Sadie is TWO!!

Little Sadie is TWO!  I still remember being pregnant-can't believe she's already so big!  I really need to post about her growth/development etc.  I compose posts in my head all the time but they never make it to the computer...soon I hope :-)  We had a smallish "playdate" birthday party for Sadie.  Her 1st birthday was INSANE-60+ people in our small house was overwhelming so I vowed to pare down the list this year.  We just invited friends with 2 year olds who Sadie actually plays with pretty regularly.  It went well and I enjoyed being crafty with a Sesame Street theme :-)  Happy Birthday to my super sweet little girl!

 Ella helped me with the prep a lot and enjoyed being the one "big enough" to really help.

 Ta-da!

 These banners were $35 on Etsy which inspired me to make one.  I had everything I needed except a few sheets of purple polka dot paper which was 50% off at Hobby Lobby so it cost me maybe $2? And was an easy hour long project :-) I like it so much I haven't taken it down yet ;-)

 

Ella helped me make this sign for the door and used her awesome cutting skills to cut almost all of it for me!  (In case anyone wants to try this, i couldn't find a template I just had to copy a pic of the Sesame Street logo and cover up the words with my own green text box :-) )

 The Abby Cadabby Cake!  I had orginally been inspired by a pic on Pinterest of a 2 tiered cake with Abby and Elmo but time constraints led to axing the 2nd tier and Elmo.  But, I'm still really happy with it!  Doing the cake in one night took me 5+ hrs mostly because I made 11 colors of fondant (Chris and Ella helped!) which I really doubt I'll do again! The decorating with fondant is the part I really enjoy so rolling fondant for hours was rough.  However, I have progressed in my cake covering skills and it only took me one try which is great improvement from before!

 It was nice to have Elmo toys around that became instant decorations!

 Loved these ideas from Pinterest (and from my cousin Kathy-thanks!) for Elmo faces out of fruit and vegetables!

 This was Sadies' face when she came down from her nap and saw the whole Birthday Set up :-)

  

 Outside we had lots of bubbles going since they're Sadie's favorite.  However, for the first time- she actually got a lot of bubble soap in her eye at the party and screamed for a loooong time-so sad!

 I helped blow out her candles a little bit :-)

 Sadie's friend Madi got her the Elmo couch/bed she always plays in at Madi's house.  It was a huge hit!

 Loving (and understanding) opening presents for the first time!

Yoga!

A LONG time ago I got an email about a Yoga and Science camp this summer and had to sign Ella up!  She loves both and it was just too weird that they were offered together in this camp.  Well, she got to go last week and had a good time.  She didn't know anyone and she didn't get too nervous and did great making new friends and being dropped off at a new place with no familiar places-I'm SO impressed with her!  The camp offered an hour of yoga in the morning, an hour in the afternoon and various "cooking chemistry" (we chose the week that focused on science in cooking) activities in the middle of the day. 

She made slime with kitchen ingredients, pretzels, salt water taffy, ice cream and more.  She also learned a lot of yoga moves.  That led to an impromptu yoga lesson at the end of Life Group this week...

 the tree pose started off ok but...

 quickly deteriorated

 Chris and Dave tried some partner yoga moves

Ella was a really good teacher.  I can see her having a future in this!

Sisters

Love these girls :-)  90% of the time they get along well and Ella is surprsingly sweet to her most of the time.  She does a lot of teaching which is adorable ("Sadie, this is how you brush your teeth, watch me")  and a lot of "aww Mom, Sadie's being so cute, come look!"  I am a huge fan of this age difference so far and I pray their good relationship continues.

Summer has been crazy and uber stressful so far with our move but we're feeling super blessed by the new house, being closer to family and friends, and all that God's doing in our lives.  Looking forward to things, hopefully settling down a little in the fall :-)

watching sesame street :-)

Imagination Festival!

We try not to miss a local art festival each year-it's a lot of fun and free!!  This year some friends from our Life Group joined us and we got a few pics :-)

A good dad helps you catch the drips ;-)

Three Piggy Opera!

For a few months, all 3 kindergarten classes at Ella's school have been working on a show for the end of the year.  I got notes home about it, heard about auditions from Ella, and purchased a shirt for her to wear for it.  However, I was NOT prepared for the type of show they put on!  Who takes on coralling 75 5 and 6 year olds and teaching them a 45 minute play complete with narration, many parts with memorized lines, choreography, costumes, moving sets and scenery, and numerous songs???!!???  I was extremely impressed.  The cuteness factor was through the roof and no one forgot lines, cried, ran off the stage, threw up, peed...what are the odds with that many tiny people? My hat is off to her teachers.  It was awesome.  

Ella was chosen to be a narrator because she's one of the top 3 readers in her class!  She hates being up in front of people and performing and always says no in any opportunities I've given her but she LOVES her school and had no qualms about doing her part.  She narrated loudly, clearly and with no apparent nervousness or stumbles.  Who is this child?? I'm so proud of her since, like me, I know it's not her thing to be up in front.  I'll stop gushing but suffice it to say, the Three Piggy Opera was wonderful!

Thanks also to my parents, grandmother and mother-in-law who came out to watch!

Peeking through the scenery after the play