The Interview.

As Sidney turns the clock over to a new year, we will do the "interview".
 

What is your favorite color?  Teal.
What is your favorite toy?  My 18 inch doll.
What is your favorite fruit?  Watermelon.
What is your favorite tv show or movie?  Raven's Home.
What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?  Chicken Nuggets (Really?).

What is your favorite game?  Clue.
What is your favorite snack?  Fruit leather.
What is your favorite animal?  Koala.
What is your favorite song?  Scars Too Beautiful
What is your favorite book?  Goldie (A Puppy Place Book)
Who is your best friend?  Liberty and Mia.
What is your favorite cereal? Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Camp.
What is your favorite drink?  Diet Pepsi (yes, I am a bad parent).
What is your favorite holiday?  Valentine's Day.
What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  Monkey.
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Pancakes (the really thin ones that Grandma makes).
What do you want for dinner on your birthday?  Cowboy Pizza.
What do you want to be when you grow up?  A teacher.
I am very proud because…of the stuff that I can do in gymnastics.
If I were President I would…allow dogs to go to school with their owners.
I am afraid to…walk on a tight rope.
Name one thing you do really well?  Gymnastics.
Describe what it means to be a good friend. Do not do everything you want.  Give your friend a chance to do stuff they want to do as well.
What is your favorite time of day?  Breakfast.
Describe your favorite hobby.  Stamping.
Climbing trees is…fun.
I wish there were a law that said…that you could bring pets to school.  "I am not going to let that one go."
What makes you feel sad?  When people yell at me.
What makes you feel happy?  When people laugh with me.
Pretend that you can fly whenever you wanted. Where would you go?  New York.
If I could choose a different name, I would choose…Emma, Emily or Chloe
Where do you want to go on vacation?  Hawaii.
What is your favorite thing to do with Mom?  Baking and going shopping.
What is your favorite thing to do with Dad?  Snuggle.

Sidney would like to add a question:
What is your favorite thing to draw?  A rabbit.

And, that's a wrap!

Sidney Nicole Turns 9!

Sidney celebrated her birthday all weekend long.  On Saturday, she had a pool party with her friends.  The weather was gorgeous.  We literally had the pool to ourselves for the first few hours.

Sidney warming up with Liberty.

You gotta love the blue "Kool-Aid" tongue.  Blake cannot quite figure out what is going on.

I have been watching the super hilarious commercials for  Chatbooks (click on the title to watch one of them).  So I decided to "Get in the Photo".  For the record, I think yoga pants are the best thing ever invented.

There were a lot of bright smiles and laughter.

 

Sidney only had one request for her party..."Smallcakes Cupcakery".

They were SO delicious.

 

Kevin did not let us down.  He and Sidney brainstormed these cute party favors, filled with Boom Chicka Pop.

The Party - Part Deux!
As if that was not party enough, we celebrated at home on Sunday.  Kendall was adamant that she wanted to make Sidney a birthday cake for her family party.  She scheduled time to go over to Grandma Terrell's to decorate in secret.

She made the cake super special and included her favorite ingredient, "love".  It sounds cheesy coming from an adult, but adorable coming from a tween.

Sidney adored her special cake.  It was super delicious.  The frosting was a less sweet, cream cheese, version.  I could have licked the frosting off the entire cake if it was not socially unacceptable.

Awhile back, Grandma Terrell and I took Sidney on a fashion shopping spree.  This is a shopping spree in which Sidney tries on outfits as long as she wants, while we snap pictures and take notes.  At the end of the day, we were full of birthday ideas.

Charlene and Valerie came over to help us celebrate.  We always look forward to their visits.  They spoiled Sidney rotten with gift cards to Walmart, so she could buy "accessories" for her 18 inch doll. 

 

Kendall asked if we could surprise Sidney by inviting Liberty over to the family party.  Of course, she is practically like family.

 

These shoes have Michael Jackson written all over them.

 

I am sure that we will all laugh about this some day, but it may still be too soon.  I majorly messed up.  Over a month ago, I bought my mom a ticket to come down for Sidney's birthday.   They share the same birthdate, so we love it when they get the chance to celebrate together.  About three days before my mom was supposed to arrive, she called to tell me that I may have messed up.  Sure enough, I did.  I booked a round trip ticket from Boise to Spokane (the opposite direction that my mom needed to fly).  D'OH!  At that point, the tickets were outrageous.  So, we decided to fly mom down in three weeks.  Kendall came up with a fantastic idea.  She Marco Polo'ed with my mom while Sidney was opening the gifts from my mom and dad. 

 

 It was a fantastic birthday weekend.  Sidney seemed to enjoy every moment of that.  I just wish they were not growing up so fast!

Kendall - 5th Grade.

This girl.  I love her to death.  The bow, I suppose I will have to get used to.  It does not appear to be going anywhere:)

  

 

 

Sidney - 3rd Grade.

The girls had their annual back to school pictures.  Neither of them would even let me in the room.  They had a ton of fun with the photographer.  Here is a sampling of what we got.  Some of the pictures were traditional, other pictures were "creative", but all of the pictures were full of personality.

 

 

 

  

 

The Eclipse and Back to School.

Monday, August 21st, we experienced the eclipse.  We did not venture to an area of totality.  In fact, we stayed at home trying to avoid the chaos.  We had our handy eclipse glasses and got to see a good show nonetheless.  It was strange to have it turn dusk and street lights turn on at 11:27am.

 

Then it was back to school.  The girls continue to look forward to school each year.  I supposed we are blessed in that.  They both had trouble sleeping the night before, because they were so excited.  It is almost like Christmas Eve!

They have grown up so much.  Watch out world here they come! 

Hallie - Our Budding Photographer.

The girls always enjoy spending time with their cousin Hallie.  She takes such great care of the girls and they sure do look up to her.  During the week up north, Hallie did a "photo shoot" with each of the girls.  They had a blast.  Below is a sample of the pictures she took.  It is hard to believe that these were taken with just an IPhone.  Imagine what she could do with some practice!

 

 

A Week with Grandma and Papa.

The girls had their annual week up north with Grandma and Papa.  As usual, they enjoyed every minute of it.  They got plenty of lake time in, both a CDA and Spirit Lake. 

Papa Mark made sure the tetherball game was all ready to go.  Sid challenged him in several games.  She never did tell me who won.

They spent an afternoon with Lorain's kids playing games.  It is awesome that they have made some lifelong summer friendships.

Aunt Stephie rented paddleboard's and kayaks one day, while Grandma Karen took them kayaking a different day.  It seems that Kendall thought the SUP was the way to go.  Hallie and Sid preferred the kayaks.

They went to Art on the Green, ate lots of yummy food, watched some great movies and had the time of their lives.  After a week of fun, we met in Grangeville to pick them up.  On the way home, we stopped in Donnelly for their annual Huckleberry Festival.  It was fun to act like tourists.  The girls took a picture in front of the World's Largest Ponderosa.

The girls decided to enter a pie eating contest.  It was really a plate of whip cream with a piece of bubble gum buried in it.  The kids had to find the gum.  Then, the first to blow a bubble won a $20 Stinker gift card.  It was semi humorous, because Kendall did not actually know how to blow bubbles.  That did not stop her from trying.

Sidney actually won the contest.  She spent her winning right away.  Gotta love those gas station sunglasses.  By the time we made it home, Kendall had perfected the art of bubble blowing.  Her determination always amazes me.