Friday, March 15, 2013

Spring {Fast} Forward

It seems as though each day is filled with the same daily rituals and activities...but each day is precious...and I want to remember the busy, the chaos, the quiet...all the simple things that each day brings that we sometimes forget to cherish...because it's all going way too fast...especially now with Spring in the air, and Daylight Savings Time.  {How can just one hour shift our whole schedule so much?!}

 {1-3} my growing belly ~32 weeks!  We are so excited to meet baby {girl} no.4, but I'm a little sad at how fast it's going.  I've been fortunate with good pregnancies...and I love all the little flutters, kicks and movements happening inside!  This is surely the last time I will have the joy of experiencing this special gift!
{4-6}  we celebrated Great-Grandma Martha's 96th birthday!  What an amazing example of how to live life to the fullest!  We are so blessed to have her!
{7-9}  we spend lots of time at the ice rink...but love watching Emily practice, having fun and enjoy what she loves!  Hoping maybe Elizabeth might enjoy it one day soon, too!

 {1}  Elizabeth is still learning how to manage a good sleep schedule...she still prefers the comfort of mommy as her pillow!  I love snuggling with her...but there is little sleep happening for this tired momma!
{2}  our frequent evening backyard visitors
{3}  school-ride buddies...Alex and Emily prefer a ride to school in the mornings, and I'm happy to ride with them as long as they ask me...and only if Ellie is awake {which she usually is} and she prefers to have Skipper ride along too!  And Dan takes them on Friday mornings when he is home.
{4}  enjoying a girls' movie night watching The Wizard of Oz, Emily had not seen it before now and I never get tired of watching it!
{5}  trying out a fishtail braid...finding ways to get around not having a much-needed haircut!
{6}  spending time at the carwash thanks to unlimited monthly washes!  It feels good to have clean car...at least on the outside...the inside is another story!
{7-9}  our backyard friends, Alex and Emily enjoying a fun snow day!

 Ellie has been enjoying her weekly tumbling tots class!  I remember taking Alex and Emily to the same classes at this age...and I can't believe it's her turn! 

{1}  spending lots of time on the couch these last few weeks...no.4 is making me a tired momma...and enjoying some quiet time watching Ellie play.
{2}  it's been such a gray, gloomy and cold late winter and there was a wonderful day of sun and warm-enough weather to open the sun roof and enjoy the fresh air!
{3}  another pass through the carwash!
{4-6}  Emily had one of her best friends sleep over as part of her birthday celebration...we went to see the new movie Oz, the Great and Powerful...Ellie stayed up way too late too...enjoying lunch and ice-cream at Zaharako's after playing at the kidscommons the next morning, showing off her duct tape earrings her friend made for her birthday.
{7}  Ellie dressed for a rainy day
{8}  making duct tape crafts with Emily...her new hobby!
{9}  Ellie and Skipper enjoying a sunny afternoon...waiting for Alex and Emily to come home from school!

{1}  my lap is getting smaller...but is usually full of snuggles from Snowball and Ellie daily...enjoying some morning cartoons.
{2}  making dinner...taco pizza is one of our favorites...but Alex would rather have Wendy's!
{3}  letting an unwanted houseguest go...Please tell your friends and family you are not welcome here!  ...ugh!...
{4}  over the river...my daily drive to town and back...another cold day with light snow flurries, pretty...but wishing for this to be the last time to see snow this season!
{5}  browsing the fun gadgets at Best Buy while Emily is at skating practice...Alex could spend all day here!
{6}  happy to see a beautiful sunrise following more gloomy days, on our way to school in the morning!
{7}  enjoying luch with Emily and her friends at school...she requested Subway and Ellie loved being around all the kids!  Sadly, it won't be long before she's eating lunch here daily too.
{8}  big girl Ellie going on the potty!  she loves to go every time before her bath and sometimes before getting dressed each day...but she's only actually gone potty once!
{9}  ending our week, celebrating Friday and the beginning of Spring Break with dinner out and a yummy treat at Yo Mama's...I only had a few rainbow sprinkles and chocolate chips with mine! 

Monday, March 4, 2013

Celebrating {Nine} Years

I love celebrating the kids' birthdays...they are going faster each year!  This year was no exception...it's amazing what a difference a year makes!  Emily may be small...but she has really blossomed into a young, mature little lady!  She is smart, thoughtful, loves to read, loves school and being with her friends, shopping, fixing her hair, painting her nails and wearing dangly earrings and sometimes a little makeup...but I love still being able to witness the "little girl" in her too...she loves playing with her dolls, and Barbies, playing with Ellie, and she still giggles at cartoons and she will snuggle up to Dan and I with all her favorite stuffed animals and blankies...

I also love that they get excited about waking up 'surprised' to the birthday decorations and getting to open a gift first thing to start their day!

Emily was pretty good at guessing what her first two gifts might be, "A skating dress and new skates..."

...and she was pretty close!  A new skating jacket {to match the pants she already has}...

...and new figure skates!

Emily was off to a great birthday morning...but then it was off to school for the first round of ISTEP testing...boo!  But she was excited to take chocolate chip cookies to her classmates for her birthday treat and she was eager to wear her new jacket to ice-skating practice after school!  {the skates were just a bit too snug...so a new pair was ordered, and will hopefully fit!}

We enjoyed our traditional birthday pizza for dinner followed by the most anticipated part of the whole day...opening presents!
New satin pjs and a pair to match her doll {Ruthie} 
Unfortunately, they were too big, so they too are headed back and a new pair is on the way!
...will the Kidz Bop era ever end...
Emily loves listening to her cd at bedtime
She will have a lot of reading to do! 
She has only just started the second book of Harry Potter...but she loves to read!
Legos are so fun!  She will have this together in no time!
Emily was thrilled that her gift from Grandma and Grandpa arrived in the mail on her birthday!
 
...just what she wanted...new slippers and pjs...
...she loves her pajamas!  Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!
 
She saved the best for last...she had already guessed what it was too...
 
...the new American Girl doll of the Year...Saige
 Emily loves, loves playing with her dolls...and even though she has a million of them...she enjoys them so much...and I know two little sisters who will hopefully enjoy all of them just as much as Emily does!
 
Look how excited Ellie is to get her hands on it already!  ha!  My attempt at getting a picture of the three of them!

Or maybe she was too excited to sing Happy Birthday and eat a piece of yummy cake!
Emily chose a cookie dough ice-cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery...and it was yummmy!
making a wish!
waiting for a piece of delicious birthday cake!
So good!
It was a great birthday...and another fun treat was for Emily to see her picture in the local paper today with the skate club and the first place trophy from her last competition!
 
...and she even had a sweet surprise for Dan and I...
...Emily made us a special card before bed showing us how much she appreciates what she has...we couldn't be more thankful for her and her gracious heart!
 
Dan and I were also very grateful to be able to spend quality time with the birthday girl over the weekend doing just what she loves with each of us...
 
She spent a special day skiing...just her and Daddy...
She is becoming a great skier {as is Dan and Alex...I have a lot of catching up to do!}
 
And she and Mommy had a fun day shopping, after a fun lunch with Grandma and Grandpa!
 
...and just like that...another birthday in the books...  ...sigh...


Happy 9th Birthday Emily!  We love you more and more every day...every year!