So True...

I want to start living by this quote:

“If you cram your life with the things you love, there’s no time for the things you don’t love. They have to fall away.”

Charlotte's Web

Natalie and I have been reading Charlotte's web to each other during our bedtime reading for the past few weeks. We picked it up at the library. I told her it was one of my favorite stories and that I wanted us to read the whole book together. Now that she is such a voracious reader, we haven't read an entire book together for awhile. It's usually a chapter here or there at bedtime, but then she reads the rest on her own.

It was a great experience and she loved the story. We dug out Wilbur, whom my mom had given her a year ago and now he is more beloved than ever, taking the prized sleeping place by her side (along with Cow, who never gets fully bumped). We finished the book a few days ago. So I got the movie and we watched it together today with Katherine.

There is nothing like looking over and seeing your daughters eyes filled with laughter and joy during the movie, then tears when Charlotte dies. I was a little worried how that would go over, she wasn't too affected by the event in the book, but in a movie, right in your face, it's hard to miss the meaning. She cried and snuggled up close and sad it was so sad. And at that moment, I felt her truly as part of me, and my mom... emotional through and through. I have vivid memories of my mom sobbing at movies in the theater when I was a girl, back then I used to get a little embarrassed, but I am the same way and now look back so fondly of those memories. And to witness Natalie, my little emotional, beautiful girl with the same traits, makes me happy in a way I cannot describe.

Fairy Princess Room.... Complete!

Three and a half years later, with a strong color preference, Katherine finally gets a room fit for a princess.

The before, very cool, but not very girly. An older photo obviously! But that was the previous wall color and border.

She is a purple girl, through and through, and when we found this border while flipping through a wallpaper book, game over. Everything else was designed around it. And... we both love it! It was very cute to see her get so excited when I put it up. Mind you, the border was the final stage. So the first weekend spent painting her room and she saw this...

She was minimally excited about the purple walls. Not the reaction I was hoping for after a full weekend of painting. Three year olds can be PITAs to say the least! :) Now of course, I did this the weekend before Christmas, cause you know, I didn't really have anything else going on, so why not? Needless to say, the next phase was a few weeks later.

The next phase was wall paper. While I knew this would be more difficult, I really didn't count on how hard it would be to hang multiple sheets on 10 feet high ceilings. And try to line up the seams. The frickin' seams! How I hate thee. No matter what I did, they started with the pattern perfectly aligned on top, and a full inch off at the bottom, with seams in full view. Grr.... but she was excited when she saw this, so I let the details go. Mom, I have a whole new appreciation for that cool flowered wallpaper I had when I was Natalie's age. Thank you, for now I know what you must have gone through!

And finally, the peice de resistance, the fairies. At the sight of the final show stopper, Katherine got really excited. And that made it all worth it.

So now of course, Natalie wants a pink room. Is six too young for child labor?

Camping in Florida

Just back from our first family camping trip. And it was... awesome! We went with our neighbors and several some of their friends to this amazing campground that had a playground, a pavillion with basketball courts and pavement for the kids to ride scooters on, and a river to hunt for shark teeth.

I used to camp at least 2-3 times a year when I lived in CA, and before I had kids. I love to camp and spend an entire weekend outside running around. But since having kids, then moving to FL, Dean and I haven't camped. First it was getting used to FL and the bugs. The bugs are both plentiful and ever-present here. Then it was Katherine being an infant and I wasn't up for camping with diapers.

But now... K is three and N is six and I was ready to give it a go. And... they LOVED it. I was worried about night time, and frankly, we didn't sleep alot the first night... but strong coffee and fresh air helped with the 5:20, pre-dawn wake-up call that K insisted upon. And of course, we picked the perfect time in FL to camp... The weather actually hit below freezing, a rarity here. But we survived and even Dean had a great time. Dean is a reluctant camper. Once engrossed, he really does enjoy it, but the sleeping in the tent part, eh, he could do without. But he loves me and knows I love it and takes one for the team. Man, I love that guy.

So smore's, a leaky canoe and much hearty meat later, we will be camping again soon. Next up, camping by the beach in non-freezing weather, stay tuned!

Early Christmas Gift

I received the best Christmas gift I can recall of my life this week. And it's still more than two weeks until the big day!

A little background... one of my all time favorite Christmas traditions is completely engrossing myself in Christmas music for the entire month of December. If I'm home, it's on. I just love the way it lifts up my mood and makes me feel warm and loving inside. Around here, my girls have started to love the tradition as well. So earlier this week, we are cozying up on the couch after I've picked up Natalie from school. We are all reading various things, listening to Christmas tunes and Natalie looks up at me and says:

"Mom, you know what's better than Christmas"

Being in a good mood, I start joking: "homework?"

"No!"

"Cleaning your room?"

"No!" she laughs. Then looks me in the eye and says

"you."

Wow. It took my breath away and then I cried. And hugged her. And that... is the meaning of Christmas. Spreading pure joy.

Respect

I just got home from Natale's school where she received an award for showing Respect. This is the second year in a row Natalie has received this award and I am so proud of her! The school has a Character program where each month the kids learn about a different character (respect, gratitude, compassion, etc.). Every month, the teachers pick a student from their class who has best show the character trait for that month. So proud and happy for Natalie!

   

Enjoying the post ceremony treats. 

So Proud.

Tomorrow is Natalie's last day of Kindergarten. This first official year of school went by so fast. She seemed so young and innocent back in September... I can't believe how much she has grown and matured this year. Her teacher, who was just awesome, made a memory book for each child, which has samples of their writing and drawing and photos from the beginning of the year until now. It is priceless. A clear picture of exactly how much learning has gone on this year.

And... we are so proud, Natalie got the award for most improved reading! I don't know what her level was at the beginning of the year, but she ended Kindergarten reading at the end of 1st grade level. Looks like she's going to be a bookworm just like her mom and grandma!

Fun Times

Sometimes it's just worth it to miss a day of school...

just a smidge

As mother's day approaches, I find myself thinking about my own childhood and my mom. And how in some ways I am so similar, and others so different. Then I find myself looking at Natalie and trying to figure out how she is like my mom... and I'm reminded of the word she picked up from Grandma on our visit last summer.

Smidge.

I love this word. It is so cute and descriptive. I remember we were sitting at my moms kitchen table, which strangely enough sits on carpet, and my mom saying "just a smidge" about something. I don't remember if it was about spreading butter on bread, or having a second helping, but I do remember her saying it. Why? Because for months after, Natalie would request "just a smidge more of milk" or oatmeal. Or just a smidge more of syrup. Or just a "smidge" more of anything. But the smidge stuck. And every time she says it, it makes me smile. It's like this little connection Natalie and my mom have, and that makes me happy.

Yee Haw!

When I was a little girl, we used to spend a week at Rankin Ranch every year. It's an ideal place to spend a family vacation. As kids, we'd ride horses, swim, put on a talent show, have dessert every day, go on nature hikes and get to play with all the other kids there. I absolutely loved it growing up. Now as a parent, I can see why my folks liked it so much too. You totally get to unwind with your family. There is a kids club with a counselor so your kids can have fun while you go on an adult horse ride, or lounge by the pool, or enjoy the nightly happy hour.

There are no telephones, TV, or any communication with the outside world. Just quality family time. Oh the stories I could tell... the family jokes, the kids we met, the families my parents have gotten to know over the years.

My parents still go every year, and they took the whole family back about five years ago, when Natalie was an infant. They are going with my brother and his family this year, and I'm looking forward to when both girls are old enough to ride horses so we can join them. Until then, they are practicing! See below...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xRg17jZR_w


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vHFtwTIBlI

Giddy up!

Feng Shui July 2011

I found this interesting and given our current housing situation/decisions to make, we could use a bit of luck at the moment. Dean really got me into Feng Shui when we first met, so here goes:

July 2011 Calendar

This year, July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens once every 823 years. This is called money bags. So, forward this to your friends and money will arrive within 4 days. Based on Chinese Feng Shui the one who does not forward.....will be without money. Not taking any chance!

Here's to a good July to all!

Katherine's "Story"

Awhile back I bought the 3-6 year old version of "The Dinner Game" to play while eating dinner at the table. It's basically a series of cards that have an activity ranging from I spy type games, to story telling to question and answers. It's a great way to start conversations and always fun to hear what the kids come up with.

We ebb and flow with this... and lately we've been playing it a lot. It's fun, but it can also draw out dinner forever, which is tough on weeknights. Natalie absolutely loves it, begs to play. So of course we use the "if you eat all your broccoli, you can play 3 cards" and she actually will willingly eat almost anything to get a card. Really! Katherine is starting to get into it too, and here is her story she had to tell tonight. I put several items in a bag and each person had to pull one out and make up a story about it. Here is Katherine's:



and the story continuing with Natalie's "help".



Not that you can tell from the story, but the item Katherine pulled out was a little kaleidoscope.

If you're interested, here it is:
http://www.amazon.com/Family-Time-Fun-Beginner-Dinner/dp/B000RH51VE/ref=pd_sim_t_1
There is also another one for older kids, which I'll probably get in a couple years.

Cousins

Looks like Natalie has been thinking about her cousins lately. So sweet.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Being of Irish descent... we tend to go all out on St. Patrick's Day. A couple years ago we threw a huge St. Patrick's Day party at our place with kids and parents in tow. Everyone had a blast. It reminded me of the great 4th of July parties we used to go to at the Stollers every year. As a kid we'd run around playing with a bunch of kids, swimming and eating the red, white and blue ice cream. I'm sure the adults enjoyed a special beverage or two, there was croquet and just a ton of fun. So I wanted to recreate a family fun party for everyone... juice boxes for the kids and beers for the parents!

We got thrown out of the circuit while I was pregnant and then surviving the infant stage, but I think we'll have to bring it back next year. I'm a big believer in hosting an annual party, where friends continue to come year after year. I used to do this in San Francisco for my friends and I want to continue the tradition, family style now that we have kids. So clear your calendars for next year!

While we aren't throwing the green party this year, we are still celebrating. We started our day out with these:

Last night, Dean helped Natalie make her Leprechan trap for school. I think they did a great job! Kudos to daddy bringing out the crafty side.

And today Natalie was all ready for her St. Patrick's Day extravaganza at school. I must say, she is adorable, that one.

And when she gets home, I'm going to surprise the girls with homemade green shamrock shakes. What's not to love about that?

A Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Okay, so it really was yesterday... I'm a day late as usual. Natalie's kindergarten class has been reading Dr. Seuss books for the past week, making Cat in the Hat hats and the like so I decided to give green eggs and ham a try. Natalie was on to me right away "mom, this looks like spinach". So instead of answering, I said it's the same green eggs that Sam I Am eats, try it. She did and liked it. Katherine however, refused to even take a bite (like most things these days, SIGH) so she had the usual substitue: tofu w/ cinnamon sprinkled on top.

And this is the hat Natalie wore to school as well. A fun day for a great writer!

Welcome 2011!

Okay, this really isn't my new year's post, though it should be. I do intend to blog more this year, as I've realized I have already forgotten so much of Natalie's early years, when I re-read this blog. I don't want to forget Katherine's too, so I must record. I'm am going to attempt to post weekly at a minimum, and hopefully even more than that. Stay tuned!

Today's big event of note... Katherine pee'd on the potty for the first time!! She was doing a "naked dash" as the girls love to before showering... this is a run around the house naked right before they jump into the shower. They love this and laugh, scream and giggle the whole time. I love it too. I love the way they think it's so fun, running around naked and just revel in the freedom of it. I know this innocence is fleeting and I try to foster and enjoy every moment of it while it lasts.

So, after said "naked dash", Katherine said she wanted to sit on the potty. We have a cute little kid one on the floor that she's been sitting on for the past month while Natalie is on the potty. But tonight was the first night she actually went. We made a HUGE deal of it, clapping and cheering, and I told her she could wear princess underpants as soon as she did a whole day of peeing on the potty. So we'll see where that goes. I hadn't planned on potty training yet, as honestly, I hated potty training Natalie. We went through two failures and a near third, before she was successful. And mostly it was due to my impatience. While I eagerly look forward to Katherine being potty trained, I dread the training itself. But, looks like I need to get ready, so I am hoping the second time around, with more realistic expectations it will go much better. But for now, I'm celebrating the first time and very proud of my little gal.

Binky Fairy: Day 1

It's morning. We survived the first night sans-binky. That in itself is a huge accomplishment, for Katherine and for us. After opening the letter, Katherine willingly put all her binkys in the box and we put it outside for the binky fairy. She took the bunny and told her how proud we were of her. She was fine for about 20 minutes then started crying and screaming hysterically for the binky. So mommy said she was such a big girl, maybe she'd like a popsicle to celebrate? I know, 8:00 isn't the best time for that, but I was all about distraction.

So, I put Natalie to bed and while reading her stories I can hear Katherine crying while Dean is trying to calm her. So ensues the pattern for the next 2.5 hours. She was crying, screaming "no!" and very tired. We took turns rocking her. I finally got her to fall asleep while rocking her, but when I tried to move her to the crib she woke up and was crying again. So I left her in the crib and sat next to it soothing and singing to her. She finally fell asleep, woke up w/in two minutes and started crying again. Then she finally fell asleep for good. It was so hard. It's heart wrenching to hear your child in despair, know exactly what she wants, and not give it to her.

I went to bed as I was pretty certain she would wake up again. And she did. At 12:30 and she was hysterical. Screaming, crying... poor thing. I felt awful. But we talked to her, Dean brought in some warm milk and she settled down. Fell asleep in the rocker, I moved her to the crib, she cried momentarily and then fell asleep. This time it took about 30 minutes. And then, slept until 7:00!

We checked outside this morning and sure enough the binky fairly had left presents for both Katherine and super big sister Natalie. She loved her princess shoes and has been hugging Pooh Bear all morning. So sweet. We then went to Panera for scones to celebrate.

Hopefully that will be the worst of it. I know she understands that the binkys are gone, but I predict more crying at nap time. It just breaks my heart to hear the forlorn, sad cries. I'm hoping it will get a bit easier for her each day until she forgets about the binkys and sleep with ease like she used to. Stay tuned...

The Binky Fairy Returns

After success the first time around with Natalie, the binky fairy is making a return visit for Katherine tonight. I am excited and apprehensive about this. I'm very happy that the binkies will soon be gone. I'm tired of hearing "I want a binky mommy" 20 times a day. And the resulting screams that ensue when the request is denied.

However I am anxious as I think this will be a harder transition for Katherine. She uses two binkies at night. One in her mouth and one in her hand. She doesn't have a set lovey like Natalie did. She's 2 and a few months, so while she gets it, I think it will be tougher than with Natalie. Natalie was three, and cried a bit the first night, but went to sleep pretty quickly. She woke up once and cried but I was able to comfort her. For about a week, she was sad at bedtime, said she missed her binky, but that was it. No major sleep issues.

Katherine is still napping and my biggest fear is that the departure of the binkies will also mean the departure of the naps. This is a BIG fear. Katherine still needs her naps... she gets tired and cranky right at naptime. I still need her naps. I get tired and cranky by her naptime too!

So fingers crossed and stay tuned. The UPS box has been delivered. Inside is the red box that Katherine is to put all her binkies in for the babies who need them. A gift is in there too, to help her get through the first night. A bunny animal/blanket combo that will hopefully provide some comfort. And tomorrow morning she will awaken to a huge Pooh Bear and some Snow White dress up shoes as her reward.

Hmm... thinking ahead, perhaps I'd better alert Starbucks. Depending on how tonight goes, I may need an injection drip tomorrow!

The Dixon Ultimate Family Vacation

Catchy title, eh?

Sponsored By


Cheerios® is giving you the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, your ultimate family vacation. As part of a paid promotion for their “Do What You Love” Sweepstakes, Cheerios® is sponsoring my post today about what my ultimate family vacation would be. Read mine and Enter the Sweepstakes for a chance to actually win your own fantasy family trip or one of a bunch of other great prizes.

I've been thinking lately of what our ultimate family vacation would be, if we could do anything. That I love to travel is no secret, that I've not done much since the birth of the Dixon chicks is no secret either. Since moving to FL, our big annual vacation is a trip back to CA to visit my family. Luckily for us, this is a great destination. Unlucky for me, having grown up in CA, while I love the state, it's not really a true "vacation". Especially since Dean is usually working half the time we are traveling. Working from home has it's benefits, but having a portable office while on vacation isn't really one of them.

So, what would my ultimate family vacation be? While my adventurous side dreams of an extended trip through Europe or Asia, or perhaps biking through the Italian wine country, my realistic side knows that with one child still in diapers and napping, this one will have to wait a few years.

We live an hour from Disney World, so while this is a huge family vacation destination, for us it is a day trip. And living in FL, I don't feel the need for a beach vacation as much as I used to. So, where would I go?

France!

Starting out in Paris specifically. While you may think this crazy at first with two young children, I have plans. Oh yes, I have plans. We would rent an apartment somewhere near the city centre, or in one of the great nearby districts. Where we could walk or take public transportation. I love the idea of waking up, grabbing a quick breakfast for the kids in our little cozy french kitchen. Then we'd meander through the neighborhood in search of coffee for Dean and I and delicious french pastries for the girls. (Okay, us too!). We would then enjoy ourselves by playing at the local playgrounds, strolling through the beautiful french shops and enjoying the bakeries and markets for the culture, the food and to let the girls enjoy some real, unbelievably creamy, cheese. On bread baked fresh that day. Here the girls could experience real fast food: fresh baked bread, cheese, olives and fruit.

This trip would be ideal as we could truly immerse ourselves in the french lifestyle, if only for a moment. I really want my girls to grow up with a world view, and I think immersing them in a foreign culture from a young age will not only give them that appreciation, but also a sense of adventure, community and pride in their own country. Nothing makes you appreciate what you have and love about your own home, than being away from it for a period of time.

Of course, no trip to France would be complete without hitting the beaches of southern France, where we would spend a few lazy days at the beach so the kids could soak up the universal fun of a beach playground, wherever in the world one might be.

Hmm... sounds so dreamy. I can't get away to France at the moment, but I can open a bottle of wine. Au Revoir!





Don't forget to enter the “Do What You Love” Sweepstakes, for a chance to win your own ultimate family vacation. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

It takes a village...

They say it takes a village, and you  know what? It's true. We've been in FL almost three and half years now, and in that time I've made some great friends. Most of them are SAHMs (Stay at Home Moms) like me, and let me tell you, when you are with your children, ALL day, EVERY day, you need an outlet. And my FL friends have not disappointed. I'll leave the girls night out stories for another post (or three), today is about how great it is to help out other moms.

Case in point. With Natalie having started Kindergarten this year, I was eager to volunteer in her classroom. I really want to do this as my mom was very involved in our elementary school and I think both my brother and I, and the school, really benefited from it. It's nice to have my turn now, sort of an ode to my mom, following in her footsteps.

I'm excited to volunteer while Natalie is still young enough to be super excited about having me in her class. I start volunteering next week, and she's already asking if I can volunteer more than one morning a week. So cute. However, for obvious reasons, it would not be conducive to bring Katherine into the classroom with me. Trust me, she would create total mayhem in minutes. Well, as it so happens my friend Sarah is in the same boat. Her son Nolan (one of Natalie's best friends) started Kindergarten this year too. And he too, has younger sibling that would also generate mayhem in the classroom. So Sarah and I are swapping childcare so we can each volunteer in our kids class. Fantastic!

We started the swap this week and Graham and Katherine had a great time at our place on Monday. I threw on some tunes while he was here and you can see for yourself he was having a fantastic time. Sarah had mentioned he seemed to be really into music and she was right. How cute are these two:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVVTCS-7ZJk 

And here is Katherine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOuyTRl6DLU

Stay tuned for next week's update on how the first day volunteering goes. Should be interesting!