Vivien Leigh turns FIVE!

It happened!  Even though we told her that we liked her just the way she was a four year old, she went and turned FIVE!  She told us, "God made me to grow!"

Her Sunday birthday started out with the traditional birthday pancake.  This is likely the last year birthday pancakes are served to a footie-pj clad girl! 😩

After church, we had pizza for lunch (her request) and then she got all dressed up in her new Elsa dress from GG and KK. 

This was Viv's year to have a party and she has been planning it since her 3-year-old party.  The fact that we had moved away from all of her friends one month before didn't seem to diminish her hopes.  When we asked her what Oklahoma friends she would want to invite, she quickly named all the kids in our church home group.  I invited the three families with kids ages 2 months-13 years and they all showed up for her Frozen party.

We are lasagna and then played several Minute to Win It Frozen games that Dennis and I found or invented.  

So thankful for this girl who makes us laugh, gives the best snuggles, and teaches us to think of others.  And thankful for new friends that came to celebrate with us!

Deep Thoughts

Last night, as Vivien threw away the 3rd caterpillar that has died on our watch, she asked me, "Mom, does the world have an end?"  Dennis overheard her and asked, "Do you mean does the earth drop off?"  "No," she answered, "I mean when will everything die?"  Our very humble answer was "When God decides for it to."  We kept asking what prompted her to ask that and she answered by saying, "I'm hungry.  Can I have a snack?"

Tonight, Amity watched Dennis working on spackling the wall in the living room.  She asked, "Why do people worry so much about fixing their houses?  It's not going to keep them from dying."

From the mouths of babes...

Fair Day 2014

As Amity said, "It should be called 'The Fun'."

 We let the girls each pick out two rides at the Midway.  Amity likes to spin and is getting more or more fond of roller coasters.

 Dennis is more than pleased to haveto accompany her!

 Vivien gets dizzy easily and even though, she is getting tall enough for the bigger kid rides...

 she still likes to take it nice and easy!  All she wanted was to sit in this sparkly pink tractor and ride around several times.

 My favorite three monkeys!

We coerced convinced Vivien to ride the baby rollercoaster.  Dennis was going to ride with her and then we realized that she was tall enough to ride on her own.  Amity had picked a really lame car ride for her 2nd choice, so we let her go as Vivi's mini-chaperone on the rollercoaster.  They started out with all smiles.

 Viv's grip was getting tighter and tighter.  Amity said she had one hand on the handle and her other hand patting Vivien and telling her, "It's okay!  It's okay!"

 This was pretty much Vivi's face during most of the ride.  She takes after her mom...just wanting it to be over!

 Vivi gave the ride a "thumbs down".

 Little Hands on the Farm...you make me so sentimental for these little faces from the past...

State Fair 2013

Back to this year...

 This is really the cutest thing.  I love the pretending and that they both still play along!

 Sweet Amity was one inch too tall to ride the tractor trikes this year.  Thankfully, she was okay with it.  Her mom was close to throwing a fit!

And Vivi seems to be perfecting a pageant head-tilt and wave in all of her fair pics.

 Love it!  The workers play along so seriously and thank the "farmers" for all their hard work.  The girls earned their farm buck and were thrilled to "buy" bags of Cheetos (V) and Oreos (A) from the store.

 There were Fletcher's Corny Dogs to be eaten.

 And enormous butter sculptures to be admired.

 More time with these two in the exhibit halls

 Visions of our future flashing before our eyes (11+ years to go)

 (9+ years to go)

 Big Tex 2.0

Funnel Cake was devoured. Unfortunately, the girls like it now so we found that it didn't last as long between the two of us as before.

 We saw a camel and Amity remembered the story we just read in the Just So Stories about "How the Camel Got His Hump".

 Vivien pointed to these and matter-of-factly said, "That's an African-Crested Porcupine!"  I looked at the sign and she was right BUT she can't read.  I asked her how she knew and, of course, she said, "I saw them on Wild Kratts!"

 We did some toe-tapping to the Celtic group, the Kildares.

 And we ended with the pig races.

We came home, ate dinner, and uploaded our pictures to the computer.  Dennis made some caramel popcorn and the four of us sat on the couch and looked at Fair pictures from previous years.  The girls said, "Sitting on the couch, eating popcorn, looking at pictures, and snuggling...this is the best day ever!"  I agree!

Resurrection Day 2014

Easter morning began with our traditional picture in front of THE TREE in our front yard.  I will miss this tree when we move some day!

 Dennis and I were scheduled to work in the nursery during the service and there was no class for children ages 4 and up.  Thankfully, the Hennessees invited the girls to sit with them.

After church, we headed home and picked up our Easter picnic lunch (Hawaiian ham and cheese sliders, cold veggies and fruit and homemade marshmallows dipped in chocolate).

We arrived at the Arboretum just in time to be first in line for face painting.

 Love these faces!

 The marshmallows looked more like bird poop than lovely truffles but they still tasted yummy!

 The Arboretum had lots of children's activities set up including an egg toss and relay.

 And the petting zoo...

 And then we made it to my happy place.  Dennis wasn't convinced the Arboretum would be a good place to be on Easter afternoon UNTIL he laid down on a blanket on this hill and then he agreed that I was right!  It was so peaceful and relaxing.  The girls loved running up and down the hill (see them in the distance?).

This was our first untraditional Easter in that we didn't celebrate with all of the food and extended family but we still had a wonderful time creating new memories with our little family of four!  So thankful that we can celebrate the Resurrection EVERY day!