Jilly's Valentine Party

We had a ton of fun at the Valentine Party on Monday, even though the guests were not very interested in the cookie decorating and crafts I'd purchased because HELLO!!! toys that aren't mine that are here and I can play with them, oh my goodness!!!!!! So, I learned my lesson and won't buy that many next time, but they were all purchased at Dollar Tree so I'm not out too much money. There was supposed to be a third guest but she quit the dance class not long after I handed out the invitations and I had no way to get a hold of her. I was prepared for her to be there, but not surprised that she was a no-show.

We started out frosting homemade sugar cookies.

They were way more into eating the frosting than putting it on the cookies, but Jill was by far the best, I have to say! :)

crafts included bookmarks, door hangers, and picture frames

Jilly and her cupcake picture frame.

frosting between her eyes!

We pulled everyone back together for a game.

It turned into a full contact sport.

They had lots of fun.

posing

2 out of 3 isn't too bad, right?

What was arguably the BEST part was that our local library was having a Fancy Nancy story time right after our party was scheduled to end (which I didn't know when I scheduled the party) and it was later changed to include the dancers from a local dance company's production of a Fancy Nancy ballet. These girls were THRILLED!

learning to curtsy

curtsying

ready to do a pirouette

and...SPIN!

arabesque

more arabesque

posing with the dancers

azure butterfly

posing with Fancy Nancy herself!

gift bags, which included bracelets, stickers, pencils, rings, and seed packets and pots for either strawberries or forget-me-nots

paper chains Jill and I made

Jill's gift bag

January

Funny things Jill has said this week: "Dad, tell me how to buy a house!" "Why, Jill? It's bedtime!" "But I don't know how, Dad, tell me!" "I'll tell you when you're a grown up and you're ready to buy a house, ok?" Sigh. "Ok." (Then the next morning she asked me and I had to explain it all.)

Last night Steve was telling Jill a made up tale about his 5 other daughters who are also named Jill. She said, "Oh, Dad, all the Jills is having a baby and anodder baby, and anodder baby...it's an ARMY OF JILLS!" Then Steve asked how many Jills there were all together if there were 5 others and she said, "Five, six. That's easy Dad." "How did you figure that out?" "I just did MATH!"

This month included lots of school, which is going amazingly well, trips to the zoo and science center, a play, and her nature class which she LOVES. We're having so much fun!

All of the Christmas crafts and projects she made this year--we were sad to put them away!

decorating a hat for letter H week during school time

posing in her owl dress--excuse Henny in the front

she built a castle at Lowe's

zebra for Letter Z week

tractor at the zoo

feeding the penguins

petting my FAVORITE bunny, Dakota

another trip to the Science Center--Thanks Papa Mike!

giant table and chairs

inside the big guitar

mirrors

playing at the nature center before her Nature Alphabet class

inside the log

We went to see The Frog Prince

we brought Dee with us

5th row seats!

my girl and me

fingerpainting for Letter F week

decorating the fish with glitter glue

putting the fish on the ocean

finished project

January Snow 2012

I'm sure you all know about the record setting snow we had. It started out fine with a day of snow, then it melted by the third day. After that it was about 3 more days of snow, followed by an ice storm. We lost power for 2.5 days, but luckily have a generator for the refrigerator, furnace, and a few lights, plus a gas stove and gas hot water heater. We got out for at least a short time each day and as you'll see, it didn't really slow us down!

January 15th, Day 1--Snow, Daddy at Work

unsure about the snow angel

her snow girl, Jenna

January 16th, Day 2--Snow has Stopped, Daddy Home
snow man at Police Academy

January 17th, Day 3--Snow is Gone, Daddy Home
playing at the toy store

January 18th, Day 4--Snow is Back, Daddy at Work

making cookies

cookie scooper

Mmm!

Letter I School Project

shoveling, because the snow was too powdery for a snowman

she tunneled through the snow like an animal...then was shocked when her socks were wet

January 19th, Day 5--Ice is Here, Daddy is Home, Power Goes Out
we went out to lunch, and lost power upon returning home

icicle outside the coffee shop

icicle at home

garage icicles

birdfeeder icicles

January 20th, Day 6--Ice is Here, Daddy is Home, No Power
escaped to the Children's Museum and some Pagliacci Pizza for lunch

she made a mask

our little monster

I call this: princess flapper cheerleader with gloves.

January 21, Day 7--Ice is Melting, Daddy is Home, Power Returns

at Alki for coffee and to get more Pagliacci Pizza

log stander

she was sad she couldn't go in the water, but was glad to find the power on when we returned home to eat our delicious pizza

The End