Happy B-day Malia!

Malia Nellie

This year has gone by so fast and we love watching Malia grow and learn. She is so cute and loves to cuddle, but watch out, she does have a little attitude! Malia loves to eat and lets us know when she is done by the food that is suddenly covering the walls and floor around her highchair. She really wants to be one of the big kids and toddles around after her brother and sister all day. She loves being outside and if the door is ever open, she goes as fast as she can to get free, or she will almost leap out of my arms. We have avoided many near dropping experiences. She ducks her head into my shoulder when strangers are near and is our best sleeper by far. Malia sounds like a monkey when she wants something and her favorite something would probably have to be popsicles. She loves it when daddy comes home and gives the best hugs. She is very happy and one can't help but laugh when she does. I love being her mom.
I have recently been thinking about how busy our lives are and how it's the simple things in life that bring the most joy. I think the times that I have felt heaven the closest is when I look into my children's eyes, when they are excited and telling me about something, when I am rocking them to sleep, when I watch them laugh, or see them play with their daddy. That's what life is all about.

These are some of my favorites.

for her b-day, we got her a baby and some baby bottles, the only problem was that SHE wanted the bottles! She kept switching back and forth getting a little frustrated when nothing was coming out.

Trying to share her cake. Thanks, but no thank you.

Allyson Rose- 5 yrs old

ALLYSON ROSE
I cannot believe my baby is 5! It makes me cry to see how grown up my little girl is. Ally is very smart and very sweet. She is the biggest helper, although some times too much because she loves to pick up Malia, inevitably causing screams to echo through the house, as Malia does not like this. She loves to make up dances and it is pretty amazing to see the different choreography that she comes up with to different styles of music, but she has recently refused to go to dance class. She is very particular and detail oriented. She will sit and color or create something for a long time. One of Ally's signature traits is that she loves tiny, little things. It doesn't so much matter what, so long as it is little. She loves to put these little things in little purses or little bags and loves to hide them in little places. I don't know how many little things I am missing because I cannot find them. Once in a while I will come across a stash and say, "Wow, that's where that went." We are currently missing our mail key. She loves to imagine and pretend. She recently told me, "Mom, there is a factory in my tummy." I said, "Yeah, you're right, it is kinda like a factory." "No, mom, I mean a real factory- with little people and they like it when I eat beans because then they have an enemy." Um, I'm not even really sure what to say to that!
She loves to laugh and get tickled and she loves to play with friends. We have started to do Mommy dates and it is so fun to spend the time with her and see her eyes light up. She is beautiful inside and out.

Here are some of my favorite pictures...

Sorry, I couldn't help it. With cousin Audrey.

Having a beauty parlor...

This is the fishbowl cake that she REALLY wanted for her birthday.

loong post

Max loves his daddy's getup. He often sneaks out to the garage and comes in with something of Kyrk's on.

Max wants to be just like daddy. Daddy and Max are playing and singing 'I am a Child of God' together.

Out on Utah Lake watching Daddy kiteboard.

Go, daddy, go!

One of Malia's favorite places.

Ally's first day of preschool.

Reunion at Spirit Lake.

Sand was one of the main courses for Malia this week.

This is Max on a toy jet ski. He is little, but.....

One of the highlights of the trip home this summer was Kyrk's parents 50 wedding anniversary!
It was so fun for everyone to be able to get together- we were only missing a few. We did a scrapbook(good job Niki!) and a video for them(I think I will be indebted to my neighbor Jenny for a life time!!). I went through all of Mom and Dad W's old photo albums and had so much fun seeing the progression of their lives. How amazing- 50 years- and just look at the family now. They have impacted so many with their love and selflessness. We are so grateful for them and all that they do.

This is my favorite one.

Daddy thought it would be a good idea to get the kids a LITTLE treat in the car on the way home. Next time I will be the one to go get the treats in the store!

Ally, Audrey and Bethany went to a princess camp at Hatfieldadelphia. It was amazing. They had a great time as they got to solve riddles, get potions from the witch, save Rupunzel from the ogre, learn a dance from Cinderella, and have the prince try the glass slipper on their foot and then dance with the handsome princes. The princes were pretty cute actually-I was ready to have a go! :)

This is Kyrk's birthday. He does not like to dress up, but I told him it wasn't about him anymore, it's all about the kids, and they could hardly contain their excitement.

Picking apricots at our neighbors. We got sooo many and made a lot of jam. We ate way too many apricots that next week, but we couldn't help ourselves because they were so yummy!

We went down south :) with our friends Rick and Cheri to watch Rick's brother in car racing. We have never had an experience like that before! It was really fun, and really loud.

These were the cars?? that he raced.

Earplugs for all. Cheri made flags so the kids can join in on the action.

Okay, so the earplugs didn't fit very well... but she wouldn't let me cover her ears. I was just praying she didn't have hearing loss. She didn't, I'm pretty sure she just ignores me now.