Hailey was born on President's day (eight years ago, sniff, sniff!) and while the holiday weekend is fun to relax or vacation somewhere as a family, it usually creates a problem for having a party with her friends who usually are vacationing (at least over here in Europe!) We are going snow tubing with the Millers (Ava and Ella) a few days after her birthday, but she still wanted a party. After fitting all the pieces to the puzzle with 3 busy families, we decided that the 8th would work for everyone (us, Millers and Greens). Hailey had mentioned that on her birthday, she wanted us to decorate and hide downstairs and shout surprise to her when she woke up in the morning...hahaha...I mentioned to her that it wouldn't be much of a surprise, but that got the ball rolling for concocting her surprise party. Leevi took Luke and Hailey to the BX to shop for a birthday present for a friend of hers from school and Kailee and I stayed behind to decorate!
She had asked for rainbow decorations and a rainbow cake! Too easy!!
She definitely was super surprised and had no idea!!!!
Fritos and Fanta are her favorite junk food, so I bought her some just for the party and on the right is my attempt at a rainbow veggie and fruit tray (but I forgot the blueberries!)
The crew...Ella, Ava, Kailee, Eli, Andrew, Hailey, Luke and Luke
Leevi BBQ'd hotdogs and hamburgers and of course there was cake and ice cream!
Present time!!!! I totally forgot that I wanted to record Hailey opening her Playmobil Pool...they have been begging for this for awhile but I told them that there was no way I was spending $55...well, it was their lucky day because I found it on clearance at a German store! Her scream was window shattering (Kailee chimed in too!!!!) She also got Pokémon, some clothes/earrings (this was the first year that she asked for clothes!), craft supplies and the The Sisters 8 nine book series. There are a few more things that we are saving for her to open on her actual birthday.
Pinata time! I'm not a huge fan of piñatas (I dislike adding extra candy to the already fulfilled sugar rush from cake!), but the kids (and Leevi) always insist! :) It was rainy and cold outside, so we went into the garage! (Notice that she has already changed into an outfit she got as one of her presents!)
Everyone got to go twice and I was really impressed that Luke did so well with taking turns...I guess we'll do a piñata for his birthday too...sigh! ;)
Ava stayed for an impromptu sleepover and the girls couldn't wait to break open the Playmobil pool...we waited until Luke went to bed to put it together and I must admit it is pretty cool...there a pump that sprays water up from the whale in the kiddie pool and also for the shower. I think it's pretty neat that the kids have quite the collection of this "German" toy!
The video of the "surprise!!!!"....and you'll notice Hailey chomping on a wad of gum...she had JUST learned how to blow a bubble on the car ride home! :)
We have had some 'normal' weeks and weekends since the holidays...still busy with work, school, soccer, gymnastics and Awanas though. Our winter has been very mild (especially considering the beating that the US is taking right now)...it dipped into the 30's for a few weeks, but we didn't even get a dusting of snow! Now it's back up in the mid-40's and lots of rainy days. We definitely get outside every chance we get, but we are still hoping for at least one chance to make a snowman!
Kai has always loved swinging (she was even the only baby of ours who loved the swing)!
My, how time flies!!!
Leevi was out of town for a few days and the girls tried to take over my bed!
Just playing around with some B&W shots after naptime!
Hailey had another school project and this one was pretty intensive...she had to create an imaginary creature from a specific assigned biome. Then she had to research facts about her biome/creature and list predators, prey, climate, and adaptations and then give an oral presentation! She created a Mersea (a mermaid seahorse)...the rubric guideline was very detailed, but she got a 100%!!!! Kailee wanted in on the action and created her own poster...she is soooooooo ready for kindergarten next year!!!!
Mr. Luke in the bath...he loves it and never wants to get out!
Leevi went on a Man weekend snowboarding trip in Garmisch over the Martin Luther King holiday...there were about 8 guys from his work and they had a great time. Of course I had to take a picture of them using the minivan for a man-trip!!! We hate to admit how much we love our minivan!
While the guys were gone, Jenny and I got together a few times with the kids. The kids' Christmas presents to each other arrived late, so we held off until the Man Weekend to get together for the gift exchange...each family drew names from a hat and picked a Playmobil set for the person they got. We found it too funny that they each drew the same giver/recipient...the Lukes got each other, Hailey and Eli drew each other as did Kailee and Andrew!
Luke's latest grumpy face...
I know I've posted often about the crazy places that Kailee sleeps, but here are two more ways I've recently found her when I've come up for bed!
We did another kid swap/parent getaway with the Millers last weekend...the girls had a great time with Ava and Ella while their parents celebrated their anniversary and Leevi and I are going to get our turn later in the Spring for a golf trip! :)
I'm begging Leevi to hold off until Luke's 2nd birthday to cut his hair! :( It does need a little trim in the back (it's getting pretty ratty), but I'll be sooooooo sad to see those curls go!!!! It's still not long at all in his face, so maybe I can get away with just a little trim for a bit longer!
Some days are better than others....hahaha!!!
Hailey's most recent school project....a Valentine's box for her cards...there is going to be a contest in her class.
Kai moved up a level with her soccer training! Our Wednesdays are really long now (3:30-6:00) for soccer, but the training that they are getting is worth it! Hailey and Ava are on the same team, so I usually leave when Hailey's practice starts at 4:30 and take Luke, Kai and Ella home with me to play for an hour before we go back up at 5:40 to watch Hailey scrimmage at the end of practice.
A little bit of Xbox Kinect after all three woke up with snotty noses. Hailey stayed home from school because of the constant snot sneezes. They didn't really feel too bad and they gained some energy as the day went on...
