We need a vacation!!

After three mini vacations in 2011, we didn't take any vacations in 2012. While that did help our budget, it is beginning to take a toll. These last two months in particular have been very stressful for both Steve and I so hopefully we can schedule in a break soon.
Luckily, we got a one day getaway last fall to Yosemite with Maria. The girls talked about it for months after even though it was a less than 24-hour trip. We arrived at our hotel at midnight and was home again the next night by 9. When we woke the girls up upon our arrival at the hotel Steve told them to "get in the building" so for weeks after they would say "We need to pick up Maria at the airport and go to the building. And we'll sleep there and Catie will sleep in her pen" Ha, it was the first time Catie had been in a Graco playpen. So funny how they remember these things. Anna talked about it a lot!
They would love a trip to the snow. Eden thinks she wants to snowboard but when we tell her she has to wear a helmet she doesn't want to do it anymore. Maybe we can at least get a couple days to sled.
Here's hoping for a snow trip!
A pic from Yosemite snow last November:

WIWS Volume 1

My first time to link up with Fine Linen and Purple.....

Wow, the church was like at half of its usual participants. Maybe the churches up in Tahoe were full...
Yay, winter vacation!
I didn't actually take a picture of today's outfit because it was sooooo boring:
Khaki pants
Beige turtleneck
Ivory Cardigan
So unlike me to have no color, ha!

But here is a flashback pic from Catie's baptism, Divine Mercy Sunday 2012.

Blouse: H&M
Skirt: Steinmart (Way back from my Jacksonville days, whoa!)

Seven QT VOL I

My first time to join Jen @ Conversion Diary

1. One week countdown till we move!! The house is a mess right now but I'm trying to remember it will just be temporary. It will be an interesting vacation break with almost everything packed up.

2. Catie is very close to full time walking. She took several consecutive steps across the room. Any day now!

3. Eden had a "safety drill" at school today. They said she did a really good job because they needed all the kids to be quiet, perfect activity for her, ha! I told Steve I should have asked her teacher if Steven Seagal was there....

4. Finally some new shows to watch with the return of Smash and Walking Dead.

5. We are looking foward to going back to re:sound tonight. I really need to get a video of the girls singing, "Trading My Sorrows" in English and Spanish! So cute!!

6. Anna in a tree

7. Eden in her "lunchtime school house"

All about me tee

Eden made this poster in her social skills group.
Places I Like to Go: "To Kindergarten with Mommy" (Huge surprise answer but so cute)
Likes to do at home: "Play outside"
Likes to do at school: "Play Doh" (Her favorite free choice activity is a Play Doh breakfast set. She says she makes, "Hashbrowns, eggs, waffles and strawberries)
Favorite food: "Apples"
Favorite movie: "Uncle Donald" (On Christmas Eve, the Disney Channel showed the movie "Once Upon a Christmas" and Eden LOVED it all Christmas Vacation. I found it on YouTube and we watched it many, many times but since Christmas is over we haven't watched it in a while even though Eden asks about it often)
The leader says she was very descriptive about the family pictures too. I wish I knew exactly what she said but I'm so proud of all these unprompted answers given to the leaders. She seemed so confused about the answer, Uncle Donald, ha!
The aides said she ate two cupcakes at the Valentine's Party and when I asked her who brought the cupcakes she said,"Mrs. Brosseau" (a parent). I was surprised she was able to answer with just one question and such a novel response. 

A post a day for Lent

I'm going to challenge myself to write a blog post everyday during Lent.
Some reasons why:

• I like to write and I want to do it more on a scheduled basis
• I'm a big time blog stalker and I want to add to the mix instead of just looking in from the outside
• Part of my Mom job is to be a family documentation so I need to a better job of that.

Here is a happy Catie video filmed last week:

Kinder update

Eden has been in Kindergarten for three months now so I thought I should update.

August 2012

She met all of her IEP quarter objectives for the second quarter.
I think she has exceeded one of them. Her goal is to write numbers 1-10. The next week after her conference, she wrote 1-30 with chalk on the driveway, totally unprompted. I should have taken a picture.

Halloween Parade, 2012

Halloween with her teacher

At school, she likes to play Don't Break the Ice, play with putty, read Drowsy Dragon and Cranky Bear. She also counts all 100 days. She still doesn't fully participate in circle time but she likes it when it is her turn.
She had a Thanksgiving feast and when I asked what she ate she said, "Potato chips"! Yum, what is a feast without potato chips.

Eden at Yosemite

November 2008

November 2012 

Anna, Catie and Maria in Yosemite 2012