Overheard

Maggie (talking to her brothers): There's this place called Hawaii, and if you arrive on that planet the people give you a flower necklace and say, "Hola!".

Conversations

Preface: On the menu for dinner tonight-- Pre-seasoned individually wrapped frozen salmon fillets that you simply unwrap, throw on a baking sheet and cook. As a side dish I opened up a can of green beans and heated it up in the microwave. A little salt and pepper on the beans, a squeeze of lemon juice on the fish. Done. Not my proudest meal, but...

Maggie: (After taking a few bites) Mmmmm, oh my gosh MOM! This is sooooo good!!!

Me: (Blank stare)

Maggie: I'm serious mom, you are the best cook ever!

Me: (Blank stare)

Maggie: Mom, I think you should write a cookbook. And you could even put your name on the front of it! And you could have your own cooking show! You could make food just like this and people would be saying, "Oh man! This lady can cook real good!"

Me: (Blank stare)

Maggie: Mom? Do you hear what I'm talking about?

Me: I'm flattered sweetie...Thanks for the complements! Now, can you finish your dinner?

Maggie: (Poking at her fish with her fork) Can you heat it up in the microwave? It's not very good when it's not heated up.

Conversations

Maggie was playing school with her two younger brothers, teaching them all sorts of songs and how to match shapes...

Me: Maggie, did you know your daddy used to be a teacher?

Maggie: WHAT?!? He did?

Me: Yep, he taught high school students...

Maggie: So he was a teacher and a daddy?

Me: Uh-huh.

Maggie: Wait, so people can be mommies and daddies and other stuff, too?

Me: Yes.

Maggie: Oh man! I'm going to be a teacher AND a mommy when I grow up! This is so cool...

Alice in Wonderland

So, for Maggie's birthday this year I decided to bite the bullet and actually do a friend party...the theme was "The Mad Hatter's Tea Party". We ate fresh fruit, mini muffins and cupcakes (which my kids call "muffins with frosting") and drank lemonade from cute glass teacups. Here are some pictures from the party (thank you friends who had cameras & took pictures, because I couldn't find mine!):

{we played "Pin the Grin on the Cheshire Cat"}

{I made everyone in the family dress up: Maggie was Alice, Ben was the Mad Hatter, I was the Queen of Hearts, and the boys were Tweedledum and Tweedledee (Cash specifically asked to be Tweedledee because he was not about to be TweedleDUM...) }

Maggie is FIVE

Happy Birthday to Maggie... she had about a bazillion birthday parties, and I will post some pictures from her Alice in Wonderland party soon. But for now, here she is at breakfast on her birthday! Love you, Mags. xoxo

Conversations

Maggie: Dad, why is mommy in charge of everything?
Ben: She's not in charge of everything, me and mommy are both in charge...
Maggie: Uh-uh... every time I ask you if I can watch a movie you say, "it's up to mommy".



I also have to add a few more things, lest I forget them...

Cash spent at least 20 minutes this morning talking about "Milo-itis" until I finally figured out he was talking about the movie Milo & Otis...

Also, Maggie loves to sit at Ben's computer and 'network' and check her 'female'.

Conversations

Maggie: Mom, I can speak in Spanish... you know that?
Me: No, I didn't know you could speak Spanish.
Maggie: Yeah. I can. Like this: Snoches.
Me: Oh, and what does that mean?
Maggie: It means 'go to sleep'.
{You know, like buenos noches... snoches.}
Me: Yes! Very good!
Maggie: And I know another Spanish.
Me: Let's hear it.
Maggie: Gardonoggines!
Me: Okay...
Maggie: It means 'no I don't want to get on that train right now because I'm scared but maybe later if I have cookie I can get on the train.'
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{PREFACE: Maggie's Sunday School class is doing a service project where they are collecting items to sell in a garage sale. All of the proceeds from the garage sale will go to help children in the Dominican Republic. Her Sunday School teachers have been talking a lot about how Maggie's class can help out.}

Maggie: Mom, there's these kids that don't have moms or daddies or toothbrushes or toys. It's so sad, mom.
Me: Yes, and we should go up to your room and go through your toys and clothes and find things that you don't need so we can give them to those kids.
Maggie: Well actually mom, there aren't any girls down there so we don't need to give them any of my stuff.

The Doctor is In...

...sane. Insane, I tell ya. A while back Maggie went in to get some shots so she could be all legit for preschool. She was so brave, not a single tear was shed. But now she is obsessed with playing doctor and vaccinating every person, doll, stuffed animal and on one occasion, the couch (probably against mad cow- they are leather).


Here's a little movie that I could not for the life of me cut down (so I will hold no hard feelings if you don't want to watch 2 whole minutes of the cuteness that is my daughter and youngest son- also the cuteness that is my pasty leg, the object of Maggie's masochistic doctoring- also the cuteness that is my annoying voice. I do sound like Fran Drescher... ugh).



p.s. My friend Kim stole my camera and then tossed it into her backyard. Probably to teach me a lesson about leaving clutter in her immaculate house. Anyways, I found out and am making her bring me dinner on Sunday to make up for it. So then I will perhaps blog a little more frequently (I am one of "those bloggers" that usually needs photos to illustrate my posts).

Summer of Skirts

I was going to complain some more about my swollen mouth and my lack of enjoyment when it comes to eating (I'm actually sick and tired of pudding and ice cream- can you believe it?) but instead, how about I show you a skirt I made out of some vintage bed sheets! I've decided that this is the Summer of Skirts as far as Maggie and I are concerned. We are going to wear skirts all summer long. And the funnest part of this little scheme? I plan on making most {all} of them. I have yet to make a single one for myself. Maybe that should be my next goal: skirt for self. I have several other vintage bed sheets- perhaps I'll make myself a skirt from those... think about it, clothes from bed sheets means you feel like you're lying in your cozy bed all day! Brilliant!

Inspired by...

...Misha Lulu, an adorable children's clothing line. Despite the drug-induced lethargy, I decided to try my hand at crafting Maggie some summer shorts using this beautiful asian-themed fabric. I also ended up appliquéing an old, stained t-shirt (appliqué over the stain, and voila! New, "clean" shirt!). Anyway, what do you guys think of the shorts? I thought they turned out kinda cute, like little bloomers.



P.S. Don't mind the bandage on Maggie's arm. She was injured while helping me make some dinner on St. Paddy's Day. So much for any Luck-o'-the-Irish, eh? It's a 2nd degree burn, but we had the doctor check her out and we're currently using a special burn cream on it. What with that and all my meds, we're like a veritable hospital around here!

An Artist is Born...

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Child

Maggie Quinn was born in 2005 in American Fork, Utah at a time when digital photography was on the rise. Although they did not own one when she was born, Maggie's parents quickly upgraded to digital cameras after a roll of pictures documenting Maggie's first days of life came back blurry. From that time on Maggie became a frequent subject for her mother's obsession in digital photography, sometimes modeling for hours while she ate her dinner, played with her toys, or soaked in the bath. After a few years of being in front of the camera, Maggie's interest slowly veered toward taking pictures. For several months she merely requested to see the pictures on the screen of the camera after either parent had snapped a photo, but a few months prior to her 4th birthday, Maggie requested permission to actually use her mother's camera. This never before seen collection of pictures is a rare glimpse into Maggie's world, photos that capture her childhood the way Maggie saw it: her mother's large, loud mouth, her father's childless lap, her domineering uncle Tom looking down on her with disdain, and her aunt Tanya making faces at her. These are the shockingly honest pictures of her not so distant past that surely shaped her not yet actualized future.

frivolous conduct

Cash was napping, the house was an absolute mess, and I desperately needed a shower... so Maggie and I did the logical thing: we had a tea party!

Hot Chocolate Tea is the best kind (especially paired with such delicacies as mini-marshmallows and soft peanut butter cookies)

Maggie and I came up with some Nom de Plumes for the occasion.

She was Marigold D. Vine, and I was Chrysanthemum Stheword.


We talked about all sorts of proper things, like how much Maggie loved my stretch pants (a.k.a. my pajamas) and I told her how the melted marshmallow on her lip brought out the green in her eyes. Also discussed was how soft and cute kittens are and when we get a house with a yard, we will own 13. The word "darling" was used with reckless abandon.


For the last cup of tea we each added a dollop of Peppermint Ice Cream (thanks Kelly for that idea). Heavenly.

Conversations

Maggie: Mom, what shall we have for dinner... chili, or mermaid?
Me: Mermaid? Do we eat mermaid?
Maggie: Yes, we do. It comes in a can.
Me: Oh, you mean Chicken of the Sea.
Maggie: No, it's not chicken. It's mermaid.
Me: Well, it's not chicken OR mermaid... it's tuna.
Maggie: Mmmm. Yes, tuna. Well, shall we have that?

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While I was typing up this post Maggie came running in to where I was sitting and said, "Mom, I broke an egg."
I went into the kitchen and was greeted by this:


{that's eleven broken eggs}

So now we are off to the store to buy more eggs and a can or two of "mermaid" (but before we go I need to change Cash's poopy diaper).

How is your day going?

Posterchild

As my belly has become noticeably large, it has gained a lot of attention to the "3 and under" crowd in our house. Especially Maggie. Lately she likes to be "pregdent" just like mom, and a week or so ago she even kept her baby (a stuffed horse on this particular day) in her belly while we went to the store because upon urging her to remove it, she informed me that it wasn't big enough to get out yet. Also please note the B.A.C.A. tattoo she is sporting from a trip to the local farmers' market. All she needs is a candy cigarette between those cherub lips and she'd be the (literal) poster child for anti-teen pregnancy.

There's no place like home...

Here's a skirt I made for Maggie today... It kind of has a Dorothy feel to it, especially with those shoes. It's one of my "nap projects", so named because I do it while Cash is napping. Anyway, it's a hit! I don't know if I'll be able to get Maggie to wear anything else for the next week. At least it'll save me a little laundry...

on being thick skinned...

This morning after her bath (which consequently had turned her into a mermaid) Maggie let it be known that she did not need any lotion. I informed her that it was a very well known fact that mermaids do need lotion- lots of it- so that their skin is very soft and they can swim through the water faster. Oh yeah! she exclaimed and allowed me to slather her with lotion. After I was finished she smiled at me and said, "Thanks Dragon!"

if i had a million dollars...

...and a yard, i might consider having Santa bring a playhouse like this one for Maggie. (Heck, I might get one for myself).


Or maybe i'd prefer this one:


They even come complete with running water in the "kitchen":


Pretty crazy, huh? You can check out other "plans" here. For those of you who don't have childies, they make doghouses as well (ahem, cliff and erin, i think pepper NEEDS one of these. perhaps the swiss chateau?)

...and don't call me Shirley!

Saturday morning Aunt "Ya-Ya" decided to curl Maggie's hair. It turned out adorably and I kept calling her my little Shirley Temple... in fact, I looked up a few pictures online and this is the comparison. {Also while looking for photos I realized that Maggie and Shirley share the same birthday... Hmmm, maybe I should get some head shots done and sign her up for tapdance?}

In need of a stronger toothpaste...

This morning while I was lying in bed, Maggie came in still rubbing her eyes and asked for a drink of water. I handed her the water bottle I had sitting on my nightstand, kissed her on the forehead and whispered, "Anything for my little girl!" Maggie wrinkled up her nose, pulled her head back and said, "I don't want to smell you!" Mmmm, love those early morning sentiments!

Maggie-isms

2 ½ is a fun age- at least for the kid that’s two. It’s fun for Ben and I, as well. Maggie is attempting to pick up on the nuances of adult conversation. Here are her latest attempts:

Today while riding in the car, I began whistling. Maggie watched me in the rear view mirror for a minute and then asked, “Mom! What is that music doing in your mouth?” I said, “I’m whistling.”
“I wanna whiskle-link!” Maggie said.
So I told her to make her mouth into an “O” shape and blow air. For the next five minutes in the car, I had to listen to her squealing in her highest-pitched voice, stopping every few breaths to exclaim, “I can whiskle, mom! I can!”


The other day I told Maggie (who had been extremely trying that morning) that she was bugging me, to which she replied, “Mom, you need a spider web!”


Ben and I were visiting Jonathan the other day (my brother- Maggie’s uncle). He was talking to Maggie, telling her how cute she was, etc. Maggie looked at him and said, “You’re annoying.”