Sunday, January 22, 2017

Dreams are Nothing More Than Wishes

(Blogging note: I'm so behind it's sad, this one was actually blogged on 8/21/18, so the details are quite fuzzy.  But the pictures are great!)

Avonelle had a dance recital on Saturday, January 21st.  I love every second of dance recital day and I loved helping out backstage.  And the fire alarm didn't go off!  Whoot!  That's a win every time!



And here we go!  Avonelle actually did the dance this time and I was in heaven!



Oh if this isn't the most Avonelle face ever!




I die!  I can't even deal.


I love this video, but jus ignore my screams and my dad's at the end.  It might make me choke up just a bit.  Maybe.


After the performance.  :)



I usually try to get a picture of here with everyone that came, but it appears I failed on that day.  But I know Scott and Kathy were there and Kent and Dixie.  And I know that it was CRAZY snowy so it was extra special that people came!

Finale dance...


Watching the other finale dancers.


Flower prizes, she is so loved and so pretty!


This was so fun to get to do a recital with all her girl cousins.  She looks up to them so much!


Her flower rewards at home.  She loves getting flowers so much!

Blah

Saturday, January 14th, more basketball for Traegan man!


We also stayed to watch Kylie's game after.


Which meant some cousin time for these cuties.  Man my kids have got a good thing going with their cousins all so close!



Gareth tuckered out and fell asleep on me.


Then Avonelle got to try her hand at cross stitching with a kit she got for Christmas.  I am such a crafty person and I did cross stitch so much as a child that this was making my heart burst!


As a favor to my mom and since we knew we were about to sell this little guy, we had to take a picture with "white car" as the kids call it or "Snowball" as it was dubbed when I was 17.  I have driven this car since high school, it was the first car I had sole driving rights to and had so many fond memories in it.  Then it became the first car I ever owned.  And it's been the commuter car for Josh for a while, but that thing is a tank and I'm kind of going to miss it!  242,000 miles and still going mostly strong...


Sunday, church, T needed a picture of his creation.


I know, I look hot.  Right?  That's not what this picture is for.  It was just one of those perfect little snuggly moments that I wanted to remember how Gareth loved me and fell asleep on me.  And I don't really care that I have no make up on and my hair is messy.  Just life.  My beautiful little mama life.  (1/18)


Friday Josh was home sick.  Which was very convenient for me as I was able to take Avonelle to her dress rehearsal alone.  Oh man, it shouldn't be allowed for 4 year olds to look this gorgeous.


Can we just say how great it was that I didn't have the boys?  I was helping with the littler classes since I was available... and the fire alarm goes off.   Mmmmmm kaaaaay...  So we have to evacuate the building.  I was with a class of 10, half naked with no shoes on, 3 and 4 year old babies in the loudest gym with scary sirens and flashing lights.  Wow.  Oh the tears.  So I scooped up as many as I could in my arms, literally at least 5.  And off we went to the outside.  In the snow.  SO much snow.  They were freezing.  We had cuddle parties.  We jumped around and sang songs.  I took off my shoes and they climbed on top of them.  Oh man it was bad.  For like 20 minutes.  Eventually, most of the moms and dads found their children and I was only left with about 2 little girls not counting Av.  Oh what an adventure.

Anyway after that, the dress rehearsal wasn't too bad.  Except the alarm kept going off.  What the what?  Oh well.

And that night I went shopping with Noelle because she's the best and I was feeling super self-conscious.  Love Noelle!

Up next is the dance recital!  Yeah!!!

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Fishes

Friday, January 6th, Noelle and I went to get drinks after dinner and Josh took this picture of cute Traegan reading Harry Potter.  That kid is amazing.


Saturday was back at the basketball courts to see this little moppet head.



Gareth loves to tromp around the bleachers and steal balls.


We also made plans to go to the new aquarium in Layton for the first time and we invited all of Josh's family.  Jeremy and Julie and girls couldn't make it, but Scott and Kathy and Jason and Noelle and kiddos did come.  So much fun!


First we fed some lizards.  Jettsen was like the master at it!



Feeding some tropical fishes.  Seriously cool.


One of the workers could see all of our little's staring at this giant lizard thing and came and picked it up for them.  Fun!


We fed the birds.  Avonelle HATED it.  She was freaking by the end and was on my lap in the fetal position.  But it was cool!


Then we saw a mermaid!  WHAT?!  A mermaid!  She had Av pick a shell and they made a wish on it together.


It was so stinking cute!


After we adjourned to the food court for food and the boys all crowded around a Pokemon screen.  Funny kiddos.


Monday (1/9) brought another snow day.  Or rather the freezing temperatures have caused damage to some of the schools and it's too cold to be outside day... Either way, I was NOT complaining.


I even let them paint.  Which is my LEAST favorite activity in the world!


And in case you were wondering why we had so many snow days... this picture was taken on 1/11 when they finally got around to plowing the Brigham City Airport.  Check that out!


And Jason and Noelle gave Gareth an old Jake and the Neverland Pirates costume and not a day has gone by since that he wasn't holding that sword.  Ha!

Friday, January 6, 2017

Snow Day

Happy New Year!  Wahoo!  Our festivities mostly consisted of hanging out at home, nursing Av back to health and sleeping as much as possible... so there's that.

Avonelle came back to herself and we were thrilled.  We slowly worked our way through opening all the Christmas presents.  And that smile of her's meant the absolute world to us!  (1/2)


Gareth has to be touching me if I lay next to him.  Either he's draping his arm on me or he's got one of his legs resting on my tummy.  Funny.  (1/3)


Tobin came to visit and Traegan wasted no time in having someone to talk with about his new Pokemon cards.  They are really cute friends.


Then on Thursday, January 5th the school called the snow day that they should have called the day before when we got absolutely dumped on.  We made good use of it by bundling up and heading outside.

Gareth in this snow suit.  Kills me dead!!!



Into the fray!


The snow was so deep.  Gareth had to work real hard to get through it.  That bum tho.


Up to his butt in snow.


Throwing the snow!



All the grins from all the babies...




Traegan "swimming in the snow".





Burying ourselves...


Melt...


Because for real?  This was 2 days worth of snow.


Avonelle spent most of her time making this amazing castle!



We played.  We played hard.  There was so much fresh powder you could just dead fall or jump right into it.  I jumped off the deck a few times.  I picked up the kids and threw them as far as I could.  It was so much fun.  It was cold, but fun.  And taking pictures of them so happy, is my happy.

Then I wanted a selfie of us all.  You know, because memories.  I put Gareth on the stairs and called the other two kids over so we could squish in.  I said, "Squish in" and Gareth wrapped his little arms around my armpits and hugged me so tight.  I tell you I melted.  I can still feel his little arms and hear his little giggle in my ear.  I love that baby so much.  This is one of those teeny moments I'll remember forever.


This was a pretty good one too!


Then we went inside and derobed, found some fun Christmas Pez dispensers that were given to us late and were just perfect for a snow day, popped some corn and watched a movie.  I wish all the days were snow days!