Spring

Jason and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary with us both sick on the couch. I had a migraine and he had a stomach bug. Whoo hoo! (We celebrated the next week instead.) What a marvelous 5 years it's been.


Clara has really liked her dollhouse so far. What a cutie.


My parents gave her a gardening kit for her birthday, which she has loved. The other day we got her some gardening gloves like Daddy, but in pink. She is quite the fashion plate, isn't she? She even brought Baby out, which I thought was really funny.



Today we went to the Rail Trails for a walk, and Clara fell asleep on the way there. This is the only place she'll take a nap these days.



Jason looking very model-esque at the playground.

Birthday party!

Look at that sweet baby! I can't believe Clara is 3! It seems so long ago and like yesterday.


We made red velvet cupcakes, which looked like blood or paint in the mixing bowl. (The last picture is of us making it. It was incredibly messy.) We also made 4 colors of frosting and decorated them with sprinkles.


Jason's parents sent her an Edible Arrangement, which Clara was thrilled with. She loved the chocolate strawberries (as did Jason) and for days afterward would just reach in the fridge and get one out. It was pretty delicious.


We blew up lots of balloons and put them in her room the night before her birthday, thinking she would love it when she woke up. We almost woke her up taking them in, and then in the middle of the night she came into our room, crying and saying, "There are balloons in my room!" So we had to take them out again at midnight. But she loved playing with them the next day.


Last summer I found my old Playmobil dollhouse so I cleaned it up and we brought it with us. It can fall apart easily if she pulls on it, but hopefully she'll be kind. I love this dollhouse.


Oh I love this sweet girl.

Life

Well, it's been a while, but we're back. Spring is finally here, which has been wonderful. Jason has finished gross anatomy and has just started neuro anatomy, which he really enjoys. This week we will have been married for 5 years! I can't believe it. And also next week is Clara's birthday. She's excited to get a cake and pick out candles and balloons. Actually, I think I'm more excited than she is.

Today is the one-year anniversary of when my sister Angela passed away. I miss her every day and am so grateful she's my sister. I'm so grateful for the Atonement and Resurrection of the Savior and for the sealing power in the temple. I know that we'll always be a family and that we'll see her again.


Clara doesn't take naps in her bed, but she'll take naps in the car or on the couch pretty often. Lately she's taken to sleeping on the floor in the living room with a pillow over her head. Sounds comfy!


After she woke up she wanted me to take her picture again, but it didn't quite look the same...
Her hair has gotten so light and long! I love her cute pigtails. My dad came to visit for a couple days and brought a Donald Duck doll that sings. And when you pick it up by its ears it yells, "Put me down! Put me down!" My dad thought it was quite funny and got one for all his grandkids.

Princess Party

On Saturday Clara and I went with her friend Amelia to a "Princess Party" put on by the local ballet company. The ballerinas dressed up as the Disney princesses and there were games and crafts for the kids to do. Most of the little girls dressed up as princesses, which was so adorable. Clara and Amelia met Princess Tiana (from "Princess and the Frog"), had a tea party with Alice, and learned a princess dance with Cinderella and Prince Charming. I think Clara's already planning to go again next year!

Snowstorm

Last weekend we had a huge snowstorm...and it's still snowing. I've never seen it snow this much, even living in Utah for 8 years! It is supposed to snow for the next 10 days, too. Yikes. I'm finally getting a little stir crazy...hopefully spring is on its way!


The hard-working husband and his mountain of snow.

Clara and her "snow shovel" (dust pan) is always asking to help Jason shovel the driveway.

Dells and Dwarves

My mom gave us the "Snow White" movie for Christmas, and Clara will go around the house singing, "Hi-HO!" She's trying to sing "Hi-ho, it's off to work we go" and then she tries to sing and then hum the whistling part. But she keeps getting interrupted by her hiccups. I think it's pretty hilarious.



Here she's singing the end of The Farmer in the Dell, "the rat takes the cheese." In our book, after they pull the farmer out, everyone dances around and then the farmer falls backwards into the dell again. Here Clara keeps falling backward into the dell. I think she's pretty cute.

Tools, Goggles and Ponytails

Clara found Jason's swim goggles and pretended to "swim" around the room.

Clara and her imaginary friend, who is wearing her snow clothes. Jason was making the snow clothes dance around the room, which Clara thought was hilarious.

She has finally gotten enough hair that we can pull into a ponytail, but she hardly ever lets me. I think she looks like such a big girl.


She is always dragging Jason's tool kit out and is trying to hammer screws and nails into the walls, so we got her some tools of her own. She kept hugging us in the store and saying, "Thank you!" She's been playing with it for 40 minutes and just said, "This is my favorite toy I've ever seen in the whole world!" Now that's an endorsement!