Derby! And Mother's Day!

What a great weekend!

Chris was gone camping so I had the little lovelies Fri and Sat. 

Friday, we got out for a walk with our neighbors.

The little girls rode in the Radio Flyer while Maddie and Lizzy took their bikes around block.

Friday night we to grandma and grandpa's. They just got home from Florida and, of course, brought some goodies.

The girls rode their bikes around the garage FOREVER. It's time to get my little speed demon Syd a helmet. 

WE decided, last minute, to go to a neighbor's Derby party. I needed to bring a dish but didn't have all the ingredients so I went to Kroger. And since I had the two monkeys a 10 minute trip took 35.

Because, car cart.

The girls were pretty good until check-out when they both went bananas. Sydney likes to pull magazines and gift cards off the wall and Maddie likes to ask if she can buy EVERY SINGLE CANDY BAR.

Fortunately, Kroger had these chairs at the check-out so I made the girls sit in them while I paid.

 They weren't too put out.

The Auffrey's have such a fun Derby party each year. The best part about the party is that if your horse comes in last place, you have to jump in the very cool just-opened pool with all your clothes on.

Sydney was not into watching the horses until they actually raced. Daddy made it home just in time to see the horses run!

Mads was cheering for Danzing Candy.

Fortunately, my horse (Mohaymen) came in fourth so I was safe. However, one horse got a DNF and one technically came in last so we had 2 pool victims.

All the Derby girls!

Sunday was Mother's Day. The kids let me sleep in and Chris got the house cleaned. Dawne Gee spoke at church and she was awesome. We had brunch with my parents and then I took a 2 hour dance class for some "me" time. We ended with dinner with his parents. It was a pretty great Mother's Day!

Nana and grandma loved their present from the girls.

My cup runneth over with these 2!

Love you mom!

Star Academy Derby Parade!

Wednesday was the annual Star Academy Derby Parade! Usually the parade is outside and the kids march around the school, but since it was pouring it was moved inside. Each classroom dresses up as a different derby event...

Sydney's two year old class kicked off the parade. Here come the jockeys!

I barely recognized Sydney with her racing goggles on! Jockey 3, squeezed in between three boys!

 Showing mommy and daddy her horse.

I'm not sure who this boy was but he never dropped her hand. 

Maddie's class was the parade closer - they were all the past Derby winners!

And, in between we had...

Millionaire's Row!

The marathoners! (with their bib, scarf and bottles of water)

The hot air balloon race!

The bed-racers!

 

There were a few more but I didn't get pictures of all of them. It is such a cute little event their pre-school does every year. 

Let's see...what else have we been up to??

As always, lots of dress-up.

Since daddy was sick I slept with Maddie one night in the guest room. She always asks me to have a sleepover with her so I like to do this every few months or so. Then she wanted a picture of it. :)

I took the girls to church on Saturday and they enjoyed watching one of their favorite friends, Dave, baptize people.

Maddie spent an afternoon with grandma and grandpa. After watering all of their flowers she played with an old Lite Brite. She LOVES that thing.

We had dinner with Hudson where NO CHILD cooperated for a picture.

Unless it was a "silly" one.

After bath, the girls pretended they were asleep. Except Sydney laughs so hard we can always tell they are faking. HA.

The girls were jazzed that Costco had quesadilla samples one night.

Chris has recovered and miraculously, neither Maddie or I got taken down. Sydney was back at the ped this week because she woke up Tuesday with croup. It's super easy to diagnose with her but a little oral steroid and she's good as new. The ped seems to think she just has narrower than normal airways so any type of allergy inflammation or cold can cause her to sound croup-y. This morning it was back but after a long hot shower she sounded good as new. And, in typical, Sydney fashion she was acting like nothing was wrong.

Sigh. This girl. I think her bump count is up to 6 right now. She busted her chin underneath last week planking while eating. (Yes, you read that right.) Then, the next day, she busted her chin open on the front at the YMCA. Evidently she built a really tall tower. And then tried to stand on it. She's got some weird cut under her foot (don't even KNOW where that came from) and numerous bruises on her shins and knees. She is SO WILD. I'm not sure what her future holds but I think she may be a Ninja Warrior. We had a new doctor this week who said, "Goodness, it takes A LOT to bring this child down."  Ha!

Happy Derby weekend!

A Piece of Quiet...

Well I may have been right. Chris may not be walking Monday. But, only because he came down with the stomach bug today and can't move. UGH!!!

But first...

Maddie, two days in a  row, got Sydney to match.

That doesn't mean she was happy about it, or happily willing to take a picture. Ha!

Wednesday night, Sydney woke up SCREAMING. This never happens so Chris ran upstairs (he was still awake).  She was covered in ravioli vomit (how's THAT for a visual) and was terrified.

 Bless his heart, he didn't wake me and started to clean this up all on his own. I, however, had heard her screaming and was watching on the monitor. When I realized what happened I ran upstairs. We got her cleaned up and her bed cleaned up and her carpet cleaned up...and she did it again. Repeat steps 1-3.

I moved her mattress downstairs so that I could sleep next to her on the couch. Except, she wanted me to snuggle with her on the couch. Eventually I got her back to sleep but there wasn't much room for me.

So, she slept on the couch and I, kid you not, slept in the fetal position on her crib mattress. Not sure "sleep" is the appropriate word for rolling around trying to get comfortable on a crib mattress. 

As for Maddie? Never woke up or moved a muscle. She was under the watchful eye of her Build a Bear team.

 Syd woke up happy as a clam. Like, jumping on the crib mattress from the couch while laughing hysterically. So, we figured she just ate something that didn't sit well. Didn't seem to really last long enough to be a true bug. I kept her home with me that day just to let her rest.

I had a great day with my girls on Friday. 

We had lunch at Chik Fil A and Maddie said the funniest thing. We walked in to an empty play land and Maddie declared, "We have this place to ourselves. We can FINALLY get a piece of quiet." I laughed and laughed. I guess she has heard the phrase "peace and quiet" and got it a little mixed up. :)

It was about this time I got a call from Chris asking me how I felt. He said he felt "very full." Oh boy...

 We enjoyed some time outdoors at the park.

Mommy and Sydney selfie!

We were hanging out because Maddie had made some new girlfriends in the sand pit.

It was about this time I got a text from Chris telling me he was pretty sure he was getting sick. 

Then, Sydney took her nap at grandma's while Maddie and I did a little shopping. Maddie and I organized her summer clothes earlier this week. No exaggeration we had about 10 dresses, 15 skirts and....exactly ONE pair of shorts. That were a 4T and a little snug. So, even though she rarely wears shorts we still needed a few pairs for the summer. We walked around the whole Paddock together enjoying the sun and shopping. She asked me to take her picture here, "still as a statue."

It was about THIS time that I got a call from Chris telling me he was coming home to get sick. And, since then, it's not been pretty. He is missing his hockey tournament and his mini marathon. So, needless to say, he's pretty bummed. He has been working SO hard to get a PR this race, so I feel pretty bad for him. I'm also living in fear that Maddie and I are next. GROSS, GROSS, GROSS. 

I plan to keep the little ladies away from ground zero daddy the next few days but I also have to take care of Chris so should make for an interesting weekend! 

Weekend got me like ...

We were swamped this weekend. I think, at the end of it, we all felt a little like Stella.

Oh, poor walls. Our three littles gals have certainly done a number on them.

So, I left off with Saturday. On Sunday we had back to back events. After church, we came home for lunch and some rest. Then, Chris and Maddie went to the Father Daughter Tea. Maddie looks forward to this every year - seriously. She just loves it. 

Maddie and daddy all set to leave. This is Maddie's last year going solo with Chris. When Sydney moves to preschool ministry next year at 3, she will get to go!

Maddie's best friend at church is a little girl named Pearl. These two really hit it off and always sit by each other during their kids service. They hug every week and are really happy to see each other.

The tea has it all!

Crafts.

Time with daddy!

And a chocolate fountain!

There's also dancing with daddy but Chris didn't get any pictures of them dancing. :) 

Maddie and Chris left the tea early to meet Sydney and I at Hudson's birthday party!

Hudson turned four last week and celebrated at KaZoing!

No personal space when it comes to presents!

Cupcake sissies.

Then, my parents picked up the girls so Chris and I could have dinner with Lauren and Brett at Havana Rumba. Chris is training for a triathlon in June and we met with his training partner. Lauren and I met at Humana so we introduced our husbands at dinner. Chris and Brett are going to do some open swims together before their race. 

Yes, you read that right. My marathon-running husband is ready for his next athletic competition. He's running the Derby mini this weekend, but that's not enough. Ironman has recently been added to his Bucket List so he is starting with an Olympic distance triathlon in Louisville in June. Looking forward to watching him meet his next goal!

On Tuesday the girls wore matching dresses. Maddie LOVES to match. Sydney really doesn't, but she goes along with it. Maddie usually bribes her. On this particular day Maddie promised her an applesauce pouch and let Sydney pick their morning show. (Girls get one show in the morning while they eat breakfast. We make them pick the show together. Which is almost always Strawberry Shortcake because that's the only show they both agree on.) Sydney was so happy to pick Sofia the First so she put on the stripes to match her sissy. 

I tried to get a picture and here's how it went down.

Sydney had red colored bubbles in her hand that I took away so she mean-mugged me here.

Then, Stella photo bombed us.

She kind of cracked a smile.

Then I made a toot noise so she laughed. 

Finally, one I can semi-work with.

Two little towheaded sisters.

Gearing up for another busy weekend, at least for Chris. He is running 13 miles AND playing in a four game hockey tournament. Translation: he won't be walking, come Monday.