Random updates on a Monday

1. Regot
Both of my girls say "regot" instead of "forgot". So they either remember something or regot it. I may be guilty of not correcting this. I know it will get corrected by others and it is one of the very few baby like things about them, especially Reese. I will be sad the day they begin saying forgot, but I know the day will and should come.

2. He's eating our house
Pickles is making further improvements in some areas but is successfully eating our house. Needless to say the poor, sweet guy spends a lot more time in his crate when we are not home.

3. Sooie Spotlight
Reese was the student of the week a few weeks ago, they call it sooie spotlight. She was so excited to get this title for the week and Neal and I got to come up to eat lunch with her one day and read her favorite book to her class, Purplicious. It is fun to see her at school with her amazing teacher and friends. I am so proud of all that she has learned this year.

4. Car naps
I have been letting little bit skip naps some days and also take a nap in the car some days when we are running around a lot. She is so compliant and says okay when I tell her it's time to turn off the movie and take a nap. She sometimes covers herself up with a blanket or in the below case a towel, ha. I really enjoy all of the time I get with her and am so thankful for it. She is a sweetheart.

5. Little Dribblers
Reese participated in a basketball program called "Little Dribblers" with her two friends Jack and Grayson. She really liked basketball. This was a program to learn the basics, they didn't play games on teams. I wouldn't be surprised if we have a basketball player in the future. We all really enjoyed it...aren't they the cutest?!

6. Wonder Woman
Ella is so prissy and princess obsessed but recently she rented a Wonder Woman book from the library. She is suddenly really into superheroes. I think this is so cute and a good balance for this adorable girl.

7. Princesses & a Razorback
A few weeks ago we went with some friends to a Ladyback gymnastics meet. A bunch of princesses were at the meet and of course the little girls wanted their picture with them. When we got down there one of the mascots was taking a picture with them for the Razorback twitter page. I asked if he wouldn't mind staying in our picture too. I love this!

8. Picture taking obsession
The girls are still obsessed with taking pictures on my phone and I am often finding pictures that I didn't know about...and some that I did know about but make me laugh.

9. Gap closing
Neal and I met about 14 years ago working at the Gap. Recently the NWA mall Gap closed. So on Valentine's Day we got a picture in front of the vacant store. Sad day!

10. Cora Beth
We don't get to see one of my best friends and college roommates nearly often enough. We did get to spend a few hours with her and her daughter last weekend and the girls had so much fun with Cora. It is so much fun that they are to an age that they remember people and their interactions are so cute at this age. We spent about an hour at Target playing on the toy aisle, picking out leotards and trying on all kinds of clothes in the fitting room...cute little girl fun.

11. Star Student
Ella is the start student at pre school this week. This little girl has been asking for months when she will be star student and when she found out it was her this week she was over the moon excited. 

We ate lunch with her today and completely forgot to get a picture so I will get one one day this week and add it here later. She's loved having mine and Neal's full attention at lunch and just ate it all up, so sweet.

I got some pictures when I picked her up!

12. I'm pretty proud of their unicorn Valentine's boxes. I actually put some work into them this year since they will also double as Reese's birthday party decor next month.

The day they brought them to school they were talking on the car ride there and they named them. Reese named hers "uni" & Ella named hers "horny". I laughed when I heard this & they wanted to know why...I told them I just thought of something funny from earlier.

13. Ella wanted to type her name. I always say no but this time I said yes :) :
Ella

A Mr. Pickles update

I will start this post by saying that Mr. Pickles is the sweetest dog and he is a permanent part of our family. He loves the girls and us well and is really snuggly and affectionate...and super, super cute. We love him a whole lot and have many great moments with him. He is going to be a great dog but needs a good bit of training to get there.

He is so so so so so naughty. We have enlisted the help of a private trainer. She has come once and gave us some tips that we are working on. Some of the more minor, annoying things such as his biting at our ankles, clothing, blankets, towels and fingers are getting better. The bigger issues seem to be ongoing and like I suspected we have a super strong willed little dog.

Below is one example of his naughty behavior this past week. Keep in mind things like this happen weekly and drive me near insanity.

Neal was traveling and I was managing dinner, baths and straightening just a little one evening before a babysitter got to the house so that I could go to community group. I had the girls eating leftover beef/ vegetable soup at the table while I was warming a roast beef sandwich on the stove. Ella got up from the table for some reason and I look over and Pickles is on top of the table finishing her soup. I was instructed to yell at him like a crazy woman (by the trainer) when this particular thing happens so I proceeded to yell and scream at him at the top of my lungs and this did scare him and he got down, but he has done this again multiple times so it didn't really make the impression we are hoping for. I had warned the girls that I would do this crazy act if he got on the table again but it still startled them a bit. I got a new bowl of soup for Ella and then realized I had burned my sandwich. I got all of that cleaned and got myself something to eat and was then trying to get the girls dressed for bed. Ella was trying to get her shirt on herself and Pickles grabbed the shirt from her and went running. I ran after him and he thought it was so much fun, I was so angry with him. He proceeded to run out the doggy door with the shirt and then run back in to taunt me. He then ran back out the doggy door, grabbed the shirt and ran back in with it. He dropped it on the floor and I went for it, he then grabbed it and ran back out the doggy door with it and he came back in without it. I quickly grabbed him, yelled at him and put him in his crate. I then went outside and found the shirt in the cold, darkness and brought it back in for Ella to put on. Mr. Pickles spent about an hour in his crate. Uggghhhh!

He went to the beauty shop last week and came home looking like a different dog. We believe in this cute, sweet dog and have hope for better behavior.

Valanakah 2016

Neal. spoils. us!! Valanakah this year was lots of fun and the girls and I were showered with 8 days of gifts, again. They seem to love gifts...just like their mom. Neal was traveling for a few days of Valanakah this year so we facetimed with him while we opened our gifts one of the days and one of the days he was in meetings and couldn't facetime so we sent him a picture of us with our gifts that we were so excited about. 

The night before Valentine's Day Ella's school did a studio at night so the parents could go out. Neal and I decided to skip the super busy restaurants and do take out and enjoy the peace of our kidless house. We both really enjoyed it but looked forward to the crazies coming back home.

Today, Valentine's Day, we trekked down to central Arkansas because it has been way too long since we have spent time with Neal's grandparents. We are having a fun time with his precious Mimi and Papa & we got some great pictures that I know will be treasures.