We are so proud of this girl! Ashlyn made the decision to get baptized on her birthday! She has been planning this event for months now and it finally arrived. It was a very special day! She is a ray of sunshine and her testimony and example shines bright! We love you Ashlyn and are proud of who you are and who you are becoming!
We were so happy that both sets of grandparents to come for this special event! Grandma Martinson and Nana did an excellent job on their talks!
To celebrate we went to lunch at Olive Garden (one of her fav).
Desi's Birthday! She is 3 years old!!!!
She was really excited about her plate that Grandma Martinson made.
Derek brought these home from work. These girl was in love.
We went to Chick-fil-a with Daddy during his lunch break! This girl was so excited and telling everyone it is her birthday and holding up 3 fingers.
This dude LOVES ice cream! His first ice cream experience was while we had grandparents in town and now he LOVES it!
Playing in the playarea
Emmett kept giggling moving this wheel around.
Right after we made a spontaneous trip to the zoo. The weather was so nice and no one was really there.
Flamingos
Bobcat
Komodo Dragon
Lenny the Lion
This Hippo wanted to say Happy Birthday to Desi! It was a real treat to see the hippos through the glass because it is usually not around. It really was amazing! This hippo was with us about 10 minutes and we soaked up every minute of it. It leaned against the glass, like it was hugging the girls and then it made this pose so I could snap this picture. It was a definite gift for Desi for her birthday. He also went to the top of the water and made some noises. I told Desi it was singing Happy Birthday to her and she was so elated!
Grandpa and Ashlyn has been reading the book Harry Potter over Skype and they finished it while he was visiting. She was so excited to have this special "date" with Grandpa and watch the 1st movie of Harry Potter. I loved hearing them talk about the comparison while watching. It was a priceless moment.
These lovely ladies watched Mary Poppins! They loved the movie! These girls love spending time with Nana!
We went to the mall playarea and had a lot of fun!
Nana is getting spoiled with two doing her hair.
Dance Time
I wish I would have taken more pictures while we had grandparents here.
I am so impressed how Grandpa can entertain all these girls. He is always getting smothered, hugged, and jumped on. They such love him!
This girl cracks me up. She stayed up late with Grandpa watching Harry Potter so of course she would sleep in right? No. Matter of fact she got up earlier and was so disappointed that everyone wasn't awake at 5:50, but me (who was working out in the living room). So she was awake for awhile and then she wanted to have breakfast in bed. So when it was time to eat, she went upstairs and we all went to her room to sing to her and give her the breakfast.
We went to the Drive Thru Safari with Grandpa and Grandma Martinson and everyone had a blast. They said it was a highlight that they will cherish because there was so much laughter and thrills with all the animals and being with the grandkids.
This picture does give the details of how tall this camel really is. He was tower over our truck and we didn't dare feed it because of his height.
Emmett was having a hay day enjoying all the animals. I loved looking at his reaction in the mirror because he was bouncing like crazy with excitement.
Grandpa and Grandma spoiled the girls by going to McDonalds for lunch and then after for an ice cream.
We had so much fun with Desi on her Birthday Date! Derek and I love our one on one time with the girls. Desi is such a sweetheart! We went to dinner in Nac called Macklebees and then Desi wanted ice cream so one the way home we stopped for what this little girl's heart desired!
When we clean the kitchen, these girls love to put the chairs "like a train" and clean them.
We have some hard workers.
The weather has been so beautiful so we are enjoying a walk during Daddy's lunch break!
(I am in my glasses because I hopefully going to get lasik next week!!!!)
Enjoying Sunday Sundaes
We did a family night b-ball game on Sunday. We played around the world and the kids had a great time!
It is hilarious, Emmett looks playing around the dishwasher... I don't know if it is because of his reflection or he has found some "treasure" (crumbs).
The weather has been in the mid 70s and so we have been pulling out the bikes and enjoying the cul-de-sac that we live in.
We are so impressed with this girl. She has learned how to ride her bike in 1 day. She has been so brave and really got the hang of it quick. Way to go Claire!
I loved how at Christmas Sabina had candles for the dinner. I grew up with candles on Sunday dinners and so we started the candles for dinner at our house. It is fun to add to the table. The girls were able to pick out the candle colors too!
100th day of school! Ashlyn dressed up like a 100 yr. old woman and Brinley made this shirt with 100 dots on it! They were both very excited!
Brinley also made this 100 fruit loop necklace at school.
These girls are such good friends I love watching their friendship grow and love for each other. I am soaking up this year together because next year Claire will be in preschool and Desi is the year right after.
Brinley got the top of her chart in her class! She was so excited! She got to bring a stuffed animal to school the next day!
I am reading a parenting book about the personalities of my kids and I just finished with Brinley's. Oh my goodness, I am grateful for her to be a part of the family. She brings such fun and happiness and energy. She is always moving and getting into things. On instagram and facebook I posted some younger pictures of Brinley and she is always mischievous acts. Climbing into the sink, dumping milk everywhere, she would climb on top of the counter to get to some chocolate that I hid from the kids, and many more. She loves to be outside, carefree, present, laughing, and always having a good time. I sure love this sweet girl!
So after I read their section, I do a special date where they get to stay up 10 minutes past bedtime and I share with them what I learned and how much I love them and value their true nature. Well.... Brinley just want to play a game together we call "Ink a bink" (a game my Grandma Lewis made up, but I just found out that I changed the words.. ha ha). Brinley's word for life: FUN!
This guy can't lay down long enough to finish a bottle! He is always moving! I have to lay him down a number of times just to finish one bottle. I am curious what he will be like when he can walk..... I am in trouble!
TWINNERS!! Ashlyn bought glasses on Amazon with her birthday money! She was so excited and have been rockin' them!
One of the top games played recently is Disneyland Candyland!
HE ROCKS THE PINK!
Claire and Derek went to the Daddy Daughter dance and oh how excited this girl was! She looked like a princess with this handsome guy and they had so much fun dancing! She got to choose daddy's tie!
Martin Luther King Jr. Day= no school! So we went to the bounce house and played with our good friends the Hanmakers! The kids had so much fun!
These girls went to a birthday party and they came back looking like this.
During my workout the girls kept begging to go out to swing so after I was done we headed out and it was so nice outside. The weather is low 70s and the birds continued chirping. There is something so special about being outside in nature!
I am still so impressed with Derek making this swing set for the kids.
Mommy school: letter M
M&M sorting
For some reason they continue to beg me to do this activity...ha ha
Continue of my watercolor adventure
He finally found some boy toys!
While the girls were playing, Emmett became the destroyer. The girls were very patient with him.
Special Birthday Date with Ashlyn. This girls is wise beyond her years. It is fun to have "grown up" conversation with this girl. She is such a fun girl! We love you Ash!
