Sunday, January 22, 2012

The Fall

I'm way behind on my postings - teaching the one class at the U was much more time intensive than I thought. Here are some of the things we did.

Watching a cousin's soccer game early one Saturday morning, breakfast in hand:

Lots of hiking, just us, and with friends:

One of our hiking destinations was closed to to some early snow - this was taken at the closed gate - I love the fall colors with the snow:

R took advantage of the brief stint of now:

Papa and Grandma came to visit:

Halloween:

Preschool bookclub, which we love:

Playing in the leaves:

or cleaning them up:

Visits to Wheeler Farm and the zoo - a bit chilly but doable:

My sweet turkey:

Finding entertainment on random errands - running through the clothes:

Some favorite moments of 2011

I am constantly awed by the beauty of these mountains. Look at the backdrop of this playground. Kev carrying E, and R running ahead on a beautiful early Fall day.

Here's another one within walking distance.

I will take any snuggle time I can get.

So will Kevin:

Just looking at this melts my heart - she likes to hold my hand in the stroller when someone else is pushing her. Kills me.

E has almost mastered feeding herself this year. The learning process has required a newfound ability to just embrace the mess on my part. Love that face though:

Rare and precious moments. Quite the daddy's girl:

So many sweet sister moments - too many to include or are in other areas of the blog:
Sweet friends, snuggled under the blanket.

Reading together after bath:

Reading before bed:

Waiting patiently before their portrait:


Holding beanie babies from their Great Grandma:

4 years old!

I can't believe I have a 4 year old! What a sweet girl we have! She chose lemon cake and a Tinkerbell candle, and of course, many princess balloons. She had so much family come out to celebrate her big day with her: Gramsey, Dowdells, Harrises, Mitchells, and Petersons. She felt loved and special - her favorite part still is the singing and blowing out of the candles. I think this is the last year I can get away with such a simple bday party. I'm so grateful to all of our family members who came to support R.

Here are answers to some questions - it's funny how a lot of them have changed already:

1. What is your favorite color? Pink

2. What is your favorite toy? Polly pocket princesses

3. What is your favorite fruit? grapes

4. What is your favorite tv show? Little Bear

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? sandwiches

6. What is your favorite outfit? Purple dress with green and yellow flowers from Costco and some form of pants underneath

7. What is your favorite game? Hi Ho Cherry O

8. What is your favorite snack? yogurt

9. What is your favorite animal? Not a huge fan of animals – says giraffe

10. What is your favorite song? Wicked soundtrack

11. What is your favorite book? Just Say Please by Mo Willems, also any princess story

12. Who is your best friend? Lexi at Holladay Preschool

13. What is your favorite cereal? Oatmeal Squares

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Rake and play in the leaves

15. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk

16. What is your favorite holiday? Easter “because you get lots of candy” – weird bc we’ve never given her candy on Easter

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Yellow blanket (especially its tag) and a baby

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Lemon pancakes

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Spaghetti

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A mother


With some cousins, who are a couple years older.

With other cousins, a tich younger. She LOVES to play with all of her cousins! We are so lucky to be close to so many.

The family picture since I realized we didn't have one since her last birthday.

Christmas time

The Christmas season began with R's first dance recital. Here she is in costume with Kev before the recital:


I asked her to show me one of her dance poses - I love it! However, it looks like she may have gotten her mom's dance talent. Poor girl.

We got a tiny bit of snow, but it didn't stick. The girls were so excited to put on their snow gear even though it just barely covered the ground.

I love our Christmas Eve traditions. I wish I had more pictures from the music, but here's the annual Nativity scene. I didn't get a pic of R as an angel, but E got to be the baby Jesus - quite a large one. Poor Mary. I was shocked E stayed still, but she found a random pacifier (neither girl has liked pacifiers, so I don't know where this came from) and was quite attached to it. I guess I was happy about it.
Donkey, Mary, Joseph, and the ginormous baby:

Wise men visiting:

Play time with cousins after:

Christmas morning fairies:


We had to be fairies for our outing to the aquarium:

Some snapshots of family time - I've heard people say E looks like her cousin, and this is the first time I've really seen it so clearly:

Story time with Gramsey:


Nothing like the magic of Christmas with these ages. We especially love all of the family time. We are so blessed.

January 2012

We began 2012 in sunny and warm southern California with Kevin's parents. The weather averaged mid 70s. Needless to say, we were in heaven. The girls wanted to be outside constantly! I was right there with them.

Here they are waiting for our flight.

Our first night there, the girls took a long, fun bath in Grandma's tub. I got E out before R and got her in new jammies and a night diaper. She was playing with something in the other room with me, and when I turned my back to do something (I can't remember now), she had jumped back into the tub. She was stoked!


In addition to playing outside, some highlights included Disneyland, a beach day, Balboa island (more beach time), and just time with Mitchell family.

We had some magical days - this particular day, we set up the kids' table with toys and then we picked limes from the tree. R helped Grandma decorate bags, then E and R filled them with limes, and we delivered them to the neighbors. We also made lime sublime with the rest of the limes.


Beach day may have been my favorite day. We had weather where your warm in the sun, but not too hot or even sweating. The girls were so content - E digging in the sand, and R playing in the waves. We sat in chairs and just soaked in the vitamin D.

Kev started out playing with R in the waves.

E did not move from this spot.

Here is our setup:

R happy to play in the waves without us - she made friends with some other kids and had a blast!

R resting after wave jumping


We grabbed lunch at Ruby's Diner on the pier. R made fast friends with the lady in the background catching fish. R has no fear when it comes to strangers. Pretty funny to watch.

Family pic...


Disneyland day was R with her Dad, Grandma and Papa. She was in heaven - they stayed for 12 hours! I got a day with E at home. I loved my one on one time with her. I worked on my course while she slept. I made sure Kev sent me pics and videos - I was sad to miss it.

When they first arrived.

Last year, the princess line was long - this year did not disappoint. Same thing - here's R waiting.

What are the odds that we get 2 out of 3 of the same princesses? I would think low... Luckily, R did not seem to mind. At least this time, she knew who Tiana was this time. She loved Ariel, as well, but she told me Aladdin was her favorite. I was surprised he was with the princesses.

She got a good nap during lunch - critical for the rest of the day.

Here is another highlight of the day - Jake from "Jake and the Neverland Pirates"! R is really into this show right now.

We got time with dear Aunt Edna, who is 93. The girls loved running around her yard and playing with her cat.

Here we are on Balboa Island - the girls wanted more time on the beach:

Lyndsay and Chad joined us.

I arranged a surprise gathering of Kev's childhood friends. One came all the way from Fresno! They had a blast catching up! I'm really bad at keeping surprises, and I did it this time. =) Seeing him truly surprised was priceless.

It was a tough adjustment back to real life and colder weather. I decided to buy a Discovery Museum membership, and we've been loving it.

This day was a bit chilly, and so we got the helicopter all to ourselves for a full 15 minutes. Such a blast! R loved to be the pilot, run out to rescue someone, radio it in, and fly us back. E loved being along for the ride. I'm not sure what she's so serious about here.

Loving bath time - the necklaces must go everywhere with E.

We finally got some snow here!


It's going to be a busy semester for me, but not as bad as last semester, I'm hoping. I enjoy the challenge - makes me appreciate the time I get with my family even more.