2

We're looking forward to the "terrific two's"

Birthday was complete with slip-n-slide, chocolate cake, and 7 cousins to enjoy it all with 

(more cousin photos to come)

We are keen on a little retro, a little old, a little modern, and a lot of green

This is what we have been up to-with the help of a dear friend who visited and gave her insightful decorating ideas.  Yes, those are green stripes on my walls ("lemongrass" stripes that make me exhale when I am eating at our dining room table)  and yes those are pom pom's on a drum chandelier that I fell in love with at first sight.  It was a must to top it off with our old chair from the 1800's.  

Below we took this wonderful passed down play kitchen from drab to fab by painting it- yes green- but not lemongrass "tansy green" for the girls- and added a few new knobs.  And what better than some good ole silouettes for our breakfast nook turned art room.  

Two things that make us very happy right now- magnetic chalkboard paint all around the art room, and 10 little lanterns in the window.  

We're having fun with this house stuff.

All for Sophia

Sophia turned 4 last month and it was a big one for her.  She is my laid back-don't give me a lot of attention girl -but with her best friends and cousins along she had a wonderful day complete with a party at Petland (she is very passionate about animal friends).  

Heres to our Sophia who likes to lick the rain, make goofy faces, cuddle rolly polly's, dreams of owning a dog, and still enjoys a good nap. 

Easter Love

I Love Weddings

Especially my big brother Jason's.  Here he is with 

me at around four years being the good big brother he

 has always been.  I have always felt this kind of protection from him my whole life.  

I know he will do a fine job of protecting this girl too.  

They are in love and it shows.

They made it official on March 28, 2009

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at the romantic event 

And so did our girls who were flower girls with my little sisters! 

(riding on a trolley from the hotel to the church was

 one the highlights for these cute gals!)

Don't be fooled by the bored serious look- Sophia was thrilled to be drinking soda in a pretty glass.

My family was all together- two parents, nine kids, three spouses, one aunt, four grandkids...it was indeed a great reason to get together and we enjoyed 

every minute of it.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Ore

Visitors

We love em.   Especially these guys from Austin. 

carousel rides

trip to the zoo

   

kissing a delicious 4 month old

watching a boy make a sword out of scraps from our backyard (that is a rare moment here)

and just simply enjoying each others company

What's not to love about that?

Saturday is a special day, the day we get ready for Sunday...

We start em young :)  

 Maybe I will get lucky and they will always be this happy to clean windows!

Goop.com 

A friend of mine told me about this website of Gwyneth Paltrow's.  If interested go there and click on the butterfly for a great parenting newsletter.  I dig it.

See what I'm talking about...and this is not a little chair :)

A moment for Esme

Esme is 20 months old and it seems awhile since I blogged about her. This girl is so much fun and soooo much work right now. She gets into everything- I never really had to kid proof my home like I do with her. She tries to plug things in the outlets, eats tips off all the markers, puts her hand in the fishbowl and eats the rocks, takes permanent markers to the computer screens (believe me I try to hide some of these things). She keeps us on our toes to say the least. She may however be the most affectionate of all our children at this age. She will put her hands around our neck and squeeze so tight and then top it off with a few kisses. She is starting to have a lot of fun with her sisters and I love hearing her laugh hysterically with them. I love being home with her and Sophia-the two are becoming quite a pair. We miss Ava while she is at school and she loves to come home and lead the pack with games and songs.