Friday, March 16, 2012

Disneworld and update!

Hello if there is anyone who still checks our blog! I have meant to post for so long, but I just can't seem to get the time to sit at the computer and do it. The girls have been keeping me busy- they haven't been quite as easy-going lately!
The girls are growing up so fast- I can't believe they will be 3 years old in a few weeks. Anna has always told me she wanted to be big like me and do what I am doing, and has always preferred hanging out with the grownups over playing. Now she truly thinks she is a grownup... she wakes up in the morning, dresses herself, goes to the kitchen to get her own breakfast, goes to put on a cd in the music player. She wants to do everything herself and watch out if you try to intervene! She has been a challenge lately! Natalie and Elisabeth play together well most of the time, but they have started to give up their naps and it is beginning to show. There is a lot more hitting and screaming. Overall they continue to be happy and fun girls, though! They have all moved successfully to big girl beds- there was never even a struggle to get them to stay in them (except at nap time). They have been very excited about their beds!
Alex is doing well- he started out the school year with some struggles and figuring everything out with his new teacher. He is doing really great now! He is still doing boy scouts with Chris and enjoys playing with his neighbor friends. We recently got him a trampoline and that has been a big hit with all the kids.
We took a trip last month to Disney world! We wanted to go before the girls turn 3 as they are still free, but I was a little nervous that they might be too young. It turned out great, though! We went with my parents and stayed at a wonderful place and hit the parks early so we could get on rides quickly. Everyone had a great time! Alex also went to Legoland with Chris and my dad and that was definitely a favorite.
Here are some pics from our trip:

Day 1: We are on our way to Disneyworld


































They loved It's a Small World- Anna clapped the whole time!















This was Elisabeth's favorite ride- Aladdin's carpet ride







































































All the kids enjoyed dancing in Tomorrowland
















Elisabeth spent some time dancing with Chip (or Dale) and seemed totally unfazed that he was a giant chipmunk




















Day 2: Alex at Legoland, girls in the water!





























This was Alex's favorite ride of the whole trip: he drove a Lego car by himself and was expected to obey all traffic lights/signs. I think he did pretty well.















Natalie














Anna














Elisabeth















Day 3: Animal Kingdom


































Alex, Chris and Pop riding the rapids (on the left)















Day 4: Back to Disneyworld and lunch at Cinderella's castle with the princesses















Snow White was the friendliest! (with E)















She even talked Alex later into getting a picture with her




















With Ariel




















Sleeping Beauty (or Sleeping Booty as the girls call her)















We also met Cinderella and Belle!

In the morning we met Tinkerbell














The lunch was probably the girls' favorite part of the trip!

We rode the People Movers a lot- never a line and the kids enjoyed it!















We had a great time- thanks for going with us Grammy and Pop!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We had a great time as my brother and his family came to visit from Oklahoma. We haven't seen them since last Christmas so we were badly in need of a visit. The kids had so much fun together!

Sophie is 5 now and she and Alex had fun together! I think Alex enjoyed having someone a little older around to play with.














Alex was posing Sophie in different places to take her picture














Gage is 1 now and starting to walk!














.. and Elsie is 3 and fits right in playing with all the other girls!

Elsie and Elisabeth














Here are all the cousins together:

Elsie, Natalie
Sophie, Elisabeth, Anna, Aubrey and Alex
Madison and Gage


























Elisabeth and her Aunt Susie













Uncle Mike and Gage















































Grammy and some of her girls



















Just a cute picture of Natalie













...okay, another one too!













We ate at a pizza place Mom was excited to take us to as it has enormous pizzas- perfect for our size crowd!

















































Pop built a dollhouse for the girls to play with at their house- he made it especially for multiple little girls to play with- it's open on both sides!















Chris and Gage














Attacking Uncle Mike














Anna and Baby Madison- Anna loves babies and can spend long periods of time just being with them. She has such a mothering nature.














Aubrey and Elisabeth dressing up














Black Friday shopping!














I also had an interesting Black Friday shopping experience at 10pm the night before when I tried to get a wii game for Alex at Walmart and had a near death experience- and didn't end up with a single game. I will never do that again! We had a lot of fun shopping us women the next morning, though! We enjoyed our little time without kids :)
Hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving!
Thanks Mike and Susie for braving the trip out! We love you!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Halloween

Finally getting those Halloween pics up!

We had a great time trick or treating in the neighborhood. The girls loved it and couldn't wait to go again!
















My little Dora the Explorer characters:
Natalie is Boots the Monkey, Anna is Dora, Elisabeth is Isa the iguana, and Alex is Diego
Alex was so sweet as when he found out who the girls were going to be he wanted to be Diego- even though Diego is kind of young for him. He knew the girls would love it- and they did!































Alex and his friends Zach and James















Alex had a Thanksgiving program at his school. He was so cute- he had so much fun with it. He loves music and loves his music class at school!






























The girls had fun watching it, too!