8.9.12 - It's a Lovely Day for Tea - Day 67 - 70 DOS

I had a plethora of activities I wanted to do with Eleanor this summer since I feel that I deprive her during the school year while I am working and with the huge project that was our house (that I feel will never be finished) we just never got them all done.  I could list all the things I wanted to do but didn't but I also know that I have this summer's blog posts to show me that we really did have SOME fun.  Today, was one of those days!

We decided last week that we wanted to host a tea party.  Eleanor is ALL girl so she is of course in love with having tea parties...the pretend kind that is.  I decided I wanted to spoil her and go ahead  and have a real one...well as real as you can get for a 2 year old.  We invited a few of her friends and in doing so realized she has a lot more friends that are boys than girls ha!  We invited Katie Jo, her best friend and pretty much twin as they were born two days apart, one of her other friends who she doesn't get to see but once a year but whose momma I just love to pieces and worked with at Aikin - Madeline,  a family friend who we have known for a while and don't get to see often either, Nyah, and our sweet new neighbor, Anna.  Three of them had to cancel today and it ended up being a fun little tea party for just Katie and Eleanor.

I might have had more fun than the girls preparing everything and making it as girly as possible.  We started the playdate off with a craft "craf" as E would say.  The girls used stcky foam hearts to decorate their foam crowns and then wore them for their party.  They loved them!

Since I was fearful that they wouldn't like tea, I used Eleanor's plastic tea set (they aren't ready for pink depresion glass I decided...maybe someday) and filled the tea pot up with raspberry lemonade.

 

The first course consisted of sliced grapes and strawberries in an ice cream cone.  The girls loved it!  After that they had crustless jelly sandwiches complete with a halved grape for the center of the flower.  Eleanor DEVOURED hers!

 

The girls continued to sip their "tea"...well gulp it actually.  They probably had 10 cups each (that might be exaggerating but their cups were also teeny tiny)  

 The next course was homemade strawberry ice cream.  Eleanor loved helping to make it almost as much as she loved eating it.  I portioned the ice cream scoops in individual cupcake liners and sprinkled them with pink sugar sprinkles so all I had to do was plop them onto their pink depression glass serving bowls.  

 

  

After the ice cream came the next course - pink white chocolate covered oreos with of course, sprinkles on top.  The girls enjoyed theirs along with some more tea!  They ended the meal with a pink covered strawberry and as if they knew everything was finished, politely asked to be excused (both of them to my surprise) and darted off to the playroom.  

  

 

The mommy's enjoyed their "tea" - a new and easy drink I came to know and love this summer - Asti champagne with rasberry pink "Simply Lemonade."  As I said before, this might have been just as much fun for me as the girls.  I got to use a lot of my depression glass china that never gets drug out because well, it is pink and green, and who doesn't love a girly tea party!?

 

Our day wasn't over yet!  Kortni had to get her hair done so I insisted she leave Katie so the girls could play since they have both already had naps.  We then discovered we were both serving left overs to our families so why not combine them for a buffet with a plethora of choices?  I also made a salad...here are the comical pics of our "dinner" tonight with the Vaniceks!  So thankful to have them as friends!

Resilient

Resilient is what I would use to describe my sweet baby girl.  The past couple weeks were supposed to be the tail end of summer for us but I started to freak out (as usual) about my room and nevertheless, Eleanor was tossed between family members and friends so that I could get up to my room and work. 

This week and next are no different if not worse because today marked the first day I was REQUIRED to be at school.  Today, Eleanor was with Jessica, a wonderful sitter we have come to love and they enjoyed feeding "Eleanor's ducks", eating our homemade popsicles, and swimming in the back yard.  Tomorrow and Wednesday, she gets to spend with Marmi, Thursday with Amanda, Aunt Keekda's HS friend who is also Jessica's sister and Friday, she gets to spend with Marci who she misses and is so excited to see!  The following week will be split between Marci, Jessica, and Marmi as well.  

This poor sweet girl will not get one ounce of consistency and can you tell?  NO!  She has been the most resilient child I have ever seen - probably so her momma can hold it together as the guilt has set in once again as it always does every year that I would leave her in someone other than her own mother's care.  God is good though and must be giving her some sort of comfort through these wonderful people who spend the day with her while Andy and I are away. 

Sweet Eleanor, please know how much Mommy and Daddy love you.  We have CHERISHED this summer with you and are so thankful for all the time we got to spend being enlightened by your sweet and kind self and your constant flow of joy.  Thank you for understanding, at the mere age of 2, that Mommy and Daddy have to go to work again now and for your smile awaiting our arrival at the front window that becomes the highlight of our day.  Know that we would so much rather be with you than anywhere else and you are on our minds CONSTANTLY throughout the day.  Maybe someday, Mommy will be able to be home with you all the time but until then, she lives for the weekends, days off, and hopefully a snow day or two this winter (PLEASE GOD... if even just for the sake of killing off the mosquitoes...)!  We love you and are so proud of you!  We hope your last two weeks of summer are still fun and eventful and can't wait for you to start your second year at Little Apostle's Preschool after Labor day!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Thank you God for such a resilient and understanding two year old.  We trust you that this is your plan for our family - even though I often wish otherwise (maybe someday I will be able to stay home??).  Amen.

7.23.12 My Heart is Happy - Day 50 - 70 DOS

My dear sweet sister Katie offered to watch Eleanor tonight so we could go to see the Dark Knight Rises on a date.  Andy is obsessed with Batman and all superheroes for that matter, so much so that he teared up at the end of the movie knowing it was the last one...and because of the content which I will not hint at because I don't want to give anything away.  We were so thankful for the opportunity to have a "date" the two of us and Andy's brother, Matt, who came in for a long weekend trip.

The excitement of getting to see a long awaited move was dimmed, however, when I got a text from Katie, saying that Eleanor had her first "poop" in the potty.  You may think I am ridiculous for saying this, but we have been trying to get her to do that for a week and for her to finally do it and me not be there to affirm he in it made my heart hurt.

Eleanor, I cannot even begin to express how much you make my heart happy.  Every day, your sweet smiles and happy demeanor are contagious.  Your Daddy and I are so proud and amazed that at the mere age of 2, you were so easily able to pick up going on the potty like a big girl!  We are so enjoying this summer with you!  We love you!

8.6.12 - Daily 5 Training First Day - Day 64 - 70 DOS

Today I "went to work" though I don't count it as back for good because all I have is today and tomorrow of a very helpful training to institute Daily 5 and Cafe in my classroom.  I "tried" them last year but not fully and don't think I really understood how they worked so I am so excited to receive grades 4 - 5 specific training and can't wait to plan with my new partner, Marly, all the exciting ways we will use this in our classes!

I came home and Andy was already home from his first day of 2 - a -days.  He is officially "back in the saddle!"  It was precious because Eleanor ran to the door to greet me only to tell me she straightened Daddy's hair and wanted to do mine as well ha!  She is such a girl!  Yesterday she told me my pencil skirt I wore to church was my "ballerina skirt" and asked me to "twoll" (twirl).  I love how girly my daughter is!

Tonight I made an Asian mean for Andy to start his first day back to work.  He loves that kind of food.  I made a wonton soup and followed the directions completely with the exception of the wontons because I already had some filled with chicken/cilantro I had purchased at Costco.  I also made my favorite PF Changs lettuce wrap copycat recipe and fried rice with the exorbitant amount if broccoli I had left from the other night, edamame, and water chestnuts.  It was delicious but so filling!

This back to work sure does lend itself to the routine I have so craved all summer though.  I got my workout in at 5:15 to start my day and it is 6:15pm and we have already finished dinner and Andy is bathing E.  I love our schedule - let's just hope we can keep it up.  Now for some motivation to get those daily chores complete before falling into bed!

Katie will be here with E for the second day in a row tomorrow - we are so thankful to have her around to help with our sweet goose!

7.20.12 - Day 47 - 70 DOS

I had Kiwi Carpets come back because you get a 30 - Day Satisfaction guaranteed re-clean and I thought - why not use it especially after Eleanor's first week of Potty Training.  We are gearing up for the big concert tomorrow - grocery shopping and errands along with getting ready for our family vacation next week!  Summer is so fun!

We christened Andy's new grill with turkey burgers - our first grilled food in the new house.  Also, not the best choice as they don't have a lot of grease to "season" the grill with.  Oh well.  They were delish!  

We also enjoyed having Uncle Matt arrive to stay for the weekend.  It was kind of a last minute decision to come up but we are excited to have visitors anytime.  We enjoyed a long convo over wine with him and ended up catching up until 2am!  We are so thankful for time with family though!

7.19.12 - Marmi's home/ Daddy Puts His Grill Together Day 46 - 70 DOS

Eleanor woke up to Marmi at our house back from her vacation.  She missed her so much and was even more excited to see that Marmi had brought her presents.  She even quickly gave Marmi a hug then pointed to what was in her hand and asked, "What's that?"  She had so much fun opening her presents with Marmi!

Marmi found some neat bottles in a little gift shop and though E had to have them!

Eleanor's first charm bracelet all the way from California

 

My "blacelet" is so pretty momma!

 

This was a precious dress mom and dad picked out at a boutique in California.

 

Eleanor loves her new dress!

The rest of the day was spent watching Daddy put all the pieces together to make his new grill!  Thank Goodness Chad (his coaching buddy who is also our new neighbor) came over to help!

 

 

Eleanor asked if she should bring Daddy a "cold beer," so I handed her one to take to him. She was so proud!

 

Nothing but love between these two!