My New BFF

Last night as I was getting Zoe ready for bed she looked at me and says, "mommy, will you be my best friend?"

Of course I will!

Do you think daddy will be my best friend too?

I think he will.  Why don't you ask him.

DAAAAADDDDDYYYYY!

What baby?

Will you be my best friend too?
Of course I will.  I can't think of anything better than being your best friend.

Mommy, I have two best friends!

We have no idea where she got the idea of best friends.  At church yesterday there were some older kids in the nursery that may have given her the thought.  It could've been Tigger & Pooh.  I have no idea.  I'm so glad that her two best friends are her daddy and me.  I couldn't think of two better people to be my best friends either.

It Only Took 2 Months

In February Zoe got a big girl bed.  I got the bright idea to handcraft some artwork for her walls.  I had some cut-outs that matched her bedding and thought I would create scenes like her bedspread on fabric and then wrap that fabric on canvas. 

I'm pleased to say, 2 months after starting this little project it's done.  I was in need of a staple gun.  I totally didn't think to ask my mom about one until yesterday.  Of course she had three for me to choose from.  She LOVES tools. She had a semi-automatic type staple gun that worked great.

Here's the fabric and the canvas that I used:

I put some fusable web on the back of the fabric and cut out shapes to match Zoe's bedspread.  Then laid out the design on the yellow background fabric that I had laid over a canvas.  You don't want to make bigger art than you have canvas.

Once I liked the layout, I ironed on the pieces to the yellow fabric.   Then I sewed around the edges of the design with my sewing machine to 1) ensure the design wouldn't peel off and 2) to give it a cute, handcrafted feel.  My sewing machine has a blanket stitch that I used.

Then came the assembling part, 2 months later because I'm efficient if anything.  I pulled the edges to the back of the canvas, folded the fabric once so it was a nice edge in the back (and it strengthens the fabric too) and got my semi-automatic staple gun ready for action.

Once opposited edges were in place, I worked on folding the other edges into place.  It took a few before I knew how to not make it so bunchy.

Then I folded the fabric edged again, like I was wrapping a present and to reinforce the fabric.

Because I like secure and semi-automatic tools, I stapled and stapled and stapled until nothing moved.

Because some of the staples were sticking out a bit, I hammered down the ones that didn't get in far enough.

Viola!  Art!

I have to say I'm pleased with how they look in Zoe's room.  She even helped hang them up. 

Now if I could just hang some pictures on the other wall, we'd be golden.  I'm pacing myself.  I hope by Labor Day!

The Tourney

On Saturday D & E participated in a soccer tournament.  For May 15th it was 80 degrees.  For the soccer tournament, with no shade and very little wind, it was more like 90 degrees. 

The girls did awesome.  They hustled, they cheered and they let me take a crazy amount of pictures to document the event.  Considering this is E's final season of the game, I needed pictures to document this event ever happened in her life.

In her first game she got close to making 2 goals, as you can see below:

and one assist.  The girl was on fire. 

Then it was time for D to play.  This is her like 15th year.  She's playing a full field now.  Her team has been together for most of the 15 years.  They're awesome.  I mean, look at that defense?  Would you want to be on the receiving end of that kick?

Because she wants to be exactly like her sisters and do everythign they do, she had to get in on the action.

I see volleyball in her future though.

Thank you D & E for having a tournament.  We loved watching you play.  I didn't so much enjoy the Honey Buckets though.

Even Thought It Was the Same Temperature As The Sun, the River is Still Cold

For May 15th, it was hot.  For a Saturday it was busy.  N had to work overtime on Friday night, so I got to spend time with all three of our girls.  We talked about boys, mean girls, homework and how ice cream fixes everything.  I may have used that last one as my solution for the former topics.

We had to get up early Saturday morning for an all-day soccer fest that turned into more of a sun overload.  N got some extra sleep, while I ushered the older girls to the largest soccer field known to man.  I'll have more pictures tomorrow.  I took about 175 pictures from the soccer games.  I'm still doing some editing.

N and Zoe showed up later in the day to cheer on D & E.  It was also a trade-off.  N stayed with the older girls while I took Zoe to a party for some friends birthdays.  G & M are dear twins that turned 4.  They are some of Zoe's best friends and she will pray for them by name at night. 

What made their party even cooler was that it included a river.  We came dressed to play in the water.  Not so much me since it's only May 15th and it's been hot for exactly 1 day this year and I'm pretty sure the river isn't warm yet.  Not to mention G's & M's mom always has a camera.  I'm not too keen on wearing a swimsuit around people who bring their camera everywhere.

That doesn't stop the 3-foot and under crowd from getting in, throwing rocks and splashing around. 

Zoe with the birthday girl, M.  Before we left, Zoe gave her a big hug and said, "I love you so much!"  M was totally unphased, but two mothers got a little verklempt.

This is Zoe with the birthday boy, G.  It's also about 5 seconds before Zoe's first encounter with how cold the river really is on May 15th.

Zoe loves G.  She calls him her "silly boy."  If you know G, that's a good description of him.  He's 100% boy.  He loves to throw stuff, climb stuff, wrestle you and all things the opposite of Zoe. 

He also has amazing strength.  He's one of the strongest kids I've ever met.  He's so strong in fact that during that sweet hug, Zoe lost her balance and went booty first into about 1/2 inch of water.  Okay 1/2 inch of freezing water.  That water on your toe isn't a big deal.  That water higher up than your ankle is too much water.

As Zoe's crying and G's wondering what she's crying for, he said, "I'm so sorry."  To which my girl replies, "that's okay, (sniff, sniff, gasp for breath) G.  I'm (sniff, gasp, gasp) okay!" 

Again, two mothers were verklepmt at how sweet their children are.

Thank you G & M for being born.  Thank you for being such great friends to my Zoe.  Silly or sweet, you bring a fun balance to our lives.

We can't wait to join you at the river again soon.  Maybe after we've had more than 1 hot day of weather.

Her Secret Place

Zoe likes to play with just about anything.  The other evening she found me cleaning a tub and said, "look mommy?  Isn't this perfect?"  When I turned around I saw that she had my flip flops on.  They were like boats on her.

She also loves my gardening shoes.  They are green clogs that are scuffed up and dirty.  I keep them in the laundry/mud room.  She keeps them close to where she is most of the time.

The other day I was throwing a load of her clothes into the washer and when I went to get them out of her hamper I saw my shoes on top of her dirty clothes.  When I asked her about them, all she said was "huh, how'd those get there?"  Huh indeed.

Fast forward to last night.  I was putting her dirty clothes in her hamper and absent-mindedly threw the clothes in.  They made a plop sound.  I looked into her hamper and saw a beach ball that I'd just blown up in the bottom of her hamper. 

Apparently that's her secret place.  All her treasures go in the hamper. 

Or maybe these things are just dirty and need to be cleaned?  I'm a little terrified of what I'll find in there next. 

I realize this is a little bit boring post, but in light of the weekend, it's all I can muster.  I don't actually think I've dreaded a weekend before.  I do this one. 

D & E are coming over for the weekend.  I'm excited about that.  I love seeing them.  It's been about 2 months since E has come over.  It's extra special.  N has to work overtime tonight, so it'll be a girl's night.  There is something about having it just be us girls.  We have giggling that turns to belly laughs and all the secrets come out.  I get a glimpse into my girls in a way that I don't other times.  I'm thrilled for some of that time tonight.

What I'm a little more worried about is tomorrow.  Both of them play soccer.  Tomorrow is the big, final tournament.  We'll be spending all the live-long day at the polo grounds.  Watching soccer.  Fortunately it's supposed to be nice and not windy.  Honestly, spending 8 hours on a polo field in the heat doesn't sound like the best time to me. 

Zoe has a birthday party tomorrow for two of her favorite people.  N and I get to experience the craziness of three, popular, athletic girls.  We're both coping right now by wanting to pull the covers over our head, take some allergy medication and wake up on Monday. 

It Was Spectacular

A couple nights ago Zoe and I had the awesome priviledge to attend D's second violin concert.  Not that she plays two violins, but that's she's played two concerts.  The first one took place in the gym of her school.  I went to that same school and I really remember the gym being much bigger.  Parents had to crain around people at the enterances to see the kids.  As far as concerts go, it was like being in a mosh pit.  Women were waving and silently mouthing "I love you!" 

Actually it was just like several concerts I've been to, except it was an orchestra and a band.  I don't really see groupies doing that at the symphony.  Maybe they have gotten a little wilder over the years.

We were excited about this concert because it took place at the Arena.  Which is big enough to house 20,000 people.  I had a pretty good idea that Zoe and I wouldn't be in the mosh pit of this concert.  If we yelled "we love you D" it would be okay.

What I learned a mere 24 hours before the concert was that it was the entire district playing at the Arena.  That's 34 elementary schools or 68 music classes.  Now, in our district, learning an instrument is mandatory.  Granted choir counts in that too and this concert was just band and strings.  As I tried to do the mental math of this type of concert, my mind actually went blank. 

As I mentioned it to some other people they were like, "oh yeah, the Band & Strings Spectacular.  That's a big deal."  I was all, "what is the Band & Strings Spectacular?"  That's when I got the low-down.  Fortunately for me, while I did play the flute in elementary school, this spectaclar didn't start until I was out of elementary school by like 1 year.  Apparently for the last 20 years I've been completely unaware that this event has happened. 

When we talked to D's mom, she said we would need to go to "G Section Yellow, 107-108."  While that was like speaking a foreign language, Zoe and I decided to figure it out.  My mind, although blank, starting to comprehend what we would encounter when traffic was backed up for three blocks just to get into the parking lot.  And we were 25 minutes early.  All the while Zoe was in the backseat naming off songs she was sure D would play.  Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Hot Cross Buns, Row Row Row Your Boat...

As we found the G section with D's school name underneath it, I was not prepared for what I was about to see.

2,800 students filled the floor of the Arena.  To give you some type of perspective, this floor is the size of a regulation hockey rink or an arena football field.  We're talking HUGE.  The National Figure Skating Association choose this location for the nationals this year before the Olympics.  Now, it's filled with 5th and 6th grade students who play an instrument.  It was beyond impressive.

Even though we were 20 minutes early, our section of G Section Yellow was totally filled.  I've circled it so you can see.  I think we got the shaft.  Our section was one of the smallest, so we had no chance of even seeing E or anyone we might know.  D might not have even been down there, but we did see her name in the program so I'm quite certain she was there.

We had to go to the top level, walk the steep stairs of death to find a seat in a rival school.  N sent me a text message that said, "tell her I'm so proud of her."  I sent him this picture and said:

"Happy to.  If you can tell me where she's at."  To which he replied, "holy crap, that's a big band."  He's so perseptive.  Me, being up for any challenge, really tried to find her without binoculars or knowing what she was wearing.  Apparently I am delusional.

D, while I have no idea which head you were in the middle of the Arena floor, we truly enjoyed your concert.  Zoe clapped and asked for more.  We are so proud of you for learning the violin.  You are excellent at it.  I really hope next year to remember to buy you a fluorescent orange dress so we can easily spot you.  Love you sweet girl. 

We Are All Princesses

Being a mom of young girls, we are all about being princesses.  At Zoe's age it's about dressing up like Cinderella and singing "a dream is a wish your heart makes" while combing her hair.

For D & E it's more subtle.  It's getting their hair done, wearing their new dress to church or just being made to feel like they're the only girl their daddy sees.

For me it's watching N scrub something clean, like a tub or a dish. 

My friend Jorene and I decided we needed to do something for the ladies of our church.  If we call Him our Father and He's also our King, that makes us princesses in His kingdom.  Instead of having a dress-up party for young girls, we decided to do a party for all age princesses.  Dressing up was totally optional.  Although next year it may not be!

For the last three months we've been planning this Princess Party.  I found some really adorable crown frames everyone could decorate and crowns made of pipe cleaners.  We got to work. 

My counter was covered with these beauties:

We had a cake pop party a couple days before the event.

I cannot confirm or deny if a few of them may have accidently, totally innocently been tested before we served them to the princesses. 

We got to work getting them ready to showcase as a centerpiece on the table.

The room was full of pinks, purples, flowers, balloons, sandwiches in the shape of tiaras and every so often a glimmer from a pipe cleaner.

We had 60 ladies show up to make crown frames, get their pictures taken with their tinsel crowns, hear a story about Gigi and hear of God's love for His princess, no matter how young at heart we may be.

It was a wonderful time and we've been asked to host it next year too.  It's great to see the ladies of our church, of all ages, come together, wear pipe cleaner tiaras and realize their place in His kingdom. 

Especially this little one.  Who, if you ask me or N, is already a princess in our hearts too.