Wrapping Paper Quilts--Finished!

When we went to my parents house this past summer, my mom showed me a quilt that she had made called a wrapping paper quilt. It was so cute, that I really wanted to make one. So while we were there, I found a ton of CUTE cowboy material. Utah has the best quilt/fabric stores! We had so much fun at each store we went to. Maggie also loves to sew, and wanted to try to make one for her room, so she picked out some horse material because she loves horses. So, I barely got it started before it was time to leave. I worked on it here only one day (in November, I think), but then never got a chance to work on it again until we went back to my mom and dad's house after Christmas. I got some done there and my mom helped Maggie quite a bit on hers. Maggie and I have been working on them here ever since and we finally finished this past week. Whew!! I love it when I actually FINISH a project. It was so much fun to make and we both love the finished products. Here are some pictures:

Maggie's horse quilt (I love the material she chose for the back)

My quilt:

Thanks mom for all of your help!!

The Princess and the Frog

We had Paige's friend party today for her 5th birthday. I was really back and forth on what to do for her birthday party this year because I swore to myself that for this year we weren't having any friend parties. But, I gave in to her because she was so excited about it and told me everyday who she wanted to invite. Plus, she hasn't had as many friend parties as the other two have had, so I gave in. I am a softie! :)

I tried to talk her into going to Chuck E. Cheese or Build-a-Bear to keep it easy on my part, but I could tell that she really didn't want that. So, I psyched myself up to create a theme party with games and activities and the perfect cake! Once we decided on the theme, (The Princess and the Frog) the rest easily came into place. I didn't plan as many games and I didn't get too carried away with things like I usually do. Garrett even commented this morning how calm I was before the party...I guess I'm a little uptight before the parties, trying to get everything done. Anyways, we had a good time! Only 3 of the 5 friends she invited could come, so we missed the other two, but when you add my other girls to the mix, there were quite a few of us!! :)

We decorated some paper picture frames with stickers and foamies and jewels. Then we printed off a picture of each girl with Paige that I took when they first arrived, and attached it to the frame.

Then, we had a lilypad relay race where the girls dressed up in princess dresses and then hopped like frogs across lily pads.

Our last game was called, "Kiss the Frog". (Pretty much just "Pin the lips on the frog".) It was cute though. Before the party, Bella would carry around the frog poster, kissing it. What a character.

Then we had a little snack and had cake and icecream. I made two kinds of cupcakes--frogs and princess ones.

Then Paige opened her gifts and then they played for the last 15 minutes. I think everyone had fun and it was a fun theme. Now, if we could just convince Paige to go and see the movie! We'd all like to see it, but she's scared of the movie theater, I think. Oh well. :)

Christmas and Utah

So, I'm a little late with my Christmas post, but better late than never, right? We had a nice low-key Christmas here in Cornelius and we had great time. We love having Christmas at home. It's so relaxing! But, next year we are looking forward to spending Christmas with my family in my parents new house in Logan with ALL of my siblings and their families! It's going to be a riot!
Christmas
I guess we were too busy enjoying Christmas morning to take a lot of pictures, because I sure don't have very many.

The girls on Christmas Eve opening their jammies from Grandma and Grandpa Hansen

Their new jammies

Christmas morning. Maggie woke us up at 6:30. We told her NO earlier than 6:30--we should have said no earlier that 8:00!! It was early!
Paige got a new stroller, crib and high chair for Christmas. We already have two of all these things, but it was on her list and I guess Santa delivers!
Maggie opening up her itouch. Santa tricked Maggie and Lydia by wrapping up their gifts (Maggie's itouch and Lydia's DSI) in huge boxes.

Lydia loving her DSI

Bella loving her car. Although, she has to fight Paige for it everyday! I guess Santa should have brought two!

Grandma Georgia and Grandpa Jim got Bella and Paige these cute Melman slippers/socks (from the movie Madagascar). They both love them!

Utah

The day after Christmas, we drove to Utah to spend some time with my parents in Wellsville. We drove it all in one day--it was pretty long. The girls did great though. The last couple of hours were really hard, especialy since we spent one of those hours sitting on the side of the road not going anywhere. We were close to the Utah border and Garrett saw a minivan stranded on the side of the road and felt he needed to stop and check up on them. It turns out it was a single mom with 4 kids in the car whose car had died and they didn't have any heat. (It was 12 degrees outside). Garrett checked under the hood for them, but couldn't help them. Luckily they were able to get a call through to the woman's dad who was somewhere in Idaho and he was on his way to get them. Garrett wanted to stay with them until he got there, so some of the kids and the mom squeezed into our car to get warm while they waited. They were very appreciative for the help--Garrett is such a good guy to help them out and wait around with them.

Anyways, we got to Utah safely and had a fun and relaxing time with the units. We read a lot of books, ate great food, went sledding in the snow, the girls played in the dorm room, we made a gingerbread house, had cousins and aunts and uncles over for dinner and games, and Maggie and I worked on our quilts. Garrett and I unfortuneatly caught a short lived flu bug. It wasn't too bad, though. We also got to go to Salt Lake and see the lights on Temple Square, see the conference center and watch a great movie on Joseph Smith in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. My girls didn't care for the movie though; they were scared of the mobs and Maggie sobbed and sobbed at the end when the Prophet was killed. I knew they wouldn't like it, but I sure enjoyed it and really felt the spirit. The temple and the lights were beautiful, but it was FREEZING!!

Here are some pictures of our trip:

Bella ready to go out into the snow.

Bella not really liking being out in the snow!

Lydia

Grandpa Hansen, Garrett and Maggie

Paige

Me and Bella. I was going to go sledding, but my niece Sydnee had spent the night with Maggie and she didn't know we were going to go sledding and therefore didn't have any boots or anything, so I let her borrow my boots and pants.

Lydia done for the day.

Garrett, Maggie, Sydnee and Grandpa Hansen

Here's a short video of Grandpa trying to sled down the hill, with Lydia sledding behind him

Trying to survive the cold at Temple Square

Conference Center

At the Visitor's Center

Making a gingerbread house

Bella LOVED eating the chocolate candy!!

The night before leaving

Back at home--Maggie and I trying to finish our quilts. Finished products will soon be pictured!!

Paige is 5!

Today is Paige's birthday and she turned 5 years old. I have never met a child more excited to turn 5 than she was today. She was "whoopin' and hollerin'" and jumping up and down and so very excited to turn 5 today. She was so cute about the whole thing. She has so much enthusiasm in her!

She had a good day today; she had her friend, Brooke come over and play this morning and had her favorite lunch of macaroni and cheese. Then she watched her favorite tv shows, Handy Manny and Dora the Explorer while Bella napped, and when the older girls came home from school, her and Lydia played Polly Pockets for the rest of the afternoon. We took her out to eat at her favorite restaurant, "Sweet Tomatoes" and then came home and opened her presents. She had quite the day. I think she was a little dissapointed that her "friend party" wasn't today. I guess in her mind, it's all supposed to happen in one day. But, I haven't quite planned her friend party yet, so I guess she'll have something else to look forward to. :)

I went back and read her birthday post from last year, and not much has changed from what I wrote about her then, so if you want a refresher about her birth and all about her, then you should go back and read that post. I think I'd write all the same things over again! She sure is a cutie and we love her so much! Life definitely wouldn't be the same without Miss Emma Paige!

Look how tiny she is!

Showing some of her excitement!