Father Daughter Dance 2018

This month is one of my favorites!  This coming week will be the highlight!  I'm so glad we started the Valentine festivities with the girls most anticipated event of the whole year.  This is our 6th year to participate in our churches Father Daughter Dance.

Father Daughter Dance 2013 

Father Daughter Dance 2014 

Father Daughter Dance 2015 

Father Daughter Dance 2016  

Father Daughter Dance 2017

The girls get SO excited to get dressed up, wear a little make up, get presented to their daddy, get a special little something (this year it was heart earrings and a heart necklace), go out to dinner, eat fancy desserts and dance the night away!  I secretly wish I could follow behind them the entire evening snapping pictures!  We compromise by getting ready early enough to take lots of pictures at home.  I hope they love these memories and pictures as much as I do!

 

P.S.  They didn't have all the fun!  Me and the boys went to Chick-fil-A and then got Krispy Kreme donuts and came home and watched a movie!  :)

Allie's Day Out

We took time this week to take Allie out on a date with us!  She received a Swonder Ice Skating giftcard for Christmas and with all the warm weather lately, ice skating seemed like a great date!  I was having flashbacks from my last time ice skating a few month ago and remembing the weeks I sat and stood in pain (from a bruised tailbone and knee) and I decided to sit this time out and watch Kevin and Allie enjoy their time together.  It was a lot of fun to focus all my attention on just one kiddo.  It reminded me why this time is so important - for the kids and me!

Allie was anxious to leave all day, but we weren't planning to leave till about 3! When I told her it was time to shower and get ready, she had already picked out what she wanted to wear.  She also wanted her hair curled like mine so how could I say no?!

We got to the ice rink and fitted Allie for skates.  Her feet must have grown in the last week.  I told the lady behind the counter she needed a 12/13 size skate and neither fit. Turns out she needed a 2!  It took Allie some time to find her balance on the ice.  I was so proud of her for not giving up!  She fell, she wobbled, she held on to the wall, but did it all with a smile on her face, determined to skate.  She'd skate for 5-10 minutes, then come sit next to me for a few minutes to warm up, and this cycle repeated about 5 or 6 times.  

When our public skate hours were over, she was already asking when she could go back.  We had a great time!

After skating not we stopped by Rural King to see what baby chicks they had.

Next we went to dinner at Freddys.  Kevin and I talked her into going there because we loved it the last time we went!

Before we headed home, Allie wanted a cookie from the mall.  We got chocolate chip with m&ms and ate them on the ride home.

It was a great few hours of giving her our undivided attention!

(We picked up the little broom at Rural King so they could keep their clubhouse swept out!)

Those curls :)

Hayden's Day Out

Back in December, I came up with gift ideas for the kids for several people.  I was beginning to realize we were going to end up with a house full of new gifts and it was a bit overwhelming!  So, when my mom asked for gift ideas for the kids, I decided to do something different.  I picked out 4 different places for her to get gift cards.  Hayden - Vertical Escape (rock climbing), Allie - Swonder (ice skating), Krissy - Sky Zone (indoor trampoline), & Austin - Chuck E Cheese.  I planned for Kevin and I to take each kiddo out for some "only child" time 😀  The kids were excited to get the gift cards, it doesn't add any more stuff to our house, and the kids will love the time out with us - talk about a win/win/win!

Hayden got to spend his gift card first!  We went yesterday after school.  None of us had ever been to this place, so we were all looking forward to it!  We watched our beginner video, got our shoes and harness on, and off we went!

We know for next time, we should wear clothes that are more light weight/workout clothes - not jeans!  The three of us stuck out like a sore thumb, but everyone was very nice and helpful and not judgemental at all.  It was a little weird being all the way at the top, and letting go.  They actually tell you to just let your hands go and pretend like you're sitting down, but keep your legs straight. You know the rope will catch you, but it's a mind over matter thing when you're that high up!  Hayden preferred to climb up then climb down.  He wasn't trusting the ropes.  But he had a great time and can't wait to go back!

Kevin's parents had given Hayden a gift card to Dairy Queen for his straight A report card this last semester.  He decided he wanted DQ for dinner so we headed there after rock climbing!

Once we ate we got ice cream.  I was freezing, so I put my hood on.  I was still cold so Kevin gave me his jacket.  Both boys were laughing at me and Hayden decided I needed his jacket too.  Once they took their goofy picture I gave Hayden his jacket back!  

We had a great night and I can't wait for our next three times out with the other kids!