Birthday Bash

Abby's 4th and Essie's 2nd birthday party was a hit. Yes, we did princesses AGAIN.

They haven't gotten tired of it yet.

Grammy B. decorated our Costco cake...we had fun shopping for the right accessories for the cake. This is a memory of childhood for me -- Mom decorating the cake. Thanks again, Grammy. What a BEAUTIFUL cake and such a fond memory.

Jumphouse below from Papa and Grammy B. was SUCH the hit. Now it's ours all the time, not just at birthdays. They are loving it, but the cutest thing is how girlie they are with it. They take pillows inside and use it as a house more than a jumper. I think Caleb will get the MOST good jump use out of it. Hilarious, though.

The kids enjoyed pizza, veggies, and juice.

Jumphouse Medusas

The swing set was also a hit!

Abby invited the other kids to help her open her gifts.

Of course, Essie sat with Mama the whole time while opening her gifts. Such a Mama's girl. :)

Headband (among other gifts) from Grammy C. (and a matching one for Essie) -- thank you!

Make a wish!

Notice the four candles on the right side of the cake and the two candles on the left. We can still celebrate their birthdays together, and at this age they love it.

Drunk on Cake!

The only thing Abby wanted at her birthday party this year was a pinata (probably from watching Dora). The kids reaped the rewards after the adults all "helped" them by getting in on the batting action. It was a STUBBORN one, but we prevailed!

Beautiful Fall Day

Don't you just love that little face?

And what better way to enjoy the beautiful fall day than by doing art projects and playing with the flowers...outside.

And as much as I try to keep Abby out of the flowers, it's her way of showering affection on those she loves. :) Who can say no to that?

Swing Set

So this was Abby and Essie's birthday gift from us this year...a swing set. It was a family project from the start -- not an easy do-it-yourself project; that's for sure. But Daddy did a superb job of making it all work, despite all the negative reviews on this product. I'm sure you're asking, "Why did you buy this one if it had negative reviews?" The answer is, it was the only swing set that was the exact right size for our girls and our backyard, and Eric knew he'd be able to put it together, regardless; he's a former industrial engineer, and he's great with putting things together.

So proud of him!

Although it looks like I'm doing absolutely nothing (above), I actually was helping read the directions and assisting wherever a pole holding was needed. Also, I acted as moral support: the cheerleader. :)

And how do the girls enjoy it?

Pictures say it all!

Another Hartford Park Day

These pictures are a couple weeks old, but I had to post something new...something other than materialistic before and after photos of our house. :)

We took a walk to the park and enjoyed a nice picnic lunch and a day on the swings and the jungle gym. Gotta love these perfect days.