A Hunting We Will Go

I officially turned "almost thirty" on January 15th. And, honestly, it wasn't bad. I had a great birthday! Grant and Paige babysat N & E so Jason and I could have a date night. We wound up at Applebee's for dinner (Roadhouse was our first stop, but it was crazy crowded, so we decided to go "off the beaten path"), then we went browsing at Target. (Does anyone else do this on date nights?) We frequently find ourselves at Walmart/Target on date nights. Maybe because they stay open late, or maybe because it is just SO nice to shop sans kids!

In celebration of my almost thirty-dom, seven of my girlfriends took me on a geocaching adventure one frigid, Saturday morning. (I know there are only 5 other girsl in the picture, but Katy had to leave early and Paige was holding the camera). The girls even chipped in and got me my own GPS, so I can now geocache with the family whenever I want! (And yes, we already have put it to good use) Thanks, girls, for braving the cold to indulge me. I am so blessed to have such sweet, thoughtful friends in my life!

For those clueless on the concept of geocaching, here's a quick lesson. First off, it's pronounced Geo-CASHing. It is basically a world-wide GPS-led "treasure" hunt. You can log onto the official geocaching website and enter in any zip code in the world. (I recommend using your own, because knowing the coordinates for caches in Singapore isn't going to help any of us, with the exception of Camille). After entering in your zip code, a list of available caches in your area will appear. Selecting a cache from the list will give you more details, including GPS coordinates and clues for locating the cache.

Is there cash in the cache? Not hardly. Almost all caches contain a log to sign (this is actually a lot cooler than it sounds because when you find a particularly difficult cache, it is neat to see how many people have found it before you...most of the ones we located had been found 50+ times!) Caches also often contain little trinkets for trading. This makes it a lot of fun for taking kiddos along. The rules of cache trading are that if you take something from a cache (say, a lucky rabbit's foot), you must leave something of equal or greater value (maybe a Veggietales yoyo?). Some people even leave small gift cards to their favorite places to eat or shop (which, in a way, is kind of like cash, right?)

When caching, you have to be a little sneaky and watch out for "Muggles". In geocaching, "muggle" is a term referring to non-geocaching bystanders (as opposed to it's "non magical person" meaning from the "Harry Potter" series the term was borrowed from). You don't want to openly approach or look for a cache if anyone else is watching because it may draw their attention and they may go behind you and find the cache and decide to trash it or hide it elsewhere to mess with future cachers.

Some caches are multi-clue/location hunts. Some lead you to places of historical significance. Others lead you to a pretty spot, or a point of interest. Still, others are just hidden in someone's favorite place, or in a clever hiding spot. Anyone can hide a cache, but there are rules to adhere to (also available on geocaching.com). I already have a few spots in mind for our first Robinson County hidden caches.

The coolest cache I found with the girls was hidden in a wooded area (caches are most often hidden on public property, like parks, so wooded locations are common). The clue was "Not a knot". The cache, itself, was a 35mm film canister that had been camo taped. It was then lodged into a small hole about 6 feet up the trunk of an oak tree, so it looked like a knothole. It took FOREVER to find it, but it was worth the wait when we saw what a clever spot it was in.

Thanks to blog reader Morgan Mann for suggesting geocaching to me about a year ago (sorry I'm only just now getting into it, but in my defense, a GPS has been on my "wish list" ever since I first learned about it). I definitely think this will be an activity our family will enjoy together for years to come. I can even forsee the possibility of a geocaching kid's birthday party or two in our future!

Geocaching is a great excuse to get outside, explore your area (or even other places you're visiting), and best of all, is good, clean fun for the family. (Not to metion, it's a great feeling to be the one who spots the cache.) I look forward to making many more family memories caching in the years to come.

How bout you, any other closet cachers out there? I know Sheridan and her family have recently given it a go. I'd love to find out if anyone else has discovered this little-known free, family pastime. And if not, I highly recommend you try it!

10 Honest Things About Me

Ok, I am WAY behind on tags...sorry. They're always hard for me to write because 1) they usually don't require pictures, and 2)I have a hard time believing anyone reads this blog to learn about ME (as opposed to N&E). Even so, I hate to ignore them, so here's my first installment in tag catch-up.

I have been tagged by Amanda to post a list of 10 honest things about me. It probably could have been a lot more interesting if I could embellish my list with a lie or two and make everyone try to pick them out of the group, but I'll play by the rules so as not to confuse anyone. Here goes...

1. I have slightly webbed toes. I inherited this trait from my dad, and I always hoped at least one of my kids would get my feet...no dice.

2. I am boring, scheduled, and predictable. I am able to deviate from "the plan", if needed, but am much more comfortable when things go as expected. (Need proof? Ask my friends about the surprise party they they gave me a few years back) I make a menu each week, and shop for everything at once (and my close friends know exactly what time, what day of the week, and where this shopping ritual takes place, rain or shine). I can recognize this trait in Norah already, which is good, because we jive well together--she needs to live by a schedule and so do I.

3. I was baptised on August 6, 1993 in the Medina river. It was my Dad's 33rd birthday.

4. English was always my favorite subject in school. I enjoyed every literary analysis project, and even looked forward to research paper time. I credit at least part of my love to the fact that it was the class in which I received the most positive feedback. You know, it's hard for a math teacher to write notes on your mid-term like, "Wow! I love the way you solved that equation!" or "Great use of prime numbers!!

5. I do not watch much tv (maybe 2-3 programs per week), but I AM obsessed with "Lost". It's the perfect blend of mystery, philosophy, and literary allusion, which, I know sounds dorky, but I like it so much, I don't even care if it classifies me as a geek.

6. I really have to work hard at working with other people. I am capable of it, I just prefer to do things my own way, at my own pace. When given the option of "group work" in school, I never took it. Lessening the work load at the cost of not getting my way just didn't appeal to me.

7. I don't think I ever fully embraced my "inner girl" until I had Norah. Growing up, I was not a fan of the color pink, dresses, or finger nail polish. I played softball, went barefoot nearly all the time, and didn't have many "girl" friends. However, in the process of raising a daughter, I have discovered I have an affinity for shoes, enjoy playing with makeup, and am even learning to accessorize. Best of all, I enjoy sharing these "girly rites" with my daughter, who, I can already tell will be giving me fashion tips in a year or two.

8. I have had long hair for about 90% of my life. My mom chopped off my long locks twice while I was growing up, both times as punishment/consequence for my actions. The first time was when I took gum from her purse wihtout asking her permission and fell asleep chewing it. I woke up to a wad of gum-encrusted hair, just above my right shoulder. Snip snip. The second time, I was making a cake for my 3rd grade class (which, incidentally, Jason was in) and somehow managed to get my hair wound all the way up to my head in the electric mixer (and completely saturated in cake batter). Cue the scissors. I also had a third major haircut my senior year of highschool, which took place in a motel room in Tusla, Oklahoma. This time, my good friend, Brooke Bomnskie was holding the shears. She was supposed to trim my waist-long hair to just above my elbow, but it wound up a little below my chin. Good times.

9. I like to load my own dishwasher. Seriously, it drives me a little crazy when someone else does it for me. I think it is SO kind when company wants to help clean up after a meal, but there are some things a girl just has to do for herself, and for me, this is one of them. (See #6) I do, however, really appreciate it when dirty dishes make their own way to the sink.

10. I love musicals. Except for the fact that sometimes watching them makes me a little sad that my life isn't one. I'd be perfectly fine if once in a while everyone around me just broke out in cheesy song and dance. I've had roles in a few stage musicals, but always dreamed of being Maria in "The Sound of Music" or Anna in "The King and I". Alas, that ship has sailed, but at least I can still enjoy watching them (and sharing them with my kids).

Whew! If you think that took a long time to read...you should have been here to see how long it took me to write it! I tag Jenny, Camille, and Hilary. I'm looking forward to learning your quirky secrets, ladies!

From the Mouthes of Babes...

N: Mom, say, 'What's on your back--is it a backpack?"
A: "Norah! What in the world is on your back? Is it a backpack?"
N: "No, silly. It's my parachute."

Pepaw: "Norah, what's your mommy's name?"
N: "Angela. But I call her Mommy."
Pepaw: "What's your daddy's name?"
N: "Babe."

J: "Eli, no sir! We do not throw food on the floor! "(swats Eli's hand)
N: (with bewildered concern) "But I LOVE my brother!"
This is her response, literally every time we discipline Eli in any capacity. I wish I could say I reacted that way to my siblings' punishments as a child, but it's much more likely that I was watching from a safe distance mentally chanting, "Somebody got in trouble!" to the tune of "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" with an impish grin.

Birthday Party Picture Blitz

Norah had been asking for several months for a "Princess" party. No surprise there. Jason and I had it all planned out, complete with mental blueprints for a giant, homemade cardboard castle for the kids to play in. Then, just two weeks out, she went and developed her prerogative to change her mind!

"I'd like an 'OLIVIA' party for my birthday!", she exclaimed one night after dinner. (As mentioned in my previous post, "Olivia" is a fictional pig that our daughter has recently developed a taste for) Thankfully, construction on the cardboard castle hadn't taken off yet.

This was our most fun party to plan thus far, because Norah helped with everything, making it more her party than mine...which is the way it should be, I think. She told me who she wanted to invite-- "No boys, Mommy. Only girls. The boys can come to Eli's party." (Which, incidentally, was the same party, but I guess she wanted me to be clear that all male guests were there for her brother, and not her). She very proudly put the invitations into the mailbox, all by herself.

Since we had decided to have a joint party for both kids' birthdays, I went with a "Book" theme. (This would satisfy Norah's "Olivia" requirement, and also allow some individualization for Eli, as well--I decided to go with "Babar" for him)

We asked each guest to bring 0-5 gently used books from home for a book swap. I think it worked out great--we got a wide variety of fun books, and everyone left with a couple of new titles.

I printed off a few free "Babar" and "Olivia" coloring pages I found online to give the kids an activity while we waited on all our guests to arrive.

When we had a full house, one of Norah's favorite "grown up" friends , Jon Buchanan, treated the kids to two stories. "I am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed" and "Olivia Saves the Circus".


Jon did an awesome job...the kids were completely mesmerized by his storytelling skills. I was amazed to see how well they all sat still and paid attention for that length of time (though, I do admit, intentionally waiting to have the cake and icecream-induced sugar rush until AFTER storytime was probably a good call on my part).

Norah's cake: strawberry flavored inside ("because it's pink"), with Olivia and her beloved "Missing Toy" on the outside. One night while I was getting Eli into his PJs, Norah rushed into his room with her "Olivia" library book in tow, with a big grin on her face. "Look Mommy! I found it! I want THIS picture on my birthday cake!" It was so much fun being able to get her input on what she wanted this year! (And even more fun to see her reaction and heartfelt appreciation when I delivered on her requests)



Eli is still a little too young to petition his requests (at least in intellegable words), so he had to settle for Babar. However, if you've met our son, you can vouch that most anything edible would have been deemed acceptable. He loves to eat...and he LOVES cake.


Norah blowing out her candles...









I love this photo...the kids are either celebrating her candle-blowing efficiency, or getting excited because they know the cake is coming!

Cal savored every bite of his cake. (This was another one of my favorite pictures... he's just too cute for words, Jenny!)











For party favors, I printed personalized book plates for each of Norah & Eli's guests. (With their names, not our kids', obviously) I found some great, vintage storybook illustrations online. There were about 6 different pictures, but these two were my favorites

And, thanks to the awesome Christmas present (an embroidery machine!) that the entire Robinson family chipped in on for me, I was able to make personalized bookbags for each guest to take home their "new" books in. (Well, technically, I didn't make the bags. I found a great deal on them. I did add the fabric patches and stitched the names on the front. Butterflies for the girls, and stripes for the boys)

This is another one of my favorite pictures. The kids had a ball playing with the balloon decorations. They pretended the balloons were "kites" and Chloe lead them all on a "Kite parade". It was a perfect example of how sometimes the best parts of a party are the unplanned moments. Priceless memory.

There was a set of bus seats being stored in the room where the kids had the party. Norah, Patti, and Cal made believe that they were the Little Einstiens, flying in rocket. So cute!

All, in all, I think it was a great day. Norah was thrilled to see her friends come, and Eli loved observing them all playing together (I'm sure he's just counting the days until he's big enough to run with the "big" kids, too!) PS--Please excuse the lack of Eli pictures, I had two people taking photos, and this was the Norah-intensive collection. Hopefully AA will share her Eli pictures with me soon!

Terrific Three

Today, our little girl turned the 3. For her "big day", Norah told me that she wanted to look like a princess. Her first requirement was that her hair "bounce like Sleeping Beauty", so we pulled out the sponge rollers. (And no, Amanda, I didn't make her sleep in them. Get this: her hair curled in about 30 minutes after I rolled it, which meant that all those nights we tossed and turned with those awful, uncomfortable rollers in our hair were completely unnecessary!)


Secondly, she required her own set of crown jewels. (Thankfully, we had received the PERFECT set of bling for Christmas, and I had intentionally saved it for today.)

Princess Norah ordered a short stack for her royal breakfast. In keeping with tradition, I served it with candles. (I think Norah was a little concerned that her crown jewels were in danger of melting).

I had a little bit of pancake batter left over, so I made a tiny mini-pancake for Norah to share with Ellie. She lovingly "fed" it to her (she inherited her open-mouthed feeding technique from her Mimi), then informed me, "Ellie says she wants to share the rest with ME."

(I should also mention that Eli ate 2 pancakes before Norah got her short stack, then ate 2 more while she was eating, and finally finished 1 and a half of her "leftovers"...but they were small pancakes, and he is, after all, a growing boy)


For all the work of the rollers, her hair went straight before she finished breakfast...so we opted for a "bouncy" ponytail. Hmmmm...maybe I should have made her sleep in those sponge rollers, after all? But then again...nah...I could never subject my daughter to that kind of torture.




I still can't believe it's been three years since the doctor handed me the most beautiful newborn baby girl I have ever laid eyes on and told us our long-awaited daughter had arrived. Yet, in other ways, she feels so much older than three. She is an extraordinary conversationalist, and she is finally old enough to watch "grown up" movies (ie--non-cartoon, still G-rated) with Mommy and Daddy on occasion, between Eli's bedtime and her own. (Her birthday flick was "A Little Princess", which, she loved)

Her favorite color is most definitely pink. (And getting her to wear clothes of any other color requires excellent negotiation skills)
She believes she is a princess (and all fancy dresses are referenced as "princess dresses" in our house), and has convinced at least one of her Bible classmates of her royal lineage. She loves books. Especially Olivia (the pig).

This is probably the source to her new-found obsession with striped tights. (Olivia wears them, on occasion) Thankfully, this tights infatuation was perfectly timed, since Norah also decided mid-winter that she prefers shorts to long pants.

Her memory is incredible. She has memorized Proverbs 17:17, Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 118:24, and the Lord's Prayer, in addition to a number of books, in their entireity (several of which we don't even own, but she memorized them during the week we had them checked out from the library). Her favorite Bible story is "The Calling of Samuel" (I think she especially likes it because of "Eli", and the fact that Samuel is repeatedly told "Go back to bed", a phrase she, herself has heard on more than one occasion) She loves to sing, and is especially excited when we sing songs that she knows in church so she can sing along (at the top of her lungs, but still in key). Her favorites are "Days of Elijah", "Open they Eyes of my Heart, Lord", and "Step by Step", and it melts my heart every time. She has also begun saying more specific prayers. Most recently her main focus has been for our friend, "Miss Jeanie", who has been hospitalized with severe burns, and Norah prays for daily (literally every time she prays).

Norah has grown into a "little lady", seemingly overnight. She is still just as beautiful as she ever was, even more-so as I see her inner beautiful unfold. She is thoughtful, generous, and loves deeply. She is compassionate to all those around her---whether she knows them personally or not. She is a wonderful big sister to Eli, and is so proud to have him as her brother. And I am proud to have her as my daughter. Happy Birthday, Princess.

Birthday party recap, coming soon!

A Tale of Two Dollies

It was the best of plans, it was the worst of plans. Norah had been asking for an "Ellie doll" for Christmas since September. (Translation: a Bitty Baby, like her good buddy Shelby has. Shelby's doll is named "Ellie"). I started pricing dolls in early October, then decided to get serious and make the big purchase online in early November, when what to my wondering eyes should appear, but "Bitty Babies are currently back ordered until December 27th".

So, I did what many moms would have done in my predicament. I started searching for a suitable replacement. After all, Norah's two, would she really know the difference? I discovered a competing company who had what looked to be really sweet dolls, so I ordered one. Naturally, Norah saw me checking the status of my order online a few days later and said, "That's not Ellie, Momma". Great. She already smells a rat.

A week and a half later, the postman delivered "the package". I quickly thought of a diversion for Norah and barricaded myself in my room to check out Norah's Christmas wish fulfillment. I opened the box, and recoiled with terror when I saw it. The photo doesn't nearly do her justice. In addition to a squarish, badly bloated torso, her skin (which the web site described as "fair complected") was a dark, fake bake-esque orange , and her eyes were a piercing shade of electric turquoise that made me almost afraid to gaze too deeply into them for fear of being drawn into some kind of wierd, voodoo trance. Her "hair" was a greenish-yellow spray painted section at the crown of her head, with random slits cut into it, in a vain effort to resemble strands of stray hair. I wanted to cry. There was no way Norah was gonna buy that this monstrosity was her sought-after, beloved, Ellie, which, I might add, she had now begun praying for on some occasions. I showed her to Jason and his immediate reaction was, "I hope you're sending that back!" Which is exactly what I did.

The next day, I did what I probably should have done as soon as I realized the dolls were back ordered. I hit up Ebay. Did I pay more than double the original cost of a new doll. Yes. Was it worth it? Every penny. (Thank goodness for all of those sock monkey sales!) The "real" Ellie arrived two days before Christmas and I was most relieved to see that she had a sweet, angelic, face. I will be the first to admit, I am beyond picky when it comes to baby dolls, but "Ellie" was, by my standards perfect. I love that she just looks classic, plain, and sweet.

On Christmas morning, Norah opened and appreciated each of her gifts, never once complaining that none of them contained an Ellie doll. (We had set it back, away from the other gifts to save for last) The rest of us got busy visiting, and Norah found "the package" unbeknownst to any of the adults. The next thing we knew, we heard a loud exclamation, "It's my Ellie doll! Santa brought me an Ellie!!"

During the wait for Ellie's arrival, Gramps and I had worked diligently on Norah's Christmas dress and a matching dress for Ellie. I dressed Ellie in her Christmas dress before I wrapped her, and and since since Norah had worn her Christmas dress a few times prior to Christmas (for all the work that went into that dress, I was determined she would wear it more than once!), she immediately recognized that Ellie's was a match to her own. "Look, Mommy! She has a princess dress just like mine!"

Ellie went everywhere that Norah did (including several trips to the potty), all day long. And, despite several attempts to convince her to bestow "Ellie" with a more original name instead of ripping off her friend's baby's name, Norah has stuck to her guns and dug in her heels, in true, (almost) three year-old fashion, insisting each time that, "her name is Ellie".

Cousin Lovin'

Eli and cousin Kylie were reunited over Christmas break. There was no love lost between the two of them since their last play date, which afforded us some sweet pictures!













Then, on New Year's Eve, Norah got to meet her "Georgia Peach" cousin, Aidan. Although it was their first meeting, the girls played together like they'd been life-long buddies. (And Norah made sure that Aidan included Eli in pretty much everything they did...which was pretty amusing, considering she normally doesn't want him touching any of her stuff when it's just the two of them!) Aidan even brought Norah a matching vintage t, which you can get a better look at on Aidan's mommy, Tara's blog.

She Speaks!

Sorry for the blogging hiatus...I could explain myself, but the reasons for my absence really aren't that interesting ...so I'll cut to the chase (and for those who've told me you miss us, were about to send out search parties, threatened me if I didn't update soon, thank you for caring enough to notice I was gone).

We had a wonderful Christmas, in-town with our families. I definitely think this was the most fun year with our kids so far, and I only anticipate it getting better the older they get. (Norah especially loved her and Eli's sock monkey pajamas. In fact, any time she wore hers, she requested that Eli could wear his, too. And if we happened to dress him in his and she was already wearing something else, she would change hers to match him!)


On Christmas Eve 2008, our little boy turned one. He broke his birthday fast with 3-tier blueberry pancakes (sans syrup..after all, there was cake coming later). Total time elapsed from plate to consumption: 2 minutes 28 seconds.

That night, he had his very own birthday cake. No, I didn't make it. If you have a Christmas Eve baby and bake their cake every year, feel free to cast the first stone. Norah and Eli will have a joint party for both of their birthdays in a couple of weeks, and I do plan to make both of those cakes, so I figured I could cheat a little on this one. As you can see from the photos, Eli doesn't seem to show any signs of deprivation.

After the sugar rush kicked in he was all smiles. So funny. A little wrong? Maybe. But funny.
















Jason decided to commemorate Eli's first birthday by giving him a Braveheart warpaint-esque #1 in icing on his forehead. Thankfully, it eventually washed off. (Those who have had much experience with blue dye will know what I mean by "eventually")

For the record, we did not let him eat the whole thing. He mostly went for the icing (you know, the nutritious part). And the front 1/8 of the cake was eaten by Norah...she called dibs on his cake about 5 seconds after he laid into it. Poor second child has to share everything.

I leave you with a final photo of the four of us on Christmas Eve (post-bath and minus the blue icing). Here's to hoping I'll break the trend and be back with an update in less than a month!