Macey's Birthday = Family Fun Day!

February 15:  We decided several years ago that we would let the kids have a friend birthday party for their even numbered birthdays--this year Macey turned 4 so it was her turn for a party!  When we started talking about party ideas, there wasn't anything she was really excited about it (or any certain friends she really wanted to come).  I was also a bit overwhelmed at the idea of lots of new barbies/babies/etc...  After much discussion Marc came up with idea of doing a BIG family fun day--letting her choose several fun things to do and someplace special to eat dinner (and still spending less than we would have on a birthday party.  We had fun planning her day.  We tried a couple new places and we took Grandma Janet and Aunt NeeNee with us.  We were exhausted by day's end but we really packed in the fun!  Here's what we did:

 

Started the day with Dunkin Donuts:

Pink Sprinkles for the birthday girl... and FOUR candles!



She got to open her 4 year-old book "I Love You Through and Through"

Kinnick's Basketball Game

                                    

 

Jump Zone:

 

Lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings (and the Iowa Game!):

 

Cupcakeologist:

We got to make our own cupcake creations!  Choose the flavor, the frosting, and the toppings...

 

Family Fun Zone... Roller Skating, Arcade Games, & Lazer Tag:

It was great having Grandma to watch Carver for us!

Macey skated her heart out--she LOVED it so much! 

 

 

We ended our day at home with Panda Express and a movie night...  We had such a great fun-packed day.  I'm glad every day isn't like this, but I'm also thrilled to celebrate this special little girl.  We love you Macey!

Valentine's Day 2014

I'm very proud of myself for two reasons (pertaining to school Valentine's):

1--I let Sadie do her own thing in regards to her box and to her Valentine cards (meaning no suggestions from me, just her own creative freedom).

2--We had her box and her cards done several days early!!

 

Sadie cannot take any kind of candy to school for valentines so I helped her search pinterest for some non-candy ideas.  She is obsessed with Oriental Trading magazine so she also searched that cover to cover.  After much debate, she decided to choose valentine yo-yo's.  We ordered the yo-yos and I helped her design valentine's on the computer and we printed them on card stock.  (She was very opinionated during this process and wanted the girl cards and boy cards to be different!)  She decorated her valentine box entirely by herself  using a shoebox and LOTS of art supplies.  I'm sad that I forgot to take her picture with it, it was quite the masterpiece!  She was so proud of it, she kept saying "The kids at school think my box is so cool.  They can't believe how much stuff I put on it."  (Sadie does not have the philosophy, less is more... with anything!) 

 



My friend Michelle and I decorated cookies for our Moppet volunteers...  (with some ideas from my sister!)

February 14:  I loved that Valentine's Day was a Friday this year.  I love Fridays :)  We started our day with heart shaped red pancakes and eggs with valentine sprinkles.

After we took Sadie to school, the 3 littles and I spent the day running errands:  post office, Wal-Mart, Michaels, and 3 stops for lunch:  Chipotle, Culver's, and McDonald's.  I asked Marc if he would come home for a Valentine lunch with me.  I let the kids eat cheeseburgers and then I got Marc his favorites--a steak burrito from Chipotle, family size cheesecurds from Culver's, and Mt. Dew (we shared!)   I also made him reeses pieces brownies.  He came home for a late lunch and stayed with the kids while I went to help with Sadie's party at school. 

 

I love to celebrate Valentine's Day as a family and I love to get the kids new books.  This year we decided to have a family Barnes and Nobel date... Marc's mom and sister joined us for the evening.  We had fun exploring books and doing some reading in the store.  (This just might become a new Valentine tradition!)   

 

Macey chose "Little Red Riding Hood", Kinnick choose a Lego Movie Activity book, and Sadie choose "Isabelle" (the newest American Girl Doll of the year.)

On our way home, we picked up heart-shaped pizzas...

 I love celebrating my favorite people!

January Miscellaneous

January 4:  Watching Frozen!

 

January 5-9:  Marc and I did a cleanse--this is mostly what we ate!  It was hard but it was a great way to kick-start some weight lose for this year!

 

January 6:  Carver's 6 month check-up was on the first "polar vortex" day of the year!  We braved the cold (and Sadie got lots of attention wearing her new scrubs!)

 

January 6:  Snow Ice Cream!

 

January 12:  Our first time out to Mexican with the kids!

 

We enjoyed some games during the COLD weather...

 

 

January 18:  ANOTHER cold snowy day... but we braved the weather to take Sadie to a gymnastics birthday party.

 

January 21--24:  Carver had bronchitis so we spent a week at home watching movies and staying warm.  Sadie was able to get him giggling for this picture, but these breathing treatments (4x per day) were not fun!  Lots of tears...

 

January 30:  We switched this big boy to his new car seat (still rear facing).  It took a bit getting used to (with not being able to carry the car seat into places) but we are using the stroller a lot and now that it is finally warming up we love the new seat! 

Daddy Daughter Dance

January 23:  Sadie picked out this dress way back in September when we were doing some back-to-school shopping.  I told her I would think about it and then went back and got the dress as a surprise.  She kept asking me about shopping for a dress for the dance and I kept putting it off.  I let her open this dress the morning of the dance--she was very excited.  She wears it all the time to do shows for us and she can't wait until it is warm enough to wear to church.  It was fun playing "dress-up" with her!  My friend Lisa did her hair for me.  Marc took her to McDonalds before the dance--they had a fun night...

 

The rest of us went to Kinnick's basketball practice.  I was fully planning on coming home for dinner but at the last minute decided to stop at subway for $5 foot long subs.  Sadie does not like lunch meat sandwiches but Macey & Kinnick do--they LOVED going to Subway.  The three of us shared a foot long (and carver got some bites too!)  I'm looking forward to more subway dates with these two!

Disney On Ice

January 22nd:  When Sadie was four we went with her friend Mikenna to Disney on Ice.  It was so much fun--I knew I wanted to take Macey too.  I ordered tickets for us to go together as a special Macey-Mommy date.  She got this Minnie outfit for Christmas, so she had to wear it!

The night of the show was not great weather but we braved it.  I tried to leave as early as possible but it was stressful trying to get their on time while going slow on the icy roads.  I made a mental note not to pre-order tickets for an evening event in the month of January again in the future!  We made it safely (and our drive home was much easier!).  By the time we rushed to our seats, we were about 5 minutes late--we missed part of the first song but Macey didn't mind.

During intermission I let Macey pick a souvenir and a treat.  She is always fairly decisive but it did take her awhile to choose.  She really wanted a spinner because that is what Sadie got when she came.  She told me in the car on the way that she wanted to get a lollipop so that was an easy choice!

She really loved the whole show.  She was pretty mesmerized.  She liked the "villain" song a lot and wanted to know who each character was.  Mulan was one of her favorite princesses and she also really liked Tiana.  She had never seen Mulan, so we checked that movie out from the library the next week. 

As I was talking to her on our way to the show, I realized that she thought we were going to Disney World and also that she thought she would get go ice skating!  I was worried that she might be disappointed, but she had fun even though it was not Disney World.

I loved spending time with my little girl.  She is so much fun to talk to and it is not often that I get one-on-one time with her.  I loved my date with this sweet Minnie Mouse!

Sledding

January 3rd:  Unlike years past, there were plenty of sledding opportunities this year!  Unfortunately, we only made it out once (and it was a COLD day!)  The kids had a blast and Carver even gave it a try...