Family Time

Aunt L gave the girls their very first matching dresses. It is so fun! C thinks it is great that she can match with her sister. Don't they look adorable?





















My girls are getting so big! M is grows up more every day, and this picture makes C look like she is 3 going on 11.















Love these girls!

Our little C turned 3 this month. It's hard to believe how grown up she is. She wants to be completely independent and I often come into a room to a mess of C trying to do something that is a little too big for her. She is so sweet, kind and generous. She loves to snuggle, and is always trying to get everyone around her to laugh.












Her birthday at her cousins house. G had his there and she was not to be left out. I can't say I blame her. They put on a great party. Her Aunt, Uncle, and cousins were so good to her!













C's birthday cake at home. She was so excited for her Sleeping Beauty cake, and loved blowing out her candles again!

















C loves the dress-ups from Grandma and Grandpa. G had to get in on the fun too. That's his pirate face.










C brought this book and spoon to me and told me they were her violin. I have a few violin students and I had never realized that she was paying attention , but she knew that she needed to start the lesson with a bow and "Good afternoon." She was so excited to be playing her 'violin.' Maybe she needs to start some lessons.







And just had to throw in that M started solids! From the very first bite, she could not get enough. I can't wait for finger foods!

Well, I finally decided that posting Christmas pics was not going to happen. There are too many fun ones and I was not weeding them down appropriately. I may get to it someday, but probably not. Be that as it may at least here are some fun January pics.














G and C loved the snowfalls we had in January. The waterproof gloves that Grandma and Grandpa sent came just in time. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find waterproof gloves for kids?! We looked at every place we thought was a remote possibility, and there was nothing. Not big chain stores, sporting goods stores, outdoor equipment shops, second hand shops, or kids clothing stores, nothing! They finally found them for us in Utah where there are many more kids per capita, but they said it was still tough for them. The kids were so happy to have them, though. The pictures say it all, too. C is still in the "helping is fun" phase we all adore. (It's too bad they don't stick with that phase a little longer.) G thought it was more fun to try to ride the baby bike through the snow and slide on the icy patches. On a side note, C told the Guy a couple mornings later, "Daddy, there are pokies on your face, you should shovel them!"














They love snuggling in these blankets from the Guy's aunt M on cold days. G especially likes to get rolled up tight and ask me to carry him places. :)












G and his best friend from school, A, dressed as shepherds. The school Christmas pageant was snowed out, so they held it in January. A little bit of a bummer, but it was still really cute. I was very relieved when G and A stopped karate chopping each other in time for the program to start. He was so cute as a shepherd, and he sang all the songs with all the actions. Way to go, buddy!










These are the two sides of my C. She loves to dress up, have her fingernails painted, and look pretty. She loves dancing these days, especially ballet. So the other morning we got her all decked out in her ballerina costume and she put on a show for M and me while G was at school. A total fun girl party. Then the next night (after sleeping in her ballerina hair), she got into a bag of flour I left on the table. (I was making bread and had to go feed M.) She does love to help cook, but I suspect the mess and the dumping and measuring were a bigger draw. Love that girl!






















I just had to add this one. Look at that smile! I could watch it all day!


We were all sick last week with a bad cold which turned out to be RSV. So C ended up with RSV turned pneumonia. and M ended up with RSV turned Bronchiolitis. They were both had ear infections as well. G weathered the storm as the only member of the family to skip the fever, coming out of it with only a little cough and scratchy throat. It was a rough week, but we made it through. This look on M's face is so defeated. She has no love for the nebulizer, but she endured four times a day, pretty nicely I would say. She is such a sweet girl.

Well, I've finally determined that I am not going to get the card out in the mail, so hopefully you'll enjoy it here.

Some things we loved about this year...

G: school, soccer, reading books about dinosaurs and dragons, getting a new baby sister

C: a new big girl bed with ballerina sheets, Hello Kitty, play dishes, a new love of puzzles and reading

M: siblings who can't get enough of me, smiling at my family

Guy: reading to the kids before bed, holding my baby girl, talking with G and C about things like how electricity works (I usually end up saying something like, "I don't know, let's look it up" or more often, "go ask your mom").

Gal: finding out that three kids will not kill me (yet), revisiting some old hobbies, enjoying time playing with kids and cooing at my sweet baby

Goodbye 2010 - we had more ups than downs, we laughed more than we cried - here's to 2011!

We spent Thanksgiving with two of the Guy's brothers. (The same two that were at M's blessing. We love having family close again!) The cousins had a great time together, and we spent a great Thanksgiving day on the beach. It was so much fun!

C and cuzS play in a fountain.











G and cuzA balance on the shadow of the railing.












C has had a little too much fun today.












G and C share a towel at the beach Thanksgiving Day.

















Sunset













Roasting marshmallows after a great Christmas light show and a fun train ride. It was a great night!

It was not our best year for Halloween. The kids wore costumes that we already owned, but luckily they are young enough not to care. They had lots of fun, and thanks to a sweet friend who brought food, we didn't even have to eat candy for dinner!

Baby M was blessed almost 2 weeks after she was born. We were so lucky to have so much family at baby M's blessing. Two of the Guy's brothers came up with their families, and both his parents and my parents were there. It was wonderful!