Merry Christmas 2012!

Our girl is all nestled all snug in her bed and Santa has been here. Merry Christmas to everyone! Blessed our we in so many ways. Thanks be to God for his Son and, while Santa is a big part, we all need to remember Him on this special day. Happy Birthday Jesus!

Christmas Shoppe 2012

Our girl is getting SO big!  This year she was the first time she's old enough to go shopping at her school's Christmas Shoppe.  Parents donate various things to the Mother's Club (think yard sale) and then the kids can go shopping for their family members.  Everything is $1 and they have up to $5 to shop with (so 5 items).  At the same time there's also a Bazaar going on where the kids can get their face painted, decorate cookies, play games, etc...

Miss Sasha shopped for Mama, Daddy, Yaya, Grandma, and Aunt Mandy & Uncle Nick.  She decided on them all by herself.  I thought this was so very sweet since I'd heard that a lot of kids will be sure to buy something for themselves.  I'll be sure to get the treasures she picked out in the mail soon.. might not make it by Christmas, but soon after!  Oh and I have no idea what she picked because each has been wrapped at the shoppe before she brings them home :)

Here she is with a friend after face painting, getting ready to shop!

Some elf sightings

Here are some Ariel, our elf, sightings over the last few days...

She's gotten around.. From the tree, the fruit bowl, to getting into the candy, and tonight's latest of writing a note to Miss Sasha... Yep, the elf business is a lot of work! Oh and while I didn't get a picture, it was good... Last night daddy came up with mission impossible style hanging from the attic pull down; it was nice!

Girls night - pasta & pizza

While Daddy took in a Grizz game with a friend, mama and Sasha had a dinner date. After pizza and pasta, we finished with some dark chocolate gelato... Delish!!

Spelling with Sasha

So our girl is very into spelling right now... Or rather asking us what different combos of letters spell. For instance,

- how do you spell "cat?"
- what does n, o spell?
- what does q, h, r, p spell?

You get it some times it spells something sometimes not, some times she's just throwing letters out, or sees a word.

This morning she's asking us things and then says... "What does h o spell??"

Uh... We just laugh. Yes we if course have dirty minds and then realize we could have said Santa context. Ah, good times!!

Ariel elf - day 2

Our elf had a bit of a party last night with Sasha's animals and dolls. Looks like Treats and dress up were involved.... Oh and a pic of our pretty tree!

Our Elf has Appeared!

Our elf, who first appeared last year has came back to watch over our girl again this year and take back reports each night to Santa. Sasha named her Ariel last year and is especially good while she's around :)

Our elf book under the the tree which signaled her arrival. While looking for her we heard, "can I have a magnifying glass?", "what's she wearing?",... And the best, "I'm tired of looking, I'll look tomorrow."

After a brief detour she found her... Woohoo!

Merry Christmas and Happy Festivus!

First Day of School - 4K

I realized I never posted picture for the Princess's first day of 4K... so... here they are from August:

1st day, which was a half day. Usually Daddy would be here to do a picture... remember last year? (see below)



However, Daddy was back for the first full day!!



Here was last year with Daddy... oh how much she's grown up!!!

End of Summer 2012 - Catch Up

It's catch up time again.  Summer has come and gone and I'm not sure where it went.  Miss Sash finished dance and loved it so much that we started her in a class at her school.  Here's a few pics from her last class from summer...



We had fun at the zoo with Daddy's work..

A picture taken by Sasha:
 
She LOVED the face painting!


and....

We got a swing/play set:


That's the end of summer!  Hopefully more catching up to come soon :)

And so goes our week...

Ever wonder how we spend our weeknights? If we're not at soccer practice (that's one night a week, and heck even after that) you can find us here... Going through our day and doing homework. Have to get in the routine early :)

It's finished!!!

Last few pictures if the floors because they.are.done!!!!

Oh and one of our little dancer :)

It's all falling into place

Slowly but surely the floors are getting done room by room. We are seriously excited and are not going to recognize the house. Sash is excited since its meant "camping" upstairs for a few nights. Here's some pics of the progress. Oh and Mr Jules has taken leave at the kitty hotel for the duration.

They start with Sasha's room, the hall and guest room then progress to our room... Sort of, I think blogger is reordering

Where have we been???

Well it's been awhile... Yes, I know. Between me being sick, daddy's travel to wrap up projects at the end of summer and the princess's active social, I mean school, life... Well, that's where we've been. And now, we're in full swing with school and soccer! Woohoo! Oh and we're getting new floors throughout most of the house... Nothing major :)

Carpet went down upstairs today and the hardwood will start Monday downstairs anywhere we don't have tile. I'll try to do some before and afters but here's an after for upstairs for now. Oh and I have kept our Flickr site up to date so go there for the latest pics. That is almost always updated thanks to my lovely iPhone!

So I didn't get an after shot before josh started assembling his new desk but you get the idea....

4 years old... summer check-in, checkup

Where has the summer gone??? With me being sick and drs appts, Daddy's travel, dance class, and having so much fun at summer camp it seems we blinked and the summer is already gone.  There's still a few more weeks and that's filled with more dance, a few more weeks of camp, and visits by both Yaya and Grandma.  4K will be here soon whether we're ready or not.

Our girl had her 4 year check up and notice I didn't say "our little girl"... little she is no longer! 
She clocked in at:

• 39 lbs (75 %-tile)
• 41.5 inches (90%-tile)... yes, 90th!

Seriously, our tiny princess who started out in the world at just 4.15lbs and 18.25 inches and didn't make it to 50th-tiles until she was 2 is now in the upper regions.  Our pedi said she is doing great and very healthy.  We're having him check her blood pressure since high BP does run in our families... she's good for 4 yr olds at 104/62. 

Our little Miss is having a ball right now in summer camp and dance.  In camp she's learned to write her name (and those of her friends) in a straight line. Her coloring is amazing and she's staying in the lines really well now (I mean if coloring can be "amazing".. lol!). She enjoys dance so much and really listens and tries to learn the steps the teacher does each week.  We'll definitely be trying to get her into the class at her school this year.

Other things she's loving: her "computer" (leappad), playing "fetch"... yes fetch... with Jules, "braiding" my hair, movie nights at home with Daddy and me, going to the zoo, eating at restaurants, bubbles and crafts.  Her love of music hasn't faded.  She likes singing songs from the radio with me on the way to school.  She even learns a few lines from friends at school or from dance class.  She'll ask for Adele's Rumor Has It, or Train's Driveby so we can sing together.

She's definitely coming into her own and we are seeing true opinions and disagreements at times.  We're working through these and the frustrations that come as she's learning to express herself.  Oh the trying times of a 4 yr old!

Of course we got 4 year pictures... here's just a few below.  To see them all from our session taken by Crystal Brisco Photography go to our Flickr page.

Mid-week "Picnic"

A picnic in the sense we were on a blanket and eating.... Not so much because we weren't outside with nature (that my allergies hate) and bugs. But, according to Sasha, it makes a tuna sandwich very tasty (she ate it all plus puffs and a little cheese).

Then, she asked for a treat. We were having a picnic so why not?! But, she said since we were in the living room it "shouldn't be little or messy or drippy, so we don't lose it or make a mess." Such a thoughtful girl! Here she is finishing up and watching a little "Mike the Knight" (I know, oh such a picnic activity!).

3K graduation

Yes, there is such a thing! Seriously, if I was this excited for the 3K graduation I can't even imagine her 8th grade one (oh yeah that's HUGE in Catholic school!), and then her high school... crazy, I won't be able to be contained!.   So, needless to say this mama of a little girl in 3K took a lot of video.  Completely precious is an understatement as our girl belted out her songs.  If you don't watch anything else be sure to watch the last one... nothing short than amazing how the kids learned the timing of the song to what they did.  Definitely a little teary.  Oh, and yes, Miss S is in 4K now... *sniff, sniff*

One more day

It is the night before Miss Sasha's last day of 3K and I can't believe the year has gone by so fast. Her first year of "big girl school."

As our girl sleeps I've made a treat for her class to celebrate her 4th birthday along with that last day.. Because who can believe a week from tomorrow she will be 4! Cookie sandwiches (semi-homemade of course!) have become a tradition so those I will take. Tomorrow we'll have a big 4K girl and she will for sure let us all know ;)

Mother's Day

The night before Mother's Day we got a babysitter and I got to go out to a fabulous dinner with just the two of us... nice!  On Mother's Day I got great cards from everyone, including Jules.  I got to take a nice long nap that afternoon.  Here's me and my princess that morning in what's started to be our annual picture...

Teddy Bear Picnic

Yes, it was a Teddy Bear Picnic sort of day and our girl was VERY excited! Cindy was chosen as Miss Sasha's guest and of course she had to be dressed in her finest attire... Her Tinkerbell costume. It was nice under the shade in the courtyard as the kids had lunch with their friends. A very sweet time.

Christmas in May or something like that

Here's a video compiled from all the different snippets taken at Christmas this year..

Mother's Day (a little early)

Sasha brought home the precious gift she made for me in class... I had to share!

The boyfriend

Yes, you read that right!  She'll be four in less than a month and we've already begun talk about a boyfriend.  Oh our Diva has SO much in store for us in the coming years!  Of course this was all very innocent and fun... but still needs to be added to this because it's pretty hilarious.  The boy is a sweetheart and we definitely approve... in say 20 years :)  This is the second school they've been together at and they are too cute together.  It's been said (more than once) they are "the alpha's of the class" or they run their class... take that how you will.

I heard about said boyfriend on the way home from school then we had to tell Daddy about him when he got home.  It went something like this...

Sasha: "Daddy, A needed to be my boyfriend"... "and he told me stuff to do today"
Daddy: "Why was he your boyfriend?"
Sasha: "Well all girls need a boyfriend!"

Me: My head whips around so fast I thought it might fall off.  "Say what!" I thought to myself.

Daddy: Laughs and looks right at me, he knows how well this goes over with me. 

Conversation with Little Miss goes on that having a boy as a friend, or even a Boyfriend, is fine but we don't "need" one.... ugggh!  Oh my!

I blinked and she got this big...