Baby girl is 1

I hate when things don't turn out as expected... I often build something up in my head of how I want it to be and alot of times, I end up dissapointed.

This was most definetly not one of those times. I think I imagined having a little girl a gazillion times in my head, since I was old enough to have pretty little baby dolls. My little girl was going to be cheribic and toe headed... docile and squishy. Instead I got a little pokey haired brunette that arrived sticking her tounge out at me. She was tiny, but doe eyed and I couldn't have been more surprised.

Now, she is my little one year old sassypants. She is learning to throw a pretty fantastic fit and knows what she wants. She is giggly and smiley and silly alot of the time. She loves when music is playing, she has some sweet moves that are all her own. She brings so much spice to our sometimes vanilla house and I will be honest when I say, I am a little nervous how her sassines translates for the future.... Please bless her stubborness turns to a mature strenghth and not rebeliousness :)

We had a little party for the girl and I was testing out my little sisters camera and her memory card won't work in my computer for uploading and she left her cord in Mississippi. Her birthday party post will have to wait. She was pretty darn cute though, and like my baby dolls, I get to play dress-up with her.

Mini Vacation

Last weekend we drove to midway and spent the night at the Zermatt resort. A friend of mine is a massage therapist there and we trade for hair. SHe had a free nights stay coming to her and I had a few massages built up so we traded for that and she gave both Steve and I a massage... ::Sigh::

The room was fancy schmany and the whole resort was pretty cool. It's modeled after something from Switzerland. They had a carosel and yummy food and a bakery that was to die for. The kids had...fun... at the pool... okay, they totally didn't. Sam was utterly terrified and spent most of his time wading in the hot tub. (well he did have fun doing that.) With his personality, he is so scared of things at first until he realizes that it's pretty great. Witht that in mind, Steve did his best to scare the fear out of him by dunking him in the water repeatedly.... looking back, I'm super surprised that didn't work. The water turned Sophie into a super snuggler, with her head glued to mine or Dad's shoulder .

Highlights

* Sam, Riding on the cougar at the carosel

*Soph, Sleeping in Mom and Dad's bed even though they toted a pack and play

* Mom and Dad, MASSAGE!

Lowlights

* When Steve locked that keys in the car while I was getting my massage. (we were rescued by my little sister who brought us a key.)

We had a great time being together and doing something a little out of the ordinary. I would highly recomend the Zermatt. It would be an ideal anniversary place too.

Sophie "the fearless" heading straight for the edge of the bed, While brother dutifully yanks of her leg to keep her from falling.

Gorilla walk among the Giant Chess set

She doesn't want to scuff her knees, smart girl

Cutest 4 year old I know

Pulling faces... I didn't even have to try

Not sure why the bear is playing the accordion

Safe and sound in the hot tub

Clorine is a great curl enhancer... I should bottle and sell it

Love this picture, Steve is the worst about getting his picture taken, especially now that those pictures are often blogged about, He's pretty cute though right? (especially when accompanied by a cutie in a cherry swimsuit.)

Sophie's entertainment for nearly an hour... sliding herself into the closet

new friends

Sam has made a few new friends and is now doing what every little kid in the summer time ought to be doing... playing like a maniac. There is a sweet little kid that lives next store that is a little more than a year older but they play really well together. and with this warm weather, Sam has played non-stop outside and has only come in to pee. There is a little girl in our cul de sac that has fun with them also. He ran in the other day and said, "Mom, I have a wonderful idea! Let's invite Andrew to join us for dinner!" I am thinking of changing his name to Sir Samuel.

Enjoying a picnic of graham crackers and marshmallows

The face of fun, sun, and burn. He looks so exhasted... I love it.

forgotten fotos

We have been passed by in the blogging world... moments captured at random without out a story or purpose or anything quippy to go along with. We have been deemed un post- worthy and have been doomed to a life of hard drive limbo. In the old days of scrapbooking we may have been given our own page and title of "Random Pictures" or "Misc. and Misc. contd." By Grandma Gray. Today we have been given new life... a voice and will forever go down with the others in Blogger history. We will proudly wear the name... 'Forgotten Fotos'

Sophie's new Quilt From Grandma... I LOVE the colors.

(Sophie is not smoking a cigar, it's a foam dart she loves to chew on)

After being squirted in the face repeatedly by Brother and Her grin could not be bigger, nor could her squeal of delight.

Harry Potter costume made by Auntie Marcelle. I think he kind of looks like Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" in those glasses

Yankees Cap, Plain white tee, bare feet, Bear... how could I not take a picture

Sophies 'fro after a bath.

instead of going private I thought about always having my kids wear masks in pictures to hide their identities... That Michael Jackson has some fantastic ideas.

His new phrase is "I need Back-up!"

she is just so easy to toss

She learned how to climb up stairs. and we decided to have her hair match the awesome shag carpet.

Too sweet not to post.

happy muhders day!

Today was a really nice day, I got sung to at church. Sam went up to the stand witht the rest of the primary kids with a huge beaming smile. A little girls overly poofed pony tail covered his face for the most part while they actually sang but still it was sweet. HE has an amazing sunbeam teacher that sent him home with all sorts of goodies for me.

This little list was one of them.

I love the perspective of a 4 year old. He got me brownies from the macey's bakery. He knows how much I love them and came up with that all on his own. Steve bought 3 magazines and my gift is subrciption of my choice.

I'm so happy and thankful to be a mom...

...and to have an incredible mother of my own, She is sweet and compassionate and beautiful and so completley hillarious. She can get me laughing to the point of almost wetting my pants. She works so hard and is never short on compliments or hugs and "I love You's" Thanks for the many head rubs and back scratches... Prom dresses and late night chats. You truly are the Best Mama... I love you like crazy.

While in the mode of being Thankful for Mothers, I really have an awesome Mother-In-Law as well. She could not be more of a help to me. She has been there all along the way on my quest to domestication. She lives the gospel so perfectly and is such a great example. Thanks for loving my kids as much as I do and for your listening ear.

We Moved!

We are in a house.... well renting, but what the heck do I care. The house belonged to Steve's grandparents and has had it's share of family renters. It is kind of a dinosaur meaning old, but big!

Our backyard. Lot's of grass, trees, and a place for Basketball, ang bike riding

My sister in law left this with me over the summer while she is in Alaska. I'm not complaining, I kind of like sweating it out while watching American Idol

My Genius Idea, I had all thes mis-matched frames and frameless pictures... solution... DI. I bought a bunch of frames for a buck and spray painted them black. I liked the result.

No more soapy hands... yeah for dishwashers!

and 2 of these! Hooray for another place to poop.

I have never had a designated pantry before

The house is on a cul-de-sac, Sam has had fun riding his big wheel

I have also had the great honor of displaying THIS on my wall all summer. I mean, who doesn't love taxidermy... blehk! (Steve's Brother and wife were the previous renters and the Elk is his. They come home from Alaska at the end of the summer and he couldn't fit it in his storage unit. The thing is seriously as big as a 7th grader.)