Let the creativity roll…

June 17, 2014 | Stacy

The new trampoline was not yet assembled

So they found other physical activities.

They each had their turns.

Pre-church baseball…

June 15, 2014 | Stacy

LifeSkills: Buttons 101

June 12, 2014 | Stacy

I shocked myself as much as them when Marie asked me today if I would teach her how to sew and I dropped everything to give them a lesson on the sewing machine. Hey, she asked in June, not November. This is a GOOD time of year.
I taught them how to thread the machine and sew a straight (or semi-straight) line. That was enough.

My mom suggested teaching them hand-sewing first. I’m not a huge fan of hand-sewing, but it dawned on me they should know how to sew on a button.

As soon as dinner was cleared I got out the stuff and away we went.

I called in to Stewart and asked him if he knew how to sew on a button. He readily admitted he did not and rapidly joined in the lesson. I brought him up to speed quickly and gave him a pair of his shorts to put the button on. He’s a pro.

Nigel already knows a bit of sewing.

OOOOoooooo – I just got an idea for them to raise money for another CRUISE!!!!!!

Jungle = tamed

June 8, 2014 | Stacy

I never remember to take before pictures. Or I take a before picture and never take an after picture…
Here are during and after pictures.

Just imagine that it looked like this before hand. (Actually – our yard was worse.)

Art for the garden…

June 4, 2014 | Stacy

Hanny’s new slip and slide

June 3, 2014 | Stacy

Would be funner if the water was warmer. Hanny doesn’t like cold.

Remember this video?

http://dayspringdisciples122.blogspot.com/2010/05/nan-on-slip-n-slide.html

Surprise

June 1, 2014 | Stacy

I guess she wasn’t a fan of the sneakers?

Johanna is 4

May 29, 2014 | Stacy

We woke her in the morning with a song.

We had a quick breakfast … well, not quick enough. We FORGOT her speech therapist was coming! OOPS.
We cleared out of the kitchen for that session then hurried to pack a lunch after she left. Phew!

We had a family pass to the Strong Museum I purchased last year at the LEAH convention for $20! This is a great price. To get the crew of us in would be $108.00 U.S. I am Not Kidding.

First stop was Berenstain Bears section.

We explored storybook area.

And shopped at Wegmans.

Nene had tickets for the carousel and train. Yay Nene!

We had fun. I think. Honestly, I don’t really love the place. I always feel like the place is filled with overstimulated preschoolers ricocheting around at a frenetic pace not really getting anything out of the situation. And older kids getting cranky sidelong glances from the docents. Like once they are at the ages to actually get a lot out of the experience they are no longer wanted. Just sayin’.

Nan, Nene, Ba & Poppy came for dinner. We had pancakes, sausage, and pineapple. Hanny loves two out of three of those.

Then we opened gifts and homemade cards.

The boys chipped in and bought her a slip-and-slide.

The girls gave her a few animal figures they had won at the museum that day.

Nene gave her a Bolt stuffed animal. She opened it, regarded it, and said, “You’re my good boy.”
(Bolt is one of my favorite movies.)

Ba and Poppy gave her Legos for her age group.

Nan gave her Anna and Elsa dolls. Go ahead. Look on Amazon for what these babies go for – if they are even still available. Poor Nan learned a lesson on promising she was going to get her something for her birthday (after she saw her sister get them for Christmas). Go ahead – click here…

Mom and Dad gave her her own paints and paper;

Some dog figurines (Tab got some last year and you know how cool big sisters’ toys are);

And an Ariel nightgown.

Pink cupcakes and strawberry ice cream rounded our our birthday celebration.

Happy Fourth Birthday to our Brown Eyed Girl.

Johanna’s first birthday party.

May 28, 2014 | Stacy

It wasn’t her first birthday… it was her first birthday party.

As we talked about it , she asked so earnestly, “Can I invite ALL my friends?” And then she named them: three sweet friends from CBS, and three sweet friends from church.

We ate fruit, mac & cheese, and hot dogs. Oh – and marshmallows. (Which item do you think went first?)