Tag: Birthday

Shaun’s 36th Birthday

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Happy 36th Birthday Shaun! Happy Birthday to the best husband, father and friend anyone could ask for. We certainly hope that you enjoyed your day and evening out with the cutest girls on earth. Love you very much and again… HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Dinner out at Azteca with endless coloring for Ellie.
Ready for tacos at Azteca! Abby’s favorite!
Oh that little head and that rug burn. Its a goof thing she has a cup of lemonade to make life better.
WAIT… THE CAKE IS ON FIRE!
Goofy Daddy surrounded by his super silly girls. Love the hat Shaun!
Silly Daddy… thats not how you put the candles out!
Silly Abby… that’s not how you wear your hat!
Cake mouth!
MMMMMMMMMM CAKE!

Birthday Trip to the Zoo

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Grandpa Jerry, Grandma Denise and Auntie Jillian were supposed to come to Seattle for Abby’s birthday last weekend. Due to some unexpected work issues, they had to cancel and miss the festivities with Grandma Zoe, which was a big bummer for them. The plan was to have them come out and visit whenever they could and as luck would have it, the following weekend worked out for everyone. Yesterday afternoon they arrived tired from the road but so excited to see all of us. We hung out, had dinner and caught up with each other. 
When asked by Grandma and Grandpa as to what she wanted to do for her birthday while they were in town, Abby decided that she wanted to go to the zoo. So on their first full day in Seattle we started out early and headed to the Woodland Park Zoo. Thankfully the weather was spectacular and allowed for a beautiful day to see the animals.
We had to stop and see our favorite tuxedo friends

Our fearless leaders showing us the way through the jungles being followed by Auntie Jillian the ferocious beast. Abby and Ellie didn’t have a clue she was there.
The Asian small-clawed otters were out with their babies. Unfortunately they spent most of their time hiding behind the rocks playing in the bamboo.

Standing guard over the family
Meerkat cuddle huddle

Abby really wanted to see the Kimono Dragon and she was surprised with how big they are. There were even babies too!

Lion smiles. These statues are original to the zoo which opened in the early 1900’s.

“Mommy, I want to smile but I cant. The sun is in my face.”

Sleepy lion cubs.

Swimmin’ Hippos

Coming up for a bit of a breather

Pondering the meaning of life… That and picking food from his teeth.

The oldest female Gorilla between both groups at the zoo. She has been with the zoo since 1970.

Afternoon snuggle with mommy Jaguar

Mama keeping a watchful eye on her adventurous cubs
A little cub out for a stroll and a climb, still getting used to those climbers legs

Fall is starting to set in at the zoo.

Trying very hard to sleep until some “local” decides to throw rocks and food at the wolves to see what they would do. Let’s just say I chased down a zoo employee and got them removed from the zoo. Your welcome.

After having a cheeseburger and chips thrown at her, this female was on alert. I am betting she is the alpha of the pack and she was not thrilled about the disturbance.

So beautiful. I could never get sick of watching wolves… EVER.
The Brown Bear out for an afternoon stroll. It was also quite apparent that dinner was coming as this one paced the back of his enclosure.

Auntie JJ taking a rest with a few little monkeys.

 
Crazy squirrel trying to reach a strategically placed ice cream cone.

Before we knew it the zoo was close to closing and it was time to go. On the way home we decided to stop at the mall so that Auntie Jillian could do a little shopping for work clothes and other items at stores that are not located in Bozeman. Hey, when you live in a smaller town its things like this that cause a lot of excitement. If you have seen the mall in Bozeman, you would understand what I mean.

After some shopping we headed out for dinner at Abby’s favorite place, you guessed it, Red Robin! Hey, she is the birthday girl and she gets to pick. After a yummy dinner and some great conversation it was back home for presents. When we arrived, Abby was greeted by a table full of fun and colorful boxes as well as a cute mural and Mario play set made by daddy. She was super thrilled.

All of the lovely presents and play sets!

Abby was pleasantly surprised when she came through the door.

Thank you Great Grandma Laura for the cool shoe piggy bank!

“Lalaloopsy, loopsy Hair!”

All I have to say is that Abby is one lucky and very loved little girl. I am not sure about where all the presents from the last two weekends will go! I am sure we will find a place or two. Happy Birthday little monkey! I wonder what tomorrow has in store for us?

Birthday Fun!

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When you are a kid, having your birthday during the week on a school day is actually pretty cool. At least Abby thought so. Being that today is her 5th birthday, Abby had the chance to celebrate with her friends at school. She had a whole poster about herself with pictures, she received a special birthday crown and everyone sang to her. A pretty special day for a very special girl.

After school, I took Abby and Ellie for a special birthday lunch at Red Robin. Abby had her favorites and as a special treat, she had an ice cream sundae and several of the ladies sang Happy Birthday to her. She was a little embarrassed but once everyone left, she giggled about it.

All ready for a birthday lunch. She loves Red Robin, can you tell?
Birthday ice cream sundae coma

We went to the park after lunch to play and then came home. When Shaun came home from work we had a lovely dinner together and then opened presents. The big thing that Abby wanted this year was an American Girl Bitty Baby. Abby and I went on a special date day together at the Alderwood Mall, which hosts an American Girl store. The minute Abby saw the store she fell in love. A whole store dedicated to nothing but dolls! Abby’s dream! Bitty Baby, being an actual baby doll, was her favorite and before I knew it she was telling me all of the things that she wanted. At that moment, I knew what we were going to get her for her birthday and we would do what we could to make it happen.

Luckily everything worked for us and we were able to surprise Abby with her very first American Girl doll. She was thrilled so much so that everything else we gave to her paled in comparison. Her smiles were big and her thank yous even bigger. She played with Bitty Baby all night and put her to bed with her.

This is the Bitty Baby that she picked out. I tried to get a picture of her holding the box but she was so excited that the box was opened and Bitty Baby was coming out of it within a minute of it being unwrapped. You could probably say that it was a very quick delivery. 😉

                   

Playing Bitty Baby’s in the midst of opening presents with Grandma Denise and Grandpa Jerry  the weekend following her birthday. (Yes, that would mean I technically have seen into the future or just added this picture at a later time. You choose the one that sounds better.) I barely took pictures the night she opened Bitty Baby and this is the only one I have of her playing with it.
Ellie was a big girl about all of it too. We had worried about her reaction and wanting one of her own. You could see in her eyes that she was a bit sad and envious of her big sister but she handled herself very well for a three year old. She wanted to sit by Abby’s side and help her. Abby told Ellie that she could be Bitty Baby’s aunt and that thrilled her to pieces. Ellie cannot stop talking about Bitty Baby. I guess I know what Santa will be bringing Ellie for Christmas!
Its crazy to think that Abby is now five. My oh my, how she has grown and changed. I hope she wants to play with baby dolls for at least another five years. Shaun and I are trying our best to soak it all in before she trades baby dolls for clothes, make up and all things that “bigger” girls do. Once again, Happy Birthday Punkin! 

Happy 5th Birthday to Our Sweet Abby!

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Happy Birthday to our little Abby. Our smart, funny, creative, imaginative and caring little girl with a heart of gold. Happy 5th Birthday to the little girl who can be as stubborn as a mule and so independent but knows how to make you smile and laugh in an instant with her witty comments and her love of singing just about any song that comes on the radio. Happy Birthday to the little girl who makes her Mommy and Daddy so proud!

Five years old. Can it really be? I know that your daddy and I say it every year, but where has the time gone? So much has happened in five years but it feels like just yesterday I was holding my little 7 pound 7 ounce baby in my arms, sitting in my hospital bed, tears of joy in our eyes and the amazing thought that we were now parents.

Abby we have watched you grow so much in the last five years. From crawling and babbling to walking and speaking in words and sentences that are clear as day. We have watched you learn and discover from feeding yourself and clumsily flipping through board books to knowing your colors, shapes and ABC’s and reading your first books with only a little help from Daddy and I. I cant say that it doesn’t make our hearts ache to know that you are growing up by leaps and bounds, because it does. Don’t take that personally though, I think every mother and father feels that way about their children as they grow. But, that ache is a tiny one, or it seems that way because when we see you write a new word or how you light up with so much pride when you read another new word without our help, our hearts soar.

Daddy and I look forward to the years ahead and everything they will bring. Learning and growing at a whole new level. Pretty soon Pre-K will be over and as you near your sixth birthday Kindergarten will begin. You will start your big journey into grade school, of learning and growing and homework and school activities. There is so much that lies ahead of you and we are excited to be a part of each and every moment. We might ache for what was but our excitement for what might be is far greater.

Our hope for you is that you always embrace the kindhearted and loving kid that you are. That the love and understanding you had for the new little boy in your class this year continues on the rest of your life. That you help and stand up for those who are in need of it and show them kindness when they are scared or being mistreated. We hope that your never ending curiosity stays with you and helps you continue learning, even when your days in school are finished. We hope that your creativity and imagination is never limited and stays with you no matter what you decide to do in life. All too often we lost those abilities as adults and too many of us are afraid to be a kid at heart.

The future is something we are all excited to see but please take your time and enjoy each step of the way. We will remember to do the same. Don’t grow up too fast and love being a kid as long as you can. There is plenty of time to be a grown up, so enjoy your childhood and embrace it. We will do our best to make sure you do and will embrace every moment, even if they are tough ones.

Mommy and Daddy cant wait to be a part of the journey ahead and we love you so much. Happy Birthday Punkin!

Abby, on the day she was born.
Abby on her First Birthday
Abby on her Second Birthday
Abby on her Third Birthday
Abby on her Fourth Birthday
Happy Birthday Abby! We love you so very very much!

Big Birthday Fun with Grandma Zoe

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This weekend was all about celebration! What are we celebrating, you ask? Abby’s 5th Birthday, of course. She will be five in a few short days! This weekend Grandma Zoe, Grandma Denise, Grandpa Jerry and Auntie Jillian were coming out to celebrate. Unfortunately, due to some big issues at work, the Montana crew had to postpone their trip and will hopefully have the chance to visit in the next few weeks. Therefore, Grandma Zoe gets to have a special one on one celebration with Abby!
Grandma Zoe arrived yesterday in the late afternoon, so we kept the evening pretty low key. Visited, settled in and went out to dinner. The girls were happy and had plenty to talk about. Today was all about fun, excitement and a big surprise. The morning was breakfast, time to play and then the girls got dressed in their best princess dresses, Abby in her Merida dress and Ellie in her own version of a princess. Pretty soon we were packed up into the car and headed to Bellevue!
Dressed and ready for a day fit for a princess!

We headed straight for Bellevue Square. The day was very stormy and the rain was coming down pretty hard so we left home early. Traffic ended up being just fine, so we had some time to use up before the “big surprise”. We took Abby and Ellie over to Top Pot doughnut for a tasty treat, which they loved and then took them up to Dooz 4 Kids for their surprise. An afternoon of princess pampering!

MMMMMMM… Tasty!
She is the biggest cheese of them all!
Abby though it was pretty cool that she was dressed like Merida in her dress and wearing rain boots with it. She said that Merida would think it was perfect.

Dooz 4 Kids isn’t just a kids salon, they do parties and special events for children. Because we are still settling in to school and Abby is just meeting new friends, we decided not to do a party but have a small day of pampering with her sister. Her surprise was a princess hairstyle, an manicure and glitter tattoo!

Waiting for the pampering to begin!
Playing and being a good girls sitting in her chair. A princess hairdo in the making!
Abby is getting the most perfect Merida braids and curls.
Beautiful little Ellie curls!
Beautiful Abby curls! She was so excited to have curls just like Merida’s. I reminded her that she has beautiful curls already but she liked that these ones were bigger and smooth.
The finishing touch, Princess sparkles!
Princess hairdo, done. Now its time for some nail polish!
Beautiful braids and curls.
Pink nails for Abby…
… and a princess sparkle tattoo to match.
Ellie chose purple nails and a unicorn sparkle tattoo.
And top it all off… a balloon and goody bag to boot!
With goodies in tow and all dressed like princesses, its time for some dinner.

After the princess treatment it was off to dinner, Abby’s choice. Red Robin was at the top of her list, so Red Robin it was. She had her favorite dinner and we all enjoyed the time together. Once dinner came to end it was back to our house for some cake and presents!

For Ellie, it wasnt dinner, it was serious business deals. At least that is what this picture makes me think of.
Happy Birthday to MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
Cake and princesses… Happy 5th Birthday Abby!
Make A Wish, Count to Three and BLOW!
Our happy little birthday girl. All smiles and happy about the wonderful day she had.

After the singing, the cake and some silliness it was time to open presents from Grandma Zoe. Mommy and Daddy were saving their gifts for Abby’s actual birthday. It looks like this special little girl will get a week, maybe more, for birthday celebrations. Who wouldn’t love that? Well, maybe those of us past age 25 but as a kid I think I would have loved to be the birthday girl for a week not just a day. This isn’t something we would normally do but hey, you only turn five once!

Early Birthday and Goodbyes

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This morning Grandpa, Grandma and Auntie Jillian had to hit the read and head back to Montana. Boy the time flew by so fast! We had a lot of fun though and of course had to celebrate one last time before they took off. Since they couldn’t come to Ellie’s birthday party we opened presents together before their departure. Ellie enjoyed it and so did the rest of us! 
Once it was all said and done off they went. I was sad to see them go but I knew that in just a few short weeks we would be moving closer to them. It kept me going and certainly made our goodbyes a bit easier. See you soon Grandpa, Grandma and Auntie Jillian!
Lots of lovely presents and a toy or two from Disneyland to open!
So proud of her castle present.
Look a new bathing suit and cover up, with Ariel on it!
Big bags require standing up and digging. There must be good things in this one!
“Grandma, can you read me my card please?”
“Now I get to be a real Doc McStuffins. Time for your check up!”

A Big Brave Birthday Party!

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Now that Abby has turned four, its time to celebrate! This year Abby chose Brave as a party theme, although I will note that it was between Star Wars and Brave. Brave beat out Star Wars but only by a slim margin. Abby started to waiver on the theme but at that point the invitations were out and the decorations had been purchased. As you can see below, she was pretty happy with her choice.
Her day was pretty simple but so much fun. Her best friends Harrison and Emily were there to celebrate and play, while the adults remained content talking with one another and watching the kids. Everyone ate yummy food, listened to music and just enjoyed the time we had with one another. It was so nice to catch up with everyone.

When it came time to cut the cake, we were able to connect with Grandpa Jerry, Grandma Denise and Auntie Jillian through Skype. One of the wonderful things about technology is being able to connect and be part of special moments even if you are hundreds of miles away. They were able to watch Abby blow the candles, cut the cake and then watch her open presents. The day had been great and having my parents and sister there, even if through Skype, topped it all off. Abby opened and loved all of her presents too. We even had to stop and take a break because she was so distracted by each thing she opened. What a very blessed little girl Abby is. What a wonderful day and a great birthday party!

Happy 4th Birthday Abby!

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Happy 4th Birthday Abby!
Wow, where have 4 years gone? Time moves too quickly. Only four years ago we were sitting in the hospital, holding you for the very first time, in complete amazement that we were now parents. Now, we sit in amazement as we see just how much you have grown up in four years, just how much you have grown in one year.
Three was yet another wonderful age. You started learning and talking even more then before. We watched as your confidence grew and you made some new friends at dance class. By June we were watching you perform on stage for the very first time in your first dance recital. Mommy and Daddy couldn’t have been more proud of you. You seemed shy but confident all at once and did your dances so well. Over the year you learned your ABC’s not just reciting them but identifying each letter. You became more interested in books, games and art and you always have a question to ask us.
By September you were starting preschool. Starting preschool was a big step, one that you were ready for and one that I am not sure we were ready for. What a big step and a great way to kick off being four years old!
Abby we love you so much. Happy 4th Birthday little monkey! We cannot wait to see what being four is all about!

Happy Second Birthday Ellie Belly!

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Ellie,
Has it really been two years since we held you in our arms for the first time? Has it already been a year since we celebrated your first birthday, your first big milestone? Time certainly moves quickly but we have enjoyed every minute of it that we possibly can. You have grown by leaps and bounds; walking, talking, running, climbing, testing anything and everything. You are our fearless girl, the one who will climb and keep climbing. You are our engineer; taking everything you can apart just to see what happens and building whatever you can with blocks and more. There isn’t a book left in your library that hasn’t been torn to bits because of this. You are our thinker, always stopping to ask why at everything thing we do or say. You are our tester, always trying to see how far you can go before there are consequences. This keeps mommy and daddy on their toes and a little bit frustrated at times. You are our snuggle bug, always wanting to be held and loved when you can. Asking mommy or daddy to “nuggle” is guaranteed to put a smile on our faces. You are our silly goose, always making a silly face, saying something funny or doing a silly dance just to make us laugh.
Ellie you bring so much joy and love into our lives. Your sister has a best friend, a playmate and a cohort in you. We see many years ahead of us filled with dress up, artwork and plays put on by the both of you and your daddy and I look forward to each treasured moment. We love you so much and cannot wait to see what age two will bring. Happy Birthday Ellie Belly! We love you so very much!
Ellie only a few hours old, July 1, 2010

Ellie only 1 week old, July 8th, 2012

Ellie at One Year Old, July 1, 2011

Ellie Turns Two, July 1st, 2012

Ellie’s 2nd Birthday Party!

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While Ellie’s official birthday isn’t until tomorrow, today we celebrated her second birthday with family and friends. Since Minnie Mouse is one of Ellie’s favorite characters these days, we had a fun Minnie Mouse themed party. The day was pretty relaxed and low key. Abby and Ellie had the chance to play with Harrison and just enjoy being kids while the adults mingled, talked and caught up with one another. This year it was wonderful to have my parents and sister here to celebrate. I know its hard on them when they have to miss birthdays, so it was extra special to have them here.
Ellie had a great time and enjoyed eating her birthday ice cream cake. She was a little unsure of all the people surrounding her and singing to her and became very shy when it came time to blow out her candles, so mommy had to do that for her. We had two cakes this year (I think this will become tradition) one was an ice cream cake from Baskin Robins the other was made by hand by yours truley from scratch. For those who might be wondering, the ice cream cake tradition started last year on Ellie’s first birthday when the cake I was baking from scratch turned into complete chaos. In the end we ordered and ice cream cake instead and I only make a simple small cake for Ellie to smash her hands into. This year my cake was a success and I think a hit with those who chose to have a piece from it.
Nothing but smiles from the birthday girl.

Both of Ellie’s beautiful birthday cakes.
 
Ellie’s birthday cake that was made from scratch by mommy. Lots lof love went into that cake!

After cake and a bit of playtime it was on to presents! Ellie was definitely more involved with opening them this year but still wanted to play with everything as it was unwrapped. Eventually she lost interest and I did a lot of it, but that’s ok. Her distraction came from toys she loved the minute she opened them. Who am I to complain about that?

Blowing out candles but a little overwhelmed by all of the attention.

Kisses from mommy for the birthday girl.

MMMMMM… CAKE!

Opening presents with reckless abandon!

When all was said and done we were surrounded by lots of presents, food and two happy but tired children. The afternoon was a success and it was obvious to us that Ellie is very much loved by everyone she knows. What a wonderful day. Happy Birthday Ellie!

Christmas Vacation In Montana… Christmas, Birthdays and a Little White Surprise

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As our trip continues, so does the fun and excitement. The next morning was spent at Grandma and Grandpa’s again. We started everything off with a tradition I remember as a little girl, German Pancake brunch. After brunch the girls dug in to another round of presents. Santa made another stop! Abby and Ellie had a ton to open and boy did they enjoy it. By this point, Ellie had gift opening down to a science. Well, as much of a science as a 17 month old can have. Boy are these girls lucky. Santa brought them a lot of neat toys and clothes!






After all of the presents were opened we took some time again to relax and enjoy the afternoon. It also gave us time to let our yummy brunch digest. The girls watched some TV and napped for a bit, while Shaun and I spent time talking and catching up with my parents. As evening approached we made ourselves presentable and headed out to Three Forks for a lovely dinner at the Sacajawea Inn. Dinner was a belated birthday gift to Shaun and boy was it tasty! Shaun was even honored with a birthday dessert. Luckily he was spared the singing and official embarrassment that comes with a birthday dinner. Dont worry Shaun, there are plenty more birthdays down the road for us to embarrass you.







As we left Three Forks the weather began to change. First it was raining, then a bit of slush, which then turned into grapple, and then finally turned into snow as we reached city limits in Bozeman. Abby was finally going to get some snow!

Abby fell asleep during the car ride back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, but she was pleasantly surprised to wake up to all of that white stuff falling from the sky. She was dressed and ready to play within minutes and once outside, she jumped right in… literally. Out of nowhere she fell backwards into the snow and started making snow angels. By the time I came back out to see her, she was having Shaun push into the snow instead of falling on her own. Abby threw a few snowballs and because the snow was falling so fast and in large flakes, she helped daddy write her name in the middle of the street. Then to end the night, Abby helped Grandpa build a snowman. It wasn’t a complete snowman, due in part to the stickiness of the snow and the fact that it was pulling up grass as they rolled it, but Abby loved it.



Lucky for us the snow finally fell and Abby got her wish! She had so much fun that she was asleep the minute our car started rolling back to the condo. What a wonderful end to the day.

Happy Birthday to My Beautiful Sister!

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Happy Birthday to my beautiful and fantastic sister! We love you so much and I am so proud of all that you have accomplished. I hope that your day is full of nothing but good things and of course family, friends and a few good presents. Twenty three brought you the last days of school, graduation and the close of one big chapter of life. I know that twenty four will bring a wonderful start to a new chapter in life and that teaching job you have worked so hard to get. We love you and once again… HAPPY BIRTHDAY!