Finally!  I have been trying to get a family picture to include Russel.  We really wanted an outdoor picture but of course its still ugly where we are because its all dead.  So we headed to our second home... St. George!  Why not? is what I always tell people who ask me why I go there all the time.  Its only 45 minutes away.  When we lived down there we were amazed at this wall one developer built out of lava rock.  It is beautiful!  So we thought we would go in front of this wall.  This gate goes to the beautiful homes and while we were setting up (we were using the tripod, no paying $100 for us) there was a couple watching us and we thought that was weird until we realized they were waiting for us so they could go through the gate.  Ooops!!  Sorry!!  All and all, I'm happy with the picture. 

Any of you who know my girls, know that they love to dance and sing.  They are always performing for anyone who will watch.  Bella is always wanting to take dance lessons but I am kind of waiting until she is seven to put her in something.  So to pass the time until then, because its almost a daily request from her to take dance lessons, we let her do a day dance camp at SUU.  This picture is of her stretching.  I guess the ballet company came to her school and since then she has been practicing her ballet. She was doing a very graceful pose and saw that I was taking a picture, so she dropped her hands and got embarrassed.  She has been so funny, yet very serious about her practicing.  She even has me hold a pillow up high and then she kicks it several times.

Here are a couple of shots from yesterday.  She learned Lyrical, Jazz and Hip Hop dances.  She loved it!  I think this will tide her over until she takes dance lessons or maybe until next year. 

 Finally someone is playing with Monte.  I have seriously thought of giving him away several times.  It just seemed like the girls didn't really play with him, but the last three days Sophie has been inseparable from him.  She has him on a scarf leash.  We decided to go to lunch and it devastated Sophie to leave Monte that she was crying.  Next thing I know as I look in the rear view mirror was Lili reaching for Sophie's hand.  After that they held hands as they got out of the car and as they went to panda and as they sat down to eat.  How lucky are they?  (ya, that was taken with my phone)

 Bella has been begging for a craft day with a friend.  We used to do this regularly when she was in Kindergarten.  I finally felt up to it.  CeCe from school was able to come over and they made these little post it notes inside of a frame with a magnet to hang on the fridge.  they turned out really cute.  The girls had lots of fun.  Its nice to have a friend over that plays with the younger girls too, lots of times they don't want lili and sophie to play and then it seems like they are always fighting.  Does anyone else have this dilemma? 

My super weekend!

 I'm back!!  Thanks of course to my brother-in-law who got us a camera for Christmas!  Thank you so much Nathan!  I really have been dying not having a camera.  
So Adam made it home just in time for Christmas and he even got to stay for New Years!!  It was so nice to have him home.  He left last Monday and it was as hard for us to say good bye this time as it was the first time.  We were all crying in the airport and finally left because everyone was looking at us wondering why we were all balling.  But we did the usual... movie and popcorn and the girls got back into the groove.  So here we all are living the single parent life for a couple weeks. 
Look at this cute picture....

 So this is what my house has looked like all weekend.  Its been tent and house play.  the chairs all set up are a bridge, because apparently its water with crocodiles.  No one wants to get eaten by crocodiles.  I love the creativity but I'm also torn because I really like having a cleaner home.  Isn't it always a dilemma when you want your kids to use their imagination and have fun but then their creativity takes over your whole house?  I tell myself to get over it all the time and let them have fun.  But it is cute, especially because all the imagination includes russel.  Do you see him in the tent with the girls?  He loves playing with them. 
Now on to the next photo....

So Friday night the girls are all being secretive in their room.  They won't let me in and I just figure its them making another creative mess.  So I don't really think anything of it because they always do this.  Then they ask to make sandwiches as a snack.  I say just one to share since its almost time for dinner.  Next thing I know its not even 5 yet and they want me to come in their room.  I come to this indoor picnic all set up with a PB&J sandwich for each of us.  They even had the bumbo all set up for Russel.  Isn't that so cute?  So that night we had PB&J sandwiches for dinner on a blanket in their room.  Sweet uh?? I do love being a mom and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  Its these tender moments that make me want to be a better mom for these guys!  Look at them!!

Russel is a month old!

Its already gone by so quickly.  Here he is loving his tummy time and so strong!  Russel is such a great baby, I feel so spoiled.  He usually sleeps around 6 hours at night and he doesn't cry that much.  He eats really good and has gained a lot of weight already.  At two weeks he was already 9 lbs. 13 oz.  and grew a half an inch.  Who knows what he weighs now.  At least 10 lbs.  He loves to be held since I have held him so much.  He also loves his swing.   I hope this whole year doesn't go so fast,  he just seems so old already.  

Bella's First day of 1st Grade.

Here is a very rushed picture of Bella on her first day of school!!  She looked so cute, this picture doesn't do her justice.  She loved her first day of school though!  She wanted to stay longer.  Her friends from yesterday sit by her at school and she saw all her old friends too.  She got to ride her bike to school like she always wanted to do. 

here she is again in front of Enoch Elementary.  I was surprised I didn't cry and surprised Lili and Sophie didn't cry at all during the day.  I went to the store to pick up after school snacks but apparently they fed her really well at school so she wasn't even hungry.  I'm so glad she is a good eater, she loved school lunch!

Back to School Party!

I wanted Bella to be excited about school and to get to know some of her classmates.  Luckily two of them are in our ward at church.  Aaron and Cayla.  We decided to make key chains for their backpacks and then a necklace for them to wear on their first day of school.  I was really impressed with their jewelry making skills.  They all turned out so cute!!

Lili is rockin' out in her glasses and her necklace.  Which I might have to steal her idea, the white part anyways.  So cute!

As always, the princess girl is all dressed up with her jewelry and keychain.

I let each girl pick out a big bead to use for their focal point of their necklace.   Bella picked a big bead and it turned out so cute.  It looked really cute with her outfit on her first day of school and she matched the beads on her key chain to her back pack.  The girls all had lots of fun and got really excited for their first day of school.