Friday, June 24, 2011

Happy Birthday, Sandy!

Sandy is 3 years old today! We started out the morning with pink birthday pancakes.

Sandy has been asking for a pink-princess-with-red-hair-cake for a long time now. Wilton makes these barbie doll picks for the cakes, but they don't make one with red hair. I searched for a red-headed Barbie and also struck out. I did find an Ariel doll, but she had a fin and I didn't think that would fit in the cake! Finally, I went to the dollar store and found a Barbie-like doll with red hair.

Last night I baked the cake (strawberry!) and set it on the counter to cool. I carefully covered it with a giant red Tupperware bowl to keep it from drying out. Sandy got out her stool and took off the bowl so she could look at it. I asked her not to do that anymore because we didn't want anything to happen to it. But, Sandy's stool was still there and when I went downstairs to grab something, I came back to this:

Sorry for the blurry picture, but you get the idea!


Here is what the cake looked like.

We ran to the store and grabbed some plain, unfrosted cupcakes (which we then came home and decorated). But after my initial panic, I thought, I can fix that! And, after frosting it, you really couldn't even tell.




I used a star tip to pipe on her bodice, then just frosted the skirt. She was taller than the cake so I had to build the waist up a bit with frosting:



Here is the cake surrounded by cupcakes:


Sandy blowing out her candles:


The cake after being cut:


10 Things About Sandy on her Birthday

10. She likes to count - she can get to 15, now we are working on getting to 20! And, of course, the main reason to learn to count is to play hide and seek - another thing she LOVES! As soon as Bill walks through the door, she says, "You count and I'll hide!" and runs off.

9. This girl has empathy! The first time we went on the wagon ride at Thanksgiving Point, she was very upset that the horses were pulling us and they were tired and their feet hurt! When we were frosting her princess cake for her birthday, she told me the princess was cold without her clothes on. If we hear or see someone crying she gets very concerned. Sometimes I'll ask her why she thinks they are crying and her answers are pretty interesting. I can't think of any right now.....

8. Sandy is an extrovert! If she could have someone over playing every minute, she would. I think she loves having a sister because she always has someone she can do things with.

7. She likes to go, go, go. She loves to run errands and hates it when we come back home. As soon as we turn onto our street, she'll say something like, "But, mom, we need to go to Costco (or Walmart)!" And, if I tell her "Maybe later." she says, "I'll just wait in the car." (And, no, I don't let her sit in the car until "later."

6. She is a big helper. She likes to empty the silverware out of the dishwasher, set the table, and run and get me things.

5. She loves to collect treasures. If she can find a purse or bag or box, she can fill it with her treasures. This is what was in her treasure box yesterday:

4. She likes to pray. Would it be wrong to video tape her praying? It makes me laugh! She is very specific.
*"Thank you for letting Ashley, Madison, and Rylee come to my house to play."
*"Please help my mom lay down with me for a nap so I can lay on her tummy."
*"Please bless me that I can go to grandma's house."
*"Please bless Rosie, my friend, to come to my house." (My sister Rosie is in Canada. We saw her at the beginning of the month and ever since, Sandy talks about her all the time.)
She was starting and ending her prayers "in the name of Jesus Christ." We tried to explain we start by talking to Heavenly Father and then end in the name of Jesus Christ. So now she starts and ends her prayers with "in the name of Heavenly Father."

3. She tries hard to do the right thing. Her latest concept is "obeying." For some reason, the word really makes a difference. If I ask her to do something and she doesn't do it, sometimes saying, "Will you please obey me?" or singing the Primary song "Quickly, I'll Obey" is all it takes. Sometimes I'll hear her repeating rules:
*"No hands in bums!" - She got me with this one the other day when I was trying to tuck in my shirt.
*"Don't push Abby!"

2. She wears a dress every day! She loves dresses, the fancier the better! And she has very specific opinions about what matches!

1. She asks why all the time! It is hard to keep up with her line of questioning sometimes, but I love her curious nature!

Happy Birthday, Sandy!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Summer Fun!

Monday we went to Thanksgiving Point.

We had a KFC picnic, here is Abby enjoying a chicken leg on top of the picnic table.


Sandy loves the pony rides!


Grandma & Grandpa Buhler joined us, here we are on the wagon ride.


After seeing Farm Country, we went to the Dinosaur Museum. Abby loved the tunnels.


...and riding on Dad's shoulders.


She kept getting so excited, though, she would hit him on the head.


Sandy's favorite thing at the Dinosaur Museum is the sand and water table. It was almost closing time so she had it all to herself for a few minutes.


Abby loves the sand quarry!


Then we drove by the Children's Exploration Garden, which was closed. Sandy & Abby had fun in a coach outside the gates, though.


Abby really wanted to get in!

Sandy has been taking swimming lessons. She loves to go and she is pretty comfortable in the water.
Here she is waiting for class to start.


Still waiting....



It's kind of far away, but here she is in the water with her teacher.


We found these great swim robes at Costco!


Peekaboo!



Abby loves corn on the cob!


Sunday, June 19, 2011

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my husband, dad, father-in-law, grandpas and all the other dads out there!

An interview with Sandy about her Dad

How old is Dad?

I don’t know

What is Dad's favorite dinner?

Chicken nuggets

What is Dad's job?

To do the lawn mower

What makes Dad mad?

I don’t know

What does Dad do when he comes home from work?

I don’t know

What is your favorite thing to do with Dad?

Pick up Izzy (our babysitter)

What makes Dad laugh?

I don’t know

What does Dad do that makes you laugh?

Takes me to the Dinosaur museum

Is Dad a good singer?

Nods her head yes

What does Dad sing to you?

The Kitty cat song

What would you like to do with Dad?

Watch movies (at the movie theatre)

What is something that Dad always says to you?

Say please

What do you think Dad does when you go to sleep?

Be quiet (whispering)

How are you and Dad the same?

We both like chocolate

How are you and Dad different?

I don’t know

What do you love most about Dad?

Why don’t my dad have too much hair?

What color are your dad’s eyes?

blue

What color is your dad’s hair?

my daddy’s hair is white

What is your dad’s favorite treat

chocolate

what do you like to do to daddy

tickle his toes

Some of her answers are random -- Bill wants me to point out that chicken nuggets is NOT his favorite dinner, it is hers -- but I thought it was funny.

Abby loves her daddy, too! She's not old enough to answer questions, but she does think anytime he is around he should be holding her!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Catch-up Post

Sandy started a ballet class this week. She loves it! Last month we went to her friend's ballet class to watch. For 45 minutes Sandy sat still and quiet. It was amazing! Ever since, she's been begging to go to her class. The last class of the session is a special class for parents, grandparents, etc. to come watch and take pictures. She's very excited for people to come watch her - it will be Wednesday, July 27 at 9:30 a.m. If anyone wants to come, just shoot me a message and I can get you the address.

Abby brought me some shoes to put on while I was taking pictures of Sandy. She was so pleased with her shoes.

We celebrated Doug's birthday last Sunday. Here is Abby ready to start eating!

I made the cake, it was this orange-chocolate marble bundt cake.

Last week was Stake Conference week - they had a whole week of things, including a family outing on Friday night. There were bouncy houses. Sandy had a blast!

On June 6, we went up to North Ogden to celebrate Gayla's birthday. Sandy loved the bunnies!

Abby is so close to walking!

Uncle Brandon with the two cousins

Couldn't get a picture with them both looking at the camera.


Bill won a family membership to Thanksgiving Point. It includes the Dinosaur Museum, Farm Country, and the Gardens. We have really enjoyed it! Sandy's favorite so far is the Farm Country, but we haven't been to the Gardens yet and I've heard they have a fun Children's Exploration Garden. She loved the Dinosaur museum, too.

One nice thing about the membership is that we can bring guests with us and they get 50% off admission. So, if you want to go to Thanksgiving Point, let us know and we'll go with you. We're planning on being there a lot this year!

Abby loves to wear her daddy's hat:



Well, I think I'm finally all caught up with pictures. Hooray!