Mommy's little helpers

Every day is full of teachable moments with the girls but today I tought them something really valuable: How to wash the dishes.
I was working on one of the approximately 5 batches of dishes I do every day when Leyna walked up to me with a bowl and asked if she could wash it. YES! Help yourself sweetie! She did a great job and then moved on to some cups and muffin tins. Awesome.

And then little sis wanted in on the action. Leyna took this picture:

I could get used to this!

Wordless Wednesday

Mommy's day out

Today was like a much needed mini vacation for Mommy. This morning I dropped the girls off with Nana & Pee Paw and I went shopping BY MYSELF! I was able to visit 5 stores in less than three hours. It was amazing. I was able to get out of the car and go straight into the store without doing coats and carseats. Once inside I didn't have to get a cart and sanitize it, I could just carry my purchases in a basket or my hands. And going to the bathroom was a breeze. It was lovely. The only problem was that I could actually look at everything in the store and think about it. Therefore I did a little damage to my wallet...

It was so much fun though. And the girls had a nice break too. Here are some of the pictures I found on the camera tonight:

Here Leyna is wearing the dress I wore at Nana and Pee Paw's wedding when I was 4 years old :)

Don't you  just want to cuddle this sweet little bundle?

Both girls passed out on the way home (it was Leyna's first nap in weeks) and then Leyna gave me a little fashion show in her new clothes when we got home. I think she's a natural model! ;)

First trip to the dentist!

Someone had her first trip to the dentist today and she had no cavities! She did so well and laughed like crazy when they polished her teeth because it tickled :)

She also missed her little sister terribly while we were gone. She told me about 700 times. I thought we could have a nice Mommy & Leyna trip to Costco but she really wanted me to go home and get Cora before we shopped. Oh well, they were happy to see eachother when we got home!

That's about it for tonight. I need to go tend to this:

Ugh...I think I'm going to cry...

Play house & pet shop

We stuck close to home today while Daddy just about broke his back working on this beauty:

Yes, the new play house for the swing set is coming along! Isn't it awesome? I can't wait to decorate it :)

We've been playing a lot of "pet shop" lately and today was no different. Leyna spreads stuffed animals all over her room, I'm the sales lady, and she shops for pets and asks the sales lady LOTS of questions. Here is Leyna's new bunny in his cage with it's carrot, lettuce, water, and a little nest for it to sleep in. So cute! She brought it back to the pet shop after about five minutes because it was grown up and not cute anymore so she wanted to get a baby again...LOL

Cora likes to carry her pets around like this. Leyna used to do the same thing when she was that age.

That's about it for today. Though I do have a new favorite picture:

Sisters with Matching Hair

Umm...

Man am I sleepy! I have to admit that I just don't feel like typing tonight. It was an extra early morning, a busy day of Spring cleaning, sports class, a birthday party, and it all ended with a late bed time for the girls. I'm going to do my bloggerly duty and hit the hay ASAP. Here goes...
Leyna played T-ball in her class today and Daddy said she hit the ball better than some of the older boys. Go Leyna!

And we spent this afternoon and evening at a birthday party for our friend Chloe. I hardly took any pictures and only two of the ones I actually did take were any good.
Here's Cora with her sweet friend Rose...

And here's the birthday girl...

Cora loves the "Happy Dirtday" song these days ;) And just for the record, Leyna ate TWO pieces of cake!

Potty talk

Here are two recent conversations with a common theme:

Cora (from inside the tent): Leyna, mere!
Leyna: No, it's too stinky!
Cora: But...why?
Leyna: Because you just came in here and stinked up the place. You stink, stink, stink!
Cora (clapping): YAAAAYYYY!
Leyna: No, it's NOT exciting!

(Here Cora is holding the Mommy dog and the puppy from the doll house and pretending they are talking to one another)
Puppy: Mommy, I poopy potty?
Mommy dog: Yes. Wash hands.
Puppy: Gate (great). Thank you much!


That last one reminds me of another thing Cora says a hundred times a day to anyone and everyone. It's SO cute in person.
Cora: Hi Mommy (or anyone else she sees), how you?
Other person: I'm good. How are you?
Cora: Gate (great).

I didn't take enough pictures today but here's a sweet one of two fighters making up. A certain someone growled at another someone when they got too close to her stickers. The growlee then bit the growler on the arm...HARD. Drama ensued and then came the make up smotherings of hugs and kisses :)

Happy Sandwich

Today was a good day. The middle was fun but the beginning and the end were the sweetest :)

6:14 am

5:45 pm

5:46 pm

8:17 pm

8:52 pm

Wordless Wednesday

Snippets

Our day was a little bit of this and a little bit of that. This evening Daddy and I went to the viewing for Ms. Gloria (Chooch's mom) and the girls spent some time with Nana and Pee Paw. They had lots of fun and were super happy to see us when we got home. Before bed Leyna told me not to go anywhere without her any more. It's nice to know she likes me ;) Here are some little snippets of our day in pictures:

A Story & a Celebration

Leyna folded a piece of paper in half today and pretended to read her sister and I a story. I grabbed the laptop and typed everything exactly as she told me. Please note that the story is not actually by Dr. Seuss, that's just what she wanted me to type. Here it is:

The Mischeivous Chipmunks

By Dr. Seuss

Once there were mischievous chipmunks. They were riding with a cowboy. Then they were so great but a bear came but they stuck out their spines when they laid out and curled up. But they scared the bear away but the spines got in the bears body and that hurted. And he went to the doctor’s. Then the doctor checked for spines but she saw some. Then she pliered them out but there were a lot of teeny holes so she put parts of his body back in. Then she put tape all over the spots that had holes. Then she put band-aids on them and then it was so good but they lived happily ever after. The end.


Too cute I tell you :)
And even cuter? Two of the happiest girls on on earth on their new swing set!

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

I think it's time for another "get real" post. I love posting the good memories but we do have our moments and sometimes I even look back on them and laugh.
The girls are seriously testing me these days. I've heard and fully agree that the half ages are harder than the whole ages. Like 18 months is the real terrible twos. 2 1/2 was hard with Leyna and now 3 1/2 is proving to be the same. Poor planning on our part that they both hit their "half ages" at the same time. Duh!
Anyway, it's all testing, testing, testing. And I swear they sit in Leyna's room and plot against me. "Okay, when Mommy takes us outside make sure you go in the complete opposite direction of me so she can't catch either of us. Also, pretend you can't hear anything she says no matter how many times she says it. And above all, if she threatens you with a time out if you do something one more time - DO IT. Time outs are the best! Oh, and don't forget not to eat any of your dinner. We're on night number six and we have to stay strong." Add in a few Cora tantrums and that's basically the plan they carry out every day. Cora is in a hitting stage which is oh so fun. Leyna hit a lot at 18 months so I knew it was coming but I forgot how frequent it was. In fact, Cora was beating me about the head and pulling my hair in the middle of church just this morning. And she and Leyna can really go at it. When Leyna gets mad at Cora she makes what Daddy and I call the "stink face." It involves a very scrunched up nose, clenched teeth, and evil glare. And it's the fastest ticket for getting whacked in the head by your little sister. The hitting gets an automatic time out (even if it was seemingly deserved). And timeouts for Cora are actually kind of endearing. She goes there with no argument, sits up straight, and looks down at her hands for about a minute while silently contemplating.

Then she peeks her head around the corner and says "Fah-wee (sorry) Mommy." I tell her to go apologize to her sister and she walks over and says "Fah-wee Neena." Leyna says "That's okay Cora." and then they literally kiss and make up.

Then all is right with the world. Until next time...

A new swing set is on the way!

Look what Daddy and Uncle Steve were up to today!

We spent most of the day outside playing and bothering helping them. Leyna also had her second sports class today: soccer. She said she got a few goals! I don't have any pictures from the class but here's the little cutie when she got home...

And here's a little memory I'd like to keep. Every time Leyna goes upstairs she runs straight for her favorite hiding place. When Cora and I get up there we go through the same routine every time: "Where's Leyna?" "Neeeenaaaa???" And then Cora goes to Leyna's closet and tries to look under the door...

And then I open the door and Leyna pops out and Cora laughs and laughs and laughs. Love it!

A day at the park!

It was warm outside today!!! We spent the morning and early afternoon at the park, came home and relaxed, ate dinner, and spent the rest of the evening outside. We are all thoroughly exhausted and I hope we sleep super good tonight!

Today I would like to record that Cora's two new favorite sayings of the past few days are as follows:
"But...why???" 
She definitely learned this one from her big sis. Every day she asks me where Daddy is and when I tell her he's at work it's, "But...why???" Or if Leyna's on the potty, or Aria's at school, or we can't go look at the cows right now... it never ends ;)
"Wook!" (Look)
"Wook, a airplane!"
"Wook, da moon!"
"Wook, a birdie!"
"Wook, a hello-doctor!" (helicopter)
and on and on and on :)

On another note, I will no longer be blogging about how great the girls sleep when it actually happens. After yesterday's blog about how Leyna had set a new record for sleeping through the night, wouldn't you know they both woke up last night? Ugh. Stinking Murphy's Law...

Here are a few shots from today. I'm going to clean up the kitchen and get some sleep!!!

(only the very best of friends can eat lunch while rubbing their bare feet together...)