Still Kickin'

Don't worry, we're still alive and having plenty of fun! Lots of posts and pictures will be coming.

Happy B-day William!

Today William became a 2 year old!

It is so hard to believe that he is already 2. He is so sweet and such a happy little guy and I can't imagine life without him. It takes him a little while to warm up to new people and surroundings, but once he does he is all giggles. He loves to mimmick everything you say and sometimes calls himself RaRa. He has beautiful blue eyes with long lashes that melt my heart. He loves to be tickled, sing songs, look at books and cuddle. He makes me laugh every single day and I love him for that. He is the perfect caboose to our family train!

Today was a fun day with friends and family. Thank you Aunt Crystal and Uncle Brian for letting us use your awesome pool for his party! it was a blast!

I got some super cute pictures that I am dying to post, but won't be able to for a while. I hope you can handle the suspense. One pic includes a frosting beard, you will love it!

Dance, Dance, Dance

Alahna had her first dance recital this weekend and it was SO much fun! She looked beautiful and did so good. She had dress rehearsal Thursday night. Then a show on Friday night, a matinee on Saturday, then another show Saturday night. (We didn't get home until 10:30 or later from the rehearsal and night shows.) She was EXHAUSTED, but I think she had fun!

We are very proud of her!!!

F-A-T-H-E-R

Here is what Alahna wrote inside the father's day card she made in school.


F is for your faithful heart!

A is for your attractive looks!

T is for being totally terrific!

H is for being my hero!

E is for the amazing scrambled eggs you make!

R is for your romantic kisses!

Isn't that the cutest!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Happy Father's day to all the men in my life! I have been very blessed with a life full of
#1 dad's.
My dad, my father in law, and my kids dad!
Thank you for being kind and loving fathers!

11 Years

11 years ago today I married my best friend!

Happy Anniversary David, and thanks for 11 wonderful years!

I love you!

Activity Days

So I was waiting to post this until I had some pictures uploaded, but when I uplaoded them today I realized they were awful. So you'll have to do without!

Last week Anna had a recognition night at activity days. They had an ice cream bar with 13 toppings and for every article of faith each girl had passed off they got a ticket to get a topping.

Anna got 11 tickets!!! Good Job Anna!!!

The Sweetest Words

William has really started talking over the last couple months and he makes us smile everyday with the little things he says. I have been waiting..... and waiting.... for him to say these words, and tonight was finally the night.

I put him in his crib, rubbed his little head and said, "Night night. I love you." as I do every night.

Then... just as I was shutting the door I hear, "ni ni. wove ou."

Of course I had to run back in and give him extra kisses for that!!! I am one happy momma tonight!

Yeah for the Garage

We have been milking our garage door along for the last 2 years or so and about 3 months ago it finally bit the dust and hasn't worked.... at all. You never realize how much you love something until it is gone.

But I am so happy to say that today we finally got a new garage door and opener installed. It is lovely and oh so quiet!

The Mist Trail Adventure!

Part way up

The view from the top

At the top!

So the most exciting part of our trip, for me anyway, was on Monday. Before we headed back to Victorville we wanted to hike part of the mist trail. Now notice I said part of the trail. David had been throwing up the night before and wasn't feeling very well and it is a tough hike for a family with small children, but we really wanted to do it.

So we get to the halfway point where there is a nice bridge with a beautiful view of the waterfall. We took a break and the kids begged to go on so we decided to go a little further.

Somehow the girls got further and further ahead of us until we could no longer see them and we were at a point where we couldn't go any farther with the boys. It was just too steep and slippery.

David took the boys and started back down and I hiked as fast as my sore knee would let me go to try to catch up to the girls. About 5 minutes later I see Anna coming down.... but no Lahna. My heart started pounding thinking of all the reasons why Anna would be coming down alone.

Anna tells me Lahna kept going, but she didn't think they should so Anna came back to find me. For those of you who have ever hiked with these girls you know that this is WAY out of character. So Anna and I continue up trying to catch up with Lahna, and with every step I get more and more worried. This was not an easy hike! I started asking people that were coming down if they had seen her and no one had. Of course I am praying in my head over and over that I would find her soon and she would be safe.

After what felt like forever, we finally got to the very top and there she was standing at the rail looking down and sobbing. I think she learned a valuable lesson that day. I was so glad she was okay and so amazed that she was able to do it all by herself!!! Although it wasn't in the plan for the day and she about gave me a heart attack I am glad she went to the top. If she hadn't I would not have seen the most incredible view I have ever seen! The pictures don't begin to do it justice.

David's side of the story..... He waited for us at the bridge and was getting more and more worried the longer we were gone. He was watching his watch and told himself that if he didn't see us by 1:00 he was finding a park ranger and getting help. About 12:50 Anna wanted to run ahead. I told her go to the bridge and see if Dad was there and wait with him. Anna found David at 12:59.

So that is our Mist Trail Adventure!!!

Whew! If you are still reading I applaud you, because that was a novel!

Yosemite

I know it took a while, but here are some of the pics from our trip. I took over 400 pictures while we were there so it took awhile to sort through them all!

And I am happy to say that everyone is healthy again!

Our Weekend

Here is the highlights from last weekend.

Friday AM-took Robert to urgent care for strep

Friday PM-left to meet David's family at Yosemite. William threw up about an hour into the drive and cried most the way there.

Saturday-hiked in the rain, but at least no one threw up!

Sunday AM-Anna got sick.

Sunday PM-David got sick.

Monday AM-Aunt Madeline and Grandpa got sick. Me, David, and the kids hiked the mist trail (which is a big story all by itself, but we'll save that for another time!)

Monday PM-Drove home and then Lahna got sick.... again. She is who started this bug a couple of days before we left.

It was a fun vacation full of family, throw-up, diarrhea, and hiking!

Robert's words

This evening Robert brought me a piece of paper and a pen and said, "I need you to write me a note."

This is what he wanted me to write:

Dear Mommy,
I love you so much.

Dear Anna and Lahna,
I love you so much.

Dear Daddy and William,
I love you so much.

These are Robert's words.

My Baby

My baby will turn 2 this month and knowing that he will be my last baby makes this very bitter sweet for me. There is a part of me that looks forward to days without diapers, nap schedules, and cleaning up spills. But right now there is a much bigger part of me crying, "please don't grow up!"

It is so hard to imagine life without little ones at my feet. Who will be there to give me shirt kisses, butterfly kisses, eskimo kisses and all the other kisses only little ones enjoy so much? Who will I rock to and sing to each night and who will look up to me with big blue innocent eyes? Who will bring laughter into our home even on the darkest of days? And who will play with me when I don't feel like doing housework?

As his birthday draws nearer I find myself wanting to stop time more and more each day. He is at such a cute and fun stage. I pray I will never forget the way he looks right now. The way he laughs and smiles and the funny things he says. He is such a blessing and a delight to have in my life and I thank God every night for him and my other 4 amazing children. They make my life complete.

So.... I will enjoy every moment and do my best to be the mother they deserve so much, and with every birthday that comes I will be glad to have been blessed with another year.