Mele Kalikimaka

The annual Alder After-Christmas Party boasted a fun "Dreamin' of Hawaii" theme.

So of course all these adorable little girls did a hula!

 

Merry Christmas!

We had a truly wonderful Christmas this year! I worked hard to make some of Madelyn's "wishes" come true - and Santa was good to her too of course.  :)
 

Remember those Calico Critters she was excited to get for her birthday? Well she got a few more for Christmas, PLUS this incredible "Family Camper" set that she wanted so bad!

 

Santa surprised us all with something really special. Madelyn had asked him for Jingle the stuffed dog who responds to his storybook as you read it.  Santa brought Jingle for August and his friend Bell for Madelyn, plus two books each! This was very exciting and Madelyn loves to read the stories and play with the husky pups (much more than she enjoys playing with her real pet huskies). 

The whole family gathered at Grandma and Grandpa Winkel's house later in the day for the cousins' gift exchange and more!

Audrey and Madelyn

Madelyn and Derek

 
Each family took time to share what we did for our Holiday Service Project this year.  Our original idea didn't get coordinated in time (now we know what we need to do for next year), so we did sort of a random giving experience. Madelyn colored some very nice Christmas pictures, then we put them into envelopes along with a couple of twenties. We walked around a store on Christmas Eve looking primarily for families with children. Madelyn walked right up, handed them an envelope, said "Merry Christmas," and walked away. It was fun. 

Christmas Eve

In a new-ish tradition, my parents came to our home on Christmas Eve.

Madelyn is constantly drawing and making little crafty projects, which she loves to give people! This was a special one for Grandpa and Grandma to open on Christmas Eve.

Madelyn was thrilled to receive The Polar Express since we went on the train experience a few weeks ago!

I gave my dad his very own Pilates mat and carrier strap because he is always talking about how much he loves going to those classes. He and Madelyn decided then to practice a few Pilates moves. 

Madelyn read August his new Dinosaur Rainbow finger puppet book (so cute). 

We have a happy family on Christmas Eve!

We still continue our tradition of receiving new jammies on Dec 24 and wearing them to bed.  We love our cute kiddies!!!

Yuka's Visit

It is hard to believe it's been four and a half years since Yuka lived with our family! She came to visit for a few days before Christmas.

We went ice skating.

And walked around the neighborhood admiring festive lights. 

Winter Program

Madelyn was a star at her school Winter Program! She is one of three students in Kindergarten at her school this year (all girls).
 

 

She sang really loud and had memorized several little speeches. It's so fun to compare this to her first and second school programs in 2009-2010 where she was so small and shy!

With Miss Betsy

With Miss Tonya

With Grandma Bonnie and August

With Grandpa the goofball

 

Birthday at Home

Madelyn's big Puppy birthday party was almost a week early, but we celebrated at home with a few gifts from family on her birthday.
 

 

Madelyn has really been wanting these Calico Critters and their accessories, so she was pretty excited. 

The Earth Goes Round the Sun

This is the fourth time Madelyn's birthday has been celebrated at a Montessori "The Earth Goes 'Round the Sun" ceremony. It's hard to believe she has been in school that long!
 

 

Miss Tonya placed a candle in the center to represent the sun, then for each year of Madelyn's life we looked at a photo of her at that age and sang a little ditty while she carried the globe around its orbit.

 

Madelyn also gave a "birthday present" to her school.

For her special birthday snack we brought the cutest candy cane cookies from Trader Joe's. 

Puppy Party!

Madelyn asked for a PUPPY PARTY for her 6th birthday.  And you know I love a good theme party!

Jack got to sleep over the night before the party, which helped me be able to focus on preparations while they played. 

We served mini corn dogs, and dog-shaped PB&J sandwiches, and cocoa puff cereal served in a giant dog dish (guess what that looks like!), and bone-shaped cheese breads, and some other non-dog themed food. 

Party favors

Jack, Audrey, and Madelyn at the Puppy Adoption Center, where each guest got to select a puppy, give it a collar, and fill out an adoption certificate. Next they decorated a dog tag to put on the collar. 

We played "Where's Spot's Spots?" - I drew a dalmation with no spots, then sprinkled the spots on the ground. 

It was only slightly chaotic is the kids placed the spots one at a time on Spot.  Madelyn complained about it being too crowded. The original plan for the game was for the spots to be attached to the wall somehow all over the room, and the children who found the colored spots got a prize. But I just ran out of time to get that done right and wasn't sure how to attach the spots to the wall anyway. 

I was proud of Madelyn for taking time to read her cards and appreciate each of the really wonderful gifts she received. 

 

Madelyn's traditional giant cupcake didn't turn out as good as some of my past masterpieces, but that's alright, it did fit the theme. 

The dog bones I molded in white chocolate, and the paw prints are made from a peppermint patty and three large dark chocolate chips. 

My birthday girl is almost 6 years old! (Her party was a week early)

This was a highlight of the party - eating cake and ice cream like puppies!

 

 

 

She's a very happy little pup!

Saying goodbye to her friend Olivia from school.