Future ? Girls

Eric and I talk a lot of what activities we think the girls will be involved in when they "grow up" or at least enter grade school. Here are some pictures and video of possibilities.

Here's Elizabeth in a Dora dance outfit.



I just started her in what I'd like to characterize as a cheaper version of KinderMusic. A mom in our ward teaches ballet to slightly older girls than Elizabeth and has put together a music and dance class for 2 and 3 year olds. I wouldn't classify this as an official dance class since I really don't want to be a dance mom. Elizabeth of course looks cute in the outfit and it makes her happy so she wears it, but I'm still not a dance mom!

Rachel shows more promise to help me achieve my dream as soccer mom:) I keep telling Eric they have to at least start in soccer and then they can move into basketball or volleyball or whatever they want.



Rachel really loves going outside and playing on the swingset. She insists on getting up and down the slide herself and loves zooming down and landing on her bum. Thank goodness she has the extra padding of a diaper!

Backyard Blues

Since it was so warm earlier this week, the girls got used to going outside and playing. Today the high was around 40 but Elizabeth was so determined to go out that she got on all "her" warm clothes by herself. Here's the result.


She has on Rachel's coat (I guess she fits in size 12 months now), my snow boots, and her own gloves upside down on the wrong hand. As you can see, when she gets an idea in her mind she goes with it and nothing will stop her. Hmmm, that sounds like a certain someone I know. Anyway, hopefully the weather will warm up this week for the good of all of us in the Carlsen household. I'm ready for spring!

A Taste of Spring

Well, the snow is finally all gone. The girls had their last go at our pile of snow after FHE Monday and then our 70 degree weather the past couple of days melted it away. I didn't realize how much warm weather and being able to get outside helped my mood. I guess I really am a California good weather kind of girl. It's nice to shoo the girls outback to play on the swingset when I'm making dinner or just want a break from them. I also got out running one morning and tested my new MP3 player. I'm still working on getting audio books on it for when it gets warm enough for me to run every morning. Right now it's exercise bike time and I've played a little bit of indoor soccer but I miss running (I know I'm a special breed). It's back to rainy and cold for another week or so and then I can start my garden!

Not only has mommy liked the warm weather, but the girls love playing outside. Rachel threw a fit whenever I tried to pick her up and bring her inside. She has some bumps and bruises on her knees from falling down on the sidewalk but she'll get the hang of it without too much loss of blood I hope. Elizabeth loves running down the street on the sidewalk and I'm just glad we live on a quiet, not-so-traveled street.

I found this picture of Rachel and Elizabeth at the piano and I hope it's a sign of things to come with them playing duets.



I also want to recommend a couple fast read books. I read Tuesdays with Morrie a couple years ago and just picked up two more Mitch Albom books--The Five People You Meet in Heaven and For One More Day. He does have a fixation with death but I think the books are still uplifting and they make you think about your everyday life, how it fits into the grander scheme of things.

My Little Girls

The snow is still on the ground outside but maybe once Spring comes it will finally melt away. It was warm enough yesterday that Elizabeth pulled on her boats, hat, and mittens and went marching around the snow and even played on the swingset.

I thought I'd put up some pictures and let you know how silly the girls can be.





Here's Rachel with a "pirate hat" on as Elizabeth calls it. Rachel loves putting on hats and still has the necklace fettish as you can see. Elizabeth should probably start wearing hats for protection since Rachel likes to "play" with her by pulling chunks of her hair out.












Elizabeth looks a little crazy in this picture but when I looked at the other pictures I took recently, I noticed this was just her "say cheese" smile. Grandma, do you see the book she's holding up? It's "Week at Grandma's" from the Berenstain Bears Collection. Is it a hint she wants mom and dad to go away for a week so she can spend quality time with Grandma & Grandpa Bartholomew? Elizabeth has started really loving the Berenstain Bears and I love them too as I remember having them as a kid.



I thought I'd try my hand at posting a video. This is a little older one but I think it's cute where Elizabeth shows us pictures of "monsters" (aka Rachel and Mommy & Daddy) and a guitar (aka violin). She also does the signs for Do As I'm Doing--don't worry, she's not pulling Rachel around on this one.