Happiest baby & my best attempt at tanning

This week each evening Hunter and Elissa have been going to our church’s annual Bible School. I was the storyteller on Monday and Tuesday night. E is actually a year too young to attend and was going to be my helper. She managed to maneuver her way into the 3-4 year old group, learning to play the tambourine to Jesus Loves Me.
Last night Nathan took the kids and went to do some work before going back to pick up the kids. Three nights in a row it has left Anika at home solo with one parent, an unusual quiet time for Anika with out her sister poking at her. 

After cleaning up supper and the dishes last evening, it was just Anika and me playing together at home. I captured a few pictures of our happy play time together. Anika is changing every day now and just as sweet as ever.

Can you find a sweeter, happier baby? 

I am biased but my thought is no, you cannot. Anika wins the happiest baby on earth award.

I absolutely love how Anika has started to interact and play on her own. Last night I enjoyed just sitting with her, playing along with her “cooking”. When Santa delivered the kitchen to our house last Christmas for the girls, I didn’t realize how quickly it would become a toy and place of pure entertainment for Anika. It is a place where her sister is learning to share, a challenging but valuable lesson for a headstrong two year old. The kitchen is for both of the girls to play with and maybe the reason Anika was especially smiley last night was that she had it all to herself!

I’m off to complete packing for our wild wedding weekend. 48 hours until my one and only sister, Kirsti marries Mike! 

Today after arriving in Kirsti and Mike’s prairie town, 80 miles from where we live, I am going to get a spray tan. It saves me time and wrinkles. I baked myself in a tanning bed through my late teen’s and early 20’s. At one point in college, I had tanning memberships at TWO locations and tanned every day. I have done myself in with potential skin cancer and pre-mature wrinkling. But I loved being a tan in my 20’s. Now with my frugality that I referenced yesterday also comes more common sense in my 30’s. 

Why I cannot tan now is not as much about wrinkling and skin cancer risks as it is about my lack of time to do it. I bought a tanning package at my local salon and I went five times this spring for about 8-10 minutes each time. I realized I don’t like it as I did in my early 20’s. I laid and thought about what else I could be doing, the wrinkles I was getting and that I don’t like being sweaty when I am done. 

And so I have retired from tanning beds, opting for a spray tan for some enhanced skin color in my fuchsia dress this weekend.

For a great laugh, watch this 2 minute clip of Ross on one of my all-time favorite Friends episodes and think of me tonight. 1 mississippi, 2 mississippi. Wish me luck!