Lissy's 4th Birthday

The flower cake I made with Katheryn's cake mold, topped with pineapple for pollen and strawberry petals and cake. Lissy was so excited for her birthday, for two months since her cousin Caleb turned four, she told everyone she saw and I mean everyone..." Hi I'm Melissa my birthday's June 2nd, I'm gonna be four like my cousin Caleb." I had to give her the "don't talk to strangers when I'm not around" speech, and who strangers are cause she just wants to be friends with everyone. Needless to say she thoroughly enjoyed her bday and loved her presents and after each one she opened said it was just what she wanted!

New haircut

In May Monte got a new haircut, got his first buzz in a long time. There is a young boy in our church who is going through chemo and has lost his hair. So for his birthday his family wanted to have a "shave your head " party for anyone who wanted to also. A couple ladies did balloons, their was food, all donated by friends showing support. We went not expecting Monte to do his hair, I feared the worst of what he would look like. But we ended up very very surprised by some of the people who had. There were bald heads everywhere, it ended being about 65 men and boys, it was very touching! It took me a good week to get used to his new look and everytime Jr saw him he would point to his Dad's head and say "uh oh". I think he looks great now, and we are so glad we did, we admire this family and feel for them and the hardship they are going through.
There were tshirts given that said "I shaved my head for Ty" and they actually ran out. This is all the guys with their new do's.

Happy 2nd birthday JR

We had a fun little birthday party, I got Papa Murpheys pizzas and made a big green salad, and the cake. He enjoyed his presents, everyone is always very generous. You couldn't tell that he liked them from pictures cause he looks very serious. He wouldn't look at the camera or smile, he was focused. He got a few motorcycles, his Dad's dream car (the new camero) a mater toy, sand toys, a tool set and a T ball set. Caleb was right there with him the whole time to check out his presents.


Playing with the tools, we especially enjoyed these the next morning as he hammered away to wake us all up :)

My masterpiece, thanks to Katheryn for giving me the tools to create, and yes Jr loved it! A glimpse of a smile when he opened the mater

On his birthday we went to Red Robin with Aunt Raymie and Uncle Joey who gave him a couple motorcycles and a truck. He kept going up to the front to see all the balloons, and he didn't want his sundae they give for birthdays, so I helped!

A few of his favorite things

Happy 2nd Birthday to my baby boy! (sniff sniff) Birthdays are bittersweet for me. He is a joy, he makes us laugh, and his sister cry, but he loves her everso much. It is really very sweet. He has grown so much this year. For start he has great hair, now that its all grown in. He says so many words and short sentences, all I can interpret for the most part. He has mastered walking and running, climbing, being on the trampoline, his obsession with Lightning McQueen and CARS. He now climbs out of his crib, which each morning this week has gotten a bit earlier. He likes dancing, and I have to say he has some pretty good moves. He loves his sippy of milk, which he likes to get the jug out of the fridge and cup to bring to someone. He's rough and tough, but has lots of love. He doesn't hesitate to give hugs and kisses, which we love. He also has great facial expressions. And as his Mother I have to say I think he's so stinkin' cute!!

Blankies and thumbs.

Loves sitting on motorcycles, waiting for someone to give him a ride.

He is now big enough to hold on and get rides on Dad's bike. Pure Joy!

Valentine picture

Melissa really likes to take pictures, of just about anything, but my favorites are the ones she takes of herself. She took the one of JR, which is such a classic face!

Here I was trying to take a picture of them together, but JR had better things to do at the moment. Lissy got flustered that he wouldn't stand with her which you can see in the next shot.

"Mom he won't stay next to me."

"It's okay honey I got a picture of you."

Happy Valentine's Day!

Rainbow

We had a great rain storm today, that stopped in the late afternoon. When I noticed that there was sunshine I told Lissy we should go look for a rainbow. She got very excited about the idea of one. So I peeked out the front window and lo and behold there it was big, bright and beautifull. So I pulled up the blinds to show her and we stared in wonder. It's always pretty outside after rain anyways so to have a rainbow also is a double treat. I ran outside to take pictures since I was the only one dressed and shoes on, and I wanted to hurry, and could then see that it was a full rainbow. It was too close for me to get it all in one shot. Then I ran back inside and quickly clothed and shoed the kids to take them to see. Lissy loved it, and she even mentioned it in our dinner prayer. So sweet! We are thankfull for the rain cause it brings beautifull things to pass.

Our house is on the left in this picture. I wish I had gotten the kids in the picture, but in all the hustle I didn't take the camera out the second time and then it started to fade.

Snow Trip

So I really wanted to take a little trip up to some snow. I knew the kids hadn't ever been and its really not that far. We did have in plan to drive to Mammoth for my birthday, so I was excited for that. But with the storms going through and my parents getting snow at their house I wanted to see some myself. Christmas Eve seemed like the perfect day, Monte's store was closed so he had work off - Yeah! Jared and Breanne were going too so we decided to caravan. It was raining at home as we headed off first thing and started up the mountain. I guess I was anticipating too much cause I started to think there wasn't gonna be any, but realized we weren't high enough yet. I guess when you start at level zero (my nickname for home, but its really 150 alt.) anyways it was like a wall one minute rain, the next snow and lots covering the ground. It was beautifull!! We drove maybe an hour, pulled off, bundled up, unloaded and headed out.

JR really liked going on this sled, he would whine a bit when it stopped moving. Monte would take him down with him, then he'd go on his own. He was so funny tasting it, I guess he didn't like it- theres a video at the bottom.

Here he is mastering the walk, he did pretty good. It was like Christmas story though, if he fell he couldn't get up.

Monte and JR after a run, Jared and the doggies: Buddy and Sugar.

For some reason we ended up with no pictures of Melissa. She enjoyed it in a different way from JR, she really liked liking her glove and making and eating snowballs and just kind of enjoying it. When we were done we enjoyed hot cocoa and cookies thanks to Breanne. It was really fun. Can't wait to go to Mammoth.