Visit from Steve and Julie

Right after Tina and Lauren left Steve, Julie, Holly and Cory came. In the same day. Almost in the same hour. Or maybe it was in the same hour. Anyway, it was a busy, but wonderful day.

We had a great visit with my bro and family. The kids had built in best friends and it was fun sharing our lives, city and new home with our family. The kids literally played all day every day. It was so fun to watch. Here are some pictures of our time together.

Thought this was so cute, Jamie laying out with Holly.The boys sidewalk chalking together.
Birthday party.
Me and my big brother.
Cousins.
Pete's first Build-A-Bear. A gift from his Aunt and Uncle.
In the hot tub.
Wildlife Zoo.
Zoo Train.
The whole gang at the zoo.
Girls shopping.
Hiking in the preserve near our house.

Time with Friends

We had some friends visit from MI. They were on spring break and stayed with us for a couple of days. We all enjoyed their visit and their company and were so sad to see them go. I love that we live in a place where people want to come visit and that we finally have a house that can accommodate guests.

The kids playing with Miss Tina and Lauren.Pete mixing up his birthday cake.Hanging by the pool with Miss Tina.When Tina and Lauren were packing their car to leave Abby jumped in the trunk. It was so funny. I don't blame her. Peace and quiet around here is hard to find.

Our Pool

We ventured into our big pool on April 1st. The first time the kids used it with dad I wasn't around to take pics so we don't have that event documented. It still pains me that I don't have pictures of the first time but I will get over it. I hope. Anyway, on April 2nd I got a few pics of Jamie in the pool with dad after her nap. That is why she is in her sleeping shirt instead of a bathing suit.
The pool is cold. The pool guy said by the end of April it should be perfect. Someday we hope to get some solar heating which would heat our pool all year around.

Abby likes the fountain but won't go into the pool itself.

Pete Turns Three

Pete was very blessed this year. Not only did we have some out of state guests in town but we had two of them on the same day! Our first out of town guests helped me and P. decorate the house for Pete's birthday the night before. Blue, green and white streamers, dangly astronaut thingys and balloons.

I will let the pics tell the story.

This was us early Tuesday morning. Daddy stayed home to sing happy birthday to his son at 7:44am the exact time Pete was born 3 years ago. Time has flown by and every day I am more and more proud of our son. He is a sweet, smart and fun little man. He was thirsty when he woke up but this is him first thing on his 3rd birthday. Jamie had been awake for a while hence the awake smile.Opening gifts at 7:44am in the morning.Morning birthday kiss from his "best friend" Tina.Pete's birthday breakfast of blueberry pancakes and strawberries.
My kiddos helping me decorate Pete's astronaut cake. I would frost a little, give them frosting to eat, frost some more, give them some more frosting to eat.
When Pete woke up from his birthday nap his aunt, uncle and cousins were here. So they swam and played until his dinner and party.
Uncle Steve, Aunt Julie and Holly making Pete his birthday dinner.
Birthday dinner.
Pin the Pterodactyl on the sky.
Jamie was off a little.


Pete's favorite gift, a nerf air gun.
Opening the bulldozer Uncle Bob made him.
With UB & AE.
The finished cake.

It's hard to know what to say about Pete. Let's just say we are very blessed. Pete is an incredible boy. The first word that I would use to describe him is sweet. He has a sweet heart and a sweet spirit. He says the sweetest, cutest things and I love him more than words can say. He talks your ears off these days. He has so much to say and wants to know about everything. He is the perfect mix of daring yet cautious. He loves being with his dad and doing what is dad is doing. Pete loves guns, bikes, books, bulldozers and trains. When he grows up he wants to be a fireman, or drive a boat or bulldozer. He goes to the bathroom on his own now. That's helpful but sometimes very messy. He is social and always friendly and wants to say hi and meet people. Today there were these guys working on our road and he wanted to go watch them. So we walked down the street and he walked up to one guy and said, "Hello, who you?" They talked for a bit.

Pete is an amazing kid. We couldn't have asked for a better boy. He is our son and our friend and we are so proud of him. I have heard of the "terrible 2's" and the "terrible 3's" but Pete didn't get the memo. Now Jamie his sister on the other hand.....that is another story! :)

Happy 3rd birthday Peter Jacob. You are the best little boy in the whole world. Mommy and daddy love every day we spend with you. Thanks for the best 3 years of our life.

A Day in the Life of Us

It's been popsicle weather lately!
Dad and Pete read tons of books every night. Isn't watching your husband read to your kids a moving sight?
Jamie's pony. Keeps her hair under control and out of her eyes.
Pete wanted an astronaut party for his birthday. I ordered space themed stuff online and he was so excited to get them in the mail this week. I can't believe Pete turns 3 in 4 days. Have I ever mentioned that time flies?

This and That

My boy put stickers all over his legs today. We don't wear pants much, can you tell? :)Yogurtology the other night. There is a frozen yogurt place by our house where you get your own yogurt, add your own toppings and pay a huge amount for a perfect bowl of yum. We are cheap, we don't let the kids get their own, but we bring our bowls and dish them out some of ours.

That is a snake in the road. We had a scorpion in our house the other night. This is going to be interesting.
The kids and I went garage sale shopping today and happened upon a sale with a hundred owls. Someone used to collect them. Jamie must have picked up and looked at every one. If I could I would have bought all of them for her. We came home with two of them.

Arizona Game and Fish Expo

Last weekend we went to the Game and Fish Expo just north of our house. It was heaven for P. and Pete. Literally, heaven. Jamie and I had fun too. It was a whole giant outdoor area full of outdoorsy things to do. I am pretty sure we could have spent the whole day there if the kids didn't almost pass out from exhaustion about noon. It was a neat thing to do as a family, we all saw and did neat things and I can tell AZ is going to be the perfect place for my husband and boy.

Pete's first experience with fishing and catching fish. You could actually see the fish swim up to your bait, take it and then you hooked him. It was very exciting and Pete was giddy with excitement.Pete's first fish.

Jamie playing in a hunting blind.Giant turtle.

The family with Smokey.
Jamie's heaven. The owl tent. She watched a group of about 8 different owls in amazement and wonder for as long as I would let her.
What do you see Jamie? Jamie pointing at the big owl behind her.
Checking out some horns.
Checking out some Cabela's tents. Pete can't wait to go camping.
Watching cowboys race horses while shooting balloons off orange cones. Very entertaining, Jamie hated it. The guns were loud. She hates loud noises especially loud trucks and the vacuum.

Boat Ride

Friend's of Uncle Bob and Aunt Edna's (our friend's too) have a boat. I guess I should give them a name since I will probably mention them again often. Dan and Joyce have a boat on their lake in Sun City. We went for a ride last Thursday night after being treated to another yummy dinner at Furr's. It was another wonderful AZ evening but we really have got to start hanging out with people our own age! :)

Jamie and dad didn't get to go because we didn't have another life jacket. I found one at a mom's consignment sale Friday so now we are all set to go next time.