Level 1 Badge testing

Reese had a level one badge testing for her Gymnastics class at Excalibur. It gives young new gymnast a taste of competitions. One by one they did set skills and were rated as bronze, silver or gold. Reese just moved up to the level one class only three weeks ago so a lot of this is new to her.

Warm-ups

 Her biggest fans getting limber too

In "Vault" she earned silver

 On beam, she earned silver

 On floor, she earned silver.

 on an unrelated side note, you can see the chub she has gained back since she is so much healthier on the gluten free diet! She has gained five pounds since we started the diet 2.5 months ago.

 Uneven bars proved to be the trickiest for her as she earned bronze on this event.

 More of her fan club!

 Reese proudly accepts her silver badge, that she asked to be ironed onto her leo.

 WE ARE SO PROUD OF HER! She was very nervous to participate and she was brave!

 The event took over two hours, so we had to rush over to swim lessons. She didn't even have time to change her leo! You won't be surprised to know she slept until 10:00 the next morning.

The Big Purple Chair

The local Children's Museum has a giant purple chair that is the perfect photo op. So of course we take our picture every time we visit.

This is December 14, 2008. The day before Reese was born. It was our last hoorah for Brady before her life changed forever (for the better obviously). 

Elli made her debut shortly after we moved back to Virginia Beach. This is February 2013.

Then we visited about a year later. These pics are from March 16, 2014.

 Glad to have a flock to fill up the chair now. 

Life is Good!

Here are more fun pictures from our recent visit.

Cold windy Brady

 Elli wanting momma.

 Reese rocking the Pixie.

 Orthner shadow

 Reese in her domain...performing

 Brady learning how to run light and sound board.

 Things that go.

 Karl using his muscles on the pulley chair.

 Cha-ching

 Stray dog in the museum.

 Another lost mutt,

 Cutest fire fighter EVER!

 Three little Orthners in a bubble!

 Book worm

Another item on our bucket list completed!

Many Faces of Silly

Ask a kid to make silly faces for a camera and you are guarantee laughs!

Here is the collages of our fun.

At the end of the rainbow

After having my first child, and falling head over heels for her, I wanted to give her everything life could offer. I wanted her to have a sibling (especially a sister) that she could have a lifelong bond with like I have with my own sister. Sure, enough 18 months later she had a sister.

Their bond has been apparent from the beginning. I post about on here often. Here are the latest examples.

Yesterday, Brady was invited to play at a classmates house, that also lives in our neighborhood. Great, fine, wonderful, except this is a friend of only Brady. Remember this is their first year of school ever to not be in the same class. So, up until last fall they shared all their friends. Reese was devastated by the lack of Brady. Brady was gone for 1.5 hours at her friends house. Reese cried uncontrollably for one hour of it.

Then today, I stopped by the school to eat lunch with Brady. Brady's teacher quickly whispered this story to me.

They are working on St. Patricks day folklore in class. They were discussing the pot of gold legends. The class was asked to write a sentence "_______ is worth more than a pot of gold." Brady showed her teacher her paper. "My sister is worth more than a pot of gold." Her teacher stated "Brady, you have two sisters, you need to put an s on the end of sister." Brady replied "no, I mean just one sister. My sister, REESE, is worth more than a pot of gold to me!"

That means more to me than if she would have said me. If nothing else, I want to raise kids that love their siblings!

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books offer a wide range of artful designs and embellishments to choose from.

The Munchkins

I love my three little munchkins! They bring me smiles daily. Life doesn't get better than this. I am a little bit behind in posting on 'events' so here are some snapshots of life here in VB lately. 

 Love is in the air!

I try to play down valentines since I feel it is a holiday about have and have nots. I don't care for a holiday that leaves people out. What I did for them this year (last minute idea) was throw together place mats that highlight their best qualities. I want to teach them that they are individuals. I love them for who they are, and I don't want them to be someone else. 

Reese is spirited, inquisitive, brave, huggable, faithful, creative, unique and smiley. 

 Creative, spirited and unique...yes sirree. She keeps me laughing!

Inquisitive, not too many five year olds want to stay inside to read instead of playing and running outside. 

 Elli is cuddly, helpful, passionate, curious, animated, bright, loyal and independent.

She found the only puddle in the whole area. Call her curious George. 

 She is one bright star. At library PJ story time, the librarian read a story we have never heard before. Elli immeadiately walked over to the book rack in the room and plucked the same book off the shelf. She had memorized the books on the rack and wanted the matching copy.

Elli is in a early interventive parent child preschool class run by the city. She is thriving in this class. I was prepared to hate it and I love everything about it. She is so independent in the class.

Brady is dedicated, affectionate, kind, supportive, thoughtful, graceful, hard-working, and understanding.

This hard-working graceful ballerina has almost perfected her leap. I am in awe of her. I thought I didn't want a daughter that liked ballet, but I am really getting a kick (no pun intended) out of this. 

Brady LOVES being a big sister. She brought Elli in for a special show and tell.

Brady loves to put on shows with her middlest sister. Here she was exploring the idea that tears can be result of happiness or sadness.

I will keep them! All while counting my lucky stars!

" I LOVE MEATBALLS!"

I have raised picky eaters. I am not sure quite how that came to be, but it did. I have tried EVERYTHING! One night when I was at my wits end I did yet another tireless google search for "how to help picky eaters".

I read one article that listed about 8 tips. I had already tried 7 of the 8 items.

The other: Make a rule, for each new food, you must take three bites on three different nights.

"When you take that first bite you’re scared and you’re going to hate it no matter what. But now that you know you aren’t going to DIE from eating that broccoli, you take a second bite to truly taste it. The third bite is the decision bite where you get to proclaim love, meh, or hate"

Simple enough. I made a list each night of what was on the dinner table. Three bites of everything went on the girls plates. The oldest, being obedient, took it in stride. An occasional up turned nose appeared, but once reminded of table manners fixed undesirable behaviors.

Now the middlest, oh the middlest, did NOT take it in stride. There was food being spit out, hands over her mouth, LOTS of head shaking, grunts, tears, oncoming stares from others waiting to be excused. It was PAINFUL for ALL of us. The youngest even starting mocking these undesirable behaviors. UGH!

About 3 weeks into these nightly battles, we turned a little but significant turn for the better. She would put the unmentionables into her mouth on her own, she whined while doing it, but SHE did it. The second time eating ground beef in pasta sauce, she stated, I still don't like it but it is fun to chew. We will take it!

About a week later, a meatball in red sauce lay on the middlest's plate. This is the third time she must take three bites. After staring it down for five minutes, the middlest bravely put it in her mouth. Then next thing we know, the second and third bite are being digested. Then, just then, the angels looked down on us, sang a hymn and the middlest shouted "I LOVE MEATBALLS!!!" She was so proud that this proclamation was shouted over and over. We all celebrated. I even teared up a little. Then the rest of the meatball was consumed!

She loves meatballs, she wants me to cook meatballs again soon. This is a big deal people! She has never liked beef before this day.

Three bites, three times... it works in this house!

Steady beat

Bum bum badadada bum
Bum bum badadada bum
Bum bum badadada bum

I heard this from the upstairs bedroom. Puzzled? Is the construction that steady across the street? Are the neighbors banging on the windows again? Nope, just the marching band passing.







Love living on base! Never a dull moment!


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How Do We Solve a Problem Like Maria

Reese said she needed a haircut. Apparently chin length is much too long.

On a whim, I brought her upstairs and cut it. I was quite pleased with the little bob I gave her. It feel right at her ears. I kept the back the same, it was stacked beautifully from the last cut. All she sees is the front so that is all she cares about. I asked her, if that was what she wanted. "Nope! I want it to here!" Strategically placing her hand at her eyebrows.

Confused, I resorted to the internet. Pull up a display of pixie cuts, cute ones too, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, cuteness abound. Ask Reese which is the one you are picturing. She intently studies them. "None of them! I want to look like Maria."

Leave it to my child to want a 1960s style cut.

 So back upstairs we went. Clip clip clip, trim trim trim. BAM

Initially I wasn't a fan. Not too keen on bangs most of the time. Especially short ones. But this girl knew what she wanted. She wants a cut that doesn't need to be brushed. I am sure she will have a buzz cut someday.

Here is the best part...

Me: Reese, you know, I wasn't a fan of your haircut at first, but it is REALLY starting to grow on me.

Reese: Oh no, let's go cut it again!