A week in the life of Chloe

Just to prove that it is hard to get any clothes on Chloe other than dress up ones, I documented her week this past week. Well, I tried to get most of it. Most of the days, she started with one dress and ended up with another on. I just got one pic each day. But, you get the idea!

Moday started out happy...

Tuesday, of course she had to sleep in the Ariel dress the night before...this is morning...not a good time for ChloeBut it turned out better when she put on a new dressWednesday, she wore a dress that was Maddies (I didnt get the picture of it) so Thursday, after I washed it, she put it back on and picked out ANOTHER dress to put OVER the one she wore Wednesday. So, here are the 2 dresses. She was so proud of this outfit!Friday, I actually got some normal clothes on her in the morning. If Maddison gets dressed for school, Chloe has to. It never lasts long, but I try. She even let me do her hair...that lasted about 10 minutes, too.And then the Ariel dress was back on that night. Just in time to get her ears pierced!Saturday was so busy, I didnt get a picture of her. It consisted of 3 dresses...Ariel, pink fairy, and Belle. Sunday we were back to Ariel and before I could get the picture, she fell, busted her lip and now, the dress is covered....I do mean covered...in blood. This was the result. I think she was more mad about the dress being ruined than her lip. There is a pretty big hole there. Lips heal well, though, right? It is still bleeding...maybe I should check on that....

But it is all made better by putting on a clean dress, which she is asleep in right now as we speak. Now, a new week begins with new decisions...which dress to wear...and me trying to get all the stains out of her beloved Ariel dress.

Challenge

Our Bishop gave us a challenge today. No tv or internet for a week. I am already breaking it by posting here. But am I really? Does updating friends and family count as being on the internet? I also have the tv on in the background, but it is the news and the kids are asleep, Bryan is at work (he is working nights now) and my family wants to know what is going on. Maybe we will just start by cutting the tv and computer off during waking hours.

Little Ree Ree, all grown up

We have always had a rule that the girls can get thier ears pierced when they ask, but we are not forcing them to do it. Hana did 2 years ago. Maddison "never" wants to. Chloe has been asking for a long time now. She always wants "rearings like Nana". I put clip-ons on her, and she likes them for a while, but gets mad that they come off and wants ones that go in your ears. Yesterday, all day, she asked. I kept telling her, it may hurt, you cant take them out, that sort of thing. OK was all she said. We met Bryan at the mall because he needed a few things. I told her to ask Daddy. She did. He looked at me and said lets go! So we went. She sat in my lap, all proud of what was about to happen. She was so good. She sat so still. They did it and she just froze and let out a little cry, asked for her blankie, and that was it. She stopped. I asked if it hurt, she told me no, it scared her. Now, all she does is show us her earings all the time. She woke up all night long just to tell me they were still in her ears and show them to me! I was going to bring my camera, and of course, I forgot it. So, I just took a couple last night and today. Yes, she is wearing the Ariel dress this morning that she wore last night. She slept in it. I will wash it today! She was a little tired last night!

critters

Our pest control came yesterday to determine what exactly is in our attic. It really annoys me. I hear constant scratching in the middle of the night and strange noises. Good news, it is not rats. I dont know if I could go on living here knowing there are rats above me. No raccoon either. The pest? Squirrels. There are hundreds of acorns up there that they are playing with and storing for food. Some sticky rat traps were set and they will be removed with whatever has set foot in them at the end of the week, but we are sure it is squirrels. I heard that moth balls will take care of that...anyone know?

In other news, we have another critter outside our front door. I noticed this guy when Dad left at 5am Sunday morning. This sucker was huge!By 6, it was gone. No web. Nothing.

Next morning...it was back. Gone in another hour. Finally, the next morning, I so carefully caught it in a jar and gave it to my bug man (the pest control guy). He was curious as to what it was so he took it to the office to inspect it with his boss. I am curious now too!

Portrait of Chloe

What does Chloe do all day? Cry. She has cried since the day she was born and has not stopped since. Her juice is gone...cry....her dress is crooked...cry...Hana looked at her...cry...there is not enough ketchup for her banana (no, that is not a typo)...cry. Cry and dress up. That is Chloe. That is why this picture is priceless! Dad had his camera for this perfect occasion. I think the problem was that the paint sample was not her favorite color, green. I had given her a pink one.

She also has this little guitar from the American Girl dolls that she carries with her and sings and puts on "shows" for her sisters. So, when she is not crying, she is singing. I prefer this, so when it happens, I try to capture it and cherish it.

You can tell this dress up thing is no joke. Every day...she dresses up. I have so many cute clothes for her that are never worn. Just her princess dresses. I am currently documenting in pictures all the dresses she wears in one week to prove the obsession.

Our weekend with Dad

We had lots of fun. Here are just a few of the many pictures that were taken. We went to have lunch with Hana at school. This was Chloe hiding...she was upset about something...what else is new.

The girls carrying the dirt for the flower bed from grandpa T's car.

The slip-n-slide.

Even I took a dive!

Swings that dad made.

I think I had just as much fun as the girls did!

The girls got going so high that all they would do is giggle.

Thanks dad for coming! We miss you already!

Hana's tooth

Hana was sporting the "snaggle tooth" a few weeks ago. It just hung there. I kept hoping that she would come home from school without it one day. Finally, it happened, she jumped in the car and smiled...toothless! I asked her when it fell out. To which she replied "It didnt. I was tired of it so I just pulled it out." The tooth fairy is more generous now than she was when I was a kid. Hana got $1 that she keeps in her purse "for a special time".

We had a great extended weekend. My dad came down Wednesday night and left early this morning. The kids had a great time, I had a great time! It was nice to just stay around here and play with the girls outside and not run a million places. We did do a lot of running around Saturday, but it was fun. I will put up pictures later in the week. Thanks again Dad for making the long trip!

Good news, bad news

I finished our taxes!!!! Bad news...Bryan found out yesterday that he has a job that he can only work nights now. Until OCTOBER. 11-7. That means he has to sleep during the day. What am I supposed to do with 5 kids (2 that are not mine)? What am I going to do this summer with my kids? I may have to invest in some good outdoor stuff....swingset, pool, sprinklers....any suggestions? (that does not have us driving all over the place) Other news, I think there is a raccoon in our attic. I heard the stangest noise last night. When I woke up to inspect it, it got louder and I heard something drop, then be pushed around all over. We came to the conclusion, the raccoon took out the lightbulb that is up there and was playing with it. How in the world did he get in there? What do we do to get him out?

It is 11.08 on Monday night. Are these taxes ever going to get done? I need help!!!!

Procrastination

I should have learned when Bryan was late to our wedding that everything in our life would be late. Now that taxes are due tomorrow, we just started on them saturday. Only to find out that his business taxes were due a month ago. Ooops. I am stuck and dont know how to do them. Thank goodness for turbo tax! On a lighter note, summer is going to be here before we know it. Our boat supposedly got traded in for a newer one a few months ago. Never saw it. Well, I guess they told Bryan that something happened to it, and good news for him, he gets a better boat out of it. Whatever, I will believe it when I see it. I dont think there is a boat. But if there is, you know where we are spending our weekends!

Wheel Of Fortune!

Tonight, on Wheel of Fortune, which I dont usually watch, but will tonight, an old friend of mine is on! No, Bryan, not a boyfriend. In fact, I never liked him. I was never the choir boy type. But we were friends through high school. Anyway, he will be on tonight and hopefully won a ton a money!

Spoiled (a long post with LOTS of pictures)

I didnt realize till just a few years ago how spoiled I really was. It all started 24 years ago when I was in kindergarden and for spring break, my entire family, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, went to Sarasota. Little did I know that one little trip would start a great family traditon. Every year since, the family has gotten together, my mother and her 4 sisters and everyones family, in Sarasota at the wonderful Longboat Key Club. Now, why am I spoiled? My generous grandfather pays for it all....for everyone. No big deal. Till I got older and realized that not everyone does this. We get to stay in a luxurious resort, have lunch by the pool, relax on the beach every day, and go out to dinner every night. And, this is no McD's...no, grandpa wont settle for less the best 5 course meals that you can find on the Island. And, most of the time, we do have 4-5 courses. So, that is what I did last week, again. My wonderful grandfather treated the girls and Bryan and I, and the rest of the family, to a wonderful vacation, full of sand, sun, swimming, and lots of glorious food. There are lots of pictures, and I missed a lot of photo ops. Maddison learned to swim under water....she can hold her breath a long time! Hana learned to swim with no swimmies. I just loved the fact that I didnt have to cook for a whole week!!!

My grandparents are good friends with the head concierge of the resort. This year, she had my room stocked with the best frest fruit, cheeses, and lots of toys and coloring books for the girls. Ms. Barbara knows how to make me smile! Arent these beautiful??

Maddison all ready to go swimming! Our first morning, looking out our window at the beach and pool. Chloe loved to just lay in the cabana every morning.And this was her spot every afternoon to take a nap. Dinner one night at Harry's (the best strawberry salmon you will EVER find) This is my mom and her husband, Mike. The girls call him Uncle Monkey. My Grandpa and one of my mothers sisters, Jane. Chloe looked at this picture after I took it and told me I had to take it again since she had ketchup on her face. I liked this one better!Every year, it is a tradition to find holes in the sand and dig up the sand crabs. We know what we are going to find every time, it is no surprise that down deep, the crab is hiding from us. But, every time, uncle Ken has the same reaction...his deep laugh...that howl...it is hard to explain it, but if you know him, you know what I am talking about. I think now, we just dig them up to hear him laugh!! Here is the little sucker we caught this year! The rest of the time was just spent playing in the sand and having fun!