Roaming Reflections

Our friend/across-the-street neighbor, Dulcia J., is a professional photographer.  She found out a couple months ago that her husband, who is in the Air Force, is being transfered in March.  That was my cue to schedule a shoot with her before she moved.

It was the first time since our wedding that we got professional pictures taken of our family.  I had to twist Cameron's arm before he agreed.  After he saw the photos, he said, "Aren't you so glad I talked you into having those pictures taken?" 

Here are a few of my favorites.  Okay, so they're all my favorites.  These are a few of my most, most favorites.  (More of my most, most favorites are in the sidebar.)

Now we have just one problem... which pictures do we get printed to put on our walls?  Do you think it would be tacky to have 100 family photos in our house? 

Tamzie's First Prayer

Kayja helped Tamzin say her first prayer last week.  Kayja made sure to use words Tamzin knew so she could repeat them easily.  It went something like this...

Kayja: Father

Tamzin: Foddew

Kayja: Thank you

Tamzin: Tay Tyou

Kayja: For

Tamzin:  Five

Kayja: Mommy

Tamzin: Mommy

Kayja: Daddy

Tamzin: Daddy

Kayja: Amen

Tamzin: Mamen

Mars Needs Moms

We rented the movie "Mars Needs Moms" from the Redbox, not knowing anything about it.  I was prepared for some dorky-alien-encounter-type movie.  Instead, I was thrilled that the movie was not only entertaining, it also had a good moral.  Make that a great moral, considering the time in which we live.  We were also impressed by the animation.  It looked better than the computer animation we are so used to.  If you decide to watch it (and I highly recommend you do) be sure to watch through the end of the credits.  There is a bonus feature that shows how they made the movie.  Quite fascinating.

The Biggest Mess

So we got this box of questions for Christmas.  They're designed to be conversation starters, and Azie loves for us to read the questions to her.  Last night one of her questions was, "What is the biggest mess you have ever made in the kitchen?"  Her reply was, "When Tamzie peed on the floor."  Here's proof she wasn't lying.

Tamzin wanted to wear Azie's panties one day, but she's obviously not ready for that!

Red Rock

The new year started out with gorgeous weather here.  So fabulous that we decided to venture out and take the kids on a little hike.  Needless to say, hundreds of other people had the same idea.  No matter, though, there were enough red rocks and hiking trails to go around.

You drive through the park (13 miles of paved road) and pull off at the trailhead of your choice.  We first stopped at one with picnic tables so we could eat.

Yes, that is a Pop Tart in Azie's hand.

Standard hiking food.

And a leftover from Christmas morning.

Then we drove a very short way to the Children's trail.  The information booklet says there may be a seasonal waterfall, January through March.

What?  You can't see the waterfall?

Okay, so maybe they should have called it a waterdrip.

It sounded like a leaky faucet.

We just don't have that kind of color in our neighborhood.

It reminded me a little of Moab.

Taking a break at the end of the trail.

The girls had to stop on the way back down and look at the little creek.

It had more water in it than the waterfall.  So... where did the water come from?

The trail was almost a mile roundtrip, and quite easy for hikers with short legs.  The best part?  No snow!!  We sure love living here!!

Christmas Day

Christmas 2011 will forever be known as the year our kids were finally excited on Christmas morning... mostly thanks to Tamzin.  One tradition we have is on Christmas morning we gather in one of the girls' bedrooms and eat Pop Tarts and drink milk while we read the story of Jesus' birth.  Then we have a family prayer before we go downstairs to open presents.

Annika has been asking Santa for a new Pogo Stick.  She has been practicing on Kayja's since last April and has gotten quite good.  Azie spotted it first, and yelled to Annika that she had seen it.  Annika has been improving her Pogo every day since Christmas.  I think her record is 116 without stopping, which, according to her, would have been higher if she had been wearing shoes.

Azie LOVES to help cook in the kitchen, so Santa brought her a tabletop kitchen of her own.  Now she and Tamzin make all kinds of yummy foods to serve to us.

Kayja got a Pet Shop treehouse with a Pet Shop that wiggles its tail.  She thought it was quite silly, and I agree that a little plastic toy wiggling is pretty funny.

Darion had yarn on her list, and was so excited that Azie and Kayja bought her some pretty, fluffy yarn that she started crocheting a scarf as soon as she was done opening presents.  Santa brought her a seat cover and matching steering wheel cover.  Now she just needs to get her license...

The four older girls all got games, personalized notebooks, pencils, erasers, comfy pillows, and clothes.  They also got a new pair of pajamas on Christmas Eve.  Tamzin had to wait til morning because someone (I won't mention my own name) forgot until she was tucked in, fast asleep.

The highlight of the morning was undoubtedly Tamzin.  She came down the stairs and saw none other than her beloved Cookie Monster sitting on the couch.  The only reason I didn't get it on video was because she ran faster than any Olympian sprinter has ever dreamed.  She also opened a little baby doll in a cradle from Darion with shouts of, "Yeah!!!"  She opened a fuzzy dog and ran away from it.  (She's afraid of fuzz and bugs.)  She thought the next present was fuzz, too, so she ran away before she even opened it.  Luckily, it was an Elmo shirt.  Then she was so excited that she thought every present after that was Elmo.  I wish I could relive this Christmas with Tamzin over and over.

Cameron got Swedish Fish from Santa.  He must have been a good boy this year to deserve such a treat.  He also got an extra large shower head, as he has been complaining about tiny shower heads since the day he was born.

My favorite gift this year was a new camera.  I have had the same camera for about five years now, and it just has been wearing out.  I apparently complained about it enough, that Cameron wanted to silence me once and for all... or at least for another five years.

Since we had Christmas Eve dinner with Cameron's parents and grandma in S.G.U., we had plenty of leftovers to enjoy Chrismas Day, without all the cooking.  Ham, sweet potatoes, veggies, and cider... yum!