Kindergarten Christmas Party - Australian BBQ themed

What a swimsuit in the winter?!?!? Well maybe in Australia but not here in Idaho... unless you go to Moscow Charter School and can hop on a plane complete with a movie and a passport and then you can pretend to be on the beach :)

The kids had a blast and I was so glad to be there to see Madison enjoy her party. It was complete with Christmas music and then the 5th graders came in and gave surprise gifts to the children!!! It was a perfect day and ended it with a gift exchange which Madison got a Barbie doll. She is so excited for Christmas :)

Happy 6th Birthday Madison

I can't believe we are celebrating her 6th birthday already. Madison is one of those girls you can't help but love. She is so sweet, so kind, and she wears her heart on her sleeve. Everyone who has met her just loves her and gets attached.

I am so blessed to have her in my life. She keeps me on my toes and she is always a good model for me when I need pictures. This year we did a Christmas themed party called "Christmas Candyland" We set up a Candyland board in our house and every station had a stop and each kid got to pick out a treat at each stop. Then we did a gift exchange opened presents and ran a screamed in the house and had ice cream and cookies. It was an awesome day.

Madison opening up her gift. She was beyond excited!

Our first stop on Christmas Candyland was "Fudge Forest" and the fudge grew on trees and the kids picked it off and put in their treat sacks :)

2nd stop was Gingerbread station complete with a pretend gingerbread house on the TV cause I was too lazy to make one and gingerbread cookies and even Daniel our Elf was their to say hi to the kids

Our set up 

Our 3rd stop was CandyCane Lane! Kids stopped at the mailbox and picked out a Candy Cane :)

Can't forget Hot Cocoa! Our 4th stop was Cocoa Corner and they were greeted by Ryan the Reindeer :)

Our 5th stop was Cookie Crossing and they picked out a chocolate covered oreo (which by the way is heavenly)

Our 7th stop was Cake Pop Stop and you got a Cake Pop"sickle" :) And finally our last stop was at our Craft station and the kids picked out an ornament and colored it and then got to have Jake the Elf Man wrap them for them and give to their parents on Christmas. 

My beautiful 6 year old and all my wonderful kids

Madison with her new best friend her in Boise 

Madison and the boys and Madison and her sister

Katie adores her big brother

the kids loved the craft station

Madison loves bird houses so I knew she would choose this one to color! Love this girl

and Katie wanted to make one too

and the final product. So colorful and pretty

Some of her friends and their ornaments

I think Katie enjoyed her ice cream

yes I think she really enjoyed it

every... last.... drop

another one of Madison's friends!

She loved her party and all her gifts. 

Roper girls 2013

This week I wanted to get some updated family photos of the kids. But we ran out of light, Katie had a meltdown and it got cold super fast. We will try again hopefully in the near future before the fall colors change too much more and the snow melts. I am hoping to recruit the husband to help assist as well cause four kids is hard to get to all sit still smile and take a picture :)

What Mornings are like in Moscow with Katie

Life is so different here then in Boise. Not used to the feeling of what I would say is "boredom" but maybe it's simply just the fact that I have been so used to being so busy I never had time to appreciate some of the little things. The other morning Katie ate some crackers, played babies with her toys on the floor and got distracted by the birds and the squirrels outside. It was so cute watching her learn, play and eat and just how easy kids are and simple and that maybe we all need to slow down in life as well.

Surprise gift from Grandpa came in the mail

The kids came home from school and found that Grandpa Roper had mailed them a package. They had no idea what was inside and I am not sure he could have picked a better gift for them. Everyday they now have this to remind them of Grandpa :) They get so excited about their flavor of the day and it is also a good way for  mommy to get them to do their chores. Want your gum?!? Well then you better get your room cleaned :) Thanks Grandpa

Katie is a little young for gum so grandpa even thought of her. He got her a book. He said it reminded him of her making the roar sound and thought she would do that if she saw the bear... and she did exactly that. She wasn't as much interested in the story as she was pointing to the bear on every page and roaring and pointing to the "baby" and saying "baby".

It's the little things in life that matter the most

A few small things you  miss that you don't realize you have is these precious moments. Playing with your beautiful niece and seeing grandpa read to his grandchildren. I was really excited to come across these images as I am cleaning out my computer and going through old photos I haven't had the chance to go through.

Katie misses you Lizzy Bug!

Miss my girls fighting over Grandpas Lap!! LOL