Try This!

As you all know, I love to do crafts with the girls. Today we tried something new: homemade sponge stamps. I bought some cheap sponges at Target, cut them into different shapes, and attached craft sticks using my hot glue gun. The girls had fun dipping the sponges into paint and stamping their shapes on paper. I think they each did four different sheets! I used scissors to cut the shapes, but I think next time I'll try to find a sharper tool so the shapes are more precise. These worked well enough for today, especially since the girls were stuck inside all day due to rain and were thrilled to have a new project!

Happy Birthday to...

This past Monday we had two birthdays to celebrate. Cousin Chase turned 5, and the girls' friend Shea turned 3. It was too far to go to Chase's birthday party, but we made it to a little get together at Shea's house Monday morning. It was a beautiful day so the kids mostly played outside until the pizza and cupcakes were ready. We have been to a lot of parties recently, and Zoe has finally started liking the baked goods and other sweets. Most kids (including Sophie) usually eat just the tops of cupcakes, but Zoe loves it all! Happy Birthday Shea and Chase!

Happy Birthday Chase!

Say No to Crack!

Just in case the girls aren't embarrassed enough by their parents when they're teenagers, this picture should seal the deal.

Fun at Reid Park

In the middle of Tucson is a park full of fun. Reid park houses the zoo, the ball park for Spring training, multiple playgrounds, lakes, a golf course and more. Today the girls and I ventured out to enjoy the gorgeous weather, and later to meet up with some friends of mine. The highlights of our day were: playing on the biggest of the playgrounds (until mommy got too nervous trying to keep an eye on both girls - everyone was out enjoying the weather), feeding the ducks, climbing up the big hills and walking all the way around the lake, riding on the little train, and getting to stay up until 2:30!! The girls were awesome - not one whine or cry the entire time, and usually they are in bed by 1:00 for naps. Zoe was asleep in the car before we even got to the first traffic light, but Sophie held out like a true rock star. I suggested she lie down and rest a little when we got home (at 3:30), and that began a series of mini meltdowns. Oh well...they didn't last too long, and both girls were asleep well before their 8pm bedtimes.

Shabbat Dinner

Last night the girls helped me make dinner. I was roasting a whole chicken, and they were fascinated by the big raw bird. Sophie had fun sprinkling the salt, pepper and garlic on the chicken, and both girls had fun "patting" and "massaging" the seasoning into the skin. After a very long hand-washing session, the girls continued to help by "cutting" the potatoes for the mashed potatoes. After lighting the Shabbat candles, we sat down for a yummy meal, and the girls ate up (pun intended) all the compliments from mommy about their cooking skills.

Kindermusik

Last week we had a Kindermusik instructor come and give a free demo to our play group. It was a little hectic (lots of moms came), but the kids seemed to enjoy the music, finger-plays, activities and stories.

Stuck!

This is one of those situations where I'm torn between rescuing my poor helpless child and running for the camera. Obviously I chose the latter in this situation. The determining factors include blood, tears, and impending disaster, which were not occurring at the time. The latter picture shows my rescued princess sitting at her new table, which was a joint present from Grandma Laura and Gigi.

The Eigth Night

This is a little late, but I was just getting the last of our 2008 pics into the file before starting our 2009 family folder. This was our last picture of the year, and the candles looked so pretty, as did the girls....