Two Years Two Angels

Facebook or Blog?

2009-10-05T20:03:00.000-07:00

Due to all but one or two of my family members converting to Facebook (Aunt Alene, it really might just be you at this point,) I won't be updating my blog as often. My Grandparents, Husband, Mom and Sister were the final ones to join. If they can see things on there where it is viewed slightly more under my terms than my blog, than that is where most updates and pics of the kiddos will go. I'll try to check in on here every so often. I am looking for a link I once had to turn your blog into a scrapbook. I started the process once, but didn't finish. I think it is a great idea to print and bind what has been going on for the last 2.5 years. So.....if you don't have FB and you want pic updates just let me know. In he meantime, you can find all the "exciting" Wilkens action on Facebook. :) Have a great night!

Gianna's First Day of Preschool

2009-08-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

Kailey's First Day of PreK

2009-08-24T08:53:00.001-07:00

Gianna's Meet the Teacher

2009-08-20T14:31:00.001-07:00

Kailey's Meet the Teacher

2009-08-20T14:21:00.001-07:00

Girls' Last Day of Gymnastics and Dance

2009-08-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

Kailey and Gianna have been taking gymnastics for a year and dance for about 6 months. They both LOVE it. Saturday was our last day of class for a while. School starts in just two weeks, and I just don't know if time is going to allow for us to do it all. We have a studio opening closer to our house, so even when we do go back it won't be at the wonderful gym we've been attending all year. The last day of class they had a mini-recital and open gym to show all their family and friends what they've been working on. They both did a fantastic job, here are a few, not so great pics of the day. Gianna was sleeping before we left so I didn't get a good picture of her.

Camping in Flagstaff

2009-07-14T08:05:00.001-07:00

We knew the temperatures in Phoenix were going to be over 110 this past weekend, so Nate got a crazy idea to pack up and go camping. We had never done this with our kids, so I had no idea what to expect. We found a site in Flagstaff right outside of town, and it was perfect. It stormed for about an hour or two when we first arrived, but being forced to be in a tent with nothing to do but color, talk and read was actually pretty fun. The girls thought it was amazing to hear the rain pouring on our tent and the thunder roaring overhead. The next morning we drove to very small town called Mormon Lake, no lake, but a cute restaurant and pony rides for the kids. It was a great mini staycation, and we all can't wait to do it again!

Assembling our grill in the tent while it rained outside.Relaxing while we make dinner A strange fort we found on our hike.

Flagstaff sunsettingReading Mommy's book with a funny light on her head

Time for bed

Mormon Lake Lodge for Lunch, waited had a shakey hand!

A sour lemon face!

Gianna and Kailey's first time on a horse

The Grand Canyon

2009-06-23T07:45:00.001-07:00

AZ Road Trip for Father's Day

2009-06-22T07:47:00.001-07:00

K's Newest Adventure

2009-06-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

She just keeps surprising me!

2009-06-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

The girls can usually be found these days at our kitchen table drawing pictures and using glue in a variety of ways. Today K came to my room and showed me a picture she'd drawn of our family. She has done many family pics before, but this one takes the cake. It seems like it started as just a pic of us girls, she even started to write my sister's name, Julie, but then changed it to Dad. I love that we are all smiling and obviously holding hands. I guess it is time to start teaching her some new words.

I can't forget my sweet little Gianna. While K was working hard on her picture, G did a huge portrait of her Daddy. She was sad she didn't know how to write his name, so she asked me to add it so it would look like K's. Very cute!

Gianna's "real" Birthday - April 30th

2009-05-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

I think with all of the birthday celebrations this month Gianna was sick of cake. She requested s'mores for her real birthday. We were happy as we have much for fun eating those than baking.

Happy 3rd Birthday Gianna Marie!

Birthday with Nana and Julie

2009-05-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

Glenda and Dorthy

Kailey's Family Night Performance

2009-05-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

My Mom and sister came into town for Gianna's birthday and to watch Kailey perform at her school's Family Night. The kids did amazing singing several songs in front of quite a large audience. Kailey had been practicing for weeks. Nate was on his annual Enterprise trip to Florida so he had to miss the festivities.

Nana and Gianna are ready to go

Ready to go perform

Singing her little brains out!

Calling Nate in Florida to let him know how it went.

4 Years Old

2009-04-10T13:20:00.001-07:00

Waking Up March 31st Flashing her new Age

A quick outfit change and then off to school

We got to go into her classroom so she could hand out cupcakes to all her friends after dismissal. She is listening to the story with her birthday crown on.
Lunch at Cheesecake Factory, because it looks like a castle.An Afternoon of Red Light Green Light with her sister

Is 6 hours too long to wait for Pizza?

2009-04-01T16:10:00.001-07:00

In Line at 3:30 with Melody.

The lines just grows and grows

It seats 36, we'll get in eventually!

Yeah! 5:00, name on wait and plenty of time to relax outside. Table promised by 8:00!

Now dark outside, more friends arrive, and still no pizza. Free bottle of wine on it's way for us!

At last 10pm, done with dinner. It was well worth it!

Another Ball Game

2009-04-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

Giants v Padres

What a cute Mom Sara would be!

Kailey was trying to sleep off her night of ice cream eating and dancing with Sara.

Auntie Sara Comes to Town

2009-04-01T15:58:00.001-07:00

Posing Like Models-Ready to Shop! An Outfit Change and Then LunchShopped 'til They Dropped
Home and Rested

Dance Party With Sara While I was at Work, Rocking Out to HSM
Taking Pics of Themselves

A Dance Party with Our Cousins.

2009-03-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

Cutie Pies!
A little shy at first, just sitting and watching a movie.

Maggie is wondering why cousin Nate has crazy eyes!

K is teaching Mags some moves!

Look at them go!

One of the highlights of our trip was visiting our wonderful cousins in San Clemente. They just bought an amazing house there and it was so fun to see it. The older kids had seen each other as babies, but has been years. It was the first time we got to meet each other's little ones. Together we had a 1,2,3 and 4 year old. It did not take all 4 of them long to start getting crazy. They got along great and did dance routines I'd never even seen before. It was fabulous and I don't think we'll ever go back to Southern California without seeing them.

A Day at the Beach

2009-03-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Gianna was resting with Daddy instead of getting wet, sometimes it is just not her thing.

My little photographer Kailey took this shot.

Do you like how he is asleep but holding on to her sweatshirt, I wonder if that would work for me during the day?

My little beach bum

My kids and their love of ice cream!

Happy Birthday Dinner with Princesses, Lots and Lots of them

2009-03-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

We had never been to Ariel's Grotto, but I now can say it is a must for any princess lovers out there. The food was OK, the restaurant itself was bizarre, it looked like it hadn't been updated since the early 80's, but it wasn't even built until the very late 90's. The service was hardly even OK, the price obviously is insane, however I would go back again and again! My girls truly believed that the Princesses were there to have dinner with them and to attend their birthday party. It was awesome! Kailey was so nervous she could hardly talk, Gianna giggled and chatted with everyone that looked at her. Each princess spent a lot of time at our table, signed autographs and posed for at least one picture.

Ariel Welcoming us to her Grotto

Gianna's Favorite Princess, do you blame her? Look how cute she is! Kailey's most nervous, exciting moment of her life. She could not believe after 4 years of adoring her, the real Cinderella was wishing HER a Happy Birthday! PRICELESS!

Finally, the photo we'd been hoping for!The girls demolished their birthday cake, along with most of the other desserts they brought us.

2 Days at Disney

2009-03-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

No hands!
What is up with all of these spinning rides?

Kailey flying Dumbo as high as it goes.

Ready to Shop

Princess Gianna getting her face painted at Downtown Disney

We love Tom Sawyer's (Pirate? Island)

Casey's Trainride with Nana

Gotta Love the CA Adventure Beer Gardens

Spring Break Day 1

2009-03-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

Saying Goodbye to Holly

Posing after their haircuts

This is the first year either of my children have been in school, so this is our first real "Spring Break" as a family. We decided it was the perfect time to activate the annual Disney passes my Mom got us and head for a week in CA. It also happens to be Kailey's 4th birthday next week and Gianna's 3rd next month. It seemed like a perfect Birthday Present for both of them. I was able to get a few days of work in first, and then we were ready to head out of town. The trip started with a quick haircut.

Bowling with Daddy

2009-03-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

Every year Kailey's Preschool has a Dad's Day Out with the kids. Nate couldn't believe how many dad's took the day off to spend with their little ones. I heard there were over 40 people there. They had a blast. Kailey had never been bowling, and thought it was amazing. She especially enjoyed wearing some pretty crazy shoes. They ate hot dogs and french fries and had a wonderful day with all of their school friends, Dads and teachers. I can't wait for next year when he gets to go two days in a row!

Always has her tongue out when she is concentrating. Just like her Daddy and Great Grandpa.

Proud Mommy-Part 2

2009-02-28T13:18:00.000-08:00

Last year almost this exact same time, I posted a drawing Kailey did of me. It was the first time she actually drew something that was recognizable and it was a huge deal. I couldn't believe she was about to turn 3. This year went so fast and now I am just one month from her 4th Birthday. Yesterday she came home from school with two projects that reminded me how I felt when she drew that first picture last year. The first one is Umbrella Bird (zoo phonics :) She never colors, only draws all the time. I didn't even really know if she could stay in the lines, or even if she new that was the goal of coloring. When I saw this picture I was amazed. I think she made such a beautiful Umbrella Bird. The next is a trace sheet for her name. Her class just started working on these, and I love to watch how serious she traces her letters. It is so cool to see her handwriting and her accomplishing such a big girl project.

Spring has Arrived!

2009-02-28T13:11:00.001-08:00

Sweet Little Girls

Playing Ball with Friends

Wearing Mommy's Glasses

7th Inning Stretch

Spring is here in Phoenix. It is my favorite time of year because you can be outside, wear shorts or jeans, and get a tan without having to be in a bathing suit. Baseball is another great part of Spring. Nate does a lot of work with the teams that travel to Phoenix, so there is never a shortage of Spring Training tickets in our house. Yesterday we went to our first game of the season, and Gianna's first game ever. We were so lucky to run into very dear friends of ours while we were there. We all had a great time.

A Day at the Park

2009-02-25T20:49:00.000-08:00

We were all terribly sick around here for last week. Today the weather was a perfect 85 and I figured it was finally time to get out of the house and head back to the park. It had been nearly two weeks since we had been and the girls were so excited. Here are a couple shots from this morning.

Modeling their Easter Dresses

2009-02-05T18:28:00.001-08:00

New Year's

2009-01-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

This weekend it was raining so hard. Kailey and Nate loved playing in it, Gianna and I would rather stay inside. Here are a few shots. Gianna is above pouting and Kailey below is running ahead trying to jump in every puddle.

The girls love havinga babysitter. It doesn't happen often, but when it does they won't leave her side. When we were getting ready to go out we noticed the girls were so quiet, poor babysitter Kailee was sandwiched in between the two of them on the couch.

The girls got haircuts this week too. Kailey's looks short in the above picture, but it really isn't the shot with Kailee gives a better idea on the little trim she got. Gianna on the other hand had 4 inches cut. It is adorable on her. The picture below is a little crazy, but at least it shows the length.

Some Holiday Catch Up

2009-01-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

I realized that I posted a ton of pictures on Facebook, but forgot to put them on my blog. I have still been a busy working Mom, averaging about 25 hours a week for the past month, that might have something to do with it. My job is technically over next week, but I had a blast doing it and might be able to work something out to help out on a very part time basis. We will see. Nate has a birthday this week, so I hope to add some shots of him and his new present we are getting him. He also had his tattoo colored and wants to post that for his family to take a look at. Other than that, K goes back to school tomorrow and we will return to normal life soon. This holiday was a busy but wonderful time for all of us. Nate truly enjoyed being home with our girls a lot and loved hosting the holidays and working a little too. Gianna gave up her pacifier on Christmas Eve, that has been a major adjustment. Another HUG piece of news is that my little sister got engaged. Looks like we'll be making a lot more trips to CA this year! Here are some highlights from the past week or so.

Precious Little Girls

2008-12-29T09:15:00.000-08:00

MOMS Club Christmas Party

2008-12-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

It was gloomy weather for our Annual MOMS Club Christmas Party, but that didn't stop the kids from dressing up and making a huge mess. We decorated cookies, made lots of crafts, danced to Christmas Carols (at least the kids did,) brought items for charities and ran around in the puddles with friends. This was our 4th year attending the event and the kids have more fun each year. Their favorite tradition is getting "reindeer food" as a party favor and spreading it all over our front yard on Christmas Eve.

I so badly wanted to crop this picture, but I had to post it because Kailey took it of us. I was so proud of her for taking such a great shot that I didn't think I should crop my big butt out of it without giving her credit for what she did first.

The Cutest 10 Minutes Ever!

2008-12-28T17:59:00.000-08:00

Kailey is in the middle right in front of the little boy dressed as a King.

Kailey's Preschool did a wonderful evening Christmas Program. There were about 80 children on stage in matching colors and hundreds of fans there to cheer them on. They sang four songs and even made gold drums to beat during the Little Drummer Boy. We were so proud of Kailey for standing and singing every word of every song with a smile on her face. She was quite the performer. We didn't get many good shots because we were busy video taping the entire show. Kailey did insist however that she got a picture with each of her amazing teachers.

Daddy brought the girls beautiful red roses for after the show

Modeling their favorite Christmas outfits

2008-12-28T17:51:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that it has been over a month since I have posted pictures. We have just been so busy, I haven't had time to sit still. We have had a lot of company which has been nice, and I've been working a seasonal job at Macy's. I've been having a blast, but spreading myself a little thin, that will all change in the next week or two, but for now I have a second and wanted to get some pictures on here for my family to see.

Here are some shots from an unsuccessful (depending how you look at it) photo shoot at the park. I was hoping to get a Christmas card picture of the girls and their dogs. It wasn't working, so we just went and had some fun. They took gorgeous shots later.

Thankful for Friends

2008-11-28T14:21:00.000-08:00

Nate and I, our 14th Thanksgiving as a couple!
Joel and Katie did an amazing job with some great appetizers. We were so stuffed before dinner, which was fine with me, who wants turkey with there is a breaded cheese option!

This was Helena's brief appearance at the table, about a minute later she fell asleep and wasn't seen again for a couple hours.

Jared did a great job carving the turkey.
Nate was thrilled not to have the pressure on him this year.

The kids were so cute sitting at their own table.

Kailey was wearing the napkin "ring" on her finger. She was so excited

that dinner came with her own "jewels."

My Baby While Helena rested the girls decided to dress up and perform for us during dinner. Emily was so sweet with them. They loved getting the attention from an almost teenager. Thank You Helena for sharing your counsins with my girls! Thank you Abby and Emily for being so sweet!

Yeah! Helena wakes up and the girls are ready to party. Good, have fun jumping like monkies, we were ready for more wine and Rock Band!

Sadly the boys were just too good that night. Our girl team struggled to complete most songs, but we still had a blast. Thank You so much to the Flores Family for hosting a FABULOUS Thanksgiving Day!

Feasts With Friends

2008-11-25T14:24:00.000-08:00

Party Time! This week we have already enjoy two huge Thanksgiving Feasts. One was with our MOMS Club and the other at Kailey's Preschool. It has been a great opportunity to teach the kids about Thanksgiving and show them the joys of food over the holidays. Here are some shots from the festivities.

Each of the classes made a separate dish to contribute to the meal. Kailey's class made the mashed potatoes. She told me she'd been "mashing" all morning. The Preschool director and her assistant made the turkey and homemade stuffing. It was all delicious! There were over 80 people in attendance. The school did such a great job. We even had place cards with our child's name on them and Thank You cards that the children had made us.

Kailey rarely takes a nap anymore, but after that meal and some bike riding with friends, she crashed on her playroom floor. I love how she is using the filthy rug as a blanket.

A Weekend With Aunt Julie

2008-11-10T15:56:00.001-08:00

Nate went a big guys weekend trip to Tahoe, and I was so lucky that my sister happen to have booked a trip to come out and stay with me the same weekend. We had such a blast and went on several adventures.We started at the Phoenix Children's Museum
Followed by a morning of gymnastics. The girls are in the same class now, it is so nice. K is the first one in the black leotard and Gianna is two behind her in the ligh pink one with her arms out.

We took the puppies on a walk to the park

The last day we went to Anthem to feed the ducks and play at their huge park.

Thanks for coming Julie!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-02T11:57:00.000-08:00

Here are my girls dressed and ready to go Trick or Treating. They made it to every house in our area that had their lights on. Luckily they have forgotten about all of the candy. They had a blast and went door to door with about 12 of their friends and a ton of photographing parents.

Soccer Stars

2008-10-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

The girls started Soccer Tots yesterday. It is a 6 week skills class, no competition. Gianna's class is Mommy and Me, but it happens to be at the same time as K's class, so we are pretty much all together. It was over 90 degrees, of course, so it was a hot day to be running for 60 minutes, but the naps they took when they got home made the heat OK with me. Gianna had a lot more fun, and Kailey had a lot more skills. We'll see how they like it. I don't think they will want to quit gymnastics for soccer anytime soon, but we did have a lot of fun.

Carving Pumpkins

2008-10-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

Kailey sure had a lot of emotions about carving pumpkins. She was excited to get started, then grossed out when we asked her to help, excited again to dictate where the face went, and then repulsed when we started cleaning it out for her. Gianna thought it was all funny, but said it was too gross for a little girl to do. Of course she just dictated what she wanted, and we of course did it.

Harvest Festival

2008-10-28T18:50:00.001-07:00

Bindi the Jungle Girl
The Petting Zoo

Always with the animals!

Our community has a great harvest festival every year. They have a Petting Zoo, Bounce Houses, Crafts, Games and More. The girls always have a blast at it and this year was no exception.

The Puppies Take a Bath

2008-10-28T18:47:00.001-07:00

Gianna and I gave the puppies a bath this weekend. It was quite the project for us. I know that water is soooo gross. I only let her help until we saw the color it was turning and she had to get out. She did an excellent job helping me blow dry and brush their hair. I didn't get a picture of Holly after her bath, but doesn't Fluff look great!

The Fun and Exciting World of Barbie

2008-10-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

The girls saw a doll house at Costco yesterday and they wanted it so bad. I feel like it has been a long time since there was a toy that they wanted, they mostly have been entertained with the puppies, park, and sports lately. I thought a new toy might be nice for Kailey since Gianna is still napping a couple hours a day. You never know if a toy will be a hit or miss. We sure scored this time. The girls played with the Barbie house the majority of 6 hours yesterday, they woke up, went to school and are now playing with it again. Kailey is teaching her Barbie some yoga and gymnastics moves, Gianna mostly likes to change Barbie's shoes. Here are a few shots of the girl's and their new friends.

He Did it

2008-10-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

For the 14 years I have known Nate he has always told me he was getting a tattoo. He's come close before, but never found someone that he really wanted to do it. Well yesterday that changed, he came home with a brand new look. He loves it so I am happy for him. It is getting completely colored in 3 weeks, but he said I could post a picture today to show his family that wanted to check in out.

A Day at the Farm

2008-10-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

The girls are so excited to look at the animals.

Kailey and all of her goat friends.

The train is Kailey's favorite part of the day
This was Gianna's first year getting to ride in the train all by herself, she was very brave.

Gianna bagging her zucchini
Her first port-a-potty experience. She thought it was hilarious!

The girls and I went to a local farm yesterday with a huge group from our MOMS Club. This is always the most popular event of the year. The kids get to pick vegetables, go through a corn maze and have a lesson about the uses of corn, go on a fun and crazy train ride, pick a pumpkin, jump in bounce houses, see tons of animals and eat an ice cream sandwich. This is our third year going to this event, and I can't wait to go back again in a few weeks. Here are a few pictures of the day. I was having camera problems, so I'll post more when friends email them to me.

A perfect ending to the day, ice cream with PJ and Gracie.

All Grown Up

2008-10-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

We got our first school pictures today, and I hardly recognize my own daughter. She did turn 3 1/2 last week, but she looks 12 to me. She never smiles when I want to take a picture, but here she is so cute and posing for school photographer. The quality is horrible because I just took quick snapshots so I could show my family instantly. The copies I have in my hand are perfect.

Girls Night Out and Thoughtful Friends

2008-10-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

On Our Way
My Dear Friends

The Founder of the Purple Ribbon Council and Girls Night Out, my friend Donna http://www.girls-night-out.org/
Working Hard at the Bar
Time for a Break

Last night's Girl's Night Out event, was not at all about my birthday, but my dear friends managed to surprise me with a song and cake. It was so thoughtful and appreciated. Lucky for us, my friend Kim was there to capture the moment, she sure has a way with the camera. I'll post more pictures of this amazing event, but this one made me laugh and smile, even though I look ridiculous. Thank you ladies! What a fun night!

YUMMY!

My Crazy Birthday Present(s)

2008-09-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

We have been thinking about getting a puppy for the kids, for about a few months now. We had ourselves convinced we would wait until Kailey was 4 or 5, but for some reason, we just couldn't drop it. I heard a story about 300 Beagles that were rescue from a puppy mill this week and 30 of them were going to be in our town for adoption. It got our minds working about, and trying to justify why we thought now was better than later to get one. I am home all the time right now, what a great birthday present to ask for, the kids always around, the weather is perfect to start training a puppy compared to the summer when it would be tough to get out, on and on, we are good at justifying something when we want it! While I did my Beagle research, I learned they were not the right breed for our already crazy house. The problem was, we already had convinced ourselves that we NEEDED a puppy.

I started looking at breeds and cross breeds that might work better with two small girls. While searching puppies in AZ, I came across of picture of a "Bicho-poo." It was the cutest thing I'd ever seen, plus no shedding or barking. Of course I jumped on Google and was sure this was the dog for us. We called the owner and said we wanted to come look at the black little puff ball. I fell in love on the spot, so did Gianna. We started talking to the man about the parents of the puppy and found out that their Bischon was the father and a black toy poodle was the mother. He went on to tell us that his Bischon also mated with King Charles Cavalier and he had a female "Cavachon." (I think these new dog names are really funny) He happen to have brought that dog with him. Of course we had to at least look at it. Nate and Kailey fell in love on the spot. It took us about 2 minutes to decide we couldn't split up this happy pair. They were born a week apart and had the same father.

We drove off with our two new puppies, completely unprepared to bring them home. I'll keep you posted on how it goes, but so far so good. They haven't made a peep, they adore the girls, they love to play ball and run, they really couldn't be cuter or sweeter.

This was the first time they met our cat. It actually went pretty well.
Holly and Fluff at the Park

Gianna at Gymnastics

2008-09-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

On Tuesdays when Kailey is at school, Gianna and I go to her gymnastics class. She loves it. She is a good listener and has so much fun learning all of the skills her sister is working on. The two of them have enjoyed jumping and rolling quite a bit around our house.

Our Trip Finally Comes to an End

2008-09-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

The next morning we all met for breakfast at the Hyatt. It was great to visit with the married couple and say goodbye to everyone that had travel to be there. We could not leave California without my girls meeting Cooper. He is my sister's dog, and according to Kailey her best friend. We had so much fun playing with him and taking him to the park. From Julie's we were off to the airport. The girls cried all the way until we pulled into our driveway at 10pm. They wanted to move in with Julie and have Cooper be their dog. We will definately have to do a similar trip again!

Anthony and Michele's Wedding

2008-09-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

The main reason for this trip was to attend my cousin Anthony's wedding. Julie and I were bridesmaids and were so lucky to be part of this amazing day. The ceremony was preformed by my Uncle Joe, and so many old friends and tons of family were there. I am so glad the Wilkens crew was able to make the trip out.

The Groom and his brothers.
Again-300 people and the two that never leave the dance floor-Kailey and Gianna.

A Morning in Carmel

2008-09-15T11:23:00.001-07:00

We woke up early and hit the beach. I couldn't believe how hot it was. Carmel Beach does not require leashes, so it is very popular with dog owners. The girls LOVED watching all the dogs and running with them all over the place. We met up with my girlfriend Kelly and her daughter Jenna while we were there. My kids could have stayed all day.

Rehearsal Dinner at Indian Village

2008-09-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

My Family

Liz, Nate, Julie and John

The dinner was at Indian Village in Pebble Beach. It was about 8 miles down 17 Mile Drive. We were pretty much in a forest, but right now the drive way of course was the beach. We really got the best of both worlds being there. Trees and the Ocean!

Two things we just don't live by anymore. We were able to sneak away and watch the sunset.
When we got back, the band got started. The girls were roasting marshmallows and dancing up a storm. There were about 75 people there, but Kailey and Gianna dominated the dance floor.

Monterey Aquarium

2008-09-09T15:05:00.001-07:00

Straight from Napa we went to the Aquarium. My Mom, Sister, her boyfriend John, my Mom's friend Barbara and her grand daughter Jenna all went. Here is a peek at some of our fun.

A Week In California - Napa First

2008-09-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

My cousin just got married on Saturday in Monterey. We loaded our family up on a plane and spent the week visiting our friends and family in Napa and Monterey. We had an AMAZING time! I'll have to do a few posts because we really did such a variety of activites while we were there. Here we are on our way and in Napa and having breakfast in the morning with my nephew Tytan.........................................

As soon as we woke up friends and family started to arrive, we made a quick trip to the park with some dear friends and their kids.

Surfing with Aunt Pattie
Wine Tasting with the Payne's

So hard to say good bye! :(

K @ Gymnastics

2008-08-30T11:31:00.001-07:00

Kailey had her first day of gymnastics and it went GREAT! She loved it and did such a good job listening to her teacher. Gianna starts in the Mommy and Me class on Thursday. I'm sure she'll love it too.

PreSchool Bible Day

2008-08-24T15:35:00.000-07:00

Today we went to church at Kailey's school. They blessed all the preschool teachers and had the children come up with their families to be introduced and to get little bibles. The girls loved staying with us, since they usually are in Sunday school. We didn't get a lot of pictures, but here are a couple. It has been a pretty Kailey focused week. We are going to sign Gianna up for gymnastics tomorrow, so I'll have some fun shots of her soon.

The First "Official" Day of School

2008-08-21T16:09:00.000-07:00

Her smile was this big from the second she woke up today.

Here are some quick shots from this morning before we left for her first real day. It was a huge success. Gianna had the hardest time of the group, but her turn will be here before we all know it.

This one is from yesterday, but my sister wanted to see her outfit. Here you go Julie.

Meet the Teacher

2008-08-19T19:00:00.001-07:00

Kailey, Mom and Dad about to go into Kailey's classroom for the first time.
Kailey and two of her sweet little friends. They are all in different classes, but were so excited to see each other as we waited to enter the school.

Kailey is in the Ladybug Classroom, and her teacher's name is Mrs. Miller. K was not willing to shake her hand, but was thrilled when she offered to hug her.
Kailey and her proud Mommy.

Kailey had a wonderful first day. We were so amazed how brave and excited she was. She enjoyed a great book, learned a new song, and even told me she made a new friend named Talla. I'm not sure if that is really her name, but she said she was a nice girl who was three years old, wearing a beautiful dress and had curly hair. I'm sure I'll get to meet her new friend soon.

I was so fortunate to have a friend that offered to have Gianna over for a play date today. Gianna felt so special and had such a wonderful time. It was the first time she had been dropped off without her sister at a friend's house. I was so happy that she enjoyed herself. Not only did she play dress up, she painted Nate and I amazing pictures and got to back cookies.

Thanks Nicole!

Another Visit to the Museum

2008-08-19T14:06:00.001-07:00

My mom was here last week and we went back to the Children's Museum. Here are some pictures she just sent me. The last one is just Gianna at home doing what she does best, drinking tea. Stay tuned for first day of school pics...................

7 Years of Marriage

2008-08-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary Nate! In just an hour we will have been married for 7 years. It seems like it has been longer, since we have been together for over 13. I wish we got married when digital cameras were more common, but here is a picture of our wedding picture (you can even see the reflection of my taking it,) and a picture from our great weekend away. Love you!

Who Knew She Liked to Color?

2008-08-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

Last night Kailey was stalling going to bed. She and Gianna were sitting at the kitchen table with all of their arts and crafts supplies. When I said it was bedtime Kailey said, "5 more minutes, I'm almost finished." I had no idea what she was working on, but when she brought it over I was so proud of her. She loves to draw. Just recently her pictures started getting pretty amazing, but coloring is something she has never sat down and done for more than a minute or two. When we saw how great she did on this crown, she was so proud of herself she did three more pages before bed. Here is the first "colored" picture she has ever done where it looks like she really was filling in the lines. I also have included a wonderful picture Gianna drew us before bed last night too. (sorry for all non-family members reading this post, this one was mostly for Grandma's in CA, I am fully aware that a 3 year old's artwork is only interesting to a select group:)

Big Girl Bed, Sort of

2008-07-31T17:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I moved Kailey's old toddler bed into Gianna's room. It has been in our playroom forever and it just keeps gathering more toys on top of it and underneath as you can imagine. I should have known I was opening the door for Gianna to ask to sleep in it, but I guess I wasn't really thinking about it. Gianna is a fantastic sleeper, she always has been. K still gets up every night and sneaks into our room no matter how many times I walk her back, she always ends up somewhere in our room by morning. She started climbing out of her crib at 15 months, and was in a toddler bed by 16. Gianna is quite the opposite, she LOVES to sleep. She goes down easy, sleeps all night, and takes huge naps. I have never considered taking her out of her crib out of fear this would change. Last night as we put the girls to bed she told me, "I am not a baby mommy, I am a big girl, I need a big girl bed!" I told her we'd give it one try and if she stepped foot out of the bed she'd be back in the crib. Just to prove to me she still was my baby, all of her 10 million blankets and stuffed animals had to come with her, oh her paci too. She did awesome and when I came in at 8 to get her she was just sitting in there playing with her toys. Today's nap time went the exact same way. I had to sneak in and take a picture of her curled up in her little bed. I guess it is time to start looking for a real bed, but for now we'll just leave her in the "sort of" big girl bed, that can help me feel like I have a baby at least a little longer.

A Day at the Museum

2008-07-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

We just got home from a wonderful day at the brand new Phoenix Children's Museum. We already can't wait to go back. Here are some highlights of a fun filled day. In the art room there was a playhouse that they could paint, as well as several tables of arts and craft projects. Our girls made "princess crowns" and spent the rest of there time working on the house.

Kailey was very proud of her work!
There were cute animal benches all over, and great cozy seating for adults as well.

Go Gianna Go!

Nate in Napa

2008-07-21T13:20:00.001-07:00

Basketball at Vintage HighThe newest member of our family, Beckett Bradley
Steen Cousins
Nate and his Mom
Another new member of the clan, our cousin Dylan.

Nate went to Napa this weekend for the first time in 3 years. Here are some pictures of our family he was able to see, and some very dear friends. I can't wait for our upcoming trip so my girls can meet so many members of their family, and we can all catch up.

Shark Reef

2008-07-13T11:12:00.001-07:00

The girls had a great time at the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef Aquarium. It was really dark and hard to take pics in there,but here are a few.

Viva Las Vegas

2008-07-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

We just got home from a great trip to Las Vegas. Never in a million years did I think I would take the kids there, but I was so surprised that we had so much to do with them that we ended up staying an extra day. The reason for our trip was Nate's Mom and fiance were going to stay in a time share for a week and had an extra unit that we could use. Nate was able to get work off last minute, so we figured we would give it a shot. We packed our bags and made the drive. Mimi and Chuck watched the kids so Nate and I were able to see a show, go to dinner and play some cards. We stayed plenty busy and the girls LOVED Las Vegas. They said it was a beautiful Christmas all week! (the lights on the strip being the reason) Here are a few pics from the trip.

Gianna and Mommy at Margaritaville.

A Kiss While Waiting for Our Car

G sleeping while we watch the Gondola Rides, sad we didn't get to go on them, but happy she was able to sneak in a nap.

We got the girls this crazy Backyardagain karaoke machine for the car ride. You could have never guessed it would be such a hit for the 4.5 hour ride. They played with it and learned all the songs. It was hilarious!

The Girls With MIMI

Daddy takes them to Build a Bear, while I got some shopping done.
Hanging out with Chuck, hair of course done by Mimi.
We spent a lot of time enjoying pool and arcade. Everyone thought the weather was hot, but of course we were not phased by it at all.

2008-06-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

The Circus Comes to Town

2008-06-29T12:11:00.001-07:00

Our little Ring Master
K and H with their Daddies

Loving her Cotton Candy!

We had the joy of taking the girls to the circus yesterday. I didn't get many good pictures because we were all so preoccupied by the show. Gianna's favorite part was the Ring Master because he was the boss, just like she claims to be. 24 hours later she is still wearing her Ring Master hat around our house. Kailey loved the animals. The tigers and elephants were great, but she also really liked watching the "ballerina princesses on the rope swings." The acrobats were pretty amazing! The circus started at 11, but opened the doors at 10 so you could walk around and see everything up close. Because we are NEVER late for anything we were there by 9:45 and were able to watch the elephants take baths before we went in. If I would have know the show wouldn't be over until 1:30, we might have taken our time getting there. 4 hours of the cirucus should last us all at least a year or two!

Happy Father's Day Nate

2008-06-16T09:10:00.001-07:00

The girls are putting the coffee into the pot.
They each had their own tray in bed.
Swimming with Dad.
Relaxing after lots of swimming!

We had such an amazing day today. It started with the girls both sleeping in until 8:00, that is a miracle in itself. Then we made Nate a crazy breakfast with all of the girls' favorites. The menu included eggs, sausage, bagels with "pink" cream cheese, coffee with lots of sprinkles (cinnamon) and blueberry pancakes. They really did make most of it with very little help from me. Breakfast is by far their favorite meal of the day and they've gotten pretty creative on ways to help in the kitchen. We were very rushed to church but the girls made Nate gifts there and then for some reason decided they didn't want to go home and they wanted to stay for the second service and dance. This is very weird since they have never really gone to a service, they heard the musicians practicing and they stayed for about 30 minutes and dance up front like they were at a private concert. Nate took pics on his phone, but I have no clue how to download them, but it was hilarious. We all took naps and then had some friends over to go swimming. We ended the night making s'mores on the fire pit. It was a great day, for a GREAT DAD! We love you Nate and are so glad you enjoyed your special day.

2008-06-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

Loving the AZ Sun

2008-06-07T11:49:00.000-07:00

I don't know if we are just getting used to the weather, or we are having a cooler than normal summer. We are well into June, and still going to the park. Yesterday we went with about 5 other moms and about 10 kids to a park in the community of Anthem. WOW! I wish our neighborhood park looked like this. The kids had a great time feeding the ducks, going on all the slides and playing in the water. There is even a train, but unfortunately it wasn't running while we were there.

Loved It!

2008-06-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

I don't go to the movies very often, I can count on one hand how many times we've been since the girls were born, but nothing could have kept me away from opening night of Sex and the City. I have to say it was all I could have hoped for. I won't say anything about the movie other than grab your girlfriends and GO! It is such a great continuation of a story of friendship. Here are so shots from the night. Thanks Melody and Sharon for adding to the fun!

Gianna Finishes Swim Lessons

2008-05-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

Gianna finished her lessons for the summer yesterday. Here are some great shots we got of the big day. We are so proud of her and can't wait to spend the summer swimming with both of our girls.

My Scorpion Collection

2008-05-20T14:45:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying I HATE scorpions. I don't care if they were here first, I hate them, I want them all gone. I will squeeze them with my hands if I have to keep them away from my house and my kids. This week I have had to pretty much do just about that. In 3 years here we have seen a number of these disgusting creatures. Usually they are dead in the garage, in the street, or on sidewalks, we have NEVER seen one alive in our house....until today. I have our house sprayed inside and out every 4 weeks. My exterminator is coming in about 15 minutes for a scheduled service, looks like I could have used him early this month. When it starts to get hot in AZ the scorpions start looking for cool dark places. Well, for those of you who haven't seen it on the news, it is 110 degrees at my house right now, it was 85 last week, so this was a huge jump. My house is a cool 79 degrees and has all the shades drawn in order to keep it cooler. I guess it is a scorpions dream hide out right now. Let me show you my new friends.....

This was a tricky one to get rid of. When Nate was in Florida he spent the entire day in my courtyard up on the wall in front of my door. He was there for at least 8 hours until I went to my neighbors house and borrowed her butane gun they use to kill weeds. With Nate gone, and her husband on shift we had to get creative. We got a ladder and sprayed fire on him over our heads until he fell to the ground. Somehow he was still squirming so he got a little butane fire shower. This is a CRAZY state we live in!

This creepy critter was on my garage floor a couple days ago just waiting for Gianna's bare feet to step on him when she was crawling out of the car after swim lessons. When he started to move I saw him and quickly squished him with my flip flops.

This is the one I just found running in the hallway in between our playroom and Gianna's bedroom. She was sleeping and I was so afraid that it was going to run under her door where it was dark and I wouldn't be able to find him on our scorpion colored carpet. I chased him with a can of hairspray and then smashed him with my shoe. I hope my collection never gets any bigger and when the exterminator gets here he will take these little souvenirs with him.

Gianna's First Haircut

2008-05-20T14:41:00.001-07:00

The time finally came to get Gianna a haircut. She has so much fun, of course didn't make a peep and thought she looked very cute when it was all done. I'll have to get a better shot of the finished product.

Mother's Day - A little late

2008-05-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

I had the most wonderful Mother's Day. It started with coffee right next to my bed and no one coming in to wake me. We went to church and then a wonderful Mother's Day brunch with some friends of ours. The girls did surprisingly well in the restaurant and when they did start to act up Nate took them for a walk. When they returned they had flowers for me and my girlfriend. (nice touch!) Nate then loaded the girls and the other dad in our car and left my friend and I to drink champagne on the patio child free. It was lovely. When I got home my girls were sleeping so I was able to float around the pool and relax for a bit. The entire day was perfect.

Kailey Completes Swim Lessons

2008-05-10T18:59:00.001-07:00

This is Kailey's 3rd year in a swim program called ISR. The purpose of the course is to train children 6 months to 6 years old how to survive in the water under any circumstances. They recommend that each year your child takes a refresher course to remind them how to swim and to adjust to any growing they have done over the past year. I HIGHLY recommend the program to anyone who is willing to give it a try. If you are curious about ISR, The Today Show will be doing a segment on Wednesday the 14th and you can see some amazing examples. These pictures are during Kailey's last week where she had to swim in her shoes, regular clothes and a sweatshirt. She thought it was pretty funny, and did a great job thanks to Teacher Cari! Gianna's final day in class is creeping up on us, so I'll have similar pics of her posted soon.

Gianna's 2nd Birthday

2008-05-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

Gianna Turns 2!

As you can see birthdays in our house last all month. G's actual b-day was on the 30th and Nate had to fly to Florida that morning. Here are some pictures of the night before he left. Poor Gianna, we are a little burnt out on birthday's, so the pics aren't so great. :) Kailey picked the cake, the gift and the wrapping. She was hilarious doing all of it, but Gianna was THRILLED to get a new Snow White dress, exactly like one she already had. I guess her sister knew what she wanted. The next day we went to Build a Bear and Gianna made a cat that looks just like Butterscotch. It was a great day, but great to have an end to the month long celebration!

Party Weekend.....and Gianna Starts Walking (for the second time)

2008-04-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

I think the pictures sum it up. We had a great day, and the best part of all was that Gianna decided it was time to start walking again. Look at her jumping! Thanks to everyone who made it such a magical day!

Visit from Uncle Brady

2008-04-17T08:08:00.001-07:00

Nate's brother Brady came to visit the girls this week. We went on lots of adventures. Swim lessons started this week so he was there to take lots of great shots. Although he mostly hung out with the girls and I, he was able to sneak away for a few hours and watch his home team the Golden State Warriors loose to the Phoenix Suns! We all had a great time, and are so glad that he made the trip out!

This picture is from Gianna's third day of swim lessons. I knew she would do a great job. Look at her kicking her bad leg.

Kailey's strokes have improved so much since last year, look at her go!
She really is trying to smile for the camera. I can't believe how cooperative she is being this year.

Kailey made a new best friend at the zoo.

Hanging out watching The Bee Movie last night before Brady left.

Swim Season Begins!

2008-04-12T17:56:00.001-07:00

I think they are crazy, but Nate was doing yard work and must have been hot. The girls will get in the water no matter what the temperature. I was happy to sit on the side and watch. I don't think there is any turning back, summer is almost here! The girls start swim lessons on Wednesday and it was nice to see what they remembered from last year. K was a bit more timid, which is a nice change. She had no problem swimming to the edge underwater, but was more nervous to jump off the side than she has been in the past. Gianna doesn't know how to swim, but I think it felt good to be in the water and move her foot around. I promise I'll have pictures of her swimming posted in the next couple of weeks.

Update on Gianna - Version 2

2008-04-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

Well it has been 5 days and still so walking for Gianna. We went back to the doctor today and were able to narrow it down to an ankle injury. We have thought all week that is was her knee or hip, but due to her amazing ability to crawl and walk around on her knees that theory was obviously wrong. She had a ton of x-rays taken Tuesday and they all came back fine. The doctor explained to me today that sometimes fractures don't show up right away and now that we know the area of the injury we can do new x-rays from more angles and try to find the exact injury. We are still hoping it is just a bad sprain, but if she still can't walk on Monday we are going to see an Orthopedic Specialist on Tuesday and get the new set of x-rays and advice started. She is a trooper and does not complain at all, it is just sad that she keeps getting left in rooms because we forget that she can't follow us. This little "Zoo Fall" might turn into a slightly bigger deal than I thought, but nothing she can't get through. Please do keep our little trooper in your thoughts. :)

Update, but not really any change......12 days with no walking! We went to the Orthopedic Specialist today. It was weird, he pretty much shrugged his shoulders and said she will walk again, but it will take time. Some injuries like this take about two months to heal. I don't know about that. They still can't even tell me what her injury is. An MRI might give us more info, but from what they are telling me it wouldn't change her treatment, not that she has been given any of that yet. We are going to give it some more time before we jump to that option. I'm not good at sitting around waiting, so I called her swim teacher from last year and we are getting her back in the pool for some activity ASAP. I am also going to call a friend who is a Pediatric Physical Therapist. I feel like I am notorious for pushing my kids, but in two months I expect this girl to be swimming laps in my pool, not learning how to walk again. She is so tough, the problem is she is SO stubborn, just like me and her sister. She has decided she would rather be carried EVERYWHERE! We are going to work on this and get through it.

K's Big Day

2008-03-31T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today was Kailey's special day. It was so much fun. She has been excited for weeks and today it was finally here. I wanted to get her a bike SO bad, but she really has no interest. All she kept asking for was to go to the Zoo and to get a My Little Pony House. When she woke up this morning Nate and I gave her the pony house and she was thrilled. Then we got ready for her day at the zoo. Her Godmother Sara is here visiting so Gianna, Kailey, Sara and I started our morning at Starbucks and then met the girl's best friend Helena and her Mom at the World Wildlife Zoo.

After an amazing day at the Zoo we went to Red Robin to have lunch. The girls were all behaving great. Kailey even didn't mind when the servers sang her a crazy birthday song.
Gianna was having a wonderful day, but she had a bit of a snag at the zoo. She fell and hit her knee. It didn't seem bad, but here we are 7 hours later and she hasn't stood up yet. The doctor said to keep it elevated and iced and if she can't walk in the morning to come see him. She is such a trooper. Here she is being our good little patient.

Finally Nate got home and it was Kailey's favorite part of the day. She got to blow her candles out on a piece of cake. Here we go..............................
A very Kailey moment.........I did get K the Pony House she wanted. It was actually a roller skating ring for the toys. She loved watching the ponies skate around all morning on her new toy. After we had cake tonight, Nate and I gave her another gift. A pair of roller skate for her. She was full of joy. She opened the package and kept saying "roller skates like the ponies." Well when we put them on her feet she freaked out and said, "those aren't for Kailey, roller skates are for ponies!" This is how she spent the night playing with her new skates.
Right before bed, she decided to put the skates on. She was all over the place. Nate had to hold on tight, but I have a feeling tomorrow the ponies won't get any more turns. She loves adventure and we are going to work on learning to skate.
Go Kailey!!!! Happy 3rd Birthday!

Proud Mommy

2008-03-25T21:17:00.000-07:00

Kailey is turning 3 on Monday, and I think I am having a little bit of a hard time with it. I don't know what 3 is supposed to look like. She is turning into such a "big girl," but at the same time still seems like my baby. Just this week she has started dressing herself a lot more, she doesn't need me when she goes to the restroom. She tells me that she is 3, and that Gianna is a baby, Kailey is a big girl. Today she did something that made her seem so old to me that I wasn't sure if I should cry or smile. I think I did both. We were coloring before Nate got home and she drew a picture of me. I look mad in it, but I know she didn't mean it that way because she told me she was making a smile. She sort of did this earlier in the day and I made a big deal about it, so I think she wanted to show me that she could, in her words, "totally do it." (I wrote Mommy below it not her :) The crazy thing is this is the first picture she is ever really drawn of anything. Normally when I ask her what her pictures are she tells me they are rocks, I guess she sees a lot of those here in AZ.

Some Pre-Easter Fun

2008-03-18T15:34:00.001-07:00

The girls and Helena had a fun day coloring Easter Eggs. It was Helena and Gianna's first time, but it seemed like K remembered doing it last year. It was a fun way to practice their colors. They had a blast coloring the eggs, putting stickers on them, and then coloring them with markers. I think we'll have to do this again this week.
Here is a random picture from about week ago. Kailey's hair looks so long in it. We just cut a couple inches, but I liked how this picture showed the length.

Welcome Butterscotch!

2008-02-29T14:11:00.000-08:00

Kailey has always wanted to sleep in our bed. She did for the first 10 months of her life, and since then she has been trying to back in our room. She goes down great, but quite often calls for me in the middle of the night. It started to get pretty bad again so we started a sticker chart. If you got 5 stickers she could get a pet fish. Petsmart is her favorite store, so I thought it would be good motivation. To my complete surprise, it worked. Within a week she got five stickers, and after church two weeks ago we took her to pick out her new fish. While I was filling my cart with all of the things I was convinced this little fish "needed," the girls had completely moved on to other things (like most 1 and 2 year old probably do.) To my surprise they were with Nate looking at all of the cats that were up for adoption. When I walked over with all my "fish stuff," Nate told me to go get a manager there were two cats "the girls" wanted to see. We didn't really need to see two. The one that we all picked out was tiny, had just been rescued, and all the notes said that it loved to play with kids. He jumped right into Kailey's arms, when Gianna tried to grab the cat, it jumped right into her lap. A big plus for me was that this kitty was not shedding all over, and even if he did, it is pretty much the color of our house. Butterscotch has been a wonderful addition to our home. He plays with the girls all day, he doesn't mind when they chase him at all. He would love to sleep with the girls, but we haven't got to that point yet, I'm sure it is coming. Here are some pictures my sister took while she was here.

Kailey also got a harmonica this week. It is her new favorite noise maker. She saw one on Mary Poppins and knew how to do it right away. Gianna still is trying to figure hers out, but we'll post some pics when she gets into it.

Valentine's Day

2008-02-17T06:30:00.001-08:00

I wanted to get a few shots posted for those in my family who haven't seen the girls in a while. My camera isn't working great, so this is what I have for Valentine's Day. We did attend two different cookie decorating parties this week. Nate contributed to the sugar intake with cupcakes one night and giant cookies the next. I'll try to get some more pics soon.

Disney on Ice

2008-01-27T17:41:00.001-08:00

Saturday we went to see the Disney Princesses' on Ice. Of course the girls were just amazed by it. I didn't get any good pictures during the show, but the intermission ice cream break and the after show dinner were hits as well. Here are some shots of the day.

Today we just stayed home and used the rain as an excuse not to do anything. I think we were all a bit worn out. Fun weekend!

Go Suns!

2008-01-22T13:50:00.000-08:00

When we found out 2 and a half years ago that we were moving to Phoenix, the first thing that Nate did was buy season tickets to the Suns. We had never lived by a team that he enjoyed watching, so this was a really big deal. At the time we had no idea our little Gianna was on her way, and we just figured Kailey would always come with us an sit on our laps. Well....as you can imagine that plan worked for a few weeks after the move, then my tummy started getting bigger, and so did K. When she was about 9 months old and started throwing her pacifier down to the lower level, we decided it was time to stop taking Kailey. Nate would just go with friends to the games instead. When Nate goes to the games, the girls and I almost always watch them at home, and when they are on the road the girls watch the games with daddy on the couch. Well here we are half way through our third season, and the day finally came where Nate was ready to take that paci throwing little girl back to a game. Kailey was so excited. She was dressed in Suns gear from head to toe. Here are some pics of the night.......

Kailey stayed awake and interested in the game for three quarters. The only reason they left is because she started moving around a little too much. She stayed awake the whole way home and was so excited to tell me about it when she got home. It seems that her favorite part was that Dad let her get two sides of ketchup with her chicken strips and french fries. It is so funny to hear the things they remember! As you might be able to tell by the look on Gianna's face, she was not happy about ANY of this. When she gets a little older she will get her turn! GO SUNS!

Happy Birthday (Festival) Nate!

2008-01-09T06:21:00.000-08:00

Bob and Mildred Steen

Yesterday was Nate's birthday. He was lucky enough to have his Mom here last week, so his birthday celebration was extra special, and extra long. Usually I am the one that extends my birthday all week, but this time it was him. When Suzie was here the girls made Nate an amazing ice cream cake. Nate was very close with his grandparents. His Grandma Mildred passed away when we were in college, and his Grandpa Bob about a year before we were married. They were both amazing people I was lucky to know. Suzie had pictures of them framed for Nate for his birthday, it was a very special gift.

We had so much fun at his pre-party that the girls and I couldn't wait to celebrate again. Yesterday we went and got balloons, cake and cards, and surprised Nate when he got home with another little party. Kailey is obsessed with a show called Max and Ruby, Ruby always wears a special "birthday dress" and tiara to birthday parties. After we ate cake K insisted on putting hers on. It was quite cute.

Happy 33rd Birthday Nate, I love you!

After Christmas Sales

2008-01-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

Normally I don't love taking the kids to the mall, but they got a gift card to the Disney Store, so how could I not let them go pick out their own gifts. They had so much fun walking around the store and picking their own toys. Kailey picked some Princess figurines and Gianna picked a giant stuffed bear. No surprise on either of their choices. Here they are heading out for their day with the ladies.

Christmas Day

2008-01-01T17:03:00.001-08:00

The girls got lots of fun toys this year. They had a blast opening things, and luckily they would rather play then open, so several of their gifts stayed wrapped and will be saved for their birthdays. Gianna LOVES babies, so she was happy to push her stroller around all day, Kailey on the other hand just wants to jump! Lucky girl Santa knew just what to get her!

Kailey never wants to admit when she is tired. On Christmas day she literally fell asleep while she wast eating her lunch. Good thing we were close by!

Playing Dress Up

2008-01-01T16:52:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve Pictures

2007-12-26T16:15:00.000-08:00

Kailey has been so patient all month long and finally was able to open her first present on Christmas Eve, she was very excited!

Both of my girls love cooking. This year Kailey went out with her Grandma on

Christmas Eve while we made dinner, so Gianna stayed home and made her first lasagna. She did an amazing job!

My friend Kim is starting a photography business. She took a lot of our friends Christmas card pics and did a great job. On Christmas Eve at church she was taking snapshots as we walked in. Here are the shots she got.

Making Fudge and Feeding Reindeer

2007-12-25T17:18:00.000-08:00

The girls were huge helpers this year and made candycane fudge with me.

They broke the candycanes and wore adorable matching aprons that my mom made Julie

and I when we were kids.

On Christmas Eve we sprinkled "reindeer food" all over our front yard. Nate HATES glitter, it is one of his few pet peeves. The girls and I of course thought it was great. They were again in matching outfits that my mom made. We put milk and

cookies out for Santa, and got ready for the big day.

Preschool Party

2007-12-20T11:48:00.000-08:00

Today was Kailey's Preschool Christmas Party. We decorated cookies, listened to a story, and the kids sang Away in a Manager. Gianna loved being able to go to school. Here are some pics of the day.....

MOMS Club Party

2007-12-07T12:12:00.001-08:00

Today was our annual Moms Club Christmas Party. Gianna loved it. We had one of the Mom's playing the piano and we all sang Christmas Carols, G was dancing the entire time. Kailey got into right as the party was ending, but had fun either way.

When the party was over K kept saying, "let go to Super Target." She says that kind of a lot, and we did need a few things so to kill a little time we decided to go. (for those of you who don't live her, or know the area, we have no grocery stores within 20 minutes or so, so Super Target is where we buy everything!) It was a rainy day, so getting coffee and walking around the Christmas isle sounded fun. (yes I know I am a dork for admitting that!) When we got in the car to go she was so funny, she said, "let's go to Super Target and buy some umbrellas!" She was right, we don't have one, because we really don't ever need them. The girls had a blast walking around the store with their matching umbrellas, but of course the fun didn't stop there. We haven't put them down yet!

The Park with Aunt Julie

2007-11-28T13:37:00.001-08:00

Julie was here until Tuesday. She is great at taking pictures of the girls, that is why I always have more posts when she is in town. When we picked K up from school that day, all she could say was " go to park with Julie." The weather was chilly, but perfect for the park.

Decorating Day

2007-11-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

This is our first year with a "fake" tree. I gave it two years in AZ with a real one and it just wasn't working for us. The tree was dry and looked like a fire hazard within two weeks. I hate to admit it, but no watering, no messing with the lights, no needles all over the house, it really isn't so bad. It actually turned out beautiful!

That evening (before the flu struck again) the girls decorated cookies and Julie and Nana. Nate and I were able to sneak out for a great date at Pizzeria Bianco.