spring has sprung

overheard on a perfect spring day:  'mom, can we stay outside all the way until dinner time?'..............'wait, can we eat outside?'..............'yeah, can we camp in the back yard tonight?'

 

 

themey, at-home birthday #7

in anticipating kindin's 7th birthday party, i wondered if she had outgrown a themey, at- home party.  i offered multiple alternative suggestions but kindin insisted on a hello kitty party at the house.  apparently she really does love the cheesy, homegrown games her mom plans for her.  in discovering that these details are what makes the party for her, i thought the details of this themey, at-home party should be written out for posterity's sake!  

• as the girls enter, our gathering activity was to color and sign a hello kitty picture and decorate kindin's room with them.
• our first game was the balloon stomp.  it is the absolute favorite game of my kids and we play it at every single party we hold.  it is a hit with most except that one kid every year who is a bit squemish about popping balloons. the game is simple- pop the 60 balloons filled with starburst candy and enjoy.
• we then had a goldfish relay. the girls divided into teams and competed by running with goldfish and feeding partners.  (hello kitty loves goldfish doesn't she?) 
• we took a break from structure and let the girls dance and go crazy for a bit.  there may or may not have been a round of freeze dance too.
• we then played a blindfolded who has my missing bow? game.  the girls were extremely good at identifying each other's "meow" to catch the thief. 
• we then went upstairs where hello kitty (aka dad) had made a huge yarn mess on the top two levels of the house.  the girls were to work together to follow the yarn maze that led to finding their party favors.
• last was snacks.  cupcakes, cheez-its, and apple juice are birthday party staples at our house so we kept with tradition. after eating, the girls had the chance to decorate an additional cupcake to take home.  think lemonhead for nose, choc chips for eyes, a scrunched bubblegum bow, and gel frosting for whiskers. 
• we also opened gifts.  i'm always surprised that the kids want to sit through this tedious process but it only took one or two reprimanding party-goers to keep this a priority in party planning details. 
• when the girls left, they left with a red bow (just like the kitty's), a decorated cupcake, any uneaten starbursts, and a found goody bag.

 

 

the easter in which eggs are filled with chocolate

chocolate-filled easter eggs were a pleasant surprise for the stover children this year.  (fair warnings that egg hunts are 'held rain or snow' was another surprise- albeit not as pleasant.)

wit and charm

last night, i broke into tears while on my knees filled with gratitude for dalia's unique personality.  filled with wit and charm, she is a delight in our home.  let me share some evidences of her wit and charm:

-is always the first to say thank you
-when you refer to her by her nicknames 'wolly' or 'polly', she retorts, 'i dalia'
-she yells 'have a good day kini' out the window every time we pass kindin's school.
-she plays a simple, silly game with mom in which she and i banter back and forth the words, 'you're crazy!' and 'no... YOU'RE crazy!'
-insists that most animals are 'donkeys'.
-knows the name of each and every one of her siblings' friends!
-proudly reports her time at the gym daycare to dad every night at dinner while her siblings recount their school and preschool days.
-just got a pillow in her room and she brightly beams, 'i love it!'

i don't like it but....

i don't like it but... kindin is growing up!  she asked to get her ears pierced about a year ago and it totally caught me off gaurd- this unanticipated, mature request.  i didn't know how to respond so i spent the next year on my knees ruminating about the growing up she's doing.  of course i was worried about some inexperienced claire's chic making a crooked hole, getting some massive superbug infection, and girly clumsiness resulting in a ripped ear hole.  but, if i'm being 100% honest, i just wasn't ready for a little girl wanting some maturity.  with the consultation of a dear friend in the same boat, i finally agreed to this coming of age ritual.  (and kindin was ecstatic to get her ears pierced with a fun friend!)  

the day after the 5th snow day

k just had her fifth snow day from school yesterday!!  AND it came right after a cancelled day of church.  snow days (often seen as a precious commodity) have fallen into the catagory of: too much of a good thing.  even kindin woke up grumbling that school had been cancelled.  her disappointment showed in her artwork.

 

a rendering of her elementary

jack gets a bit disappointed too when life is put on hault.  he was so excited to see his two buddies again--- he left this welcoming note for them on the front door!

and lucky me, the garage door won't open on the day after the 5th snow day!!  i'll go about doing the loads of dirty pajamas we've worn over the past few days, find a clever excuse to get rid of the dyed easter eggs stinking up the fridge, clean the wet and dirtied floors, and i'll get right on those cookies!  

preschool spotlight