Friday, August 28

Last Snowcone

My Mom is here for a visit, her first since Easter of 2008. We are having lots of fun but my blog has suffered. I am probably not going to post for the next few days until she flies home. Of course Princess A starts school the next day! In the meantime here are the girls enjoying probably the last snow cone of the year!


Monday, August 24

Ballet

We are going to sign the girls up for ballet at a real dance school on Wednesday. We tried the YMCA twice and it just never worked.

The girls are just so excited and can't wait for classes to start. I am not looking forward to hanging out for 2 hours every week (during dinner time too) but I will love seeing them dance!
This is a picture of them at Princess A's School of Dance. Hippo and Pinky were the students and the girls were the teachers.

Sunday, August 23

Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters Review



I was sent a bag of each of the four new flavors of Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters. Can I just say: YUMMY! These yummy Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters lasted a day and a half in our house. I open the Roasted Almond first. I tried one and when I came back a little while later I barely got another. The girls begged me to open another. I picked the Honey Roasted Peanut next. They would of finished it that night but I put them away. The girls finished it the next morning. The last two flavors (Nut Lovers and Roasted Cashews) were pretty much inhaled later that evening with Daddy's help. The girls keep asking for some more but I keep forgetting when I am at the store. I was just clipping my Sunday coupons after dinner and they have one for Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters, dollar off one. Princess A wants to take them in her lunch for school so I will have to make a grocery list and hopefully remember to take it with me. Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters were a hit in my house. If you love nuts and granola you will probably love these.

Thank you MyBlogSpark for this review opportunity.

Wednesday, August 19

Wordless Wednesday: Mini Cakes

Whenever I make a cake or cupcake I always make two little mini cakes. I use two cake pan that came from a Easy Bake Oven that was recalled. That way the girls can have a little cake without cutting into the main cake.

Tuesday, August 18

Fox Hollow Equestrian Center and Farm

As I mentioned the other day a few of the girls' core group of friends have moved in the last few months. Right before one of their friends moved (a little boy we met less than a month after we moved here almost four years ago) he had a birthday/going away party. The party was at Fox Hollow Equestrian Center and Farm located in Issaquah, Washington We all had a blast! Princess G is basking in the sun while taking a little rest from the inflatable slide.
Princess A never stopped moving and just kept going on the inflatable slide and the obstacle course over and over gain. I got tired just watching her.

Princess G decided to try the obstacle course too.

Finally Princess G was able to climb up and slide down herself so I could stop!

Eventually Princess A discovered that they had little John Deere Tractors to drive. She really wants a car or tractor like this a home but I keep telling her Santa can't fit one on his sleigh.

Princess G wanted a ride so her sister happily drove over and picked her up.

They only got off the tractor when they saw that they had a cotton candy machine (and one for kettle corn too) so they could have some.

After getting sugarized they made a brief detour to see all of the animals, chickens, horses, baby chicks, peacock, goats (they were available for petting but my girls weren't in the mood that day surprisingly), dogs, kittens and ducks. The girls then went back to the inflatables, they just love bouncy houses (that is what they call them.)

The girls wanted to ride the tractors again and this time they thought it would be fun to chase Mommy. They were laughing and giggling as they chased me all over the the main lawn.
Behind the girls is the beautiful home of the Fox Hollow owners. Behind the house in a river that was so beautiful and peaceful. During the salmon run I was told you can almost walk across on the salmons back (not really but it seems as if you might be able.) It was a lovely farm and I would love to go back sometime. If it was not so far from our house we would probably attend one of their events or even hold one of the girls' birthday party. I would love to attend one of their pie socials one year.

Monday, August 17

Field Trip at School Back in May

I was going through my pictures from May and realized I never posted about Princess A's school field trip. Princess G and I were also able to go but since I had Princess G I had to drive separately.

The field trip was all about farming in Washington. First we learned about the different produce grown in Washington. The girls are looking at some books during free time. The next section was all about farm animals. The girls liked riding the different saddles. Here is Princess A on a saddle used for roping, hence the horn to attach the rope when roping. (I think I have that right.) Last was the petting of the animals. They got to pet baby chicks, rabbits, goats and sheep. Princess A was so happy that we could come on the field trip though she was a little disappointed I was not on the bus. (Yes, we were still wearing our winter coats in May. It actually rained all day and was quite cold.)

Sunday, August 16

Last Visit to Zoo as Members

Last year when the in laws were visiting it was only a few dollars more to get a membership than to pay for all of us to get in. Since then I have been trying to use our membership as much as possible. I have also been trying to take people, I mean it doesn't cost me anything more to take them. Our membership was about to end so we made one more trip. (I have told no one but there is a slight possibility we might move so I don't want to get another membership if we won't be able to use it.) We actually got to the zoo early but our friends were forty-five minutes late! Goes to show when I am finally early it was wasted.
After playing on the playground we went straight for the budgies. Princess A was so excited to have 2 birds (she had three at one time but I was not fast enough with the camera!)

Princess G was so happy when 'a friend of Lucy-bird' (our parakeet) landed on her stick.

She was not happy when a second bird started to nibble on her fingers and grip her hand with their little claws. After taking the picture I had to scare the bird off a few times, it kept coming back to land on her hand.
Of course no visit is complete without touching everything at the hand-on exhibit. Princess G even had to touch all of the pipes too.

Princess G was so happy that she got to dress up as a starfish again.

As usual Princess A picked the Jellyfish costume and then chased everyone pretending she was going to sting us.

I actually was able to take a clear photo of them in the shark jaws, for some reason they usually come out blurry.

Princess G became fascinated by the tide pool this visit. She has never really been that interested before. She spent a long time here while Princess A went nearby and was tested on her knowledge of animal habitats. At the end of the challenge they gave her a brochure which she just thought was the coolest thing, mainly because she was the only one who got one.

Everyone wanted to watch the penguins. Last visit they only swam, this time they just stood in one place.

As we got into the zoo a little late we skipped the rest of the zoo and headed back to the playground area. The girls love pretending to be spiders.

They are just so cute.
Finally it was hot enough to go in the water. The last time we were at the zoo when this was running Princess G was a baby. They never seem to have it on when we visit but they finally did and the girls couldn't wait.

Princess A was just so excited since it has been years since she has done this!

Our friends forgot a towel so I gave them one of ours and the girls shared, which they thought was so funny. They were giggling so hard that they almost fell over when they tried to walk.
We picked up the traditional squished penny (two each this time since it was the last visit for a while), glass animal and ride on the carousel. I am not sure when we will go again or if we should get a new membership. We did have lots of fun but if we do move it would be a waste. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Rock of Ages Soundtrack Review

I was sent Rock of Ages Soundtrack for review. I had fun just reading the list of songs on the album. Princess A just wanted to listen to the music. She loves the intro, I know because the first time we listened to the music she kept replaying it over and over again. After about ten plays we finally were able to listen to the rest of the songs. We all loved the songs. Princess A calls the music boy music since it is loud and fast (it reminds her of the music Daddy listens too.) It was so much fun listening to the music as I have not heard most of these songs in a while. If any of these songs are at all familiar you should purchase Rock of Ages Soundtrack. Rock of Ages is the most second most played CD is our house right now.

Tracklisting:
  1. Just Like Paradise / Nothin' But A Good Time
  2. Sister Christian
  3. We Built This City / Too Much Time On My Hands
  4. I Wanna Rock
  5. We're Not Gonna Take It
  6. Heaven/More Than Words / To Be With You
  7. Waiting For A Girl Like YouWanted Dead Or Alive
  8. I Want To Know What Love Is
  9. Cum On Feel The Noize / We're Not Gonna Take It (Reprise)
  10. Harden My Heart / Shadows Of The Night
  11. Here I Go AgainThe Final Countdown
  12. Any Way You Want It / I Wanna Rock (Reprise)
  13. High EnoughI Hate Myself For Loving You / Heat Of The Moment
  14. Hit Me With Your Best Shot
  15. Can't Fight This Feeling
  16. Every Rose Has Its Thorn
  17. Oh SherrieThe Search Is Over
  18. Don't Stop Believin'

Thank One2One Network for this review opportunity.

Saturday, August 15

Princess G's Tea Party Birthday

Originally I was going to have an outdoor party where the girls would play in the sprinkler and kiddie pool for Princess G's fourth birthday. The morning of the party, contrary to the forecast, it was cool. Much too cool to play in the sprinklers like we planned. I decided to have a tea party instead. The girls have a darling set my mother gave them but I never remember to get it out for them.
The tea set is for four which was perfect, only two little girls were invited. Four of the normal six children we always invite to birthday parties have moved in the last few months. Princess A thought this scarf that was my Grandmother's would be perfect for the table cloth. I made decaffeinated Lipton's Tea that morning with three tea bags in a cold pitcher of water. I put the sugar in the creamer dish (I would of bought sugar cubes if I had know we would be having a tea party) and it was perfect because the girls could just pour it in. The girls also picked the four snacks to have with tea, Hershey's Kisses, rainbow Goldfish crackers, Mother's circus animal cookies (the yummy pink and white cookies with sprinkles) and caramel rice crackers (yes that is what they picked). The girls adored the tea and the Hershey's Kisses the most.

One of the little girls could only stay for an hour so we quickly had the cupcakes. Princess G wanted frosting with sprinkles just like on her birthday. (I forgot to put out the cucumber slices earlier so the girls ate them with the cupcakes!)

Next it was time for gifts before the friend left. She received a Disney Princess lunch bag, with her favorite princess on it Aurora.

Her second gift was a mini My Little Pony Hair Salon. She also received a set of fairy wing and two fairy wands from us (one of the wands she shared with her sister).

After one of the little girls left we played outside and then we had lunch, hot dogs.

The girls played some boardgames, Hi Ho Cheerios and Cinderella's Pretty Pretty Princess, until their last guest had to go home. The girls loved the tea party so much we will have to do it again just for fun.

Friday, August 14

Cake Challenge Game

The girls love watching Food Network's Cake Challenges. We watch it at least once a week but sometimes more if we are lucky enough to catch some repeats. Princess A now wants to be a baker so she can compete on a cake challenge when she grows up.
Here is Princess G's cake she made for the challenge.
Princess A won the coveted 'Golden Spatula' (you can see it in her hand) for her cake. We then all got to eat a piece. She made sure I noticed that she made sure her cake was tall enough to meet the height requirement (you have to watch the show to understand.)

Grosgrain: Sew Cute Shop Amy Butler Birdie Sling GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain: Sew Cute Shop Amy Butler Birdie Sling GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Thursday, August 13

Hula Outfit

Princess A dressed herself as a 'hula girl'.

She then proceeded to hula for me!
It is hard to see but her shirt has a monkey that is hula hooping. She also put on some babylegs because "they are hawaiian colors" as she informed me.