Birthdays. Rapunzel. & Fairytales.

i get to share my birthday week with the best birthday present i've ever received! and this year, it was also fairytale day at school! addie had been talking about it for at least two weeks, so i knew it was something that meant a lot to her! when she asked to be rapunzel, i went on a mad amazon search for a dress and hair. i wasn't too broken up about getting the dress because winston that cat had just ruined one of the few dress up outfits that fit her!

 she donned her purple dress, and we braided her hair; and hardly anyone recognized her!

she was beside herself thrilled that fairytale day coincided with her birthday chapel at school! if you haven't seen chapel at the girl's school, you're missing out: 200+ three, four, and five year olds praising our amazing God! dancing. clapping. singing. and maybe a little shouting!

anne perry seemed a little overwhelmed, but Audry Kate stood in a chair and sang i have a little heart right along with the big kids! i can't wait to see them on the front rows next year as big girl 3 year olds! and then the birthday (real and half) kiddos climbed up on stage and got to introduce themselves, tell how old they were and who was there to see them and then say something! she was absolutely precious swinging around in her dress! (forgive the crazy shaky crookedness you're about to see. i was taking pictures with my right hand and videoing/balancing my big camera with my left hand.) and just like that...she was somehow more grown up that when she walked up on that stage!

once chapel was over, her little sisters and i met her in her classroom with balloons and cupcakes.

she decided to stay instead of check out, which made this mama even happier because i knew it meant she loves being where she is!

happy birthday day at school sweet addie! 

Addie's First Soccer Practice

this big girl had her very first soccer practice last week!

she was so nervous and anxious but at the same time, beyond excited!

she started out super timid and spent a fair amount of time with her hands in her shirt or biting her little nails.

but after a quick game of learning names and kicking the ball around, this girl got into playing ball!

i haven't seen this level of serious focus from her in a while!

they worked on dribbling the ball and kicking it into the goal.

and even played a practice game, where she got to be one who threw the ball back in! 

but there were definitely some moments of spinning and jumping and just being a typical (wonderful!) 4 year old!

but what i loved the most about her first practice was midway through, every team on every field stopped and had a devotional.

i think this is going to be a great first season of soccer!

Little Dancers

One of the girls most favorite things to do is plug in my iphone and listen to pandora toddler tunes or cedermont kids radio.

But before I can even get things hooked up and started, there are tutus and fairy dresses and ballerina costumes being strewn from one end of the house to the other.

Audrey Kate emerged with a poofy tutu under a fairy dress under a striped ballet skirt under a polka dot tutu.

And how on the earth could I not drag her outside in the evening sun to take pictures!

She played and posed and chewed on a few sticks ;0)

But if you know me, I'm not going to take pictures of one and not the other, especially when I could hear this one begging to come outside!

She was super interested in Addie's music box.

And gave me her serious Anne Perry face!

Addieboo begged to come out and take pictures for who knows why!

She was super silly and periodically would flop over backwards in her chair!

The lighting was to die for! And I loved how she cut her eyes over at me in this next one!

Of course I had a favorite of each girl:

each as unique as they are!

this one might have to go in a frame though!

happy dancing!

Soccer Girl

Somebody started soccer on Tuesday.

And after being incredibly nervous and getting lots of pep talks, she was a super star on the field! Of course, many more action shots to come...

Easter Egg Hunt

Addie's class had an Easter egg hunt last week. Even the little girls got to go...to their very first Easter egg hunt!

We had it at a local park, so everyone started out playing. just when i think i've got the little girls pegged, this is what happens: dare devil audrey kate, who hasn't even been sliding by herself, climbs up a curved ladder! yeah, that'll show us!

there was swinging and sliding and climbing!

and spinning. this is addie's whole class all except one kiddo.

I don't think we have much to worry about Anne Perry warding off the boys. She was going to have nothing to do with Clint, Madeline's brother! I will say though that she was more than willing to give him a hug today at Kindermusik!

The mom's numbered the eggs so that each child was searching for their number. It made things take a tad longer and be a little more interesting! 

There were 3 little brothers/sisters that also came, two of which were ours! They had so much fun doing their own egg hunt!

and check out those curls!

Anne Perry was serious about her egg hunting right up until she got hungry! Then she just wanted to break open the eggs!

Audrey Kate could have hunted eggs all.day.long! she was determine to get every last one of them!

such intensity!

she loved showing me the eggs she'd found!

But one of the sweetest things about this party was that their whole class was finally together again after many long months (since October!). Karlie got to come hunt eggs and eat lunch with her class!

After they all said the blessing together, Addie piped up and told Karlie that we had prayed for her all.day.long! I think she meant that we'd prayed for her for a long time, but I'm not sure who was ready to cry first, Karlie's mom or me! Sweet precious little friends! What a wonderful time of thanksgiving and fun!

Friday Firsts

Our girls have started actually playing together more and more recently. Which means they've really started needing significantly more guidance in learning how to play and share.

...which means I spend a LOT of time refereeing, and it can be utterly exhausting.

Tuesday was particularly exhausting for various reason, one of which being that I was tired and didn't feel well. I lost count of the number of times I'd used the phrases: use your words, you may not yell at your sister that way, try again, no screaming, how can we show kindness?, you need a time out from that toy, let's take turns, please be patient, try again, try again, try again.

So when Addie wanted to join in rolling-the-ball with the little girls, I wasn't holding my breath that it would last long or end well. The littles couldn't quite understand a third person joining their back and forth (sort of) game, so i plopped them down next to each other; and sweet Addie took turns rolling the ball to each little girl.

And it was sweet and priceless and a perfect reminder that our girls are learning to share, take turns, demonstrate patience, and show kindness...however so slowly, it is surely!

(click here to see on a mobile device) 

and i quietly thanked God for His strength and His blessings and His gentle reminders of the why.

Wordless Wednesday: Sweet Friends

Addie's Birthday Day

This kid had one serious string of birthday celebrations: her birthday chapel, birthday tea party with family, her science birthday party with friends, and her actual birthday day complete with a birthday post and slideshow! By that Monday, we were all wiped! And then a week later we delivered her birthday dog/cat food! I think that's over 2 weeks of birthday fun!

On her actual birthday, she got to bring snack and share bag at school. Her picture was in the birthday frame when we got there that morning, and she was the helper for the day.

She brought her UV beads (notice them around her neck!) and safety glasses from her party and cupcakes and birthday hats for everyone.

Her teacher even let her baby sisters join her!

Everyone sang Happy Birthday...

and she got to blow out her candle!

She even looked straight at me so I could get a picture (who is this kid telling me something would be a great picture and asking me to take pictures of her?)

After snack, we checked her out and went to eat lunch at Chappy's, somewhat of a birthday tradition!

Addie got to pick what we had for dinner that night: daddy's pizza!

And we had cupcakes from Liger's

I'm pretty sure this 4 year old had a fun birthday 2+ weeks! We sure loved celebrating her!