Aquarium Restaurant

When I woke up and saw the rain I had a nervous breakdown.  The Trifecta goes nuts when they cannot play outside.  They are addicted to the outdoors and their withdrawal makes me cry real tears.  So, I did what I always do when I feel overwhelmed.  I called my Mommy and whined.  Granny had the answer.  Drive into Nashville and eat at the Aquarium Restaurant.  Grandfather came too.  God bless them.

First we rode the kiddie mobiles. 

After the kiddie mobile warm-up we felt ready for the "big dance," aka - The Aquarium Restaurant. Pro of Aquarium Restaurant - Diners are seated around a gigantic tank in the center of the restaurant.  Con of Aquarium Restaurant - Three year olds do not want to sit in designated seats to eat and/or enjoy a meal when they are surrounded by a gigantic fish tank.


Elizabeth finding her inner fish. 

Mary Ellis and Elizabeth

 Hendley Grace, not so sure about the big fish...

 Hendley & Elizabeth

Feeding time!

 

When we convinced the girls to sit down, I attempted one of my lessons in good manners.

It did not work.

Good times.

Party Like a Princess

Oh yes.  The Trifecta has discovered Disney.  "Beauty & The Beast" recently played at our local theatre.  In my quest for awesomeness, I prepped the girls like we were getting ready for the LSAT.  We read several versions of the story (not all Disney).  We played with Belle and Beast puppets.  We danced to the music.  And, we watched the movie.  To my delight, they hated the movie because it wasn't like the stories. 

Because The Trifecta loves to party, we signed up for "Tea With Belle."  I thought they were going to hyperventilate while we waited in line to meet Belle. 

Here it is people, our first face to face with a Disney Princess. 

After we met Belle, we sat down for tea.  After immediately removing her bow from her hair, Mary Ellis began to display some of the "tea time party manners" we had been practicing all week.

 

 Libby and Mommy enjoyed decorating her designer cookie.  "Don't get icing on your Lilly dress.   Seriously, don't get icing on your Lilly dress," I chanted.

All princesses need crowns.  Daddy crowned his princess, Hendley Grace.  Then, he ate her sugar cookie.

Mrs. Potts and Chip!  YAHOO!

After the tea we saw the performance. When The Beast appeared on stage Mary Ellis turned to Chris (and the whole theater) and made the following statement/request, "Daddy, The Beast scares me.  Will you please punch him in the face?"

Hendley asks every day, "Mommy, can we invite Belle over to my house today?"  "Yes," I reply in an attempt to keep the magic alive, "We will invite her if we see her downtown.  She doesn't have a cell phone." 

Elizabeth thinks Belle should move out of The Beast's castle and into our house.  "The Beast got grouchy, Mommy.  I didn't like that Beast."

There's a shelf life on princess magic.  So, we're going to rock the mystery and wonder of the princess as long as we can. 

Don't worry, we'll teach them to fight and read too.

Ballet Time

I signed the girls up for a four week ballet class.  I must note that somehow, before the show even began, The Trifecta had removed the bows from their hair and the slippers from their feet.

Get ready for the big show.

Clearly, The Trifecta has a difficult time following directions.  A condition handed down from their mother.  They prefer to freestyle.

My favorite part of the "recital" was the end.  Each little girl had the opportunity to courtesy in front of the audience.  I'm the Mom cheering the crazy cheer.  Because when my girls are happy and proud, I'm crazy elated.

  So, we'll just keep working on the following directions part.  Or maybe not.  I think there's much to be said for my "free-stylin'" ballerinas. 



I haven’t blogged in a while.  I’ve been feeling a little funktastic the last few weeks.  Sorry. For. Myself.  Please don’t tell my Dad.

Let me be clear, I have a wonderful life.  But, if Sugarland was working on a new song geared toward middle-class stay at home mom types who sometimes get overwhelmed I think I would inspire them.  My computer crashed. The people who help me with the house didn’t show up when they said they would. I tried the Re-boot juice cleanse and couldn’t stick with it. My children refuse to nap. Sometimes I feel a little lonely.

So, when a Mom struck up a convo at the playground with me last week I got super excited.  Because I really want friends.  Really, really, really want friends.

Mom: I’ve seen you at The Discovery Center.

Me:  Yes, we are hard to miss.

Mom: I went to Zumba for two hours today.

Me:  Wow, that’s awesome.  I don’t think I’m coordinated enough for Zumba.

Mom:  You have to get the legs down and then add your arms.

Me: Oh.  Ok.  Good advice.

Mom: See my little girl on the bike?  I just taught her to ride it this morning. 

Me:  Wow.  She’s amazing.

Mom:  Yes, she is.  Do your girls go to school?

Me:  Not yet.  They are starting First Pres in the fall.

Mom: My daughter went to Magical Fantastic (pseudo-name) Preschool.  My son is starting in the fall too.  My daughter goes to Wonderful Amazing (another pseudo-name) Magnet School.  Your girls won’t get into a Magnet school unless you prep them. 

and…SCENE!

The Mompetition begins.  I’m stealing the phrase from one of my favorite blogs.

http://www.themompetition.com/

Mompetition = we can not be friends. 

I saw a baby die in the NICU.  At that moment I promised myself I would just love my babies and cherish every minute with them.  And also try to get them into a Magnet School, but I digress. 

I’m just looking for a friend, a true and kindred friend.  Someone who tells me it’s totally normal when The Trifecta eats sand or licks the picnic table at the park.  Someone who won’t judge me when one of my girls has a full-blown temper tantrum during story hour at the library.  Someone who wants support and encouragement from me and agrees not to judge my mistakes if I won’t judge hers.

Okay.  That’s all.

Small Fry Tri

Our thirty Tiny Toes participated in the Murfreesboro Small Fry Tri on Saturday.  The event consisted of 25 yard dash, tricycle ride, and then an intense sprinkler run. 

Hendley Grace made it very clear from the beginning, “I will not run through da wader.” 

The Trifecta warms up for the big race.

Safety first.

Various levels of "ready." And enthusiasm.

Group warm up.  Feel the burn.

Okay, I really don't want to be a bragger.  But, this is my Libby Lou kicking some bootie.  Look at that stride!  Her form!

This is my Hendley Grace. At this point, I could not run along side her because the laughter leaving my body paralized me. This girl can run faster than the wind. On this particular day, she went with a "petite" stride. Needless to say, she is bringing up the rear.

Bike ride = Intensity

I missed the sprinkler run completely. Because I was cheering/laughing hysterically.

   Champions.

 Elizabeth

 Hendley

Mary Ellis

The Recap. 

Amazing Airport Adventure

Today I took the Tiny Toes on a field trip to the airport with my MOMS group. 

  They could not wait to see the airplanes. 

We learned about the parts of the airplane.  Did you know they have a nose and tail?

We felt excited when we had the opportunity to walk inside the MTSU

airplane. 

Elizabeth:  Oh my goodness!

Hendley:  This is so amazin'!

Mary Ellis: I'm going to fly this plane!

Elizabeth had her eyes on the sky!

Hendley Grace decided she would take charge of the control panel.

Mary Ellis fell into a state of bliss like nothing I had ever before witnessed.  Following this photograph the tour guide said, "Ok, it's time to go."  At this point, Mary Ellis threw herself onto the ground and started to scream.  She continued to scream and cry for several minutes.  She continued to scream and cry when we left the plane.  She continued to scream and cry when we walked to the car.  She continued to scream and cry when we drove home.  Suddenly, she fell silent.  15 minutes passed.  Then, she spoke.  "Mommy, when I grow up I am going to be a pilot," she stated. 

Mary Ellis recaps.

Elizabeth shares.

We had a wonderful day.

Fun on the Farm

Some days just make you want to happy dance.  Thursday was a happy dance day. We took The Trifecta to Lucky Ladd Farms. 

We fed the hens, baby chicks, goats, and the llama! 

 

Sometimes when you feed animals you just have to throw food at them.

By FAR the best part of the day involved a very large slide and a playground of fun.

My voice resembles shrieks of death, but it's just because I felt happy.

I love this girl.

Sometimes you have to chicken dance.

I am so thankful for my Tiny Toes Trifecta.