Heidi's Princess Party

To welcome the pint sized princesses we set up a canopy in the living room. I had wanted an outdoor party, but the weather's been steady mosquitoes out there, so I tried to make it exciting indoors.Heidi was pleasantly surprised when she came downstairs in the morning.

Karl insisted we needed a frog at the party,

so I gave my stuffed one a crown and a sign.

I cut princess dresses out of card stock, colored then and glued them to clothespins for place tags (the invitations were similar).

I was thrilled to discover I had fabrics from different sources that matched the colors in the canopy to use for tablecloths.

I had some issues with the frosting, but I managed to put together a princess cake like Heidi requested.

She wanted chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate ice cream.

I think Daddy's had some influence on those taste buds. I'm a vanilla girl myself.

We used more of my fabric stash to cover a chair and create a throne.

Heidi sat in it to open her gifts,then we took pictures of all the girls there.

I forgot to take pictures, but the girls made butterfly wands and colored princess paper dolls while they were here.

Heidi and I made "princess play dough" earlier in the week for the girls to play with at the party. I just used my regular recipe, colored it pink and added glitter, it was a great hit!

I also made some frog bean bags and cut lily pads out of paper for a bean bag toss.

Then, since it's Heidi's favorite game,we played duck, duck, goose and a few other games.

Our resident princess Auntie Amber brought a princess story about how faith in God and loving others is more important to being a princess than pretty dresses or palaces.

Heidi made some fun memories for her fourth birthday!

Happy Birthday Heidi!

I now have a four year old. How is that possible? Yet I do, and a very excited to be four - four year old at that!
We started the day with the once a year fruit loops and presents from Momma and Daddy. She got her much requested real bow and arrows

and wanted to learn to shoot them right away.

She also received a dress for her doll to match her recently finished, yet long anticipated "sparkly red wedding dress"

She had a wondrous princess party with a few of her friends this afternoon - of which there are enough pictures to fill many a post, but I'll try to condense enough to fit into one.

Heidi and Hannah had great fun checking out her new toys from her friends.

One of which was a helmet and knee and elbow pads.

Hannah could have used a bit more protection when she tipped over her chair and knocked her eye on the table- poor girl! I think we'll have some interesting colors tomorrow.

Auntie Amber flew in yesterday so she could be here for Heidi's birthday, making it an extra special day.

This evening Heidi had to show her how she can ride her bike and try out her new helmet.

Daddy got in on the fun too.

All in all, it was a wonderful day and Heidi is thrilled to be "a big girl, four years old!"

To Catch A Frog

Is not so easy as it sounds. It sits so still there in the puddle,

but as soon as you try to grab it...

it JUMPS!

Then returns to the puddle and

repeats the whole process again.

She Has A Way With Words

Yesterday I heard a crash from my bedroom. More like a series of dull thuds,actually. Then crying. From Heidi. My girl who generally doesn't cry unless it's bad. I ran to get her, noted there was thankfully no blood, scooped her up and took her to the couch for comforting and an ice pack on her forehead which seemed to be growing. When the tears stopped I asked her what had happened and though I tried desperately not to, I couldn't help but laugh at the reply.

"Well, Momma, I was doing somersaults on your bed and decided I wanted to get off. So I did, only not so very gently."



A couple of weeks ago she was putting on her boots and had no sooner slipped one on than her foot came back out again. "There's a ugly bug in my boot!" she exclaimed as she took it out and threw it out the door. (Ugly bug is this Momma's highly technical term for the insects we seem plagued with every year in early summer. They're about two to three inches long, grey with an orange stripe right behind their heads. They spit orange stuff, ooze orange stuff when you squish them and lay orange eggs, but other than their natural inclination toward one of Heidi's favorite colors, they're not much appreciated around here.) "Silly bug" said Heidi with a laugh, "He thought that was a respectable place to be. He doesn't know that my boot is NOT a respectable place to be for a bug!"

Almost Four

Heidi's fourth birthday is just around the corner. A fact kept at the forefront of my mind by her prefacing every memory (even if it occurred just yesterday) with, "When I was a little girl, three years old..." and constantly reminding me that "I growing bigger and bigger, I growing so fast you can't keep up with me."

She has requested a princess party, "with only girls at it". Although she has conceded that Daddy may attend. This after informing me that he could come, but only watch from the window, to which I responded that when we invite a person to an event we want to make them feel welcome and being stuck in a different room would not encourage that feeling. I'm not certain he wants to participate in all princessey activities, but it's nice to know he may should he so desire.

In contrast with this feminine princess side of her is her birthday wish list. Including, but not limited to:
A real bow and arrows ("lots of them in case I shoot them too far")
Tools ("for building a house with")
A Horse ("for riding so I can be a cowgirl")
A gun
A real baseball bat
binoculars

That's my girl. All action and adventure on the one hand, all pretty and princessey on the other. I'm thrilled that God put together the unique combination that makes her, her. And to be her mom, what a privilege!

Mother's Day

I know it's been awhile, but it was a fun day and I want to be sure to remember. This is the first year since we have had children where Karl has not had to work on Mother's Day and was able to spend it with us. Thus, it was the first year where I felt a bit pampered on Mother's Day instead of it being just another day of mommyhood which often involves lots of work.
To celebrate we went to visit Karl's grandma, and mom, and got four generations together for a picture. AND, we remembered to get a picture of me with the girls as well.

After visiting for awhile we took the girls to a playground (a rare occurrence because they're all so far away when you live in the country) and simply enjoyed them enjoying themselves.

I am so thankful to have been blessed with my three little ones!

Dandelion Dreams

Hannah's Latest 'Do

"Momma, a do a hair 'ike Heidi?"
(Momma, {can you} do {my} hair like Heidi's?) I've been asked this lots lately, and am getting requests for multitudes of rubber bands, just like I put in Heidi's hair (as it seems to be the only way to make a style last for more than ten minutes with her wisps of hair).

Much to Hannah's dismay, two rubber bands seem to be the most I can get to stay in her hair for any length of time, or look halfway decent, but she's content I can at least do two.

And I think it's cute, even if Karl does say they resemble little calf horns.

Horse Rides

Hannah got to go for her first big ride with Daddy a couple weeks ago. She was one excited little girl! Heidi's been riding more too

and working on doing it all by herself

but we still think it's best that Daddy be close by.

Heidi Had A Litle Lamb

Except that she really doesn't.
But we took care of some for friends last weekend and Heidi really enjoyed pretending they were hers.

I had pictures of Hannah feeding them too, but sadly they seem to have disappeared.