to the carousel for a ride and then McDonalds in the mall.





They were having the time of their lives, while this shopping trip was something I was dreading, they were the best sports and I had a huge smile on my face.


Yes I know, this is not exactly a great thing and I had huge fast forwards of when they are 16 and 17, but today was a wine and I am taking it and putting it in the WIN column. Check summer shopping off the list.

Thank goodness for friends and family coupons!


***** LUCY is hysterical. Not only did she have a great time last night after her shower we couldn't get her to put on anything other than her new clothes and yes my friends...... SHE SLEPT IN THEM!!!!!

LUCY The Great!

At the very old age of 3 years and 11 months, Lucy road her bike without training wheels this week for the first time! What a big kid! She is doing so totally awesome!





She REALLY wants a new disney princess bike and has been kinda talking about it alot. Simon and I talked and decided we weren't going to get her one until the summer once she has been riding her bike a little more frequently. So since she wouldn't stop talking about it we told her that maybe we were going to wait until she could ride without training wheels. Seeing as we never really tried to do that and her balance is not necessarily her strong suit we thought we had a good few months.



Monday while Ruthie was at school and it was beautiful she brings up the bike again and she gets the same response from me..... "Well, Lucy how about we get you a brand new big kid bike when you ride without training wheels." She looks at me and at Ruthie's old Dora bike we brought out for one of Ruthie's friend last week and says "Well then lets go!"



She started just going down our driveway balancing, without pedaling then after a few runs of that she started pedaling! Then she was off. The first day was rather comical as she couldn't turn very well so she would end up running into all the snow banks on the side of the road but that girl was determined!



She was soooo funny, she said "When daddy gets home and watches me he is going to cry!"



Now that she has a few days under her belt she is starting and stopping all on her own and turning too! Ruthie has been working with her because she feels like if you are on your bike you need to ride as fast as possible, yet Lucy is a little more cautious!



Ruthie's Bike Story



I can't believe my girls are getting SOO big!



Of course now, she is like..... Ummmmmm, where is my new bike? Guess that plan backfired!

Sunday Night Dinners

We have started a new tradition and that is picking out a recipe for Sunday night dinner and we all make it together. Last Sunday Ruthie picked a chicken on a stick recipe with mashed red skins.

The girls had a great time making dinner, and helping set the table, it took a good hour to make everything, I was exhausted and when we sat down to dinner, all that anyone did was complain that they didn't like the meal.

I sat there exhausted with tears in my eyes and said to Simon, "You can see why I always order pizza, they will eat it and it doesn't take so much time and energy". His response is they will eat it when they are really hungry.

So this Sunday came and Simon wanted Chicken Marsala. To the store, to get ingredients (Amanda, I soo wish I had you on speed dial. Can you believe they don't even sell marscapone cheese in our town?) Giada's recipe calls for marscapone cheese. That goodness for all recipes showing you how to make a substitute! And for good neighbors who look things up on the Internet for you while you are at the store, not knowing where to find Marsala wine, and cheese.

The girls again had a blast cooking, Lucy LOVES her some bread and butter and this meal was received so much better. Simon loved it wants it more, I thought it was good bud rather heavy, and the girls even enjoyed it!

I will give it another try this weekend.

Ruthie

Ruthie has been really funny lately. She got invited to a Princess party of one of her friends and has been all things princess all the time. Which is really not her, but we are just going with it. Not acting overly excited, because I would love for her to just find whatever it is that makes her happy and do that instead of doing what she thinks she should do.

She still LOVES Buzz Lightyear and Woody, and wants a new Buzz Lightyear for her birthday but has really been experiencing the girl side of things. She spent a few hours yesterday playing barbies with Lucy - (i am really trying, but it is hard!). She got a Barbie in her stocking for Christmas and said Santa made a mistake and that it wasn't for her, so in just a few months, that is a big change.

We talked to her about her birthday and asked her what she wants, she said.... A new Buzz Lightyear, Princess stuff (because it is sparkly), some new clothes for my Bitty Baby and a new American Girl. While I know this can change in the next 5 weeks, what a shocking difference from her Christmas list. She even asked for those Skecher light up shoes because she thought they looked cool. Talk about the powers of advertising.

Ruthie loves all of her stuffed dogs and takes really good care of all of them. Many times they are all in bed with her.

This picture is her and the dogs all watching TV. She thought they would like to sit on the bubble wrap, cuz it is more comfortable.

Also, this picture is of her ironing with Simon. Simon loves to iron in front of the TV in our bedroom, and I think that nothing makes him more proud than her copying his cleaning and organizing.

This picture is of her wearing my bridesmaids dress from my sisters wedding, and my race swim cap. This picture makes me proud! I want her to know that she can do it all!

New Bikes

Simon and I got new bikes! SO exciting. I got a road bike for the 2 races I plan on doing next summer and I generally like road biking a ton better than mountain biking. Simon got a mountain bike. He has really been enjoying (in the summer) the trails at the nearby state park and has even taken Ruthie on the easy trails a few times. We really feel it is so important to show and experience healthy activities with the girls. I dream of taking a multi-day family bike trek through Vermont during the foliage. But that may take a few years.

Simon is the best person to buy a present for, if you get him clothes, say a shirt, he must try it on immediately, with every pair of pants he owns. Shoes same thing, he is rather funny and like a kid on Christmas with EVERY thing you get him. So, I was not surprised at all when we came home on Friday night from dinner out and the bikes were calling his name in the garage, I couldn't find him and there he was riding his bike in the garage since there was too much snow outside.

Reminds me of the infamous mini-van story.

While some people nest when they are pregnant, I shop. So there I was with a 11 month old baby, and a baby expected any day and I panicked, I needed automatic doors, couldn't live without them. Thus the mini-van was a must. Three days before Ruthie's 1st birthday and 4 days before Lucy's arrival, I went out and bought a mini-van, called Simon at work and said... "Umm, I traded in the Explorer, and bought a mini-van. I am driving it right now, can you swing by after work and sign the paperwork" Ohh, my husband soo loves me.

Anyhoo, we didn't really have a chance to fully check it out and get a great understanding of how it worked and all its function before Lucy arrived. So, we are home from the hospital for a day or 2, I need Simon for something and can't find him anywhere. I am yelling for him, have both the kids crying and I am trying to find my way, and he is nowhere to be found.

I finally found him in the garage in the 3 rd row seat of the mini-van watching a movie. He said, he wanted to see how good the TV was and would never get a chance to ride in the back of the car. Oh Simon.

I love him.

Snowman

The girls and I worked really hard for 2 days to make this snowman. The snow was SOO heavy we could barely lift it. It stayed in our yard for over 2 weeks even in direct sun.

Then Ruthie and I decided to knock it down and use it as a platform for karate kicks. So much better of an idea.

Lucy however....."You guys go on outside, I will watch you from the window, it is too cold"

Great, already a diva.