Ouch, he stung me!

Gabby's middle name is Grace. Gary and I love the name Grace... Gabriella Grace Venezia, a beautiful name. Unfortunately, our Gabby girl is anything BUT graceful. We have lost count how many times she has literally walked into a door or a wall. Bruises cover her little shins and knees. Thankfully, she is tough as nails. Tears will only come if she is in real pain.

This morning the tears came. She found a bee in her pool and decided she needed to collect it for her bug house. She scooped it up and received her first bee sting. The tears came from the shock that bees do indeed sting... once she saw the stinger sticking out of her hand she forgot about the pain and was more interested in how we would get it out.

Thanks to some tweezers and Boo Boo juice, the stinger came out quickly and was placed in a container for Gabby's viewing pleasure. Of course, the stinger was not enough so we had to go outside and see if we could find the bee. We did and Gabby wanted to place him in her bug house.

We came inside and did some research to see what kind of bee it was. Gabby was fascinated.

This is what she learned:

She was stung by a honey bee. Yes, bees do sting but only if they are stepped on or are roughly handled. You should take the stinger out immediately. Urinate or apply toothpaste on the area (she, thankfully chose toothpaste). She is not allergic to bees.



Unfortunately her bee did not survive in the bug house. But the bee is still with us. Gabby placed it in the container with the stinger and she carried it around all day. That's my girl!

Teeth!!

The gummy toothless smile is gone... here is my little boy showing off new additions.

It is all just stuff...

It all started after an episode of Neat. Gary and I watched Helen help a family declutter their home in order for their boys to play in their playroom. It struck a chord. So for my birthday Gary hired a professional organizer.

I fired her after one session. Okay, so I didn't really fire her. But I did not invite her back. I know I have a problem. But having someone come into your domain and "toss, keep or donate" her way through your stuff was, for me, kind of like having the flu. I was literally sick to my stomach.

So the organizer and her label maker will not be coming back, but I do have do to something about the clutter.

clut·ter
n.
1. A confused or disordered state or collection; a jumble: sorted through the clutter in the attic.
2. A confused noise; a clatter.
v. clut·tered, clut·ter·ing, clut·ters
v.tr.
1. To fill or spread over in a disorderly manner: Boxes cluttered the garage.
2. To make disorderly or hard to use by filling or covering with objects: I cluttered up my desk with old memos.
v.intr.
1. To run or move with bustle and confusion.
2. To make a clatter.


I am a packrat. I admit it. Always have been, always will be. Hopefully this is not a trait that my kiddos will inherit. I try, I really do, to get rid of the "stuff". The problem is there is a memory attached to EVERYTHING. And now that I am a mommy, I cherish memories more than ever before.

For example, I found these shoes in a box. They are not Gabby's first pair of shoes. They were not purchased for a special event. So why would I keep them? Who knows. But I did. And now I can't seem to let go of them. When I get a chance, I will dig up a picture of Gabby wearing them... but then Gary will remind me that I have a picture of her in them, so I don't need to keep them. I really do have a problem...

Here is a craft that Gabby made one afternoon with her Daddy. Gary took her on a Daddy/Daughter date to Lilliput. The store, which is now closed, was exploding with every craft supply that one could dream of. I was so excited to see what she would come home with... Oh the smile she had when she walked through the door with her creation draped over her shoulder. She was so proud. It hung outside our back door for months. I still can't tell you what it is.

But Gabby will discover it every now and then and will throw it over her shoulder and carry it around with the same smile she had the day she came home with it. How can I throw it away? Never.

This weekend I decided to tackle the third garage. Here is all the "stuff" that was holding the walls up. And after two days of blood, sweat and tears here is what Gary drove to goodwill... It really is just stuff... isn't it?!?!

Even though the truck was full to capacity, I still have all of my treasures... they will continue to fill my home and the memories will forever fill my heart...

Two girls and a boy...

(wardrobe by Gabby)

Gabby found a new mommy bird in our yard this morning!

Gabby adores her teachers. Yesterday she asked if she could write them a note. She dictated her note to Daddy and he printed it out for her. Today she sat down on her own and wrote this letter. I took a picture of it before she delivered it to them.

Another Day... Another Bug

Meet Cowliska, Gabby's newest insect. She find this friend on our stairs... Grammie and Pop Pop's bug house has been a HUGE hit around the Venezia house.

Growing up too fast.

Sophie just started showing interest in writing her name. Today Gabby was working on Mother's Day cards and Sophie decided that she wanted to write her own name. I am so proud! I just wish she could stay little forever.

Gymnastics!

The girls started gymnastics last week. Sophie is a Tumble Bug and Gabby is an Acro Tot. They absolutely love going! Here they are sporting their new outfits from Grammie.

Meet Antala

My bug obsessed daughter, Gabby has been desperately seeking a new friend to place in her bug house. She discovered this interesting insect by her sandbox today.

Why we love our desert abode...

Last week Gabby discovered this mommy bird and her nest in our backyard tree.

The next day we noticed babies.

On Friday Gary and the girls found a mommy quail and her babies feeding in our yard.

Then on Sunday Daddy found quail eggs in our yard.

We will keep you updated on the babies!

Jack Jack is 5 months!