Dagzilla
and
Lucy Kong
These are the sweet names Jaidyn came up with for these two cuties. They are a ball of fun and curiosity. This is the warning label printed on their butts.
Warning: Keep your eyes on this one at all times or else!
(Here Dagen said, “Mommy, I see you.” Then Lucy had to copy.)
(taken from Mel’s Blog)
Playing in the Snow
One of the things I love best about Arizona is that in the winter we have the most perfect weather but if you drive 2 hours north you have a winter wonderland! We love to take the kids to play in the snow in Flagstaff. We are super excited for this year because the cabin will be finished!!! Mike and Mel and us took the kids to this out of the way sledding hill that is about 5 miles from the new cabin. It’s awesome because it’s not crowded and the kids can all go off together safely. I look forward to many more years of enjoying our secret sledding spot with the fam. Here are the photo highlights from the day.
Valentines 2011
A few years back we decided that Taylor and I wouldn’t go out on a date on the actual day of Valentine’s because it was always nuts everywhere, hard to find a sitter and basically a rushed event. Instead we started having a Valentine’s dinner with the kids and going out the weekend after. I love this tradition. Let’s be honest I love celebrating anything with my kiddos. Our tradition has evolved over the past few years to included heart shaped pizzas (thanks Papa Murphy’s), Valentine’s card from on another, strawberry milk, some treats and this year we treated the kids to a movie and pillow pets. We usually don’t get gifts for Valentine’s but these kids have been dying for pillow pets and I found them on sale. We all snuggled down to watch a movie together and then Weston’s first tooth came out!!! This was a huge event. I still need to figure out how to take the picture without it looking so bloody. At least it’s red for Valentine’s!
Valentine’s Party in Weston’s Class
I absolutely love volunteering in Weston’s classroom. I feel bad I can’t do it more but splitting up time between a 2 yr. old, a preschooler and I kindergartener can be tricky. One of the things I like about Weston’s school is that I am allowed to bring Jameson with me to volunteer on party days. Wes loves having his little brother there and Jameson idolizes Weston and loves hanging out with him at school. At the Valentines party the kids got to decorate bags for valentines, decorate cookies and make noodle necklaces. Weston even brought a rose for his amazing teacher Ms. McGinty. It is so fun to be able to see my little boy in his class and see all the good friends he has made and to watch him succeeding. It makes me realize that for all the doubts I have about whether or not I’m doing a good job I must be doing something right.
Weston Plays Basketball
This spring a friend of our was putting together a basketball team for the YMCA and Weston, Isaac, and Collin all signed up to play together. Wes (once again 
Since I am am now officially almost a year behind on blogging I thought I needed to get back on the horse and blog my brains out for the next little while.
One of the things I love best about Lucy is that she loves everything I do!! She is seriously a mini me (even when she is being feisty and difficult). We have so much fun together doing anything. One her actual 2nd birthday I thought it would be fun to go to the mall and have her pick out a birthday outfit and have some lunch. I realize she is only 2 but I swear she loves this. Being girl after my own heart she zoned in on this strawberry tutu and shirt that said “pick me.” I have always LOVED strawberry children’s clothing so I was more than happy to purchase this darling outfit for my little girl. She was so proud and went immediately to Grandma’s to show off her new look. I love this little bundle of energy and joy. After we picked Jameson up from school we went in that backyard and had some birthday treats. Is this little ham not the cutest little thing you have ever seen?!?!?!?
I am usually the kind of mom who has birthdays planned out for months in advance. I have also been known to go a little overboard with these kind of celebrations for my children. Lucy’s 1st birthday was an awesome party but perhaps a little over kill for a child who won’t even remember it. (Thank you Tammy for making all of the the little girls darling tutu’s and Annie for running our photo shoot area.) After that extravaganza Taylor was not wanting make such a huge fuss out her Lucy’s birthday this year. I actually saw the fear in his eyes as her birthday grew closer. Since I am the kind of girl who likes to keep him guessing I decided to actually tone down her birthday and have a low key affair. We had a little hot dog dinner at the local park with just family and a few close friends. Shocking, I know. It was actually a ton of fun just letting Lucy run around with her little cousins and buddies. We had cupcakes and a piñata which are basically the easiest party tricks ever. I had an accident with a piñata when I was a child that involved getting railed in the head with a piñata stick so I always purchase the piñatas that have the ribbons you pull instead of the kind you hit. I thought by doing this I would be in the clear for someone getting hurt. Not so. Weston got smacked in the face when Taylor was spilling out candy from the opened piñata. I had to include this cute pic of Lucy and her darling little friend Layla. Susan (Layla’s Mom) is one of my favorite people and we were so happy that our kids love each other too! A picture with my good friend Catherine is becoming a tradition for Lucy’s birthdays. Her first birthday Catherine is holding her in most the pictures. I must say that the party was fun and I sure didn’t miss the all the planning and work that go into a big party. Most importantly Lucy was happy and felt the love of those close to us.
