Mugging

Visitors

In the book, Madeline, visitors are only allowed from 2 - 4. Lucky for Jeneric and Toddler Wily - our visitors got to stay nearly two weeks!

There was pea picking and shelling (Toddler Wily sat and shelled peas for over an hour!).


Visiting the air museum.


And reading with Grammy.

A little night music

An impromptu jam session, complete with a cat-faced piano and tinker bell costume.

In an old house in Paris

The girls are on a kick for Madeline and our local library indulged them last week with a Madeline reading hour and a craft. The hat is really pretty clever (all paper plates/bowls) and the girls had a blast painting.

Let's go fly a kite

Or, if the wind isn't really happening, we can run around for a while, eat a picnic lunch, and call it a day.

First Days

Toddler Wily began school last week. She's on a partial schedule, but it's still long enough that Eric has wondered what to do with his time!

As with Jeneric, we asked Toddler Wily what she wanted to be when she grew up:

She packed her bag with the essentials - blanket, pillow, stuffed bear, and Hello Kitty sunglass case:

Classic Toddler Wily:

Arriving at school:

And away we go:

Admittedly, the first day was rough. The teachers said it was good for a first day - which meant lots of tears, moping and general sadness. In the intervening days, the crying has subsided (mostly), she's playing (sometimes), and looks forward to going (sort of).

Here and then gone

That's the way spring has happened around this midwestern town. We get glimpses and then winter resumes. I cannot say with any confidence that the snow is gone - it seems gone, but then, it might just snow on the kite festival this weekend.

We have celebrated the small moments of spring, and someone even attempted to celebrate the most recent snowfall with a wee snowman. Pictures of that tomorrow. But first, the spring.


We finally purchase a grill. The girls are fascinated with eating grilled food and eating outside. Hope that continues into the kitchen remodel that is fast approaching.





Jeneric has remained a productive artist, despite the warming temperatures that beg for bike rides.





This is a ghost mask and it currently resides in a front window that Jeneric occasionally uses to scare visitors.

Art Adventures

During the last bit of cold, the girls broke out the finger paints - and since the kitchen is slated for remodel this summer, we threw caution to the wind and let them go nuts on the floor.



Jeneric's pictures. On the left, she painted a rocket ship, planets and the moon. On the right is her interpretation of the Northern Lights, which she is hoping to see this summer.


Toddler Wily decided to paint her hands and then press them onto the paper. Finger painting, quite literally.

Flood

Many have expressed concern over the impending, record-setting flood of 2011. The waters crested Saturday evening at approximately 39'. Our town had more than enough dikes and diversions to protect the populace. Folks to the north (i.e., downstream) have not been as lucky. For them, it is the worst flood ever.

We took a walk last week to investigate what we could - without breaking any local or federal laws. The girls were interested but cautious.



The city is trying out a Norwegian innovation, Aqua fences, but clearly don't trust them as they placed a clay dike immediately behind this fence.

Taken Thursday evening	Taken Sunday morning

Looking straight down Elm Street. It will take a few weeks before this road reopens.


And on the way home, Jeneric shows us how she's grown since last fall, running at full tilt and pulling the wagon - all the way home.

Random Tuesday

Our apologies for the blog silence. It's been a busy two weeks around here, with a bit of travel and a flood. The girls have kept busy...

Playing vet,






Building castles,


Reading,


And singing in the rain.


Flood photos to come...

Hairs cut and hair cuts!

With the lure of a full-length movie (thank you, Tinkerbell!), Toddler Wily relented for her first hair cut - but only after she'd watched Jeneric's haircut and even then, only when sitting in Jenni's lap.



Two bobs, with a small side of curl.



(see the hair tips right there? Curl. Nothing extreme, but enough to make things interesting. Also, she required every single pony hair clip in the house).

Friday Random

Celebrating the end of spring break with a little random.

First, we say good bye to winter.


Then we cuddle up with Walkabout for a good movie.


And end the week with some superhero action.

Artwork Friday

Jeneric is a prolific artist. She loves to draw, paint and color. We just photographed a few of her pieces (those that will not stand the test of time) and thought we'd share with you.

First, we begin with her absolute favorite piece: the bear cave.

Made of card stock, stickers and shaving cream, Jeneric proudly put this on the fridge only to take it down to play with the bears.

Next up, another bear - a cinnabear.

Yes, there is real cinnamon on this picture. It smells great! It's also quite crumbly.

A study in blue.

Paint and a paper plate.

Finally, an avant garde piece, that probably includes a spider web*.


Toddler Wily, though less prolific than her sister, is getting in on the arts and crafts.

Sheep! Naughty sheep, if you ask Toddler Wily.

No idea what this is, but yes, those are fruity cereal puffs.

---

*Spider webs are a motif with Jeneric.