Bustin' a Move!

Yesterday, I had E and Olivia with me as I ran really quickly into the grocery store (meaning, I had intended to make it quick...but got easily distracted and ended up with a full cart!).  Oops!  

While walking through the produce section, I noticed the music was especially upbeat and turned up pretty loud...as far as grocery store tunes are concerned.  Then I noticed, my very self-conscience Ethan breaking it down and busting a move for everyone to see!  I'm talking full body-dancing...hands up, hips shaking and feet flying to the beat!  This happened every few steps...every time I stopped the cart to put something new in!  Usually, this somewhat timid child would absolutely die of embarrassment, but today for some crazy reason, he was loving the fact that he had an audience!  

When we were back in the car, driving home, I told him how much I LOVED his dancing and how happy it made me during our whole shopping trip.  I told him that I knew it made other people happy too because I had noticed lots of people smiling happily at him while he danced.  

Ethan's oh-so-humble reply: "Hmmm???  Well, do you think they'll be sad tomorrow?  They're going to go shopping tomorrow and I won't be there to dance for them." 

Yes, my dear Ethan!  They will be devastated!  :)  

Apparently Terrifying

I don't know what I did to scare my children...but each and every one of them is absolutely TERRIFIED of the Easter Bunny.  I know!!!  Cute, cuddly, long ears, fluffy-tailed easter bunny!  Who in their right mind is afraid of that?!?!?

It took Garrett until about age 6 to walk up to any costume-wearing holiday figure.  Ethan will maybe do it now...but only if Garrett is able to man up and do it with him.  Olivia though, while still in the 'Smith-Family-Absolute-Terror-Age' is enthralled by the characters from a distance.  But, get her up close and she goes insane...arched back, high-pitched screams, instantaneous tears, you name it!  It's actually quite funny!  At Sea World a few months ago, they had all the Sesame Street Characters out and about mingling with the crowds.  Olivia was delighted and so excited to see them...but the one time that I walked past Zoe and Zoe reached out to shake Olivia's hand...you would have thought that Zoe had tried to murder my poor child!  

This Easter proved no different.  All my kids made no attempt to approach the Easter Bunny who had come to officiate at our neighborhood egg hunt!  I always just laugh, and shake my head...but really, I don't mind too much!  The Easter Bunny is actually quite low on my ranking of important things to impress upon the minds of my children about Easter!  But this year, Olivia took it to a whole new level!  

She was so excited to do the egg hunt.  At home, she had her basket and was receiving instruction from her two older brothers of the ins-and-outs of proper egg gathering.  But as soon as we get there and she spies the Easter Bunny from afar, this girl is clinging to me with all her might.  :)  She would not let me put her down...even to gather an egg or two.  Through my laughter, I managed to find an egg that I could get close enough to for her to grab...while still clinging tightly to my neck, but that was about the extent of her egg gathering!  Silly girl!

Poor Kid

Well, it's evident now, this kid will surely be one of the lovely thugs who's pants are always riding a bit too low when he is a teenager. Not for the usual reasons that such a fashion statement usually suggests, but for the fact that his harried mother cannot find a pair of pants that fits his skinny build!  

But, the poor kid, even at the age of 4, which is still included in the lovely age of the adjustable waistband amazingness, mind you, cannot keep his pants up to save his life.  Poor guy!

It's the curse of being slender, I tell you!  But isn't he cute?!?!?

Handsome

This kiddo is growing up...right before my eyes!  He comes down the stairs some mornings, and it seems that he has grown a couple inches...all in the course of one night!  It makes me happy and sad all at the same time!  :)  I love the funny, bright, responsible young man he is be coming!!!

"That Girl"

So, in my B.G. life (before girls)...meaning before I had Olivia, I had this notion that it was not hard to have one's children relatively put-together at all hours of the day.  The boys were easy and spoiled me, I guess!  No hair to worry about - and if you did worry about it, you just buzzed it off!  Plus, they were clean-freaks...they liked to have clean hands and faces.  Simple!  

Olivia changed all that for me.  I try.  I try really, really hard.  But this girl is as independent/stubborn/sassy as they come.  Her outfit choices are already her own.  Her hair is done - only when she allows it!  We're usually pretty good, but after naps, her patience with having a second hair-styling session runs a little thin.  

So, I now am the proud mommy of "that girl"...the one with messy hair, mis-matched clothes, anyone's shoes that she happened to grab first out of the shoe closet, and maybe, just maybe a wiped-clean face after her millionth snack of the day!  But she's happy and becoming independent in so many ways, we'll worry about the appearance issues later!  

Genius!!!

It has been a while since I've done any sort of food/recipe post...though it's been a while since I've done any post at all, hasn't it!?!?!?  But, here is a gem I came across this week - Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.  And all I have to say is "WHY IN THE WORLD HAVE I NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS?!?!?!?!?"  Seriously so good...and so easy. 

And since I did not take any pictures of our yummy sandwiches...here is a link to the actual website where I found the idea!  

Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Feel free to share any easy recipes you come up with as well...I'm getting desperate on these basketball, soccer, piano and/or scout nights!   :)

Good Morning!

How I love this kid!  Pure joy...all the time.  Well, at least ALMOST all the time!  :)