a sand dollar

Layla was so excited to find her first sand dollar (and I was so excited to get a picture of it).  She's just not as fast as Crew and Gracie who always find them first.  

California Adventure

You can't go to California Adventure and not get pictures on the letters.  Unfortunately for Gracie, there is no "G" in California so she chose "R" because thats the next letter in her name.  

The kids thought climbing on the letters was pretty fun but not quite as fun as going on the rides inside.  I was glad because I was kind of worried that they would say that was one of their favorite parts.  They did mention it, but Crews favorite was the water raft ride and Gracie just couldn't decide between the High School Muscial show, the new Toy Story ride and the Bugs Life rides.  Aaron's favorite was the new Toy Story ride, mine the California Screamin' roller coaster, and Layla liked the Toy Story ride too, at least that's what she said, but I think she really enjoyed driving the bumper cars in Bugs Life land.  

Minnie and Pluto

The Girls loved to hang out with Minnie.  I could hardly get Layla and Grace to leave her.  However, I had to beg Crew to get in the picture (and he would not sit near her). 

Although Layla loved Minnie and Mickey (the older two missed Mickey they were busy riding rides), she would have nothing to do with Pluto.  I was surprised because she loves dogs.  I can't walk past a dog without her petting it, letting it lick her, and trying to lick it back.  She said "I don't like Pluto! OK!" and refused to get anywhere near him.  

Little Layla

Layla was too short to ride a lot of the rides in California Adventure so I got to cruise around the park with her.  We had fun!

Happy Valentines Day

This is what Crew gave me for my Valentines present.  What more could a mother ask for than one of a kind sand dollars decorated just for her?

Our Little Princess

Layla had to keep herself entertained while she waited her turn for face painting

face painting

Part of the princess experience involved going to the princess boutique and getting their face painted.  It was so cute and the girls enjoyed it so much!  

The face painting was so much fun!  It is always something that I thought would be fun to do and since some of my sister-in-laws agreed; my amazing and supportive mother-in-law went out and bought some face paint.  Here are my first experiments in face painting.  It was just as much  fun as I imagined and the kids enjoyed it too.   I'm sure as I get better it will only be more fun.

Layla
Crew
Gracie
Gracie

Princess time

Last month when we went to Disneyland, visiting with the princesses was a major highlight.  The girls just couldn't get enough of the princesses.  Thanks Jake for waiting in line to make it all possible.  Although next time maybe I'll remember to get the autograph book.  Gracie wanted a book for the princesses to sign and I totally forgot.  Ooops!  At least she'll have some pictures of the event.

Shh

You know you are tired when you fall asleep on a slab of granite.  Poor Layla just wore herself out.

Puzzeling

Crew has picked up a new hobby.  He loves doing puzzles.  Since he also loves lizards, I thought this puzzle would be perfect.  Sometimes I am right and Crew totally loves it.  

Since he slightly obsessed with lizards he actually knew what kind of lizard it was.  I only remember it was some kind of gecko.  
I am only slightly disappointed that it didn't take him as long to complete as I had hoped.  I really thought this puzzle would buy me a lot more time to get things done. 

LOVE

Over the holidays I got to go to my first Cirque du Soleil show.  Love is based on music from the Beatles and it was amazing.  I cannot wait to go to another Cirque show and there are so many to choose from in Vegas.  

New Year's wish

I know I'm a little late with the New Year post but better late than never.  We started what I hope will be a new New Year tradition.  Everybody wrote down a wish and then we attached them to a balloon and set the balloon free.  Gracie wished to meet Troy and Gabriella from HSM and is still bugging me about when that is going to happen.  I guess she doesn't quite get the concept of wishing.   Crew's wish is a little more likely to come true but probably only once, even though he wished very hard.  

sorry there is no picture of Gracie's wish she was a little squirrelly.  

Do I look fabulous or what?

Only a five year old would ask that while wearing this outfit.  She thought she looked so good she asked me to take this picture.

BFF 4ever

Gracie got the best Christmas present ever from her cousin Emma, a best friends necklace.  Don't you love their matching HSM pjs too.  Every night that Gracie wears hers now she says "I bet Emma is wearing hers tonight too"

And what's the first thing best friends must do together?  Get a pedicure

Emma's toes Gracie's toes

Have you see two girls enjoying a pedi more than these two?  The rest of us got quite a kick out of watching them.  I only wish I had a video camera. 

Frosty

As promised here is Crew's finished work.  We were totally sad when his little guy melted.