Chef Alena

Alena has really become quite the chef in the kitchen the past few months.  She is an expert at pancakes, grilled cheese, and has her own secret recipe for deviled eggs.  She also likes cooking recipes delivered from Blue Apron (pre-boxed ingredients shipped to our house).

Easter 2017

Dying eggs a couple days prior.  Out of order, I know.

Nora turns 6....already?!

We just cannot believe that our little Nora is already turning 6!  Our sweet girl celebrated with some friends from school at our house which included a pinata, lighted and loud dance party, photo booth with costumes, and of course cake (or cupcakes). 

Stick Fort

Alena and Nora worked for hours during the 2016 and 2017 winters to build this stick fort in the Bever Park woods behind our house, gathering only fallen branches for its construction.

Here it is from earlier in the winter.

Edith's 15 month stats

Edith went to see the doctor this morning.  We had skipped her 12 month check up because I was tired of going to the doctor and wanted to delay her immunizations anyway.  She is up to 30 inches (27%), 18 lbs, 12 oz (15%), with a big 47 cm head (82%!)  She hadn't been to the doctor since the beginning of November, and everyone who recognized her at the office was so happy that she was looking so good!

Edith is an expert climber.  She goes up and down the stairs all day.

We don't think she has said a real first word yet.  She sounds like she will say "shoe" when she picks up a shoe and "book" when she gets a book.  She loves both of those things.  She will carry her shoes and coat all over the house.  The bookshelves are immediately cleared of books when she enters the room.  Her favorite book is "Baby Reads" and she will pick it out of a pile to look at.  The only time she will sit still is when she is looking at her books.

Most nights she is now sleeping from 7:30pm to 7:30am.  She just went down to 1 nap a day from noon-3 if we are lucky.  While Ben and I were on vacation, she started eating solid food.  Grandpa Ed fed her a banana and pizza.  Now bananas are her favorite food.  She also likes blueberries and crackers, and she still loves carrot soup.

Pinewood Derby

This was Nora's first year for the Pinewood Derby.  Daddy was out of town during the race but he helped the girls complete their cars ahead of time.  Alena and her car "Dot's Amazing" came home with a 3rd place trophy, beating 4th place Nora by only hundredths of a second.  Nora walked away with most colorful car.  Its name: Silly Car.  Tillie and Lucie also were in the big race.  Edith roamed the gym, carrying around her coat and trying to get into mischief.

Edie SMASH!

One of Edith's favorite games at the moment is what Daddy calls, "Edie SMASH".  A tower is built out of the Magna Tiles and we holler "Edie smash", and she runs over and crashes into it, and then repeat.  Sometimes she gets a little eager and after setting up 3 tiles, she'll smash those as you build.

Mom and Dad go out

Mom and Dad took a trip.  Yes, no kids.  It was wonderful (of course we missed having our children.....eventually).

Started in Vegas, quickly moved onto the main event...Utah!  Bryce Canyon.

    

After Bryce, we headed to Zion National Park.  We drove there during a rainstorm, which we initially thought would be unfortunate, but when we got to the park the colors were amazing and there were waterfalls everywhere.  Something, we were told, happens rather infrequently.

We hiked all over the park, including the famed "Angels Landing" trail.  

After all of our hiking, we headed back to Vegas and saw the Hoover Dam as a side trip.  It was there, it was big, but underwhelming from our vantage point.  The tour would have been cool...we think.

We ended the trip in the roof-top pool of our hotel in Old-Vegas!

Breadman!

 

What does $5 get you at Goodwill these days?  A delicious loaf of bread!

Little climber

Edith loves to climb.  She uses her new chair pushed up to the ottoman to get up onto the couch.  She has fallen off head first a couple of times, but Alena and Nora taught her how to get down feet first and is now much better at it.  When she isn't climbing onto the couch, she is trying to climb the stairs.  When she gets to the top of the stairs, she stands up on the edge of the top and makes us worry that she is going to fall right back down again.

Dressing up

Nora is trying to get Edith into dressing up.  Alena and Nora don't do it as much as they used to, but there is a large box of clothes, just waiting for Edith to try on.

We used magna tiles to make Jones into a stegosaurus

Kristina and Francis get married

January 7th Aunt Kristina married Francis Giuliani.  The cousins returned from Minnesota for the big event.  Poor Nora had been running a fever, so she stayed with Janet and Myron Rees during the rehearsal dinner.  With the help of Ibuprofen she was feeling pretty good for the wedding at least!  It was a small event at St. James with a reception at the church hall.  Angela and Julianne did all of the decorating and made delicious cookies to go with the wedding cake.  The big kids walked the gifts up during the ceremony and all looked very cute.  We had fun meeting Francis's California family and joking with them about the 5 degree temperatures we were experiencing.  Francis has 6 brothers and sisters, so he fits right in to our family.  After the reception the newlyweds headed off to Chicago before and early morning flight to Hawaii.  

Finn said, "Can't just one of you do this?"  Lily was in charge of hair for all three Penniman kids while Angela decorated the hall.

The gift carriers, minus Nina

Mrs. Chalupa teaches preschool at St. James and brought out the Duplo blocks to play with.  Edith is on the move!