The Discovery Center

  Today the Sassy's and I went to the Discovery Center in Gaylord. Now, I'll be honest this is not a place for older kids. We were there for 45 minutes and after that the Sassy's were over it. It would be a great toddler place but not a place for school age kids. It wasn't worth the $8/kid plus the $5/adult.

Our friends the Himebauch's were going to meet us there but after being there for a half hour we decided that it would better do something else fun. Well... on their way into town poor Luna (The Himebauch mobile) got a flat tire. So we spent 3 1/2 hours in the parking lot waiting for someone to rescue us... well okay change the flat. It turned out that my sister's very kind driver, Jay, saved us and got the lug nuts off and then Kelly's ex-brother-in-law came and attempted to change the flat... it ended up being something that her ex-father-in-law came and changed... after 3 1/2 hours they all piled into our car and we made our way back to their house. Tonight before bed I asked the Sassy's if they had a fun day and they said yes because they were with their friends. I love that being cooped up in a car with their friends made for a fun day. I love these Sassy girls of mine!!! xo

Cousin Time!

Today we met Uncle Josh, Jordy and Abby Doo at the wooden park in Boyne! It was so much fun!!

It was quite chilly but lots of running, laughter and happy squeals of delight filled the playground!

Magic Ballerina - 3

Here is Magic Ballerina on day 3!!

And now she's 3 inches!!! She's growing up fast!

Spring Break Day 5

Though our day was a little home-body-ish, a chance of rain and dreary, we still had fun. The sassy's played in the playroom most of the day. They made TONS of pictures (atleast 50!) and they played outside for a while but it was so cold (45 degrees) that they decided that playing inside was more fun. They have been so patient with mommy.
Mommy finished up her last book for the last Sociology class that I need to graduate. 19,000 words and 37 pages later... Kailee said to me, "Mommy I'm so proud of you for getting your book done." That made my heart swell so big!! Tomorrow I think we're going to see if some friends want to go to the park to play for a while then maybe we can go for ice cream (if it's "warm") or hot cocoa if it's not, after we're done playing. I think we need to get out of the house.
Kailee and daddy spent the evening playing kerplunk, Grace went to bed early! Kailee was a natural! Daddy... not so much. They had lots of fun together though!! 

All By Myself

Today Kailee decided she was going to make her own lunch! 

She made a ham sandwich; with mayo, cheese, lettuce and mustard.

She also had grapes and a yogurt. My healthy girl!!
(She insisted we include this in the blog because she is so proud that made her entire lunch herself.)
xo

Magic Ballerina-2

Here is Magic Ballerina on day 2.

We are so impressed she's grown a half inch!

Spring Break Day 4 Fun

We were invited by the Lia's family to join them and many others at Central School's playground today...

Van came with his grandma.

Alynna came with her sister and mommy... Isn't Lia too cute!

This is Cade, one of Lia's big brothers.

All the kiddos have fun being pushed on the Merry Go Round!

Look at my Kailee being brave!

Here Kailee fell off!

Ashlynn and Kailee... love them!

Magic Ballerina

The Fairies came to the house last night and left these magic ballerinas that you put in water and grow... so Kailee wanted to do hers today. So here she is day 1.

PHO107 Sunsets

Even though it hasn't been really wonderful weather for evening photographs I still managed a few that I enjoyed.

April Fish Day!

Joyeux Poisson d'Avril!

My dear friend Katy introduced this French "April Fools Day" called, "April Fish" Day to us via her blog post! So, Grace and I decided we're going to do this! So, we made a fish... we named him "Rainbow Fish" and all day we were sticking him on someone else's back  without them knowing it. It was so much fun, no one even cared but we kept taking it off of ourselves and sticking it on someone else. I love "April Fish Day" more so than April Fools Day! This is less mean and more fun!
Thank you Katy!! 

xoxo

1/4 of the year.

We are at the 1/4 of the way through 2012 mark... please make the time slow down! Funny how the 1/4 mark is during Spring Break! We need more time... and I don't want it to go faster! We are taking a deep breath today and enjoy the moments we have together.

Summa Cum Laude

Guess who is graduating with highest honors!! I feel so blessed! I wish we could attend the graduation but with the cost of everything going up; gas, hotel rooms and then the cost of graduating -- it's just not feasible. So, we'll save the money and do something fun as a family!

Spring Break Has Begun!

Since Spring Break has started with a bit of a snowy dreary day we have decided to stay in our PJ's all day and just play the wii, play board games and play go fish the princess edition. It has made for a fun day already and it's only 12:30 p.m.! The sassy's even let mommy sleep in until 9:30 a.m.!! Woo Hoo!! We were up late last night because Lauren Azzopardi came over and played with us! We had a pizza dinner, root beer, icecream and popcorn! It was lots of fun!! We did finger nails, toes and even played go fish princess edition! So much FUN was had in this Sassy House of Spalding over the last 2 days!

Kailee's Fair

Last night Kailee and I were discussing the differences between a fair, an amusement park and a circus. This conversation prompted her to draw this incredible picture of the kind of fair she would want to have, if she owned a fair. There will be a water slide (of course) and a game and a place where she will sell tickets. There will also be a roller coaster and lost of green grass for safety. (I love the way she thinks.) I had to ask after she explained the picture: You'll do this this is AFTER you become a Neurosurgeon Doctor right? She smiled and said, "yes mom". I love you Kailee Joy!

Green Eggs & Ham Day!

Today in Gracie's class it is Green Eggs & Ham Day! Daddy went in to volunteer for this joyous occasion! Gracie woke up this morning and said, "Mommy I am the luckiest the person in the world today!" I asked, "what makes you so lucky?" She said, "It's Green Eggs & Ham Day AND Daddy is coming into my class!!" Oh my heart melted!!! Daddy coming to school is more than huge treat for these little girlies. xoxo

Chicken Coop

Tonight we were discussing as a family if we would like to raise baby chicks. In order to do that Gracie said we need to have a "Chics Coop Ule 4 Chics" (Chick Coop Only For Chicks). In the above picture you will see her plans for a chicken coop. Watch people there could be baby chicks in our near future!

3 days left

...including today of course until SPRING BREAK! We're not doing any scheduled funness... but I do have on the sly a commitment to some friends for a fun playday of sorts! Perhaps we can get over to Gaylord and try the Discovery Center or we could go to Traverse City to Lucky Jacks... but we'll just have to wait and see. What I'm most looking forward to though is just being with the Sassy's without any commitments! If we want to stay jammie-fied for the day - we can! If we want to eat icecream for breakfast and breakfast for dinner - we can! Wait a second that last one didn't come out quite right but I think those Sassy's would totally go for it. We can breakfast-a-fy the icecream with a little oatmeal of course. I'm ready for relaxing... fun... and no early mornings!! We need a break - a nice healthy no one sick break! We need a fun-days are Monday's break! We need a happy as a clam break! One thing is for definite - I will enjoy every minute of it... well... unless there's arguing and fighting.... then it might change some things but here's to hoping for fun! xo

Adios Warmth

Friday morning we woke up to significantly lower temperatures than on Thursday morning... Saturday morning we woke up to even cooler temperatures than that... Sunday morning well, lets just say we had to kick on the heat again because the cold was unbearable... and this morning it was 24 degrees! How do we go from waking up to 68 degree weather exactly 1 week ago and now we have 24 degrees!! All of my beautiful crocus have died. My lilac bush is frozen (it had big giant beautiful buds - see picture) and the little start of a rose bush that some how survived the winter even sprouted leaves and now... they are all frozen and will chances are die. The weather people (who are not my favorites right now) say it's supposed to be like this through next week... SAY WHAT?! We finally get to go on Spring Break, we've been doing the count down and this darn weather takes a turn for the worst... UNACCEPTABLE I say! So, I am going to will it to be warm, pray for it to be warm and wish for it to be warm starting Friday, March 30 until Monday, April 9. Here's to trying!

PHO 107 - Landscapes

This weeks assignment was landscapes! 

So, we packed the Sassy's in the car and drove around looking for beautiful scenery, which wasn't hard in Northern Michigan!

Space Man

Today I walked into the playroom (don't mind the extreme messiness of it all -- during Spring Break we're doing to clean this room spotless!) and what do I see but a Gracie trying to get on this (girl scout vest) which she has dubbed her Space Man vest. Then for the next two hours (after discovering that the baby monitors are infact working) the 2 lil Space (Wo)men pretended they were "moon walking" and going on rocket ship ride around the sun (the lamp in the living room). Oh and I can't forget the Moon Pie snacks! Well, they don't really know what moon pies are so we "invented" it ourselves. They were quite pleased.

Pillow Case

I walked into Kailee's room and this is what I see. I asked her what she is doing and she replies, "well, trying to see if I can wear this pillow case." She said it so matter of factly that, it made me wonder how often does she attempt this. She said "it's like clothes but without all the holes." Yep, that's a fact. She also included, "it's pretty snuggly once you get it on right." I love her!! My silly goofy 7 year old child!

Sliders

These little sassy's have always loved a good slide! Mommy didn't actually take these pictures daddy did. 

I love those little faces!!! xoxo

Snappin Beans

For dinner we had green beans with hamburgers on the grill - YUM! Gracie decided she was going to make the green beans so I let her. She snapped them, cleaned them and then put them in the tin foil with a little butter and salt. She kept saying, "These are the best beans I ever ated." I agreed and so did Kailee and Daddy! Way to snap them beans Gus Gus!

1 week of Summer

It's been 1 week of Summer-ishy type weather in MARCH!... highs in the 80's for the last few days... yesterday they said 77 but it got to 81! Today they are calling for 82... so who knows we might hit closer to mid-80's!
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Today also marks the very first time Gracie gets to attend a birthday party of a boy and all by herself (since Kailee didn't go to school). So... one of her favorites in the class is a boy named Van. He's a hoot let me tell ya. Everyday he sees me he says, "Hi Mrs. Spalding." I get down to his eye level, hold his hands and say, "Hello Van, how are you?" He always replies, "Hi Mrs. Spalding, how are you? I am good." It's our "routine" of sorts and I love it. He is a special lil man and I hope that Gracie has fun celebrating Van's 6th birthday with him! (I wish I could be there though... the hardest part of parenting is letting go and letting them do things independently.) xo
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Kailee is home today and so we are going to just hang out and be a little lazy... well, she will I get to do some school work, but because it's a nice day out there I'm going to take advantage of it too. (Homework on the deck!) Kailee said she'd like to help me plant some bulbs outside, so we may venture and do a little of that too... we'll just see how the lil punk feels as the day goes on. xo

Germs - 4: Mommy-0

Kailee woke up again this morning with a fever and vomiting. Poor child kept saying her belly hurt yesterday. She came home from school yesterday and laid down in her room for a long time, saying her head hurt. But then she perked up a little. She ate (a little) but not much dinner. Her eyes were light (a sign she's getting sick) and she was extra snugly (not that I'm complaining because I'll take the snuggles!) I wonder what the doctors will have to say...

This was at 10:49 a.m.

This was at 1:36 p.m. (What a difference 3 hours makes!)

It's such a bummer because it's going to be another beautiful sunny warm day! On tap for today is 77 degrees and partly cloudy. A perfect 1st Day of Summer, err, Spring. The windows have not been closed in 6 days and the entire house has been sanitized from top to bottom... I don't understand why the ick won't leave us alone. My poor baby. xo
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Update: The doctors said to wait it out since she has a fever. If she's not improving by tomorrow or vomits anymore we have to go in. Praying for a good nights sleep and no more puke.