It's Aloha Friday!

Or as Miss M called it "the best day ever!"

we started our Aloha Friday at our friends house - she invited our playgroup over for an end of summer swim party.
Keenan and the girls swam - I just wanted to curl up in one of her big stuffed chairs with a book and enjoy the sun, and I would have liked a nice fruity drink too, but instead, which I had just as much fun doing I took a million and one photos of my friends and their super cute kids.
(by the way I am really sorry I didn't get all of you!)

More cute shots!

I L O V E these pictures of Miss A in Janet's flower bed!!
(if I do say so myself)
and I think the little pineapple swim suit is the cutest thing!

On our way home we stopped at Sam's club to enjoy a cheap lunch -
(pizza and hot dogs just sounded good)
We walked around the warehouse and BONUS they had lots of yummy food to sample too.
Miss A was charming and entertained us with her big straw hat.

and to end our Aloha Friday...

Dinner and Entertainment at the Big Ka Hoo Na - a yummy restaurant in Evanston.
The food tonight was SO ONO! I could go for some more Huli Huli chicken right about now...
Our friends were there performing and guess who else got up and
danced a little Hula !?!?!
(I think Keenan is still a little shocked that I was up
there dancing in front of people!)
But hey, I couldn't let my girls down!
(and by girls I don't mean my girls - but the girls* I dance with and my teacher!)
I actually remembered to smile and breath- I think the best part was looking out
into the crowd and seeing Miss A watching me so intently!

and just so you all know - the Big Ka Hoo Na will be doing Aloha Friday once
a month. If you are looking for a FUN, Delicious evening out**
I recommend Aloha Friday at the Big Ka Hoo Na!

*Karrie we missed you tonight - but next time (and there will be a next time) you have to come dance with us!

**it's pretty close to the movie theater - it would be a great date night

Thursday's Top Ten

1. Fun new music mix to listen to while driving around and FINALLY updating my iPod
   
2. Hanging out with girlfriends
3. Having lunch with friends
4. Hanging out with more girlfriends
5. Husband home to watch baby so that #6 could happen
   
6. Mommy Daughter date
7. Jewelry party at a friends house and hanging out with more girlfriends
   
8. Getting new jewelry!
9. Having an almost clutter free house! (hmmm, are you EVER clutter free?!?)
   
10. Bulk trash pick up day - to help get rid of a lot of that clutter!
    

It's Official

she is walking.
She has been doing lots of baby steps here and there - but this afternoon and evening it was mostly walking EVERYWHERE!!!

I also forgot to mention that Miss A LOVES to say BOO while playing peek a boo.
She really is trying to say so many more words - (and not just saying Ka ka ka ka all the time!)

I am HAPPY that I was able to get some of her first real steps on video!
Enjoy!

Miss M's Hula moves

My new hobby has turned into one for all of us. Miss M LOVES to practice hula with me. Here is a quick video of her dancing. I have found that when I try to video her, she doesn't want to cooperate - but when I am taping her sister, she does everything she can to get into the footage.

*** also my disclaimer, my dinning room table is VERY messy in the back ground, it had all of the desk items on it. I am THRILLED to say I FINALLY got it ALL put away today! Now I just need my sister to help me organize it in my new craft area I CAN NOT wait!
It is feeling so good to finally get some organization done!! OK enough blabbing - HERE is the video! Enjoy!!

On the way home from Hula on Monday, she was singing the song Little brown Gal it is the song we are learning the hula moves to. I was amazed how she could sing this whole song! (I guess I shouldn't be amazed, she has always picked up on songs right away!
I hope she will let me tape her singing it soon.


Just one more funny Miss M story. Miss M LOVES to play games in the car. One of her favorites is Name that Tune. She started humming the tune to ABC/Baa Baa Black Sheep/Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I let her hum a few notes before I started guessing,

ME: "is it A B C D?"

Miss M: "Nope!" with a little giggle.

I listen to some more notes.

ME: "OH I know is it Bah Bah Black Sheep?"

Miss M: hee hee, "Nope not that one!"

so I listen a little bit longer - knowing that it MUST be Twinkle Twinkle!

ME: " I know, I know!! It's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!!!"

Miss M: " OH Mommy you were SO close! It's Twinkle Twinkle Little star in SPANISH!"

Me in my head: " how was I supposed to know it was in Spanish from her humming it!?!?!?"

Clever little girl! ; )

Almost ONE!

Today Miss A is 11 months old!
GASP!!!
That means in in 30 days she will be ONE year OLD!

This past month, even in the last week she is becoming much more independent!

Her way or no way. Here are some other things we have noticed about her.

• We find ourselves laughing at this little person a lot. Especially with her new drama act. When she is upset, she scrunches up her face and fake cries this often makes us laugh even more and then she somehow manages to squeeze out a real tear.

• She is getting more brave at walking - this has caused us to really get our house in order. (although still a work in progress but I am happy to report that my BIG craft desk is out of the dinning room - now to just find a home for all the stuff that was in that desk!)

• She is a CLIMBER! She loves to climb up on chairs, her jeep walker, the couch. I just wish she knew how to get back down, she almost has it, but not enough for me to not be right with her all the time.
  

• She stands up to her sister - Miss M doesn't get away with "pushing" the baby around.

• She refuses any kind of baby food - only real food and loves to shove it in her mouth. The messier the food the happier the baby! And she HAS to feed herself, even if you try to she will spit the food back out so she can put it in her mouth.
  

• She LOVES I mean LOVES to dance! the second she hears music her little body is grooving.

• She still does not like to be read to, however she likes to look at books on her own terms. Every once in a while I can read her a book, but she likes to hold the book and turn the pages.

• She loves our neighbors dog and often when she doesn't want to sleep she will stand in her crib point out the window and say "gog, gog, oof, oof" Espicially if she can see Leo. She has a natural love for ALL animals including our fish Oscar. Seeing any animal makes her very happy.

• I noticed that when I went to see my Granny over labor day weekend I picked up one of her words that she always uses. Instead of saying yucky my Granny will say "ka-ka" I know I use this A LOT because it is now one of Miss A's favorite words to say when something is yucky. It's kind of cute hearing a little voice say "ka-ka, ka-ka"

• She now has 4 teeth two on the bottom and two just starting to push through on the top - this past two weeks have really been OFF for her sleeping. She is up lots of times during the night - she has a runny nose and has been a bit on the crabby side, oh the joys of teething.

• She loves to be where the action is. Loves to investigate things, and STILL puts EVERYTHING in her mouth!!!
  

• She makes the cutest little scrunched up cheesy smile - I LOVE this. I think ALL kids do this little smile and I LOVE it on each and every one of them! (it's the same scrunched up face when she is the Drama queen)

We just LOVE LOVE LOVE this little baby
and are so blessed to have her sweet spirit, in our family.

(guess I should start making some birthday plans! YIKES!!)

Slippy in action

I had to post this little dancers moves too - I thought it
was cute how she was moving her feet. When she hears
music her whole little body just has to move.

Slippy's Dance

Here is a little video of Slippy doing a little dancing and then walking!

Forevermore

September 1976
Beckie and Lyn









I recently heard a song - which is a new favorite of mine. And like a lot of songs they tend to bring me back to a memory instantly. This song made me think of my big sister and how she taught me hand clapping games (you know saying a cute little song/rhyme with a rhythm as you clap your hands together). I still sing this little song and it always brings me back to the times she and I would play those hand games. I can't wait to teach this to my little girls and hope that they too will have wonderful memories that I have of my big sister and the beautiful friendship we have together now!

Say, Say my playmate
Come out and play with me
and bring your dollies 3
climb up my apple tree
slide down my rain barrel
into my cellar door
and we'll be jolly friends
forever more - more - more !

Say, say my playmate,
I cannot play with you.
My dolly has the flu,
Boohoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo.
Ain't got no rain barrel,
Ain't got no cellar door.
But we'll be jolly friends,
Forever more, more, more!

1984

2006

Green Bay Fun

As many of you know I am from Green Bay - and am a proud Packer Fan! I love to travel up to my little home town. Eat at my favorite restaurant (I seriously had a bowl of chili every day I was there - you know the yummy kind served over spaghetti!) go shopping at the mall with my Granny and hang out with my brother and his daughter.
Even if the drive up did take over 4 hours (normal time is 3 hours) Thanks Harley Davidson!
And the road construction is endless - I still enjoy that drive up and back home.

1. Miss M by Lambeau Field after dinner at Krolls
2. Eating at Krolls the next day with Cousin Morgan
3. Miss A feeding Uncle Dave
4. Me and Granny (at Krolls)
5. Cousins Cousins and Uncle Dave
6. Miss M running and jumping off Granny's porch
7. Miss A walking to me!
8. Having too much fun in the pac-n-play
9. Miss M doing a Hannah Montanna pose (oh dear!)

I took the girls up for our annual Labor Day retreat. Keenan was scheduled to work so he stayed home. I wanted to go to Bay Beach, to the Wild Life Sanctuary and to finally take some pictures in front of Lambeau Field - but when it is over 90 degrees and you have a Granny who just had a surgery f0r her heart - it's best to stay in where it is cooler. We made the best of it!
My Granny spoiled us - and so did my brother. It always is a therapeutic trip for me.
Plus I love to see my girls be with my Granny. She is 90 years old - and I don't know how much more time we have with her - so I try to take full advantage of the time we have. Letting them stay up late to listen to her - eating her yummy food watching TV with her, writing little notes back and forth. I hope these are all memories that Miss M will remember and cherish. And through the 100's of pictures I take that Miss A will know of my Granny too. And who doesn't love a FUN uncle and a great cousin!

these are pictures of Miss A enjoying her FIRST ice cream CONE
and boy was my brother So excited that he was the one to give it to her!

Pictures of my girls with Granny -
it was so funny trying to get Miss A to hold still for pictures.
There was one shot - that I missed where Granny and Miss M
looked at each other and were totally laughing over Miss A not
cooperating - a memory I will cherish.

this is my brothers girlfriend Erin - she also totally spoils my girls!

Uncle Dave and Miss A - these were taken when we went
to the outlet Mall in Pleasent Prarie

Under Construction or my addictions...

I am addicted to changing my blog back ground. But every time I do I end up loosing all the fun stuff I had on the side bars. OH well - it's fall time and I needed a fall background.

Soon - once I get the hang of the new things on my computer (like where to find all of my pictures) I will update what we have been busy doing.
Or not busy doing...



this is Miss A practicing her fire knife dance during my hula class -

Last night was my 2nd Hula class. It was a bit easier than the first time. Plus I have been practicing like crazy! I think I am a little addicted to the Hula workout as well. I may not be all that great (yet) but I sure am enjoying practicing. And Keenan is having fun too calling out the names of the dance steps and seeing how fast I can remember them...

and here is Miss M giving the fire knife a try-

and since I am telling you all about my addictions - I am a little addicted to Cherry Pepsi.
Oh and cheddar rice cakes/crackers.

I am sure I have many more addictions - like I LOVE peanut butter.
(especially with chocolate -and the darker the chocolate the better).

and here is my hula feet in action - miss M is dancing along side me next week I have to remember to wear shorts so that I am not constantly rolling up my pants -

Keenan did video me actually dancing - but I am not feeling brave enough to put it
on just yet...

xoxo hula-girl

My First Hula class

Tonight I had my first Hula class. I think it went well. I was told I must have practiced - but you know what, I didn't. I had thought about having Keenan show me a little, but never got around to it so it was all new to me. I will say Hula is HARD. I was using muscles that have not been used in a while - maybe even some I didn't know I had. My legs - they feel a bit like Jell-o right now. I have a whole new respect for this beautiful dance. I bet I will sleep well tonight. And I will feel like I got my bottom kicked when I wake up! Talk about a GREAT work out!!
Now if you'll excuse me I am off to take some Advil and get a Lomilomi!

We're BAAACK!

We are HOME from Green Bay. It was a great get-a-way. I love spending time with my Granny, having my girls be with her! I LOVE eating at Krolls! I love spending time with my brother and his family. I LOVE just getting away. However I missed you my bloggy friends. I missed seeing updates of you all and reading your blogs.
Now, excuse me while I go catch up on my 172 - YES 172 e-mails and who knows how many blogs on my Google reader...And when I get my computer back - did I mention that my brother is fixing my computer? WOO-HOO!! When I get it back I will again neglect my household duties and eating and catching up on my Tivo - and just blog away. Unless I feel the need to do another Time Out... which I just might have to - Especially if my sister is coming up to set up my craft room!!!

Hope you all have good weekend!


xoxo