Girl's Day Out/Guy Time

We have decided that we would like to take a day every now and then in which Tory and I take a day/afternoon that we spend some one-on-one time with the kids doing girly/guy-like things. Today we began that new tradition. This may mean something new each year as they get older but this year we wanted to introduce them to something that Tory and I respectively enjoy. So...

For the girls, crafts and ice cream...

Abigail and I went to a very cool joint called, "The Artist in You". Here they have all kinds of pottery to choose from for you to paint. You leave your project for them to put in the kiln and glaze and pick it up later. Of course Miss Abigail chose the princess jewelry box. She did awesome and her mom is so thrilled to have a little girl who loves crafts as much as she does. And you know we had to go buy some new jewelry to put in our new jewelry box.

And for the boys, sports...


Tory treated Nathan to a U of L baseball game and said he absolutely had a blast. This was his first baseball game and he has a new hat and ball to show for it. They too went for icecream after the game but I don't want you to think it was there idea. :)

Narrated by Abigail

(This is what happens when you read a book enough times to a 3 year old.)

How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?

by, Jane Yolen

Illustrated by, Mark Teague

Narrated by, Abigail Giddens

How does a dinosaur eat all his food?

Does he burp, does he belch, or make noises quite rude?

Does he pick at this cereal, throw down his cup,

hoping to make someone else pick it up?

Does he fuss, does he fidget, or squirm in his chair?

Does he flip his spaghetti high into the air?

Does a Dinosaur glare?

How does a dinosaur eat all his food?

Does he spit out his broccoli partially chewed?

Does he bubble his milk?

Stick beans up his nose?

Does he squeeze juicy oranges with his big toes?

No...

He says, "Please" and "Thank you."

He sits very still.

He eats all before him with smiles and goodwill.

He tries every new thing at least one small bite.

He makes no loud noises-that isn't polite.

He never drops anything onto the floor.

And after he's finished, he asks for some more.

Eat up.

Eat up, little dinosaur.

Does this not look fun?

Today, as I was cleaning up a few things in the kitchen, I heard some very intense laughter going on in the back of the house. Seriously, I don't know if I have heard Abigail laughing this hard except when she and her daddy are doing their usual crazy things. (Tory was at class during this moment.) I had to investigate and assumed I would need my new video camera. I was right.

It is amazing that as they have begun to interact more and more together their overall creativity has increased tremdously. Thanks, Aunt Tristi, for this very versatile Dora couch!

60 degree days...

Mud cupcakes with sprinkles.

We are really going to have to get Nathan a new tricycle.

A girl should never leave home without her purse.

The things they say...

The top six (I know, weird number) things Abigail said tonight while brushing away at my hair:

#6 "Mom, I am going to be a hair lady when I get big." (Who knew?)

#5 "Mom, we need to beat on your head so your hair will look so nice." (As she and Nathan beat on my head each with a brush in hand.)
#4 (Under her breath.) "Once upon a time, there was a girl who brushed her mom's hair. It was wet. And then a monster came..." (The rest I can't understand.)
#3 "We need to make your hair look so nice for when Daddy comes home, Sweetheart." (Yes, she called me Sweetheart.)
#2 "Mom, why is Luke not coming?" (Interpretation: "Mom, why is Luke not here yet?")

#1 Hang on Mom, I need to go get the scissors."

Commercial

Had to steal this from the Marshman's... Good find.

My new toy

My fabulous mother-in-law was ever so kind to purchase this new "flip video" camcorder for me last week. For no reason at all but that she loves me! Okay, so obviously she is hinting at the fact that she wants to see more of her grandkids. But how fun! If you have not seen or heard of these before (which I had not) it is about the size of a cell phone and connects directly into a computer to download videos as easy as 1-2-3. Today we shot some video of Abigail at gymnastics and so I must try it out and see how it blogs. Who knows, maybe you will be seeing more "video" of the Giddens' crew. So check out this 2 minute shot of our little gymnast. She is the blondie in the purple leotard.