Thursday, December 31, 2009

Gingerbread boys.............


.........and flamingos and turkeys and angels and snowmen and trees!  (I have to wonder...did anyone else not in the state of Florida make gingerbread flamingos this year??)  After the girls and I made the dough and threw it in the fridge for a while, everyone selected what shapes they wanted and everyone got to decorate a cookie sheet (or two) full of various cookie shapes.  Joel stuck to the traditional boys, but gave them attitudes.  And in one case I think a mowhawk.  We had so much fun we might not be able to wait until next year to do it again!  And they were yuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmy!!

Amarra's Actual BirthDAY

Amarra's actual, after all of the Snow White excitement, still held a few big surprises! A birthday is one of those very rare occasions upon which my children can talk me into a Happy Meal.  It was actually perfect...she ate her Strawberry Shortcake Happy Meal and then got to open her new...Strawberry Shortcake bike!  (With a basket and everything!) Her 12 inch frame bike was FAR outgrown by the end of summer, so we moved up a size, hand brakes and all.  (Joel is thrilled that the back of the seat has a handle, to make teaching to ride without training wheels all that much easier.)  Then, from Mimi and Poppop, the much desired Melissa and Doug Deluxe Ice Cream Set!  She looked at it for a moment, realized what it was, then set it down and yelled, "YES!" with both fists in the air.  We've been up to our eyeballs in magnetic ice cream ever since!  Then Elizabeth and Olivia joined us (along with their parents, Sarah and Nathan and baby Remy!) with Ninny and Arnaud for yet another round of Happy Birthday and some specially requested "Pear Cake".  She wore her "I'm 4" shirt again, and this time I told her it was true!  Our little girl is growing up!

Thanks, GGB!



As a belated birthday present, Seleia got something from her Great Grandmother that she had been wanting for a very long time...The Beast!  His beastly head, hands and feet slip off to reveal the prince! (Belle is also quite ecstatic.)  I think she likes it!!!!!!!!

Family Fun

The night before Miss Amarra's birthday Grandpa and Grandma Juhala, Uncle Jesse. Aunt Janelle and Uncle Phil all came over for a birthday dinner and to celebrate with her.  They all got to play with some of her presents from the day before...the Princess drawing board, Snow White puzzle and the Cootie game chiefly among them.  Amarra blew out all of  the candles on her cake (gluten free german chocolate!) and was allowed to wear her new "I"M 4" shirt with the understanding that she was STILL THREE.