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Happiest 2nd Birthday to my Sweet Baby Girl!

I really really DO NOT know how she grew up so fast.

1 week

1 year

2 years - making her "camera" face (she is a poser!)

We started the day with Ella's favorite - Chocolate Milk in a "big girl" cup.... except these pics were taken a few days earlier; on her actual birthday she had chocolate milk in a sippy cup and a bag of cereal in the car - it was one of THOSE days...

The day fell apart on me when after 2 hours of packing at the house (no we're not moving, but I had to get some things packed away for new carpet to be installed) and a quick doctors appointment for Isaac I had to run to Boise in the three hours I had left before picking up the boys from school. I also had to be at Young Women's in Excellence that night so it was kind of a "loaves and fishes" miracle that I had enough time that afternoon to put together this PURSE and coin purse cake. Ella LOVES purses so I had to try my hand at making it.

While we were in Boise - at Home Depot - Isaac made sure EVERYONE we came in any contact with knew it was his "baby sisters birthday party day". And every time Isaac told someone that they would ask how old she was. I kept trying to get her to say two but she just started singing Happy Birthday, every time. It was pretty cute. Although it was a day of one thing after another with no rest in between, I think she had a good day - the boys, especially, made a big deal of her birthday all day long.

After putting the cake together I made a quick dinner. I would say Ella's favorite foods are mashed potatoes, broccoli and KETCHUP! So I made meatloaf (extra ketchup for my girl) and potatoes and green beans (she likes those almost as much as broccoli, and nuking a can was easier than cutting and steaming the broccoli - it was do or die time, I tell ya!)

After a Face Time chat with Grandma and Grandpa Perigo and cousin Kyla, we brought out the cake. (Face Time - best invention! I think it was cool that G&G got to watch Ella open the present they gave her even though we are a state away...) Ella smiled at us as we sang to her and then blew out her candles after a teensy bit of coaching from Cameron.

She was not shy about opening her gifts! I loved how excited she was for them. I especially love how she's inspecting her presents with a tiny grin of satisfaction on her face. She sang Happy Birthday to herself while she was opening! Austin, the most loving of my boys, wanted desperately to get Ella something from Walmart. We didn't have time to take him shopping but I just happened to pick up this little Minnie. Austin wrapped it and put a note on it that he was so proud of, "From Austin, with LOVE". Ella loves her Minnie; she carries it in her stroller and sleeps with it.

A fun, happy day, for my fun, bright, cheerful, sweet, sassy, excited, smart, little girl

Ella @ 2

23 pounds

still LOVES her blankets - will not sleep without them

favorite person - her daddy or Austin (sometimes mom)

favorite place to be - outside or going somewhere in the car

favorite tv show Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

favorite toys - puzzles, babies, baby stroller, purses, books, anything one of her brothers is playing with

Best COPY cat in the family - she goes around all day copying one of us

favorite indoor activity - coloring or playing with one of the boys

catch phrases: "press PLAY!" (as soon as she gets in the car - I've spoiled her this last month with the DVD player), "blankie" "dank you" (she says it after you give her something or do something for her, like hold the door open, and she always says it in a breathless voice as if she's been waiting her whole life for whatever you've given her) "cook" (for cookie - anything sweet and dessert-like is a cook and she LOVES them.) "car?" she asks that as soon as I get her out of bed every morning

wants to do everything everyone else does

her first chore - she likes to put the silverware around the table at each place

Saturday Snowmobiling

There is NO snow around here! It hasn't even snowed once this winter. We were surprised to find Featherville had enough snow for the snowmobile; and enough snow to play in! Ella wasn't really a fan of the fluffy white stuff, or her gloves. She didn't love the ride her dad gave her either. I'm sure, though, that in time she will be riding like a pro. Isaac striped down as soon as we got there to put his snow clothes on. He didn't realize that snow pants go over your clothes! He was ready to ride first. By the time Landon and Austin were done playing in the snow and ready to ride it was too dark for pictures. They spent most of their time running around building snow forts and jumps. Landon took his first turn, ever, driving solo. Although, I prefer the boat (and boating weather!) for family fun, we had a great day.

a reminder that I need to remember:

Here's a link to 25 RULES FOR MOTHERS OF SONS

My little guys are so AWESOME! I love them. They are wild and crazy and funny and happy and sweet and sensitive and playful and joke-crackers and helpful and trying hard to be noticed and WONDERFUL! They want to have a purpose and an identity. They want to fit in and stand out. They want to be loved and silly and accepted and played with and important. I want to be better at making them into the men I hope they will become. I want to be better at letting them be the little boys they are.

Recent Happenings...

We celebrated Cameron's birthday in between various Christmas activities and friend's parties for both Landon and Austin. We kind of celebrated in stages: Friday night: presents, Saturday afternoon: Key Lime Pie and the Happy Birthday Song, and Saturday night: a trip to Boise with just Cam and I to celebrate.

This poster{s} was from the kids. The kid's are convinced that this is a "year supply" of candy! (maybe it should be a year supply :) )

After a marathon allergy appointment with Austin and {unfortunately} a severe allergic reaction at the office, we barely made it home in time to get to Landon's Christmas concert. Landon was "Country Bob". He did an AWESOME job! After the show, his teacher introduced all the speaking and solo parts. When Landon's name was called his class went crazy, cheering for him!

I love the smile he has on his face. He and his friend are laughing at each other. Landon, really did his best and we were proud of him. I even got a text from his friend's mom during one of the songs.... it looked like Landon was doing a "turtle" dance. She texted me that she was crying because she was laughing so hard at how cute Landon was!

Isaac also had a Christmas concert. He came home from preschool one day and practiced for it. He was excited to sing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer while wearing a red nose! He made the nose himself (along with a blue one for when he wants to be a blue Power Ranger)

This was the best picture I could get of him at his party/concert. There were SO many parents there I couldn't even see him singing. It was crazy! He was sad that he only got to sing two songs and he couldn't see me while he was singing. But the PLATE-FULL of treats afterward cured him.

...and now we wait...sometimes not so patiently for Christmas Day...

Last night I took the kids to do a service project. We try to do one every year (actually, one of our family's goals is to do one once a month). We usually donate food to the homeless shelter or put allowance money together to by "toys for tots". This year, I planned an activity for the Young Women in our ward to sing at a nursing home. Since none of the Mia Maids could make it, I decided to take the kids. Unfortunately, Cameron was working during the time they wanted us there.

I couldn't take a picture because I was singing with the kids. Rest assured, though, that they were well received. Isaac wore his antlers from his preschool party the day before and sang with gusto. Austin played Jingle Bells on the piano and sang Away in a Manger, beautifully. Landon didn't want to go, but I made him. He was nervous he'd have to talk to the residents and try to think of things to say. Once he saw how happy the residents were with our songs, though, his heart melted and he was very happy. Ella did her part by clapping after every song. We had the chance to go into some of the residents' rooms and sing to them, as well. One woman was 99 and another was 103. They were SO happy to see us and hear our songs. I was proud of my kids. Their spirits were shining and their sweet voices were beautiful. They were SO SO happy after. They could tell that they made a tiny difference in the resident's lives. This definitely is a good time of year to give service. (I took this picture when we got home - after we ate dinner... :) )

ClaSsiC santa pics

We went to a Christmas Party for the Med Group on Base. Santa came in on an ambulance. I love the gotta-have Santa pictures, taken against a yellow wall, with bad light, by a point and shoot - they're not good pictures but I love them anyway.

And, just wondering has anyone ever seen a "good" santa picture?! The Coralridge Mall Santa comes to mind (all my Iowa peeps know what I'm talking about :) ha ha ha)

this picture is from last year... Ella's opinion of Santa hasn't changed much....

I promise she really did say she wanted to sit on his lap, but once she did she changed her mind fast... I can't help but laugh, especially comparing the two pictures :)

Isaac asked for a remote control car

Austin asked for a puppy, "even tough my mom and dad said no." After he told Santa about the puppy he noticed the dollar store trinkets in Santa's bag and said, "well actually I'll just have a whoopie cushion."

Landon refused to sit on Santa's lap. I guess it's about time, but still, I was wishing for one more year of Santa bliss for him

September 2011 POTD Catch Up

One of my all-time favorites

We had a bounty in our backyard. I couldn't believe that our "experiment" garden grew so well. I let the kids pick any seeds they wanted and we raked up our own backyard soil and threw in the seeds. Now that I know we can do it, next spring we will "really" plant. It's true what they say about fresh veggies - and just picked from the vine is even better!

We spent a day at the Air Show on base, complete with the famous Thunderbirds show. It was awesome (and very loud!)

I didn't quite get around to doing 18 month photos of Ella, so one day I took these impromptu pictures of Ella at 20 months. She was in the 49% for height and 51% for weight. This month she developed a love with shoes, especially mine. When I'm not sure where she is, I can be on her being in my closet or bathroom surrounded by my shoes, trying each pair on one at a time.

Over Memorial Day weekend Cameron's sister and her family came to visit. We had a great time. We spent a day on the water, a day on motorcycles, and a day of church, games, and good food.

Trying to Catch Up (October POTD Highlights)

Just before the hard drive went out on our computer I was trying to get caught up on my Picture A Day Project for 2011... Thankfully, Oh SO Thankfully, our pictures were saved. So now that we got them back I'm hoping to do a few posts from earlier this year to catch up. SO, since I left off with October in my catch up that's where I'll start... Here's some of my favorite Pictures of the Day for the month of October:

Cameron and I celebrated 11 years together... crazy ehe?!

(picture by http://www.amandaandrewsphotography.com )

One day we were at Target and I let Isaac pick something from the dollar section for being good at an Allergy appt. for Austin earlier that day. He chose this mask and has worn it almost daily ever since. In fact he wore it to preschool just this morning! Best dollar I ever spent...

Ella is keeping up with her brothers, no doubt about it. I keep begging her to stop growing up but she just won't! On this day she was able to climb the steps to the slide without the help of an older brother and she was ECSTATIC...

One night we randomly decided to go to an Enduro motocross race. It started at 7 and we decided to go at 5:30. Since it was an hour away we scarfed down our dinner (no concession stand $10 nachos and hot dogs for us :) ) and booked it to the stadium. The boys are still talking about that night. It also inspired Isaac's dream to someday race motorcycles as a career and own at least 21 motorcycles so all of his "children and wives and husbands" can ride motorcycles too...

Landon spent an entire weekend constructing this entirely edible map of Idaho. He was pretty disappointed when he came downstairs and found Isaac munching on the corner of the state, Luckily he stopped Isaac before too much damage was done... He told his teacher ," my dog ate my homework... the curly blond dog that's really my brother."

Austin got a retainer - it's actually a combo appliance but retainer is just a cooler word to use! He loves it. Apparently it's pretty cool to be the only kid in 1st grade with a retainer. An awesome thing about Austin is he can make anything cool!

Landon's last football game was the last weekend of October. He still practices throwing the football almost everyday to stay in shape for next season

Ella is developing that common habit of most 2 year old's - cry and throw a temper tantrum until you get what you want. Every temper tantrum she's thrown up until now have revolved around some kind of treat - the girl loves her snacks! She carries around the step stool and stands up to counter to beg for what she wants, usually fruit snacks. Anything I've made that resembles a cookie in any way, will elicit whining and crying and eventual mini-temper-tantruming until she gets one!

I found a donut maker at Target one day. The look on Landon's face says it all ...the kids loved them and devoured 15 donuts in about 5 minutes! The donut maker is the only way I could figure out how to make gluten-free donuts since the batter doesn't hold together well enough to fry in oil. It's kinda like a waffle iron. The boys LOVE watching me open the lid and ta-da! Donuts!

This month we got a surprise visit from Grandma Perigo! It was a fun couple of days. The kids just happened to have two days off school for Parent Teacher Conferences so they kept her plenty busy - with puzzles and movies and games ALL DAY LONG. It was fun to have her here with us. Come back!!