Five and Three... a birthday story

Saturday, December 15th, 2012 wasn't just Melanie's 5th birthday, it was also the day we celebrated Melanie AND Noelle's birthdays with a joint Science Experiment birthday party!  The party was originally going to be at the park, but (due to the weather) it ended up being at Grandma and Grandpa Smithson's house.  I have to admit, it was much better at my in laws house than it could have ever have been at the park.  My mother in law is amazing and truly made the party so wonderful.

So, here are some pictures:

Because the party was "science experiments" we broke the children into groups.  I demonstrated a few experiments, they did a few experiments.  I had them wear "safety goggles" so they could feel like real scientists.  They blew up balloons with vinegar and baking soda, made lava lamps, made fireworks in milk, and watched me change cabbage juice different colors.  It was all really fun.

 After we completed all the experiments, it was cake, hot chocolate with ice cream, and pop corn time.  I provided the cake, my wonderful mother in law did the rest.  She is seriously amazing.

Here are a few shots of the party goers.

My birthday girls!

 more goers:

After the food, the kids played on the tree house for a little while, then it was time to open presents.  It was so much fun.  My girls are still talking about how much fun they had.  We sent each kid home with their safety goggles, a pencil, and a little "book" full of experiments.  I hope they had as much fun as we did.

Happy Birthday to my favorite girls, Melanie and Noelle!

Birthday Interview with Melanie

Favorite Color: Pink and Purple

Favorite Movie: The Little Mermaid
 

Favorite Book: King Tut
 

Favorite Song: We are a Happy Family

Favorite Animal: Giraffe

Favorite Thing to Play: Barbies

Favorite Thing to do with Daddy: Go on a Date and go "broom broom"

Favorite Thing to do with Mommy: Play at the house and do science experiments

Favorite Thing to do with Noelle: Play with barbies with her
 

Favorite Thing to do with Oliver: Tickle him

Favorite Thing to do with Grandma and Grandpa Smithson: Have a Princess Party

Favorite Thing to do with Grandma Traci: Go to a play (like Snow White)

Favorite Thing to do with Grandpa George: Play with him
 

Favorite Book of Mormon Character: Alma the Younger

Favorite Subject in School: Write my Name and Learn to make Friends

Favorite Food: "Mulan food" with the sweet chicken

Favorite Snack: Gold Fish and "Brown Crackers"
 

Best Friend: Aidan, Chloe and Trae

What do you want to be when you grow up: a Princess

What do you want to learn this year: To Turn 6

Party details to follow.

Visions of Sugar Plums...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our house.  We have been enjoying Christmas music and the old Christmas cartoons at our house.  Tuesday night, we went to my dad's house for dinner and to make ginger bread houses.   The girls enjoyed decorating the houses with Grandpa...

... while Oliver enjoyed torturing the Christmas tree.

 On Wednesday, Melanie's preschool had their Christmas program.  Melanie was an Angel.

Melanie did an amazing job.  She had two lines:

"C is for Christ Child, born Christmas Day.  Asleep in a manger, a bed made of hay."

"O is for offerings from Wise Men, so divine, Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine."

They also sang several beautiful songs to celebrate.  It was wonderful, and she did a great job.  I'm so proud of Melanie.

The Things...

The things I catch the kids doing sometimes just makes me smile.  Monday morning, the girls decided to start wrapping presents for each other.  The girls got into my wrapping paper and tape, and went to town.  I didn't realize they took pictures as well until I uploaded pictures onto my computer today.  This was a fun reminder of their silly and fun personalities (here is one of many pictures that I found).

 You didn't know we lived underwater?  Neither did I... but I was wrong.  It's a good thing Melanie was prepared with goggles and swimming arms!

 Sunday morning was a good day for Santa Pancakes...

 And watching Noelle eat them was hilarious!  I'm not even sure how she got the strawberry jam *in* her nose.  In fact, I'm not sure I want to know! ha!

After being sick literally all week (Monday through Thursday) it was fun to see them at their goofy selves again this afternoon.  Noelle was having fun building tall tall towers out of dad's old QT cups.  And Melanie was excited for the photo opportunity.  We sent this one to dad at work!

 Melanie asked if she could go out back to play (also a good sign that she was feeling better).  I told her yes, but to get dressed.  She came back like this:

 It may be hard to see what the problem is...  look closely at her pants.  Yep!  Those are Oliver's pants.  They fit her just fine too, except the length was just not right.  Too long for shorts, too short for knicker bockers.

If you are wondering where Oliver is in all these pictures... well, he was in my arms.  My little man is extra snuggly when he is sick and has had a hard time letting me put him down.  So, when I do put him down, I see this:

In fact, he got that horrible scratch/bruise on his eye chasing after me when I put him down to clean up Melanie (while she was sick) this week. 

Let's just say, it has been an adventure. :)  Good thing we still have a lot of reasons to smile!  Happy Thursday!

Oliver is 1

Oliver is one!  It's official!  Here is some fun facts about him:

He is 17 lbs, 4 ozs.

He can walk, run, climb, and giggle and do all these faster if he isn't suppose to be doing them.

Oliver loves sloppy joes, corn, beans, and fruit (lots and lots of fruit).

It seems his first word may be banana. 

He has 2 teeth with a bunch on the way.

Oliver refuses to wear shoes.  If I put some on his feet, he shakes his feet, one at a time, while screaming at his foot. 

Oliver is a huge mama's boy. 

I love my little man.  Happy birthday to him!

Sea World Anniversary Celebration

To celebrate 9 years since our family started, we decided to take a trip!  We surprised our kids with a little Sea World adventure.  We even left Oliver sit forward facing.  This was my view looking back at them.  What a fun group of kids I have.

 We did Sea World for 2 days.  The first of which was actually Oliver's birthday.  He LOVED it!  When we got there, this gentleman with a lizard came up to us and showed the kids his "pet".  He told us all about the animal and let the kids pet him.  It was really neat.

 The park was all decorated for the holidays.  They had an area where they made their own snow.  There was ice skating and snow ball fighting in this area (which we actually never visited).  They also had Christmas trees everywhere.  They were beautiful.

 You can't go to Sea World and not see the animals.  We LOVED watching the aquatic animals. 

 

 The sting rays were HUGE!  I think they were use to people feeding them because they would come right up to you.  Personally, I like looking at them more than touching them. Especially when they are so big.  The girls did pet them though.  Oliver preferred to watch.  He is his mom's son!

 See how big that sting ray is that they are standing next to...  That's how big some of them where in the pool.  Crazy, right?

 

The trip was a total success!  We all enjoyed so many things, it's hard to name them.  But, I think Melanie's favorite thing was the dolphins.  Noelle liked the whales.  Oliver seemed to like the fish.  Brandon and I loved the smiles!

Happy Anniversary to us!  (Our actual anniversary was on Thanksgiving this year, which was spent at the house.  It was nice to do something to celebrate though.)

Mantenance MalFunction

So... apparently I have some how hit the limit of "picture space" I am allowed.  I need to move them all about, do the hokey pokey and turn it all about... then I can update everyone on our fun San Diego trip that we just took, and also about my little man, who just had his 12 month wellness visit.  I'd like to include photos of all that, but Google isn't playing nice...

...  So just stay tuned...

We are Thankful...

For New Adventures...

More information to follow later.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Oliver is a Little Man

My little Man had a birthday party.  There was fun food and decorations.

 A photo booth with silly people.

 

 

 

Some of the people did even need props... just the chocolate from their cupcakes.

Speaking of cake, Oliver got one too...

 

And he liked it!  Happy Birthday, Oliver.