Attack of the green face'd girls

New years Day we went to mom's for dinner, and there we were able to shanghai three cousins, Marianne, Kyla, and Mai Mai, to spend a girls night with us. We put on a mud mask, and tickled backs, and told stories. The next day they had a dress up tea party, and we painted nails and played hide and seek. It is so great to have so many cousins near by.

They all look pretty 'grinchy' to me..
Tea party best dressed.

New years Eve... Josh's B-day!

New years eve is Josh's birthday and so every year he (mostly) gets to choose what we do. This year was fun. First he got to wake up, whenever, go to the gym, then we shuffled him into the car and took him to breakfast at IHOP. Then home for a shower and some down time. Then we packed up and headed to the Childrens Museum downtown, with our friends the Sohms. It was hopping. and for good reason, they had tonz of New Year activities going on, the kids (and me) got to make a new years mask, a noise maker, and a hat to decorate; plus they gave them a another blow noise maker. The kids had fun, and Josh enjoyed just playing with the kids. Then we rushed home got some pot luck food ready and headed for Jorge's, where we they had a wonderful spread, and the girls got to play with some neighbor girls and Tio Jorge. Home at 10:30, and I fell asleep at 11:30... Happy new Year.. yer.. I mean Happy Birthday!

Kinda Scary group!
Making our new years masks!

Showing off our masks!

Eva, as she is trying fill up the car tires, was I think afraid to get of the bike, so no one else would take it, as she plays something else.

You can see josh making the car noises.. brmmm.

Move over Bob the Builder, Bella is a Pro.

This is the house that (bella) Jack built!

Mmmmm... tasty!

Get em' livey!

Josh enjoying the toy as much as Bella!

Tio Jorge really is sweet with our girls!

Cousins and cookies.. and ABBA?

So I happen to have a cousin, Mindy, whom I love to be with, and my kids love her kids, Hali and Garret, so really it is a good day when we can hang out, which has been more scarce since Hali and Bella's school conflict, so it was lovely when they were able to come during the break, and hang out. Mindy brought the movie Mama Mia, since she knew I wanted to see it, and we watched it upstairs and the kids watched a new movie downstairs. FUN! Then we made sugar cookies, since I hadn't done it with the girls before Christmas, while listening to the orginal Abba 'Gold' CD. My girls LOVE the 'money, money' song! Can you say mama mia !

Lots of snow, so let's sled!

So this year Christmas really was a winter wonderland. It snowed and snowed and snowed. Since it was so snowy and our dad was home, the day after Christmas, we thought it would be a perfect time to go sledding. The girls were excited. We were excited. We have a great sledding hill right by our house, and it was hopping with sledders. However, it was REALLY cold. I mean COLD. Eva only last a half hour, and wanted to sit in the car, and Bella only lasted another 15 min. But we still had fun, and got some good pics.

Dad and livey, she had her jammies on, because I think it was really the only thing to protect her legs and feet underneath her other stuff.
Going up..

...and Eva coming down.

Brrr...Cheese!

Face first, gets all the snow right in your face.

Weeeee...

Santa Came!!

Santa ate our cookies... sugar.. Josh's favorite!

Presents before the chillens came down. The radio in the car was playing christmas music.
Our girls must have been good this year, Santa spoiled them. Bella and Eva got a princess jeep to share. Bella got the American girls, Samatha book set (plus a mini samatha doll), and a build a bear set.. where she could make her own teddy bear. Eva got a littlest pet shop set, and a Jasmine doll. Olivia got a rocking horse that makes sounds, and moves, and tub toys! It was a good Christmas!

I wanted to make something special for Christmas breakfast, so I made eggs benedict, grapefruit segments, and OJ, the girls weren't so hip on the eggs benedict, so I made eggs muffins with cheese.

Cheese muffins... Mmm.

Beatles singing.. "Baby you can drive my car.."

Princess!

Playing littlest pet shop!

Sister.. sisters, there were never such devoted sisters!

Ride em' cowgirl!

Livey with her christmas bath toys! Yippee!

Christmas Eve

So Christmas Eve daddy went to work and we were left to ourselves to anticipate the coming night and next day. Luckily, Jana our neighbor has some nieces and nephews who came to play that we know, so they all came over and partied. It was a nice way to wittle away the hours. They played hide and seek and watched a christmas movie, and just generally played hard.

Ellie, Abby, Josh, Isabel, Lily, Eva, Riley, & Isaac.

Bella, olivia, and Eva, just before presents opening.
Just after being at tio Jorge's house for Christmas Eve (another time I forgot to take a pic). Tio Juan's fam, Tio Jorge's family, Esther's fam, and us celebrated, although we missed our poncho weetos, and the traditional food, we still had a nice time.

The girls in the traditional Christmas Jammies.

Kissen livey-lou!

In Bed, waiting for santa!

Thanksgiving... Arizona Style!

So with two brothers in Arizona, we thought it would be FABULOUS to invite ourselves, cheeky I know, to visit over the Holiday weekend. And bar the 12 hour drive, and me not getting any group pictures, we had a MARVOLOUS time.

We reserved a room at a local hotel through priceline, it was pretty gross I don't recommend the hotel or priceline, even for the good deal I got.

We first went to my brother Lane's house, after a long drive at about 10 in the morning (we drove all night), and then went to lunch with both lane and his fam, my parents (who were also visiting), and my bro Troy. Gecko grill, good times! Then later spent part of the evening with Troy's family. The tragic part I didn't get even ONE picture of his kids or fam.

Then, Grrr - with no pictures, we had a great Thanksgiving at Lanes house. Then over to Troy's for some pie and visiting!

Fri. I went shopping with Heather, Brit, Ruth, and Keith. Oh my Gosh Holy crazy shoppers, I have Never seen anything like it, we were there about 5:45, and the line was wrapped clear through the parking lot. Fun, but crazy! That night we took the kids to the madagasgar movie.

Sat. we went on a hike with lane's fam, and Ruth's fam. These are the only pics from the whole trip.

Sat night we drove home, and saw 30 deer. 4 of those right in the middle of the street! It probably took an additional hour, because we drove so slow. The deer were everywhere and they didn't see bothered by us at all. GRRRR!

Home, safe at last. ahhh

Arizona November weather lovely!
Landon and Eva!
B squared (niece brit and friend brit) being big goofs!

Bella with the big kids, she is so ready to grow up! Slow down!

Chivalry is still alive! Landon saw something move and put his arm out to protect Eva, against anything bad that it could be. Seriously what a cute cousin! Here he is checking it out!

Sabrina, Landon, and Bella!

Landon and Bella were bringing up the rear, and I asked them to get in front of me, so an adult was the rear. And just because, they grabbed each others hand up the trail.

Best cousins! Fer sure!

Seriously that is so sweet and innocent! Lovely!

Dad, Eva, and Livey Lou - with the Arizona landscape!

Five little monkeys, sitting in a tree

So we had cousins, Maddie, Mai-Mai, and Rigdon, over for a sleepover beginning of November, and it was still nice outside; so while dad was able to do some yard work the kids spent a good portion of the day outside. There is a lovely Mimosa tree out front, and is an ideal climbing tree. So they we up and down in the tree most of the day. Definitly monkeys! I taught them how to play a game I played when I was little called colored eggs. They loved it! Then we went on a 'spy walk' where we had to walk sneaky and hide if we saw anyone coming, and then grabbed the 'top secret' pine needles' to take home before the 'bad guys' got us. It was a good memory making day!

Riggy, Mai-Mai, Eva, Maddie, and Bella!
Bella monkey!

Eva Monkey!

Preschool - here Eva comes

So with a move and the school year already started, finding a preschool was NOT a wonderful experience, however, with the help of our awesome neighbor, Jana; Eva started Preschool the first week of November. It is a really good preschool, and they have some fabulous programs for the kids. She has really JUMPED forward with her school skills. I think it is a blessing, also, to have a friend for her since she was so hesitant last year. She loves it and never fights me about going. Yeah, school!

First Day!

With friend Abby!