Trip to the Zoo

We had fun going to the Zoo. I did threaten Ethan and Lucas that I'd leave them with the monkeys (which is where they really belong!!) but lucky for them my heart softened and I couldn't bring myself to leave them!! (I know, I am such a nice mom after all!) It's been fun going on lots of "field trips" and even better - we have had Grandma along for just about everything. I am sure she will be happy to have some time to herself once we leave!

Dear Daddy,

I am missing you a LOT and you wouldn't believe how much I have grown while you have been gone! I'm a really big girl now! While you have been gone I have learned how to make chocolate chip cookies.And speaking of food I have learned to eat a lot of foods - all by myself! I LOVE popsicles and frozen yogurt sticks are great too! Why have I been alive for an entire year without ever trying this stuff?!?! In fact, I hated cows milk when mommy gave it to me so I refused to drink it....until she took all liquids away from me (juice) because that is all I wanted to drink. I have been forced to drink milk. Life is hard!!
I have had fun playing on the trampoline

And I loved seeing my cousins and was especially fond of James who is the same age as me. People confuse us because our names are so similar.

I have also been introduced to the mountains.
I love fires and loved watching everyone roast hot dogs and marshmallows.

I love all the rocks that are in the mountains. They are fun to play on.

I must also admit I am a pretty good hiker. I don't know why everyone was complaining about their legs hurting at the end of the hike. I personally thought it was all a piece of cake!

I have become really good at going on picnics. We even met Grandpa for a lunch pic nic and we got to see where he works.


Oh and I don't like to stay put at all. I really don't love to sit in the stroller anymore. There is way too much to explore. Why do they think I should sit all the time?!?
Mommy even took me to Salt Lake to take my one year old pictures and I didn't want to sit for that either. She kept sitting me down and as soon as she would get ready to take my picture I would crawl away as fast as I could. I thought I was pretty funny!
I know it looks like I am all about play but don't worry, I do try to get some work done too. I love it when the dishwasher is open. I make a mad dash for it whenever it is open. I did topple the bottom rack on me. That didn't feel too good but I still love the dishwasher.

Oh I am a little naughty sometimes. Well, I wouldn't say I'm naughty. I am just curious. I have been found in the living room destroying things I shouldn't be.

I love to pull everything out of the drawers and I have claimed this drawer for my very own. There is absolutely no organization to it anymore. I prefer it that way.

I have been caught red handed in the pantry. Why didn't anyone ever tell me about these potato chips?!?! Mommy made me mad when she took them away and made me leave the pantry.
And speaking of mad..... I hate to admit it but I am a bit of a drama queen and might have a slight temper. But it's slight....I only scream when I don't get what I want!

Don't worry dad - I may have grown up a lot in the past month but I am still your little girl and still as cute as ever!!

Love,

Jane

Happy Father's Day!!

Today is Father's Day and we are missing our dad!!! Happy Father's Day Andy!!! We love you!!

It has been fun though to spend Father's Day with my dad who I haven't been with on Father's Day for many years!! Happy Father's Day Dad!! Love you!!

Happy Birthday Jane!!

Jane turned one!! It is so hard to believe a year has come and gone already! Hard to believe that just a year ago we were trying to sell our house, pack up our house, take care of a new baby (and 3 other kids!), and get ready to start MBA school. I am glad it is all behind us! As far as babies go this has been my fastest first year. Jane has been a delight to have in our home. She makes us all smile every day and I've never enjoyed having a baby more than this time (not to say I haven't enjoyed having my other babies but the first year always seemed like a lot more work)

Jane wasn't sure what to think about the cake. We put the whole thing in front of her thinking she'd grab at it and she really wanted nothing to do with it. She almost seemed scared of it!

However it just took cutting it and putting a piece on her high chair and she was sold!! She loved and and couldn't get enough!! (that's my girl!!)

This is one happy birthday girl who may never eat a healthy thing again! ha!

We went out a couple of days before her birthday to buy her a present. Not sure which to get for her we would let her test them out and see what she really liked. It was so funny. She was so engrossed in what she was doing. When we'd call her name she'd quickly peek up from the toys and then get right back to pushing buttons!

Here she is on her birthday crawling to her present

Jane enjoying her gift from grandma and grandpa

Summer has officially started!

It has been a Crazy month!! Andy finished his first year of MBA school and after enjoying a week with him at home he was off to Washington D.C for a week. He came home long enough to help get us packed up and once again we made our 26 (or more?) hour trek across country to my parents house. Glad to report we made it! Andy stayed in Utah for a couple of days with us and then headed onto California to start his internship. We will join him in July. For now we missing Andy but having fun in Utah with grandparents. Here is a glimpse of what we have been up to!

On our trip out west we stopped early on the first night and stayed at a hotel with a little water park. It was lots of fun and a good way to burn some energy!! Although I don't LOVE road trips the kids were great. Even Jane was wonderful. In fact she was probably as good if not better than the other kids!

When we arrived the weather was not even close to the 80 degree muggy weather we had been having in Indiana. It was cold here. The kids had looked so forward to swimming in the pool but it was too cold so they settled for the hot tub. It wasn't until yesterday that they actually started swimming in the pool

For a girl who LOVES the bath tub this is heaven to Jane. WE put it at a temperature that isn't too hot for her or the kids. She would be in here all the time if I let her. Whenever she catches a glimpse of it out of the window she gets so excited she nearly throws herself out of my arms to get to it!!
We took a little field trip to the LDS humanitarian service center. The tour we went on was amazing. Here are the kids standing in front of a bunch of donated clothes that are bundled up and will be shipped off to other countries in soon.

The kids have had lots of fun playing games and spending time with grandma and grandpaLucy and Jane playing the piano

We enjoyed a morning at the Children's museum

There's been lots of trampoline jumping. Even Jane likes crawling on it!
We are having lots of fun. The only thing that would make it better is if our dad could be with us!!

Jane

Jane is one busy girl and after 11 months she finally decided to crawl. Yes, most babies are walking by this time but not Jane. She just discovered she can actually move her body from point A to point B. It's cute but it sure makes life harder for me!!
In her crawling she has also discovered drawers and the beauty of pulling everything out of it. Ahhh what a lovely stage! Ha!

Mother's Day

Life has been busy so I never got to post about mother's day. However I have to post because the kids were so cute and thoughtful and it was their own doing. It really touched me and made me feel happy. I told Andy I just wanted to take a nice long nap on Mother's day. I prefer to take naps on the couch instead of in my bed. So as I was on the couch I drifted off to sleep hearing the kids whispering. I could tell they were up to something but too tired to pay attention to what was going on. Andy happened to be upstairs taking a nap also. So, while both of us were sleeping (being the responsible adults that we are!!) Lucy and Ethan took it upon themselves to clean the house (which they did a nice job doing) and when I woke up I was immediately showered with gifts they had been busy making. Lucy was also so proud to give me a plate with a snack on it. She made toast (which was put in the fridge until I woke up) and scooped yogurt into a dish and cut the toast and arranged it so nicely on the plate. She was so proud to give it to me. And Andy in all his free time(ha! ha!) made a sweet video of the kids for me. It was so cute.
Here I am just waking up from my nap being showered with love!
The cards I get from the kids each year are the best. Lucy wrote: "Dear Mommy I like to pray with you. I really love you a lot"
Ethan gathered all sorts of special trinkets and taped them to a paper to give to me. It was really special because the things he taped on the paper for me were really special things to him.
Ethan wrote: "I love you mom. Happy mother's day."