Celebrate!

 This week we celebrated a year of preschool accomplished! Aliya thought she should get the celebrate plate. Mom thought the teacher should get the plate. It is amazing to look back and realize how much Aliya has learned this year: many, many memory verses, letters & sounds, rhyming, opposites, days of the week, months of the year, seasons, science experiments, writing, Bible truths and some great friends at CBS just to name a few. At CBS, we have been blessed to have women of faith coming alongside mom and dad, teaching Aliya the same truths we teach at home. Her class got to sing for us one of the last weeks of the "year" and I got pictures of her and favorite friends, Esther and Julia.

 Ms. Mary & Ms. Maren were a huge blessing to Aliya this past year! Just ask Aliya to sing one of her memory verses for you. Mom's favorite is to the tune of "Jesus Loves Me": "Christ lives in me. Galatians 3:20."

 Our closing class activity (besides celebrating with strawberry shakes with sisters & daddy) was coloring hot rocks. Way fun! And the teacher got a paper weight besides.

Spring has finally arrived. On the first nice weekend, the McGrails arrived from Montana to laugh at our girls sporting tank tops and shorts in 60 degree weather. You don't remember how warm 60 feels after a really long winter! The garden is in, and we're wondering if it'll get it's first rain shower any moment now. 

Mom is ready for preschool to be over. I don't know how teachers do it! We have had fun learning an assortment of safety lessons. Police Officer safety ended up with an adorable craft. 

Yesterday, we happened upon an ECFE event where children 5 and under got to climb up on firetrucks, dump trucks, police cars, buses and more. Aliya loved it! We'll try our best to persevere and finish up preschool with a family outing to a 3D IMAX movie on the 20th hopefully.

 Our visit from the McGrails was a blessing for all of us! Even the big girls, though there weren't kids their age to play with) loved having them visit. Sarah and I got to paint pottery and go out for Thai. Derrick & Doug had the first campfire of the year while the moms were out and got to enjoy a Twins game on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.

 Madi is completing her guitar lessons. It's tricky to learn a new instrument. You can pray for perseverance for her (especially since we'd rather be playing outside). She was excited to start playing chords at last night's lesson.

Breanne had a successful first piano recital. I got to accompany her on her two pieces. Even I had butterflies. The recital ended with cake and punch. Not sure how the cake ended up as a mustache, but take pictures first, ask questions later!

Party like it's nineteen-ninety....NINE!

Nine years ago, our lives were changed forever by the most compassionate young lady I've ever seen. We had an excellent day celebrating and were blessed with lots of family to share the day and dance party!

The Kracht cousin sleepover! Always lots of fun.

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"

The trio of little girls "God Girls."

The boys won the dance competition, but the we think it may have been rigged since all the judges were males...

Cozy girls' night

Just a cozy night at home with the girls...started watching youtube videos. Loved this one.

And this one, with tears down my face, the girls hugged and kissed their momma.

Breanne's Poetry Cafe

Blond hair, smart
Reading to Mom
Energetic
Aliya and Madison are my sisters

Never lies to friends

Not just nice super nice

Exciting

                                                                     Ice Cream                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              I love

                                                    ice cream                               

                                                                                          when it
                                                                                              drips on your chin!
                                                                                           It is 

                                                                                                       as cold
                                                                                                           as ice.
                                                                                                                     I love

                                                                                                                           Ice cream!                                                       

                    

Podge

 A podge of emotions as we spent Easter with the Sechler family yesterday. Truly a blessing to be close enough just to hang out and enjoy watching cousins be cousins, conversation and just "being."

The big girls were hardly seen, playing games, doing make-up and hair and hanging out in Rebekah's room. However, still one is missing! We miss you Micah. I bawled, reading Traci's post on Caring Bridge, "See you in the morning, Micah!"
Daniel continues to hold a very dear place in Aliya's heart and I was fortunate to snag this shot of some Daniel cuddles for Aliya. And Derrick would gladly report that he beat both his nephews (and Mike) in a Mario Kart (not to mention Madden against Daniel). So proud of our daddy!

Aliya doing dishes last week with her "hair net" on.

Dancing and Birthday Parties

 Our little dancers, Madison & Breanne had a short stage show this past month. It has been really fun to watch them develop in dance over the year. Madison especially has come to develop a passion for dance, works hard and looks forward to practice every week. Their team performed a very smooth show to "Magic." The words fit Madison like a glove,

Do you believe in magic
in a young girls' heart?
How the music can free her
whenever it starts
oh it's magic...

And Madison sang along the whole performance!

It seems to this momma that I am a level-headed, not over-indulgent parent. However, there are a handful of times that I become a complete pushover! For example, I don't think my parents would have every let me buy an Easy Bake oven...but Breanne just had to have one. And they had a blast "cookin' with a lightbulb" (as Madi sang..she's into writing songs) even though their first endeavor tasted ummmm...alright. It's not the taste but the experience that counts, right?

 Derrick has been hard at work on the past month of Saturdays building with his hands. He has built some amazing shelving in our basement. My canned goods now have a home (not a box) and the camping gear a special spot as well and lots of other goodies too! I am so lucky to be married to such a well-rounded man!

Aliya announced this Monday on her way down the stairs, "It's Sadie's Birthday today." Who knew March 18 was the "Canadian Girl" Doll's birthday? Breanne so graciously agreed to bake Sadie her own Easy Bake Oven Birthday cake (this one tasted better) when she got home from school. Breanne talked Aliya into having Sadie turn 2 because that was the coolest candle we had on hand. They wrapped presents for Sadie and she had her weekly hair appointment with mom. We sang "Happy Birthday" and Aliya blew out the candle because we wouldn't want a two-year-old to get hurt. Everyone keeps telling this momma that someday I'll look back and miss these days.

 Sadie has also been living the life of luxury in her new $4 built from Dollar Store Treasures bed. Beat that...$94 on the American Girl Doll website.