Some museum fun!

Ryan and I took Maggie took the Children's Museum after her nap yesterday. So glad we have a membership now (thanks Grandma and Grandpa!) to enjoy it anytime we want!

Our first stop was the carousel which I didn't get a picture of this time. I thought we were going to have an issue when I saw the line was forever long and Maggie kept insisting on riding the tiger (which there is only one of). But thankfully we were able to get the tiger and all was well.

Just hanging out in the Dora exhibit ...

One of her favorite exhibits was the Barbie one ...

I almost felt like we were at the State Fair at one point. We saw a man wearing a tshirt sporting a local gentleman's club. Classy. Then we noticed his wife/girlfriend had a stylish tattoo on her neck that read b***h. I think they would have fit right in next to the deep fried oreo stand, but in the middle of the Children's Museum on a Sunday afternoon ... not so much.

Everything is a phase ...

Someone told me that before we had Maggie and it is (for the most part) true. Whether good or bad almost anything Maggie deals us is a phase ... and thank goodness for that because for the last month Maggie has been waking up in the night and screaming (up to one and a half hours). We've tried a whole host of different things, but I think what will help most will be being home for the next month with no trips planned. My guess is that since she has spent many nights in bed with me (while on the road) now she just doesn't want to sleep by herself. When we are home, she most often asks for "Mom's bed" in the middle of the night.

But in the midst of all the interrupted sleep, Maggie has had some moments of pure sweetness. I need to get a picture of this when we fly back, but this is what she looked like through the airport on our way here. She insisted on pulling her own suitcase even as we switched terminals in Dallas.

And a few of her enjoying some blackberry jam and lunch on a Bob/Larry plate ...

We leave on tomorrow, so I'm soaking up as much time as I can with this little guy ... well, maybe not quite so little since he and Maggie wear the same size diapers! I think that is mostly due to Maggie's small size and not so much JP!

On the road again ...

Maggie and I are just babysitters on wheels these days! We left Tuesday morning for Lubbock, Texas to stay with my sister all week and watch sweet little JP while Paula and Jeff are at work/school.

Could JP be any cuter??

And Maggie has been a huge help ...

Now if I could just get her to sleep through the night ... but that's a whole nother story!

Last weekend Ryan and I went skiing with his entire family (over 20 of us!). We headed up to northern Michigan and "hit the slopes" as they say.

It was my first time ever to ski. Honestly, the bunny hill would have been perfectly fine with me, but Ryan informed me that to ski there all day would have only cost $5 and we paid for a ski lift ticket so I should at least go down a few times. I did. I survived. It wasn't pretty, or fast to say the least, but I had fun.

Maggie had a fun time too. I think her favorite thing was snow angels ...

And maybe trying on our gear!Here are some random pics from the weekend ...


Despite a really long drive home (due to bad weather), it was a wonderful weekend and we had a blast!

Two, three, four, nine

I hear this sequence no less than 10 times a day. When Maggie is counting anything or if she is telling me she wants more of what I've given her it is always "No Mom ... two, three, four nine!" It makes me smile every time (although I'm sure if she is still saying it in five years it won't be nearly as cute!)

This week we had Audrey over and I wish I could just bottle up the excitement that Mags gets when Audrey arrives! It is so fun to see her have little friends and play with them ... okay, fight with them every five minutes over a toy that she insists is "mine", but still fun nonetheless!

After they both put on slippers, I was asked to take their picture and told where they would sit ... please ignore the fact that my child picked out red pants to wear with her red Bob the tomato shirt resulting in her actually looking the part of a tomato. Some fights just aren't worth it. That is probably why we ended up at the grocery store in fairy wings the other day ... but I digress!

My Sweet Valentines

Happy Valentine's Day!! I just love my two valentines.

One a sweet, cute, little girl ...

One a funny, wonderful, awesome husband ...

And a serious one because Ry isn't always that goofy ...

Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day and get to share it with someone you love! :)

Hangin' Out at Home

We have had a relatively low key week which is quite a change from the week before! Maggie has been happy to be home and I think Ryan has been glad to have us here too! :)

He has given piggy back rides (we found a new VeggieTales tshirt while I was going through clothes the other day. She's been wearing it non stop!) ...

Played dolls ...

And built a tower taller than Maggie!

And today he made us a fabulous brunch after church!! What a man! :)

Last Day

Today was my last full day in Ohio. I think Maggie will be wondering why it is so quiet at our house!

We (their other grandma and I) took the kids to Chuck-E-Cheese today and decorated sugar cookies.

It has been a fun week, but quite honestly I'm tired! Hats off to my sister who does this every day!

Just Hangin' Out

At any given point you never know what the girls will be sporting ...

(Note: Never go down stairs in dress shoes if you are 2 years old. Maggie took a spill this morning. A pretty bad one considering her nose was bleeding, but she hopped right back up again!)

Some play dough creations ...

Dinner (minus one because he was at a friend's house) ...

What a big girl taking a nap in a big bed ...

The fun never stops here in Ohio! :)

Mother of Five

I headed to Ohio on Monday night to babysit for my sister while her and her husband go on a vacation ... their first since before Ella - who is now eight - was born.

Beth's kids (8, 6 and 4 year old twins) are great and she has everything typed out in schedule form right down to what type of snacks are available and where to find them!

Here are some pics of the kids having fun (excuse the red eye ... can't figure out how to fix it on her computer!)

Who doesn't love an audience during bath time?


Nothing like kids to keep you humble.

"You burnt the pancakes. I don't want any of those."

Thanks Ella. I'm trying my best here to get all five of you kids situated with juice, pancakes, grapes and other random requests ... can I get a break? :)

Here is to five more days of hanging out with the gang. The reserves come in for the weekend (their other grandma) so I won't be flying solo the entire rest of the time.

My little helper

Some of Maggie's favorite words are "me help." No matter what I'm doing, she wants to help. Got a few shots of her in the act the other day.

Here is her making the bed ...

And doing some cleaning ...

I didn't get emptying the dishwasher or mopping the floor (both of which she legitimately helped me with). Maybe next time.

She wanted to wear her robe the other night after her bath. She loved it. I had to smile when I read the tag and it said 6-9 months!