This past weekend we went up to see the tulips! This was a first for us, so we didn’t really know what to expect. And as much as we prayed for sun, we still got rained on. Although we did get a good 5 minutes of sunshine, which we enjoyed thoroughly!

Family photo in front of the windmill. Its right behind/above us...you'll just have to trust me on this one.

I think the girls had fun running around in the rain and mud. It’s hard to tell when they have such mood swings…but I think it was mostly fun!

Daddy's Girls!

We tried and tried and tried to get a cute pic of the girls, together, with the tulips, looking at the camera, smiling….this is what we came home with…

Yes, the last one is a picture of Hazel falling in slow motion into a mud puddle ditch…

But don’t worry, she got right back up! She does have a big sister to keep up with. Also, this would have been such a cute one of Raven and the tulips…just like one I had imagined getting in my daydreams of adorable pictures of our girls and the tulips…if only she would have let me put that cute little braid and ponytail in her hair. Sigh. I can’t imagine where she gets this stubbornness from.
Overall, I think it was totally worth it! It was a fun family outing, and we all needed a little fresh air and some color and vibrance in this dark dreary spring we have been having. Now moving on to brighter daydreams of warm sun (emphasis on warm), swimming pools, parks, zootunes, camping, and so much more!

hi.

April 1st, 2011 | Hazel | Raven | video

we just wanted to say hi to you all!
(warning : this gets a bit loud at some points)

sledding

we definitely have spring fever over here since our trip to mexico…but we decided to take our first and likely last trip to the snow this season. (matt and i went skiing on new years day, but this is the first time we took the girls out to the snow with us) we didn’t last long…that just seems to be how things go with two little ones…but it was lots of fun! we don’t have a sled, so used a swim floaty mattress thingy…it worked pretty well! brought back lots of childhood memories for me, and i’m so glad to be doing these things with my family :)

SUCCESS!

Leading up to our trip, I honestly thought we might not be going on our much anticipated trip to our beloved Sayulita. Hazel had a ear infection a week before leaving. Raven had pneumonia two days before leaving. The power of prayer (and powerful antibiotics) got her feeling well enough to fly….and although we were all sick before, during, and still have runny noses and coughs after…we had a great time!
Raven had been talking about Mexico for weeks (“Is Mexico over there?” pointing left), and we loved the build up of excitedment! (This is the way I typed it and I decided to leave it this way…it just seems appropriate :))

Day 1. at the beach!

sand chairs made by daddy!

Day 2. at the beach!

…and swimming with the daddys! (the water was too cold for the mommys)

swim lessons for the big girls

daddy swim for the little girl

Day 3. more fun in the sun! …and carnival!

jumping on the trampoline!

Day ?. The rest of the days are blurred together…all I know is that is went way too fast. Here are other highlights from the week…

family photo

group photo

the Daddys with the kids

…and there were a few peaceful moments like this…

It’s sad that we will not be going back again next year, but Sayulita will always be a special place in our hearts (we love the beach and the food and the sea glass and the smoothies!)…and we will be back again someday!

V Day

Well, I had big plans for Valentines day this year…none of which came to fruition. Actually, that’s not totally true, I did make the crayon hearts. I was planning on also making a bunch of valentines with Raven to send to family and friends so they know how much we love them and think about them…it just didn’t happen. Instead, we have been taking turns being sick for the last 2 weeks. Poor Hazel has had it the worst…first a stomach bug, then a cold, then an ear infection…and she lets the whole house know when she’s not feeling well.

making Valentine's cookies

this sums up Hazel's mood over the last 2 weeks

And then there is Potty Training. This has been so challenging for me! Some days are great with no accidents, and other days are just awful. Just the other morning I was in the shower and I heard Raven yell, “Accident!” So I peaked out only to see Hazel sitting in a puddle of pee holding a ball of poo. yuck. We just keep praying Raven can get these things in the toilet…and I know someday she will.

Just try not to get this song stuck in your head.

“>

love is in the air!

February 3rd, 2011 | Hazel | Raven | sunglasses

These pictures are horrible…but here we are! The girls have been keeping me so busy…but not too busy to make crayon hearts! (hanging above the girls) We also pulled out the sunglasses for our 2 sunny days we had this week. We are also getting ready for our trip to Mexico…yes, we are crazy! We are going to try this one more time! It will probably be the last time because its getting more and more expensive as the girls get older and we need to buy more tickets….anyways…pray with us for great flights…sunny days on the beach…and happy obedient little girls!

Oh, I almost forgot…we have been potty training for close to a month. This is the big reason why I haven’t added new posts lately…I have been cleaning messes and doing a ton of laundry! Its a bit of a battle, and we still have accidents, but we are making progress.

Moving on, I’m looking forward to spring and sunshine and warm weather and playing outside, aren’t you?

january snow

February 3rd, 2011 | Hazel | Raven | snow | winter

We had one day of wet snow several weeks ago…so I bundled the girls up and plopped them in the snow quickly…and by the afternoon it was all melted. Raven LOVED it…Hazel was just glad to be outside! We really need to get out to the snow more…maybe skis are in our future?
By the way, I think they just look so funny all bundled up and puffy…’A Christmas Story’ comes to mind :)

this just makes me smile!

January 5th, 2011 | Christmas | church | Raven | video

photo book 2010

Click here to view this photo book larger

haircut!

January 3rd, 2011 | haircut | Hazel | Raven

After 2 years and 7 months…we finally got Raven a haircut. It took lots of bribes, but in the end I think she liked it!

holidays

this year’s holiday activities have definitely kept us busy!
Christmas Eve Raven sang in the children’s choir at our church service! It was her first time!

(raven is on the left)
Christmas day we celebrated as a family! Here are a couple cute pics…

The day after Christmas we had the Willis families over for a huge celebration! It was a lot of fun having everyone over! Raven had a blast with her cousins! She keeps saying to me, “Today my cousins are coming over again! Doesn’t that sound fun?”

Matt and I also had a great NYE out on our own and skiing the next day! Great start to a great new year!

Chicago Christmas

Well, we made it to the Chicago Christmas parties! Raven was so excited and had so much fun that she couldn’t even sleep (even at night when everyone was sleeping and the house was quite…she was wandering around! …Lord, help me with this child!)
We started by spending the day with Uncle J! Then the Woltjer family joined us and we took the L (red line) a few blocks from J’s house. One of the major highlights of the trip! I think Raven laughed the entire way! She liked the jerking of the starting and stopping…silly girl!

Uncle J was pretty excited to have us all there :)

We stopped at the old traditional downtown Chicago Marshall Fields (I mean Macy’s) windows. Although the stories in the windows when I was a kid were much better…and they didn’t mention ‘The Sun’ in every window. Raven was still pretty mesmerized with the story and the moving characters. A very precious moment for me.

Then we went to see the Christmas tree in Daley Center. Also a bit underwhelming when remembering “when I was a kid, the tree was much taller.” But it really was taller when I was a kid. Really, it was! And there wasn’t a Santa’s village surrounding it with a bunch of vendors everywhere. Raven loved the lights and her cousins….and this was all totally worth it. We remembered our old family memories, and we are making new ones.

Our new favorite pizza place that I can't remember the name of. The place where Nick saved our lives from the flaming napkin (which someone with a name that starts with M accidentally left directly over the candle...)

Party time!

Cousins! (all looking at the other camera...but this is the best shot)

Raven snuggling the nutcracker (and a glimpse at the chaos behind the camera)

Party time, again!

Hazel with Great-Grandma T

Hazel in her favorite spot

we are very spoiled.

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