Look Familiar?

A couple of days ago, I had my nephew over. He and KL were having suckers and anxiously awaiting the return home of some our neighbors so they could have more friends to play with. They had been in the backyard, but they moved up to front. I looked out my front door and saw this:

I thought they looked so cute, and I was instantly reminded of this image:Of course, it wasn't a cold rainy day with 2 miserable kids. Quite the opposite. It was a gorgeous spring day with these 2 little cuties, toasting their delicious lolly pops with the exciting promise of the twins across the street arriving at any minute!

I really do think these kids are cute and I just love what good friends they are and that they get to have so many cousins so close! Lucky kids! I love them!

Sweet Baby

We really do enjoy this little baby! I can hardly believe she is almost 1!!!

Sleeping Beauty

Playing with Daddy's Hat

All decked out in her UofA gear because they were playing that day in the Elite 8.

Bear Down, Arizona!

Owen's 2!!!

My nephew had his 2nd birthday last month. His first birthday was pretty lame, I have to say. To say that there there was quite a bit going on around his birthday would be an understatement. His special day really got thrown to the back burner...and then completely off the stove. When his big day came around, he celebrated with a big marshmallow that my mom found with a candle while we stood around and sung Happy Birthday. I believe his big present was a balloon--not helium. Still, he did love it. Nonetheless, this year, Beth was determined to celebrate in style so we got to go over to their park for lunch and cake. We had a great time!

Owen and Ava

A with Kalais

Me with the sweet little 11 mo. old girls

The birthday cake... SOO much better than the giant marshmallow with a candle in it from last year.

Hope you had a fun day, Buddie! We Love You!

I just don't get it.

So, I've finally joined the world of Facebook. I've stubbornly refused for some time to sign up, but I feel as though my hand was forced when D (who just a few shorts weeks away from being a teenager) decided that needed to be on. I've successfully kept him off for a while, but with his new age, comes certain new assertions that he is making. Last month, I received a text from my brother in law in MD saying that he had become a FB friend of my first born. Hmm... I had 2 choices. Get mad at him and have him consider going behind my back to do it anyway, and be super sneaky about it so I don't know, or 2, get on board too so I could keep tabs on him. I decide the latter was the better option.

Well, I'm a few weeks into this and I've just got to say, that I just don't get what the big deal is. Frankly, I find it more annyoing than anything else. Do I really need to know every time anyone I knows comments on the pictures or random thoughts of everyone they know or make comments on other's thoughts? Does everyone I've ever met need to be made aware of the fact that I'm extremely tired because KL woke up in the middle of the night and then woke up A setting of 2 hour long chain reaction? Or that D had a fun ol time hanging out at the park with some friends? Also, I will notice that there are "notifications" for me. When I check them, I will see that friend X has posted on my wall, however, the screen that pulls up everyone's thoughts show no such comments where I'm looking. I can select the "wall" tab on other people's facebook page, but never my own! ARGH!! I guess I can sort of see the draw, but really... it is just too much!!!!! I'm sure that I will eventually become a little bit more facebook-saavy, and not be so down on the whole thing, but still... it will never become to me what it seems to be to so many others. I think I'd much rather stick to my blog!!!

Grandma June

Last month, my Grandma June turned 88. My grandpa hosted a little party for which was lots of fun. I have been so blessed to have my grandparents in my life. I was raised with all 4 of my grandparents and am so fortunate that my kids have been able to get to know and love them too. They are all the greatest examples and I just can't say enough how much it means to me to have them.

My Grandma has Alzheimer's, so memory isn't quite what it once was, but her sweet, fun-loving spirit hasn't changed. She is still so quick to laugh and giggle and just loves to be the center of attention--making everyone around her laugh as well. I just love that no matter what else can't remember, she remembers her testimony and her faith in Christ, as well as her love for her amazing husband, Pug. The 2 of them have been the best example anyone could ask for when it comes to a wonderful, loving marriage. My Grandpa has always treated her like she was a queen and the best thing that ever happened to him, and my grandma will still tell us all about how she met him (at Jordan High--she and her sister had decided to transfer there to check out the cute boys at a new school. She chose that good looking guy, Pug, from the second she saw him in history class, and he certainly had his eye on her from the first minute too.)

Dancing

(they have always been great dancers and won a jitterbug contest in their crazy high school days)

Cupcakes!

Not so long ago, L suggested she make cupcakes. I decided this would be a great idea and we would make some from scratch. That isn't what she had in mind (namely, me doing it and not her on her own with a mix), so she bailed. Still--I had a whole lot of fun with my first "creative cupcake" experience. I decided to make orange cupcakes and I have to say that turned out pretty good. The frosting was "eh". I need to work on that. Still...

Did Someone Steal My Camera?

There is a very hard and fast rule in my house about my camera...NO ONE TOUCHES MY CAMERA. Nonetheless, everytime I go to download pictures, I always find plenty of pictures that I'm pretty sure that I didn't take. Usually, it is just KL who plays with the camera, but I'm pretty sure that these first few are from L, as she is the only one in the house who thinks this guy is totally unbelieber-able!! (yes I did!)

And now on to some of KL's highlights:

And she finally got the shots she was looking for!

Ritz Anyone?

A is very much an explorer these days. Whenever she sees a door open, she heads straight for it--especially if she can sense she shouldn't be in it. The rest of the kids haven't totally figured this out, and so therefore, don't always close doors that should be shut. Not too long ago, one of the kids left the pantry open, as well as opening a package of Ritz, then leaving them on the bottom shelf where they would be easily accessible for a future pantry raid. I walked into the kitchen that day to see this:





(By the way, I did do her hair this day. This was just late in the afternoon--long after she had pulled out half of her ponytails.)

Dual Loyalties

So, everyone knows we are first and foremost Bronco fans. Nothing has changed that, and frankly, probably every will--even if Spencer ends up playing someplace else in the future. Still... we can still like other teams.

I've always had a place in my heart for the Packers every since my summer I spent living 30 minutes from Green Bay just after my Freshman year of college. This has been compounded by having Tracey and Emma be a part of lives/family. When they were here visiting us in January, they brought each of the kids a shirt. Here they are wearing them on Superbowl Sunday.

A while back, we decided to have a little fun day with the preschoolers. We were going to try adn go to the zoo, but it was just too cold that day. Instead, we went to Bounce U. The kids absolutely loved it! In fact, us mom's had a lot of fun too. There were all sorts of big inflatable bounce houses and 1 huge slide. The slide was definitely the big hit. It was a blast! It is where spent most of our time.

KL going into a little inflatable obstacle course.

A was happiest playing on the floor with the little toys.

Jill and Lily

A
Me and KL

Me and KL

Gun

Mariana with A, Jill with Lily

Sam

KL, Julia, Gun

Gun, Annie, KL

Me holding A, someone holding KL and Mariana holding Lily
(I had lots of fun going down, but poor A was terrified. She could sense what would happen when we sat down at the top of the slid and she grabbed on with a death grip!)