RAINBOW PANCAKES

Violet helped me make rainbow pancakes yesterday morning. She put the drops of food coloring in each bowl and mixed them. She had a hard time comprehending that the panacake batter was not icing. She kept wanting to lick the spoons.

HAPPY SONG

Not the most exciting video. She really only knows the chorus. But still cute.

MARY POPPINS BIRTHDAY DRESS

Birthday dress is complete. Violet also wanted a hat. I found a white Easter hat at Target this weekend. She told me I needed to fix it because it "doesn't have the white thingy on her neck" and "where are the flowers". I think Violet's inherited my attention to detail. That or I've trained her unknowingly. Guess I'll be fixing the hat.
I thought I could get away with not getting an umbrella. Wrong. Violet reminded me it's not complete without the umbrella. Now I need to find a cheap white umbrella.
We tried this on last night. She spun around the room like a crazy person.

PURGING AND ORGANIZING

Our 11yr old washing machine decided to stop working on New Years Eve. I'd have to reset the spin cycle 2 or 3 times. So off to Nebraska Furniture Mart (no we didn't go to Nebraska) to look at machines. Found one at a good price. We went with a stackable unit. Of course it took two weeks to get.

It was a bit intimidating at first. But it is awesome! Compared to our old unit this looks like a space ship.

A domino effect occurred. The new machines led to reorganizing the laundry room. Which led to reorganizing the hall linen closet. This then led Chris to want to overhaul the unfinished part of the basement and me to want to organize the kitchen pantry. Lots of trash, stuff to donate and the selling of our dining room table and chairs that's been collecting dust for 2 years. Up next, Violet's closet and my studio closet. I feel lighter.

Monday we went and bought an unfinished cabinet and counter top for extra storage and a work area. I did paint bubbles on it. I thought it would be fun to match the bubbles I painted on the wall 6 years ago. Luckily I still had paint.

All towels are now in the laundry room. We built these shelves when we moved into this house and they weren't organized very well.

SPELLING

Right now Violet is very interested in how things are spelled. She wanted to know how to spell Willow and I told her. No help from me writing it out. Maybe we should get more serious about practicing site words.

She's also obsessed with what things are made of. It's like 20 questions all day long. Bed time is the worse. I think she does it to delay going to bed.

BIRTHDAY DRESS

Can you guess what it'll be?
I actually finished it this weekend. Just have to add the zipper.

DANCING

We signed Violet up for a 4 week dance class with LS Parks and Rec. We'll see how this goes and if it's something we really want pursue. I don't mind dance as long as it's not involved.

She listened and took direction really well. She stayed in her spot and didn't once wander away.

BIRTHDAY CAKE TOPPER

More images can be seen here.

4th BIRTHDAY INVITE

DS MASTER

I'm amazed how quickly she figured out how to use the DS. Chris traded in a bunch of his old games for Dora, My Little Pony, Build a Bear and Cooking Mama.

DRAWING VIOLET

:::click image to see larger:::

Tried something a little different this time. Drawing with thread. Still think I like sketches best.

UPCOMING BIRTHDAY!

Violet's birthday is coming up in 2 months. We're planning a party this year, not at the house, where we invite the girls from school. This is less than 2 months away.
I asked Violet what kind of birthday she wanted. Her response...a Meet Me in St. Louis party. I told her to pick again because I thought that would be to hard. So she said Mary Poppins. That I can do!
In one year her taste has gone from Dora to Mary Poppins.


Doodle for invite.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Another get together at the Bray's. It's nice to only have to walk across the street.
Lots of food, fun, friends, games, and kids.




The girls played dress up, of course.


Violet finds a Snow White dress wherever we go.

BOWLING

Violet and Jackson's first time bowling.

FABSITS CHRISTMAS

Nerf fun!




Violet got a ballerina jewelry box.



Jackson, Gillian and Violet.