hollyWILD

Last year we weren't able to fit a trip to Hollywild into our very busy Christmas month.  This year it was high on our list.  We planned a Sunday evening, thinking it would be the least crowded, synced plans with some sweet friends, bundled up and headed out.  

If you have never experienced Hollywild, wild is the best way to describe it.  You really never know what to expect.  You drive through a beautiful light display and then drive into a huge field.  As you make the transition from the light path to the field you can buy a bag of bread to feed the animals.  In this field there is absolutely no traffic pattern, rhyme, or reason.  There are many animals such as zebras, horses, huge steer, and even deer.  When you see one you just drive as close as you can and see if you can get close enough to feed them.

After you drive through the field you get to walk around the stables feeding and petting more animals.

It was such a great time.  

The experience was fun but sharing it good friends was the best!!

Ballroom Dancing

 The girls had a great opportunity to attend a ballroom dance class for the last 12 weeks.

  Their instructor was great with the kids!

  It took a few weeks to pick up on things but by the last week the kids were having a great time and dancing really well.

 

(Mackenzie just watched from the side, but we may let her have her turn on the floor the next round.)

(Sophie was at a birthday party so she isn't in this clip.)

We look forward to the next group of sessions in the summer!!

My Big Girl Room

 

A while ago Mackenzie started talking about getting a "big bed."

My plan all along was to have Mackenzie's room transformed for her birthday but it just didn't happen because our weekend was SO crazy busy.   Finally, the following week I finished it! 

 Mackenzie was so excited!!  Funny thing, her sisters were just as excited!!

 She had finally calmed down from all the excitement and pulled the covers back.  

WOW!

She was so excited about all the little animals, she started giving each one a name. 

 Still,  almost 3 weeks later, she gets excited to crawl into her new "big girl bed."

My Baby is 4!!!

 

My baby is 4!!

Mackenzie knew exactly where she wanted to play on the day we took school off to celebrate her birthday-- PlayNation.  (yep, the same place we spent Haleigh's birthday:)

After lots of playing we headed to MiMi's for lunch and their special dirt cup desserts.

 

On Mackenzie's actual birthday morning there was one thought on her mind, "Mom, can we start making my Squinky cake yet?"  As I cleared the fog from my eyes and got some coffee in me, we started the decorating process.  We had a blast!  At first I thought I should have stayed up after everyone was in bed so it would be done and ready for Mackenzie to see when she awoke.  Absolutely not, nothing could have been better than decorating the entire cake together.  It may have taken a bit longer, looked a little different than I envisioned, and meant a lot more dishes to clean because she kept licking everything.... but it was beyond worth it!!

Mackenzie, you are a blast!  Your spunk is amazing.  Your heart sweet.  Your cuddles priceless.  I would never have guessed on your forth birthday you would be licking the icing beaters and eating however much cake you wanted.  You are a blessing and the path you have taken us on has blessed us in so many ways.  Daddy, your sisters, and I love you so and are so grateful to God for you!!

Small Group Kids Giving Away

 Over the last several years, our small group has had a Kids Christmas party at Gattitown,   (It is a fun "eater-tainment" place that has a pizza buffet, movies, bumper cars, a carousel... its like Chucky Cheese on steroids ;)  Each year the gift exchange has been a Christmas book.  This year however, we wanted the kids to experience the giving part of Christmas too.  Instead of getting another book they helped us make "Bags of Love."  Each family had previously chosen a few items to bring for each of the bags (socks, toothbrush/paste, Cliff Bars, soap, washrags, toboggans, lotion...)  Once the moms set it up, the kids packed the many items into the bags.  Each family got to take two bags filled with lots of helpful products to give to someone in need. 

Violin Recital

 Sophie has had the opportunity to have her group violin lesson with the middle school class at Southside Christian.   They had an beautiful musical recital with the band, chorus, hand bells, and strings.  It was so fun to see the transition from the first day Sophie started working on her pieces to the final product with the entire strings group.  (She is the second one in, in the front row.)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIp9rdzBvS4&feature=context&context=C3ccd278ADOEgsToPDskJNDk4oq0fiRXLEMkS0xjEI




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8h1P-a9ojA&context=C3ccd278ADOEgsToPDskJNDk4oq0fiRXLEMkS0xjEI

Zoo Day

The first of December we had a week without CC so we headed out on a fun field trip to the Columbia Zoo.  It started out a little chilly but turned out to be a perfect day for the zoo. 

The weather great, the crowds - what crowd!?, and the friends...

could not have been any better!!