Eaten By An Alligator

The base library has a little jungle play room but they are so strict. You can't play if you are older than 4 years. So we have not been there in a long time. Athena was happy when Ster and I took her there one random day while the boys were at school last week.

Athena Turns 3

Saturday the 14th we celebrated Athena's birthday as a family by using her last chance to get in the public pool for free. Once she turned 3 we would have to start paying for her to get in.

We had a fabulous afternoon at the pool. So much fun! But no pictures.

Sunday Athena turned 3! Church starts at 11:00 now. Here is Athena in her new outfit for church! Kitty!

Her birthday party with friends was today, Monday. Athena loves Shopkins now. Thankfully. I bought clearance birthday party items from Walmart months ago...Shopkins. I had no idea what it was. Then I started looking it up and downloaded the youtube episodes. Athena got to know it as I planned her birthday party 

I decided not to spend any more money on her party so I came up with crafty ways to prep her party. I made Shopkins pillows myself...as a gift for Athena. I made mini plush food with faces and some without. I made little brown paper shopping bags. I made personalized book marks and laminated them for Athena's friends. We also put party teddy grahams and frosted circus animal cookies in the party favor bags.

The morning of the party I remembered I had a bag of Shopkins items for the party. I had totally forgotten their existence. Turns out I had party favor bags and invitations too. whoops. 

So I turned the invitations into coloring cards for the grab bags. I also placed my own party bags with everything into the store bags. Filled them up too.

Here is Athena opening gifts at her party

 Leah, Conrad, Haylie, Athena & Chloe

 The sour apple in this photo is a store bought one. Athena used her birthday money from Grandparents Roundy to buy a cuddly plush Shopkins apple that happens to be a bank in the middle.

 Athena made her cake. She was determined to do it! She helped make and bake and decorate! Even made design changes after choosing which cake she wanted. She did a fabulous job!

 Here she is helping make her cake

She was cracking her own eggs and doing it herself...until I pulled out my phone to video.

Getting Back Home

Getting to Provo and home again were a breeze....thankfully! The weather and roads were great. A true blessing. 10.5 hours of driving is enough without adding time and frustration of bad weather or slippery roads.

Getting home again Tiberias was able to receive his main Christmas present...a rock wall!

It is in the workout room where the kids are only allowed to be if they are accompanied by an adult. There is no falling mat under the wall so a parent has to supervise...especially for Athena. SHe is a great climber! But just in case...

 Instead of having a buzzer at the top the kids simply tag the ceiling to prove they made it.

 With extra rocks Ster took away their bed ladder and made that fun too. It doesn't go as tall as the bigger wall so it's safe for them...mostly. Athena has slipped off it trying to get down. She can get up just fine but down is trickier.

Shorter Than Ever Imagined

To start the year 2017 I went to Mystique Edge where I like to occasionally get my hair cut and styled. I had it all chopped off this time.I was not sure if I could make the look work with my face but the results were surprisingly great.

Everyone I know compliments me on the style with my face.

Day one I kept wondering who I was seeing in the mirror. Sure didn't look like me.
Day three I was seeing my mother in the mirror.

BEFORE

AFTER

New Year's Eve

Maddie turned one and we went to Travis and Aubrey's to celebrate. The apartment was full of loved ones!

 Here shows how everyone sat and watched Maddie eat her first cake! LOL

 

New Year's Eve

 The kids stayed up with us

 Games, movies, snacks

 Tiberias made it to about 11:40pm. When he was falling asleep I asked him if he wanted to stay up the last 20 mins. He said no and fell asleep on the couch. I woke up at midnight and wished him a Happy New Year but he didn't care. He just wanted to sleep. ;)

 Athena crashed at like 9:20pm

 Matt and Maria were there though they are not shown in any of the pictures.