The Beach Party to End All Beach Parties!

The party got off to a slow start as guests wandered in from other parties and the baseball field. I was beginning to think my first attempt at inviting school friends for Finn would be a disaster. But in the end she had 9 of her bestest school/church/cousin people show up and she had a blast. Apparently the last weekend in May is a very popular party day. We had a beach theme with hot dogs, sand pail cake, chips, drinks, seagull poop, ice cream and popsicles, a treasure dig and about 20 beach balls to throw around the room. Finn got a few really cool presents-- I will be reporting back on whether or not 3D chalk really works later. After the party we went swimming for the first time this year and boy did the girls freeze their hiney's off. They got so cold they had to have hot chocolate to warm up.






a little too much birthday fun perhaps?



Swimming Pool Fun





Finn cracking up at the gopher hole game----
Jeremy will pretend to walk around the pool, while the girls will scream and point "Oh, there's one Daddy". At that point he has to fall down under the water while pretending he stepped into a hole. There is a lot of theatrics involved and it is a pretty funny show. When he comes up he acts all upset but it doesn't last long.


Chloe jumping in?
She wanted to be brave and just leap right in like Finley but couldn't. She would stand on the edge and say "Come a little closer Daddy" until he was leaning out of the pool and she was nowhere near the water's edge. Then she would jump. He would grab her and fall backwards far enough that she would hit the water.


Enjoying their hot chocolate and trying to warm up!

Birthday Palooza Part 1

Beware there are several pic heavy posts a coming very shortly. We have had a blast on this the birthday weekend.

Last picture of Finn at 3!


Cake decorating at the gray house!


Nothing beats getting a chance to lick the spoon!


Future career for Chloe-- sword swallower at the circus?


The finished product!


Make a wish!


Popsicles in the pool!


Pure cuteness!


Personalities shine through--Chloe is calm and Finn is a riot!


Splash time!

Funny Stuff

Playing Zingo with the girls:

Chloe notices a train depicted on both sides of her card and says "A train on dis side, A choo choo on dis side....woohoohoohoo, I got two choo choos.....choo choo choo chooooooo". Cracked us both up!

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Finley in bed as we were giving her her last kisses good night as a 3-yr-old "But I like being three, I don't want to be 4." There were tears too so, yeah the dramatic tendencies are going strong.

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Finley to Chloe:
"Go with your parents Chloe to the gray house." She was referring to Granna and Granddaddy because since Chloe goes over there so much they must now be her parents. Not really how that works there sweet pea.

Four Years Ago Exactly

This tiny bundle was placed in my arms and things have never been the same since......

Kites and a Garden Hose

After a lot of sugar-y goodness at our end of the year parties yesterday, the girls had a lot of steam. And it was supremely windy so what else can you do but go fly a kite? We actually had two kites but I had a hard time helping both girls and Chloe lost interest fast. Keep reading on for something Chloe loved doing yesterday.



After kites were abandoned and untangled, I watered some plants and handed the hose to Finn. She enjoyed using the spray to water the grass and then I took it back. I was spraying in an arc making believe I was going to spray her when she changed directions and got hit. Lots of giggles and chasing followed but the one who had the most fun was Coco. She was devious and ruthless with the sprayer.

Last vs. First: A Look Back

Here is a little comparison of the girls on their first day at MDO and their last. Who has changed the most in the last 9 months or so?

Happy, Sleepy, Nemo, Art, and Getting Beat

Some pictures from our first day of swimming in our trusty purple pool. I love their happy faces.






Further proof Chloe can sleep anywhere and in any condition! She had her feet on the floor and her head on the couch.



Re-enacting Finding Nemo in the pool today. Chloe was the stingray and Finn was Marlin (I think) who would shove all the Little People in and say "Have fun kids". Then Chloe would swim around and laugh.






Art During the Nap Time That Wasn't (Chloe did sleep so that is why her talent is not represented here)

Finn's Portrait of her Stuffed Frog, Romeo Ribbit aka Froggy Pants

Finn's Self-Portrait

My Flower


Finn's Flower (painted after I did mine)




The two shortest games of CandyLand on record. Finn soundly beat me both times and in fact, in the first game she drew the Princess Lolly card her VERY FIRST TURN!