New Hair Accessories

So, when you have this much hair on your 1st birthday...pigtails seem just a tiny bit unfathomable. Well, we've got 'em now :)This morning we went to church for Bible study, and she was SO proud of her pigtails! She showed just about EVERYONE we saw by just pointing to them, didn't say a word, just pointed :) So far, so good with her letting me fix her hair. Hopefully she will stay this way, but if she is anything like her mother... this MAY not happen. Rumor has it, I wasn't the best client in my mother's "beauty salon" every morning when it was time to fix hair :( My hair was always either too "bumpy", not "bumpy" enough, too tight or not tight enough! I'm so sorry Mom--

You will be glad to know that the planter I was trying to "fix-up" with the Impatience the other day is now complete :) A BIG thanks to my dad for spending his day off last week working in our yard! We, I mean HE, planted Gerber Daisey's, Zinnia, Lantana, and Periwinkle in the front yard. He also planted a Japanese Maple in the back yard. So far everyone is still alive, thanks to my little "waterer." If you were to drive by my house at ANY given moment, you are likely to see...It's Kenadie's new found love! When I think the flowers have had enough water, we usually just start watering the bushes/grass/driveway... until it's time to go to bed. If Kenadie's happy, Mommy's happy, right?

Interview With A Two Year Old

Kenadie didn't eat too much for dinner tonight, and so, afterwards I asked her "are you still hungry, would you like something else to eat?" I do not usually do that, but just felt like being extra nice :) Well, her response to me was that she wanted a "surprise." She is DEFINITELY her mother's child on that one :) Anywho... by me asking her what she would like to eat, I thought maybe I would ask her some other questions to see what her responses at 2 years old are.

1) What is your favorite color? The little stinker told me "black." I may check back with her on this one in the morning when it's NOT time to go to bed :) That may have had a little to do with her answer.

2) What is your favorite thing to eat? "Pizza"

3) What is your favorite toy to play with? "Cakes"

4) What is your favorite thing to do outside? "Nothing"

5) Where is your favorite place to go? "Disney World"

6) What is your favorite book we read? "Princess book"

7) Who do you like to play with? "Hayden"

I know it's extremely common for parents to think their children are hilarious, and so, I have a quick funny from Kenadie. Today we were on our way home from my parent's house. "Why?" you ask, oh well, perhaps because we had a little intruder evidence in our garage when we got home from church last night!!!!! Yes! Enough said! Now, moving on... Molly and Lily tagged along with us to my parents today, and on the way home, Kenadie wanted Lily to sit with her in her car seat :) That was also a first, I might add :) We passed a pond and from the front seat, I hear Kenadie telling Lily "Lily, no jumping in the pond, no jumping in the pond, Lily." As if Lily was begging Kenadie to go jump in the pond! Just too funny and I laughed and laughed and she just kept right on telling Lily "No jumping in the pond, Lily." :)

Jesus Is Risen!

Thank you for the cross, Lord
Thank you for the price You paid
Bearing all my sin and shame
In love You came
And gave amazing grace

Thank you for this love, Lord
Thank you for the nail pierced hands
Washed me in Your cleansing flow
Now all I know
Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb
Seated on the throne
Crown You now with many crowns
You reign victorious

High and lifted up
Jesus Son of God
The King of Heaven crucified
Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb

Hillsong--Worthy Is The Lamb

Sticking With What I Know

For those of you who know me, know that the above picture is SO NOT what I know! I honestly thought I could plant those little flowers in the planter. I guess it was just my little April fools joke on myself because that was SO not happening! I hope none of my neighbors saw me attempting :) Looks like my supplies here will be going with us Sunday to my parent's house for my dad to complete my project :)

Now, on to something I do know :)I DO know how to help Kenadie decorate some eggs :) This was the perfect little egg decorating kit for her! You just push the button on top and watch the egg spin around and around in the spinner.
Kenadie and I also enjoyed making some Easter cookies this week. These cookies take me back to my childhood. These were the cookies my mom always sent to school for my Valentine's, Easter, Halloween parties etc.I saved a cookie for Kenadie to decorate when she woke up from her nap. Can you find hers? :)

Cuttin' Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. nutmeg (optional)

Combine all ingredients. Roll out on a floured surface. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Do not over bake, taste better soft.
Icing
1 cup Confectioner's sugar
1 Tbsp. milk (or until smooth consistency)

The Tar Heel State

One week ago yesterday, Kenadie, myself and my parents headed out around 6 a.m. on a little 13 hour adventure that would take us to North Carolina! First of all, I need to note that Kenadie could not have been a BETTER passenger!!! I truly thought she had been replaced by a child that actually ENJOYED riding in the car! I had EVERY trick in my bag imaginable. Her good behavior was probably a little influenced by the fact that I spent, oh... probably $100 or so just to get us there with new activities/DVDs/My Little Pony/light up toys/candy... you get the picture :) Needless to say, she had a WONDERFUL time in the car and after the "newness" wore off of an item, I was quickly pulling out the next one :)

This was our first visit to see my brother and his sweet family since their move back in November. It was also Aaron's first time NOT to be a part of a trip in the past 13 years! We missed him, but I took plenty of pictures to fill him in on all of our fun.Attempting to pack our suitcase...We're Here!!! We arrived to their house late Wednesday. On Thursday, we met Wes for lunch, Hayden and Kenadie had fun playing ALL day and then we celebrated "St.Papa's" birthday that night. His birthday is March 17th--so he pretty much always has a St. Patrick's Day themed cake :)Oh my goodness...Henry is the SWEETEST and HAPPIEST baby I know!!! Precious!On Friday, we headed over to Raleigh where we had a FABULOUS lunch at Cheesecake Factory. I must admit, I did feel a wee bit guilty for partaking of mine and Aaron's favorite cheesecake without him. Mmmm... white chocolate raspberry truffle...

We did a little shopping before visiting the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. On our way back from Raleigh, which is about an hour away from Wes and Joy, we stopped by the outlets in Smithfield. Mom, Joy and I had a wonderful time shopping... Wes, Papa and kids...apparently not so much! When we were done shopping, Wes greeted us with a friendly "If ya'll had half as much fun as we did, then you were COMPLETELY miserable!" Ooops...sorry, but thank you Wes and Papa for letting us girls have fun shopping :)
On Saturday we enjoyed a picnic lunch, followed by the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, a visit to the beach, and lastly, you guessed it...a tiny bit more shopping :)This picture was taken only seconds before Kenadie fell in the water, and freezing water at that :)

Hayden, Kenadie and Henry woke up Sunday morning to their filled Easter baskets from Papa and Kay Kay :) After lunch and naps, we had fun doing a little Easter egg hunting :)All ready to go find some eggs!Thanks so much Wes, Joy, Hayden and Henry for such a great time! We can't wait to come back!!!

"This is cool Momma!"

As Kenadie and I were on our way home this afternoon from doing a few errands, I heard her in the backseat doing one of her favorite little rhymes/songs. When she finished it, she exclaimed "This is cool Momma!" That just made me giggle, and so, because she knew that made me laugh, for the rest of the way home she repeatedly kept saying "This is cool Momma!" Here is what she was doing that was apparently "so cool!" Here's the church...Here's the steeple...Open the doors...And there's all the people!

Thank goodness for...

These...these...and ESPECIALLY these...Kenadie LOVES all of these!!! And so,I felt inspired to share :) It really makes you feel loved and reassures you of how special you are when your child wakes up in the morning or from a nap and IMMEDIATELY greets you with "cupcakes Mommy?" They are called "Smart Snacks." Toys R Us has the ice cream cones, the others I ordered from Amazon. BEST money I've spent yet on toys! Not to mention, they are very educational, colorful and durable. We also have the do-nuts. Can you tell I like these toys and plan to have everything they make :)

Aaron left this past Tuesday for Washington D.C., and Kenadie and I can't wait for his return home tomorrow! It should come as no surprise that she and I fled the scene upon his departure :) One night alone is my limit--and we didn't even do that this time! I am such a wimp--there, I said it! Stop reading here if you aren't interested in potty training info :) Have a great weekend!

If you chose to stick with me...

On a note about potty training... we are SO almost there! We are down to just using one diaper a day, and that's for bedtime. If my one reader is reading this :) and by chance, you are about to embark on the adventures of potty training, my few tips to pass along are:

1.) Be patient. I think my patience has just about been tested the most on this journey.

2.) Taking Kenadie to the potty every 10 minutes got us NOWHERE! I discovered that by taking a step back, and letting her "learn" how to go, rather than trying to "make" her go worked wonders for us. That being said...

3.) We started round 2 of potty training by only "going" to the potty twice a day, once first thing in the morning and then before bath time at night. By doing this, she learned "how" to go, when by nature, we pretty much all have to go anyway :) Sorry if this is too much information, but just giving some tips here :)

4.) Once we mastered our two times a day, I started taking her hourly, with two M&M's as her reward. I highly recommend the training pants that Gerber makes. I've only seen them at Target. They pretty much absorb all of an accident if it happens, but yet give the feel of panties/underwear.

5.) I've lengthened our potty visits to every hour and a half or so. I'm now trying to let her tell me when she needs to go. It's so hard when it has been two hours since she has gone. The controlling part of me wants to take her because I know she would go, but in making an effort to let her become more independent... I'm waiting for her to tell me, which sometimes does result in an accident, but we are definitely improving. I guess they DO need to have accidents so that they see what happens when they don't go to the potty :) FYI--I only do that at home, letting her tell me... I'm not quite that brave yet :)

6.) My final point, potty training is DEFINITELY a process. It surely doesn't happen overnight, or at least it didn't for us. We have been working on it successfully now for about a month. With each week, I see DRASTIC improvements that I guess just have to come on their own. Good luck and hang in there!