Time, (and everything else), Flies When You Have a 2 Year Old

And then there was June birthday number 3.  Lydia turned 2, and thankfully to the two birthdays preceding her own, she had the routine figured out.  I've realized that I can kinda be a cake freak.  So I decided to let Lydia decorate her own cake this year, with a little help from Brooklyn.  She thought it was GREAT.  This is our extra large cupcake that she stuck all kinds of candy on.  Maybe not one for my portfolio...  but it was perfect for her.

Brooklyn's tutorial on posing from her birthday was super helpful for Lydia's moment in the spotlight.

Lydia, as with most present-opening occasions at our house, had WAY too many presents to open.  And when this baby was unwrapped, we had to take a break.  She could have cared less about the rest of the gifts.  It's her new favorite toy, and it goes everywhere with her.  Name?  Baby.

Lydia is our happy-go-lucky two year old.  She:

• loves to dance
• likes playing pretend with Brooklyn
• when she does get a spanking, which does happen, she angrily "wipes" it off
• is learning how to play Go Fish and Pretty Pretty Princess
• likes to draw pictures and do crafts, particularly ones with glue
• gets excited about "going running" even though she rides in the stroller the whole time
• is very mischievious
• is starting to show a very rebellious/stubborn streak
• gives great hugs and kisses
• will devour all of the fruit off the dinner table before anyone else gets a chance to eat some
• is very interested in bugs and will usually pick them up with toilet paper and flush them for me
• loves getting to go to bed early to read books
• likes to be a "princess"
• picks and eats the green peppers out of our garden like they are apples
• loves cats
• knows how to push her limits
• wakes up first thing in the morning, and wakes me up with "ready to eat!" (perhaps because she is usually starving from not eating dinner the night before)
• is very interested in being a "big girl" and wearing panties, but vehemently says "NO" if you ask her if she wants to sit on the potty.  We've digressed in the past few months
• says and does some of the funniest things

It's been hitting me that she isn't a baby anymore.  It makes me a little sad.  But she is a lot of fun!

I'm Getting Old... er

Happy Birthday to me!  

June is a pretty exciting month around here.  Between Brooklyn's birthday, my birthday, Father's Day, and Lydia's birthday, it's a sugar rush for the entire month!  Because yes, we do need a different cake/treat for each one.

I love that the girls and Tim make me a cookie cake and decorate it every year.  It's my fav.  And I think they like it too.  See for yourself...

I cannot seriously have a 4 year old

That's what I keep thinking, I could not possibly have a 4 year old.  I'm still in high school right?  

I guess not.

While we waited to get Brooklyn's "party" started, Brooklyn again, showed her modeling side.  It wasn't until we had taken tons of pictures that she realized a princess party was not complete without princess attire.

So after she was dressed, she was finally READY to begin.

I can't believe Brooklyn is really 4.  I can't even think about her going to kindergarten next year or I start hyperventillating. 
She is super fun to be around, and loves to smile and laugh. 
She loves to "mother" Lydia and tries to teach he to do all sorts of things. 
Right now she is so proud (as am I) that she gets herself up in the morning, goes to the bathroom, gets dressed, does her hair, and makes her bed, all before I can convince myself to crack an eye open. 
She is also super concerned about picking out her own outfits and dressing modestly.  Most days she's wearing two shirts. 
She ran 1 1/2 miles at the track the other day, as fast as I can jog.  Definitely not a gene she got from me.
She is learning to read and is pretty good at sounding out and spelling words.
She has four baby root canals and multiple cavities that we are about to take care of (more about this to come)
Her favorite color is yellow, white, and a rainbow.
She is very picky when it comes to food.
She can memorize anything within minutes.  Right now she quotes her's and Lydia's birthday scriptures, and the first two articles of faith.  She doesn't forget anything!
She loves singing songs

All in all, she's pretty awesome.  She'll tell you that too.

Shouts for joy at going to bed early!

You know what's awesome?  When your kids BEG you to go to bed early so they can read books in bed.

AWESOME.

I don't know how I got so lucky.  How did I manage this?  Not sure.

All I know is that Brooklyn came out of her room at 3:00 in the afternoon the other day, wearing her pajamas because she didn't want to miss out on any time to read books in bed that night.  It took some convincing that she still had plenty of time left in the day before she needed to get ready for bed.

I'd hate to over-use their love of reading books in bed.  It would be awful if the intrigue wore off.  But I just love those long days when I can announce that they are going to bed early to read books.  Shouts of joy fill the house-- by myself AND the girls.

More than that, I guess I'm just glad they like reading so much.  I hope they keep this love because I think reading is one of the best hobbies ever.  Love it.

PAR!!!

Ok, I don't really know what "par" means.  I just know it has something to do with golf... 

One of the perks to living here is definitely the free golf course.  The carts cost a few bucks, but are totally worth it.  So Tim and I went on a date golfing!  It only took us 2 years to actually get out and do it...

To be honest, I'm not the best golfer.  In fact, the only golfing I had ever done before this date was miniature golfing.  And even that, I usually lose.  But we can't live somewhere with free golfing and not try it at least once.  Right?  Besides, Tim is a pretty skilled golfer and has lots to teach me.  So we went on a date.  And it was tons of fun. 

So after our date we decided the girls would like to try golfing too.  Lydia thinks her golf bag/set is actually a vacuum, but she was ok with it doubling as golfing paraphernalia for once.  We went to the putting green and had lots of fun.

Posing and Copycats

There's just something awesome about having an older sibling to copy.  For one, it drives them nuts.  And secondly, there's no need to figure out how to do anything on your own!  Brooklyn has her moments when she loves the camera.  For the most part, she's as shy as they come.  But you know, when it's just us, and she's getting super silly, she'll do anything to pose for the camera.

During those last pictures Lydia was watching Brooklyn intently.  Just like she is in this picture.  She's either thinking: "What in the world is wrong with Brooklyn?", or "How can I do that?  She is so cool!" 
I'm guessing the latter.

 Because it didn't take long before we had this:

I love it.  If only I had the same confidence in MY swimming suit!

I'm a Dreamer

Some little girls dreaming that they will grow up to be a star.  Some old men dream that they will soon be driving around in a little red sports car.

Not me.

For as long as I can remember (ok, since I got married... which is still almost as long as I can remember), I have dreamed of having my very own fridge with an ice maker.  Call me crazy, but there's just something about a lukewarm glass of water that will never be comparable a cold glass of water.  And by cold I mean, brimming with ice.  And sweating down the sides.

Yes.

THAT is a dream.

And I have to say, for someone living in the desert, I have been EXCEPTIONALLY understanding that our finances don't allow for splurges like refrigerators with ice makers.  But last week my dream came true.

I've finally come to the point with cake decorating that it only makes sense to have an extra fridge to keep those cakes in.  Don't get me wrong, business is not booming...  BUT, there is something super stressful about having to clean out my fridge EVERY TIME I get a new cake order.  Plus, I have a super huge wedding cake coming up in October, and I just HAD to have another fridge to store it in.

Anyways.  We did our research and found one on craigslist.  And then it sat in our garage for a week, begging me to clean it and bring it in the house so it could make ice for me.

I finally gave in.

So after lugging it from the garage, down the steps, and through the doorway that we had to take the front door off, I was hugely disappointed to find that the space for the fridge was 1 inch too small.  Yikes.  No turning back at that point though.  My hero, Tim, simply cut the counter top so the fridge could slide in.  He's great.  That's why I married him.

And a few hours later after transferring food, cleaning, sawing, re-cleaning, hooking things up...  well, it was in.  The newest member of our family.  And boy is she shiny and clean and tall.  And I will probably show her off to anyone that comes in the door.

You should have seen us oohing and ahhing over the first piece of ice.  Actually, it's probably best you didn't-- you would probably think less of us.   I almost did a little dance when I heard it plop down into the freezer.

Dinner was wonderful.  You know why?  Because I had this beautiful tall glass of ice water to go with it.

What can I say?  I'm a dreamer.