Aquarium/ botanical gardens/ zoo

We just got a pass again, so here are some pics from our first trip!

 

 

 complete with dirt, but oh so cute!

loving the flowers

the good old lion picture!

Spring!

As soon as the blossoms and daffodils came out, we had to get some pictures!  (This was on St. Patricks day- hence the green!)

Happy St. Patty's day!

I decided to celebrate St. Patricks day this year since it basically had it's own month due to Easter being so late!  I made this letter from the Leprauchan, with footprints all over the house.  The kids thought it was super fun, so that's all I cared about!  (although yes I know that poem is lame but I came up with it in 5 min!)

 They found a rainbow of jellybeans

We went roller skating later that morning with a couple friends.  Makenna had a blast!  Jace "can't do it!" so he gave up within about 5 min.  I'm going to have to teach him a little something about perseverance!  

 I will give it to him that those skates are super heavy and hard to move around!  But you should have seen some of the little kids there...

It was a super fun day!

In case you haven't seen my FB post...

camera thieves

I've been crappy at taking pictures lately, but no worries, the kids are always stealing my camera and taking all kinds of pictures.  Here are a few I thought were cute/funny...

 sister's dog Bailey

beautiful Kenna

My gorgeous girl.  She is seriously so grown up.

She came up with this pose all on her own... and the outfit...

 

 Oh the hair...

  

Wicked

Went to see Wicked with sister- A mazing.  It deserved a post... a pivotal moment of my life...

I know this picture is amazing.  The people in front of us were all fancy in their dresses, and then there were guys like that one with the red shirt... interesting variety...

so glad sis came with me.  are we even related?

Jace's 3rd birthday!!

Jace's birthday started out with his playgroup.  We decided to do a little party for Jace and Addie since it was her birthday in a couple days.  Jace calls the girls in his playgroup "my girls."  He loves them.  We played some games, had some cupcakes, and played lots!  (cell phone pic)

After playgroup we went to Chick Fil-A, then to wal-mart to pick out a present.  Jace was SO excited to pick anything!  I think it will be a tradition from now on.  He picked a work truck (skid steer?)

For dinner, the Burns came over for some Hawaiian Haystacks.  It's Jace's favorite.  Then he opened his presents.  He got a Buzz Lightyear Rocket tent, a pack of work trucks, a transformer, a basketball, a lunch box, and a bike!  He had a great birthday!

I tried to be cute and made these ice cream cone cupcakes... then they all fell over on the counter and didn't look so cute anymore!  (they are top heavy!!)  The kids still loved them!

SMILE!  this is what I get.

Jace is such a sweet boy.  We are so happy he is a part of our family!  Happy Birthday Jacie!

This... is cuteness

I recently re-found this video and it is just too cute not to post here.  The end is my favorite!

2011 Snapshot

This is a snapshot of what our family is like at this very moment, the good and the bad...

Our days typically start when Makenna or Jace come into my room around 7:00 and we snuggle; I get them some chocolate milk, turn on the toons, and go back to bed... :)  Sometimes I get a little more sleep in, sometimes I read, whatever the kids let me get away with... did I say that out loud?

By 7:30 I'm up and making breakfast!  Our favorite breakfasts these days are blender whole wheat pancakes, cream of wheat, oatmeal, or toast.

Mondays we usually spend cleaning up the house after the weekend (does your house get messier when husband is around?!), and shopping for essentials that we should have shopped for Sat. night

Tues/Thurs Makenna has preschool from 9:30-12:30 with an awesome group of kids from our ward.  The moms in the group are seriously awesome which makes the preschool awesomer.  It's nice to know Makenna is in such good hands and learning about cool things like Egypt.

I go to mutual Tuesday nights for Young Womens and still love it.  They keep me young ;)

Wednesday nights Makenna has dance class at 5:00 with Miss Heather.  She has really improved a lot this year with her harder dance class.  It is so fun to watch her esp. now that they are starting on their recital piece!

Friday night is pretty much always movie night.  We love to watch movies and pop popcorn.

Scott and I have been "dating" again!  It had been too long!  Since the summer we have been going on dates pretty regularly, and we have both LOVED it!  We go out with our double-dater friends, the Reidheads, a couple times a month too.  It's been a blast to get to know my husband in that way again!

Scott plays basketball on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sat. mornings if he can get away with it!

Makenna just got a cavity again.  Why must we have such sensitive teeth?!

Jace loves the show Team Umizoomi.  He runs around the house saying ummmiiiiii zooommmmmiiiiiii!

Jace is a huge fan of guns... the nerf kind and the invisible kind.  He runs around the house all day making amazing gun sounds.  I'm not quite sure how little boys make those sounds... whenever I try I sound ridiculous.

Jace is completely potty trained as of last month.  I am loving it!!  NO KIDS IN DIAPERS!!  It is a dream I tell ya.

Makenna is reading really well.  She can read most words up to 4 letters.

For lunches I usually ask, "sandwich or chicken nuggets?"  sad huh?  But if you know your kids eat those things, that's what you buy!

Jace is taking about 2 naps a week now.... bummer....  He's at that stage where if he takes a nap he doesn't go to bed as well at night, but if he doesn't take a nap he's a grumpy face.

Jace and Makenna actually play well together now 90% of the time- hallelujah.  They will play together for an hour or two now before the fighting begins.  I LOVE seeing my kids get along!

If you're still reading this that means we're good friends... I REALLY want a baby!!  And believe me people, we're working on it!!  So stop asking- it's making me feel like a fatty!  :)  (This rant is for the random people, not you, my good friends, that I don't mind talking to about this stuff!)  haha, ok I got that off my sleeve

Makenna is increasingly opinionated about how I do her hair, what she wears etc.  Sometimes Sunday mornings can be drama.

Jace is my little fashionista...  He likes to change his outfit a few times a day, he has STRONG opinions about what he is going to wear every day, he LOVES to take his clean clothes out of the dryer and put them in his drawers, and he loves to pick out new clothes at the store.  Some people say I should be worried (Have you met Jace?!), but I think he likes to look good for the ladies...

Makenna is still a talker!!  She talks everyone's ears off.  Just smile and nod...

Bed time is from H-E-double hockey sticks lately...  Jace is the King of excuses: "I need a drink of water and a piece of bread," "I need to go to the bathroom," "I need another story."  Sometimes he will just come out of his room and hide and watch us.  When we find him he gives us an adorable smile so we can't be mad!  This too shall pass... this too shall pass...

We have food storage for about a year now!  I can't tell you how good it feels to say that!

The kids' bedtime routine consists of: cleaning the room up together, usually a little wrestling with dad (that is probably why Jace is so wound up!!), and 2 books (one a scripture story).

Private Selection sweet mint chocolate chip ice cream is the BOMB!!!

Our favorite shows are Modern Family, Parenthood, Community, The Bachelor, and The Office.

My awesome husband won Salesman of the Year in the whole west in 2010!  I knew his convincing personality would be good for something!

Nicknames:

Jace- Jacey

Makenna- Wen

Our family is truly a joy at this moment!  We have our hard times, but I think I will look back at this time of my life and think what a great time it was for us.  Hopefully there will continue to be a lot of joy in store for us in 2011!