dance parties

 The girls have so much fun in our bonus room/toy room.  Their most favorite activity is definitely "dance party."  It is so much fun to watch and it has been a great way for the girls to get their energy out this winter.

 Dance parties usually involve Heidi running around in circles and Savanna spinning in circles until she is so dizzy she is running into everything.  The circles usually turn into break dancing moves and somersaults.  Savanna of course tries to mimic these and it's very comical.

 Savanna also spends a good chunk of the dance party climbing on whatever she can find.

 But all that climbing, spinning and break dancing can get pretty exhausting so she has to take a break from time to time.

 Heidi also practices her actual dance moves from her class, but she really prefers to just do her own thing and say, "look at this cool move I made up."  They are usually pretty sweet new moves like hopping one foot or lifting one leg high in the air.  She's pretty talented.

 Sometimes dance parties turn into obstacle courses where the girls roll in the mud under the coloring table.

 Then they have to run as fast as they can to the river under the foosball table to get clean before embarking on the journey of jumping over the crocodile in the middle of the room.

 Savanna may be small, but she keeps up with Heidi.

Once Savanna has had all the obstacle course/dance party fun she can handle, she tends to fix us a nice snack.  Well, until she decides to start shaking the kitchen as hard as she can until it falls on top of her.

It's just downhill from there because Heidi will have just organized the kitchen and it's traumatic for her and being trapped under the kitchen can be a little traumatic for Savanna too.

But then we get it all cleaned up and start the music again and everyone seems to forget as we go for dance party round 2.

We sure are glad we have such a fun toy room...especially in the winter.  

3 1/2

Wednesday was Heidi's half birthday!  Due to all of our computer issues, I haven't been able to post until now...and it's going to be a slow process.  I can't believe she is halfway to being four!  What a delight my little Heidi is!  I cannot imagine life without her.

*Still my little fashionista.  She loves to shop and pick her clothes out everyday.  She pretends to shop in her closet and Savanna's closet quite often and loads the clothes up on her "motorcycle" (aka the rocking chair stool).  Maybe it's a good thing we don't live near too many stores!
*Loves to learn.  She will sit and listen and play all the little "games" I come up with to help her learn stuff like it's the best thing that ever happened to her.
*Heidi's memory amazes me.  I will read her a book one time and she will repeat it almost word for word later.  I am amazed at how she remembers names and places. I really notice it when she repeats things I didn't know she was listening to or things she heard months ago.

*Loves to read.  She loves to be read to and will never turn down a story.  She also loves to read to herself.  She will sit with a stack of books in her room reading to her animals forever!  I love listening to her "read".
*Loves to play doctor and watch Doc McStuffins.  She is allowed to watch one episode a day while Savanna takes a nap and it is the highlight of her morning.  She gets very creative when she plays.  Recently she created an x-ray machine and draws x-rays of her sick animals on her whiteboard.  When I saw her first x-ray I couldn't believe her drawing!  She had drawn the hip bones and everything.  It actually looked like an x-ray.  She insists she is going to be a vet when she grows up.
*Favorite day of the week if Monday--dance day.  She adores dance!  She is the cutest little dancer and has improved so much this year.  She asks all day Monday if it's time for dance yet.  She loved having her dad home last week to take her so he could see her moves.

*Most of the time she is a very sweet, protective big sister.  Sometimes she gets a little too bossy, but she loves having her little Savanna around and can't wait to share a room with her in the near future.
*While she is doing so much better leaving me for short periods of time, she is still a huge mama's girl...especially if she is tired or hungry.
*3 has definitely been a little more challenging than 2 as she is learning to be more independent!  When she is happy, not tired, and not hungry she will says the sweetest things.  "I'm so glad Heavenly Father sent me to this family."  "You're the sweetest, most beautiful mom ever!"  But then there will be moments when she says things like, "If you give me that medicine I will spit it on the floor."  We are working on taming the sassy.  Yikes.
*Loves to get herself dressed and undressed, comb her hair, buckle her carseat, etc.
*Heidi is the worst sick patient EVER!!  We never know how sick she really is because a slight hangnail will send her into hysterics.

*Loves to sing and her memory for songs is incredible.  She is often called to the front in primary to be the leader because she knows all the words.
*Still a big rule follower.  It shocks her if she thinks someone is being naughty and she talks about it for weeks.
*Anything new is still pretty traumatic.  She usually chooses not to participate in the little games they play during story time because she isn't sure what to expect.  She likes things predictable and she likes her routine.  She definitely does better trying new things when I am not around.  It drives me nuts!
*Loves primary and didn't shed one tear when she headed to Sunbeams.  I was shocked.  It helps that I am in there, but she goes to class fine and is probably the most reverent little Sunbeam I have ever seen...my little rule follower I guess.
*Heidi is so sweet and kind when she is with other kids.  She always comments on how cute they look and never seems to be involved in any little disagreements.  She is usually the one trying to make the situation better.  If she sees two kids fighting over something, she might say something like,"Here, Molly, you can just have my crayon.  I can get another one."  That's probably why all the kids fight over who gets to sit by Heidi.
*Still talking about Christmas and singing Christmas songs.  We are still listening to her Christmas CD in the car.  Rudolph and Up on the Housetop are her favorites.  If she thinks you are singing it wrong, she will say, "Here dad, let me teach you how it goes."

We love you, Heidi!

We are so excited for all the fun things you have to look forward to,

but it sure is hard watching you grow so dang fast!

around our house

 Not a whole lot of exciting or interesting things going on at our house lately.  But here are some pictures I found on the camera.  Heidi made cute little Valentine bags to take to friends and neighbors.

 Heidi is seriously, seriously the biggest helper.  Sometimes I forget she's only 3.  She helps me fold laundry and wants me to teach her how to fold everything right.  She does an awesome job and sometimes I can't tell the difference between my folding and hers.  She is especially good at washcloths, pants, and short sleeve shirts.  I am so lucky to have such a responsible, helpful girl.

 Savanna has been keeping us on our toes with all of her climbing.  She climbs everything from the freezer to Heidi's bed.  She is not very cautious either so we have to be extra careful lately.  

 Savanna keeps us laughing constantly.  She loves to carry things around in her mouth.  She likes to eat her food like a dog.  She is a giant tease and loves to be teased.  We couldn't love her little personality more.

 Savanna often relaxes wherever.  She usually lays there with a huge grin waiting for someone to notice.

 Heidi is still filling a great majority of her days with books.  We love library days when we have a new stack of books to enjoy.  We had our first library book catastrophe a few weeks ago when Savanna threw one in the tub.  

 Savanna copies every single thing Heidi does.  I am sure this is pretty normal with siblings, but it's a first for us and we get a kick out of watching it.  Heidi went and stood by the bed and started singing so Savanna followed and did the same.  Heidi has a cute little shadow in everything she does.  Savanna is completely lost when Heidi is not around.

 When Heidi isn't reading, she is almost always playing doctor.  She insists she will be a vet when she grows up.

 Random toys and objects are constantly found around the house.  I am under no circumstance allowed to touch or move these.  This particular picture is Savanna's rocking giraffe that is sick and needs to rest.  

This is from story time.  They had a Pinkalicious day and were supposed to wear pink.  It was an exciting day getting ready at our house...until I wanted a picture.  Then Savanna wanted to show her new trick--tantrums.  We usually get a quivering bottom lip and everything.  

We are certainly blessed to have these two little cuties to keep us on our toes!

We are blessed beyond what we deserve!

happy 32nd to jeff

Happy Birthday, Jeff!  Heidi wasn't feeling well and we ended up heading to Utah to take her in so I felt like Jeff really got the shaft this year for his special day.  I feel really bad about it, but hopefully we can make up for it big time next year.  After we got home, the girls helped me make his traditional cheesecake.  All of us girls are so lucky to have such a wonderful man to love.

Last year I asked Heidi questions about her dad and it was a big hit for Jeff so we will do it again this year.

Me: What is daddy's name?
Heidi: Jeffrey.

Me: What is daddy's favorite color?
Heidi: Black and Green

Me: What do you call daddy?
Heidi: I call him dad or Jeffrey and no other names.

Me: What do you like to play with daddy?
Heidi: I like to play spider girl.

Me: What does Savanna like to play with dad?
Heidi: That spider game where you get the spider with the toilet paper.

Me: What is dad's favorite food?
Heidi: cheesecake, huh?

Me: How old is dad?
Heidi: I don't know.  I guess 4.

Me: What does dad like to do?
Heidi: He likes to play legos and doctor.  He also likes to dance.

Me: What is daddy good at?
Heidi: He's good at building my stuffed animals a bed.

Me: Are you a daddy's girl?
Heidi: No, I'm a mommy's girl, but I like to play with dad.  Sometimes I'm a daddy's girl.

Me: Is Savanna a daddy's girl?
Heidi: Yes!  Totally.

Me: What does dad do at work all day?
Heidi: He gets up in the night to go to work.  He has big machines.  Tell me what he does with the machines.

Me: What does dad usually wear?
Heidi: A white shirt with buttons and long sleeves.  Doesn't he?

Me: How much does dad weigh.
Heidi: I don't know.  I guess 15 pounds.

Me: What makes dad happy.
Heidi:  He gets happy when I'm doing something right.

Me: What does dad do when you're not around?
Heidi: He reads his book.

Me: What is dad's favorite show?
Heidi: Football.

Me: What is your favorite thing about dad?
Heidi: He works so hard for us.

Yes, I agree, he does work hard for us.  We love you Jeff and we are so glad you are so dedicated to making us happy.  Happy, happy birthday!!

an exciting saturday morning

In the field behind our house cows graze in the winter.  The girls love watching them get fed and just love watching them in general.  Saturday morning I got up with the girls and we noticed the cows acting kind of funny and running in one direction.  We assumed it was the hay truck.  We watched for awhile until they got bored.  When Jeff woke up he was looking out the window and said, "What in the heck is a buffalo doing in the field?"  I thought he was joking, but apparently not.  We still have no idea how it got into the cow pasture, but it sure did provide a lot of entertainment.  The cows weren't quite sure how to react but eventually left the buffalo alone.  It was very exciting for everyone.