Another Nine From February

When Dad is around in the mornings, magical things happen. Like early strolls in your pajamas.

And doughnut runs. Also in your pajamas.

And projects at Home Depot. Thankfully in clothes.

We discovered a great regional park north of us that was gentle enough to hike with the kids. So beautiful, as long as you kept a wary eye out for horse remains.

We enjoyed it so much that we went back the next weekend with Nana and Far-Far and Aunt Di-Di. Erik and I came up with a brilliant plan while hiking. Instead of begrudgingly buying the obligatory and overpriced gifts for Valentines Day, we are going to give each other a trip to Arizona instead. We can escape the Utah gloom at Arizona's most beautiful time of year while actually spending our money on something worthwhile.

 

Kate has a grand total of 2 teeth, which is kind of pitiful, but she's just thrilled that it allows her some variety in her diet.

The kids sure love it when Erik is home. Sam has started to pray that Daddy won't have to go to work tomorrow. Rips Erik's heart out. 

January in Nine Pictures

For some reason, blogger wouldn't let me load any pictures, so I gave up on blogging for a while. Because let's be honest, most of what I blog are pictures. I'm lost without them. But here we are, working once again, so I will make up for the picture deprivation.

Right after Christmas, we made our annual pilgrimage to the orange orchard. We love eating fresh oranges for a month afterward, and just wish there was a way to preserve their deliciousness. Marmalade, I guess? We are really going to miss that when we move (although I think we will find ample comfort in the peaches, peas, cherries, raspberries, tomatoes, etc that Utah provides). 

Sam turned three, and we celebrated by going to his favorite park - one dedicated entirely to trains. It has two trains to ride on, a model train museum, a real Pullman car to walk through, plus a great playground, carousel, and green space. A little boys heaven. Of course, his gifts added to his train collection and now his tracks and engines have taken over my house. I have developed significant track-building experience and am well versed in the Thomas and Friends universe. I'm sure that looks good on a resume, right? Sam is impressed at least. He's always talking about the next train that he wants to "pay." Morgan has gotten caught up too, and now has a few of the girl trains. It's a trap, I tell you.

This little darling is the joy of our life. Sam started calling her "Tatie Love" and now we all do.

This one suddenly is not a little girl anymore - growing her bangs out, preparing for kindergarten, and no longer fitting in children's clothing -  and we are struggling to find a balance. More responsibility, and more privileges, while still remembering that she's only 5 years old. Sometimes she is so intelligent and helpful and mature, and then she stomps her foot and throws a tantrum worthy of a 2-year-old. She is a people-lover, craves attention, and has more drama than TNT. I have a feeling she will be very interesting but never easy. 

Arizona's Week of Winter

At the beginning of December, Erik and Kate and I flew to Utah a couple of times to do some job interviewing. The flight times were always unfortunate, in order to accommodate Erik's limited time off, so this was the result.

Kate's latest trick - sucking on the entire binky. Go big or go home.

Christmas hiking is the best. The weather is beautiful, no one gets sunburned... it just doesn't feel very Christmas-y. 

The happy little dumplings. 

Morgan got to take a season of dance with Aunt Becky, which might be the highlight of her existence. Especially since the class was titled "Princess Dance." Now that she's taken both dance and gymnastics, it is very clear that we will be focusing on dance and grace, rather than the physicality of gymnastics. Almost comical how she can be so talented and poised in one, and so very awkward in another.

I've been so impressed (and grateful) with how great Morgan is with Kate. She loves Katie, and Kate knows it - she lights up when Morgan comes near. I hope this lasts forever, and doesn't turn into "She stole my clothes! Why do I have to share a room with her? She's always into my stuff!" Not that I speak from personal experience or anything. 

The beautiful yearly Christmas outfits, which are almost too warm for Arizona. 

The Christmas lights at Temple Square are classic and often elegant, while the lights at the Mesa Temple go for quantity and color and often veer toward gaudy. And they are so crowded that sometimes you literally cannot move. My favorite is the enterprising homes across the street that sell hot chocolate and Indian fry bread from their driveways. This picture was taken before the lights were on- we got there super early this year in hope of avoiding the worst of the crowds. 

 

Picking out the perfect tree from the random side-of-the-road lot, sold to us by recovering druggies. Certainly a different experience than Erik's hike-up-the-mountain-and-chop-your-own-tree-down-while-freezing-your-toes-off childhood memories.

Merry Christmas!

Playing with her loot

It's amazing that Santa Claus brought the kids anything, since these pictures are pretty indicative of my children's behavior these days. 5 minutes of pleasant play for every 5 hours of fighting. I'm still waiting for the fruition of my plan to have kids close together so they would entertain each other and be friends.

Erik was supposed to work a month of nights in December, but was asked to switch with someone in his program. We didn't mind at all. It was nice to see more of him around the holidays.

Morgan and Erik went bike shopping together so she could choose her Christmas bike, and she came home with this beauty. She named it "Fast Glitter." Yup, that's my girl. Some things just come with them, because pink and glitter is not something I ever taught her.

Toward the end of the holidays, the whole Boizelle family went bowling. I abstained, per usual, since my bowling is cringeworthy and someone has to hold the baby. We made the mistakes of buying some root beer for thirsty kiddos, and then not paying attention as Sam covertly guzzled the entire thing. We realized what he'd done when he staggered up to Erik and vomited a belly full of carbonation into Erik's hands. Yeah, didn't take a picture of that one. We mopped up the mess with my nursing cover and avoided eye contact with everyone in the bowling alley. Right after, Sam perkily asked for a "tookie."