Long awaited update

Here are the most recent pictures. The girls dressed up for Halloween as a fairy and a lion "Nala." The last picture is of Elsie from her awards ceremony. She received a few awards and was presented the awards by her daddy! It was really cute. She is not normally this shy.

A few house projects

This past week I finally made Elsie curtains for her room. She wasn't crazy about the material I picked out, but I had her pick out the stitch we used to hem the curtains and now she really likes them.

Here is an up-close view of the bow stitch.

This is another project that the girls helped me with last month. My mom had given me this material on the chair on the right. She had it as extra and was going to get rid of it. The material happened to be the exact amount I needed to reupholster four folding chairs. What a blessing. The old material was so ugly, but we had bought them at a garage sale years ago. Now the chairs look brand new. Jolie wanted to show off in the picture.

Starting a new adventure

So, this last 6 months has been a little challenging since the State of Arizona has slashed budgets for some critical programs. The Newborn Intensive Care Program was one of those affected and has left me with much to desire as far as my job goes. I went from seeing about 20-25 little babies a month to now about 4-7. Financially it makes things very tight, but I LOVE MY JOB! I feel like I have a ton of experience and knowledge to offer to families of young children and I want to be able to support our Tucson community with this knowledge.

The creative juices have been flowing over the past few months while I have been looking for another job. The doors keep closing. I can not find a part time pediatric nursing job.

So the adventure has begun and I am starting my own consulting business. I plan to offer my services on a private basis for those families who would desire to have extra support while raising their little ones. Children are a gift from God and we need to care for them as such and that includes discipline along with all the love.

Here is my new website:

http://www.wix.com/nrodolphrn/Early-Childhood-Development-Consultant

Please feel free to pass along this information throughout the Tucson and Marana communities. I would love the support.

Thanks,

Nikki

More Birthday Fun

Jolie was trying on her new clothes and pajamas. She is laying on the monkey blanket that my sister made for her. My mom got her the monkey PJs.

Can't you tell she loves to model?

After the party settled down, my mom brought out another present from them... a little motorized four wheeler. The bike was a hit. Now that we have the sidewalk out back, the girls just ride around and around. Elsie tries to manage the sharing of the riding toys, but Jolie has her brut force on her side and usually gets her way when she wants a certain toy. Three years difference means nothing to little Jolie.

Jolie's 2nd Birthday Party

Happy Birthday Jolie!!! ( I can't figure out why this is underlining everything...sorry).

Jolie had a lot of help during the present opening time. She was a little overwhelmed, but had a fun with each new gift. My parents like to spoil her. She got a little doll that crawls and then a pig that can walk and makes a noisy oinking sound. The two little toys can race across the floor. Jolie loved the little hats and necklaces, the bubbles, the little horses, and the Play -Doh. She loved it all.

I was trying to read her the cards as we went. There was hardly time when big sister Elsie was trying to get her to open her presents really fast, although it still took quite a bit of time.
Here is Jolie getting ready to have cake. She was excited to eat her horse and barn cake.

Here is the barn cake that Skyler designed and decorated himself. He did a great job with the resources available!!! The after we started eating the cake, one of the little girls thought the horses should be in the barn, so she put one of the horse right into the cake. It was so cute!

I made this little horse cake. It was so much fun to make and Jolie loved it.

KINDERGARTEN!!!!!

Today was a big day at the Rodolph house in Tucson.  Elsie started kindergarten!  Her teacher is Ms. Kalland.  Elsie came home all smiles and had a wonderful day.  She said she thinks she is going to love school!!!  And no I didn't cry... I was so excited for my little girl.  I loved school, I love to learn, and I would go back if I could.  I hope she keeps up her love of school forever!  She can't wait for tomorrow!  Jolie and I had a good day.  We visited our friends Callie and Jabin and then came home and after lunch Jolie took a nap for a couple hours before I had to wake her up to go pick up Elsie.  All in all we all had a great day!

Elsie with Ms. Kalland

Elsie in front of her door.

All of us in the courtyard area of the school.

Elsie in front of our house.

The 4th and the day after

On the 4th of July, we mainly just hung out at home.  Skyler has been busy helping our friends remodel their bathroom, so the girls and I made a quick trip to the grocery store and then came home and made a nice dinner that night.  We then competed in a little Rodolph Wii bowling match.  Elsie was able to get up and watch the fireworks from our front yard as this year they were set from a plaza about 3 miles away.  It was a nice relaxing day.  The girls enjoyed wearing their dresses and putting on a dance show for us.  

  Sunday the girls were able to wear another new dress.  When my mom and dad were in Italy last month, my mom bought the girls these dresses.  They are so cute, except white and Jolie do not mix well.  Good thing I have a fairly good stain remover.