Flagstaff  2013

 

We went to Flagstaff to let the kids play in the snow again this past January.  Little did we know when we booked our trip that the daily high in Flagstaff would not get above 20 degrees the entire weekend we would be there.  Needless to say, our time in the snow was short, but the kids still had fun.  I have never been in such biting cold weather before.  Emma loved the snow, but her little hands and cheeks would turn red within minutes.  The boys love to sled down the hills but it was 15 degrees the day we were there!  I love cold weather and snow but not when it hurts!  We still got some pretty good pictures, though. 

At the Ostrich Farm

 

We went to the Ostrich Farm with my mom over Christmas break.  The donkeys were really cute and Emma loved the deer.  Caden wasn't too sure about getting too close to any of the animals but Cooper loved feeding them all.  Especially the Lorakeets.  They were beautiful rainbow colored birds that would land on us if we had nectar for them.  They also had baby goats in a penthouse way up high in the air that we could feed.  It was a lot of fun. Of course, the boys talked Grandma into buying them a hollowed ostrich egg to bring home.  It lasted about 2 days...

Christmas 2012

 Emma having "tea"

 

 

Emma's new kitchenette 

(love her pose)

 

 Emma's new doll stroller

 

 

 Fixing her doll's hair

 

 

Cooper, Caden, and Emma

 

 

So...Santa went a little overboard with our 19 month old little girl, but I think he had a very good time finally getting a chance to bring little girl toys to our house.  Her brothers of course wanted Legos, (what else?)  and each year they seem to be getting more elaborate and take Daddy longer to put together.  I tried to get pictures of them with their completed Lego sets but they were too busy playing with them at that point.  Now to figure out where all of this stuff is going to go in the house!  Emma is recognizing Mickey Mouse characters now and also Disney princesses so that has been fun.  Alexis entered the MTC December 14th, so this was our first family Christmas without her.  It's been fun writing to her, though.

 

On another note, I guess Google completely changed how I can add pictures now to my blog and it's not making me happy.  I guess I don't get on here frequently enough to know what is going on.  I'm not really sure that anyone ever reads my blog anymore now that Mike is gone.  He told me he used to check it out every couple of weeks to see how the kids were doing.  So, if anyone IS passing by, please leave a comment.  I 'd love to see who is reading this.  I started this prior to Facebook, but now it seems like there is not much need when everyone is on Facebook.  Oh, well though.  Maybe I'll just keep it up for awhile for myself and for the kids to read down the road... who knows?

 

 

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.