Gem's Valentine Party

Daddy got to attend Janie's Valentine's Day Party at school!  The class exchanged Valentine's, made yogurt & fruit parfaits, and sang sweet songs about love and friendship.  So fun to get to come watch!

Janie looks inside her mailbox at all her fun loot!

Scout is SEVEN!

Clara Natalie celebrated her 7th birthday in style with a "fancy" Valentine tea party.  I have been slowing down lately due to the pregnancy, and at the same time, Clara is becoming more mature and also has a clearer understanding of what she wants with most things.  This year she seemed to have a vision for this party and I let her roll with it.  She went to the party store and picked out doilies and heart garlands.  She gave Kevin specific directions about how she hoped to have the Crete paper hung and which items from our Valentine's Day décor she wanted to use.  We also let her pick our her own cake at Fred Meyer, which was a first for this mama, but what a fun and logistically easy party this turned out to be.  Clara had seven girlfriends show up and they all had such great manners.  Kevin & I kept commenting on how quiet the kids were! 
 

Food service from Daddy - How adorable!

 

Clara was so happy to have the tea service with all the sweet treats.   

Janie even got to join in the tea party at a separate table with Auntie Michele, Papa Mark & Grandma Jan!

It is hard to believe that we have been parents to our dear Clara Natalie for seven years now.  She has been a delight to parent and we enjoy watching her become her own person day by day.  Some days are bittersweet, but she impresses us with her learning and mostly good judgment.  Watching her sweetly interact with her friends is heartwarming.  We are SO proud!

Papa Mark is 60!

 

On our way down to surprise Papa Mark for his birthday, we were able to stop by the Keddingtons so that Clara & Davis could spend a little time together celebrating his birthday.  These kiddos have been the best of pals since they were 11 months old and the past few months have been a little rough on all of us now that they have moved into their beautiful new home in Maple Valley. 

 

 

Ryan was able to trick my Dad into going with him to the Riverside Golf Course club house where friends and family gathered for a fun but casual celebration.  The turn out was great and Dad was really touched to see everyone. 

 

 

with the Seahawks in the Super Bowl the next day, and Dad being a big football fan, the party unintentionally took on a Seahawks theme! 

 

We are all so proud to have you as our Dad & Grandpa!  You provide us all with unconditional love and support!  Happy Birthday, Daddy!

28 weeks... Growing Baby!

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 Little Finch is growing at a fast pace now and so I am growing quickly too.  This pregnancy, we got 4D glimpses of our little guy along with our sonograms.  We think that this photo of our little guy at 28 weeks looks a lot like big sister Clara, with Mommy's forehead and Daddy's mouth and chin. Amazing to see!  It has us all even more excited to meet this sweet guy!

 

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

 

Christmas Eve 2014

 

Daddy read the Night Before Christmas and the girls set out yummy cookies they had decorated at the Karr's house for Santa. We had a quiet dinner at home together.  It is hard to be away from family on special holidays, but as the kids get older it is becoming more and more important to let them wake up in their own beds waiting for Santa's visit.  And as a family we are creating our own traditions. 

 

 

This year the girls got to open the gifts from one another on Christmas Eve.  They each picked out Calico Critters for the other and immediately wanted to play with them.

 

 

Daddy had a special surprise for Mommy & Finch.  The Tiffany Elephant piggy bank!  Clara & Janie both received the Tiffany bunny banks before they were born.

 

 Santa visited and spoiled our whole family!  Neither girl had a big wish list this year.  Janie wanted a set of Squiggs that she found at Marbles and Frozen cereal.  Clara had hoped to get a Fancy Nancy mermaid book and a specific outfit for her Josephina doll, a specific one that they no longer made.  Luckily Santa was able to track this outfit down leaving Clara overjoyed.  Santa also picked out a few additional items for each girl and left a new touch screen laptop for the family!  Very spoiled!!

 

 

Sweeties with stuffed stockings!

 

After our own family Christmas morning, we loaded up and headed to Quincy for Christmas Dinner and family fun.  And of course more spoiling for the girls and their cousins!!

 

 

One of the highlights of Christmas was watching Janie perform her Christmas tunes from cousin Zacs new sound system.  Without hesitation, she grabbed the mic and lead the family in every Christmas carol she could remember. Too cute!!

A few days later we went to Chehalis and celebrated with the Stevens side of the family.  More gifts, more silly time with cousins, more delicious food, more hugs and lots of Christmas spirit.

We feel so blessed to have such a wonderful extended family to share to holidays with.  We look forward to the blessings of 2015 and adding a member to our sweet family.

Holiday Fun

 

Our holiday season was full this year with lots of fun activities in our household like nightly advent & Christmas stories as well as visits from "Twinkle" our Elf on the Shelf.  One of our favorite traditions is spending an evening decorating the tree together and enjoying hot cocoa.  This year Clara & Janie has their own trees in their rooms but also loved hanging all our special family keepsakes on the big tree as well. 

 

 

Mama with "Finch" around 25 weeks

 

Janie's school holiday party where she sang her heart out to Jingle Bells!  So adorable!

 

Janie gave Mama a special gift she made in preschool wrapped with the precious handprint Santa.  It was a glitter candle holder similar to the one Clara made as a three year old!  Very special keepsakes for me!

~ Christmas Cousins 2014 ~

 

Grandma Jan's tradition of matching holiday PJ's continues!