Wordless Wednesday

It's rockstar Mickey...

Hey ya'll! Sorry, it's been so long since I have blogged, but, since it's a new month, I am hoping to get back to it. So, this is going to be a photobomb of random photos, but they all have a story behind them. Here is the long and short of it...
I downloaded a new game to my phone for Makayla to play with. It is called Rockstar Mickey. Well, you get many options, like play their version of guitar hero and make Mickey dance. Well, I also found out that you can get your photo taken with the one and only Mickey Mouse....

 As you can tell, Makayla is not impressed, but I was....

Then, there is the dressing room game....see..you are able to do whatever you want to Mickey here. Makayla loves this part, but I think she likes taking pictures more. I took my phone from here when she was finished playing with the game, and this is what I found. I do have to admit...she really did have fun "dressing" Mickey...

We later found out that Mickey can also get a guitar. Makayla didn't like that part, but I am interested to see what else she changes Mickey too.
Happy March! Here's to a great "warmer" month!

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. For those of us that are Catholic, it is the time of the year where we fast (today, Holy  Thursday and Good Friday), give up things, usually things we cannot do without, and remember what we are preparing ourselves for. I usually give up junk food, soda, stuff like that, but since I don't eat the junk food, or drink the soda, giving them up would be pointless. This year, I am giving up excuses. All kinds of excuses that prevent me from working out. "There isn't enough time," "I'm tired." those are not excuses I am privy too. I have a half marathon in a little over 70 days, so I need to make sure I get all the training in. So, I really know that I need to stay clear of not getting that run done, not getting in the pool. I need to know that I am firing on all cylinders. Don't worry, I am not putting my training plans on here. No, that is what my other blog is for.  I also want it to be noted that I will NOT  be giving up coffee, or Facebook, I did that last year.


 Giving up the excuses seems like enough for me this year.

Hope you have a happy Ash Wednesday! What are you giving up for Lent?

Pinkalicious and sickness

Last Saturday, Pinkalicious was playing at The State Theater in Easton.  While neither Makayla nor I knew anything about it, I had heard it was a cute little show. And with wanting to take her out to see a live performance, I figured why not. So, I called my sister R and invited her and my niece S. I also asked my mom and my cousin Steph if her daughter could go. I knew that they had seen it in NYC and how much they loved it. So I thought I would see if she wanted to see it with us. It turned out to be a girl's day, and Makayla was so excited about going to see it. I know she didn't know what to expect, but since I made a big deal out of the day, I think she knew it was something special. So, since it was Pinkalicious, I HAD to dress her in pink...

When it was time to leave for the performance, my cousin's daughter couldn't wait to read the story of Pinkalicious to Makayla...

...and Makayla LOVED every minute of having her read to her.

Of course...we had a photo session since we got there early...

Just then, the play began...and this is how she sat the ENTIRE time.

until she couldn't see, then she sat on my lap, until I told her she couldn't in fact go up on the stage, and then she sat with my mom. I think she loved it. She loved the clapping, the singing, the dancing. I would say that it was a success. Hmm...now to find more theater for her.

Then, Sunday was the superbowl and well, I didn't take any pictures of that. Monday came and she had a low grade fever but I sent her to day care hoping that it was just a passing thing. At 330 it spiked at day care to 103 and that is where this happy kid has become so sick :( Since Monday afternoon she has been fighting me tooth and nail about taking medicine for her fever. The highest it was was Monday night (and again last night) at 104.4. But, since 230 this morning the highest it was was 103. We are working on a cooling trend. As a matter of fact, at 500 this morning, she was wide awake, laughing, coloring, helping me cook. She seemed like herself again. I won't go into too much detail, but let's just say it all started looking better after she used the bathroom this morning.  About an hour ago, she settled back down...

and is resting comfortably. I am going to check her temperature and then hopefully I will be able to go off to PT. There is a lot of stuff I get to talk to the physical therapist about, but I am only going if she is ok. She is ok...we will get through this. With lots of coffee and lots of faith, she will get better.

Have a great Wednesday...I hope this virus stays clear of you and your loved ones...

Summa Time

As much as I love winter time, I love summer. I love wearing flip flops on a daily basis, and the sun beating down on me. I miss that. I miss swimming in the pool, hanging outside, just being outside without a coat. But, I digress. I still have a lot of winter left, so I just need to hang in there. There are a lot of happenings here this summer, the biggest of all is a trip to NC for my cousin's wedding. What does that mean, the beach, family, memories, and all of us (4 children and 10 adults) under one roof. Luckily, we found our house already, thanks to our "cruise director" R. The house looks awesome, and as the days get closer to the trip, I will be more than happy to share the pictures with ya'll. In the meantime, I am keeping them to myself so I can lust over them and the sandy beaches.

One of the things that the beach house has is a pool. If you know me, and I am guessing you do since you are reading this, you know that I come from a family of swimmers. We used to spend out summers outside in bathing suits, like they were street clothes. We would be in them from probably 7 am until 10 pm almost.every.night. It was awesome! We made up games, entertained ourselves for hours, all at a cheap price. When we weren't at my grandmother's swimming, we would be at the local pool racing our little hearts out, only to go back to the pool again all over again. This is something I hope my daughter loves as much as I do. As much as it seems the next generation of us are. See, my daughter is in the younger half of grandchildren. Granted, there are only 4, but there are 2 older and 1 younger. Anyway, last summer my nephew fell in love with swimming. If I am right, and I think I am, he still loves it. My niece, she is a fish. But, I know that she will want to do what the older 2 are doing, and I don't want to have to tell her no. The beach last summer, a success. I was worried because she was only 1, but she was great with it. In fact she loved it. I am hoping to take her there more often this year. Here that R, I have lots of week days off! (JK, kinda, I know you are crazy busy with work and school). Anyway, I will take her.

Wait, what was I talking about, see, I get lost in the beach just talking about it. Oh, anyway, The summer means outdoors and pools and swimming so I want to be able to enjoy the pool a little bit more, so I knew I had to get Makayla to understand and be safe around the pool. So, I joined the local Y so I myself can use other avenues to cross train, but also so I can sign her up for swim lessons. Today, was her first lesson. And while you can't tell from this photo, she absolutely loved it.

She was saying cheese, and swimming all at the same time when I took this picture.  She was so well behaved, she was pointing out all the colors of the bathing suits that all the kids were wearing, and she was even so excited for all the kids to be swimming. Finally, it was our turn. She was nervous at first (I was too, this is my first time taking a swimming class, not teaching one) but as soon as her feet got wet, she was no longer nervous. She couldn't wait to start. She kicked with a kick board, she reached for a disc. She blew bubbles, and then applauded herself when she did. She didn't like her back so much, but I think she will get over that. It was the first day and all.


The saddest part, when the class was over. She didn't want to get out. I had to bribe her that we would be back. So far, this was the best money I could spend.

After class, all she wanted was pretzels, so we went to Target, and bought pretzels. She must have swam her heart out because she only ate 2 pretzels and then fell asleep (2.5 hours ago!)


I cannot wait to see how she develops with future swim lessons. I/we will probably continue them until the summer when we will be outside, but I will cross that bridge when we come to it. I know that I could probably teach her what she needs to know, but I love the interaction she gets with other children and I think that is something that is important to her growth.  Saturday morning swim lessons do make for crazy Saturday mornings here, but it is completely and utterly worth it!

Happy Saturday!

Hi ho HI ho

It's off to school I go. Well, Makayla, and it's really day care but who's going to correct her. She got this backpack from my sister R for Christmas and what can I say, I am a sucker for it...

I am a mess already, and this is just day care. Oh Em Gee am I in trouble when kindergarten starts!

Doesn't this backpack kill you?!?! It kills me. She even tells me she can't go without it. It's hers. The things she learns. It's cold, she needs her boots. We get outside, she needs her mittens. (As a side note, she now knows how to put her thumbs in the correct hole). She is growing up too fast!

Happy Thursday!

New Year Snow Angel

Happy New Year! I hope that 2013 brings you everything your little hearts desire. As we come to a new year, we are all at the mercy of tradition to make resolutions. This year, I am working on many small things, but they all have the goal of making me a better me. Sorry if that makes me a little selfish, but every once in a while we need too. Anyway, to start of the year right, I will share some pictures from the first snowfall of the season. It also ended 2012 the right way. As you know, Makayla is 2, so last year the little snow we did have, she wanted nothing to do with it. This year, I didn't know how she would react. I think these pictures speak volumes....

 I don't own a sled, so I waxed up the bottom of my laundry basket and used that instead. She loved it! She really liked it too that at some point the "sled" turned her around backwards as she went down the hill! "More mommy!"

Her first time in the snow....

Here she is smiling, although you can't see it under her scarf. She kept saying "it's sowing momma"

Her first snow angel

Even her father came outside to join the fun. (although he didn't stay long)

I have to say that our first snowfall was a success! I can't wait for more snow, but hopefully I will have time to go get a real sled. In the meantime, I love how much she takes after me with wanting to be outside, exploring everything. She really is a breath of fresh air.

I hope your New Year's was what you wanted, and I hope that you have your eyes set on some great things for 2013. We are all in this together, Happy New Year!!