Party Time

What do you call a birthday party with 12 girls in preschool? Insanity???? It might have been loud, it might have been busy, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. Ally invited 13 friends (all the girls in her class) over for her 5th birthday on Saturday. I wasn't expecting that all would actually be able to come. They came in their pretty dresses - because I guess that what you wear to parties???

Several moms dropped off their little princesses looking at me like - I really want to head shopping since I have a couple free hours, but I will stay if you want me to looks. I pushed them out the door saying we had it under control. As my friend Patrick would say at school - organized chaos!

I must thank Kate and my mom for helping. Jason ducked out after the pinata to go look at a deck to build. There was too many girls in one house for him!

We did get to celebrate today with our parents. She had a wonderful day and got some great present - as if we didn't have enough toys! She got a camera from Grandma Rhonda and Grandpa Charlie. Jason and I had seen it at Christmas and thought she would like it. After Chuck said that Trip loved his, we asked for it! She has taken a meer 250 pictures today. So Michelle you have an apprentice coming soon!

Come On - Snow Really?

I know it isn't much, but really it is March 28th! Do we really need any more? I know that I don't want to start mowing quite yet, but I am ready for the warm sunshine and light jackets. There was no snow on the roads and it was gone before noon and 55 degrees by mid-afternoon. I know that other places were not as lucky as us - they got several inches. I am looking forward to thunderstorms this week instead of snow storms!

Oh My - She's 5!

I can't believe that FIVE years ago our precious - Ally Arlene - was born. We talked about her name the other night and how we named her after some special people in our lives. She cuddled up in her comforter that Grandma Arlene helped make to fall fast asleep.

Her party is on Saturday where we will be blessed??? with at least 10 little girls. I thought I was looking forward to this, but I was thinking that only 6 or so would be able to come. Princess party here we come. Bracelets, photo frames, pinatas, cake, giggling, squealing (from Jason probably) and lots of fun. We are shipping Drew off to the neighbors so that he won't bug the girls!

We headed to Culvers for some chicken and fries tonight after opening her presents. We are so blessed!

A new jump rope - she finally figured it out!

She got a new glove so that she can play t-ball this summer! Daddy is so excited.

Drew chillin' out in his new chair waiting for his sister to open her Barbies.

Drew or Carle?

Does anyone think that Drew might resembly my cousin - Matt Wilson? He could also pass for a little girl with really short hair.

He is all boy and loves it, but a few girly things are put on and end up becoming part of a war costume - I think this is a Ninja thing.

Finishing Up the Eggs

We finished up the eggs before Easter. You'd think that being on Spring break that I would have had plenty of time to post these pictures, but I always found other things to do!

It was fairly uneventful. Luckily I had 2 egg dippers so that they each had their own. Otherwise I can imagine the fights and the dye spilled all over my counter. Drew wasn't entertained by this activity for too long. They both struggled with wanting to leave the eggs in too long. They looked really cool when you left them in for several minutes.

Jason and I tried to get a couple "tied" dyed ones, but they didn't turn out so well. One good thing about the blowed eggs - We can keep them for next year. Actually I never put Drew's school hard boiled one in the fridge and I think that it will harden and never smell. That is how they do it in Amana. (See video on Break Out Day).

Church Clothes

For some reason we all (meaning everyone in the US) feels that we must wear our Sunday best and take pictures after church or before if you have alotted enough time!

We had many bribes going for Drew to take a good picture on Sunday - none of which I think that we would have followed through with though!

Here are three in at least time order of taking the pictures. We finally got a good one after many threats - I mean bribes!

This is his first growl that came upon him as I decided to snap the picture.

Here he is again trying to wink and see if it will work again with mom.

And finally a good one - we ended on it!

I hope that your Easter was memorable. Reflecting on what Jesus did for us baffles my mind. Drew has been pretty clueless still. The other night we were talking about the SS story. He remembered that Jesus died. I asked him why he did and got a blank stare. I said something about "death" and Drew looked at me and started giggling - that's a funny word. I asked him what he died on and Drew couldn't remember, but said he died like this as he flung out his arms to show me nearly missing my nose. I pray that he will understand the magnitude someday!

Ally on the otherhand has been pretty amazing. I don't think that she understands all of salvation, but does know that she has to ask Jesus to forgive her sins. Mommy - I did that one night remember. Yes Ally I do - faith of a child is amazing. So Jesus forgives all my mean words to Drew. Yes Ally, but he doesn't want us to try to do more mean words! Someday she will get it. Planting seeds and praying for her is my greatest joy.

Commotion

The other night I asked Ally if she had slept at school that day.

Her reply - oh no there was too much commotion. Mommy do you know what commotion means? (sounding if I am the dumbest mom ever)

Before I could get a word out, she continued "it means lots of talking and noise."

Okay smarty pants, I think I knew that.

Boy are her kindergarten teachers in for a surprise. She might try and teach the class!

Blowing Eggs

Easter is coming! Ally has been bugging me for days about making Easter decorations. When I told her about decorations, I meant get them out of the closet, but she didn't want that. So here comes the dye!

We were out of eggs and this is now going to be an expensive project. I think the grocery store people are evil because I think that eggs doubled this week in price! I wish we could use my mom's eggs, but brown eggs don't dye well! We don't like hard boiled eggs at our house and coling real eggs and sticking them back in the frige seems pointless, so I got my puffer out and blew out the eggs.

It was easier than I remember it. Does that mean in my old age I have more hot air?

We do have enough egg goup for french toast one day and breakfast pizza another!

Stay tuned for the actual dying process - it could be interesting with 2 pre-schoolers!

Cake Portfolio!

A lucky member of our small group had a birthday on Saturday. We treated him to some good Iowa steaks. He is from New York and is here in Iowa with his wife and little guy making video games. They like to laugh at Iowan food - cheese on everything and you can wrap anything in bacon.

He likes unicorns - he doesn't like to admit it though. Like all small groups we don't forget the little things. (Jason's afraid of bunnies and walking.) Jason used he decorating skills to make him a lovely cake for small group on Monday. I colorized it and he drew it on. Don't you think it is great! I know that Sheryl will be impressed and know that our inspiration is you!

Jason hard at work.

Ally and Drew were trying to help - they were cleaning up the frosting left in the bowls - sugar-high for the rest of the day!

Pi Day!

I am lazy and today have the house quiet while the kids went to school. What does this mean - catch up on picking up the house without someone dirtying it immediately and get work on a couple blogs that are long past due!

Every nerdy math teacher gets excited about March 14. I bet that you didn't even know it was a special day did you? I also bet that you don't care that it is Pi Day! My kids were looking forward to this day for a week. Mainly because they didn't have to do "math" - wrong and get to eat pi(e). It happened to be the day before spring break which is typically laid back anyway.

Fourth hour sharing their singing abilities! I found these songs on the internet - I didn't write them!

We started celebrating pi day on Thursday with a lab to understand where pi came from. On Friday Mr. Fox, our principal, came in and read a book called Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi. Then we sang some great Pi Day songs - see videos. I had several centers set up that worked with pi and places that we use it, but don't even know. I (with the help of my awesome husband) and made 13 oreo pies that topped off the celebration.

Abby, Corey, Hannah and Andrew beading a necklace that represented pi.
Amanda, Celeste and Brandi making a pictograph representing how many of each digit showed up in pi.

Ethan, Travis and Shane using pi to figure their hat size. Real life application!

Paige and Sydney writing pi-ku!

Math isn't always boring or unuseful. I hope that my kids see that math isn't hard and can be fun.

As Jason said as I walked out the door on Friday morning - all your goofiness wrapped up into one day! Next year I will let you know earlier so you can celebrate with me!

Gone....

Can you imagine losing this precious picture?

Can you imagine losing 347 pictures? Can you imagine losing 347 pictures of your daughters wedding?

The last week has be full and very tiring. I never thought that would happen since the wedding is WAY over. Mom called me on Wednesday night sounding very distraught. She was on her way to watch the kids while we headed to a church meeting. "I lost them." Huh? "I lost all of the wedding pictures?" Oh NO!!! How in the world does my mom who never erases her pictures on her camera lose pictures.

(See if you can follow or skip ahead) Somehow she uploaded them to her computer, but then realized that she wanted to take the disc to Wal-mart to get them printed. She thought she copied them, but she must have slipped and selected "move." Then her camera would work right and it asked her to reformat her disk. Unknowing what she had just did - she said yes. Then looking at her camera realized the wedding pictures weren't there and went to her computer to search for them. Gone - can't find.

Then Jason and I come in...I didn't think they were completely gone, but Jason knew that they had to be on the hard drive somewhere until another file would write over them. (Sounded familiar since Bob D accidently erased our harddrive one time and recovered it all!) But the question - how do we search for it? I called upon one of our favorite computer dudes - Shawn Ross. He confirmed our hypothesis and gave us a few options - they just had to do this at Calvary.

Not really wanting to attempt it on our own and not really wanting to drive to STL, we decided to search for a Flash Card Recovery program. We found some and started working on the card. After a good 18 hours of trial and error and lack of sleep, we got the pictures back. We are missing a few, but we are thrilled that most of the big day are here. Now we have 3 copies of them so that nothing can get erased again.

Morale of the story - get your stupid pictures backed up!

Holy Cow - Look at that Thing!

Thank you Floyd and Shirley for the good laugh! Grandpa said that you gave him his new toy, but he hasn't quite figured out how to use it. We will work on it. Ally has figured it out already!

I had a picture of it laying on the lamp stand, but you couldn't tell the hugeness of it. You can really tell the greatness of this remote when you realize it takes up more of Ally's middle. Isn't it funny watching Drew use it!

One thing to look forward to when I get old - a HUGE remote!

Good Night Ally

I know that I have been a BAD blogger recently. I really have no excuses because I know that my kids say funny things ALL the time. I just am too tired to remember them and to type them in. I almost forgot to post tonight! I also have some great pictures from this weekend, but I would like to get my mom's picts because they are SO much better. I am assuming that Rachel and Chad are enjoying themselves in Nashville.

I was putting Ally to bed tonight and doing our typical routine. It was my night to sing to Ally. I gave Drew his many hugs and kisses - fighting for one on the lips.

Drew - My teacher says that we don't kiss people on the lips.
Mommy - Oh yes you do - you better kiss your Mommy!

I got into Ally's room and laid down with her - hoping to keep my eyes open. I asked her what she wanted me to sing.

Ally - You pick.
Mommy - No what do you want me to sing.
Ally - I am just going to say "Home on the Range" (daddy's new found favorite) and you won't sing it. So pick.
Mommy - Okay you're right. First one I picked she did turn down and the second too I think. Good grief!

Recognize This?

Anybody recognize this dress - not the girl! This is my flowergirl's dress from my wedding. Thanks Nicole for sending it to us. It fits Ally perfectly. I think she might have to wear it this weekend. Nicole is coming for a visit for the wedding!

Soup or Dessert?

This was suppose to be written by Jason a week ago, but I guess he forgot. Jason had been promising Ally that she could do her "projects" but we kept putting her off trying to figure out what she really meant. I was helping her at first but was so frustrated that I switched Jason for the puzzle doing with Drew. She was making a dessert. She wanted to put all of my good food - meaning that I could still serve it to my family in the soup. Which in my opinion was NEVER meant for any breathing creature - even cats and dogs!
Jason played along with her and they made this lovely creation. Everything that you can think of it in it - along with the cheyanne pepper, cinnamon and garlic salt. They did put it in bowls and take a bit - or at least Ally did. I think that Jason pretended - chicken. She decided that it didn't taste good - she said that it tasted like a tree trunk and didn't want any more. BUT STILL offered me a bowl and saved it in the fridge until I could throw it away when she wasn't looking.

Showers of Blessings

Rachel had her last bridal shower last weekend. Her registries are pretty much gone which is what every bride wants but the poor guests have trouble picking something good. Money works though!

Ally had more fun with all the bows on her head. It was frequently heard throughout the morning - Grandma take a picture of this! Grandma Rhonda got ANOTHER new camera. I think her collection is up to at least 4. I guess we got to get some good ones of the wedding!

Jason and Drew were hanging out at the farm with Grandpa. They help get Rachel's washer and dryer ready to go to their house. We did finally get to see Chad and Rachel's house. I wish that I could have seen it before to realize how beautiful it really is. Chad and his Dad have really done a nice job! I bet they will be glad when it is over.