Bay loves getting mail

Bay and Makena have a very special Nana. My mom knows that Bay loves to get mail so she periodically sends him little "surprises" in the mail. This week she sent him a Legoland book and some sparkly Melissa and Doug scissors and a pack or Sharkies fruit snacks. Makena got her first surprise in the mail as well. Nana sent her teething beads. She loves them. Thank you Nana for sending us mail and special surprises...We love them and appreciate them Bay checking out his new Legoland book
Openig and examining his new Melissa and Doug sparkly scissors
Telling Daddy about the book that Nana sent him
Makena chewing on her new teething ring. We laughed so hard when she got the two beads into her mouth like this because it looks like yellow Mater teeth...so funny

The kids

Makena is now 5 months and is changing so quickly. She is rolling both directions and rolls front to back and back to front. She is also pushing up so much she moves herself backwards. Shes still a happy little girl. Bay loves being a big brother and cannot get enough of his sister. It is so fun to see how much they have taken to each other.

New Years

New Years eve looses its magic after you are married and have kids. Maybe its just because we have a 5 month old baby and a nearly 4 year old son and sleep is a highly prized commodity. Instead of going out making an amazing meal ect we stayed in, had Candace, Chad, and Emma over and watched a movie. It was no big deal. We watched the ball drop and shared a kiss and called it a night. Daddy and Makena just moments before she fell asleep for the night. Emma and Bay watching the ball drop on TV. Yes they were up that late... Makena passed out on Daddy earlier in the evening.

Bath time...

Makena like her older brother absolutely loves her bath...Here are some pictures to prove it. I couldn't help play with her hair...haha

First Snowfall

The other morning we woke to a dusting of snow. As I was nursing Makena Bay ignored my attempts to keep him from going outside. He ran outside in his pajamas and his socks. I wish I had gotten a picture of him walking around out there chasing our cat whiskers (who also was not suppose to be outside). He seemed slightly immune to the cold for a bit as he ran all over the back yard and even ran around out front in the driveway. Here is some of the evidence left over from his snowy walk.

Finally eating meat

We have struggled for the last year to get Bay to eat any type of meat and/or vegetables. I am happy to report he is slowly taking a liking to carrots, he will occasionally eat broccoli and sweet potatoes that we steam or roast.We found these amazing teriyaki pineapple and chicken meatballs at Costco that he loves.Its a long story how we got him to eat meat and vegetables but we are glad he is willing to continually try new things. I am loving these plates as it divides things into food groups for him. Bay's dinner. Teriyaki chicken meatballs,cheese quesidillas, and blueberries.Devouring the meatballs...Ketchup is a miracle dip for kids. As you can see he ate it all no problem. I am sure he's getting ready for a growth spurt as he is constantly hungry.

Cute pictures from December

It seems like I always have randoms photos that need to be posted each month. Here are a few ones worth showing from December Bay decided he wanted to help make Makena happy by putting all of her toys on her lap...As you can well imagine it didn't make me or her happy.
His eyelashes absolutely blow me away...they are a half an inch long...wow
We are so blessed to have such a happy sweet baby girl!
I love this picture because shes only in her diaper and she looks so serious.

Christmas Eve

Christmas eve was always a special evening around my house. Every year we would have a special meal together as a family. We would eat by candle light on my mom's special china and we would get to use the beautiful crystal glasses. After dinner the Christmas eve elf would come by and drop off a gift for us which consisted of new Christmas jammies and sometimes a new special book. After we got into our jammies we would read the Christmas story before going to bed.

Since this was our first year going at it alone we decided to try and keep with tradition. We invited Jeff's sister and her family over for dinner. We had Turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans. After dinner the Christmas eve elf came by and brought the kids jammies and we opened our gifts with one another. It wasn't the big candle light dinner like that of my childhood, we couldn't find the abbreviated Christmas story book to read to Bay, but it was a wonderful evening with our families. Our table set for Christmas Eve dinner Emma and Bay seeing what the Christmas Eve Elf left them Bay checking out the jammies the Christmas Eve elf left him Makena in her new Christmas jammies Emma and Bay getting their second wind and going nuts with the remnants of the wrapping paper and boxes

Christmas 2011

This was the first Christmas in our marriage that we did not travel somewhere over the holiday which we found very bitter-sweet.Ir was sweet establishing traditions for our little family and having a quiet Christmas, but bitter in that we missed celebrating the holiday with each of our families. If we hadn't had my parents come out at the beginning of the month I am sure that I would have had a much harder time not traveling to see them and celebrate with them. Christmas day was a long day.It went somewhat like this:

We got up at 5:30 in the morning to do presents with daddy before he left for work
We took a nap
I packed up the kids and we went to church
Took another nap
Packed up the kids again and drove to Nampa for dinner at the fire station
Came home and went to bed.

By the end of the night I was beyond exhausted. Between being up til 2:30 Christmas eve and getting up at 5:30 I was beat. Add that to getting 2 kids ready to leave the house twice and nursing and caring for the baby and feeding the toddler it was quite the day. Despite it all it was wonderful, the only thing that could have made it better was being able to share it with those we love...maybe next year huh? Our little reindeer one with the blinking nose and one without...
Makena's first Christmas...4 1/2 months old

We had to get creative with how to hang the stockings since I didn't get the stocking hanger I had planned on making done.
Our tree just hours before we opened all the presents...so beautiful.

learning about wolves

In addition to the Boise Watershed Education Center I found a place near downtown Boise called the Foothills Learning Center that has monthly free family activities. The first weekend in December they had a spotlight on wolves. We decided to drive down there and check it out. We learned a few things about wolves and Bay got to make a wolf mask and paws. I think Bay was just excited to get out of the house and do a fun project. After we made the mask we took a walk outside on their nature trail and checked out their new bronze and mosaic sculpture...it was beautiful... I hope to someday put all my scrap glass to use this gives me some great ideas...maybe my dad and I can make a bronze mosaic collaboration piece of artwork together.

christmas kitty

I hesitate to even post this picture because its lame but maybe someone will find it slightly amusing. Yes my cat did willfully chose to sleep in the middle of our Christmas wreath before we put it up...I am not sure if she chose to sleep there because it was something new or because the wreath was on top of the dryer and it was running..I guess we may never know.

Christmas at Edwards Nursery

We have a great local garden center/nursery in Boise that periodically does fun events for families during the warm summer months as well as special holiday events. At the beginning of December they had a holiday open house which we attended. While we were there we got to check out local artwork, beautiful holiday decorations and floral arrangements and pay a visit to Santa. This was Bays second visit with Santa and as usual he did great. He talked with Santa and asked him to bring him "Percy" from Thomas the train. I was just glad the kids cooperated and we got a decent picture of them together with Santa.

Boise Watershed Education Center

I just discovered that we live near a place that periodically has free fun activities for kids...the only drawback is its near the waste water treatment facility so outside has a less than pleasant aroma depending on how the wind is blowing. This week they had a "green Christmas" event going where you could go and make winter crafts from recycled materials. Since free is a good price and its close to home we decided to check it out...unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the ornaments Bay made before packing them away. I did however snap a picture of the neat elephant sculpture made out of mud recycled rope and wire....so cool.

fire department christmas party

Nampa Fire Department knows how to throw a fun Christmas party for the kids. Saturday afternoon we went out to station 1 in downtown Nampa. When we got there they all sorts of crafts for the kids including ornament making as well as frosting and decorating sugar cookies. Soon after we arrived the dispatch came over the intercom and announced that there was a man in a red suit on the roof of the fire station. At that time all the kids ran downstairs to see Santa on the roof top. Since we were at a fire station they used the beautiful new ladder truck to bring Santa down from the roof. Once Santa was down the kids ran to his side and followed him inside,once inside he sat in the chair and gave wrapped presents to all the kids. It was fun to be part of such a fun and unique party for the kids. Watching the ladder truck bring Santa down Enjoying a cookie while they bring Santa down. Family picture Bays hand print

introducing makena sage

I am very embarrassed that it has taken this long for me to post pictures of this sweet baby girl. I will have to go back into time and post more but these will have to satisfy you all for now. Makena is 4 1/2 months now. She is a sweet baby girl that gives us so much joy. She is growing so quickly it makes me sad and excited all at the same time. She has been rolling over since she was 2 days old, she has a full belly laugh, and her smile lights up a room. We have adjusted to having 2 kids much easier than I had imagined,I am sure it has everything to do with how wonderful easy (easy being a relative term for child rearing) the two of them are. I will try and play catch up over the last 4 months in the near future. We finally have a computer that is working and a way to post pictures...hooray!

This Makes me Smile

I love this picture. Its fun to watch your kids wearing your clothes and shoes as if they are trying to be big just like you

Playgrounds

Ahh...how I love the spring and summer months for the wonderful chance to go to playgrounds and run your toddler ragged. It has been so nice to get outside and let him soak up some sun and get some energy out.Here are a few cute pics to show how big Bay is getting.

Celebrating 5 wonderful years of marriage.

Its hard to believe that 5 years ago we were in Maui barefoot on a beach getting married.I can hardly believe how fast time has flown by. Since then we have done alot of moving (5 times if you want to count them)from our first place our apartment,to our duplex ,to my parents house,to a house we rented in nampa, then back into our duplex. We have also had a son Bay, who is now a toddler and 3 years old and has been our whole world. I cant help but be amazed as I sit here and I am 9 months pregnant with another little one which we are told is a girl I cant help but feel blessed and grateful for the happiness the last 5 years of my marriage have brought. I love my husband who spoils me more than I deserve, my son who helps keep me grounded and the blessing of a healthy pregnancy thus far. I cant wait to see how live changes in the next 5 years.