Swimmer!

Livy started her first swimming lessons at the rec center 2 weeks ago.  She was absolutely terrified when we went the first night for orientation because the water is so cold and she's a lot like me when it comes to the water!  We are 2 weeks into lessons and she is doing amazing!  She absolutely loves class, gets right in the water, and even went all the way under the water holding her breath last week!  Her teacher is soooo good with them and Livy just loves her!  When she went under water last week, she came up with the most biggest smile on her face, turned to look for us right away, and yelled out "I put my head under the water!!!!"  Walking over to us after class she was just so excited and I think she had the smile on her face until she went to bed that night.  She wouldn't even take the goggles off of her head.  It is just so much fun to watch her every week and to see her get so excited!

 

Peyton's Big Girl Room!!!

Can you believe this girl is out of her crib and in a big girl bed already!!!  Once she started to climb out at night over and over and over, we knew it was time....I tried to contain her as long as I could but I guess she was ready!  I won't forget the night Chris and I were sitting on the couch and we heard a weird noise and couldn't figure out what it was....until a little girl came shooting out of her room, running into the bathroom screaming "I need to go potty!!!"  Chris and I just looked at each other like "Oh no!"  I think she did it like 4 more times before I finally had to rock her to sleep!  She then did it at daycare in her pack and play the next day and since then.....has been moved to a cot like the other big kids too.  We took the front of her crib off the next night before she could break her leg and then turned her crib into a bed after we got her room all put together.  Her favorite color is purple so we did one wall purple and the other walls in a light gray.  She just loves her "big girl room" as she calls it and has done really good....and only fallen out of bed once!  Thank you to grandma and grandpa Volden for watching the girls overnight one weekend so we could paint and put everything together!  They had so much fun and we were able to get it all done...and go out to dinner! 

 

Off to Grandma and Grandpa's they go!

 



 She looks pretty small in her big girl bed!

 

 I made some wall hangings using canvas and fabric to match her room (thanks pinterest) and my mom made her a new toy box cushion with the fabric as well.

 

She got some wall decals and her name just like big sister

 

Double trouble!

Last Dance Observation for the Year!

Livy had her last dance observation night for the year 2 weeks ago.  We got to see her and her class practicing for their upcoming recital in June.  She is getting pretty excited!

 

 Livy and one of her besties Ruby.  They also do swimming lessons together.  Her little brother is Peyton's age so they get to hang out when these two are doing their classes.

 

 These are my favorite pictures....everyone is always doing something different :)

 

 At least they are all in a straight line :)

 

Easter at home

When we got home from Illinois, the Easter bunny had left the girls some eggs and baskets to find! They are at such fun ages for the holidays! 

 

We tried on their Easter dresses to take some pictures in case it was too crazy on Easter and they didn't want to take a picture.

 

 

Pretty girls :)

 

Finding their eggs

 

 

 

 

there's one!

 

Livy: "Come here Mom!  I have a secret to show you in the bathtub!"

Me: "Liv, that's your basket."

Livy: "OH MY GOSH! BARBIE AND THE PINK SHOES MOVIE!!!"

Can you tell she was a little excited!

 

Peyton's basket was in the closet

 

Ready to open their baskets.  They got lots of fun stuff!

 

They found mini barbies in their big eggs from the movie "Barbie and the Pink Shoes"

 

 

I had a lady I work with make the girls these towels.  They are really big and great!  They were so excited to have their names on them! 

 

Of course we got hello kitty for Peyt

Easter in Illinois!

We visited everyone in Illinois this year for Easter and had a busy and fun-packed weekend!  We were able to make it to the big fish fry on friday night out at the cabin, go to an Easter egg hunt in a near-by town, dye easter eggs, and have an easter egg hunt at grandma and grandpa's.  Here are some pictures from our trip.  Thanks for a fun weekend!

 

The kiddos got to go on a trailer ride...a muddy one!  They LOVED it!

 

Even Peyton jumped on and went all by herself with Livy....big step for this shy girl!

 

Getting ready for the Easter egg hunt in town.

 

 

 

 

Chaos :)  Peyton just stood there too afraid to move while Livy ran right in!

 

Olivia won the grand prize basket for her age group by finding the special note....she didn't even know it until the lady told her at the end!  It was full of lots of fun things....bubbles, a kite, candy, art supplies, gift cards, stuffed animal, and lots more.  She was one excited little girl!

 

 

Liv with the Easter bunny and other winners.  She had her picture taken for the newspaper!

 

All the kiddos and their easter hunt findings!

 

Time to dye Easter eggs!

 

Peyt and Kade

 

Karter, Liv, and Noelle

 

 

 

 

 

What a goof!

 

 

 

 

Kade, Karter, Noelle, Liv, and Peyt all dressed up in their Easter finest!

 

 

 

In their baskets, the Easter bunny left them a note in their puzzle boxes that said he had hid all the puzzle pieces in their Easter eggs around the yard.  They had to find all of their eggs in order to put their puzzle together.  So fun!

 

Ready for the hunt!

 

Peyt had to find the yellow eggs

 

Liv had to find the purple eggs

 

 

 

 

Found all their eggs!

 

 

Girls with Grandma and Grandpa Stenzel