Boldischar Blog

Valentines Day

2012-02-14T16:24:00.002-06:00

On this day in 1996: it was senior year at BSM, Jim and I were both in the same class together, we had secret crushes on one another, I got the courage to give him a small valentine and was shocked to get one from him too, we took a class field trip to a grade school where I first noticed how great he was with kids.

On this day in 2012: Jim and I have been together for 16 years, happily married for 11.5, have two beautiful children and another one on the way, I get to watch every day how wonderful he is with our children. We've been through ups and downs and through it all the overwhelming lesson has been that together we can do anything. I love him more today then I ever thought possible or dreamt of watching him play with school kids all those years ago. So much happened because we exchanged Valentines 16 years ago.

Sick Bay

2012-02-11T19:35:00.003-06:00

I am running a sick bay here at the Boldischar home. It is just about to the ridiculous level now around here. Nora had horrible croup 8 days ago and is still sick. We've back and forth to the doctor with her, tried two steroids, an antibiotic, and several nebulizers, yet she still coughs most of the day and night. She cannot be alone at night when she coughs, so sleep has not happened here in quite awhile. Despite my very best efforts, Fiona got the same bug yesterday and with her history of serious asthma we are on high alert around here. I've been keeping her calm, at home, giving emergency inhalers around the clock for 24 hours and so far there are so signs of improvement. I have a feeling that I know what is coming next. I just put her to bed with one of the highest fevers she has ever had (she isn't a fever kid) and a hopefully lucky dose of Motrin. I feel horrible when my kids are sick, like any mother, but worry that extra bit with Fiona for her breathing. It would be really nice if this illness would leave my house and not come back for a long time. I just wanted these last hand full of weeks before the baby comes to be enjoyable. Fingers crossed they still can be.

I feel a familiar tickle in my throat as I type this and shudder at the thought of going down with this ship. Blasted coughs.

100 Days

2012-02-07T13:26:00.001-06:00

Happy 100th of Kindergarten, Fiona!

To celebrate the big day, Fiona had to collect and count 100 of something. She chose chocolate kisses. It was a fun lesson!

We are so proud of Fiona. She just loves school, does really well there and is a great helper in the classroom. Fiona is reading very well on her own and has worked hard on perfecting her letters. She often leaves us notes around the house, which we all love.

I can't believe how fast this school year is going. Next up, first grade!!

Croup is Crap Part 2

2012-02-03T10:33:00.000-06:00

Years ago that was a blog post subject for little Fiona. Now it's Nora's turn. Our little girl came into us at 1am with that nasty seal bark cough, the one we know all too well from Fiona's six times having it.

Nora and Jim were in the ER for several hours, but just like her sister Nora was a trooper. In this picture she is telling us that she is better.

Nuk Fairy

2012-02-01T22:06:00.002-06:00

As anyone who knows Nora knows, she loves two things in life her Lovey and her Nuky (aka pacifier). She openly calls them her friends and lately her friends have been hanging out with her everywhere. While that isn't our favorite habit of hers, we have entertained it since Nora is our sensitive little girl who has had a rough path in life. Plus we were avoiding the holy hell we knew would happen if we outlawed the beloved Nuk. Lets be honest, no one likes to see Nora's "other" side. Alas, she is three years old, potty trained, about to be a big sister. So the Nuky Fairy paid us a visit. Nora put all her Nuks in a basket, left it at the foot of her bed, and said goodbye. In the morning she was surprised to get her very own special note from Miss Fairy herself congratulating her on the next step in big girlhood. She promised Nora that she would clean the Nuks and bring them back to her new baby sibling when the time came, that was very important to Nora. The fairy also left a special toy for Nora, a learning and talking cash register that she wanted. That was Saturday...a whole five days ago. We have been so surprised and impressed at how good she has been about the whole situation, just a little bit more emotional from time to time and waking up earlier then normal. These two things are Nora's standard reaction to any change, so we are used to it by now.

We are so proud of our big girl!

32 weeks

2012-01-26T14:39:00.002-06:00

We are full steam ahead to meet our sweet baby. I am 32 weeks pregnant and the house is a flurry of baby-related activity. Jim set up the nursery, we've shopped for baby gear that needed replacing, and (gasp) are test driving brand new mini-vans this weekend. The girls are very excited to meet their new sibling, they tell everyone they see that our family is growing and love to feel the baby kicking every day. Fiona is the resident big sister around here, so she is naturally prepared. Nora is the newbie, but taking the natural approach. I found her putting baby toys in the empty crib the other day saying she knows the little one will love them.

Speaking of little one, we again do not know the gender of the baby. We just love that surprise and special moment between Jim and I. Fiona and Nora both say its a girl now after months of voting boy. Fiona wants to name the baby Anna after Nora's imaginary friend and Nora wants to name her Strawberry Shortcake after her favorite toy. Good thing we pick the name!

Under where?

2012-01-17T12:09:00.001-06:00

Miss Nora is potty trained.

She did it in a few days unlike her big sister. I made the sticker chart, bought the mini marshmallows, a bucket of prizes, and of course every big girl underwear Target sells. After a couple of days of hoopla, Nora was uninterested in rewards. She had to be reminded about the stickers. Hysterical when compared to Fiona who wouldn't do the work and only wanted the rewards.

Thanks Nora for making my least favorite parenting job easier, especially since I am 7 months pregnant. You rock little lady!

First Snow

2012-01-12T15:42:00.001-06:00

It is hard to believe that our first real snow of the winter came on January 12th! It has been a strange winter, a brown Christmas and 50 degrees just yesterday.

Our girls were happy to see the old white fluffy stuff falling from the sky today. Nora exclaimed that it is Christmas again and Fiona took one look out the window and said finally.

Here they are just about to go play outside. They spent a good 30 minutes outside running, piling snow, throwing snowballs at the playhouse and making snow angels. This is Nora's first winter enjoying being outside and Fiona loved having her out there.

Boldischars 2011

2011-12-31T15:56:00.002-06:00

Highlights of our year:

January: Toy Story on Ice, a fun trip to Minnesota and MOA

February: birthday parties, Valentine's party at my parents, the blizzard

March: Daddy/Daughter dance, Fiona turns 5 at Build-A-Bear, Wendy hangs with her MN nurse friends

April: family trip to Navy Pier, Pinkalicious play, Take your daughter to work day, Easter

May: family picnics, Fiona's first ballet recital, mothers day at Wildfire

June: Jim's race, family vacation to Destin, FL including Nora's first airplane ride, Wendy turns another year older with drinks in FL

July: a fun 4th with friends, Nora moved to a big girl bed, Wendy and Jim went to 2 U2 concerts, we found out we were pregnant with baby # 3, the girls go to camp and swimming lessons

August: summer celebration in our town, Jim travels to CA, Alladin play, family stay cation in Chicago, Wendy and Jim's 10 year high school reunion, Fiona starts Kindergarten and rides the bus

September: trip on Papa's boat, the girls start gymnastics, Nora starts preschool, our first ultrasound of the new baby, apple picking, Jim turns another year older at the bowling alley laughing at his daughters, a fun trip to visit Olivia Boldischar for her bay

October: Fiona and Jim start Indian Princess and get inducted, Fi and Jim go camping, Nora turns 3 at home with her BFF Nessie and friends, we pick pumpkins in shorts, Halloween with a candy corn witch and Tinkerbell, Fiona gets glasses

November: we have a great 20 week ultrasound of baby # 3, we find our first babysitter and the girls love her, Fiona has art camp, Jim cooks another fantastic Thanksgivng meal, Wendy and Jim spend 6 days in Cabo San Lucas relaxing

December: birthday parties, the girls get great school report cards, family trip to Chicago, Christmas fun at home, NYE with wonderful friends

We had a great year full of family time and fun. We hope you did too!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T22:15:00.001-06:00

Cabo Fun

2011-12-12T12:31:00.003-06:00

Jim surprised me with a babymoon to Cabo San Lucas a couple of weeks ago. We were there for 6 days, 5 nights all by our lonesome. It was a wonderful and relaxing trip. We mostly sat by the pool in the 80 degree weather, but also took a dinner sunset cruise and played with dolphins. The dolphin part was a big surprise, a once in a lifetime opportunity.

What a great trip!

Dusty Blog

2011-12-07T21:13:00.027-06:00

What we have is a rusty, dusty family blog.

You can blame a few things for the sad state of our blog, a wonderful camera that I really cannot upload pictures from, a blog format that makes me a little batty, a busy few months, and our third pregnancy. More about that last reason later.

For now, here are some random pictures I found. Please forgive the backwards order, just think of yourselves going back in time a few months. Here is what you have missed:

Nora turned 3 and had a Strawberry Shortcake party

Nora wasn't a fan of everyone singing to her

Good thing she had her BFF at her side to recover

We did some apple picking

Nora became a ballerina

School days

We had a great staycation in the city

Summer sweetie

Napping Nora

2011-10-18T16:59:00.000-05:00

Nora gave up her nap a few weeks ago. It looks like she still needs one.

Pumpkin Picking

2011-10-09T11:03:00.001-05:00

Fiona showed us how strong she is at the pumpkin patch yesterday. It was about 80 degrees here, thus the summer clothes and cool shades. Not quite the average fall experience!

Jim is older

2011-09-23T11:11:00.001-05:00

Than me! I love being younger, even if it's only 9 months.

We celebrated Jim's birthday at a bowling alley, his choice, and everyone had a great time. It was Nora's first time and she played really well. Any chance to see those girls have fun, we'll take it!

Tiny Dancer

2011-09-12T10:51:00.000-05:00

Nora started her first ballet class last week and she was so excited for it. She did great and had a lot of fun! Our girls are growing up.

Kindergarten Rocks

2011-08-25T11:42:00.001-05:00

That is what Fiona's shirt says, we'll see what she has to say in a couple if hours.

Good luck Fiona!! We love you and are so proud of you!

Cool Like Daddy

2011-08-05T07:46:00.001-05:00

Nora certainly is cool like her Daddy.

Toothy

2011-07-29T11:41:00.001-05:00

Fiona lost her first tooth today!

Fiona's Love Notes

2011-07-18T15:01:00.000-05:00

Fiona loves to draw and write. Our house is coveted in her "work" and recently she has taken to leaving us all notes around the house. I found this one in her sink.

Carnival Days

2011-07-17T15:23:00.001-05:00

Big Girl Bed!

2011-07-13T12:17:00.001-05:00

Nora got a room full of new furniture last week, including a big girl bed. As you can see, she loves it!

Happy 4th!!

2011-07-04T16:48:00.001-05:00

Found some pictures

2011-07-01T15:09:00.000-05:00

Butterfly Fiona

2011-06-30T15:57:00.001-05:00

Vacation

2011-06-10T14:04:00.001-05:00

We are far away, living on the beach, and loving every minute!

A Girl and Her Dog

2011-06-05T12:58:00.001-05:00

Growing up

2011-05-23T12:10:00.001-05:00

Fiona is growing up. Fast. I knew life would start at warp speed once Fiona turned five, but my neck hurts watching it all fly by.

A sign of the growing Fiona is the new pink CD boombox in her room complete with five CDs. She spends a lot of time listening to music in her room, something I did as a preteen.

With preschool graduation coming up next week, I find myself sad and proud all at the same time. Fiona counted to 100 today and I just stared at this grown child I feel was just a baby. She must have read my mind because she said "Mom, don't worry, I am growing up but I am still your girl. Just like you and Nonnie (my Mom)". That was exactly what I needed to hear.

She

2011-05-08T07:29:00.000-05:00

She is our Chairwoman and CEO - setting our guiding principles and leading us on a daily basis - cheering us on in good times and supporting us in challenging times.

She is a Symphony Conductor - ensuring everyone is in tune, helping us focus on our strengths, and creating beautiful music together.

She is a Meeting Planner - keeping multiple calendars balanced with activities, learning, and fun.

She is a Psychic - anticipating each of our thoughts and feelings and reactions.

She is a Worker Bee - constantly working to improve our hive.

She is Wendy - The Absolute Perfect Mom for our kids, and for our home.

Happy Mother's Day!

Creative Fiona

2011-05-07T21:30:00.004-05:00

Fiona might be a writer like her father someday. Maybe someday soon.

I was putting Fiona to bed tonight and when she saw the pajamas I laid out for her she scoffed at me. She returned them to her drawer and pulled out a different pair asking me "Don't you know the story of The Night Before Mothers Day"? Not sure that I do. So she told me how "it was the night before mothers day and all around the house the children were wearing fancy pajamas...". She went on to say that in the story the children all sleep with small smiles on their faces and in the morning they do not dare wake up their mothers.

There really is not a dull moment in this house.

A magical Day

2011-04-29T15:02:00.003-05:00

Today is a great day to be British!

Today was the Royal wedding and I watched every moment with glee. I had two blue-eyed companions with me, one of which was glued to the screen with a look of fantasy on her face. I remember dreaming as a young girl of marrying Prince William, having the Queen as a Grandmother-in-Law, and I saw that look today in Fiona's eyes. I am a very romantic person, an emotional person who loves hoopla and beautiful sentiments. I can see Fiona takes after me in that way. Today was the scene of a real life fairytale and we both watched it unfold together holding hands.

Fiona at one moment asked me why it looked like the Bride's parents were trying not to cry. I explained that some tears are happy and that they likely were feeling proud of her and happy for her future. After a moment of silence, Fiona turned to me with a tiny tear in her eye and said "I am trying not to cry too. I am so happy for the Princess".

I can only imagine what Fiona has in her future, but I can tell you that I will defintely be crying when it all happens.

Daydreams

2011-04-26T15:56:00.007-05:00

Daydreams Before Children:

Winning the lottery, a beach vacation, quitting your job, getting a job,
saving the world, helping people, stumbling upon a stack of one hundred
dollar bills, traveling, getting married, having children, owning a
beautiful home, throwing parties, going to parties, buying a stunning car,
driving said car with loud music of your own choosing, eating out every day,
not gaining any weight after eating out every day, running through a field
of wildflowers laughing.

Daydreams after Children:

Sleeping, hiring a housekeeper, grocery shopping alone, eating warm meals
freshly made, going back to work, saving your sanity, sleeping, going to the
bathroom without being interrupted, eating your own meal and not the leftover
kid meals, driving in any car alone quietly, winning the lottery so you can
hire a few staff members, taking a nap, a warm vacation with your spouse,
inventing something to make millions, getting a MomVan so your daughter can
stop complaining that we are the only family without one, thinking about
upcoming doctor appointments, wondering if we are indeed out of milk and bread,
waking up skinny without doing anything to get that way, sleeping in a field
of down feathers smiling.

Chicago girls

2011-04-09T21:14:00.001-05:00

I spent my childhood so close to the city of Chicago, visiting often with my parents. After living for 15 years in Minneapolis and having our first child there, I never thought I would have Chicago girls and yet I do. They get to walk the same streets where my parents did as new immigrants. Unbelievable.

I have learned over the last few years that you never really know what life has in store for you. I see a lake I stood before as a kid thinking it was an ocean and now watch my daughters stare at it in awe. I can't help but think of fate.

Lips

2011-04-05T13:39:00.003-05:00

Fiona nervously bit her lip until it started bleeding.

I walked into the room and she was holding a Kleenex up to her lip. Here is our conversation, sadly, nothing new in this house:

Me: "Oh no, Fi, what happened?!"

Fiona: "My lip...its...(sigh)...BLEEDING"

Me: "What happened?"

Fiona: "Well, there was this stick, and it was pointy and it hit my lip when I was, I was, I was drinking water....ok, ok, the truth is that I bit my lip"

Me: "Ok, thanks for the truth. Now you see what happens if you bite your lips, try not to do it again."

Fiona: "What happens if today is the day I get married? Who will ever kiss my lips if they are bleeding?!"

Lucky for her, this is NOT the day she is getting married.

5 Year Old Pictures

2011-04-04T16:19:00.019-05:00

Fiona's birthday party with her friends:

The awesome birthday cake my friend Heather made for Fiona's rainbow request:

It was yummy:

A very happy girl surrounded by presents:

Nora gave Fiona the movie she really wanted:

Proud to be FIVE:

Daddy and Daughter

2011-03-30T14:10:00.005-05:00

Jim had the pleasure of taking Fiona to the Daddy Daughter dance in our town a couple of weeks ago. It was called Just the Two of Us and it certainly was just that. They went shopping together for a new dress for Fiona to wear, she got new shoes, her hair professional done, they went out for dinner beforehand to chat. Jim even bought Fiona a beautiful corsage to match her dress. It was adorable.

Here are the pictures I was able to get before they left that night:

Happy Birthday Fiona!

2011-03-23T09:56:00.003-05:00

Fiona just a few hours old already with so much to say.....

FIVE

2011-03-23T09:42:00.005-05:00

Happy 5th Birthday Fiona!

Five years ago Jim and I became parents. At this very moment my labor was beginning, I was surrounded by great friends at the hospital where I worked, and we were both nervously excited. I would never have known then how much our lives would change or how becoming a mother would make me feel different about everything. I tell Fiona often that without her, I wouldn't be a Mom. What I don't tell her is that without her, I would be incomplete, less of a person, not as happy or vivid.

Jim has been a father for five years and already he has set the bar very high. He is patient, silly, sensitive, kind, creative, spontaneous, full of things children love. He stayed up late last night decorating the house with streamers and balloons for Fiona to see when she woke up. Jim is a wonderful father.

Our five year old wonder is just that, a wonder. She is fascinating, never boring, colorful, thoughtful, musical, determined. Fiona is an old soul, someone wise beyond her age. She loves to sing, dance, draw, read, explore, create, run, climb, jump, twirl, invent, learn, talk. Jim and I feel lucky to be her parents, we are a great fit together.

Happy Birthday FiFi! We love you more every day and enjoy being on this ride with you.

Happy St Paddys Day!

2011-03-17T13:24:00.000-05:00

We hope you are wearing your green and smiling with Irish eyes today!

We were at the mall this morning and I called out "Fiona and Nora", a man stopped and said "wow, with those names today is their day". I was with my Irish Mum, so we laughed. Our girls have Irish names in honor of mr Mum and her amazing relatives and birthplace. It makes me smile because they also have Irish personalities.

May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.

Rockstar Fiona

2011-03-13T11:10:00.001-05:00

Fiona's newest interest is all things rockstar--singing, dancing, recording.
Needless to say, when at a friends birthday party where they got makeovers she took full advantage.

Watch out Hollywood!!

All Growed Up

2011-03-02T13:14:00.000-06:00

Fi Fy Fiona

2011-03-01T13:47:00.003-06:00

Fiona has been on a roll this week:

Fiona told me three days ago that she would potty train Nora. Out of nowhere, without being asked. She said "I got it, don't worry, Pull Ups, the little potty, sticker chart. Done". Hmm, ok.

Two days ago Fiona had an in depth conversation with me about love and marriage. She told me who she is going to marry, when its going to happen, what she is going to wear. Then she said that she loves love, that she is excited to live with a boy. Holy Moly.

Today Fiona didn't finish her lunch (not that unusual) and I told her that her fruit will still be there waiting for her later. She replied, tell it to go away. She later told me that she was starving, I pointed to her fruit, and she said "nope, I forgot, I am not starving".

Picture picture

2011-02-21T13:43:00.017-06:00

This year, as short as it is, has been busy. We've been through a few rounds of random illnesses, a trip to Minnesota with the kids, a week out of town for Jim, a blizzard, kindergarten registration, parties, gatherings, you name it. It has all led to some serious dust on our camera. I managed to find a few pictures from January, with more to come.

Nora loves to dress up:

It has been a snowy winter:

Nora's first set of pigtails:

Our dear friends Katie and Steve added a beautiful

daughter to their family and our daughters loved

playing with her:

Nora loves Lauren, it was sweet to see her enjoying

her company:

Fiona and Jim in the kitchen together:

Sneaking a taste:

A make-your-own pizza with the Hauf boys:

Nora's quote, "Red sauce is nummy":

The kids final products:

Snow

2011-02-02T21:18:00.000-06:00

We are snowed in. The Blizzard of 2011 has come and gone...it was the worst storm I have ever seen. We'll get back to you when we can see out the window again!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Artist

2011-01-11T08:04:00.000-06:00

Here is Fiona's first family portrait.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Big girl Nora

2011-01-10T12:22:00.000-06:00

Nora is our baby and we are quickly realizing she isn't actually a baby anymore. In fact, if you ask her if she is a baby she will tell you "Noooo, I a big gurl. I is Noorahh"

Nora likes to do all the big girl activites: run, play, read books, walk through the mall stomping her big girl shoes. She does not want to ditch her pacifer, love, crib, or diapers just yet and that suits us just fine.

Seeing Nora with a friends newborn the other day made my heart hurt a bit...when did our baby grow up?? Nora is starting her first drop off preschool class tomorrow and I have to admit, I am a bit emotional about it. Nora desperately wants to go to school and has her backpack ready 24 hours early.

Our girl is growing up!!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Deep thoughts over lunch

2011-01-09T15:58:00.003-06:00

Fiona is a deep thinker. She likes puzzles, math, stories, mysteries, figuring stuff out, asking and hearing the answers to life's big questions. I am rarely prepared for what she asks me or wants to talk about. As in life, I often handle these situations with whatever pops to mind. Today we chatted about heaven.

The scene is this....Sunday afternoon, post church, at a certain fast food restaurant, eating french fries, the four of us. I asked Fiona is she had a good time at church and she answered "yep, a great time". Then we talked about animals and randomly about giraffes. We were talking about how beautiful and tall they were, I mentioned that they might be lonely up there, but we concluded they were fine because they were closer to God up there. I asked her where God lived and she said "the sky, the clouds". I corrected her with "in Heaven". She said "oh yeah, with the angels". I have mentioned Heaven before, but more in a place people go and not a place to live. Thus we had an interesting chat about Heaven being God's home, a beautiful place where you go if you are a good person after you die. We mentioned the people we knew that were there. She thought about it and said that it sounds good, but she doesn't want to go without me. I reassured her that you wait there for the other person and then meet up again to enjoy Heaven and God together. That made her feel better about the process. "But what is Heaven like?" At the same time Jim said "beautiful" and I said "cool" (again, not prepared all the time). Fiona then asked "what do you do there?" I said "whatever you want"....you can see it coming, right? Fiona asked "like eat marshmallows" "Sure....for breakfast, I bet" I answered.

Her eyes lit up....she smiled....and said in a really loud voice.....

" COOL! I want to go to Heaven RIGHT NOW!"

Ok, ok, somewhere I lost the real point and she lost her mind.

Looking back

2011-01-05T14:16:00.003-06:00

Now that I can breathe again, I started reflecting on last year. Usually, Jim and I have a deep conversation late on New Year's Eve about the past year, what the highlights were, what we want to see happen in the coming year....however, we were in a sick stupor and there was no conversation.

2010 was a good year, a great year, full of fun and change. Here is what we did last year:

--We took a trip to Minnesota to visit friends and family

--We bought a house

--Nora learned to walk

--Fiona had a fantastic birthday at Chuck E Cheese

--We moved into our great house

--Nora started music class

--My parents moved into a house 5 minutes away

--Nora learned to run...fast

--We took Fiona to Chicago for a day of museum visits

--Thousands of trips to the park and romps in the pool

--Jim got to mow his own grass again. A lot.

--We saw a parade and fireworks

--Fiona started a new preschool

--Olivia came to visit us and we toured Chicago

--Jim and I celebrated ten years of wedded bliss

--I went to Ireland with my Mum

--Jim and I took a long weekend away without kids

--Jim's sister Laura visited us

--We celebrated Nora turning 2 at our house with a great group of
family and friends

--We trick or treated in our new neighborhood

--We hosted Thanksgiving

--Jim's brother Mark and his wife Emily visited us

--Built a snowman....shoveled a driveway again

--Had a lovely Christmas

Like I said, it was a great year! We are looking forward to another great year in 2011--Fiona will be 5 and starts Kindergarten, Nora turns 3 and starts preschool. Who knows what the rest will be!

What a way to celebrate 2011

2011-01-02T11:45:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year! (sniffle sniffle, cough cough)

The Boldischars spent this lovely holiday on the couch sick as dogs.

You know how sad and pathetic it is when both of your kids are sick and miserable? Just imagine that, but replace kids with parents. Us. We are sick. Jim and I have been down and out for the count with two healthy children this whole weekend. It is pathetic around here. This is the first time that we have both been this sick at the same time since having kids and it is not something I recommend.

The girls don't seem to mind their parents being too tired and sick to do much other then pop in a movie and microwave some food. Fiona has declared herself "the not sick Mommy of the house" and I tell you, she could replace me in a heartbeat. Good kid.

We hope you had a better New Years then we did!

Christmas pictures

2010-12-30T14:40:00.006-06:00

We had a great Christmas weekend here full of fun, family, and great memories. Each year the girls get more into the holiday and thus each year gets better for Jim and I. We joked this year that we really don't remember very many Christmas mornings before 2006. We were probably sleeping.

This year was special for us because it was the first Christmas in our new home and it felt so great to be all cozy and warm with our little girls in a house again. Despite not having a chimney (the things you don't think of when home searching), Santa found his way to our tree and left the girls plenty of special toys. There is nothing like the wonder on kids faces when they see the stockings filled up in the morning.

Here are the best of the Christmas pictures from this year:

Fiona doing a princess pose with our tree:

Nora opening a favorite present (thanks Uncle Paul!):

Fiona is in love with this awesome book complete
with recorded voices from Uncle Pat and Auntie Mary:

Nora is ready for school with her Dora backpack
(thanks Auntie Laura!):

Fiona got her first American girl doll designed to
look like her and loves "Little Fiona":

Christmas day (kids bribed for this average shot):

Our little family:

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

Eve

2010-12-24T22:46:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas eve from our tree to yours!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Not quite Abbott & Costello...

2010-12-23T07:42:00.000-06:00

Over bowls of cereal this morning, the girls continued to refine their stand-up routine.

Fiona: "Nora, let me tell you a knock-knock joke."
Nora: "Knock-knock!"
Fiona: "No, I say knock-knock."
Nora: "OK."
Fiona: "Knock-knock"
Nora: (silence)
Fiona: "Nora, when I say knock-knock you say 'Who's There?"
Nora: "OK. Knock-knock who's there!"
Fiona: "Wait wait. I say knock-knock, and then YOU say 'Who's There? OK?"
Nora: "OK."
Fiona: "Knock-knock!"
Nora: "Who's there?"
Fiona: "Orange."
Nora: "Orange who?"
Fiona: ..."Banana Head!"
Wild laughter ensues.

Coming soon to a pre-school near you!

Santa Visit!

2010-12-22T20:41:00.000-06:00

Look who visited Santa! The beautiful boot-clad Boldischar girls! This is a much improved showing from last year's Santa Visit. Just a couple more nights before the big guy arrives, which means it's time to get a-wrapping! The girls already have their cookies made and decorated for Mr. C, and the fridge is stocked with carrots. Everyone on their best behavior!

Elf on a Shelf

2010-12-16T11:52:00.000-06:00

Here is our Elf, his name changes every day thanks to Fiona and the girls love him. They love reading his book, talking to him, behaving in front of him, and finding his new spot every morning. It is a cute tradition.

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Awww

2010-12-13T15:32:00.000-06:00

I stumbled across this adorable picture just now, isn't it precious?

Fiona has been sick most of the weekend with a fever and today she was feeling good enough to go to school. After a few minutes of being home, she asked to cuddle on the couch. Casey makes a great nap partner, I should know after seven weeks of bedrest for that same child on that same couch.

Fiona never stops moving, so when she does I just sit and stare at her. So peaceful and beautiful.

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Christmas Cuties

2010-12-09T10:22:00.004-06:00

Oh the beloved Christmas card pictures.

Jim tried very hard to get that perfect shot of our girls together in their adorable matching Christmas pjs, but they had other plans. There are some funny outtakes that might just grace this blog someday. Today, though, I was in the mood for these two pictures showing our girls personality.

The girls are looking forward to Christmas and are enjoying all the festivities. We are doing Elf on a Shelf (google it if you are unfamiliar) and they love him, talking to him, and behaving so Santa will think they are good little girls. We have cookie decorating, a play, a ride on the polar express, a light show, Christmas parties yet to go, and a visit with Santa yet to go! This year Nora is into it all so everything is a bit more fun for the rest of us. Fiona loves teaching Nora about baby Jesus and his birthday, which is adorable.

More pictures to come!

So much for every day

2010-12-06T13:49:00.003-06:00

Looks like I broke my idea to post on our blog every day of December. I have a good, excuse, I was in the hospital. Of all things to break up my weekend!

My girls were happy last night when I got home and today Nora informed me that she doesn't like "sick Mommy". Ha--like I do!

To prove that you have to watch what you wish for, or to at least be as specific as possible, I give you this story. I had plans this weekend, tons of them, and didn't want to miss a thing. Friday night I said out loud "I am tired, I wish I could just get into bed for a whole day"....and the next day I was admitted into the hospital. NOT quite what I had in mind. God was laughing a bit, I think.

Anyway, I am back on the road to recovery. I was beyond happy to be at home with Jim and the girls last night. My own bed and a warm shower never felt so good!

S to the Leep

2010-12-03T14:30:00.008-06:00

LOVE these pictures....

Our sleeping beauties.

PlayDoh Rocks

2010-12-02T15:14:00.000-06:00

Who would ever think I would say that, but I did and its true. I made a batch of playdoh last week and it was a big hit. Fiona has loved playing with playdoh for a couple of years, it never gets old for her and provides hours of activity. Nora carried on the tradtion and loves it just as much. I love it because they love it...but more importantly for the quiet it gives me. Ahhh!

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New Challenge

2010-12-01T16:47:00.003-06:00

I am going to try...TRY...to post every day this month. Ok, it might be every other or every few days, but its attempt. Notice, I said, I am going to try. I think Jim might post once this month, thats my guess.

My girls are in the kitchen with me playing doctor while I make dinner (and blog, multitasking is my speciality). Mind you Fiona wants to be a doctor when she grows up. Based on the conversation I just heard, she will need a lot of schooling. I will act it out for you:

Nora: Hi. I need doctor.

Fiona: (With doctor kit in hand) Ok, good, I am a doctor. Sit on this chair. What hurts?

Nora: Me feet.

Fiona: Ok, let me take of your socks and take a look. Hmmm....your bone of your foot has a cough. It needs me to rub it. (Rubs the foot) Does it hurt still?

Nora: Yep

Fiona: You see, your foot has a temperature of twenty nine. That's not good. It has allergies. And it still has a cough. A bad cough, can you hear your foot bone coughing?

Nora: Yep

Fiona: Take this medicine. Put your socks back on and stay at the doctors office for the night. Good bye.

Nora: You fix my dog too?

Fiona: Oh sure! I love fixing dogs.

So, I should get a job and start saving for Fiona's future college and medical school where hopefully she will learn her foot cannot cough.

Thankful Thanksgiving

2010-11-30T22:12:00.007-06:00

We hosted our first Thanksgiving this year and it was a perfect day. Jim made a wonderful meal, we had a lovely time with great company. We finally used our wedding fine china for the first time in over ten years, which was hard to believe. That china had lived in six homes and never been opened. While Jim prepared our delicious meal, I removed price tags and cleaned a full china service for twelve.

Its was a great night. I managed to get a few pictures, but mostly kept the camera on the counter like a good hostess. We look forward to more holidays in our new house!

Our Thanksgiving table:

Jim's awesome turkey:

Our girls:

We are thankful for these two sweeties:

Zooropa

2010-11-17T22:41:00.000-06:00

Last week, back when it was still warm and sunny, Wendy and I took the girls to Brookfield Zoo on a random Tuesday. Despite some of the animals being MIA (lions, penguins, baboons), we enjoyed the zebras, polar bears, kangaroos, etc. Here are two of my favorite pictures - the two giraffes, and then Nora trying to scale the fence and join the giraffes!

The "T" Word

2010-11-11T19:57:00.004-06:00

Not turkey, treadmill, or turtleneck....tantrum.

Raise your hands if you hate them and please don't tell me if you have no clue what they are.

We have a spirited, strong willed, passionate, stubborn 4 year old. That child gave up a nap she actually needs, is awake for an average of 14 hours a day, and never ever stops moving or talking or thinking. Basically, I hate tantrums.

I know they are normal, I know they happen to all sorts of families, I know no one enjoys them, but I really do NOT like tantrums. Its like watching your sweet child go temporarily insane. You try to talk her out of it, reason with her, reprimand her, ignore her, distract her, silently pray or beg for it to end.

It is like walking on egg shells, avoiding minefields, at any moment she is going to blow! Nighttime is the worst, she is tired...I mean, crazy overtired...and the smallest thing sets her off. She falls into the "give me what I want and no one gets hurt" camp, even if what she wants is ridiculous. Now, this doesn't happen every night, I should be fair. However, when the tantrum does happen, it happens big. Everything Fiona does is big, with a flourish, with passion, this is no different.

Lucky for us, it is fast and furious and always ends with her murmuring apologies before passing out cold for the night. That part I don't hate.

They're Grrrrreat!

2010-11-08T21:39:00.000-06:00

Nora loves Frosted Flakes.

Bangs

2010-11-06T11:52:00.000-05:00

Nora has two cowlicks at the front of her hairline that has made for some frustrating hair moments. So, despite me hating bangs, I caved and had them cut today. Hopefully this will work for her and she won't hate us later in life. I think she looks cute!

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A bad liar

2010-11-03T13:32:00.004-05:00

I read in a parenting book (yes, believe it or not, I find time to read those still) that between ages 4 and 5 kids start to tell white lies or stretch the truth. Just like clockwork, our Fiona followed that trend. She went from a very honest kid to a kid who likes to create her own version of events. The best part is that she is a terrible liar. I mean, terrible. She has 7 or 8 tell signs, the stories are always completely ridiculous, and she often giggles them out. Lets just hope that continues so I can keep busting her lies!

Today I found one of her straw cups that had a small bite in the plastic straw. I went to her just to say "hey, don't bite cups, blah blah blah" but instead she told me the following tall tale:

"Mom, before you say anything just know that I didn't do it. Here is how it happened. When you were 13 and Nora was only 1 (really??) you left the cups down low where she could get it. She grabbed it, chewed on it, and put it back wherever you just found it. I saw her do it with her 78th tooth, that one in the back. I should tell her to stop doing it"

Another day Jim and I found evidence from some other small crime and confronted her with it to which she replied with:

"Casey did it. He got up on his legs, put up his paw, grew a finger, and used his finger to do that. He did, I saw him"

Not so sure she has a future in lying, but I can certainly see another writer in the family.

Halloween

2010-11-01T11:24:00.007-05:00

The girls had a great Halloween this year! They have been counting down all month until the big day and were not disappointed. Nora really understood all the hoopla for the first year which made it more fun. She loves pumpkins and points them out everywhere. Our house has a few scary things on it, namely a motion-activated spider that was not her favorite, though.

They helped carve some pumpkins:

Waited for Trick or Treaters with great anticipation:

Our Sleeping Beauty and Miss Ladybug:

The girls ready to Trick or Treat in our new neighborhood
and some of Jim's great Halloween decorations:

Fiona asked me this morning how many more days until next Halloween. The countdown begins again!

2 year stats

2010-10-30T20:48:00.002-05:00

It is hard to believe that Nora, our baby, is two years old. For some reason, with your first child you want everything to happen fast...you want them to hurry up and be born, sleep through the night, roll over, crawl, eat, walk, talk. With the second all of those things seem to happen faster and each one makes you a little more sad. Nora tells us daily that she is not a baby and is a "big gurrl" and I have to pinch myself to believe it.

Nora at age two:

Weight: 29lbs 4oz
Height: 34.5 inches

Favorite food: blueberry waffles
Least favorite food: peanut butter
New words: pumpkin, monster, library, birthday, cow milk, doughnut
Favorite books: Goodnight Chicago, Brown Bear Brown Bear What do You See
What she wants to do with Mommy: go to the mall, go for a walk, go to Starbucks
What she wants to do with Daddy: go to the park, be held, read books
What she wants to do with Fiona: run around, play dress up, play restaurant

Nora is talking in full sentences now, but with her own Yoda-meets-caveman lingo. Sometimes we have to stare at her and ask for her to repeat something before we fully understand what she is trying to say. She never gets frustrated with us, though, and just repeats it until we get it. Tonight she told me good job when I finally got what she was saying. Sweetie!

No cry

2010-10-28T19:26:00.000-05:00

"I no cry, Mama"

Nora has a nasty habit of screaming and crying when she wakes up in the morning or from a nap. Luckily, she is cute so we keep her. In a slightly sarcastic manner Jim asked Nora not to cry when she wakes up and she has been taking his message to heart. The past few days after nap I have been greeted with a big smile and her telling me she is happy. Bless her little heart.

Now maybe I should tell her to sleep past 6am.

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Nora's Party - Pics + Video

2010-10-24T07:03:00.012-05:00

Was a good time for all! Lots of fun and food, family and friends. The weather stayed dry before dinner, which meant the 11 kids that were there could run over to the park and work up an appetite. For cake of course, not dinner.

Boys outnumbered girls, that's for sure! There were 4 girls, and 2 of them were ours! That was just fine for Fiona, who ordered the boys around like a cruise director. At one point she yelled out to the backyard, "OK Boys, it's time to go up to Fi Fi's room!" I have to admit, it made me shudder to think what she'll be like as a teenager...

But this post is about Nora! She loved the lavender and white balloons that were around the house, and her big Dora balloon. It was cute watching her as we sang "Happy Birthday" - she wasn't used to so much attention.

Dora AND Diego on a cake? What more can a 2yr old girl ask for!

When you're a big deal like Nora, you can get away with taking a call while opening your birthday presents...

As with the the girls' past birthdays, we also enjoyed a video last night! Please enjoy - 5 minutes of Nora Goodness!

Sign of a good party

2010-10-23T23:31:00.000-05:00

4 bags of garbage! Real pictures of Nora's Bday party coming soon.
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Nora is TWO!

2010-10-21T20:34:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe our little girl is two already! Nora had a great day full of fun and too many sweets and now is fast asleep in her crib.

This isn't the best picture of the birthday princess, but the fastest one this tired Mom can provide. I am sure there will be great ones from her party in a couple of days.

Happy Birthday, Nora! Your Mommy, Daddy, and big sister FiFi love you so very much!

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Poor Fiona

2010-10-20T22:39:00.000-05:00

Today was a long day. Today was a visit to the ER after Fiona sliced her finger open on a glass picture frame. Luckily, the doctor was able to close the wound without stitches. Fiona was so brave and polite in the ER despite her fear and pain. Love our little lady!

Now we have to find ways to entertain her without her using her right hand...I am sure that will be easy.

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Halloween Spirit

2010-10-19T11:06:00.000-05:00

We have it here. Fiona calls October " Halloween month". There are decorations inside and outside of our house, the girls talk about their costumes and count the days until candy.

Here is a picture from a local Halloween event where I had to improvise to make their costumes for hot/freakish weather. I am sure it will snow now that I have this picture.

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Love is a Battlefield

2010-10-16T14:02:00.004-05:00

If I was techy, I would insert a video of Pat Benatar singing her famous song with the same title.
If you were here, I would act out a scene and do the dances in full 80s gear.

But neither of those things are happening, so just imagine the song and understand the title.

For me, love IS a battlefield, at least the love I have for my 4 year old daughter. Ahem, 4 and a HALF year old daughter. Anyone have one of those? PHEW! Perhaps you don't or yours isn't quite as...strong willed...as mine, so allow me to elaborate.

Every single detail of Fiona's life is a battle. Every single decision is a potential for a war between mother and daughter. We are talking what to wear, what to eat, what to listen to, what toys to play with, with shoes to wear, what scenery is outside her window, what we do, the list could go on. I am a delicate dancer prancing my way around the minefield of her daily life trying to avoid certain explosions and prepping myself for the ones I cannot avoid. The girl knows what she wants and won't settle for anything her silly (wrong) Mother has to say on the topic. Her life was ruined forever this week when I purchased a dress that did not twirl big enough. I mean, she actually ran away from me crying that her life was ruined. Lord help me, she is only four!

These are the kind of things no parenting book could ever prepare you for. There is no chapter on what to say to a pint sized drama queen who wants to wear a tank dress and boots in 50 degree weather while eating popcorn hanging upside down from the monkey bars with scissors in her hair. If there was, I might have accidentally skipped it thinking "the poor parents of that kind of child" while staring at infant Fiona playing with a stuffed monkey. My bad. I suppose I could write a parenting book with such a chapter....as soon as I talk Fiona off of the roof after I told her that two Milky Ways did not have enough nutrients to be called a meal.

I am raising an amazing woman, she will be fierce, kind, independent, smart, determined. Its just a big challenge to be her boss for these formative years. EXhausting...

You like me...you really, really like me

2010-10-16T13:59:00.002-05:00

Thanks for the comments! Jim is pleasantly pleased that there are real people reading our blog. Of course, not pleased enough where he will actually log in here and grace you all with his wit, but baby steps! (Can you feel the pressure? See the gauntlet being thrown?)

I plod on with my Mommy-Blogger roll and you all will have to endure my random drivel with the occasional picture of my children (something Jim holds the keys to again!). Fun for all!

Funny Fridays

2010-10-08T13:23:00.002-05:00

Soooo....my dear husband thinks no one reads this blog. He thinks this because no one comments on this blog. I don't agree, I think plenty of you read the blog just don't comment. Lets prove him wrong and COMMENT. Ok? Ok. Just say hi or tell me you what color shoes you wore today, whatever ya like.

In trade I will give you a couple of Funnies from my kids this week.

Fiona was playing in the leaves yesterday and yelled to me..."Mom, come quick, I am playing cute again!"

Nora tried on my slippers the other day and told me she was Mommy. I asked her who I was then and she replied Daddy. I did my best Jim impression (usually has a cartoon voice, don't know why) and said "Bye, I am going to work" and she did her best impression of me and said "Bye, I am going shopping". The kid knows me well!

Nora and the Cops

2010-10-07T10:26:00.000-05:00

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Child labor

2010-10-05T13:57:00.000-05:00

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Gracious and Pleasing

2010-09-29T07:07:00.003-05:00

Nora is gracious. It is to the extreme almost. Everything gets a thank you--giving her a toy, milk, food, a pacifier, changing her diaper, anything. "Thank you, Momma" She thanks the people who work at Target, Starbucks, the library, anywhere we go. She thanked me last night for getting a sticker off of her foot that was bugging her. Very gracious. It is adorable. She has the best manners, hands down. This morning at 5am when she woke up and I was a little crabby after a short night of sleep....she thanked me for getting her. Who could be frustrated after that?

Right along those same lines, Fiona is pleasing. She wants Nora to be happy at any cost. Most kids care what their parents think, they behave better in attempts to please their parents. Fiona doesn't care much if we are happy or frustrated with her, she marches to her own loud drummer. However, she really wants her little sister to be pleased. Fiona will do anything to make Nora happy and lately has been butting in with the raising of said toddler. Fiona will tell Nora something amazing just to make her stop fussing, pouting, or crying. "We are having lollipops for breakfast" "Mom is going to take us to the park all night!" "Of course Daddy will hold you while he mows the lawn" I have explained that lying to Nora to make her quiet isn't the solution, but she just doesn't like to see her unhappy. Neither to we, of course, and now I see why preschoolers aren't parents. :)

Happy Birthday Jim!

2010-09-22T14:02:00.000-05:00

Today is my sweet husband's birthday. While he isn't into big celebrations, I thought I would take a moment to recognize him here. Jim, you are a wonderful husband and father. The girls and I adore you. You are the best!

When I told Fiona it was Daddys birthday she wanted to know the details of his party. I had to break the news to her that he wasn't having one and then she wanted to know if he was naughty. So then I reassured her that he was a good boy all year and didn't like parties. Without missing a beat she asked if she could have his instead. Or if he could at least have a party at Chuck E Cheese and invite some of her girlfriends. Fiona is defintely Jim's daughter, always thinking!

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Happy Friday!

2010-09-17T11:10:00.000-05:00

Nora had her first mini-preschool class today and she did great. She wasn't interested in singing or dancing, but loved art time and playing with the babies there.

So we celebrated with the girls favorite treat--a shot of whip cream at Starbucks. As I type I can hear nothing but lips smacking and "mmmm" from the backseat. Good stuff.

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The Girls of Summer

2010-09-13T15:48:00.015-05:00

A Gem

2010-09-10T12:51:00.005-05:00

Our daughter Nora is a gem.

There aren't too many people on the planet that know Nora Kathleen Boldischar. She may have been born at a wrong time, in new state, came second to Fiona. Nora is a rare gem, a bit of a secret, a treasure. She has the sweetest smile, twinkly eyes, an giggle that makes everyone laugh around her, a sunny personality. Nora is kind, funny, loves animals, she wants to be just like her big sister but with a twist all her own, she is hysterically clean, she is fast and a bit sneaky, she is a cuddle bug specializing in running big hugs. Nora loves to talk and does it quite well, she enjoys reading books, she likes to dance and listen to music, she has great musical timing. Nora is compassionate, whenever she hears a baby/kid crying she wants to see whats wrong and give them a hug; when its her big sister that is upset she loves to tell her "Be Happy".
Anything and everything makes Nora happy. When Nora is happy, you can't help but be happy yourself. Nora is brave, has no fear, loves going places and seeing anything out there.

My life became more complete when Nora arrived. She is the perfect addition to our family and I want to show her off. My heart breaks when I think that the whole world doesn't know her.

The Ad Men

2010-09-02T19:07:00.004-05:00

The advertising industry is working its magic on my four year old.

Fiona has recently said the following things to me:

"Mom, you really should get scrubbing bubbles. It can clean your whole bathroom and those little bubble guys are cute"

"Hey Mom, did you know Splenda is America's sweetener? It is. We should get it. It even makes cakes"

"Ohh! Is that pizza crust? Are we making pizza?! We should just get DiGiorno, its good stuff"

One might think that she watches entirely too much television. I would say she just really pays attention to what she watches. Commericals and all.

Who knows, maybe she will work for the industry later in life. Watch out, Don Draper!

Boat driver

2010-08-23T14:05:00.000-05:00

Fiona and I went out on my Dad's boat for the first time last week. I thought Fiona would be excited (she has loved being on it when its parked at his house), but was a little nervous about how she would do. She loved getting her own life vest, loved being on the water, but wasn't impressed when the boat went fast. In fact, I think it was the wind that bugged her the most. Her favorite part was when her Papa let her drive the boat. She is actually really good at it! Fiona sat there concentrating and following directions. It was really cute to see.

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Dog's best friend

2010-08-18T16:38:00.000-05:00

Is a kid, clearly.

We were never the dog parents that fed Casey table food...on purpose at least. We technically still aren't. Four years of Casey living with kids has taught him a lot, most importantly he can get some good stuff hanging around the little people. At meal times he stays under the table waiting for something to drop or get thrown.

I am not proud of this picture. Who would be? However, I did laugh and quickly grabbed my phone. Nora got restless waiting for dinner. She was not satisfied by the apples slices given out for a snack. She took matters into her own hands and found a whole box of Nillas to munch on. She is a sneaky one, our Nora, and it was more then five minutes before I spotted her with crumbs all over her mouth. When I asked her what she had, she proudly said "COOKIES!".

Someone won't be getting a treat tonight.

I do give her credit for resourcefulness.

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Hard at work

2010-08-17T13:34:00.000-05:00

I took the girls to a Curious George storytime today and they had a good time. It is nice to see Nora out in the land of big kids following directions and participating activities. I never have to worry about Fiona in groups--she was born ready for school--but keep my eye on our wee Nora who is fond of a tantrum.

Next month Fiona starts her last year of preschool where she will learn to read, she has already mastered writing all her letters. Nora will start her own preschool-type class with a teacher and other kids. I am sure she will do great. I cannot believe she is almost two!

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Princess

2010-08-12T08:31:00.000-05:00

Fiona has been obsessed with all things Princess since she was two. That, for those without daughters, is pretty standard. They go from Dora stright to Disney almost instinctively. I am a mother to a Princess daughter so I am used to seeing crowns, necklaces, gowns, whatnot. I thought I would share this picture to show you. Fiona always adds a (feminist?) twist to her Princess routine--Princess Mom, Princess Doctor, Princess President. This morning she was a Princess Broadcaster interviewing Nora. That's my girl!

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Independence

2010-08-11T16:46:00.000-05:00

It is a beautiful thing when your child wants to do something all by herself. When it is also helpful to you as a parent, it is a bonus. Nora has been watching Fiona get her own snacks out of the pantry all summer and took a few lessons I guess. Today she went and helped herself to some fruit puffs. Of course she poured the entire canister into the bowl, but at least she put the cap back on!

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Busy!

2010-08-05T14:56:00.002-05:00

Sorry, bloggers that there hasn't been a new post in awhile. I promise to fix that as soon as possible! Things have been busy around here with the usual summer stuff and to top it off I just returned from a 10 day trip to Ireland with my Mom. We had an amazing time, the girls enjoyed solo time with their Daddy, and now we are getting back into the groove again.

I think my kids grew up while I was gone! I will get some pictures and get them up here.

Sleepy

2010-07-14T11:16:00.000-05:00

Don't you just love a picture of a sleeping toddler?!

We are on the run today. We dropped Fiona off at camp and then went to Nora's Gymboree class where the wee one ran around and played hard. Next up was Target for some groceries. I didn't want to go all the way home only to leave again to pick Fiona up, so that meant driving around. I was chatting with Nora, pointing out anything fun and there was silence from the backseat. I peeked through the mirror and found a sleeping girl.

Oh well, I get sleepy in the car too. Isn't she cute?!

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Busy Girl!

2010-07-10T08:12:00.007-05:00

Yesterday morning, Nora broke her recent habit of waking up at 5:45am, so Fiona and I had the morning to ourselves. It was a beautiful sunny morning, and the heat and humidity had not yet crept into Vernon Hills. After breakfast, Fiona, Casey & I went out to the patio.

While Fiona and Casey played fetch, I enjoyed a cup of coffee and took in the perfect weather. Eventually Fiona sat down on the chair next to me and we started chatting. I asked her a question that hasn't come up in a while.

"So Fiona, what do you want to be when you grow up?" After some thought she answered.

"Well, I want to be...a doctor. And a police officer, and a mom. AND....a princess."

So there you have it! The future Dr. Sgt. Royal Highness Fiona, aka "Mom."

Happy 4th!

2010-07-04T14:10:00.000-05:00

"Parades are FUN, aren't they Nora?!"

We enjoyed our town's 4th of July parade this morning. We had a great spot, stayed cool in the shade, and enjoyed all the fun. The girls had fun and it was great to see their reactions. Nora loved the firetrucks and marching bands; Fiona loved catching candy and the cheerleaders. Good times!

We hope you are having a happy and safe 4th too!

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Olivia

2010-06-24T13:48:00.001-05:00

We had the pleasure of hosting our niece/goddaughter this past weekend. It was her first trip to Chicago so we had fun showing her around. Our girls were thrilled to have a really long sleepover and extended playdate with her.

This is just one picture from the weekend (more to come!) showing buddies Liv and Fiona at the top of Navy Pier's ferris wheel. Hugs at 150 feet are the best!

Thanks for coming Olivia!

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A good moment

2010-06-16T15:23:00.000-05:00

Our daughters are friends, they get along, they laugh, they play. Not always...there are moments of crying, hair pulling (Nora is no pushover), seperate rooms. Lately since Fiona has had a couple weeks off from school, we have noticed Nora is taking the change in routine personally. She doesn't love that Fiona is around so much taking time and love away from her. Nora isn't bashful and has made her opinion clear to her older, bigger sister. Those are not great moments.

Today there was a great moment when the girls were holding hands, by Nora's request, walking along the lake. I was lucky enough to witness and document it! It didn't last long, but it ended well. Fiona turned to me and said "See Mom, she DOES love me". Awww.

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Wend 13

2010-06-13T07:31:00.003-05:00

Many years ago I fell in love with a girl who drove a black Jeep with the license plate WEND 13. Having a personalized license plate was one of the MANY ways that she stood out from everyone else in the world. The 13, you see, was (and is) her favorite number. Because today, June 13th, is her birthday.

Happy Birthday, Wen! I love you even more than I did back when you drove me around in your black Jeep.

Bathing beauty

2010-06-12T11:50:00.001-05:00

This is one of my favorite pictures of Nora. The pure bliss that is written all over her face is priceless.

We are so looking forward to this summer. Our girls are perfect ages for it all...swimming, playing in the yard, fishing, going to the park, the whole thing.

Life is good.

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Blink

2010-06-10T14:27:00.000-05:00

I fully realize that we are going to blink and the kids will be all grown up. I try to savor every moment and all the stages keeping in mind they will pass all too quickly. Fiona isn't helping me by acting like she is already grown, though. That girl doesn't think she is four, I swear.

To give me a glipse into my future, Fiona was asked out today by an older boy. We were at the park and they were playing, as we were leaving I heard him say to her "give me your number so I can call you" and giggled and said "20 40". I guess that's her own line.

Soon enough a 16 year old Fiona will really be borrowing Jim's car. I am sure to just do groceries or go to church though. Yep.

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Goat

2010-06-09T14:32:00.000-05:00

This is Nora and her goat.

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