Yo Yo Momma

We were sitting in the car a few weeks ago & I heard an echo. Gretchen. Was singing along to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. And while the Yeah Yeah Yeah's totally rock, it made me think, "Huh. Maybe I should be using this time in the car to broaden our cultural horizons." So I went to the library and got a copy of Yo Yo Ma's Appassionato. (I heard Mr. Ma in an interview on the Diane Rehm show. He was so interesting! Listening to him talk about music made me want to be a better person. Here's a link to the interview if you want to hear it.) Anyway, we've been listening to it all week in the car. Yesterday...

ME: Ella, isn't this song so beautiful? What do you think it's about?
ELLA: Mom, what are you talking about?
ME: When you close your eyes, do pictures about the music come into your head?
ELLA: Yeah, I guess.
ME: What does this song make you think about?
ELLA: Food.
ME: Are you hungry?
ELLA: No. Well, yeah, kinda.

Besides broadening our cultural horizons through music, we've also tried a few new recipes. There's just no way our family will eat fish unless it's in "stick" form. But the homemade tootsie rolls were a semi hit. See the "special" one we made for Daddy? Awww, Daddy is so loved.

Smile for the camera sweetie!



No, that wasn't a smile! Try again!



So much better.

Gretchen has decided to start dressing herself. It's going moderately well...at least she has clothes on....


It's all about layering.





Though I blew off Ella's requests as long as possible, we FINALLY put her "Grow Your Own Pony" in water. (Nanna Joy gave it to us in the Super Awesome Pack Of Car Fun she put together for the girls. Thanks Nanna Joy!!!) It grew slowly over a week. And we watched it get creepier and creepier. At it's height of creepiniess, Auntie Amber suggested we put it in a specimen jar and save it for Halloween. It would have been awesome. But we decided to take it out because it was king of stinkey. (Creepy and stinkey. A magical combination.) Then we got to watch is shrink down, and the legs curl up, and the strange sponge-like-texture DOESN'T GO AWAY. Poor pet pony.


Grow Your Own Pony just wants to be loved. Anyone? Anyone?

That's what we've been up to! What about you?

Oh yeah, HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE TYLER!!!!!!!!

Huh, I guess we actually DID do something this week...

Hey guys! So when I first sat down to think about this week, I couldn't remember what we did. Our life seems to be Stuck-At-Home-Boring or Non-Stop-Party. We can't find a happy medium. When we're stuck at home (above), the girls think of crazy things to do, like the "Marble Game" (below). The "Marble Game" is pretty new (thank goodness).
The Rules:
-Dump out Uncle Tyler's stash of marbles that were found in the closet over Thanksgiving.
-Pick up handfuls and try to roll (but inevitable THROW) marbles around the room.
-Physically roll YOURSELF in the marbles. (How can that be comfortable?!?!?) Laugh hysterically.
-Complain as mom makes you pick them all up. Be sure to say, "But this will take for-EEEEEEBVER!!!" at least 30x.
-As soon as they're all picked up, forget about how horribly draining it was to put them away and immediately dump them out again.
-Repeat.


Ella has started spelling tests in Kindergarten. I had to document. Awwwww, learning is FUN!



After school on Friday, a few of Ella's classmates met at the alluring Chuck E. Cheeses. So lucky, I know. Ah, the frantic faces of small children trying to garner as many "tickets" as possible to cash in for...a jelly bracelet. They don't see the irony. Luckily Gretchen is still small enough that climbing on the jet-ski-game is almost as much fun as actually PLAYING the jet ski game. Fun was had by all. Even the parents.



And by far the cutest thing we've done for a long time? Ella's school had a Winter Formal last week. A WINTER FORMAL. For Kindergartners. Oh my gosh. It was amazing.



At first Ella was intimidated by the flashing lights and loud music (luckily M.J. was on heavy rotation). But pretty soon she was leading the conga line. Except she thought it was a "train line", so she kept pumping her arm & saying, "Choo CHOO!!!!!"



Yesterday Auntie Amber stopped by and said...
Amber: Hey, I'm going to go try on wedding dresses, want to come?
Me: Uh, you mean with the girls?
Amber: Sure, why not?
(Now imagine every crazy thing they could do at a formal wear shop. Yes, they did that.)

I gave Ella the camera so she'd stop crawling through racks of $2000 dresses. Amber decided NOT to get this one. So pretty though.



A MESSAGE TO WEDDING DRESS DESIGNERS:
Hey, we know you're really busy debating pearls vs. rhinestones, but could you PLEASE make some dresses that aren't strapless? Believe it or not, SOME PEOPLE WANT STRAPS. I know, weird. That'd be super great though. Thanks.



That about sums up our week. Gretchen didn't sneak out of her crib too much. Ella is smart. It's supposed to snow tomorrow. Don't worry, you'll hear all about it next week.

Loves.

In Their Natural State

So, we're kind of having a problem. Gretchen can crawl out of her crib. And I'll be sitting, enjoying "Kid Free Time", thinking everything is wonderful and my baby is sleeping soundly. But actually Gretchen will be covering herself with diaper cream. Or talking to the birds out the window. Or screaming, "AIRPLANE! Mom. AIRPLANE!" Which is when I will discover this:



We're going to have to think of a solution. Barbed wire is out. Other suggestions?

Don't ask Ella for help, she's really busy.



We do have some good news. We went to a party last night with LOTS of kids, LOTS of noise and LOTS of toys to fight over. And Gretchen didn't injure ANYONE! She played happily and was kind to all. Dare we even hope that her reign of terror is coming to an end? I'm afraid to even dream it, lest my hopes be dashed. Again. Maybe it was just the Terrible Ones? Maybe? Oh please let all the time-outs and, "We're gentle with our hands..." talks and be working.

Packed Away For Another Year

Favorite Non-Family Related Activity Whilst In California:
Ella had recently voiced her desire to visit a "real museum". (Possibly because she loves the book "Olivia", and on rainy days, Olivia goes to the museum to look at Jackson Pollock and Degas paintings. Then she gets in trouble for recreating a Jackson Pollock at home. Time out.) And really, is there a cooler museum than the Getty? We went. It was wonderful. We stayed for about 4 hours, saw MAYBE 1/3 of their collection, and loved it. They had these cool "Art Detective" cards at the front desk for kids. They had a portion of a painting, a room number, and the kids had to find which piece of art it came from. Ella was definitely into it.

Me: (after looking at the Irises painting by Van Gogh) Ella, do you realize you're seeing some of the most famous artwork in the whole world? We are so lucky!
Ella: Yes mom. Because you've already told me that three times.
Me: What's been your favorite part so far?
Ella: The tram ride. It was like the tram at Disneyland. It was fun.

But really, she liked the museum too. Granted, the tram is pretty impressive.

Gretchen liked the naked statues. She kept pointing at them and saying, "Nurse?" Then laughing because she knew she was hi-larious.

After that outing, the rest of the trip was All Family All The Time. Good thing we all like each other. Christmas morning we went to Poppa Randy's house to open stockings. We coordinated with Santa to leave our stuff there. He's so nice, that Santa...




This picture of the girls with Grandpa Conrad just cracks me up. Ella is such a good poser.


Helicopter toy!


When we grow up, we want a hot tub and a pool. Dear Uncle Aaron & Aunt B, we may just move in... Hope that's cool with you.


Gretchen was so mad when we made her get out of the hot tub. (I was worried about leaving her in for too long, the water was so hot. She was literally steaming when I sat her on the edge of the hot tub. Steam rolling off her. She was not happy to be out of the water. She wanted to cook.)


Mom thought this was a goofy picture, but I think she looks cute. Plus, I love that gray wall in Aaron & B's kitchen.


New basketball hoop! Merry freakin' Christmas!


Gretchen & her adorable 2nd cousin. Awwww.



Then we got back to Reno. And for New Years we partied at TWO PEOPLE'S houses. I actually didn't go to bed until 2. I know, it was like I was back in college. Crazy. Then the next day we drove to Truckee to go sledding. Here's Ella & her BFF all decked out:


Then my camera died. But pretend I got a picture of Gretchen so excited about sledding that she couldn't wait for a sled. She just threw herself down the hill and slid on her belly. Multiple times.

We dog-sat Cooper, Auntie Amber's dog. And now we were grateful for our cat. Our cat doesn't tear up the garbage and eat things (things that I will not mention, that's how gross it they were. Ugh. Baby, stop kissing the dog!!)


Yesterday we went on a Family Adventure. We got Vietnamese for lunch downtown. Ella really wanted a coconut. Till she tried it. I got to finish it. Yay me!



Gretchen really wanted rice.


And to throw herself off the bridge over the Truckee River downtown. See my hand holding her back?



Now Christmas is all packed up for another year. Tomorrow Ella starts kindergarten again. We had a great time being with both our extended family and just the four of us this holiday.

Guess I'll got to bed so I can wake up at the crack of dawn & be a responsible adult. Or at least pretend.

xo