Christmas was GREAT here! The girls all had super fun and Santa was good to everyone, as always. Emma & Ella got new suitcases, clothes and the Smartcycle. Taylor got a "play" laptop, Easy Bake oven, and clothes. They also each got their own Disney MP3 music/video players. MiMi was here late Christmas Eve and was able to spend Christmas morning with us which was the best gift of all. We are so HAPPY you were here with us MiMi!
L to R: Calla, Hope, Taylor and Emma with JT
The girls ripping into their gifts.
"The girls" with their new baby dolls. You can never have too many.
Santa and Mrs. Clause made a visit to the girls at the Sharpe Christmas. There had to be one family photo to get Ella to go anywhere near them. Taylor and Emma were happy to get their presents from Santa. Grandma & Grandpa Sharpe got us all tickets to see The High School Musical on Ice Tour in March. They are already counting the days.
Wow....I can't believe that Taylor is actually 7 years old....going on 13. We had a small party at the house with Nana, Grandpa Jim, Great Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Tammy and Uncle Tom, Hope, Calla and JT. Taylor chose sloppy joes, chips and cole slaw for her birthday dinner. We then enjoyed cake and ice cream. She got a Nintendo DS that she is very excited about.
Need I say more?!! Although, I don't know if more cookies got made or eaten. We made the reindeer cookies for Emma & Ella's preschool Christmas party, lots of decorated sugar cookies for home, peanut butter blossoms, ginger stars, almond bark pretzels and brownies for Taylor's school birthday treat.
Taylor got to enjoy lunch out and a day at Children's Wonderland for her birthday with Grandma and Grandpa Sharpe complete with a visit to Santa as Ella waits patiently with Grandma.
Top L - R: Sydney, Sophia, Ms. Sheila, Ashlyn, Carli, Emma and Reagan at Emma & Ella's pre-school Christmas concert. No Ella.....? Well, she will not be in many of the coming photos. She has been in quite a mood lately and will not participate in many activities that she normally does like library story time, dance class, school functions, church sunday school, etc....We will hope that it is just a phase and she will soon join us again. We have been so proud of Emma for enjoying her many activities by herself.
Bottom: Emma is playing her part as a wise man as they sing Away in a Manger
Back L -R: Allison, Rachel, Toree, Alyssa, Taylor, Kylie. Front 3 L-R: Ashley, Samantha and Molly
Taylor getting her hair, makeup and nails done to show off her new "Rocker" birthday look.
The girls having ice cream with MaggieMoo at MaggieMoo's ice cream shop.
Taylor had her friend party at Justice this year. This is a girls clothing store that does birthday makeover (shine parties) as they call them. You can pick one of 3 themes: Rock star, Princess or Hula. Taylor picked the rock star theme so each girls got their hair, makeup and nails done. They also got goody bags with arm socks, play headsets, makeup and other "girly" stuff. We then went to a near by ice cream shop for ice cream cupcakes with MaggieMoo. It was GREAT fun!
Ella catching snowflakes and making a snow angel in the top 2 photos. Emma making her snow angel in the bottom photo. We had about 3 inches of soft fluffy snow last week. It was enough for a 2 hour school delay. It only took me 30 minutes to get the girls all bundled up to go outside for 10 minutes. Ella probably would have stayed out longer but I didn't have the sleds out....next time.
The girls had great fun this year helping me with decorations. The tree was up and complete by Thanksgiving. They also have little lighted decorated trees in their bedrooms. Too bad they aren't as enthusiastic about putting decorations away.
Wow...am I behind! It's that time of year with lots of CrAzInEsS. We are all doing well though. The top photo is at Taylor's Thanksgiving program that Dave & I got to enjoy with her. She is actually standing behind the corn stalk (holding it up if you ask her....hiding if you ask me). The !st grade did songs, prayers and various skits sharing the history of Thanksgiving. We then got to eat soup, cornbread and dessert with her for lunch (2nd photo). The girls also enjoy jumping in the few leaves that we can rake up in the front yard.
We had a fun visit to Grandmas over the long weekend. Grandma B had horses in the field this time which the girls love. They are riding horses so they will come right to you when you walk to the fence. There were 2 which the girls named Pudding and Butterscotch.
Park time with Aunt Sues. It was a fairly warm but very windy day so we didn't stay out too long after our favorite trip to Roy's Taco House for lunch.
You have to ask....donkey basketball!?!? This is probably only well known in the mid-west where they play b-ball with donkeys. It is actually quite funny to watch. The only real rule of play is that you must be on your donkey to shoot a basket and score. The girls found it to be great entertainment...especially when they poop on the floor.
This field trip was GREAT! I'm so glad I got to enjoy the day with all the kids at Miss Sheila's. You have to check out the website: http://www.countrylanetreefarm.com/
This farm is a real working farm with every animal you can think of: pigs, chickens, duck, geese, rabbits, ponies, cows, llama, deer, donkey, etc....Everything is hands on so it is a very interactive learning environment. We enjoyed the farm tour, fed the animals, straw maze, hayride to the pumpkin patch, corn maze, barrel train ride, ate lunch, milked the cow and played at the playground.
L to R: Miss Sheila, Ella, Sydney, Emma, "little" Sydney, Ashlyn(in the stroller), Carli & Reagan kneeling in front.
Emma milking a real cow named Jersey Girl. Ella wanted nothing to do with it.L to R: Ashlyn, me with Reagan, Sydney, Ella, Emma(blue hat), Carli, "Little" Sydney. Michelle and Miss Sheila standing in back.
Ella & Emma petting the baby chick.
