life goes on

 I took this picture above with my Instagram and liked how it captures the energy of this city.

Once again I'm behind on blogging, so I'm going to just dump a big update here. I was whining to Jamie the other night about how I think I'm going to have to give up on blogging. I still enjoy it (and love the keepsake value) but I just don't have the time to keep it up. I think I'll just make my goal- to blog once a month- and if I exceed that amount then good for me. :)

Ok, here we go.

Jamie's Instrumental Lighting business has been busier than ever. 5-6 lamps a week and doing more street fairs and markets on the weekends. In case you didn't see on his Facebook, Jamie sold a lamp last weekend to movie star Ethan Hawke. I was there with the girls visiting Jamie at the street fair in Chelsea. Ethan Hawke came up with his wife and kids, very nice and he was excited about Jamie's lamps. He introduced me to his baby daughter and talked to Annie. Just a normal guy. Who happens to be a movie star.

 While we were at the street fair Audrie got her face painted. Butterfly of course.

 I snapped this photo of Annie on the train the other day. She makes this face often. Eyebrows furrowed. Weight of the world on her. She gets very worried about people she loves. If Jamie doesn't get a seat on the train, she makes this face and asks people to move so her daddy can sit down. Or if Audrie trips and falls, or if I sigh for any reason... Annie makes this face and says "You okay? You okay?". Such a caring heart.

 Audrie is growing up into such a young girl these days. Somewhere in between preschooler and miss independent. Lately she's been really into how much things cost and what we need money for. She told me yesterday she would help me clean the whole house if I would give her a quarter. You can bet I took that deal while I can! :)

 Jamie's cousin, Trevor, and his girlfriend, Olivia, came in from Michigan to stay with us for a few days. Annie deems herself the ambassador, of course, and was quick to give them a tour of Central Park (we rented bikes again and had a blast riding the six miles around the park with them).

 Trevor and Olivia got a little more than they bargained for with our 'bed and breakfast'. I guess we should change our sign to say "Bed and Breakfast and Babysitting"?!

 I took Audrie on a day date last Saturday. We went shopping in the East Village (Audrie actually likes shopping and is always asking to go buy cute shoes... be still, my heart). Then we saw the movie, Chimpanzee. So good!! (But a bit heart-wrenching.)

 I love any one-on-one time I get to spend with Audrie. (I hope God blesses me with a boy someday, but I do have to say I love having girls!)

 Especially when they devour blue popsicles and get really messy....!!

 Poor Annie was playing in the sandbox at the park last weekend and she tripped and face planted right into the sand (with a snotty nose).... eeeeewwww!

 Her and Audrie are still the best of friends and play with each other so well. I'm not sure what age that will start to change (can I be naive and hope they will just be best friends all through their teens??).

 My dear friend Kate came to town with her family last weekend and it was such a huge blessing to get to spend some time with her. Aside from work, I've been going through a rough chapter in my life and it was wonderful to hug a friend!

 Jamie and I celebrated our eleventh anniversary two weeks ago. We usually try to do something adventurous on our anniversary but since our life the past year has been enough of an adventure, we decided to keep it sweet and simple this year. We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset and made some new promises to each other. Somehow marriage vows seem more meaningful when you have ten years of ups and downs to base them on.

 A few pictures of the girls playing at the park this weekend.

 Going down the slide together... backwards and upside down!

 Who needs a trainer when you have young children??

 The girls both have so many bumps and scrapes that we just cover them in neosporin every night after baths. (I was thinking that Neosporin should make a children's bath wash...?)

 Even these two active girls stop every once in a while to rest on daddy.

 I am really looking forward to summer. 18 more days left of school. I do have to work through the summer, but the hours are shorter (9-4) and no students, so I should be breathing a bit easier. We have several guests coming and going over the next two months, a beach vacation, and Jamie and I are planning a weekend get-a-way to Niagara Falls. Oh and Annie is going to potty train herself. Going to be a great summer! ;)

making memories

I always wish I would take more videos, because I know we will love looking back on these times when the girls are older (and don't mispronounce all their words so adorably).

Anyways, this video isn't anything too profound... just happened to capture a few moments of us making memories.

half of green forest came to visit

Two weeks ago we had a wonderful houseful of vistors! Jamie's mom, aunt, and SIX of his cousins came to stay with us for a week from Arkansas. We had been looking forward to having them here and it was a whirlwind, but we loved it!

Sadly I didn't take any photos of everything we did while they were here, but I did capture this one of the group in Times Square one night.

It always makes this big city seem a little smaller when we have loved ones visit, so thank you Donna, Pat, Melanie, Tiffanie, Jennifer, Brandon, and Erin for coming to visit!!

Come back soon.

730 days ago

Today is Annie's birthday. We celebrated earlier in the week and I have pictures to post, but I wanted to officially say Happy Birthday to our Annie Bannanie.

Last night, Jamie and I sat out on the fire escape (our thinking spot... doesn't Winne the Pooh have a thinking spot... or is that Blue's Clues?). Anyways, we sat there as the sun set and laughed about all the insane details of Annie's arrival into this world two years ago.

(photos by Kim)

We heard someone at church last weekend describe their two year old as having a "high tolerance for risk" and we both thought that was a perfect description of Annie, too. 

Annie has no fear. Would scale the side of a mountain if we would simply let her go. She is demanding and adorable. Her sweet hugs are so tight and followed by a sneaky snot wipe. She still loves to cuddle and her favorite pastime is playing with baby dolls and eating markers (well, if you don't count following Audrie around).

 WE LOVE YOU, ANNIE BETH!! Happy Birthday, sweetie.

rain puddles

 There were some perfect rain puddles in the park this morning. Annie couldn't resist!

 

Annie and Uncle Caleb 

(aka "K-Luv" because that is how Audrie pronounces his name)

And a little video of Annie stomping in the puddles this morning.

what have we been up to?

Ok, I'm so behind on blogging that I really should divide all this up into about ten different posts, but I decided to just dump it all on you at once. Hang on. Here we go.

This is what we've been up to lately!

 Audrie finally had her first dentist appointment. She did awesome! So proud of her.

 We took the girls for a bike ride through Central Park. It, to date, has been the most fun thing we have done in this city!!! Our faces hurt from smiling.

Annie even kept her helmet on.

 I hadn't ridden a bike in several years so I was a little nervous about testing that out again with my 1 year old strapped to my bike. But it was no problem picking it up and we all had a blast.

 Our cheesy grins in this photo truly capture how perfectly cliche this afternoon was. As I pedaled alongside Jamie through Central Park, cool breeze in the spring air, our girls giggling and waving at everyone, I honestly thought skittles and rainbows were going to fall from the sky. It was that much stupid fun!

 On the other hand, my job here is still kicking my butt and I eat a lot of chocolate to cope! :)

 I also have started attempting to sew. It's going better than I thought, but that's only because my expectations were set REAL low.

 (Random out of order photo here of the girls being their cute selves.)

 Here I am modeling a skirt I made. It's super comfy and just the fact that it doesn't fall apart when I wear it is a good enough accomplishment for me.

 I took Annie to a Gymboree class here in Manhattan. She LOVED it! And I loved having that one-on-one time with my baby girl.

 This was another one of those moments where it felt very "normal" to be inside this Gymboree class- because it felt exactly the same as the class I took Audrie to in Arkansas. The only difference is that the guy leading the class was extremely talented, creative, and sang improvised arpeggios to the standard Gymboree songs. I guess starring on Broadway wasn't panning out for him, so he settled for this! :)

 Annie playing hide-and-seek.

 And having the time of her life.

 Parachute time!

 Bubbles!

 Jamie and I went on a date night to the International Car Show. Super fun!

 Love this man.

 And Jamie is still making a ton of lamps. He got ten new orders just this week, so I've been trying to help him out a little. I love that he is doing this!

 The girls doing a science/art project I found on Pinterest. Captured their attention for a good 30 minutes! Food dye in vinegar dropped onto baking soda. Sizzling colors. Viola!

 Growing up so fast.

 Still in love with the view from our bedroom window.

 The two things I need to make it through a tough afternoon at school- caffeine and bribery.

 An odd message on the back of a car parked in our neighborhood.

 We took Audrie to see a high school production of Beauty and the Beast (our friend, Jason, was musical director). It was awesome! I cried a little. Audrie adored it.

 These two are pretty fun to live with.

 Constant state of make-believe in our apartment.

 Oh, yes, I totally bought these...!

 We had some of NYC friends over for dinner and served up: fried chicken, beans, cornbread, fried tators, and Paula Deen's mac and cheese. It was delicious! They loved it. But we were enjoying the grease and sangria so much that I didn't get a picture of anything except my plate...

 Audrie's fortune in her cookie the other day was way too perfect for her...

 Me and Jamie being idiots.

 Annie making another new friend at the park. (We had a little cold spell and had to get the big coats and hats back out.)

 Dangerously we have an awesome shoe store a few blocks from our apartment. Tons of cute shoes for $20 or less! My weakness!

 We did some spring cleaning the other day. Sorting through the girls clothes is my least favorite task. I get so caught up in the memory of each outfit that it takes me forever to get it done!

 Annie played in a cardboard box for over an hour the other night. She kept dragging new items inside it and building her nest. Her hairdo at the moment helped the homeless portrayal! :)

 This past weekend Audrie got fitted for her ballet recital costume. So excited!!

 Last night Jamie and I sat on the fire escape outside our bedroom window and had our usual conversation of "do we really live here?".

Whew. Ok, that's what has been happening lately here in Cornett world. Thanks for making it through this blog post. I'll try to do better at the blogging updates!

Love you all. Miss you all!