Abby's 4 year Pictures!

My little leap baby is going to be 4...or 1 if you're funny about actual birth dates.

She's my sous chef who loves smoothies, pickles, celery, sprinkles, swimming, dancing, puzzles, flashlights, jewelry, dump trucks, tidiness, tickles and babies.

Here's some pictures from our JCP birthday shoot.

The future is bright for my funny, delightful, imaginative, fearless, loving little girl!

Abigail's Party!

 My sisters and mom and family came over to celebrate the girls' birthdays on Valetine's Day. It was sort of an odd fusion of Tangled, Barbie, Puppy, and Valentine's themes.

 Lydia and Aaliyah played with body stamps.

 Violet painted a lantern.

 Abigail had a pinata for her party too! I did a few fewer layers on this one, and it was just right for them, although Lydia's arms seem to have gotten stronger since her pinata.

The most important thing to Abigail was having a Barbie cake for her birthday. Aaliyah had one and Abigail could not forget as the bakery at the grocery store has a lovely one on constant display. I think we did mighty fine with the ballet Cinderella doll,  bundt cake, jello mold and pyrex bowl.

Abigail had the perfect bow for the back of the dress. Abigail loved it anyway. Make a wish!

Lydia got a stack of Golden birthday Oreos for her treat, a nod to her Golden birthday!

Special thanks to all you who have sent birthday and Valentine's day cards to the girls-your kindness is sweeter than cake!

LOVE BUGS

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY from these two cute little LOVE BUGS!

The girls each had fun at their classroom parties, Abigail even came home with a helium balloon from a treasure hunt! Abigail had to write her name on 20 valentines, and Lydia had to write to and froms on 23 valentines. 

We did something new this year for the 14 days leading up to Valentine's Day. It is an idea I found on Pinterest (http://www.notconsumed.com/14-days-gods-love) 

So each night I hid a heart for the girls to find in the morning (reminiscent of moving that elf around at Christmastime, but this time I could say I was doing it). When they found it, we looked up and read the corresponding Bible verse, and then clipped it to a red ribbon. I don't read to them from the Bible enough, so this was a fun way to do it! This is also the simple kind of thing that really gets Lydia jumping out of bed in the morning!

God's love is for everyone.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Stories with Roscoe!

The library had an exciting special story time with

Milwaukee Admirals defense Stefan Elliot and 'soft and fuzzy' Roscoe.

Dino Hockey and Z is for Zamboni

When Abigail was called on with her hand raised for Q&A time, she walked up to Roscoe and gave him a big hug and kiss on the nose. It wasn't the right time, but it sure was cute!

Disney on Ice

  

We are excited and dressed up to see Disney on Ice!

The show was great-the aerial stuff with Rapunzel and Flynn was the best. Lanterns and hair came down from the ceiling.

Who knew Rapunzel would steal the weekend?

 Interacting and dancing was encouraged, but Lydia didn't need much of that. She was one of those kids yelling down to Snow White to not eat the apple, and dancing in the aisle!

Alright, we got our Disney fix in for the year ;)

Preschool Sunday

Abigail has been doing really well at Prince of Peace Preschool. We value the Jesus focus of the teachers and curriculum and enjoy the special events like Father's Night, Mother's Tea, party days, pancake breakfast.

This past Sunday, the preschool and childcare children kind of usurped the service and sang four songs they had been working on. 

Processing in: 

"I will obey God's word"

They were not lacking in volume! :) Good job, Abigail!

Happy 6th B-day Lydia! Tangled Birthday Party

"Are you ready to get tangled up in fun?"

As Lydia's 6 friends arrived, they: picked a Rapunzel braid to decorate with flower stickers, tossed balls into a frying pan, and played with balloons.

 I caught Lydia walking around looking like a princess.

Then we walked downstairs and everyone got to paint a lantern.

 They all did a nice job of painting, and had fun chatting as they did.

 

 Then we took out the pinata. Here, Abigail's taking a swing with the frying pan.

 Kiera, here, was the one to make the first dent and give the final whack that cracked it open.

A happy, fun group of girls: Kinsey, Finley, Kiera, Addison, Lydia, Audrey, Elizabeth

Making a wish,

and Abigail trying to sneak in on the candle blowing!

 Here's the front of the cake from yesterday.

 Playing around with the Pascal blowers.

 The girls were excited to do presents. They couldn't back up.

 They could only close in!

For a game: the girls paired up and tangled up their partner with crepe paper,

 then switched.

 Lastly, Lydia got to tangle up all her friends together.

And in the next moment...

our house was tangled up too!

Oh, this party was too much fun! In Rapunzel's and Lydia's words,

"Best Day Ever!"

Happy 6th Birthday, Lydia!

Painting Personalities

So, the job in this craft is to roll the ball in paint and then roll the ball across and all around the paper heart as you like.

 Abigail is all about getting messy and feeling the paint on her hands. 

Lydia, on the other hand, prefers to keep her hands clean and use the spoon as her tool.

One of the joys of parenting is seeing your children's personality, style, preferences and talents emerge. On the subject of ice cream: pure vanilla for Abigail with maybe some sprinkles on top, but for Lydia, give her all the mix-ins allowed! Each child is unique and I cherish them!