Spring!

While I'm sure we have more snow storms to come, this past week has been extra fun because of the sunny weather. The sun does wonders for my mood. I didn't realize how much until I got to be outside so much.

We've already enjoyed one hike.

Love this face

R trying to soak up some much needed sunlight.

Backyard time all day.

Two Rapunzels:

Before Spring, we used a Groupon to get 10 tickets to Jungle Jim's. The girls were in heaven.

It was so weird for me to see E do each ride by herself, especially the first picture - that ride is quite fast, but she was loving it.

Another recent highlight: Princess luncheon down in Draper with cousins. R was so stoked!! Here she is just before...meeting Rapunzel:

Here's one of the many pictures we got with each princess. R chose a Belle princess dress:

This company did a great job - lots of time with each princess. After the lunch, they broke the kids up into small groups and the kids got time with each princess doing different small activities. Here Tinker Bell has given them a little bit of her pixie dust (glitter on their faces) and she told them to wish for something they wanted. You can see R taking that wish very seriously. =)

After, she asked me why her wish didn't work: "Mom, I wished SO hard so that I could fly. Why didn't I fly?" So sad and so cute - too bad Tinker Bell could only give them a tiny bit of pixie dust so that there would be enough for the other kids. There are a bunch of other pictures from the heavenly morning for R, but these are a fair representation. For some odd reason, I don't have any of all the cousins together. Getting a few hours with just R was very fun for me.

Some highlights over the past couple months:

Ice cream after dinner - E's first cone.

Our last day with my cousin who watched them while I taught my course:

Throwing rocks into the Jordan River - they could've done this for hours.

Great boulders and a climbing tree in our neighborhood - we go here often:

Indoor picnic with all of the animals:

R holding her many babies - she came up with the way to tie them onto her body:

"Kate the Moose" - we bought her from Costco and she's well-loved. This was what I saw when I peeked over the counter while I was making dinner one night (now a common spot for E):

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.