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Monday, May 21, 2012

Solar Eclipse

View from our deck of the "Townies" flocking to the hills to view the eclipse

6:26 P.M. Full Eclipse

On Sunday, our little spot on the hill became an attraction for many people who were hoping to beat the cloud cover and view the annual eclipse of the sun.  The Astronomers of Humboldt invited the public out to the Kneeland Airport to observe the eclipse.  The club had a public viewing area with eclipse glasses, pinhole cameras, and telescopes with special filters that allowed observers to view the sun without harming their eyes.  While hundreds for people flocked up the hill, we watched the eclipse from the comfort of our deck.  Steve made a filter for our camera and snapped many photos of the phases of the eclipse (more photos to come).  He also snapped a photo or two of all the "townies"  heading up the hill to enjoy the eclipse from our little slice of heaven.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Lalaloopsy

Zoe got her first Lalaloopsy doll for her birthday.  She loves it (so do I).  She used some birthday money to buy herself a second Lalaloopsy (so her first Lala could have a friend of course!)  Since Noah wants to be just like his big sister, he too bought himself a boy Lalaoopsy.  It's pretty sweet to watch them play with their Lalas.




 Noah with Forest Evergreen (his first Lalaloopsy).  Noah dresses
Forest during the day and at night his Lala sleeps in his undies...just like Noah :0)

Zoe with Spot Splatter Splash and Mittens Fluff 'n' Stuff.  Zoe says Spot Splatter
looks like her for two reasons.  1.  Spot has blond hair like her   AND  2. Spot has some paint on 
clothes just like she sometimes spills on herself

Sew Let's Party

Last weekend Zoe celebrated her SEVENth birthday by having a sewing party.  I was so busy helping the girls make skirts that I didn't get many pictures of the party happenings.  Zoe was thrilled to celebrate her special day by sewing and playing with her close friends.


  Pink "Button" sugar cookies

 buttons for decorating headbands
 "button" cupcakes
daisy cut lids for the mason jar cups

 Fun pink, paper, polk-a-dot straws
 dollar store candle revamp (thanks for the idea Colleen)

 headbands that the girls made while we were 
sewing skirts


 paper dolls were also available for the girls to decorate

 pincushions that I made and put in the girls' goodie baskets

 Happy 7th Birthday


I didn't get many pictures of the table.  I used a an old pattern as a table cloth 
and cut out sewing machines to decorate the table


An example of one of the skirts the girls made 

Yummy!
 The goodie baskets 


 Along with the pincushion, I made a box out of paint chips.
Inside the box, I put a sewing machine charm.  
We started a new tradition this year...
At each birthday party the girls who attend a birthday party get a charm 
that matches the theme of the party.  Another mom and I made bracelets 
and the girls add a charm.  We figure after years of parties the girls
will be able to look at their bracelets and have fond memories of the 
birthday parties over the years.  From this year alone, the girls have a fortune
cookie charm from a Chinese Tea Party,  a sewing machine charm from Zoe's 
Sewing Party, and a flower charm from a Fairy Party.




Girl paper dolls for the girls and a Caillou 
paper doll for Noah

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Construction Party

This weekend, Noah celebrated his 4th birthday.  He celebrated by having a construction themed birthday party...his first birthday party EVER!  After watching from the sidelines as Zoe has had her birthday parties the last few years, he was thrilled to be the center of attention.  We kept the party small and everyone had a great time!

 The Birthday Boy

 Zoe and Ramsey "building"

 Construction Worker

 Another Member of the Crew

 Laura and our Foreman Vic
Safety First

 Party Snacks
 Goodie Buckets for the party goers
 Gum balls were a must since chewing gum is a 
rite of passage in the Macknicki household



 Goodies for the party guests

PB&J/PB& Honey Sandwiches shaped like hammers, saws, 

bulldozers, drills, construction hats, and wrenches
 The Cake

 Cake again from a different angle


All Lit Up!

The inside of the cake...my attempt at making the inside
look like caution tape

Easter In Photos

I don't have much time or energy to write about our trip to Fresno for Easter so I'll leave you with photos to recap the day.

 Excited to be awake at 11:00 P.M. to head to 
church for the midnight Pascha service

 Zoe hunting for Easter Eggs at Baba and Papa's House

 This one was NOT lacking in enthusiasm for the goodies 
he found inside each of his eggs.  

 Bubbles from the Easter basket...not quite as messy
as last year (see link if you don't know about THE bubbles)
 Yes!  More goodies!

 See, the enthusiasm never waned!

 Bubble Girl!
 This one just won't stop growing!

 You would think I had put gold in his eggs!

 On the hunt for the special gold colored eggs

 excited!

 Aha!  Found one!



 Goofy Noah!

 Silly Zoe!