Happy Easter!

Sabrina's 2.41667 Year Portraits

This one's included just because she looks so goofy. We joked that we'll have to embarrass her and put it in her yearbook when she's graduating from high school.

Celia's 5 Year Portraits

Happy Birthday Celia!

Yesterday was Celia's 5th birthday (can you believe it?!).  We had her birthday party on Saturday.  She wanted a snowman party whose favorite color is pink.  Whenever someone would say "a pink snowman party?"  she would specify: "No.  It's a snowman party.  And his favorite color is pink."  Because a pink snowman party just didn't make sense.  Tom and I were up until about 1:30 Friday night.  He was finishing this amazing pinata and I was punching holes in paper plates for snowman crafts.  I may have mentioned that children's birthday parties were beyond my education.  But the pinata turned out perfectly (good job Tom!) and he watched over the party.

Celia spent hours before Saturday making and decorating party bags for each of her friends.  

We began the birthday party playing "pin the nose on the snowman."  This is Sabrina taking a turn.

Tom whipped up some pizza dough and each kid got to decorate their snowman pizzas.  

They were a big hit.

Then Celia made her wish on her snowman birthday cake.  

Then, it was pinata time.  This is what Sabrina talks about when it comes to the birthday party.  "I fighted the snowman two times!"  

Celia started it off and then took the last turn before her friend, Maury's older brother (pictured here on the couch) who had come to pick up Maury obliterated the pinata in one big blow.  Candy hoarding ensued.  

Overall, it was a fun birthday party.  She got some fun presents, had a blast with her pinata, and got all of her friends to wear pink.  Success.

Tom had Monday off because it was Seward's Day (love random holidays).  So Celia requested we spend the afternoon at the playground at Carl's Jr.  Then for her actual birthday, Celia requested waffles for breakfast and then she got to wear a birthday crown at preschool.  She talked about that crown all morning.  Then we picked Tom up so he could come home early for Celia's birthday.  Celia wanted to watch Tangled and eat Macaroni and Cheese for dinner.  Done.  Then we played "backwards hide and seek" or "Sardines" as I grew up calling it.  She opened her presents, ate cake and cookies, and is now successfully 5 years old.  Happy Birthday big girl!

Sue's Visit

Tom's mom came up for the Iditarod this year (which is why we were able to run with the Reindeer while she and the girls watched us).  We've covered Running with the Reindeer and the Iditarod, but there a few other gems from her visit that I had to include here.

We went to see the Fur Rondy snow sculpture competition.  They were a week old by this point, so they didn't look perfect, but they were still in pretty good shape.  The moose one was my favorite.  The moose has a gun and binoculars and a hunter is hiding behind the tree (obviously being the one hunted).

Then we went to Alaska Wildberry Products.  Here, Sabrina showed off her teen attitude her with her side ponytail and hilarious face.  And Celia showed off her "no neck" look.  Both among their most attractive faces.

We went ice skating.  Celia is really getting pretty good.  She can skate along side us if we're just holding her hand.

Sabrina took care of her dolls. 

And here's a winning picture of Sabrina in her pack and play in Celia's room.  Hilarious.