Easter Dresses

Yesterday my mom and I went to the outlets. I found the girls' Easter dresses at Carter's. I love Carter's. The store was filled with fun summer clothes. I easily could have bought each girls a dozen outfits. I'm definitely going back to get an adorable white and blue dresses with fish on it for Emma, cute short-sleeve tunic and copped leggings outfits for the girls, and must-have pajama sets.

These are the Easter dresses along with cropped sweaters. A must-have in Ohio since you never know if Easter will be sunny and warm, rainy, or even snowy. My requirement for Easter dresses is they be be nicer than everyday play dresses, but not so fancy you can't wear them to church each week or for some other occasion. Personally, I'm not into super frilly dresses, but that's just me. These are perfect.

Mackenzie's


Emma's


My mom got the girls these outfits. They had so many cute shirts and tanks with shorts and capris to match. Perfect play wear. Iinexpensive but holds up very well.

Random Layouts

I haven't posted any scrapbook pages on here lately. I'm terrible at updating the album of layouts over on left. So, here ya go. Four somewhat recent pages. (Yes, this means I don't really have anything else to blog about. Well, I take that back. I still need to do Mackenzie's 15, make that 16-month "what she's up to now" post as well as Emma's 3 year. They're saved as drafts. Maybe one of these days I'll finish them. Hopefully before 17 months and 4 years, respectively.)

Ten on Tuesday

1. Monday was Emma's second swim lesson. She only walked away (in the pool) once, so that was progress. Apparently, she got water in her eye while practicing kicking. She stayed like this the whole way out and back. She was done with kicking this round.


2. She loves swim lessons, water in eye and all.


3. My niece Shelby turned 16...


...and Emma was happy to help her open her presents.

4. Saturday we had Emma's second third birthday party. Here's Emma "sleeping" in her new sleeping bag with her new pillow and flashlight - in the kitchen.

5. We had Scooby Doo cupcakes.

6. She blew out the candles before we could sing. Again.

7. It was warm enough for us to go outside so the kids could play.

8. This would be Emma's grumpy/mad/I-don't-want-to-do-what-you're-telling-me-to-do face.

9. That night, Michael's basketball team played in the tournament. And won. Emma did well. Mackenzie? Not so much into sitting at the basketball game. And we were only there for half the game. A very loooong half. A rare picture of just the two us. That I actually like. (Would've liked it better if the haircut I'm getting tomorrow had been this past Friday. Bangs are a bit long. Like down to my nose long. Thank goodness for Leah and her willingness to come in 45 minutes early tomorrow to cut my hair. She's fantastic.)

10. Of course Emma had to sleep in her new sleeping bag. Except we're not sure why her pillow is on top of her. Nor why the vanilla wafers are all over the floor. For the record. Sleeping on the floor is not good for her. She was up three times this night and twice the next crying. Monday night I made her sleep in her bed again and she slept through the night.

Menu Plan Monday

 

More menu plans @ orgjunkie.com

I actually had this done on Saturday. Yet here it is 9:47 pm Monday night and I'm just posting it.

Monday - My mom's homemade spaghetti and meatballs recipe. Yum.

Tuesday - Brunswick Stew

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - Ranch rice, veggie (Michael has a game so it's just the girls and I.)

Friday - Pork chops of some sort, mashed potatoes, veggie

Saturday - Swiss steak and noodles, rolls

Sunday - Flank steak, risotto, asparagus (STILL have not made this meal!)

Last week's recap:

Did well until Friday. I didn't make the pork chops but for the life of me I can't remember what we ate. We ended up having Emma's second birthday party on Saturday then going to Michael's basketball game so I didn't cook that night.

Grady and the Owl Robeez

Mackenzie has a pair of owl Robeez that she loves. She really does. She'll go get them and bring them to us because she wants to wear them. She'll try to put them on herself. She'll carry them around. She loves them.

Last month I was at my sisters when Shelby and I left to run some errands. My mom was there with the girls while my sister left to pick up my nephew. When we got back, Tara was home and asked me if I wanted Mackenzie to have sandals. Yep, Grady (a yellow lab puppy) ate an owl shoe.

 

Apparently, my youngest niece change Mac's diaper and didn't put the shoes back on, just put them up on the couch. You think they'd be safe. But Grady knew they were there and when no one was looking he jumped up and snatched them!

But it's okay, he apologized.

 
(note that was enclosed with the new pair of owl Robeez)

Ten on Tuesday

1. Emma's first swim lesson was last night. She loved it! Of course, a few times she just walked away, and then would giggle when Mandy, her swim teacher, would bring her back. When it was over, she went back into the pool and then cried when I told her we had to leave. Thank goodness we go back next week.


2. It's cold here.

3. I want spring.

4. I have a Thicker problem.


5. Yep, all Thickers. Too many to fit in the drawer. I'm literally out of room. I did pull out a few that I don't use and put some duplicates on another shelf but I really need to get rid of some more. I will never ever, no matter how long I scrapbook, use all of them. But I just can't bear to part with them. What if one day I really need that one particular black Thicker and the other 18 won't work? I love Thickers.

6. I'm still in my pajamas. It's 2:48 pm.

7. It's that kind of day.

8. I really don't have much to say today. Can you tell?

9. Mackenzie slept through the night four nights in a row. That's a record, folks. Then last night she was up. Thankfully, a sippy cup of warm milk later and she, and I, were right back asleep. I'm aware giving her milk to go back to sleep is not solving the sleeping problem, rather prolonging it. But to be honest, at 3:30 am I don't care.

10. Did you watch The Bachelor last night? Michael and I watched it together. Well, that last few minutes of the regular show and then the After The Final Rose show. We had to watch 24 first. But seriously, it was so funny that we were watching it because we never watch that show. But that stupid "The most shocking After The Final Rose ever!" sucked us in. That and the rumors I'd read online. I think it was crappy to break up with her on tv. I thought for sure she was going to slap him. Although how do we know it wasn't planned, etc, etc?

Menu Plan Monday

See more menu plans at orgjunkie.com

So, I totally ignored the menu plan last week. Oh well, it happens.

Monday - Mac and cheese. (Emma had swim lessons last night and we didn't eat until after we got home so I needed something quick. Bob Evans mac and cheese worked. It's seriously the best mac and cheese ever.)

Tuesday - Stouffers frozen bag meal (Just us girls for dinner tonight)

Wednesday - Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, corn

Thursday - Grilled marinated chicken, long grain and wild rice, broccoli

Friday - pork chops, cheesy potatoes, green beans

Saturday - flank steak, risotto, asparagus

Sunday - @ my sister's

Welcome Home, Malachi

Yesterday was awesome. Althea, Marty and Malachi came home. Yep, my nephew is home! He is so so so cute. Seriously. I couldn't get over it. Emma just loved him. When we left that night she wanted him to come home with us. He's got the best smile and I love hearing him laugh!

Our plan was to meet them at the airport. I wanted to get pictures of Abby and Claire seeing Marty and Malachi for the first time (Marty and Althea - my mother-in-law - have been in Uganda for two weeks) and of course, we were late. The flight came in at 2:34 pm. We parked the car at 2:36, jumped out of the car, grabbed the girls and ran to the doors, we didn't even put our coats on. When we got inside I handed Mackenzie to Michael got out my camera and had it ready to go as Emma and I ran for the baggage claim area. As we got closer I could see them - we'd just missed the reunion. I was so sad. I felt really bad for letting Abby down and not getting a ton of pictures. But I couldn't feel too bad because I was too excited to see Malachi! I really just wanted to hug him and squeeze him but I was happy to get a high-five. :)

Abby and Malachi at the airport.


Emma getting a high-five, or low-five rather, from Malachi.


Coming up the escalator from baggage claim.


Opening our present for Malachi. He really liked the hat. This is my favorite picture I got that day. I LOVE his smile!

Big sister Claire, Mackenzie, Emma and Malachi. If only Mackenzie wasn't trying to get up off the couch. Emma should've held on to her a little tighter, like she is to Malachi. See the grip she's got on his shoulder? Like I said, she really liked him. :)

We love you Malachi! Welcome Home!

Whew.

Emma's bathing suit arrived today, thank goodness. Now she won't have to take swim lessons naked.

She loves it (although you can't really tell from that non-look of excitement on her face) and wanted to wear it, of course.

Here's a question for you: See the tiny little package that is her bathing suit? Why does it need to be shipped in such a big bag? And does it really cost $7.95 to ship that little itty bitty 3T bathing suit? Granted, I got free shipping, but it would've been $7.95 if I didn't have the the coupon. I don't get shipping based on price. Last week the suit was on sale for 24.95 and shipping was 5.95. Then it went off sale and was 29.95 with shipping at 7.95. It's the same bathing suit! Same size! Why does it now cost more to ship? Makes no sense to me.

Happy Weekend!

Ten on Tuesday (yeah, yeah, techincally Wednesday)

1. Day 2 of my menu plan and I already switched things up. Made the chicken and dumplings tonight. And they were oh so good.

2.Went to visit my friend Mary this past Friday. Emma and Hannah played dress-up, of course. This was the best picture I could get since Emma refused to pose.


3. Mackenzie played dress-up, too.


4. So I moved the Followers widget up in the right corner thinking maybe people didn't see it but it didn't really make a difference. It's been at 5 for a while. But I know more people read this. I know you're out there! :)

5. Michael watched Bree and Ava last week when Lisa and I went to Zumba. When we came home we found all four girls dressed up and this:

The next day Emma wanted a tent so I took the dining room chairs downstairs and made one. But it wasn't good enough. I didn't turn the love seat around so she told me it wasn't as good as Daddy's and tore it down.

6. Tomorrow (or technically today since I'm a little late with this, it's 12:12 am on Wednesday) they're having a beach party at Kid Park at the fitness center. Emma gets to wear shorts and a t-shirt and sandals. The party is just for the big kids though, so Mackenzie will be in winter wear.

7. Last Monday our friends David and Amanda came over with their girls Brooke and Cheyenne. We had some leftover birthday cake and ice cream.


8. 24 was annoying last night.

9. So you know those Gain commercials? Where they talk about how good it makes your clothes smell? I decided to try it a while ago. It's true. They smell really good. I'm a Gain convert.

10. There's a chance Marty, Althea and Malachi will be home by Monday. YAY!!!

23 degrees and snowing...I think I'll head to the outlets.

Because doesn't everyone take their small children to the outlet mall on days like today? It's going to warm up later in the week (40's, woo hoo!) but I needed to go today. Emma needs a bathing suit for swim lessons a week from today. I found one I like at Land's End, but I wanted to make sure there wasn't one somewhere else I liked better (and that I wouldn't have to pay shipping for) before I ordered it. While I did see some cute ones, none I liked better than this, in Bright Raspberry Mini Dot so I ordered it this afternoon. Bonus - I found a code for free shipping which saved me eight bucks.

Emma loves going to the outlet mall because of 4 things - the ducks, the playground, the rides and the Lego table in Osh Kosh. The cold didn't bother her a bit.




Mackenzie didn't seem to mind either. Although was awfully quiet - she didn't make a sound the entire time we were there.

As a public service announcment, I'd like to make sure you all know that the new American Crafts Zing! embossing powder jars are not 15-month-old proof. I was not aware Mackenzie had taken this one upstairs until I heard Emma yelling "Mom! Mackenzie is dumping orange glitter out on the carpet! Mom, she's dumping it! It's everywhere! Mom!" Thankfully, she didn't eat it.

Menu Plan Monday

See more menu plans at orgjunkie.com



I'm excited because I bought a grill pan today at Kohl's. We have a George Foreman grill but I don't like to use it because it's a pain to clean. I've been wanting a grill pan so I can grill flank steaks, chicken, even shish kabobs in the winter. I use the grill a lot in the summer and I really miss it when there's a foot of snow on top of it.


Monday - leftovers (Brunswick Stew)

Tuesday - grilled marinated chicken breasts (with my new pan!), long grain and wild rice, broccoli

Wednesday - pork chops, either cheesy potatoes or au gratin potatoes (depending on what I have), green beans

Thursday - chicken and dumplings, corn

Friday - Joy's beef stroganoff, egg noodles, peas

Saturday - pizza (this could change, as we might be at a family night for our church, we haven't decided yet.)

Sunday - flank steak, asparagus, risotto

Last week's recap: I actually did quite well last week. Stuck to the plan except for Thursday. Not sure what I was thinking planning to cook for all of us when I had to leave at 5:15 for a fitness class. I don't normally take any at that time because it interferes with dinner. Lisa and I wanted to try our instructors Zumba Tone class to see what it was like though, and it was a one-time-thing she was doing to see if people are interested. I ended up just making mac and cheese for the girls and Michael, I didn't eat until I got home. The baked potato soup was so good, Mackenzie loved it, Emma wouldn't try it. Same with the stew, Mac was shoveling in, Emma refused to try it. She's always been a good eater, and really she still is. She just does not like to try new things. She hears what it is or sees it and decides she doesn't like it without ever tasting it. Yes, she's like her mother.

Overheard

In the bathtub this afternoon:

Emma: Mom, Mackenzie hit me.
Me: You're alright.
Emma: Mackenzie, you need to say you're sorry.
Me: Honey, Mackenzie doesn't talk yet.
Emma: Mackenzie, you're sorry you hit me.