Our Growing Family: 2013

Saturday, October 19, 2013

We have enjoyed so many fun adventures the last few months from flying to Colorado for Uncle Jesse's wedding to visiting family in Daly City to attending the wedding celebration for Uncle John in San Diego, and even enjoying a trip to Sedona with Auntie Dena! Here are some of the memories.

Beautiful Sedona

Uncle John and Auntie Bianca at their wedding celebration in La Jolla

The beautiful bride and her flower girl

Papa Ted and Gram in San Diego

Preparing for Halloween (everyday)

Nora feeding her babies

Our visit to Daly City with Grandma Janice

Enjoying time with cousins

James and I celebrating our Anniversary at the Fairmont
(with the girls of course!!)

Auntie Gina and Leia before dance rehearsal

Congratulations to Devan and Jesse. Beautiful wedding in Boulder, CO

Daddy and his helpful side-kick Nora

Race for the Cure. Cancer walk in Phoenix. We are
so lucky to celebrate Grandma Janice, our cancer survivor

Racing for the Cure with my work friends

We love our Auntie Dena! Thank you for visiting Auntie

Riding horses with our friends

Monday, October 14, 2013

Letters to Leia

Letters to Leia:

Leia, these past few months you have proven to me that three year olds are completely addictive. I can’t ever get enough of you these days. From your hysterical mannerisms to your kind gestures, and your genuine happy nature, and yes even to the occasional “bipolar”episode I like to call it. You are such a joy to be around and I even find myself sneaking into your bedroom at night and climbing under the covers so I can hug and kiss you. It’s been so apparent; especially recently how fast you are growing up. I saw you the other day preparing for dance class and I couldn’t believe that my little baby girl is no longer a baby, and even no longer a little girl, but a big girl now. You do everything by yourself. And I mean nearly everything! From putting your clothes out for you and your sister every night for school, to baking cookies, purchasing items at the store, changing your sister’s diaper, potty training Nora, helping me with all the house chores, and yes, even making coffee for Daddy. I love your independent and confident spirit. You remind me so much of your Daddy. You love rules and routines and you LOVE when you and everyone else obeys them. You and your sister are soul mates. You care for her like she is your own baby. It is important to you that you and Nora are always matching. You make friends so easily and you absolutely love all of the kids at your school. You especially enjoy your teachers and if I ever even talk about one day attending Kindergarten, you immediately remind me that your teachers Chelly and Kelly will miss you too much so you can never leave their class. I love that you obey all school rules and you extremely cautious to never get in trouble.You still love swimming like a fish and we try to swim at the gym any chance we get. There have been a few times this week when my plans for work or working out fell through and it lead to unexpected one-on-one time with Mommy and Leia. Those are the dreamiest moments in life. We laugh together as if we have been friends our whole life. We know each other’s soul. You are always so protective of me and always want to make sure that I am happy and proud of you at all times. We have a beautiful bed time routine where we have our special night lights that you turn on, we snuggle in bed, read our books, then you turn off all our lights and I scratch your back until you are fast asleep. You still wake me up every morning singing “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood” and that inner happiness reminds me so much of Grandma Janice. You are graceful and lovely and everything I wish I could be. It brings tears to my eyes how much I love you and how happy you have made our family. Thank you sweet Leia from the bottom of my heart. How lucky I am to share this life with you. You are everything I have dreamed of and more.

Funny quotes:

--When you had a high fever, you woke me up in the middle of the night saying “Just 5 mls of Tylenol, please Momma—I promise I will feel better.”

--You randomly blurt out at least 15 times a day that you love me, but it’s funny that you especially say this when are embarrassed or nervous or have fallen down.

--When I tuck you in your bed at night, you say “Now don’t go to work at night when it’s too dark”

--When I told you that you can have a little bit of carrot juice, you promptly replied, "thank you Mommy, but I want a BIG bit"

--When I went out with friends at night, you check on me at 3 in the morning saying “Momma, are you here? I just want to make sure you got home safely, it was awfully dark when you left” (Remind me, who is the parent again?)

--When Daddy comes home, you immediately ask him “Hi Daddy, how was your day at work?”

--“Daddy bought you flowers for your birthday Mommy? You are so lucky to have your own prince. Can we share him?”

Mopping the living room floor

Cleaning toilets and babysitting
your sister

"I will protect you Nora"

Kisses for frozen yogurt

Potty Training Sissy

Ready to go to dance class at 5am

Lining up her and Nora's clothes out for school

You love to match with Nora

Your best friends

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Our new life

We are slowly but surely getting settled into our new life. I started back to work at a small orthopedic hospital in Phoenix called Oasis. And it is just that! It's such a gorgeous place to go to work. How fortunate I was to find this place. The people who I work with are my family and I love calling this place my second home. Fortunately after working full time for the last month I will be able to cut back and work only part-time as planned. I think working less will give our family the most optimal balance. The girls have started pre-school and after a less than enjoyable experience with our first school, we have started the girls in a community school that has brought so much happiness and joy to all of us. Leia has swim lessons at school and truly has the time of her life. James is busy working crazy hours. Unfortunately for him, the summers bring the most business and that means being outdoor for 10 plus hours in the unbelievable AZ heat. He takes it like a champ!

Grandpa Clunie recently had a stroke and a subsequent surgery to remove the clot in his artery. Grandpa, we are praying for you and sending you love, support, and good thoughts your way.

Happy Birthday Grandpa! We love you so much.

Leia and Nora enjoy eating dinner together at the very same table that Grandma Sandra and her sisters ate on when they were little. I love how life repeats itself!

Poor Nora always gets pushed out of the way!

Nora throwing rocks in the pool

Leia at the pool at her preschool

First day of school

This is how they sleep at night!

This is what they look like in the morning!

Funny quotes of the month from Leia:

"Mommy since your Daddy died, I will share my Daddy with you"
When Mommy asked her why she is not listening, she replied "Mommy, I have had my listening ears on all day at school. I wanted to take them off when I got home"
Her daily saying "we eat babies" as she kisses her sister
After pooping in the potty everyday, she makes sure no one flushes it so she can show it to her best friend Scarlett saying "I'm saving it for Scarlett. She loves to see my poop"

Iowa trip

We made a last minute trip to Iowa to visit my mother's family and to honor my Grandmother who passed away last week. We truly enjoyed visiting all my Iowa relatives. I feel so close to all of them and it was wonderful to see Leia and Nora enjoying all of their cousins.

Happy Birthday Aunt Ruthie

Cousin Angie and me relaxing in the yard

Happy Birthday Grandpa

Cousin Lizzy and me with our 1 year old girls

Little David with Leia and cousin Nora

Happy 4th of July!!

We headed to San Diego to see our family and friends. We were able to spend time with my brother-in-law John and his new beautiful wife Bianca, as well as Uncle Mike's family, and my best friend Erin's family.