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| Big Slide |
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| Climbing |
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| Playing baseball |
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| Love this picture and this sweet boy! |
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| Love this picture and this sweet girl! |
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| Obstacke course |
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| squeezing through |
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| Climbing the wall |
Monday, March 19, 2012
Bounce
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Bulldozer fun
While we were having the driveway done, the constrcution crew left a mini bulldozer at the house and told Matt he could use it to smooth out the dirt in the back yard if he wanted. Well, that was a no brainer!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Driveway Project
Matt and I have never really loved our driveway. It has a weird curve that it doesn't appear to need given our neighbors straight driveways. It was really narrow and there was no additional parking pad up top. In order for Matt's truck to make it in the garage, he had to drive off our driveway just to get the right angle. But what really made us bite the bullet and get it widened was the winter of 2011 when his truck slid off the top of our driveway and was dangling on 3 wheels. Our neighbor came with his hummer and despite all his efforts, he was still unable to pull matt's truck back up on the driveway. He was however, able to pull him down the side yard safely. So, we decided at that time that a little driveway/retaining wall project was needed. WE LOVE IT!!!! It will be so much nicer when friends and family come to visit.
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| before |
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| Before |
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| Before |
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| During |
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| During |
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| After |
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| Loving the extra room |
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Celebrating 5 with Ella Catherine
I cannot believe that Ella Catherine is already 5 years old.
I remember hardly sleeping a wink the night of 3/4/07 knowing that the next morning I was going to the hospital to be induced. I also remember her delivery and the doctor and nurses congratulating us on our new baby girl. In that moment, our lives were forever changed for the better. Ella Catherine you are our dream come true. You make our lives better every day. You have such a kind and giving heart. We are so very proud to be your parents. We are so blessed that God gave you to us.
Matt and I decided to take 3/5/12 off work to have a fun day with our little girl. She was so excited that it was just going to be the 3 of us having fun for the day. We started off the day going to the Second harvest food bank. You see instead of birthday gifts this year, Ella Catherine asked that her friends bring a donation for the second harvest food bank. She wanted to give food for the little kids that didn't have enough to eat. So we started off the day letting her drop off her donation. Thanks to all her friends she was able to donate enough food/monetary donations to feed 139 people.
Next we were off to the IMAX theater to watch the Lorax in 3D. We got the largest popcorn and drink I have ever seen and then put on our glasses and enjoyed the movie. I only wish the pictures in the theater came out but it was too dark. The popcorn bucket was almost bigger than her. :)
Very cute movie with a good message.
After the movie, we went next door to Dave and Busters and let her play some games. We all had a great time. It was so fun watching her get so excited about the tickets. Even more fun watching her try to decide what to buy with all her tickets. Matt and I had to keep reminding her that she was to spend her tickets on herself not on Carter. In the end, she bought 3 balls and 2 dinosaurs(which she gave to Carter :) ). She has such a sweet heart.
We ended the day with a trip to the park after we picked Carter up from school. We played tag. They climbed all over the play set and had a great time swinging. They had a tire swing and they climbed in together and wanted us to push them. Matt got them twisting a little too much and they both got dizzy and a little queezy. We stayed at the park sitting a minute to make sure they were feeling better, but obviously didn't stay quite long enough. They both got sick in the car on the ride home. All fun and games until someone throws up. :) Luckily, it was short lived and once we got them cleaned up they were good as new.
I remember hardly sleeping a wink the night of 3/4/07 knowing that the next morning I was going to the hospital to be induced. I also remember her delivery and the doctor and nurses congratulating us on our new baby girl. In that moment, our lives were forever changed for the better. Ella Catherine you are our dream come true. You make our lives better every day. You have such a kind and giving heart. We are so very proud to be your parents. We are so blessed that God gave you to us.
Matt and I decided to take 3/5/12 off work to have a fun day with our little girl. She was so excited that it was just going to be the 3 of us having fun for the day. We started off the day going to the Second harvest food bank. You see instead of birthday gifts this year, Ella Catherine asked that her friends bring a donation for the second harvest food bank. She wanted to give food for the little kids that didn't have enough to eat. So we started off the day letting her drop off her donation. Thanks to all her friends she was able to donate enough food/monetary donations to feed 139 people.
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| Carrying in her donation with daddy |
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| Getting a little heavy |
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| Signing in and getting donation weighed |
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| Adding her donation in the bins |
Next we were off to the IMAX theater to watch the Lorax in 3D. We got the largest popcorn and drink I have ever seen and then put on our glasses and enjoyed the movie. I only wish the pictures in the theater came out but it was too dark. The popcorn bucket was almost bigger than her. :)
Very cute movie with a good message.
After the movie, we went next door to Dave and Busters and let her play some games. We all had a great time. It was so fun watching her get so excited about the tickets. Even more fun watching her try to decide what to buy with all her tickets. Matt and I had to keep reminding her that she was to spend her tickets on herself not on Carter. In the end, she bought 3 balls and 2 dinosaurs(which she gave to Carter :) ). She has such a sweet heart.
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| Matt showing her how to play skee ball |
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| Her turn. Note all the tickets mom is already holding |
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| Frogger |
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| Coin game- game of strategy |
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| WOO HOO! Strategy worked. Don't know who is more excited her or daddy |
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| Moving numbers game |
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| Birthday girl with all her tickets |
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| A happy birthday girl with some new prizes |
We ended the day with a trip to the park after we picked Carter up from school. We played tag. They climbed all over the play set and had a great time swinging. They had a tire swing and they climbed in together and wanted us to push them. Matt got them twisting a little too much and they both got dizzy and a little queezy. We stayed at the park sitting a minute to make sure they were feeling better, but obviously didn't stay quite long enough. They both got sick in the car on the ride home. All fun and games until someone throws up. :) Luckily, it was short lived and once we got them cleaned up they were good as new.
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Monday, March 5, 2012
One Whole Hand
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| 5 years old!! |
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| Carter not up for participating |
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| Bribed with a jelly bean he put a little more effort into it |
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Annual Father Daughter picture
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| Annual Father Daughter birthday picture |
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| Look how tall she has gotten. WOW! |
Barbie party
Ella Catherine had a fun filled LONG weekend celebrating her birthday. It started Friday(3/2/12) with her school birthday party. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of this event as it was cut short by severe tornado warnings. Her class had been celebrating Dr. Seuss all week by reading different books and making different crafts, like blue goo and thing one and thing two from their hand prints. The week was toped off with a pajama party on Friday. So, we decided to go along with the theme and make thing one and thing two cupcakes (thanks to pinterest). Unfortunately, the assembly had to be done at daycare otherwise the blue cotton candy used for their hair would melt. Well, we decided to give them the cupcakes early (with lunch instead of after nap) because the storms were coming and a lot of kids were being picked up early. So, in all the rush I didn't get pictures, but believe me they were super cute.
Saturday (3/3/12) afternoon we had a Barbie party at our house. About 11 of Ella Catherine's friends were able to make it. Thankfully the bad weather was gone and it was a beautiful afternoon. The party started with the kids playing dress up and goofing around the house. Once everyone showed up, we started the games. We played Freeze, Hot potato and pin the hat on Ella Catherine ( a picture). Since it was so pretty outside the kids went out and enjoyed the playset for a while before coming in for cupcakes, ice cream and cake pops. Ella Catherine had a great time and I think the rest of the kids did too. Matt did a wonderful job as game master. The pictures below are courtesy of the party photographer, Nana. We have a great video thanks to our videographer, Pop. Let us not forget our wonderful Au Pair, Mimi (she helped get the smaller kids involved and helped us keep tears to a minimum). Thanks to great teamwork, our little princess had a great day.
Saturday (3/3/12) afternoon we had a Barbie party at our house. About 11 of Ella Catherine's friends were able to make it. Thankfully the bad weather was gone and it was a beautiful afternoon. The party started with the kids playing dress up and goofing around the house. Once everyone showed up, we started the games. We played Freeze, Hot potato and pin the hat on Ella Catherine ( a picture). Since it was so pretty outside the kids went out and enjoyed the playset for a while before coming in for cupcakes, ice cream and cake pops. Ella Catherine had a great time and I think the rest of the kids did too. Matt did a wonderful job as game master. The pictures below are courtesy of the party photographer, Nana. We have a great video thanks to our videographer, Pop. Let us not forget our wonderful Au Pair, Mimi (she helped get the smaller kids involved and helped us keep tears to a minimum). Thanks to great teamwork, our little princess had a great day.
Sunday (3/4/12) TPAC was showing the Disney Princess musical. It featured 3 of the princess fairytales snow white, cinderella and beauty and the beast. As a birthday surprise, Nana, Mimi and I took Ella Catherine to see the show. It was a great show and it was so much fun watching her so enthralled with it all. Wonderful weekend making memories!!  |
| The morning of the party. Dining room transformed into a Barbie party room |
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| Ella Catherine asked for chocolate cupcakes with pink polka dots and mom tried to deliver |
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| Of course, we also had to have some cake pops! Not a single one survived the party. :) |
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| Ella Catherine's door sign for her Party |
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| The Birthday princess ready for her party |
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| Besties |
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| Girl's at play |
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| Playing dress up |
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| Getting ready for the games to start |
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| Freeze: Dance Dance Dance until the music stops and then freeze. If you are stilll moving you are out. Ella Catherine and Jailynn were the last two dancing. |
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| Hot potato: Pass the been bag and when the music stops if you are caught holding it your out. Ilan and McKenna were the last two for this game. |
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| Outdoor play while we set up the last game. The kids loved showing everyone their playset |
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| Carter was in heaven playing with the big kids |
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| Last game was pin the hat on Ella Catherine: Kids loved it! I am suspect their was a little peeking going on but they did well. |
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| Time for cupcakes, ice cream and cake pops |
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| Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Ella Catherine, Happy Birthday to you! |
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