Friday, December 25, 2015

Some Quick Christmas Highlights


 Dressed up for church, I think this is the 2nd, maybe the 3rd in these dresses..



































The Girls went on a Christmas eve scavenger hunt and part of it was opening gifts from my sister.  The main highlight were these mermaid tales that she made.  The girls love them.



Celia made many hats this year!  Audrey loved hers


Celia's big gift this year was a sewing machine.


Their twinny fox dresses

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Santa


This is the first year that Audrey sat on his lap without freaking out.
Pete kept trying to get her to smile and I was right next to her hand saying, just take the picture, 
she is just about done!!

It was a pajama Christmas party if you are wondering about the outfits.



By the way this was Audrey last year



And the year before



She is really not sure about him.  She gets a little nervous if there is a discussion of Santa coming.
But that is okay because she has more exposure through school and Sunday school and home (hopefully) about the real reason for Christmas.  

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Headboard fun

I ordered a headboard around Black Friday/Cyber Monday.  It was a great deal and the first head board that Pete and I have owned on our bed.  I guess it was about time.  To be honest, I was so sick of pillows falling behind the bed and the girls standing behind our mattress on top of the box spring and squishing the pillows even further down.  Anyhow it came in a huge box and Audrey was beside herself with delight.  First she found out that we could keep the itty bitty tools that came with the headboard and then she found the stupid styrofoam stuff inside the big box.  You know the stuff that gets everywhere.  She shredded it and made it into snow, I know, it clings to everything.  But it was too late once I got to her so for quite some time now the playroom is likely going to have styrofoam clinging to every crevice.




Not sure how the kitty hat fits in

Friday, December 11, 2015

Christmas Antics

I get frequent comments about how well behaved my girls are when we are out.
They are angels in school.

I asked them to please sit in front of our tree so I can snap one nice picture….






Not a one.  Our tree looks better in real life.  I guess we need garland or something to fill in the gaps.


Sunday, November 29, 2015

Start of Advent

Tonight was the start of Advent.  The girls watched the candle being lit in church and then in their Sunday school classes.  I could hear Celia's class singing "light the advent candle" as I was sitting in my own Sunday School class.

Lighting the Advent candle was a welcome tradition in my house growing up.  I looked forward to it and I love that we are doing it for the girls.  We try to include a reading or talk about it.  This year I am using a mix of things.

http://www.clubhousejr.com/en/advent.aspx
http://www.thrivingfamily.com/advent

We also like the Charlie and Noel book.  It was mainly something that I did with Celia last year however we read the first chapter today and Audrey seemed interested in it.  Celia of course knows the story but it is fun.  Last year I found that I was curious as to what was going to happen next!

No clue why Audrey has that facial expression






Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving



From our amazing pre-k teacher:

Dear Former Sonbeams and Summer Campers, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!   I miss you all and my prayer for you today is that you will enjoy this day with your family and friends! I pray that you will be ever mindful of all the blessings that God has showered down upon you.  It may be a new baby(ies), a new home, a great year at school and a new teacher, or a sports team or new activity that you really enjoy.  Whatever it is, God HAS blessed you with many things and in many ways! Please, take time to thank Him today for everything! It may also be that you are being challenged with something that you find difficult. God is right there beside you, helping you through and encouraging you to persevere in all things! Just listen with your heart! I am remembering all of the smiles you have brought me and the many learning experiences we have shared together! I also look forward to many more with you! May the love of God fill you today as you share with your family and enjoy the abundance that He alone has provided!  

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Happy Birthday

 Miss Audrey is 5 today
I can believe it and I have enjoyed every minute of it (okay could have done with out the first year of screaming but it was worth it)
You are absolutely the funniest little kid I have ever met

You have a deep passion for animals
They can be real or pretend

You are quite the little swimmer

If given a choice you would move to the beach in an instant

Here's to another amazing year little one.
I can not wait to see what it brings

Update to show the Birthday Morning


A tea set, Princess Celestia pony, and 3 books were her gifts

Sisters eating pumpkin pancakes and little sis with a little bit of ice-cream
Princess Celestia (the white pony) with Celia's pony.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Fencing

Have I shared that Celia is taking fencing?  I was not ready to make the leap to year round swim team for Celia even though she was more then willing to do it.  So we discussed a few things and landed upon Fencing.  I do not understand the sport at all.  I do know that it is really a sport.  It involves stamina and it is definitely a work out.  Celia actually has practice for an hour.  She had a mock tournament a few weeks ago and that was interesting to watch.  I just don't understand it as I don't understand chess which Celia likes too!  But I really love a sport that she picked and that I have no background experience.  I want her to do her own thing (sometimes)


 So interestingly the instructor did let parents know that fencing is one of the safest sports.
Looking at the outfits, I completely get that.
But after the first day they did say that everyone had to wear sweat pants because sometimes legs get cut (yikes!) Luckily Celia is not using anything that has a sharp point!

At her mock tournament

Audrey came to watch and had to find ways to entertain herself

She was very into selfies

Monday, November 9, 2015

Update on Miss Celia


Age 8 is treating Celia very well.  She is adjusting to her new school but misses her friends at her former school.  That is to be expected.   Celia has always been a bit ahead in school, especially in the area of reading.  I was actually a little worried about writing simply because she hated it.  Well, I am highly impressed with our school district's emphasis on writing and honestly 3 weeks into school and I noticed a huge improvement.  I am thinking that maybe it was motivation and that those skills have always been there but she is doing an awesome job!!  In fact Celia has been typing her retells for the past 2 weeks.  She reads a book each week and does a retell on the book.   She likes the Percy Jackson series, any book by Patricia Machlachlan, and some Little House books.  Some recent books include The Lion, the witch, and the Wardrobe, Crenshaw, and an American Girl Doll book.  I like reading some of her books too!  
As for activities, Celia has been doing fencing so watch out!!  Kidding, sort of… She takes Spanish 1x a week and choir at church 1x a week.  She loves going to church and Sunday school and she still loves to sing.  If it were not for Audrey's complaints, she would sing all day.  Celia's best buddy is a little blonde firecracker named Vanessa who is in the same grade.  Vanessa looks like she should be our 3rd sister.  She is a good friend.   
Current interests include sewing, crafting, legos, shopkins, squinkies, fort building, games, tv shows of course, trips out to eat, and playing outside.  She continues to be a very sweet sister and has stepped up in helping out her sister.  She does her laundry every week but it is certainly not a preferred activity.  She is hilarious and has a curious mind and an extensive vocabulary.  

Here is one of her retells, I think it is great for a 2nd grader!!

The Prairie Thief by Melissa Wiley

Louisa’s father was sent to jail for something he did not do.  When Louisa was three, her mother died.  After her father went to jail the Smirches took Louisa in.  Another mouth to feed said Mrs. Smirch as she stared at Louisa ungratefully. Louisa was sad because she had to sleep on itchy straw at night.  Louisa and Mrs. Smirch’s niece Jessamine found a hole in Hazel Grove. They found a little man that was called a brownie in Hazel Grove.  He told her that he was the one who stole everything and not her father. The brownie summoned an elk that took her to town. When she got there she went straight to the jailhouse and saw her dad since she was there she went to his trial. Then she met the judge who showed her his brownie, her name was Mrs. Mack. His brownie is married to Louisa’s brownie Mr. O’Gorsebush.   Since she knew that her little brownie was the one who stole everything she told a crow to tie the sheriff’s keys to the back of Mrs. Smirches bonnet so they would think she was guilty.    The judge decided that Louisa’s father was innocent so he got to go home.



Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Fall

We love Fall around here (well not sure about Pete, the leaves sort of annoy him).

This is how we get all the leaves off the lawn, did you really think that Pete and I do it?
Kidding, actually Pete spent like 3 hours out in the yard with our leaf vacuum last weekend.
He did an awesome job and overnight an equal amount of leaves appeared, Grr.


She is getting so big yet I still have perspective that she is so very little.
Pete argues with me about this but when she is 16, we will look back and age 8 will seem so young

This one is wild, and yes those are little curls all over



See, wild, look how high that kid gets in the air!!



Monday, November 2, 2015

Pumpkin Carving

This year the girls and I carved pumpkins with a family friend.  I purchased actual carving tools this year.  In the past I have just used our kitchen knives.  Let me tell you, the actual pumpkin carving tools are a lot easier then kitchen knives!!  The tools came with stencils.  Our friend carved the ghost and I carved the cat.

This was the first year that Audrey was willing to get her hands messy.
She however needed a wet "wag" by her side to wipe her hands.
Celia loves the gooey stuff (so do I)



My cat

Maria's ghost

Celia's school had a Halloween parade

Pretty Girl

They made their way around the field and then turned around again.
It looked like everyone had a great time.
I was glad that her school dressed up!