February 2017

We have had an absolutely beautiful February! There have been more warm days to play outside than not and lots of sunshine. Clara still loves to wear her mittens and sunglasses inside while she's "grocery shopping" though. She is developing her own sense of style fast.

With all of the warm weather we were able to try out Lexi's new bike she got for her birthday. Yes, she is wearing her ballet leotard under her clothes. She also has her own sense of style.

Clara was excited that Lexi got a new bike because that meant she got Lexi's old tricycle. Eventually she'll figure out the whole peddling concept, but for now she insists on scooting around with no help.

Lexi had some birthday money she had not spent yet and decided she wanted a tea set. Here is our bunch having their own little tea party.

Clara thinks that markers are for coloring on her body, and anytime she can she sneaks away and tattoos herself. This time Daddy found her.

The kids wanted to help Dave put together some chairs for our new place. I'm not sure he found them so helpful, but they were happy.

A much needed ice cream break one evening Daddy was working late.

Cole continues to lose more teeth, this time in the middle of Sacrament meeting at church. Technically he lost the tooth twice, once when it came out of his mouth and once during primary. The tooth fairy seemed to understand his note and left him some money anyway. ;-)

Lexi loves to be active. She's currently in tumbling, swim lessons, ballet and preschool, and would do a million other things if she could.

Clara spends a lot of time in the car with me these days, dropping off and picking up older siblings and running errands. Sometimes it requires a few more bribes than other times to keep her happy.

According to the kids, the biggest progress on our house this month was toilets going in! Clara ran through the house finding all the "potties" and yelling and screaming until we came to look. Cole was just as excited as Clara. I guess there's something magical about toilets. There was loads of progress on our house though - move in date is about three weeks away!

Look closely - do you see the little boots hanging off the bench in the shower? Lexi and Clara decided to camp out in the shower with Dave's phone one visit to the house. 

We also had a very quick visit to Albuquerque at the end of the month to meet my sister Shantae's brand new baby, Lily. The kids were smitten immediately. Lexi sang a never-ending lullaby to her and Clara has not stopped talking about her since they met. Cole's eyes say it all in these pictures. Last night he asked me if I was hoping for a baby boy and told me he was really, really, really hoping for a baby brother. He loves babies.

There was a new pile of rocks in the arroyo by my parent's house and they took the kids to go rock climbing. It was the perfect kind of "hiking" for them and they are already asking to go back.

Somehow Grandpa managed to make it to the top of the bouncy house slide and down again without the entire thing collapsing on him and the kids. Lexi was particularly tickled to go down the slide with him.

Clara has developed a new fear of bouncy houses and wouldn't go in, but she loved her time on the trampoline.

Grandma and Grandpa also took the kids bowling for the first time on base. I think Cole was the only one that waited to see if his ball actually knocked down anything, but the girls enjoyed rolling the ball down the lane (almost as much as Grandma).