Sunday, May 13, 2012

 The month of April got off to a SUPER FUN start!  My preschool had its annual Easter parade and carnival!  I was a little nervous about walking in the parade with my class, but Mom assured me I would have a great time!



While I waited with my friends, Mom, Dad, Macie and Uncle Will made sure to get front row seats to the show!


Dad and Macie didn't last too long in the sun- it was almost 100 degrees and too hot to sit in direct sunlight.  While Mom and Will held the spaces, they took refuge in the shade.


When the parade began Macie jumped back up front!  She had so much fun watching all the entertainment, but really enjoyed all the candy and treasures being thrown into the crowds!


I guess it didn't take long for her to become a part of the parade- running in and out of kids to get treats!


After the parade was done, I was glad that I had participated!


Catalyna and I were super glad that the bags we had made into hats for the parade also doubled as a place to store our treats and trinkets we got while walking (Our Mom's didn't know we were supposed to bring baskets)!



After the parade all the kids lined up to participate in the big Easter Egg Hunt!  The little kids went first, so when the whistle blew Macie was off!



After the little kids were done, it was time for my friends and me to show them how big kids hunt!


We made out like bandits and my hat was overflowing with treats!

After the Hunt the carnival began.  I was most excited to see the princesses up close, and take pictures with them!



We spent the day running, jumping, playing, and most importantly, EATING!!!



By the time we packed up to go home both Macie and I were tired, dirty, and ready for bed!



The following day the family went to see the last spring training game of the season!  Our music teacher, Miss Kristin, was singing the National Anthem, and we couldn't wait to watch her!  We arrived early to watch batting practice,


and had fun running around and playing on the kids ball diamond.

When the game was ready to begin, we stocked up on ballpark food and got comfy in our seats.  We listened to Miss Kristin sing and happily ate our snacks. 


When the game finally started we lost interest.  In hopes of getting us more involved, Mom and Dad moved us right down in front, but we were done and ready to go.  After the second inning we packed up and left.  Macie and I sure enjoyed our first baseball game, though Mom keeps telling me that baseball is about more than eating snacks.



That week we had some down time. Mom and Uncle Will were open to suggestions on activities, so after much persuasion they decided to go with my idea- a bus ride!  I had been begging to ride public transportations for months, so Will looked up the bus routes and schedules, and Mm decided we would ride the bus to Baskin Robbins (about 2 miles away from our house by cara)  I was so excited I could hardly contain myself!


 We drove about a mile down to the mall in Uncle Will's car and then walked to the bus stop!  We plopped right down on the bench with BIG smiles on our faces, but didn't realize that waiting for the bus isn't much fun...



When we got on the bus we were thrilled to find out that we didn't need car seats, and could sit ANYWHERE we wanted!!!


The bus dropped us off about 1/3 of a mile away from Baskin Robbins, so after a long trek we arrived tired and HUNGRY!  Good thing it was worth the wait!



Once we all had our ice cream we moved outside to enjoy our food!


By the time my ice cream was finished, it was getting dark and cold without the sun.  I snuggled up with Uncle Will while Macie finished her cone.


We walked back to the bus station and had apparently JUST missed the bus.  We had to find ways to entertain ourselves for the 20 minutes that lay ahead of us.  We played tag, hide and go seek, and "I spy", but soon were bored, tired, and ready to be home.


The bus finally came and we ran inside to pick our seats.

By the time we walked back to the car and drove home our bus ride to ice cream had taken about 3 hours round trip (about 20 in a car). Mom doesn't know how anyone could travel via bus and not waste their day in transit.

Later that week Grandma Judy flew in from California to stay with us and help Mom prepare for Aunt Hayley's surprise 30th birthday party we were throwing that coming Wednesday.  At school the next day Mom, Grandma, and Macie joined us for our Walk to Jerusalem event.



My class walked to different stations around the church property and we told the story of Jesus and his walk to Jerusalem.


Mom, Macie and Grandma joined our class, and Tate's Grandpa came as well!
 

Travis took Macie by the hand and made sure she followed in line with the rest of us.



 At the end we arrived and saw Miss Nicole dressed as an Angel. She told us how Jesus had risen from his tomb.


I returned to class with my friends while Macie took Grandma on the walking path, and insisted that they stop at the picture bench and pose!


The next day was my "sharing day" at school, and I decided that I was going to share my Grandma!  I brought my sharing bag with my clues about Grandma to school and couldn't wait for her to return at lunch time! 


Mom, Macie, and Grandma had some time to kill, so they went shopping while I participated in the morning activities at school.  Mom showed me pictures of what they did, and it looks like I missed out on some Grandma fun.

Here are Grandma and Macie riding on an amusement ride at the mall.



Right before lunch Mom arrived with Grandma and Macie, and I sat in front of the class and prepared to share my Grandma!!!


I read all of my clues to my friends (we usually put our sharing item in a bag and write five clues that are read to the class. Using the clues, they try to guess what it is):


1. I love her.
2. I like to play with her at the beach and bay.
3. I like to snuggle in bed and read with her.
4. I swim with her
5. We have lots of fun together...

My friend Tate asked if she was a Beluga whale!!!  After a few more guesses from my class, I brought Grandma to the front and introduced her to everyone!  We talked about all the neat things we enjoying doing together.


On the way to the car we all stopped at the bench on our walking path to take a picture together.


After school that day Mom and Grandma spent the afternoon preparing for Aunt Hayley's surprise party.  We decorated the house with tons of balloons, streamers, and crazy signs. 


Mom had told Aunt Hayley that she needed her to come over and babysit for a few hours, and Aunt Hayley made it very clear that it was not her first choice of things to do on her night off work.  Despite her lack of enthusiasm she showed up on time and got quite the surprise!



We feasted on a meal or Mexican favorites- enchiladas, fajitas, chips, guacamole- it was yummy!



After dinner Aunt Hayley blew out all 30 candles on her cake, and made the first cut so that we could dig in!


Macie and I thought the cake was so awesome that we shared some with our ponnies.


On Friday night the family went down to meet the Easter Bunny and take some pictures with him!
Mom was grateful that both of us were happy to be sitting with the Bunny; other parents were NOT as lucky...



When we were done with the Bunny, Mom tried to encourage us to take some pictures, but it didn't go so well- we were more interested in playing.

 



Mom was grateful when we posed with beautiful smiles with Grandma!!!



We didn't stay long since Mom could see it in our eyes that we wanted to play in the big water fountain.  She promised that if we left without getting wet we would come back another day to play.





The best part of the day was walking to the car with my Dad!


The day before Easter was Uncle Will's birthday, so the whole family came to the house and spent the evening enjoying company, food, and Easter Egg dying!






Mom made some of Uncle Will's favorites for dinner, and boy did we enjoy everything!



After dinner we enjoyed a few games of NINTENDO...that's right, NINTENDO- the 25 year old NES system that Mom had when she was a kid!!!  I am not sure who was more excited that Dad had restored it, but it was working and we LOVED it!!!


Before bed we made sure to give Uncle Will some big birthday hugs!!!


Grandma Judy had to fly home early Easter morning, so Macie and I woke up to a house without Grandma...we were sad at first, but after a mention of the Easter Bunny stopping by downstairs, we perked right up.  Once we were dressed, Dad opened the flood gates and Macie and I came bursting down the stairs...




We dove right into our baskets to see what he had left us.




After we finished going through the baskets, we waited on the stairs for Mom to blow the whistle signaling the start of the BIG Easter Egg Hunt!


We searched high and low, on top and underneath; eggs were hidden EVERYWHERE!!!





After finding all the eggs in the house, we made our way to the table and surveyed our lot:


We took our toys outside to play while Mom prepared brunch for our friends we had coming over.


Dad made Macie and I an obstacle in the back yard, so we kept ourselves busy while food was being prepared.


Bella and her family arrived in the early afternoon and we all had fun playing a game of tee ball.


Once we had eaten brunch, we lined up with our baskets for another Easter hunt- this time it was in the back yard!!!


The three of us did an amazing job hunting eggs, and found every single one that had been hidden:












The hunt left us exhausted, so we relaxed for a bit and took some much needed naps.





When we woke up Mom OK'd some Nintendo time and we all took turns at playing Super Mario Brothers.


Aunt Hayley turned out to be the BIG STUD and beat DuckTales in one sitting:


We ended our night tired and full, but glad to have spent the holiday with friends and family.

The following week was pretty uneventful until Thursday came around and Aunt Hayley turned 30!!!
She had to work in the morning, but managed to sneak away early and meet us for a birthday dinner at SUSHI!!!


After dinner Hayley wanted to walk around the outdoor mall, but once Macie and I caught sight of the water play area we opted out of shopping and, after the thumbs up from Mom (who followed through on her promise from the day we took Easter pictures) took off for some water fun!!!


The rest of the month we spent our days playing at home while Mom sewed to get ready for an upcoming show.  Here are a few of the special things I go to do:

I got to spend some extra special time with my Dad at DAD'S NIGHT at my school. Mom and Macie took advantage of this opportunity to spend some time alone together as well- she got to go on a bike ride...


It was super fun- all my friends came with their Dad's, Uncles, Grandpa's, or Friends, for a fun night of sports, food, and fun!


We had a blast playing with my friends from school, and Dad even took me to Frozen Yogurt afterwards - He sure is the BEST!!!!



One more super fun, and major, thing I got to do this month was have my FIRST SLEEPOVER!!!!  My friend Genevieve lives a few houses down the street and our Mom's decided that it was OK for her to spend the night at our house.  We had a taco party for dinner,

 


and after Macie went to bed, had a dark party with walkie talkies outside.


I had a blast, and partied hard well into the early hours of Saturday morning.

Since the weather has been SO hot in Arizona, Uncle Will invited us over to his pool to swim and relax.  Macie and I had a great time in the pool and spa, and really loved lounging on the comfy chairs in the sun!




The month of April was pretty great, and we got to spend lots of time with family and friends.  The beginning of May will be BUSY, as Mom's show approaches, but I am sure that we will find some ways to have fun...

Here are a few of the items Mom created this month:









In case you are wondering why there are so few pictures of Macie posing in Mom's clothing, this is why:

(a new favorite picture face of hers)


We LOVE her, but she sure has a long way to go...