Three Things....

Three things I like about waiting for the bus each day after lunch:

1.  Picking up every.single.toy. the girls have taken out in the morning so the toy room/living room is clean during rest time (otherwise known as LORI TIME).

2.  Listening to Madeline and Zella play together and talk about how much they're going to miss each other.

3.  Waiting outside on the steps once the chores are done and chatting.

Buried....

in laundry.  Still.  We got home from a camping mini vacation on Sunday and I am STILL doing loads of blankets/sheets/sleeping bags/towels/clothes that smell like campfire. 

We had a great time though.  I have been so tired/busy that I haven't even uploaded the photos to my computer yet.  Sooooo unlike me.

I'll share soon. 

Oh, and Violet has kicked her rambunctious personality into high gear.  I have literally been chasing her for the past week.  (Literally.  Chasing and lifting her down from things she has climbed up on.)

Oh, and Madeline gave me a half hour complain-a-thon about why she needs a cell phone of her own.  SHE'S FIVE PEOPLE.     

FIVE.

Lord help us.

Oh, and Zella has decided that hitting is an acceptable form of communicating her displeasure.  Um, no.  But on the bright side she makes up hilarious songs and sings them to me several times a day.

Oh, and we have a fun weekend planned for our 11th anniversary and so I must catch up on laundry and sleep.  (And patience, per usual.)  (And yes I actually say "per usual" in regular, everyday conversation.  Ask my sister Karen.  I probably say that to her at least twice a day.)

Ok.  Enough randomness.  Back to your regularly scheduled Internet browsing.

Yours sincerely,
Lori
(At Trav's work they have to write "Yours sincerely" at the end of each e-mail.   I think it is hilarious and am stealing it for the blog.)

Something to Think About

Backyard Fun

The weather has been so nice lately.  I am not a fan of the heat and humidity of August.  I SO prefer cooler weather.  We have been enjoying the backyard as much as we can before the snow arrives.

Favorite back yard activities include reading books in the hammock, playing with the cottage, and swinging. 

Madeline was so relaxed she almost fell asleep.

Zella reading out loud.  She does most everything out loud.

Violet LOVES this house. 

Just a swingin'.

Snacking on an apple.

If I had to use a picture to describe Zella, I think I would use this one.

All I have to say to fall is BRING IT! 

Sanity Savers/Songs in My Head

I've been sick and Travis is out of town which is not a fun combination.  If it wasn't for Skype and this song:




I would be crazy.  This is my "go to" song lately when I need to get moving and get something done.  Or if everyone is crabby and needs a dance party break.

What?  You don't take dance party breaks in the kitchen to "dance it out"? 

You should.

Homecoming Parade

Madeline walked in the Homecoming parade for the first time on Friday.  She was so excited to cheer for HER team.  She walked around yelling "Go West Hancock Eagles!" all morning on Friday before school.  It was a cute little parade and pep rally and fun to Miss Madeline.  The cutest part was when Zella and Madeline reached out and touched hands when they saw each other.

We took the girls to the game which was fun.  Only Madeline and Travis stayed for the whole thing.  I had tired but happy girls that night!





Has it started yet?



<>

Zella and Violet trying to patiently wait for the parade to start.














Meeting the Eagle.

Zella Goes to Preschool

I wrote this the day Zella started preschool but forgot to post it.  So here it is now...


Zella is starting 3-year preschool today.  She can barely contain her excitement!  She changed her outfit four times even though we had picked something out the night before.  She told me she wanted to wear her sparkle skirt because she thought it was one of those "I'm gonna shine" days. 

My sister Karen watched Maddie and Vi so I could take just Zella.  She loved her locker and was super excited to see her teachers.  There was only a brief moment where she wanted me to stay and play with her but it passed quickly.

She rode the bus home and thought it was (and I quote) "magical".  Travis and I were so proud of her!

She LOVES the music and dress-up clothes stations, snack time and recess.  She was thrilled to be a big girl and go to school like Madeline.

I missed her, of course, but am so excited for her.  I had a big lump in my throat when I left.  I'm not used to her being gone but I know it is good for her.

When Zella got home she said she had two words to describe preschool, "LOVE IT!"  She is so funny and unique and I hope she never ever loses that about herself. 

We're proud of you, Zell-bell.

Zella on her first day of preschool.

Showing off her kitty backpack from Aunt B.

Clendenen girls.

Too excited to smile for the camera.

Doing a puzzle.

Getting off the bus.

LOVE IT!

Madeline's Glasses

Miss Madeline got glasses yesterday.  She started going to K-prep every afternoon a couple weeks ago and has had a headache every day since.  We weren't suprised when she needed them.  Check her out in her new specs:

Loving her new glasses.

Side view.

Violet peeking around the corner...

Pretty, pretty.

She is excited about her "grown up" glasses case, cleaning cloth and lens cleaner spray.  She seriously would not stop cleaning her glasses.  I remember being excited about that too as a kid.

So Violet is now the only Clendenen girl in our family who doesn't wear glasses.  Any bets on when she will start?

Fun/Not Fun

Fun:
Everyone taking a turn in the hammock reading books.

Not Fun:
Screaming matches that involve "pushing my sister out of the hammock because it's my turn right now and I don't want to wait fights".
****************************

Fun:
Exchanging Summer clothes for Fall/Winter clothes.  Everyone is excited hand-me-downs from Aunt Lisa new clothes to wear. 

Not Fun: 
Trudging up and down the stairs with tubs and tubs of clothes, tripping and re-injuring my foot. 

*******************
Fun:
Picking out new glasses for Madeline*.  She was an eye glass frame fashionista.

Not Fun:
Zella feeling sad she won't be the only girl wearing glasses.  She showed me her sadness by having a full fledged tantrum/freak out in the eye Dr. office.

*We found out last week that Madeline needs glasses.  More on that soon!

******************

Fun:
Going as a family to the city wide garage sales and finding deals.

Not Fun:
Pushing our luck by going out to eat and to a clothing store afterwards.  It is amazing how loud/naughty three tired girls can be!

**********************

Fun:
Zella going to preschool.  She loves it and has an amazing time!

Not Fun:
Zella is exhausted when she gets home.  She has a hard time controlling her impulses and emotions for the rest of the day. (Read:  she makes "naughty choices" and cries and screams a lot)    It's hard to be 3 sometimes!

*******************

Fun:
Keeping a blog so I can remember both the big and everyday moments.  I love looking at past posts and watching my girls grow up in pictures.

Not Fun:
Realizing I somehow missed posts for each of the kid's last birthdays.  I am still going to post pics from them soon because I want to have them in one place.

Don't You Wish...

Don't you wish you had one of these?

And maybe one of these????

 

And don't forget this one!!!

I'm sure you do.  But I can honestly say I feel sad for you.

Because they're ALL MINE (And Trav's of course).

(wink, wink)

 

Pop Quiz:

What little monkey has been making calls on my cell phone?

I just called to chat...

It is getting increasingly difficult to pry the phone out of her death grip.  A glimpse into her preteen years?  I just hope she doesn't use up all my minutes.

Kite Flying

On Saturday morning it was pretty windy so we decided to go across the street to the Hobo Jungle and fly kites.  (Um, I know it's weird, but there is a boxcar/park/shelter area across the street from our house.  It's called the Hobo Jungle.)

Anyway, Travis got the kites up right away and then they both proceeded to break on their inaugural flight before I could snap photos.  The girls were so sad.  So Travis gets out this "stunt kite" he has.  (I know what you're thinking....why does Travis have a stunt kite?  Answer?  I have no idea.  He hasn't flown a kite since he was a kid.  And although he knows how to fly kites, he isn't exactly stunt kite material, if you know what I mean.  (And I'm not either for the record.)

ANYWAY, back to the story.

So after many, many attempts he couldn't get the stunt kite into the air.  Perhaps not windy enough?  Who knows.  The girls were so sad.

So I went and got plastic grocery sacks and Travis tied some string to them.  And that is the story of how we turned tears into laughter.  (And exhaustion because they ran and ran and ran with those "kites!")

As usual, some photographic evidence:

The view of the boxcar from our house. 

Vi "helping" Papa get the kite ready.

Zella flying her homemade bag kite.

Z running for lift off.

Madeline taking Josie and her "kite" for a spin around the jungle.

Taking a break with Papa in the grass.

Gazing at the box car.

Sister forever!

A scene that makes my heart melt every time I see it!

The End.

Something to Think About

DO LESS

*DO LESS THINKING,
    and pay more attention to your heart.

*DO LESS ACQUIRING,
   and pay more attention to what you already have.

*DO LESS COMPLAINING,
   and pay more attention to giving.

*DO LESS CONTROLLING,
   and pay more attention to letting go.

*DO LESS CRITICIZING,
   and pay more attention to complimenting.

*DO LESS ARGUING,
   and pay more attention to forgiveness.

*DO LESS RUNNING AROUND,
   and pay more attention to stillness.

*DO LESS TALKING,
   and pay more attention to silence.

--Lee L. Jampolsky, "Smile for no Good Reason"

Songs in My Head

I loved The Bangles when I was a kid.  Had their poster in my room so that makes it official, right?  When Travis got me a piano I dug out all of my old sheet music.  I played this song for the girls and now it's one of their favorites.