Harry Potter Birthday

We celebrated Birthdays for Abby, Amy and John.

The theme: Harry PotterI love this centerpiece! Thank's Amy!
Thank's Emily for all of the fun games!

Abby and John loved using their wands to make potions
(aka dry ice and root beer)!
Thank's Mom!

Thank's Janene for the cute favors, magic tricks
and the fun smores kit!

Abby on her nimbus 2000, playing Quidditch in the backyard.

We gave Abby the complete Harry Potter series.
She read the first book about a month ago.
Last night, she started reading the second book!
We call Abby our little Hermione!

Happy 7th Birthday Abby Jane

Today is one of my favorite days! It is Abby's Birthday!
7 years ago she was born into our family.
7 lbs 8 oz at 10:30 am
That was one of the happiest days in our lives.
She had such a cute little head....like a little ball.

Abby has many wonderful qualities.

As school she received a Birthday book from her class. Everyone wrote something nice about her and colored her a picture.
A lot of Abby's friends said, "She is smart. She is a good listener. She can run fast!!!"

There are lots of things I love about Abby.
I love her laugh. I love her smile. I love her ability to learn and to concentrate. Abby is a good reader and she catches on to new ideas quickly. Abby is a great gymnast and a great dancer. She is obedient and helps others to be good as well.
We love you Abby!
Happy 7th Birthday!

Sprained Arm for Abby

Last September, just 1 week into First Grade,
Abby broke her left arm in two places on the school gliders.

Tonight, just 1 week until the end of First Grade,
Abby was at gymnastics, doing a cartwheel on the high
beam, while landing on the ground with both feet.
Somehow she twisted her right wrist wrong.

We spent a couple of hours at both Instacare and
the Sport Medicine doctor tonight.
Abby was happy to leave with only
a sprain and a splint she must wear for the
last week of school.

Way to finish first grade in style Abbers!
Hopefully, second grade will start out
a bit more smoothly!

Kate's Preschool Farewell

Kate's last day of Wonderland Preschool

Peter, Slater and Kater!
These three musketeers, have gone to Preschool the past
2 years together. They will all go to different schools
next year. They are such cute friends.
Kate will miss them!!!

Kate and Rosabelle in their new graduation dresses.

Mrs. Wing is the most amazing Preschool teacher.
Kate has loved Preschool so much this year!

The kids put on a darling program,
and sang their favorite songs from the year.
Kate was so much fun to watch with her actions and expressions.

Mrs. Wing always has the kids go boy, girl, boy.
Kate walked clear across the room to stand next to Slater.
Mrs. Wing is so good about teaching the kids manners.
The kids ended their program with a curtsy and a bow.

Planting a garden...

Last Saturday we planted our vegetable garden.
Kate was so excited, that she decided to plant her own garden. AKA..
She pulled weeds from one flower bed,
and planted them in another.
She was so cute,
that I couldn't possible stop her from spreading them.

Kate is a princess and does not like sand,
dirt, sweat, or anything that makes her feel dirty!
This face sums her feelings up! We are proud of you Kate
for looking past the dirt, and for digging in the garden!
Now, go soak in the tub!

Ella's New trick

Ella's new favorite trick from her dance class,
is to point her toes and drop her elbows on the floor!
Hands on her checks! It is the cutest thing ever.
She gets an intense look on her face,
as she focuses to do it just right!
"Look at me Mom," is her request several times a day!

Way to go Ella!
We love your new trick!!!

Abby lost tooth #3

Abby's front top tooth has been dangling for a long time!
It had to go....although Abby DID NOT WANT ANYONE
to touch her tooth.
I offered her $50 to let me pull it out!
I didn't think she would...even with the offer.
Honestly, I thought I would be too chicken to pull it out!!!

We'll we did it. Abby let me pull it out, and I did!
I don't think she has ever cried so hard!

Tooth #1 - Papa J pulled out with pliers
Tooth #2 - Fell out at Pappy's Funeral
Tooth #3 - Mom pulled out!! Go Mom!

Our doggie can do tricks....

Ella loves to pretend that she is a dog.
She loves the Dr. Suess book, "I'll Teach My Dog A Lot of Words,"
because of all of the tricks.
I made her a sandwich, and this is how she ate it!

Good Friends

Abby and Ty...bowling on the Wii.

Addie and Kate playing in the water.

Play dough time!!!

I love watching the kids play with their friends.
They play so well! Friday was a perfect day to be outside.

Abby the Dynamite Reader

Abby read 100 books in 3 weeks!
She earned a class T-shirt which
says, "Dynamite Reader
Mrs. Byrd's First Grade Class."

Abby has been reading an hour every night,
and continues to amaze us
with her ability to sound out new words.
We recently read 2 chapter books together...
Matilda
The Flunking of Joshua T. Bates

Way to go Abby! You are a GREAT reader!

Humanitarian Night

Humanitarian Night
Our wonderful committee!
As a committee we cut out 75 school bags and put
them into kits with a pattern and Velcro.
Then the sisters in our ward took the kits home and sewed them.
We completed 75 as a ward. Amazing!
We hung them around the gym so everyone could
celebrate all of the service that was given.

We tied and bound 3 large quilts.

We collected over $200 in money and
provided over 300 goods to assemble hygiene baskets to give to the local Women's Shelter.

My basement was the gathering spot for all of the goods.
My girls loved helping buy and sort all of the items into categories.We filled 23 baskets with 30 personal hygiene items in each
(full size shampoo, bath towel, brush, comb etc).

This was a huge undertaking!!! It feels so good to be apart of something so big and so good.
I am so grateful for so many generous people...for their time in this service.
It has been an inspiring past 6 weeks as we have been cutting fabric, sewing, and collecting all of these items.

I have been in the Relief Society Presidency for nearly 2 years.
After each big activity that we plan,
there is a feeling of happiness and relief!
Thank you to everyone who helped with this night,
and made it so great! You are wonderful!

Kate the Photographer

Kate loves to take pictures!
Sometimes when I take the pictures off of the camera, I get a good laugh.
Here are a couple of my favorites!

Kindermusik

Ella and Kennedy

Ella and Ms Anne, her music teacher.

We have loved the past 5 months. Ella and I have been doing a mom and me Kindermusik class, once a week, when Kate and Abby are both at school. It has been a fun way to spend time together. Our good friends Alicia and Kennedy were also in the class, which made it really fun.

Fun memories: Ella singing in the microphone, all of the cute props (hula hoops, little horses, instruments), singing, big drum , circle time. Ms Anne is so talented and makes music so much fun. Abby, Kate and Ella are all signed up to do Kindermusik in the Fall.

Backyard Fun

Today was perfect!
80 degrees is just right for 3 little girls who liked to play
outside in their playhouse.

Ella

Ella and her baby.

Ella

Ella is such a happy little girl. Her cute smile with her shiny dimples, is contagious!
I love this picture of her jumping in the air,
because it is so Ella! She rarely walks.
Ella is usually jumping, galloping, running, skipping, dancing.
She just loves life!

The Capital Building

I love the capital building!
My mom grew up right behind the capital, and my cousins lived in the same house for many years. As a result, we spent a lot of time exploring the capitol grounds,
with our cousins when we were little.

Favorite Capital Memories:
We would ride bikes around the capitol, through the tunnels etc.
We would always take a turn sitting on the backs of the lions.
We did an Easter egg hunt every year in the gardens between the two largest buildings.
We would go sledding down the hills at the capital every year.
We would run freely up and down the grassy hills.

I took Kate and Ella on a walk around the capital this week.
I relived some of my favorite memories as they ran up
and down the hills and explored the many trails.

Abby's Class Store

Abby's Class Store

I have loved volunteering in Abby's class this year!
We have a lot of fun memories. From the Winter Party to the Valentines Party, to Mrs. Byrd's shower, to Gold Medal Schools, and also helping out with the class store biweekly. I have loved every minute, I have spent with Abby at school. I love to see her at school, learning. She is such a smart girl and I love watching her confidence grow as she learns and makes new friends.
Ella has also enjoyed helping with the store. Everyone calls Ella "the mini" because they think she looks like a mini Abby.
The kids earn nickels for various things and Tonya, Henry's Mom, and I go in and help the kids count their money and choose how they want to spend it.
It has been fun getting to meet Abby's friends. She has a lot of cute friends!
It is hard to believe the school year is coming to an end.

Ensign Peak

Hiking Ensign Peak.

The cutest hikers!

For Mother's Day....I wanted an unscheduled day. So on Saturday we made sure we didn't have anything planned. It was a perfect day!
We love to hike and decided to hike to Ensign Peak. The kids were great hikers and giggled most of the way down.

J and I loved to hike when we were dating. We would usually hike on most weekends.
Perhaps we can make 2010 a summer of many hikes!