May's Random Ramblings

ABIGAIL:

• We went to the store one day to pick up just a few things and I decided to use the self check out lane.  After swiping my debit card I decided to get a little cash back.  As the machine was dispensing my money Abby looked at me with wide eyes and said, "Mom, how come you don't always use this one?  You don't have to pay, it just gives the money to you!"--Oh, how I wish that is how it worked!
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OLIVIA:

• It was gorgeous out so we decided to go to the park 2 different times to 2 different parks.  Well, after about an hour or so at the 2nd park Olivia climbed into her stroller and said, "bye-bye".  I guess that was my clue that we had been at the park enough for one day!
• We were at the park and getting ready to leave, as we were cleaning up our sand toys another little girl that was about 2 1/2 wound up and slapped Olivia across the face for no apparent reason (I watched the whole thing).  Olivia was a bit taken aback and after she got her bearings she looked at the little girl and said, "thank you."

Loungin'

I often find the girls loungin' on the couch in the morning.  They really are best friends.  They can be so sweet!

Gram-cracker, Mikey and Ana visit

My mom, Mikey, Ana came to visit for a long weekend back in April.  The original plan was for us to all run the Pat Tillman race, but that ended up just being Andrew and me while my mom took on babysitting duty, thanks mom!  We had a great visit with them and we are so glad they were able to make it out to AZ.  We stayed busy with a little hiking, a visit to ASU, and some swimming.  Abby (and Olivia) were thrilled to have Mikey and Ana here and wouldn't let them rest!

Listening to some Lady Gaga on Mikey's sweet headphones!

Oliva and me at lunch

Gram-cracker and Uncle Mikey

Aunt Ana and Abby

Outside Four Peaks Brewery where we had a yummy lunch one day.

Checking out the goods at the ASU bookstore.  My little Sundevil!

Maybe one of them will be back in a few years to go to college?!?!

Hiking the "A" mountain.  Its not a long hike but its VERY steep!

Abby and I on the "A"

The top!

Abby and Gram-cracker taking in the view

Mikey and Ana high above Tempe

We decided to have yogurt after our hike....yum!

The girls with their big bowls of fro-yo.  Its pay by the ounce so you make your own, and put on any and as many toppings as you want and just pay for what you have, its great!!!

The aftermath of the fro-yo!!!

Montezuma's Castle and Well

With our time in Arizona quickly coming to an end, we decided to take one of our free Saturday's and go on a day trip to check out Montezuma's Castle and Montezuma's Well.  The castle and well are about an hour and a half north of Phoenix and they were amazing.  The castle is actually some of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America.  It was fun talking to Abby about what life for the people who lived in the dwellings would have been like.  She was very interested in the history surrounding it and asked lots of questions.

Abby and Olivia joined the Junior Ranger program.  Here she is with her journal that she gets stamped at all the national monuments she visits.

The girls off exploring

The cliff dwellings...amazing!

This is the Beaver Creek which is right by the cliff dwellings.

I guess it takes 3 people to push and empty double stroller!

Montezuma's Well was really cool.  Its a sinkhole in the middle of the dessert.

Walking around the well.  You would never guess there was a huge "lake" just a few feet away.

Here is the "well"

Hiking down for a closer look

Abbys Last Soccer Game

Abby had her last soccer game at the end of April.  I guess its a good thing it ended because it was starting to get HOT during the practices!  Abby LOVED soccer and she had such a good time.  It was so much fun watching her play, she always had a huge smile on her face the whole time!  After Abby's last game we decided to go to Scottsdale for the afternoon.  We found a cute little bistro type place for lunch with a nice patio.  Afterward we walked around Scottsdale and looked around at some of the art gallery's  and then found a place to get some ice cream.   It was a fantastic day!

Abby enjoying a well deserved cold juice box after her last soccer game.  Way to go Abigail!!

Olivia always got in on the snack action as well.

Olivia and Daddy at lunch.

Daddy and his girls

Yum....ice cream!

The sundae Andrew got was bigger than Olivia's head!!!

Because I am Your Mom

Abigail,
Because I am your mom I get to make up jokes that make no sense whatsoever and I still get a laugh!
Because I am your mom I now I have my own personal cheering section every time I go running.
Because I am your mom I get to re-read some of my childhood favorites (Charlotte's Web is what we are reading now) and remember again why they are classics.
Because I am your mom I have seen more episodes of Sponge Bob than I care to admit.
Because I am your mom I secretly wait for you to ask to play card games when Olivia is asleep.
Because I am your mom I know I have someone I can count on to "watch on Livy", entertain her, and make her happy when I am busy.
Because I am your mom I still heat up milk everyday.
Because I am your mom I sing lullaby's every night and even though they are out of tune I know you don't care.
Because I am your mom I refer to pork as chicken.
Because I am your mom I have "seeds, rain, sunshine, flowers, and rainbows" to look forward to every night.
Because I am your mom I know how sensitive you can be and it breaks my heart to see you get your feelings hurt.
Because I am your mom I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of 4 year old sass and sometimes I have to control myself and not laugh.
Because I am your mom I am proud when I see you offering encouragement to others.
Because I am your mom I have seen that empathy is something that can begin at an early age.







Olivia,
Because I am your mom I am aware of every dog/horse/bird ect. we pass on the street.
Because I am your mom I know how to spot the signs of ear infection before they even happen.
Because I am your mom I understand your toddler talk even when know one else has a clue what you are saying.
Because I am your mom I have to hide the fruit snacks.
Because I am your mom I know the most predictable thing about you, is that you are unpredictable.
Because I am your mom I get to snuggle you when you first wake up and you are still groggy and cranky and its some of my favorite time I spend with you all day.
Because I am your mom I am always aware of where a paci is (or 2 or 3).
Because I am your mom I know that somedays we will get to greet everyone we encounter and I know you may have brightened someone else's day the way you brighten mine everyday.







Girls,
Because I am your mom I turn up the radio when Lady Gaga, Beyonce, or Justin Beiber comes on because I love to watch you girls dance!
Because I am your mom I should own stock in ranch dressing.
Because I am your mom I cherish any and all one on one time we get to share together.
Because I am your mom I have learned not to take myself quite so seriously all the time.
Because I am your mom I have taken a new interest in health/fitness because I want you girls to have a strong foundation and a good role model in that area.
Because I am your mom I am lucky to see the continuing and growing bond the 2 of you share as sisters.
Because I am your mom I get to referee between you guys when things start to get a little too heated.
Because I am your mom I end my days with fond memories and excitement for what tomorrow will bring.
Because I am your mom my heart grows everyday with the love I have for the 2 of you.
Because I am your mom I am the luckiest woman in the world!

Easter

We had a great, low-key Easter this year with just our family.  We started off the day checking out what the Easter Bunny had left in our baskets.  Then, we quickly got dressed and headed over to our local park for an Easter Egg Hunt.  There weren't a ton of kids there and the eggs were actually hidden which is better than the egg dashes we were used to when we lived in FL when all the eggs were just lying on the ground and it was a free for all.  Abby found the golden egg with a special prize inside and she was so proud.  After the egg hunt we went home and had a yummy breakfast.  Later that day we headed to park and hung out for a while and the girls played and Abby was even able to fly her kite for a bit.   It was a fantastic day! 

Abby with the goods before Olivia woke up

Hmm, what is this??

The "grass" was her favorite thing!

Easter egg hunt in the park

Waiting to find some eggs

The coolest thing about the egg hunt was that is was all a little boy who lives in our subdivision's idea.  He put it all together, hung all the signs, stuff all the eggs, hid all the eggs and even helped Olivia find some eggs.  It was just so sweet!!

Abby with the Golden Egg, it had a dollar inside!!!

Olivia opened all of her eggs and looked at all the candy.  She didn't really know what to do with it at first. I finally gave her the go ahead to put it in her mouth and she quickly became a fan!

The girls were allowed to enjoy a few pieces of candy before I took their baskets away to begin rationing the candy.  We then started making brunch and Olivia was just being way too quiet.  I went looking for her and found her sitting under our computer desk with an egg she must have snuck somehow before I got their baskets and she was quietly eating the candy from it.  Oops....caught in the act!!

"Who me?  I would NEVER do anything naughty!!!"

Abby at the park

Flying her kite

Olivia and me enjoying the sunshine at the park.