May 2017

With the end of the school year coming we had a lot going on in May.

The kindergartners invite the moms to come for a day of pampering before Mother's Day.  They gave us a gift and had some yummy treats and then did our hair and makeup.

Brooklyn told me she wanted me to leave my hair like this and then later started giggling at me.

For Mother's Day, I really wanted to go out to breakfast in the mountains and go on a short hike with the family.

Ready to go for a drive - these girls love their blankies.

Always have to feed the ducks.

Brooklyn always has to make a silly face.

Katelyn had a music program at school.

While Kyle very rarely works from home now, when he first switched to his new job, he would sometimes work in the evenings.  I thought this was too funny - a normal monitor just wasn't good enough for him.

💗💗

Brooklyn was able to visit Daddy's new office.  She felt pretty special that she got to see it before anyone else.

Brooklyn and Madison celebrated their birthday (6 and 3)!

Birthday breakfast

Their birthday fell on Memorial Day this year, so we went for a long family bike ride and then joined some friends for swimming and a bbq at their home.

Brooklyn on the tandem behind me.

Katelyn did great on her own, even though it was a long ride.

Madison was so tired that she slept on our friends' couch.  This has happened like twice in her life.

Such a cutie on her 3rd birthday!

Brooklyn graduated from kindergarten at the end of May!

She did great doing all the motions and singing her heart out

Daddy gave her the diploma since he is on the school board

What a beauty!!!!

And here is a random video of Madison talking about her favorite princess(es).  Sorry it is a little long.

April 2017

We started off April by having a Bridal shower for my cousin.  Kyle and Grandpa entertained the kids while we were gone.

                 Crazy Cousins:

My Sister (Laura), Cousin Jessie, and I

The girls had green and gold day at school.  The kindergarten class (Brooklyn) has all assigned events that they do as a group.  1st grade (Katelyn) and higher do group activities and each kid gets to pick 2 events to do individually.  This year, Katelyn did the soccer kick and the 200 yard running.  It was fun to watch her trying her best.  Both of the girls had a lot of fun in the group activities as well.

All decked out in our green with stars on our faces and green hair.

Brooklyn in the tug of war (center).

Katelyn - tug of war.

Katelyn finishing off her run strong.

              Katelyn's Soccer Kick:

Easter 2017!

The girls' school always has spring break the week following Easter.  We tried to fill it with a bunch of fun activities.

We did not have a chance to dye eggs before Easter, so we did it a couple days after.

I had some really good helpers working in the church library with me.

Park Day!

The girls made Easter egg shaped cookies.

Kyle also started a new job the week of spring break.  It is only 30 minutes from home and with no freeway traffic, plus it is a great organization and a job role that he really seems to like.  So it has been really great.

Because our plans to go out of town were canceled when Kyle got a new job, we decided to take the kids to the beach the Saturday of Easter break.

Random Photos of April!

Doesn't everyone read while in Home Depot?

Love my big reader (Katelyn).

Date night at an escape room.  We made it out!  (Kind of.  The gave us a bunch of extra clues in the last 30 seconds because we were so close.)

The big girls love having their picture taken (sorry the picture is so small).

We teach them young.

Love this stinker.

I guess she was tired (only time this has ever happened).  She had missed naptime.

And a couple random Madison videos for your viewing pleasure (turn up the volume on the first one):

Halloween and Katelyn Turns 7!

This was the week that I had been looking forward to and dreading for a long time.  Monday was Halloween, Tuesday was Katelyn's birthday, Friday we were throwing Katelyn a birthday party and Saturday we had family pictures with my side of the family.  Way too many things going on compared to our normal pretty low key schedule.

Sunday afternoon was the best time for us to carve our pumpkins.  As usual, we pulled the cars out of the garage and that was our workspace.  The big girls drew their own faces which they then had Daddy cut out for them.  Madison just colored on her pumpkin.

Monday, the girlies got dressed up and then we headed over to Grandpa & Grandma's house for dinner and trick-or-treating with cousin Micah.  We had a Snow White (Madison), Fancy Nancy (Brooklyn), and detective (Katelyn).  Fancy Nancy is a popular book series for those of you who might not have young girls.  She dresses super 'fancy', which might appear to be a little outlandish to adults.  The girls all really ended up liking their costumes.  I made Katelyn's cape - she really enjoys reading mysteries.

My mom, Me, cousin Jessie (the Unicorn), and sister Laura walking around the neighborhood with the kiddos.  (Kyle was behind the camera, no hat)

Jessie & the kiddos.

My little blur of a princess.

After Trick-or-Treating, the kiddos all got asked to be a part of Jessie's wedding next summer!  Three flower girls and a ring bearer!

Tuesday was Katelyn's 7th birthday!  We celebrated in the morning and then took the girls to school (rather than taking the bus) because Kyle had to work in LA that day and usually get home later on LA days.  The first thing the big girls did when they woke up the next morning was check out their candy buckets from the night before.

 

Birthday breakfast!

  

The girls ended up matching for school that day.

Madison needed to be in a picture too.

 Madison and I also made a trip up to my sister's salon that day so I could have my hair done before family pictures.

She enjoyed her time playing on the i-pad and eating gummy bears.😊

The following Friday night, we threw Katelyn her first Birthday party with school friends.  She invited all of the girls in her class and a couple from last year.  The party was a 'pretend' or 'almost' sleepover, with a 'Night Owl' theme.  The girls came for dinner, games, dessert and a movie and then headed home after the movie, already dressed in their pjs.  We ended up with 8 girls, plus our 3.  My mom also came to help out.  I have included some pictures below, but I generally try not to post pics of other kids faces.

Making owl masks.

Madison hanging out with Daddy

Game time (Saran wrap ball with candy that needs to be unwrapped)

Cake!

Movie time - they 'watched' The Parent Trap.

The finished masks!

Saturday afternoon we had pictures with my Mom & Step-dad and Sister & her family.  Madison decided that naps are no longer necessary that day, so pictures went ok, but not great.  I might post some another day.  After pictures, we went out to dinner at Chick-fil-A, in part to celebrate Katelyn's birthday with the family.  We ordered ice cream as a special treat.

She is so cute.

But she makes huge messes.  There was ice cream everywhere.

That night we went to bed early.  I was exhausted after such a busy week.