Jeanne

We only know one of our neighbors and we have lived here for almost 7 years. I am glad we know Jeanne though. She is 86 years old. We take her dinner some nights, she watches out for us, we watch out for her and the girls love her. Makenna asks all the time to go visit her. Jeanne has some block/puzzles that have angles and Christmas trees on them that Kenna loves to play with. Jeanne will read the map to Kenna and tell her all about the different cities. Jeanne likes to bake and will often bring us treats. Kenna loves to draw pictures for Jeanne on her driveway. We usually write things that have to do with the month. In October, we wrote, " have a boo-tiful day!" Since the weather has been so warm the past few days we have been out drawing a lot. Kenna wanted to leave a message for Jeanne. I asked her what she wanted to write and she said, "we like to live by you." So I wrote for her, " we love having you as our neighbor." Makenna drew her a ladybug and heart cake with candles. Jeanne told us today that it made her day and she wanted me to take a picture of it with the girls in it so she could keep it. We sure do enjoy her as a neighbor.

The girls

Makenna is getting more and more pretty everyday. I think we will have to break out the shotgun early :). She is so full of personality.

Brynlee received her glasses on Tuesday. I think she looks absolutely adorable. She is such a funny little girl. I can't believe how old she looks with her glasses. She is growing up way too fast. She is still getting used to wearing her glasses. She takes them on and off. Hopefully she will get used to them soon.

Kenna is Learning to Write

Makenna was coloring tonight and made this for Tyler and I. She drew our pictures on the other side. I am so proud of her. She wrote this all on her own. Nor Tyler or I told her the letters or helped her sound it out. She did it totally on her own. I typed the words on it so people would know what it said. She is doing so well in school and we are super proud of her.

Ps--Makenna got the first of many report cards she will receive in her life. She got her first report card for pre-k. The teachers don't give letter grades. She gets a (+) consistently successful, (check mark) progressing and a (*) for having difficulty. My girl got all (+) accept for 3 areas. Those 3 areas she got a check mark. So no (*). That is awesome. Way to go Kenna!

Bryn's New Gear

Yesterday (1/17/11), Bryn had a routine eye appointment. When she was born she had a spot in her left eye and we were sent to a doctor to have it looked at. He said that it would not affect her vision, but he would like to see her back every year for a check up! So yesterday was that annual event. I went to the appointment thinking all would be good and we would go home. The doctor checked her eyes and noticed that her left eye turns in. He asked if I had noticed it before and I said yes. Next thing I know the dr. is telling me Bryn has amblyopia "lazy eye". It needs to be corrected or she could loose her vision in her left eye. Her brain has shut her left eye off and she has been using her right eye to see. We left the office with a prescription for glasses, patches for therapy and thoughts of possible surgery if this is not corrected. After the girls came home and napped, we went to have Bryn fitted for glasses. They should arrive on Monday.

Last night we let Bryn try her patch for an hour so that we could see how she would react. We put it on her and had her look in the mirror. We clapped for her and told her how beautiful she was. We took these pictures of her so she could know we thought she was super cool. She only touched it once and then left it alone. We took her out for ice cream and just kept telling her how cool her patch was! She has to wear her patch for 4 hours a day, everyday. I don't know for how long, but it is at least for 1 month. Life is always interesting with Bryn. We sure do love her.

Sponge Curlers

Bryn loves to do everything Makenna does. The other night I was putting sponge curlers in Makenna's hair so it would be cute for school. Bryn came over, hit my leg, pointed at her head and then sat down in the chair. I asked if she wanted curlers and she said yes. Bryn already has naturally curly hair, but she wanted to be like her big sis. I thought for sure she would rip them out during the night. She woke up and all of the curlers were still in her hair. I forgot to get pictures of what it looked like after the curlers came out. Bryn's hair was just one big fro! haha!

Kenna's 5 Year Old Stats

Makenna used to be the tall one of her friends. Now she is shrinking! haha not really. I guess her friends are just growing at a faster pace now. These are Makenna's 5 year stats:

Weight: 39 lbs. (46%)

Height: 41 3/4 inches (36%)

She passed her hearing and vision tests

We also discovered recently that Makenna is allergic to baking soda. She doesn't have a reaction if it is in foods, like when you bake with it, but when it is on her skin. We have been having to give Bryn some baking soda baths to help with diaper rash and I just threw Kenna in the tub with Bryn. Kenna got a horrible rash all over her bum and legs. After some lotion and benadryl, she was fine. The only other thing she is allergic to is All Baby laundry detergent.

Kenna's 5th Birthday

She got a piggy bank

Opening gifts

Her new Strawberry Styles set

Papa and Bryn

Kenna with her cake that Grammy made

The cake from Grammy Larsen

Tyler and I gave her a Rapunzel dress

Jenn and Ryder gave her a Fashionista Barbie

Opening gifts

Opening gifts from her Grandma Catherine and Papa Barry while talking to them on Ichat

I asked Kenna if she wanted me to buy her a cake or if she wanted to make one with me. She wanted to make one with me. She picked a cherry chip cake with Cherry frosting. She also wanted flower sprinkles.

Bryn had to be with her sister

Makenna with Belle

Bryn with her Happy Meal

Makenna and her chicken!

Me and my girl

Kenna and Tyler

Makenna turned 5 on Dec. 31st. For lunch she wanted to go to McDonalds and get a happy meal. She didn't want to take off her Belle dress. So, seeing how it was her birthday, I let her do what she wanted to and she wore it out to lunch. For dinner, we got pizza and her best friend Ryder and his fam come over to eat with us and have cake and ice cream. We skyped with my parents so they could watch her blow out her candles and open the presents they gave her.

A few days later, after we were all back in town, we had a family party over at Tyler's parents house. Jan made her a cake and decorated for her. She also made her the dinner she requested, spaghetti. We ate dinner, had cake and ice cream and Makenna was given even more gifts. This child got SPOILED for Christmas and her birthday from everyone! Overall...I say she had a pretty fantastic birthday!!!

Today

Makenna has been working on learning to read. I have made her some flashcards with simple words like: mom, dad, is, it, to, do, so and other words like that. She is doing really well at being able to recognize and sound out those words. She is well on her way to reading. I am excited for her to be able to start to read a few books on her own.

Also...and this is TMI, but hey it's my blog right?! Bryn went #2 on the potty. We aren't potty training her and I don't expect it to happen again anytime soon, but...She did it. Before her bath we put her on the potty. She likes to be like her big sister so we give her the chance before bath time. Tonight I kept asking if she was done and she would tell me no. Then I noticed she was doing her 'funny' stance and then asked if she was done. She said yes. I looked and sure enough...she had gone to the bathroom. I started clapping for her and got really excited. Then she got excited to show her daddy. Haha...she pointed in the toilet and started clapping! It was awesome!

PICTURE OVERLOAD

I HAVE POSTED A TON OF PICTURES. YOU MAY HAVE TO CLICK 'OLDER POSTS' AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE TO MAKE SURE YOU SEE ALL OF THEM!

Beals Family Reunion

Tyler and his grandma

Kenna and her Great Grandma Beals

Kenna in Grandma Beals wheelchair

Lots of family = lots of fun!

Kenna with her new barbie...thanks Nicole!

Kate, Aunt Linda and Bryn. Bryn followed Linda around all day.

Bryn and Great Grandma Beals

All the bounce houses! Tons of fun!

Bryn and Kimber

Kenna and Austin on the hayride.

Grammy and Bryn on the hayride

Emmie, Kenna, Bryn and Kate eating lunch

Emmie and Kenna

Bryn and Addison wrestling

Bryn with the boxing headgear on

Bryn shoving chips in her mouth :)

Kenna eating her s'more

I love this face! haha Tyler was boxing with his bro!

The girls eating their s'mores

Bryn and Papa at the campfire

Bryn with her tiny orange

Grammy, Bryn and Great Grandma Beals

Makenna, Brynlee and Addison in the wagon

The bull

Bryn playing outside

Uncle Lomand pulling Addie and Bryn in the wagon. These girls sure loved Uncle Lomand.

Kenna and her Great Grandma Beals

The day after Christmas, Tyler, the girls and I headed to Arizona. We were in Arizona from the 26-30th. Tyler's mom's family was having their family reunion. It was a lot of fun getting together with all the cousins. We celebrated grandma Beals 80th birthday while we were there. We had lots of good food, fun times feeding the cows, an awesome time jumping on the bouncy toys and a great time visiting with the fam!