Daddy-Daughter Dance

Several cities and also wards and stakes will put on a Daddy-Daughter Dance right around Valentine's Day here where we live. Last year Corey and Eliza tried to attend one but they were all sold out (city one--our stake/ward doesn't do this). So this year, as soon as I saw the ad for it, I went and bought tickets.

Eliza was super excited.  I bought the tickets the second week of January and she had to wait all the way until February 8th.  But when that day came, she was so excited.

She requested a French braid for her hair, which was odd because she never asks me to braid her hair.  I couldn't do it, so I asked for help and a friend stepped up and braided it for me.  It turned out really great!

And she looked so beautiful in her pretty red-and-white dress and new red shoes.

Daddy and daughter ready for their date

They had a great time.  It was a dinner-dance put on by the city.  So they ate dinner, did some crafts, and had some dancing.  They had a photographer there taking pictures so Eliza brought home a picture of her and Daddy in a cute little frame they made and put it on her dresser.  What a great memorable night for Eliza!

A New Kind of "Phototherapy"

Yes, I know. Phototherapy is when they put a baby under the lights to break down the bilirubin in his body.

But this kind of phototherapy that I'm talking about has to do with making a grouchy kid a happy kid.

Jonah woke up very grouchy one morning last week and the only thing that seemed to help his mood was taking pictures of him!  So Westley grabbed the camera and started snapping away.

It's amazing how this improved his mood one hundred percent.

Fun Cake and Frosted Graham Crackers

A few weeks ago, the kids and I were bored on a Sunday afternoon, so we decided to make a fun cake.  This is what we came up with--an M&M package cake with mini cupcakes decorated to look like the M&Ms.

We had leftover frosting from the cake, so the next couple of days, we frosted graham crackers for snacks.  Jonah even joined in with the frosting of the crackers.  His favorite part was licking the knife.

Caleb's Snake-Dragon

Caleb took another box with strange dimensions and made this snake-dragon out of it. This creature is made out of one box. I'm not even sure how he did it. He took the pictures of it himself before we threw it out.

 

Cardboard Box House

We had this big box left after Christmas, so I got it out of the closet and let the kids go to town with it. It only lasted a few days because they played with it so much.

front view (front doors and welcome mat)

The older boys cut windows into the sides

They made a pull-out table with a bucket chair inside

and decorated the walls with pictures

and shelves

and a TV

And taped a flashlight to the ceiling for light

don't forget a radio (I'm not even sure how they know what one of these is!)

I truly think they had more fun making it than really playing in it--at least the older boys.  Jonah sure loved playing in it!  So did Eliza.  It was a fun project for everyone.

Hairdresser Eliza

Eliza likes to "do" my hair by putting every single bow that she owns in it while we watch TV.  She told me that she wants to learn how to do hair.  I'm not sure I should be one to teach her, since I struggle with doing hair myself, but I'm glad she likes it!

Working Boy

Put 'em to work early, that's what I say!  Jonah loves to clear out the utensils from the dishwasher.  He usually just throws them into the drawer and the person who is responsible for clearing out the dishwasher that week ends up sorting them (or me).  But it's one of his favorite things to do and he has a radar for when the dishwasher is opened in the morning.  He comes running to start putting them away!