Lily's Christmas Program

Lily has just grown up so much. She was so incredibly adorable during her program. It was all I could do to not sob like a baby during her performance, and once I left the building all was lost. I had to call one of my good friends to talk me down, I was crying so hard! I can't believe how much she has grown, and my heart aches for Mike, who has missed so much. He would have given anything to be here today!

Shoplifting Mickey Mouse

So, today I took Lily to the mall to go visit Santa. On the way to see Santa Mike asked her what she was going to ask for(via the cellphone), and she said candy canes and daddy. Last year she screamed bloody murder at Santa, so I figured that if I took her to see a Santa a few times this year maybe she would get comfortable enough for a non-screaming photo. However, all she did was hide behind me the whole time. She wouldn't even get close enough to take a candy cane. On our way out of the mall, we passed the Disney store. Lily's eyes got super big and I figured, "why not?" Lily ran straight to the big mound of plush animals that lies along the back wall of every Disney store. First she grabbed Donald Duck, but she dropped him in a second once she saw... Mickey.

She grabbed him, hugged him, and headed for the register saying "me buy Mickey."

I informed her that we couldn't buy Mickey, but maybe we could ask Santa for Mickey. I had to repeat this a few times for it to sink in, and then she took off, running out of the store. I was a little shocked, and just called after her for a few seconds, "Lily, wait...Lily, come back." To which I received the prompt response, "ask Santa for Mickey." She never even broke her stride. All of a sudden it clicked...she was taking the mickey to Santa to ask for him. Obviously I then began my pursuit. She only got down a store or two before I caught her. The funniest part, the sales people didn't even bat an eye at my kid running off with their plush doll. Obviously we then returned the Mickey to his mound, and I had to haul Lily to the car kicking and screaming. Lesson learned- next time I will choose my words a little more carefully.

Thanksgiving

Lily's class was "going on a turkey hunt." Afterwards they had a thanksgiving feast!

Spooky house

Trick or Treating

Lily loved trick or treating. She did not want to go home. When she saw that we had circled back to the car she yelled "no home, next house, more candy!"

Happy Halloween Daddy!

The Car Incident

So.... Lily decided the other day that it would be lots of fun to take a car up the stairs at Wendy's house and ride it down the stairs. It may have been fun for a minute, but then the car hit the tile and flipped, so Lily smashed face first into the tile. So, for awhile I thought the blood in her mouth was from a bit lip, she wouldn't really let me look in her mouth, but it turned out her 2 front teeth hit the tile and got shoved up her into her gums a bit. The dentist said it was fairly benign, but she likely has caused some cosmetic damage to one of her permanent teeth (she ruptured the liquid-filled sack that encapsulates the permanent teeth). Her poor lip was so swollen from the fall, the girls at the dentist's office were joking about her going as Angelina Jolie for Halloween.

Lily's Fall Festival

Lily's school put on a great Fall Festival. There were games, prizes, there was even a hayride!

Oh what a beautiful Garage!

Do I need to say more?

New Boots!

Yaya and Papa came to visit this last week. Lily had so much fun with them. She adores all of her grandparents. Yaya discovered these very cute boots at Target that Lil just had to have. Yaya had her running around the store in them, they were still attached to each other with the tags. The idea was that that might slow Lily down...yeah right! Lily has become quite attached to the boots now, and insisted on wearing them to church on Sunday. She got lots of compliments. Already so fashion forward, she did NOT get that from mommy!

First day of pre-school

Lily started pre-school this week. It was very exciting. She cried a little bit when I left the room, but she loves school and is excited to go. We had a very yummy egg breakfast before school on Tues. and Lily got to wear her new backpack.

Express Game!

So, I took Lily to a minor league baseball game the other night with some friends. She had a lot of fun and after the game was over she got to see some fireworks. There's nothing like a ball game! Climbing on the wall in left field.

Getting in trouble for climbing on the wall in left field.

Having a blast running around with the boys at the game.

Tackling John. Lil just loves John.

Lily's First Haircut

Lily had her first haircut finally! She was such a good girl, she just sat and sprayed water into her own face and her babydoll's face while Brandilyn cut her hair.

The Cake

Here is the proof Mike. Lily got her Motherlode cake!

Really?

Lily is learning to move chairs around to reach things. She hasn't done this till now. Is nothing safe anymore?

Summer Fun

I have been horrible about posting some of the fun pics from our summer trip to San Diego, without daddy. Lily got to play at the zoo with cousins, as well as splash in Grandma's hottub.

She had lots of fun!

The bath setup at Yaya's was interesting...

Lily and Yaya at Seaport Village. What a beautiful view. Lily loves to be near the water.

Mike's blog

Mike has me posting pictures and journal entries to a blog of his own making while he is in Iraq. If you are interested in checking out what's going on with him...
www.captainmikew.blogspot.com

Swimming!

Lily loves to swim. We went to the pool today and played for several hours. Luckily we had lots of friends to play with. Monica took these photos of Lily having fun. Jacob and Lily are buds!

Saying Goodbye

We said goodbye to Daddy this week. He started his trek back to Iraq, this time, hopefully, for only 6 months. It is very hard for Lily and I to let him go, and if we had any say, I am not sure we would have. Lily asks for her Daddy, and when I tell her that he went bye-bye she responds with "home." I know how much she wants him at home. I believe he is her best friend and most fun playmate. She loves him so much.
I have to say though, that I have the best friends in the world. The day after he left I got an email from a good friend informing me she would be at my house the first wednesday of every month to watch Lily so I can go to mutual. And this is a mom with 3 boys under 5 at home. I am also sitting at home here with the world's best mother-in-law who will watch Lily so I can get work around the house done, as well as do fun things. She had Lily for a whole day so mike and I could make it to the temple before he left, and she took Lily again for a whole day so I could go visit the YW at girls' camp. She is sensitive to how I am feeling and sincerely just wants to make my life easier. So, I ask you, how can you be sad when you are surrounded by so many blessings?

Disneyland!

We have just been having so much fun so far this summer. Mike leaves in a few days, so we have been packing in as much family time as we can get right now. We went to San Diego and visited Disneyland, Sea World, the Zoo, and even spent a day on the Lake wakeboarding.
Lily just enjoyed everything. She was dead exhausted at the end of each day, but very happy.

Daddy and Lily got a visit from Pluto!

Daddy, Grandma and Lily enjoying the view of the water.

Daddy and Lily on the Jungle Boat cruise. Lily was not scared at all.

The Zoo

Lily and Daddy. Lily loves the aviaries.
Lily and Yaya...monkeying around.

Sea World

Lily loved playing in the kids area!

Lily, Luke and Peyton, holding hands!

New Babies????

While we haven't seen the babies yet, we apparently have a good-sized nest in our tree out front. So....yet more wildlife is making it's way into this beautiful world via our yard.

Great Grandparents

Great Grandma and Great Grandpa stopped by on their trek across the country. They wanted to see Lily. Here we are in front of the Cracker Barrel. It was so nice to see them. Lily even warmed up enough to give Great Grandma Eskimo Kisses.

A Balloon Party

We threw Lily a balloon party this year. Daddy and Darren spent all night blowing up 150+ balloons for the big drop. The kids seemed to have a lot of fun. We had pizza and cupcakes, and had a blast playing outside in a pool filled with balls and in Lily's new sand and water table.

Jack, Ellie, Lily and Rylan

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILY!!!

Lily turned 2, and we spent her birthday having a blast. We played at the park and ate all of Lily's favorite foods. Donut holes, smoothies and chicken nuggets.

Sunny weather is, or was, here...

Although it is already gone, we had some beautiful sunny and warm days this week. With great excitement we pulled out some water toys and invited RyRy over for some water fun!!! The kids got to splash and play with toys and finished off the warm morning with popsicles!! Feels like summer!

A new way to eat push pops!

Lily has discovered a new way to eat her yummy frozen treats... Who knew a fork worked so well?

Lily loves Jack

Okay, my Lily is obsessed with Jack Black. The Yo Gabba Gabba episode starring Jack premiered last week and she will not watch anything else. Whenever we are in the house she runs to the TV and asks for Jack!Jack! Whenever we are driving and see a guy on a motorcycle she yells Jack!Jack! (thanks to Jack on minibike) What is it with Jack Black????? She asks to watch the same episode more than 5 times a day. I wonder if she would watch Nacho Libre???

Big Boots to fill!

Lily just loves shoes,but it was especially awesome when she decided to try and walk around in Daddy's ginormous boots. As you can see, they went up past her knees, but that was not enough to stop our determined girl. Of course, there is very little that stops her...

Bunnies for Easter!!!

So, having the extremely fertile yard that we have, we had a litter of bunnies living in our front yard under our pear tree. They were already gone by Easter, probably busy off doing the things bunnies do! I wonder what will decide to have babies in our yard next??? Any guesses?