Albert Lea birthday party/egg hunt

The day after Abby's birthday, we went down to Albert Lea after church to celebrate Easter and the girls' birthday with Dave's family.  Everyone gathered at Gerald's assisted living home for an Easter lunch, presents, and cupcakes/ice cream.  Dave's mom had chosen a Shopkins theme for the party, and had printed out Shopkins cupcake holders to tape around the cupcakes.  Tracy made the cupcakes.  It was nice to catch up with everyone!

After the party, we went over to Betty and Ron's for the egg hunt.  Dave's parents had gone over a little earlier to hide the eggs.  It was windy, but the air was warm, so it was perfect for being outside.  Everyone found lots of eggs and had fun opening them inside.  We stayed for a little while to chat with people before heading back home to get ready for another week.  Fun day!

Abby's 8 year interview

Favorite food:  shrimp poppers
Favorite color:  blue
Least favorite color:  black
Favorite toy:  Barbies
Favorite fruit:  canteloupe
Favorite TV show:  Arthur
Favorite movie:  Maleficent
Favorite lunch:  popcorn chicken
Favorite thing to wear:  dresses
Favorite game:  Clue
Favorite snack:  Goldfish
Favorite zoo (fair) animal:  zebras
Favorite song:  Call Me Maybe
Favorite book:  Amelia Bedelia and Bad Kitty
Best friend:  Avery, Olivia, Orelia, Alex, Mitchell
Favorite cereal:  Apple Jacks
Favorite thing to do outside:  play house
Favorite drink:  Kool-aid and Capri Sun
Favorite holiday:  Easter
What I want to be when I grow up:  a traveler
Favorite thing to do with Mommy:  play outside
Favorite thing to do with Daddy:  wrestle
Favorite store:  American Girl
What makes me happy:  playing
What makes me sad:  when I get really bad leg aches
What I like about Daddy:  when he holds me
What I like about Mommy:  when we play outside together
What I like about Norah:  when we play Barbies together
What I like about Sadie:  when we cuddle each other
Now that I'm 8:  I almost get to go out of my car seat (booster)

Rainbow birthday party

We were so excited this year that everyone was healthy for our joint birthday party for the girls!  We had everyone come up for lunch on the Saturday before Palm Sunday.  Lots were able to make it:  my parents, Greg, Rose Mary, and Jenny; Dave's parents; both of my grandmas; Miriam, Mara, and Gavin; and Lori, Jon, Dave, and Lea Ann.  This year's theme was a rainbow theme.  I had made some tissue paper decorations and rainbow tutus for the girls and my parents brought rainbow flowers as well.  We just had sandwiches, chips, pasta salad, and an assortment of rainbow veggies and fruits for lunch (plus M&Ms, Starburst jellybeans, and rainbow Goldfish to munch on).  Rainbow cupcakes were the birthday dessert, and those didn't turn out quite like I had hoped, but still tasted yummy and looked fun on the inside.  The girls were given lots of nice gifts, and we really enjoyed the time to catch up with family.  They loved having Gavin to play with!  Unfortunately, the roads were pretty bad in Iowa for everyone's drive home, so we were happy to hear that everyone had made it home okay.

We went out to supper at Davanni's with my family, swam at the hotel that my parents were staying at, then came back to play a couple of games.  Greg and Rose Mary spent the night at our house, and we drove them back up to Burnsville to ride up to the airport with my dad.  Greg and Dave took the girls swimming once more before everyone had to leave.  We loved spending the weekend with family!

Poetry jam

Abby's class had a poetry jam at school in March--they'd been working for a long time on writing poems and reading poems with actions and expression.  The kids served the invited guests snacks and lemonade, then put on a little program.  Some students introduced a types of poem, then we had time to write on butcher block paper that was on our table and time for some groups to share what they had written.  Intermixed were poems performed by Abby's class that they had been practicing.  It was such a fun event, and I'm glad I was able to take the afternoon off to be a part of it!

Norah is 4!

Norah's birthday was on a Thursday this year, which meant work for me and school for Abby.  That meant waking Norah up early (even though she stayed home with Dave all day) to blow out birthday candles and open presents.  I don't think she minded too much, since she was able to then have birthday cake before 7 a.m...  Norah's main present this year was a Radio Flyer Ziggle.  The girls had used one at a friend's house, so it seemed like something fun that they both could use in our basement or outside this summer.

For supper that night, we went to Chuck E. Cheese and met up with Jenny and Tracy.  The girls had a blast playing games and going on the little kiddie rides.  

On the afternoon of Abby's poetry jam (the week after Norah's birthday), I made an appointment for Norah for her 4-year check up with Dr. Mark.  Abby went up with my parents to visit my sister after her poetry jam, so Norah had both Dave and I along for the doctor visit.  The nurse was being silly with her, and Norah said at one point, "I can't stop laughing!"  She didn't have to have any shots this time, so it was a quick and easy visit. 

Here are her stats:

Height:  38 in. (15th percentile)

Weight:  30.38 lb. (13th percentile)

Personality/interests:  sweet, but definitely has a sassy/independent side--loves to do things the way she wants them done, LOVES her big sister but can be a little bossy or sensitive if Abby isn't doing things the way she wants, loves to make people laugh, loves anything sweet, loves the color red; enjoys dancing (we'll see how the recital goes in May!) and going to her ECFE class each week, loves playing Barbies, dollhouse, and still loves coloring; has lots of stuffed animals in her bed, but her main favorite is her yellow robot

It's sounds cliche, but it really is crazy that she is 4!  We had her preschool screening in February (where she definitely showed her true personality) and she's signed up for preschool starting in the fall, then kindergarten the next year.  She's growing up so fast!

Norah's 4-year interview

Favorite color:  red
Least favorite color:  black and white
Favorite book:  Cinderella
Favorite fruit:  strawberries
Favorite TV show:  Sheriff Callie's Wild West
Favorite movie:  Cinderella
Favorite food:  peanut butter and jelly
Favorite lunch:  macaroni and cheese
Favorite thing to wear:  strawberry shirt
Favorite snack:  M & Ms
Favorite zoo animal:  horses
Best friend:  Graham
Favorite cereal:  Lucky Charms
Favorite drink:  water
Thing she likes to do with Mommy:  do puzzles
Thing she likes to do with Daddy:  do the ocean puzzle
Thing she likes to do with Abby:  play Barbies
Thing she likes to do with Sadie:  do bubbles with Sadie
Favorite store:  Dollar General
Favorite toy:  Barbies
Favorite game:  Zingo
Favorite song:  Elsa and Anna song
Favorite thing to do outside:  ball
Favorite holiday:  Christmas
What I want to be when I grow up:  a doctor
What makes me happy:  when Mommy holds me with yellow (robot) and blankie
What makes me sad:  when I don't have yellow and blankie
What I like about Daddy:  he makes lunch
What I like about Mommy:  she holds me
What I like about Abby:  playing Barbies with her
What I like about Sadie:  when we throw ball with her
Now that I'm 4:  I already got presents

Disney on Ice

We had fun at Disney on Ice at the end of February!  One of the girls I used to babysit growing up has been traveling with Disney on Ice this school year, and ended up coming to Minnesota.  When her mom asked if we wanted tickets, I knew the girls would be so excited.  Dave's mom and sister joined us, and Abby brought along her friend Olivia since my sister couldn't make it.  Such a fun show, and fun to catch up with Cailyn and her mom after the show!