A Smattering of Birthdays and Such

Okay so first I'm going to blame someone else for me not posting, because it's mostly their fault! Our computer went CRAZY so we took it into Best Buy (since I bought the warranty) and after their "geeks" having it for 1 1/2 months we finally got it back with a new motherboard, but still doing the exact same thing. But since it was now "programming" why it wasn't working, it wasn't covered under the warranty. So since I hadn't made recovery discs and computers no longer come with them (ARGH!) we then had to wait until HP shipped me some discs so I could wipe the whole computer back to new status. I don't know what's wrong with it, but if we let it do the automatic Windows updates it goes back to crazy mode. So I had to redo it twice again and now I have the automatic updates completely shut off. So hopefully I don't ever need them. Then after having to load everything back up and fix it from "new" status, this was the first opportunity I've had to post.

We have a netbook, which is how I kept up with all my other stuff. But it's slow and there was no way I was loading videos and pictures onto it. Let alone trying to post on blogger....

So now I'm going to do a massive post vs. a whole bunch of little posts.

Here are some misc. pictures.

This is the baby doll Scarlett got for free from the GameStop clerk. You can't see it's ugly face, but believe me - not pretty! But she loves it.

Trying on Alexandra's Pikachu mask. It is hilarious to hear her say Pikachu.

Riley managed to score this hat at Claire's on clearance for $1. She loves it and looks so cute in it.

Just a cute picture of my girls at the mall.

And here are some pictures of my shoe/sock fiend.

She's still at it. In fact before I changed her diaper today for nap I had to pull two of Deans socks off of one foot, while trying to keep hers on.

In January we had Aric's birthday. I was so excited. I went all out for him. I made him "Sushi".

And he actually ate some too!

He had a ninja cake! (The sushi cake was a surprise!)

He tried to hide from me taking a picture of him in his Birthday Crown.

Apparently candles will melt plastic ninja swords....oops!

And this was when I surprised him with his sushi cake!

He loves Nightmare Before Christmas.

And I couldn't help myself. When I saw this at the $ store I just had to get it for him. It just screamed Aric to me.

And now you know why!

Then in February Riley turned 10. 10!!!!! Is she really that old? Am I really that old?????

For her birthday she got cookbooks, an apron, and tons of dragon stuff. She's very into dragons.

At school the 4th graders have been learning about Colorado history and they put on a performance. All of the kiddos got to either be a narrator or someone from Colorado history. Riley was a Native American basket maker (I don't remember her actual name...I'm a horrible parent).

It was an awesome program!! And I must say the costumes were amazing!!! (I was one of the two mom's that braved the county's costume trailer to get them...needless to say I won't be volunteering for that job when Alexandra's in 4th grade.)

The both girls did Oral Interpretation again this year. Although now the school is changing the name to Junior Poetry Jamm. I had issues getting my camera on, so I only got Alexandra on video. She actually did a poem by herself and then this one with her friends. I love her bow at the end!

Then we had spring break and had tons of family in town! My niece Jen and her boyfriend came from Alaska, Nan and Pop came from Idaho, and my Sister-in-law Tari and her family came in from Arizona. (Tari is Jen's mom)

So here are some random pics from that week.

Jen, Annie, and Scarlett

Scarlett playing dice with George and loving it. She'd throw them, giggle and he'd hand them back to her.





I love this one! When Riley and Alexandra were little, they always took a long time to warm up to Nan and Pop when they'd come visit. But not Scarlett. She climbed right up in Pop's lap.

We went to the museum one day and this is Dean and Alexandra on the climbing wall in Expedition Health.

Crazy hair day was the last day of school before spring break. Riley only wanted color in her hair (I think it had something to do with the fact they were going on a field trip and she didn't want to look too crazy.)



Dean had his birthday during spring break. My camera was out of batteries, and I didn't have any charged so this picture came from my mom's camera.

My mom got him a grill! This was part of the 2 day project of putting it together. We used it for the first time last night and it was awesome!!!

Alexandra also had her 7th birthday during spring break. I forgot I needed new batteries (from Dean's birthday), so I hurried and put some in. I got to take one picture and then I got the message that my memory was full....ARGH! By the time we were able to download the pictures off the card, she was done unwrapping. Mom does have pictures, but I'd have to wait till I see her again to get them, so here is her one picture -

She got mostly science stuff. The Aquasaurs are growing (and if I'd know they grow up to 2 inches long I'm not sure I'd have bought it for her) and she loves watching them. Once they get big enough I'll take a picture of them. They are supposed to have 140 legs and 3 eyes and an exoskeleton. Ew! I thought they were gonna be small and hard to see like sea monkeys....boy was I wrong. She got several mining kits and crystal growing kits. She's huge into rocks and crystals. Here is her first rock she got out of her mining kit.

It took her two days to mine that chunk and she got 5 gems/crystals. She loved it. She has another kit that has geodes to mine. She also got a moon that lights up with the different phases and a glow in the dark star kit to stick to her ceiling. Both her and Riley loved that!

Scarlett has discovered that warm weather means super fun stuff in the backyard. I'm so glad I didn't get rid of all of Alexandra's outside toys she got for her 2nd birthday when she outgrew them. Scarlett already loves them WAY more then Alexandra ever did.

Here she is in the little pink car. She hasn't quite figured out how to get it to go forward on her own, but she backs up amazingly! And she hates having to get out of it. Every time we go outside she runs for the car and hops in. So not fun when we're running late...

She has also discovered the fun of slides. Although yesterday when I got the camera out she decided to be even braver. Now she turns around on the top of the slide so she can go down on her belly. Boy does it make me nervous watching her. Usually I'm right next to her (just in case) but I had to back up to take video...oh my poor nerves.

Also I had sprayed the slide down with static cling stuff so she's only sliding at half speed because the spray slows her down. When she's not slowed down she seriously goes flying off the end. It's cute and she loves it. Her pants are going to need some serious Shout once the grass gets a little greener.

Alexandra and Riley got these horses for Christmas when Riley was 4 and Alexandra was 18 months (ish).

We had a great day outside yesterday!