My kids are entertaining. For sure.

Sometimes I think we'd have the great makings for a reality show.  Of course I would despise the cameras around all the time... but my kids sure are entertaining.  And unpredictable.  And adorable.

Here are some fun pics from when it SNOWED in PHOENIX!!!  Can you believe I am writing that?  Wow.  It was pretty amazing.  Unfortunately, it was mostly hail in Gilbert, but the accumulation looked like snow on the trampoline and my kids were thrilled!!

For the past 2 months I have had the kids in a messy art class that allowed both of them to attend.  It was fun to do a class with both of my cute kids.  Generally I am just in there with one or the other.  This particular day was making a foot path with paint.  How cute is that?  Emma and Grant had a wonderful time.

After the put their own feet on the paper, they got to make footprints from various toys.  Which proved to be almost as much fun for the kids.

Gotta be one of my favorite sights.  Emma reading to Grant.  Seriously?  I'm in love.

And it is finally pretty enough to make some zoo trips!  So we are taking advantage!  This day we came with Amanda Mortley and her daughter Brielle.  Gorgeous day! Super fun.

Poor little Emma was not feeling well one day and fell asleep on the couch around 5pm.  She NEVER EVER does this.  NEVER.  She just sat down and conked out.  We could tell she was sick.  In other news, she is wearing her new jean skirt, which thankfully replaced her old brown skirt that was starting to make her look more and more like a hooker.  I found this jean skirt with shorts underneath which is even better!  She wears it as soon as it is clean... every week.

This is the kids watching the "hail storm".  Emma decided it was too cold to sit outside, so they opened the back door and watched from inside the house.  They reminded me of the kids from "Cat in the Hat".   :)

I have tried to cut Grant's hair for the last few years, but the last time I tried, it did not turn out well.  So this is his first REAL haircut at the kids hair salon.  He was thrilled because he got to sit in a firetruck and watch "Cars".  He was a perfect angel while we were there.  Of course.  Love this kid.

His new favorite play place is the clothes hamper as his personal "boat".   I thought this was SO cute and took a darling picture, until I went into my room and realized that he had dumped all THREE laundry baskets out to be his personal vessels and all of my clean laundry was all over the floor.  ugh.

Greg had a few days off of work while his office moved from Central Phoenix to the Camelback area.  We LOVED every second of the extra time with him.  On Friday we went to the Mesa Children's Museum.  Here is Emma as a weather forecaster.

And the kids making clouds with Dad.

And Saturday we went to the zoo with Greg's cousins and family in town from New Mexico.  We had such a nice time and the weather could not have been prettier!!

Enjoying more pretty Arizona weather at the park, after consuming the very best Costco lunch I could offer... hot dogs! We LOVE February in Arizona!!!!!

And Emma thrilled about getting 3 new swimsuits for swim team this summer decided to wear all three at the same time!  She was pretty proud of her ingenuity.  While we were at Costco I was trying to get her to purchase another pattern of swimsuit, when she eventually picked the one I did NOT like (shocking!) she said, "Mom, will you be OK giving up your dream of me in this swimsuit?".  WHA???    Haha.  Greg and I laughed for awhile.  Not sure I ever told her it was my "dream" to see her in that fabric - but she is EVER the drama queen.

On a bike/scooter ride around the neighborhood.

Yep.  Like I always say.... LOVE THESE KIDS!!!!!!!

Heart Day.

Our Valentines Day was super fun! I just love being a parent when holidays come around and Valentines Day is no exception.

Cupid comes to our house and leaves little gifts for the kids, and then Mom and Dad also buy one gift for each child. I let cupid give the silly gifts and we give the good ones, because DANG! if Santa doesn't steal all my glory at Christmas time. I'm gonna get some appreciation at Valentines. :)

Here is the loot for the kids. We leave cut out hearts in a trail leading from their rooms to wherever the gifts are stashed.  Greg was the cutey who made the giant hearts out of posterboard and hung them from the ceiling.  Isn't he swell?

I tried to make heart shaped cinnamon rolls and eggs for breakfast... but the cookie cutters weren't the very best so the just "resemble" hearts.

I did manage 2 cute hearts in Emma's hair.  So I was proud of that!  Emma was so excited because she got to go to preschool on Valentines Day and they were having a party.  I volunteered to be a classroom helper at the party and Emma was beyond thrilled and proud that I was coming to school.  I am going to relish the appreciation now, because I know before long she will not want me at school with her.

Our new Valentines tradition is heart attacking the doors of each family member every day leading up to Valentines Day.  It was really fun to do this tradition and made everyone feel special.  Little Emma was especially excited when she would think of one and write it on her own.  Sometimes she would even sound it out on her own which made for some interesting spellings.

Here is a funny story about the "fun" heart.  The picture is of Emma and Greg dancing.  Cute, right?  Well, when I asked Emma what the second circle was under Greg's head, she replied, "his belly".  My SIL pointed out that at least the belly was smaller than his head... so not too bad.  :)  haha.

DISNEYLAND!!!!

 Disneyland.  Oh wonderful Disneyland.  How we love thee.

This trip in January was absolutely perfect and we are still in mourning almost one month later.

Emma and Grant still talk about it - every.single. day.

Emma prays at night that she can dream about the rides.

There are a WHOLE bunch of pictures that are about to happen.  Most of my stories and notes are at the bottom and probably only discernible to Greg and I... but I needed to keep them somewhere for posterity.

The pictures speak for themselves.  Sheer and utter happiness.

 Emma had an autograph book that I bought her from the dollar store.  She loved getting all the characters autographs and still keeps the book close by at all times so that she can show guests and friends all of her signatures.

I hate this picture because my bright pink bag is large and in charge.  And it should be known that I needed a bag like this for the trip so I didn't have to lug my real purse everywhere.  It truly was a lifesaver.  However, I was picking it out VERY last minute at Wal-Mart and so this was my only option.  Don't worry, as soon as we got home I immediately gave it to Emma.  And she is in love.

 This is a horrible picture of Emma, but I had to show it because this is at the end of a VERY VERY long day and you can see it in her VERY tired face.  Poor thing.  She was still elated though.

 In Mickey's house...

This was our first time seeing Cars Land and we LOVED it.  Absolutely amazing!!!

Grant has never ever never ever never fallen asleep anywhere but his crib.  This kid is always ready to party and doesn't sleep unless he is in his bedroom.  But... Disneyland changed that!!  He was so tuckered out one night he crashed in the stroller walking back to the hotel.

Poor little man.

Are you even kidding me?  This should be on Disneyland's website.

Grant was absolutely mesmerized by Rapunzel.  It was hysterical.  Just check out these series of pictures.  He always has her hand or is staring longingly into her eyes.

We loved how McQueen and Mater would drive around Cars Land.  It was super fun!

 I think Emma and I are in the red car below.  But seriously.... look at those mountains they used to recreate radiator springs???!!!

Grant loved the princesses almost as much as Emma.  He would run and give them hugs and then promptly turn around the camera and sit down on their dresses for the picture.  SO cute.

Here is another example.  Check him out just cozying right up to Snow White.  Awesome.

Grant kept begging to ride Dumbo because he got a stuffed Dumbo for Christmas.

Waiting for the parade to start...

 It drizzled just a bit every day we were there.  But it was never an actual rain and it was just enough to keep the crowds out.  Here we are all decked out in rain gear because we thought it was gonna pour down and then we ended up taking off our rain gear after 30 minutes.

Emma was ecstatic to find Jake!!

Greg encouraged her to try Tower of Terror.  I told her she shouldn't go, but she was super brave and decided that if she didn't like it she would not have to ride it again.  She was not a fan.  But we are proud of her for trying.  Especially Greg.

Pixie Hollow.

John and Lucy joined in the fun on Friday and Saturday!!! We were SOOO happy to have them there!!  It was great and Emma was in heaven having even more attention and love.

So Emma had bday money to spend at Disneyland and chose Merida's bow and arrow from the movie Brave.  She was so excited to play with them.  I would have deleted this picture entirely bc clearly it's not the best... but check out the back ground.  I was leaning over to pick something up and had an entire cup of milk that spilled all over the carpet.  Greg caught an action shot!!  haha.

Having fun with the Disney Magic App.

The kids LOVED the Ariel ride.  We must have ridden it 15 times.  Never a line and super enjoyable.

Cute Grant waving at Goofy.

We also loved Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.  Also rode at least 15 times.

Grant loved to press his own gun and "shoot".

On the ferris wheel.  This thing freaks me out.   But I did it for the kids and they weren't even scared.

Grant and Lucy with their "first time" buttons.

And much to our surprise we ran into Michael and Katie Broderick at the park!!  So fun.  They were in our ward in Tempe and then moved to Texas.  It was such a blast seeing them again.  Made Disneyland even better!!

Emma's FAVORITE ride of the park was Space Mountain.  She rode it 8 times.  She loved being in the front row and had her arms up the whole time.  Such a thrill girl.  We love it!!

And these sets of pictures were taken by the Disneyland professionals... but they wanted $15 PER PICTURE and I just could not cough that up.  So instead I was super cheap and took pictures of them on my computer.  That is why they are grainy and strange looking, but some of the pictures they captured were too good not to put on the blog.

Disneyland memories

Wednesday - magic morning accidentally let into park early!!!!, cars land radiator springs, princesses ( switched out right before we got there for Ariel, Snow White and Cinderella, Emma screamed "those are my favorite"), grant buzz light year, Emma space mountain 4x (screamed this ride is amazing, hands up), Emma 'this place is so magical', and 'this is the best day of my life'.  Grant Mickey Mouse ears, grant loved dumbo ride, pics with goofy and Minnie,  parade dancing and Emma accidentally throwing Minnie doll into pond, random stranger hopping over wall to retrieve. 

Thurs - raining in morning, stopped at 10am, nobody there!,  Emma first ride on tower of terror, world of color grant talking to couple,  kids fell asleep walking back, pixie hollow (iridessa & vidia) grant flirting with vidia, picnic lunches for world of color, wanted to stay until the rain came, but the rain never came so we never left for naps, train around park, toon town, corn dogs, toy story ride long wait!! 30 minutes!! ;) goofy's flight school, Pixar parade, world of color, grant terrified of CDC guys from monsters inc

Fri - John and Lucy arrived at 3am,  drizzling in am,  rode Peter Pan first no line!! Matterhorn dumbo , Emma leaving Greg as riding partner and only wanted John and Lucy, space mtn, CA for fast pass, monsters inc and Emma entranced by middle school performing group, kids nap jl&g ride big Ca rides, Greg took Emma to buy her bow and arrow, went back to Ca - ate at flo's!  Yummy!  - rode radiator springs at night so pretty - fireworks! Fantasy land rides, kids to bed at 11pm

Sat - got to park later, storybook canal, rapunzel grant cheesing it up and flirting with her, Merida, Indiana jones tiki room, jungle cruise, kids nap, jl&g big rides, camped out for parade, meat kabobs, kids met all characters in main area,  world of color, great seats, carnival rides again, Disneyland to space mountain, star tours, buzz blasters to finish the night, Emma crying because she was so sad to leave, kids to bed at midnight!