Leopard Spots

magic

I have a confession to make.

I am an absolute moron when it comes to grocery shopping. I have no idea where anything is. At all. Telling you how long it took to find graham crackers yesterday would probably get my mom license revoked. 

The little leopards and I made s'mores yesterday. There was a fire in the fire place and we ran out and got the chocolate, strawberry marshmallows (because regular ones just won't do) and the evasive graham crackers. 

I love spending quality time with my babies and I always feel like I don't spend enough time with them. 

Even though since Thursday I've had more time than usual. We had an eye appointment, everything is the same, but we're watching the eyes a little bit, because if they turn in this would be the time it happens. Then I took them out to lunch, because Cub was missing lunch anyways since I had to pull her out of school for the appointment. On Friday, and perhaps this is a statement to how I have in some ways lost my mind, we ran errands I took the little leopards out to eat again. It was a school release day for Cub and it was a perfect day to kind of run around at a mildly lazy pace. But then I get to so used to it. Feeling their weight in my arms. Preparing for the running and slamming hugs (because regular ones would just be too boring).

And on Sunday at work, I had to leave early, I hadn't spent much time with my leopards since Friday morning and my arms ached. Physically ached because I yearned to much for them. Walking through the door two hours early when your children don't except you is about the coolest thing in the world. Okay, IT IS the coolest thing in the world. 

We watched a movie and cuddled and made dinner and s'mores. It was one of those afternoons I never want to end. They fight a little harder when bedtime comes, and I give in, but just a little because it is a school night. 

And the energy still holds in the air. Those are the best nights, going to sleep still feeling the magic of the day. 

Celebrating birthdays, surviving the plague and other ways to spend a Wednesday...

Cub had a wonderful birthday yesterday. Just in case you didn't get that memo. 

It was in fact, her birthday yesterday. 

Got that?

Just making sure. She's six by the way. It was her special day and she made sure everyone KNEW ABOUT IT! 

Omigosh. 

Did I mention it was her birthday? 

And that's how it went. ALL. DAY. LONG!

She had a little celebration at school, I sent along Strawberry Newtons. You know, kind of treat, but not overly sugary. Mostly, because school starts at 7:45 in the morning and the kids eat snack at 9am. I thought I would have mercy on the poor teacher and not subject her to 20+ kids on a sugar high at that early hour. 

Yeah, apparently I was supposed to send along cookies with chocolate icing. And how was I supposed to know this? Apparently, via telepathy. I asked, she had no preference. 

They start so young!

While Cub was at school, Kitten and I spent the morning resting up because we are both trying to work out versions of the plague. Once fully, or at least partially rested we made Cub Funfetti cupcakes with pink Funfetti frosting the the birthday leopard. 

The baby and I then made our way to the post office to mail Big Brother's b-day present. Cub is very excited to have her uncle's b-day so close to hers! The baby made quick friend's with everyone at the post office as she does almost everywhere she goes, it must be something about the hair! We got our Bette Davis stamps to mail out the Christmas cards. I was going to get those anyways which is good, because our post office is already all out of all their Holiday stamps!

Because it was Wednesday, Cub still had to endure her routine of appointments. There was her IEP meeting at school. Seven people to discuss a kindergartner's special education plan! Crazy! But everything is going so well and she had made a ton of progress. It seemed like a lot going into the meeting, but they have integrated her special needs to so well into routine she really doesn't spend too much time away from her peers! 

We had time between appointments and because I dropped the baby off with Grandma at work, Cub and I were able to spend some time, just the two of us. A truly rare treat. I even let her have a birthday cubcake way before dinner!

Sadly, I did not take any photos yesterday. But rest assured, Cub got a ton of High School musical stuff. The first two movies on DVD and a set of sheets! I believe she will be getting some HSM dolls as well. Oh, my the madness has begun! 

She also fielded phone calls from friends and family wishing her a happy birthday! A very fun day for her indeed. Even though I didn't allow her to play with all of her new stuff right away! Oh, my I am a very mean mommy! 

And this morning Cub woke up, and guess what?!? 

She's still six! 

This is going to be a very fun year! 

Christmas is Fancy and Other Musings From Kitten.

My work schedule has settled down slightly this week and Kitten and I have been spending the mornings together again. This is truly my most favorite time of the day. That and the precious moments I get to spend with Cub, but she's five going on forty so they are increasingly intellectual rather than sweet. 

Somehow, Kitten has gotten word that it is the Christmas season. This scares for two reasons.

1) I did not tell her it was Christmas. Where is this child getting her information and who is this person who will paying for all her presents she is asking for now that she knows what season it is? This. Is. Scandalous!

2) It is not quite Thanksgiving yet and she is already telling me it is Christmas. She is clearly on a retail schedule. Oh, dear I am concerned for her future vocation. Not that there is anything wrong with being in retail management, I just didn't realize she settled on her vocation at such a young age! 

Aside from being scared of my daughter's extensive knowledge of Christmas we having been musing about this wonderful time of year. 

We already have our advent calender hung on the fireplace. We have never done one before, but my aunt sent this wonderful calendar our way and the girls just can not wait to start using it! 

Christmas means Holiday movies. I don't know if any of you have caught wind of it, but Kitten likes her movies. And she loves her holiday movies. Especially Polar Express, she didn't stop watching that one until February of last year!

Christmas means winter, and winter means lazy days with Momma. We love us our lazy days. Cuddling and running only a couple errands. We don't even care about our field trips to the zoo anymore, mostly cause there aren't any dolphins. 

Winter means, school breaks and adding Cub to our lazy days. Just the three of us leopards, hanging out, being our silly selves! 

And lastly, 

Winter means hot chocolate and on our lazy days we make hot chocolate for lunch with marshmallows AND whipped cream. We hate to play favorites in this house and so we use both generously!

Just so you all know, that's fancy, as in marshmallows are fancy, which means winter is fancy, which means Christmas is fancy...

Just so you all are aware! 

The Ballerina and Kung Fu Panda

Okay, so this is a little late but I'm posting it! Our Halloween adventure!

First off, costumes. I really try to discourage the "pre-packaged" costumes. They're easier, yes, but honestly, how many Hannah Montana costumes did you see this year? However, that doesn't mean we haven't done them more often than not. 

This year, the girls had some great costume ideas and we went with those. 

The baby has just a little obsession with Kung Fu Panda, or as she calls it..."PU PANDA!!!" Okay, okay...it's a full blown obsession. You can't really see the homemade panda ears in the photo, but they're there. Along with a cool face painting job. I couldn't find an appropriately sized panda mask, so we did facepaint instead. And she actually enjoyed getting her face painted!

People loved it! And most got what she was dressing up as!

This is the second year in a row that Cub has gone as a "Ballerina Fairy Princess." Notice sparkly balley flats and leotard (ballerina), the fairy wings (fairy) and wand, the girls have broken all their tiaras (princess, and feel free to read into the tiara statement as well!) Easy and fun, and yes she did drop her Nim from Nim's Island plan as well! 

And a photo of the little leopard's together!

So after the photo session, we headed off trick-or-treating. But not in the neighborhood. We headed to the Mall of America!

Yeah, you read that right. World's Largest Indoor Trick-or-treat!

There are three levels to the mall, but we only did the first level and got enough candy. As the kid's get older we'll add the second and third levels to the mall, but that was enough for the little leopards. And they did enjoy it! Cub even declared it, "The best halloween ever!"

After the trick-or-treating fun we came home, ate some dinner and then Cub started handing out candy to all of the trick-or-treaters that came to our house. Cub, as I've said before is my little 40 year old in a 5 year old body. She completely owned handing out treats. She ooo'd and aaah'd over all the costumes and helped the little kids get candy. I actually think that she had more fun giving the candy away (I know, odd child) than she did getting it. 

She cried when we ran out of candy and had to shut the door!

So, it was a great Halloween and Kitten is already planning her return of PU PANDA!!!

My Amazing Weekend!!!

After twenty four years, I finally saw my big brother this weekend! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really, really excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And a few more exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not really out of my system but I'll move on!!!

So the BB flew in this weekend to bond with his *adorable* little sister (that's me with my squinty and droopy eyes! This is why I wear sunglasses people!!), 

his super, super cute nieces (Cub and Kitten!) 

and his other brother, (that's my twin brother, and I have no photos of him :-(

Okay, okay....

On Saturday, we took the city boy to our fall favorite, Sever's Corn Maze & Fall Festival. Can you believe he has lived his whole life having never played in a corn pit??? I know. So sheltered! 

He got the hang of it pretty quick!

Cub was lovin' the corn!!!

And so did Kitten! ...She even figured out that you can't these corn kernals!!!

There is a lot to do at the maze, including going down the giant slide!

He's not used to navigating amongst the corn. Silly, silly city boy! 

After four hours with the little leopards, Big Brother was all tuckered out and had to take a two and a half hour nap! 

Other events of the weekend included and adult night out on the town, hitting a sports bar the next day to watch our football teams lose :( and then hanging with the little leopards for some more fun!

We ended Sunday with my two brothers and I having dinner together for the first time ever!!

And now it's Monday and in a couple of hours I am going to go pick him up for one last lunch and he's going back home. It's truly been one of the greatest weekends of my life and my little leopards loved hanging out with their uncle! 

It was a great weekend and I'm already looking forward to more visits, conversations and good times with the Big Bro! 

Pumpkin Day as told by the directionally challenged mom.

It is a long weekend in the state of Minnesota. The teacher's have their statewide union thing, so the kids normally get two days to all five days off (school's tend to throw conferences in the mix for this week as well).

In an effort to occupy the kid's this week, I told them I would take them to a pumpkin patch. You know, go out onto the field, grab your pumpkin from the muddy earth. Get dirty. You know, loads of little leopard fun. 

Apparently, those are hard to find.

I guess we like our fall/harvest festivals more in this state.

Everyone has a corn maze or a hayride. And loads and loads of other activities. And then at the end of the day, you can grab a pumpkin that has already been picked for ya.

That's not what I really had in mind.

So I started calling around and after quizzing the poor person who answered the phone about their pumpkin selling practices and I found one. Really far away.

But never fear! 

I have an iPhone! I Google mapped it and we were on our way!

Except that there is a ton of construction in the city we went to and the streets weren't all that well marked. And we passed something more exciting that Cub just had to go to. 

So we forewent finding the really cool pumpkin patch. And going and grabbing our pumpkins from the field.

Because commercialism is what captivated my five year old child. 

That's them posing by the numerous little cutouts. Aren't they adorable? At least that's an image of a pumpkin patch!

And this is my little Kitten as well, a cub!

And in fall festival tradition there had to be a hayride involved. Yay! It was also on an over sized radio flyer wagon attached to a tractor. So that was kind of cool. 

Feet have to be dug into the hay. And there is still hay in my purse as well. I'm looking forward to cleaning that thing out for the next month! 

Umm, that would be the "pumpkin patch."

These are the pumpkins we chose, after much inspection. They're actually the nicest pumpkins we've ever gotten. I'm going to be kind of sad when we cut them up.

At the end of the day, Cub looked at me and said, "Next year let's go to a pumpkin patch to get our pumpkins instead of the store."

Sure honey, sure. 

Oh, I have to survive this too?!?!

So when a kid stays home sick from school. Yeah, forgot that meant one more kid at home to keep under control. 

I'm so glad I cleaned this weekend. I will hold the fleeting memory of a clean house forever in my memory.

I'm just going to take a moment....

Cub has taken detailed notes on all of the morning toy commercials and added them to her birthday/Christmas list.

I just need to win the lottery now.

She has rediscovered the dress up clothes and distributed them around the living room. She has also rediscovered, "couch diving."

I'm not really sure what "couch diving" is, but it involves lots of pillows and blankets, and as I've been assured...

No trips to the hospital. 

I really wanted to fold an put away the laundry today.

That's not going to happen.

Kitten really wanted to be rid of her sister today.

I've lost count of how many times she's asked to take Cub to school.

It's still mid-morning and I'm already looking forward to nap time. 

Anatomy of a two-year old.

This is Kitten. This is how she dresses when Cub is away at school. It keeps her happy. I do not question it. 

1) Super cute curly blonde hair. 

2) Long sleeve shirt. Because it is fall in Minnesota. Enough said.

3) Cute plaid pants. They're her favorite!

4) Ugg boots. Yes. I bought my two year old Ugg Boots. No, I am not apologetic. During her first winter, I kept looking for warm boots for her feet and went through many, many fUggs, finally took the plunge and bought real Uggs. Have never gone back. Mostly, cause the baby is a bit spoiled. 

5) Cub's recital costume from last year. Yes, we went out in public with it on. Sometimes I wish, I could just put on a tutu and be good to go. But alas, that would probably just land me in the looney bin! 

We also went to pick up Cub in this get-up. She didn't even say anything about Kitten wearing her recital outfit. Because let's face it even the five year old knows not to upset the baby. Plus, Kitten kept jumping around saying she was a "dancing girl!" That is until she banged her knee. Then she thought she was going to die. Geez, that one has a flair for the dramatic. I honestly have no clue where she got that one from ;-)

THAT HAIR!

I don't know if any of you have noticed...

...but Kitten has thick, blonde, CURLY hair.

You may want to reference one of the 45 photos of her in the Fall Portraits link to your right for proof.

Then reference the photo of me (I know, I'm adorable) to your left.

Since she, except for the hair, looks exactly like me I know she wasn't switched at birth.

Although sometimes I have my suspicions.

Her hair is very HIGH maintnence.

We are already exploring the wonderful world of hair products.

In depth.

Kitten loves hair products.

A LOT.

We also get a lot of attention when we go out.

Every time we leave the house.

Grandparents stop dead in their tracks.

Other moms are envious (don't be, refer to the high maintnence portion instead).

Even dad's stop to gawk.

For example, yesterday.

I have a little job as the co-advisor of a local high school yearbook and newspaper. The job has it's perks.

•I can work the hours around the career path type job.

•It exercises my much needed creative muscle.

•I can bring the baby to work! (Did I mention how much high school kids LOVE her?!? And also all the grandparents and moms in the building).

So I show up yesterday morning completely oblivious to the fact that it was picture day. I know already slacking on the job.

The account rep LOVED her (that would be a gawking dad).

He would not take no for an answer when it came to getting her portrait done.

For free.

I fully intended to order the smallest package, because (again reference the 82 photos in the Fall Portraits album) I plan on eventually printing and sending out those portaits.

But he ordered the biggest package for her.

For free.

Cause she's just so darn cute.

When I thanked him and said, with amusement...

"Now my kids can having matching school portraits."

Cub is getting free photos as well.

Did I mention I was trying to work?

Or that I now have portraits of the girls coming out of my ears?

Cause she's just so darn cute.

Maybe I'll just do holiday cards with the fall portraits.

And enclose school photos with the photo filled holiday card.

And then enclose a note of apology for inudating my recipients with so many photos of MY little leopards.

At least it's money saved that can be put towards more hair products...

...or the postage to send out the aforementioned holiday cards.

I can see the beginning of a vicious cycle...

Sure...the dolphin is knocked up...

Remember this post?

A few weeks ago, in the zoo member email, I got this message...

Minnesota Zoo Announces Dolphin Pregnancy
Show/presentation format to change starting today

The Minnesota Zoo is excited to announce that “Allie,” its 21-year-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, is pregnant. The calf is due in the spring of 2009.

Allie was suspected to be pregnant after marine mammal staff observed courtship and breeding activity between her and “Semo,” the adult male dolphin. Confirmation of the pregnancy was obtained by measuring hormone levels and through ultrasonographic imaging which detected a fetus and fetal heart beat. Allie will be closely monitored by marine mammal staff and veterinarians throughout her pregnancy. "This is an exciting time for the Zoo and we're thrilled that Allie is expecting,” said Marine Mammal Supervisor Diane Fusco. “We will be closely monitoring Allie throughout her pregnancy and we’re looking forward to introducing the calf to our Zoo guests in 2009.” ...

...Because of Allie’s pregnancy and the Minnesota Zoo’s decision to begin managing the dolphins as a breeding group instead of a show group, the Zoo’s dolphin shows will be canceled effective today. The dolphins will continue being visible from the Great Hall in Discovery Bay....

It obviously has nothing to do with my dolphin hunting two year old. Kitten really does love her dolphins and my first thought was how to explain to her that we would no longer be able to go to our dolphin shows. Because let's face it. That's the most exciting thing about the zoo when winter hits.

We were discussing this at dinner the other night and Kitten really didn't care. She'll care more when we're at the zoo and can't see the dolphin show. But Cub looked at me and said...

"Well of course they've canceled all the dolphin shows, that's because Kitten got her ball stuck in the tank!"

Yep, the littlest leopard has been labeled for life.