Growing Snowflowers

2010-10-04T10:37:00.001-05:00

still working on it

lots going on around here, fall is busy! Will mail out blog invites in the coming week. Just make sure I have your email address or I can't add you to the list.

2010-09-09T03:39:00.003-05:00

going private....finally!

the time has come, the big one is off to school and it's a good time to take this baby private.

If you'd like to follow along, leave a comment or email me.

oops, forgot to mention, I need email addresses, so leave a comment with your email and I wont post that info

2010-09-07T09:50:00.003-05:00

first s'mores experiencehard to believe but yes it's true, the Snowflowers have never had a s'more until this weekend. Their Daddy picked up a little fire pit and we roasted marshmallows a plenty. Piper ate THREE whole s'mores and was a hot mess from all the sugar and chocolate - but who are we to deny her one of summers rites of passage? Paisley prefers her ingredients 'au natural', I see a possible raw food revolutionary in our midst.

2010-09-05T15:52:00.002-05:00

nothing says Sunday like a trip to the ER!

this morning we were woken by big sister running into the room to tell us that little sister had inserted a bead up her nose and couldn't get it out. I dont think Mike and I have EVER got out of bed so fast! After inspection and confirmation of said alien object lodged in nasal passage, we jumped in the car and headed for the ER. It took 4 different methods but the Doctor was finally able to dislodge the 'bead', which turned out to be a freshly shucked navy bean from one of Pipers plants. Paisley wasn't too put out by any of it, she was a little embarassed but didn't cry or squirm in hospital, she just grimaced a little and was back to normal as soon as the eeewy gooey beastie was thrown away.

aaaah, kids.

2010-09-04T17:16:00.002-05:00

MADE IN CHINA - WHY?

Do you really want to give your kids apple juice that was made in China? Well, this brand, which is probably the most recognizable American juice is actually a product of China. My kids drink very little juice, but when they do it's organic pressed or fresh pressed from a local orchard. If we cannot source a local supply of juice, the girls dont drink it...simple as that. Anyway, juice is a treat, water is always the first and best option, but I just find it sad that all over this country kids are drinking Chinese made apple juice and quite frankly that doesn't bode well with my 'local and sustainable' mantra.(not to mention my concern with food safety) It's just been surprising me lately how little parents seem to actually know about where the food and drink their kids put into their bodies comes from?

2010-09-04T11:53:00.002-05:00

FIVE YEARS AGO TODAYwe got the call from CCAI that changed our lives forever!

I cannot believe it's been five years already!

2010-08-30T09:20:00.004-05:00

redemption for the corn dog postForgive me Jamie for I have sinned...recently (about 18 minutes ago) I found a corndog maker on Amazon.com and I am coveting it. and then I saw your new book 'Jamie at Home' and I am torn...I love your show on the cooking channel, and I really want this book(I already have many of your others - hey a girl can try to make a good impression here)...but the corndog maker...it calls me, it tempts me...it wants me.

"Say 12 Hail Jamies and all will be forgiven"

I like the way you work Mr Oliver.

2 hours later it hit me that I really don't need or want the corn dog maker, it was just a knee jerk reaction to the MSF corn dog discontinuation. I'm really more than capable of making some delicious school lunch treats without something that will clog my already meagre cupboard space.

2010-08-30T09:01:00.003-05:00

I never said I was perfectOkay, so sometimes we eat packaged foods, always organic or natural or vegetarian, but recently our favorite mini corndogs from Morningstar Farms were discontinued...sigh. I loved these, and so did the kidlets. We ate them sparingly, and they were always a feature at birthday parties (I put them on lollipop sticks and made 'mini corndogs on a stick)...I was also hoping that on school 'corndog days' I could substitute the Morningstar Farms variety as an alternative so my girl could have something similar. However, I found this on Amazon and am considering buying it. I can be in control of making the batter from organic ingredients, and also use vegetarian hot dogs or organic grass fed hotdogs.

Tell me I'm crazy...tell me I dont need this...tell me it's silly, because I'm kinda digging it and I need someone to talk me out of it!

2010-08-27T21:08:00.006-05:00

my kids will never not ever eat a school lunch - part deuxI know I KNOW...I'm like an old record player with the same message on repeat...blah blah blah...my kids will NOT be eating that! blah blah...do you KNOW what that is made from?...yadda yadda yadda...if you treat animals like s*#t you'll eventually end up eating s*#t!(case and point - Iowa egg recall)

you get the drift? I'm somewhat of a crunchy mumma, but in all honesty I'm just

being an educated consumer albeit a rather outspoken one with a foreign accent(yeah, that's sure to go down well!)

So...as my 5 year old gets ready to enter Kindergarten, I am readying myself to enter the world of preparing a daily lunch for her, and unless I can completely revolutionize the school lunch system in our district it's pretty bloody likely that I will be doing this for quite some years!

Where's my lovely lad Jamie Oliver when I need him!?

I've just found a cool lunch blog that is doing a survey-ey, contest-ey thing-y and here are the questions I need to answer...

1. How is back to school going for your family?

We'll we don't start until the 9th, but I'm getting hives thinking about it.

2. Is school lunch an important part of your childs day?

Even though school hasn't started, I can without reservation say that lunch, snack, even the though of food excites my child...she has the culinery passion of Nigella Lawson, the gastonomic sense of adventure of Andrew Zimmern and the attitude of Anthony Bourdain! Oh, and she LOVES LOVES LOVES Jamie Oliver. So yes, lunch is/will be important!

3.What is school lunch like at your childs school?

hmmm, I've seen the menu and it's pretty typical, but there is 'sunbutter' (almond or sunflower) offered as an alternative to the meals...but the 'meals' are pretty gross.

4.Does school lunch need to be reformed?

two words - Jamie Oliver!

5.Do you pack lunch for your kids and what do you pack?

Like I said, school has not started here yet, but I'll be sending my girls to school with Bento lunches! Lots of yummy stuff yet to be decided!

6. Do you write notes in your school lunches and what do you write?

I will, thanks for the idea!

7. What are some of your favorite lunch recipies?

Well, the girls love any kind of ASian food, even cold pad thai, so I'm hoping that some of my bentos can include 'leftovers' from the wok!

8. what are some great beverages for kids/adults?

well, water, shui, agua...thats the first choice...but for a little treat, I like the elerberry juice syrup and the blackcurrent juice syrup(Swedish Ribena) from Ikea.

9.What is a trditional food item you made even more healthy and how did you do it?

My kids do like a good PB&J sandwich, but we make ours with organic whole grain bread, almond butter and organic strawberry spread. I use sandwich cutters from 'lunchpunch' to 'cute' them up.

10. How much time should kids get to eat lunch?

I think 25-30 minutes is enough time to eat lunch, I have no idea how long they actually give??

11. What are some products you use when you pack lunch?

I want to create a waste free lunch for my kids, so having reusable utesils and not using plastic baggies will be high on my list, as well as using sandwich cutters, rice molds and nori punches for my 'bento' style lunches.

If you want to participate in this here's the link

Fed up with Lunch

2010-08-24T14:46:00.001-05:00

2010-08-23T13:41:00.003-05:00

" I love speed!!!"

I kid you not, this is what she screamed as she circled the cul de sac. I took her to the bike shop the other day because she is having issues with her bike not being 'fast enough' so she has to lift her feet off the pedals when they lock up...the guy said "yep, she's ready for a bike with speeds'...'cept they don't make a bike with speeds for a 41" squirt!

2010-08-23T13:25:00.003-05:00

How cool is this!

whats even cooler? They have both the simplified mandarin and traditional mandarin versions.

2010-08-22T21:14:00.003-05:00

Put the bikes away...it's time for....Scooterville, USA

of course the bike thing wasn't enough of a feat, Paisley also decided to master the scooter her Nana Pam gave her for her birthday! Her sister is a DAREDEVIL on the scooter, I mean seriously death-defying acts of speed that turn my stomach.

How did this Mumma end up with the two most athletic children on the planet? They dont slow down, they NEVER stop...they are energizer bunnies with unlimited solar powered reserves.

2010-08-22T20:50:00.003-05:00

milestones There is something distinctively Paisley that has been happening this past week...we see it more and more each day, a 'streak' in her personality that brings a smile to our faces. We call it her 'not until I can master the skill will I lower myself into attempting it' streak...

still following?

This week Paisley decided that she finally likes the swings at the park. It's not like we haven't tried on many many many occasions to get her to at least sit on a swing, she just outright refused....until this week, when she asked to be plonked on, pushed a few times and then suddenly, as if she had been doing it her whole life, she started the 'stretch and tuck' propulsion method and there's been no looking back! It's as if she studies her older sister, works it out in her mind when she will be able to attempt and complete the task to a high standard and then there's no looking back. Take for instance the tricycle...she REFUSED point blank to even sit on the trike until late Spring THIS YEAR...it was as if she had a written contract that dissuaded her from attempting it until she turned three(several attempts and several different options did nothing to persuade her otherwise). Once three she sat on the tricycle and off she went. The red radio flyer was the trike du jour. Then today, she marched up to Pipers old bike(aka retired this summer for a larger model), plonked herself on and rode....no encouragement needed, no safety lessons required...she just up and pedaled. DETERMINATION is this child's middle name!

There's just no telling where this personality streak will take her!

2010-08-16T10:00:00.003-05:00

Princess Ballerina ZiZi had the best time a couple of weeks ago at a little camp for beginner ballerinas. She learned to skip, sashay and twirl like a pro. The class was so sweet to watch, the teacher was angelic and Zi had the best time. Of course, the skirt helped.

2010-08-15T19:32:00.008-05:00

Punky McBrewsterWell, there's a decent bit of Scottish in my family bloodlines and it was about time I paid tribute to them in my etsy store. As of tomorrow, two new additions will premier. The 'schoolgirl' skirt! gotta be mini!

and the 'bonnie wee lass' dress

I cannot imagine life without tartan...can you?

2010-08-12T14:26:00.001-05:00

hey you...yeah you...

wanna know who won the dress? Patricia from NYC. Contact me and we'll hash out the details!

2010-08-06T21:15:00.001-05:00

2010-08-06T20:33:00.002-05:00

Even my kids knew Prop 8 was stupid

Apparently my three year old is also a progressive liberal! Hey, if it's okay for Charlie & Marv it's okay for everyone!

2010-08-04T18:34:00.002-05:00

O lunchbox lunchbox wherefore art thou lunchbox?

In the pursuit of the perfect lunchbox I happened accross these groovy boxes. They caught my attention for several reasons.

1. toxin free plastics - no BPA

2. 4 side clicky clacky snap on lids

3. they are really nicely sized for school lunches

4. some even come with - gasp - dividers! OMG thats almost the perfect bento box right there!

5. they come in an assortment of groovy sizes from HUGEMONGESAUROUS REX to itty bitty snack attack sized.

6. they have glasslock containers too, so Daddy can take his lunch to work and safely microwave it.

I'm not sure where these are widely available, I am waiting to hear back from the customer service rep. Once I get that info I will post the link.

2010-08-03T13:28:00.006-05:00

My Babies love Bento I'm becoming a fan of Bento Lunches! My only problem is, finding the right lunchbox for the girls. I've done some research and found that the better boxes are made in Japan due to the fact that they do not use BPA or other toxic chemicals in their lunchboxes. The cheaper ones from China might be cute, but they are not 'safe' for daily use by the Snowflowers.I'm really looking foward to making some cute lunches when fall starts. I just need to track down the elusive lunchboxes and then I can start my foray into the world of kyaraben.

2010-08-01T17:09:00.004-05:00

taking off my trainin' wheels

"um Mum, this seems to be a bit more tricky than I first thought"Today we took off Pipers training wheels. We weren't sure how the day would progressand the early signs pointed towards a full retreat and resignation

there were some scary moments and it seemed perhaps her gymnastics know how gave her ideas on how to evade the almighty crash. We persevered and by early afternoon she was rockin' two wheels like a pro!

way to go Piper!

2010-07-29T23:21:00.002-05:00

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting

Piper passed her Kung Fu belt test tonight. She is so proud and excited as it is her first 'belt' and believe it or not the first thing out of her mouth was "when can I sit the yellow belt test?" Funnily enough we were scanning TV channels the other day and happened across a documentary about Michelle Yeoh of Crouching Tiger fame...lets just say it was the quietest 40 minutes Piper has ever had...she was enthralled. P recently mastered the one handed cartwheel out of necessity rather than the pursuit of skill...I mean, how can one do a cartwheel AND carry a sword at the same time, geez.

2010-07-22T13:46:00.003-05:00

ZIZI WANTSYOU!

C'mon...come out come out wherever you are! Family, friends, lurkers alike! There's a dress to be won and someone has to win it! Leave a comment on this post to enter!

2010-07-21T08:09:00.014-05:00

GROWING SNOWFLOWERS GIVEAWAY!

Here's a chance to win a growing snowflowers dress of your choice!

The feedback I have been getting is amazing...

"GORGEOUS!! I don't know which side of this reversible dress is more stunning.

Workmanship is superb. High quality all around!"

"Stunning, excellent workmanship, this dress is a work of art"

"Absolutely GORGEOUS dress, perfect in every way, the sewing is exquisite! It is a true showstopper of a dress. Beautiful. Thank you!!"

so I need to get the word out into the blogosphere, and this is my little marketing experiment! All you need to do to enter is email me at growingsnowflowers@yahoo.com for a little widget and put it on your blog, then come back here and leave a comment with a link to your blog or your blog address. If you dont have a blog but are on facebook you can also link to me on facebook and you can get another entry! I will be listing several other dresses in the next week, some longer sleeve numbers in time for school.

snag the link from the blog or email me for the javascript...if you are able and willing to keep my widget up on your blog in the sidebar you will get an extra entry! AND...if you do a blog post about my Etsy store or about my dresses and this giveaway I will add one more entry to the pot! How cool is that!

and if you dont have a blog or facebook but want a chance to enter, leave a comment on this post and email me so I know how to contact you! Hey, I'm an equal opportunity girl!

2010-07-18T17:58:00.006-05:00

Growing Snowflowersgetting some press

Photograph courtesy of Deb Layden Photography

I'm super honored and really grateful that some of my dresses are getting some seriously awesome exposure on super blogs!

Like PFP Photography and here at More Than This and Une Envie de Sel and here too...Notes from the Frugal Trenches to name a few...in fact, I'm really so honored and I appreciate all the wonderful feedback!

2010-07-15T20:06:00.002-05:00

Oh the places you'll go

Snowflower #1 has a cool project she is working on...it involves a spin, a cartwheel and a book! More to follow!

2010-07-08T12:26:00.003-05:00

hours of summer entertainmenta package came from Nana and Papa with these cute little balloon powered boats. They haven't seen the water yet, but the girls have spent hours trying to inflate the balloons!I.think.I.got.it.

2010-07-05T21:03:00.004-05:00

TWO new dresses for the shopI was drawn to this fabric for purely nostalgic reasons...I mean seriously...it's a rotary phone! I thought it would be cute on little girls who are constantly bugging their mothers to call their friends for playdates. I know in a few more years she'll want her own iPhone(gaffaw) but for now..I dont mind calling. I'm naming this fabric 'have your people call my people'...because...thats just how it is in our house.

call me!

and dress number two

Piper...you make me dizzy...you're a dizzy lizzy! Piper was moving so fast I could barely get a photo in focus....hmm, that gives me an idea! I could call the fabric 'focus Piper focus!' seems I say that enough these days that I even overheard the snowflowers playing a few days ago and after trying to get her sisters attention for several minutes Paisley just yelled "FOCUS PIPER! JUST FOCUS!"...sigh. The kid NEVER stops moving!

2010-07-02T13:39:00.004-05:00

the SAGE dress in buttercup

I love making dresses for the girls in linen...and when I spotted this yellow at first I wasn't sure it would work on the snowflowers skintone...boy was I wrong! I was so drawn to it, because to me, it spells summer. Daisies and sunshine and line dried clothes. It makes me feel...nostalgic.

actual attempt at flight

The Sage dress in 'buttercup' will be available on my etsy store in limited numbers.

2010-07-02T11:51:00.005-05:00

summer daisyher beauty astounds me on a daily basis.

the flower that blooms in adversity is the most beautiful of all Mulan

2010-07-02T10:40:00.002-05:00

more FCA fun

playgrounds rock no matter their size.

2010-07-02T10:39:00.000-05:00

look who's watching you

2010-07-02T10:20:00.006-05:00

FCA Picnic

Our local 'Families with Children from Asia' had a picnic at a park last weekend. The splash pad was a lot of fun if not a bit overwhelming due to the high concentration of bigger kids. The most fun thing seemed to be this water spout..which Piper commandeered. It didn't take long for Paisley to get in on the action either!Contemplating her next water activity? Where there's water there's fun.

2010-06-30T17:03:00.007-05:00

hooleee-hoopin'raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!I got muscles and I'm not afraid to use 'em Piper loves a good hula hoopin' day in the sun.We got the hoops out today for the girls, but Paisley decided it wasn't her thing and took off before I had a chance to snap a few photos. Piper on the other hand came up with a few new moves...'skipping rope step through'apparently this is the 'middle split straddle jump'nice one mumma!

2010-06-30T09:46:00.002-05:00

meet the new Vanna

my hopes of a scholarly future might be interrupted by one of a slightly less intellectual disposition...aka game show cookie. I don't know where she got the pose from but it is freakishly Vanna White...sigh.

2010-06-26T14:37:00.003-05:00

I scream...you scream, we all scream for

ICE CREAM!

nothing says summer like super drippy ice creams in 93% humidity!

2010-06-26T14:08:00.005-05:00

THE WORLD CUP Soccer rocks
I love this game!
fancy footwork

Today Piper had her soccer club Jamboree which marks the end of the season. It's particularly exciting since it coincides with the actual world cup! Piper scored over 15 goals today in two seperate games, she also set up at least 6 assists!

She has certainly been absorbing some of the tactics of the world cup teams!

GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLL!

One funny thing is when she is running for the ball she roars...yes, I said ROARS...and I think it intimidates the other team a wee bit! It's here version of the NZ rugby teams 'HAKA'

2010-06-24T21:46:00.002-05:00

l.o.v.e

2010-06-23T21:40:00.003-05:00

sistersit doesn't get more real than this

sure they squabble over toys and are polar opposites in most things...but they will always be the very best of friends and the very best sisters. I always get a bit peeved when someone asks me if they are 'real' sisters, to which I always reply 'of course'...I know what people want to know, are they biological sisters...well, no, but biology is the least of what makes you a family. The girls know they are not 'biological sisters' they know they have their own set of birthparents...we talk about it all the time. Piper is particularly intrigued that Paisley's birthparents are probably taller than hers because her sister is fast creeping up on her in the height department. We talk of these things, it's not tabu, or hidden, or hushed. It's what made our family what it is...who we are...and we cherish the fact that the girls know as much as they can and at an early age.

2010-06-23T20:31:00.003-05:00

If you are so inclined, and would like to help a girl out...please feel free to promote my etsy store on your blog....pleeeeeaaaaase.

email me for the html code.

2010-06-23T16:50:00.001-05:00

twistIt drives her sister wild that she can't do the same thing, but Paisley can flip her tongue completely over! She seems to think it's pretty funny that her big sissy can't do something she can!

2010-06-23T14:09:00.002-05:00

angelic

I know, I know, but this is my blog and I have to showcase the dresses I am making somewhere, so here it is...the sage dress in white linen

2010-06-22T18:25:00.002-05:00

Groovy GirlsLook! There's my Snowflower on the pages of a catalog! Piper did a shoot for Manhattan Toy a month or so ago for the 'groovy girls' a line of awesome dolls. She got to dress up as a superhero...what kid wouldn't want to do that eh!
We really love this company, and knowing that it's out of Minnesota is kind of cool too. As is common in these kinds of shoots, not all the photos get published, so Paisleys photos aren't in this one, but we'll keep you posted as she has a shoot on Thursday for a Nationwide retailer.

2010-06-21T21:17:00.002-05:00

cousins

2010-06-21T21:12:00.003-05:00

everybody was kung fu fightin'

last week the Denver cousins came to visit...Piper and Rhys are two peas from the same pod! They loved spending time together, and I think the highlight was seeing the Karate Kid and going to Piper's Kung Fu Wu Shu class. I think someone will be bugging his parents for Kung Fu lessons real soon.wonder twin power

2010-06-21T20:52:00.002-05:00

My first sale(s)

I want to thank three incredible friends who purchased the first three 'Growing Snowflowers' dresses from my Etsy shop! Thanks Maia, Yoli and Michelle...you rock! I can't wait to see your girls in the Empress dresses!

2010-06-20T11:56:00.002-05:00

GO KIWIS GOSo the pundits called gave it an 8000:1 chance that NZ would beat the best team in the world...well Italy, how'dya like these apples?! The score New Zealand 1:Italy 1 which in World Cup terms makes our team seem like we just won the entire world cup! Especially since we're not known for our soccer skills...this is the first time in 28 years we've even made it to the Cup! Good job boys!

2010-06-16T21:00:00.002-05:00

jumpin' jellybeans

2010-06-16T18:23:00.005-05:00

The 'Abbey Road' dressI've hijacked my own blog to post photos of the dresses I am making for my Etsy store. This is the 'Abbey Road' dress. I love the geometric MOD feel of the fabric. I'm so in love with the 60's era and the clothes that I'm sure I will feature more styles that play around with that feel. Watch out for the 'Twiggy' dress...thats my next creation! ta-da!

2010-06-10T21:11:00.004-05:00

the dragon trainer returns

Daddy has a tattoo...I have a Dragon dress...I think we're even now!

I'm diggin on the winged beasties. The Snowflowers love all things dragonesque, and these dresses are a HUGE hit. I'm selling them on Etsy too! Watch out though, if you wear one, there's an attitude that seems to follow. All powerful, all fearless... Paisley, well...she tames Dragons with her charm, hands behind her back! Did you really expect anything less?

2010-06-10T19:34:00.004-05:00

The 'Empress' Dress

this is the 'Empress' dress. So far I have made up samples of the Empress in several different fabrics, all of which have a slightly asian twist. This one is called 'the secret fan', an homage to one of my favorite books by Lisa See(also inspired the name for this blog). I love the giant peonies and chinese fans. They are fully reversible too which means two dresses for the price of one! now listed...here

2010-06-10T16:45:00.005-05:00

'scarborough fair' so in this little pursuit of opening an Etsy store, I have come up with a few designs. This is dress one from the aptly named scarborough fair collection...which are all made from linen and cotton and are simple, clean and whimsical. This is the 'sage' design
nothing quite as lovely as a simple linen dress to plant fairy gardens and have the Empress of China over for high tea!

available here

2010-06-08T23:48:00.001-05:00

TEN YEARS!

and this song sums up how we feel for each other! Happy Anniversary Baby...you and me together, we can doing anything!

2010-06-04T09:53:00.007-05:00

Pinkalicious

recital rehearsal...and the girls were super stoked about getting up on stage. P says she was nervous,

but she managed her cartwheel just fine!

the girls had a lot of fun!

pinkatastic!

p.s. my kid is seriously not on steroids, I just noticed how ripped her arms are! Good grief Charlie Brown, if only it were genetic!

2010-06-02T08:22:00.002-05:00

Hey Etsy...here I come!So I've decided to open an Etsy store to sell my creations...it's not ready just yet, but in the next few weeks I hope to have it up and running. This style will be my first...it's called the 'Tigerlily' set. I'm checking out some new fabrics and hope to have a bunch in store for purchase and order!

2010-06-01T11:29:00.003-05:00

Hong Kong Fooey

then the big one wanted one...so I found this adorable Hong Kong fabric!

Piper loved Hong Kong and still talks about it to this day, she has the blood of an urban princess my girl does..and this dress made her h.a.p.p.y!

and w.i.n.k.yand...she loves that she can tie the bows herself

2010-05-30T18:44:00.001-05:00

Mumma make me a bunny dressand so I did. and she couldnt be happier!

2010-05-24T21:07:00.009-05:00

"Ride Forest Ride!" um... I mean "Ride Paisley Ride!"

It has been a long hard road to get Miss Paisley on her bike. The evidence of this is glaring at us from the garage in the form of THREE...yes I said THREE different modes of preschooler perambulation. The 'retro' was Pipers way back when, and until today was considered the equivalent of water-boarding in Paisleys book. Frankly, I don't know what came over her...but she insisted that she was ready to get on and give it a go.
first one must tame the beast
I will tame you red beastie...I will tame you.

it got a wee bit squirrely but she reined that bad boy in!

Big Seester is so proud!

"you can do it Paisel"

(yep, thats what Piper calls her)

"I can ride...Mummy I can RIDE!"

2010-05-24T21:02:00.002-05:00

her nemesis

until today.

2010-05-24T14:04:00.004-05:00

easy breesy It's warm outside...and a little bit sticky, but that doesn't phase Paisley at all. She wanted me to take photos today, but when we got outside she just wanted to tell me stories, and profess her love for Justin Roberts, and tell me that she's a big girl now because she's three and can finally ride her tricycle.

she takes my breath away daily.

2010-05-21T20:19:00.001-05:00

kissin' seestersif you're gonna do it, do it right!

2010-05-21T18:28:00.002-05:00

UK style A good friend in the UK sent over the cutest tshirts for the Snowflowers. I dont know how she does it, but every time she sends the girls shirts they become their favorites! These are no exception...thanks Miss K we love you!

2010-05-20T16:41:00.001-05:00

fun in the sun

2010-05-20T09:13:00.002-05:00

2010-05-12T13:26:00.003-05:00

why so many photos mum?

2010-05-11T17:24:00.003-05:00

there's trouble a-brewin'

and her name is Paisley Rose

the kid has something up her sleeve, and I'm waiting for it to happen...being three is definitely interesting!

2010-05-08T19:19:00.001-05:00

my shadow is chasing me!

2010-05-06T06:46:00.002-05:00

2010-05-06T06:36:00.003-05:00

A blast from the past

this week we took a little trip east to Stillwater, a quaint little place on the St. Croix River by Wisconsin. It reminded me of Brattleboro in Vermont, lots of antique stores, restaurants and this...the girls LOVED the train and we spent ages just hanging around in it's presence.

We were there for another reason...but more on that later.

2010-05-05T16:25:00.002-05:00

giddy-up

the kid has the heart of a cowgirl

2010-05-01T09:22:00.001-05:00

my sweet Paisley Rose

2010-04-30T08:41:00.010-05:00

THREE...it's a magic number!

(PHOTO IN ANTICIPATION OF "CAKEY CAKE")

yes it is! Well...the day started off very very interestingly..Mike was in the bathroom when Paisley got up, he wished her Happy Birthday and she promptly replied
"NO, I'm not three, I'm still TWO, leave me alone!"
and after going potty she stomped off to her bed where she promptly fell asleep for 30 more minutes! When she woke up the next time she was happy and raring to go! All I can say is I pity the boy that marries our sweet girl, because she is NOT a morning person!

Paisley had an AMAZING birthday yesterday...we were busy all day and we got to do lots of fun things, including, at her request...a second viewing of 'How to train your Dragon'! Daddy even bought home a very sweet bouquet for his little Snowflower!

After Piper's soccer practice we headed off for Chinese food and back home for Strawberry Shortcake 'cake'...Blow em out Paisley!whew!

2010-04-28T14:36:00.002-05:00

Saying goodbye to two

2010-04-28T11:56:00.005-05:00

ZOO TRIP

2010-04-28T11:52:00.001-05:00

Well...coddle my eggs... My sister's turning THREE tomorrow!

2010-04-15T11:45:00.001-05:00

Question of the week...by Piper

"Mummy...all I want to know is exactly who or what is Jaques Costeau?"

I realize that I have let her listen to this in the car...oh well, the dream of the Rhodes Scholar fades once more.

2010-04-09T08:46:00.004-05:00

My new workout (ehem) shirtbecause I couldn't find one like this Minnesota has it's fair share of crazies, but this one takes the cake! Imagine my horror when Sarah Palin flew into town this week to support her re-election! y'know there's crazy, then there's batshit crazy...

2010-04-07T16:08:00.003-05:00

OPEN WIDE

Doctor Dave explains the tools"Are you really seriously taking my photo?"Report card was A+ for brushing and A+ for no plaque! A++ for the too cool for school shades. Thumbs up from the littlest Snowflower!

2010-04-05T23:10:00.004-05:00

some 'traditional' Easter picsI know I know...normal is boring, but truth be told, the girls did enjoy putting on their Easter finery and hunting for the eggs the 'traditional' non-dragonese Bunny hid for them.

aaaaaah, the golden one is very special

2010-04-05T21:14:00.003-05:00

viking girls kick some....

well...you know what I mean!

We live in Viking Country, there are more Norwegians in Minnesota than in Norway! So even if the girls aren't 'real' Viking bloodstock, they sure give it their best shot!

In fact, I see a few Kung Fu Viking moves in their ever expanding repertoire.

Mother of Odin, do not resist us, for we be Viking Dragon Trainers of the highest order!

2010-04-05T20:59:00.002-05:00

UPSIDE DOWN

no better way to see the world.

normal is boring.

2010-04-05T17:16:00.004-05:00

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON...

Someone takes all things DRAGON very very seriously! Can you tell! Not only did the Easter Bunny visit our house this year, but the elusive Easter DRAGON made a visit too! The Easter Dragon left some very special treats for the girls, including these tshirts...he even hid some 1000 year old dragon eggs mixed in with the regular bunny ones! Piper transformed into a dragon trainer the minute she put on the tshirt...she picked out appropriate attire for an afternoon of fun with Mum & Dad at the movie!! The Easter Dragon also left a letter on ancient dragonpaper, Miss P tied the letter onto her wrist for half the afternoon!Paisley also picked out her own clothes for dragon riding....stripey pants are always a hit in the Viking world!

Watch out Hiccup....Piper wants her very own Night Fury!

2010-04-05T17:14:00.001-05:00

death to chocolate bunnies

scrumdiddlyumptious!

2010-04-03T12:26:00.002-05:00

BONNETS ROCK
Nothing says Easter like a new bonnet! Yesterday the Snowflowers and I hit the $1 section for some bonnet booty....ooohweee, did we find treasures aplenty! All of which were promptly attached with hot glue! Yes, even the my little pony!

2010-03-30T10:21:00.002-05:00

BFF'sPiper and her best friend Cece. they are inseperable!

2010-03-30T09:28:00.001-05:00

MOO

2010-03-29T21:23:00.003-05:00

I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

it's not right, but it's okay.

2010-03-29T21:09:00.003-05:00

One fish, two fish, red fish...Paisley fish

lets start by saying, this time last year this little aquatic adventure wasn't going so well. However, turns out a year can make a HUGE difference to our littlest Snowflower. Paisley got swimming lessons from Poppy & Dede this Christmas and we have been waiting for 'Spring' to sign up(seriously, winter lessons suck, you do not want to go outside in -30F weather with wet hair!). Well...turns out Paisley fanicies herself as a bit of a mermaid. She ADORES swimmng lessons, and the best part is that she does them with her Daddy. Roll on Summer, the lakes await us!

2010-03-29T20:56:00.002-05:00

Someone's feeling better!

I don't know what got into her, other than the antibiotics, but the kid is doing great! She's back at swimming lessons and feeling all powerful and strong. She'll be back at school tomorrow and hopefully this is the last of the greeblies for some time! On the flip side, turns out her Mummy & Daddy got whatever she had and have been nursing sore throats and coughs for the past few days. ugh. We need some of her super recovery powers!

"say hello to Missus Smith & Missus Wesson"

2010-03-26T10:43:00.002-05:00

ice cream - antibiotics for the soul

2010-03-25T13:54:00.004-05:00

Sore throats suck!

Piper is not used to being sick. I can count on one hand the times she has had a cold, so when she started coughing a week or so ago I kept a close eye on her. Then, last weekend she cried in her sleep and woke up with a raging sore throat. Off to the Doctors we went. Thankfully it wasnt strep, but she does have a sinus infection and is on her second ever dose of antibiotics! She told me

"Mumma, this is my second sore throat ever, remember I had my first sore throat in Hong Kong, when I threw up on you...remember""remember Mummy?"

why is she smiling when she said that?

"Yeah baby, how could I forget"Entertaining themselves in the Docs office

up to mischief!

2010-03-25T13:50:00.003-05:00

they sure are cute when they're sleeping!

2010-03-24T10:02:00.004-05:00

go bento or go home!

Like I said, no school lunches for my snowflower! I'm going Bento baby!

p.s. these lunchboxes can be found at amazon or laptoplunches.com

2010-03-22T09:53:00.003-05:00

"my kids will never not ever eat a school lunch!"

last night one of my FAVORITE chefs of all time, Jamie Oliver debuted his series 'Jamie Oliver Food Revolution' on ABC. I have always been an advocate for REAL FOOD and seeing what is offered up in schools has been not only shocking to me, but as a parent I have vowed that until things change I will never not ever let my children eat a school lunch!

Firstly, that darn 'nutritional pyramid'...well frankly it's a monster created by the DOA to make us think that our kids need to drink copious amounts of hormone and anitbiotic laced milk, and eat poorly(I'm being generous in my wording here)farmed meat and produce. Well...no more! I signed the petition to support Jamie in his quest to improve the health, welfare and lives of our children...will you? Oh, and btw...my kids eat a balanced mostly organic diet, they are rarely ill, and I think thats a testament to the revolution! Oh, and what a dandy way to improve the health of one of the SICKEST most OBESE developed nations on the planet!

Start 'em when they are small and you will build a generation of people who care where the food they eat comes from!

SIGN HERE

2010-03-21T22:07:00.003-05:00

219

YES WE DID

I've always had this question...why is it that in the United Kingdom it's the Church that favors National Healthcare and petitions the government to maintain coverage for it's people, but here in the USA it's the religious right that rally to deny it's fellow citizens the same coverage? Interesting question.

It's not about government funded abortion people, it's about making sure people don't DIE because they can't get care! It's making sure that Insurance companies can't deny someone coverage because they were born or developed a 'condition' that they feel would cost them to much to manage. It's about doing the right thing.

My Jesus - Your Jesus...different dudes me thinks.

2010-03-16T06:49:00.004-05:00

2 YEARS AGOYou were placed into our arms.

2010-03-12T13:09:00.003-06:00

Justin Roberts biggest fans!A few weeks ago we took the girls to see one of our favorite kids musicians...Justin Roberts. He always comes to Minneapolis at the end of winter and we have managed to see him every single year since Piper came home. His songs are catchy, funny and the girls adore him(his band). In fact Piper wanted to "bake him brownies"! A rockin' good time was had by all and we are uber excited to see what cool tunes are on his soon to be released new album.
rock-a-billy girls, Piper cannot take her eyes of JR long enough to pose for Mum! I smell a groupie!

2010-03-12T11:12:00.009-06:00

ZOO-BE-DOO Yesterday was a very very rainy day. We decided to go to the Zoo. Hmm, nothing says fun day at the Zoo like 37 degrees and mass precipitation! There were of course 'preparations' to be made, which included a trip to Target(aaah, Target, everything in life is solved by a trip to retail mecca!). Okay, I have to admit, there were actually TWO trips to TWO different Targets but that's just what it took to get Mum and Piper new gumboots for the excursion! Thanks to our friend Ellie, Paisley had quite a smart pair of gumboots for puddle splashin

..which I might add was one of the predetermined activities for our visit!

"See my flash boots Mumma!"

Even though we packed our 'organic' lunch, someone convinced Mummy that a bag of cotton candy was essential to their enjoyment of the day! hmmm... gross. Turns out even the hardiest Minnesotan thought a trip to the Zoo in the rain is madness so we practically had the entire outside to ourselves,

"hello?? anyone there??"

The girls had a blast splashing their way from the Sea Otters to the Takin, they rode on the monorail, saw Wolverines and Bald Eagles on the Minnesota Trail, and at Piper's insistance, we had to visit the 'dragons'...I'll tell you a little story about that later, but turns out the lesson in mythology wasn't necessary due to the fact that our Zoo DOES have dragons, two kinds in fact!, just not the ones Mummy thought she was talking about!

Meet Mr Tortoise

3.5 hours and three pairs of sopping socks later, time to go.

I'm disappointed with my photos because I took my poxy pocket camera that has seen better days, so if anyone can recommend a pocket camera that takes awesome photos let me know!

2010-03-02T17:07:00.004-06:00

and so, we enter the world of attachment therapy.

"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!"

- Dr Suess