Leaving School with Princess G

On days we don't have to rush to swimming Princess G loves to practise balancing on the curb. We walk so slow the students catch up with us as we walk to the front of the school to leave.

Trick or Treating at the Zoo

As soon as we arrived the girls were 'starving' so we ate first. Princess G wanted Daddy to hold her while she ate.

We have been to the Zoo with Daddy a few times but he has never seen the sharks before.

It is nice having some muscle to push that double stroller,

plus he is fun to look at!

The girls love sitting in this bucket seat thing that spins at a weird angle. I like it too but I sure do get a little dizzy when Princess A spins me as fast as she can.
We always end our visits on the carousel.

Since Daddy was with us I made sure some pictures of Mommy and her girls were taken.

Chicken Dance

The Apron Queen created a great new recipe Ay Caramaba! Chicken Spaghetti using Velveeta cheese. Right now she is having The Apron Queen's Chicken Dance Giveaway to promote her participation in the Velveeta Casserole Challenge. For the giveaway post pictures of your family doing the chicken dance and be entered to win up to 4 aprons of your choice from Rick Rack Attack. As for the Velveeta Casserole Challenge she is hoping you will vote for her recipe starting October 30 and you should as it is so yummy!!

My girls wanted to make a movie so here are my girls doing the "Funky Chicken Dance!" (That is what Princess A said they call it at school.)

Carving Pumpkins

Here are our three lovely pumpkins, which took forever to pick out.

We had to have just the right pumpkins!

First the girls drew a face on their pumpkin.All smiles before Daddy makes the first cut.Princess G want a good look before announcing "Yucky!"Princess A thought it was yucky too but she couldn't wait to reach in and squish it all around. Since I did most of the cleaning out of the pumpkins I wanted some fun carving too!Daddy decided carving two pumpkins was enough so for the last one they just drew a fancy design with markers. Here are the finished pumpkins!

Bloggy Giveaway Carnival

Well it is that time of year again, time for a Bloggy Giveaway Carnival. I am giving away a $25.00 certificate to Nikki's Character Creations. They have lots of cute items and some can be personalized. I know you are busy so to enter simple click here to vote for my girls (I promise very easy, just click the red "Sign my Ballot" button, enter your name and zip code) and once you have done that leave a comment that you voted. Watch the video if you have time or come back later, it really is cute.

If your email is not easily available on your blog please include it.

Please really vote, I know how many votes there are before the bloggy carnival.

I will be having more contests soon so come back after the carnival.

Now click on the button and enter all of the other contests.

Update: the winner is Emily. I emailed and she has 72 hours to respond.

Also my daughters' video made it to the final round and I hope you will continue to vote for them daily.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am being spoiled by my family today!!!

Here is a picture of me with my Mom over 30 years ago!

Princess A's First Apple Pie

Princess A has been wanting to make an apple or pumpkin pie for quite awhile. I never remember to buy a pie crust and it seemed to much work to make it from scratch. Pensieve made The Best Apple Pie in the World and included the recipe. The recipe for the pie crust seemed easy enough so we gave it a whirl. We also had a bunch of apples that no one was eating. It was delicious!! I loved the whole pie and the crust was really yummy. I think it would be even better with a tart apple, we used Gala apples as that is what I had. Princess G is not a fan of the pie, she barely took a bite so maybe she did not really try it. I later used the crust recipe (minus 1 tablespoon of sugar) for a spinach quiche I made (Yummy). This time Princess G loved it and Princess A did not. She still ate it but with lots of milk to wash it down. I will be making this pie again and I will be using the super easy but great pie crust over and over!!

Crazy Hat Day

Princess A wore her new red cowgirl hat for crazy hat day at school. They even had a parade around the school so everyone could see all the hats!

Show Me How Book Review

This book Show Me How by Lauren Smith, Derek Fagerstrom is so cool!! The book has illustrations with instruction on how to do 500 things and the range of skills shown is unbelievable and fun. The things to do are as different as wrestling and alligator, origami, balloon animals, clay animals, making a disco ball out of a cd, making a bowl out of a record, to making rock candy. Even if you never try one of the 500 things (and I can not believe you can find one to try, I have a huge list and I am only through the first 100) the illistrations themselves are fun to look at.

My girls keep looking through the book asking if they can try that. This is book everyone would love to have, from the very young who can't read to 90 year olds!!

I bet it was fun when they came up with the list of things to include. I can't wait for the next book, that is if they make one. The book is not available in stores until October 28 but you can preorder one here.

Smelling the Flowers

My little cutie in her favorite shoes and dress!

Children's Museum

I forgot to publish these pictures from the birthday party at the children's museum. The girls really had a blast.

Here they are dressing up for the theater stage.
Princess G really liked the pretend flower shop and garden.
Isn't she cute!!



The last time we went Princess G was only 3 months old. Princess A was 2 1/2 and she remembers of falling into the water and soaking her shirt.
(Nana was watching her while I nursed Prncess G. My mom came and asked me if I had a extra shirt, I did not so she bought a too big shirt in the gift shop.)This was in a little treehouse that the girls got stuck in, they had no problem climbing up but they could not climb down. I got to squeeze in and save them.

We really should try and go more often than once every 3 years!

The Right Baby Gear is Having a Contest

You can win one of five Hooter Hider Nursing Covers at a contest on The Right Baby Gear . They have such pretty materials, here are just two examples. Hurry over and enter as the deadline is my birthday, Sunday, Oct 26

Win a LeapFrog Didj, Leapster2, or Tag System

Punnybop is having a great contest to win LeapFrog Didj, Leapster2, or Tag System. Make sure you enter by entries until 1 p.m. CT Friday, Oct. 24
My two Princess would love one of these. We are Leapfrog believers in this house.

Playing with Daddy at the Park

Bouncy Birthday Party

We went to another bouncy party and the girls just loved. We might end up having Princess A's party here next year. Every time we leave a bouncy party she reminds Daddy that he said she could have a bouncy party.

Princess G's First Day at Ballet

After lots of asking "Mommy when do I do Ballet?" I signed them both up.

They are both having the best time! See that happy grin she had that the whole class!!
I am not sure why they looked scared in this picture but they really were excited. Princess A was even more excited that we went swimming after Princess G's ballet class. She wants to go everyday but I said I could handle once a week. I love swimming but the pool is not very warm and getting all three of us washed, dried and redressed in lots of work!

Princess A's First Day at Ballet

Princess A is so excited to be back at ballet. She took ballet when she was three and loved it. Her birthday is in March so when she turned 4 they bumped her up to another class and it was a disaster. She stopped wanting to go so we skipped last year. She has been asking for months to do ballet again so here we are. She was so excited to be a ballerina she kept her ballet clothes when we got home and didn't take them off until bath time.

I See

Princess A made these "I See" binaculars at school.

Once they made these they went outside to the playground to see what they could see.When we got home she wanted to show her sister how they work.
We never even got in the house, we went straight to the backyard so Princess G could try them.
We wandered around the yard looking at how the plants are changing since it started to get cold.


We still have a few flowers blooming, which we grew from seeds. None of the other plants did very well, but that won't stop us from trying again next year!

Princess A's First School Award

I got a call last week that Princess A was receiving a surprise award at school. They had an assembly yesterday to present her with her certificate. Her teacher is explaining that Princess A is receiving her award for "Kindness and cooperation in kindergarten." Princess A's favorite part was when her teacher told everyone that whenever anyone needs help with a drawing she always helps and that she "is quite the artist." She kept telling me over and over, "My teacher said I am an artist!"
I think Princess A was more excited about the candy that she got to pick out rather than the certificate. I also gave her a personalized pencil case to commemorate the occasion, which she promptly put the lollipop in to keep it safe from her sister.

Princess G wanted one more picture but Princess A was getting worried that she was late for class since the rest of them were already back in her classroom. We got one last picture and walked her back to class.

Birthday Party

The girls decorated gift bags and party hats with stickers, my girls love stickers so this was a big hit. After that they made necklaces and bracelets, well I should say they directed Mommy and Daddy while we made them.Can you see their lovely necklaces?

Those things were hard to tie as the stretchy cord was thick and round!

Here they are supervising while their friend open their gift,

which they wanted to kept for themselves.

Princess A is explaining every picture and word on her card,

then she explained Princess G's card too.

I am a Stuffed Animal Grandma

The girls were having a slumber party together when I heard giggling as they ran to my room. They were laughing so hard they could hardly tell me that they were pregnant and the babies were coming the next day. They also asked if the slumber party could be over because they wanted to sleep in their own beds. The babies did not wait til morning and started popping out right away. First Eleanor fell out, then Pinkie was born and lastly Buttercup is about to come out.
Meanwhile baby Aurora was born, followed later by Hoppo. The Princesses were giggling really hard, I am not sure why it was so funny but their giggles are so infectious I started to laugh too!!

Birthday Gifts for Princess A's Teacher

When Princess A found out her teacher's birthday was the next day she got right to work making some gifts. She made a lovely necklace with a heart because she loves her teacher, plus her teacher's initials. She sent a picture we took on the first day of school and a bar of chocolate, since her teacher "Likes chocolate Mommy!" Princess A also made a card and decorated the gift bag. When I picked Princess A up from school her teacher was wearing the necklace. Princess A was so happy her teacher "Really loved my present!!"

Princess G and Daddy

Last Friday my darling husband had the day off (he worked through the weekend before) and came to pick Princess A up from school with his other Princess G.

Dressing Themselves in Matching Outfits

They were both in dress-up clothes but wanted to go to the park down the street. I told them to change if they wanted to go. They picked out matching outfits, well match shirts at least, all on their own.They raced a few time down the slide and back up again until Princess G asked it they could slide together.
Princess G is so proud she is climbing without any help or spotting by Mommy.
Princess A is trying to get up the nerve to try the monkey bars without any help, as I was not going to hold her up like Daddy does.


On the walk back Princess G's shoe laces came undone. Princess A insisted on tying the shoes to help her sister, after a few attempts she sort of got it.

Sillyness and Stories

Here is Daddy about to read his two little Princesses a story.

Princess A is really wearing this dress a lot. The necklace is an empty bubble duck. Princess A told me it held magical powers that she has to protect from the bad guys.
Notice the sleeping beauty slippers, can't fight bad guys without fancy shoes?

Painting Outside

Not my best idea ever as Princess A sat on Princess G's paint and Princess G sat on her own painting. The paint soaked through the smocks and onto their clothes, but it did mostly wash off. Besides the paint all over the girls had a blast. They can't wait for another painting day outside. I think they might have to wait until late spring as the rainy, blustery fall weather in here in full force. I just love those smocks, they were mine once upon a time.

Halloween Costumes

Princess A keeps telling me she wants to be a Cowgirls, Santa's helper, an Author, a Space person (Astronaut) and a Doctor when she grows up. Her plan is to be a Doctor in the morning on a spaceship, write books in the afternoon, be a Cowgirl in the summer and lastly help Santa in the fall and winter when Santa need the most help.




Well for Halloween she can be a Junior Cowgirl Dress ,a Junior Doctor or an Junior Astronaut in costumes from Pedal Cars and Retro Collectibles store. 5 Minutes for Mom is having a contest to win these and other great costume just in time for Halloween.

I just asked Princess A and her choices in order are:
Junior Astronaut Space Suit (size 6-8)
Junior Cowgirl Dress Up Outfit (size 8)
Junior Astronaut Space Suit (size 8 - 10)
Junior Doctor Uniform (size 8-10)
Jr Air Force Pilot Suit & Helmet (Size 12-14)
Junior Fire Fighter Suit with Helmet (size 2-3 for her little sister)
Junior Police Officer’s Uniform (size Size 12-14)

Caramel Apples

I made caramel apples for the first time with my girls. Last month when we were at the fair my darling husband kept eyeing the caramel apples but he said did not want one. He does that every year and then a month or two later he always says he should of got one to share with the girls so this year I made them. The girls wanted to help so I had them unwrap 25 caramels. My daughter also informed Daddy "we each ate one caramel first and then unwrapped." I added 1 Tablespoon of water and caramels to the sauce pan. I stirred constantly over medium heat until it all melted together. I then spooned the caramel over the washed and dried apples. As you can see the Princesses loved them. They were so excited to surprise Daddy when he got home. They loved them but they were kind of hard to eat, they each ate less than a quarter of each apple. I wrapped them up (after putting a little lemon water on the parts they ate) and put them in the fridge. The next day I cut up the apples and we all shared. It was much easier to eat them cut up. We still had one left.

Tonight we cut up the last one and Princess A asked" Can I just eat the apple."

I asked "Don't you like caramel anymore?"

"I do mommy but I don't like them after they are cooked!"

I wonder if she will like them next year as I have already decided we will do this only once a year.

Messy, but oh so Yummy!!

Craftbury Kids

Craftbury Kids has the most adorable unique handmade gifts for kids. They have a great new section organized by Artist, but they also have a great section for Halloween. Princess G really wants the Pumpkin Monster Cape, the Purple Witch Cape and the Flower Power Cape. I know both the Princesses would love one of the playhouses like the Gingerbread Cottage Playhouse. They also have the cutest little tea jackets.

Little Ida is having a give away with a ton of prizes from Craftbury Kids: Gnome Doll by projectgrabbag (one doll, exact style not pictured), Pumpkin Monster Cape by Baby Leo Designs, Fox Creature Mask by Abigail Brown, Itty Bitty Oak Tree by Hi Tree!, Four Pewter Drawer Pulls by f. is for frank, Owl Bonnet by Beek (size 2-4T), Spool Doll Family by Erica Daley, Caterpillar Pull Toy by Brian Driscoll, 'Hello Friend' Print by Marisa Hopkins.

My Sleeping Princesses

This is my two princesses after finally falling asleep after their slumber party together.
The flash roused Princess A enough to roll off of her sister, but after I took this picture she mumbled "Can sister sleep in her own bed, it is too squishy in here!"

Here is Princess G with her babies, Goldie, Hoppo and Pink Hippo.
My girls do not like flashes, she pushed Pink Hippo away, hugged Hoppo, and then pushed him away too.

Another flash caused her to roll over, I better stop before she wakes up.

5 Minutes for Mom is having a sleeping angels photo contest to win a bedroom set, Lily Rose or Summer Breeze. I would love to win the Lily Rose for Princess A. Princess G just got her new big girls bed last month and after that fiasco I am never replacing that bed ever! Princess A would love a new bed as the bed she has was originally a guest bed in our first house before I was even pregnant.

Picking Blackberries and Playing School

Before the rains came I decided to pick some more blackberries behind our fence in the backyard. Here is a picture of my bounty! They girls came outside and decided to play school with some little plastic bears my Mom sent them. Here they are in their school buses (my hats). They were on a field trip to visit me, their teacher's Mommy, who was working on a farm picking blackberries. They would bring the hat-bus full of bears and leave them at my feet to watch while they would teach the other class together. They even named most of the bears.

Princess G decided that the bears would like it if she danced while "teaching them school."

Princess A is keeping Clara the bear safe since she was scared to be outside.

Ice Cream Treat on the Way Home

We all went to a birthday party at a children's museum today and had so much fun. I will try and blog about that later. We were almost home when I suggested we stop and get the girls some ice cream. My darling husband laughed and said "I was just about to suggest that!" We do that all the time. I do that with other people too. When my DH cousin lived with us during the month of August I 'read' her mind usually at least once a day. She said is was weird but in a good way, she took it as I really knew her. Considering I had not seen her since Princess A's baby shower and before that only a handful of times, that is kind of cool.

So can you guess where we stopped to get the ice cream cones?

The girls would hoping to play on the play equipment but this one only had this. Princess A was not disappointed anymore when I told her I would take this picture.

Princess G is all smiles with a whole cone to herself (Mommy and Daddy did get a few tastes.)

Meeting Tinkerbell and Peter Pan

The girls dressed up just like Tinkerbell and then we went to meet her and Peter Pan. We went to the same darling shop where we meet Jasmin and Aladdin last month. We almost missed the story since Princess G had to change her dress at the last moment. At first she was going to wear "the pink dress the Easter bunny brought me" (a pink barbie dress-up dress.) Then right after I sewed the plastic barbie face back on she decided to wear her green fairy dress (really it is Princess A's but they share almost everything). I undressed and re-dressed her in record time. We ended up getting there a few minutes before they started the story but only because they started a few minutes late.
Again we wandered around the cute store and tortured my girls with beautiful princess things I would not buy them. My stock answer, which was used a few time was "You can put it on your list for Santa." I used to tell them to ask Grandma and Grandpa but the one year Princess A told them she wanted Princess dress-up dresses they thought she wanted PJs and bought her 5 pairs! I had just bought and washed two pairs of PJs, add in the pair of hand-me down PJs from my sister and Princess A had 8 pairs of PJs that were all the same kind, just different patterns. I could not return any since my MIL cuts off all tags before giving a gift!

Clown show

Last year my girls and I caught a clown show and just loved it. We saw the show at least 4 times last year. When they came back we made sure to see the show again. This year we saw them 3 times. The show was half the same and half different but all of it was funny. My little princesses laughed and laughed the whole half hour.