Princess Party

On Saturday, Sammie went to a friends birthday party and she was in heaven! 

We arrived to a room filled with every dress up dress you could imagine. Sammie selected her dress in an instant! (I just knew she was going to want to switch but not the case) A beautiful Auroa dress. From there she selected jewelry while waiting for Princess Belle to help her with her hair. 

People! The wall of hair was Sammies favorite. She went with a big, thick, brown braided ponytail. Then belle helped to place her tiara.

She then played with jewelry for quite sometime until it was time for the big make up session! 

She loves make-up! Loves it!! First she received glittered nail polish. 

Then it was the solid 1985 choice of hot pink shimmer lips with electric blue eye shadow! 

So incredibly proud of her choices! 

The girls all huddled up with Belle to learn about walking in their fashion show.

The girls came out one by one on the red carpet and twirled. Sammie LOVED having a captive audience. I haven't any idea where she gets that! 

Then it was off to a tea party. Rocking her blue eyes, pink lips & brunette ponytail she sipped her pink lemonade with pride. 

Such a fun party! Thank you Madison for a great afternoon! 

Papa is here!

Enjoying the 70 degree weather in December we played outside all weekend!! It was fabulous. 

Painting with her new easel and paints!

Dee plus plaint= bad news. 

Taking full advantage of our amazing weather we wore shorts, sleeveless tops and ate froyo outside!

On Sunday we were having too much fun for Mommy to take photos. 

We took Papa to the Marbles Children's Museum and had a ball. The kids were super active. I cannot imagine how they will be up early... but they will be! 

Dee leading Papa to the fun! 

What a fun weekend! Looking forward to many more trips from Papa now that we live on the same coast! -Whitney 

Christmas Part 1

Papa is in NC to celebrate part one of Christmas with us!!! 

Sammie & Dee helped create the wrapping paper. 

Sammie was more excited to unwrap give Papa his gift than you could possibly imagine. So we had to exchange gifts almost immediately upon his arrival! She even told him some outlandish story about going to the store, looking and shoes and thinking "these would be the perfect shoes for Papa!" What?!! She's a mess. 

Dee gets to forward face now!! 

I couldn't get Dee on video and photo just doesn't capture how excited he was opening his gift!! He jumped, did the Paps "ooooooo" like a true Crites and was smiling ear to ear. 

Dee learning to unwrap his gift.

Sammie was super cute opening gifts. She is still in the let's unwrap everything phase and not too into understanding what's inside but we will get there...

She may be an artist like her Daddy.

Cutting Food!!! 

Happy Happy Girl.

Dee was instantly obsessed with his Thomas the Train set. He knows the sound it makes if anyone is touching it... and that is a NO NO! 

Mesmerized by Thomas the Train. 

Not sure who had the most fun. Papa and Daddy sure seemed to enjoy the new play food for the kitchen!

Boys...

Sammie got to open one of her gifts from Tutu and Paps the next morning because it went along with a gift from Papa. She got this easel and I am pretty sure she will spend days on end here. 

Master Piece! 

What a fun first day with Papa. Cannot wait to see him again soon in NJ! 

-Whitney 

Tiny Dancer

Well Miss Ballerina Brown has officially been in ballet for a semester now and she loves it. Who knows how long this love affair with dance will last for her but so far... I am in heaven! 

Tuesday was Parent Observation Day... 

Working on first position. 

If you've ever had a class with "Tutu" you know this is killing her! Sammie... Don't burn your buns!!! 

Turned in but straight knees!!! I'll take it!

Working on that plié! Now we are burning our shoulders but... And least we are listening! 

I love it when babes do this. Bellies out is just so comfy! 

One stretch all littles do in ballet is the "butterfly" and teachers always ask them where they're going to fly. When going around the circle, each kiddo said something like "Disney", "bouncey house" and other fun adventures. They get to Sammie and she says "I'm going to smell a sunflower". I guess she takes that being a butterfly pretty literally. 

The dance teacher in me was so sad that I couldn't get a good pic of her feet when doing "good toes, naughty toes". The girl has some FEET!!! 

Stretching their backs. Supposed to touch toes to head... No one came close but they sure did giggle and smile trying.

This girl cracks me up! She loves an audience. Cannot wait to see her Holiday Show at school next week! 

-whitney 

Photo Dump for the Grandparents

I take a bazillion pictures! Every so often I will just post a random group of photos for the grandparents that live all over the USA to see. 

Anna dress! 

Hanging out in the patrol car that visited school. 

So hungry he is eating applesauce from his shirt. 

Grammy sent me a BIKE!!! Woooooooo

Learning to use their new toys!

Sammie forcing Dee to have a Tea Party

Naked is his favorite outfit. He also spiked his hair with applesauce in this pic.

We've entered the almost 2s with tantrums in public. SHOOT ME NOW.

Playing at Marbles with Letters!

His favorite new face! 

Goodness Dee is getting ornery! BOYS!!! And shocking... Sammie is getting pretty sweet. 

But they're both pretty freaking awesome!

All Hallows Eve 2015

Who knew that you could celebrate Halloween for a week straight?! Welcome to the final installment of our Halloween festivities... ALL HALLOWS EVE! Thankfully some very sweet new friends invited us to their neighborhood for the occasion.  

About 4:30 on Halloween we headed to one of Sammie's schoolmates house for a pre-trick or treat gathering. It was so nice to watch Sammie and Dee interact with other kiddos. AND... Brian and I actually had conversations with ADULTS!! 

Pre Party Grubbing

This kid can eat!

After the party, we changed into costumes and the real fun began!

Our little Buzz LightYear.

Our friends had this fabulous cat in the yard and the girls were so obsessed. Little Buzz LightYear was a tad terrified of the cat but did try to tell it off at one point! 

Strawberry & Alice

Most of the time the kids were so busy all I captured were blurs! 

runnnn

Brian did manage to capture a pic or two that looked "normal" for our household.

Alice... not so tight!

Trick or Treat

You guys! This neighborhood was so much fun!! Everyone got into the spirit. Parents, Grandparents and children all dressed up. There was a "real" Minnie & Mickey passing out candy, treats for both children and adults at the houses AND tons of fun decor! 

It's Mickeeeeeey! 

Dee was pretty skittish at about this whole business at first. Once he finally wanted to go up to houses, I would go with him. He would sheepishly take a piece of candy and then hold it. I said "put it in your bag" a million times. Well... after sneaking a piece of candy he figured out what was happening AND... he ran to the next house so fast. I get up there just in time to see him shove his bag at the sweet lady and hear him say "IN DA BAG"! From that moment on it was hard to keep up with this new little trickster! 

IN DA BAG!

Now, Dee snuck quite a bit of candy between houses. He was putting wrapped candy in his mouth and we would just find him spitting out wrappers!! He is CRAZY! 

Once the festivities began to die down, we headed home. Sammie was allowed 2 pieces of candy and then she left her bag (full of candy) on the table for the "Switch Witch". (I hear you can purchase these Switch Witch dolls but thats not what we do.) We read the idea somewhere last Halloween and decided to adopt the practice. How it works for us:

1- Collect candy and only eat 2 pieces.

2- Leave your treat bag for the "Switch Witch"

3- Wake up on Nov. 1 with no candy and a present in its place!

Sammie was sooooo excited to see this doll the next morning! She only asked what happened to her candy once and hasn't been a thought since!! This plan works so nicely for us because we really try to limit sugar for our kids but want them to go and have fun on Halloween.

Alice In Wonderland from the "Switch Witch"

And if you're wondering... NO, Dee did not "qualify" for a present. He ate his weight in wrapped candy!! Plus... Mommy forgot to get one thinking he wouldn't notice! Oopsy!

Happy Haunting Folks!

-Whitney