Moving... again.

We are moving again, but no boxes are involved.  We are moving... blogs.  It seems I always name our blogs too specifically.  First we had The Anderson Trio.  But when Jolie came around, we had to find a new "home."  So I started this blog, Un et Un Font Deux.  One and one make two.  Well, it turns out we have outgrown this blog as well.  I once again used a potentially too specific name, but I think this title will last us if not forever, a good long time.  Please check us out at our new location.

http://anderson-partyoffive.blogspot.com/

Swim Lessons

Both of my kiddos were big enough for see-ya-later-mommy swim lessons this year!  It was exciting for them, but so sad for me.  How did both of my babies get so big??  It was seriously a mourning thing for me, letting them both go with their instructors and trust those instructors to keep them alive and safe and happy.  But both of them did very well.  I was so pleased.  Their instructors were great, and they both made pretty significant progress.  James did especially well, as this was the first year he was willing to really try floating and getting his head all the way in the water.  I was so proud!  My big boy.  Jolie pretty much refused to put her head (or even ear) in the water, but I'm not too worried since James took a good three years to get to that point.  My kids must have desert blood in them after all.  She has since done much better about getting her head in, both in the tub and in the little pool in the yard.  Telling her that she was Ariel made a big impact, I think. Haha.  Silly girl.  Anyway, I am really happy we have access to affordable, safe and enjoyable swimming lessons for my kiddos.  Survival skills for the win!

 

Independence Day

This year's Independence Day was pretty traditional and pretty fun.  On the third, we hung out in the friendly neighbor's yard near Derek's childhood home.  We made a whole slew of "Mom's Summertime Burritos" for everyone and were joined by a bunch of Andersons and even a few Barentines (well, one- and a friend).  The fireworks were enjoyable, but the kids kind of didn't care for them this year.  No aversion or fear, just meh.  They mainly wanted to play with their cousins.  Can't blame them, really.  Cousins are the best!

On the morning of the fourth, we hung out at home- getting a little crafty in our own patriotic way.  James painted a flag shirt (Finger painting, man!  No screaming or squirming, even!), and I snipped and sewed and created a little (perhaps too little... guilty face) shirt for Jolie.  They looked so cute!

We also got to play outside with our kiddos in our little pool.  We aren't always such great parents and this was a bit of a treat for them.  It was really fun.  Our family rocks, I tell ya.

Then, that evening, we went to the Seeholzer's Annual 4th of July Shindig.  It was yummy and sparkly and full of glorious fireworks and fun.  We sure love those guys.  We never want to move.  Now to be sure no one else does... :)

It was a fun and festive and relatively chill Fourth of July.

God bless America.

T-ball, baby!

James played t-ball again this year, and he seemed to have enjoyed it (more).  The timing of it wasn't awesome, as we had to wake him up from a nap pretty much every time (and that never goes well), and the scorching heat of it all was less than awesome.  But he seemed to get the concept much better this year and seemed to have fun making friends.

Jolie was James' self-appointed water girl and would run out into the middle of the field to give him a cool drink whenever she felt he needed it.  It was pretty cute.  And while I tried my best to stay far away (instead of installing myself as a co-coach again like last year, haha), Derek was able to get more involved and help out, which was fun to see.  He even had a post-game practice to help James figure out that whole batting thing (even Jolie got in on the action). I have a love-hate relationship with t-ball.  It's hot and miserable (hormonal pregnant lady here) but also very fun and adorable to watch.  I love seeing my boy learn new things and have pride in his new abilities.  It's one of the very best parts of parenting.  

Go, Rockies!

Kindergarten Graduation

My baby graduated from kindergarten!  I cannot believe he is old enough for that.  But once I come to terms with my babies growing up, I am also so danged proud.  He did so great in school this year.  I was worried about him being socially immature and struggling due to his young age, but he really stepped it up and did wonderfully!  I love that we put him in Thomas Edison.  I really think the atmosphere and learning methods helped him to succeed- and just to figure out how to act appropriately in school.  He had wonderful teachers, fabulous classmates and friends, and he really learned and developed so much!

The biggest surprise was probably that my boy who hated coloring (and would do maybe one swipe of a crayon on a coloring sheet) turned into quite the artist!  Mr. Davis, thank you.  James loves art and drawing and creating now!  He even says he wants to be an artist when he grows up!  He actually is going to be quite busy when he grows up, as he wants to be a paleontologist (a dinosaur scientist), a policeman, a builder and an artist.  He figures he can just be a policeman at night, since bad guys just come out at night.  Haha.  And he'll be an artist in his spare time.  He's so cute.  And ambitious!

James was friends with everyone in his class.  Truly.  But the friend he mentioned the most was Brooklyn.  I think he had a bit of a crush on her.  And by "think" I mean "am pretty sure" ... his journal says "I love Brooklyn" more than once.  Hehe.  So cute.  She's a darling girl, kind of crazy and wild- like him.  It makes sense.

Kindergarten graduation was a fun time, but bitter-sweet for James.  He has enjoyed this summer and the free time it offers, but he is quite excited for school to start again.  First grade may throw me for a loop, but he simply cannot wait.  Education? Bring it on!

Easter 2013

This Easter was lots of fun.  The day before, we headed out to Julie's for our annual Easter shin-dig.  It was great.  Perfect weather, nothing stressful, lots of great activities.  We dyed eggs, hid candy-filled eggs, let the kids go on an egg hunt, and ate a delicious lunch and an even more delicious dinner out on the deck.  Lovely, lovely weather.  Shawn and Mindy were on a camping trip and couldn't make it, so it was just Jon and Ashley and Elli, Linda (Jon's mom), Marilyn (my mom), Julie (Derek's mom, ha) and us. It was pretty fun having so many grandmas to dote on our babies.

On actual Easter day, we all got dressed up in our beautiful Easter clothes.  I had made a skirt for Jolie and ties for the boys, along with a coordinating flower broach for me.  We looked pretty darling, if I do say so myself.  While we were at church, the Easter Bunny came to our house!  It's pretty convenient that way; it ensures that we make it to church without grumbling about it.  Also, funny tidbit- the kids are convinced that Grandma Bunny is the Easter Bunny.  Hence, the Easter Bunny is a she around here- and quite beloved.  Anyway, when we got home from church, the kids hunted our previously-dyed eggs that had been hidden around the front yard.  Then we took a few family pictures (thank you, Grandma Marilyn, for being such a great photographer).  And then the children came  inside to find the sweet basket of goodies the Easter Bunny had left.

It was a fun weekend.  We had a great time. After the death-filled year we seemed to have had, it was wonderful to have an excuse to ponder the beauty of resurrection and the fact that we will see our loved ones again after this life.  Such a beautiful truth.  Such a beautiful holiday.

 

 

 

Happy Easter!

Jolie's 3rd Birthday

I cannot believe my baby is three.  It's crazy talk.  But it's also very exciting.  She's growing up and turning out to be quite a fun, sweet, smart little girl.  I'm not surprised; she was that sort of baby.  But still, it's wild to see just how quickly time can fly.

This year we opted to do a fairly low key birthday party.  We always say we should make it just a family affair, but I tend to get over excited about birthdays and parties and make it into too much of an event.  This year, I kept things pretty simple.  I was worried that because of this simplicity Jolie wouldn't feel like there was an adequate fuss made over her, that she wouldn't feel special enough.  But I was wrong.  You don't need a crowd to have a party.

For weeks leading up to Jolie's birthday, she had started telling people, "When my is three, my is going to go to ballet school!"  I'm not sure when or why she got that into her head, but she was pretty confident in it.  It kind of crushed me, as this was not in our plans.  So I looked into it, just to see what was available.  Turns out, there were several options and a couple that were doable.  But none of them felt like the perfect fit, and the scheduling etc stressed me out.  So - after much contemplation and a good amount of googling, I decided that I was going to take things into my own hands... I was going to teach Jolie and her friends ballet! (So much for not overdoing it, lol.)

  

The night before Jolie's birthday, I made the cake(s) and Derek and I decorated the house so that she'd wake up and feel excited and special.  I love doing this. It's like playing Santa or something; it's very exciting.  And it was effective.  She was very excited and (I believe) felt very special.  She's so sweet.  It was fun making her happy.

The morning of her birthday was the first ballet class.  She opened one present that morning: her new, adorable ballerina shoes!  We ate breakfast, got all ready and headed out.We met at the clubhouse as there was lots more room and it would feel more official.  The friends we'd invited to do ballet with us were: Kamry Beus, Lucy and Janie Francom, and Anneliese Bradfield.  Five little girls total.  Perfect.  The first day was kind of crazy (three-year-olds aren't particularly great at following orders and do not have stellar attention spans, ha) but also very fun.  We ended up doing the ballet classes once a week for about seven weeks total.  They got substantially better at being obedient little ballerinas, and it was really fun to see them progressing and developing.  Lots of work but so, so worth it!  

After ballet we came home to eat lunch, send James off to school, read a ballerina story in the newly-created princess fort, and take a wonderful nap.

Later that night, we had Jolie's low-key birthday party.  Michael and Grandma Marilyn joined us, but that was it.  Small, simple, lovely.  We ate crepes for dinner (sugar) then followed it up by a delicious pink cake (sugar) and pink ice cream (sugar).  Then she opened presents and played with her spoils.  

My sweet little Jolie felt special for sure.  I needn't have worried.  She was happy and fussed over all the day long.  And I sure hope she knows that we love her to bits. 

I love you, Jolie baby.  I am so, so glad you're mine. xo

Happy 3rd Birthday.