Remember Me?

Ok, so let's get this out of the way. Yes, it has been a long time. A very, very long time. To make matters worse, I finally show up and I have no new pictures for you. Go ahead and get upset. I have heard many of you voice your frustration with the lack of entries, and here I am. (You know what they say about the squeaky wheel.) I think I hear the children doing something worthy of reporting as I type...

All That Glitters

The day before we left Michigan, Grandpa and I went to Costco and found the most amazing gift for Grace. It was a treasure chest filled with princess dress-up clothes, complete with wands, tiaras, shoes, jewelry...everything a princess needs to complete her wardrobe. Needless to say, Grace was in love the minute she laid eyes on it. Now she is almost always in a beautiful gown, referring to herself as Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella. Problems arise now and then, like when we need to leave the house and princess attire is not appropriate, when it is time for bed (because even princesses have to wear pajamas) and especially when Bellie wants to be a princess too.
But the best part is that even if Bellie cannot put the dresses on, she still has a little princess magic without even trying. As a matter of fact, we all do (George included). You see, one of the most important parts of being a princess is the sparkle (shine, glitter, "bling", etc...) and because each item that came in this treasure chest is completely covered in glitter, so now is my entire house. The couch, the carpet, the walls, EVERYTHING. And for some reason, no amount of vacuuming, dusting or mopping can seem to get rid of it. We have gotten used to it now, but I am sure Eric gets a look or two when he shows up to work in a flightsuit that sparkles. But I guess that is the price you pay for living with a princess.

Finally....We're Back

Ok, so it has been a while. The girls and I returned from Michigan last weekend. It has been a busy week, but I am finally able to sit down and post. Things should be up pretty regularly again.

On the Road Again

Grace, Annabelle and I have made it safely to Michigan. The girls were amazing in the car as we made the 16 hour drive to Gramma and Grandpa's house. Grandpa flew down to Florida and then drove with us. We left at about 6:30pm and drove all night so that the girls would hopefully sleep. After a little sleeping, watching Shrek about 15 times, listening to Mama read Dr. Suess about 500 times, and hardly complaining at all we finally arrived. I will update on our adventures during our trip.
And a big thank you to Grandpa for making the journey with us!!! We couldn't have made it without you.

Happy Birthday Gracie

Apparently someone told Grace that it was okay for her to grow up because today she went ahead and turned 3. She is totally decked out from head to toe in her new Snow White ensemble. Complete with pearl necklace and stunning ring. She is toting around her new Cinderella and Belle dolls, who have become fast friends as Grace is constantly making them "talk" to one another. And when we are finally able to pry the new costume off of her body, no doubt she will lounge around in her new Cinderella bath robe.
As you can see, we are a little princess obsessed around here. And I don't see that changing anytime soon. Bellie will follow, I am sure, and soon we will have two little princesses running around. Although hopefully someone will get the memo out to Annabelle so that she knows that she is not supposed to grow up. I guess we will find out in March.

Safe and Sound

George has returned home and is recovering very well from his surgery. Actually, he seems pretty much like nothing happened, and is acting completely normal. Annabelle was very excited to see him and spent the entire ride home from the vets office petting him and feeding him treats. Welcome Home, Georgie!

George

Please keep George in your thoughts and prayers as he is having surgery Friday morning. We love you, Georgie!

Running Away

Pigtails

I absolutely love this picture of Annabelle. She decided that she would let me put he hair in pigtails (if only to take them out immediately following the photo session). I always associated having little girls with getting to do their hair and dressing them up in outfits that I picked out (at least for the first few years). Well, not so much with Miss Grace and Miss Belle. Most of the time Grace runs around naked and won't let me touch her hair with a ten foot pole. And while Bellie will wear whatever I put on her for the time being, she will not stand for anything to be in her hair. But for a few moments, she endured the horrors of hairstyling (barely...you notice she is not exactly smiling) and allowed her Mama pictures to document the occasion. Thank you, my sweet Bellie.

Mudpie Mystery Solved

So, for the past few trips to the backyard for some time in the playhouse, it has taken mere minutes for Annabelle to come running out with a face (and when I say face, I really mean mouth) full of mud. Of course her hands have also been covered, so I have been curious if she decided to help herself to a tasty treat OR if a "little birdie" suggested it was a good idea. Tonight during bath time I got my answer. As Grace and Annabelle are frolicking in the bubbles, I see Grace fill her hands with bubbles and push them towards Annabelle's face saying, "Try it Bellie. MMMMMM, it's sooooooo good." Suddenly the senario in the playhouse has become crystal clear.

Naked School

Grace has been talking a lot about school lately. When the "Stinkerbell Pack Pack" first arrived from Gramma and Grandpa, she put it on and hasn't taken it off for much since. And no matter where she wears it, the destination becomes school. She wears it to bed and calls it sleeping school. So when I snapped this photo, I asked her where she was going. Of course she replies, "naked school." And to be honest, were you to drop by at most anytime, this is exactly what she would be wearing.


(Disclaimer: The dresser you see in the background is shown BEFORE it was repainted and new hardware was added.)

Before the sickness attacked, we would spend time riding our bikes, going to the playground, etc...Basically any number of activities that would get us out of the house. We have been house-bound far too long and it became very evident today. When Grace was supposed to be napping I found her sitting on top of the bookshelf in her room (the bookshelf is taller than I am). So no only are we crawling the walls (literally in her case), today at lunch Grace really sent the message home. When I put the plate down in front of her, she said, "this lunch was made possible by contributions from viewers like you. Thank you." This is what airs after every show on PBS. Hopefully we will all be well enough to get out tomorrow...

Annabelle Lee and her Daddy

Well, the sickness has struck once again. This time, there is no fever but a nasty cold that has both children stuffy and miserable. Armed with lysol in one hand, clorox wipes in the other and each pocket filled to the brim with kleenex, I am desperately trying to eradicate the sickness from our house. Even Eric is a little under the weather.
There is, however, a sweetness a child possesses only when they are sick. You want to do anything you can to make them feel better, knowing the best thing they can do is sleep. And so when they pour on the charm, in the most nasal voice they can muster, and ask for yet another pack of fruit snacks, you give in. Because, really how could you not?

When I was looking through the new pictures, Annabelle was sitting on my lap and she let out a huge "Bellie" laugh when she saw this one. I felt that made it necessary to share it. The girls had such a fabulous time with Uncle Dave (and so did Eric and I). Grace still thinks that he went to work. She says, "Uncle Dave right be back."

I want to introduce everyone to our new friend. While Uncle Dave was visiting, we became members at The Zoo of Northwest Florida. One of the best parts of the zoo is that you are able to feed the girafes. This is the baby, who was quite comfortable around us, especially when we had bags of food to share.

GOODNIGHT, BELLIE

Last night, Grace decided that she was going to read to Bellie. And what better story to choose than Goodnight Moon. Bellie had been running around their bedroom trying to get someone to read to her and Grace anxiously accepted. They sat down on the floor next to eachother and Grace proceeded to "read" the entire story. She did make a few stops to make sure that Bellie knew where the mouse was on each page.
Ok, so I know she probably didn't read as much as she recited (we have read that book to her a few thousand times), but it was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. So sweet, in fact, that it almost made me forget about playtime in the potty mentioned in a previous post.
And I know the picture has nothing to do with reading, but how cute is that???

AND SO IT BEGINS

When you have a second child, it is really only a matter of time before the two children start working together. Once it happens, it can be a beautiful thing: one helping the other get dressed, color a picture, etc... But, it can also be a very bad thing. When children use their powers of persuasion for, shall we say "evil", instead of good, only parental frustration can result.
This afternoon we were all a little sad due to the departure of Uncle Dave. Leave it to Grace to spice things up a bit. I left the girls in their room with the Legos so I could make them some lunch. About halfway into putter jelly samiches, I hear this:
"Put it in the potty Bellie!!!"
I drop everything, run to the bathroom and find the following senario:

Annabelle sitting on the back of the toilet with her feet inside the bowl (imagine lounging at the pool, dipping your feet to keep cool), swirling a cell phone in the water (luckily it was a toy phone).
Grace is standing against the wall laughing so hard I am looking for a puddle to form underneath her.
As soon as I appear in the doorway, Grace immediately stops laughing as says, "Bellie, why are you playing in the potty?"

OH BABY, IT'S HOT OUTSIDE

And unfortunately it is also hot inside. Poor Grace is acting like a space heater with her 103 temperature. She woke up this morning at about 99 degrees and had WAY too much energy. Then early this afternoon she crashed. After quite a struggle and who knows how many tears, we were able to get her to take some Tylenol and currently, she is sipping on juice, snuggled into her favorite Elmo sheets watching "Scratch" (aka Shrek) from her bed. Daddy set up the portable DVD player in her room. It will be fun when we try and take that out!
So, we were supposed to be headed to a BBQ this afternoon. Needless to say, Grace and Mama will be staying behind while Bellie and Daddy go have fun. Annabelle had the pleasure of being sick at the beginning of the week, so now she is ready to run around and play outside.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARA!!!

Grace's Quote of the Day

This morning Grace was typing on the keyboard, which she knows very well she is not allowed to do. When I told her to get down and away from the computer she replied,

"Mama, I am not a CHILD."

Today I learned a valuable lesson that I thought I would share: What NOT to do when cleaning out the car....

On our way home from brunch we forgot to go to the car wash so we could wash the car, but more importantly so that we could vacuum out the inside. It has become a crumb factory, and we were quickly being overrun with half eaten goldfish and other kiddie snacks. So when we did get home, I decided to clean the inside myself (or at least get started and then head out to the car wash do the rest later). I removed the larger items: about 5 shoes that belong to Grace, 10 or so books, about 57 legos, I dare not count the number of sippy cups, etc... Then I took out the car seats so that I could remove the covers and wash them.
I got as far as removing the seats and setting them in the carport when I was summoned inside for numerous reasons, mostly concerning diapers, juice and the like. I was confronted by one thing after another (to include about 7 "check ups" by Dr. Grace) and eventually I simply forgot.
Fast forward to about 6pm, by this time Eric is running out to do something, Bellie has developed a fever pushing 102 and Grace has come in from outside where apparently she was wallowing in the mud because she is FILTHY. (Just another typical day at the Rogers).
What does Eric encounter in the carport? Two car seats SWARMING with red fire ants. Totally covered. Which he doesn't realize until he picks one up and his hands are covered and he is being bitten all over the place.
So the moral of the story is DO NOT start to clean out the car, get distracted ( but really, I had valid reasons to get side-tracked) and leave two car seats filled with a crumb-y feast for creatures like red fire ants.

Gracie Gracie Gracie

Sometimes kids really make you shake your head, whether it is in amusement, bewilderment, amazement, or because there simply are no words. Today I was looking at the blog with Miss Grace. She loved to look at all the pictures and it was amazing to me how connected she was to them. She was upset because she could not see Grampa in the photo of her riding the pony (he is the one leading). She pointed to the helicopters and said, "Daddy flies helicopters." And of course she knew Leroy and "Georgie." But Grace also brought something to my attention: that there is no picture of Elmo. And she did not want just any picture, but a picture of her Elmo birthday cake from last year. She said, "Oh my GOSH! What happened to my Elmo birthday cake?!!"
So, I am here now to right the wrong, to add the missing piece. And I am sure that the next time she sees this she will point out something else that Mama has overlooked.

PLAYDATES....NOT JUST FOR KIDS

These days, playdates are not just for kiddies. Lately our dog, George, has been having a blast playing with his friend, Leroy. Leroy is a Bull Mastif and this picture was taken when the two were first introduced a couple months ago. Now, they are both alot bigger, but the size difference is still roughly the same.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Nami today as she has surgery on her wrist. Here she is with Nana and Cara at Cara's graduation. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and there will be no complications. We love you, Nami!

YEAH UNCLE DAVE!!!

We are so excited that Uncle Dave is coming to visit us for a whole week! Grace and Bellie are making a list of all the fun things that we can do when he gets here. And yes, I will make cookies. See you soon!

The Girls, Eric, George and I just wanted to send hugs and kisses to Awa. We hope that you are feeling better and hopefully you will be your smiley self again soon. WE LOVE YOU!!!

Lesson: Vocabulary
Teacher: Miss Grace Lenore
Student: Mama

Setting: Grace and Annabelle are eating lunch ("putter and jelly samiches", as Grace would say) at their table.

"Mmmmm," says Grace.
"Is that good, Gracie?" asks Mama.
"Deelipfish," replies Grace.
"Do you mean delicious?"
"No, Mama, not delicious. Deelipfish."

Pronounced dee-lip-fish.
Meaning: even better than delicious.

Does anyone have the number for Webster's? I think they need to hear about this one.

NICE LITTLE DAY TRIP

So yesterday we decided to drive to the outlets in Destin. We have heard from numerous people that they are very nice, so we packed up the kids and the stroller and set off for some shopping (browsing). So it took us a little longer to get there than we had planned considering there was bumper to bumper traffic the last third of the way there. An hour car ride turned into at least two. And when we finally arrived, we realized that the traffic jam STARTED in the parking lot of the outlets. It took us 30 minutes to happen upon a spot, and instead of just leaving, we decided to try and salvage the day and go in a few stores (the traffic was just as bad on the way out of the parking lot).

I can't even imagine how many people were milling around this place - thousands easily. We went into one store, where you couldn't really maneuver a stroller and then Grace had to use the potty. So we set out to find one and the line was longer than the line to get into parking lot. We looked for another, couldn't find one. At some point Grace dropped her shoe so I had to go back and find it. Found it, made my way back to Eric and the girls and decided to leave. Oh, and did I mention that these are outdoor outlets and by now it is pouring down rain?

We get in the car and get out the map to find an alternate way home, which takes equally as long, but at least we are moving. We are all hungry, but there is nowhere to stop. And when we finally get within a few miles from home, Grace pees all over herself and the carseat. Finally we arrive home, about 7 hours after we left.

Through all of this, Grace and Bellie were very well-behaved. Even so, I think today we will stay home.

GRACE IS VERY UPSET

Many of you may not know that we were planning on spending our time off visiting family in Connecticut and Michigan. We were thinking about a road trip. Yes, that would be a very long time in the car (about six days when all was said and done) but it would be well worth it when we could spend some quality time. Well, as luck would have it (or should I say, as the Marine Corps would have it) we are only getting a couple weeks off. And since Eric needs some time to do some work before he starts, that would give us about two days at each destination. Considering all the travel days needed, our roadtrip dreams have now been destroyed. The above picture shows how Grace reacted when we told her that we would not be able to visit everyone. How can we remedy this you ask? We discussed it with Grace and Annabelle and they have asked Eric and I to ask you to please come and visit. Look how upset Grace is, and I can't even show you Annabelle. It is too pathetic to even post. So please....help us cheer the children up and come and see them. They miss you!

Finally, we know a little more about what the future holds. Today, Eric selected the aircraft that he will be training to fly....
HELICOPTERS!!! This means we will remain in Milton for a while longer (probably 6-8 months) before we will be off to another new and exciting destination. We are looking forward to some much needed time off before training starts.

UPDATE ON THE BIKERS

Uncle Bob and Dave have made a safe return from Mackinac Island and are happy to report that they beat all but one boat. WAY TO GO!

REMEMBER WHEN...
Today Grace and Belle and I were watching Sesame Street and there were ponies. This made me think about when Grace went riding for her second birthday. First of all, have you ever seen a child have so much fun? She LOVED it (as you can see, both her and Gramma Beth are enjoying themselves). But most imprtantly, it has come to my attention that in less than two months, Grace will be turning THREE. Can someone please fill me in on where the time has gone?

By the way, how cute is this outfit? Please notice the fabulous pink cowboy boots! We have two pairs in two sizes (thanks Awa), so hopefully at some point Grace and Belle can wear them at the same time.

HUGS AND KISSES

Today Awa (this is what we call my grandmother) is having surgery. She has a herniated disc and will have a spinal fusion today. Eventhough she is very nervous for the procedure, for a while now she has been in a great deal of pain and this will hopefully fix that. We can't wait until she is up and running around again. So... Awa we love you and are thinking about you.

I want to wish my Uncle Bob and his brother Dave the best of luck on racing the boats to Mackinac on their bikes. Here's to a safe and speedy journey!



Next time I will see if they would want to attatch the bike seats Eric and I have on our bikes and take Grace and Annabelle along. I am certain that constant kicks in the butt would be all the encouragement they would need to get to the finish line as fast as possible!

It's early, it is still dark. I am lying in bed, thinking about snuggling in a little deeper when something stirs next to me. As Eric is gone for the weekend, I am a little startled by this. And then I hear, in the sweetest little voice you have ever heard...

"Oh Gracie...why did you pee in Mama's bed?"

So, how did you start your day today?

MAMA NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHOES

My feet are depressed. I have recently discovered that I have an allergy to an unknown chemical/plasticy something that has dragged me away from one of my most favorite possessions: My Crocs.


And not only have I lost the most comfortable footwear that I have ever experienced, as if that was not enough, I can no longer walk on carpet with bare feet. In the summer heat my feet have been imprisoned.

I suppose eventually I will get over it and find something equally as comfortable (and hopefully better looking). First I am hoping that I will stop losing large chunks of skin and the limping will subside. In the meantime, my feet and I will spend what free time we have scouring the internet for a new favorite possession.

One of the downsides to a front-loading washer......


This morning at breakfast, Grace decided that Papa needed to eat some yogurt. You can imagine the mess that this created and the bottomline was that spot cleaning was not going to cut it. He had to go in the washer. I didn't want to face a naptime or bedtime without Papa, so it needed to be done right away. Well, Grace spent the next 40 minutes with her faced pressed against the window of the washer, SOBBING. You had to feel bad for her, but it was pretty funny. When she realized that he had to go in the dryer when the wash cycle was over, she moved to the middle of the room and proceeded to fling her body around on the ground for about 15 minutes, until she decided that fruit snacks woud be able to hold her over until Papa was finally dry.

I am happy to report that child and bear have been reuinted and everyone seems to be doing fine. Both Grace and Papa seem to have suffered no lasting damage from this mornings washing.

Have you ever had so much fun in the bath tub in your life???

A very lucky, select few were fortunate enough to receive these precious photos on a t-shirt to show the world. Everyone else will have to visit the blog to enjoy. (Just kidding, if you want a copy, send me an email and I will make you one.)

Here are some pics from the 4th. Sorry you can't really see the bottom one.
Grace and Bellie LOVE the dresses that Nami picked out in Mexico. Grace will spin around until she falls over. George was very good about wearing his bandana, I figured that he would have ripped it off pretty quickly.

Grace, Annabelle and I have been inspired to start a blog. Now you can visit the girls whenever you want! No more waiting for me to send pictures, but someone has to get Aunt Susie in the 21st century and teach her how to use a computer. Maybe this will inspire her...