Thursday, August 23, 2012

Summer Fun Part One:


This summer Ella, Zoe and I went on a lot of mini-trips
to visit Grama in Buffalo.  On one of those get-aways
we drove around town and took photos of the girls posing
by the Buffaloes were painted by a variety of local artists.

They liked the scene of the town of Buffalo painted on
this one, and when they noticed he had a 'you-know-what'
they were quite fascinated .....

The flying fish was really neat and beautiful colors.
It also had a you-know-what.


The girls named this one Fancy Nancy, though I think
her pinkness had more to do with breast cancer awareness.  

She wore flowers and jewelry, had long eyelashes,
lipstick, and painted toenails.

She even had on a halter-top with hot pants ....

.... but she did not have a you-know-what.  That observation
then led to quite the conversation about HOW the Buffaloes
were made and if 'it' was just not added to the girl Buffalo
or if it was how it was removed.  Really.


We also visited Grampa's 'place at the cemetary' to see
the big rock that will be engraved with 'McLain'.  My mom
found it in the woods behind their house and it was delivered
shortly before we saw it this first time.  It looks really neat and I
know my Dad would have really liked the style and simplicity
of it.  The girls also left Grampa some drawings they made
for him and decorated the area with special stones they found,
feathers, twigs and ribbons.


On on of our other trips to Buffalo the girls thought Grama
needed her own pet Betta Fish.  They talked her into getting
one, helped her pick him out and get him set up at home.

They also helped name him -- Arthur Lynden McLain.
He's named after all the men in our family;  'Arthur' for Tom,
'Lynden' after Grampa, Uncle Luke (his middle name) and
Connor (his middle name), and 'McLain' for our last name of
course, but it's also Jack's middle name.  Whew.  A lot of
thought that went into all of that!

Elise helped too and the three of them had fun making their
own fish faces so Arthur would feel like he was part of the
family.

And of course they wanted Grama to join in too so Arthur
knew who she was .....

We think she secretly was really thrilled : )

When Elise and Grama left to pick up lunch, we decided
to get silly with Arthur and took a bunch of photos of him
getting to know his new home.

Zoe and Ella first pretended he was going to BE lunch.
Arthur didn't think that one was funny.

So they gave him a banana instead .....

They let him watch some t.v. too .....

.... and introduced him to a photo of Grampa.  They got
him dressed up for that one with Grama's straw hat .....

They did find out Arthur was pretty good at Checkers,
he really understands the concept of strategizing .....

But twister was a little trickier for a fellow with fins and
a tail .....

He did enjoy the piano and listening to the girls sing ....


....  and when he was shown where the toilet was, the only
two who were giggling were the ones who could NOT
be flushed down it .....

The girls really thought it was important Arthur knew
where Grama slept -- they think she should move him in
her bedroom at night so he doesn't get lonely (and I'm sure
that was her first thought too).

Arthur really, really seemed to enjoy being read to .....


He wasn't too impressed with being primped though .....

..... but he did like the sparkly jewelry Zoe and Ella used
to decorate his bowl with .....

The tour wrapped up with a quick email check before
Grama and Elise came home with lunch.  Arthur
seemed very relieved fish sticks were not on the menu : )


Monday, August 20, 2012

Zoe and Ella's Pet ~

Meet 'Buddy John McLain Rupprecht' ....

.... Ella and Zoe's first pet.  They simply adore him.
They take good care of him too and are very loving
and caring.  


They taught him how to swim, blow bubbles and
make fish faces (he was a quick learner).

They lug him around the house [or ask me to] so
he's part of the action and doesn't feel left out.  

They decorate his bowl with jewelry and art, read
books and sing to him, tell him his food smells good
even though it doesn't, and won't talk about eating
fish sticks in front of him.



Zoe does tricks with him, like this one, where he
swims towards her open mouth so it looks like
she's going to swallow him .....

.... and Ella talks and sings to him all the time.  She
even uses a tube at times to make sure he can hear
her really well ....

They even share their moby with him at night to
help him sleep better, though both girls have pointed
out to me they've never really seen him even seem
like he's sleeping .....


..... and now that we're gearing up for school to start
again I also feel like I'm not sleeping very much,
either.  We've had a great summer but it flew by
way too quickly.  There are so many school-related
things I had planned on getting at to start the year
out on top of things, but somehow other priorities
always seemed to top my lists.  Like getting my hair
done by Ella and Zoe:




Don't be jealous. : )

Friday, August 17, 2012

efram and weston ~


we have been loving babies around here this summer --
which has been so fun, especially for two little girls
who have been wanting a little sister for years now
(but after meeting efram having a
baby brother would be okay with them too).

our friend angie (who is also friends with efram's mom,
des) had her first baby, a boy, two weeks after efram
was born. 

a few weeks ago we finally met little man weston, who
is another adorably, yummy, beautiful baby boy.  and
because des also came over with efram the girls each had
their own baby to hold -- they were SO happy .....

..... and apparently efram was having the time of his life too!

zoe with west (his little old man poses and big shorts just
crack me up) ....

efram with ella (who turned into the baby
whisperer while holding him -- she was able
to calm and soothe this 6-week old tooth-
breaking baby when i couldn't.  {and yes,
he is actually is starting to break in a tooth
at 6 weeks, it's crazy.}

i did have to laugh when both babies were
crying at the same time, and zoe and ella
looked at me with such big eyes.  later they
told me just couldn't believe how loud TWO
babies could cry, then they realized they used
to be two babies that cried together too, and that
i actually did understand how loud it could get  :)

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Baby Efram ~

Our very special family friends Des and Pete welcomed
their own little bundle of love into their family earlier this
summer -- and like with Hosanna, Ella and Zoe couldn't
wait to meet him and hold him......






I thought these photos of the girls and Efram were just
so cute -- and I think Efram is an absolutely beautiful baby.
After our visit the girls told me having a brother would
be fine too (ha, prior to this any wishes of being big sisters
involved having a baby sister to dote on, never a brother),
so Efram impressed them well : )  

He was really sweet to hold .....


But no, we're not adding to our family (until we actually
get a furry pet of some kind) -- but this is what we would
look like if we did have one more, including dorky Tom
giving the baby rabbit ears : )

So sweet, seeing Tom hold a baby always makes me
smile .....

......  and this picture I adore.  Love my two sweeties
and my big one ..... 


Welcome to the World Efram Jackson!!  Your two big
'sisters' are very happy you finally arrived :)