My friend, Chris McNeal, told me to be at Bass Pro on this day at 11:00 a.m. She didn't tell me why for a long time. Last week she explained her church choir was going to do a "flash mob"at Bass Pro to kick off the Marine's Toys for Tots drive.
This is some video of the event. The songs began with someone in the crowd just belting out a solo in the middle of Bass Pro's main entrance. The choir is located in sections nearby and join in after the soloist begins.
It was beautiful to be a part of it.
At the end of this clip is a peek at Mallory watching.
A couple of years ago I learned about geocaching and I thought it would be fun to do with the girls... like a real treasure hunt. Well, I tried once and got Nicole's hopes up. When we couldn't find it I gave up and never thought about it much until recently.
I found a geocaching app and, one day, as we walked on the trail, we FOUND a geocache! Granted, it was soggy and wet, but we found one! We were all so excited! We logged our find and the owners (people who did the hiding) sent me a note apologizing that it was wet. (There were supposed to be little toys inside for the kids.) They told us about a Tinkerbell geocache they had recently hidden and even offered to meet and show us where it was hidden. (Yes, I realize this could be some crazy loon so I had Britt go... with his gun.)
The couple ended up being just what I expected. Super sweet grandparents who happen to love geocaching. And, they showed us where this one was located. They warned us it was up a hill. But I don't think they realized the terrain was tough for a family. (They've since upgraded the difficulty level.) This was a geocache gone wrong. Fortunately, no one was harmed in the capturing of this Tinkerbell.
We had to go at night because "Tinkerbell's house" glowed! (These people were so nice. The accent is definitely native Ozark. LOL) All Allyson cared about was getting her hands on a flashlight!
Somewhere during this time I handed Mallory to Britt.
Scary, scary moment!! Britt slipped and fell while holding Mallory. Thank God she was fine. Britt was black and blue for quite a while. But he kept the baby safe!
Here the couple gives the girls their Tinkerbell treasure. And they explain some of the geocache basics for us. We haven't gone on another "adventure" since. We're waiting for the bruises on Britt's backside to heal. (He says this is why he calls me "Lucy" of the "I Love Lucy" show. He thinks I get into "situations" like she does. Huh? Where does he get an idea like that?)
The other day I just could not believe how loud Mallory was, even while nursing! I turned on the video... the picture only shows the bedroom window but just listen to this girl talk/grunt (and, no, she wasn't doing anything in her diaper.)!
She also likes to occasionally kick Mom in the stomach when she's nursing in bed. :(
Every year at Carpenter's Kids (Nicole's and now Allyson's preschool) they have a fall festival. This year we almost didn't go because Nicole had come down with a fever at school. But her fever quickly went away and she felt fine. We think it was a result of her flu shot the same day.
Anyway, we enjoyed the chili and nachos, a few games and the favorite hayride!
Recently Mallory has started making the most hilarious faces. (I will get a picture one of these days!) But she's also really found her voice! Love this!!
I was shocked the other day when Nicole told me Allyson's two front bottom teeth were loose. Sure enough... they were very wiggly. Wasn't expecting that for another year! Well, we just watched and waited.
Today Allyson came up to me and said her tooth was very, very loose. When I looked, one of them was already gone!! (We haven't found it.) The other was barely hanging on.
She was pretty nervous about pulling it out. But it needed to happen.
Her new smile!! (Oh my gosh, isn't she so cute?!?)
As the girls got ready for bed that night there was a lot of discussion about the tooth fairy. They were cracking us up!! Who knew the tooth fairy had financial problems? Makes sense the way she keeps giving away her money.
And they did leave her money, too. This is a copy of the note Nicole wrote on Allyson's behalf.
Dear Tooth Fairy
Hi. It has been sooooo long. I have a question. Can you look for Allyson's tooth? She lost or possibley swallowed it. Can you believe it? Allyson's only 5 and she lost 2 of them.
P.S. The money is for you.
P.P.S. Look in Nicole's pillow.
Love, Nicole and Allyson
This was the note the Tooth Fairy left this morning:
Dear Allyson,
Well, this is VERY special! There are not very many kids who lose TWO teeth on the same day!! And their first teeth, too! For this reason, I am leaving TWO dollars! I was a bit surprised by this (you've only just turned 5!) so did not come with your special book. I will bring it to you soon. (It will be a surprise.)
Take good care of your teeth... I can tell you do. The one in the pillow is very clean! (I didn't find your other tooth.) I will let you keep this one so your mom can put it in your baby book.
Oh - and THANK YOU - and Nicole - for the money!! You are the very first kids to ever leave me anything. Brought happy tears to my eyes. Love you both!
The Tooth Fairy
A couple less teeth and a couple more dollars =
one happy five-year-old!
On a side note, Nicole was anxious to see what the tooth fairy had left for Allyson. So we peeked before she left for school while Allyson was still sleeping. The tooth was still in the pillow (so I thought) but it has fallen out somewhere. How is it possible to lose two teeth and then "lose" two teeth??
Nicole was so sweet on the morning of Allyson's birthday. She decorated the kitchen downstairs while I was feeding Mallory.
She made arrows from the upstairs leading to the kitchen.
This was 100% Nicole. Although Daddy helped hang the signs.
And Daddy made Allyson's favorite pancakes.
Later that day she enjoyed a gymnastics birthday party!
(Warning: I took way too many pictures.)
Our good friend, Chris McNeal made her cake. She wanted it to look like her dog, Marrie who recently went to doggie Heaven. :(
Friends, Darcy, Nicole and Holland
Even Mallory got to spend some time in the baby foam pit.
Allyson's friend, Kyra, is sweet and almost as tiny as Mallory!
Mimi and Nicole
AJ
Kyra
Time for cake and ice cream!
Holland made her the sweetest card and gave her hand-picked gifts.
She got a Build-a-Bear from a friend... that was a big hit!
Probably her favorite gift was from our neighbor, Blake. A set of four horses, one of which looks like Copper, the horse she's been riding recently. Both girls adored this gift!
AJ and Hunter gave her a dog that looks - and yaps - like Marrie. :)
For favors, the kids got medals and little trophies. Allyson handed them out.
Chris' husband, James, finally got to meet Mallory.
Daddy got me some roses as he often does to commemorate the job I did bringing the kids into the world!
Once we were home, the girls played together with the horses.
Later, as we got ready for bed... Mallory was playing and rolling...
And we announced we had one more special gift from Nicole. Something she had been planning and working on for a long time. (Mom was having a hard time finding the time to help her. In fact, I ended up having a babysitter help.)
The girls like the movie, "Despicable Me." In it, one of the girls loves unicorns. Nicole decided to make her a unicorn. We found a pattern and the sitter helped her sew it up. Well, it turned out a lot smaller than Nicole wanted. So she decided it would be a doll's unicorn. But now we had to make a doll. I knew we didn't have the time nor the expertise to make a doll. Fortunately, she was happy to find one of their old dolls that had been put away for a while. This was a favorite doll Papa gave them a long time ago. So, the old doll and the new unicorn handmade by Nicole using some scrap fabric I had at the house.
Probably one of the most special gifts ever. Allyson loved it and has plays with it.
We also gave her some pj's I was saving for Christmas. But it was Ariel wedding dress/nightgown. And it fits her now and I know she's going to love it. So, I figure, why wait? She about lost her mind with happiness.
It came with a crown, too.
Loaded down with her new bear, old dolly, and more...
