Santa

This is Allie's first year to start understanding santa, and well, at least she didn't cry! I brought her over to santa and we watched the kids sit on his lap and I softly explained to Allie that Santa is so nice, and he gives toys to kids and big hugs. She would smile and point and say "yea, dat hantah! " When I tried to have her go closer though she wanted me to hold her. So I gave her to one of her babysitters who was helping santa and watched,  because I really didn't care if she sat with him this year or not, I just wanted her to be happy! When she was least expecting it her babysitter Hailey dropped her on his lap! Allie was so confused and shocked!  She immediately tried to get away from him! But I am happy she didn't cry! Immediately following this, we left and she continued to talk abt. Santa for the next two hours! 

My princess

Allie just started loving the Disney princesses Cinderella (Bella), Sleeping beauty (booty), and Ariel (Erel)! She wants to watch them 3 times a day! Her favorite is Bella though, and while watching Cinderella dance with "daddy" and singing "So this is Love" she ran back to her room and grabbed her play dress and started dancing and singing! So cute! This is why I love little girls!

Thanksgiving

We all had so much fun visiting Zach's family in Utah for Thanksgiving! We all hung out at the church building there! Zach's cousins had some fun projects for all the kids to do and everyone wrote what they were thankful for on a large turkey feather and then posted it on the board! Allie chose the spot for hers ( the feather a foot below the turkey). She was really in her element crafting with the other kids and kissing the babies! Later, Gail, Kyla, The Cox's, and us all went to see the Salt Lake Temple lights turn on. It was cold, but fun!

E-I-E-I-0 !

So Allie went into our closet the other day and found Zach's cowboy hat. She put it on and said, "E-i-E-i-o!" (snort, snort) It was so funny I had to take a pic. of her! I was surprised she knew generally what it was!  She is in her famous 2yr. old stripping phase, so of course the pants are off, and she loves mom's cheap flip-flops! All together a great crazy combo that just fits Allie!

Family bonding!

This morning was such a great moment, that I just had to share with the class! One of the great things about Zach working with APEX is that his schedule is so flexible. This morning we didn't have anything really important going on, and we were up late last night meeting with some people for zach's work. So we just kinda stayed in bed for a while and watched re-runs while allie pocked, jumped, and rubbed  us. (She of course has to be right there where all the other people are). After an hour or so she calmed down and just let me rub her "little" belly and shoulders while she watched tv with us. It felt so great when we all laughed at Allie and hugged each other. (mushy I know, but you know how great and few those moments are!) Right now we just laugh at Allie all the time and her weirdness! She is pretty much naked 8 hours of the day, since she has decided it is fun to take off her clothes and that making mom and dad re-dress her is just funny! We love our Allie!

It's a Girl!

So it was clear... It's a Girl! We are a little sad, since we were hoping for a boy this time, but So excited to have another sweet girl in our family! We feel so blessed to have another healthy child on the way!

Ward Harvest picnic

We had a fun Harvest picnic on sat. combined with the other ward in Coolidge. We had a great Thanksgiving dinner, games for the kids, and football for the men! (Zach has been whining now for a few days because he is so sore from being out of shape!) Allie participated in a little running race with other two and three yr. olds. After they blew the whistle she was found still standing at the starting line just standing there looking around! The second time I told her when to start and she ran with another girl and had so much fun, especially when they gave her a sticker! It was weird having my baby participate in a game with other kids!

Happy Halloween!

Okay, well actually we didn't get to go trick-or-treating because Zach and I got the stomach flu the night before Halloween. Luckily, I took pictures a few days before for our church party. Allie had so much fun and she looked so cute in her scarecrow costume! I had so much fun making it too! 

Preschool Halloween party

Preschool Party 2008

Everyone had a great time at our preschool party! 

We played a lot of fun games, and ate healthy and sweet treats!

They loved the "witches brew" that I made! 

Allie and Kendis were deathly afraid of the masks, however. I think that a 

few other kids were a little as well, so unfortunately the masks had to stay off for a while!

Getaway!

While in Idaho Zach and I had the opportunity to take a three day getaway from Allie! It was so much fun. We stayed at a beautiful hotel called the Ashley Inn. They feature different furniture in every room, colonial style, with fireplaces and jet tubs! It was way too short!

More fun in Idaho! We went to a pumpkin patch and took pictures, and made faces on the window!

Trip to Idaho!

We went to Idaho to visit the in-laws! Zach is always trying to convince me that it isn't really that cold there and that it doesn't snow that much! Well our second day there, they had a "freak" foot of snow fall for two days! Needless to say he didn't convince me, but it was fun to play in the snow!

Pumpkin festival

The Carvers and us went to Snepf farms the first weekend of October! It was so much fun riding rides, (Zach threw a fit when he didn't get to ride the first two times!)

We went on a hay ride, picked out a pumpkin, went on a train ride, and many other fun things! 
We watched a pig race and at the end a few adults volunteered to come up and make a pig calling noise. Then the audience voted wether it was good or not. Well, Zach very loudly booed them and in the next second the man asked Zach to come on up and see if he could do better! It was so funny- he was soooo embarrased! But he did a great job and I was proud!

More sights!

More sights! The lincoln memorial and the white house.

Allie's birthday party

Allie, Kacey and Braxton Hanna, Natalie,  Ephraim and Addy Carpenter, Melissa,  Luke and Landon Mckinnley, Cecily and Brittney Peterson, Dani and Brighton Comin, Dre Meyers, and my sister and I were all there to celebrate with Allie! She however, started acting two on the day of her birthday by throwing huge fits!

Happy Birthday to Allie!

Allie turned two on August 4th! We celebrated on the 3rd with daddy, on the 4th with friends for a Watee party, and on the 7th with grandma and grandpa! Poor neglected child!

Mt. Vernon

Mount Vernon was beautiful, (and expensive)! We toured George Washington's home, watched a video about him,  and enjoyed the view of the Potamac river just down the hill of his backyard. The above quote was from George Washington's along with a few other great thoughts of his. I wish everybody would take this thought to heart! Our country would be a lot better if we stuck to the constitution.

Silly Allie jo

Allie is such a silly, fun girl! These are just some pictures from the summer of a few of her funny moments. There is never a dull moment with her!

Zach, Allie, and I at the beach with some friends with APX. (Girls are from left; ?, me, Kacie Hanna, Danstzel Harper, and Jessica 

Terry.) Zach and I love body boarding!

Beach, Beach, and more Beach!

One of the things Allie and I got to do with my family was go to VA beach! One of my most favorite discoveries of the east coast are the beaches. I love California, but in North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland the beaches are warmer water, with no sea weed or jelly fish! Allie does take after her mom with one thing... she Loves the Water! She had fun swimming and at the beach!

Me and my sis

Another great thing about going to VA was I got to spend a lot of time with my family! Especially my fun sister who came and stayed with me when I was not with at their house. She was a huge help as I was just barely pregnant and not feeling well!

Fourth of July!

We were so excited to see celebrate the fourth of July in our nation's capital this summer. All of the wives planned to go in the afternoon with picnic food and blankets and save a spot for the show. Well of course the forecast is RAINY! So several wives backed out as they didn't want to be sitting in the rain- and there was a planned rain date for the fireworks, so there was a chance that they may not have even been any. I was determined not to miss it, besides what else were we gonna do!

So Allie and I loaded the stroller and went, at first it was great. But the rain clouds came and it started pouring all over our stuff! We all huddled together and tried to cover our blankets, food, and selves with umbrellas until the rain stopped.

Finally just before the men arrived the rain ceased and a short while later the fireworks began! They were GREAT ! It was extra special watching them in our nation's capital with friends who believed in the same things as us, and shared our love for this country!

A few days before july 4th!

A few days before the 4th, some people that worked with zach decided to put on our very own firework show! They had real fireworks, and we got to sit right under them! Allie was a little afraid of them, however, and clung tight to me the entire show! She doesn't like loud noises!

Cow days

A local farm had Cow days! We received milk, ice cream, and butter from their farm that tasted delicious. We watched an educational puppet show about cows, rode tractors, milked a cow (allie was too afraid of course!) made cow ears, and had a picnic. It was fun, but boy was it hot and humid that day!

        

Zach and Allie at the smithsonian and The U.S. Capital building.