dresses & custard

We spent the afternoon scouting out an Easter dress for Julia.  You wouldn't think a 10-year old would be so very particular...and that the supply of decent fancy'ish dresses for 10-year olds would be so very slim.  But we finally found "the one."  And we knew it was "the one" by the spotlight shining on it from the heavens and the choir of angels filling our hearts with joy.

 We girls are all actually pretty jealous and wish it would have been available in our sizes, but it must have been her destiny.  Lucky her!
We followed up our shopping outing with some custard sundaes from Freddie's.  Be jealous...it was the most delicious custard...ever!  We were heartily blessed today!

nesting

Sophie decided that her parakeet could use a nice, cozy nest in his cage so she whipped one up out of fleece and sewed it right onto the bars!!!  Looks pretty cozy to me--maybe she'd make me one for the corner of my room!?!  He's been eyeing it but hasn't ventured inside yet...

It's all fun & games...until someone gets a tick...

We decided to have a little picnic/hike on the girls' last day of spring break.  So we packed up a lunch, and a dog, and headed on up the hill.
Yum!  Why does food always taste sooooo much better outside...and at high altitude?

hiking...hiking...posing...hiking...

and then...GACK!!!

We found a little joiner on our buddy, Mack.  But we quickly flicked (and flicked and flicked) it off... though it would have much rather burrowed in and stayed for the buffet that is Mack's sturdy bod.  

It looked a bit like this little jerk Emma neurotically found on the road below...just his lower-altitude-but-just-as-annoying-and-deadly cousin, I guess...

 So we stopped at the tick decontamination station, did a friendly body search of our neighbor before loading up the car...

 ...and grabbing some of this on the way home!  What an adventure!!!

Spring!

 All of us (including these two) are really enjoying seeing the sun a bit more often these days but shhhh...don't tell them it's supposed to snow on Saturday.  Be brave crocus & aspen...you'll make it through!!!

things that make you go "hmmm..."

Sophie's feet and hands turned a little wacky at today's swim meet.  Looks like I'm off to WebMD again...yikes!
Sophie's purple foot is on top & Julia's regular old flesh-toned foot is on bottom--

  Off to the google I go...

Orchestra Concert 3/11/14

In case the snow kept you away from Emma's orchestra concert last night (or if you didn't get the email we forgot to send inviting you to come--oops), here's a bit of it.  She's the one on the front left...sort of in the dark...not the blonde girl in the light facing the camera.  Video courtesy of Julia--thanks Julia!!

Long Long Ago

Feel free to do an Irish jig or polka or something to accompany Emma's song...I know I always do!

While I was out getting my hair cut today, Julia whipped up this adorable Panda Valentine's box all by herself.  She'll be all ready for their school Valentine's Day party on Wednesday!  It has lots of teeth because the kids are supposed to lift the lid so he can "eat" the cards they put in.  Clever gal!