Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Emma's 3rd Birthday!

Emma had an awesome birthday this year! She had so much fun! She was looking forward to her birthday for weeks! I had lots of fun setting up the party. We had our signature punch, some snack foods (since the party was between lunch and dinner). I made her some chocolate chunk cupcakes with rainbow sprinkle frosting. I thought about buying some, but I always appreciated it when my mom did homemade stuff for my birthdays. It meant more to me that she took the time to put all that love into my birthday decorations and my birthday desserts, then just buying stuff. So I decided to take a lesson from my mom and I made her cupcakes. It was even better because Emma helped me to make them. We had so much fun having that one on one time together baking and licking the beaters. We set up the pool in the backyard, the bounce house, the sprinkler water thing for the kids to run in, and the water table. We put out all the knobby balls for the kids to play with and let them run wild and have fun! After the kids went crazy and ate, I called them all in to paint some fun little wooden wall hangings for the kids to decorate with some paint and glitter. I have to brag that I got all that stuff at the dollar tree! Aside from the food, I probably only spent about $20 on all the decorations and the activities for the kids. It's funny that just $20 and Emma and all her friends had the most fun ever! Gotta love dollar tree and the simplicity of 3 year olds. :-) They are a great example to us adults.   


(The Birthday Girl!!!)

(Emma's homemade birthday cupcakes! Made with lots of LOVE!)


(The sisters enjoying Cheetos before the party)


(Emma cuddling with Papa)

(Hailey in her new swimsuit enjoying the water)

(My mom and I working in the kitchen)

(Emma & her best friend Emmi playing in the water)


(Michael painting his boat)

(Hailey painting her car)

(Emma painting her butterfly & Emmi painting her bubble bee)

(Mommy helping Michael & Hailey)

(Bret painting his dinosaur)

(Wilson painting his dinosaur)

(Emma blowing out her birthday candles)

(Mommy & Emma opening presents)

(Emma wearing her Princess Dora dress - a birthday present-)

(Hailey got confused between paint and makeup. haha)

(Michael and Emma being silly)

Easter 2012

We had a great Easter this year. It started with the kids coloring Easter eggs at my mom's house. They had so much fun coloring the eggs and decorating them with stickers. Later that day my uncle Brandon and aunt Khristie arrived from Seattle with their two adorable kids Ashley & Ryan. We've all had little crushes on cousins when we are little and don't know any better. Well Emma has set her eyes on Ryan. She was just totally smitten with him. Giving as many hugs as she could, following him around like a lost puppy. Trying to do things to get him to say she looked pretty. It was adorable. haha.

The kids were excited to have the Easter Bunny come. We put carrots out the night before so he could have a yummy snack. Then the Easter bunny came that night and filled their baskets. At my request the Easter bunny didn't put too much candy in their eggs. He filled them mostly with little toys. The kids got MORE than enough candy at their school Easter egg hunt and the family Easter egg hunt.

Easter afternoon we drove out to my cousins place in Gilbert. They have a huge house with a huge yard. They always invite all of our family and extended family out for a big Easter party/family reunion. There are lots and lots of kids of all different ages. It's so much fun for the kids and the adults. Lots of yummy food, and great company! This year was really special though. My grandfather is getting up there in age and his health isn't too good. He is the oldest of 3 brothers. As sad as it is to think about, my grandfather might not make it too many more years. The brothers have all lived in different states for many many years and haven't been able to spend much time together at all. It's been quite awhile since they have seen each other. For this Easter family get-together my great uncle Albert flew out from Nevada, and for the first time in forever all 3 brothers got to be together again. They told stories from back when they were growing up. They laughed and told jokes. It was just incredible to watch them together. There were these 3 old guys that had the youth in their eyes as if they were just boys again. It was so great to see and brought such a smile to my heart.

There was another thing that made it a really special Easter family get-together. My mom grew up in a family of 5 siblings. My mom and two of her younger siblings live here in Arizona, but her older brother Kelton, his wife and two daughters live in California. Her younger brother Brandon, his wife and 2 kids live in Seattle. It's impossible to have all of us in one place at one time. Unfortunately, my aunt Lisa (Kelton's wife) had just had surgery and was unable to attend, but everyone else was there. It was so special for my grandpa to have all his brothers and all his children together again. We were able to get a picture of all of us together, which was really special.

It was an unforgettable Easter!!! :-)




(Emma coloring eggs)


(Michael coloring eggs)

(Hailey eating Easter candy)

(Michael & Emma being silly)

(Coloring Easter eggs with Boompa!)

(Coloring Easter eggs with mommy)

(Emma & Uncle Devon)

(Emma & Papa)

(Hailey & Cousin Ryan)

(Emma dancing with Cousin Ryan)

(Michael & his Easter basket)

(Emma & her Easter Basket)

(Hailey trying to crack into her egg)

(Uncle Devon & Uncle Brandon)

(Cousin Ashley & Aunt Khristie)

(Hailey on the Easter egg hunt)

(Hailey feeding Easter candy to her puppy)

(Michael on the Easter egg hunt)

(Michael & Emma hunting for Easter eggs with Boompa)

(Emma hunting for Easter eggs)

(Hailey & mommy on the Easter egg hunt)

(Michael & Daddy on the hunt for Easter eggs)

(Cousin Anna & Uncle Kelton)

(The brothers! - Great Uncle Lorin, my papa Allen & Great Uncle Albert)


(My family!)

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Fun Times!

We have a lot of fun times in our family. I've tried to capture a few of those times on the camera. Enjoy:



(Michael riding his bike)

(Michael & Emma riding around)


(The kids helping daddy plant our vegetable garden)

(Hailey juicing a grapefruit)

(Emma & Hailey juicing the fruit for our breakfast juice)

(Michael & Mommy dancing together)

Mimi's Visit

My cousin Mimi was able to come visit me from California. She is such a great young woman, an amazing chef and she is a great help to me with the kids. I wish she could be here all the time. Love ya Mimi! :-)