Happy Birthday Ally-Bally!!!

 Happy Birthday Ally!!!!!

Ally turned FIVE last week!! 

She's getting so grown up!  I can't believe she will be starting Kindergarten in just a few weeks...  Ally started off her day with presents and surprises.  She got her very own "American Girl Doll" (knock-off--to hold her over until she's old enough for the real thing) along with clothes, a night gown, and bunny slippers for the doll. She also got a new nightgown to wear to her party! 

This is a big birthday year for Ally (yes, I've decided if I make a huge deal out of every birthday every year, I'll go broke... so 1, 5, 8, & 10 are the big party years).  She wanted a slumber party but since we don't do sleepovers, we did a pajama party!  All the friends came in their jammies and brought along their sleeping buddies.  We did a pillow case race, danced and played musical pillows to Sandra Boynton's "Pajama Time," and played "sleep, sleep, snore" (duck-duck-goose) and sleep tag.  We also made night caps for our sleeping buddies and--as a small tribute to my childhood parties--we made individual pizzas and did a balloon toss with a bed sheet.  When I was little, I remember at almost every birthday party we would sit in the middle of a sheet and everyone would toss the balloons around us (like a parachute game).  First we put the sleeping buddies in and watched them bounce around with the balloons.  Then we let every kid have a turn in the middle. 

Birthday Girl in the middle!

Pillow Case Race!

Singing Happy Birthday!

Ally and Scarlet

All the friends

with their sleeping buddies, complete with new night caps!!

The invitation

The goody-bags

a little treat for the goody-bags

THE CAKE

Ally's and Sami's night caps up close

Taking a day off...

We've had a breakthrough!  My work-aholic husband has decided that he doesn't need to work on Saturdays anymore!!  Jeremy has always made a point of not working on Sundays but he has now decided that whatever work he has hanging over his head can be crammed in during the week and he will try really hard not to think too much about it on the weekends!!  Hurray!  We get Daddy all day on Saturdays!!

  He realized all this a week ago Saturday, while sitting on a park bench, watching our girls run through water... and it was all I could do not to cry with joy over his epiphany.  This was a good Saturday, too.  We started out the day getting things done around the house.  Then we went to the park for a picnic lunch, followed by playing at the splash pad, and then Slurpees.  We went home and got some more little chores done while the girls rode their bikes and played in the backyard.  Then we went out to dinner--and our girls were PERFECTLY BEHAVED!  The day was fabulous!!  I look forward to many more like it!

 

 GOT IT!  I finally got proof of the tippy-toes walk!! 

6 WEEKS!!

6 WEEKS and 10 POUNDS!!!!!

Our little Kassi is growing like crazy!  She's working hard on her chubby cheeks, double chin, and leg rolls!!!  She eats constantly--especially right now as she goes through her 7th week growth spurt.  I don't mind the occasional two hour feedings during the day, though, because she sleeps so well at night.  She'll go up to 7 hours at night!  She's so funny, though.  Regardless of what time she goes to sleep or when her last feeding was, she wakes up at 2am on the dot to eat and goes back to sleep until 5 or 6.

She is such a doll!

(If I do say so myself...)

 Wishing Ally a Happy Birthday!  Kassi adores Ally.  These two are little buds in the making! 

Cousins!

Mindy and Glenn came with Grandma and Grandpa to Emmy's birthday party!  It was so fun to see them and Ammon and little Gracie Sue again. Gracie is almost two months older than Kassi.  I can't wait for them to get a little older so they can start playing with each other!

Grandma with her two newest granddaughters!!

5 Weeks!! And growing...

 Well, Kassi is keeping us on our toes, but we've decided to keep her.  :)

She is FIVE whole weeks old already and changing all the time.  Not to mention growing--we're knocking on nine pounds!! 

Sami has been trying to figure out the right nickname for her.  So far we have grunts, squirmmy, bubbles, spitty (I know, so flattering, right?) or kissy. 

I think for the sake of Kassi's self -esteem, Sami is leaning towards Kissy. 

 I figured 5 weeks called for a photo shoot.  Isn't this girl so cute?!

 OH, and just in case you were wondering, her eyes are blue.  I know--surprise! 

I just LOVE BLUE EYES, though! 

Lovin' Summertime!

It's Been Hot but We are Having Fun!!!!

Kassi's First Time at the Pool!

on Pioneer Day

Hangin' at the Splash Pad with Friends!!

Sami and her Bud, Rylee!

Emmy's friend, Tanner, just adores Emmy. 

Tommy may have some competition when they all get older!

Kassi slept through the whole thing.

 

Meet Mr. Block

 They were keeping cool inside and pulling out long forgotten toys!  I love it when they figure out ways to entertain themselves!

 

 Missing Dad

Sami and Ally spent over an hour drawing this up in their Dad's parking spot after Jeremy spent a couple days in Houston.