Sammi's first masterpiece on the wheel.
Sammi was feeling bad for the hippos that are covered in mud all the time. She thought it felt funny when the clay started to dry on her hands.
I helped her get started and then Sammi pulled up the walls and decided how she wanted it to look.
We trimmed the top and then she started closing in the neck. She did such a good job! She made a little flower pot to put some little stained glass flowers in. (That was another Christmas gift that we can't wait to try.)
Sammi got it all painted and ready for flowers. Beau told her it's better than his pots he did in high school. Sammi was pretty proud of herself.
The kids always have so much fun getting out all of the ornaments that have their names on them or they remember and are special to them. I love that our tree is filled with homemade ornaments from different years of school and that we've made at home as a family.
This was the annual Rudolph Monopoly game and it was a fight to the finish between Beau and Kyle.
I think their favorite part is opening up the Santa presents and going through their stockings.
They both got pocket knives and balsa wood blocks to carve (Rules were laid down right from the beginning about using them with a parent) Sammi has started carving a little dresser for her doll house and Kyle has started carving a pedestal for a Lego ship.
Sammi had to try everything on right then. She got lots of cute clothes that she really needed!
Beau had to look in the garage for his gift this year. He finally figured out that I was making him something a couple days before Christmas but he couldn't figure out what it would be. He said the only thing he could think of was a dog house or something. It was a great surprise! It's twice the size as his old dresser with the fairy sticker on it from college.
Sammi's Toy Box
Kyle's toy box.
Sammi managed to get lipstick on everything she tried on that day. We had to wash a couple things right away to get it out.
Grandma Lambert made a cabbage patch doll for Sammi that is one she had started for me when I was little. Sammi spent her money from Grandma Jo on preemie clothes to dress her up in. She was so excited to be able to shop for doll clothes in the real baby department.
Later Sammi just hung out and watched "The Incredibles" on her Ipod from Jared and Taylor.
Sammi set the table with a cute bouquet of flowers and decorated daddy's newspaper with stickers and stuffed animals.
And yes, the frosting is a bit lop-sided but it tasted GREAT! 
That's the new warming shed in the background. It's a big building with a wood burning stove in it.
I love this picture!!
Man, I remember hiking up lots of sledding hills.
The kids are out of school for a few days for parent teacher conferences. Beau has been dying to get out into the snow before it's gone and so they all took off for the mountain. We have lots of snow parks that are groomed for cross country skiing and sledding. Beau said this one was great because there were no trees and the kids could just fly down the slope. They did a couple "triple deckers" were they all piled onto the same sled. Sammi said she almost broke her arm (she's our "1/2 empty" child when it comes to being hurt. Always looking on the bright side.) she hit it on the ground when they were going down and she hyper extended it. She showed me how she had used her scarf as a sling. They stopped for hot chocolate at a little local store downtown on the way home. 
This is what the girls did as they arrived. They all got to help make Sammi a birthday banner. While they were coloring I painted their faces. 
I didn't plan very well because I found out Kyle had a game right in the middle of the party so one of his friends from his team picked him up. That meant it was just a house full of girls.
These are some of Sammi's friends.
They all couldn't wait to have her open their gifts.
Last but not least, we got the mail on Sunday night and it was full of cards from Great-Grandma Lambert and Grandpa Taylor and a package from Grandma and Grandpa Eastes and Grandma Taylor. She was so excited about the money in the cards. She is not a saver so she yelled out, "This is more than all the money I have!" She loved the movie from Grandma Taylor and watched it while she tried on all the clothes from Grandma & Grandpa Eastes.
Sammi was so excited for her birthday this year. She started waking up at 4:00 am to see if it was time yet. We kept telling her she had to go back to sleep and after a few more yells from her room at 5:00 and 5:30 saying, "Mom, is it time yet?" we finally made it to 6:30. I was sooo tired because I was up wrapping presents and getting it all ready for her to see in the morning when she woke up and also trying to get the house cleaned up so the landlord could show it to some people that want to rent it when we move out. I just wanted to sleep but Sammi was giddy! We got up and she opened her presents. It's so fun to wrap presents for a little girl who appreciates how cute things look and how many curly strings I put on the package. For breakfast she picked pancakes, eggs, and sausage. 
You can tell she's excited to open these presents. They are from grandma and grandpa Lambert. Grandma Lambert sent them a couple weeks early and they have been sitting on the counter waiting for the big day. She couldn't wait to see what she got.
All ready for school with a little of everything from her birthday. She has wanted one of these lunch boxes for so long and I finaly found one that was a little smaller and didn't look like a construction cooler. She loves to take a home lunch and her and Kyle make themselves lunches in the mornings if I don't get them done the night before. Beau went to school and had lunch with her there. She wouldn't let any of her friends sit by them so she could just have some daddy daughter time. 
She picks a different face paint every year.
Jared's package came in the mail after school and she got a really cute dress with matching shoes, headband, earrings, and necklace (and some other jewlery). She put them all on and then climbed in the box. 
Sammi chose her favorite dinner, Crepes. Yum!! We ate a whole carton of strawberries and about 7 bananas. 
She really wanted a cake on her real birthday. (I was just going to make one for the party.) Beau came home with flowers and rootbeer from him so they could make rootbeer floats. But, I was feeling amitious so we decided to make a cake. Sammi helped make the whole thing. She decided how she wanted it to look and when we were at the store the night before she wouldn't let me buy the regular food coloring. We had to buy the exact colors individually so that they were perfect. 
Sammi put on all of the little dots herself and she designed the cake.
After a long day of cooking breakfast, going to work, baking cakes (I baked the ones for her party too), and making dinner we finally blew out the candles. Beau got plates and Sammi and Kyle announced that they didn't want cake. Kyle said he didn't want anymore sweet stuff and Sammi said she was to full. Beau and I just looked at each other. I was like, I just spent 3 hours making a cake that you Had to Have! I told her it was OK, making it with her was fun. (I did make them try it though.)
Yes, Beau's birthday came early this year. He really needed a new SUV that was big enough to haul the whole fam damly + the dogs. We've decided that we do pretty good for our 30th birthdays. I got the scooter and he got a Trooper.
Sammi wanted to help out. 
I have to admit, it melts my heart to see her with a power tool. :)
I love this cute picture. It's the day of the kids Valentine's Day parties at school and they wanted to look nice. Sooo, we got up at 6:30am to give Kyle a hair cut and then braid Sammi's hair. I thought they both looked great. They are quite the pair. 
This might not look good but the kids love to have this and they expect it every year. Sammi asked me if I could do green clover pancakes for St. Patrick's Day. I'm not sure I could eat green pancakes or if they would look anything like clovers. I think I'll stick to heart. Thanks mom for starting this tradition with our family. We've had pink heart pancakes every year since I can remember.
Later we went and walked around the Old Mill for awhile and they had these cool ice sculptures out on the sidewalk. 
