It has been so long...

It has been to long to catch up completely. I had a whole folder devoted to our summer travels and adventures to update here a month or so ago...but here I am...weeks after Halloween updating that event. Maybe someday I will get my act together...So we have Hermonie, a little monkey, and a Barbie. It was a great Halloween...we had three days of candy! Friday afternoon the downtown did a trick or treat at all the stores, on Saturday our ward did a trunk or treat, and then on Sunday Kristian's colleague threw an annual Halloween party with even more trick or treating. The girls were treated out...well at least mom and dad were. When I actually curled Avery's hair (we were in a great hurry for this picture so it didn't get done) people kept commenting how she looked just like Hermonie Granger...she was thrilled:) And Finley graciously kept correcting people when they would call her a princess...she was very polite and explained that she was a beautiful sparkly Barbie. Laikyn just soaked up all the attention that her pink bows and big toothy grin brought. It was a fun weekend:) We call Laikyn our little monkey, so this costume is very fitting. The first day she had the bows destroyed...I got wise and glued them on tighter for the next haunting adventure:) I made this last year too...so yummy...a broccoli cheese soup of sorts with tuna tombstone sandwiches. I think it might be our Halloween tradition from now on...it is a big hit! ******************************************************************* The other big event in October was Laikyn's blessing. My parents were able to come out for a week during which my dad blessed Laikyn. It was so nice to have her finally blessed:) It was a really fun day! Larry and Tamra came over from Utah to join us and Carol was there in spirit:) And the same dress that Avery and Finley wore when they were tiny infants actually fit Laikyn...I'm glad they make em big!

Wow what a delight this little girl is! She is an amazing spirit and lights up everyday in our home!!One of our better family pictures believe it or not:) And the only one we got for that day...the girls were LOVING having so many grandparents in one room all to themselves! Daddy and his littlest love.

Finley turns 4...can't believe it!!

Yes...I have not posted all summer. It's been one of those busy, but not enough for a good excuse not to blog kind of summers...so I won't even bother. But here is a small glimpse into Finley's 4th birthday...we got a flip camera and I am still not very good at it so you will have to excuse the shortage of photos...I'm learning:)

Months ago Finley informed me she wanted an Easter egg hunt for her birthday. Well I went with that and did an Easter theme. When the kids arrived they got their faces painted like a bunny by Grandma A (who did a stellar job by the way), then they went out on the deck to dye eggs...this turned out to be not as bad as I thought it might be, but kind of short lived. I had anticipated quite the mess and so I decided to blow out the eggs instead of doing raw or hard boiled. This was good, cause many ended up on the ground and barely cracked. But I had only blown out enough eggs for each kid to have two (blowing out raw eggs I discovered is a lot harder and more time consuming than I had anticipated) and that doesn't last very long:) After the eggs we split the kids up and some did "put the egg in the bunny's basket"(a version of pin the tail on the donkey), and some kids went outside to try to push eggs with their noses on the grass. They were entertained for a bit, but that was short lived too. I realized then that 16 kids is about 6 to many and next time we are limiting it to 10! I was actually thrilled that not all who were invited could come:) We then had cake and ice cream and opened presents. Then we headed down to the park and they hunted for Easter eggs and played. It was hectic, but fun. Finley soaked up all the attention and loved it all! That is the most important part!

I got very few pictures, but here are some of the decorations and the cake of course. I have to admit before I got the cake all put together I was not very happy with it...but as I put the finishing touches on it, I actually ended up being quite fond of it. It was a very happy cake...just like our bubbly little 4 year old!

Finley is the firecracker of our family. She is one extreme or the other and we love her all the more for it:) She is such a happy little girl almost all of the time. She loves to play and kids flock to her. They love her spunk and spirit! She knows Harry Potter inside and out...most movies for that matter (that she has seen). She has an amazing memory and loves school but mostly for the social aspect. She is also our little fashionista...she loves to get herself dressed and is usually pretty good at coordinating outfits. She will even put together outfits the night before that she wants to wear. She loves all things beautiful, sparkly, and shiny. She loves babies and kids younger than her...I believe that is because she thinks she can direct their every move:) She is determined, generous, energetic, funny, cuddly, sweet, nurturing, and so endearing. I truly can't believe she is 4. I so love this little kid. She lights up our world!!

Five Months flew by...

Here are some shots mostly of Laikyn from the past month...we are getting more smiles captured in the pictures:)

Our little tennis star

And this is Laikyn's home away from home...her carseat...and that is the look she gives me when I put her in it for the umpteenth time that day...she is a trooper though and rarely complains...verbally that is:)

I love this chubby baby...she is super squishy and I just can't get enough...you can just melt into those cheeks:)

Fin likes to get in on the picture action...I frequently hear..."mom get the camera quick...I am really cute right now!"

We spent a night recently in Portland and rode the OHSU tram to see the city...something we have been meaning to do for so long now...finally got it done...so fun!

Avery can always be counted on to hold her little sister if I need to grab something quick...she is a huge help!

My babies:)

This was today...smiles all around...love those little girls!

Time For Tulips!!

It's tulip time in Oregon! The girls were gracious enough to allow a few pictures... The sun was in their eyes:) I love, love, love pictures in the tulips! Can't wait till Laikyn can join them on her own...actually I can...I guess I just wish I could get a picture of my three girls with no mom...in the tulips:) We took the scenic route there since it was the most beautiful day and ended up on a road that led to one of only two working ferries along the Willamette river. The girls thought it was great to watch the cars float across.

The only ride open when we were done with the Tulips was a bouncing chair thing. I was nervous at first that Finley wouldn't be able to do it, but she jumped right on there and took off with little hesitation...she is growing up so much lately and it is honestly killing me... Avery had a blast as I knew she would...that sort of thing is right up her alley!! Laikyn just hung out as usual...she always looks sad in pictures which she really isn't. She is our most serious baby so far...but she does smile...I promise:)

Recently...

...the girls got all fancy for church...

...we went for a family walk and this is what Finley chose to wear...

...we celebrated St. Patty's day and once again failed to catch a leprechaun with our trap...

...we had a perfect day (a great break from all the rain) and went to a new beach and loved it. Avery fell in at one point and didn't love that... ...laikyn spent the day cuddled up next to mom... ...aunt Adriane and uncle Tiago came for a visit and decorated Easter eggs with us...

...and uncle Tiago took Fin to the church Easter egg hunt with mom (Avery was sick and stayed home with dad and aunt Adriane)...

...the Easter bunny came to our home...

...the girls hunted high and low for eggs...

...my baby had her first Easter...

...and seemed thrilled by every minute...

...Avery organized her basket before taking one bite...

...Finley took a bite from each egg as she found it...

...my baby started rolling over...

...and turned three months (today)... ...and there you have our "recently's." Until next time...