M's 4th Birthday

Malia got a Ken barbie from Grandma and Grandpa Hansen, and he
and Rapunzel immediately fell in love.  They have been kissing a LOT.
I'm glad she got this because there was a lot of innapropriate kissing between
her girl barbies, Riley's hotwheels, etc. She said about Ken "I'm going to
tell my friends I have a MAN now!"

The big day has started!  First present of the day from Riley.  He stayed
up the night before trying to be sneaky, and wrapped a book of his for her,
one that he knew she liked.  He is so sweet.  He doted on her this morning
before he had to go to school.  He even marked her 4 year old height on her
door frame.  I didn't even think of that!!!

I don't often curl her hair but it is so cute!  My mom came down
to celebrate the day with us.  Here's the birthday cake I made for her,
that she so kindly (under no pressure whatsoever) shared with Malia and I.

Best picture ever!

And don't forget the nice kiss.  This will be a yearly tradition,
a nice long kiss for the camera.

For my third birthday I took a big bite of cake and was STRAINING
to open my mouth wide enough (little picture at right).  Malia makes the same face all the time,
although not as much in this picture.  She's not afraid to open wide for a bite! 

Slobbering on Grandma's straw.  We like to joke that she is "nursing"
on our drinks.  I love the little bit of my mom's face in this picture.  

I took my mom and Malia out to McD's for their birthday lunch.
I really like to splurge on people :)

Mischevious smile.

This little outfit is so cute.  And of course her finger and
toenails were pink.  She had such a good day.  She was so
excited that it was her birthday.  Everyone who came to the
door would be greeted with Malia saying very seriously "I'm
four" while she held up her four fingers.  She also kept saying to me
"Mom you can't boolieve it's my birthday?  You can't boolieve
I'm four?"  Malia I can't boolieve it!

Two little princesses, feeling very pretty as they should.

The spread.  PB & J sandwiches, apples slices, cupcakes and
M&M appetizer cups.  And pink and purple balloons and
streamers everywhere!

And six little princesses.  Malia picked her snow white dress,
and the other girls came dressed up or wore one of Malia's.

Ben's muscles gave out just after this picture was taken.  I don't
get how six little girls can be that heavy, but you can see
he's straining!  Hahaha!

Riley was there for all the action.  In fact he was quite a help.
I think he was trying to hide that he was excited about Malia's
presents too.  He knows he can get her to let him play with them.
He has his little ways!  

I love the look on her face holding this piggy bank. It's the kind
of look Snow White might have!  This was
from Grandma Blacker and Daniel.  

Riley in the thick of it, helping Malia open presents.  He was
also pretty good at crowd control :)

Riley's present to Malia, a little princess fold out couch.
He was determined to get this for her when he saw it at the store

The present on the table is what they found at the end of the
treasure hunt.  Inside was ring pops for all of them.

Dinner time! How much longer will these six little girls be able
to sit all together at this table?  So cute!  They are the perfect size.

Princess cupcakes!  Thanks Walmart.

She is so cute in her little dress.

End of the day outfit change.  She has many looks.
We love this little person so much.  Every little facet
of her personality is precious o us.  One thing she sais
during prayers I want to always remember "Dear
Heavenly Father, thank you for me...."  and then
she'll go on to say thanks for everyone else in her family.
Malia we are thankful for you too!

Early Spring 2013

Future nurse or doctor?  The duck didn't make it, but
she has to start somewhere.

Ben and his brother Sam out "power raking" the lawn to get up
all the dead grass.  Too bad the weather didn't cooperate.  It
started snowing while they were out there and so we had a lot
of dead WET grass.  Sam was so nice to come help, especially since
our yard is so big.  Ben helped him but there yard took much less time.

I wonder why Riley sweats so bad at night???

I set up this little room for the kids.  It has a chalkboard, dry
erase board, and some little DVD players.  I always thought this
would be a fun thing to have under the stairs.  They love it!

Getting ready for the Easter egg hunt at the ballfields.  

We had to split up because each field had age categories, so
Malia and Ben went together.......

......and Riley and I went to his field.  The field was covered in
plastic eggs that had probably taken quite a bit of time by volunteers
to lay out.  I had the best time watching him and all the other 7 years olds run
in a row across the field and VERY efficiently and quickly collect all the eggs!
It was over so quickly.  Funnest thing to watch!  Ben said the 3 and 4
year olds were the same.  Wish I could have seen that too.

Good haul.  Next year we will have better strategy.  And of
course Riley has to be goofy for the picture.

Doing the Easter egg thang.

Malia and Riley put together this little outfit...she feels fancy.

Hangin' out by the fire, eating hot dogs getting all smelly.
Hanging out by the fire = one full load of laundry.

The fire master, overseeing his creation.

First time eating breakfast at Kneader's! I slept over at my
Mom and Daniel's house and the next morning we were
still full from Red Lobster but went to Kneader's anyway.

Fabulous french toast!  I am a french toast lover anyway, so
this was great.  My mom wasn't as big of a fan.  She just can't
appreciate fine cuisine.  Had a great time!