Easter Baskets!

When I was growing up, Easter was always a magical time.  There were special Masses at church.  The Passion Play on Palm Sunday was breathtaking to me.  I remember sitting there listening to the words that described the events leading up to Jesus' death and thinking that people can be truly evil when they are afraid or their "power" is threatened.  At the same time, I remember the feeling of hope I had. Hope that rebirth was possible.

I know there are a lot of pagan rituals that are associated with Easter.  After all, so many of our Christian holidays came about to thwart pagan practices.  The thing is that Easter and Jesus' resurrection are a time for hope and rejoicing.  The Easter Bunny visited me when I was growing up as a celebration of the special day and he has come for Gracie and Lucas as well.

When we woke up this morning (after 7 am - YAY!), Gracie and Lucas were not anticipating anything.  After all, I haven't said anything to them about the Easter Bunny coming.  They were delighted to see small baskets waiting for them in the living room.  Just a bit of chocolate (let's be real, some of this is for me), a toy, and swim suits for the summer.  As I write this, Gracie and Luke are in the bathtub playing with his brand new cars.  The giggling and laughing is such a wonderful sound!

Gracie with Belle and her chocolate bunny.

Lucas got his chocolate bunny open first!

Gracie's new Little Mermaid swimsuit.  She wanted to wear it to breakfast. 

My sister has a tradition for her children's Easter baskets.  She always puts their new summer swimsuit and a new towel inside.  It's a wonderful tradition, one that I decided to adopt for Gracie and Lukie!  Gracie got two new suits:  One was a Little Mermaid bikini and the other was a Dora tankini. Lukie got Spiderman and a Blue Thunder (the Monster Truck) swim trunks.  There are signs that neither of them will take them off anytime soon!

Easter Brunch

 On Easter Sunday, we started a new tradition.  We dressed ourselves up and went to Easter Sunday brunch at Daddy's friend's restaurant, Matisse.

Gracie wore a headband I made especially for Easter Day.

 We ate lots of food and Abue Juve and Tio Martin tried to eat what they thought was caviar.  It wasn't.  It was freshly made horseradish! Gracie and Lukie's favorite food was the candy at the end of their meal!

Gracie, My Driver

Gracie is obsessed with my steering wheel.  Well, actually, she is obsessed with my entire car.  She wants to drive it.  Desperately.

Mr. Moon

"Mommy?"
"Yes, Lukie."
"Somebody cut Mr. Moon! There's a piece missing!"

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"Mommy! Mommy!"
"Yes, Gracie?"
"Mr. Moon is hungry. I think he wants some iCarly yogurt. Can I share mine?"
"I don't know. How are you going to get it to him?"
"He is going to come down and get it from me in our car."
"Oh, well, sure, then."

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"Mommy, Mr. Moon is still awake. I need to tell him that Mr. Shunshine is waking up and it is time for him to go to sleep."

More things heard around our house

"Daddy, look at me.  Look at my eyes.  Do you see my angry eyes?  These are my angry eyes because you are not being nice. Be nice, Daddy, or I will not play with you."

"Lukie, leave Mommy alone.  She's in a time out."
"A time out?  Mommy's in a time out?" Lucas stares at me sitting on the couch quietly.
"Yes.  Come outside. Mommy needs to sit in her time out."
"Mommy's in a time out? What did she do? Gracie, Mommy's in a time out!"

"Mommy, I can do that!" (said watching commercial number 814)
"I can do that, too."
"No, Gracie.  That is for boys, not for girls."
"No, Lukie.  Girls can play with that toy, too. Not just boys."

"Mommy, when I grow up I will be the Mommy and you can be the baby. Okay?"

Travel Town USA

I've lived in Southern California all my life, but there are so many things I have no idea about.  Travel Town is one of them.  If it weren't for a birthday party we attended in early 2010, I would never know Travel Town exists in Los Angeles.

We ended up at Travel Town this trip purely because of traffic.  We had intended to go to the L.A. Zoo, but there was an accident that prevented us from getting there.  Instead, I had Daddy turn the opposite direction and we came across a parking spot just in time.

Travel Town is an amazing place designed for anyone who LOVES trains.  Oh, the trains!  Lucas was in heaven and Gracie was not far behind.  There were big trains and little trains.  Trains that had wheels bigger than Gracie and Lucas combined!  There were trains you could climb on and trains that were off limits.  There was even a train you could ride.

Can you see Lucas and Gracie?  I know it is hard because of the ENORMOUS train wheel.

Gracie loved running inside the passenger car.

Ready to be an engineer.

I think if you let them, Gracie and Lucas could spend all day at Travel Town and never get bored.

Isn't 3 1/2 years old fun?

Remind me not to make goals and Some things heard around our house

The goal thing. Not working.

Some fun things heard around our house:

Mommy, when I grow up, I'm going to be Tammy and I'm going to paint your nails.

Mommy, when you get little and I get big, I'm going to cook your dinner and help you put your jammies on.

Mommy, Mark says I have dirty finger nails.  I told him not to use mean words.  He was bewwy mean.

Mommy, I told the coyotes that they can't come in our house.  I told them they need to be quiet because they are bewwy loud and mean.

Mommy, there are no monsters in our house?  No, Lukie.  There are no monsters.  And you locked all of the doors so they can't get in?  That's right, Lukie.  You helped me lock all of the doors.  No monsters can get in.  Oh, good.  If they try to get in the door will be locked and they will be stuck outside.

Mommy, when I was in your tummy I was on the top and Lukie was on the bottom?  Yep.  That's right! And I would swim around and around and Lukie would just have the hiccups, right?  Yep.  That's right!  Lukie is so silly.  He sure is!

New Year and New Goal

I think we can all agree that 2010 was a crazy year for everyone.  Frankly, I'm happy it is gone.  It wasn't a banner year for us.

Well, except that Daddy now has a working kidney.

And, Gracie and Lukie are both potty trained.

And we're together.

Okay, scratch that.  The year ended well. 

However, I know that I've dropped the ball when it comes to Gracie and Luke.  I've hardly taken any pictures and I haven't done a good job of recording all of the amazing memories we have had in the last year.  I wish I had something on which I could record notes to myself.  It would be awesome.  I'm forever thinking:  "I need to put that on the blog." and then I don't.

So, I'm rededicating myself to the 365 Project.  Unfortunately, we are now at a 363 project because I did not decide to do this until today.  I will do this!  I can! 

Check back later for some update posts for December.  We had Tamale Day and several other days to report on!

Here's to a fantastic 2011!

Merry Christmas From Us!

A walk through the years:

2007

2008 with Aunt Bec and Mommy

Gracie - Christmas 2009

Lukie - Christmas 2009

Christmas 2010

The Wizard of Oz According to Gracie

We recently watched the Wizard of Oz and Gracie and Luke were transfixed.  Gracie asked me a million questions, proof that I can never take her to a movie theater.  She will be "that" kid.

Here is what Gracie gleaned from the movie:

Overheard around our house

"Mommy, which princess am I?" (Lukie wearing Gracie's Snow White dress up shoes)

Upon seeing 1/3 of the Christmas tree decorated and assembled (Gracie):  "Mommy, Look! You got us a Christmas tree!  Oh, thank you, thank you!  It is so beautiful!  Thank you, Mommy for our beautiful Christmas tree!  Do you know I love you?" (followed by a racing, huge bear hug)

"Mommy, look!  My diaper isn't wet!" (Gracie after waking up with a dry diaper 3 days in a row.  For the record, we are still working on night time PT.)

"Mommy, is Daddy going to have a slumber party with us?"
"No, Lukie, Daddy isn't going to have a slumber party with us. He is going to sleep at our house forever!"
"Forever?"
"Yes, forever!"
"Yay!  Yay!  Yay! Yay! Gwacie!  Daddy is going to sleep at our house forever!  Yay!  Yay!  Yay!"

"Mommy, do you know that you love me?"
"Yes, Gracie, I do know that I love you!"
"Good!"

"Mommy, don't say 'booty!'  Teacher Marlene says that is a mean word!"