Sugar Turns Three

My baby is now three years old. Hard to believe and easy to believe at the same time.

The fun thing about turning three is that it seems to be the first year my kids seem to "get" their birthday enough that they have a specific idea in their head about what they want to do...yet, it seems to be limited to something simple. Slugger wanted a "yellow" birthday, Sparkle wanted a cake/cupcakes. Sugar was initially determined to have a "Hawkgirl" party (from the Justice league). But, I just couldn't pull off this obscure party without a lot more work than I had time for this season. So...thankfully, a three-year-old is also easily influenced. A trip to the party store quickly changed her mind...and a Curious George party emerged. Sugar had three little three-year-old (-ish) friends join her along with family and some older siblings. A little crazy...but Birthday Girl was happy...so I am too.

Monkey cupcakes...easy, but a big hit.



I'm reading, "Curious George and the Birthday Surprise". Apparently, I am very concerned about George. Truly a deep and moving book.



Blowing out the candles...



It was all very exciting...

A Trip to the Nutcracker

Nana and Papa took Sparkle and I to see the Nutcracker at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in downtown Denver. (Thanks, Nana & Papa) I have been looking forward to taking Sparkle since I first bought her a pink sparkly book with a picture of the Sugar Plum Fairy on the front when she was three. She has been utterly fascinated by the book ever since and it was so fun to finally be able to take her. We went to the matinee with lots of other little ones attending...which is good because Sparkle is one of those kids who comments and asks questions about EVERYTHING. "Why are the mice dancing around Clara?"...."Where is Clara?" (every time she exits the stage)..."Can I be Clara?". Her new life goal is to take dance so she can be Clara. It has been hard to explain to her that such things don't happen immediately. I love the dreams of a five-year-old.

Christmas Tree Cutting and Thanksgiving Feasting Colorado-Style

Last Saturday, we resumed our annual Christmas tree cutting tradition. This year, besides a couple of good friend's families that joined us, we were also joined by LT's cousin R and his wife, K, who just moved to Colorado after getting married this summer. We have enjoyed having more family close to us in Colorado. We actually had Thanksgiving dinner at their place this year. R & K made a fabulous dinner accompanied by Nana and Papa's yummy pies and Kringle (a wonderful Norwegian treat). We left full and satisfied.

R's mom & dad (LT's Aunt J & Uncle J) made the trip out from the Motherland (i.e. Minnesota) to visit for Thanksgiving. Since they were here for the long weekend, they decided to come along for the ride too and try their hand at picking out a Colorado Christmas tree. We enjoyed some of the North Platte Fire Station's homemade Monster cookies, climbed on fire trucks, and headed out into the woods to find the perfect, in a Charlie Brown kind of way, tree. It had snowed about 6 inches the night before. Just right for sledding, throwing snowballs, and drinking some well deserved hot chocolate. Another year of Christmas Tree cutting adventure.



KS & Aunt J




Uncle J & R




LT and our Charlie Brown tree for this year.




A little sledding action.



Slugger, after launching some sledders down the hill.



Enjoying some well-earned cookies.

Stone Soup and Thanksgiving Feast

For Thanksgiving, the girl's preschool always makes "Stone Soup", based on the classic French folktale of how a young man (or soldiers, depending on the storyline)convinces a greedy woman to make soup from a stone. The kids all get to add their own can of food to the "Stone Soup" and all the parents and family are invited for a feast. The kids get dressed up in costumes and make crafts to decorate the tables. They love hosting their family and friends, and it is fun to see all the hard work the kids (and mostly the teachers!)have done.



Nana came and joined Sugar, Sparkle and myself for the feast.