Madeleine got a package in the mail. We love these warmer days where we can get our mail and sit and open it on the porch...ok, so it's not really that much warmer...but warm enough. She gets so excited to dig through a box of goodies! Her favorite was probably the wallet (not pictured). I was actually surprised she even knew what it was. I don't know why I thought she wouldn't know what it was. Anyway, she won't let her sister use it yet, which means she's VERY attached to it. The other day she opened it and said, "NO MONEY! There's no money in my wallet! Where did it go!?"...haha! Great imagination kid. Maybe she thought if she said it like that I would be happy to put some in it for her. So, thanks Uncle Kyle and Auntie Beth...but next time put money in the wallet! :) Just kidding. This picture was taken after her nap, which she had to go take just after the box of goodies was opened, and she wouldn't sleep till each new item was tucked safely beside her in bed.

Last week we were all tired. One night Ryan offered to bring home dinner, and we still had survivor to watch, so we decided to have our first indoor picnic as a family. Chicken and Jo's isn't too messy. Ryan brought home this big bucket of food, and we sat it on a blanket and everyone filled there tum's to the fullest...but the winner for the big eating was Annora, who was probably the most excited about a bucket of food. This little thing can REALLY eat. Anyway...it's been a long time since we've had a meal in front of the TV. Without kids we used to do it regularly. I know...you're not supposed to, bad for your health...whatever...but I have to say, it was nice. I think we're going to institute indoor picnic night once a month. No vegetables allowed. (Except the couch variety)

Inside Play and Snow at the Beach

It's been brrrrr...but it's still winter, so that's okay. (This weekend is spring, so we're going to jump 20 degrees next week, right!?) So, I try and keep Maddie busy with projects. We tried out clay the other day. Not the first time for clay, however, the first time for THIS clay the right way. When we first used this clay we didn't use any water and the legs on our giraffe and elephant fell off. This time everything "stuck" together, however...I highly recommend a plastic place mat that will permanently become the modelling mat. I might switch to paper clay. I used it a lot when I was in high school, but I don't remember it being as messy, just more expensive.

We tried our hand at making a string bowl. As Maddie would say "sticky!" It was fun. Maddie had a hard time waiting to pop the balloon. We made it into a nest and I made a little birdie from this free pattern that I've seen so frequently. Very quick, easy and adorable.

Boxes are a very fun play thing for most kids. Sometimes we make stuff out of them, like little houses...but they don't care, they're happy to just have a box, especially if you slide it on the kitchen floor.

Thanks to my wonderful husband, we had a fun trip to the Washington coast. We woke up to a snowy wonderland. It was really pretty. Too cold for a beach walk our first day, but there was a bowling alley at our hotel! Maddie's first experience was great. We braved the cold to collect a few shells and take a couple pictures the next day and even ended up with a whole sand dollar!

Pirate and Princess Hoopla

We had a very exciting party, mostly due to the swashbuckling of course. The castle cake's tower was leaning, but nobody cared. It was pink, so it was perfect! Even our adult guests came dressed for the occassion! I should have had a best costume prize. But too hard to choose! Now that we have some extra pirate eye patches and swords lying around, Maddie spends an equal amount of time being a pirate as she does being a princess. Today at naptime she had to crawl in bed with the eyepatch on, the pirate earring on, and a sword in her hand. But 10 minutes later she had changed to the Ariel dress.