Silver Creek Falls

We spent a couple hours before the Super Bowl walking around Silver Creek Falls.  We never cover much ground on a hike, the girls are happy crawling up the sides of the trails and dig in the dirt, they really want to go back when we have more time.

Eliza Mae

I love going back and reading these, and the girls love reading them now.  It's a little harder to write about them the older they get for some reason, knowing they will read this when I make the book puts pressure on me! 

Eliza is having a great year in 2nd grade. She just got her report card and seems to be right where she should be academically.  Her favorites at school are her friends, PE, and recess.  They play soccer every recess they can. When it's too muddy it's the first thing I hear when they get off the bus "today was so bad, they didn't let us play soccer at recess!"She gets a lot of little awards and extra privileges for being responsible.  She's still a rule follower, so much that it's hard for her when the others around her aren't following the rules.  It stresses her out, but I think her stress is getting better this year.  She doesn't like to stand out at all, and gets pretty nervous in new situations (she reminds me a lot of what I was like).  She gets to do Yoga Calm once a week and loves it, I think that helps at school. They do some great self esteem boosting activities each session so I'm so thankful their school offers this.

She likes to be good at what she is doing.  And if something is hard or she messes up, it frustrates her more than it should.  I've kind of learned what to say to her when I see her trying something new to prevent the major meltdowns when she can't do it right away.  So, it's hard to see her get upset over little things that I don't think should matter.  On the flip side she works really hard at what is important to her and does it until she's happy with the outcome. 

She takes her soccer seriously, Ryan usually plays with them on Sunday afternoons when it's nice and it's so cute, they get on uniforms and everything. 

She went through a phase of copying birds out of our bird book, I love seeing her art work

The below picture was at their schools family math and science night.  The other girls wanted to visit every station and try everything.  She didn't want to leave the station where they build a boat and get it across the pool with however many golf balls  would float on it.  There was an amazing science teacher there encouraging her and guiding her and it was so fun to watch.  She stayed there for over 45 minutes trying to make her boat better so that she could get the record for holding the most golf balls

She loves reading (currently anything by Jake Maddox, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and the Children's Encyclopedia).  She still loves her American Doll, LEGOS, and getting together with her friends outside of school.

Leah at three and a half

I could divide writing about Leah into two parts - when it's just her and I at home, and when all the girls are home.  She really loves her days at home while the girls are at school this year.  She loves having my attention and playing games, doing puzzles, and getting me to play little girls with her.  She knows little girls isn't my favorite so always lets me know I can be the mom/big sister/aunt...who just does the laundry and stuff - so that I can get some work done while I play. As long as I talk to her and call her honey she's pretty happy. 

 

It's fun to have just one to do fun little outings once in a while, this is the first time I've ever had that.  It's no wonder she whines when I'm going to meet the bus in the afternoon, I'm the only one she has to compromise with all day. 

  The below pic is her good buddy Anya, Leah loves when we get to spend time with her

 She really doesn't like having to wake up early on her daycare days.  She still cries one of the days when I drop her off but her teachers assure me after a story in their lap she's off and playing.  She's fine on the other day because her favorite little friend is there so she walks in, they run into each others arms and are off playing.

 I've always thought Leah is pretty funny. She makes us all laugh but it's hard to describe. She's really expressive and the faces she makes when she's telling stories are hilarious (to us).  She likes to dance and having three older sisters probably watches shows she's not really ready for yet. She loves Shawn Mendes and Katy Perry.  Some of her expressions are pretty cute too "BAM, WHAT?" when she plays a good card at UNO, "ooh ya boomshakalada" is another one she uses when she's winning a game.

 She doesn't love being a spectator at sporting events, unfortunately for her because the rest of like it.  A couple more years and we'll get to watch her, assuming she ends up liking sports as much as the other girls.

 She loves her aunts, of course. She got some good time with Mimi on her last couple of times at homes

 I had to include this one below because the pink dress of Ashlynn's is a favorite lately

 She's good at whining to get what she wants, there is usually at least one sister who will give in to her.  When I send her to her room (it's usually for whining/crying when she doesn't get her way) she stomps as hard as she can, crosser her arms and grunts her way back to her room.  In her room she proceeds to yell "It's ALL MAMA'S/MY/ELIZA'S... fault!" "I never get to do anything I want!"  It drives me crazy and it makes me laugh

Christmas

I loved reading Katie's recent update and it inspired me to try and keep this updated

 

 We got our tree from the farm Ryan's uncle owns.  When we were there they were loading the last truck to take to Texas so it was fun watching them try to fit every last tree in.  Notice Tony on top of the truck

                                                        These girls adore their cousins

 Another church Christmas program - the preschool crew was as cute as ever

                                                    Making Christmas cookies

                                         We got some good family time in at my parents

                              Adie was suppose to write a letter to Santa at school

 Skateboards were the girls big gift this year. We were suppose to have had blacktop poured by then but it wasn't done (and still isn't) so they can only ride them in this little spot next door, but have fun with them

                         Little rest on the way to Yamhill after waking up waaaay too early

                                                            Sweet little Rider

 Somehow over the past few years my siblings have all become dog lovers, which makes our girls really happy. Especially Ashlynn, she loves them.  It is fun to see Ashlynn with them, kind of crazy how much she loves them. Not fun enough for me to want one though.  Ever.