Mirror Mirror on the Wall...

A Party fit for a Princess!

Hannah has been hitting it hard on the birthday party scene this month! We are at number 6 for January! Today we attended a Princess party for a real princess! What a party!!! EJ's mom really out did herself! It was a bibbity bobbity boutique! There was face painting, hair fixing complete with tiaras and sparkles, fingernail painting, a jumper, and a magic show! The Princesses feasted on Tiara sandwiches, Jasmine's Magic blankets, Ariel's Ca"sea"role, and many more! Thanks Princess EJ for inviting us to your awesome party!

Snow Fun!

Can you find our red cardinal in very low branch? It was so pretty in the white snow.

Hannah ready to go play!

Mommy tried to build a "snowbaby" the chex mix eyes were eaten before I walked inside!

Daddy came home with proper snow play attire and ready to play, even though it was dark!

Why he thought a snowman on the porch was a good idea, I don't know... I didn't want it live forever and then melt all over the porch, lets get it out in the sun!

So, they started over! Rolling and Rolling!

And packing

It was still snowing hard!

This was one big snowman

Hannah came up with idea to put an orange Popsicle for her nose

I think the hat is too small

This looks better!

Daddy and Hannah's Snowgirl!

Warming up with hot chocolate and the fire

Good morning Snowgirl!

We had a record 10.6 inches of snow yesterday! We are at a total over 19 inches for winter so far! CDO is cancelled for today and we are stuck in doors expecting a high of 50 degrees today and 60 degrees tomorrow.

Record breaking winter! and birthday parties!

The Midwest called, they want their snow back! According to the National Weather Service, Midland has received over 6.5 inches of snow in the last 6 hours. We have broken all sorts of records with snow fall for this year. We had a drought and now have had 3 snowfalls in the last month! With nearly 9 inches over Christmas and this 6.5 inches (and still coming down in blizzard form) we have had more snow then we have ever had in Midland during my life!

We knew it was coming... We spent all weekend at birthday parties. We had 4 this weekend. Saturday morning we attended a party with a snowball fight! It was 60 degrees out and the kids got to have snowball fight. The next was a cheerleading party at Trinity (with the cheerleaders!) and a third that evening for one of Huddy's little friends. Three jumpers in one day = lots of bruises!

Sunday we had a golf party, it was also partly outside, 60 degrees in January! But it started to get cooler. The Weather Channel estimated 3-5 inches. We woke up to no snow. No school delays, no closures. I was happy because we just got back from Christmas break! We also didn't have school last Monday and next Monday is MLK day. We wanted/needed to go to school today. By the time I got to work around 8 is was raining ice pellets. By 10:00 they had announced school was closing at 11, Stuart picked up Hannah, my office closed by 12:00 and meetings, dance, and gymnastics are all cancelled. School tomorrow is now canceled. Flights in and out of Midland are cancelled. I didn't go to HEB! Hello Midland! The Midwest wants their snow back!

4 Year Old Well Check

Hannie had her 4 Year Old Well Check today. She had been anxious about this because she knew she would be getting for shots.

Once we got there she was weighed and measured. She is 40 3/4 in tall and ways 38lbs. She is currently in about the 60th percentile for both height and weight. She had her blood pressure taken and sat there like a big girl. Four year olds get their hearing and vision checked. There are two charts for vision, one with E's facing all different directions and the kids point which direction they are facing, and then the real one, like you have all seen with letters. Hannah knows all of her letter so well that I was confident she could use that chart. Sure enough, she did and did great only getting one letter wrong!

She was checked out by Dr. N and then it was time for the shots. She fussed a little bit but did great with barely a whimper. I am so proud of my big 4 year old!!!!

Hello 2012

We drove in from Dallas, unpacked, ate, and celebrate New Year's Eve before heading to bed long before the clock struck midnight and Lady Gaga dropped the ball. Truthfully it was really nice to ring in the New Year at home and in our pajamas. 2011 was an wonderful year. We have been healthy and so incredibly blessed. I am looking forward to what 2012 brings and I know it will be great. I don't really make resolutions. I spent yesterday evening and today doing a little cleaning and organizing but I do that often. It is nice to start out a new week with your closets organized! I am also committing myself to eat healthy. I completely fell off the bandwagon during the holidays but starting tomorrow (no one wants to diet on New Years Days!) I am hopping back on. I don't diet... I just try to limit the sweets and choose more fruits and veggies and less processed sugars. We have some exciting trips, weddings, and activities planned for 2012, it will be a busy one but I am looking forward to it! Hello Twenty Twelve!

We wore party hats and shot off confetti guns before heading to bed. Did I mention it was 75 degrees outside on NYE? A sharp contrast to last weeks snowy Christmas Eve.

Happy New Year!

Did you eat your black eye peas? I made this dip (thanks again Pinterest and Pioneer Woman), it was tasty!

Happy Birthday Hannah!

Hannah turns 4!

Thursday was Hannah's 4th Birthday! I cannot believe it! We woke up early Thursday and headed to Dallas. We were going to visit my Grandmother, see Aunt Susie and Uncle Jason, and attend my cousin's engagement party.

We drove straight into Dallas arriving at the American Girl store for a late lunch. Apparently you have to make reservations for lunch nearly a year ahead of time. I had no idea the magnitude of the American Girl store. Tons and tons of people, girls dressed up like their dolls, dolls and doll clothes and accessories galore! It was crazy but Hannah loved every minute of it.

We let her choose a doll. I tried to convince her to get one with hair. She wanted a bald baby. A bald baby (plus 3 outfits and matching pajamas for her) were what she got.

She loves her new baby named "Lillian"

After we left the American Girl Store we went into the Galleria and met Susie and Jason for lunch. We cruised the Galleria but it was really crowded so we headed to check into the hotel and rest. We got to our hotel and they did not have "adjoining" rooms as we had requested. Did you know their was a difference between "adjoining" and "connecting"? I didn't.

Thankfully we found another hotel and it worked out even better! But, by that time it was too late to nap and the kids were too wound up to rest. We got dressed and let Hannah open one present before we headed over to my Grandma's to surprise her before heading to dinner.

After visiting with Grandma we headed to dinner. It was nearly 8pm but we had had a late lunch and really wanted to do something fun for Hannah's birthday. We headed to the Magic Time Machine. I am not sure how to describe it. I remember eating there in the 80's, it was magical! Sitting in a themed table, dressed up character servers...

It hasn't changed at all. Seriously, very 80's with some characters as modern as Ariel and Mulan but others that got stuck in the 80's.

During our 40 minute wait (Why is this place so popular on a Thursday night (or at all)? We got our hand painted and played video games.

Our waitress, Mulan (had venom piercings), a short haired brown haired Rapunzel, and a bra and mermaid tail wearing Ariel sang Happy Birthday to Hannah. At this point she and Hudson had been nearly asleep with their faces on the fabric booth (ewww).

The kids didn't make it out of the restaurant awake and it was after 10:00 when we arrived back to our hotel. The Birthday Girl didn't even wake up to get her new night-nights on or open the rest of her birthday gifts!

Happy 4th Birthday Hannie!