This Weekend

On Friday Celia celebrated Arbor day at school.  They walked to a park and had a celebration for the event.  Celia was made an honorary deputy and was given a deputy/sheriff star too.

I did not really understand all of the festivities that took place despite asking multiple questions and getting random odd answers…

On Saturday I went to my last consignment sale of the season in search of plain tops for Celia.  I did not find them at the sale but of course I found other things!  Good thing is that it did not add up to much at all in cost.  I found a nearly brand new with batteries in it Tigger toy for $1.  I was going to bring it in to work however, well, someone else liked it.

On Sunday Celia impressed everyone during the Children's Message.  Our children's minister asked the group of kids about Doubting Thomas and asked them what Thomas said.  Celia responded with this:

"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe".  I sorted of missed this and after church several people came up to me and commented about it.  I just expected it, Celia is something special!  Celia said that during Sunday School, the children's minister kept asking her to repeat it.  

I planted flowers.  For those of you that know me, this is risky business for the flowers.  But I did it and they look beautiful for the little time they are alive.

She's Got the Moves

Easter Dresses

The girls are very into dresses, they love them, especially Audrey.  I had my heart set on this very simple pink dress with a collar for Audrey and I was hoping she would agree.  I approached her the night before Easter and played up this "very extra special bunny pink" dress that I found for her.  It worked and she agreed to it.  Now for Celia.  I never know if I will win or not with her, she typically is okay as long as it is comfy and I pick it out the outfit for her.  Dresses though, well dresses sometimes go wrong.  I purchased a Jelly the Pug dress on clearance almost a year ago for Celia.  I loved the dress and I usually do not actually buy dresses in the store.  I usually get them from consignment sales.  So the night before Easter Celia asked me if we could pick out her Easter dress from her closet.  I had a few options but really in my mind the Jelly the Pug dress was it.  I told Celia that I had one in mind but it was up to her (because if I told her she only had one choice, that would backfire).  I pulled out the Jelly the Pug dress and she became super excited.  So I won with both girls.  That never happens, it was my little Easter present I suppose.

 The bunny ears were a crucial part of her outfit.

Audrey would not let me put up her hair, sigh.

Bunny Butt

Celia:  Audrey, Do you know what is hilarious?
Audrey: A butt ( laughter exploding)

I saw a tutorial on pinterest for a bunny butt cake and I knew I had to make it for easter.  So I made it for our get together with Pete's parents the Saturday before Easter.  It was fairly easy and a big hit among my crazy girls.

Happy Easter

Oh he's coming tomorrow!!!

Swimming, Egg hunt, Palm Sunday

I sort of procrastinated signing Celia up for swim lessons.

A friend of mine recommended a woman that does private lessons at her house.

So Celia had her first lesson and it was actually pretty good!  It is a tiny little pool with an endless pool feature.  Basically there is a motor that makes it so you can swim in place.  It did the job and Celia was very relaxed.  In case you do not know but Celia had lessons at our local university when she was 3.  It is a program that is AWESOME for kids that need to learn how to be safe around a pool and it teaches them what to do if they fall in a pool, etc.  For Celia, unfortunately, it left her untrusting of swim instructors.  It has been a long road but we are getting there.  With the tiny pool, Celia felt secure.

 Ms. Hippoty Hop helped me set up for our Church Easter Egg Hunt

The hunt was a huge success and Celia was a great helper.

 She decorated samples for two craft tables.

I was in charge of the potted plant craft.  We ran out of pots part way through and it was interesting.

I am not exactly talented in the gardening department and well, the plants were in the pots and had dirt on them and I was just proud that I new to plant them right side up.   I also lead the 2 and 3 year olds in the egg hunt.  That was more my are of expertise.

 Audrey was there too, however I have little record of that.  See the girl in the corner of the picture dressed similar to Celia, that's her.  No idea why they were not together because they are ALWAYs together.

Oh there she is again in the corner with the bunny ears on, avoiding the actual Easter Bunny.

Our new children's minister is excellent.  The egg hunt was well organized and she even had the Easter bunny lead some dances.  Audrey gave the Easter Bunny a gift, it was super sweet, but she is still afraid of him.

Celia sung on Palm Sunday with the choir.  It was her second time singing and she did great.  All of the choirs marched in together and then stood at the end and finished singing the hymn.  It was short but sweet.  Later all of the kids handed out palms to everyone.

Healthy Running Kids an Update

So… our second week of Healthy Running Kids came and Audrey did a bit better.  Let me show you in pictures.

She participated in the stretching- last week she said no

Not sure what stretch they were doing here but at least she is moving

Then we get to the actual race.

Folks, she's cute, I need to lead with that.

So.. the picture is tiny and it looks like everyone is running.

Well, what you don't see is Audrey looking to the back at her at some random thing.

She missed the fact that all of the other girls started running.

This time when the director told her to go though she did not respond with "no", she started running

And there she is running

And there Pete is running with a bag of mini m&ms

Yep, we bribed her and we are not ashamed

Now she may have stopped 2x before she finished

She may have waved at who ever she saw a few times and stuck her tongue out like a goof

But she ran and she finished and we are proud

She has 2 weeks to practice as HRK is off for Easter

I really have no great pictures of Celia and that does not mean that I was not cheering her on as much as Audrey, it means that I was too busy cheering her on and searching for her among the pack of girls to take pictures.  Next time I will take more of Celia.

She had a harder time this round then last time and that is okay, everyone has good days and bad days.  She finished, she ran when they said go, and she kept her tongue in her mouth.  We are proud.  She had a busy day that day as she sang in church, had a playdate, and played outside for a long time.  Then when we got to HRK she chased Audrey around and around and around.   

Oh and I leave with this.  That is not the back of Celia's head.  You would think with all of the curls sprouting all over the place.  That would be Audrey's hair, go figure.  It is the humidity, wonder what the summer will bring.

Pictures from the Week

 Trampolines and Toddlers = Heaven

 Boo Bunny

She was whining and so I put it on her back and she walked away happy as could be.

If only that would work every time….

Healthy Kids Running Series

Last year Celia participated in our local chapter of Healthy Kids Running Series.  Actually the series was started in our area and has now expanded to several states.  This year we signed Audrey up to run. The kids will run races for the next 6 Sundays.  It is very well organized and last year Celia had a great time.  We were nervous this year because last year she only had to run a 50 yard dash and this year it is a 1/4 mile for her age group.

Audrey only had to do the 50 yard dash and she was very excited on the way there.  She was excited until they divided the kids into age groups to stretch and then she basically just stood there.  I tried to get her to participate in the stretching and she responded with a very firm "no".  So we moved onto the race and I thought that once she saw the other kids run that she would too.  So all of the kids took off and Audrey just stood there.  One of the race directors patted her back and told her to run and she told him "no".  So I came and ran with her.  She was not completely on board with even running with me.  She was a little more excited once she found out that at the end of the race was a toy plane.  Our as she called it a kite plane.

Celia on the other hand totally surprised me.  She lined up with her group and was sort of nudged to the back line and she was not happy about it.  I can read my daughter and she was totally annoyed.  So I thought, if this does not go well, I know exactly what she is going to blame it on!!  She took off at almost the very end of all of the girls.  Then she moved up a little further, they rounded a corner and she moved further up, and finally finished in the middle of the top pack of girls.  It was awesome to see her run and finish the 1/4 mile.  That is all I wanted her to do!!

Celia is the one in the long pink leggings