Babaloo Concert

Olive and I have been meeting Brooke and Gwendolyn at monthly kid events. It is usually a puppet show or kid concert.  This month was a Babaloo concert.

It was very interactive and everyone got to bang on buckets with the music.

It's funny to see Olive interact with kids without Hannah around.  Olive has so much self-confidence with her big sister by her side, but she is very unsure and shy when she is on her own.  She gets more comfortable every time, though.  I've watched her mature a lot since Hannah started kindergarten.

And for the first time ever she volunteered to go up on a stage!

Her favorite thing was when he blew toilet paper into the audience.  She couldn't believe it!

Science at the Library

I was excited that the library was hosting another science night like last year.  This time it was all about dry ice.  The girls loved it! Hannah thinks she might want to be a scientist when she grows up now.  And bonus: we saw some familiar faces at the event. :)

Sickie Morning

It's the first day of break so Hannah doesn't have to go to school.  I go downstairs and lie on the couch because I'm sick with a cold.  The girls immediately try to help me.  I love these two so much!

Olive:  We'll fix you breakfast!  Hannah, go fix her nutella toast!
Hannah:  Okay.  I'll make a menu.  Here is a menu of all the things I can make.  It is grilled cheese or nutella toast.
me (not thinking this is actually going to happen):  Actually I'd like honey toast.
Hannah:  You stay on the couch.  I'll do it.
Olive:  I'll put on a ballerina show for you!
Hannah:  I need to go get a tray for you.  Olive, get her kleenex!
Olive:  Here they are!  Hannah, I need to use some of your dress up for my show.
Hannah:  Okay, but just one.
Olive:  Hannah, you are so nice!  Hannah is letting me use her dress up.
Olive returns dressed as a ballerina and dances around the room.  Hannah brings in a tray with a piece of toast.  The toast has an I, heart, and U written in honey.
Hannah:  Look!  I wrote "I love you!"
me (in disbelief that she can do this):  Aw, thank you.
Hannah: When we are sick we get to watch videos.  What video do you want?  Planet Earth?  Peg + Cat?
me:  Planet Earth.
Hannah:  How about Peg + Cat?  You can pick the episode.

Christmas at Union Station & Crown Center

My favorite Christmas tradition is going to Crown Center.  This year we started at Union Station and walked over on the Sky Walk.  Even though we have been to Union Station several times recently, the girls haven't seen it with all the of Christmas lights on.  They were in awe!  All the Christmas trains were out, too.  It took us a long time to look at everything.

I have no idea why Olive is in a Zoolander model pose.

I love this one so much.

We finally made it to the lights of Crown Center.

The girls loved the plane the best.  The pretended to fly up over the Christmas tree

And of course we had dinner at Fritz's (with a special treat).

Just like every year, it was a wonderful night with my family and a great way to start the Christmas season. Pictures from previous years: 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013

A Day in the Life of a Fashionista

Olive learned to dress herself at age two and every day since has been a non-stop fashion show.  I took a picture of everything she wore during the course of a day.  None of this was encouraged.  

She started out with this.  I questioned the appropriateness of wearing tights as pants.

She said she was dressing as an ornament today.  Hannah thought this was a great idea and followed suit.  Olive is a trendsetter.

 Immediately after we get home from dropping off Hannah at school, it is time for an outfit change.

And another.

She isn't afraid to mix some patterns while continuing the "tights as pants" trend.

I don't let her wear costumes out of the house, so after we pick up Hannah it is a good time to become a ladybug.

Continuing to wear tights.  This time she adds socks to make them look more like pants.

Snake belts are the new black.

Her first pair of tights reappear in their proper place.  This is one of her favorite outfits.

This is "Orange Girl."  Not discouraged by a lack of orange pants in her wardrobe, she uses an orange shirt as a skirt.  Orange stuffed animals for accessories of course.

For those of you keeping track, that was nine outfits in one day.  And what happens to all of these clothes?  They are strewn all over her bedroom floor EVERY DAY.  Sigh.  It's okay.  She'll pay me back in free clothes when she is a famous fashion designer.

Thanksgiving

We spent four days in Chillicothe for Thanksgiving.  The best part (in my humble opinion) was the "How Well Do You Know Your Meneelys" game that I put on.   I found an old notebook where I interviewed every member of the family on his/her favorite singer, movie star, etc. in 1994.  My favorite question was a tie between "What would you say to Bill Clinton?" and "Who is more like you: Bill Clinton, Pee Wee Herman, Cindy Crawford, or Madonna?"  I even asked them word associations like "What do you think of when I say blue?"  Who knew I would grow up to be a psychology major? :)  Anyway, I was the moderator and everyone else had to vote on who said what twenty years ago.  Best game ever.  I really need to interview everyone so we can play again in 2034.

I only got a few random pictures of our visit....

The kids table on Thanksgiving Day.

The adults were more entertained by Color Wonder than the kids.

 Olive talked Uncle Casey into some dress up fun.

My favorite on both of them. :)

Making potions

Swinging on the farm.  Lots of memories in those swings. ;)

We got a big surprise that the cousins had been staying with Granny all week!  The cousins had a sleepover Saturday night before Ainlsyn and Gwendolyn left for home on Sunday.

We visited the great-grandmas on Sunday, but I only got a picture of Alice.  We're missing Granny for our generation picture.  I'll have to remember to do that for Christmas!

Kaleidoscope Field Trip

Walter Weekend

Walter made his annual November pilgrimage through Kansas City on his way to his parents' house in Missouri.  The girls were counting down the days until Walter Weekend.  We took him to Union Station like last year, but this time with Science City included!

The girls discovered they could use the blower as a hair dryer.

Super proud of solving the puzzle.

Not quite as proud.

kiss under the clock.

We looked at the new Union Station museum on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors.  The girls had never been up there to look out over everything.  We also ate at Harvey's for the first time.  It is the curved restaurant in the bottom left corner.

And we stumbled upon a performance by the KC Ballet.  The girls were in awe...and Walter was impressed, too. ;)

Turkey Fry was at the Bailey's this year.  Walter and Steve fried the turkey at our house and then brought it over.  Walter also brought some kind of silkworm in a can because.....?