Sister love

The girls are super lovey and sweet.  In this video Brynn is happy that her stocking is the ballerina stocking.  Watch it until the end when they get super sweet :)

Speaking of sister love, we went and saw the new Disney movie Frozen.  The girls loved it.  It was all about two sister princesses and the love and bond between them. 

Christmas fun

Fun times at Santa's Wonderland

The neighborhood crew- so sad that it's going to be missing Emma and Will next year :(

Family photo op at Santa's wonderland- Wish I had Aunt Kristin's camera!

Henry the Elf

Henry has been up to his old tricks again.  I haven't taken pictures of everything but here are a few.  He arrived with an elf nightlight. 

After a few days of sprinkles, candy canes sprouted :)

Christmas time is here!



Carrying on our usual tradition, we decorated the house the morning after Thanksgiving.  Henry the elf made his first appearance of the season and then that evening we went with some friends to Santa's Wonderland and Santa's Town.  I love love love Christmas so I always go all out with it. 

 

This year we started a new tradition.  The girls each have their very own trees in their rooms.  They get to decorate it and turn it on every night.  On Christmas morning, Santa will leave a new ornament on their tree and one special gift under their own tree.

 This year we moved the furniture to get the tree in the center of the room instead of by the back door.  I always hated that location!

Terrible News for The Hendricksons

When we made the decision to pack up and move our family out to the burbs, we did so for many reasons.  One of which was to have neighbors like us with kids and we imagined bbq's and beers in the driveway while the kids played, kids in the neighborhood Ava would go to school with and grow up with etc..  Well as soon as we moved in we found out our neighbors across the street had a 2 year old daughter just a few months older than Ava, Christy the wife was in HR and worked a flex schedule like I did and Steve and Erik instantly hit it off and shoot skeet together every week.  We very soon were spending many weekends, 4th of july, new years, labor day etc at each others houses, we even have matching Christmas decorations.  Christy and I went to the nutcracker market each year, registered our kids for school together,Christmas shopped together, had our kids in ballet and soccer together, we went trick or treating as a group every year and we joined a MOPS group together.  Emma is Ava's very best friend and Brynn loves the Hiemstras.  Ava lives for play time with Emma and every Monday Christy picks Ava up from school and brings her home until I get home.  Two days a week I take Emma to school and pick her up on Fridays.  In other words, we are each others village.

Well Friday night they broke the news to us that Erik has been transferred to Oklahoma and they are moving.  I am heartbroken for many reasons, I'm losing a good friend, we are losing wonderful neighbors who we've created traditions with and most of all Ava is losing her very best friend.  She is about to suffer her first heartache.  She won't have Emma to play with anymore, to go to school with anymore, to play with at recess or to trick or treat with, and no more birthday parties with Emma.  It's going to be so hard on Ava.  I just know she's going to be devastated.  I'm personally having a hard time coming to grips with the end of an era.  It could not have been a better situation for all of us and now it's changing.  We are so sad this weekend.  I can deal with change and usually embrace it, but this is not the kind of change I like.  Christy is going to try and stay until the end of the school year, so I have some time before I need to tell Ava.

We are going to miss our friends so much!

50's day at School

Last Wednesday was Ava's 50th day at school so the theme was 50's day.  Christy and her mom made these precious poodle skirts for the girls to wear.  Ava said people took pictures of them all day.  

Brynn's first dentist appointment

Ava's first report card

Well my doodlebug got her first report card yesterday.  We are so proud of her because it was glowing!  She also got a certificate for perfect attendance!  

She has come home lately saying school was great and excited to do her homework.  Since the teacher moved her to the front she is learning a ton and her teacher says her writing has really improved.

Here is some schoolwork she brought home.  Great listener!!

To my girls

Happy Halloween from OZ

Ava absolutely loves the Wizard of Oz so she decided a year ago that she was going to be Glinda the good witch and Brynn was going to be a munchkin.  This is technically a gnome costume but it's just how the munchkins dressed!  

We have a tradition now with our neighbors and we all trick or treat together.  This year our friend Courtney hosted and we all ended up at her house afterwards.  We love our neighbors!!

Ava's 5th Birthday Interview- Better Late than Never

1. Who is your favorite Person in the whole world?
• Emma & Brynn
2. What is your favorite color?
• Blue
3. What is your favorite TV Show?
• Scooby Doo
4. What's your favorite outfit?
• My yellow striped one (a yellow and white striped tank top)
5. What sport do you like best?
• Gymnastics
6. What song do you love?
• Goodbye Horses
7. What's your favorite Cereal?
• Rainbow Cheerios (organic fruit loops)
8. Who is your best friend?
• Emma Hiemstra
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
• An Artist
10. What is your favorite book?
• Fox and the Hound
11. What are you really good at?
•   Doing somersaults
12. Where do you wish you could go on vacation?
• The beach
13. What is your best memory?
• Disneyland- seeing Minnie Mouse's house
14. What would you buy if you had $1,000?
• I would buy a giraffe
15. What vegetable do you hate the most?
• Broccoli
16. If you could have a wish what would it be?
• Cheese Pizza
17. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
• Banilla
18. Who is your biggest hero?
• Daddy
19. What do you like to do best with your friends?
• build forts
20. What do you hope you'll get to do before your next birthday?
• Go on the merry go round

Ava's writing skills

Ava wrote  "I can see bats in the air"

Bosses day

My sweet HR generalist at work gave me this for bosses day.  We often joke about being HR Princesses so she got me a princess themed wine glass.  She also made this list of alternate titles, notice Meetingaholic is the largest and boldest.  I spend most of my days running from one meeting to another.  Thank goodness I have Winda to help me actually accomplish the work that comes out of all of those meetings!

I also have to give a shout out to my friend Liz who runs the accounting group.  Don't know what I would do without her! We bounce ideas off of eachother, vent, run interference and back eachother up in meetings.  Not to mention she actually stepped in and did my job and hers while I was out for 6 months on maternity leave!  So blessed to work with such great people and to call them my friends.

Updates from the Hendrickson Home

Well so much has happened in the last few weeks.  Biscuit attacked me for trying to put her outside to potty and bit the fire out of my hands.  I ended up on antibiotics and am sporting a disgusting black fingernail that I'm just waiting to fall off.  She did manage to bite through my nail though so that relieved the pressure underneath and I didn't have to get a hole drilled in my nail.  I officially dislike that dog and she is now on prozac as a last resort.  The vet said if the prozac doesn't work, our only option is to put her down.  She's literally rendered herself completely useless around here. 

My sweet boy Magnum was not happy when she attacked me and he went after her to put her in her place.  Hims a mama's boy, but also part of the reason Biscuit is such a neurotic freak!

The girls started swim lessons a couple of weeks ago and they both love going.  Brynny is a little ham and loves showing off in the pool.  Ava was really scared to go but now enjoys it.  She's very reluctant to put her face in the water, but her instructor is extremely patient and encouraging.

Ava has had a couple of notes sent home from school about not following directions and talking in class.  I had her parent teacher conference the next day and the teacher said that at first she thought Ava would be the quiet one, but she is a social butterfly (like her mama).  She said she has friends at every table and loves to help the other kids so it's been hard to move her.  I suggested that she move her from the back of the class, to the front of the class with less distractions from the teachers instruction.  So she moved her that day and I had a long discussion with Ava about our expectations of her in class.  She hasn't gotten a note since then...knock on wood.

I'm also very proud of her because she is really picking up her sight words and her teacher said that she's really good at math.  That math just clicks with her and she gets it.  (not like her mama).  Gigi came in town last week to help Steve while I was out of town for work.  She worked a lot with Ava and I was amazed at how much progress they made.  Ava is literally reading sentences of sight words!   My cousin Christine also set me up with some great pointers and websites to use to help her along, so that's been a great help.  Today the school had a book fair and Ava wanted me to go, so I went this morning before work and helped her pick out some books.  It was really cute how proud of me she was and how she wanted to show of her mommy to all of her friends.  I know it won't last and one day I'll be an embarrassment so I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

In other news...Brynny Boo is potty trained!  Again thanks to Gigi's help!  She stayed home with Gigi last week instead of going to school and they worked hard on potty training.  She got a play money $10 bill for each wee wee and then when she accumulated enough money she got goodies from Target.  Although she said she'd rather put the money in her piggy bank (smart girl!).  I use the phrase potty trained lightly because she still doesn't poo poo in the potty that well (opposite of her sister who poo poo'd in the potty first).

Brynny is also really developing a little personality and that girl is a spitfire.  She is hard headed and stubborn for sure, but as sweet and lovable as can be.  For some reason this child will find an ant bed no matter what!  Ava has never and I mean never gotten into an ant bed, but it seems like as soon as Brynn steps outside she's covered in ants.  Her favorite song is Jesus loves me and we have to listen to it every time we get in the car.  She knows all the words and sings along merrily in the back seat.  She is crazy for the kindle, the leap pad and the iPhone.  It's amazing how much a 2 year old can do with technology.  She even figured out how to pull up netflix on my kindle and watch cartoons.  Seriously!

Brynn's favorite color is green.   Anytime Ava picks something out or gets something, Brynn says "I want a green one"  She even picked out green goggles for swim lessons.

Halloween Pajamas

I can't resist Halloween pajamas (or thanksgiving, Christmas, valentines day etc.)

The girls picked these out themselves.

While being silly posing for the camera they banged their heads together.  

Photo session ended abruptly

Brynn's first haircut

Well I guess it was just a matter of time before one of my girls cut their hair.  Ava decided to give Brynn a haircut today and tell me that Brynn did it.  Didn't seem right since she sprayed her hair wet first, it was on the back of her head and Brynn can't work scissors yet.  Brynn finally ratted her out and Ava fessed up.  

Sooo Erin will be coming over tomorrow to assess and repair the damage.  Looks like Brynn will be sporting a new do soon. 

I'm so ready for Steve to come home!  

Yoga instructor Brynn

Ava's reading!

Weekend with my girls

This post is from a week ago.  It got stuck in cyberspace. 

I love waking up in the morning to Brynn standing next to my bed whispering "mommy, mommy it's me Bwynn". As if I have random other 2 year olds waking me up in the morning.

Then she woke up from her nap and said "it's wakey wakey time!"

Today she dropped her head walked over to the time out chair and pouted.  When I asked her what was wrong she said "I sad, I miss my daddy". 

Thank goodness he's on his way home tomorrow.  Prayers that he has a safe drive home.  I hate when he drives such a long way, especially alone.

Yesterday we had a play date with cousin Elias and Brynn told me "cousin Elias is my friend". Ava said "mommy Brynn has two friends who just gotted born!  Itty bitty and cousin Elias"

Cousin Elias

Brynn feeding itty bitty

The girls helped me clean this morning

Brynnisms

Brynn says so much now, most of which are phrases she hears the rest of us say at some point.  Today in the car she had a full conversation that consisted of all sorts of phrases thrown in there.

Me:  Brynn do not talk over mommy while I'm talking
Brynn:  Dats not fair!
Me:  Maybe not but that's the rule
Brynn:  Dat not da rule!  You not da boss!

Magnum was in the car looking out the window and getting excited..
Brynn:  Magnum you gotta be patient, I twyin to concentate (concentrate)

Anytime you tell her no she responds with "peeze, just a little while or just a little bit"

Ava's Fun Run

Ava is participating in a fun run fundraiser at school where she will walk/run 35 laps.  She is doing this on Wednesday.  If you are interested in giving her a pledge to support her and her school you can do so here.  She gets a prize in PE for the amount of pledges she gets. 

https://funrun.com/a/s/lWybVdnk

She asked that we "blog on to dot com and put money" so that she can win a prize in PE. 

Thanks to those of you who have already "blogged on" she's super excited and won a "braeslip" and an invisible pen last Friday.

We apologize that you don't get anything exciting in return for your donation like a chocolate bar, magazine subscription or a raffle to win a new bike.  :)

Brynn the Coreographer

http://youtu.be/UG1BhtPhBZY

Lunch with our big Kindergartner!

We all met Ava at school for lunch today :). She was so proud of her family.  It was too cute.

Color me impressed

So at our old preschool they sent home an update each day and Steve would always lose it on the way home. Well the NEW school has an amazing system.  As soon as Steve checks Brynn out for the day we get an e-mail with an update of Brynn's day!  They also include pictures from the day and today I actually got a video of Brynn dancing during music time.  I absolutely love this and of course I'm one happy Mama!

Today was her 2nd day and she did great!  She was very excited that she also has her own new school just like her big sis Ava.  One of her teachers names is Ashley and Brynn can't say Ashley so she calls her Blacksey.  At her old school one of her teachers names was Yesenia and Brynn couldn't say that so she just called her Steve.

Here is the report we got on her today:

Brynn 

daily report - Sept. 4, 2013

Notes:

·         Feeling cheerful today

·         Brynn enjoyed sorting red noodles and red rigatoni pasta. She also liked drawing .

naps

·         1:22PM

meals

·         Lunch - some of the Tomatoes , none of the Cheese stick, all of the Oranges, all of the Bread, all of the Juice

bathroom

·         10:30AM - diaper - Dry

·         11:30AM - diaper - Dry

·         12:46PM - diaper - Dry

·         3:25PM - diaper - Wet

·         5:02PM - diaper - Wet

activities

·         language arts

We listened to the story" Froggy Goes to School" by Jonathon London. 

·         cognitive development

We used crayons to draw circles. 

·         creative art

We created a handprint mural. 

·         music/movement

We sang "If You're Happy and You Know It". 

·         motor skills

We developed gross motor skills by jumping over cones on the playground. 

·         science/nature studies

We sorted red rigatoni and red elbow noodles. 

·         social science

We practiced rule of the inside voice. 

·         special enrichment

We practiced our manners by saying "please" and "thank you" with friends. 

Here are some of the pictures they sent me from yesterday

Doing Art- This masterpiece is now hanging on my board at work

Playing House

Doing Yoga - yes they actually do some Yoga each day!

Brynn's first day at her new school

Brynn was excited until we got into her classroom full of new things and new kids.  Then she got a little teary and "mommy I wanna go with you". Sniff sniff.  I stayed for a while and showed her all of the great things she'll get to do.  She was happily playing baby dolls when I left.

Meanwhile at home

Brynn was loving being the only child at home.  My mom came over one day and she had both grandmas all to herself.  Talk about Kid heaven!

Ava's first day of Kindergarten

The day started off smooth and ended just as well.  Gigi came in for Ava's first day of school so we all walked Ava in to her classroom.  She was up early, ate all of her breakfast and got dressed without a fuss.  She wasn't even scared for us to leave her at school.

When I picked her up the car rider line took an hour!  I asked her how her day was and she said "it was GREAT!"  On Tuesday she took the bus from school to the after school program at Brynn's new daycare.  She cried because she was upset that I didn't pick her up.  She said " our house is right next to school, what took you so long?"  Today she was all smiles and was feeling super cool that she got to ride a bus.  We are considering letting her be a bus rider but I'm not sure if I'm ready for that yet!