CrAzY hAiR dAy!

Last friday it was Crazy Hair Day at Ava's school. This is what we came up with...
Ava said she thought she looked like a pinata - she's kind of right.

Career Day

Last week Brian was able to go into Ava's kindergarten class and tell the kids about being a pilot for career day. Ava was SO excited and proud to have her Dad come to her class. Another Dad had come the day before, he was a lawyer. That day in the car on the way to school, Ava said "Pilots are sooo much cooler than lawyers!"

Brian did a great job talking to the kids - and listening to them talk. Kindergarteners have a lot to say!!! He listened to stories about roller coasters and sharks - not so sure what they had to do with being a pilot - but funny stories!

Happy Birthday Brian!

(yesterday - sorry babe - you know I love you!)

38 - Wow!

(Actually - 38 looks pretty good on you!)

Hula Hoop Skills

Ava has been trying to learn how to Hula Hoop the last few weeks, and she finally got it! Once she gets started, the hula hoop gets going so fast. I love watching her do this - she is so cute! (You can pause the music on the blog so you can hear the video - but it is mostly just me yelling and laughing and it's a little annoying!)

Happy Valentines Day!

L

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V

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Happy Valentines Day!

Stuffington Bear Factory

This week Ava went on a field trip with her kindergarten class to Stuffington Bear Factory in Phoenix. It was really fun for her to see a real factory where stuffed animals are made.

The bus ride there was one of the most exciting parts of the trip for Ava! This is Ava & her field trip buddy - her friend Belle.

Belle & Ava thought it was so cool that they both have brown hair, blue eyes and cute little freckles.

After the tour of the factory, Ava got to choose an empty little bear shell, stuff it, comb it and wash it.

This is the birth certificate for 'Mr. Beary Boo'.

Ava & Mr. Beary Boo

Ava & Belle relaxing after a long, exhausting tour!

A Morning with Dillon

I feel so lucky that I get to spend everyday with my little Dillon. He keeps me hopping (and chasing, and cleaning, and fixing, and undoing, etc. etc.). This is what a typical morning is like for us...

About 5 minutes into the morning and I am scrubbing Desitin off the carpet, wiping lotion off Dillon's feet & wrestling the nail clippers out of his hand.

Then we eat breakfast, get dressed and head outside for a walk.

Our walk always turns into a run... and if you've seen it, you know what an awesome run Dillon has - kind of a dramatic slow motion run with his arms totally swinging!

We throw a ball around, but Dillon doesn't even need a ball - he will throw anything and everything! (seriously - watch out!)

He always has a little cup with some sort of snack in it - raisins, grapes, cookies, or his favorite - little pieces of bread. This time it's mini marshmallows.

He inevitably shows me what he is eating - usually with his mouth wide open. Yum.

This morning we took Aunt Tasha's dog Gracie for a walk. Dillon loves Gracie and Gracie is soooo patient with his rough love.

What a good day with Dilly!

When it rains in Arizona...

During the last part of January, it rained for about 2 weeks straight! It was kind of a nice change for us desert dwellers to see rain, but it got a little crazy around here. Our neighborhood changed from a neighborhood of grassy green parks to a neighborhood of lakes. So many roads flooded and closed, and our lovely new house had a giant leak!
The kids thought the lakes & puddles were fun, but we are kind of glad it has dried up again!

Goodbye Mesa Airlines...
Hello Virgin America Airlines!

After 6 looooong years at Mesa Airlines, Brian has moved on to bigger & better things! He started today with Virgin America Airlines, based out of San Francisco. I am so excited for him (& us)!

Good luck Captain Bullard! I love you!

Goodbye Grandma

Goodbye to my beautiful Grandma.

You taught me about love and about perseverance.

I will always think of you when I drink pink lemonade, eat fudge or caramel popcorn, when I smell Nivea lotion or when I hear my Mom say "oh dear".

You made me laugh.

I love that you called me "Lissy".

I will miss you.

I am happy for you.

I love you Grandma.

Gingerbread House

Today we spent a fun afternoon with Alex, Livi & Nate making a gingerbread house. Ava & Dilly had a lot of fun, ate a lot of candy, and our little gingerbread village turned out pretty cute!

Livi, Alex, Ava & Dilly decorating the roof (check out Livi & Alex's naturally curly hair - I love it!)

Alex, Nate & Dillon making marshmallow snowmen

Livi & Dilly making a little house

Dillon started making a Christmas tree...

And it ended like this…

Alex, Ava & Livi and the finished product!

Dear Santa - part 2

Really Santa, I have been a good boy...

Dear Santa

I promise I've been a really good boy this year.

Love, Dillon

Finally

It has been so long since I have posted anything, (although I have actually had a lot to post about), so I thought I would at least put up a few recent pictures of my kids!

Ava

Dillon

Fall Leaves

This afternoon Ava & I were talking about how much we missed seeing the fall leaves of Utah, so we decided to make our own! These are the sugar cookies that we came up with.