whales

at lunch today i asked ella to take one last, really big drink of milk before she cleared her place at the table. she quickly filled her mouth up with milk and then after holding it there for a few seconds, cheeks puffed out and all, she gulped it down and said, "i did it just like a whale. i drank my milk just like whales fill their mouths up with water." then the thought process went a little further, "that's how whales get the fish and then they eat 'em. we eat fish with no eyes just like whales. we get the fish and then we cook them and they turn into chicken!" ...umm, not quite.

ella talk

i keep meaning to start a list of all the cute ways ella says things. so here's all the ones i can remember for now and i guess i'll just add more from time to time:

redult=adult

uncation=vacation

author of summation=author of salvation (from "mighty to save"; although now she's got it right and is in the process of correcting corinne)

macaroni=pepperoni (used to be "smackeroni" lol)

clo=as the singular form of the word "clothes"

bike ride/ nature walk

one of the activities in the girls' awana book was to take a nature walk and talk about all the things we saw that were created by God. so, friday afternoon we got the tricycles and the stroller out for a ride. i thought we'd go a few blocks and be home in time for me to make dinner (it was only 3:30, after all). well, we went a few blocks, 3 to be exact, walking around one cul de sac and one u-shaped street then headed home. we got home at...5:30! yes, it was a 2 hour bike ride.

cubbies

awana started back up again a month ago. i have to say it's been really wonderful having them in cubbies learning bible verses. not to mention that ted and i are left with just one kid every wednesday night for 1.5 hours!

corinne has been looking forward to going to cubbies since last spring. she was so proud of herself when she earned her vest last week. i was looking at these pictures thinking why is she making that face? then i realized- she's proud of herself! this is her first real sense of accomplishment. and she earned it by putting God's word in her heart.

the difference in personalities between the girls always amazes me! ella learns verses by just repeating them, but i have to put them into a song for corinne to even be interested. once she hears the song, though, she's hooked.

i love these sweet babies!

dr. porkchop

corinne turns 3!!

yes, after many months of waiting corinne turned three, had her jessie party and...got her tall, tall jessie doll! sunday morning before breakfast we let her open her presents from us and my aunt and uncle. i think the expression on her face says it all:

that afternoon we had her party. my mom had made her an outfit some time back and so she and my dad got her the had and boots to finish it off. you can't see the boots in this picture, but they are so cute; red glitter with gold trim. (they remind me of wonderwoman.)

for the first activity we had all the kids don their party favors: cowboy/girl hats bandanas and sheriff stars. they were going on a posse to catch dr. porkchop.

they found him, rounded him up, chased him...

and put him in jail.

the second activity was "square" dancing. let's be realistic, i was not going to attempt teaching a bunch of 2-5 year olds how to square dance, so we just bought some kids music and let whoever want to dance dance.

we got the cake from safeway and i think the gal did a great job. corinne loved it!

she thoroughly enjoyed the experience of everyone singing to her and then blowing out the candles. i am constantly amazed at the difference in personalities between our kids.

at the end of the night she was whooped, but she'd had one memorable day!!

ella's first day of preschool

for ella's first year of school (preschool) we decided to enroll her at bethel children's center. we visited the school with ted once and after deciding this was the right choice for her, ella and i went back just before our vacation, for a visit going through her day. she officially started september 13th. she goes two days a week for 4.5 hours.

this has been a big change for us, but she is enjoying it!!

i had to get one with the two girls together! here's ella standing outside her classroom- yeay sycamores!!

bohdan wasn't sure what was going on, but as usual, he was a good sport.

here's corinne giving her big sis a kiss goodbye:

once she got there she couldn't wait to go in. she put tigger in her assigned cubby (yes, tigger goes to preschool, too. thankfully, he's free) and got started on a puzzle.

she had so much fun that it was a little difficult getting her off the playground and into the car.

but the kids and i were happy to have her back and hear about her day.

we rounded off the night with a game of ladybugs with daddy!