The Pied Piper

Lucky Auntie that I am, I got to watch Emi, Billy and Abi tonight. They are all having fun, and pretty happy with me, until AC gets home around 7:45. The man is a kid-magnet. Now don't get me wrong, Abi was perfectly happy hanging out with me, but she was absolutely THRILLED when uncle AC got home. She ran to him, squealed when he picked her up, and didn't leave his side the rest of the evening. The man is the freakin' pied piper. They giggled, played balloon, did crab car and had a blast. I managed to pull her away from him with a cookie and ice cream. I might be a little jealous- I didn't get squeals and hugs, just poopy diapers- but I can't be jealous because there is nothing cuter than a man playing with kids. Especially my man.

Wild Fun

These pictures are a couple of weeks old, but they are too cute to not post. Hayden decided he needed a mental health day from school, so on Ellie's birthday we headed south to the Phoenix zoo. We love the zoo- the kids know where all of the animals are, we bring their zoo cups for $1 lemonades, and mom gets to sit and watch them run around like, well, monkeys, on the playground. Fun for all, and gorgeous weather as well. I brought my big camera on this day because Hayden wanted pictures of the prarie dogs. The prarie dogs are his new favorite animal. I'm not going to say its because the little girl at school who Hayden thinks is the "fastest runner and really good at everything" chose Prarie Dogs as the subject of her desert animal project. Also, I'm not going to say that he wanted pictures of the prarie dogs so he could take them to school to show this girl. Really. I'm going to say that he thinks they are funny and cute.

So I took pictures of all the animals for the kids (Choe is keeping hers in her Hello Kitty scrapbook she got for her birthday) and I got to take pictures of my little animals for myself.

Hayden was very willing to have his picture taken, because I was willing to let him climb all over anything he wanted. This tree stump was a favorite spot. Ellie couldn't quite make it up to the top.

Chloe looking lovely in her new hat she got for Easter from Grandma.

Ellie looking tres chic in her new shades.

The Birthday Bash

We had family birthday dinner on Ellie's birthday. The cousins came over, the kids played, we ate delish Mexican food and Ellie got way too many presents. This is the nightgown that grandma gave Ellie- she calls it her princess nightgown, and she has been wearing it constantly since Monday night.

AC was very carefully holding back Ellie's hair this time. :)

Abi had fun with Ellie's presents

Billy and Ellie spent a good portion of the evening bellied up to the chips and salsa.

Happy Birthday Ellie!

I thought it would be fun to look at Ellie over three years. I couldn't find a picture from the day she was born, but here is April 13 2007, 2008 and 2009. And June 2006. I can't believe my baby is 3 today. Ellie's first birthday, in Las Vegas. She was grumpy (suprise suprise) then went to bed early and missed the cake.

2nd birthday. It was the first birthday party that she ever made it to the cake part- not just her birthdays but all cousins and siblings and parents- usually she would be grumpy so we'd put her to bed early. Do you detect a theme? Her 2nd birthday was the first time she was every happy for a long period of time, and no meltdowns. We were all suprised.

Looking glam at the zoo today, on her 3rd birthday. Hayden took a mental health day, and Chloe had the day off, so we headed to the zoo.

Isn't she lovely? Three years old and as cute as can be!

Here she is, about 8 weeks or so. Nice hair.

I love you Jelly Bean! Happy Birthday!

Easter Sunday

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday. First, off to a crowded church, with a really moving sermon by our Pastor. After church it was straight to Grandma's for some egg-stra special family fun. A fabulous lunch- Natalie's bacon-drenched salad is to die for- a frenzied easter egg hunt (150 eggs or so) and then WAY too much candy for anyone's own good (especially mine). The kids had a blast, and I took tons of pictures. It was the first Easter that Ellie didn't sleep through, and since she's so pleasant now, nobody minded that she was awake! We did miss Auntie Tara, who is under the weather, but Keith represented very nicely. All in all, a beautiful, sunshiny day. Happy Easter to All! Chauncey and Abi sharing a special moment . . . I always ask Chauncey how it feels to be ADORED- the little kids can't get enough of him, and he is always so good to them all.

Ellie is on a mission for more eggs.

Ellie, Hayden and Chloe all gussied up before church. I actually got Hayden into a "work shirt" without any tears, pouting or "your the meanest mom ever" s. Truly a day for miracles.

Emi, as sweet as can be as always.

Billy opening his Easter gift from Grandma, while the dads were hiding the eggs. Notice the debris in the kids playroom.

Beautiful Girls (and a cute boy)

All Grandma wanted for her birthday was a picture of the 4 girls in their matching jammies. Natalie and I, being the extraordinary givers that we are, arranged for this photo shoot.









We gathered the girls in their jim-jams, piled on Natalie's gorgeous white bed, and started the photo shoot.














The three bigger girls were sitting there, smiling serenely, and looking adorable. Abi decided to live up to her "Aurora Borealis" nickname. We have picture after picture of blurred Abi- her hands, her feet, her face, her entire little body. She was hilarious- I had a hard time holding the camera still I was laughing so hard.







The light was also pretty low, so I had a hard time getting the perfect shot- but these are pretty cute, anyway. Grandma was very pleased. And who wouldn't be, with the four cutest grandaughters in the whole world?






And we can't have pictures of the cutest kids in the world without including this little man. Don't you just want to grab him and squeeze him to pieces?