A Fun Week

I had firm-wide CPE this week, which usually means boring CPE and fun times with the firm.  This time we had the added bonus of getting to see REBA in concert!!!  Plus all the quality bonding time.  I also actually understood most of the CPE and only had a handful of times where I thought I would fall asleep.  I even won a couple of prizes.  So what if one was for being the biggest complainer of temperatures in any room at any clients, who got a new space heater?

We took part in the corn maze yesterday, but did no corn mazing.  Willa was taller than some of the corn and even though there would have been no chance of getting lost and having to call 911 we just did the other activities.  She really didn't care for the corn boxes but loved the hay jump and the big slide.

I finally understood what people mean by how quick kids change.  Coming home on Friday, Willa seemed to be talking in longer sentences and making more sense.  That has been typical recently and she can be pretty funny and sassy.  The sassiness is sometimes over the top and we are still wading through how to respond to it all.  Her little independence streak can be a help and a hindrance depending on the time of day.

In a little Mommy pat on the back moment:  I created a big bag of stuff to take on our trip a few weeks ago and didn't get through it all.  So this weekend I got one of the activities out and she loves it!  I bought some pipe cleaners and some beads and she sits for a long while stringing the beads.  The beads don't fall off, she works on some fine motor skills, and most of the beads stay on the cookie sheet so easy clean up.  Win-Win for all.

BTW, Go Wildcats! EMAW! Go Chiefs.

Barbecue Beef and Bean Sandwiches

The Crockpot 365 website has so many yummy ideas.  We tried this one probably a year ago and leftovers for days.

3 pound chuck roast ( I think I used a shoulder roast)
1 yellow onion, sliced in rings
3 gloves chopped garlic (I may have just added garlic salt....oops)
1 can BBQ baked beans
2 T water
1/4 cup BBQ sauce (You know it was KC Masterpiece!)
cheese, optional
jalapeno slices, optional

Add meat to the crockpot and top with everything else. I used a fork to squish the beans a little bit.  Ok, then add the BBQ sauce.  Cook on low for 8-12 hours or until it shreds with a fork.  Serve on rolls or buns or whatever you want.

Life as We Know It

We just returned from Kansas on Monday and of course it was a whirlwind weekend.  It was a little touchy getting there and took us a little longer than we expected but we made it.  The wedding was beautiful and we had a wonderful time.  Lucky for us, Willa had a much better time on the drive back.

Apparently since turning 2, Willa has decided it was time to take a bigger role in her wardrobe.  Yesterday she was the most specific she had ever been when I was changing her diaper and she told me she wanted to wear Owl's.  I was trying to get her into a Chiefs outfit but she remained persistent.  As the wardrobe battle is not one that I will fight as long as it is weather appropriate and matches.  I also have to be able to do her hair since she shares my Medusa hair in the mornings.  She won yesterday and still looked cute.

Because of the long drive Willa watched a lot of her DVD player.  Now that we are home she continues to watch her movies.  Luckily now, she will watch more than just the LeapFrog Letter Factory.  So now we bounce from Scooby, Big Bird, Monkey and Ariel.  Ariel is the funniest because she yells at the shark to be nice and go away.

Her new move now is jump off of anything.  The couch, the curb, her bean bag.  If it is a jumping opportunity she is going to seize it.  Yesterday when I picked her up, because the ground was wet and she wanted to be dry, she jumped all the way to the car while holding my hand.  I was sure she was going to slip, but she did all right.

My other Willa favorite that I don't think I have written about is how she answers B these days.  He will say "Willa" and she will either replay What? or No!  He might not make it to the teen years. :)

We had high hopes of going to the corn maze today but it is raining so we might just be stuck at home.