Royals Parade

We had good luck a couple of Tuesdays ago and made it to the Royals Parade.  We had even better luck considering we got separated and still managed to watch the parade together.  Danny and I crossed at 10th and Grand, thinking Aaron and Maura were right behind us, but due to the crowd they got stuck on the other side.  Of course, that was the last time the police were letting people cross before the parade. Aaron and Maura hiked all the way around the Sprint Center and found a great spot only about 3 rows deep.  Danny and I were able to meet up with them and have lunch before the parade started.  Here are some pictures (in reverse order):

Yost and the trophy

Salvador Perez

Ben Zobrist

Mooooooose!

Lorenzo Cain

The kids had a great view!  

Waiting for the parade to start.

Good thing Aaron is tall.

Happy Birthday Maura!

We have a 4 year old (who thinks she is 8)!  Maura loves preschool, especially the days when she paints.  Recently, she just started a dance/tumbling class and has fun practicing her twirls and plies at home. Maura loves playing house or tea party with her dolls.  Yesterday her Anna and Elsa dolls were having hot chocolate at a beach.  :)  She is still our snugglebug!    

Maura had her friend birthday party at Electric Park the weekend before her birthday.  The kids got to play on the playground, eat hot dogs and sprinkle cupcakes, and decorate pumpkins.

Playground

Grandpa Bob pushing Maura and Olivia on swings

Decorating pumpkins

Eating sprinkle cupcakes

Her actual birthday was much more low key, we were all tired from the Lenexa Chili Challenge. Maura decided to have ice cream sundaes instead of cake.

Blowing out candle on sundae

Opening presents

A late back to school survey:
Favorite movie?  Little Mermaid
Favorite song?  Shake it Off
Favorite dinner?  Chinese food  or grilled cheese
Favorite things?  Playing in puddles, puzzles and candy

Happy Halloween from Luigi and a Fairy

Action pose

End of School Year - Maura Edition

Here's some highlights of Maura's year:

Meeting Rapunzel at Disneyworld

Cheering for big brother at soccer, can't wait for her turn to play!

"I don't need naps"

Becoming quite the artist, Maura loves coloring and drawing

Rocking gymnastics in a tutu

Loves to sing and dance, but will get shy if too much attention.  Maura loves to sing along to songs on the radio in the car, I am amazed by how quickly she learns them.  Lately, Taylor Swift is a favorite.

Loves pretend play - tea parties, house, dressing up

  

Happy Easter!

Checking out the loot from the Easter Bunny

Future ballerina

Easter Egg Hunt

Merry Christmas

We had a very fun holiday season, including a trip to Disney World (future blog post).  Koopa Hawka (our elf) brought a Lego advent calendar on Dec 1st to start off the season.  We didn't cross everything of our to do list, but we managed to bake cookies, see lights, watch some classic Christmas movies and visit Santa. Danny was bummed about no white Christmas, just a little bit of snow a few days before.  The kids learned some new carols, Maura's favorite is Angels Sing (Hark the Herald Angels Sing), and they rediscovered their love of candy canes.

Decorating the tree

Singing before Christmas Eve mass

Whole family before Christmas Eve mass

Danny got the Millennium Falcon and smelly markers from Santa

Maura got a fluffy unicorn and Elsa dress from Santa.  She wore it the rest of the day, glitter bombing Grandma and Grandpa's house

Opening presents

Candy canes!!

Took four days to build

Happy Halloween from a Jedi and a Witch

Happy Birthday Maura!

Maura is a 3 year old or threenager as Aaron and I have taken to calling it.  She is full of energy and smiles.  Loves playing with her dolls, doing puzzles and riding her balance bike.  Maura really wants to take a dance class this winter, so she can be a ballerina when she grows up (or maybe Wyldstyle).

Breakfast morning doughnut

Maura's birthday dinner - sliders, corn on the cob and watermelon

  

Pouring tea for her guests

Cupcakes!

Go Royals!

Still can't believe the Royals made the playoffs.  In celebration, here are some pictures from the game we went to over Labor Day weekend.  Lots of fun, even if they didn't win that night.

And because I haven't got around to a post about it, here's a picture from Maura's first day of school.

Fourth of July

We went to Downs for a long Fourth of July weekend.  After homemade ice cream, blowing up firecrackers and the Downs Celebration we were exhausted.
 

Heading to the carnival

Kids would not stop honking horns

Dragon roller coaster

Waving for candy at the parade

And just because...

Wearing gloves and hats to play in the backyard in July is normal, right?  As Maura would say "that's so funny".

Update #2

Happy Easter!

Looking for eggs

More egg hunting

Goal!  Danny played soccer for the first time.  He had a lot of fun and wants to play again in the fall.

Danny's last day of preschool.  The kids all said what they want to be when they grow up.  Danny said he wanted to be a postman.  His teacher Ms. Kristi thought he could be a architect or lawyer.

Check out Mommy's old cowboy boots

Maura is talking a mile a minute, guess that's what happens when you are two and a half years old.  She loves all things princess, but will don a cape to be Supergirl and save the day.  Fearless at the playground, will climb any ladder or rock wall and always wants Mommy to push her higher on the swing. Maura loves to sing and dance. Some day, I will get her rendition of "Let It Go", but she always stops whenever I pull out the camera.  Cutest new saying "Just two more minutes".

Danny seems like he is 5 going on 13 sometimes.  He would play video games (star wars legos, angry birds, super mario) all day.  Working on riding his bike better, so he can ride with Daddy.  Loves to help us cook. Likes to have dance parties with his mom and sister and show us his "super cool moves" while rocking out to Ghostbusters or the Happy song.