Amelia is 4!

My little girl is growing up. She has always been beautiful, but her personality is even more radiant. She is helpful, obedient, caring, and thoughtful. I love Amelia.

I am surrounded by talent of all ages here in Minnesota and our babysitter Katie Rundall, took Amelia on a photo shoot for her 9th grad photography class. She captured Amelia beauty and sweetness. I love her thick, long and dark eyelashes. (Sometimes I can't resist putting mascara on them, just because.) And her long, golden hair, that she let's me brush, braid and curl, but never cut, "Just a trim" is her phrase.

For her 4th birthday, (which was on October 12th.) She invited all of her girl friends for a Fancy Nancy/Pinkalicious tea party. The girls had crepes/pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream and maple syrup, hot chocolate & apple juice. (those were the "tea-ish" drinks.)


We read books, made fancy bracelets, and when it was time to go home instead of a swag bag they took home a "fabulous" tutu. (They were super duper easy to make and cost about $2-3 dollars each.) Notice in the picture, (Amelia's the one on the right.) that she doesn't have to be the center of attention. She was so happy to be surrounded by friends and that is how she truly is, humble and loving.


Okay and for the finally, my amazingly talented friends Sarah Smith & Christa Ogden made this OUT OF THIS WORLD cupcakes

Amelia also lets me play photo shoot with her. It was raining and I wanted to work on my shutter speed. She looked so adorable in PINK, and 5 different necklaces, 3 bracelets and a Hello Kitty watch that actually tells time. Her facial expression is hilarious. I love you Amelia.

Trick or Treat

My kids totally crack me up! They were crazy this Halloween or should I say fierce?

Conrad originally wanted to be a mad scientist again, but then he remembered that he had an authentic Arab head dress, from Saudi Arabia, (a friend of ours went to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.) so with a little shoe polish and sunglasses he became a Saudi. (I think he looks like my brother Mason.)


No Arab would be complete without a white sheet and camouflage Birkenstocks.

My friend Stacy Miller (Noah's mom) painted all four of the army guys faces. She said while she was painting each of their faces, they had their game faces on. (see above) When she finished, they ran to the mirror, admired their reflections with an "Awesome!" and told her that she was their official camouflage expert. (now that's awesome.)

Riley originally wanted to be Concussion on the movie Zoom, but we couldn't find red, burgundy or maroon sweats anywhere. (go figure we live in maroon and gold U of M country.)
He remembered that some of his friends were going as army guys and since he had every piece of clothing in camouflage, he decided to work it. (even his Converse and socks are camouflage.)

These are the very serious army guys with their camo and Nerf guns:
Riley, Noah, Marvin, & Emil.

Amelia was going to be a butterfly and I had visions of her being a magnificent monarch with huge hand painted wings. I almost had her convinced until she wanted to be Fancy Nancy to go along with her birthday party. For a split second she wanted to be a princess, but Fancy Nancy was going strong and then on Halloween day she wanted to be a butterfly again. I had no amazing wings or black and orange tutu, but she knew what she wanted and what a butterfly ought to look like. She found her pink butterfly headband, (no she didn't want antennas), pink fuzzy wings, pink tutu, pink galoshes and some pink hair spray. Of course no butterfly would be complete without tons of glitter and a black velvet unitard. It was a little chilly that night, so of course she donned her denim jacket and toted her gold trim purple leopard print treat bag. (She rocked it like the fashionista I knew she could be.)

Quinn has admirer of all ages. A friend from church gave him this oh-so-adorable pumpkin sleeper complete with beanie.

He stayed home with me and slept all of Halloween, while I passed out candy.