amanda pig

'alone' time

'alone' time a different day

her FAVORITE Amanda book....of course it's about a lost tooth:)

Cailey's favorite thing to do during her 'alone time' is read. Her love of reading came from these books that I found at the library back in Septmember...meet Amanda pig. Amanda pig books are cute chapter books about Amanda, her brother Oliver, and her best friend Lollipop playing, starting school, etc. There are around 15 books in all and she has read them all probably thirty times each. She knows them forwards and backwards and she just loves them. Lately I've been trying to get her to branch out but she still begs to check out (only:) 4 so I let her because I love that she's found something she really enjoys!! At one point she was reading the American Girl doll books but didn't look forward to them like she did reading Amanda pig books so I put them away for now. This week she found a new series to begin that she really likes...The Magic School Bus chapter books. She's enjoying the first one so far and wants to keep reading so she can see what happens next. It's so neat to see her love of books and reading. When she reads silently (which she always does when she's by herself) she calls it 'reading in her head':). I'm so proud of you Cailey!

reading by the heat vent...she seriously
does this five days a week on her own! she'd
rather read than play with toys, color, etc. any day:)!

let the sun shine!

kinsey was making sand angels and she kept saying
she wanted to make a snowman....I'm thinking we need to
play in the sandbox more:)

ring pops and antiques

80's candy has been in our house from Valentine's Day and the kids have been SO excited!! First Braden had his fun dip and then Cailey got a ring pop. I was trying to explain the ring pop when she got it and she just didn't understand. We forgot about it for a few days and the other day Cailey asked to have it for snack. She was super excited about it and thought it was the coolest thing ever:). I can remember getting my first ring pop too because we didn't really have a lot of candy our house growing up. It was clear grape and oh so tasty...Cailey happened to be given turquoise (her favorite color) and lime green.

I lived in Austria for a short time when I was a kid and my mom fell in love with this stroller while we were there. I wanted a pink plastic one but she convinced me that I wanted this one. According to her I played with it a little but really didn't care too much about it. I took it out a couple years ago and the kids pushed it around a bit but still preferred their fast plastic ones....the ones that fall apart easily:). This week I decided to take it out again and the girls have really enjoyed it much more this time! They are taking their babies on walks and filling it with stuffed animals to keep the babies company. I love watching the kids play with my childhood toys!

Daddy's Birthday surprises!

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Brian LOVES grape juice (as in he could
drink a couple bottles in one sitting) so
the kids bought and 'made' him grape juice and his
favorite cinnamon and brown sugar pop tart
for breakfast.

Kinsey was SO excited to give Daddy the
card she made:)

Brian gets cold at night when he's
watching TV on the couch so the kids
decided they wanted to get him a carolina
blue blanket! (TOTALLY their idea and they
all actually agreed)

Daddy's favorite: Snicker Bar Cheesecake
Cailey helped me make it on Sunday while the
others were napping:)

This year I was able to surprise Brian with a dinner out 'with the guys'! He showed up to the restaurant expecting the kids and I to be there and a couple friends were waiting for him instead! He was truly surprised..YAY!! It's not often that he goes out to eat with his friends WITHOUT the fam's so this was a nice treat for him:). They ended up staying for FOUR hours!! I was a little surprised about that, but I guess guys like to talk just as much as us girls:). Thanks for helping celebrate Brian's birthday Brandon, Anthony, and Brian!! I wasn't able to get a picture of him when he first arrived but us moms took the kids over to the restaurant to sing happy birthday to him and hear about his reaction to the surprise...we were only there for two minutes so they were able to enjoy their guy time!! Happy Birthday Brian..I'm SOOO happy you were actually surprised!

Cailey: My daddy likes to learn about presidents. He likes to do the computer. He likes to relax. I like to play Go Fish and basketball with him. I like it when he watches me do cheerleading. I like to snug him. I love that Daddy works hard for us. I love him because he is silly and plays the corner game. I love him because he's my daddy.

Braden: Happy birthday Daddy! I love to snug Daddy when I wake up in the morning. I love to throw snowballs at daddy. I love to be silly with daddy. I like when Daddy says jokes. I like to go down the slide with him and play chase with him. Daddy likes to watch basketball. I love him because he's nice.

Kinsey: My daddy wake me up. I yike (like) when Daddy gives me clemin's (clementines). I yike to play games daddy. I yove (love) Daddy. I yike eat pizzie with him. I yike sing Happy Birthday Daddy.

Heather: I love you for always serving me and trying to make my life easier. I love playing games with you (just like the kids do!) I love that you secretly LOVE Kinsey coming in early in the morning to snuggle. I love how proud you are of the kids. I love that you come home and say thank you to me for cleaning the house. I love you and hope you had a great birthday!!

winter crafts

Kinsey tore the paper (great fine motor
skill) and made a snowman! i LOVE how
she has the arms coming out of his head:)!!

i love this...i've done it with the
other two over the years too...SO simple!

Q tip painting a snowman and adding
the accessories!

finished products:)

rockin' playdate

games, dress up, Roman history, outside fun, walk to the bus stop, jam session, chat time