Going Hog Wild

This weekend our city hosted Arizona HogFest to benefit Operation Wounded Warrior. Nothing like watching hundreds of Harley's rolling into town! You could feel the ground vibrating up your legs. David rides, a sportbike, but this was something he wanted to see. So, off we went!

It was cool that all the people in the businesses along the street came out to see them ride in.

Leah thought it was a bit loud, but she loves motorcycles.

Of course we wanted to do something fun for the girls for coming.....there was a princess bouncer, but it was $2 for only 10 minutes of jumping. Riiiiiight. David and I could just see telling Leah to get out after only 10 minutes. Well, plan B- ice cream! Emma's face here is hilarious...no worries, she got a little bit too.

I could snap pictures of this guy ALL DAY! I love that he is such a "man's-man"-rides motorcyles, owns guns, and has great big muscles- and is sensitive and SUPER loving to ALL us girls!

We took a brief stop in front of the municipal building.....I love taking pics of these girls!

Family Farm Day

There are so many reasons to love home schooling. I could write a new blog post daily just highlighting the reasons. This one is about the great people we get to meet and how they so openly share their gifts and talents with us. Our friends The Williams Family live off the land. Pam is an expert gardener and if that is not cool enough they have goats, chickens, and even a llama(not wearing red pajamas)!

Saturday our home school group had a field trip to check out their property and all they do. Their were baby goats, milking of mama goats, kissing of goats (LEAH!!!), and feeding the llama. I heard there was a cool wagon ride too, but I had to take Emma Lynne home for a nap.

Here are the girls checking out the goats...before they left with David another mama goat had her water break and not too long after another kid was born! They missed the birth, but were so excited about it!

Pam's son, Richard, helped all the kids who wanted to milk. I am so proud of Chiara for trying this!

The Mama was a bit nervous with everyone around so Chiara gave it a few tries. As a nursing mom I can totally understand not wanting an audience!

Mayah making friends with the llama.

Pam holding one of the babies born the night before. This one was not nursing yet.

Leah kissed EVERY goat! Yes, EVERY goat! Not sure why, but it was so cute!

One of the babies using those brand new legs!!!

Bikes, Scooters, and Crack

David bought me a wonderful gift at Christmas- a photography class to learn how to use my camera better and takes better pictures. It was a lot of information,so I am slowly trying to practice what I learned. All of the pictures are in Manual mode.

Leah taking a break from her scooter play.

Big girls racing on their bikes - I do love that we no longer live on a corner!

Chiara stopping for a moment so mom could get a shot - she is just as excited as I am to do her 7 year old photo shoot. it is going to be so much fun!

Even Mayah took a break for me to get one of her

I could not resist....the crack!

David's (aka Daddy) Birthday

David turned 36 this year....and Chiara made sure to write it on everything so he did not forget! Hilarious! It's a good thing he has such a great sense of humor and LOVES his girls. It was a fairly low-key birthday for him. The girls made him a place mat and a crown, along with some cute cards. I also made David a gift this year....it was all the reasons I love him. I came up with 241. I wanted 365, but 241 was all I could come up with. I would challenge any spouse to it....I loved thinking up each reason! For his birthday dinner David wanted Italian (he had been eating out so much in Alaska he was thrilled for home cooking!). I made homemade sauce, meatballs (Chiara did the hand mixing of the meat!), the girls had long spaghetti and I made David and I sauteed shredded zucchini.

I love this guy.....he is such a great sport and makes us smile!

The place mat-Chiara's cursive is beautiful!

David did not want any sweets for dessert so the girls and I made almond muffins so he could blow out a candle.We all enjoyed some together.

Happy Birthday Babe.....you are SO loved!

I think it's time to make it official....

We have a crawler! She scoots on her bottom, crawls backwards, and is finally crawling forward. She is trying to pull herself up, but is not quite there....good! Let me say....you think your house is clean and picked up...UNTIL you have a crawler!

Valentines Day 2012

This year's Valentines Day was a bit different. It was still full of love, pink, hearts, red, and roses, but the man of the house was not here. He really brings this day alive for us all. We are so loved. To others it is just a "card holiday", but to us it is so much more.....

Fourteen years ago, David and I had not seen one another since New Years. Six weeks apart. Torture for 2 people who just fell in love and decided to start a long distance relationship. I can still remember when we were "chatting" online and he wrote that he would come to Vermont to see me. JOY! I had a date I could set my eyes on. He had a trip to Arizona for work and to Mardi Gras with friends and he planned a stop in Burlington to start it all off. Love.
We went to see Titanic again, we kissed....A LOT, we talked (without being on the phone!), and skipped a nice Valentines dinner to just have a few more moments of alone time. Yes, valentines day is so much more than getting a nice card.


Before he left he bought cards for all his girls....so sweet!!!!!!

























Leah loved the mirror in her card!




























Nanny and Grampy sent cute headbands!




















Traditional cinnamon buns for breakfast!











For 14 years David has bought me lavender roses and now he sends the girls each a red rose. Love.



































I made the girls a heart shaped lunch....

Happy 100th Birthday Arizona!

Valentines Day is also the state of Arizona's birthday. This year is the centennial celebration....100 years old! So, I planned a couple '100' activities to commemorate the day.

First the girls had to count out 100 stickers to decorate their 100 Birthday papers. Leah participated, but didn't quite make it to 100.

I could not help but chuckle at this....Mayah did hers exactly how I pictured it. Just stickers all over. Chiara, is so much like her dad! Nice and orderly rows of stickers. Of course, Chiara's was easier to count. I love how even in little things like this their personalities shine through.

The next activity was counting 100 animal crackers together. The girls each counted groups of ten.

Leah did a great job at this! She can count to ten really well.

I love doing things like this and seeing learning take place and they have no idea!