Helena loses her first tooth

And poses for a goofy photo to prove it.

Vegetable Prep

I do have some help in the kitchen, though we still aren't doing it regularly.

Helena tossing our dinner side dishes with olive oil and salt before roasting.

And she's wearing my old shirt.

Sisters

are the best.

Husking corn

is a perfect summer job for little people.

Idaho : Birthday celebrations, cousins, crafts

Our travel day was a little shorter this trip because Grandma Irene was visiting a new great-grandchild in Arizona. We missed having dinner with her.
When we got to Grandma's house Helena was given some birthday gifts. A book, finger puppets, and a fantastic red cape sewed by Grandma. It's going to get a lot of use in their make-believe play.

We made our usual visit to the library for story time. And it was craft day so the kids got to make a tissue paper fish. We also checked in on the live fish in the library and saw the fattest koi.  
Aunt Jennifer organized a birthday party for the little girls and Mark. Millie loved her birthday tiara.

She opened presents like a pro.

 Birthday buddies.

 Balloons and the cakes that Jennifer made.

 Aunt Maryann is always a favorite with the kids.

 Aunt Becky arranged a serious crafting session. They are decorating picture frames.

Henry is pretty sure he needs a tablet just like cousin Tony.

Grandma Irene joined us for one night, it was so good to see her again.

A busy and fun trip.

More birthday cake

A visiting aunt is a perfect excuse for another birthday cake, don't you think?

Helena's fifth birthday

Ilse came over to play in the afternoon and have dinner with us.

The menu was potato soup and rolls. Helena requested a yellow cake with pink frosting.

The coloring book from Ilse was a hit and Helena generously let everyone color in it.

Little patient

Poor Helena got sick just as we were gearing up for Thanksgiving preparations.

We are glad for antibiotics and that a few days of rest had her back to normal.

Helena stirs the onions

for our refried beans. We've been a bit better about using our kitchen helper system. Penny is really going to want a day of her own soon and I'm not sure how to make that work. Having two days each week for the big kids was easy for everyone to remember.

Art

The kids painted a couple pictures one warm afternoon on our patio.

 This is Helena's "two-legged dinosaur in the woods."

Helena checks the voltage of a battery

It's good to have a dad with lots of cool gadgets.

Helena's first haircut

On Easter Helena got bangs. One quick cut of a curl in front and the hair was out of her face. It suits her.

Helena's Birthday

She opened her presents from Henry (Starburst candies) and Grandma and Grandpa (skirt and shirts) before breakfast. The we ate cinnamon rolls, fruit salad, and the individual flavored yogurts she asked for.
We celebrated Helena's birthday with our friends at playgroup with pizza and cupcakes. She was the last one eating and casually ate her pizza while we sang Happy Birthday. She says that yellow is her favorite color.There were a few more presents when Dad came home from work. She's wearing her new clothes from the grandparents. Penny enjoyed being a part of the action.She got the 18 inch doll that she had asked for. Nora is so excited for her.Mimmu and Iso joined us for dinner. Helena picked roasted root vegetable soup, rolls, and coleslaw. We finished the cake we started the day before. Happy Birthday to Helena!

Helena : 4 years old

Helena is four! She is as spunky as ever. She's still hasn't had a haircut.Penny thinks she's an excellent big sister and is always interested in Helena's whereabouts. She is such a fun person to have around.

Helena's Birthday Eve

Aunt Liisa came for a visit and we started celebrating. There were a few Christmas presents to open and the kids got Valentine's Day cards and candies from family, and of course Helena's fourth birthday was almost here. Helena opened presents from Mimmu and Iso and Liisa. Here she is jumping up and down after opening her new coin bank. For dinner we had teriyaki chicken, rice, and roasted broccoli followed by a flourless chocolate cake. Her last day of being three!

Sweet girls

Mark's sister Cindy took pictures of some of the kids while we were visiting. She always does a lovely job. She even got Helena to cooperate. Nora and Emily have always been good friends.

They're growing up so fast!

In the future...

only let Helena lick the beaters if she is wearing play clothes.

Helena puts toppings on the pizza

My kitchen help is not fast, but they are funny.

Helena's birthday

She opened the presents that her siblings had made first thing. Nora and Henry had gotten their gifts ready weeks ago and couldn't wait any longer. There were more presents to open in the evening.The dinner menu she selected: roasted root vegetable soup, bread, and coleslaw. Then we had cake and homemade vanilla ice cream. She also requested black and blue cupcakes so we brought chocolate cupcakes with blue icing to playgroup the next day.
My sisters came to visit for the long weekend and we took the opportunity to celebrate again.

Helena : 3 Years Old

She is a talker. She has never had a haircut. She doesn't feel pressure to conform. She makes us laugh.