Brady played a CD yesterday that has the story of the Nutcracker being told with the music in the background. When it came on, she said “ballet music” and got very excited. Yet another reason why I should sign her up for ballet…ugh!
Here is her interpretation of the Nutcracker Ballet…
Yes, that was even Reese walking in mid-way and saying “cute”.
My friend, Tara, once did interviews of her older kids for her blog. I loved the post and so every once and a while I like to do the same.
Here is the most recent videos. I love the one of Reese especially because she has JUST learned (like the day before) to respond positively to a question with a head nod. I ask her favorite color, she says pink, I repeat it, then she tries to nod…LOVE IT! So you can she her thinking about how to move her head up and down.
Today Brady was leader of the day at preschool. When a student is leader of the day, they bring snack for the whole class, change the calendar (among other task) and most importantly they get to bring in a non-toy item for show and tell. Brady choose to bring her Taylor Swift calendar to show everyone. Here are pictures of her walking around the line to show everyone her favorite page.
When I was in preschool, I had a “crush” on a little boy named Zachary, he was also a year younger than me. I think I liked him because he had glasses and wore overalls. Well, Brady has a boy she calls her ‘favorite.’ Well this little crush of hers is almost twice her age! He just so happened to be named Zachary as well! He is wearing the black shirt below. I asked her teachers if they interact in class and the teachers said not at all!
Yesterday we started a new Orthner tradition that will hopefully be around for years. ELF ON THE SHELF!!!
The girls decided to name ours “Maria”.
Here we are reading the story.
Maria goes to the North Pole every night and reports to Santa on the girls behavior. Also Maria can tell Santa the girls’ requests for gifts this year. This is nice since the girls will most likely be too scared to sit on Santa’s lap.
The next morning the girls have to find where Maria decided to sit. This is where Maria decided to sit today to watch over the girls.
Well lets start with the good…
While driving today, waiting at a stop light a lady honked at me and motioned for me to roll down my window. Once I got the window down she pointed to Brady in the back sit and said “I just wanted to tell you she is so beautiful”
I get compliments on the girls a lot, like I have mentioned before. Mainly people love their hair. I sometimes take this for granite. But today, to be waved down, just to let me know they thought one of my girls was beautiful really struck me!
Now, to the reason we were in the car in the first place. We were on the way to the doctor since Brady had been covered with a rash full body for the last few days. She was diagnosed with Fifth’s Disease. It is a disease that incubates for 5-7 days then manifests with a rash. However, once the rash appears then you are no longer contagious. Well, I called to tell Brady’s preschool that she was diagnosed with this infectious disease in case other parents call with a similar problem. The receptionist said oh yeah, that is the one we have to send home a letter to all the parents about…UGH!!!!
So today, we become THAT family that cased the letter to go home to everyone. At least the email they sent out said there were two cases reported which means maybe she wasn’t the one that brought it into the school.
Today, on November 11th, I want to share with you my view of a veteran…
I have come in contact with many military men and women, some have already become veterans while others are still proudly serving our armed forces. There is one man, whom I love dearly, and I am proud to call myself his wife. He may not be a veteran yet, but while we are on a journey to that point I have learned about the person who serves our country.
This man is willing to sacrifice spending time with his families to help protect EVERY family in America. He willing leaves his newborn babies so that all babies can be born into freedom.
He does this even when I at times don’t understand because while I focus on my family he can focus on the big picture. This big picture is the freedom of our country.
I am proud that this man thinks constantly how he can better do his job for the military. He has an innate desire to serve. I often find him lost in thought and if I ask him what he is thinking about 80% it is related to flying or his teaching.
This man has an amazing ability to serve his country and his family. He knows he plays an important role as a single piece of a very large military puzzle and he is the glue that holds my family together. Thank you Karl! I love you and what you do for our country!
I didn’t get to decorate for Christmas last year, which I LOVE doing, since we moved in December. I wanted to get all the red green on Nov. 1st and have held back. But I think this next weekend, it is all coming out. I know it is early, but I have to makeup for last year and I will be gone for two weeks in the month of December, so that means I can decorate two weeks early right?
Well today, the girls and I spent the morning making a Christmas card holder. I use a tomato cage (upside down) and then we covered it is scraps of scrapbooking paper. The girls enjoyed ripping the pieces while I glued. The cards will hang on the bottom half from binder clips. Now, we wait patiently for our first Christmas card to arrive 
I love crafts that are easy, cheap but make a bang!
Brady went to a birthday party this past weekend at a gym. Though she spent the first 45 minutes being VERY timid, she warmed up for the last 20 minutes. She loved getting to do “mi-nas-kicks” or gymnastics!
She went from clinging to my leg to jumping off 5 foot tall blocks into the foam pit which was actually 8 feet below! She wants to sign up for a class now. At least I was given a brief break of her begging for dance classes (which I am trying to avoid).
I even got her to do the rope swing over the foam pit at the end. Also, not pictured because I had to spot her was the balance beam. She walked the regulation height beam without my help!!!
Today was the first day here in FL that ‘fall’ clothes needed to be worn. Which the layers have since been striped off! So I broke out my poncho sweater, and the girls both loved it and commented on it. Reese said “look at mommy” and Brady said “I love your outfit mommy”. So I put the girls in their poncho sweaters from their fall wardrobe and we took pictures to share with you!
I LOVE the month of October because there is so many activities to do with youngsters. Before this past weekend we had already, attended the Montessori Fall Carnival, hosted a playgroup Halloween party, went to a pumpkin patch, and attempted to have a family sleepover. Well, as if that isn’t enough we packed full our weekend… Friday we carved our pumpkins, Saturday we attended the Pensacola Interstate Fair and the Blue Angel Park Halloween festival, and then Sunday we trick or treated with our close buddies! Are you tired reading that? Because it wore me out!!! Here is a picture story of our past weekend, but first, a HUGE thank you to my mom for making amazing costumes once again! Every year she out does herself again!
Friday was enjoyable carving pumpkins…I found my favorite thing about living in FL, when you stick your hand in the pumpkin to clean our the goo, it is warm and actually pleasant to do. I remember all the years of having to run in and wash my hands right away to warm them up. I included a picture of my pumpkin I was carving with a ice cream truck in the background, I will have to say that was a first!!!
So Saturday morning, we woke up eager to go to the Pensacola fair, it had been in town for over a week, so we were ready! Well, I looked up the time it opened expecting to see 9 well it didn’t open until 10. That was a hard wait, especially for Brady. When we got there at exactly ten, we had the whole fair to ourselves. We couldn’t play my favorite game “I got it” because there weren’t enough people to play! We did enjoy the agricultural exhibits with the pretend cow to milk and the potatoes to dig up. Also we got to taste beignets, which is exciting since that is the yummy treat Tiana makes in the movie the Princess and the Frog. I will have to say I was SHOCKED at the high price of rides": $1.25 per ticket and rides were 3-5 tickets each!!!
Then after Reese’s nap on Saturday we headed to the Halloween Festival at a nearby Navy run park. My battery on the pocket camera died so there isn’t much pictures. Though, let me tell you about the pink paint they used in the face painting…well it is STILL in Brady’s eyebrows and that is after several scrubbings of baby oil, soap, baby wipes and eye makeup remover. UGH!
Then on Halloween day we, trick-or-treated. Brady loved the experience. Once she figured it all out, she was running from house to house, I couldn’t keep up with her! Reese, not so much! She whined to be picked up and was scared of all the dressed up people. As parents, Karl and my philosophy is that even if our kids cry not to do something (that is typically thought of as fun) we try to work them past the fear and get them past the tears. Well, we never got Reese to that point and a third of the way in Karl walked Reese home. You can tell from the picture of me holding her how she felt.
