Spring Break

We had Spring Break last week. It went surprisingly well, while Sierra would take her 3 hour naps, the boys were able to play outside on their bikes, swim in the pool, watch movies...really, whatever they wanted to do.

Sierra spent most of her waking hours begging to get in to the pool, playing ball with the boys in the backyard, or escaping into the street! Yes, she has decided that it is fun to run into the street...needless to say...she's not allowed out front very often, she's just TO FAST! She can be down the driveway and half way into the street before I can get to her!

The boys LOVED spending the week in the pool. Some days they only lasted 30 minutes, but a few days they spent an hour or so. They pretty much LIVED in their swimming suits all week. If they weren't swimming, they were playing in the sprinkler or with their pirate ship water table. (which Sierra also loves and also enjoys CLIMBING into it).

What a fun week were able to have. We topped it off with a 'camp out' and a trip to San Jose to spend Easter with Bob's brother Steven and his family. (posts to come)

Such cute boys who LOVE the water!

Our Sweet Sierra

Sierra's now actually 13 months old, so this post is most definitely over due. But that's OK, because she just started doing even more cute things last week. She actually started walking at 11 months. She wasn't as steady and so I was trying to stop her....Silly mom!! Not at all possible. She's now running and loves to chase Ben down the hallway. We can't slow that girl down...except maybe with shoes...which she HATES! We were looking for shoes for the boys and I was trying to find some for her and she was SCREAMING before I could even attempt to put them on her feet. Oh well, she has really fat feet too and so nothing would fit anyway. A few of her favorite things: being outside and getting as dirty as she can. wandering into the street!!! Yeah, we have to keep a VERY close eye on her out front. being a girl...she loves her dolls and stroller and any thing pink, yet she's also in love with balls and loves to play cars with Ben. She'll even make a driving sound:) Her latest and greatest words/phrases: saying "tickle tickle tickle" and tickling your belly, or putting her feet on the table so you can tickle them for her; "Scooby dooby doo!!" At the breakfast table the other day, she just said it over and over! And looks at Ben (his latest fave..you guessed it, scooby doo and going up to people and saying "scooby dooby doooo!!!" She also says "MaMa" and "DaDa" and "MaMaMa" said with the inflection of banana...meaning she wants her favorite fruit...the BANANA!!! When she wants to know where someone is, she'll stand at the opening to the hall and yell "AHH" and look for whomever it is....generally Ben since they're the one's home together all day. When daddy walks in from work, he's not allowed to put her down. She's definitely a daddy's girl...just like my boys have always been. They'd rather be with their dad, I love it! She loves to color and can find a pen, a pencil or crayon ANYWHERE! But will walk around the house until she finds some paper to color on. WHEW!! Except lately it's been books, so we've been trying to teach her the difference between a coloring book and a reading book. Sierra is a true joy to have. I'm sure I've missed some of her cuteness, but will just have to record it later. We love you Sierra and are so happy that you're a part of our family.

Sierra's first Birthday!!

I'm finally getting around to posting about Sierra's birthday. I've been trying to get the video of everyone singing to her to upload, but it hasn't been working and I decided it was time to move on. Hopefully we can add it later. So, for now...here's the scoop....Grammy had sent Sierra's presents and they were burning a hole through the box! I couldn't wait for her to open them!!! So, the Sat before her actual birthday we threw her a LAST minute party. It didn't start until around 7, her bed time, but she still enjoyed it. We had our traditional cake, she got a small number 1 and we got cupcakes. She wasn't too sure about all the screaming...yes, they all SCREAM the happy birthday song. Fortunately she's been to enough birthday's lately that it didn't scare her too bad. I stood up to take a pic of some of those that were there and I MISSED IT!!!! See their faces! She put the candle out with her finger!!! You can see Lisa grabbing her hand. Bob got it all on video....she didn't want to touch it again so big brother Ben came to the rescue and helped her blow it out.

She really did enjoy every bite of that cake!

But as you can see was VERY tired by this point and we still hadn't done presents!!

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the presents. We got her a princess couch. She had been "sharing" Ben's Thomas one, so she LOVED having her own! Along with all the girlie stuff she got too...a stroller, purse and tea set!

Ben decided that he needed to sit with her. She loved every thing she got, she's still exploring this book The Wheels on the Bus.

I think she was done. I love Ben's face in the background..."AGAIN!"

The doll the boys got her quickly changed her mood.

I just LOVE these two pictures!

Sierra's so sweet and we LOVE having her in our family. She follows the boys where ever they go and the LOVE it! They will even play dolls with her!! Ben loves her Tea Set and will rarely share it with her!

Sierra's First Birthday!!!

love this video!

Way back in January!!

Way back when.....in January, we headed to the fire station with Ben's preschool plus some. I think there were 11 little boys and they all had at least 1 sibling with them! It was pretty chaotic. Yet fun. Ben got a little nervous when the fireman starting putting on all their gear. They can look a little scary.

A favorite...the shinny hubcaps...yes, that's Ben checking out what his rear end looks like in the hubcap.

They then let them climb through the truck to see what was in there. And the highlight.....being able to spray the hose!!!

February Fun

We had a few nice days in February, so we headed to the park! This was Sierra's first time in the swing. she did FANTASTIC!!!

With Ben's preschool, we headed to Wasco, CA on the train. Why Wasco? Because it's only about a 20min train ride!

But the highlight of the month was Valentine's Day. The Saturday before, Bob and the boys headed to get pizza, so I sent them into Von's for artichokes and steaks for V-day dinner. And to my surprise...the boys came home with these!!!

At Von's they were letting you decorate little heart shaped cakes. Bob let them each decorate one. They were SO proud of them! I made them save them until Valentine's Day and we ate them for dessert. They were REALLY sweet with all the candy the boys had put on them.

And I HAD to add this fun picture of Ben...the other day I heard him asking if someone wanted some pie, but that it was HOT! I peaked into the living room and saw him like this....with my socks on his hands, pretending to bake! Later that day...when I had put my socks back on, he asked me to take them off so that he could use them again!

Thanks for a fun and eventful February kiddos!!

A few random photos

I had a rare chance to get all the little ones that come to play...so I grabbed it! Usually we have just the boys (Jacob Miller, Conner Peterson, and Michael Hunter) Because we do a weekly swap so these boys can play and have fun together. The girls (Lacey and Hanna Bywater) we swap weekly with too...just another day. this day they were all over at the same time!! WHAT FUN!! They were enjoying making forts, eating cookies and just being silly. Sierra just looked cute in her Christmas outfit...the one the boys wore their second Christmas. Yes...at nine months my baby girl was wearing 18 month clothes.