Sweet Sisters

Well, it starts off sweet and then progresses down the road that only a 5 year old can follow.

Snow Fun

Yesterday could have been another one of those days when Emma and I push each others buttons. It was a half day of school, which tends to lead to rough days even if they start out fine. (The early release started/ended with a children of the world parade. It was really cool to see the kids all dressed up (even Emma) and singing It's a Small World and another song with hello in many languages.)  Back at home the party was over pretty quickly. Just a typical scene of a 5 year old who saves her poor choices and tantrums for Mommy.
After rest time in the afternoon and a painting project that took longer to set up than it did to occupy her time I suggested that Emma get dressed and go outside and run around. She surprised the heck out of me by saying OK, with enthusiasm even.  I even said that she didn't need to put on her snow pants unless she was planning on rolling around in the snow. 
So while she was outside tromping in and out of the front yard I finished up with the dinner prep and prepared to go outside as well. She came in just as I was getting ready and was super excited that I was going to head outside with her. "That's just what I want you to do!" She put on her snow pants while I got suited up.
She was quick to show me the huge snow pile by the birch tree that has the shepherds hook poking up out of the top of it again. We made some faces in the mound with our shoe print holes. Then on we trudged through the yard. Very soon she suggested we play hide and seek, "and you count first. I know right where I am going to hide." So I wandered around until she was ready. She wasn't in the mailbox! She wasn't under the car! She was right next to the large snow pile we marred earlier and giggling like crazy.
Somehow the game fizzled right out. I took the old wreath off the side of the house and Emma immediately grabbed for it. "Wait, I want to play with it." So she giggled and pulled it over her head. "I'm your wreath that you want to keep but I run away from you. So sleep Mama." I laid down to sleep on the ground. "So while she was sleeping the wreath ran away," and she got up and ran away, holding the wreath like an inner tube around herself.  "Now you have to try to catch me!"  So I ran after her and when I caught her we tumbled to the ground. We both laughed a lot. We kept playing that until I got to be the wreath.  I ran around just out of her reach. "I'm going to get you, Wreath! No, don't go to the snowbank!" But I ran right to the large snow bank in our neighbors driveway, hurtled myself over, and to allow some time for Emma to catch up, I fell to the snowy ground and pretended to be having a hard time getting up. (Well some of it wasn't pretending- it is not easy for a Wreath to maneuver!)  Emma clambered over the snow bank and piled on top of me. We laughed a lot.  "OK, I am going to sleep again. Now you run away. I'm going to catch you, Wreath. Come back here, Wreath!"  So many giggles and laughs.  I really wonder what the neighbors were thinking as they saw us chasing each other with the large wreath wrapped around us.
Then when we tired of the wreath we just chased each other. "You can just leave the wreath on the ground." But she still narrated using the Wreath character. Pretty funny.
I made a snow angel and she helped me up.  We made snow balls and played catch while sitting on the ground. "It counts if it lands on the ground close to you." 
Then the baby woke up and I had to go back inside. But when Emma came in it was all smiles for both of us.  Being outside warmed us up from the outside, in. :)

happy 2013

Happy New Year! 

We started new year's eve day off at Great Grandma's. Nanie and Papa and the Schueles were there (except Marc). We had a nice meal and the girls got tons of presents. They really got spoiled. Annika got a stuffed Snoopy from Nanie and Papa. The story behind the snoopy toy is that when I was a girl I had one that I took everywhere with me. I dragged it around and loved it. (I honestly don't remember this.) I don't know if my brother had one, too or if maybe he got my chewed on crusty one. Well fast forward to the next generation and Uncle Scott's first son, Wyatt,  just had to have a stuffed Snoopy. Papa found one and then continued the tradition for Blake and Emma. What I really want to know is if they bought 4 or 5 Snoopy's back when Wyatt was born with the hopes that there would be as many grandkids as Snoopy's someday. 

Chris and Uncle Chuck put together the baby care center from Great Grandma to Emma. It was quite the project. Emma was upset that she didn't have any dolls with to give it a test run. We balanced it precariously on the top of the brewing equipment in the back of the van on our trek to Woodstock and hoped it wouldn't land on the dog.

We spent the rest of  new years eve at the Kniola's in Woodstock. It was a raucous and fun night as always. Annika slept really well in the afternoon and evening, which amazed us all. Then at about 1 am she decided to be cranky all night long. Since we went to bed late I guess we should be thankful that all night long was only 6 hours or so. Emma had a fun night playing with the kids. She snacked and played and was wide awake until the ball dropped. At midnight she toasted us with some sparkling drink and put on a festive hat. She slept on the couch with Madison and Jared. The next morning everyone was fuzzy, but Steve and Uncle Steve still brewed beer outside in the bitter cold.  Madison and Emma skated on the backyard pond in their boots. I fell while borrowing Aunt Darcy's skates (I forgot to remove one of the blade guards). Rooky mistake! Emma was concerned for me, which was sweet.  

Annika napped and enjoyed hanging out with the kids, too. Madison and Jared love to hold Annika, and Emma doesn't seem to mind. We were all happy to sleep in our own beds that night!