Castles and Sledding on a Winter Morn

I love that Kate is a girl and she is ours! I love that she has such a sweet spirit, yet knows what she wants. I love that she enjoys my company. I love that she closes her eyes and folds her hands earnestly when we pray. I love that she has particular ways she likes to arrange all her stuffed animals and dolls. I love that she sings to herself all around the house unashamedly. I love that she wants to build a house for "Belle", for "Lella" (Cinderella) and for "Kate"...correction, she wants to build a "castle, Mommy, castle". So proud of her work fit for a princess!




First sledding experience in the great white arctic...oh wait, this is just our backyard in Michigan! Thanks to Keagan and Emma Semlow for letting us borrow their sled! Soooo much fun!

One of Many New Transitions

I have been explaining to Kate for a few weeks now how she will eventually sleep in her big girl bed and baby brother will sleep in the crib. She has been repeating this to me several times each day. Sooo...today we switched the beds around. Her big girl is set with her heart blanket and pillow (courtesy of Mama Lynn) and baby brother's crib now has his bumper and comforter in place. As an extra visual aid, she placed her baby brother peanut doll in the crib and tucked him in safe and sound.
We read a few books while she was in her new bed and covered up and then I closed the door and waited. I peeked in a few minutes later only to find her back in bed with a book she had grabbed from her shelves. It was too cute to actually reprimand her, so I left her alone and checked back. This time, I caught her out of bed reaching for her another book. When confronted, she had a guilty look on her face, gave me a hug and climbed back into her bed...This time she stayed and this occurred moments later:




Of course, this is just the first nap on the first day of switching her to a toddler bed, but I am claiming success and shouting "hooray" for a great start! Good job Peanut! You are getting so big! Love you!

The Ponytail

So our first successful, non-crying big girl ponytail happened this afternoon. While she was distracted looking out the window, I quickly put Kate's hair up. She wanted to see her big girl ponytail in the mirror and loved it when I showed her how to swish it back and forth "just like mommy".






She managed to keep it up most of the evening at the church's Lego Night (which was a blast) as she played hard with all her little friends (good job to you too, Kaylie, for keeping in your ponytail at night). It is both sad to see our little peanut seem so grown up and yet enjoyable to watch her running around, building tiny block creations, playing/sharing/throwing legos/toppling towers/drenching herself at the drinking fountain with Esther/and so full of life that she won the "Most Energy" award! :o) Thank you, Lord, for this healthy, delightful daughter you are trusting us to raise!

Oh the wonderful Dentist

Little Miss had her first dentist appointment today and did great! She started off on a positive note when we walked into the waiting room and there was a large fish tank with Nemo, Dory, a starfish and tons of bubbles. She was friendly with the dentist and received a bill of great health for her white teeth (along with her goody bag which was full of stickers, toothpaste and a new Pooh Bear toothbrush! She followed this up with a lunch date with her "friends". As you can see everyone enjoyed their clementines, strawberries and pumpkin muffins! She then decorated Frosty, played on the snow piles and created her own little snowman all by herself in the warm sunshine...

Spontaneous late night fun

After a late night at church this past Wednesday, Michael and Kate decided to have a bit of fun in the front yard! We finally had good packing snow allowing for a snowman that was taller than Kate. These two had a blast and were oh so proud of their work!

Welcome home!

So after a wonderful visit to California we were welcomed back home with this face peeking through our back door...Kate obviously found this thrilling! Plus a few things were fixed around the house along with a welcome home gift. Thank you Papa and Grammy!

More on Vaca

Walking on the walls with Papa


Picking greens from the garden with Mama Lynn...Kate loved picking the lettuce, digging in the soil and getting her fingers dirty, a rare and newly acquired passion.


Hair all pulled back for her garden expedition


Watch out for Sheriff Kate at the Gepetto toy shop!


A quick and fun, but rather unsuccessful jaunt to Las Olas, a seaside Mexican restaurant in Cardiff, rumored by some to have the worlds finest guacamole. We went specifically to purchase a ginormous order of guac for a certain friend (whose identity shall remain a mystery), but to our dismay found that the wonderful freshness of this worlds finest guacamole would not survive the trip all the way to Michigan. So alas, we turned and went our merry way, disappointed only to have our great plan thwarted, but joyous that our faces were in the warm sunshine as we drove down the breathtaking coast and laughed that we were so silly.


Late night ice cream with Papa...yummy!

posing a sweater from Myles...if she doesn't look thrilled it is only because it is 4:30 AM to her as I got her dressed for church this morning. She warmed up as usual once breakfast was in her belly.

Disneyland Adventure

So on February 9, 2010 Kate made her first trip to Disneyland...one of the bonuses was that Michael and I were able to go for free thanks to the Disney Give A Day Get A Day volunteer program! We all had a blast, especially watching Kate's face light up when she saw the characters, look in pure and utter amazement during It's A Small World and the shrieks of delight on the Jungle Cruise! Although it rained on and off the entire day (you will notice Michael and I sporting our fancy Disney ponchos as you scroll along), it worked to our advantage with the small crowds and incredibly short lines...5 minute wait for everything! What a fun-filled family day, just the three of us (for the time being), on a Disney adventure...I wish for many more to come!

We started of the day right with breakfast of smoothies and oatmeal at Jamba Juice; a local smoothie joint that we single-handedly keep in business when visiting.


Shaking Minnie's hand goodbye


Lovin' on Goofy


Self portrait


Sitting on Dumbo ride...Kate repeatedly said "cheese" that day, always distracted by something else and not looking at the camera...


WEEEEEEEE!!!!



Ponchos and Umbrellas


It's a Small World After All



Minnie's Bedroom


Hugs for Mickey Mouse


Chip and Dale's Treehouse


Lunch time


Indiana Jones Ride


Naptime! I honestly did not think this would happen. She never falls asleep in her stroller these days. Guess we wore her out.


Tigger with Eeyore shortly to follow


Jungle Cruise



She was so well behaved in the stores. With arms full of stuffed characters that were being switched out as she discovered more and more...When it was time to leave she calmly set them down, said goodnight to the animals and we left without any tears!

Gotta love those Minnie ears!