Sweet sisters and Motor Skills

Hadley is going to be an artist, I have a feeling.  She wants to color and paint all day, every day.  I finally went and got her some water color paints at Walmart and they are already used up.  She just loves it and goes to town making pictures for Joni and Mom and Dad and Caleb and Joni and Nate and Joni (and for her awesome grandparents too---be watching for those!).

She is very into rainbows too---she colors in rainbows and also paints rainbows!  The more color the better in my opinion.

 Hadley can do nothing without her sister wanting to join in.  Joni likes to paint her face instead of the paper so it makes for a little more interesting time.  She likes it just the same.

 I have been noticing more and more how much these girls love each other.  When they aren't fighting over the same toy, they are sharing the same toy or reading or playing babies or chasing each other around the house or watching a movie together on their couch or.......  I really think they are going to be good friends.  

 While watching JoJo's Circus one morning, they were supposed to walk like an elephant and so they both walked like an elephant.   

 I came out of the kitchen and there they were.....just hugging.

Dad was reading them a story on our bed and they were both listening intently.  I then noticed how Joni was holding onto Hadley's arm......so much love!

Hadley is finally old enough for the first time since we moved to Louisville to be involved in one of the many children's programs at the Seminary.  This one is called Motor Skills and she looks forward to every Tuesday when she can go to "her class."  They do all kids of active things while still making it fun for the kids.  They have to walk in a line.....

 Follow the leader....

 Lots of running.....

 Doing sit-ups.....

 and leg-ups....

 and push-ups.

 They also play with balls and walk on really low balance beam and other fun motor skills type things.  Hope you are all well and enjoying your winter.....we have had a couple of very warm days here and it is getting me in the mood for the spring!  Love to you all!

Short and Sweet

It's zoo time again!  I'll try to only post zoo pictures that are fun or interesting or have an adorable little girl or two in them, or I might just post all of them.  ;)  Who doesn't love the zoo (besides Andy :))?  These first ones are mostly for my mom who loves the "big cats."  They are normally laying around....very boring....but this day it must have been lunch time because they were pacing.  We have heard the male lion growl from the other side of the zoo and it is loud and awesome.  My goal before we leave is to hear it up-close.

They have a number of ducks, geese, and peacocks that walk around the zoo.  This one walked up to us and that little boy gave him a chicken nugget.  Hadley, meanwhile, started screaming because it scared her.  Joni thought it was awesome :)

So I didn't get the girls looking at this snow leopard but had to take a picture of him with HIS TAIL IN HIS MOUTH.  Whatever floats your boat I guess.

 I have been exercising in the afternoons with a dancing game on the Wii.  Hadley and Joni also enjoy a good dance off :) and the exercise doesn't hurt them either!

 Joni LOVES "glubs" and often finds our winter wear basket and puts on as much as she can.  Too bad it is usually too warm to wear it all outside.  If she only knew where we came from....I think she is going to love the snow (when she is finally introduced to it) just as much as her dad and Oma. 

 This is Mr. Mustache.  One of the malls has a 1st Tuesday of the month kids fun time that a dear friend invited us to.  This month was Mr. Mustache the Magician.  It was actually pretty good......  

 and judging by Hadley's reaction, she liked it too.

 Joni loves gloves on her hands as well as her socks.  Andy had a good idea, after seeing her walking around with her socks on her hands, to make a sock puppet.  She thought it was great fun until I wouldn't let her color on her socks with a permanent marker.

 I have been noticing that I need to take more pictures.  After our awesome picture opportunity filled Christmas, our poor camera hasn't been used much.  We do pretty much the same things every week but I will try to change it up a bit :)  Love to you all!

January Days

We took it a little easy after our vacation and enjoyed time with Andy before he headed back to school (this week actually).  We have been doing lots of things at home since it has been somewhat cold (although we have enjoyed some 60 degree weather recently).  They love this stool and I love this stool except when I break my toes on it in the middle of the night.  We might need to look into getting another one as they won't be able to share much longer (my toes don't agree).

Hadley and Joni both love to read (and being read to).  I'm always fascinated with the mental capacity of a 3 year old.  We get books from the library and read them a few times and Hadley can "read" them to Joni.  

Remember these.....a quillow (a quilt that folds into a pillow)?  I'm sure they are still around and I just haven't seen them.....the pillow pets are in now.  My Grandma Alice made this one for me years ago and I was folding it up the other day and the girls thought it was a sleeping bag so they jumped right in.

One of Nana's awesome Christmas presents for a cold day (which we had on a Saturday that we had nothing going on) was to build an Arabian Tent (all supplies included) and watch Aladdin.  Andy got busy making the tent and I headed to the kitchen and made ebelskivers for breakfast.  It was a fun, special, relaxing morning thanks to our Nana and Papa!

Eating breakfast in the tent....

and watching the movie.

Sweet sisters.

Then, if that wasn't enough fun, we decided to go ice skating.  It was Hadley's first ice skating experience and I think she may live my dream of being an olympic ice skating champion.  She and Andy were the only ones that skated because they didn't have skates small enough for Jo.  I won't say anything more expect watch the video below!  She watched some other girls "jumping" and had to try it.

Andy did take Jo out for a quick spin on her shoes.  She laughed the entire time!

And making some Valentines for the grandparents.  They love getting dirty!

Love to you all!