Visit from Aunt Beth

Thank goodness Aunt Beth came to visit this weekend. Friday night was a big step in our lice treatment protocol. Overnight olive oil treatment.

The olive oil treatment requires putting olive oil on the scalp at 1/2" intervals. Then putting on a shower cap and sleeping like that. It suffocates the lice. Then in the morning you comb it out. 

Ally was very patient, ate ice cream and watched tv.

Becky was not as patient. 

She was grumpy and unhappy.

But they did it! And in the morning I spent 2 hours combing out their hair. 2 more comb outs this week and we can be done.

Saturday morning Becky took Ally to ballet so Beth and I could go shopping. 

Saturday afternoon Ally worked out on her bar for a long time. Beth got to see her gymnastics routine. But afterwards Ally was so hot she put a cool cloth on her head. Here she is eating a PB honey sandwich, drinking Gatorade, and playing Minecraft. Gotta refuel after that workout.

Later that night we watched Princess Diaries. Ally loved it.

Sunday morning was craft time. Serious crafters at work here.

Ally was thrilled with the project:

 It has lights, It is a heart marquee. Ally said it looked like something from Pottery Barn.

Beth always braids Ally's hair when she is visiting. 

  There is not much better than a girl who feels beautiful!

Niece and Aunt love.

We thought Ally looked like a celebrity with her sunglasses!

Of course she is always a super star to us.

Mish Mash Post

Some random pictures of life

Ally has been spending a lot of time in her room lately. Playing with her dolls and organizing her room. She especially loves lazy weekend mornings when she can hang out in her pajamas for a long time. She is wearing a hat Lauren gave her for Christmas.

Ally goes to physical therapy at Children's Hospital twice a week. She has been using the treadmill. 

After each session I buy her a smoothie and she sucks it down as we drive home or to school depending on the time of the appointment.

Girl loves her some straw-banana smoothie!

Carl and Cloey are starting to establish a truce.

At school for multicultural night students made a family crest. 

We tried to show the USA, and things we do together, travel (airplane), family traditions (watch football, celebrate holidays), Ally's birth country of Guatemala. Ally's favorite thing to do is gymnastics, a picture of us with Cloey and we think the words, Fun, Love and Kindness describe our family values.

There it is hanging at school.

I was cleaning out one of my purses and found this notepad of Ally's. She wrote this all on her own. She is so thoughtful. 

One Saturday recently we went shopping at her request to the mall. She walked the whole time, even though she as in pain and limping more than usual. We had a lot of fun. She had a budget for clothes, and for the  AG store. She did great. Above she is wearing a new sweater.

That same Saturday Becky chaperoned the lock in at church for the youth group. That meant I slept with Cloey alone. ugh Cloey kept me awake most of the night.

It was Super Bowl Sunday the next day. Becky made some yummy taco cups and guacamole.

Cloey was so tired from being up all night with Becky home she slept thru the entire game.

It snowed enough for some shoveling to be done one night. Cloey stood on the couch watching Becky the whole time she was outside. If Becky left her view she barked.

Even Ally shoveled. She had fun, and was really good at it.

One night Ally pulled out all her special things. She was having a hard time getting to sleep and ask emir she could. I found her like this later that night. 

Before we left for Florida we all went and got pedicures. 

We've been busy. Keeping up with regular blogging is hard, but I am going to try and continue as much as I can. I figure if I take pictures I should do something with them.

Amazing Gift

Today Ally received an amazing package from Grandma Debbie and Poppy Dave.

Becky and I had some idea what it was so I took pictures of everything.

The box was almost as big as Ally. 

Filled with packing peanuts. We had to pause and put Cloey in her crate so she wouldn't eat any.  Ally wasn't sure what to think about the plastic bag that was soft and squishy.

She was focused on what else was in the box.

Becky went to get a trash bag for the peanuts.

Ally had fun playing with the pink package peanuts,

They worked together to remove some of the packing and pull out 

Doll bunk beds!!!!

Ally could hardly believe it. White bunk beds for her A.merican girl dolls.

Label on the bottom commemorating it.

Finally Ally opened the plastic bag and when she realized it was bedding for the bunks, she lay down and curled her body around them.

Posing for a picture after we made up the bed.

Ally carried the bunks to her room.

The dolls have been sleeping on a doll bed that a relative made me when I was a girl. That bed is a replica of my childhood bed. It is one of the few toys of mine that we have. It is very special. 

But having her own replica beds?

That takes the cake. 

Ally asked softly, "they made it? It looks like something you buy in the store" we talked about how Poppy purchased and cut the wood and built the bunk beds. Grandma Debbie shopped for fabric, penguin flannel of course and made mattresses, and quilts and pillows for each bunk. She even remembered throw pillows. 

It is perfect. Just perfect.

Thank you so much Debbie and DAviD for such an amazing and thoughtful gift. And to Aunt Beth for planting the seed. 

Game Night with Mama

Becky and Ally decided to have a game night. This is the list they made of games to play.

We had haircuts earlier that day and Ally's hair is all styled!

Between games Ally did leg raises on her bar. She crunches her stomach and bring her toes to the bar. Impossibl for me. Necessary for her to keep her core strength up for her gymnastics.

Ally's impressive flexibility is on display above. Please note her butt is not touching the floor.