Thank Goodness for an Amazing Dad!

Grandma

We love it when Grandma comes to town. It's always an adventure!

It started when her plane was two hours late! You never realize how boring an airport can be until you are sitting there with your children, waiting for Grandma to arrive. Ah well, she made it up to us by buying us all ice cream on the way home.




Saturday morning, it was time to start our day adventure.


I'm ready to go Grandma!

We decided to go down to some pueblos in Colorado Springs. The kids had an amazing time climbing all over the pueblo, and imagining what it would be like to live in those small rooms.





After the pueblos, we headed out to The Airplane Restaurant for some yummy food. My children love this place because you get to sit in an old WWII airplane and play in the cockpit while waiting for your food. (they have fantastic food too!)




On the way home, everyone fell asleep. Well, except Kirk, because he was driving!


*This is an old picture, but I forgot to take one of everyone sleeping

(because I was sleeping!)


Sunday we went to Church, and then Olivia showed Grandma her computer skills.




Monday morning, Grandma took all the girls to buy them some "silly bands" and get balloons for Monique's birthday party. I was grateful for her help, because I really didn't have time to go balloon shopping.





After the party, Grandma took everyone to the American Girl Doll store for new outfits for their dolls. I love that store! It was so fun, and of course, the girls had a hard time deciding. Olivia kept saying, "but I don't have all these things!" It was a wonderful time. (Kirk opted to go the the bookstore while we shopped.)


Monique and Sally


Olivia and Molly


Bella and Valery


Around the American Girl Doll store, the restaurants are doll friendly. So, after the girls put their dolls in the new outfits we headed over to an Italian restaurant. They had little cute chairs for the dolls to sit in, and the girls thought it was the best thing ever and kept asking if we could take the seats home. They were lovely mothers and Valery, Sally and Molly were very well behaved!







We are always sad to see Grandma go, but hey.....Grandpa will be here next week!

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONIQUE!!**




Since it's been a while since I have blogged about ANYTHING and it's been a super busy summer, I decided to go backwards.....starting with Monique's birthday.

This year, Monique wanted a cheerleader birthday party. She is obsessed with cheerleaders, and wears her hair in a pony tail everyday because that's what cheerleaders do!

So, in preparation for the party, I decided it would be really cute for all the girls to have little cheer outfits to wear. Monique wanted a red, white and blue cheerleader party, and as I looked around my sewing room, I realized I had all the fabric I needed to make the skirts. Also, since I stated sewing in the middle of July, I found tons of red, white and blue 4th of July ribbon on clearance for 90% off! (that was the best part!)

I made all the guests skirts (I bought Monique a cheerleader outfit as one of her birthday gifts) and then I purchased cheap, white under shirts, (hurray for $10.00 off at Kohls!) designed a logo and using inkjet, iron transfer paper, made each of the girls a "Cheerleaders Rule" t-shirt. I also made red, white and blue pom-poms for their hair. I had a great time, and was really happy with the result! Oh, and the dollar store had great pom poms!
















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We started the party by doing crafts. Each girl made a bracelet with their initials, colored a water bottle (because all cheerleaders need to stay hydrated) and decorated a backpack to carry all their "cheer" stuff. It was so fun to see how creative the girls were with all the crafts, and they thought it was great fun to get water out of the front of my refrigerator.





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After craft time, the girls were ready to get their groove on. Luckily, I was able to find "Bella Dancerella Cheer Spirit" on craigslist, so we popped it in and the girls cheered like crazy.



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After all that dancing around, the girls were hungry and thirsty. A little water from their water bottles and some pizza perked them right up.



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Next, it was time to open presents. All Monique's friends were so generous and gave her wonderful gifts.



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Finally, it was time to eat the cake. It's funny, I had already planned to make a red, white, and blue, three tiered cake with "Cheerleader Monique" on the top, when acouple of days before her birthday, Monique asked, "can I have a red, white and blue cake with me on it?" It must be that mom, sixth sense thing. Anyway, I laminated a picture of Monique in her cheerleader uniform and added yarn "pom poms" to her hands. When I started frosting the cake, I realized I was out of red food coloring. I did not have time to run to the store again, so I improvised. I had lots and lots of red decorating sugar, so I frosted the top tier white and put red sugar all over it. I actually really liked it because the top tier was sparkly! I added red, white and blue flowers (another 4th of July clearance item) and viola! The cake was born and Monique LOVED it. (which is all that really matters....right?)

















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THE PARTY IS NOT OVER!

The highlight of the party was Leslie. A few days before the party, knowing it was a long shot, I emailed the cheer coach of our local high school. I asked her if she thought any of her girls could come to a 6-year old birthday party and teach the girls some cheers. Leslie called me the next day and we made all the arrangements. When she came to the door, Monique was speechless! Kirk said he hadn't seen her like that since she met Cinderella for the first time. After the initial shock, Monique could not stop smiling.



First, everyone had to stretch.







Then the girls learned some cheers...






a few jumps....










a lift....
















and FINALLY,
the pyramid!



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Thank you so much to Leslie....she made the whole party!



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As the girls were leaving, they were excited, exhausted, and I heard some of them whispering to their moms, "a REAL cheerleader came!"

I say, that is a successful party!