Easter Overload

There seem to be two types of people in the world... the kind of people who can't say no to a good time and the type of people who balance their activities a bit. Mommy and Daddy both lean towards a good time whenever there's one to be had, and it makes for a very fun, full holiday celebration.

We celebrated Easter thoroughly. We had parties, family, friends, egg hunts galore, confetti eggs, cookies, cake pops, cake, candy, a road trip, late nights, skipped naps... the fun just kept going and going.

To be sure, I loved every single second of Easter fun. It's just that at the end of it all, when the parties are over and the eggs are all found and the confetti is all over the many yards we cracked them in, sometimes I'm a little tired. Sister and I have found two different ways of coping.

For Avery, the best way to express Easter Overload is to scream. Avery was the picture of perfection the entire week - sweet and loving, obedient. But when she's done... she tells us all. Suddenly, it would seem that obedience or politeness would do her in, and instead of giving in to sleep, she'd cry over and over, "I want to stop crying! I want to stop crying!" This can last for hours. Amazing.

I find the way Avery handles exhaustion to be... well, exhausting. Instead, I'd crawl in Mommy's lap and say, "I wan' go home. I tire." And then I'd sleep. It took me most of yesterday afternoon and today to recover, but I find my way works well. I'm already feeling 100% again and was able to keep Avery awake tonight after lights out with lots of questions.

Avery may still need a little time to catch up on sleep, but we both agree... the Easter fun was WORTH IT!

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF THE WEEK (Not included: Avery's school party... only party moms go and it wasn't our turn)

Love,

Kate "I not Bunny Foo Foo... I Kate!" McClinton

Camping Trip 2011

We got home from Vegas right in time for the annual Rowdy Rebel camping trip. We missed it last year, but Mommy says we'll never miss again - too much fun and togetherness to skip out on! It was the perfect way to unwind after Las Vegas, and being with my original playgroup is always a blast!

I loved some parts of camping. I loved getting in the water and when we were on the boat. I loved having my friends so close (Hannah and Cole were right next door!) and when me and Kate readed books.

Some parts weren't my favorite. I didn't like the bugs. They were everywhere! I didn't like when we went so fast on the boat that the wind pulled my lollipop right out of my hands! (And according to Mommy and Miss Ella's screams, they didn't like the fast boat either... sorry, Daddy!)

Click here for pictures of the trip!

Love,

Avery Outdoor Pro McClinton

From Riches to Rags...

(Sort of)

This week we spent Sunday through Thursday in Vegas and then camped with some precious friends Friday through the next Sunday. We literally flew in from one type of vacation and drove straight to a very, very different kind of vacation (blog about camping coming soon).

Jordan has been back and forth to Vegas repeatedly for work, and this time we hopped the plane with him to see the sights of Vegas. It was my first time there, and we decided this was perfect timing for our little family of four to get away one last time before Reese joins the crew.

The time in Vegas was so special, despite not being a place meant for young children. It was the only trip where I've been alone with the girls for so much time with no agenda but to be together, and I will absolutely cherish the memories of watching them interact, being totally available to them (no dishes! no laundry!), and of the way the girls lit up when Daddy got home from his trainings each night (it meant two wonderful things: Daddy was here AND the real excitement of the day was about to begin). For an impromptu 'babymoon', the week couldn't have been better suited in terms of family adventure and loving on each other.

We have a little family tradition for trips. Each girl gets a folder full of blank paper and uses the pages to draw and dictate the important parts of the vacation. Vegas is such an interesting place, and I thought the girls did a pretty accurate job telling about it in their books. So, without further ado, Vegas, as seen by a 2 and 4 year old.

Sunday:

The flight in, by Avery (apparently she has inherited her parents' anxiety about flying... note the 'bumpy' part of the picture at bottom right).

Monday:

Watching tv, by Avery (even with all of the activities, what struck Avery the most was that Mommy loosened her belt some on tv watching time).

Tuesday:

(We did this both Mon. and Tues.)

Swimming with Daddy at the pool, by Kate (the artistry is nothing compared to the sound effects that went into drawing this pic).

Wednesday:

Avery's impression of Vegas (I think she was drawing the view out of our window - strip to the right and desert to the left, but isn't this true on so, so many levels?)

Thursday:

Things Kate thought were important: lions from MGM, the trains we rode (so many of them), and froggies (which we asked her where they were from, and she replied, "Nowhere. I just yike them.")

Click here for more pictures from the girls' books as well as actual photos!

The Cat Came Back...

This week, we had a little adventure with a stray kitty. What follows is a series of emails I sent a friend of mine as the drama unfolded.

Tuesday, 9:57 am:

"If you need me, call my cell bc Avery wants to play in the front yard with the cat. Haha. Jordan's arch nemesis is a 5 lb feline."

Tuesday, 10:08 am

"So the cat's been in our backyard and he just threw it over the fence and it hopped back over with a little meow. His face. Oh I am so happy right now. Hehe."

Tuesday, 10:37 am

"The battle lines have been drawn. The cat and the girls. The dogs and the dad (and unlikely union, but desperate times lead to desperate measures).

The only neutral party is the mom. (Can she be called 'neutral' if she laughs at every encounter?)

Who will win? The fight is on. For the love of a cat...

This is the best.day.ever. Well, not really, but I am thoroughly enjoying watching this play out. Recently, Jordan sighed heavily, said, "Oh geez. Oh heavens," picked up the camera, and took pictures of the girls holding the cat. You think he's already to acceptance?"

Tuesday, 11:38 am

"The cat tried to eat my kids' lunches and scared Eggie. Jordan took it in a car to the other side of the neighborhood. When he got home, he said, "If that cat finds it's way back here, it can stay," with a smug grin. Poor kitty was obviously hungry but it crossed a line. Ha. The story won't be complete unless the cat shows up at our home again tomorrow. I'm seriously not sure if I'm pulling for it because it'd make a better story or if I really don't want it to because I'm not a fan of cats...."

The cat never showed up again. I guess he found a new home to love and feed him for a bit...

Click here for pictures of the week, including the cat, Easter with Mimi and Papa, and Katy Folk Life Festival