First Half of April 2015

 My girls have a unique sense of beauty.

 Brie

 This picture is adorable. Abby insisted on wearing those black tights even though I tried to convince her white tights or white socks would look better. But NO. Black. Tights. Oh well. I'm not as picky as my mother was with our outfits in public when we were growing up. Abby wore white dress shoes with it too. Ha! I did take the time to curl all the girls' hair this day, which is unusual. They don't like to sit to get dolled up, but amazingly, they all did very well this day. Brie's blue socks at least sort of match. Those tights though. It kills me! Ha!

 Chelsea began something new this week. Taekwondo! She is absolutely loving it so far. She's in the 4-7 age class. She turns 8 next month, but they put her here because a lot of the kids are getting ready to test for their next belt. She will likely (very likely) test for her orange belt next month and join a class with more kids her age including several girls.

 Here she is receiving special recognition for paying close attention and following directions. It is a sticker that goes on her belt. When they get five stickers they can test for the next level. At least that's what I understand. I only had a brief conversation with one of the instructors right in the middle of the class right after Chelsea brought me the sticker to hold.

Those dimples. LOVE them!

I can see her doing very well with this. We'll see if she chooses to continue with her dance. The current dance season is over and she will choose whether she wants to sign up again in the fall. It's totally her choice.

February and March 2015

 It's well past time for a haircut! My before and afters.

 This is definitely the most I've ever cut off at one time, but I'm not sorry! I actually need to go back and take a few more inches off. I was tentative initially, but it's quickly become an awkward length that interferes with my collar more than I like. People seem to like it though. And I do too!

 So three kids, three hamsters and two birds didn't complete our family. We added two more to the mix! Here's their "room."

 And here we have our two new guinea pigs, Poppy (above) and Teddy Bear (below). We finally feel like our family is complete, and do not intend to add more kids OR more pets. At least for awhile.

 The girls love their cuddly pets. They are more personable than the birds, and more snuggly (bigger) than the hamsters. All of our pets get plenty of love. Brie is especially fond of the guinea pigs. She took Poppy out to the backyard yesterday and was carrying her around and singing to her. It was pretty adorable.

 The girls and I took advantage of the free ice cream cone day from Dairy Queen. Yum!

At first Abby called the guinea pigs "skinny pigs." We all have lovingly adopted the nickname. We call them the skinny pigs or the skinnies quite often. (Abby can say it correctly now, but it's so cute to hear her call them the skinnies) The skinnies had their own Easter photo shoot. The family didn't get around to it this year though. We didn't even buy Easter dresses! Slackers we are!

January 2015, A New Year!

 Abby wasn't sure about Blue Raspberry walking up her arm toward her face. Her fingers were just a little small and unsteady for the bird's liking, but Abby's arm was just fine!

 Brie was so proud of herself holding the bird. The birds hadn't come out of their cage much as they were getting used to us and their new environment. I love how gently Abby is touching the bird, and how the bird is watching her very closely. Ha!

 More bird holding on another day. Think they are eager to hold the birds?

 Chelsea was pretty hot stuff holding BOTH birds at once.

 Brie can't decide which bird she likes best. Probably the one that lets her hold it.

 That second front tooth finally fell out! Chelsea's teeth seem to take a long time to fall out, and a long time to grow back. But I'm not complaining. They are strong and healthy!

 At a MSU event. Of all the booths and things there were to do, they spent the most time here with these wood blocks. Here Abby and Brie had built seats for themselves. Chelsea was eating a prize she won for playing one of the games. You'll never guess what kind of candy it was.

 Here's another clue. Need I say more?

Longfellow had a "Penguin Day" at school. I think Chelsea dressed the part quite well, don't you?

Still 2014, Various Family Pics

 The above three are the finals that went out to people (in my mother's Christmas cards, ha!) and up on walls. Some of these below, didn't make the cut.

 These cute PJ ones were for our cards that we give out to our newspaper delivery friends. Many of the people on our paper route give us tips at Christmas time, and they are my parents' neighbors so we know some of them. But we figure it's nice for them to get to know us a little, since they are niceys and give us extra money at a very convenient time of year.

( This one was the final)

 This bunch is from a photo booth at the Ward Christmas party. 

Second Half of December 2014

 This is definitely the month of making and eating goodies! The girls got to make and decorate sugar cookies with Auntie Jennifer. After that they got to make and decorate Reece's (and Hershey kiss) chocolate trees.

 Blogger likes to scramble my photos so they are a little out of order.

 Director and supervisor, Auntie Jennifer

 Building the trees

 Sprinkles make everything better

 Intense concentration

 If a few sprinkles are good, than MANY sprinkles are better, yes?

 Someone doesn't like the camera all of a sudden.

 Auntie's first tree

 A Christmas Day surprise for the kids. More pets! Brie named the blue one Blue Raspberry and Chelsea named the white one Snowy.

 I made a 40x60 quilt for each of the girls. I incorporated the same "sisters" fabric featuring Anna and Elsa from Frozen. I was sewing right up into Christmas Eve night. I think making three quilts in addition to all the other stuff December entails was a little ambitious, but it was worth it. This one went to Brie.

 This one went to Chelsea.

 This one went to Abby.

 The girls were quite surprised with the birds, and weren't too sure what to think about them at first. They fell in love though! The birds are (still) quite skittish, and like to flee from people, but it's ok. The girls are very understanding.

 More treats! We built gingerbread houses for FHE one evening.

 Despite the change in most everyone's outfits, this is still the same night.

 Downtown Christmas tree

 I forget what this event was called, but there was a group that came in on this very fancy-lighted train, stopped in the downtown area, and sang a concert for us all. 

 We don't usually get to walk right up to trains, so this was pretty neat.

 Here's the group. I know it's hard to recognize them in winter gear (yes it was cold!). Good luck trying to figure it out, because I have no idea who they are. They are famous though, I just am not in the loop.

 More treats! Auntie Beth came over and helped us mass produce caramel popcorn balls. We ate a bunch and also gave away many plates full as another FHE event.

 Brie is the only one of the littles that was interested in actually helping. Chelsea doesn't like caramel, so had no interest whatsoever. Abby munched here and there. But Brie was a great helper! She is getting more interested in helping in the kitchen these days.

 Christmas Eve at the Kelly's! Here is Damien, our adopted brother. Ok not legally adopted, but he's one of the family.

 I wonder which kids were looking at Bryon? Little monkeys!

 We actually broke up into a (mostly) grown up table and a kid table this year.

Here are the kids.

 Here are the grown ups, plus Gatlyn.

 Abby hiding under the tree.

 Let the chaos commence!

 Here is Kyri holding the sock monkey I made her. I made a sock monkey for each of the cousin kids (time consuming!!!) since my girls liked theirs so much. Kyri did love her monkey. I think she loved it to pieces, literally. She at least stretched it to it's limits and likely beyond. (I didn't want to look too closely at it by they time she left.) As long as she liked it, I'm fine with it's fate. Poor monkey. Ha!

 Santa came Christmas morning!

 Abby got quite a kick out of this wacky kitty. It shakes it head in a circle, causing the whole cat to rotate around, while mewing at the same time.

 The rest of Christmas Day was spent with the Heits. Randy and they kids are waiting ever so patiently to open stocking gifts.

 The girls sure to love their Heits! I'm not sure what Brie was telling/showing Greg.

 Grandma Heit made each of the girls a matching Princess pillow case. Abby used it as a cozy sleeping bag since there was no pillow taking up the inner space.

I stretched out and Abby stretched out on my lap. She knows how to make herself comfy!