First Rainbow

Taylor came up to me today and handed me a beautiful, colorful rainbow. I questioned whether she or Joshua had drawn it because up until now, her only drawing has been smiley faces. It was so good. Joshua told me that he didn't draw it. So, I asked her if she could draw me more rainbows, and she proceeded to draw four more. Yay for Taylor! Or little arteest!!

"Dinosaurs Before Dark" book report

Easter Morn

The Hunt is On!

We had our Easter Egg Hunt today for Joshua...tomorrow was just too far away, so we went ahead and had the hunt today. The kids had a great time hunting for eggs and Taylor had a little help from Mommy and Daddy as her big brother was faster and better able to spot eggs faster. They both ended up with a basketful of eggs, both candy and money. The kids were trading candy that they liked/didn't like. We also dyed eggs today, a dozen to start out. I just had not gotten around to doing it in past years, but it will definitely be a tradition from here on out. Taylor and Joshua both LOVED dying the eggs and probably would have colored three dozen if we had them. I was going to hide them along with the plastic eggs, but then we decided that they may end up cracked in the process and Doug pointed out that the kids really wanted the eggs with candy in them, so we put the dyed eggs in the fridge. Mary, our babysitter, brought over a couple of stuffed animals and marshmallow suckers for the kids and they didn't want Mary to leave. They just love her and I think that she feels the same way. She is very considerate and always bringing over goodies for the kids on all of the holidays. I don't know what we would do without her! Looking forward to an amazing church service tomorrow and celebrating that our Jesus is Risen!! Thank you Jesus, for your amazing gift to us!

A little bit of youth gone...

The day Joshua lost his 4th tooth, Joshua asked me if there really was a tooth fairy and I dodged the subject. Then yesterday, he asks me if there really was a tooth fairy or the Easter bunny because he really didn't believe it but he wanted to hear it from me. I felt like this was the time to tell him the truth because I don't want him to not trust me when I tell him something. When I told him that there wasn't a tooth fairy or Easter bunny, he smiled and said, "I knew it". He didn't seem sad or glum about the fact which relieved me and then said, "So you are the tooth fairy and Easter bunny" and I said yes...another smile. Our boy is growing up and it was a little sad for this era to end.

Our Disney Princess!

Taylor has discovered the life of a princess. We recently bought the movie "Tangled" about Rapunzel. She fell in love with the movie and continuously watched the movie over and over for a week straight. I bought her the Rapunzel play dress and she wore it non-stop as well. The past few days have been back to Minnie Mouse and she has been sporting that outfit out and about town...to bible study, shopping, riding her bike! Today, I had to wash the two dresses and she was seriously distraught about the idea that she could not wear either dress. I told her that she had several other princess dresses in her room and she lit up...so we had Cinderella for half of the day and Aurora for the rest of the day. She went to Costco and Home Depot as Aurora and got quite a few comments about her princess attire. Our little princess has literally become a princess. She even wore her princess shoes to the store tonight! I have already fixed the Rapunzel dress several times as it definitely was not made to "play" in! Maybe I should start sewing my own princess dresses for the heavy duty princess wear!

Taylor's new bedtime routine...no sleep for the weary

So, since the recent thunder storms came through and Taylor was scared and decided to sleep downstairs...we have had problems. She was fine in Florida when she could sleep in the same room with her brother. Now that we are home, every night is a struggle. She is afraid to sleep in her room now and leaves her room after being tucked in every single night. Doug and I are both frustrated and need our down time, and so this is an especially tough parenting issue for us. Right now, she is asleep on the big chair in the living room. At first, she would go to sleep in her room (reluctantly) and then come down to our room at 4:30 in the morning and we would transition her to the living room and put on a movie for her to watch to help her go back to sleep. Now, she doesn't even want to start out in her room. Punishment doesn't work either. She doesn't care if she's punished because her fear is stronger than the punishment. I really hope that this phase is short because it is wearing on her daddy and I. Please sleep, Taylor!!

4th tooth lost for Joshua!!

Joshua lost his first top tooth this morning. He was sitting in the chair in the living room eating his typical breakfast of champions...pop tarts and OJ...and he tells me that his tooth hurts and he can't eat. I ask him if it is loose, and he says "Yes". I tell him to break the pop tart and chew with his back teeth and he tells me that it doesn't hurt anymore. A minute later, the tooth is out! Talk about fast. I don't remember my teeth coming out so fast after announcing that it is loose. I remember them lingering in my mouth, torturing me with that wiggly feeling, but not loose enough to pull without pain. I remember my dad teasing me that he could tie a string to my tooth and attach it to the door knob and then shut the door. What kind of medieval torture device is that??? I declined quite adamantly every time! Anyway, his tooth is gone! This afternoon, he asks me if the tooth fairy is real? I was one the phone with Doug at the time and asked Doug what I should say? I go on to say to him "Why do you ask that?" He says, "Well, fairies aren't real..." He wanted me to be straight with him and tell him yes or no. I didn't know what to say. I wasn't quite ready for the end of the era of magical beings so I skirted around the subject. I told him that he should put out his tooth fairy pillow and see what happens because he may not get any money if he doesn't put the pillow out. He also asked me if mommy was the tooth fairy. I skirted around that as well! I wonder if one of his classmates said something to him at school today. I have a feeling that is what happened. Not that I want my children believing in make believe things, but it seems like such a transition from childhood to the reality of life...I guess that that is good and bad.

Space Camp and Camping Trip with the Scouts

3 spoons required

Dinorsaur World and visiting Great Grandma

Sunken Gardens in St. Pete and John's Pass

Hollywood Studios, Disney World

Florida Aquarium, Tampa