Phoenix Zoo for St. Patrick's Day

Last week we were invited to the zoo with my sister's work group. It had been over a year since our last visit and we couldn't pass up such a great opportunity (plus, it was spring break and I needed something for Kimble to do to keep busy). This was also Koltyn's first trip to the zoo. The key to keeping him happy in the stroller, food!

Kimble couldn't resist climbing on the giant frog while we were waiting for the rest of the group to arrive. How could a kid not climb on a giant frog, right?

Our first stop was, as it always seems to be, the reptile exhibit. I was a little surprised to see Karter enjoying the snakes so much. I think this was his favorite.

Koltyn didn't last too long in the stroller, so instead he hopped on over to the wagon with Sophie. They were so cute together. It is tons of fun to have them so close in age (2 months apart).

Sophie is so darn cute! She ended up riding in the wagon for the majority of our visit, which was a pretty long time.

Since the carousel is right outside of the reptile exhibit, and my sister promised her boys she would let them ride it, that was our next stop. She was nice enough to also get tickets for Kimble and Karter to ride. Kimble, of course, chose a zebra because it is just like a horse with stripes (as Kimble says). Karter chose to ride a wolf and loved every bit of it. Thanks Steph!


Our next stop was to see the giraffes. Unfortunately, it was feeding time so they were in the very back of their habitat. But that didn't stop Karter from wanting to see. He climbed up on to a big rock to get a better view while Grandma Stewart helped him keep his balance.

After climbing the hill, stopping to see the tiger, lions and meerkats, we stopped for lunch. Then we went over to visit the rhinos and baboons. Once again, a large rock proved to be a perfect place for the kids to hang out.

Koltyn finally fell asleep on our way over to the other side of the zoo. Poor little guy! He held in there for quite a while.

We were lucky enough to find horses out in the arena. Kimble was so happy that we got to see them, but then quickly changed moods to disappointed when she learned they were not the horses we have been telling her she gets to ride this summer.

Our trip to the zoo was a positive one. We had such a blast walking around with our cousins and my mom. The fact that we got a great deal on admission just made it even better. Thanks for the invitation Heather!!

It Took Us Three Years

Our backyard in 2007...


Our backyard now in 2010...


It took a ton of hard work and patience, but we got it done! Now, when it rains, we don't have to worry about what a muddy mess the kids will be when they come inside. All we have to do now is wait for the trees and bushes to grow and fill in the empty spots. What a great feeling to have accomplished such a big goal!

Kimble's First Talk

Kimble was aked to give a talk in primary for the very first time Sunday. She practiced at home with Kevin and did a great job. When the time came to actually say her talk in front of the primary kids, she did not do so well. She got about half of the first line out, then clammed up and kept trying to get down. Needless to say, I gave Kimble's very first talk in primary. Unfortunately, it was not the experience I was hoping she would have.

A Special Saturday

Saturday was Karter's birthday, and since we already had his party last week, we found some fun activities to do away from the house. First, we took the kids to Toys R Us and let them pick any toy they wanted for their birthday (yes, we hadn't gotten Kimble anything yet, so it was her special day too). This was not the best plan that we ever had. They kept clinging to toys that were too expensive and proceeded to throw a fit when we asked them to put it back. After an hour of walking around the store and negotiating with the kids, we made our way to the checkout. We stopped in at customer service on our way out to get them each at birthday balloon and crown.

Our second stop was Build-a-Bear at Santan Village. Karter had a gift card from the party, so we thought he might enjoy making his own stuffed animal. Kimble and Karter were both a little shy when it came to talking with the stuffing helper, but they had no problem pressing the button to fill up their new friend. Luckily, we got out of there without having to buy any outfits for their dogs, too. We did however, get a couple free bows for the ears of Kimble's dog (which helps know which dog belongs to which kid).

It's hard to believe that Karter is now three years old! He is such a ball of energy and definitely keeps us on our toes. He is a great cuddle buddy when he wants to be. He is also a great brother to Koltyn and Kimble and loves to be a super helper with everything. Although he has his moments, and there are a lot of them, we love him so much. Happy Birthday Karter!!

(This is Karter showing me that he is three. He couldn't figure out how to keep some fingers up and hold others down at the same time.)

Happy 3rd Birthday Karter!!!

10 Months (and Just About Walking)

Birthday in the Backyard

Saturday was a big day. Not only was it Kimble's 5th birthday, but we had a party for Kimble and Karter that evening. The theme was dinner and a movie. Since my sister, Heather, is really into (and good at) baking, I asked her to make the cupcakes. They turned out super cute! She used mini marshmallows to make popcorn for the top. Thanks Heather!!

I called on another sister to make 'movie posters' starring the kids. Lara used pictures of the kids from this blog to create a couple wonderful posters. She did an awesome job, they turned out better than I could have imagined or done myself. Thanks Lara!!


After a delicious dinner, thanks to my dad's yummy shredded meat for our ultimate nachos, we had the kids open their gifts. It was not quite dark enough to start the movie and Kimble just could not wait any longer. The next 15 minutes or so was chaotic to say the least as both kids dug in at the same time. They got great gifts from such loving family and friends.


Next, movie time. Kevin and Karl, my brother, set up a sheet screen for us and we borrowed my in-law's projector to play the movie. It was a great set up!

After all the kids got their bag of popcorn and found a seat on the blankets, the movie started. We watched the Pixar Short Films dvd, it was a hit and just long enough to keep the kids interested.


After it was all said and done, we had a great day. The party was a success. Kimble and Karter were happy. Our little girl is now 5 years old, and she had reminded us of that fact several times each day. We are grateful for her and the light that she brings to our family. Happy Birthday Kimble!!

Koltyn's First Steps

Sunday afternoon I whipped out the camera and coaxed Koltyn to walk to me about 5 or 6 feet away. He had to think about first, but then went for it... and did it! He was walking for only about 10 seconds, but I say that it counts.
(I got video of the actual thing, uploading it is not working though. Sorry)

Happy 5th Birthday Kimble!!

Just a Little Dirt Won't Hurt

Wall Art...

... block wall art, that is. Kimble found a piece of sidewalk chalk in the backyard and went crazy. She drew pictures all over the wall and then signed her work. It seems like she just cannot stop drawing. So fun!!

HOUSE

SPIDER

ALLIGATOR

ELEPHANT

THE ARTIST'S SIGNATURE

A Work In Progress

This is what our loft looked like last week. But, we decided that a toy room was in order. We needed a place for the kids to play with their toys, make a mess and close the door when their done. Luckily, we have some very talented men in our family who were willing to help us out.

So, on Saturday the kids and I headed far away from the house while it was taken over by construction workers. This is my brother, Ryan, up in the attic working on the electrical. He is not exactly a small man, so the sight of him in such a tiny space was comical.

This is my dad working on the drywall. I am sure glad that I was not the one walking above the stairs like that.

This is as far as they got after literally a full day of work (plus prep work the day before). Kevin was super worn out, but it was also a super learning experience. The goal now, to have it completed before the kids' birthday party in two weeks.