I-N-D-I-A-N-A

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Rainy Day Art Time!

We haven't really seen any rainy days, but the truth is we've been stockpiling the toilet paper rolls for this craft since Christmas when we got a cool art project book from Santa. So, Sunday, we tackled the project and the girls had a blast!

Supplies:

• Toilet paper rolls & kitchen paper towel rolls
• 1 cardboard box (we used large granola bar box/ a rectangular kleenex box would work too)
• Card stock or construction paper
• Paints (you don't need to paint, but that was their favorite part)
• Glue (we used a hot glue gun)

Steps:

1. Cut semi-circle card stock pieces that can fold and make cones for the castle tops. Staple to close securely.
2. Assemble the castle the way you want it to look (we took a picture to remember how to put it back together after painting)
3. Paint all the pieces
4. Re-assemble using glue gun-add details (square pieces for windows, stickers in the front, etc)
5. The girls are using this as their 'jewelry' display for their pasta necklaces and valentines day rings and such they have been collecting. They were so proud to show off to Daddy!

Addy--the more abstract artist of the two!

Lilly--focusing in on the details and asking LOTS of questions!

Pre-painted assembled castle

Finished Product!

March Madness of a different type: Guest Blogger: Daddy!

Basketball is a deep ASH tradition. My uncle Mike played for LC in the late 70's. My grandfather, Wild Bill McColly, played for Ball State as a 4 year starter in the early 50's then was an assistant coach for the famous Bill Green at Marion High School in the early 70's. Uncle Chris, Uncle Joe, and I played from the time we could walk and have great memories of back yard games. Aimee and I watch Joe win a state title as a starting shooting guard his senior year when we first started dating. The three of us still play a consistent game on Wednesday nights. It's in the blood!

With that said, it is my fatherly duty to make sure and introduce Addy and Lilly to the game. Regardless of how challenging the game is to learn, I'm bound and determined to help them figure out how to dribble a round ball, coordinate their arms and legs to work together to throw a ball into a hoop four feet over their head (it's at 6' feet height at this age), and to get into a defensive stance.

The YMCA offered a 3 year old "daddy and daughter" introductory basketball clinic for 5 weeks. Yes, I know they are 4, but let's be realistic, statistics show that the older kids in a class always dominate sports and the stats were proven again. We also knew they weren't quite ready for the 'league' play that starts at 4 years old.

Uncle Chris came four weeks in a row and mom substituted the last week (wearing high heels). It was a great success and the girls had an absolute blast. I love how at this age they learn something new and are committed to it. We've shot hoops every warm day since the clinic started and even brought the "jordan jammer" inside to shoot in the living room. They are both extremely competitive with each other and this will lead them to learn and excel in any sport.

Let's be honest...it's really all about the medals and the hot dogs that came at the end of the clinic season!

Addy--a total natural, with a bit of an attention issue...

Lilly, totally focused just wanting to impress her daddy!

She shoots...and scores!

The medal ceremony

All in for final team cheer!

Flower Girls!

This wasn't our first rodeo, Addy & Lilly had done this before, but this time it was different. It was UNCLE Jon's wedding. It was NEW YEAR'S EVE. It involved traveling to another state. There were other little people involved. We were the role models??? I really wondered what we had gotten ourselves into...

However, after a bit of anxiety, I calmed myself down knowing that the bride (Aunt Maggie) was laid back and LOVED our kids. This whole flower girl under the age of 8 doesn't work any other way. It also helps that my families are so intertwined, my in-laws and brother-in-laws and some great friends were all invited, so we had all hands on deck when necessary.

The girls were so excited to be a part of it, they loved the other bridesmaids, loved having their Aunt Cat in from DC and their favorite 'big-boyfriends' from Atlanta came too. They loved going to the salon for their first 'up-do', then they loved slowly pulling it out as the night progressed. They LOVED dancing. They LOVED sleeping in a hotel. It was one of those weekends when you look around and realize how lucky you really are to be in the moment (well, at least in the moment when you weren't about to kill a kid.)

The pictures are wonderful, some mine, some the professional photog. It will be tough to decide which to frame! Enjoy....

The Ash/Sadler Pic

Addy--just before midnight--these girls pushed the limits of bedtime!

Cat, Maggie & I

Lilly with my bouquet (they carried flower balls which I loved)

Cat, Jon & I

The girls in the 'green' room right before the ceremony!

Charlie, Maggie's nephew, was the victim of some serious stalking over the weekend!

Me & Lilly

They've never met a stranger....

Valentine's & What Winter?

Thanks to my new obsession with Pinterest, I've been feeling slightly underachieving lately. Between the crafts some moms post and the 'everyday' meals that make my dinner table look inadequate, this amazing website can be both thrilling and depressing at the same time. After seeing all the Valentine ideas, I knew the standard box cards weren't going to do it for me this year, so we set off to make a modified version of this...

Addy, loved this photoshoot!

Lilly, a bit under the weather, was a trooper and picked the cutest lollipops!

Living in Indiana, we prepped for a pretty heavy winter--this was the first year we splurged on snow pants, boots, sleds and enough hats/gloves/ear muffs to last a few seasons. I knew they'd love playing in the snow this year, so I was ready! But, of course, as luck would have it, we've actually seen very LITTLE snow. The girls have managed to 'need' to shovel the driveway only once and during our annual lake weekend with some dear friends, we saw only flurries. The flurries were enough to convince my husband that the girls could 'street sled' on a flat road covered with a little frost. They had a blast, but these pictures do make it look much more dangerous than it actually was. It was a great weekend with friends and their kiddos who my kiddos adored, so all in all, it didn't matter that we didn't see snow.

Shovel Queens

Addy--my adventurer

Lilly--much more cautious, but loved it!

The dads at launch~!

The weekend crew!