The birthday girl!

The whole household has been excited for Carly's bday. I don't know why... but seriously Luke and Abigail were telling everybody weeks in advance about their little sister turning three. Sometimes I am surprised that Carly's only 3... she seems older most the time, but occasionally she thinks she's the baby still.
Like every birthday, some family came over and we had cake and icecream. She got toys and lots of clothes.

I love this... my Mom ties the ribbon extremely tight on her pretty packages. Carly was getting frustrated

So happy about her pet shops

Hailey was also excited about all the new toys.

The ladies

the gentlemen

yay for new toys! I love the days following bdays and Christmas. With so many new toys to entertain the kids.

Courtney said, "It's a good thing you put a bib on her."

enjoying delicious birthday cake... I never got a picture of the cake, it was nothing fancy. I was a bit rushed that day, so we headed down to Walmart and she picked out a Chocolate one with sprinkles. She loved it, it tasted good, and luckily she didn't even notice that they spelled her name wrong.

Fish Farm

Abigail had a field trip for preschool last Friday to the fish farm in N.O. ... I was a little under the weather, so Grandma and Grandpa Dawson volunteered to take Ab and Car.

Abigail was really excited, she said, "I'm going to catch my Dad some tuna!" which is funny anyways, because Ben really doesn't like fish.

Poor Sharla, she got hooked in the cheek by a little girl standing next to her. Luckily Larry got it out and there was only the tiniest amount of blood.

Carly loved her fishy

Abigail was happy until they cleaned it for her, and handed her a headless fish. She said she wanted to put it in an aquarium.

Dance class

Abigail started dance class a couple of weeks ago. She loves to dance... but I think most of all, she loves having her own thing. Something no one else in the family does. She loves her teacher, and her teacher's clothes. Each week on the way home, she describes in detail what her teacher was wearing.

This was taken right before her first class. She was obviously SO excited

This girl tends to live on a whole different energy level than my other kids. She's always so happy. Not that my other kids aren't happy, but Ab REALLY loves life

Luke didn't really want to be in a 'girl dancing picture'

When she gets home each week, so tries to teach Carly her new moves.

First day of school

It's Abigail's turn now!

She wouldn't hold still hardly long enough to take pictures, she kept dancing around. She's been going back and forth between excited and nervous. On back to school night she was nervous, and she wasn't super happy about it. But luckily this morning she was all excitement!

She was seriously so excited, she wouldn't hold still. She requested pink chocolate chip pancakes with pink syrup for breakfast, she drew some pictures for her teachers, and she walked around with her backpack on all morning.

We're lucky to have my wonderful neighbor, Mrs. Shelly, for her teacher. It's just a couple houses down from us, and there are some friends from our ward in her class. Carly also donned her backpack for the walk. Carly and Hailey have been a little out of sorts this morning without their ring leader, but I'm sure they'll get used to it in no time.

first grade

This boy has been so excited for school to start! He is going to a new school this year, and he has been anxious to meet all of his new friends. He's going to the Montessori Academy charter school, so far (3 days) he's loved it. But really, he's just excited that he gets two recesses and snacks.

He didn't realize he would have to wear uniforms this year, until that morning (I tend to spring things on my kids, probably not my best parenting). He wasn't so sure about wearing 'church pants' everyday, but we now know he can also wear shorts. So he doesn't mind.

He gets to ride to school with his Dad in the mornings, so he was pretty excited. Me and the girls miss him during the day, but we get by... we've been out shopping every day since he's been at school. I feel liberated going out with only 3 kids. I don't know why, Luke's far easier to take shopping than the little girls.