The girls celebrated their 6th birthday on the 12th of January. I'm sure that most parents begins to mark the years more so by their children's birthdays rather than their own. The time flies, we are left holding on to the wisps of memories past while making the memories that hopefully our kids look back on with fond memories. Much like those happy memories that our parents have made for us.

They had a Birthday party a week later at the Nicolaysen Art Museum downtown. The museum has a Discovery Center that can be rented out for birthday parties, which comes along with an art director and activities for the kids. It was a blast, the kids were able to bounce around the room and create with watercolors, lego blocks, crayon rubbings and painting on canvas with acrylic paints. Everyone had a great time and the girls have a unique memento to remember their 6th birthday.  

Birthday

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

4th Birthday

5th Birthday

6th Birthday Morning

Audrey was in the process of getting dressed but had to come out and see the presents.

Audrey.

Audrey at the birthday party.

Madison concentrating.

Zoie painting. 

The before picture of the balloon art.

The art instructor giving instructions to the party.

Audrey snickering after popping a paint balloon. 

Zoie preparing for the *POP*

Madison with some orange paint splatter.

Zoie taking a break.

The progression of the balloon art.

Zoie painting with a balloon.

The final product!

Madison making balloon art at the table.

Zoie and Grammy.

Audrey having fun.

Time for CAKE!

Audrey hamming it up.

Audrey, Madison and Grammy.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! We weren't able to make it up to Billings for Christmas but we did make it for New Years. As you will see the festivities were off the hook.

Grampy with Zoie and Audrey. 

Looks like Zoie got into the egg nog.

PARTY!!

Audrey posing for a picture...

Madison dancing.

Madison and Zoie dancing.

Not sure what was happening here, but it looks like they are singing. 

Christmas 2013

After hearing Christmas music and seeing Christmas merchandise in the stores since Labor Day, Santa finally made his way to our house! This was our first Christmas "on our own" without either one of our families around. I would say it was quiet but with 3 five-year-olds in the house, that would not be a true statement.
We had a wonderful Christmas day surprise. We were thinking about picking up a prime rib on Christmas Eve day, I had called the shop a day earlier they took my # and said they would call if they got any in. But on Christmas Eve, between someone trying to hack my paypal account and then getting rear-ended (really minor collision, no injuries and both vehicles were still drive-able) I wasn't able to make it to the butchers even if I wanted to. So I picked up a roast at the grocery store instead. On Christmas day I received a call from the butcher, they asked me if I wanted to come down and pick up a free prime rib. I protested slightly, but was rebuffed so we went downtown and picked it up. What an unbelievable Christmas day; Santa is real!

Gearing up to open presents!

Santa brought Madison a My Little Pony Castle... she appears to approve of this present.

Momma and the girls.

And Zer0

Tearing it up

Another My Little Pony present that received an embrace. This time from Audrey.

Zoie behind the present.

The girls each got a travel bag from Grammy.

The look of anticipation.

Audrey and her Anna doll 

Madison and her Elsa doll

Daddy and his pizza cutter doll

Now they can each pack their own travel bag.

Madison searching for the contents of the bag. 

The girls received some toys and games, but when they unwrapped a few books the world stopped for a few minutes as they sat down to read them. Very cool!

The lights that adorned the front of our house.

Opus in the tree!

What a crew.

"Stellar" Christmas lights...