City classes for the girls

The city where we live offers a variety of classes and a very reasonable price. We have signed our kids up for many of the classes over the years. The past couple months Natalie and Taylor have enjoyed their classes.
Natalie was in a class for 2 and 3 year olds with a grown up. We sang, we danced, we pretended to be various animals, played musical instruments, played with various other props like parachutes, balls, scarves and pom poms. Natalie really enjoyed the class.

This is Natalie ready to blast off. We sing a rocketship song that all the kids love.

Now she is flying her rocketship to the stars or moon or sun.

Taylor took a beginning gymnastics class again for 3-5 year olds. I am really not impressed with the class and I think the teacher is odd but Taylor really enjoys it and asks to be in it.

I know she looks more like a ballerina then a gymnast. I bought her a little leotard (no clue if that is how you spell that word) that was a bodysuit with shorts. She wore it the first day of class and then we have lost it in her room since. The tu-tu is to cover her undies under the leotard that has become small.

It is time...

To finally update my blog. These are some miscellaneous pictures of things over the past couple months. The pictures are in no particular order.

I was able to help in Taylor's Preschool class a few weeks ago. It was great to see how Taylor interacted with the other kids in her class. I noticed that she is kind to everyone in the class and that they all are her friends. I think she will do great in Kindergarten. She gets along with others but she is also spunky enough that she will not put up with kids being unkind to her. Cute side note, the boy on the left with the striped shirt is named Grant. I learned from Grant's Mom at the Preschool Christmas program that Grant has a crush on Taylor and that he wants to marry her. Taylor of course is completely oblivious to it all and says that he is usually mean to her, which she doesn't understand that that is what boys do. His Mom said that the first day of preschool Grant came home and said "I met the girl I am going to marry. She is so cute." She said that is very much out of character for him and that the crush is still there 5 months later. I would have to agree with Grant on the part of Taylor being so cute. :-)
Nathan has one more game in the winter wham season of basketball. He is #5 in this picture. Nathan decided that he wanted to play in the spring season so we will start games again the first Saturday in April. Nathan is really improving his game. During this particular game he made 2 baskets. The second one he made was a difficult shot. I really wished that I videotaped this game. After he made the difficult shot he had a grin from ear to ear for a few minutes. Many in the crowd made comments during and after the game like "That is what it is all about right there" "Great smile, that is true happiness" Many spectators from both sides came up to Nathan after the game and complimented him. Nathan told me "Mom, the crowd loves me" He was on cloud nine for quite a while.

Action shot.

Family came into town a few weeks ago for a baby blessing for our new niece. This is Grandpa S and Natalie. They are playing with a piggy bank that is a favorite toy in this household. They sat here together for a long time. It was a cute moment.

A week or so ago I took the girls to a park near our house where there are ducks that you can feed bread to. The weather was amazing and the girls had fun. Here are a few cute pictures of the girls.

Postcard material right here :-)

Nathan decorated a gingerbread house at scouts a few weeks ago and he wanted a picture to document it before we threw it away.

Nathan after climbing a rock at a nearby park a couple months ago.

Taylor's hair is getting long and I enjoy trying new hairstyles, when she will let me that is.

Natalie loves to ride around on Preston's back. She likes to dig her toes into his pants to help give her support.

In December Preston and I went to our friend's Gingerbread House making party. It is a lot of fun. This year we spent hours of prep work before the party to make it easier to construct in the allotted time of the party. Well our ski lodge attempt did not go very much like we had envisioned. If only we could project the images in our head perfectly into real life. The ski lodge was equipped with a moutain with a ski lift in the background. I will be honest here, Preston gets pretty intense when it comes to these kind of things and I try really hard to just sit quietly and do exactly as I am told. :-) The lodge is standing up in all of these pictures but it slowly collapsed as the evening progressed and by the time we drove home I had frosting all over my clothes and a collapsed heap of the previous lodge materials.

More happenings in January

Nathan has been playing basketball again this year. His season officially started 4 weeks ago. This is the only picture I have so far but we are only halfway done with the season. Nathan is in the middle of picture #5 red jersey. He has practice 2 nights a week and games every Saturday it keeps him busy but he enjoys it.

Our Stake had an Article of Faith Reception to honor all the kids that had memorized and recited all 13 Articles of Faith. Taylor and Nathan both did it this year. :-) They are enjoying their ice-cream reward.

Posing with the Primary President and displaying their certificates.

Nathan participated in his first multi school running club race on Thursday the 27th. He is in the light blue shirt bent over in the middle of the picture. This is just the 3rd grade boys that competed.

Finishing the 1.5 mile course. He ran the WHOLE way. I was proud of him. He was running with a friend that needed to take a break and asked Nathan to rest with him to which Nathan replied "Bye then, I am not stopping"

Right after finishing. He was the 82nd person to cross the finish line. This included 5 K-6 schools and all the 4th-6th graders got a head start. WAY TO GO NATHAN!!!

Preston has been in North Carolina for a work seminar so yesterday (Saturday) we had a day of play. After Nathan's basketball game we went out to lunch at Red Robin with Grandma and Grandpa. Then it was off to Freestone park with Grandma and Grandpa. The kids are waiting in line for the train here.

Nathan and Natalie on the train. (Nathan said he wanted to ride the train to find the best places in the park to ride his bike.)

Taylor and I ready for a train ride.

Nathan rode his bike up and down the hills (that he scoped out during above mentioned train ride)for a very long time.

I bought the girls a wristband that allowed for unlimited rides on the carousel. We got our full money's worth out of that. We rode a dozen plus times. I lasted eight times in a row and then convinced them to do something else. They would just bounce from horse to horse.

The kids LOVED this ride, especially Taylor and Natalie. They were laughing hysterically with delight the whole time.

Taylor and Natalie got to ride the mini ferris wheel which they also enjoyed. (Nathan was too tall for this ride unfortunately)

One of the workers felt bad that Nathan couldn't ride the ferris wheel and so she let him ride the carousel with the girls for free one time.

After the park we went to Grandma and Grandpas to play outside some more (after all it was a beautiful day). It was a really fun day. Maybe we will go there again some day when Preston can join us.

Taylor turns 5

Taylor turned 5 earlier this month and she had a really great time celebrating. On the night before Nathan and Natalie went to Grandma and Grandpa's and Taylor got to go out to dinner with just Dad and Mom to herself. We went to Famous Dave's (known to Taylor as the "Pig Place") Taylor LOVED being in the spotlight and having her Parent's all to herself.

Taylor took this picture of her Dad, she did a pretty good job I think.

After dinner Taylor received a special birthday treat from the restaurant. She was a little nervous that the fire would burn her but we assured her all would be fine.

After she was full to the max with all the food and ice-cream.

Taylor's birthday breakfast request was waffles with strawberries and cool whip. Garnished with the special red plate and goblet glass for special occasions.

This picture makes me smile for a few reasons. 1. Taylor requested a couple days before her birthday to wear the crown on her birthday. 2. Natalie copies pretty much everything Taylor does and always has to be a part of the action. So when Taylor turned 5 so did Natalie I guess.

Finally convinced Natalie to stay out of the picture so I could get one of just Taylor in her super cute birthday outfit.

Taylor had Preschool on her birthday so she brought brownies and sticky hands for her classmates.

For lunch we went to McDonalds to celebrate some more.

That afternoon some of Taylor's cousins came over to help her celebrate. They had other commitments that evening so they came early to have a pre party party. We played hot potato and Taylor won (must have been some birthday luck).

Taylor had a Strawberry Shortcake decorated cake. It was chocolate cake with strawberry filling and whip cream frosting. Yummy!!

Posing with the cake.

Opening presents with her cousins.

Later that afternoon some Aunts, Uncles and Grandma and Grandpa came over for another party. Here she is holding her cousin Jessica that was 3 weeks old.

Blowing out her candles for the 2nd time that day. :-)

Posing with the rest of her presents.

Taylor loves Panda Bears and one of her presents was this HUGE panda bear.

It was a great Birthday Celebration. Hard to believe my little girl has turned 5. Kindergarten here she comes.