Tootsie Pop

Grace had her orientation today at her new pre-Kindergarten class.......it was a special time for her to come meet her teacher in the classroom that she'll be in this year......she got to see where little storage cubby, her name tag, her coat hook, and her spot at the long table will be for the year. She also did a couple developmental tests with another teacher while we met with the teacher by ourselves. (I think we have more rules than the kids do) Anyway, Grace is really excited to start school one week from today on her 4th birthday! She gets to bring in treats that day......maybe even cupcakes!

Anyway, Grace's teacher Mrs. Mikesell gave her a little treat bag on the way out today that had, among other things, a tootsie pop. Here is a video clip of Alison trying to share in the treat.

Popsicle Twos

Well, it's cooled down in the last few days, but it's still warm enough to enjoy some frozen treats! Here are Grace and Ali enjoying a Push Up and an organge popsicle, repectively. Their clothes didn't look this nice when they were done.....


I think Ali's starting to get some brain freeze......

And, then here's Alison and her Pop Pop enjoying a little ice cream together this past weekend

I think she'd follow that spoon around all day.....

Eight (Months and Havin' a) Ball

The big write up is at the bottom this time -


Alison sitting in daddy's chair....not sure if she's ready for her close up.....
That's a little more like it.....who resists these eyes?
In case you can't tell, Alison is smiling in this picture with Sis....

All she needs is a trumpet and she's good to go......

I think somebody told her those teeth will eventually come in.....
Grace flying solo in this picture.....
Mommy and Little Red Skelton... (that jokes for Papa)
Mommy and Ali with their matching shirts.......

When you are a little kid, and it's 30 days until your birthday or Christmas (which was pretty much the same for me with the Dec 22nd birthday - I celebrated a Christian Hannukah), time draaaaaaaaaaaaags even with the help of those advent chains or calendars. Anyway, when you are the parent of two kids, 30 days is a blink of an eye.....it's 30 Eggos, 60 Disney Princess Gummie vitamins, and 87 time outs for Grace; and it's 150 bottles of forumula, 60 helpings of baby fruit, 30 helpings of baby veggies, and 2 or 3 milestones for Alison.

Alison's officially 8 months old and she'd doing really well.....she can pull herself up on to the coffee table now.....she's crawling a little bit, although the legs move faster than the arms, and best of all, she can say "da da"! Not that she means me because she calls the couch "da da" too. Hope you enjoy the pictures of the Storm girls!

Good Mornin'

I heard Ali moving around in her crib this morning, and this is how I found her......I'm not sure how she got "Teddy-Blankey" on her back like that, but I thought she looked pretty cute....bed-head and all......

Some more VBS

Here's a little more of Grace singing at the closing service of her VBS week.....this one is cute because of Grace and the little boy to her left trying to out sing each other.....I'll probably have one more video later from this night because they did quite a few songs that evening.

Down by the Old Mill Stream

The girls were playing with some toys in the basement tonight.....Alison felt like it was a piano night....

She's not sure if that last note wasn't a little sharp

A happy Grace rushes the stage and takes a quick pic with a stunned Alison

Alison stands next to the piano....she's getting better with her balance... Grace serves pretend refreshments during intermission.....we could afford her pretend prices because we gave her pretend money.... Alison switches to a smaller set of ivories for a 10 minute toddler-version of John Lennon's Imagine....."Imagine there's no napping, it's easy if you try.....no fussing, no fighting, when mommy kisses buh-bye....Imagine all the babies, sleeping thru the night, yoo-hoo, you may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only, hon, I hope someday this December, I will get gifts and become 1".....

Sunday, Crying Sunday

Some more VBS-related videos and pictures -

These first two are of Grace clowning around before the closing night of VBS.....I think this first one she's trying to see if she can get her cheeks to touch each other on the outside.

This second one Gracie Oakley gets ready to ride the range in her spankin' new cowgirl hat....
And finally.....you have heard about it, but now you can see it live (on tape).....Grace's final performance of her first year of VBS.....they brought the kids up to the front of the church at the end of our first service and at the beginning of our second service to do a couple songs that they learned during the week. Grace was really nervous when I told her over her Sponge Bob Eggo that she'd performing with all the other kids.

The first service went ok......she was scared so she just kind of stood there quietly and rubbed her eyes every so often. No huge deal. Between services, she told me she wanted milk, mommy, and to go home. But, we had her stay and try a second go round. The following clip is the resulting performances. Check out the little girl in the pink dress next to Grace....she's so sweet to be concerned about Grace.

Look out Ginger Rogers

Alison was having some fun this morning dancing in her crib......she's been fussy quite a bit the last couple days.......we think it's her teeth.....but here's some bouncing around and some smiles....part way thru she starts dancing along to Grace's VBS entry on the blog....enjoy!

Vacation Bible School

Grace had her first ever week of Vacation Bible School at the church this week. She had a blast!!! The theme was Avalanche Ranch - A Wild Ride Through God's Word....so there was plenty of cowgirl (we're biased here in the Storm house) hats, buffalo chips, and ridin' on the range. Here's a clip of Grace singing with the rest of the kids at the closing chapel service....the theme song.....it's called Wild Ride....

PS - The boy that she's knocking around is one of the school principal's son.....but I think the video clearly shows he started it.....that's our story and we're sticking to it! Especially when we get pulled in the office for her attitude in third grade.

It's all good in the old neighborhood

Ashley took the girls over to play with kids from the old neighborhood this morning.....they had a lot of fun playing outside before it go too hot.


Here's Gavin, Caleb, and Grace having a quick push-up snack (they don't just make them in orange anymore)....
Alison hanging out in a deck chair for wee ones......
Here's Alison and Gabe (Gavin's little brother)....they were born about a week apart....
Camden (Caleb's little bro) getting in on the excitement....

Tune in later this weekend for some VBS video.....

Face the Nation

Grace was running around the family room the other night when she slipped and hit the coffee table....we need to get this girl a helmet and some goggles.....it's her 3rd fall in a week that's been decently painful. Here's a few photos of her black/purple/green eye....notice the sparkly teeth....she had her first teeth-cleaning at the DDS on Wednesday.....and then a couple photos of her new dress "that Papa bought me" as she calls it......