Sunday, March 28, 2010

Palm Sunday

On Palm Sunday the children parade into the sanctuary to begin the worship service. Madeleine and Everett wanted to continue the parade at home, click on the link to enjoy the video below. Everett says a pretty good Hosanna.

Hosanna video...

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Living with a 2 year old

I just preheated the oven, and when I opened the oven to put in the potatoes was surprised to see Everett's Batman cape inside. It was a little warm!

According to Google maps it is .8 miles from our house to Madeleine's elementary school. Today Everett and I went there twice! Everett rode his bike (and I steered and was exhausted!) when we went to eat lunch with Madeleine and then we walked to pick her up at the end of the day. On the way there I gave him a piggy back ride, but he walked the whole way home by himself! (though most of it he was chasing Madeleine).

And the sweetest moment of the day was when I was carrying Everett and whispered in his ear, "I love you, Everett," and he whispered in my ear, "I love you, mommy."

However, that rascal would not take a nap!







Sunday, March 21, 2010

Sprinter?

Is it spring? Or winter? Maybe it is sprinter!

The second day of spring brought snow to Dallas, Texas! Here are some photos I took this morning on my drive to church at 8:15 am.


The exit for SMU (Southern Methodist University) on US-75. Notice the lack of other cars and also the fact that you cannot read the exit sign!



Driving through the neighborhood!


Our backyard, I had planted rosemary and basil two days before wearing shorts and a short sleeve t-shirt as the weather was in the 70s. Two days later, snow! I covered the rosemary and basil, hopefully they will make it.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Spring break

So, what do you do when you have a kindergartener who has spring break? You take them to work with you! Madeleine came to Oak Lawn UMC with me on Monday where she was my chapel helper while we visited the 4 oldest preschool classes, sang songs, read a Bible story, prayed the Lord's prayer together, and had lots of fun. Tuesday Madeleine used up a lot of the tape in my office and made herself a desk in my office.


Wednesday I lead Bible study and also a prayer service in the sanctuary so Madeleine went to ASI gymnastics and was not happy when I came to pick her up. She wanted to stay longer! Then, Thursday Madeleine went to Mockingbird swim and fitness and again had a blast. While Madeleine was there and Everett was at school I went on the best 2 hour walk along the Katy Trail. I walked from Oak Lawn UMC to the Katy Trail, then walked downtown and walked all around. I had a great walk! When I went to pick up Madeleine from swimming, I thought she was waving hello, but she was waving for me to go back to the car and leave her there. She had a great time. On our way to pick up Everett from school Madeleine and I continued our frozen yogurt taste test by going to TCBY. Madeleine declared it the winner because it is named The Country's Best Yogurt, even though I tried to explain the concept of marketing to her, she stuck to her decision.

Thursday night we all went to Tillman's Roadhouse, the smores were a big hit.



Friday we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Mansfield and went to the Butterfly exhibit at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. It was really fun!



the fountains outside were entertaining as well


An atlas moth


Kids today will know nothing of taking your film to get developed, they want to see the picture immediately!

Then, we had to try out a frozen yogurt place in Fort Worth and I do declare that Curly's Frozen Yogurt is even better than Wild About Harry's in Dallas. Curly's was really good.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

No need to eat dinner

Well, Madeleine and I were busy today with our frozen yogurt taste test. This was after Madeleine spent the morning at ASI gymnastics (it is spring break) while I led Bible study at the church and the noon prayer service. We traveled to our next stop on our frozen yogurt taste test, Natsumi at 2323 Henderson. It was delicious! I declare it the winner of our contest, seriously, if you live in Dallas, you must try their pink guava. They had gelato for Madeleine (she got brownie flavor) and they even had miniature Reeses peanut butter cups! They were so good!

Then, after we picked up Everett from school, we had to try out the new cupcake store! It is called Dimples Cupcakes, isn't that cute? And it was bliss! And while the cupcake bar at the new Whole Foods was delicious as well, these cupcakes were warm! They bake them for you while you wait (or heat them up, all I know is that they were divine!) And Dimples is next to Campania (my favorite lunch special place, a huge salad with wonderful dressing and a pizza) and Yumilicious on Blackburn in Uptown. I know. This is dangerous.

So, no dinner for me and now off to the stationary bike while we watch some Good Wife!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Kindergarten writing

Madeleine made a journal, I love how she put her middle name last, and how she spelled Nicholls (my grandfather's last name). Madeleine spelled it Nickells. Madeleine told me that a friend in kindergarten told her Madeleine's middle name was Nicole and I said, "No, you are named for your great grandfather Nicholls. Your middle name is not Nicole."



Inside the journal was this page that says, "I wish for a dream come true and it is a dog." However, Madeleine knows that she has to wait until her little brother is older and not terrified of dogs as he is now (but he is getting better).

Family resemblance

I think it is the eyes...


It was a beautiful day, of course you would want to get out your sleeping bag, snuggle with your sibling, and lay on our dormant (I prefer dormant to dead) grass...



Who knew a ball tent could be so much fun?

The frozen yogurt taste test

Madeleine and I have been on a frozen yogurt taste test. We would like to announce our winners:

We have tried:
Fresh Berry: Okay. Cool fountains to play in (Park and Greenville)

I Heart Yogurt: Okay. Nowhere to sit (Snider Plaza across from SMU).

Menchies: different flavors, as many toppings as you like, cost is by weight. The yogurt didn't taste as good as Yumilicious, and the yogurt was too runny.

Orange cup: We did not like the flavors.

Pinkberry: 2nd place. They did not have Reeses peanut butter cup as a topping, can you believe it?

Red Mango: 1st place. My favorite flavor is POM (pomegranate). Their slogan is the healthy option. They did not have Reeses peanut butter cup as a topping either, but the Ghirardelli dark chocolates are so yummy!

Yumilicious: 3rd place. different flavors, as many toppings as you like, cost is by weight. Very good.

Now, Madeleine and I are going to go get some exercise! But we have one more to try: Natsumi Gelato and Frozen Yogurt.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Holding babies

We have been so blessed after praying for her and her parents for so long to play with, hold, and see baby Almaz, A huge thank you to my friend Carmen for bringing baby Almaz over the other week. Madeleine loved holding her!


And last week we visited our friends Ryan and Kirsten and their new baby Aidan. He is beautiful and Madeleine kept wanting to hold him as well.


But, new babies get fussy quickly so when she had to hand Aidan back, Madeleine was delighted to find that her brother was willing to be held as a baby.