Thanksgiving Day 2013

We left our house after school on Wednesday. It was an early release day for Becky and Ally so we did get an earlier than start than usual. But the weather was pretty bad, rain, sleet or snow the entire way and there was some traffic so the drive took an hour longer than usual.

Ally was a trooper and watched movies and did workbooks without complaint the whole trip. We were excited to finally get to Grandma Barbie and Grandpa Frank’s house. Ally was thrilled there was snow on the ground!

We spent  the evening having some dinner and watching Ally’s summer camp performance with Grandma and Grandpa. The cousins were on their way – it’s a long drive from Cleveland and they arrived while Ally was sleeping.

In the morning Ally got gifts from her cousins – Birthday and Christmas! She got a great flashlight penguin (now named Snowy) and a Clarice reindeer! Ally was thrilled!

Grandma Barbie had a quarters project for the kids. One quarter for each state. But an even bigger hit was decorating the boxes the stuffed animals came in. Turns out the cousins picked Uncle Kurt up at work on Wednesday and they each got to pick out a B./uild a B.ear and Jackson suggested they get one for Ally so she did not feel left out (awwww) and they got her the Clarice one. Each cousin helped put it together, kissing, hugging the heart and filling it with stuffing.

Ally and Kaitlin had fun playing with my childhood toys – this was Fashion P.lates. And Jackson worked on the Etch a Sketch

 

Christine and Meredith made the mashed potatoes.

While Ally and Kaitlin wrote out and decorated the place cards. Becky repaired Jackson’s Ohio S.tate Bear, Brutus.

There was also some tasting of the potatoes. The girls settled in with their stuffed animals.

Becky bundled up in 2 coats and hat and mittens to supervise the snow ball throwing out in the driveway. It was frigid – I think the high was 15 degrees. But Ally wanted to paly in the snow. And her cousins wanted to play with her.

My mom did a great job as usual with the meal. Table was beautiful and the food was delicious.

After dinner there was old school computer-ing with the light brite!

Meredith made a bird.  Ally watching TV on the ipad surrounded by cousins!

7 Year Check Up

Ally had her 7 year physical today. I took her by myself this year. It was the first time ever Becky and I did not both go to this annual well-visit. But the most convenient time I could get was a a 230 appointment, which meant I would pick Ally up from school early and Becky would have had to leave her school early.

Since we had no concerns it seemed logical.

No surprise, Ally is in excellent health. She is holding strong in the 15% percentile (WHO chart, not US growth chart) and weighed in at 41 pounds and 45 inches. 

She did need to get a flu shot, which was of course a dramatic scene of me holding her down in my lap with Ally crying hysterically. She had been clear she did not want to get a shot at this appointment, but our wonderful pediatrician over-ruled Ally and explained that coming back another time would be a bad idea and would expose Ally to sick kids.

We came home after the appointment and let her watch a movie.

Silly face girl. I love her so very much and am very grateful for her good health.

Thank You Notes

 

We thought Ally’s thank you notes were brilliant. She wrote the thank you and then drew a picture of the gift on the back of the card. Pretty clever if you ask me.

School Concert

Ally’s school concert was today. It was held at 100pm. I continue to be extremely grateful to my flexible schedule at work so that I can attend daytime events.

It rained that day and so I brought out a new coat I had for Ally. I bought it last February (in Florida with Aunt Martha)– it’s a longer winter coat, water and wind proof. Ally looked Ally grown up.

In the picture above left Ally is in the front row. 2nd from right of the teacher. And then below she is all the way on the left – 2nd one in. The concert was in celebration of Hispanic Heritage month and the entire first grade sang 2 songs in Spanish and then performed a dance. It was really great.

After school I brought Erik and Ally to swimming lessons. I just love the color and motion in these pictures. They always race to the door.

After swimming lessons we came home and put up our new tree! We waited a week to decorate it. We then watched the videos of the concert with Mama. Ally loved performing the dance again.

Thanks Aunt Pam

Ally was very excited to receive a late birthday present. $10.00 cash in the mail from Aunt Pammy and Uncle Tommy. It went into her wallet. Ally is saving her money for “things she really really wants”.

Later on at dinner looking funny wearing my sunglasses upside down.

Ally’s 7th Birthday (not the party)

 

Ally whispered in my ear right before breakfast “can we light a candle and sing happy birthday to me”? Of course I complied with the request – how could I resist?

 

As soon as the party was over Ally asked to open her other gifts!

She was thrilled to get a new teddy bear (immediately named Fuzzy) and a “hair salon” chair for her Makenna doll.  Aunt Cindy sent a really cute purse made in Guatemala, and a funny card that kissed Ally.

Ally’s camera broke about a year ago – not thru her fault – it just stopped working properly. She asked for a new one, and that is what she got from mommy and mama.

Ally got a really neat sweatshirt from Aunt Martha – who we also thank for the beautiful dress Ally wore all day.

A card that played music and a fun card game from Aunt Louise and seven dollars cash from Gruncle and Aunt Suzie. Ally sure is a lucky girl to have received so many presents. She also got a craft kit and Lego set from Beth, a really neat leotard for her McKenna doll and more from Grandma Barbie and Grandpa Frank. And lots of cards. We are so blessed to have friends and family who love Ally so much.

Ally watched her summer camp dvd with everyone. Put together the Lego set with Poppy Dave.

Then Ally took pictures. I found these on her camera the next day.

Very funny faces.

Grandma Debbie was a good sport and played “salon” for quite a while. At first it was hair salon for the dolls, and then it was “spa” for people. Grandma is getting a massage from Ally in the picture on the right.

Dinner was Ally’s choice – pizza! Ally and I are making silly faces. Then she put a carrot on her nose and said she was a snowman again (since we were sitting under the snow).

Then it was time for cake again. I made an extra cake for after dinner. The entire rainbow decorated layer cake was eaten at the party earlier.

Yes we sang Happy Birthday and Ally blew out candles 3 times!

We even let Ally cut and serve the cake.

Same family pictures.

Becky took Beth to the airport after dinner and Ally put on a gymnastics show. 3 shows actually. She had us go into the kitchen while she made up and practiced a show. She even wrote down (like a program) the tricks and performed them in that order.

A one handed cartwheel! At one point she grabbed her camera and took a picture of her audience.

It was getting late but before they went to their hotel Ally asked Poppy to read in Spanish. He has a hilarious Spanish accent, and humored Ally again and read to her in Spanish.

After they left, Ally and Mama played several games of Chomp (Thanks Aunt Louise) before going to bed.

It was truly a wonderful day.

On Sunday we were all pretty tired, but still basking in the glow from everything (and the fake sun was still up).