Fun in the Sun

This post comes with a lot of pictures. A couple weekends ago we were able to go to St. George and enjoy the sun and 85 degree weather! Oh how it uplifted us all. Brian was such a loving husband he let the girls and I out of the duty of going to the bike race (which was in the middle of nowhere out passed Hurricane). Like always we stayed with Grandma Beth and Grandpa Stan and we ate well, slept well, and the great grandkids were spoiled. For instance, in this first picture Grandpa Stan is carrying buckets of hot water from the house to the pool so the water wouldn't be so cold for the girls.

I think this was bucket number four. While the girls wait patiently.

What a cheeseball. I don't think Fin spent more then 5 mins in the house all weekend. She rode her bike, played golf, played in the water, and rode her bike some more.

Cousin Stella and Fin have a blast in the kiddy pool. Yes we had two different pools, one for the big girls and one for the babies. It was awesome. Fin spent most of her time lounging in this one (smart girl, it had the warmer water and she could lay down with her head on the edge).

Eliza, well she hasn't spent much time on the grass and this was the first real play outside all day run around she's had. She watched patiently from the porch while the girls were playing. Any time her feed touched the grass she slightly freaked out...

Abs of steel here, mad at mom that I stuck her out in the middle of the grass...

Yep still not happy with me or the grass but what does mom do? Of course I grab the camera!

Oh wait she's happy. Yes that is because she discovered she could hang out on the blanket mom was laying on.

WHAT? I really don't know what this face was about but I thought it was hilarious. Maybe she's practicing to be in a Rap video.

Liza finally decided she was ok with the grass and wanted to be with the big girls. Fin and Stella were having a blast.

If you haven't noticed, Eliza has food in her hand in most pictures. Apart from the grass she wasn't sure what to think of the pools either. Finley posing for the camera. I love my girls!

Sunbathing babes

Late but not forgotten

Yes this post is WAY past due, but things have been so crazy busy I haven't had a chance to post it. Finley, this last year has been a big one for you! You've had a little sister come into your world, and although there's been ups and downs you love her and she loves you more then you'll ever know. You've had to grow up and be my little helper, good thing you are independent anyway. Last summer you learned to ride your big girl bike without training wheels. Apart from the one fall and road rash you are a little speed demon on that thing. You still love being outside and who blames you for that? This winter you learned to ski. I was a little nervous but you proved us wrong and took off not wanting to stop. Dance class has been a different story. It was cool for about 5 months and now you're over it and want to go back to tumbling. You are a cute tiny dancer but I love your passion for always wanting to try new things. You've grown from a toddler to little girl and before we know it you'll be a teenager. I love watching you learn and grow, and taking Eliza under your wing and loving her to pieces. You still look like mini me, but your personality continues to grow and change. It makes me laugh that you can't wait to go to kindergarten. School is one of the highlights of your day, keep it that way and you'll go far. Your papa and I are so proud of you and love you with all our hearts!

I look forward to this next year and all that it brings.

Yes, she got the movie Rudy for her birthday. Her taste in movies and music is more mature then a typical 4 year old. She's learning the classics well ;)

My Ski Bunny

Today was a perfect warm and sunny day for a first time skier. Brian took Finley up to Sundance to teach her how to ski. She LOVED it! She was a little nervous and kept saying she didn't want to go fast, well turns out she didn't like going slow. New terminology in our house: big pizza, little pizza, and french fries. Fin picked up each term pretty quickly and will tell anyone who asks her what it means and she'll even try and show you.

Bri kept asking her if she was done and no was the response. After about 30 laps on the rope-tow it was time to get lunch. On the agenda for next week? Another ski day with papa!

Who's In Charge?

Well the girls have been playing together more and more and it just cracks me up! Finley has been pretty good about showing Liza what to do and sharing with her. However, this picture may say the truth, 'Who's really in charge?'

And yes, that is Finley inside the basket.

Is it a Sign?

Oh little Eliza. She's into everything and lately her new thing is hanging half way over her crib. Is that, along with her new favorite hang out spot, a sign that she's ready for a big girl bed?

Yes this is Finley's doll bed. Liza thinks she's pretty cool that she can crawl on and off by herself and puts the blankets over her. She also LOVES snuggling with Fin in Fin's bed. Maybe it's getting close to the time of a big girl bed. You may think I'm crazy for even thinking of doing it, but Finley was in a twin bed at 14 months and did so much better then her crib. We'll see, maybe by summer we'll make the change. What a toad!

Eliza's 1st

Wow, I've had this video put together for a while now and just have had no time to put it on. I figured that I better get it up before I put Finley's on in a month. Where has all the time gone? Brian was gone over Eliza's birthday so we had a week's worth of celebrating. Come to find out, she is like her sister and doesn't care for the actual cake, just frosting. I can't believe a year has come and gone. Everyone told me how on the second child your number of pictures of them and attention to detail kind of slips. So true, I feel bad that I don't have 500 pictures of Eliza's first year, but things are busier and just because I don't have 500 pictures doesn't mean my love for her is less.

Eliza likes to do everything at her own pace. And though she's taken 4 or 5 steps by herself, she thinks it's funnier to stand and then fall on her bum and just look at you and laugh mockingly saying 'Oh got you! You want me to walk but I think it's funnier to watch your face when I don't.' What a toad! She continues to eat and sleep so well and wants to be in Finley's shadow all the time. The two are playing more and more together now. Eliza also has an obsession with shoes! She's only one and that's what she gets most excited about to wear. Is this a sign of things to come? Her teeth are coming in and she loves to give you this cheesy grin to show them off. Eliza really is such an easy going and happy child. Sometimes I feel bad for Brian because she is such a mama's girl. She'll give me kisses all the time, but not once has she given him one. Her big blue eyes are constantly smiling at you. And though she doesn't look like she has much hair, it's there and coming in strong. I can't wait for the summer to sit out on the grass and watch my two girls chase each other around. It's amazing how much you can love your children and love them individually for who they are.

Life

What can I say, I have no pictures for this post, I'm actually not sure how I've found time to write this. Life has been upside down and to tell you the truth, I don't think I could tell you what day it is. These last few weeks (and months) Brian's work has gone through the roof. He's working 11-14 hour days and that sometime doesn't include the hour drive to and from work. He leaves before we get up, and gets home with 20 mins to spare to hang with his girls before they go to bed. My work has been keeping me busy on top of being a mom, homemaker, wife and taking 20 credit hours of school for my job. I guess that since Bri and I are both in the ski industry it's nothing short of normal for this time of the year. The holiday's were so fun and over so quickly. In one short week my baby is turning ONE! Where does the time go?

Eliza now has four teeth with more on the way, she loves crawling up stairs but hasn't decided she wants to know how to go down, she stands for mins on end and will walk with you holding her hands, the formula and bottle are nothing she wants to deal with (it's all about big people food) and she loves to eat, some of her favorite toys are shoes, she's a chatter box and loves to make all sorts of sounds but mostly 'OOOOHHHH', and she wants to be doing anything and everything that her big sister is doing. All the hand me downs of her sister worked for about 3 months but now are not working since the ones that do fit are for the wrong season. Unlike her quiet reserved sister, she is a social butterfly (we may have to teach her stranger danger). I've decided that when she decides to do something she just does it, but is laid back to do as she pleases.

Finley is now a Sunbeam at church and loves every minute of it (mostly the singing part), she goes to preschool twice a week and still does ballet, she's being more protective of her baby sister and will tell anyone that she's a big sister, her love for being outside continues to grow and keeps asking when does she get to go skiing, she loves her time with her papa and insists that we need to go to St. George so they can ride bikes together. Her memory never ceases to amaze me and her love for movies is like her uncle Spencer's. Play dates are one of her most favorite past times, and has already asks what sleepovers mean. She is more girly then I know how to deal with sometimes, but I love her independence and strong opinions. I can't believe that she will turn 4 in March already.

I love watching my girls play and just love each other. The best is that Eliza will crawl over to Fin and just sit or lay on her and Fin can't move. I love my blue eyed wonder and my brown eyed sweetness. Life is good, busy, and adventurous.