Where'd they go?

I feel like I havn't blogged in forever. I can't remember if that is true or not. Either way, here goes noth'n. The noth'n in our lives that makes it all worth it. (ha if you don't get that think harder... it's pretty deep) And this is why I try not to blog late at night when I should be asleep.

We had a few rainy days which I enjoyed so much.  We built a fire for family home evening and told stories while drinking hot chocolate.  

Proof.

 Happy Belated Valentine's Day. 

This is my cookie bouquet. I like it.

Here are Zina and Adam and Wilson and Brenda's hand all helping to make the cookie bouquet. Yum.

I LOVE baking on rainy days.  It's so healing...therapeutic...calming...fulfilling...

Wilson seems to think it's fun too. :)

And then the rain left and the sun came back out and we were happy.

p.s.  we went swimming today.

Love it.

My mom just sent me this book with some Valentine gifts for Zina and Wilson. I love it. I havn't been able to put it down. If I could force you all to read it, I would. Go buy it and read it. Or borrow mine..when I'm done. Do it for them...(your kids duh) or future kids or nieces, nephews, grandkids...whatever.



Did I mention that my mom is the best mom ever? She is. She's a parent coach and knows her stuff. Not convinced. Read the reviews on Amazon.

Zina

I've seen other people do this and I like it because these are things I want to remember about when Zina was 3!  I think she'll enjoy the info when she's older too. :)

1. Zina is always talking in her own language (her version of Spanish).  

2 .She loves to tell me that I need to be obedient to HER.

3. She loves all things Princess.

4. She loves to make a deal.  I will tell her what needs to be done and then she will say, "well here is my deal," and proceed to tell me how she thinks it should be done.

5. She loves to play board games and put together puzzles.  She also has a great imagination.  I love to sit in the backyard and listen to her chatter to Wilson about their imaginary world.  Wilson is so dutiful to follow her lead and watch her.  She often says that she is, "such a good example."  Although sometimes when she does something wrong she blames it on Wilson and says, "But Wilson was being a bad example to me."  Smart girl. What can I say?

6. She LOVES to sing her primary songs.  She always yells at me from the backseat, "Turn it up Mom."  Her favorites are: "I lived in Heaven" and "Happy Family"

She even volunteered to give a talk in Primary right before we moved. I was so sad because we were going to our new ward that week so she never got to give it. What 3 year old volunteers to give a talk in primary!  Maybe I think that because I was such a shy three year old...right mom?

7. Zina is very friendly.  If she sees kids she will go up and say "Hi, My name is Zina and this is my little brother Wilson.  Want to play?"  The other night while watching Mark's basketball game at the school she started playing with a little girl who was at least six.  As I watched them I noticed that Zina was directing the play and telling the other little girl what to do and how to do it. Yes, she inherited my bossy gene.

8.We just got the kids bunkbeds and Zina loves her top bunk. Before we moved we were having issues with monsters and scared of the dark.  Since then, Zina has been perfectly fine, and felt perfectly safe in the Princess Castle. (Wilson's bottom bunk has been dubbed "the dragons lair... )

9.Whenever Zina says goodbye to anyone she always says, "I love you. I miss you. Bye."  Mark has told her multiple times that we reserve the "I love you, I miss you" part for very special people like family and close friends.  I think it's starting to sink in...maybe.

10. Zina loves to play with Mom or Dad.  When I make time to play with her, doing exactly what she wants to do, she always gets the biggest smile on her face.  Yesterday she looked up at me with a big grin and said, "This is mama time." 

I sure do love my Zina Zee!

 

Home Sweet Home

Our new digs

The best part of all is letting my kids run around the backyard.

And Mark's new shiner.  Thank you ward basketball.

p.s.

we have a guest room and we heart visitors.

my blogging excuse

Enough said.

The New Year - Arizona Style

Just a glimpse of us enjoying Mark.  Now he is back to school and we will miss him, but it is all for a worthy cause. :)

I love the look on Wilson's face.

January in Arizona. Life is hard.

Melting me.

Wilson has quite the swing now after all his practicing with Mark.

So this is at Luis and Angels wedding. I just love it.  These kids sure can dance!

I love that Wilson loves to play with Zina while having "tea"

Enjoying the park

Christmas Adventures 2008

This was our first Christmas on our own and it has been really special.  That sounds trite, but it really has.  Last night as Mark and I were laying in bed he said to me, "You know, I like our kids more  and more everyday."  I smiled because I knew exactly what he meant.  It's like when you get married and you think you are so in love, but now when you look back on your wedding day you realize that you didn't even have an inkling about how much you could really love another person.  And then you have kids, and each day all that love just keeps on getting bigger and bigger.   I really love my little family.  :)

Enough with the cheesy. This Christmas was FUN!

 Christmas Eve consisted of:  

My cute little mary sitting on her donkey

And of course, Joseph leading the way.
The "wise"man narrating.

Christmas Pajama's. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Thomas!

This explains the matching dinner apparel in the next picture.  On the Keeler side we decided that, instead of giving gifts, each family was supposed to make a movie of anything that they wanted so long as they were in it and then on Christmas morning we all got to watch each others movies. It was a hit and definately a new tradition that created some priceless memories.  

  Christmas Eve Dinner - yummy soup in homemade bread bowls (yes, I'm working on them. This was my first time and apparently they aren't supposed to be so big...who knew?) We had some yummy shrimp and appetizers with dip and punch and eggnog. 

Christmas Morning:  

 Zina woke up and walked right past all the presents and stockings so we had to do a little prepping until she realized what was going on.  Wilson was happy to just tag along.

He was pretty pumped about his present though - something he is actually allowed to hit!

If it has to do with Princess's this girl is happy.

This is what Wilson thought stockings were for.

After all the presents were opened and breakfast cleaned up we packed up the car and headed for California.  Just a mere 5-6 hour drive, we were totally going to make it on time until we made it to the middle of no where...

And this happened.  

  I'm grateful that we had a spare, an air compressor to fill the spare up,  kids who thought it was great fun, and an amazing husband who had us all fixed up and out of there in no time.

We were however to late for Christmas dinner in Laguna Hills. Sorry Angel and Luis...we tried.  Panda Express filled our tummies, if not with the greatest Christmas dinner of all time at least some funny memories and a place for the kids to get their wiggles out.

Pretty darn cute.

Some day we'd like to drive back to California on Highway 78 - in the summer of course.  Who knew that it would turn our little jaunt to San Diego into an 11 hour drive through mountain passes, sand storms, snow, wind, rain, fog, branches blocking the road and finally fire and rescue telling us we had to go another way? Obviously not us.  We did however finally arrive, still in good spirits. Believe it. It's true.

And it was worth it because they got married and it was beautiful - the bride and groom, the ceremony, the families, everything!

Sure is hard for a 3yr old to wait, she did amazing and was so excited to see "Princess" Angel. :)

We spent the next day getting new tires for our car and playing at the beach.  

Zina wanted to go swimming...until she felt the water.

Here's my charmer.  I swear Wilson gets cuter everyday.  Sometimes I can't hardly stand how cute he is. 

Wilson and Papa check'n out the waves.

Trying to change a diaper and getting caught.  Sorry Wilson.

Zina and Wilson got pretty wet, and then pretty cold. Here is how we warmed them up.

Happy New Year Everyone