Easter–the decor

 

I was excited to decorate for Easter/ Spring this year.  I told Anna we would get the decorations out and when we did I realized I had a few baskets, eggs, a stuffed bunny, and some chicks.  I needed to invest, but didn’t want to put too much money into it.

These are from my ward’s Primary Easter party.  Thank you to Ashleigh for all your work.  I was excited! This is wheat grass grown from actual wheat.  Check it out Here!

Other fun things.  I made a Easter Tree by taking old branches from a dead tree in our yard, spray painted them white and found some eggs at all a dollar.   I had the chicks from a boutique in Utah, they were originally on a wreath. I like them in the tree. I bought us the new yellow egg, Anna’s favorite color and decided this is a new tradition!

 

We had some old baskets that were bright colors and different sizes.  I saw these at our local thrift store.  They are BRAND NEW and were marked down the day I went from $12.00 to $0.99 then they were 25% off… steal! I bought four.

I wanted to focus on Christ and help Anna learn the real reason for Easter.  Though I was a little behind on filling some of the eggs and we didn’t remember some days, Anna still loved it and I think it helped bring in the right spirit this year.  Each egg was filled with a scripture and something to represent an event which lead up to Christ’s resurrection.  Then on Easter the egg was empty to represent the tomb. 

We had towel bunnies in our Easter basket when I was growing up.  I wanted to have them for the girls.  So I bought some white towels, looked up a tutorial and had Anna help me make them.  I made them incorrectly at first, putting the elastic on the wrong side, but figured the ears were long and floppy.  Anna picked out BIG eyes for her bunny.  I glued them.  Then I realized they were wrong, but Anna was happy so I didn’t change them.  So Maddie’s is the real cute version and we (Dave and I without Anna’s knowledge) like to call Anna’s the “dork bunny.”

    

Lovin’ Modesto Plants

Moving to California has created a lesson in Gardening.  I still don’t know what some of these flowers around the yard are called, but I have enjoyed them this spring as well as the other beautiful plants and trees. It is fun to have “exotic” plants!

 

Monday Miner Moments (MMM)

I have been trying to figure out something random, but consistent to do on the blog.  I decided since I found these random photos that this will become my new tradition.  I know it is Wednesday, but so I can be caught up on this week I will start tonight.

My goal is to pick some random photos from the week and put them here.  I will try to type a brief explanation and call it good.  So here is week #1 of MMM! or M3!

I was catching a photo of Anna and decided to snap one of Dave. He is giving his biggest Cheese face.  I love this guy and his humor!

Anna is fascinated by Maddie, here I was trying to show Dave how she rolled over and Anna got involved; much to Maddie’s dismay I am sure.  Thank goodness kids are resilient and there is sisterly love.

 

Anna found a page of stickers and asked for a piece of paper.  Without any help, this was her creation. ( The sleeping bag and flashlight are in the tent, “just like when we went camping,”  she said.)  We went camping last JUNE! I am always amazed by her talents and abilities, but also her memory! Not too bad for a 3 year old!

I have to be cautious now of how and where I start a project because if I do it there once, Anna seems to think that is the only place to do it. A little while ago it was raining outside, but Anna wanted to do chalk.  So we got out this big paper so she could draw.  It kept rolling so we got some books to hold it.  This week went went to do it again.  This time she set it up with her puzzle pieces.  It is a “trail, a wong (long) trail.” Then she proceeded to make more trails with chalk.  Mia didn’t appreciate one of her favorite spots to be taken over.

Anna has decided this is her new favorite corner.  She has sat here for literally hours playing.  Her princesses and other characters have gone to the doctor, had a birthday party and many other things in this corner.  I love seeing (and hearing her imagination!)

I tried to snap Maddie working hard to get her toys.  She is getting so strong and “grabby” okay just curious and learning. This was the final stage before her actually rolling over!

San Francisco

(You know you have posted too much when it runs over the alotted space. I wrote specifically for my own memory. feel free to read. If it is too long, enjoy the photos and at least read ** at the bottom. It is my crazy Asain man story.)

We had a two day break from Modesto Life and went with Daddy to San Francisco. We spent the first day taking the trolley to to Ghirardelli square and the Warf. Anna was fascinated by the trolley and I think others were fascinated by our small troop. The Trolley driver even joked that he charges for extra baggage (aka our stroller).

I learned quickly why there were so many gawking eyes… San Francisco isn’t exactly the most newborn, 3 year old, and stroller friendly town. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE “the city” as the Modestinians call it, I just have a lot of respect for mothers with children who live there.

(I had recently been playing with the camera’s functions and forgot to set them back, so these photos are a little blue and blurry from the movement of the trolley. )

Down on Pier 39 I was feeling bad that Anna had been sitting so much and there wasn’t a lot for her to do, so made Dave take her on the carousel. She was so excited there were two levels!

(let’s not even talk about how nervous I was at this moment! )

Watching the “green bubbles” just after a boat passed by.

(Miss 3 year old attitude!)

We also enjoyed watching the sea lions until Anna begged us to go on the trolley and go back to the hotel. She was so excited to stay in a hotel. I soon learned that I should throw naps and bedtime out the window when we are on vacation in a hotel. Seriously.

We headed back to our hotel on Nob Hill. We were right on top of all the hills there in San Fran… which made for some Hiking for Heidi and Dave, my body was tired, but grateful. Dave was off to meetings and good food. I tried to get Anna to take a nap, but after a while we decided to head out for dinner instead. I asked the concierge for a cheaper, child friendly restaurant she sent me up the hill and around the corner. ( I was excited to see the Grace Cathedral on the way and reminisce to my high school days of studying Ghiberti's doors and doing the labyrinth with friends during our high school art trip.)

By the time I got to the restaurant Anna was out cold in the stroller (I’ll have to get the photo off my phone she looked hilarious!) and Maddie asleep in the sling. I looked in the windows, white linen napkins was not my idea of a child friendly restaurant, let alone one sleeping in the stroller.

Next I got a distracting phone call from a friend with excellent news (: and I found myself wandering the streets and getting to the outskirts of China town . I finally settled on a cheap pizza place and ate my dinner while the girls slept. Anna woke up just in time to take one bite and leave.

I hiked up the hills (probably could have planned better, but I didn’t mind) and we headed back to the hotel for Princesses and Tarzan (Anna’s favorite movie). She stayed up late, Enjoying her Pizza and movie. (: She is so funny.

After the movie we (Dave and I) went to bed. I have no idea when Anna finally fell asleep in her “big hotel bed.” All in all, with 2 kids in a hotel, it was a fun night.

The next day Dave was up and down to meetings and we were off to Union Square. Anna loved the Trolley and yet again I was the source of embarrassment (“Move over for the Baby and the mom, they need seats”).

We walked around got some donut holes from 7-11 ( I am kicking myself that I didn’t get out of the hotel for Breakfast at a recommended restaurant called Mama’s), but Anna enjoyed her set of donut holes. I did some shopping at children’s place and spent too much money on sales, but got many things Anna needed. Then we headed to the “park” or grassy area of union square. They has all these hearts out, Anna loved them.

**Funny, random, and creepy thing happened next. I sat down on a tiered step/grassy area to nurse Maddie. I gave Anna some snacks and she climbed around. I looked up and next thing I knew there was an Asian man standing down a tier looking at me through his camera. I was surprised and thought oh for sure he wasn’t taking a picture of me. He saw that he was caught, pretended to look at something else then quickly glanced back an snapped a photo of me. I glared. He then took some photos of others enjoying their lunch in the sun.

THEN, no folks he wasn’t finished, At the top of the tiers, one step above me, Anna was twirling herself around a tree. I looked back and see him AGAIN, 2 feet away from Anna snapping a close up of her. I glared again, not knowing if I should be creeped out, say something or be flattered. He nodded and did a little wave with his hand and disappeared. I guess if we end up in a magazine in Japan or something I should have asked for royalties. (:

I had lunch at the Boudin bakery and Anna whined from fatigue so we headed back. But after trying everything I could think of, Anna would not take a nap.

Dave had a break and we left for China town. It was fun to explore the shops, I found myself thinking I could decorate with Chinese things, then realized I was just being a tourist. I bought myself some new slippers and called it good. (Though I cannot wear them because they make our house stink of rubber!)

Anna was a mess again and kept asking us to stop walking and she wanted to go back to the hotel. (again, not the most child friendly place). We walked around a little more letting Dave soak in the air of the big city. Then us girls headed for an easy Italian dinner (no not pizza again) and Dave went to a yummy dinner at the hotel.

Once we were back we played princesses again and Anna enjoyed some of Pocahontas.

Again, I have no idea when she went to bed.

Anna literally cried when we left San Francisco and keeps asking me when we are going back. So despite the lack of sleep, whining and hours in a stroller, I think Anna enjoyed the two day break!