Daddy Daughter Dates 2015

In 2014 Eric started taking the girls on "Daddy Daughter Dates".  The girls got to take turns going on a date with Daddy throughout the year.  It is a time that each girl looks forward to when it is their turn to go on a date with Daddy.  When it is their turn they get to think of something fun that they want to go and do with Daddy.  Then Daddy picks the date on the calendar that works the best (with help from Mommy) and takes them!  This has been fun for Eric and the girls to do together.  They get to have one on one time and lots of attention from Daddy.  We didn't get in as many Daddy Daughter dates in 2015 as we did in 2014.  But as you will read below, there was no lacking in the "Fun Department".

**GUEST BLOGGERS**

 ~ Eric and the girls ~ 

Saturday, January 24th - Date with Sarah

Derby Recreation Center

Sarah is quite the athlete.  For our date, she wanted to go swimming, so we decided to go to the Derby Recreation Center. 

                  Before swimming we practiced some basketball.  Look at that good looking shot!

We swam for almost 2 hours.  We climbed the rock wall in the deep end of the pool, jumped off the diving board, did handstands in the water, and played water basketball.

It was fun and exhausting.

Friday, January 30th - Date with Phoebe

3-Ring Circus

Phoebe got a free ticket to the Circus Spectacular at the Kansas Star Casino, so we thought it would be a great idea to make it our date.

There were a lot of cool animals that did some amazing things.  The animals included elephants, horses, tigers, camels, donkeys, ponies, .  Phoebe's favorite animal was the elephant because people were riding them.  The tigers did tricks.  Phoebe liked watching the high line guys.  They sat on a chair.  Phoebe recalled that, "Anyone (no one) fall off."  She got some cotton candy.  It was blue and it was yummy.  

During the intermission, we saw our friend, Carl, with Michelle, Mya, and Zariah, sitting 15 rows in front of us.  There was room next to them, so we went and sat with them for the remainder of the circus.

The circus lasted for three hours, so it was after 10pm by the time we left.  As you can see by the picture above that Phoebe was very tired.  Phoebe was really happy and really sleepy.  She fell asleep on the 15 minute ride back to our house.

Saturday, August 22 - Date with Sarah
Movie and Ice Cream

We had many months between dates.  Sorry for the delay girls.

We took a selfie outside the movie theater.  We went to the Minions movie.  It was alright but not near as good as the Despicable Me movies.

We then went to Freddy's for ice cream.  Sarah had a monster sized sundae.  I had a dipped cone.

Saturday, September 12th - Date with Phoebe
Exploration Place and McDonald's

Phoebe and I decided to go to the Exploration Place.  No one from the family had ever been there before so we were going into uncharted territory.

Phoebe loves puzzles and the like so this was a great place for us to go.  We built block towers (right) and hooked up small electric motors (left)

We also flew an airplane in the flight simulator (left).  After a few hours we went to McDonalds for ice cream and to play in the play place.  We liked the Exploration Place enough that we bought a year membership.  Thank you Phoebe for a fun and learning date.

Family Christmas Togetherness

We had Christmas at my parents house the evening of Friday, January 1st.  We were all anxiously awaiting Lindsee and EP's arrival ALL. DAY. LONG.  When they finally got there we ate dinner together and got busy unwrapping presents.  We all had some goodies and snacks in our stockings too.

Matt got one of his usual presents of Pistachios from Dad and Mom.  He loves those!  And, Lindsee got an array of scarves.  She is a scarf wearer, unlike me.  Maybe living in Colorado you need scarves to help keep your neck warm.  I don't have a cold neck, and I don't like the feeling of having something wrapped around my neck...it could be my claustrophobicness or it could just be I am weird.  Anyway...

All three kids got new scooters from Uncle Matt.  Way to rock the present giving Matt!

Sarah was super excited to give people her own presents, handmade and not handmade this year.  In the picture below Popee is displaying his new fish bookmark that Sarah gave him.  She couldn't wait for him to unwrap this gift from her.  So adorable...Sarah's gift-giving, and the picture below of Popee, Sarah, and the fish bookmark.

Sarah also gave plastic ball ornaments filled with Hot Chocolate to Grandma Sharon and Popee and Nanee.  She even included a little tag on Popee and Nanee's that said, "drink this while you watch movies".

I love giving and getting gifts.  Eric says gifts is one of my love languages.  I got some great gifts this year for Christmas!  I got so excited to open my presents during a few of the rounds of present opening at Dad and Mom's house this year I skipped my husband and opened my gifts before him.  We were supposed to be opening youngest to oldest, which technically would make my Eric opening his gifts prior to me.  He wasn't too upset, but the third time it happened everyone might have sighed and rolled their eyes at me just a little bit. 

Silas was happy to get the two games he had been wanting.  Thumbs up to Lindsee and EP who found the Mr. Mouth game for this cutie-pie.  Mr. Mouth was an old favorite game of Matt, Lindsee, and I from when we were little, and Silas LOVES IT.

Silas also got very happy when he got a backpack from Nanee and Popee.  He has never had a backpack of his own, and could not wait to put things in it and try it on.

New pants for Phoebe and new boots for me!  Yes, new BOOTS!  My family knows me and loves me.

Saturday we had fun together playing games inside.  We tried out Silas's new Cootie game.  Phoebe was the first Cootie winner.

Next up was Mr. Mouth.  EP was the very best at this game.  He could shoot his flies into the moving frog mouth with ease.  The rest of us shot flies high in the air, crooked, at each other, onto the floor, and back onto the table.  Pitiful fly shooters we are.

Silas got very frustrated and needed some lessons from Uncle Eric on shooting flies into the big frog mouth.

Mom and Dad were given this John Deere Gator from a good friend whose grandchildren had outgrown it, and thought Sarah, Phoebe, and Silas could get some enjoyment out of it.  Dad bought and put on some new front tires and it was as good as new.  Sarah and Phoebe both liked driving it around the driveway and front yard.  Silas wasn't so sure about driving and wanted to just ride along with his sisters for the first day....

But on Sunday, he was ready to drive.  He drove himself around for about an hour, and gave his sisters a few rides around the yard too.

We also got to spend time with Uncle Ernie and Aunt Judy.  We played some card games, ate together, and visited.

On Sunday afternoon we got out the Cookie Train Kit and the Gingerbread House Kit.  We all learned or got reminded that Dad is very particular about the icing and the icing bags.  No haphazard icing bag squeezing allowed!  Keep it full and pushed down into the end of the bag at the tip for the most precise icing drawing and piping techniques.  For real.  Love you, Dad.

After much discussion we used dad's hot glue gun to glue all the major house and train pieces together.  This was much faster, easier, and held much better than the icing.  Then we used all the icing for decorating purposes only.

Lindsee and my parents have much more patience than I do while doing this "fun" activity.  I always nominate myself to be the official photographer of this yearly event.  That way I don't need to get frustrated or overreact when icing and candy and sprinkles get on EVERYTHING and all over EVERYWHERE.

Silas licked his little fingers A LOT.  He just happened to get a LOT of icing on his fingers each time he tried to put a candy on the train.

Below, the finished Gingerbread House...

Below, Silas's finished Cookie Train Engine....

Below, the girls and their finished Cookie Train Cars....

Below, the entire finished Cookie Train, all hooked together...

Phoebe wore her "I Love Grandpa" shirt and wanted her picture taken with her Popee.

Monday, our last day together with EP and Lindsee, we packed, played more games, and watched some movies together. 

Thanks family for a nice time together again this Christmas, and for all the wonderful gifts.  We are all very blessed.