We love the Library!

On Tuesdays we have gotten into the routine of going to Story time at our local library. Then the girls get to spend some time in the children's area. They both take turns having computer time. Rosie loves the puzzle in the library (her Auntie G got her one for at home too!). Cecily get's to pick out five read along stories that she listens to during her rest time. 

It's a fun little weekly routine that we all enjoy. (Tuesday is Rory's day off, so sometimes he comes. But usually the girls and I need to get out and he needs some time at home!)

Happy Birthday Cecily!

Daddy prepared the breakfast, found the flower and put up the special birthday decorations. What a guy!

 We just can't believe that our baby is four years old! I know that everyone says this, but it really does just seem like yesterday she was born! We are so happy to have her in our lives. She is such a blessing and we marvel at all the little things that she says and does. It is such a wonderful gift to watch her tender heart unfold!

 Over the summer while I was recovering Grandma Pam, a family friend helped us with the girls. She told Cecily all about how in their family on your Birthday you get to be woken up with breakfast in bed. So for our wedding she and her husband gave us this tray so that we could carry on the tradition. We have tried to do this off and on, but Cecily latched right on to this tradition! She has been waiting for her day to have breakfast in bed!
Daffodils are her special flower because they always come up right around her Birthday. Last year I told her that she would know it was her Birthday when the daffodils started blooming. So when I told her it was her Birthday she said, "Oh are the daffodils up?" So this year we wanted to wake her up with a daffodil! She loved it!

She was so happy!

All she wanted for her Birthday was for Nanny to make a Belle dress. We ended up buying her one. (By the way, a Belle dress was surprisingly hard to come by when we were looking for one.) She was a very happy little girl. We enjoyed spending the day as a family! We went to the library and to Burger King to celebrate.

Valentine's Adventure

Valentine's Day was on a Monday this year. For us this meant that it is Daddy's busiest day of the week. So the girls and I embarked on adventures of our own. First we got them all dressed up and went for a little visit to see Great Nana.

We had planned to have Valentine's Day at the Walkers, but due to a storm we all lost power. On to plan B... we decided to pack up the kids and head into Gig Harbor and hope that there was power. So off we went in a little caravan with the Summits we ventured through the storm into town. We decided to go to Fondi Pizzaria! It was a bit of a mad house! In we went with five kids between almost four and one! We got to our seat, started on our salad and -- Wha-wa-zing-- the lights went off. Then thankfully went right back on. But all the orders were lost in the restraunt's computer. So that took a while. Once we got our food it was delicious! We had fun and good company while we waited.
Then Cecily had to use the potty.... and they had AUTOMATIC TOILETS! Oh no! She of course is on the verge of wetting her pants, but will not go! I was unprepared and did not have the post-it notes to cover up the sensors. All she wanted was Daddy's wallet. So we had to run back out to get one from one of the guys.
"Quick! Can we borrow one of your wallets for the toilet!"
Without even understanding what I was talking about Jeff handed over his wallet!
Fortunately Amy was there to explain (she was present at the first toilet incident at the YMCA that scared and scarred Cecily when it went off while she was still going). Thankfully, thanks to Jeff, Cecily was able to go to the bathroom and there were no accidents.
We made it home with out any branches or limbs hitting the car. However, the lights were still out when we got home, but I managed to get the girls tucked into bed before Rory came home from youth group. What a crazy but fun day!

Scouty and Cessy on their romantic Valentin'e date!

Rosie was really into the food at fondi!

Youth Winter Camp

The girls and I had the awesome privilege to go with Rory for Winter Camp with the youth group. We teamed up with Calvary Chapel Silverdale and Calvary Fellowship Gig Harbor

We had an awesome time together. 

I got to spend a lot of time with my friend Crystal. Her husband, Pete, is the youth pastor for Calvary Chapel Silverdale.  Crystal and Pete have two little girls that are close to our daughters age. We had great times exploring the camp together and many adventure in the dining hall. We also got to know the King family from the Gig Harbor church. What a blessing!

It was awesome to work as a team, I mainly watched the girls, but sometimes we switched off. Rory gave Crystal and I a break and we had a fun time raiding the local Goodwill. I was able to watch Crystal's girls while she met with their youth girls. I also spent one night down with the girls in the bunks.

Most importantly the youth we brought were taught the good news about Jesus and encouraged in the Lord!

We had beautiful weather! Cold but clear!

Views from our room!

Ice around the lake's edge.

Crystal and Celia on the giant tire swing!

Gotta Love the pockets! She is also wearing her Beaver shirt... better known as her Beiber shirt, much to the amusement of our youth group girls!

Cecily

Our little ducks all in a row! 

Rosie LOVES to be outside!

Molly and Rosie BFF!

Valentine's Day Dance!

Rory and I got to attend the Valentine's Day Dinner at our church. The food and decorations were amazing and there was lots of fun entertainment. We got to join in the fun and performed a little dance. We will probably post it on you tube soon. It was fun to be out doing a little swing dancing again! 

Rory won this beautiful bouquet for me and we came home with a handful of chocolate. It was an all inclusive Valentine's Date!

Rosie the Pooh

So happy in her new jumper from her Nanny!

Two things that Rosie is especially fond of are Winnie the Pooh and wearing some kind of dress. I am tempted to get rid of most or all of her pants because she doesn't like to wear them. Jumpers are the theme of the day. But I am holding on the the pants, just in case she changes her mind!

Be Mine Valentine!