Birthday festivities

Pictures from Afton and Lilly turning 4!

First "friend" party

Having a picnic with their friends

Fruit in the colors of the rainbow (I thought I was being so creative. The 3 and 4 year old party guests didn't care :) They just wanted "snacks"

Dollhouse
Afton and Lilly got a new dollhouse with some furniture. They have played with it tons.

They had gotten another dollhouse at Christmas so now they have a little village. As you can see, Ethan and Lizzie want in on it too :)


Peeking
Afton trying to see what is in the packages


Here reaction after we took the bag away and said she had to wait until her party.



Afton enjoying her new coloring present from Tom, Stacey and Grey







Lilly
Lilly got sick the day of her family party... thus fewer pictures of her. We brought her down once everyone had left and let her open a few presents before she wanted to go back to bed.
Here she is surrounded by her presents. She felt so yucky she didn't even want to open any and had Ethan and Lizzie open them.

The sick girl attempting to look happy with her new shades from Aunt Liz


Happy 4th Birthday Beautiful Girls! You are growing up much too quick!!


*Now just one more upcoming birthday in this house and then birthday season is over. Whew!

A&L

On March 25th 2008 we doubled our amount of kids in less than 3 minutes by welcoming
4 lb 14 ounce Afton
and
3 lb 9 ounce Lilly.

.

It has been a chaotic,amazing, loud and beautiful experience.
Each year as their birthday approaches I am reminded even more so of all the prayers and acts of service and kindess that happened in their behalf. They are truly here because of tender mercies from our Heavenly Father and the goodness of others.

Thank you! I am forever grateful!


Here is a current highlight on each almost 4 year old girl:
Lilly



She is my never stops talking girl. Lately these are the things I hear ALL the time.

- What time is it mom?
- How do you spell ____________? (insert anything)
- What letters makes this sound _____________? (insert any grouping like th, sh, ch, etc.)
- What are we doing next? Then what? After that?
- Can I have some cereal in a bag? (Her latest snack of choice)

She also has an AMAZING memory and can recite songs like crazy or bring up little moments that happened a long time ago.


Afton



Afton doesn't talk a lot (and part of it is really she just can't get a word in edgewise with her sister). But she seriously is the cutest thing. Even though she doesn't talk as much and is a little harder to understand- her mind is ALWAYS working on trying to figure things out.

Fun bits about Afton

-When I ask how she wants her hair done.... "Just curly" Every day it is "just curly". She hates barrettes, bows, ponytails, braids, etc.
-Every night as I cook dinner she asks, "Me be your little chef?". She loves to help and please others. When I say yes she practically bounces over to get her cooking apron. When I say "not tonight" her face gets so sad!
- Loves pulleys, levers, buttons, things that turn, etc.
-Loves the color yellow and rarely goes anywhere without her yellow boots.
-Prefers to drink water over most any other kind of drink.

President - Elect

This is where I will be spending a good portion of the next two years of my life....

Altara Elementary-
(Lizzie's school and Afton and Lilly's school in 2013).


Starting in the fall of 2012 I will be the PTA president- elect for Altara Elementary (Lizzie's school).
Then the following fall of 2013, I will be the PTA President for Altara (and all 3 of my girls will be there).
It will be a big, fun, challenging responsibility. I do get my own parking spot though. SWEET!!!

I became official on March 6th and will be there A LOT between now and when I finish up my end of things in June of 2014.

So if I start rambling and/ or mumbling about jog-a-thons, teacher appreciation week, Reflections, budgets, T-shirts, meetings, the education system, etc. You will now know why :)

Turning 8 and Baptism

Lunch at the Garden
Lizzie is now 8.
When our kids turn 8 we take them to a special lunch at The Garden restaurant with their grandparents. We went on Feb. 25th. Jim's Dad was not feeling well and was missed.


Us at our table

View from our table

Lizzie opening her utensils. About 15 minutes later she was using these same utensils to totally destroy her grilled cheese sandwich. She did not like the "cheese"


Baptism Invite

Jim and Lizzie

I did not take a lot of pictures of Lizzie at her baptism. In a way it was my gift to her because I know she hates pictures being taken. Actual baptism was the most important thing and I am fine with that. Hopefully she will be fine with that too in 20 years or so when she just has two or three pictures from her day :)

Many many thanks to all those who came to Lizzie's baptism and/or had her in your thoughts. It was a good day.

Lizzie month of festivities is now over :)