Elliot is SIX!!!

Happy birthday to the best little girl we could ever hope for!

We had three fun filled days of birthday celebrations. Thursday I went to her classroom to take mini cupcakes to the class. Each cupcake had a ring or an army man on them too.






Friday we went to the childrens museum with two of her friends, Cara and Shelby. We all had a lot of fun and I was glad to get to chat with my longtime friend, Jolene, who happens to be Shelby's mom. Sorry pictures are on the camera and will be got to later.

Today, we had a present celebration including a bike (which I fear is too big). Then we spent the afternoon at the Seattle Aquarium and dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Again, pictures are on the camera and will be attended to later. It was a good day but I am beat!



The barbie cake she asked for. Had to sacrifice poor barbies legs to make it work. Luckily she may have gotten a barbie or two for her birthday.



I am so grateful that Elliot is in our family. She is a ray of sunshine most of the time. She is creative and sweet and a huge helper. I love you!!!

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Reading game

I have really been trying to push elliot into reading, which has been just as frustrating for her as it has been for me. Thanks to my sister-in-law Lisa who sent me a link of an easy "game" to make and use to help kids put sounds together. You use paint sample cards from the hardware store. Today we went to Home Depot for their free kids' workshop and I grabbed handfuls of those paint cards.

Here are the kids with their eye protection ready to hammer away!



So here is the website with the idea: http://thesnailstrail.blogspot.com/2009/05/whats-in-workbox-handmade-word-family.html

Basically, it is taking smaller ones and cutting into individual sections and then I used a punch so that a letter or set of letters will show through as you practice blending the sounds together. As you can see, it makes for lots of word options- some real words, some not.


Elliot tried it tonight and was being very successful! Because you work on one type of word at a time (for instance "-at" words) the repetition is great. So far working better than flash cards!


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March 24th- Happy Birthday Tripp!

True to the third born, I am late getting a birthday post done for poor Trippster. This was him the morning of his birthday:









We had a normal non-work day, but with the added fun of getting ready to head to St. George the next morning. I did manage to get a cake made for him and in honor of march madness, we went for a basketball theme.


Today was his well child check up and as expected he is healthy as can be. A little small, especially compared to my others. He is almost 22 pounds (33%) and 30 inches (55%). His head is in the 85%!

He has been a little bit of a challenge this first year especially with the move but I can't imagine life without him. He has a grin that can light up the room and little squeal that is contagious. He is not quite walking yet but I am sure it is in the near future. He will eat ANYTHING you give him and has completely weaned himself about 2 months ago. He is a mama's boy through and through and I am trying to enjoy that now because it probably won't last.


We love you, Tripp!!!

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