some people might say

after 5 years, all i have to say is that,








we really are THAT cool.....

some said it 5 years ago,

and most are still saying it now....

happy anniversary to us!

(and since no one really wants pics of us--here are a few of nova.

2nd year pics

look at this kid.

she's got the crazy faces,


the personality,the attitude,

and some crazy poses,
how did she get so big?
and so fun?
what can i say, we grow 'em good around here!

Nova's Second Birthday

Today was Nova's second birthday, even though she's been into the Terrible Twos well before today. We had a little party for her and she received a boatload of gifts. It seems we need to coordinate a little better with extended families concerning gifts because this birthday haul was even more present-packed than Christmas.

She got some baby accessories, including a porta-crib, bouncy chair, high chair, backpack and car seat for her dolls. We're already tripping over them. But her favorite gifts were, without a doubt, the following:

A new princess nightgown which includes her latest favorite, Tiana (which is our least favorite! I swear, if we hear "I'm almost there" one more time...), an enormous headband and (the coup de grace) orange high-heel shoes.

She's rolling her ankles every other step, but she refuses to take them off. After a little practice she's already prancing like a runway model. Thanks Mama Be.

Also from Mama Be, we have a new ballerina outfit that she both loves and mistrusts at the same time. We have yet to figure out how that happened or what it means.

Note that the orange heels never left her pudgy feet.

And that brings us to the castle cake that Suzanne toiled over all afternoon long. As you can see, it turned out pretty well for a novice cake maker. And Nova loved it. Absolutely adored it.

Unfortunately, by the time we got around to the celebration and candle lighting, the infrastructure of the cake had weakened and the towers started to sag. As you can see below, the towers look a little worse for wear, and Nova doesn't seem to care a bit.



Happy Birthday Nova!

A Lesson in Self-Affirmation

We all get down on ourselves every once in a while. We're human, after all. So I thought it important to share this little lesson in self-affirmation, adorably provided in video form by a little girl.



Not wanting to offer this up without ensuring its efficacy, I decided to test it for myself. See the results below.



As you can see, it works like a charm. Just remember the proper technique.

Step 1: Look at yourself in the mirror.
Step 2: Throw your arms wide.
Step 2: In your best sing-song voice, say "I can do anything good!" (remember: enthusiasm!)
Step 3: Turn around and do the "Running Man" dance.*
Step 4: (optional) Improv with other things you love, as shown (i.e. I love my haircut, dad, aunts, Allisons, whole house, other). Swaying side to side and doing fist pumps helps give you the proper rhythm and sense of style.
Step 5: Enjoy your new, positive outlook on life and sense of self-worth.

*Dancing on the counter top is optional.

peace...out....dude

funny.....

i pick.....

so there are a million things i could blog about: disney on ice, dr. suess's birthday, dan's birthday, a bashed eye and a sliced open head, st. patricks day, easter, snow storms, family visits, get-a-ways, the fact that i found a dead mouse TODAY and nearly had a heart attack.....but i choose to blog about one of my 3 favorite things EVER:


this is how she insisted going out to get the mail today. to bad i didn't look that cool. i gotta love that kid, and i really love being her mom.

a few tricks

so this video doesn't do any of this justice, the camera is too distracting. BUT, we tried. this video shows some scripture stories that we have been working on with nova as well as some songs that she likes. and yes, she is wearing a princess nightgown....can't get the thing off her.