Meet Griffin!

Ok, ok!!  So I was on a friend's blog tonight--which sadly, I so rarely do anymore--when I saw in her blog friends reader that we had not updated our blog in over a year!!  A year people!  SOOO  much has happened in our lives in a year!!  I was so ashamed that I am putting aside all else tonight (ok, so I am procrastinating doing my preschool lesson for tomorrow!) and am doing a blog post about our new, sweet baby (who has actually just turned 8 months!!!).  Enjoy!!

 

On our way to the hospital

I was DYING in this picture!  I had waited too long and my contractions were coming hard and fast!!

 

 

An hour after getting to the hospital--no time for an epidural, I was already at an 8+!!--this sweet little guy came in to our lives

 

8 lbs, 6 oz --exactly the same measurements as big brother!

Meet Griffin Roy

 

 

And of course we had to take a complete family picture

My mom came in to town and helped out so much!  It was wonderful to have Grandma Trish here to spend time with!!  We love you Grandma!!!  She really helped me get back on my feet again--her and all our wonderful friends here in AZ.  All in all, we had 10+ meals brought in, and carpools, playdates and activities taken completely over by friends, that I literally did not have to leave my house for a month after Griffin's birth.  Boy did I get stir crazy--and spoiled!!  :)  But we are so blessed to have such a sweet, perfect baby in our home!  Welcome Baby Griffin!!!  We all love you so!!!!

Top 10 Reasons why Will needs his baby brother here sooner than later...

10-- After Maddy got her ears pierced, Will climbed up in the chair and says "Me next!"

9-- His sisters make him play house with them all the time--and he pushes around the baby strollers and carries the diaper bags.

8-- He always wants his nails painted too--complete with flower decals.

7-- He calls his underroos "panties."

6-- He doesn't understand why he doesn't get to wear a flower in his hair everyday like his big sisters.

5-- His sisters try and put makeup on him--and he doesn't mind...too much.

4-- He loves rocking out to Girls Just Wanna Have fun and tries to sing it.

3-- His favorite shows are iCarly and Good Luck, Charlie.

2-- He can often be found playing with action figures inside a 2 story pink Barbie house.

1-- He needs someone to roughen up and tackle besides his sisters and the kitten!

Christmas day can't come soon enough for little baby brother to come!!!!!

SURPRISE?!?!?!?

(I think almost everyone knows at this point though--right?!)

Picture Perfect Memories

I am so blessed to have so many good friends that are amazing photographers! My friend Brooke, met us at a really cool old park near our home last week and took some great pictures of our kids. The kids were easily distracted by all the crazy chickens, roosters, peacocks and other birds that were roaming freely around the park, but luckily the kids were able to sit still just long enough for Brooke to be able to snap a couple of cute shots. Below are some of my favorites. ENJOY!

~Darling Siblings~

These are THE BEST 3 kids anyone could have ever asked for!!

Will--22 months

He is such a little stud! Love this boy!!

Maddy--4 years old

Such a sweetheart!!

Ellie--Just turned 7!!

She is so amazing and fun!!

I think I am going to blow up the close-ups of each kid on canvas and also the one with all three of them in it and put them on the wall by the loft. So fun!

Lots to be thankful for...

Thanksgiving was wonderful this year. We were able to spend time in St. George, UT with (some) family. Our kids were once again spoiled rotten by being the only grand kids around and being doted on all. day. long! What more do you need when you're a kid, right? Well, there were daily trips to the golf course down the road via golf cart to hit a bucket of balls, Crowshaw's pies, movies (Tangled is one of our new favorites), rock throwing and exploring in the backyard pond, car rides--(it was quite chilly), endless yummy food to eat, people to play with you constantly--having 2 grandmas minutes away from each other, new toys, fun games and multiple other fun activities! A quiet, and intimate Thanksgiving--quite nice.

BUSTED--Will and Grandpa Roy sneaking some Cool Whip

Ellie with 2 of her grandmas--Grandma Trish and Grandma Connie

Some of the gang after a delicious Thanksgiving Feast--we're stuffed!

Quiet time with Grandma

Will's crazy bed head

Love this sweet boy!

These 2 seemed to be eating all weekend long!

Busted--Again!

Partners in Crime

We are so grateful for all of our blessings! And our family is definitely on the top of that list. We are so glad for these holidays when we can meet up together and have a wonderful time and make wonderful memories!

Maddy's *REAL* 4th birthday...

was spent at the Happiest Place on Earth. And while I don't want this post to turn in to how much we miss California, let's just say after our full, fun packed weekend was over, it was extremely difficult to leave. But we tried to soak up the California sun as much as we could--(to hold us over until our next California visit anyway)! And boy did we ever soak it up!
We really needed a vacation from our vacation!

Mark and the kids 1st headed straight for the Matterhorn--Maddy's favorite ride!

Will meeting Buzz for the first time--"BUZZZZZZZZ!"

We met Rapunzel and Flynn and they were so much fun that we went out and saw their movie soon afterwards! (Great movie btw)

Flynn was totally hanging with our family outside after our photo shoot--he was making us all laugh so hard!

Making silly faces

The Haunted Mansion--our family's favorite--especially when it's all decked out for the holidays

More silly poses

The guys

I love this pic--even though it was taken with my crummy camera--Sweet sisters waiting for the Matterhorn--

A classic "after a full day at Disneyland" shot--Mark and I headed over and got Cafe Rio while they all slept

The next day (her actual birthday) we sang to Maddy as we ate chocolate doughnuts and she opened her presents

Then Mark snuck in a quick golf game in the morning, while I took the kids over to the Orange County Market place for a quick shopping trip--they love picking out some fun new toys-- and then we went over to see how "our" animals were doing--the piglets are always so fun to watch

Then it was off to the beach. The water was actually a bit chilly for swimming--it was November after all, so we rode our scooters on Newport pier and then ran around in the sand. Then for lunch we ate at the Crab Cooker--yummy!!

Before heading home, we had to stop by our favorite beach of all time--Crescent Bay and enjoy some waves and seal watching. Then we headed to Newport Beach for a little Pinkberry. On our way home, we stopped by dad's in Palm Springs and went out to eat at our favorite--Babe's --BEST sweet potato fries in the world!!!

Happy 4th birthday to the sweetest girl around! We love you Maddy!!

Scooby Dooby Doo-- WHERE ARE YOU?!?!

Somehow Ellie talked us all into being the Scooby Doo Gang this year for Halloween--but in all honesty, we really did end up having a blast! We had a great time piecing together outfits with Grandma Trish while we were in St. George--and thank heavens for her AMAZING sewing talent--without which we wouldn't have had a Daphne costume or have found the awesome Scooby slippers--thanks mom!!

The whole gang at the ward trunk-or-treat! It was a blazin' hot 88* outside that night!!

Freddie, Scooby Doo, Velma, Shaggy and Daphne

Darling Daphne

Fearless Freddie

And of course, the one and only... SCOOBY DOO!!

We walked around our neighborhood with some friends Halloween night

THE END

**I wonder what Ellie will be able to talk us in to being next year??**

**After all was said and done, we had SIX OVERFLOWING BAGS of Halloween candy this year. It could be that Grandpa Ed came in to town that weekend and brought the kids their own pumpkins FULL of chocolate ??

What great times!!

Tricks and treats...

The girls had a great time at their school Halloween parties this year

Daphne and The Queen Bee

Ellie and friends

Ellie's bat pumpkin she entered for the 1st grade contest--she was beat out by a Krabby Patty pumpkin!

Maddy as Princess Cinderella

Maddy's Preschool Class

Happy Halloween!!!