4 Years Old-Wish Her Many More!!!

My baby is 4!!! Today was her very special day. We tried to pack in as much fun as possible. I tend to use run-on sentences so I'll expound on our day in list format:

1. Tom stayed home from work-which was awesome
2. Then we (he) made green pancakes for us all
3. We went to the Children's Museum where she had the absolute time of her life
4. After which we ate lunch as a family at the park
5. Then made cupcakes and goodie bags for her preschool where...
6. She was "Princess for a Day" and got to be line leader, the one who did the calendar, and all those other things that make preschoolers feel so special
7. Made her choice of dinner (spaghetti :)-also dyed green-with green bread and strawberries (her favorite)
8. Opened presents!!! Her big one was a bike-which of course we had to try out.
9. (Cup) cake and ice cream

She is thrilled to be four. Samantha only starts talking about her birthday approximately 364 days before they happen so I hope we made it a special one-she certainly seemed to enjoy it. I'll share some pictures with you.

Tommy LOVED the museum as well. When he likes something he really, really likes something.

Eliza's response to all the excitement.

Give away, give away, give away!

Amy, my awesome, over-achieving friend had this posted on her site and even though I have extreme anxiety about making things for you people I thought it was too cute and I wanted to participate. So...1. Read rules 2. decide if this is for you and 3. comment to join in the fun.

Lucky you!

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!

2. What I create will be just for you.

3. It’ll be done this year. (I won't take the whole year...don't worry)

4. You have no clue what it’s going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or maybe even some creation I haven’t even invented yet. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that’s for sure!

5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!

* * *Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

*** New rule from Emily: 1. If my mom comments after 5 people she can still get a gift, she needs more incentive to read my blog-her grandchildren aren't enough.

Dance, Dance Baby

Well my life long vicarious dream is coming true!!! Yesterday I signed Samantha up for dance class. I've tried twice before and was waitlisted both times. This time the new class available (for the people on the wait list) worked out for me so I signed her up and went to the first day all in one day. Samantha was asleep when I worked it all out so I had to wake her up (I signed up at 7:30 and had to get there by 9:00)

And let me tell you what-it is HARD to get my kids out the door by 9:00. However, when I told Samantha when I woke her up, she jumped up, so excited and did EVERYTHING I asked her to in order to help me get out the door. She was a motivated little girl.

I am excited, she is beyond excited, and the recital is in June. Anyone out there want a ticket ;)?

Oh yeah, this is Tommy who thinks that if Samantha gets her picture taken then he needs to as well.

"I like to look for Rainbows, whenever there is rain..."

We spent last weekend in New Mexico with Tom's sister and family for our niece, Rachel's, baptism. She's the oldest cousin and we were excited for her special day. It was a very, very fun trip. We had good food, and even better company. I especially liked the board/card games we played every night after the kiddo's went to bed. The kids could not have had more fun playing with cousins. That actual day of the baptism went well. Poor little Rachel was sick with a fever though. She made it through the baptism just great but couldn't enjoy going out to dinner afterwards. Poor thing. Here's a couple pictures from the trip.

I like to....

So my friend had this fun tag/game on her blog and I think I might have heard of it before, but maybe not. Anyway, you type your name into google and then "likes to" like "Emily likes to" and then blog about what comes up-first 10 things/first page). I did it for my whole family:

Emily:
1. Likes to wander the streets without much planning (In VA, yes, because the streets were gorgeous and I could get lost-in a good way-in my own neighborhood. I haven't done that here, too hot)
2. Likes to win! (Well, yes, most people do right?)
3. Likes to dance in front of WOW (I don't like to dance in front of anyone but my kids)
4. Likes Fall Out Boy's Q&A profile (I don't even know what that band sings, let alone what they want to Q&A)
5. Likes Knitting (um...no)
6. Likes being bad (probably, yes, when it's not dangerous, immoral or illegal)
7. Likes the TV (unfortunately, that's a big yes, but I've cut down lots!)
8. Likes this tag (seriously, it says that, it's true)
9. Likes to screa (I have no idea what that means, I hope it's not bad).

Tom:
** About half of his were inappropriate (no-don't go check) so we're going with fewer
1. Tom likes to visit the zoo (I wouldn't know, he's never gone with us)
2. Tom likes to boogie
3. Tom likes to move it, move it (apparently he really likes to dance)
4. Tom likes to role play (he especially enjoys that for FHE)
5. Tom likes Qik (if this is some sort of computer thing-it's probably true)

Samantha:
1. Likes to get wild (yes, yes she does)
2. Sam likes to publish (perhaps not)
3. Likes to work out (sometimes she does like to do my videos with me, and she likes Wii Fit balance games)
4. Likes to help me debug Firefox on Flickr (oh yes, all the time, just like her dad that one)
5. Likes to help me work on Flickr (again with the Flickr-I think it's a photosharing website or something)
6. Sam likes to giggle (definitely)
7. Sam like to play (all the time)
8. Samantha likes to catch mice (less than likely)
9. Samantha likes to eat (only about 3 things)
10. Sam likes to shoot thing (more than likely, she certainly likes to hit things)

Tommy: **Most were replica's of Tom, only the new ones
1. Tommy likes to flash his cash (oh yes, all 3 cents of it)
2. Tommy likes his blue-green hands on Flickr (I'm sure he would)

Eliza: ** Not much on her, not a popular enough name I guess
1.Eliza likes Mad Men (Not the movie, not the literal sense)
2. Eliza likes to think she has style even in the depths of poverty (and she does to)
3. Eliza likes the rural....(I don't know)
4. Eliza likes "Are you Bands" quiz (As if)

Well, this is ridiculous, but I had fun.

My (Guitar) Hero

Whenever we do anything on the Wii, Samantha begs to be allowed to do it too (She's getting quite good at the Wii Fit balance games). Here's our little guitar hero in training. And for those who can't tell-no she can't actually play-she just likes the feeling of being a rock star.

The Circle of Life

So guess what we got to do?!? Tom and I saw the Lion King last night! We went with his uncle and aunt and family, and his Grandma. I saw it as a Senior in High School but this was Tom's first opportunity to see it. It was incredible! The puppetry was just amazing. I liked a lot of the special effects and the different cool things they did with costumes, props, etc. It was a wonderful thing to be able to go to.

My only regret is that Samantha wasn't there! But...I really liked going with just Tom though, does that make sense?

Samantha and Tommy were watched by a nice girl in our ward. I was so nervous about Eliza so thank you to my WONDERFUL neighbor and friend, Katie for watching her. Samantha and Tommy had a great time but Samantha had woken up at 5:45 so she told the babysitter at 7:20 that "she was SO tired so could they please just go to bed" and the babysitter, being a completely sane member of the human race happily obliged. She was there from 4:15 until 11:30! I feel so bad, she doesn't have seminary but she does have to go to school (she did know, however, that I was going to be that late)! Thankfully Eliza slept in until 8:00. I was lucky.

It was amazing. I'm glad I got to go. The pictures are really bad because we didn't have our camera (bad me) so Tom's uncle took the pictures with his cell phone.