A day at the Phoenix Zoo

Christmas 2014

This was definately our most fun Christmas yet!  All of the kids were at such fun ages.  They opened presents all morning and played with their new toys all day.  The Dune Racer Power Wheel was a major hit.  All three of the kids could fit in it.  Jace is quite the natural behing the wheel....Andee, not so much.  Camryn's favorite present was a cup of mini Oreo's that she polished off in no time.  Andee's favoirte present was a little people princess castle with clip clop horses.  Jace's favorite present was his big boy bike and his marble run.  Jace also got a year of Tae Kwon Do lessons for Christmas.  He has been asking for months to take lessons and can't wait to start.  Mom and Dad got a giant bean bag that turns into a king size bed.  It will be perfect for family movie night!

The week before Christmas we went to Williams, AZ and Flagstaff, AZ for a family vacation and to celebrate Andee's 3rd birthday.  We rode the Polar Express Train in Williams to the North Pole!  On the train sang Christmas songs, ate chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate and got a jingle bell from Santa Claus.  Andee girl got to go to the front of the train to have happy birthday sang to her and she was given a polar express button, a bag of cookies and an extra jingle bell.  After our train ride we stayed over night in Flagstaff and the kids were thrilled to go tromping around in the snow.

The next day we went to Bearizona and the Grand Canyon.  At Bearizona the kids saw Bison, Black Bears, Big Horn Sheep, Wolves and Mountain Goats.  We had a big old Black Bear come right up to our car.  The kids also got to see some Bear Cubs and feed fish to the Otters.

After Bearizona it was off to the Grand Canyon.  It was an absolutely increadible experience.  It is hard to appreciate just how enormous the Grand Canyon is without seeing it in person.  The kids had a blast earning their junior ranger badges and climbing around on all the rocks. 

We finished off our day by heading to dinner and then going back to the hotel to have cake and ice cream for Andee's birthday.  What a fun family trip!!!  We missed being in Utah this Christmas with extended family, but had a wonderful time with just our little family.  We will be heading to UT if Feburary thanks to Grandma D who was nice enough to buy us tickets for our Christmas present.  We feel so very blessed to have so much and to be so happy.  We know the source of our joy is the gospel of Jesus Christ and we are eternally grateful to have him in our lives.  

Happy 3rd Birthday Andee Girl!!!

We can't believe this little gal is already 3 years old!!!  Andee has a very unique personality.  She NEVER complains, (which is one of moms' favorite things about her)  she goes with the flow of life, and is always very happy and easy going.  When she smiles, her whole face smiles, especially her big blue eyes!!!  She does however have a stubborn streak in her which was recently discovered when she was learning to go potty on the big girl potty.  But, once this girl decides she is determined to do something, she grits her teeth and gets it done, and we love that about her.  She very much wants to be independent and do things by herself.  She loves to pick out her own clothes and tells mom that she will only wear "princess clothes", meaning she will only wear a dress a skirt, or a tutu.  She refuses to wear pants or shorts.  She likes to ask Daddy to spin her around and LOVES to go on dates with Daddy to get milkshakes and look at the puppies.  She loves going to the park and will swing for as long as someone will push her.  She loves to ride her tricycle, any bike with training wheels and her new pink scooter that she got for her birthday.  She also got a giant stuffed pink unicorn for her birthday.  She loves to paint, play with playdoh and kinetic sand, and do princess puzzles.  Her favorite thing to eat is chocolate milk!  Another thing that mom appreciates about Andee is that she will eat anything and always remembers to say thank you.  Andee loves to play with her big brother Jace.  They entertain each other for hours and hours on end.  She also likes to play dollies and house with Camryn and has been known to torment her younger sister from time to time.  Andee is always thinking about other people and doing things for other people to make them happy.  Andee can't wait to start pre-school next year at Tot Spot in the forest room with Mrs. Laree.  We really do wish we could figure out how to freeze time with this little girl.  She is so stinking cute and it breaks our heart that she has to grow up.  We wish she could stay this little forever.  We love you so much Andee girl.   Thank you for bringing so much joy, happiness, laughter and light into our home.