Eva Turns Three!

Eva turned three last week.
Throwing creative, extravagant parties used to be second nature to me. Now, just the thought of throwing a party makes me tired. But, for the first time since Eva was born, with some help from friends, I was able to pull off a special celebration for Eva's birthday. She was super excited to have an all-girl tea party.

Here she is, before the party, waiting for her guests to arrive:

Here is the amazing cake which my friend, Miranda, made:

The sugar cubes were a big hit. I'm sure they ate much more sugar than they drank tea. There wasn't a single cube left.

Eva is about as girly as girly can be. 

She loves all things pink and purple. 

She loves kitty cats, dolls, her "tiny pink blankie", and legos. 

She pretends to be bat-girl.

She loves to build things. 

She is afraid of dogs (except for Jesse). 

She can hold her own against her big brothers and never lets anyone push her around. 

She is strong-willed, yet cooperative and responsive. 

She is expressive and enthusiastic. 

She is sensitive and caring. 

She is a joy to parent! 

Happy Birthday Eva! I'm so thankful for you!!

ABCs

"A, B, C ... E, F, G ... Mom and Dad love me!"

~Eva's version of the ABC song.

McCall Vacation

McCall is one of my favorite places in the world! It's a short drive to a beautiful and peaceful getaway. My dad and step-mom rented a house there and invited us to join them for the weekend. We were so blessed by their generosity and eagerness to serve us. All summer I have wanted to go camping, and this satisfied, while providing all the comforts of home. You can tell just how much I love McCall by the ridiculous number of pictures posted.

The place where we stayed had a fabulous pool and hot tub. The kids spent the bulk of the weekend swimming.

In the hot tub.

I didn't think it possible for Eva to get any cuter, but she keeps surprising me!

Victor looks like he is 15 here. So grown up!

I love this progression of daddy and daughter having fun together.

We spent an afternoon swimming and canoeing on Upper Payette Lake.

(Eva and I are in the front of the canoe)

Eva didn't especially enjoy the canoe (it was very wobbly).
This is her and Gramma Linda hanging out on the shore.

Relaxing back at the house after.

A trip to McCall is not complete without a beautiful hike in the mountains. Chipmunks, squirrels, foxes, and deer are commonplace in McCall. You might even see an occasional bear. We were very surprised by the unexpected animal we encountered blocking our path.

Eva insisted on being carried for most of the hike.
I love my Ergo!

Here it is. This guy was huge!

She hiked very briefly after we stopped for a snack.

A dusty, dirty hike must be followed by swimming and playing on the beach at Payette Lake:

We finished our trip with a late lunch at My Father's Place before heading back to Boise.

Eva's First Haircut

This was not at all planned or I would have done "before" pictures.

After her bath this morning, Eva insisted on getting her hair cut "like Victor."

I decided to trim just the back to make her happy. Wiggling the entire time she repeatedly said, "Cut the top! Cut the top!"

I thought "like Victor" meant she wanted a haircut because Victor had gotten a haircut. I was wrong. She actually wanted her hair to look like Victor's. 

Call it selfish, but there is no possible way I could bring myself to cut off her long, beautiful locks.

I said, "Then you'll look like a boy."

Eva said with a smile, "No. I look like girl-boy."

I gave her some bangs in an attempt to appease her. She still wasn't happy. She just wants it out of her face. I don't blame her.

I over-extended her ability to hold still during the haircut, so I had difficulty getting a normal photo.

Victor & Mommy Day

Today I took Victor out for a fun day with just me & him. It was much needed one-on-one time with my little boy.

First we went to Julia Davis park and rode a paddle boat, followed by a picnic in the park and feeding the ducks.

Next, we stopped by the State Capitol for a brief tour.

We ended our date at Fancy Freeze for a very messy dip cone.