This was your outfit on picture day. I can't remember where you got the idea for the pose you struck here, but I think you nailed it.
I love when I find silly selfies on my phone when you guys get a hold of it. Check out those big brown eyes!
You have become quite the master of your own fashion choices lately. You are so sweet that most of the time I can't make myself ask you to change, so you go out of the house like this. This picture was taken in the parking lot of the grocery store, and yes, you went inside like this. Purple pants, red shirt, and a blue "hair band." It's awesome.
Swapped out the blue hair band for a wider, less obvious one and the boots for flip flops on our walk later that day.
We had more soccer fun where you got to play goalie which was really more of an excuse for you to chat with whoever was playing goalie with you. The moms had to yell at their goalie kids when the ball got close so you guys would pay attention and get the ball away.
October also brings red ribbon week at school which means getting to dress up in different themes throughout the week. Unfortunately for you make your hair look that great on regular days, and I can't make it look absolutely ridiculous on crazy hair day. This sock bun on top of your head was the best I could manage.
More soccer pictures. This is one of me and Grandma Hillier's favorite pictures of you lately. You look so grown up and like you are having a blast. You really did enjoy soccer and can't wait to play again.
Pumpkin carving with dad! We went out to the Hamblin's garden pumpkin patch to pick out our pumpkins which was fun, and this year I was smart enough to figure out that we could go early in October before the pumpkins were all picked over and still wait until the week before Halloween to carve them.
And of course you were Elsa for Halloween. I may have gently suggested you be something else since I knew there were going to be 300 million Elsa's this year, but you were insistent and I couldn't resist. I made your costume, and I'm not sure I'd do that again, and the wig was about 5 pounds and probably gave you a pretty good headache at school that day, but you had fun parading through the classrooms at the elementary and walking to the local banks to trick or treat before heading out with your brothers that night. (don't mind Ty here, who knows)
We had family pictures taken in November at which point your dad and I realized just how much trouble we are in when you are older (as if we didn't already by the fact that you have numerous admirers in kindergarten). Such a pretty personality matched by a pretty face is a recipe for trouble!
Early in November you got a new cousin when Aunt Bre and Uncle Derick welcomed baby Easton to the family. We went to Cedar to visit and happened to be there on the day they did their story book parade. It was a fun one for kids (although LONG) and ended with Santa driving by. We forgot to bring bags for any candy that might be thrown, but you just turned your jacket around so the hood was in front and called that good. Smart girl!
An action shot at a soccer game. Notice all the brothers and sisters gathered around to tell you little brothers and sisters how to play? Good job little goalie girl.
I was lucky enough to get to help at your Thanksgiving feast at school. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving you got to go to school in your pajamas and have a feast of Uncrustables, string cheese, applesauce, and chocolate milk. Before you feasted you all stood up and sang the parent helpers your Thanksgiving songs you had worked on. I was excited I got to bring Ty and Kyler and come watch.
The Saturday after Thanksgiving we headed out on the Kaibab for our Christmas tree. It didn't take too long to find one (though we didn't notice the big bow in the trunk until we got home), and all 3 of you wanted to take turns helping cut it down. Here you're limbing up the trunk for us. We then got to go check on a burn that dad had done previously that week and saw that it had crossed the line a little bit and saw a little bit of active flame. You all thought that was pretty cool but wondered why dad didn't jump out to put out the fire.
Dad knows all the cool places on the Kaibab, and he took us to a place where you can look into the Grand Canyon.
Somehow I've ended up babysitting up to 4 kids a day. It's just part time, and because the kids are all around yours and Tyson's age it works out pretty well that you all have a pretty good time together. Some days are crazier than others, but it's also pretty fun.
The primary was in charge of a gingerbread house activity for the ward Christmas party this year. I needed to run to Walmart, and we hadn't been to Page for a while, so one Saturday we set off on a quick trip that way. We had to stop by Lake Powell since Ty has never been there. We threw some bread to the few ducks that were around and then all of a sudden we were surrounded by ducks and seagulls. It was a cold, fun, and quick little stop.
The ward party was a success, and I'm pretty sure you and Ty fit as much candy as you could onto your houses.
The weather has been so nice this winter that we have tried to get to the park when we can. I'm so impressed with how well you can do the monkey bars now when before you were so scared to try.
Grandma and Grandpa Hillier did their Christmas with us a few weeks before Christmas. You had so much fun playing with baby Brody, opening your stocking with all the fun stuff grandma manages to fit in there, and getting an Elsa doll that sings. It was a fun day spent with our Hillier family.
The week before Christmas break you had your program at school. It was fun to listen to you sing the songs you'd been practicing at home all month.
And do your dance. Dad and I both have lots of video of you dancing. My friend Melissa was at the school the day before to see you practice and gave me a heads up on where to sit to see you the best, and we had a great view of you doing the dances.
The cutest elf around!
The Sunday before Christmas was the annual Pollock Christmas party. You got to play with cousins and sit on Santa's lap.
We finally got around to making cookies a few days before Christmas. I let you guys pretty much go to town on them without too much direction, so you and Ty had a few that were pretty crunchy with sprinkles, but Santa ate them up so they must have been good.
You made a train box for your kindergarten Polar Express that I somehow didn't take a picture of. I did my best to let you make it how you wanted it and not push my ideas on you, and it ended up being quite a dandy. It was light blue with silver/gray "windows" and orange wheels. It was quite a sight, but you loved it. I had picked it up from school the day of the Polar Express, but on the last day of school before break you rode the bus home and the bus driver yelled to me to come get your box. I was confused about what box but figured maybe you had a box of stuff to take home from the break. Nope, it ended up being someone else's Polar Express box. It was quite elaborate to say the least, and you and Logan and Ty have had fun turning it in to a dog house and other things. One day I walked back to ask you both something and found this. You two are weirdos.
We made our annual Christmas tree ornaments during break too. This is one of my favorite traditions, and I know they will be my favorites for years to come. We didn't have any fingerprint ornaments from Ty since he wasn't born when we did the reindeer face ones, so we did these ones this year plus a few more of the fun swirly paint ones.
On Christmas Eve we did our best to keep you guys busy until it was time to start our traditions. You opened your pajama presents complete with movie candy, popcorn, and a new Scooby-Doo DVD (that was supposed to be Christmasy but wasn't so much). Then we watched the movie and then went for a drive to look at lights. By the time we got back everyone was kind of cranky, so we sent you all to bed before putting out the cookies and milk for Santa. I remembered as I was going to bed, and good thing too because you worked hard on those cookies!
On Christmas morning we woke you guys up around 6. You all wanted to open presents first, but we convinced you to start with your stockings.
You got to play Santa this year and handed the gifts out to everyone, which was fun. I think you guys enjoy watching your siblings open the presents you got from them as much as they like opening them!
And finally I made you guys all hug in your pajamas for one of my favorite pictures of the year.
It was a great and busy holiday season, and you guys were so much fun this year. I enjoy holidays like these so much more now that I have you kids, and even though I sometimes struggle with the stress of it I am also able to let go and relax and let you guys make a mess with cookies and eat as much Halloween candy as you can, etc.
Love you so much dear Tessa,
Mom
1 comment:
Tessa, You are a super star. Love your style and your whimsy. Stay that way. Love you tons and ton.
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