So far no bottles, but the nukie is back for now. Too much trauma for one little girl to take in a day.

This morning we made Twisted Oatmeal Raisin MckCookies (from MckMama's blog) and they are yummy!

3/4 c butter

1 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c raw sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 c flaxseed meal

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 T molasses

1/2 c raisins

2 c rolled oats

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with a mixer for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, raw sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Beat until combined. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and molasses. Beat in the flour. Stir in the oats, flaxseed meal and raisins.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle raw sugar on top. Press down gently with the tines of a fork. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rake.

I'd feel bad if I told you how many I've eaten, so I won't. They were a hit with the girls too.

I got a call from my step-mom this morning. She lives in CA with my brother. They are trying to plan a visit in August and I'm so excited. We haven't seen them since my dad's funeral, and they haven't seen Gracie for even longer. Hopefully they will find decent air fare and a rental car and make it out here to the middle of nowhere.

Now it's time to lather on the sunscreen and head to the pool before it's time to make dinner. I'm still wearing the t-shirt I wore to bed last night, but I did add jean shorts this morning. You're welcome.

Trouble in Ella's Paradise

You see, I knew it was time for Ella to get off the bottle and nukies, but she doesn't agree with me. She's in paradise with her bottles and her nukies. They are an extension of her. You know, like an arm or a leg.

The bad news for Ella is that the dentist agrees with me. Yeah, I know, not good.

He told me today that the bottles and nukies are wreaking havoc on her bite. He said no more, cut her off.

So this is the beginning of the end. I just put her down for her first nap without a nukie. It actually went very well. It was three o'clock, and she was exhausted from her first trip to the dentist and a fun-filled play date with friends at the playground/lake. I mean really, she didn't have much fight in her. I'm wondering how evening and bedtime will go?

Let's all just pray shall we?!

Also, that cute little gap between her two front teeth...it's not from the bottles and nukies. The muscle that attaches her upper lip to her gum in that spot is grown down causing her teeth to separate there. Hmmm. Who knew. The dentist said we could leave it alone and leave the gap, or when she gets older we could take her to the doctor and have it clipped. Uh, ouch. I guess I'm gonna have to sleep on that one. And discuss it with Hubby of course.

On a happier note, we did have a lot of fun with friends Rachel and Emma today.

It's so much fun to see Gracie and Emma together. They've been pink-loving friends since Gracie was born. Now they're 5 and 4 and we can hardly believe it. How time flies when girls are growing.

We had lunch, walked around the lake, played at the playground and just hung out. I forgot my camera, but Rachel had hers. So as soon as Rachel reads this and emails me all the cute pictures she got of the girls, I'll post them for you!

And seriously, I would really appreciate your prayers for Ella as she adjusts to her new bottle/nukie-free life. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you're two, it really is! Thanks friends!

God's Handiwork

Judging by the way my kids attack a bowl of ice cream, you'd think they have a father who promotes healthy, whole, unprocessed, raw, all-natural, nutrient-rich food.

You'd be judging right, but I didn't need to go there did I.

So how far will my kids go to get ice cream you ask? They will go so far as to lick their mess off the counter. Hubby keeps his licking for the leftover broccoli. Thank you, Hubby. That's not a job I'd covet.

After the ice cream massacre last night, we went for a walk (to burn off the ice cream of course) down to the playground. Gracie was positive she wanted to ride her bike all the way there. I told her that also meant that she had to ride it all the way back home. She was cool with that. Yeah. Right. So this is how Gracie's bike got home...

Thankfully, Ella likes to walk. Seeing as her seat was taken and all. That silly bike-riding Gracie.

Did you know Gracie is a budding photographer? Here's a picture she took of me today.

Ella wanted me to show you her "pretties."

Here are some more pictures of God's handiwork, crafted just for Hubby and me...

Thank you, Lord!

The Word of the Day is Green

Stinky Tires

The other day we were driving down the highway past some road kill.

Gracie: "Mom, was that a skunk?"

Mom: "I don't know."

Gracie: "I know it was, and now our tires are going to stink."

Maybe you had to be there...

The girl cracks me up on a daily basis.

Graduation Weekend 2009 and A HEAT WAVE in May

Do you have some time??? I have pictures, pictures and more pictures for you. This weekend our third niece, Erica, graduated from Washington High School. Now she heads off to college at my Alma mater, The University of Sioux Falls. Our trip started on Saturday morning bright and early. After three trips back home for various things (batteries, lawn chairs that we ended up not using, etc.) we were finally on our way. Here are our girls, shades on and ready to go...

Our first stop was Erica's open house. Here are Gracie and her cousin, Emma...

The graduate, Erica, her sister, Jessi, Gracie and Ella...

My crazy, silly, beautiful little girls...

Open house festivities...

Gracie with the grad...

Ella with her cousin, Emma...Ella, Emma, you can imagine...

Gracie and Emma...

Saturday night was a grill out at Grandpa Al's house (Hubby's dad)...

After dinner and lots of talking we headed to our hotel room; actually, we headed to our hotel room after a brief detour back to Grandpa Al's house to retrieve Ella's blankie that had been left behind. Ella begged and pulled on the hotel door to go home, but after we got them asleep, all went pretty well. We woke up, had a really good free breakfast and were on our way. Gracie wasn't impressed that we didn't make it to the pool, but after much encouragment from me that soon it would be summer and the pool at home would be open everyday, she was okay.

Sunday afternoon was the graduation ceremony at the arena. Here's Gracie...

Ella wasn't in the mood to "say cheese!"...

PLEASE.

STOP.

TAKING.

PICTURES.

Sorry, Ella. I can't help it that you're so darn cute. Gracie was happy to oblige...

Jessi and their foreign exchange student, Jiwoo, from South Korea...

Family photo...

Hubby's sister, Marlene, her hubby, Paul, baby Emma, and our oldest niece, Amanda...

Hubby's Uncle Everett and Aunt Darlene in town from North Platte, NE, his step-mom, Lorna, and dad, Al...

Long-lost family! Hubby's cousin and wife who I had never met and he and his family hadn't seen in years...

Yay, Erica!

Hubby's mom, Becky and his sister, Brenda (in town from IL), with Gracie...

Are you tired yet? Only a few more, I promise. Today a HEAT WAVE. My thermometer is reading 96 degrees in the sun. I decided it was time to pull the pool out of the shed and fill that baby up...

Okay, that's it. I'm done. Thanks for hanging in there with me!