AAAAAAAAAAh-ttention span

Thursday we usually spend the day in Hudson. It's a nice break for me. I get help with the kids and don't feel obligated to cook, clean, do laundry, or pay bills (although I am sure it would be appreciated). Then if I need to run errands I can. So this week I perused Wal-Mart for about an hour picking up this and that (and getting 10% off). I spend a measly $20 and picked up some great stuff for Maren (and a few things for Lillian too).

Maren's ECFE teacher, Ann, thinks every kid should have their own roll of masking tape.

I finally got Maren hers.

She also didn't have any scissors of her own. Now she does.

She veeeeery intently worked with markers, tape, and scissors for about a half hour and only stopped because we needed the table to eat dinner on. These items are kept up in a special bin where I will get them when I absolutely need the half hour of sanity. Good buys mom, good buys.

Teeth = teething biscuit

Lilly and her first teething biscuit. She's working hard on that 4th tooth.

These are the nice organic wheat teething biscuits. Two seconds later it falls to the floor and we loose it to the dog, she's NOT teething, eerrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Cookies and Clowns

I love that these are the days of my life. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it's way too much work, but what a joy to be home with my girls. While Lillian finished her afternoon nap Maren and I hit the kitchen for cookie baking. Just baking - I totally bought the dough. She enjoyed cutting shapes and rolling worms which sound like snakes.

Yes, she ate most of the dough.

She anticipates the flash and always closes her eyes. 

This is what I got when I told her to keep her eyes open: 

not exactly what I was hoping for.

Once Lilly got up and we had our snack we went to play in the basement. 

Maren went to the dress up bin. This costume use to me mine when I was little. 

Great Uncle Mike and Great Aunt Deb had it for their kids.

I believe my mom made it. 

 Maren enjoys sharing with Lilly. 

Lilly

Her new thing: hands on her head.

It's pretty cute except that she usually does it when she's eating.

She now has three teeth. Two on the bottom and one on top. 

She is still army crawling around but spends more and more time on her hands and knees everyday.

She likes to stand up but only pulls herself up on me. She is quite attatched. She fusses if I walk away. That's one way you know she's tired.

silly snacks

A chocolate Teddy Graham with peanut butter and pretzel sticks.

Banana, peanut butter, and broken pretzel sticks.

You silly monkey. 

I admit this was more me than Maren. I like bananas with peanut butter and then I decided I wanted something salty. Maren had asked for chocolate teddies so that's where those came in. Nothing like chocolate and peanut butter. 

Now I have to figure out how to wrap these all into one and put them on a stick to sell at the State Fair, if we get on the waiting list now we may have a booth by the time Maren has kids.

Winter Carnival

...doesn't that just say it all!

We decided to brave the wind (the temp wasn't that cold but the wind whips through the downtown streets) to see the ice sculptures in Rice Park this past Sunday. Maren was very interested. 

 Interested in licking it.

And trying to eat it. 

Lillian, she's just happy to be outside. She doesn't care if it's cold.

Attack of the little sister.

Then since skate rental is free Matt and Maren took to the rink. 

Stepping onto the ice for her very first time.

 Maren didn't quite get the hang of it. She had a lot of fun slipping all over the ice but it made things difficult for dad. 

And that's that. She wanted to have Dad skate with her like this but it gave Mom a heart attack because she'd squirm and Dad would fall... too scary. Time to be done.

Moustaches

Yes, you may have seen my children in similar photo shoots. Matt cannot contain himself at silly vending machines. He bought these in Iowa for Dustin and Maren and then we forgot about them. Sorry, Dustin, your time will come.

Here's Maren. Since her dad thinks it's funny, she laughs.

Even Lillian shares in the fun.

 And mom

switch

 now dad:

Oh the fun in the Sletten house.