Zoey's 6th Birthday Party

Zoey had her very first friend party at Flips' Gymnastics Center. She was very excited and she and her friends got to spend an hour jumping and tumbling in the gym, followed by cake and presents afterwards.
Above is the birthday crew including Anabel, Zander, Jocelyn, Anna, Hazel, Kristie, Zoey, and Kylie.

Funny kids!

Annie (as told by Nana)

I'd been holding three tickets to ANNIE for what seemed like a year (9 months...). I thought this would be a perfect play for Zoey's sixth birthday and that she would find it really exciting. After I ordered two tickets, I suddenly thought, "Gee, my grown up little girl never got to go to a play likeAnnie. Tammy used to love Annie. Why don't I see if she can come, too." I got lucky and was able to get Tammy a ticket sitting right with us row three center stage. Perfect!

Auntie Tammy and I picked up our little ball of energy all ready to go. She was dressed in her red and white ladybug dress with her hair curled - a Zoey first - just to celebrate Annie. She seems like a miniature adult sometimes with her insightful conversation, though.

The play was done strictly sticking to the original. The staging was done extremely well. The acting, singing and dancing was thoroughly entertaining. I recognized my favorite actors in new roles. Zoey was mesmerized and applauded exuberantly. She is becoming so accustomed to the theatre that she knows her way around. The souvenir area always draws her but even though I was tempted to buy her something like a t-shirt or cap, I only bought her a $1.00 button that says "I love Annie" I didn't want to start a habit of her expecting a toy or something every time we went some place. She held on to the button all through the play even when she was sitting in my lap toward the end. Unfortunately, this may be the last year she will sit in laps. She is growing so much.

Zoey can read so well that she was able to sift through the program and find next years listing of plays. "Nana, can we go to this one too?" (pointing to Pippi Longstocking). "Nana, can we go to all of them? Can we bring Zander with us?" Looking at where she was pointing I noticed "TheWizard of Oz" ohhh! "Yes, Zoey, we have to go to some of these. How about The Wizard of Oz! That is Auntie Tammy's favorite movie!"

We started home in the car and Zoey was still perusing the program. "Nana, Madagascar is also coming. Can we go to that one, too?" "Oh, that would be a good one!" I said.

"Nana, I want to do that. I want to be an actress like them."

"You,d be good at it, Zoey."

Birthday Extravaganza Continues. . .

Happy Birthday my sweet Zoey! It has been a wonderful 6 years so far. You have made us laugh and cry. We are proud of everything that you do. Although, we don't want the years to go too fast, we are excited to continue to watch you grow and learn. Please always be the sweet, genuine princess that you are! Love Mommy and Daddy

It was quite the day for Miss Zoey. "Dress Your Best" Day just happen to coincide with her birthday day--which meant everyone at school dressed their nicest. Zoey brought donut holes to daycare for a treat and mommy dropped off the cupcakes for her class at school--they had the brightest neon colored frosting I had ever seen. Not natural, but definitely matching with Zoey's color schemes. She got to eat a Dairy Queen lunch with her teacher, Mrs. Kostuch. We won that from the silent auction at her school carnival. Then she got to celebrate a little more with her daycare family and then again tonight with Zander, Daddy, and me. She basically turned the day into her own Yes Day (based on one of our favorite books by the same title written by Amy Krause Rosenthal.) We had to say yes to everything she asked. So. . .she got to stay up late, have extra screen time, climb up the ladder in the backyard (with daddy spotting her, of course), have lots of cake, etc. All in all it was a pretty good day!
She also really liked the present from us. . .her very own scooter.

Zoey's Birthday Season--Part 1

As much as I don't want it to happen, Zoey grows up a little bit more each day. On Tuesday, May 31st she will turn 6 years old. Since we are not throwing a big family party this year, Zoey will celebrate her birthday in parts. Today was part 1--Nana and Poppa cam over for dinner and dessert to help Zoey celebrate her birthday. Zoey was especially excited to receive another Magic Ticket as a gift. This ticket will get her, Nana, and Auntie Tammy into the play Annie next Sunday! It is now a tradition to go to plays with Nana--the kids love it! She also received some nice clothes--including a nightgown.


There was also a package from Grandma and Grandpa Nyhlen waiting for Zoey. We let her open it tonight only to find this super cool bed-tent! Just perfect for a princess! Tonight after Tyler put her to bed, she had some adjustment issues with the tent. She came upstairs crying that it was scary in the tent and that she felt like there were monsters in her room. I of course told her she was crazy--however I took her back downstairs to reset her. As I was tucking her in again, she said, "The girl on the box looks so happy while she sleeps!" I promised her that she will look that peaceful too when she finally falls asleep.


On a different note. . .here is a picture of the kids when they returned from a random trip to the public library. It makes me happy that they can't even wait to get up the stairs before they start digging into their books.
Zander has a new found interest in learning his letters thanks to my iPad. He came up to me today and said, "Let's learn more letters on the iPad, Mommy!" (You had to be there to really appreciate this, but when he says iPad, he points to his eye--I love that kid!)

The Livingston Porch Band

The Family Show

I am sure glad that I got to video tape this show! I think the director should win an award for this!

Try to Knock Me Down!

Zander invented a new game. The rules are simple. Throw a ball at him and try to knock him over. Notice how most of us were being gentle. . .but then there was daddy!

Easter (or as Zoey called it. . ."THE BEST DAY EVER!!!"

I have to admit, my favorite holiday is Easter. I love the message of Easter, the church service, the music, and mostly the memories that have been made playing in the backyard after a big Easter dinner. We have been fortunate to have beautiful weather on Easter--so playing in the sun has been fantastically fun! Here are more than a few pictures highlighting our day.


The day started bright and early with an Easter Basket hunt. The riddles, read by Zoey herself, led them all over looking for clues. The mailbox was just one of the places they had to go. They finally did find the baskets. . .in the bathtub!

Grandma and Grandpa Nyhlen came to visit for the whole weekend. On Sunday afternoon Nana, Poppa, Tammy, and Eric came to join us. Zander started the party with a little friendly sword fight with Nana. Argh. . .

After dinner, there was another egg hunt in the backyard.
I have to say, they are getting better at finding the eggs.

Zoey and Zander tried to catch Uncle Eric while playing "Frogger" on the swing set. It is an unsafe childhood game I remembered from my elementary days. One player had to walk down the middle of the swing set while everyone was swinging and try not to get hit--doesn't that sound like a good time?

Zoey wanted to be a human sling shot. Just wait until we introduce her to the game Angry Birds--I think she'll get a kick out of that.

She still has some mad hula-hooping skills. She just keeps getting better.

We have to give credit to Grandma for trying to show Zoey up.
It was a valiant effort on her part.

Nana and Grandma played a little game of Noodle Hockey.

Little Slugger

Gracie hid from all the excitement. She didn't like the game that used a big ball.

The Livingstons and The Plumbs

Zoey may be getting a bit old for this game. But daddy proved that he could still throw her up in the air (without dropping her!).

Another Lost Tooth

It has been loose forever, but tonight when I dropped Zoey while we were dancing, the top front tooth finally came out!

March Maddness

Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss (March 2nd). Zoey chose to go to school all decked out in Seuss gear. She borrowed my shirt and a Cat in the Hat hat--she was very proud of her ensemble.

I got some free t-shirts from school--since Zoey rides the Gopher bus to school this year, she was very excited to get a shirt with Goldie Gopher.

Zander has basically given up napping in the afternoon when he is at home with us. However, every once in a while his tiredness catches up with him and he ends up like this. . .

. . .at quiet time.

First time trying to rollerskate

As a fun girl scout outing, we took the family to try out roller skating. It didn't take me or Tyler very long to remember how to skate (although we both figured we haven't done it since about our middle school days.) It is a lot harder now that we are in our thirties, though.

The kids both gave it a try. Zoey gave it a girl scout effort. . .even though she was very unstable the entire time, she didn't want to leave and she wanted to keep trying. Zander, however, did not like the feeling for rolling around. He opted to just run around in his shoes.

Still smiling, even after taking a fall. . .that a girl!