Kora's Big Girl Shoes

Kora has been taking baby Madison shoe shopping (in my closet). She has had one pair now since June so they are getting pretty old, she says with a wrinkled nose. 

Oh how I love this creative little girl of mine. 

Kora Style

Its a bit chilly out this morning but the kids still wanted to go outside and play. They went off to their rooms to get dressed with only the criteria that they needed long sleeves, socks and long pants.

And this is what Kora emerged in. I love her creativity. No matching for this kiddo.

Easter 2013

This was the first time I have braved coloring Easter eggs with the kids.  We used Kool-Aid and food coloring because I had those on hand. 

The kids enjoyed it.

And our final products ended up ok.  The brown ones were actually grape Kool-aid.  We won’t use that flavor again; they looked bad and they tasted like grape boiled eggs.  Not good.

Then we went to Papaw’s for dinner and the annual Easter Egg Hunt. 

The Easter Bunny hid all of Kora’s under sticks.

She almost didn’t have a big enough basket.

And then she enjoyed the fruits of her labor in the Gazebo.

Tuck’s were hidden a little bit more challengingly.

I know he circled around a couple of them multiple times.

But he loved racing around the front yard looking for them.

He finally found the one in the mailbox.

And settled in to inventory the booty.

It was a cool day but the kids had fun and we ate like kings, of course. 

Crazy Pigtails

This girl has some crazy pigtails. But aren't they just the cutest?

Stripper Barbie

Stripper Barbie is hanging out at our house. Her hair is done, shes wearing her necklace and heels but sans clothes. I think this is going to be the new norm for Kora.

Love this girl.

My Silly Girl

Secret Agent Training Site

Last weekend the kids were getting stir crazy from being cooped up. The cold weather (20's with sub zero wi d chills) is keeping us from much play outside.

So off to Pinterest I went and found a treasure of a site. And this is what we ended up making.

The kids crawled, high stepped and had an overall good time. And it lasted for the whole weekend. Luckily we didn't need that section of hallway.

Halloween 2012

This was a big year for Halloween.  The kids are old enough to do some pumpkin decorating on their own.  I still could not come to terms of Tuck and a knife so he still had to resort to painting his pumpkin. 

These two look a lot alike right?  It’s hard to tell the talking head from the pumpkin.  And they are both just so darn cute.

And this was one of my big holidays for successful Pinterest inspiration.  These mummy juice boxes were a big hit and the Frankenstein green pudding cups went over well too.  But somehow I failed to get a picture of those.  And don’t you love Kora’s dismembered leg.  I think it adds to the Halloween gore.

We went with a Star Wars theme for Missy’s annual backyard party.  Last year TJ told me he would grow out his beard and dress up as Chewbacca so I held him to it.  But somehow I missed getting a picture of him.  2 days before the party Tuck started dragging his heels about dressing up so we had to go rent the movie then he was totally on board with being part of the theme.

Kora made a convincing Yoda.  Her coat is an old bath towel and her hood started out as a polo shirt.  The ears turned out a bit droopy but I was still proud of my attempts.  And she won “Cutest Costume”.

Can you even tell my attempt at Princess Leia?  I think I totally nailed the braids.

And here is Luke Skywalker.  His favorite part was the pool noodle sword. 

And what would a good fight be without a sword wielding Yoda?

Missy had her party on Saturday since Halloween falls mid-week.  So we got to dress up again on Halloween day.  It was going to be a fight to get them back into their Star Wars costumes so they both decided they could be Cowboys.  Doesn’t he look like a real bad guy?

These are the kids new authentic Texas cowboy hats that Grandma Deb brought back from El Paso.  Aren’t they just the cutest?

Kora was mad that I made her put her boots on the right feet before we left.  It was pretty chilly that night so we made a pretty short night of it and walked two blocks of Main Street.  The kids still ended up with a pretty good stash of candy.  Kora was pretty scared of the Stay-Puff Marshmallow family and wouldn’t you know that we would run into them at least three times. 

I think this may have been my final year of getting to choose the kids costumes.  I am sure next year Tuck will have plenty of opinions of his own.  I guess I had a good run.

Hide and Seek

Hide and seek is a popular game around our house.  Mommy and Daddy can still play the slow counting scam but it only lasts so long before we HAVE to go find them.

THIS is what I found last night. 

I got to laughing so hard TJ couldn’t understand what I was trying to tell him. I finally just had to wave him into Tuck’s room.

Tuck was not happy that Kora gave up his good hiding place so quickly.

How many times can I say “Silly kids”?  I sure do love them and all the laughs they generate.

Living Room: Before and After

How can two children turn this…

Into this…

And how is it that it takes 3 times as long to return it to this?

It’s a never ending fight.