Merry Christmas

This was our little Instagram/Facebook post for Christmas!  I love that Toby looks so depressed and is keeping the hat on as if he knows that I am taking a self-timer photo and he needs to stand like a statue...hehe :)

Can't believe it's already gone, Merry Christmas!!

Claire's Kindergarten Awards

Kindergarten is winding down, and it is such a bittersweet feeling as a parent.  I LOVE that my kids are growing and changing, yet it is sad to say good-bye to certain seasons of life.  

Claire worked very hard this year!  She has grown academically by leaps and bounds.  She has become a reader and writer, learned how to write all of her numbers, and count to 100+. She earned a "sustained mastery" rating on all the categories they grade in Kindergarten... and we are so proud of her!

Kindergartners at our school can earn four awards.  

1. ABC award: Write, read, and recognize all ABC's

2. 123 award: Write and recognize to 30 and count to 100

3. Spelling Bee award: Know how to read and spell correctly their 35 sight words

4. Principal's Reading Award: Read a (certain level) book to the principal.

Claire earned all four awards, and was recognized in a ceremony with the principal...

They sang a few songs...

And took a few pictures with their family and teacher :-)

 Nanny and Poppy were able to come and see Claire's ceremony...

We were sad that Daddy was out of town and couldn't celebrate, but so so proud of Claire and excited to be moving up to the big First Grade!!

Valentine Love

Happy Valentine's Day from the Frank family!  

Valentine's Day is a fun holiday for me, I really like holidays that don't take a whole lot of preparation in order to be fun and special.  Most years we call in a Me & Ed's heart shaped pizza and enjoy some candy and call it a day.  We didn't do that this year... it was a pretty crazy day.  Muffins with Mom, two class parties, and three hours of dance pretty much wore me out even for picking up a pizza and we decided to use a Groupon to a restaurant near to the girl's dance studio that was thankfully not busy at all.  

This year, the kids wanted to do their own Valentine cards... so I didn't come up with anything to crafty or over the top.  Hannah chose some Phineas and Ferb treats and Claire chose some gummy bracelets... Target choices: easy peasy.

I do have a tradition of taking a Valentine's day photo of the girls.  This year I was a bit lazy and almost decided against it.  There is something about a tradition though, it's hard to think about the future and know that there will be a gap if I don't do it again this year.  We went out for a little mini-session - I might try to share a few more from that later on.  

But for your viewing enjoyment, here are the previous four years worth of photos...

{2009}

{2010}

{2011}

{2012}

Snow Day!!

We were hoping for a lot of snow for the day snow trip we were planning over Christmas vacation.  Last year we stayed at a cabin in Shaver for three days and the was absolutely NO SNOW... it was a major bummer!  So, when we had a nice storm the week before our planned trip, I was pretty excited!

Chains were required at the top of the four lane (for future reference) and we John and Brian did what we thought was a great job putting them on in just a few minutes.  There was even a 'mountain man' walking by with his dogs that looked at their handiwork and approved.  Off we went!

We found a spot to get out and look at the view when John saw that one of the chains was gone... what?!?!

How do you lose one chain and not even hear it?  Needless to say, we did just fine on the snow with just the one chain, however for sanity I wouldn't suggest it to anyone.

Off again we went to look for an acceptable snow play area... my criteria: not too busy, but not too deserted either, and a safe distance from the lake.

We found a good spot and were ready to go!  We had four snow toys between the six of us, so we shared and paired up with the girls, there was even a good area where we made our own little sled run.

After awhile, we stopped for a lunch break and headed down the road a little more towards Huntington Lake (sp?).  We found another area to play, but it seemed so much more chilly!  We didn't last in that area long, the snow was so cold when going down the sled run that it burned your face and both girls ended up in tears.  It was even too powdery to make any sort of acceptable snowman so we decided to call it a day, head home, and warm up our toes :)

Because of the crazy burning snow in the face, the girls say they don't like going to the snow now.  I know I can change their minds, however one snow trip per year is generally my limit.  While I think it is super beautiful and even fun to play in once in awhile, it is still frozen and tough to move in - not exactly something I would want to live in forever.  So, changing their minds might have to wait until next year!

We had an Elf, he was rarely on a shelf...

This was the third year that our family has had the pleasure of having an elf come for the month of December.  Each year is a different elf, each elf does things differently, I'm not into the creepy "elf is watching you" stuff so we just don't do it that way.

This year, our elf was named Zeke and he was always being silly...

1. Showed up on Red (our stuffed reindeer) with a note explaining who he was.
2. The girls had written him a note back and left him some cookies, so he was caught making a mess of the cookies.
3. Drew in white-board marker on some photos... glasses, mustaches, etc.
4. Caught hanging outside the window, must have locked himself out

5. Read a story to some Barbies (Barbies not pictured)

6. Switched our stockings for underwear

7. Toilet papered the Christmas tree

8. Caught hanging from some furniture

9. Wrote a message in M&Ms

10. Locked himself in Toby's crate

11. Fishing in the potty with a candy cane, turned the water blue

12. Hiding in a cabinet, wearing glow bracelets

13. Completed a homework page, did it wrong but wrote 100% on the top
14. Brought a family movie for everyone to enjoy
15. Made a flour angel
16. Hid inside a glass in the cabinet

17. Hanging out with friends
18. Hanging upside down on our Christmas banner (Made by A Hint of Whimsy!!)
19.Took a bath (or just made a bed) out of marshmallows
20. Hid in the tree

And then see below for the last few days... 

This year was fun and really took minimal effort aside from picking up a few treats and small gifts which were totally optional.  The girls enjoyed just finding him every morning.  On the last day, along with the Barbies, he left a note explaining the real reason for Christmas.  He said he hoped they had fun, but reminded them to focus on Jesus and remember that we celebrate with gifts because the wise men brought gifts when Jesus was born.

This was our first elf that did something every day, the previous ones came just a few times throughout the month.  Each time we have an elf the girls discuss at great length that not everyone gets one and they never know what to expect... so it has been a fun tradition that can change each year.

**Most ideas for elf placement were found though searching Pintrest, or modified from an idea found there.  Although I would love to claim credit, most nights I scrambled to remember to place the elf**

Bulldog Spirit!

The girls (especially Hannah) LOVE going to the FSU football games!  We all sport our Bulldog Red on game day.

I also got the girls these cute necklaces from a friend starting up a new necklace business (La-ti-Da Jewelry) that matched both the Fresno State colors as well as their school colors... and they happen to be patriotic ;-)

Freedom Friday!

It's the first Freedom Friday of the year!

First Day of School - 2012

Here it is!  The first day of another school year!  Hannah is joining the ranks of the second grade and Claire is (FINALLY) at the same school and in Kindergarten. 

Summer seemed to go very quickly, but there at the end I think we were all ready for a little more routine and a little less bickering    ;-)

Hannah spent the summer reading, swimming, and losing teeth!  She was really excited about school after she met her new teacher last week.  She loves school and is always an eager student, so we are really looking forward to this year!

Claire spent the summer swimming, coloring, and bugging her sister ;-).  Once she realized how soon school would be starting (after Back to School night last week) she asked everyday how many days were left and when she could get her outfit ready!  Claire was very quiet in preschool, so I am curious how she will do making all sorts of new friends in Kindergarten. 

We have a tradition of walking to school on the first day, and I have a personal tradition of tearing up about the time we get to the crosswalk... my babies are just so BIG already!!  Luckily,I pulled it together bout the time we reached the classes.

 Claire's sweet friend Julia is in the same class... they stuck together today.

And then after the first day with her teacher, and sucking on a jolly rancher she earned for following directions :-)

Claire's assesment of the day: We spent a lot of time on the carpet, sang two songs, and the playground really isn't too fun.  I ate all my fishie crackers, there was plenty of time, and I got to color with colored pencils!  I will go back tomorrow. 

Hannah's assesment of the day: My teacher is nice.  We have to do a daily journal, like last year.  We didn't really learn anything today, but we will do math facts tomorrow.  I got to use my highlighter to do a word search, can I have a different colored highlighter for tomorrow?  Bre and I have a meeting spot for recess, but I did play with a few kids in my class.

Looking forward to another crazy school year!

Day at the Coast - part one

We took a day to head over to the coast this past weekend to enjoy some cooler weather.

Our first stop was off the beaten path of the central coast in Montana de Oro state park for a little hike and to check out the tide pools.

We found some amazing things: starfish, crabs, a sea urchin, and a beach full of neat rocks and shells!

 I love finding hidden gems of places to go that are away from all the traditional tourist-y stuff.  John and I found this place a few years ago and it was just the perfect place to take the kids for some exploring!

Jam

To Claire, On Your 5th Birthday

Dear Claire,

Here we are, on your 5th birthday!  You are a spunky, funny, sweet girl and we are so, so blessed that you are ours!  I can't believe that five years have passed since you came into our family.

You have a wonderful sense of humor and your laugh is completely contagious!  Your idea of the way the world works and the funny 'kid' things you say just crack me up!  Most recently you dubbed the Starbucks frapuccino a 'fettuccini' and the name has stuck ;-)  You also ask the most thoughtful questions and tell me all about how things are, at least according to you. 

This past year was your last year at home even part time... you will be heading off to Kindergarten this fall...so I have been trying to hang on to these last few month of you being my little buddy and helper when we are watching baby Faith.  I am sad that I will be dropping you off at school EVERY morning come August.  This past year in preschool you spent two days a week in class and made lots of friends and had a lot of fun.  You were always eager to go to school and happy to do what was asked and met all of your pre-kindergarten goals.

While your sister is at school, you enjoy playing games and coloring and watching your favorite TV shows: Curious George, Mickey Mouse, Little Bear, and Miss Spider.  You are pretty good at occupying your time in your room playing with your dolls and Barbies or cooking in your play kitchen.  You also have been working on your reading skills with the BOB books and are eager to show me that you know how to read most in the first set!  You are the type of kid that one day something will be a struggle, but the next it will just click and you will know it from that point forward. 

As far as outside activities, this past year you have enjoyed soccer, dance, gymnastics, swimming and AWANA.  You have enjoyed and excelled in all.  I am especially impressed with your ability at many things in gymnastics, you have learned how to do a standing backbend and a cartwheel!  You also went from hardly swimming while taking a breath on your own to being a complete fish and swimming on the Sanger swim team!  I love that you have the inner drive to do what you set your mind to do!

You and Hannah continue to have a special bond.  You enjoy your time together, but like every family, you can also get a little tired of each other and argue.  I have been happy to see both of you look out for each other and develop fun games to play together.  You love to do almost everything Hannah does and having a big sister has proven to be one of your main sources of motivation. 

I am so happy to be your Mommy.  You have my heart and my prayer is that you have a heart for the Lord and to seek Him in all you do. 

You love to help me with various tasks around the house, yet seem to have a little bit of packrat in you when it comes to your own room or belongings... nevertheless you love helping me sweep or mop the floor, fold the laundry, or empty the dishwasher. 

Thank you for being the sweet girl that you are!  I am looking forward to this next year and seeing you grow and mature into the wonderful young lady I can already see you are. 

I love you to the moon and the stars and back!

Love,

Mommy