Leah Hit the Jackpot.

Both Lo and Le have toy chests in their rooms. Usually, toys (clothes, books, Lego creations, art masterpieces and such) are placed on the top with limited access to what's inside (Leah's is filled with dolls, stuffed animals, and a few dress-up/pretend play items while Logan's is filled with books, blankets, stuffed animals, and clothes). We generally don't access the toy chests on a daily basis, (I am thinking that we have enough toys to play with outside of the boxes) although, they are used occasionally during a game of hide-and-go-seek for a superior hiding spot.

Anyway... Leah has a habit of playing in her room an hour (or two) before she settles down and goes to bed for the night. **Anthony and I often sit downstairs in amazement of all the noise she makes... it sounds like she is rearranging all the furniture in her room but the best is when she dances and sings at the top of her lungs!**

So, tonight, all is quiet on the home front, when all of a sudden, Leah comes running downstairs and says (with her pretty eyes open wide), "Mama, did you give me all of those new toys? All of them? You filled my toy box? Thank-you, Mama. I needed all these new toys. I am so happy. Do you want to see them? I can bring you up and show 'em all to you. Come on. Daddy, I got all these new toys that Mama gave me!"

By this time, I imagine that Anthony is thinking, "Not again. I told Laura that we don't need any more toys!"

She is talking a mile a minute and is as happy as can be. I go upstairs with her and sure enough, she has discovered the hidden gems in her toy box!!! Too cute!

Thank You Cards

Logan and Leah made and wrote out (Leah dictated her thoughts to me) their own "Thank You" cards for their teachers this year. Their "comments" are worth sharing! Mind you, we did this over a few "art sessions" and they were reminded to write something special and different in each card.

From Logan:
Ms. Lori- I loved the snacks we had this year.
Ms. Jennie- You were so nice this year and I like your teaching.
Ms. Michelle- Thank you for helping me in my school.
Ms. Laura- It was nice being in your class some of the time.

And Leah:
Ms. Enid- I love you and I made balloons for you.
Ms. Kim- You are my best friend. I like you.
Ms. Karie- I had a nice time and I hope you have a nice day.

Are you kidding me??

After a tricky, drawn-out bedtime, Leah yells down to me:

"Mama, I'm just going to sleep in Logan's room, okay? He told me it's fine."



Oh, the fun!!

I thought wrong.

Well, I mistakenly thought that with our new washer and dryer, I wouldn't be doing as much laundry as before (or spending as much time doing laundry). Ha, what was I thinking?

A Loss for Words

I think about posting quite often... well, everyday actually, sometimes even twice a day. We've been so busy lately but at the same time, just progressing through our everyday routines. I guess that what happens when you have an active, animated 5 year old boy and a sassy, lively 3 year old girl. Don't get me wrong... life is good- great actually, but boy, am I tired at the end of the day (and at definite periods throughout the day)!! I have been thinking a lot lately about, "Wow, are my kids really 5 and 3? Is Lo really going to Kindergarten in the Fall? There's just no way." Hence, I have been trying to slow down and thoroughly enjoy the "little things in life", the everyday routines I mentioned above... with some examples below.

The way Leah tells me so seriously in the morning (with her hands on her little hips) that she will not wear a specific shirt "because it has blue stripes and blue is a boy color and she needs to wear girl colors because they are her favorite and blue is so, so boring".

How Logan will beg me to let him ride his skateboard to school because he "needs to practice his tricks" (and trust me, he is pretty darn good).

How it doesn't matter that the kitchen is destroyed and things are thrown all over the place because Logan was finding a container for Leah's new pet caterpillar named Fuzzy.

How yes, we can stop and get ice cream and walk along the beach even though it's way past bedtime.

How Leah manages to get glue, glitter, stickers, paint, and sparkles from one end of the house to another because she has been working so hard on projects for Grandma, Papa, Uncle, Monet, Abby, Sara, and even Logan.

How sweet it really is when Lo and Le pick all of the tulips and flowers in our yard (and some of the neighbors, too), leave them on the front porch, ring the doorbell, and run away... all because they wanted to surprise me on Mother's Day.

How it takes us 45 minutes to walk around the block because the kids are so observant and notice every little detail from bugs to flowers to houses to animals.

How Logan was so excited to give me 4 packs of gum on Mother's Day because "I know you love gum, Mama and you always share it with me and I was wondering if I could have some now. I actually got it for both of us."

How "my babies" are now 5 and 3 and they continue to make me the happiest Mom ever and help to remind me about the magical "little things in life"!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!