We Like To Move It

We have another dancer on our hands. Simon's less ballet and more hip hop, I'd say.

And how about that slightly hilarious wipe out by Millie?

Here's more of the same movie night dance party...

Barefoot So They Don't Have To

Last Thursday, April 8 we gathered some friends to celebrate One Day Without Shoes. TOMS (the amazing company my sister works for) asked people to go barefoot for the day so they could experience what life is like for kids all over the world who can't afford a pair of shoes. In some countries, if you don't have shoes, you can't go to school. And in Ethiopia, a painful and disfiguring disease called Podoconiosis is transmitted through cuts on feet. Obviously, it's 100% preventable with just a pair of shoes.

So on Thursday we invited some of Millie's friends and their moms to join us for a barefoot walk around the block. I figured it would be a good way to teach Millie about compassion and to help her recognize just how fortunate we are to have so much 'stuff'. It turned out to be such a fun afternoon. It was a beautiful day with LOTS of cute kids and pizza and cupcakes and, I think, a realization that life without shoes would be hard.

Atticus, Millie and Anna join forces for the walk.

Cute kids...I think this belongs on the TOMS website for sure!

Showing me their bare feet. Way to participate, Casey!

Easter

Well well well. Lovely, aren't we?

Despite this crazed photo, we really had a great day. First Christopher and I had to get our stories straight on the business of the Easter Bunny. Does he visit our house? Who hides the eggs...him or us? Now about the baskets, are they hidden for the kids to find them? Are they from the bunny or from us? It was all very confusing and a bit stressful for Christopher and I to keep our stories straight throughout the day. Of course we have been having age-appropriate discussions about the significance of the Resurrection story. Seems like something is wrong when Jesus rising from the dead is easier to explain than rest of the hoopla.

Sorting through her basket

Sweetly playing together while waiting for dinner.

Millie helped me cook!

Greers Visit!

We had a nice long visit from Christopher's parents this past week. We managed to fit in a little bit of all of our favorite adventures: preschool, ballet, fish tacos at the beach, a bus & trolley ride to the mall and lots of playtime. It was also Easter weekend so we colored eggs, made some special cupcakes, had an egg hunt in the backyard and enjoyed a great church service together. A few photos from our time together:

Growing Up (Subtitle: This One's For You, Katrina)

Weeks and weeks ago we all helped Millie's friend Brynn celebrate her fourth birthday at her "Princess Party". Millie doesn't have any princess gear per se, so we decked her out in the fanciest of all her dress up clothes. It was such a great party with lots of creative games, crafts, food. Here's the photo that brings a lump to my throat. Doesn't she look so grown up?

Waiting patiently during a "Princess and the Pea" game

My friend Katrina, mom to Aliyah, is a sly one. Seemed like every time I turned my back on her she found a way to get Millie in the frilliest, laciest princess contraption she could find...just to freak me out. She'll be delighted with this whole situation.