Little Red Charlie, Dec. 3

Little Red Charlie settled in at the top of the staircase banister. He can see the family room and kitchen from this spot.

Little Red Charlie, Dec. 2

Little Red Charlie is hanging out in the kids' bathroom today.

Little Red Charlie, Dec. 1

We have an Elf on the Shelf this year, a gift from Mary Mitchell Trimble. Cooper and Katie named him Little Red Charlie. (Cooper likes Charlie; Katie thought he looks like Little Red Riding Hood.)

Every night he flies to the North Pole to tell Santa the good and the bad from the Damm house. He returns while we're sleeping and settles into a new spot.

Today he was in a pitcher in the kitchen, barely peeking out. His ears always work, though.

Before church yesterday

Katie-isms

(Photo from last Sunday)

On the way to church this morning, I told Katie that she'd meet her new Sunday school teacher and class today.

"Well, Mommy, if I don't like the 4-year-old teacher, I'll just ask to move to the 5-year-old class."

***

Friends Melinda and Corey were over this afternoon to play with Cooper and Katie while I cooked.

Katie leaped from the coffee table to the sofa.

Me: Katie, don't do that. We don't jump from furniture to furniture.
Katie: Mommy, just don't watch me and it will be OK.

Cooper is 8!

Katie woke up 4

One of the traditions Steve and I love is taking a photo of Cooper and Katie the moment they wake up on their birthdays.

Here is Katie from Saturday, the day she turned 4!

Last day of preschool

Katie and Mrs. Lilly

Katie and Julianna

Katie completed another year of preschool last week. It's hard to believe that she has just one more year at ECDP and then she moves onto Bledsoe for kindergarten!

Katie had a great year. She learned to write her name and draw shapes and people. She identifies all the letters and can sound most of them out. She also learned a little more self control and is better at recovering from a meltdown.

She loved her time in music and P.E. and any chance to create art. She also learned many signs -- Mrs. Lilly is a former sign language interpreter and taught her kids all the letters and many useful words.

Click here for Katie's first day of school!

Church egg hunt

We learned today that Katie isn't the most strategic egg hunter. She scooped up just four.

I expect that next year she'll have a different plan. She wasn't happy with her portion, especially when she saw Cooper's bounty.

She is an excellent kite flyer, though. She just throws it up and starts moving with success every time! I loved watching this tiny little girl holding a string attached to a kite dozens of feet above. She was serene and happy.

Cooper's egg hunting skills are tops, but he has some kite skills to master. He wants to run before the kite has a chance to get enough lift. And he has trouble letting out string fast enough. We have a nearby field that's ideal for flying kites -- we can practice more this spring.

More photos from today's church egg hunt are here. (We loved having Delaney join us!)

Katie's Easter party

Katie celebrated Easter with her preschool class yesterday. More photos are here.