Easter And Eggs...

This year we thought we would try dying the eggs with kool aid.  It's been all over pinterest with rave reviews.  It worked great and the kids, like usual, enjoyed another year of egg decorating.

 

 

On Easter Sunday (today), we managed to get a family picture before heading up to Scottsdale for an early dinner with Marc's side of the family.  It was a fun filled weekend of good food, egg hunting, and family!  Happy Easter Everyone!

Top Front Right Tooth...

Gone!

Garlic Dill Pickles...

Yesterday, I picked up another batch of produce (60lbs) for just $10! This batch had tons of pickling cucumbers. So Marc got out the canning jars and whipped up his really tasty garlic dill pickles recipe. Mmmmmm

New Friends...

Well lets just say we can't leave Mocha alone with "fluffy" because she might eat her!

Spring Pictures 2013

I found a local family raising and selling little baby bunnies.  I had this "brilliant" idea to buy one, use it for pictures and then give it away to the many friends that have farms and want a bunny for a pet.  Instead of that plan happening, I was outvoted and the family made the bunny a home in the backyard.  It is a super cute bunny but yet another animal to take care... yippee (hear my sarcasm!)  On a different note, my pictures turned out awesome. 

A Bunny For Pictures..

I just wanted a live bunny to take pictures of the kids for Easter...
Silly me for thinking I could bring a bunny into this house and then send it back out of the house when done.  Marc picked up the bunny and as you can see it hasn't left.  Poor Mocha wants to play and even wants to eat it. 

Mommy And Me Fitness...

Working out with 2 kids is not as easy as one would think. That was what I was doing this morning at a MOMS Club event. It was fun but boy was I tired by the end of the hour!

Marc's New Ride...

After selling my van, we decided to buy a "commuter car" for Marc now that he drives so far to work everyday! This is what we decided on. It's a 2001 Honda Civic. It is saving us a ton on gas and is in great shape considering how old it is!

New Dressers...

Today, Papa brought over Rosalia and Maia's new bedroom dressers. I have been after Papa to build a total of 9 dressers (3 for each of the 3 bedrooms) for a couple years now. I guess my nagging and begging finally paid off. 2 are now complete and in place filled neatly with the younger two girls clothes. They are so beautiful and perfect. They are built with not just love but such craftsmanship. You can't find solid wood quality furniture these days without paying way more money than one should have to. Rosalia and Maia (and myself) are so lucky to have such a talented grandfather (father in law) able to build such awesome items like these. As you can see the dressers they had weren't very big and were starting to fall apart. These are quite the upgrade. An upgrade that will last a lifetime! Papa is AWESOMELY TALENTED!

Beer Bread...

"Mommy I want some beer"...Rosalia said while raising up the beer bottle. "Mommy me want some beer too"...says Garrison.

No I don't give the children beer but they did help make the beer bread we were having with dinner!

First Taste Of Soda...

Marc came home with a big cup of root beer.  It didn't take long before Maia was at his legs begging for the cup.  He let her take a sip and this was her reaction...

A Day At The Zoo...

Every other year, we buy a membership to the Phoenix Zoo. This is our off year but a good friend (Sarena) had passes so she got us in for free. Yes all 7 of us (Marc was at work)! The kids hadn't been in over a year. The little kids enjoyed themselves more than the older but you wouldn't know that looking at the pictures below!

11 Months...

Our tiny and petite Maia is now 15.3 lbs.  She is now fitting 9 month clothing a bit better.  She has mastered walking with shoes on.  She waves hi and bye at people without being told to.  She plays peek a boo and covers her eyes all by herself.  She tries to repeat certain words and sounds.  She loves being chased.  She giggles hard when tickled.  She chases Mocha around while laughing.  She despises her highchair.  She prefers to graze rather than eat large meals.  She sneaks sips of milk from her older brother and sister's cups.  She has been introduced to milk for that reason and is weaning very well.  She sleeps from 8pm-6 or 7am.  She puts her arms out when daddy comes home.  She is excited to see her older siblings when they get home from school.  She tries to climb anything and everything.  When tired she will cuddle and snuggle anyone willing to hold her.  At 11 months old she is growing and thriving too fast!  In just 1 short month she will be a 1 year old!  Time sure does fly by!

"Me Washing Mines Bike"...

When asked what he was doing Garrison replied
"Me washing mines bike!"
I will never get tired hearing him mispronounce words and use them in the wrong tense. I say that only because once he begins preschool I know he will learn and be corrected and his cute way of communicating will be lost.
At least I'll have these blog posts to read in the years to come!

Watching Brother At Baseball...

Relaxing With A Snack...

11 months old and hanging out in her chair with a snack.

A Mess And TEETH...

While watching Maia make her usual mess during dinner, I noticed when she smiled two white areas on her bottom gums... they were her FIRST TWO TEETH!  They appear to be breaking through at the same time and are finally visible!  While snapping a few photos, she smiled big enough to see them before moving her bib up and down to play peekaboo!