Disneyland!

 Emma at the Plaza Inn

 



 Emma with the Little Mermaid

 

 Cooper and Caden with a giant Lego Gandalf

 

 The kids with Grandma at the Disneyland Hotel

 

 Emma with Sleeping Beauty

 

 

the boys with Goofy at Goofy's Kitchen

 

We went to Disneyland for fall break this year.  Grandma went with us this time and we ended up staying at the Disneyland Hotel.  It was so much fun.  We were able to take so many good pictures of the kids with different characters.  It was Emma's first time there, and I loved having a little of princess of my own to take.  She was so cute with all of the princess shopping we did together.  We ended up getting her a Snow White dress for Halloween and she is adorable in it.   Of course the boys loved the rides again, and we saw Cars Land which was really cute.  The restaurants we went to were spectacular and  I can't wait to go again in a few years!

 

5 years...

 

 

We visited the cemetery recently on the 5th anniversary of my dad's death.  I can't believe it's been 5 years.  He remains so much alive in my thoughts and memories.  I never would have anticipated that regular visits to the cemetery would be so much a part of my children's lives. 

First Day of School

 

Caden started Kindergarten this year, and Cooper started 3rd Grade.  Somehow I only ended up with a picture of Caden's first day of school.  I need to get one of Cooper and add it. Caden loves going to school with Hannah and has a couple of other friends from church in his class.  He is doing well and really likes going to his "specials" (music, PE, and library).  He is in the afternoon class which means I am driving back and forth to the school 3 times every day for the rest of the year!



Emma's First Birthday

Everything in pink

Happy Birthday Baby!

What a doll!

Homemade raspberry cupcakes

Emma turned one year old on May 18th!  I can't believe she is a year old already.  We had a little family birthday party for her to celebrate.  She loved being sung Happy Birthday to, and loved being the center of attention. (which she usually is, anyway) It was so fun to finally be able to decorate a birthday party with pink!  Since she loves raspberries, I decided to make and decorate her cupcakes myself.  It's been such a change to have little girl toys around here for once.  I've waited eight years for this, and am loving every moment.  Her brothers were very excited for her birthday, as well.  Caden helped her blow out her candle, of course.  They were both very attentive when it came time to open her gifts.  Lots of darling little outfits and her very first doll house.  She has been such a blessing for all of us this past year.  I don't know what I would have done without her.  She is standing on her own, now, but still prefers to crawl everywhere.  Daddy is very happy she is off of formula, and Mommy is very happy she gets to ride in the car facing forward now, in a new car seat.  She is definitely our little princess. 

Spring Break

                         We went to Mexico for Spring Break this year.  The kids had a wonderful time at the beach and couldn't get enough of it.  Even  Emma loved playing in the sand and the tide pools.   She kept crawling towards the ocean and reminded me of a little sea turtle.  She was so happy and it was so cute how she tried to bounce on the sand.    Cooper was so proud of the big trigger fish he caught out on the Sea of Cortez.  And I just love watching Caden run so freely on the beach, without a  care in the world.   It was the first time Emma wore her new swimsuit and it was so fun to pick out a little girl swimsuit with ruffles!   I loved seeing the children so happy and carefree.   We had a wonderful time!