This sweet girl has totally amazed me today. I really had to sit back and realize how grown up she is getting. 

This morning we were coloring in a coloring book and on the opposite page there was a simple maze with 3 or 4 path options. I asked her if she could get the dog to the door of his house and showed her one of the paths that didn't work. She took her crayon and drew the right path the first time. I thought it might be a fluke because she had been coloring on those pages for a while so I looked through the book and found another one. Without any hesitation she drew a path from the chicken to the nest on the first try.

Then this afternoon she happened to find her "baby bear" which has been lost for about a week (which has been absolutely devastating.) She had Brian and I both looking for it and no one could find it until this afternoon. She was so excited about it. I told her to pose with "baby bear" so I could take a picture to send to Daddy so he would know we found it. She immediately said "No, I call Daddy." I dialed for her, but she had an entire conversation with Daddy over the phone letting him know that she found baby bear all by herself and it was in the basement. We were proud of her for being able to communicate the whole story over the phone then tell Daddy that she loved him and goodbye!

Still more amazement this evening when she put together a 12 piece jigsaw puzzle all on her own. I tried to help her and Ms. Independent got very mad at me so I just sat back and enjoyed watching her figure it out (and keeping Malea from taking the part she had down apart). 

One other funny thing I have to add from a few days ago. 

She heard some puppies barking and said "I hear puppies. Grandpa Nyman here! Yay!" She was very disappointed to realize she wasn't hearing Tami and Teddy. I think it is cute too that Grandpa also means Grandma in her book. She can say grandma but it must not be as easy.

I haven't been feeling well the last few days so the kitchen has been neglected to say the least.  Yesterday the following conversation happened between Kaidrei and myself.

K:   Mom I need your help.

M:   What do you need help with?

K:   I need help cleaning mess.

M:   What mess? (thinking what has been spilled)

K:   This mess. (Pointing around the kitchen)

M:   What mess? Where?

K:   This mess all over kitchen.

M:   Yep, You are right the kitchen is a mess.

To say the least that gave me the momentary energy to get it cleaned up! 

Earlier this summer we fed the ducks. The girls both had lots of fun though towards the end Kaidrei started to get frustrated because they wouldn't come. So Kaidrei started yelling "Birdies come eat!

Kaidrei really wanted to dance on a stage while we were visiting Grandma and Grandpa Yancey this weekend. She decided if she was able to wear the tutu then a bed could substitute for the stage.

We did ring around the rosie about a half hour prior to this video. We were playing in the living room with dolls when we realized that Malea was spinning with her baby doll saying "ashes ashes". 

I do have to point out something that I realized after watching this today. When Malea starts loosing her balance and getting really dizzy and falling, Kaidrei is the one concerned and asking if she is okay while Grandma and I are laughing. I think Kaidrei is a better person than I am! Oh the lessons we learn from our children. I guess this is why we are taught to be like little children.

 (She thought my camera was broken because the flash wasn't going off )

 (Realizing the camera was fine earned me this cheesy grin)

From our house (B) to Unity Pass (A)



The little red arrow in the middle of the picture is pointing to our church steeple which is a few blocks away from our house.

After letting the girls out to walk around and pick wildflowers for a few minutes (ok, really while I tried to recover), we loaded back up to head home. I'm thinking at this point I'm glad I made my goal and I'll never do it again. We head down the hills and almost immediately I hear giggles from the girls and Kaidrei screaming at the top of her lungs "WEEEEEEEEE". Maybe it was that, maybe it was that I didn't have to pedal for a long way on the way home, or maybe it was the sense of accomplishment when I was able to tell Brian that I did it (and see his shock), but I think I will be doing it again. I'm debating my new goal to be doing it once a week or maybe saying twice a month. We'll have to see... ;)

Of course, on the way home we had to detour to find a park because that is just how we do things. ;)



Malea was really exhausted (she didn't even want to get out of the trailer to swing!)  until she saw my water bottle and she took it over! I think she was over heated.


Kaidrei was wearing sandals and refused to be in the wood chips because things would get under her feet in the sandals.


We ended up laying on the grass in the shade and eating applesauce before heading home.


When we got home both girls immediately ran to the freezer and began asking for a Popsicle and then plopped down on the swing.

 It was a great morning though very exhausting (which was probably added to the fact that after this I mowed the lawn and made banana bread - at least after then we spent the rest of the day relaxing.) My phone tracked our ride as being about 9 miles!