My kids cuter than yours...

Not that I'm bragging or anything. Last week we got to watch Carmen preform in the "Three Piggy Opera". It was adorable. Its on the video below, its 12 minutes long, so it might take a minute or two to load. And honestly my camera takes the worst videos ever!! If I had remembered that I would have brought our big old clunky camera. Oh well, you get the idea.

Jim took a bunch of photos too. So cute!

A Killer Queen

As anyone who knows me knows, I love Queen, the band. And well, since the girls are with me most of the time they listen to my music alot. Now don't get me wrong, I have a good stash of "kids" music. But a person can take only so much before getting sick from the sweetness. So that brings us back to topic. I listen to Queen often. And the girls have picked up on alot of the lyrics to the songs (hence the reason I dont listen to body language anymore). Carmen has good taste in music and some decent rhythm skills too... as you will see...



Note: Rosemary is sportin a great Jazzersize headband... we are still working on her fashion and music taste. :0)

Carmens New Photo's

And last but not least I finally unloaded a full 500 pictures off of Carmens camera. Most she took herself, a few are Rosemary's doing. Either way they are fun. There are a few so they are loaded onto picasa also... enjoy!

http://picasaweb.google.com/jeniferlawson0117/CarmensGermanyPhotos?feat=directlink

Diva's in the Making

We took Carmen in to get her hair cut today. It was very much needed, her cute bob cut was becoming a scraggly mass of knots. She took it like a pro and practiced her "pretending to be a statue" while keeping her head down. The look came out adorable, and she was more than willing to show it off. She knows she's cute, thats for sure!



Rosemary jumped into the chair after Carmen got out of it and wanted ot have her hair cut too. I wasnt planning on doing it, but why not? She fought the hair apron, but once I got her sidetracked with my camera (which she stole and then took pictures with) she was having a blast. She looks cute as always and I cant wait to see her curls get curly after her next bath!

Afterwards, her new haircut going on, Daddy gave her a pickle and she wanted to show off her pink boots... cant live without the pink boots!

Camelbak kids

So in our progression in the move to Germany it was decided that the kids should get Camelbaks. I know, I think they are weird contraptions too, but they are super useful on long walks in the woods, which we hope to do often while over in Europe.

The debate was on about what size to get, and whether to get matching ones or not. So, not big deals right? Again... its all about how you look at it. Carmen loves to collect rocks.. the normal gravel kind, and since her camelbak would be attached to her, she would end up putting them into Rose's (what are sisters for?), but it would be nice for them to be able to carry, sunscreen, sunglasses... rocks, flowers, whatever if they wanted. And as they get older they will want to bring more and more with them, and I am not about to carry all their stuff in mine. SO, long story short, we got the ones with the small compartment and chest harnass (very important for keeping on young kids) We did get matching ones too, but are going to put a special patch for each kid, so they can feel like its "theirs".

this is Rose folded in half having a tizzy.

We got them in the mail today and of course they had to wear them right away. It was pretty cute actually, Rose loved it but since she is tired from our outtings, she started to meltdown... which was funny too.

ingenious new toys!!

Mothers sigh all over the world, when the expensive toys they purchase are passed over for the boxes that they came in. Again proof that its the simple things in life.

As I said before, Rose has found new things to use as chairs, the newest is the shoe box.. note she removed half of the shoes so she could fit in. Smart girl... lol

Rose's new chair

Rosemary has taken to sitting in the toybox, well anything she can manage to squeeze into, as you will see in the next post, but it all started with the toybox.

interesting insite

So here is another batch of Carmens photo's. Again its interesting to see how she sees the world around her, good times...

http://picasaweb.google.com/jeniferlawson0117/ThirdTimesACharm?feat=directlink

The newest from Carmen

We had some friends over today and the camera came out. It seems young and old enjoy Carmens camera, it was passed around. There is still an interesting perspective when things are taken from a 4 year olds perspective. enjoy...

http://picasaweb.google.com/jeniferlawson0117/CarmensSecondTake?feat=directlink

Cheese!

http://picasaweb.google.com/jeniferlawson0117

Carmen received a very cool gift this Christmas from Papa, a digital camera all her own! She loves it and it seems quite indestructable. It has a rubber coated outside that is supposed to be drop proof and water resistant. Perfect for an exploring 4 year old! Anyway, she want to take it everywhere with her and take pictures constantly. She hasnt figured out that you have to wait for the flash to charge, oh well, she will catch on someday. Anyways since she has taken over 250 pictures the last few days I thought i would add them via picasa. So if I get it figured out I will add the link to this blog so you can check out how Carmen sees the world.

Dora Explosion!!

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY CARMEN!!

Carmen is 4!! Hard to believe that the little heathen could have made it this far but she has. :0) She loves Dora the Explorer and Diego so we stuck with that theme this year. It was a budget party (as most things are right now) and I was amazed that with some time, bargain hunting, and some thought it ended up only costing about $50 for the whole party including purchasing a cake (I know, I know.. but I was busy this time around, next year I will make her cake) AND a large large arrangement of balloons!! Go me!

I set up everything the night before after the girls had gone to bed and so got to see the surprise on her face when she got up in the morning. I caught it on tape since Daddy couldn't be there to share in the moment, enjoy...

The decorations were very bright to put it mildy. Carmen loved every minute of it. She just had to get in on this picture. She is such a cheese!

The opposite wall had these 4 foot tall characters. They were surprisingly cheap (about $4) and since they are so large the make a big statement. Again Carmen loved them, she tried to talk me into putting them up in her bedroom, but I couldn't imagine her sleeping with these things staring at her all the time.

I had purchased ball pit balls years ago for a party and am glad i have held onto them till now. blew up our little kiddy pool and added the balls to it. The girls dove in first thing and then all the kids fought over space in the pool for the rest of the day. Carmen was rather unimpressed with me the next morning when I had put it away.

Missing Daddy

Carmen is at the age that Daddy's presence is now missed. Before when Jim deployed he was just gone, but now she remembers him and misses him. She doesnt know how to express it most of the time but we are starting to talk about how its ok to feel sad because Daddy isnt around, and that if she feels that way that I am here to "hug her better".

The last time Jim deployed it was to Iraq and while he was there he picked up a dogtag necklace for Carmen. She never put much thought into it till about two weeks ago. She asked me what it said and who it was from. I told her it was from Daddy and that he wanted her to have it so she could wear it when she missed him so he was always close to her.

It has been christened the "daddy love" necklace by Carmen and she never takes it off. We actually had a round-a-bout about take it off for bed the other day. I wouldnt mind her wearing it but i have worn necklaces to bed a have almost been chocked by them so I am not really excited about her wearing it to bed. I won... but it sits next to her bed and the first thing she does in the morning is put it back on.

Imagination Movers

So if you have kids you have seen and know who the Imagination Movers are.. they are a band (literally a band) of 5 guys who sing, dance and have a new show on the Disney Network. They kind of wig me out and I avoided their show for a while but Carmen had other ideas. She adores them and decided the other day to dress up like them.

For Daddy

Carmen just figured out how to run the camera (dangerous I know) and so to get her to give it back I promised that we would make a video to say hi to daddy... so here goes... enjoy Daddy...