So grown up

How does this happen?

Its school picture day today. On Sunday we went shopping for a new dress – I let her pick one out – no you can’t see it here – that will wait until we get the pictures back. 

She took a shower this morning before school, which we do at least once a week, and then I spent 15 minutes drying her hair. She was so thrilled with the results. Not the process. She still hates showers or baths, and the hair dryer even more. But there were no tears today, she endured it well, and twirled her smiled and flounced her hair. Her really long hair.

 

September 2009                                   October 2011

Remember when she looked like that?

Thank you Aunt Pam (and Uncle Tommy)

Ally received some fun Halloween gifts in the mail from Aunt Pam and Uncle Tommy. It was such a nice surprise for her to come home to a package.

Ally was super excited to see the wrapped gifts in the box.

The first item was a sparkly pink tutu “collar” for Cloey, and then some fun things for Ally. She loves the stickers, and the card. Coloring books are always fun.

After gift opening she settled in on the couch for her afternoon TV show with Cloey.

Then she took Cloey out for a walk to see a window I decorated for Halloween. I watched from the window inside as they walked out of our yard and around the corner to look at the decorations. We are pretty much set for our Halloween Party on Friday, just some baking to do!

Party #3 of the weekend

Sunday morning, Ally and I did not attend church, instead we went to Mia’s birthday party. This was at a nearby science and engineering play space. There were many different kinds of things to build with. I kept think Becky should have come to this party, as mama is the engineer in this family. But she had to teach Sunday School. I think Ally and I did pretty well.

Once again Ally worked on the card in the car. We had never been to t his play space before and Ally and I were a little stunned by the choices when we walked in. We sat down at a table with wooden blocks with River’s dad Thom. He was working on the Robot shown below. Ally and I built the chair from the pattern in the book.

This is as far as Thom got with the Robot – the arms became un balanced and it fell. Ally and I started on a tower.

Higher she kept saying.

Higher. even when she had to stand on the bench to reach the top. Thom started another neat structure, and River and Zach came over to check things out.

Finally the tower was taller than me. And it was moving a bit. So I deemed it “tall enough”.

After the blocks we started using some other building blocks with Aiden and his parents. That is Dennis, Aiden’s dad and I pictured with our gigantic structure. It was so big the facilitators said we didn’t have to take it down – they kept it up as a display!

Finally it was time to lunch and cake. So we told the boys t hey could break down the structure Zach and Aiden and River had a blast, and Ally watched on in glee. Really she was thrilled to watch it collapse. It was an impressive site.

After the party, Ally and I went to Roxy’s house for a play date. Then it was home for a quiet afternoon.

It was a pretty fun filled weekend.

Jam Packed Saturday

Saturday was pretty exhausting. Ally and I attended 2 birthday parties (she was invited to a 3rd one),  sugar skull decorating at school and ballet class. We were pretty tired by dinner time.

But it was a lot of fun.

Catalina, Ally & Becker getting started on their skulls.

Eric, little brother of Alejandro, Alejandro, Ally and Becker with their skulls.

Ally and I were wearing blue shirts – funny how that happens sometimes. We had fun decorating the skulls. This year Ally even helped the art teach, Sra. Garcia make the skulls before school.

We went to ballet, stopped at home for a quick lunch and then headed to party #1:

Ally wrote her card in the car on the way there, it was at a trampoline place about 30 minutes away.

Stella had mostly friends from her school there, and a friend for her little sister Violet. But Ally had a blast. She and Stella have been friends for 5 years now! The picture of the girls on the right is from 4 years ago when Stella had her 4th Birthday party at the bowling alley.

 

tons of fun jumping jumping jumping this area you run and jump into the ball pit

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Then to the sea of trampolines Ally even jumped off the wall a few times. That is Violet in the pink dress and her friend Emiliano in the red shirt and brown shorts.

Then the girls went to the basketball hoop. Each girls is in her own compartment which has a trampoline base and wind blowing inside. You throw the ball into a hoop in the other side.  Ally and Stella played for a while.

Then it was back to the ball pit.

Stella got brave enough to do flips!

Shannon, Stella’s mom makes amazing cakes, this year the theme was Frozen and this is an ice palace cake. Ally and I left before the cake was cut to go to a 2nd party, but she jumped with Stella the whole time, and stayed for pizza and juice.

Then it was on to party #2

Clemens is a friend from school, and lots of Ally’s class mates were there. We missed most of the jumping – this party was at a bouncy-house place, where Ally is having a big party for her birthday next month.

Later that night – sleeping, on a mattress on the floor next to Cloey. Cloey was still recovery from surgery, so she couldn’t be on the bed, and Ally wanted to be close to her.

Pumpkin Carving–take 1

We thought it would be fun to get our carving pumpkins and carve one this past weekend, so we could roast seeds and not wait until Halloween for that yummy snack. Ally and I stopped at the supermarket and picked out the 2 largest pumpkins in the store, and the largest ones I have ever carved! Once at home Ally got started cleaning one off and then she and Becky scooped out the guts.

Becky cut the hole in top, and then Ally scooped out the guts, and Becky sorted the seeds from the flesh. Ally asked for a “spooky” pumpkin this year – and we think Becky did a great job.