My Sweet Girls!

I finally got the girls to let me get some pictures of them ... together!

Thanks, Mom, for the cute matching outfits!


(Oh, and if you're on FB, you've already seen these. Sorry!)

Ben's in the background making them laugh.

Ella is trying to pose like Avery. I love this one!

Big, long sisterly smooch

Sort-Of Birthday

Happy 100 weeks of life, Ella!! You bring incredible joy and love to our lives and are a true blessing to us all. We love you with all our hearts!!





(No I haven't been tracking the weeks, but apparently Circle of Moms is, so I thought that was pretty cool to know.)

Love and Logic?

I was trained in Love and Logic as a teacher before I had kids, then took a bible study on it several years later when Avery was little. In theory, it's a great principle: The child takes ownership of her actions, faces a consequence that is logical to the offense, and learns to make responsible decisions on her own without seeing the parent as the bad guy.

I really do try to use this idea when it seems appropriate and makes sense (oh yeah ... and when I can remember to keep my cool!)

This morning at MOPS, we had a wonderful speaker talk to us about Love and Logic. With it fresh on my mind, I realized I had the perfect opportunity to test it out just 5 minutes after we got home.

Ella had gone into the pantry in search of "treats" as she and Avery like to do. She spotted the bag of flour right in front of her and, pulling it down, immediately started asking for "gookie". My first instinct was to say, "No! Put that back." But then I realized that the front of the bag had pictures of cupcakes on it, so that's why she thought there were cookies in there.

So...Love and Logic.

Why not let her look in, even try it if she wanted? Then she would figure out on her own that some things are not treats and don't taste good. The beauty of it would be that I wouldn't have to be the bad guy, telling her no, listening to her whine, making her cry.

Of course Avery wanted in on it, too. Perfect, I thought.





Uh, nope! TOTALLY backfired on me. They loved it.



At one point, Avery even asked me for a spoon.



Great, so now I have one more thing that they like and are going to try to sneak out of the pantry at any given opportunity.

Bath Time

Giving baths is something that Ben and I take turns doing. I am so thankful to have a husband who is willing to do this, especially since it's not my favorite activity. In fact, neither one of us particularly enjoys it. Usually our conversation sounds something like this:

"It's bath night, isn't it?"
"Really? Already?"
"Yep."
"So it's your turn, right?"
"No, I thought it was your turn."
"Nope, I did it last time. Remember?"
"You sure?"
"Yep."
Big sigh. "OK ... let's go, girls."

I'm not really sure why neither one of us loves doing this. Maybe it's the way we have to sit on our knees and awkwardly reach over the tub. Or maybe it's the way Ella cries when you wash her hair, or Avery fights to be in the front. I don't know.

But we forget there's a fun part, too. The part where the the kids play, splash, and use their imaginations. This is the good stuff.

Randoms

Request for pics have been noted, so here you go, Lynn! Random stuff I had on my computer of my favorite people!

Our trip to the zoo for John and Reese's birthday party. It was a lot of fun for the girls, but I think Ben was the one who was the most into seeing all the animals.

Nap time for Daddy and Avery.

Nap time for Daddy and Ella.

Apparently Daddy likes to nap a lot!

If These Walls Could Talk ...

I've decided to start a new "segment" to my blog!

To me, my life feels very ordinary and unexciting, which is why I have such a hard time coming up with things to post. But I'm going to challenge myself to take pictures of the everyday, normal things that happen around our house, and share them.

Please note: Most of these photos will NOT be photographically perfect! In fact, they may be downright awful (GASP!) in terms of composition, exposure, etc. etc. But you know what? They're snapshots ... they're memories ... they're LIFE!! :) And I love my life!


If these walls could talk ...

they would tell you about the mess Ella makes at every single mealtime, and how Ben and I try to outsmart each other on who gets stuck cleaning her up.



If these walls could talk ...

they would have you take a seat to watch one of the 10 or so "shows" that Avery puts on for us each day. She is better than Cher ... more acts, more costume changes, lots of stage presence!



If these walls could talk ...

they'd tell you how Ella really got into listening to my (or I guess I should say Avery's) ipod and loved jamming to the kid-friendly music ... in one ear only.



If these walls could talk ...

you would learn about Avery's awesome imagination, and how she has turned her cozy coupe car into a space shuttle!



If these walls could talk ...

they would ask you why in the world is it that when little toddlers find clean underwear, they always put it on their heads??

Filling My Tank

On Christmas morning Ben said, "Your present is that I'm taking the girls to Grapevine at the end of January to give you a break." Like a crazy woman, my first reaction was not ecstasy. I guess it was because my whole life revolves around those three people, and I wasn't sure what do do without them.

Fast-forward several weeks. I cried ... hard ... as they left. Like I said, I'm a crazy woman, I guess. It took all my willpower to let them go.

And then ... presto! I heard they arrived safely and all was well in the world! I had three amazing days of rest, uninterrupted work, beautiful weather, girl time. (Seriously, "Christina Conklin" hasn't laughed that hard in forever. And just so we won't forget it, girls: "To ancient times and distant music!" "Yodelay...he...hoo!" Wasn't that just soooo healing for the soul?)

Aside from the quiet time, the best part was that Ben hired a cleaning crew to come over the first day they were gone. So not only did I get a spotless house that I didn't have to clean, but it stayed that way for three whole days!!!!

It's so funny how something that I really thought I was dreading could turn into such a gift. (Oh, and just so you know, I could turn this statement into an analogy for some of life's circumstances ... but I won't this time!)

As I type now, they are on their way home. But thanks to my wonderful, generous husband, my tank is refilled and I am ready to take on life again. (Now, poor Nemaw's tank right now is probably another story!)

Snapshots of Christmas Day

Early in the morning ...

Avery helping Ella with her stocking. (We had to wake Ella up. See her big yawn?)

the Leapster was one of the two things she REALLY wanted

Ella got her own babydoll so she doesn't have to borrow Avery's anymore

What was Santa thinking with this noisy drum set? ;)

trying out gifts: See the necklace, apron, and new scooter?

dressed in her new ballerina dress dancing with her new dance partner




Later that day at Mimi's house ...

so many presents!

Ella didn't quite get it this year, so Avery helped her a lot.

taking a break to show off

This was IT! This was what she wanted and Santa didn't bring!
Little did she know it was waiting at Mimi's house!

Christmas Eve

My family came over on Christmas Eve, and we had such a great time visiting with each other and sharing in the enthusiasm and magic that the girls brought to the evening. We tried to get some pictures after church to commemorate the evening.

the 4th or 5th try with the tripod

Ella thinking: I don't want to sit in this chair and pose for a picture!!!!

Avery: I do!!

Wow! Got them together!

LOVE

The Spirit of Christmas

Avery decided (all on her own) that she wanted to leave a letter for Santa to pick up when he visits our house tonight. She knew exactly what she wanted to tell him, so she asked us to help with spelling, and she wrote from her heart.



"Thank you Santa for helping me learn the spirit of Christmas. Avery 2009"

Here Comes Santa Claus!

Finally .... after four and a half years ... Avery sat on Santa's lap!! Remember this post last year?

This year not only did she sit on his lap, but she told him what she wanted for Christmas (a watch), and even gave him a hug afterward.

Ella settled herself onto his other knee with no problem, and was so fascinated with him, she just popped her thumb into her mouth and wouldn't look away.

I think Avery's willingness this year in large part needs to be credited to this guy:


Arty is his name. He's our Elf on a Shelf and he watches over the girls from a different spot in our house every day. By night he uses his magic to fly back to the North Pole and report their behavior to Santa. Avery is enamored with him, she is fascinated by him, she is ... well, she quite frankly is obsessed with him.

We're really going to miss him when he has to go back home after Christmas.

Thanksgiving in Pictures (and a few words)

We had an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving this year in Grapevine! With a house filled to the brim with people, Lynn and Barry were the perfect hosts. Here's a recap of some of the fun things the girls did:

made a gingerbread house ... and of course, sampled the mortar!

helped cook, clean, and prepare the table

shared pie ... yum!

roasted s'mores over the campfire

played outside and enjoyed the amazing weather



got dirty and then joined in a one-man naked marching band after bath



rode the "tractor"

had a fantastic time with family!