Family Home Evening

I am trying to do Family Home Evening every week, and it's actually happened the last three weeks in a row...go me!  This day the topic was "Love in the Home".  We all had a picture of a house to color.  The concept was that if you don't have love in your home, you have a black and white home.  If your home is full of love, it is bright and colorful.  The girls loved coloring their houses, and I think loved it even more that Jaren was coloring with them. I think the idea really stuck with Hailey because the next week at school, she had an assignment to draw a picture and write about it.  She drew a little house and wrote "I have a dream that everyone's house will be colorful.  That means that your house has a lot of love"......awww so cute! 

 Working hard at coloring their houses.

Jaren spent the most time on his...haha!

Addy paints her toes

Addy loves having her toenails painted.  The other day, she wanted to do it herself.  At first I told her no, because I didn't want to clean up any mess, but then I thought "what the heck?"  She had lots of fun, and the results made Hailey and I laugh!  Good job Addy girl!!

 The results!  Beautiful...haha!

 Her new face that she makes,

we think it's so funny!

Addy's first trip to the dentist

Shortly after Hailey's dental appointment, Addy had her first one.  Addy was really looking forward to going, because she saw Hailey get a prize bag at her last appointment.  Addy kept talking about the new tooth brush she was going to get!  It was so cute!  She did an awesome job and was the perfect little patient.  Go Addy!

 Playing with the trains in the waiting room!

 This was so funny!  They told her to open 

her mouth so they could see how wide

she could open it.  Then the two assistants

turned around and Addy kept her mouth

open for like a whole minute...haha.

 Curious girl.

 So cute!

 I think she was a little nervous at this point,

she was gripping the chair pretty hard!

 Checking out her goody bag!  She

was SOOO excited and brushed

her teeth with her new princess toothbrush

right when we got home.

Thumb Sucking

Hailey started sucking her thumb when she was very small, around a few months old, if I remember right.  We even have an ultrasound picture with her doing it.  We always thought it was so cute, plus, as a baby, she used it to sooth herself to sleep and started sleeping so good for us.  Of course, as she got older, it wasn't as cute...haha!  We knew she would stop eventually, so at first it wasn't that big a deal to us.  My main concern was all of the germs she was putting in her mouth...ewww!  Her dentist said it wasn't really affecting her teeth much, but around six or seven, she definitely needed to stop, or it would start pushing her palette out. She wasn't sucking it at school, mostly just when she was tired, or watching TV.  I would feel bad for her when a relative (well meaning, I'm sure) would ask her when she was going to stop doing it, and I could just tell how embarrassed she felt by the question.  Poor girl, I'm sure it must've been tough to stop, seeing as she had been doing it her entire life!  So we tried the bitter nail polish, and rewarding her, and neither really worked for long.  On her second trip to the dentist, the dentist told her if she stopped sucking her thumb for thirty days, she would send her something in the mail.  That didn't work!  I love that her dentist never made her feel bad about sucking her thumb, she is really cute and understanding with her. She told her how it must be really hard to stop, but she knows she can do it! Then, on her third trip to the dentist, she told her the same thing about the prize.  Something clicked, and Hailey stopped sucking her thumb cold turkey!  Go Hailey!!!  We are so proud of her!  At the same time, she also stopped wanting her two little blankets that she has carried around since she was a baby.  What?!  I wanted this time to come, but when it did, I almost felt like she grew up a little too fast...haha.  So many nights before bed when she just HAD to have her blankets, and we had to search the whole house, car, outside, everywhere for them.  Now, she could care less.  When she goes to bed, I'll find them later, on the ground around the house somewhere.  I guess she's growing up!

 She was SOOO excited when her package came

in the mail a week later.  She made out!  A movie

ticket, a charm bracelet, a locket necklace, a

slap bracelet, a game and a little coin purse.

She was one happy girl!!

 She couldn't wait to rip it open!

Hailey turns seven!

I can't believe we have a seven year old!  I know I keep saying this, but time is literally zooming by.  So much so that it scares me!  Hailey is such a trooper.  Last year she didn't get a birthday party, so we promised her one this year.  With my back issues and upcoming surgery, I had no idea when to schedule a party for her.  We asked her if she would rather have a birthday party with friends, or if she would rather go to Toys R Us and pick out whatever she wanted, and have a family party.  I know she really wanted a birthday party with her new friends from her new school, but she knew it would be easier with my surgery if she didn't have one this year.  So, she decided on picking out her gifts. She later changed her mind and wanted a family party, but wanted me to pick out her toys so she could be surprised.  Next year this girl is DEFINITELY having a fun birthday party with friends!  Jaren had to work almost her entire birthday, except for coming home for an hour in the evening, which is when she opened her gifts.  Then on Saturday Jim, Gwen and kids, Grandma Petersen, and Rachel and Elsie came over for pizza and cake and ice cream.  She had lots of fun.  This sweet girl is definitely easy to please.  We love you Hailey Bug!

 Since Daddy had to work all day, we put her 

candle in her waffles that morning!

 Cute little sisters ♥♥

 Hailey started playing Wii that morning and couldn't 

believe the Wii knew that it was her birthday, and that

on the T.V screen the Wii board was wearing a party hat!

She came in yelling "look what the T.V says"....haha,

it was so cute!!!

 Nana & Papa came over during the day to wish her

a Happy Birthday, and to give her a gift.  I love this

picture of her and Papa.  The look on her face

shows just how much she loves him ♥

 Reading their card. 

 Smarties, or "farties", as Addy calls them.

 This was a book of Hello Kitty tattoos, that

were darn near permanent lol.  Hailey put one on

on her face and we literally tried everything to get it off.

Jaren kept calling her Mike Tyson...lol.

 She did this herself, little turkey!

 Nana knows how to pick out the best gifts!  Hailey

got a bag with a TON of stuff in it.  She especially

liked the two huge craft paper books.  She was pretty

much obsessed with them for two weeks straight!

 Awwww love this picture of Hailey and my mom ♥♥

 Another of Hailey and Papa.

 Opening gifts when Jaren came home 

from work for a bit.

 She was SOOO excited to get Sorry!

We've been having lots of fun playing it.

 Haha...love the look on her face!

 She was SO excited about this.  Unfortunately it

was crappy and didn't work, so we took it

back and exchanged it for another toy.

 Hailey mostly wanted Littlest Pet Shop toys. 
I went to a million stores looking for them!

 Jaren putting batteries in her Littlest Pet Shop remote car.

Vroom Vroom...the girls LOVE this toy.

 Having fun with balloons!

She got to celebrate her birthday at school

by making an "All About Hailey" poster.

She also got to bring treats.  She picked

rice crispy treats and Hershey kisses.

So cute!

 Making her treats for school.

And of course, she got to lick the spoon!

 The morning of her birthday

she made party hats for some

of her animals...so cute!

 We made her cake, and she loved

licking the spatula!

 Opening her gift from Elsie, lots of girly

stuff....hair ponies, head bands nail polish!

 Grandma Petersen gave her money and a sand dollar!

 Cute girl!

 She loves to by silly!

And the birthday fun continues!  Two weeks after
her birthday, we went with our old neighbors
to Chucky Cheese and Toys R US
to pick out a present.

 

Reagan and Makenzey.

So cute...Raeley and Addy watching the
mouse dance.  I have to say, I am the most
paranoid parent EVER!  I freaked out every
time I lost sight of the kids!!

Hailey's Birthday Interview:

How old are you?  Seven

What makes you happy?  Otterpops, cupcakes and my birthday!

What is your favorite thing to eat?  Fish sticks

What is your favorite color? Pink, red and purple.

What is your favorite TV show? Littlest Pet Shop

What is your favorite book?  Berenstein Bears

What is your favorite song?  I believe from the Santa Paws movie.

What is your favorite movie?  Frozen

What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Jump on the trampoline.

What is your favorite thing to do inside? Play Sorry

What do you like to do with mommy?  Go on a date.

What do you like to do with daddy?  Go to Red Robin.

What is your favorite store?  The Dollar Store 

Where is your favorite place to go?  Makutu's Island

Who are some of your friends?  Makenzey, Kieralyn, Hadley, John, Reagan, Presley & Lexie.

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas and Easter.

What is your favorite outfit?  Cinderella dress.

What is your favorite toy? Littlest Pet Shop.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Pet Store Lady (the same answer since preschool)

What was your favorite birthday present? Sorry game.