Fathers and Daughters

Today was a special day in the O'Leary household! It was the first time the two older girls went to a dance with their daddy! For weeks it has been on our calendar and Brooke has been asking nearly everyday, "Is today daddy daughter dance day?". Finally the day has arrived. The day began with putting curlers in Savannah's hair (her idea!). Savannah has always been my jeans and t-shirt kind of gal. Don't get me wrong- she looks precious in everything, but she just doesn't normally gravitate towards the foo foo. So it took me by surprise that she wanted the hair curled. She has beautiful, long hair that I am quite envious of right now, seeing as I recently chopped mine off. So we rolled her hair. Brooke began the day by asking if she could get ready. It was 8:00 am. Just a tad early to put a four year old in a white dress. So we put that off for a while. Later in the day we visit the florist and pick up a cute little corsage for each girl. Savannah was thrilled. Brooke cried because she wanted a smiley face balloon instead. "If I got you a smiley face balloon, you would have to wear it on your wrist to the dance," says me, "OK!" says Brooke. So she wasn't too thrilled with the whole corsage idea initially. However, she later took much pride in her beautiful yellow rose. We headed home and waited for Daddy. The girls got their dresses on after dinner and we proceeded to fix hair. I am imagining my daughters getting ready for homecoming dances and proms and nervously awaiting their dates arrival. Getting a little verklempt...OK, maybe I am just tired. Brooke begins to dig in the dress up trunk to accessorize. She finds a very sparkly silver, sequined clutch, two bracelets, a light up crown, and a necklace. Savannah wears my "crown" I wore on my wedding day. She keeps it on display in her room. Again, feeling a bit weepy. She also decided to wear some very large "diamond" earrings and a necklace I wore to a dance in the eighth grade. They're pretty classy. I think my mom bought them from Claire's. High dollar. Anyways, never thought those would be seeing the light of day again! She looked precious. Savannah also decides to wear my great,great grandmother's fur stole. I think it's mink. Very soft and again, glad someone is getting some use out of it! So gorgeous, but I'm always afraid PETA will throw eggs at me if I wear it. My mom says her grandmother would be so tickled that Savannah's wearing it! Dad gets home and puts on a suit. Yes, I said SUIT! And boy did he look handsome. OK, so when do I get to put on a fancy dress, wear mink and go out with Bruce while he wears a suit??? Come on, where's the love?

I make the kids pose for a million pictures and they're off. I watch and wave from the door. Such precious moments. Watching my sweet girls, all dressed up, load into a car and make a memory they'll never forget. Already looking forward to next year. So this is what it means to be mom.

And of course Madelyn couldn't be left out. She begged for Daddy to pick her up. Looking a little smug because she can't go...........

But wait, is daddy kissing me?? Still want to be mad......

Ok, I can't resist! Must give daddy kisses!

And a poke in the nose!

Reason # 4,5 and 6 living with Nana and Papaw is good

So life has brought me full circle back to my hometown. After trying to get out of here right after high school and living in Austin, Baton Rouge, Houston, just to name a few, my husband was blessed with a job right here in the big D. He is thoroughly enjoying his new job and the girls and I are enjoying getting to hang out with my parents once again...and when I say hanging out with my parents, I mean LIVING with them! That is until our house down South either sells or leases. But life is good. I am starting to reconnect with old friends and most all of our other family lives around the area also. While I miss friends and familiarity of our home near Houston, I am soaking up the benefits of living here once again. Of course the kids are loving living with Nana and Papaw. They are already putting Papaw to work and have somehow convinced him and my mom that the old playhouse needs to be revived. It's amazing how much fun a backyard can be with tons of acorns, shade trees and an old playhouse that hasn't really been touched in years. So far they have moved a wall to open up the inside of the house, put in some new hardware to make it more sturdy and replaced the floor on the inside. And of course a new sign has been hung on the front. Future plans include new paint, new inside walls, some chalkboard paint and anything else the always inventive Savannah can come up with!

Living here has been nice....I cook dinner and my mom cleans up the kitchen (LOVE this!!), I can run to the store with only ONE kid while mom watches the rest, and I have someone to hang out with when Bruce works late hours and extra days. Some days are more challenging than others. I feel bad when my kids are screaming, fighting, and otherwise interrupting my parent's normal daily routine. I feel guilty when my mom does our laundry even though she says I shouldn't. I'm not sure how much I need to help out around here but know I want to help out bunches in order to not take advantage of the situation! Each day we learn a little more and I for one know that this is only a season in our lives. Soon we will be moving into our own space again...the challenges will be forgotten and the girls will be missing Nana and Papaw again. The good news is we'll be just a few miles away....

It's been a year

My youngest is a little over a year old and I am finally feeling as if life isn't QUITE as chaotic as it once was. The school year has been going wonderfully this year. Interestingly enough, adding a new student, Brooke (4) has made our days even more organized and fun! I love teaching preschool and as Savannah (9) gets older, there is less singing and crafts. Not to say that there isn't any singing or crafting going on with Savannah, just less of it! Savannah is my little author. She has written 2.638 words on a great book she titled, Popcorn. I actually really look forward to reading it as she writes more. There's something special about it and maybe something will come of it....
Brooke is learning more and more each day and amazes me with her keen memory. She remembers everything she sees and hears...good and bad!
Madelyn is becoming more and more like a toddler and less like a baby each day. Entering that fun stage where it is hard to go ANYWHERE with her! More fun times ahead!

Impromptu Tea Party-Girls Only

The Princess

The day before Brooke's birthday Savannah decided Brooke was to be treated like a princess and could choose to play anything she wanted. Being the girly girl she is, she obviously chose to have a tea party. The fact that my Brooke loves all things pink and tea parties does make me smile. She is the toughest and most aggressive little girl I have. She will surely be my beauty queen/athlete daughter. It was so cute (and rare) to see my girls getting along so nicely that I couldn't pass up the moment to roll Madelyn out there in her highchair and allow her to join in on what I think will be the first of many sister tea parties at our house. I imagine they will evolve over time to be progressively more mature and sophisticated. But for now, how precious was this site on a gorgeous Spring day?

The Hostess with the Mostest

Brooke is 4!

My sweet middle daughter is officially four years old. Brooke has been anxiously waiting for this birthday to arrive for some time now, even telling us she's five. Something about the number five is magical to her. But now she is actually four and seems to be pretty proud of it! We had a pretty low key birthday for her this year. We went to a precious little girl's party just last weekend which was an "Eloise at the Plaza" theme (I wish I had brought my camera. It was absolutely divine! My nanny, Eloise, would have thought it was the bees knees!). Before we arrived I had to explain to Brooke that Mariah was turning five and that is why she was having such a big party. And when she turns five we can have a blowout extravaganza too! But our little family affair was just as special. The night before the big day I made cupcakes so we could have them with Daddy. He would be at rehearsal late the next evening. I made a delicious batch of chocolate chip cupcakes and I had to share the recipe just in case someone looking on google for a really good double chocolate and dairy free cake recipe could use it! I realize I currently have like three followers (one being my mom and the other my daughter) but still. You never know! Here's the recipe:

Seriously Good Double Chocolate Cupcakes (or cake)

Can be made with Dairy or without

2 cups sugar

3/4 Cup cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk (I used rice milk)

1/2 cup oil (I used coconut oil)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup chocolate chips ( I use Ghirardelli semi-sweet since they are milk-free

And here's Madelyn trying icing for the first time

Awesome Giveaway

I was searching this morning for some type of giveaway for the incredibly awesome Go Gaga diaper bag. I did discover a giveaway for the strap on Supermom Central's blog. Of course I entered (praying to win......"Lord, I know I never win contests such as this, and there's obviously a lesson in this lack of winning, but I really like this bag. Amen.") Well, I then stumbled upon another sweet giveaway on this blog. Seeing as I am always wearing my baby....(I thought they were supposed to be disconnected from you after birth....I digress)....I thought this giveaway would be a delight to win (repeat above prayer). Here's the link
http://supermomcentral.blogspot.com/2010/04/giveaway-lillebaby-baby-carrier-and-i.html

The Results

This is how our garden turned out! This is a picture from last week. Since that time we've added a few flowers to the pot and the beds to attract pollinators. Newer pics to come soon. Hopefully with luscious vegetables growing in abundance and bright and beautiful flowers attracting butterflies!! Ok, maybe not quite that extravagant but a girl can dream