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!