FEBRUARY

Valentine's photos w/ Bre Meyer. I always love making the kids take these, they change so much over the year.  Best cousin picture yet; all smiling and looking!

 

Love that I have the flexibility to to attend the kids class parties.   

For Valentine's Day we never go out to dinner. Mike always makes a surprise dinner for us. It has become a fun tradition and something I look forward to every year.  This is a bad picture, but this dessert was so delicious!

 

Before the Super Bowl, Mike and the kids joined the Diehl's on a 5K. This was Gino's 1st 5K running the whole thing. They both did awesome!

Fun with friends!

 I can't let the kids have all the fun. This thing really whips you around.
If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it!

100 Days of School Party

 This poster is funny because we didn't realize Giada accidentally brought home 2 of them. This was a 2nd grade assignment. He was so confused when he was the only kid in his class to bring one in.  His teacher was so sweet to let Gino read the whole thing to the class. He had worked so hard on it. He asked if he could save it to just turn in when he is a 2nd grader, but you know I told him that was a NO.

Bed head, and all snuggles in the morning.  A kid in his dads boots is a picture I LOVE.

 

Give this guy a basketball and that is all he needs to be happy.

 

Lorenzo loves Andy!

 Grandparents luncheon. The kids are so fortunate to have both grandparents here in town. I would only get to see my Grandparents a few times a year, and Nana and Grandpa who were local a few times a month. If the kids don't see one of them each day they are besides themselves.

 

 These two crazies.  It will be interesting to see where life takes them. They are third cousins (is that a thing?) and I think will get into far too much mischief when they are older. I don't think either one of them will tell the other one, " that's not such a good idea, maybe we shouldn't do that" - time will tell, I hope I am wrong on this prediction.

 Happy Birthday Reese!

 When you are with auntie, you get treats!

 Snow trip to Graeagle.  When we were last there for New Years we promised Gino we would come back when it was snowy. We had such a fun, lazy weekend. Most of the weekend included watching movies, taking walks, dance parties and sledding.  Sometimes it is just nice to get out of town and relax. 

 Free rides and snow eating for this guy.

 Big deal when you are chosen at church service to take up the gifts. "It's a big honor, " I was told.

 Birthday buddies. Celebrating 88 yrs & 2 yrs! A birthday wouldn't be complete without a visit to his Great Grandma Barbara's to wish her a Happy Birthday!

 Last night of being 1. (Picture me with the cry face here.) It is something about your last baby.  Hardest watching them grow up.

 Ginger Bugs opened not long ago and it has been a family favorite since day 1.  No better place to celebrate than at the Bug.  Thank you to Kelly Powell for making it so easy having a party there, she does all the hard work. Lorenzo has been obsessed with Mickey for quite some time and was blown away to show up to play and realize the party was for him.

The faces you make when you are loving your party!

 

 Sleepover with Chloe and Joe, we loved catching up!
 

Lorenzo 2 Years Old

-Still super easy to go to bed, which has been so nice since the big kids were never easy in this regard and still aren't. Sort of sleeps through the night, I struggle with this. Clearly if all 3 kids are bad sleepers, I'm doing lots of things wrong!

-Speaks very well, and listens to direction pretty well for his age

-Copies EVERYTHING the big kids do, good or bad

-Says "hold you" means "pick me up"

-Loves his paci, he will be harder to break than Gino was on that one

- Learning to jump and practices all the time

- Counts, sings ABC, knows many body parts, sings songs (Away in the Manger, Twinkle Twinkle, "On the Double" from Paw Patrol), animal sounds

-Talks to Alexa making requests, it is so funny!

-Obsession with Basketball. Ever since the kids started playing this past season. He loves to practice his dribbling and have you lift him up to shoot.

- Yells "Homework" over and over until you give him something to color or work on while the kids are doing their homework.

-" I do it"

- LOVES Paw Patrol and Mickey 

- Makes the close eyed "cheese face" if he sees a camera pointed in his direction.

JANUARY

I used to be so good about uploading my photos weekly, then monthly. Now I am two months behind. Oh well, I am catching up now, that is what's important!

Who knew all I needed was a big dog house to entertain these boys.

 Always fun at Ginger Bugs especially when Morgan is there.

 This boy builds lots and lots and lots of towers these days.... and then kicks them over.

Giada was so excited it was her turn to bring up the gifts at the student mass. 

"It's a big honor to be chosen" she claimed.

 Matt and Steph took a trip to Mexico to attend a wedding. 

My mom and I held down the fort with the girls, and took plenty of pics to prove we were surviving.

 Proof that Reese slept in her crib...although it may have only lasted 12 minutes in 5 days. LOL.

 Sleepover!

 "Reesey" he loves to cuddle with her.

 

Giada got an extra sleepover on Nana's night. I think it was helpful to entertain Stella.

Who doesn't love a House of Coffees "Party in a Cup"??

 Sometimes they do show you these little glimpses that they do love and look out for each other.

Just like that we have an 8 year old.  She is creative, kind, sassy, artistic, athletic, sensitive and beautiful!  She has got a mind of her own, opinions that are strong and an attitude that frightens me for the older years.  :-) She is lucky that most of the time she is a sweetheart and big helper with her brothers.  On her actual birthday we were at the Fancy Food Show and celebrated later in the evening with our girl. Thank you to my village for making the day special for her.  New cowboy boots and lettuce wraps, two of her favorite things!

 Upward Basketball season has been so much fun to watch. Giada is really mastering some skills and Gino's team went from bunch ball to actual game play, getting better every week. The best part is they LOVE it, and are so excited for practice and games.

 We didn't make it to a Crab Feed this year, which was VERY weird for us, but we did enjoy some crab at a the famous Scoma's.

G was very proud of her Ancestors poster. I learned a valuable lesson to read the directions the first day the assignment comes home so you are not scrambling at the last min. Actually, I'm sure we will still be working at the last minute, but hopefully I will have what we need!

 January Birthday girls had an evening of celebrating.  Happy Birthday Stella!

 Seve and G look way too grown up in this photo!

These two have been cuddled up lately, requesting photos!

 Giada, Adelaide and Peyton attempt to ice skate!

 

Old Sacramento Candy stop, and coloring pillowcases to make the sleepover complete!

A little morning make-up sesh.  Nemo, Panda Bear and Fox come down for breakfast.

These boys did not want to be left out!