Sushi and Terriyaki

While entertaining everyone at the table, Anna Grace showed a natural talent for eating with chopsticks. Note that she even ate the sushi -- it helped that her mother called it "cake."

The Big Park

Papa took AG to the big park to burn off some energy.

Quick Trip to Callaway Gardens

Trying to squeeze every minute out of the summer, we took a daytrip to Callaway Gardens.

Checking out the butterflies.

Watching the girls on the trapeze.

Blog Lurking Pay-Off!

Chicken Delightful!

So, all my hours of lurking and stalking have paid off and I am going to share with you! I found a recipe on a blog of a fellow Alabama mommy. { Thanks, Darby... full credit to come.} The recipe is for a delicious, nutritious chicken dinner. It has a chicken breast, fresh veggies, marinara, and mozzarella cheese all cooked in foil. I served it over angel hair pasta... yummy!

I need to tweak the recipe. I will attempt the recipe again next week and will post the recipe and maybe even step by step photos!

Bilingual?

AGP is an amazing little creature!

Tonight she was racing her car (pencil down the track - tray).

She would count to start the race: 1, 2, 3... go!

Then all of the sudden... she started counting in Spanish!
First she counted 1, 2, 3

and later she counted from 1 to 10... in Spanish!

Thanks to our friends that live in the television...

Dora and Diego!

(AGP likes Boots, Swiper, and Baby Jaguar the best!)

Handy Manny! (my personal favorite!)

John and I will always be Disney fans instead of Nick Jr.!

...

...our little bambino is learning new languages!
More about Kai Lan and the Thai Chi later. You have to see it to believe
it. She stops when I get the camera.

And the struggles begin...

The internal struggle of mom vs teacher. Yes, it is that time again.



1. I have two meetings this week and about a day of work to do just to get ready for day one! In the past - no big deal. Now, I want to spend every single second with AGP and John. So, I struggle with leaving them now even though I know it will make life easier and more time available for them once school starts. ( Summer? What summer?)



2. The BIGGEST one of all: turning AGP over to Mee Mee again. Letting go and allowing someone else to take care of her daily needs from 7:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. I am so blessed that Mee Mee is in our lives. If daycare was my option, I would really be sad. Mee Mee and AGP have their routines and love it. So, the struggle is mine - all mine.



3. Daily struggle at work: being pulled in every direction by students, teachers, parents, and administrators during the day. This year, my goal is to stay focused and let go of the stress to make every minute of planning count. No down time and breaks needed. (How long will that last?) Being good isn't enough, I want to be a great teacher. So, I must use all my time wisely, because I am leaving at 4:00 to go home to AGP and John in a good mood. (OK - so 4:30 on meeting days)



4. The daily struggle at home: the house is not going to be spotless and there will be messes. I will do my best to leave school at school then come home to my family. Once home, I will play outside AGP, cook dinner, enjoy dinner with my family, and get done whatever I can. Whatever I don't get to - will still be there later!



5. The fun struggles: AGP's third birthday is on my mind. Yes, I know we have until March 30! I know she is 2 years, 3 months, 2 weeks, and 6 days old! But she only turns 3 once so it has to be perfect. I am thinking ELOISE, but will she still adore the six year old city child that lives at the Plaza in 8 months?

6. Sewing - I am still struggling with my desire to sew and smock and giving up the time to learn. I also have a stack of stuff to applique and monogram for her. I better stop blogging and get to it!

7. Halloween - what costume will she wear? Maybe keep going with the literary theme. Last year - FANCY NANCY. This year - ELOISE.

8. Christmas - hmmmm... wonder what she will get from Santa? I have my ideas and John likes them so far. Just this morning AGP said she wanted Santa Claus to bring toys and shoes- no clothes! If last year is any indication - the week before Santa is to visit, AGP will ask for something insane like a big dog and a bunny. ( ever tried to find a bunny in December?)

My dear teacher friends - comment away on suggestions and solutions for my internal struggles.

All this being said - my struggles are awesome and I wouldn't trade them for anything!

Never a Dull Moment in AGP's World

Shopping in downtown Pine Mountain.

This is where the butterfly cookie cutter was purchased.

Details below!

Just AGP being silly!

"Momma - I love you BIG!"




"Anna Grace, what are you doing?"
"Tai chi and you have to practice, practice, practice! "
At least she got something good from her hour of television this morning!





"Papa needs Anna Grace. Call him and tell him to come home NOW!"





"I have topatotes. They look delicious up there."
That is AGP talk for tomatoes.

I walked into the kitchen and found AGP standing on a chair (which she pushed from dining room)

trying to open a can of crescent rolls.

I asked what she was doing - she said she was making butterfly cookies.

She out the can down and picked up the butterfly cookie cutter John bought her last week.

We will be making cookies after dinner!

Home on the Range... where the animals have road rage!

This was just before we drove into the gates.

Giraffe in the road - yes, we sat and waited on it to move!

Calf practicing his "skills" of encouragement! I was glad his horns were just developing!

Yes, the zebra is right outside the window!

Details of the trip and more pictures below!

Safari - Pennisi Style

Saturday, the Pennisi family went on a safari to Pine Mountain, GA. Yes, a SAFARI - we were surrounded by wild animals. We drove along a red dirt road -- long and winding -- through an animal reservation filled with several species of deer, cattle, bison, pigs, ostriches, zebras, giraffes, lions, tigers, and no not bears -- but rhinos!! ( The cats and rhino were in cages - everything else - loose.)

The wild beasts were not shy at all. They had no qualms about getting in your car with you! The animals wanted "treats" and by golly - they knew how to get them. If you didn't give up enough, the larger animals would man-handle your car until you gave up the treats! After several attempts to shoo the animals out of the car, AGP rolled up the window on the animals to get them out. Her method worked!

AGP was happy to give treats to the "little babies" and throw the treats at the mommas. All the animals were little babies and mommas - no papa animals anywhere. Hmmmm...wonder how that works?

Every now and then, AGP would act scared of the animals and take cover between my legs in the floorboard of the car.

AGP's favorite animals were the rhino and the baby zebra. She giggled when she saw a pig walking around the great big rhino. She liked that they were friends and sharing a playground.

I was just happy John kept us on the road and that we made it out with any damage on the car. My pants did get stained from the giraffe slobber! But it was worth watching AGP and John enjoy the safari!

Camping

It's time for us to test the waters and see if Anna Grace is going to be a Nature Girl, so we attempted to camp out in the backyard last night.

She did a good job of helping set up the tent...

...even though the scene was oddly familiar...

After we got the tent set up, she helped move in her sleeping bag and bed. She also tested her new flashlight.



Then it was time to camp out.




It was a fun experience, even though she only made it an hour before asking to go back inside to her bed. Oh, well. She did much better than her mother would have done!

Funny Quotes and Random Pictures

"No, Momma. You not eat the peach like that. Hold it with you
fingers and put your eyebrows down. Like this!

Now, you eat it."

Potty training has been quite an experience. All accidents are accompanied
with one of two declarations:

"I melting" or " Help, Anna Grace is leaking."

We experienced our first public accident today. John and AG went to the bookstore to buy Curious George Goes Camping. The shopping and playing with the Thomas the Train was uneventful. On the way out, AG wanted a cookie. They went to Joe Muggs for a snack. After they sat down - AG jumped off the chair, stood on he floor, and declared that she was wet! Then announced to everyone that Papa used all the napkins! When they were leaving, AG yelled, screamed, and pitched a grand two year old tantrum to go play with the trains - wet clothes and all!

Wonder how long before John and AG will have another Daddy/Daughter afternoon date?

Blueberries

It's summertime, which means it's blueberry picking time. Anna Grace took a trip to Randle Farms this afternoon to pick blueberries. We ended up with about half a gallon in the bucket and half a gallon in her belly. We also had a few butterfly sightings.