Hannah turns 9!

Hannah wanted a dog party for her 9th birthday. We scoured the internet for ideas and finally came up with the perfect dog party.  As the kids arrived they each got to go to the Adoption Office and pick out their very own dog. They filled out an adoption certificate and then ate dog bone cookies and drank soda until the rest of the kids arrived.

Once everyone arrived the kids got to go to the Pet Store where they picked up a satchel, to carry their dogs, doggie treats, and made a little dog bowl with clay. 

One by one the kids took their dog to the Veterinarian's office where the vet weighed him, took his temperature and gave him a shot. The kids left with medical records for their puppy and puppy vitamins (M&Ms). The kids took this part very serious



Hannah opened presents and then we ate pizza and paw print birthday cupcakes.

Everyone had a great time!!

First Tooth

Joshua was very excited when his bottom tooth started getting loose. After a few weeks Naomi convinced Josh to let her pull it out and he let her!!

Halloween 2012

 Naomi--Egyptologist

 Rebecca--Our little mouse

Hannah--Black Ninja

Josh--started as a white Ninja but as soon as all the Harry Potter/Halloween decorations came out he decided to go for Harry Potter again. 

Joshua's Indiana Jones Birthday Party

We printed out tons of Indiana Jones' icons and hung them around the house. 

The Sign that Welcomed everyone to the party!

 

Each adventurer got a satchel with a copy of the Holy Grail diary and a map.

 

They had to find different clues that lead them to a stolen treasure.

They had to put their hands in different bowls to find one of the clues.

They finally found the treasue in a TOP SECRET box where they found candies and quarters!

Our very own Indiana Jones!

 

At the end we had an Indiana Jones' birthday cake. It is supposed to be Indiana Jones running from the big boulder (in case you can't tell :)

 

 

Josh's new Super Hero Blanket made by yours truly. While he loved his new birthday blanket, he still prefers his pink eskimo blanket that has been handed down from Kayla, Lauren, Naomi & Hannah.



Becca's First Birthday

Becca loved hearing us sing Happy Birthday.  We had a Hungry Caterpillar party and Becca ate all her favoirte foods: Bananas, Apples, Oranges, Strawberries & Blueberries.

Becca Loves the Water

 This little girl LOVES the water!

Father's Day

 Hannah & Daddy

Naomi & Daddy

Happy Father's Day!

 (Josh was upset and didn't want his picture taken)



Graduation 2012

Josh's Kindergarten graduation.  Love the wink!

Spring Break 2012

Spring Break March 10th-17th

Saturday

Alamagordo, New Mexico Space Center

The Space Center was amazing. We even tried a freeze-dried ice cream sandwich.

Monday

El Paso Zoo

We loved the Zoo. The kids especially liked playing in the splash pool.

Rollerbomb

Joshua has been talking about going to Rollerbomb again as soon as we got home.

Tuesday

Breakfast in Bed

What is a vacation without Room Service? 

 The big kids took the bus downtown

Taking the bus downtown was Victor's favorite activity.  It was the first for the kids. Rebecca and I drove the car and met them at the Science Museum, we went swimming after and then headed home to have a movie party with the "Adventures of Tin Tin"

Wednesday

We relaxed during the day and then stayed up late outside watching movies in the tent .

Thursday/Friday

Sleeping in the tent was so fun on Wednesday we (more specifically Victor) slept in the tent with the kids on Thursday and Friday too!

Rebecca

What's to Eat?

Nothing gets past this girl! We had the refrigerator open for 30 seconds and Rebecca was right there wanting to take a peek inside.  She has already taken her first few steps.  Her record is five very tiny steps.  The kids get so excited to see her progress.

Naomi's 10th Harry Potter Birthday was the "Best Birthday Party Ever!"

Naomi wanted a Harry Potter Birthday party this year.  I began my search for ideas on Pinterest and there were so many fabulous ideas--- I couldn't stop making plans!!

We sent out Hogwarts Letters as invitations and included a ticket to board the Hogwarts Express.

We decorated the house with movie posters, spell books, wands, and potion bottles

As the kids showed up, each went to Diagon Alley and got a robe (a friend at church helped me make 12 of them--bless her heart) and picked out a wand at Ollivander's Wand Shop

While we waited for everyone to show up, the kids took turns tasting "Bertie's every Flavor Bean". The jelly beans came in all kinds of flavors like grass, sausage, pepper, earthworm and even vomit!---they chewed and ending up spiting out all the gross flavors. Everyone laughed.

Once everyone arrived, the kids went to the Great Hall to be sorted into their houses. I stuffed a cell phone up the hat and Victor called out their houses from another room. The kids were AMAZED.

The kids competed for house points by answering Harry Potter Quiz questions and with a scavenger hunt. During the hunt they looked for chocolate frogs, gringotts coins, a baskilik, a cure for a dementor attack, the golden snitch, a mauraders map, a dragon's egg, and Harry Potter's glasses. 

They went to divination class and took turns asking the "Magic 8 ball" questions.


Snape (Victor) taught the kids how to make "slime" in Potions class and all the kids received a Felix Felices potion to take home (Joshua took a sip of his Monday morning so he would be lucky at school).

After the scavenger hunt we ate herbology sandwiches, quidditch chips, chocolate covered wands and drank butter beer and elixir of life.  When everyone was done, we brought out Naomi's Golden Snitch birthday cake and then she opened presents.

Naomi was one happy ten year old!

What a blast!

Note:

Hannah is already planning her Harry Potter birthday party for November!!