Growing Fast

At a recent church service we watched a slideshow honoring this year's high school graduates. Each grad had a series of photos that showed them growing from newborns to their senior pictures. When we watched the pictures change from a baby to a child riding a bike, Josh and I looked at each other with the same thought in our head. It's happening. To us.
I can see now just how fast these years are going to pass by. Alex graduated to a real bike this week, and also had her first practices with her t-ball team. My baby is slipping away and a little girl is replacing her. Of course, this is how it's supposed to be but I can't help feeling just a little bit sad.

You can see that Alex is really broken up about it too ;)

All I can do is enjoy each day with my sweet girl, who still says "aminal" instead of animal, who thinks the boys at school are yucky, who thinks nothing about running naked through a house full of guests*, and who creates her own contractions ("No I amn't!"). One days she'll be way too grown-up for me.

*Note to self, discuss modesty with Alex. Naked somersaults offend guests.

Rock Star

The boy got a new haircut.
He's totally rockin' it.
He gets his good looks from his Daddy.

But his style is all his own.

He's a rock star.

No more Mister Nice Guy.
This kid

is officially


a Bad Boy.

Birthday Girl!

So hard to believe that my first baby just turned 4! Surely it was just the other day that she was a tiny Asian newborn... She is such a big girl now!


We celebrated her birthday with the McDaniel & Thomas crew over for pizza, cake, & ice cream. The kids played out back with the bounce house & sprinklers and had a great time. Alex had many costume changes for the big event. Still with a flavor for the far east, she started with the dress Daddy got for her in Guam.
Then the bathing suit for some water fun.
She insisted she couldn't eat cake and ice cream with her bathing suit on...
And then took half of that outfit off for more water play. Cole and Brad taught Alex a fun game called "stick your butt out at the sprinkler." Thanks boys ;)
Now I know why I have so much laundry.

Happy Birthday Princess!

Busy Days

We've been doing our best to get out and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. Before we know it, it will be over 100 degrees every day, so temps in the 70s & 80s are a welcome treat.
We took the kids to a nearby state park with sand dunes. It was neat to see that much sand in such a random location. Look closely and you'll see the people walking across the top of the dune.

We picked one of the smaller dunes because we essentially had to carry both of the kids to the top. It's steeper than it looks!

Here's Derek getting a free ride to the top

When you live in Idaho, you have to find your own kind of beach.

In contrast to all of that brown sand, here are the kids enjoying the lush greenery in a park in Boise.

We're planning for some more fun just like this over the long weekend!

Totally Overdue

I seem to be lacking the motivation to continue my Disney recap, and since life is moving faster these days I think I'd better wrap it up so I can keep you posted on the more recent events. So let's call this one "Meeting the Mouse, Parts 3-5".
After the hospital stay and one blessed night of sleep, we headed off to Hollywood Studios for the day, breathing treatment machine in tow. Alex especially liked this park because of all the shows that were perfect for a little princess-- The Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast, and the kids both liked the Playhouse Disney production. Mom & Mark's favorite was the American Idol Experience. I think they saw it 3 times ;)

I think Alex was sick of pictures at this point.
Outside of Toy Story Midway Mania-- a fun new ride.


After the kids were down for the night, Josh and I hit Epcot and rode some of the headliners there. It was so nice to be able to walk through the park without children strollers & bags.
The following day we all planned to head to Epcot, but they were having their Flower & Garden festival and with all of the pollen floating around we decided not to take our little walking allergy there. So we headed back to Animal Kingdom and had a chance to meet up with many of the characters.

My favorite boys!
Derek loved the Affection Section!



Again that night Josh and I went back out to Magic Kingdom and did all of the things that the kids were too small for or that was too scary for them. Thanks Mom & Mark for listening to them sleep! :)
Our last day we went back to Magic Kingdom and enjoyed a more relaxed pace as we hit whatever favorites Alex wanted to see again.

The spinning teacups of nausea.
Josh rode alone in his own elephant to take this picture.
What is this?? On our very last day, Derek learned to sleep in the stroller!
A post-snooze popsicle. Don't worry Derek, I'll hold it for you. Feel free to make no effort on your own.
Alex really enjoyed meeting Snow White. They even twirled together :)

The plane ride home went a little more smoothly than the trip out and Alex still hasn't stopped talking about all the things she did at Disney World. Derek thought the bus to the airport was the best ride of all.
Phew!
And now I've realized that I didn't include any pictures with Mimi & Mark, so let me fix that.
Here they are wishing that they'd just kept driving...
>

And here's Mark getting the "It's a Small World" tour from Derek.
Are you all Disney-ed out now? Me too!
Coming up soon-- a trip the the sand dunes, playground fun, and one birthday girl!