Tinkerbell & Periwinkle

For those of you not familiar with little girl cartoons, there is a tinkerbell movie that includes her friend Periwinkle.

They're Bffs & work for good....good characters, right?  Jessica has taken to calling she & Ella, Tinkerbell & Periwinkle.  Sometimes Jessie is Tinkerbell & other times Ella is...they rotate characters.  It's cute & at least these characters are nice to each other...anything to foster sisterly love!!  Here are a few more pics of them dressed as fairies in the yard.  Cute, cute if you ask me, although I'm biased :)  Have a wonderful day!

Little fairies

I've got to take some pics of the girls, but I happened to get this one today as the girls were playing fairies in the yard.  I grant you not the greatest expressions, but cute nonetheless!  Hope everyone is having a good day!

Gummy Bear Popsicles

So yesterday morning, Ella decided to sleep in late (9:30).  Jessie & I had a little time together before she got up & Jessica was really trying to "help" me in the kitchen with breakfast cleanup, etc.  I love to have her involved in anything she can be, but kitchen cleanup is still something I'd rather not have her help with.  She saw the popsicle mold I had bought at the dollar store a while ago & asked to make them.  I thought why not...I had been saving the mold for a rainy day, but why not.  I looked up some recipes & found this one for gummy bear popsicles.  The girls love gummy bears, although I do limit their intake as I feel they are a cavity waiting to happen.  The recipe I found online called for sprite to be put into the mold, but, I don't allow them to drink carbonated drinks, so I had lemonade & substituted that instead.  I mixed the lemonade a little stronger, then had Jessie pour the lemonade in the mold & sprinkle in gummy bears.  Froze them in the freezer & then "magic"...they had popsicles.  Jessie thought it was a big deal that she had made them.  I'm not going to say this is the best popsicle ever, because it certainly is not, but it's fun for kiddos.  Easy enough for a 3 year old to make...and a great treat for crusin' in the barbie jeep!

**I should also mention that Ella learned to ride a trike yesterday, she was so proud of herself & squealed with delight as she did it "all by herself"**

Ingredients
Sprite (I substituted lemonade)
Gummy bears
Step 1. Fill up popsicle tray with 7up or Sprite
Step 2. Put Gummy Bears in with 7up or Sprite
Step 3. Wait over night for the popsicles to freeze
VOILA! A fun snack that everyone will love!

One dollar...gotta love it

A new look

Ella is 2 years & 2 months old & full of attitude personality.  Because of this "personality" & the fact that she will no longer allow me to fix her hair without great strife, I cut bangs for her also.  Not my favorite look for her, but I'm hoping that this lessens the drama of getting ready.  As Michael said, she looks more like "trouble" with the bangs & I have to agree.  Ella at 2 years & 2 months--I would describe as full of spunk & she will let you know all about what she wants & doesn't want.  She's got a bad temper, but is thankfully very funny, so it mostly makes up for that temper.  She's still teething, the final 2 year molars are erupting, so I never know if this temper flare up is due to teeth or not.  Often when dressing her, I feel as though I've been in a wrestling match.  No seriously, she rolls, flips, & kicks me trying to prevent me from dressing her.  The other side of her personality is silly.  She performs to get us to laugh at her.  She also no longer wishes to nap during the day, so it's a new schedule for all of us around here & we are getting used to having Ella awake all day.  Although, I think she still should nap, I'm hoping this is a phase & that she will get back to napping soon.  However, I realize that Jessie stopped napping when we moved her to a big bed at 2 & 1/2 so we may have come to this point a little earlier than expected.  I have to brag on her with her potty training, she's doing pretty well.  I must admit that Jessie is doing all the hard work of training her, she's showing her how to go potty & reminds her to go like every 10 min. or so.  It's funny, but it's working.  We love our 2 year old...tantrums, teething, and all.

Beechwood Farms

On Monday, we ventured to Beechwood Farms with some friends.  Beechwood Farms is a lovely nature preserve & home of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.  It is a lovely setting with several different nature areas & wildlife abounds.  Jessie was especially happy to see the froggies in the pond.  Apparently, the folks at this organization rehabilitate injured birds or wild animals & then release then back into the wild.  I was surprised by how much the girls loved walking on the nature trails.  They had a blast, although, it was made more fun by the fact our little friends Dylan & his baby brother Levi (not pictured) were very enthusiastic about our nature hike.  Thanks to our friends for joining us to have an adventure!

These were by far the wildest animals on the property