Friends....

..... two people who can play in their underwear all morning and think it's the funnest thing ever!

Game nights and sledding

We took the kids sledding for FHE last Monday and it was a pretty big hit. Sawyer was a little nervous, but Ava was a daredevil. As much as we have discovered we love to go sledding, we can't wait for no more snow and the sun to stay out!

We may have let Sawyer go a little ways down the hill by himself.... don't report us- Luke was a little ways away to catch him. Saw hated it.....

A few weeks ago we stumbles upon a genius idea..... Late game night while the kids sleep! We go to the condo or K/B come to our house and we put our kids to sleep and play games (mostly "Settlers") for the next 2-3 hours. It is so so fun and it's nice to be able to hang out with adults :) At the end of the night we get our kids and take them home and put them in bed. It's pretty easy and it's so fun!

Ava has decided she really loves to sleep in uncle Jeff's bed (even if his room hurricane worthy!)

Zoo Day

We took advantage of a warm day last week and went to the zoo. It was a great time! Sawyer is finally at the age where he totally gets the animals and he loved it so much. Ava and Lola always love being together and it was a fun fun afternoon outing :)

There were so many exhibits where the monkeys and gorillas were right up to the windows and it was so fun for the kids!

Proof that the mister was in attendance

Yearly picture with the lions...

See!? Same picture a year and half ago....

Sawyer was finally let out of his cage.... And he loved watching the orangutans (sp?)

Valentine's Day

We had a great Valentine's Day 2011! Luke and I were able to have not 1 romantic date night, but 2! We had a date game night with some friends and a delicious dinner at the Last Samurai on Valentine's night. We all got some lovely gifts and Ava even got her ears pierced. She looks so so cute- if I say so myself. I am so blessed to have Luke as my valentine. He's amazing and I feel so lucky :) I'm so happy to have had 3 precious valentine's this year!

Ear piercing from start to finish.....

She did so good- a few tears after the fact, but I would say she did a lot better getting them pierced than she does when I clean her ears out.... We got tiny earrings so you can't see them, but I think they're so cute!

The V-Day loot: roses from our dad, gift cards, books, iPhone, candy, and toys. A great time was had by all!

birthday part 2

This year for Ava's birthday, we decided to do something pretty small so we took her and a few friends to Gnomeo and Juliet. It was so much fun! The kids loved it and it was pretty easy :)

Using the buddy system to walk to and from the theater.....

All the kids waiting patiently for the movie to start

The delicious and vintagey cupcakes Kari made for the special occassion

One of our special guests!

Opening presents- she got so many fun fun things!

Eating cupcakes and ice cream

Sawyer hated the cupcakes...... as you can tell :)

Our favorite 4-year old

Four years ago from now this little girl came to our family:

We have had so much fun with her and couldn't have asked for a better first addition to our family! She makes us laugh, makes us proud, and is growing up so fast. She loves to learn, her favorite food is any type of fruit, and she loves warm milk. We had a fun fun day for her birthday today and can't wait for many more birthdays to come!

Some of her many gifts...... She loved everything!

After morning gift opening- we were so pleased to have supergirl come to breakfast...

A glimpse of the fun banner I made for the special occassion

The birthday girl in all her glory (with her new build-a-bear birthday love bug)

The birthday girl requested Bajio for dinner, which we followed up with build-a-bear and ended with cupcakes from So Cupcake. They were delicious :)

Next up for the birthday girl: "Gnomeo and Juliet" with a couple friends on Saturday. We decided to do something a little lower key this year, rather than a large friend party. It should be a fun time :)

These are the reasons we will be......

Lucky to make it to 18 months without stitches or a broke bone (I used to think we may make it until 2!) Saw is a climber and even in a roomful of brand new toys will want the one thing he shouldn't play with. When I go into a room, I automatically start to move decorations out of reach, turn chairs/stools over, and look for possible ways to entertain the boy who rarely plays with a toy and when he does- it lasts for 10 seconds or less. It's pretty crazy! I'm not sure if it's because he's a boy or he's more curious than the average 1 year-old/he's Luke's son...... I don't know, but we sure do love him (and collapse with exhaustion once he goes to sleep!). I will say, though, once it's nap time (still two naps a day- thank goodness!) or bedtime, he loves to snuggle up with a blanket and binki in your lap which is so so wonderful.

Here is our Evil Kineval (sp?) in action......

I think Ava was at least 2 1/2 before she grasped that she could move the little step stool up to something to reach it better. Well- apparently Sawyer is advanced in that department....

Halfway on his slide down he stopped and decided he might try to climb up it..... probably not the safest way to climb up a slide....

Might not seem like a big deal, but on a stairway with 12 steps and your 1 year old is halfway up and likes to turn around, stand up, bounce, etc..., it's a little scary!

Climbing onto the couch and bouncing....also not a good idea..

Heaven help me on the day he's an inch taller and has a little more dexterity..... Looks like we'll be installing top of the door locks

This chair used to be right up next to the bannister. That was before Sawyer decided it was fun to climb up on top of the back of the chair and yell down the stairs... now it's pulled at least a foot away

Lest you think I was lying when I said he was a climber.....

And drumroll please....... Sawyer's newest love- climbing up on the kitchen chair to dance/jabber preach. Sometimes I let him....... it's a little cute... And as someone famous once said, "if you can't beat em', join em'!" enough said

Not pictured: After leaving Sawyer in his high chair and going to answer my door and talk for 45 seconds... me coming back to find Sawyer sitting on his high chair tray. Also not pictured: me taking a belt and seat belting him into his high chair (I misplaced the pieces to the 5-point harness) and clicking his try in as close as it will go and leaving the room for 30 seconds (apparently I don't learn my lessons) and coming back to find S again sitting on his highchair tray like it was no big deal. What!? Oh and did I mention that if I let him walk outside to the car- he likes to book it to the street!?