You Make Me Smile

Lately River and Sariah have been dancing together a lot.

 This is one of their signature moves.  Isn't it cute???

We have also been doing a lot of 'science experiments' when the girls get bored.  They love these water beads.  They start as tiny beads that expand in water over a couple of hours.  You can store them in the fridge for weeks!  We also did the milk/soap/food coloring trick and made homemade lava lamps. 

I love both of their faces in this pic!

The Birthday Guests

We had 16 kids at River's birthday party.  I invited so many because I thought half of them might not be able to make it.  Turns out that they were all available that day! ;) Luckily some great friends and family came to help with the chaos!

Starting at the bottom front we have Leah.  Going left to right, the second row is Kayla, Eric, Raygan. Third row: Lincoln, Bridger, Connor.  Fourth Row: Lauren, Savana, David, Tyler.  Fifth Row: Ethan, Morgan, Rylee.  Top Row: River, ?, Sariah.   Do you see a face near the top that doesn't belong?

River was so happy that each and everyone of her friends came to the party.  Thanks everyone!

3...2...1... BLAST OFF!!!

River wanted an outer space birthday party this year.  I've been telling her that when she turned 5 she could have her first 'friend' birthday party and she didn't let me forget.  I happen to love all things pertaining to outer space so I was excited to help River plan the party.  Cameron even downloaded StarWars and StarTrek music to play during the games.  It was rad.  The kids had to pass five missions in order to complete their astronaut training...

Mission 1: Space Walk

Mission 2: Destroy the Asteroids

Mission 3: Rocket Launch

Mission 4: Gather Moon Rocks using Astronaut Arm

Mission 5: Deep Space Retrieval
(the kids had to venture into our cold storage room, aka deep space, and retrieve a packet of glow in the dark stars.  It was as close to a space walk as you can get without an anti-gravity machine...)

The Cake....

River picked and helped me decorate the rocket cake.  She loved that the candles were the spaceship's propulsion flames.

Dear River,

Dear River,

You turned 5 this year and I cannot believe how grown up you are.  When you turned 4 you wanted to be able to crack an egg all by yourself.  This year you told Papa Brent on the phone that you could wipe your bum all by yourself.  It was so funny.  You are a great big sister to Sariah and love to help her learn her letters and numbers...I love it when you create "worksheets" for her to do.   You and Sariah love to play dress up and pretend together.  You can play together for hours...  Sometimes you argue with each other.  You both get mad and say "Don't talk at me!"  Silly girls.

You like dance this year, but don't like to wear the tutus the other kids wear.  You often go to dance as 'the black ninja' wearing a black leotard, black tights, and black fingerless gloves.  You love doing kung-fu moves as the 'black ninja'!  You love to do crafts so much that I have thought of locking the craft cupboard but it is because you are so sweet and thoughtful and always want to make a card or draw a picture for someone else.  You just started reading and I am so proud of you. 

You love to wrestle with daddy and use your "awesome powers!"  You love dinosaurs, outer space, bugs and learning.

You are so good at sharing with your friends.  If they don't want to play what you want to play you always say "Ok.  Lets find something we BOTH want to play!"  You love playing pretend..."Pretend that we are trapped!"  "Pretend that I'm a warrior princess and you are my dad..."  "Pretend that I'm this bee and I'm collecting honey!" 

At bed time you often dream about flying.  Tonight you said to me "I wish I was a bird!"  When I asked why you said, "So I could walk AND fly!" 

You LOVE going to preschool and can't wait until you go to kindergarten. You thought that you would get to go to kindergarten right after you turned five and were so disappointed that you have to wait until September. 

Happy 5th Birthday Sweetie Pie....we LOVE you!

Christmas Pics!

Christmas Morn

 Lightning McQueen pj's and slippers! 

 Sariah was being so funny with the Christmas stockings.  Walking around with all 4 of them on.  Ahhh, too cute!

 River with her tag books.  I love the 'after' piggie tail look! ;)  All Sariah wanted from Santa Clause was a 'blue buzzybee' not just any yellow buzzybee, but a blue buzzybee.   She was so happy when Santa actually brought her one.

Ninja Turtle Christmas Eve Pants!

Rub a Dub Dub....Grandma's New Tub!

My parent's new house was finished just in time for us to visit at Christmas and the girls favorite part was the old fashioned claw foot tub. The kids loved the old style detachable water spout.

 Riv and Riah made bubble beards and pretended to be Santa.  "Ho ho ho!  Merry Christmas!"

A Star, a Star, Shining in the Night

This year we took the kids to see the lights at Temple Square.  It was freezing but we had a great time and River and Sariah were SO excited and loved seeing the nativites. 

I love this picture of Cameron with the girls.  It's one of my favorites....it might have to go up on the wall!  Well, maybe after I fix the red-eye.

Our Christmas Tree!

Gingerbread Night, Holy Night

The girls helped me make this gingerbread nativity for the ward Christmas party.  We made it out of actual gingerbread, a first for me.   It took all day long ! The kids couldn't wait for the icing to dry so I had them work on the adorable marshmellow sheep.  They did a good job, don'tcha think? 

They had alot of fun in the nativity game too....Sariah was a cow and River was an angel.