Annette's 5th Birthday Extravaganza

On the 15th, Annette turned 5.  We had a big blowout that included doll hairstyles, playgrounds, build-a-bears, carousels, cookie cake, and chinese food.  We really did her birthday up right.

 

 

 

The festivities started with a trip to the American Girl store to get Annette's and Carolyn's (pictured) dolls hair did.

 

 

Annette was really excited to watch it done.

Baby Jesus enjoyed it too.

Baby Caroline really needed lots of work.

Mema watched approvingly.

Patience grasshopper.

What a pretty braid.

They gave her the fishtail.

Carolyn had to wait a little longer.

After calling in some help Baby Caroline's hair is finally tamed.



She got a pretty braid too.

Four cute little girls.

Then it was time to go get some lunch.

After lunch we went to the playcastle in the mall.

We played there until all of Annette's friends showed up.

Then we went off to Build A Bear.

Everybody got their instructions.

Even Mikey was enthralled.

After they built their bears we adjourned to the food court for gift opening,

and Cake.

Lots of cake.

After the cake we rode the carousel.

The next day we went to our traditional meal at P. F. Chang's.

Our little big girl

My girls.

Cake time.

She got all the candles.

This was Mimi's angle.

All the kids by the horsie.

Some Spring Soccer Pics

At the Soccer Banquet in February, Annette decided that she wanted to play soccer again.  So we signed her up.  Thus, we have been going out to George Park on Tuesdays and Fridays for her practices and games.  She seems to have gotten worse at soccer since we played in the fall, but she is still having fun so I guess that is all that matters.  Anyway here are some pictures.

 

 

The main thing that Annette has been doing at soccer practice is picking flowers.

 

She is very good at that.

Don't let this action shot trick you she is not going to kick the ball, she is instead going to get close to it and dance around.

Last game Mema and Pepa got to watch her play.

She was excited?

Easter 2013

So as I am getting back into the swing of updating the blog, I figured I would go back and talk about Easter and put up some pictures of that.  Annette and I missed out on the Egg Hunt at church as we were both down with a stomach bug that Sunday, but by the time Easter rolled around we were ready to go.  It was a good thing we had Easter activities all weekend long starting with Gramma and Poppa's, then our own egg hunt, then Easter Dinner with the Richmond family.  It was quite a weekend.  Here are a few pics of it.

 

 

 

We actually got a semi-decent picture of G&P's great grandkids at their house.

 

I like this one better though.

Then it was time to hunt eggs.

The hunt started in the backyard, but quickly went out the gate.

The Easter Bunny must have delivered about 100 eggs this year.

Carolyn is not the most astute egg hunter.

But Annette is and she is helping Austin find some too.

Now Carolyn is finding them.

There's one Austin.

There's another Austin.

Go get it.

Annette was really a good helper.

 How did these get in the house?


After a lot of fun (and even more candy) and Gramma and Poppa's we said our goodbyes to everyone and then headed home.  The girls got in a pretty good nap, then we got up later and Emily had a great Easter activity for the girls.  Momma and her babies made some Easter cookies that also taught the story of Easter.  The girls had fun and learned.

First they beat and smashed up pecans, like Jesus was beaten by the Romans.

After watching Mommy break the eggs, the girls got to smell vinegar,

Like the sour wine Jesus drank on the cross.

They tasted salt, to remind us of the bitterness of sin.

Annette didn't like it much.



They tasted sugar the sweetness of Jesus dying for our sins.



Then they beat the ingredients into meringue.
Once they were mixed, they spooned them out then put them in the oven
and sealed them in like Jesus' tomb.

The next morning they removed the tape seals, signifying the rock being rolled away.



And when they tried the cookies, they were hollow, just like the tomb was empty.

Then the girls got to see what was in their baskets.

Carolyn really liked the bunny Mema sent.

Then the girls got ready to go see if the Easter Bunny left anything.

The bunny did!!!!

Carolyn got a little better at finding the eggs a second time.

 So after a little Easter at our house, we headed to church where the girls got to learn more about what Easter is really about.  Then we had lunch and a short nap, then started getting ready for Mimi, Busha, Gammy, Uncle Will, Aunt Belissa, and Austin to come over for dinner.

Ready to hunt eggs again!!

The Easter Bunny hid some in the backyard too!!!!

This is my favorite picture of Annette for this Easter.

Austin found something too!!!!

There were lots of eggs out there.

And Annette was all over it.

We finished the egg hunt right before the rains came,
and even had time for a really cute picture with Mommy.