Aunt Steph Brings Cool Things

If you've read my blog for long you know that I have a fantastic Sister-in-law, Stephanie. She's so wonderfully artistic and creative. The kids LOVE her and she's wonderful with them. She thinks of things that they'll enjoy and does the most interesting things with them when she's with them. They just love her creative mind and all the fun that she brings into their lives.
She and her band recently released a new CD that includes a song that she wrote for the kids. I'll have to put a video of the kids singing it on here some time, but here is Steph singing it.

A few weeks ago she brought some stuff over that she thought the kids would enjoy. When they first saw it they called them treasures, but they didn't know what to do with them. BUT, Stephanie had suggested we make them into kaleidoscopes. SO we did!

These were our materials.

Brubbs getting his tube ready.

After he put his flowers in he kept saying, "I see things!"

Addi decided that her "plain" tube was in need of beauty.

 

She said, "This is MUCH better."

Olivia with her materials.

KK was a little excited about making her kaleidoscope.

KK looking through her "pirate scope."

Mia being SO happy to have her tube finished! Ha!

Isaiah said "Mom. Make mine say I-S-A-I-A-H!" 

Silly Mia with her cheese face!

Olivia getting her inside parts ready for her scope.

Their finished products. They looked pretty cool on the inside too!

Thanks Aunt Stephanie(and Stephen)

 

Smittles do The Smittle Band

So, I've mentioned here before that I have an insanely talented Sister-in-Law. Stephanie, Manly's only sibling, is one of my favorite people in the world.
She's AMAZING with our kids. She's on the top of our sitter list, and has ALWAYS done a great job taking care of the kids even though she's really never been around kids much. The kids LOVE Aunt Stephanie. She's such a creative person that they just hang on every word she says. She comes up with fantastically fun things to do with them and they always hate when we come back home and she has to leave. It's been a great surprise to see what a great Aunt she is.
When I first met her I thought I'd never meet anyone quite like her again. She's one of the smartest people I know, crafty, kind, and one of the best female singers I've ever heard sing. She has crazy huge range, and can sing a broad range of music. Seriously, one of the most talented people I've ever met.
In the past two years she's started a band that does shows around the state. We've only be able to hear them play a few times because usually their shows are late in the evenings when the kids would already be sleeping. This past week, however, they were playing an early show at the library, so we loaded up the kids for their first time ever to see Aunt Stephanie in CONCERT. It was a great night of family fun. Here are some of the pictures from our night.

 

The kids all dressed in their best "rock star" clothes. This was Olivia's idea.

KK said, "LOOK! Aunt Stephanie is FAMOUS!"

I don't know who was more excited Steph or the kids. This is them watching her warm up.

Visiting with Aunt Stephanie before the show.

Brubbs waiting for the show to start. 

This is KK right after they announced the band and KK heard Steph start to sing.

Steph...singing.

The girls dancing.

Addi stood like this and watched them play almost the entire time.

Mia DANCED the whole night.

This is KK's response when Stephanie started singing the song she wrote for the kids.

Bubby's reaction when we told him this was "his song."

The big kids and Aunt Stephanie

Our Family