Katie's Quilt

This is what I was working on Saturday and Sunday...I pieced together a quilt top for Katie's bed as part of Old Red Barn's Quilt-a-long. And of course, I ended up using more blocks than I originally planned so that threw off my backing. My solution was to take some of the scraps and insert a strip of the front fabrics to s..t..r..e..t..c..h... the fabric to just enough (inset photo). I can't wait to get it quilted!

Jimbo the Clown

Maggie on the Chubby Chair, happily enjoying it all by herself.

Katie joins her and Maggie attempts to push her off.

Maggie loved Katie's balloon flowers so Katie took her up to Jimbo to get her own balloon.

Maggie enjoying her balloon bear....

If you want to come to Etown to see Jimbo, he is here most Wednesdays. There was also a giant moonbounce (Katie didn't want to do it alone), and a free train ride. (Maggie LOVED that!)

Hands On House

(If you click on the collage, it will enlarge to show cute detail!)

Here is Katie and Maggie at our first trip to Hands On House in Lancaster. John and the girls got us a family membership for my birthday...unlimited trips of fun!

Top Row (L to R): Maggie in the dress-up area checking herself out in the mirror, Katie and Maggie fishing, and Maggie at the grocery store buying cat food (yes, that is her favorite thing to buy at the moment = ))

Middle Row (L to R): Katie at the sandwich making station in the grocery store, Maggie walking near the giant bowling outside (Yes, the pins were taller than her), and Maggie cuddling her baby at the end of the day while Katie played giant frisbee with some new friends she met.

Bottom Row (L to R): Katie racing her car that she built, Katie in the dress up area, and Maggie and Katie at the big lite brite

We had so much fun that we were back this past Friday with John too.

In August, we can take a person free on Sundays! Let us know if you want to have fun!

Saturday Highlights

I've decided to coin a new word, to better describe what I tend to do with my postings: brogging (bragging + blogging). I can't help it if I love my girlies and want to share their cuteness with everyone, and I really don't mean it as bragging (OK, maybe the Mathlete Katie stuff), but I'm sure it can come off that way at times. So here's today's installment of me brogging:

Margie:
(for Josie--Margie is on our long list of approved nicknames) "Monkey see, monkey do" is always on at our house, and here's the latest. Katie is big on trying to be a "big scary monster" (you have to imagine that drawn out and in her deepest voice), especially in her Dinosaur towel (thanks, Uncle Joe!), and I'm usually in the role of shrieking "Ah!" in response to Katie's "Boo!" Maggie thinks this is great entertainment--the more I sound like a frightened little girl the better. Now MJ has taken this to the next level, and has her own little "mmbuh!" She absolutely squeals with delight with our new little game.

Kid:
(I think Katie and I are equally responsible for her getting that nickname) After lunch today, Katie and I shared a couple of little 100 calorie (or "10-hundred gallons of sugar," according to Katie's interpretation of the wrapper) candy bars, which we agreed were quite good. A few minutes later Angel had one, and our crafty little manipulator did her loudest and most obvious sniffing of the air (which is actually her exhaling through her nose, because it's louder--which by the way she cannot ever seem to do when we're trying to get her to blow her nose...) and said, "Mmm. That sure does smell delicious, you know" with theatrical innocence in full gear. It might have actually worked for her, but we were laughing too hard and too long. I'd like to think that this must have been what I was like as a kid, but I know I probably never came close to her level of cuteness.


P.S. Hope you all got to enjoy the Penguins' amazing playoff run, culminating in an exciting Game 7 upset of the RedWings. Now we just need the Pirates to turn it on and we can go 3 for 3 this year. Let's Go Bucs!

Two Cute

"Look what I can do!" Margaret is on the move!

Katie has been voicing her displeasure with current management lately, going as far as telling us she wished we weren't the boss of her (what with all of our rules and such). I thought it would be interesting to find out what she would do if she were in charge, and this is what she said:

Katie Quotes (and more!)

A while back Katie was helping me hook up the DVD player in the car, and was sitting in the driver's seat, hands on the wheel (supervised, with permission). "Daddy, when I drive, I'm going to be a speeder. But I won't go too fast so the cops won't catch me."

Then yesterday before her dance recital, Katie came downstairs with Angel, wearing the slightest hint of eye shadow. Unprepared for such an event, I exclaimed, "Katie! You're wearing make-up!" Sensing my impending stroke, Angel chimed in, reassuringly, "She asked and I told her she could." Still in shock all I could say was, "Well, no one asked me!" Realizing I was upset, darling Katie answered, "Daddy, we can put some on you, too." so that I would no longer feel left out. What a little sweetheart.

The dance recital did not disappoint. There were definite moments in each performance (one each day) where Katie completely won over the entire auditorium. There was an audible "awww" on Saturday when Katie tippy-toed across the stage and was clearly entranced by the audience. Then on Sunday her enthusiastic leaps across (and nearly off) the stage brought smiles to the faces of even the most incoherent seniors (from the retirement center). We videotaped both shows and if I can figure out how we'll post the highlights here. Otherwise you'll just have to visit us to see them. By the way, little Margaret was equally adorable dancing along in the crowd, but it was too dark to get that on film (not that anyone uses "film" anymore...).

Catching up with Pictures/Videos

Here's a look at what the girls have been up to lately (somewhat out of order):

Katie pushing Maggie around...

Maggie's Birthday Boogie...

With Grandpa at Dusty's Wedding...

Katie's Triangle Factory...