Elena's Fairy Party

It took us about a month after Elena's birthday to get a party thrown. It's a little trickier to find a day now that she's in school. But thanks to the Presidents, we had it last Monday. I've known since October that she wanted a fairy party, so I've had time to collect things for the day, despite not knowing when it would be. So here are the pics in no particular order.

The girls sprinkled "pixie dust" on their cupcakes before eating them.

Present time! Long story short there was just one present there to open, which all the kids could not get their mind wrapped around, "Where are the other presents?"; "WAIT, THERE'S ONLY ONE PRESENT?!?!" Elena didn't care though :)

Mace and Char Char made it! My mom was a big help getting the girls dressed up and keeping the little brothers entertained.

"One of these things is not like the other, one of things just doesn't belong..." Normally, Evan won't go near anything "girly'', but apparently the only thing worse than wearing glittery fairy wings is being the only one not wearing glittery fairy wings.

Love these girls!

They decorated frames

We played a game where the girls had to gather specific flowers from around the yard to make a bouquet identical to the example.

Elena - 6 Years Old

Six years old! Hmm, let's see what's new about you on this birthday.

You are becoming more sensitive to others' opinion of you. It's very difficult for you if you feel like you've disappointed or angered another adult (but you can get over it pretty quickly if it's your own parents, hehe).

I think because of your concern about how you're viewed by others you've become pretty shy when introduced to someone, but when around those you know, you're fine. You happily and loudly greet your bus driver in the morning with, "Good Morning, Miss Gerda!" (Which brings a big grin to her face).

You are loving school. You have "bad days" (announced in tears) if your folder is signed by your teacher, if your class gets only a ranking of 3 out of 5 in the cafeteria, or if your teacher gives a class-wide scolding.

Your New Year's resolution made at school was to "practice the monkey bars." A few weeks later you came home proudly announcing that you did them all by yourself. Your determination paid off!

I've always described you as "fearless." Like I mentioned earlier, I'm seeing a crack in that shell when it comes to conversing with others, but as far as physical stunts, you've still got it. The other day we were at a friend's home and you were playing with the other kids there. At some point another adult came to me to let me know that you were leaping off the edge of a crib and grabbing the ceiling fan cord on your way to the ground to turn the light on and off. You had the other children there very entertained, but I was horrified!

You had some blood work done recently to test for food allergies and you were as tough as nails. You were excited to get your "blood works" (said that way I believe because you confuse it with an art place called "Artworks") done, and shed not a tear during the process.

You spot web addresses everywhere, and want to look each and every one up. You've found the website for your favorite cereal, play dough, a book series you love, and your twinkle toe shoes to name a few.

You continue to be a fantastic reader, and soak up everything you're learning. I'm getting pretty surprised at the level of detail you will remember things.

The early wake-up time for school (6:30) has left you tired enough to usually sleep through the night without waking up and watching tv. But every now and then it still happens if we don't hide the remotes.

You want to be able to babysit and have a new enjoyment for infants. You love your new little niece, Jane!

We realized you can't be trusted with a lunch money account at school. The school has a system where parents can electronically fund an account and the student can draw on that account by simply walking through the lunch line and giving their name to the cashier. We set one up for an occasional lunch, but after doing so, we soon received an email letting us know that your account was low on funds. When we pulled up a purchase report online, we realized you had been helping yourself to an ice cream cup on a daily basis.

You love God and regularly write about obeying Him at school. I'm hoping your desire to obey Him will encourage a love of truth telling!

We love the years we've had with you! You are the daughter God chose for us and we're so glad He did!

On Her Birthday

So on her big day... she was sick. But not sick enough for me to keep her home missing her official class picture or celebrating with her class. So off she went!

I showed up at school with two dozen homemade cupcakes at the designated party time. That's when I found out homemade goods are a "no-no." Oh great!

That evening we opened presents from family and she opened her big one from us, a bike! We figured it was time to retire her tricycle ;).

Halloween Night

Our awesome friends opened up their home (or front yard) again this year. Everyone gathered for some frito pie and then went around trick or treating. I was so excited to have our kids all dressed as characters that relate to one another (Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach). I thought had everyone on board with the costumes prior to ordering them, but at some point after the purchase, Evan remembered that it was his life long dream to be Spiderman. So as we awaited Halloween and people asked Evan what he was going to be, he would reply with a sob-story of how his mom was ruining his life by making him be Mario, when all he ever wanted to be was Spiderman. But despite the protests leading up to the day, he was thrilled to get in his costume when the time came, and surprisingly loved his mustache.

I think they all looked adorable.

Mario and a little cowgirl having a convo

COW CROSSING!

Our little Luigi was a champ at wearing his hat.. he hung out with Minnie Mouse most of the night.

Sweet girls!

Evan found a way to slide food in his mouth under that mustache.

Thank goodness Batman was there...

They just get each other :)

Look!! Jedi Knights are on their way!!

Picking out our Pumpkin

With Elena in school and Ben being gone for a couple weekends our family did not make it out to a pumpkin patch together this year... but thank goodness for HEB!

Yea, that pumpkin didn't make it... thud!

Love these kiddos!

Evan - 4 Years

I really don't think Evan will ever outgrow being cute (at least to me!!!)! There's just something about the way he interprets life - still so innocent, sweet, and imaginative! There's a lot of little conversations in this list; I can't help myself. I find them so entertaining!

- Evan is so drawn to any sort of action hero - the character is irrelevant, it just has to look "powerful".

- In September he began going to a day-school two days a week. For some reason he came home from his first day saying, "He can't tell us what he did, because it's just a secret." HUH??? I thought he'd get tired of that line, but he still gives it to us anytime we snoop.

Me: "Did you like the snack?"

E: "Mom, everything I do at school is just a secret."

Me: "Oh Evan, is that song you're singing from school?"

E: "Yes, but I can't sing it anymore, it's just a secret!"

Me: "Evan, your teacher said you demonstrated 'stop, drop and roll' during the fireman's visit!?"

E: "Mom, it's JUST A SECRET!"

- Evan is lacking some coloring skills. I think Asher's pages are now looking a more full than his. He picks one color, does a light scribble, and calls it done.

- He's the most eager and pleasant in the house to say, "good morning". He's often laying at the top of the stairs waiting for Ben or myself to come out of our room. The dialogue is usually

E: "Good Morning Daddy/Mommy!" "Is it morning??"

Us (eyes barely open): "Yea."

E: "YESSS!"

The enthusiasm is a little much for me at that hour.

- He wants to open the door to the fridge for me, and again when I put the item back. He sighs dramatically and says, "I just wanted to do something good."

- He will now sit down and do some activities (specifically to help with fine motor skills), and his attention and concentration has really come a long ways! The other day we had a funny exchange as he was finishing a puzzle.

E: "Mom, are you so proud of me?"

Me: "Yes, Evan I am.

E: "YOU ARE??!!" (He couldn't have sounded more shocked if I had told him I dined with Superman for breakfast)

- The list is short of things Evan fears: Haircuts, New Foods, ... and I think that's it. New places and faces are so fun for him.

- Evan has started going to Cubbies (part of the AWANA program). I am really, REALLY surprised at how well he is memorizing the verses. And he loves his Cubbie book. The Cubbie character is a little bear, and there's a picture of him on each page near the page number. He will sit and talk to the little picture of Cubbie (I do a voice, to talk back), and tell the bear all about his birthday party, cool toys he saw at Target, etc... he feels a deep bond with Cubbie.

- He loves Elena by tolerating her constant instruction to him, and he loves Asher by giving him autonomy in his play; he's the perfect middle child.

- His voice can get so LOUD! He can't seem to help it sometimes.

- Evan was telling my friend about how he got a cut on his foot.

Sarah: "Oh, bless your heart!"

E: No, no! My heart doesn't hurt, just my foot!

Here's a couple pictures from his birthday - his party is still to come!

Elena and her FIRST LOOSE TOOTH!

Guys, this is a big deal. And if you don't think so just keep reading...

After the first week of school Elena ran into the house exclaiming that a boy in her class LOST A TOOTH! Elena was beyond excited that this was happening to someone she knew and immediately was consumed with the hope that her tooth would be next.

She started asking me when she could lose a tooth. To which I answered, "Well, I don't know when that will happen. Only God would know that."

That answer bothered her. The idea that neither she (nor her parents) had any control over something so important in her life, was not one she was comfortable with.

I reminded her that God knows everything about her. God loves her. And because of those two things, the time he picks for her tooth to fall out will be the right time.

Over the next couple weeks she prayed that God would let her lose a tooth, she read story books on the subject, and asked around school trying to find out more info on this "tooth fairy" character. :)

Well, a few nights ago, Ben was talking to her and noticed that one of her bottom front teeth was sticking out a little. He asked if he could feel it, and sure enough, it wiggled!

When Ben told her that tooth was loose, her eyes widened, she burst into a grin, and her eyes filled with tears. She was so overjoyed she cried, or as she put it later, "I was so excited my eyes got wet!"

What's most beautiful to me about her reaction to the news, was that she immediately saw it as a gift from God. She began talking about how God had answered her prayers. And as she went to bed that night, she sang. Yep, she sang praises to the Lord! Specifically ,"Praise Him, Praise Him!"; and at the bus stop the next morning, "God is So Good."

I love this story. I love that God was so good and DID give her a loose tooth so soon. I love that she was uninhibited with her praise to Him. I love that once again my children are a reminder to me to recognize God working in my life.

Now Ben and I are trying to figure out the going rate for teeth. Quarter too low??