More to come

Did you have a good Christmas? We sure did.  Hope was healthy.  That's all I cared about.  This picture was taken late at night...hours past Hope's bedtime.  That sums up our Christmas. Fun, but wow.  I'm tired. She's tired. Woody is, as always, ready for some more action!  I'm trying to make a slide show of our Christmas pictures.   I hope it'll load on here.  See ya later. Enjoy your holiday leftovers!

Cabin Fever

Well, It's day 5 of Hope's fever virus.  Her fever finally broke this morning, but she's been a PILL! Still not eating and extremely tired and fussy.  So am I.  Woody may need to check me in to some type of facility so if you don't hear from me for a while, you'll know what happened.

You try entertaining a fussy sick 2 year old during the winter sometime.  It's how I'm earning my medals for my Mommy battle armor!  Several times I've thought about declaring it Christmas morning just so we can get out all of her new toys to have something to do.  The only thing stopping me was that they are being stored at Papaw's house right now.  I did have these sock puppets stored away from her birthday.  I just had a hunch there would be a day when we'd need a project.  Hope was thrilled with them.  They were fun to make and they are fun to play with.  She makes them sing along to the Christmas music.  I did take her out yesterday.  We went to the pet shop.  Not many people there to infect at 9 in the morning, but that seemed to be prime grooming time for the dogs.  It was a hit.  We watched them (behind a glass so even the groomers weren't exposed to us) for an hour.  We also saw kittens, birds, reptiles, fish and little rats -who wants a rat for a pet?  Grammy is coming in about an hour to give me a break, so don't feel too sorry for me, okay?

Weather Reports

The big story around here has been the snow/ice we've had this week.  All week we've had snow or ice.  The only day with enough to really play in was Sunday night/Monday morning.

Little kids and snow are just a good combination!  Too bad this snow is all powdery.  No good snow balls or snow men yet.  Maybe next time...

Why don't kids mind being cold outside?  I was FREEZING!  Hope was all smiles.  We only stayed out a few minutes but she would have stayed out a lot longer.  I had to bribe her to go back inside.

I bribed her with candy making.  "We'll go make candy snow." I said.  Divinity was what I had in mind.  This is only the third time in my life I've made it.  Once in a food science class in college, once when we were first married and then today.  Turns out, it's kind of tricky.  There is boiling sugar/syrup to "hard ball stage" which I do the old fashioned way as I don't have a candy thermometer.  And, there is beating egg whites to stiff peaks then working very fast to get the stuff out of the bowl before it hardens.  Here's a tip for all you kitchen aid owners....switch attachments.  Don't beat the candy with the same whip you used to beat the egg whites.  See those flat discs....that's not what we're going for.

This is more like it.  All I did was change to the paddle attachment and voila!  Snow balls of divinity!

Turns out, Hope loves the stuff! Goody! Growing up, my Granny always had divinity at Christmas.  It's a staple of my childhood Christmas memories.  Besides the kitchen aid tip, I also learned to add nuts.  Whew! That kicks it up.  It's yummy in the same way that the Halloween mix with candy corn and peanuts is good: salty/sweet, chewy/crunchy.  Go make yourself some! And if it doesn't work out: blame the weather.  That's what all good divinity makers do.  "It was too humid!" or "It was too dry that day." Either way, blame mother nature!

A side note: unfortunately, we have recently been under the weather lately at our house.  The nurse said there's a fever virus going around.  We've got it!  It's been over 50 hours since I've left my house.  I'm going crazy.  And I'm on a sugar high. 

Christmas Craft Time!

This idea came from Grammy:  We are wrapping our presents in white paper (I used craft paper instead of slick wrapping paper so the paint would stay on better and dry faster) then letting Hope paint the presents.  She is having a great time.  If I have a color scheme at all in my decorating, it's red and white so this "matches" my decor as well.   We started out using sponge stamps, but it didn't go so well, so I just decided to give her a brush and let her go for it. 

Coupon Craziness

For some, it's a hobby...they have blogs about it, they have notebooks for it, they teach classes on it.  For me, it's just something I do to help with expenses so I can continue to stay at home with Hope.  It's couponing.  And, it's once again taking over my life in an unhealthy way.

These are just the men's deodorants.  There are 11- not counting the one Woody is currently using nor the one he stashes at my parent's house.  I've gotten carried away.  Last time it was cereal.  This time it's men's deodorant.  I only have one spare for me.  Why so much for Woody?  Because it was a good deal, that's why!

When I realized we could play domino's with our deodorants, it was time to stop.  BUT if you need some, Kroger is running a great deal on Gillette this week.  If you clip coupons you can get it for $0.66/each.  If you don't clip coupons and you are running low...call me.  I'll share.

Hanging of our Greens

The Christmas season is here.  Woody and I kicked it off the wrong way.  We weren't Black Friday or Cyber Monday shoppers, but we did go to Toys R Us a week before Thanksgiving and it was enough to make us feel like skipping the holidays all together.  So, I'm on a mission to reclaim the joy of the season.  Sparkling two year old eyes have a way of helping with that also.

We had a stay in our jammies day and put our tree up over the Thanksgiving holiday break from work. 

Maybe Mom and Dad weren't feeling like decorating, but Hope sure was! She went right to work.  We never showed her how to hang the ornaments or even told her that they went on the tree.  It was pure instinct!  She's a decorator at heart.  This is also a good picture of Hope's hair.  What color do you think it will turn out to be? Red? Blond? Brown?  I don't know, but I like it.

Her first choice in ornaments.  The vintage Cookie monster.  Not sure if it was made by Woody's mom or grandmother, but we have a set of Sesame Street characters.

She really stuck with it.  I've told you before that her attention span is not normal for toddlers.  The entire bottom of the tree was done all by her.  Sure it's not even and gets rearranged daily, but I leave it just like she did it.  The big clumps of ornaments make me smile.

And we are also celebrating Advent.  I don't have an Advent calendar nor do we have any real family traditions (yet) but I'm trying to be creative.  John sent us some Bible readings for the Advent season and we read those at dinner which we eat by candle light (Advent Candle- light that is. On the first week of Advent with only one candle we still need other lighting).  Our pastor's sermon this week was about anticipation- the anticipation of Christ's birth is normal Advent mediation, but he put the spin of anticipating Christ's second coming.  I liked that focus for our first week of Advent and I made these cookies to help talk to Hope about it.  I don't have plans for next week yet, but I'm sure it will involve food.  My teaching methods always do.

Fiesta!

We went to a birthday party where there was a pinata and then a week later, Sesame Street Live featured a pinata in Rosita's birthday party.   Hope caught on to the whole idea. This is all Hope's innovation...the blindfold (ear muffs), bat, and stuffed animals.  She is still trying to convince me to hang a stuffed animal from the ceiling fan.  No candy falls out, but she is sure if she hits it a little harder, those darned "strawberry things" that mom wouldn't let her eat at the party are going to fall to the floor.

So much to be thankful for

Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?  I hope so.  Our family has plenty to be thankful for.  We have had an interesting year and we know God has provided so much more than we needed or deserved.  Yesterday when I asked Hope what she was thankful for she said "God." Today when I asked her she said "My baby stuff."  Thanksgiving is such an overlooked holiday, isn't it?  Being thankful for things is the quickest way to adjust an attitude that I've ever found.  I hope thankfulness will be one thing I can instill into Hope's character. 

On a lighter note... Are these not the cutest?  Watch out Bakarella- Here comes Bobbie!  Actually Bobbie has been decorating cookies since before it was cool to decorate cookies and I don't think she visits fancy websites or blogs for ideas.   These cookies sometimes intimidate me and make me want to stick to just good ol' chocolate chip, but today I feel inspired to start baking Christmas cookies!

Fall Festivities- Raking Leaves

We had been waiting for the last of the leaves to fall from our 3 trees in the backyard.  Finally they did and it was a mildly warm day (for November at least.  Did I mention I hate cold weather?) so I decided we'd rake us some leaves and make the most of fall once again.

When we first came out, Hope played on her little mini playground.  By the way, it's amazing to me how long things keep her attention.  Aren't toddlers supposed to have short attention spans?  She could play here forever.

Eventually, the leaf pile did catch her eye...

Like always she wants to try to do what I'm doing.  I do have a leaf blower, but I don't know how to work it so we raked.  Besides, it's very good exercise and this time of year, you gotta do as much of that as you can to prepare for the feasts!

I didn't tell Hope to get into the leaves... I wanted to see if jumping in the leaf pile is one of those instinctual things for kids.  It is.

Wish I'd used the leaf blower.  It took me 2 hours to do the back yard.  This might be a little clue as to why it took so long...

Trail of Tears

Every week I go to a women's Bible Study.  It's Daddy/Daughter time while I'm gone.  I never know what I'm going to come home to.   This week was particularly cute. 

She's been learning about Thanksgiving.  Don't miss the details.  The "pigtails" he made on the head dress even have pink bows...the fringe on the bottom.  But she did NOT like wearing this!

Woody once taught a class on Native American history.  The pictures aren't exactly like the ones in our Spot's Thanksgiving books we've been reading.  Maybe it scared her a little bit.

So we tried to bribe her to smile for a picture.  But she said we could do better than Fruit by the Foot.

She's more of a chocolate girl.  M&M's it had to be!

Still, this is as close to a smile as you're gonna get.

But she would give us a little war cry.

Maybe next week she'll be a pilgrim. 

Hands-On Learning

Well, it's cold outside now.  Time to start getting creative on ways to funnel 2 year old energy into productive things (preferably that burn off energy). 

Hope started out her finger painting career just dipping one finger in (barely) to one color and then smearing it for only seconds before wanting her hand wiped clean...then she progressed to the whole hand.  Now it's the whole body!  I've learned to finger paint just before bath time.  Can you believe it took me almost an entire year to figure that out?  I used to do it in the mornings or afternoon or really whenever the mood hit us.  Finger painting is just fun.  I highly recommend the crayola brand.  It cleans very easily and blends colors nicely.  I also recommend going ahead and buying the proper paper.  Really does make a difference.  I'm a Maglinger now.  I know these things.

Tea Party...Woody style

I tried and tried to upload my picture show from our Raleigh trip.  Just couldn't figure it out- so I put it on facebook.  Sorry blog friends.  You'll have to settle for this instead. 

I don't think this is quite what Grammy had in mind when she bought Hope a princess tea set!  Give Dad credit- at least he's man enough to play tea set with his daughter, though.  She's hard to play tea set with...a tad bossy even.  You must drink the beverage in the cup using the HANDLES! And your plate, cup and spoon had better match. (are these early signs of OCD or just perfectionism?)

And a picture to serve as a reminder that little eyes are always watching and imitating exactly what we do!

Fall Festivities- Bobbie's Annual Party

Every October, Bobbie has all the Maglingers over for a party.  It's lots of fun and really serves as the kick off to the holidays for us.  Usually everyone including the adults dress up.  Some years she gives us a theme.  Other years it's just whatever.  This year we kind of let her down on that.  Sorry Bobbie.  The only adults who dressed up were the guests that BJ invited (they came as a pair of dice).  If you know Bleck and Casey, you know they were totally okay with that.  We eat lots of food, play silly games and stay up late.  Sometime, I'll have to teach you how to play the spoon game!  It's way more fun than it sounds and is the best ice breaker I've ever seen!  Since Hope's birthday is so close to Halloween and since we were going to be out of town for her birthday, they were nice enough to include Hope's birthday in the party this year.

Little Christian... He was all dressed up as a little pumpkin.  As you can see by the fact that he even cooperated to wear his hat for these pictures, he's a very good baby.

Hope's cousin Susanna was dressed up as a dinosaur. 

At Bobbie's house, there is a trampoline.  Hope had tried the little exercise kind before but never a big one.  She LOVED it...just as long as someone was holding her.  She refused to try it for herself.  Sorry for the blur.  How do you get a good picture in dim evening light through a net of people jumping?

This is not what Hope was for Halloween, but it was what her big girl buddy Maggie dressed her up as at the party.  She wore it for almost the entire party except for eating.

Bobbie's husband Skip loves to golf so they had a putting green put in their back yard.  Hope is having her first golf lesson with Papaw (who I don't think even golfs- but I think is very good at putt-putt).

Two's aren't so Terrible!

Have you missed seeing me on your google reader?  (haha, I barely even know what a google reader is!)  We've been away on a trip and since I've posted, there have been 3 birthday parties, Halloween, and a fun filled trip to Raleigh.  Whew, I've got tons to catch you up on.  We'll start with a party for Hope.  We were in Raleigh for her birthday, but we wanted to celebrate with our Owensboro family before we left.  This was just our immediate family (and a friend we invited who is like family).  We had it at Papaw Maglinger's house.  Even immediate family doesn't really fit in our house when you consider that means 3 toddlers and a baby who've had cake and ice cream.

We aren't members of the new camp of parents that throws elaborate parties for our toddlers.  There are some AMAZING ones out there, though.  I have so much fun reading party websites.  Still, we're the simple, homemade types.  I just pick some wrapping paper, make that the gift wrap and the "table cloth."  Then, I choose balloons, plastic plates, forks, etc that match that paper, and voila- you have a party.  Hope liked it and felt so special.

Papaw let her sit at the head of the table.  She's so cute at the head of his long table!

Oh boy did we have an excited little girl.  At one point she ran into the kitchen and just started squealing at the top of her lungs.  Not used to her making loud noises...she's actually pretty quiet.  Is this was the "2's" have in store?

Hope had practiced blowing out her candles, but not opening gifts.  Her little guests had already had practice so they wanted to move it along a bit and helped her out.

Hope's favorite for the camera face.

She got lots of wonderful gifts. 

Get with it girl!  Let us show you how this is done!

You'll see lots more of this doll, I'm sure.  Hope is loving playing Mom to her baby doll!

And, the rainbow chip cupcakes!  mmmm!  I should have let her help me make them since she loves baking, but I just felt there was something wrong with making your own cake!

Hadley...her mom didn't dress her like Rambo and send her to the party...she finds these head bands herself.  She's a fellow Puggle and she does the same thing there. Too cute.

Overall, it was a very fun party.  Unbelievably chaotic but fun.  Happy Birthday sweet Hope!