Ten on Tuesday.

1. This shall be my last Ten on Tuesday for March 2011. Let it be stated for the record that we still have plenty of snow on the ground, 2-3 feet on our driveway corner, but it's thinning elsewhere and we can see bits of mushy grass. I even saw daylilies shooting out of the ground this afternoon, poor things. 2. I do believe we have a birthday party theme for Miss Alla - we've been hard at work since February. She takes a long time to decide things. 3. I am really good at making sure the kids have nice-looking clothes. I am really horrible at making sure I have the same. 4. I despise shopping. Perhaps that has something to do with #3. 5. The kiddos started swim class last week and couldn't be more opposite in their attitudes toward it. Alla has no fear, jumps right in. Fisher sobbed for the entire 30-minute lesson. This week, however, he only cried for ten minutes before appearing to actually enjoy himself. 6. We tend to have breakfast foods for dinner these days, what with one of us running on each weekend day. Tonight: Dutch Baby. Put 1/4 cup butter in a glass pie pan in a 425 degree oven. Put three eggs and 1/2 cup milk in a blender. Blend. After it's mixed up, add in 1/4 cup flour and blend again. Once butter is melted, pour in flour-egg-milk mixture and bake for 18 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar or serve with maple syrup. Good for Mother's Day. No one can mess this up. 7. This afternoon Fisher asked me if I was wearing my "work-it" clothes. Yes, buddy, I'm going to work it. 8. Last night we had taquitos for dinner. Alla loved them so much she decided she'd like those for her birthday. She also decided that last night's dinner would be the topic for her writing journal today. Something about how much she liked the 'dkeetos.' 9. Spied on Pinterest: "You're my favorite reason to lose sleep." Have to remind myself of that next time I'm changing pee-pee sheets at 12:14 am. 10. Fisher spied a picture of three-year-old Alla at the Mall of America, when she met Dora the Explorer, and he told me he can't wait to meet the real Dora, too.

Spring break activities.

The beginning of spring break around here was super exciting, let me tell you. I mean, little stuff like the library and an oil change really fired these kids up. So a mini-outing to our local nature center was almost over the top. Easy to please kiddos. This nature center is nothing special. I hadn't been since Alla was two, and it was clear that nothing had changed. No matter. She didn't remember it, and Fisher hadn't been. So it was awesome. Fisher busied himself with the doctor kit, giving shots to stuffed animal foxes.

Alla tamed an eagle.

They told me knock-knock jokes while I took their picture.

Apparently they were hilarious, because the next thing I knew, Alla was knocking down an adult-sized skeleton.We headed off to the carwash then, you know the kind where you get to stay in your car.

I tell you, they thought this was super-duper and asked to go again.

We didn't, of course, but I have that one filed away and we'll revisit it again. A pretty good thrill for $2.99.

First sleepover.

Lest you think the firsts come to a close after the first three or four years, I have another for you: first sleepover.

Lily (the Bear) was packed into Alla's arms, and her Mystery Machine suitcase was loaded into the car for our five minute drive to her dear friend Leigha's house. Of course, Leigha. Leigha, who was Alla's first friend here in Minnesota. They truly hold special places in their hearts for one another. That Leigha. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that she was ready and thrilled. (I missed her, I feel that must be said. Her bed was too empty.) This was all the photo I could capture, she was so quick to begin the thing.Fisher didn't quite know what to do with himself. He said to her as she hugged him goodbye, Sleep good so you can play with me [tomorrow].

And then to me, with all that love in his heart, I'm really happy.

Ten on Tuesday: Fisher's third birthday.

1. My son, my youngest babe, turned three on Saturday. As soon as someone would wish him a Happy Birthday, he would say the same to them.

2. My daughter, my oldest, has the warmest,kindest spirit. She gets just as excited for his birthday as he does. She can't wait for him to see what the day holds. 3. It held his very own CAT front-wheeler. Come spring, this little boy is going to be digging and dumping.

4. Alla chose her most festive outfit for the special occasion.

5. We had some special guests! Nana and Pappi, Aunt Jenn, Uncle John, and cousin Ashton.

6. It's hard to resist finding a moment for a photo with my sweet son.

7. He had all of us watch the Mighty Machines DVD he opened.

8. My girl again, so happy that it's time to sing to her little brother. She made sure all of the important stuff happened for him on his big day.

9. Fisher was super excited about singing time, too, until he saw that thing on his cupcake, that candle, and once he blew it out, he promptly asked us to get it off. And then ate half the cupcake before deciding he didn't really like it. You're picky about desserts, little man.

10. I'd post his official 5:46 pm photo here, but as it turns out, at 5:45 pm he got up from the dinner table and ran to the potty, so that when the clock struck the official minute of his birth, he was mid-pee. That's my boy.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Fisher and Alla both asked for milk. Alla told Fisher he was allergic to her milk, and I clarified that his milk was called soymilk. Alla then asked if it came from "soycows."

2. We are in the midst of spring break here - and what a fun time we are having. I'm so glad my kids are easy to please. Day one: Fisher's three-year check-up, get gas, then spend an hour at Half-Price Books. Day two: meet friends at a different libray, then get an oil change. And, no kidding, they are telling me all the time - That was fun! Tomorrow we're getting a car wash. Hold onto your hats.

3. It is raining here. While that might not seem like news to some, we haven't seen rain since probably early November. So it's news here.

4. Fisher weighs 37 pounds and is 38 inches this week before his third birthday.

5. Everyone has their own idea of what signals spring. For me, seeing daffodils at Trader Joe's is a significant sign. For Alla, apparently, it's bugs. Yesterday she ran in the house shouting that she'd found the first box elder of spring!!!! And it's now living in her bug jar on her nightstand.

6. I'm telling you, it is non-stop fun around here.

7. I dread being awakened in the middle of the night because it can be hours til I can get back to sleep. And I'll almost certainly have to get up and have a bowl of cereal.

8. I love days when dinner is in the crockpot. If the rain lets up I may get to run later, and I won't have to worry about dinner!

9. Fisher is expanding his interests to Diego now, which I suppose isn't that big of a stretch from Dora, but still.

10. Next time I do a Ten on Tuesday post, I'll have a big three year old. Sigh.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Every week at school, Fisher chooses a toy and a book from the library to borrow. Every week he chooses a backhoe or dump truck or loader, and a book about diggers.

2. Alla asked for piggies this morning, and I was so happy that my almost-six-year-old wanted pigtails in her hair. And a headband. That girl doesn't go anywhere without a headband.

3. We went to her school for conferences last night and her teacher told us that Alla is "colorful" and "free-spirited," and if you know Alla at all, you know these descriptors to be spot-on. She actually told us that she looks forward to seeing what Alla will be wearing when she walks in the room each morning. This is most certainly because she could be wearing three different shirts, all in different colors, a dress, tights, a pair of socks, and among all of this there will likely be at least three different patterns.

4. Alla and I went to a friend's roller-skating party Saturday morning and had a BLAST!

5. Oh, yes, my good friends the Army Wives are back!

6. That means Friday Night Lights won't be far behind.

7. Our family eats so much granola that I have to make it at least once a week!

8. I have three books on my nightstand: Belong to Me, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and The Ten Basic Principles of Good Parenting. I was on a roll, and then got busy thinking about the upcoming birthday.

9. The upcoming birthday also means a visit from Uncle John, Aunt Jenn, and cousin Ashton!

10. It also means that pretty soon there will be a three year old in the house.

Mornings.

This is where I like to start our mornings. Me and the kids all snuggled up together.

School has a way of getting in the way of that, what with it having a designated start time and all.

I should add here that it could work, if my daughter wasn't the complete opposite of a morning person, having to be completely dragged out of each bed she flops into.
Somehow, she does wind up with clothes on her body, and food in her belly, before the bus shows up. And when the weekend rolls around, I try to stockpile a few extra snuggles to get me through the week.