Thanksgiving 2010

We had a wonderful thanksgiving with Gran Gran and Daddy Steve! It was so relaxing and calm. We ate and laughed a lot. We have so many blessings for which to be thankful and one of those is having family LITERALLY down the street. They help us more than we know and the kids ADORE having them so close! Hope everyone else had a blessed and happy thanksgiving!

Shutterfly Christmas Cards

As many of you know Shutterfly, a leading retailer in all things to do with your photos, is offering 50 free Christmas cards to bloggers to write a blog about their favorite Shutterfly items. We have used Shutterfly for so many wonderful things in the past. We love their Christmas cards and have sent these out several years. My favorites this year include the "top ten list" card where you can write the top ten adventures of the Alexanders in 2010.

I also like the photo collage cards because lets be real and know that Mason and Emma Kate are both not going to be smiling in the same picture.

We have also used Shutterfly's photo books before and LOVE them! They are so easy to put together and yet have SO many options from which to choose. I know I have done this for both kids as yearly scrapbooks. Since we are getting busier I am thinking about trying to put together a Shutterfly photo calendar. If they are anything like the photo books I am sure they will be very easy to put together and would make great gifts for the family members!

And lastly, if I procrastinate this year and I do not get my Christmas cards out on time you will be getting Shutterfly's New Years Card. This is where I would hope to put some of the fun pictures that we take over the holidays. If you have never used Shutterfly before you should check them out. They are very user friendly and produce a great end product. Thanks for reading!

Make up Post

So I guess I should put some new stuff on here. Sorry again. I know I apologize every time and so I should just stop and actually post something. Here goes.

Since I posted last we have some big news. We are PREGNANT and expecting number 3 (everyone who reads this blog knows that...I want to document that I announced it so when I look back in 20 years I can tell our third child that I love them so much...I am just a little more busy this time around). Anyway, we are so excited and due May 26th. I am already showing, although losing weight like I did with my other two. I can almost promise you that it is a girl because of how sick I have been. It feels almost identical to EK's pregnancy.

The kids have been really busy. EK is LOVING preschool and learning so much! She is trying to spell everything and pretends that she can read books. VERY INDEPENDENT! Mason is talking like a mad man. I remember just a few months ago that he was busy with everything around him but now he is busy and he talks up a storm. He loves singing...when he thinks no one is listening, and he pretty much thinks he can do anything EK can do. Physically he outweighs her and is about 2 inches shorter. But in his mind he is at least 4 years old. His favorite phrase right now is "sissy not shere (share)". He says it over and over again when he wants something and knows he can just take it from her. He is at a really fun age as he is pretty content to just have fun unless it is something that is a really big deal to him. EK is at a very dramatic age. EVERYTHING involves some form of a tear, expression, whine, extreme laughing, etc. It is sometimes exhausting just being in her presence of mood swings, but inside is such a sweet little girl who truly loves her family and wants to please those around her. I am trying to enjoy every age that my children pass through and I whole heartedly believe 3 is a trying year ( Although, I have a feeling moms of teenagers can only pray for the peace they had with their 3 year old, thank you God for not giving me a teenager just yet :)

We are looking forward to the holidays coming up. We are staying in Yuma for Thanksgiving and planning a trip to the southeast for Christmas. Sorry for the lack of Halloween pictures. Completely forgot the camera. Whoops. This is why they tell you that the third never has any pictures. Totally get it now! EK was a mermaid and Mason was superman. We went to the church for a fall festival and the kids loved the bouncy castles more than anything (they were allowed one sucker...the only way I could get Mason out of the bouncy!).

We have also been busy with numerous birthday parties and it has been a lot of fun/nostalgic to see all the kids that we have known since they were born grow up and become kids, not babies anymore. I will try and do a post of just pictures sometime this week as nap time is over and I must get back to work! Love you all!

Meme's Quilt

I was looking through my emails and remembered that I had asked Sarah to take a picture for me. This is a picture of a quilt that Matt's Grandmother (late 80s) just finished a month or so ago. She gifted it to my parents who are completely in love with it and also the time and love that went into the quilt. It is absolutely beautiful and I am in awe every time I see one of her quilts to know how much time and love go into them. I only hope that one day you feel the love of receiving a handmade item as amazing as one of these quilts. Thank you Meme!

Long time, no see

Well it is obvious that it has been a while since I have been blogging. We have been EXTREMELY busy! We had TWO birthdays (Matt and Mason). We have taken FIVE trips and logged thousands of miles. And we have ONE little girl who has her first day of school tomorrow! Needless to say we have been joyously busy! I am going to post a few pictures on the blog and then I will put the rest (and videos) on the eachday website (the button is on the right of the webpage). On the eachday site the pictures will be categorized by date and so please look through back through July and August as I haven't posted since July 4th! I apologize again for my absence and I hope to do better in the future!

The weekend of July 18th we traveled to Flagstaff, AZ where I competed in the mountain man triathlon. I had a fun time and finished the triathlon, which was my goal. Matt was so gracious to be my pit crew, photographer and most of all babysitter!

After Flagstaff we were home for a few weeks in our normal routine. The first weekend in August we traveled over to San Diego to visit with some college friends who came in from Utah. We had a great time introducing our kids and enjoying the beach and perfect weather of Coronado Island.

The following weekend we traveled to Tucson, AZ for a family weekend with Matt's work friends from all over the state. We invited Daddy Steve and Gran Gran to come with us and we were thrilled that they joined us. We had a great time at the JW Marriott Resort and loved spending time together relaxing. On Sunday Gran Gran, the kids and myself set out bound for AL/TN. We had decided to go a few days prior as we were all wanting to see family. We had a long trip and fortunately we all made it safely. We stayed in the southeast for 2 weeks (trip was extended due to the kids getting sick). It was wonderful to see family and the kids and I were able to travel with my family to KY for a family reunion. On our way to AL/TN we passed through Shreveport, LA and were able to see the Carrolls both ways. We had a long four day trip home and were very glad to get home safely on Tuesday, August 24th. I wasn't able to take the nice camera with me on the trip and so I don't have any pictures. I have yet to find my memory card from my small camera and so I haven't been able to get the pictures from the trip up. I will try to get those done soon!

The following Sunday we traveled to the Grand Canyon with Gran Gran, Daddy Steve and Aunt Deborah who had traveled to Yuma for a week vacation. We spent two nights up at the Grand Canyon and rode the train to the Canyon. We all had a fun and got to celebrate Matt's 32nd birthday while we were there.

When we got home we had a few days before Mason's 2nd birthday and his party. We had a train celebration with swimming, pizza and cake. He loved it and "drove" his chocolate train all over the glass table outside (leaving melted "train tracks" in its path).

We have had a busy and wonderful last few months of summer and it is topped off with a precious Emma Kate starting preschool. She is going to preschool 2 days a week for 3 hours in the morning. She is so excited about starting school and I can tell she is going to thrive in its environment.

Happy 4th of Juy

We had a busy and wonderful July 4th! We have been swimming and eating all weekend long! It is Monday and Matt is off of work today and so we are trying to stay in our pajamas as long as the kids can stand it. We were able to get all the Yuma Alexanders together TWICE this weekend and have wonderful food and fellowship. On Saturday night the Harris Family (better known as Mikey and his family) came over for swimming and dinner. We had a fun filled weekend and hope you had a great 4th of July as well!

Great start to 30!

If our trip is anything like what I can expect in my thirties...they will be AWESOME! We had an amazing time (at the RIU Palace, Los Cabos, Mexico) and it was made all that more special having our best friends there with us. Abbey and I celebrated our birthday in style and the men were able to celebrate Father's Day (without their children, I am not sure if this is a typical Father's Day celebration, but it definitely gave the men a well deserved vacation). Thank you to Matt for being such a sweet husband and father and giving me such a wonderful vacation! I definitely didn't feel 30 until I got home and I was trying to keep up with my high energy kids! There are a lot of pictures and I am going to be putting them up (This is the fastest way Abbey and Warren get to see them) with some explanation. Hope you enjoy the pictures and can get a sense of how much FUN we had!

They made a special desert for us and had the trick candles that don't blow out. Abbey and I were only slightly embarrassed. At least I wasn't the only one who couldn't blow out the candles!

"The Big 3-0!"

This is what we did most of the time we were there...sit in the pool and LAUGH!

One of the four pools

Resort at sunset

View from our balcony. Our rooms were next door to each other and they were on the end so we had privacy and could just hang out on our balconies and chat.

The guys...they are so handsome!

Tribute to Sarah and the "skinny arm!" haha

Cute words

I just heard EK say something cute. She lined her princess
dolls up on the sofa and told them we are going to play a game. The she told them that when she says red light they need to stop and when she says green light they need to go. Then she walked across the room and this is when I started to think "does
she really think that the dolls are going to walk across the room?". Once she got in position she
said loudly "green light!". After a few seconds she walks back to the sofa and in a very nurturing tone she says to Cinderella "I am so sorry you don't have any feet to play." Well darling it is more of a fact that she doesn't have life. I was reminded of how cute innocence and naivety truly are. I hope you have a day where your Cinderellas play with you!

Fun Getaways

This weekend we had the chance to do TWO getaways! On Thursday we drove to San Diego to spend time with Rachel (my cousin) and her boyfriend Mike. They live in KY and were in town visiting Mike's parents. San Diego is about a 2.5 hour drive and so it is a perfect place to meet!

It was WONDERFUL seeing Rachel and meeting Mike. We went to Coronado Island and played on the beach before a nice dinner. The kids were not too impressed with the beach due to the temperature (high of 75...COLD for us Yumans! and the water was even COLDER!) We loved the beach and could have stayed all day if the kids had been up for it. Maybe next time. I can't wait to see Rachel again and hopefully it won't be nearly as long between visits!

On Friday morning we drove to Tucson (3.5 hours) for a family weekend at the JW Marriott resort. We have been here before and the kids love it more every time we go. The water slide, lazy river, and splash fountains were a big hit this weekend (especially with the heat...104!) On Friday they let us go down the water slide with the kids in our laps, which our kids preferred. On Saturday they told us the kids had to go by themselves. EK became and little apprehensive and thought that might not be so great. On Sunday we were able to go down with the kids again and so we had to do it over and over! We all had a blast and really enjoyed getting away for a weekend.

The most fun getaway is coming up! In celebration of Abbey and I turning thirty...if you don't say it too loud then it won't really happen...right? , Matt and Warren are taking us to Los Cabos for an all inclusive vacation! We are all SO EXCITED! I am beyond excited that I get to spend my birthday with Abbey! While thinking about the trip I began reminiscing and decided to post a few pictures! Enjoy

Abbey always had to be the bride and I always had to be the groom!

(You know you had matching leg warmers and scrunchies also!)



Wow! 30 years goes by quick (The most recent picture with both of us...we will have some great ones from Los Cabos)!