The last few months

Lots of things have happened since I've last written, so here is a recap. The most exciting news of the fall was that we found out we're expecting another baby girl in the spring! The girls are ecstatic to have another girl in the family.

 Savannah's second birthday. Can't you tell she's excited? She changed outfits several times that day. She was so into the party hats, balloons, cake, ice cream, candles, the works.

The lap quilt I made for Mauri for Christmas, with Jason's and my mother-in-law's help. It turned out to match her living room perfectly!

These girls are becoming good friends. They've recently started calling each other "Best Buddies."

Clara lost her first tooth on our way to my parents' house for Christmas! She was eating a Wheat Thin, and out it came! She was relieved the tooth fairy could find her there.

Matching each other and their dolls in dresses from my mom.

Clara tried this huge trampoline at the mall, and had such a blast. At first she was hesitant, but then she decided to go for it! We were proud that she was so brave and tried something new.

After Christmas we went with my parents, and Ashley and Tom to Massanutten, Va. There was an enormous indoor waterpark, which the girls loved. Clara decided to try a ski class, and really enjoyed it. She seems to be getting so big and trying so many new things.

We're excited for the next few months, too. Jason has finished his last major test, Match day is in March, the baby is due in April, and graduation in May!

Farewell to J

Well, it's time to say goodbye to our Jeep, "J." Angela and I got it in 2001 when we were at BYU together. We took it lots of places, including lots of SLC Olympic events. Jason and I have had it since we got married, and now we must part ways.

Jason was driving home from the airport a week ago around midnight and a kamikaze deer ran straight for the headlights. Thankfully Jason wasn't hurt, and luckily we have AAA, who sent a tow truck all the way past Washington, PA. After an hour and a half, they picked Jason up, drove him home and dropped him off at our house around 4am. Since the repairs are more than the car is worth, it's "totaled." We figure that something happened to the engine. So it looks like we're in the market for a new car!

Uncle Paul and Pirate Swords

My brother in law Paul came to visit us for a couple days last week. We had a picnic downstairs because of the rain, and the next day we took him to Coopers Rock. We had family home evening as we walked around. We wish he could have stayed longer!

Savannah loves getting into Clara's dress-up clothes, and she gets some crazy combinations. Here she is wearing candy pajamas, a ballerina headband, a tutu, flower lei and is wielding a pirate sword. She's demonstrating how to correctly say "aargh" and poke someone in the stomach with the sword. I love this picture.

Baby Quilt for Alisia

I found this tutorial a few months ago and wanted to make it, but didn't have anyone to make it for. Then a good friend had her first little baby, so I had an excuse! It was fun, easy and fast. I had never made anything like it and I had a lot of fun. Congrats Maaike and Lukas!

Pirates, amusement parks and tree stumps

We were down south this summer for a while, and did lots of fun things with my family. I'd add lots of pictures, but my computer/internet doesn't like me to do that too much, so we'll go with four.


One afternoon we went with everyone to an amusement park, which the kids loved. Clara and Sarah went on this car ride that was nice and slow on the straight part, and then it whipped them around the corner. Clara just laughed her head off. It was so funny to watch.

 

 The cousins...let's play "Where's Savannah?" extra points if you can find her. And no, I don't think she felt left out.

One morning Mauri and I took the kids (minus Savannah) on a pirate boat ride on the inlet. Clara got a couple "tattoos" (an octopus and an anchor), and Tate got a scar on his cheek which was pretty cool. We went out looking for treasure, etc., and it was really fun. The music from "Pirates of the Caribbean" played the whole time, which made it feel authentic.

Jason got some slalom skiing in before he rode a tube into a tree stump. Pretty talented, isn't he? (At skiing and slamming himself into a stump..what are the odds?)

Pigtails and pictures

Today I put Savannah's hair in pigtails, after she got the rubber bands and said, "green. blue. both." Have you ever seen cuter pigtails? She obviously likes them and happily showed them to daddy and Clara when they got home.

Jason's grandpa (Papa) passed away a couple weeks ago. Papa used to do clowning, and at his funeral there was a bowl of clown noses, so we took some home. Savannah had a hard time keeping hers on her tiny nose, but they thought the noses were funny.

 

On Clara's first day of school she actually took some pictures with her sister! I managed to get a couple before my camera batteries died.

Clara has taken up photography and one day spent probably an hour arranging and re-arranging her stuffed animals. I see some potential, don't you?

Summer

A friend is letting us borrow a little slide until her kids are old enough, and the girls just go around and around on it. We're trying to teach Savannah that she's supposed to climb up the stairs and go down the slide, but Clara's example isn't helping very much...

Gotta love the Sonic Cherry Limeade!