Aly's 9th bday party

Aly wanted to play games.  Brian came up with a crazy obstacle course.  Jump roping, walking on the plank, push ups and more.   They crafted it up by decorating their own journal. The kids danced to Gagnam Style and more.  Aly had a great time!!

February 2013

 Leah and her baby.  She is good at giving them hugs.

 The Richin's Family.  We enjoyed our get away to Idaho.  We were skiing most of the time but we did spend some time with the boys.  It was a little strange to be there without our kids.  But we had a great time hanging with just the boys.  That has never happened before.  We even got to see Carter play basketball.  He plays on the same Upwards Basketball (just in Idaho) as Blake is currently playing on.

 Francesca and Leah-cousins.  They are 10 months apart.  Leah is at an age where it is impossible to keep her still for a picture especially when we try to get her to lay down.  This is the best one I could get of the 2 girls.

Blake running through the tunnel before his game.  He has really enjoyed playing basketball this year.  It is a great indoor sport which is nice for watching the games in the winter.

Kids

 Blake wearing his 100 day hat/crown, probably before Leah destroyed it.

 Leah LOVES the bath!!

All 3 kids really do love each other

 I love this picture because Leah is in motion. She is running away like she does now

 Aly!  She is our such a great kid!

Aly really wants a matching outfit with Leah.  It is hard when they are in 2 different departments but this was as close as we could get; matching patterns.  They looked cute.

We are working on being positive

 Our kids are amazing. We are so blessed and so thankful for these crazy kids that look so alike. 
I do have to tell a story about Aly.  Mainly because I want to be able to come back and read this blog and laugh about how they used to be when they were little. 
But Aly is so negative.  I am really baffled where she got this from.  I try so hard not to be negative.  Maybe this is why it drives me so crazy?  There is little good that comes out of being negative and so I am going to work on this one with her.  We created a notebook where she has to write 3 positive things that happened each day.  Hopefully I can keep this up with her.  I tend to start something and then forget about it a few days later.  I am hoping one of us can remember this. But today Aly cracked me up.  She was being her negative self and I said so your life is terrible?? She said "pretty much".  I was busting about laughing for so long.  I mean her life is so terriwele?  I told her I should take away her toys and clothes and then it might be terrible.  Hopefully I can change her negative attitude.  I do not remember this negativity from her old school so I am hoping it is just a brief moment in time.
This is her positive chart for yesterday Monday
1. Ate spaghetti for dinner
2. Only missed a couple spelling words
3. Always won on swing contest

Tuesday
1. Gave bus driver a Valentine card
2. Hannah gave me an invitation to her bday
3. Got to start a new book in reading group

Hallelujah she can be positive!!

 But Aly rarely has anything negative to say about her favorite sister.  She loves her and thinks she is the cutest ever. 

 Leah has done this numerous times.  It only takes her a second to unroll a huge section. This time I finally got a picture before the destruction was too bad.  She is a happy camper playing with the toilet paper.

Red and Green

The kids wore red and green to AWANA before Christmas.  Aren't they cute!

Our baby is 1

Wow, how did this happen so fast.  It seems like just yesterday we were driving through the feet of snow to deliver this precious little girl.  I can't imagine life without our little Leah (LT-Little Tornado). At a year she isn't saying many words.  Dada is her favorite word, though it doesn't mean daddy is her favorite; though at times he is. She has just recently started saying momma again (she stopped saying it for a month or 2).  Really I think she did it to spite me.  Every time anyone would tell her to say momma she would just smile.   It sounds like she can say I love you (not in such great words) but we can tell.   She tries to say Aly and Blake.  But those are the words that she says.  I can't remember back all those years with the other kids but I am surprised how little she talks.
Leah has this funny habit of head butting.  Aly and Leah started doing this a while ago but now Leah does it to everyone. 
Walking: She has taken a max of 10 steps at once, but she isn't constantly trying to walk.  She would prefer to get down and crawl.  Aly takes her hand and tries to get her to walk around with her. 
Her personality is starting to come out and she is just so much fun. I am so thankful for this blessing that our family has been given from God.   She brings out such great things in Aly.  She is such a great big sister.  Blake just loves her and is helpful when he chooses.  
Leah we love you so much! You and your beautiful brown eyes!! Where you got your light hair from we will never know.  lol

Bowling FUN

The kids have been begging us to go bowling for a few months now.  I found a great deal on groupon so we finally went bowling.  We had a great time.  Leah was pretty much done sitting there after 2 games but she survived! We all had terrible scores but we didn't care!  Blake looked like he was going to hurt himself by dropping the ball on his foot, but he didn't. Thankfully.