Thursday, December 31, 2009
A Very Merry Christmas
Here are the girls making the annual batch of sugar cookies. This is usually only an annual event because it is such a hassle! So many things have to be done at the same time and it stresses me out. But the girls loved it and I loved the results (trust me...I ate more than my fair share!)
We bought a gingerbread house kit for the first time this year and the girls had a lot of fun putting it together. I thought it would make a lovely display for the holiday season but it only lasted one day before Abbie couldn't take it any longer and started eating it.
Christmas morning highlights included a Nintendo DS for Carly and Abbie, an over the range microwave for Drew and Wendy and a water baby for Savannah.
Savannah with her baby. She is a very good Mommy. She has also started saying "baby" very clearly in the last couple of weeks and it is so cute. We love her sweet little voice!The girls also each got a Zhu Zhu pet. Santa must have gotten caught up in the frenzy of the retail world this year...after all, those little babies were hard to find!
And in parting I leave you with a snipet of the Maxfield family Christmas Eve celebration of playing Lego Rock Band. What a talented group!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Disneyland & Halloween
Our family in the must-have photo location for Halloween time. One of my favorite parts was that you could go and meet the Disney villains in addition to the usual characters and princesses. We saw Jafar, the Queen of Hearts, the hag from Snow White, the Queen from Snow White and Captain Hook.
We had a great time with Drew's family. I'm hoping it does not spoil the girls too much that we went two years in a row. I've told them several times that we will not be going again next year and that we are very lucky to have been able to go with the Maxfield family this year.
I love this picture! Drew had been testing out his mask with Savannah for a couple of days and she would never go to him when he was wearing it. She did get to the point, however, that she would push his nose in. I guess that was her way of tell that Big Bad Wolf that he wasn't so tough!
Monday, October 12, 2009
We have a 7-year-old!
With this cake I also decided that I ought to try and make it tasty too. Usually it is just a store cake mix and I focus all my attention on the outward appearance. So Carly's cake was chocolate pudding cake with cream cheese and raspberry filling covered with a THICK layer of yummy chocolate buttercream. Delicious if I do say so myself!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Something's missing and television debut
After weeks, possibly months, of wiggling and wriggling Carly finally lost her first tooth! She was so excited. She kept asking how it was going to fall out and Drew would tell her that she needed to push and pull on it until she heard snapping and it hurt. I always quickly jumped in and told her that that was not necessary and the tooth would come out when it was ready. By the end of last week it was getting ridiculously loose (wasn't even sitting straight in her mouth anymore) so I recommended that she eat an apple. Sure enough, a couple of bites into it she exclaimed "My tooth just came out!" She proudly displayed her bloody little fingertip but there was no tooth. "Where is the tooth?" I asked. "Oh it fell out on the carpet somewhere," she responded rather nonchalantly. Luckily Drew found the tooth. So we were going to tuck the tooth into a little pouch to put under her pillow that night but got too busy and forgot. Fortunately she had put the tooth in an empty mason jar on the kitchen table for safe keeping so Drew suggested that the "Tooth Fairy" just leave the money there. The next morning Carly was pleased and surprised to find a dollar in the jar instead of her tooth. She later told us "I think I heard a jar opening last night" which of course was not true because she was sound asleep but I thought it was kind of funny anyway.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Music!
As per usual, I am about two years behind when it comes to technology and have just gotten around to creating a playlist. This means (for any of you further behind than me) that you get to listen to some fab tunes whenever you read this blog. So enjoy!
And here's a quick tip for any of you struggling with storage space as we do around here. I just went to Wal-Mart this weekend and bought a few low-profile boxes to put toys in and store under the girls' beds. I know that some of you may already be utilizing this often overlooked space but if not than I highly recommend it. Now the shelves in the toy room are only moderately crowded. (sigh of relief)
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
The Big 5 and Back to School
Abbie has had absolutely no reservations about going to kindergarten. She has been excited from the start. I'm glad that she has Carly to ride the bus with her in the mornings. It's nice to have a big sister to look out for you....I speak from experience! :) (Thanks Rachelle for letting me sit on your lap on the bus ride home so many days. I know my "butt was bony." That's love.) Since Abbie's birthday was the first week of school she gets to be the student of the week this week. We made a poster with all her favorites that she got to present to her class and she gets to do all sorts of other fun activities this week.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Giving up!
And secondly I am giving up shopping. At least shopping with this little monster:
Sure, she looks sweet enough. But in the recent weeks Savannah has taken up the habit of impersonating a screech owl. She makes the most ear-splitting, blood-curdling screams you have ever heard from a creature as small as she. She seems to be at the top of her game in a shopping and/or church situation. Today I went to three stores and found myself cupping my hand over her mouth so many times that we had to eventually just give up and leave them all. So Savannah my love, I hope you have enjoyed your time out of hte house to this point because I'm not sure how much more of the outside world you will get to see until we can break you of this habit!
And my parting shot today is of little Abbie. This picture was taken just a few minutes ago after we discussed the fact that she is far too old to be throwing one major tantrum every day and it has to stop or she will back on a daily napping schedule. What do you think? Will she hold up her end of the bargain?
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Weddings, birthdays & other assorted celebrations
The Olsen's: My mom, sister Rachelle, brother Ryan, moi & Daddy-O
Last, but certainly not least, my baby turned ONE! The poor little thing was slightly sick and spent most of the day in bed napping but was very happy for the party. She was actually quite good at opening presents, especially the bagged ones. Her cake was an over-six-hours-of-working-on-the-dumb-thing disaster so it will be not be pictured here. Mostly because my hand was too busy holding it up from falling over rather than taking pictures. But it seemed to taste okay and Savannah enjoyed it one little pinchful at a time. She is so sweet. Happy Birthday baby!
Isn't she beautiful?
And for my parting shot, I leave you with the image of a Barbie house that I picked up at a yard sale this weekend for a mere $15. I realize that it doesn't look like much now and it is a terrible picture (I am as we speak brushing off the insullation all over my back from leaning against the laundry room wall in an effort to obtain this picture poor as it may be), this is my new project that I can't wait to get started on! Hopefully it will be ultra fabulous in time for Abbie's birthday (please don't show this blog to Abbie as it is a surprise) and I will post the new and improved photos when that comes to pass. Unit then...au revoir!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Easter Dresses
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Another Quotable Quote
Thursday, January 15, 2009
A new year...A new look!
Not much is happening around our house. Carly and Abbie are glad to be back in school and Savannah has discovered a new favorite toy...the wipe package. It just makes such fascinating crackling noises!
Savannah and Bullseye intently watching the latest episode of "Man vs. Wild" with Mommy and Daddy. Did he really just eat that spider? Ugh!
Carly reading "It is Ann." These may not be the most well-written books but they seem to be doing the trick. Carly has learned to read so many words now and is doing really well.