Birthday Bikes

This year we decided the girls would get new bikes for their birthdays. They have outgrown their old ones and it was time for an upgrade. We also wanted them to be able to use them this spring and summer. So birthdays came early this year.

Emily

Abby

I've been wanting a bike and trailer to pull the little ones so I got one too.

Hayley and Lindley are ready to roll. They love riding in the trailer.

We hopped on the bike trail and headed to the park. We almost made it to the park when the trailer got a flat tire. So the littles and I walked the rest of the way. Emily and Abby stayed with the littles while I rode home to get the van to put the trailer in. Then Emily and Abby rode their bikes home. It was fun despite the kink in the plans. Thank goodness I had the big girls with me it made it a whole lot easier.

Never a dull moment around here.

Bye Bye Binki

Hayley has been whining and crying for her Binki way to often lately. It was time to say goodbye. I talked to her this morning about it being time to get rid of her Binki but she didn't seem to excited about it. Then she came in and told me she was ready to cut them up. So we started gathering them up and grabbed the scissors.

She is happy about it now but it is going to be a long week.

Bye Bye Binki. I think I will miss them more than she will.

Conference Chaos

Abby and Emily were excited to listen to Conference this year.  Lindley and Hayley were excited to distract during Conference. While we "listened" to Conference Abby and Emily were building with Legos.

Abby made a baptismal font. Complete with doors to the girls and boys dressing rooms.

Emily wanted to build a temple but ran out of white so she created The Conference Center with beautiful spring flowers. I loved listening to President Uchtdorf and President Monson. Can't wait to go back and listen to all the Conference talks again.

Pinewood Derby

Steve attended a Pinewood Derby twice last week. The first one was the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. He helped one of the boys in the ward finish his car. I'm not sure who had more fun. Levi had the fastest Weeblo car and placed 2nd over all. Pretty fun stuff.

Friday night was the Elders Quorums Pinewood Derby. Steve made 2 new cars and took his car from last year. Toothless (last years car) was the fasted regulation car.and Catch Me If You Can was the fasted modified car. Alex C. one of Steve's Scouts made the "Piston Cups" for the winners. Steve brought both of them home. Next year he has to defend his title if he wants to bring them home again. The fun thing about the Elders Quorums Pinewood Derby is it is a family event and the Cub Scouts can come and race their cars again. Guess who had the 2nd fastest car. Pretty cool stuff.

We started the week out with an impromptu trip to the Treehouse. We were having a nice proper tea party until some boys came and started moving everything.

Wednesday night Emily, Abby and I went to see Kandyce in Once Upon A Mattress.  It was fun watching for Kandyce and all of the cast did a really good job. Kandyce made her own costume, that girl has talent.

I love when the daffodils bloom in our yard. Next week I think we will do a little "spring cleaning" in the yard.

And playing with some of our favorite people too.

Tonight is the night we've been waiting for it's Pinewood Derby time.

Snow, Eggs and Butterflies

This is what it looks like outside the sliding glass door whenever it snows. Two little monsters love to eat the snow.

Here's Hayley all ready to go play in the snow.  Good thing we sent them out early because it wasn't long before it was all melted. Hayley loves the hat Grandma Rochelle made for her.

Lindy Lou all ready to play.  The girls couldn't keep their gloves on and kept coming inside to warm up their hands.  I kept the blow dryer by the sliding glass door and they were ready to head out again.

Hours of entertainment. Hiding plastic Easter eggs for each other. Emily and Abby used to do the same thing.

I decided to try to make some skirts for the little girls when I found this material. I went to my Mom's house and she helped me put them together.  I actually did most of the sewing. My Mom added the pockets for me.

They turned out so cute and the girls were so excited to wear them to church.

This Week ...

This week I decided to tackle the boxes of printed pictures in the basement from 2008, 2009 and 2010. I used my stash of sheet protectors and went to work in a few hours Tuesday and Wednesday I got most of the pictures in a book. I am missing pictures from a couple of events that I just need to print. Now I just need to add some paper here and there and we are set.  Lindley and Hayley can look at family albums with them in it. I'm so glad I found Project Life last year and will never have this problem again.

Hayley and her bunny glasses.

Lindley and Hayley waiting to go to the Dinosaur park.

Super fast Dinosaur slide.

Hayley and Stockton gave each other pushes on the swings.  It was a perfect day to go to the Dinosaur Park.  The kids got along really well.

Emily is going to a birthday party today. So we made another T-shirt bag. Second time around things always go a little smoother. I'm pretty sure I am going to be making a lot of these. Emily's friends have been requesting them since I made the first one. Luckily they are easy and inexpensive.

I love how this one turned out. We made the butterflies flutter.

Random February Fun!

We finally chopped 6 inches of Abby's hair off.

She is loving how easy it is to brush.

I love that it looks more healthy and full.

I put together a bug sensory bin.

Less is more.

I cut up some green straws in different lengths, 2 packages of bugs, magnifying glasses, bug houses, nets and some erasers to sort. Then I printed and laminated a couple of pages from 1+1+1=1.

I started potty training Hayley Tuesday morning. It was a nightmare for about 48 hours. I moved the potty into the living room so we wouldn't have to worry about interrupting our play or Mickey Mouse Club House. Wednesday night at 10:00 something clicked. I put a pull up on her the first couple of nights and nap times but she always woke up dry. We've been on a few outings and made it through church accident free. Yea for Hayley!

Emily went to the U of U gymnastic meet on Friday with Grandma Shelley. She came home with lots of freebies and a new shirt. She had a great time.

Lindley wanted to be like the Super Readers and was very excited with her blanket and clothespin cape.

Valentines Day!

Saturday Grandma Shelley, Grandpa Wayne, Cara and Stockton stopped by to drop off some Valentines.

Grandma made these darling shirts for the girls.

I didn't get individual pictures of Emily and Abby's cute shirts.

Monday night we had our traditional Valentine's Dinner.

Individual heart shaped meatloaf.

Here's the fancy table set up.

Menu

Meatloaf

Baked Potatoes

Salad ( I'm not sure anyone ate any)

Red Jello

Sugar Cookies

Strawberries (the most amazing thing on the menu according to Lindley)

Monkey Juice

Love Potion

Emily and Abby's teacher Valentines.

Sticky Notes and Pen with handwritten note from the girls.

Valentines Day Breakfast

Heart Donuts and Strawberry Milk

Emily got a box of chocolates from a boy at school.

She doesn't like him but she does like chocolate.

" Mom. No! Don't take a picture. I don't want a picture."  said Emily

Grandma Rochelle stopped by with Valentines.

Lindley and Grandma put together a puzzle.

Grandma brought Joey with her and when she had to go Lindley was so mad at Grandma she wouldn't give her a hug goodbye. Little Stinker.

Emily and Abby with their Valentines from school.

I need to learn...

When these two are giggling like crazy

something bad is in store for mama.

An enormous can of Nesquik all over the pantry, basket of clean clothes and those two hoodlums.

Grrrrrr!

You wouldn't know the tongue lashing these two just received by the smiles on their faces.

NAUGHTY!

Spelling Bee

I am so proud of this girl.

I would never have the courage to get up on stage in front of any amount of people in a Spelling Bee.

She made it to the fourth and final round and now has another word she will never forget to spell.

GREGARIOUS.

More than half of the kids got out in this round.

The 13 kids that spelled their word right are moving on.

Emily is a little relieved not to have to worry about another Spelling Bee.

This Week ...

The Miamaids in our ward "Heart Attacked" Emily welcoming her to Young Women's this year.

Dad took the girls to the horse races with Auntie Leen.

The girls were more enthusiastic about this than Dad thought they would be.

Grandpa Great is 87!

One little monkey swinging in the tree.