Pre-School Graduation.

Amanda had her first pre-school graduation today. I say first because she will go again next year and do the whole thing over . We have started a few new traditions over the past couple of years for special occasions. The first is either orange or cinnamon rolls for breakfast that morning, usually brought to the special person in bed. The second is related to where we live and the culture that my children are exposed to that they think they are a part of =) We now have to have candy lei's. This came about by chance as last year Katrina was given one for her pre-school graduation by her friend Peni. Then Steve received one for Fathers day since he was in the bishopric, several of the children in our ward then got baptized and you guessed it lei's and then to bring it right back into their minds I was given one for Mothers day. We had so much fun making them last night for Amanda and all her friends at the hawks nest. I must say my children, Katrina especially would probably prefer if she had been born Polynesian, but I am grateful that we have so many friends who include us and enrich our lives with their rich cultures.

So after the Cinnamon rolls we began the process of getting ready for a Hollywood themed graduation. We did Amanda's hair (she wanted it down) so we had fun putting lots of pretty curls in it. We took a few pictures before she left for school and then put the battery on the charger and proceeded to the graduation without a battery in the camera =(. The graduation was cute and they danced and sang and I guess they had done a DVD, but they could not get it to play so they are going to redo it and give all the kids a copy in a few days. Amanda had fun and got an award for being the "Most Shy" go figure! Afterwards we went to the mall for lunch and let her play in the play area for awhile.
The high school students gave each of the children a gift with a note book, crayons and a giant hershey bar, which she loved! I couldn't resist one last picture of Amanda with her chocholatey face, candy lei and flower. We love you Amanda and can't believe how big you are becoming.

Girls night in!

Well last night was the Priesthood commemoration camp out (otherwise known as father and sons) an so of course Steve went. I have always had a hard time when he goes in the past but the older my girls get the more fun it seems to be. We had our annual girls night in, and made Chinese chicken and popped popcorn. The girls each got to choose a treat for the movie and were loving the gummy savers and starburst all the while sharing with Elizabeth =) the fact that they were being so cute with the baby overrode the sticky mess that was being made as the literally engulfed the candy. It was also fun that we didn't have to watch an animated movie. They chose to watch Dreamer a show about a young girl and a race horse.

Before Steve left he blew up the air bed and so we all watched the movie from there. I was planning on sleeping on the couch as the idea of 3 of us on a queen size blow up wasn't all that tempting. But after the pleas from Katrina and Amanda (not to mention the couch wasn't all that comfortable either) I ended up sleeping at the foot of the bed. We had a blast and we finished it off this morning with toaster waffles eaten on the floor with the breakfast tray. We can't wait to do it again next year. Hear are a couple of pictures

Play time

I have been trying harder lately to really play with my children. not just let them play and have fun but to be involved in the play time. These are some pictures of the girls standing outside of the fort we made. I must admit my house was the part not covered by blankets and I only went inside their fort for a quick picnic.










But I was the next door neighbor for a while and we had lots of fun. I must admit that the house is not nearly as clean as it normally is but we are having lots of fun together and somehow the house does get cleaned(just not all at one time=)) I love being a mother to my beautiful daughters and am so thankful that I am able to be a stay at home mom.











The blanket we used was a wonderful gift given to Steve at a Polynesian baptism. It was given to Steve out of respect since he is in the bishopbric. Every time we build a fort we have to use the blanket with the flowers so that they can have flowers on their roof.