Mommy and Daddy's Presents

The birthday party was a little hectic during present time so I saved ours til it was just Kris and me and the Elkintons.I made Charis' big birthday present this year. I put together and sewed several different dress up costumes. She loved trying on all the different costumes and I was so happy to see her have fun with it.Just a few pictures, I made or put together a dozen costumes.
We also did the Elkinton's present after the party. Thanks for the beautiful hat and princess books, Charis loves them.

Party

Charis wanted her 4th Birthday party to be at the Little House at my work again this year. We invited family, my friends, Kris' friends, and Charis' friends from school and church. It was a full house with at least 12 kids and around 22 adults.Kris and a couple of his brothers and I decorated it the day before. Charis loves all the balloons and ribbons.
We started with playing around in the little house and making paper face masks.Then some outside time, with digging for fake bugs and playing with balloons.
And what would a party be without cake. Charis requested chocolate cake with no frosting with whipped cream. She also requested the cupcakes the form together to make a butterfly. So I made the butterfly cupcakes, some star cupcakes and some regular cupcakes. I am glad I went a little overboard because we had a lot of people. Just like her daddy!Next, we had Charis' birthday book. Kids like me. Charis was so excited to share this story with her friends. And then crazy present opening.
Thanks everyone for coming and making Charis' Birthday special!

4th Birthday!!!

I stayed up late and decorated the living room and hallway so that the house would be decorated for Charis' 4th Birthday. Kris asked Charis to stay in bed and call for us so that she would not see it first. When she called I ran in and stopped her from getting out of bed by hugging and kissing her and telling her stories of what might happen on her birthday.After Kris' hugs and kisses, we let her see.Then she was allowed to open two small presents. Dolls and a ROBOT!!!
Birthday breakfast by request. Waffles with peanut butter and jelly, of course.Playing and then off to the party.

2009 Ornament

Charis has been wanting Robot toys, so when we went to Toy Joy for her last birthday present, we showed her a robot ornament. Of course that was the one she wanted for her ornament this year.It was really late when we got home but she really wanted to hang it on the tree before she went to bed.

Redecorating

Okay, so we have already decorated our ficus and house. But when our neighbor decided to get rid of their fake Christmas tree, we had to take it and start over with the decorating.
This time we had a little help from daddy.
Merry Christmas!

Making Charis' Birthday invitations

It's a tradition! Charis and I love making her birthday invitations so we did it again this year.
We painted all sorts of birthday things on the front and then glued typed out information to the inside. We had fun and got her invitations done in one day.

Early Birthday Presents and Wish list

I gave Charis two early birthday presents this year...
a new dress for her to wear on her birthday. (I needed her to try it on so that I could alter it) and her birthday book. Which is the story that we are planning to read at her birthday party. She loved both of them and did not want to take off the dress for the rest of the day.

We also made a birthday/Christmas wish list. She then wanted to send it to Santa, which lead to another time of talking about the real St. Nick and showing her pictures from google and I am still not sure that she understands. But that's okay.
Charis really wanted to write it, so I helped with spelling what she wanted.

Decorating the Tree

Kris and I decided again that we needed to wait to buy a fake Christmas tree and just decorate our ficus tree. So Charis and I went for it.We buy Charis a new ornament every year. She loves them and thinks they are so special. Baby ball...2006...2007... was broken so we got two in 2008, the star as a replacement for 2007.

2008...
We also decorated the windows with left over ornaments and the living room door frame.
We also made some paper Christmas trees to hang in the window.
And even though we have explained the real story of Santa Claus, Charis was very excited when she found these in our Christmas boxes and put them together. She was pretending that the reindeer were pulling this Santa.
We had a lot of fun!