Joey was feeling guilty for not doing his fatherly duty and teaching Olivia to ride a bike. The girls never rode bikes in our old neighborhood because it wasn't very bike riding friendly. So Olivia never really had much experience riding with her training wheels on. A while ago we took her training wheels off because they got all bent and made her bike impossible to ride and then something happened to the brakes being stuck on the wheels. So the bike has been sitting in the gargage now collecting dirt and dust. A couple of weeks ago we were outside with the neighbors and their kids were riding bikes. Just as Joey was telling the neighbor that he hasn't taught Olivia to ride a bike, Olivia gets on her friend's bike and starts riding just like that. All on her own. She can totally ride a bike.
She needed some practice so we fixed her bike, it was so simple we feel like morons for even thinking it was broken. Tonight she was riding all over the place. Like a pro. Long legs and all. She is still working on her start. But riding? Piece of cake.
Going, going, gone...
(and by the time I have finished this blog post she has informed that she can start on her own)
My mom came to visit and she threw Sammie a birthday party. Sammie hasn't really had an official birthday party before with a bunch of friends over and she has been asking for one for a while now. Her main request? A mermaid cake. She was in heaven. Sammie has so many little friends we could have had twice the party, but we had to draw the line somewhere. Lucky girl has been practically celebrating her birthday all month long. 
I couldn't imagine my life without Sammie. She brings so much laughter to our home. She is such a smart little girl. She loves puzzles and games, drawing, dressing up, playing in the mud, jumping on the trampoline, playing soccer. And that laugh. I don't know of anyone who can laugh like Sammie. Her whole face lights up. I love her!
I let Abby play with the watercolors the other day. Sammie and Olivia were both gone. Everytime I let her do a "big girl" thing she gives me this look like, "Are you really letting me do this?" Then she will do it really timidly as though I am going to make her stop as soon as she starts. She keeps looking up at me with her big blue eyes. No really, it's ok Abby.
I celebrated my birthday by shopping and being with family. And we even got to see a princess. Rapunzel stopped by for the party. (My sis-in-law is a princess for kid parties, and had just come from one) I love being with my family.
So another birthday...another year. I feel so blessed and grateful. It's a good life :)
This was the first thing I saw when my mother-in-law and I were shopping at antique stores. "We need to buy this for Abby!" we were both thinking the same thing. But I wasn't shopping for cute furniture for my kids, so I left this and moved onto the next store. I was on a mission to find a unique antique to put our new tv on. Found exactly what I needed for my tv at the store next door and it was less than I was planning on spending. Everyone should shop with my mother-in-law. She's good luck. You will find what you are looking for and get a good deal. She's just that lucky. 
