The weekend run down

Emily and I went to our third gymnastics class. She is really enjoying the class and warming up to trying new things. This week, Emily went on the balance beam and it was set to the highest level. We did that five times. Emily wouldn't do it without holding my finger.

One of the other stations that we tried were the hoppy ball things. They were sort of weird and most of the kids had a hard time getting them to work at first. But, Emily figured it out after a couple of tries.

After class, we went to the compost pit over on Pierce Butler Route. Then, to Menards to pick up a couple packs of seeds and some potting soil. When we got home, it was time to start working. Dan FINALLY took down out Christmas lights. I decided to rake the dead stuff out of the front yard. I raked up a pile of dead grass the size of my car! It was unreal. When that was done, I put the sprinkler on for a long time and everything started to look green.

Then, I went to find something in our garage and that was ugly. We now have a HUGE pile of crap to go out in the next trash pick up.

Last night, I was one sore momma! I've got blisters on my fingers and my arms are stiff!

Today, we went to Assumption for church and it was First Communion Sunday. So cute.

After doughnuts, we went to lunch at McGovern's with Grandma. Then, home for naps and some yummy Enchilada Hot Dish for dinner.

The Frozen Dairy Delivery Truck

On Thursday, it was 85 degrees and BEAUTIFUL! Dan went and umpired some baseball games, so it was just me and the kids for dinner. I made the Pioneer Woman's Chicken Scallopine and it was delish! Emily and Louie ate every bite of it and then more after their baths.

While I was in the kitchen making dinner, they were winding down on porch and watched a little bit of the Muppet's Treasure Island. This is their new favorite! Louie is totally into pirates now.

He does still love Thomas, Lightening McQueen and Buzz Lightyear. Anyhow, while they were watching the movie, the ice cream truck came by. It drove by really slow, I'm pretty sure the guy remembers which houses have kids and $$.

So, Louie heard the truck on the next block over and came in the kitchen to let me know it was coming. I had just stocked the freezer with mini ice cream sandwiches, in preparation of this event. I assured him that I'd already gotten him ice cream, but he had to eat his dinner.

He is such a wheeler dealer, always bargaining for the next best thing.

Anyhow, he got to get his ice cream sandwich and all was well with the world.

Swimming Lessons, round 2

We had our second week of gymnastics on Saturday. Emily did great. Each week, Jessica the teacher, will have a different set of activities for each of the kids to try. So much fun! Emily did a good job of following directions, unlike several of the other kids (and parents) in the class.
On the potty training front, WOW, we have made the final turn and are heading to the finish line with Emily! She has one or two accidents a week. Emily has finally figured out what her body is telling her when she has to go and she in turn tells us! It's awesome!
Last night, we had our second session of swimming lessons. They both can't get enough of the pool. Louie has NO fear of the water. He jumps into the water and goes under the water! No fear. He even did it behind my back, without my helping him get out of the water. THANKFULLY the dad next to me caught him! He's a crazy boy!
Tonight, I made The Pioneer Woman's Chicken Scallopine for dinner and it was terrific! Emily and Louie LOVED it and ate every bite of it in their bowls. We had penne pasta with it, we're out of linguine.
anyhow, it was delish! I added a little bit of garlic with the mushrooms! YUMMY!

Happy First Birthday, Lorenzo!

Today, Lorenzo turned one! We went over to celebrate with everyone. It was another beautiful day!
The birthday boy on the swing.

Emily played on the swing.
Grandpa Don was busy pushing Emily, Louie and Lorenzo on the swing.

Getting ready for cake with Maria.

Then it was time for Lorenzo to enjoy his own birthday cake.

The damage wasn't too bad.
Then, it was time to open presents. He got a few new outfits and some boy toys. Louie really loved this Mater ride on!

Friday night

Friday night was lovely! The temp was 72, no bugs, no wind. Lovely!
Dan was gone to a baseball game, so the kids and I played outside for a while and then, when it was time to wind down to get ready for bed I turned on a movie out on the porch. Life doesn't get much better than this!
The Muppets Treature Island on the screen porch with blankies. Life is good.

Swimming Lessons

We started our 8 weeks of swimming lessons tonight. Both Emily and Louie were VERY excited to go and carried their pool bags out to the van. We got to Bridgeview a little early so we could change and get out stuff ready. There were only about half the kids there tonight, so it was really nice and small.
When we first got in the pool, Louie wanted no part of being in the pool and cried "I want to go home to Youie's house!" Poor kid was in tears in the pool. Dan and I switched kids, he took Emily and I took Louie. After that, I eased him into the pool and by the time we were leaving, he was jumping into the pool and climbing out himself, to jump back in again. Both of them were floating on their backs and fronts, kicking their legs. Surprisingly, they both adjusted so well and we didn't think that they would adjust so quickly.


Here they are standing at the stairs, waiting for our lessons to begin. So much fun!

Swimming lessons

We start swimming lessons down at Bridgeview School tonight! The kids are very excited to finally get to go swimming. We'll see how it goes.
Mommy, on the other hand, is NOT excited to put on a swimsuit and get in the pool with them.

Easter part deux

After our egg hunt at home, we headed up to Princeton to the Pelletier family Easter celebration. Emily and Louie played outside just about the whole time we were there. It was such a beautiful day, I think the temperature got up to 67!


Louie was playing football with Uncle Paul and Steven. Paul was teaching him how to hold the ball and run at the same time. He looks like an ad for "the Children's Place." Such a cute little boy.

Maria was on the swing all smiles showing us all how her teeth are moving around, getting ready to fall out!

And as we were getting ready to in and have some cupcakes, I found Emily in the sandbox. She's so not a girly girl . . . .

Happy Easter!

The Easter bunny came to our house after we went to church this morning with Grandma.
Emily and Louie were totally into it this year. They each loved everything that was in their baskets. The favorite was the magnifying glass (aka "spy glass"), so they could look for bugs out in the yard. Louie got a new football too, Teddy destroyed his old one. Emily also got a new swimming suit for our lessons that start on Wednesday night.
As you can see, Louie and Emily love the spy glasses that were in their baskets.

Then we had an Easter egg hunt. Both kids thankfully found all the eggs that we colored yesterday.

Getting ready for Easter

Grandma came over today, since we won't see her tomorrow for Easter. We gave her a little Easter basket. She brought some chicken to cook on the grill.
We colored Easter eggs and also decorated the cupcakes that I baked earlier in the day.

The cupcakes turned out pretty cute. Emily and Louie had so much fun coloring the eggs.

Tumbling class

Today, Emily had her first "Mommy and Me" tumbling class over at St. Anthony Park Elementary. We got there a little before 9am and started right in with the class. Emily was the only child in the class that actually followed directions the whole time.

She really enjoyed it and told her teacher, Jessica, that she would see her next week.

www.hulu.com

So, I've been curious about these commercials I've been seeing on TV for hulu.com lately.

What is it all about?
Well, late last night when I couldn't sleep . . . I checked it out. It is awesome!

I can watch all 103 episodes of "I Dream of Jeannie" on hulu.com! Who knew??
I have always love watching that show and it's probably why I was so excited when my parents picked Cocoa Beach, Florida as their winter snowbird destination. Major Nelson was so handsome to me, when I was 10.

Anyhow, give hulu a try if you're looking for something to watch and there isn't anything on TV.

Do you ever get frustrated when you know you've got something, but can't find it anywhere? That's what I'm going through right now.
I'm trying to find some pictures to put on our new blog header and can't find them!
It's late and I'm going to bed!
Maybe tomorrow I'll find it. . . .

Equal blog time

Louie was looking at pictures on our blog tonight and asked "where's the pictures of Youie?"
So, to give him equal time, even though he refuses to let me point the camera in his general direction . . . here is the best picture of him that I've been able to get in a while.
I need to read up on shooting in "shutter priority" mode, so I can shoot using a faster shutter speed for the kid that doesn't sit still!

Here's one of him giving Pablo, from the Backyardigans, a kiss. He's really into the "yardigans."
I tried to explain to him that his lack of cooperation when we have the camera out is why we don't have the equal amount of pictures of him and his sister.
Now, they are going to bed. It's 7pm, but the fighting has become unbearable. Clearly, they are both exhausted from being outside in this beautiful weather!

Spring???

Before dinner tonight, we went outside and played for a little while. Emily was dancing around the tree in the front yard and Louie was being a boy and searching for big sticks to hit his sister with. Thus the reason for the hug. We hug when we say "sorry" at our house.
Emily and Louie are getting very excited for swimming lessons to start next week. We're going to Bridgeview School in St. Paul, nice warm therapeutic pool! On Saturday, Emily starts her tumbling class at St. Anthony Park Elementary School in St. Paul. She has been showing us her sommersaults on the living room floor all week. We'll see how that goes!

Friday night

Just an ordinary Friday night at our house. . .dinner and a movie. Louie was very excited about the bowl of fresh melon. He has been asking every time we go to the store for a melon. One melon lasted one meal for these two! They loved it!

Becca's Birthday

We went to Becca's second birthday party on Sunday. She had so much fun opening her presents! Emily and Louie found her Tickle Me Elmo and had a ball tickling him, of course. They are into tickling right now.