Like a kid in the candy aisle

...no, make that the toothbrush aisle at T*rget. Whenever we go, the Noodle begs to go look at the toothbrushes and toothpastes. I guess to see the various characters. We were running low on her toothpaste and her toothbrush was looking a bit "tired", so she was in luck today. She carried her toothbrush around(in the package) for the rest of the evening. Doesn't take much to make her happy. I'll keep it that way :) BTW, it was a double score because she picked C*rs for both. Ca-chow.

Show us those pearly whites

The Noodle had gone to the dentist last fall, but while she sat in the chair and opened her mouth, it wasn't an official cleaning--they just looked around and gave her the once over to make sure there weren't any cavities that were evident by sight. Since she had done so well with that visit, they told me that when I made my 6 month appointment, to schedule one for her too and they'd do an actual cleaning. Today was the day. I went first and she sat next to me, watching and taking in everything. Then it was her turn. Boy, was she ready! Before they had even started, she had her mouth open and kept it that way until they were all finished. Picking the flavor of toothpaste was fun (bubble gum) and when she was finished, she picked a pack of cards from the treasure box. We're so thankful that this milestone went by without any fanfare or drama!

Clean, healthy teeth all around! Yeah!!

The New Dining Room

I had talked about how we were re-doing our dining room here . J had finished the woodwork and painting a few weekends ago, but he hadn't had time to complete the flooring. Over this past weekend that was accomplished too. He had his faithful assistant there with him throughout most of it. In fact, she decided she wasn't going to nap on Saturday because she didn't want to miss out on any of the good stuff.

The messy, but necessary job of patching plaster.


I've got my eyes on you!


The complete disarray of the house.


Daddy's never to busy to give his girl a hug!


Clean-up patrol.


Actually, it is more fun to float this stuff around and dance than to clean it up...


Here Daddy, let me help you with that hammer.


Mmmm, that saw is a little too loud for my ears.


Just a little rest break.


The finished product!


Can you believe we chose purple? I was a bit nervous, but I think it looks great! I should know better than to question J! BTW, with the flash on, it makes the color "brighter" than it really is. The finished color is more like an aubergine.

Enjoying a snack in the new dining room and wearing her new Asian-inspired apron skirt.


She just figured out about making this face. Lovely, don't ya think?

Think Spring

For just a $1.49, even the grocery store is helping us "think spring"!

Fun Friday

For a super cheap and fun toy, grab a container and fill it with some popcorn kernals, dried beans, dried peas, etc. Add some plastic spoons and small measuring cups and voila--instant fun. Another great option is to make rainbow rice (1 C rice, 1/2 t food coloring, 1 t rubbing alcohol). Make a couple of different colors of rice and then combine. These are both great sensory activities and are very calming to children (and adults too!). Rainbow rice was an ongoing sensory activity in my classroom and it was always a hit. It goes without saying that you should use your best judgment as to whether your child is at an age where they can use the materials appropriately. The other nice thing about this, is that it keeps for a loooong time. BTW, it is also a great developmental way for children to begin learning about volume, measurement, capacity, etc. I guarantee you'll have fun playing right along with them. Oh yeah, unfortunately the clean-up isn't quite so great. Those darn kernals tend to keep reappearing, even after you've given everything a good sweep. Oh well, dim the lights and light the candles instead :0) Happy Friday everyone!

March Birthdays

Lots of people in our family celebrate birthdays in March. I decided to do one, big corporate birthday wish to all of them. We hope that this upcoming year is filled with God's innumerable blessings, clear direction and a deeper relationship with Him.

March 3rd--the big 3-0 Uncle


March 11th Papa


March 25th Grandma


March 25th Great-Aunt T

Gramma Nut

C*ndyLand has become a popular game in our house. If you haven't played in a while, then you might not remember where Gramma Nut is located on the board. It is relatively close to the beginning. If you happen to draw this card, you have to go to the "Gramma Nut" space. The Chinese Noodle LOVES Gramma Nut. Doesn't matter whether she is within a few hops of the Candy Castle. She gets so excited about drawing that card. J and I generally do not share her excitement. We have had sessions where we've gone through the entire deck, almost twice. That's a rather long game. Especially if you decided to do a quick pick-me-up game close to bedtime. On the flip side, she doesn't like Lord Licorice. She says he's sinister (one of her favorite words to say--also frequently used to describe "bad" people in her picture bible). I tried to get her picture with L.L., but she said no way, that she wanted to cover his eyes and then promptly put the box lid on. So there you have it. In with Gramma Nut. Out with Lord Licorice.


**Auntie C, do you recognize the dress from last year?