Avery's 4th Birthday: A Mother/Daughter Tea Party

Candy Necklaces

Fancy Dresses

Great Friends

Nail Polish and Nail Stickers

Face Paint

Princess Crowns

Photo Shoot

We had such a fun time at Avery's birthday party.  Thanks to good friends and sweet girls! 

A Fall Splattering of Pictures

 Avery has a definite style.  It's called pink and purple.  With a little "if one flower is good, more flowers are even better" splashed in there.

 Henry's style is more minimalistic.  He's confident in his near-nudeness as he should be.  He looks good!

 My friend Julie has a swing in her house.  I just had to document that.  Raddest mom ever.

 Here's Henry at 7 months.  I love that face!!

Another picture of Avery's get-up.  The days that I am allowed input in her attire is less and less these days.  Leotards are the new jeans and a t-shirt in her book.

 Let the world know that Avery let somebody wash, cut, BRUSH, and style her hair without it being a battle.  I had to document it on my phone camera.  Afterwards, she asked me, "Is my hair long like Rapunzel's now?"

Tater-Nater the Kindergartener

Have I mentioned that Tate tells me "I love you" each morning from his kindergarten line in sign language?  It's super sweet.  He just started it and must have remembered it from a book we used to read when he was younger.

He also picked up the phrase "sweet dreams" this week and started telling me that as he goes to bed each night.

Tate is growing up and so very sweet.  Don't get me wrong, he is a rambunctious 6 year old boy, but he is at such a innocent and fun age.  Here is in line with his Superman pack and green pants.  The next photo is to commemorate the awesome toy gifted him by Aunt Jenn for his sixth birthday.  It was loved for 2 weeks and then fell to a tragic and kind of cool messy and loud tragic death on our kitchen floor.  And finally, a shot of Tate with the Hawthorne Bear.  Love this boy!

Fall and Babies

I love Ember's expression.  It says, "Get this big guy away from me!"

Ember found her smile when Avery was entertaining her.  Very sweet.  Avery can be quite rough with Henry, so we always guard him.  But she is so gentle with little Emmy.

I intended to pick a few perfect pictures, but I couldn't narrow it down!

Tate Turns Six

Tate turned six last Wednesday.  He informed grandma that six year olds can turn on lights (the sconce that requires a little finger muscle).  He told me that six year olds can fly helicopters (he got a remote control one for a gift). So, six year olds have it pretty good!

When told that grandma would be visiting on his birthday, Tate said, "Maybe she'll bring me a card!"  He enjoys the card isle at Winco and Target.  Cards are much more exciting nowadays than in the days of my youth, so I don't blame him.  Grandma didn't disappoint.  He opened it and didn't even notice the birthday money as it fell on the floor.  He, and Avery and Lane, were more interested in the lighted candle that you blow and it triggers a monkey singing "Happy Birthday to You".  

We love Tate so much.  He is doing really well in Kindergarten, although I am still adjusting to letting him go.  I just feel that everybody should attend school from 8am until noon. When they reach sixth grade they can transition to all day school.  At least his teacher doesn't assign homework, aside from reading, so he gets to come home and play all he wants.  I dread the homework era when it's work all day for these little people.

Anyway, Tate had a fun time at Chuck E. Cheese with a few friends.  I appreciate that he requested a rainbow cake because it doesn't get much easier, or prettier =), than that!  He told me exactly what he wanted-a candy rainbow with clouds and candy for gold at the end of the rainbow.

 We are spending Conference weekend with grandma and grandpa.  I heard Tate and Avery talking in the early morning together.  I caught this much of the conversation: "Avery, after sixty years, the lava turns to rock.  And that's how volcanoes work."  He had one day a couple weeks ago that he didn't want to go to school because "math is too hard."  I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that his teacher made him re-do the cutting and sorting math activity because he did it wrong the first time.  He was trying to convince me to write a note to the teacher about how he doesn't need to go to school anymore because he already knows everything.  One month of kindergarten and he's good =)  I asked him what he knows and he said "Mom!  I already know about volcanoes!"  Duh.