Another One Bites the Dust

Today at lunch Arden lost one of her front teeth.  Now she has a big hole on the top of her smile to match the two little ones on the bottom.

If this keeps up, we are going to have to switch her back to baby food!

Lovz

Arden is now 3/4 of the way through kindergarten.  She wasn't so sure she liked it the first few days, but after that it has pretty much been a smooth ride.  She really likes her teacher, and the feeling seems to be mutual based on the last report card.  I am so glad that Arden loves school and that she is doing so well.  She is starting to read better and better, and I think I mentioned before, but she tries to write things herself now.  She spells all sorts of things wrong, but they make me smile.   

The other day she drew a picture for Cora and wrote "Cora is luvle" (Cora is lovely).  How cute is that?  She also draws lots of these little things (see below) for everyone.  She always spells loves as "LOVZ."  

I can't bear to correct her. 

She is such a sweetheart and I am so lucky to have her!  I will have to keep a few of these little love notes and pull them out when she is 14 years old and hates me.  :-)  For now I am enjoying having my little girl who is still is so free with her hugs and loves nothing more than to sit on my lap and have me pet her head while we read a book or watch TV.  And every morning as she leaves for kindergarten, she tells us all she loves us.  She usually waits for the very last second before she closes the door, and she always says the same thing.  Here it is:
 
"LOVEYOUCORALOVEYOUDAXLOVEYOUMOMSEEYOUAFTERSCHOOL!"

And then she blows me a kiss, and runs off.

I am already dreading first grade.  How will I stand having her gone all day?

Green Day

No, not the band Green Day, the day Green Day.  The kids have no idea who St. Patrick is (and really, neither do I) so Daxton started calling St. Patrick's Day "Green Day."  It started to stick.  "Mom, is tomorrow Green Day?" "Nope, Green Day isn't for three more days."  You get the idea.

In the past I have kind of struggled to find ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, other than trying to find a green shirt to wear.  I know awesome moms who create evidences of mysterious nighttime leprechaun visits, complete with little green footprints.  I am still not there yet.  But I am getting a little better.  So we celebrated St. Patrick's the way I like to celebrate most of my holidays.  With food.

Voila.  Green pancakes.  Cora was excited.

And then, at lunchtime...Shamrock shakes from McDonalds!  So festive!

Cora is all decked out in green, and Arden has a green balloon on her shirt, but you may notice in this picture that Daxton is not so green.  Even though green is his very favorite color, he wouldn't hear of wearing anything other than his new shirt, which has a T-Rex wearing sneakers on the front.  He cheerfully put up with some little pinches from Arden and me, but finally changed to green later in the day when I told him that Grandpa pinches HARD.

And for dinner...we went to a Mexican Restaurant.  What?  Well, it was my mom's birthday on the 16th, and she wanted to go to a Mexican place to celebrate, so that is what we did.  (Don't worry, Preston still made me eat corned beef and cabbage, just a day late.  He loves that stuff.  Me, not so much.  The kids are total carnivores and devoured the beef part, but mostly left the cabbage part.  Can't really blame them.  Back to the story).  After dinner, we came back to our house and mom blew out her candles:

My sister Amanda brought over a bunch of balloons to add to the festive atmosphere, and we had some balloons still floating around from Arden's birthday.  All together, there were quite a few balloons at the Zaugg house.  While the rest of us were eating cake, Dax gathered them all up, and had someone tie them to his wrist.  He then climbed up on the arm of the couch.  I could tell he was up to something because he was so dang excited his feet were doing a little happy dance.  He gathered himself up and launched himself into the air, his face practically glowing with excitement. 

Then he landed, about 0.5 seconds later. 

I have never seen anyone's face fall so fast from utter exhilaration to complete disappointment.  He made a very angry little growling noise and then bellowed, "ARRRRGHHH!  I CAAAN'T FWYYYY!" He was expecting to go floating around the room, poor kid.  He's seen "Up" he knows how it works!  I grabbed my camera, but he was already freeing himself from his obviously defective balloons:

All in all, it was a pretty fun day.  Maybe next year I will really get with the program and leave leprechaun footprints.  Or at least google St. Patrick.

Awwwww...

Today was "treasure box" day for Daxton at preschool.  This means that (as long as he is good), at the end of the day he gets to visit Miss Sue's little box of treats.  So far this year, that means Dax comes home with some candy, or maybe a small plastic lizard or something like that.

Today, he brought home a green plastic ring, kinda like these:

Why did he bring home a ring?  For ME.

My boy gave up a chance at candy or a plastic shark to get a ring for his mommy.  When he gave it to me I melted.  I proudly wore that uncomfortable little thing all day long.  :-)



Spring is Springing

This last week is the first time it has really started to feel like spring here.  It has been in the 60s a few days this week, and the kids and I are EaTiNg It Up.  It is so nice to actually go outside without having to spend half an hour putting on everyone's coats, boots, gloves, hats, etc.  So.  So.  Niiiiice. 

There is just something about this time of year that just makes me smile like an idiot all day long (well, most of the day long).  I love it when the winter that seemed like it would stretch on forever is finally coming to an end.  Don't get me wrong, I realize that I am not home free.  I know that it will probably snow a few more times and all that, but guys, I feel it in my bones.  Spring has sprung. 

Here is my proof:

• The kids are outside every chance they can get, and even think it is fun running around on the deck, just to be out under the sky.  They are so tired of being cooped up inside (and I am so tired of them being cooped up inside!)

(There is lots of room to run on the deck because late last summer our old beveled glass patio table blew over in a thunderstorm and the tabletop broke into a quadrillion shiny little daggers, which I spent an entire day sweeping up.  We donated the table frame and the old chairs, so now I am on the lookout for some new patio furniture, with NO glass tabletops.  I need to find some soon, I am dying to dine al fresco!  If anyone knows a good place to pick some up, let me know!) 

• On Saturday we spend most of the day in the yard, trying to start getting stuff cleaned up from winter.  We have one little crocus sticking its brave head up, he is our first bloom of the season!

• Another "first" of the year that always seems to happen around this time is Daxton's first sunburn.  Yes, the boy will get sunburned, even in March.  I have to get back into the habit of putting sunscreen on my fair little man every morning when I get him dressed.   Poor little guy is doomed to be either whitish-blue or bright pink for the rest of his days.  It is my job to keep him whitish blue :).
• We have already had our first popsicles! 
• Our sidewalk is covered in chalk drawings.
• Dax has already put holes in the knees of two pairs of jeans, and Arden got some holes in her leggings today. 
• Our garbage can looks like this from all of the yard work:

(Preston is brilliant and put out the garbage this morning twice.  How, you ask?  The garbage truck comes down our side of the street and then comes back up the other side a few minutes later. Preston was laying in wait for the truck to come by, and right after they dumped our garbage, he ran out and filled up the can again with the other bags and put it across the street (there is an empty lot there), and lo and behold the garbage man fell for it and emptied the can again!  Wahoo!  Okay, okay, the things that bring me happiness are sometimes weird.  Too bad there is still a huge pile of sticks Preston hacked off some of our out-of-control-bushes-that-want-to-be-trees behind the fence that were still too big to fit in the garbage can.  Oh well. 

I guess the one good thing about winter is that my yard looks just as nice as everyone else's when it is covered in snow!  But I have vowed to kick the yard's butt this year if it takes me all summer, so be patient with me, I am working on it!)

• I am already running around outside barefoot and I am desperately in need of a good pedicure.
• And finally, I have opened the sunroof of the car this week.  It brings me such joy to push that little button!!

So, WELCOME SPRING!!!  I am so glad you are finally here! 

And by the way, winter....don't let the door hit you in the $#% on the way out.

Arden is Six!

They just keep coming!  The birthdays, I mean.  Didn't we just do this?  Seems like not too long ago I was telling you how Arden was turning five, and I turn around and now she is SIX?  What the wha?  Anyway, to Arden, her birthday is all about having a few of her friends over for a party.  This year, she wanted to have a unicorn party.  Here is her cake with the party favors that her little girl friends (and Cora) got to keep for coming to the party:

The only problem with having a unicorn party is that Arden invited a bunch of boys to the party.  Considering that the boys wouldn't be all too excited to be going home with a fluffy pink and purple unicorn, I found these little dragons.  Dragons, unicorns, both magical and mythical, right?  Dax got one too, and he LOVES it.  It roars.  Nuff said.

On the night before Arden's birthday, I always read her the little story I wrote her about the night she was born.  I can't believe it has really been so long since that night!  After the kids were all in bed, I decorated the house with some crepe paper and balloons, and we were all set to go!

Here is our birthday girl, headed off to kindergarten with a little puzzle for the kids in her class.  You can't really tell from the picture, but she is so dang excited to FINALLY be six.

And here is Arden right after she got home from kindergarten.  She got to wear the birthday crown all day, and she got to be the "VIP" since the kid whose week it was to be VIP was absent that day.  She got a birthday rubber ducky and a balloon, and she was in 7th heaven.

Finally the party started.  First up was pizza:

After that we played a couple of games, and then headed downstairs for the pinata.  Arden loves unicorns so much she chose one for the pinata.  Then to show her love, she tried to beat it to death until its candy guts spilled out:

 Her darling little friend B was actually the one who offed the pony.  Here she is, next to the head that she knocked clean off its body.  Isn't she sweet?

Next was PRESENTS!  We played a little game to make that part last a little longer.  

 Arden finally got the pillow pet she has been wanting for months and months.

Finally, it was time for CAKE.  I got some "sparkler" candles that threw out the occasional sparkly flame (I was a little underwhelmed by their sparkliness).  Arden, her friend A and Cora all look a little confused as to what exactly is going on.

 Here is a smile though (no, I did not make the cake...but I bought it myself).

Make a wish!

 After another game or two, the party was over.  Phew! 

Here is Arden posing for her annual bunny picture.  I remember when that bunny was bigger than she was! *sniff* *sniff*

After the little kids took a "nap" (and I use that term VERY loosely), Arden wanted to go see the Lorax.  Since she shares a birthday with Dr. Seuss, it sounded like a plan!  The kids were so good in the movie!  They hardly made a peep.  They were so good, I actually dozed off once or twice (but in my defense, it was dark.  And warm.)  I love Cora's cheesy smile in this picture.

 For our last birthday activity, we headed out to dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Zaugg.  Arden had only taken a couple of bites when ANOTHER one of her teeth fell out!  Now she has matching holes on the bottom of her smile:

Here are a few things about Arden the six year old:

Favorite color:  Red! (same as last year)
Favorite breakfast:  Special K with Strawberries
Favorite lunch:  Chicken nuggets.  The dinosaur shaped ones.
Favorite dinner:  Taco soup.
Favorite movie:  Dolphin Tale.
Favorite thing to do:  Play with my friends!  And my brother and sister.
Favorite Song:  The Oh-Oh-OH! Song.  (which means:  Tonight, Tonight by Hot Chelle Rae)
Favorite Animal:  Unicorns because I love unicorns.
What do you want to be when you grow up?  Mommy!
What would you buy if you had a million dollars?  Food, cookie mix, a necklace, and blankets.
What is your favorite treat?  Chocolate cake and chocolate chip cookies!
What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?  Playing with my friends and driving to the store.
What is your favorite toy?  My new doggie with the stethoscope. (she got a stuffed animal dog with her birthday money that included a bunch of veterinarian tools like a stethoscope, thermometer, even a prescription pad.)

Arden is growing up into such a sweet and beautiful girl!  She is (mostly) a great big sister, and Cora is starting to copy everything she sees Arden do, which can be scary.  Arden steps in a puddle, Cora steps in a puddle.  Arden jumps off some steps, Cora runs to the edge of the steps (her mommy's heart stops)...but then Cora wisely goes down a couple more steps before she jumps (Phew!).  Arden loves to eat at restaurants, especially ones with playlands.  One of Arden's favorite things is to have someone brush or pet her hair.  Her favorite lullaby is "Evermore." She really does love having her friends over, and asked me yesterday morning at 7:15 a.m. if I could call one of her friends to see if they could play.  And she is already thinking about how long it will be until she turns SEVEN.  Yikes.