5th Birthday Shopping

I'm late and playing catch up yet again...

Back on Arabella's Birthday (12.31.13) we made our annual trip to the toy store so she could pick her gift out. This year, Ariel was the big winner.

Christmas Morning 2013

It's amazing to see how much the kids have grown this past year. They have both grown in size, educationally as well as emotionally.

Christmas Morning 2012

Scoping out their stockings and gifts left by Santa

Santa left wooden toy projects for them as well as a lot of games for family game night!

They stopped for two seconds to pose with Daddy.

New hats all around! I had Sissy's hat made by a local crafter (Wise Owl Creations). And Bubba received a reversible "Enja Turtle" hat.

She wasn't thrilled about a box of Ziploc bags...until Daddy opened the box for her.

He's in love with his new talking Mike toy.

At the end of the morning the kid were thrilled with what they received, but the looks on their faces as they open each gift is what I will remember most. Emotionally excited, honestly thrilled, overjoyed, they just melted my heart. It's the moments we spend together that matter more than any of the gifts they found under the tree.

P.s. Stay tuned for MORE Christmas photos the next few days. It's going to take me a bit. :P

Christmas Eve 2013

Purchased from: www.treasuredornaments.com

If you've followed my blog for any length of time you know that we have a family tradition of taking the children to the local Hallmark before Christmas and they pick out a new ornament for that year. In turn I also capture a picture of each ornament for my own sake. :)

So on Christmas Eve we tuck the kids in bed and out comes my camera. I must say after having set my camera down for a while, I felt a little rusty. But I'm still all too happy to capture the new additions and before you knew it I turned around and Santa had stopped by.

One of our newer traditions; Each child's gifts are wrapped in one pattern of paper, eliminating the use of name tags and they don't know until Christmas morning which gifts are theirs.

Adam and I's new ornament

Arabella's Ariel Ornament

Evan's new talking Buzz Lightyear

The December Mama's held an ornament exchange and it was quite frankly one of the most fun things I've done in a while. The object was to find an ornament that fit the person you were given, which was done randomly via a website. Kathy nailed me to a T; I love photography and running. I was honestly soooooo happy about the photographer ornament because I have never had anything with my name on it growing up because, well, Bobbi isn't exactly "common" among manufacturers standards.

SANTA CAME!!!!

Santa left some fun goodies; a few small toys, some M&M ornaments, Annie's fruit snacks and a wooden vehicle to put together with Daddy. Stay tuned for more Christmas photos...

Bobbi

Fire Station Visit

I accompanied Arabella's class on a quick walk to the fire station close to her school. They received an awesome tour by the firefighters.  Of course it wound up in a ten minute session of "how do you get cats out of trees" even after they explained that they leave a can of tuna at the base of the tree and the cat will come down on his own and eat it. The kids had fun and I enjoyed being able to go with her class.

Bubba's New Belt

A lot of hard work, and some tough love, have lead Evan to receive a new belt. I enjoy seeing him improve, and shake my head a lot when his immaturity shows, but he is three after all. We get a lot of giggles out of the Tiny Champs class, for certain. Now it's time for him to show he can be a leader and strive to do better in class. :)

Removal of his first belt.

The new belt.

Bowing out of class.

Evan & Chief Instructor, Mr. Siley

Random Act of Kindness

Friday while out to lunch, an elderly lady approached our table as we dined. Evan was behaving rather well as Arabella was attending school. Apparently she felt that his behavior deserved a reward and handed him a "shiny new coin." Evan immediately perked up and said "oh look, a shiny penny!" We quickly corrected him, as it is a dollar after all. He then thanked her for the kind gift and she asked if he had a bank to put it in. He of course replied with a hearty "I have a piggy bank. I give him piggy food." We all giggled and the kind lady departed.

It was such a sweet gesture, and one that Adam & I won't soon forget. Evan held up his part of the bargain and immediately upon returning home "fed the piggy."

Crafts

Arabella has a love of all things crafty, kind of like her Mama. So it's no surprise that her teacher always tells us when they have their choice of free play, she rocks the crafts table. Yesterday she made this amazing domino necklace and her teacher said that she showed a lot of patience in her ability to wait until after school to wear it. They didn't want it to get accidentally broken at recess because she knew it would break Arabella's heart.

She is so proud of this necklace and I can't say that I blame her. She loves jewelry and what's better than making it yourself?

New Stripe