Madeline turns Four

Madeline was the first one up on the morning of her birthday.  I took her to Kroger with me to pick out a birthday balloon and a special birthday breakfast....donuts.  I even let her wear her new Sofia dress-up dress, which I never let her do!  She kept asking, "I can wear this?!" making sure she heard me right.  There are special privileges to being the birthday girl!

Madeline modeling one of her birthday gifts: a Sofia the 1st costume

She picked out a huge Dora balloon.  I am glad she doesn't think she is too old for Dora.  When we got home, we put candles in her donut, sang happy birthday to her, and let her open a couple presents.

Her donut birthday cake

We spent the rest of the day on the Ohio River on our neighbors' boat.  The girls had a blast tubing and playing with the neighbor's granddaughters.

 On Labor Day we had a little party for her with two of her best buds; her cousin, Elizabeth, and friend, Nora.

Rose made a welcome sign for the door.  It says "Welcome Everybody".... in case you can't decipher her phonetic spelling :)

For lack of time, she got cupcakes instead of a cake.  But they were sparkly
pink & I put a tiara on top...that makes them kinda fancy, right?!

For the party, Madeline wanted to dress up, put on make-up, have a tea party, and do a fashion show.  Can you get any girlier than that?!

Here she is getting glamified

The girls enjoying their tea party

Singing Happy Birthday to the birthday girl

And here are some highlights from the fashion show...

Madeline, the Spanish flamenco dancer

Nora as Merida from Brave

Elizabeth the ballerina

Ava the pirate ballet dancer?

Rose as Batgirl

Ella as ????  Use your imagination :)

Bedazzled gift bags

The party girls

Madeline is at the age where she borders being a big girl and little girl.  Most of the time she is running around with the big girls and keeping right up with them.  She catches on to things so quickly trying to be like them.  She learned to swim this summer and jump off the diving board, making her our youngest swimmer yet. She also just learned to ride her two-wheeler, making her the youngest to learn to ride her bike.  And I have never seen anyone ride a scooter as fast as this girl does.  Anything she can do to be like her big sisters.  Yet, she isn't quite old enough to have as much independence as Rose and Ava do.  There are times when she does have to be left out, which breaks her little heart, but she is only four.  She still loves to be held, needs a nap about every other day, and is often seen walking around in dress-up clothes.  She has such a sweet innocence that I wish I could protect forever.  I love that she is only four and don't want her to grow up any faster!

Happy Birthday Maa, Maa!

Friday Funnies

Rose:
After school one day, she told me, "this is like a different life for me because I have never been to school before."

Ava:
"Which state is closest to Heaven?"

Madeline:
"I didn't even hear you, because I have none ears that pop up."

Ella:
I left Ella coloring at the table to throw a load of laundry in, when 2 minutes later, she walks in saying,"I couldn't find you, Mama." So, I guess she felt the need to do this...

Love the little blue mustache

HAPPY Friday!

1st Day of School

Monday was our first day of homeschool.  We started the day with check-ups for Madeline and Ella, came home for pictures and treats, then jumped right into our school books.

The girls this year

The girls last year

They each picked out their favorite shoes and bow/headband for the pictures.  I am trying to let go and not worry so much about what they look like.....it is hard!

'

Rose's First Grade Favorites:

Favorite Book:  Nancy Drew

Favorite Activity:  Going to the pool

Favorite Song:  Best Song Ever (One Direction)

Favorite TV show:  Strawberry Shortcake

Favorite Movie: Wreck It Ralph

Favorite Food:  Pizza

Favorite Dessert:  Gum

Favorite Toy:  Sparkle Bear

Favorite Saint:  St. Rose

Favorite Clothes:  Beautiful Dresses & high heels

Favorite Thing to do with Sisters:  Color

Ava's Kindergarten Favorites:

Favorite Book:  Cinderella

Favorite Activity:  Playing with my baby

Favorite Song:  Best Song Ever (One Direction)

Favorite TV show:  Wild Kratts

Favorite Movie:  Cinderella

Favorite Food:  Pizza

Favorite Dessert:  Gum

Favorite Toy:  Baby doll

Favorite Saint:  St. Ava

Favorite Clothes:  Rainbow skirt and matching rainbow wedges

Favorite Thing to do with Sisters:  Playing soccer outside

Madeline and her cowboy boots!

Not sure what the leg was for.  I just told her to pose.

Madeline's Preschool Favorites:

Favorite Book:  Dora and the Stuck Truck

Favorite Activity:  Having tea parties

Favorite Song:  Party in the USA

Favorite TV show:  Sofia the First

Favorite Movie:  Mulan

Favorite Food:  Macaroni

Favorite Dessert:  Cake

Favorite Toy:  Dress-up clothes

Favorite Saint:  St. Madeline

Favorite Clothes:  Pink sparkly shirt and cowboy boots

Favorite Thing to do with Sisters:  Play princesses

Ella wanted her picture taken too, of course.  This is the best I got :)

Our Schoolroom

The little girls' table and the reading corner

First Day of School treats 

(idea from Shower of Roses blog)

1st Day of school activity: draw a picture of yourself

I am a child of God lesson

On Tuesday, Rose had her first day of school at New Song Academy, where she will be going to school all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  She could hardly contain her excitement.  Paul came with us to drive her to school. She jumped out of the van so fast, I had to remind her to give me a hug before she left.

Rose with her teacher, Mrs. Ernspiker

Rose's seat

Her classroom...one of the biggest in the school

Carpool line at school

She spotted me!

When I asked her how the first day was, she said, "It was awesome!"  She had so much to tell me.  There are two other girls in her class, who are now her new best friends, and 7 boys, none of which she knew the names of. :)  She said everyone stayed on green all day (green=good), but she said the boys should have been on yellow (yellow=ok and red=not so good).  She got to be the teacher helper and they got to have show and tell at the end of the day.  She said, "I wish I went to school everyday!"

A paper Rose brought home from school. Friends are SO important to Rose,
it surprised me that she picked to draw her sister.  It was very sweet.

We had a great first week of school!  

Now we pray that the rest of the year is just as good!

St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!