Happy Birthday Kimmie!

Kimmie turned four years old last week! She's getting so big. For her birthday she wanted a caterpillar cake and a party at the park. Fortunately the weather cooperated so we had a fun night at the park with grandparents, three uncles, and next-door neighbors. Earlier, I took her to the Build-a-Bear factory to make a special stuffed animal for her. She, of course, chose the sparkly pink unicorn. I warned her that we would not be able to get any clothes for it if she chose that one, but she didn't really care. Both she and Emily like it a lot. Our neighbors gave her a soft bride doll, that she absolutely loves and takes with her everywhere. The two girls are allowed one toy to sleep with at night and they have been taking turns with those two things ever since Kimmie's birthday. So, here's pictures:

Dinnertime

The birthday girl

Cute sisters!

Three munchkins, impossible to get all three looking forward at the same time!

The birthday haul. There were stick-on earrings and a cool lollipop and a disney princesses balloon in there too, but it's obvious what the favorites where...

10 things about Kimmie, age 4:

1. Spunky: she knows what she likes and it not afraid to let it be known.

2. Observant: Kimmie is very visual and picks up on the littlest details. Not much escapes her.

3. Frank: she will voice said observations exactly as they appear in her head. If you want an honest opinion, she's the one to ask. If not... well, she might tell you anyway.

4. Friend: she plays so well with both Emily and Calvin. Calvin adores her and it is so fun to listen to the two of them giggling over who knows what. She and Emily will play for hours with their stuffed animals, usually some variation of mommies and babies.

5. Mischevious: Kimmie will dare to do things that the others will not. In some ways she and Calvin are a troublesome pair because Kimmie will think things up and Calvin has no fear in following and taking it a step further. If those two are together and it is quiet, then there is definitely trouble.

6. Sweet: Kimmie loves bedtime stories, songs and hugs. She always wants me to kiss her on the forehead after she gives me a kiss goodnight. And sometimes, she just needs a hug.

7. A flair for fashion: Kimmie always notices what earrings I'm wearing or compliments a dress I'm wearing. She loves skirts and jewelry. She has a definite taste in clothes that I have yet to figure out. She has some pants she wears all the time, and others she refuses to, and I am not sure what the system is. Maybe there isn't one, and it's just little girl capriciousness.

8. Games: She loves games. She loves to play them with you whenever you can. This I am not very good at. Sorry, Kimmie. I will try to be better.

9. Eyes: She gets comments on her sparkling blue eyes wherever she goes. And she has the Butler eyelashes that set them off perfectly. And the dimples. Man, Daddy better be ready when this girl is ready to date!

10. Kimmie is just, Kimmie. There is no one like her in the world. I love her laugh and her spunk and her wrinkled nose expressions that she saves just for me. She is as stubborn as I am which spells trouble sometimes, but I also love that she knows her mind and what she wants. I love you Kimberly Ann!

house update 2

As for the house...
Ceilings are done. John and I finished up the painting of ceilings late one night last week, I don't even remember which night. I just came home with white hair and paint all OVER myself, and aching shoulders and neck. Upstairs bedrooms are painted, except and master and the hallway, which I haven't actually picked up the paint for yet. But the trim is done, thanks to Dad, John and Gary. I am most definitely not a patient person: I did one room's trim and got so frustrated with how slow and tedious it was I had to go do something else--namely sanding down kitchen cabinets. I bought an electric hand sander, and it is SO much better than trying to do it on my own! The cabinets have this old, gummy-feeling finish on the inside that takes forever to get off and gums up the sandpaper, but it went a lot faster with the electric one. So, we have painting and more painting of walls upstairs, fixing of leaky faucets, painting the insides of cabinets, a deep cleaning of the carpets, general cleaning, and then I think we can move in! The rest of the painting downstairs, the outsides of the kitchen cabinets, bathrooms wallpaper removals and other home improvements (like a floor in the family room) will have to come more slowly.
Here's a few pics, although they were just taken with the camera phone so they are kind of fuzzy...

The girls' room, painted green. You can't really see the color, but I love it! At some point here I'm going to paint a pink and white border around the room. Calvin's is the same color, but his will have a blue border, maybe brown too.

Front door and hallway, ceilings are done. The stairs are just to the left of the door, the front room to the right, and the bathroom is that doorway you can see.
Hole in the kitchen ceiling is patched, and painted! 30 year old stove I dream of getting rid of but will have to save my pennies for a new one. That window over the sink is like four feet long, maybe five. I had this idea of doing pendant lighting over it.. would that look weird or get in the way over the sink?

Family room, I think the ceilings look so great! John, you worked so hard and it looks fabulous! Thank you thank you thank you, I love you! BTW, that's the fireplace under all the plastic.

Tag-ged... ABCs

Since this is the first time I've ever been tagged (by my sis) I thought I'd actually do it.

A: Attached or Single: Attached

B: Best Friend: John, followed closely by mom and sisters

C: Cake or Pie: Cake, even if it's just for the frosting. Though cherry pie drenched in vanilla ice cream is pretty darn good too.

D: Day of Choice: the day the house is done and we are moved in. Or Sundays.

E: Essential Items: sleep. Oh, items? Uhhh.. diaper bag, I guess, if I remember it.

F: Favorite Color: plum

G: Gummy Bears or Worms: depends on my mood. I like them both

H: Home Town: Ferndale, WA

I: Indulgences: far too many, too often, of late. dove dark chocolate, blue bunny ice cream

J: January or July: July, definitely. I hate being cold!

K: Kids: Three, though sometimes it seems like more. Emily is 5, Kimmie almost 4, Calvin 20 months.

L: Life is incomplete without: family

M: Marriage Date: Dec. 22, 2001

N: Number of Siblings: 4 — 2 sisters, 2 brothers

O: Oranges or Apples: apples, honeycrisp or pink lady. good oranges are just too rare.

P: Phobias: housefires, any kind of major disaster

Q: Quote: The one about how life is supposed to be full of joy by Pres. Hinckley.. I'm too tired to look it up at the moment.

R: Reasons to smile: three little monkeys, Calvin's cute voice saying "nee-nock" (his word for donkey) or "kiss, Kimmie? Kiss, Em-lee?" at bedtime. John trying to be funny, spring flowers, the pretty green paint in the kids' new rooms. The fact that my own home is about a week or so away.

S: Season: spring in Kentucky, I miss all those gorgeous blossoms, especially the weeping cherry trees, and my tulips! It was even worth all the allergy problems!

T: Tag: Brianne, Amber, Wendy, Lisa... if you want to.

U: Unknown fact about me: I don't like pudding. Or Jello, or yogurt.. or anything of that particular consistency. Are you supposed to drink it or eat it?

V: Vegetarian or Meat Eater: Balance, mostly. I suppose I should be eating more veggies.

W: Worst Habit: Procrastinating everything I don't want to do but need to.

X: X-rays: umm... what? Maybe when I broke my arm as a kid, maybe lungs since then. I dunno.

Y: Yummy favorite food: Yeah, that would be pizza. I made this delish pesto pizza with lemon chicken and mozz. cheese and fresh tomatoes. Better than papa johns, except it takes two hours for me to make and 15 minutes for them...

Z: Zodiac sign: Leo, though what that's supposed to signify, I have no idea.