Valentine's Day

Valentime's (as my little ones would say) day was a little different this year.  We had a lot going on (crazy day for Richard at work, service project, and a funeral, to name a few) and a sick kid too.  (We have been passing around pink eye in our house and it was Megan's turn.)  But we made the best of our hectic day and it turned out pretty good.
My favorite valentine's:
Breanna

Katie

Jonny

Rebecca (what's with the face?) :)

Richard and Megan (doesn't she look so sad?)

Richard wanted to take me out and spoil me for V-day, but things were quite crazy.  We did manage a late lunch/early dinner together at BJ's.  Have I mentioned how nice it is to have a built-in babysitter or two?  Awesome.  Anyway, Richard spoils me all the time and so I was ok without extra expensive stuff for V-day.
We came home and made our traditional V-day meal for the kids.  Steak, coconut shrimp, mashed potatoes and gravy, asparagus, garlic bread, and sparkling cider.  They love it!

Another candy cake masterpiece for dessert.  :)  No plate breaking this time though.

Just one more pic, mostly for blackmail sake someday.....

This is how Jonny went to bed.  Shoes and all.

We love you, son.

We love Arizona winters!

We can't get enough of this gorgeous weather!  The kids are outside every chance they get.  They love to ride on their bikes, ripsticks, or roller skates.  They jump on the trampoline, play basketball or soccer, and run around crazy.  I love it!  Lately, we have gone on several family bike rides, since Katie can now ride without training wheels.  Jonny desperately wants to ride his bike but can't keep up with us quite yet, so he gets to help with Megan in the trailer.

We always make a detour through the retention basins to go up and down the hills.  Fun stuff!

Wish berries!

We have gone on a couple of hikes too.  We are getting pretty good at all smiling for the timer on the camera!

Megan loves to play in the sand!  And to eat it too.

Don't you love Jonny's outfit?  It was getting a little chilly but I guess his legs are numb enough.  Hey, at least he is wearing shorts.

Soak it up kids.
Summer will be here too soon.

Megan turns 1!

I can't believe January is over already.  I really meant to post this sooner.  Oh well.  Anyway, Megan turned 1 last month!  She is a petite little girl who is very strong-willed and knows what she wants.  We love her so much and are so happy to have her in our family.
Here's the birthday girl looking at her AMAZING candy cake that her dad made. She can't wait to get her hands on it.

Here's another shot of the cakes that Richard made.

And then the cake plate broke!  The cake took a nasty fall.  SO SAD!

Most kids ate it anyway.

We had both sides of the family over, which makes for quite a bit of people.  We decided to go with a luau theme, mostly because we like the food and we had decorations already.  :)

Megan was just waking up from a nap when it was time for cake and presents, so she looks pretty dazed here.  But let me assure you she loves her presents.  Besides this cute picnic basket, she also received a play camera, some birthday money, and a pink ride-on car.

All of our kids have loved getting their birthday cake and really going at it.  Megan loved her cake and ice cream too, but didn't like getting very dirty so she is probably the cleanest of our kids' 1st birthday cake pictures.

Before dinner, we attempted to get all the cousins to line up according to height.  We got most of them, although there were too many to squeeze into one shot.  So here are the littles . . .

And the big kids . . .

Thanks for coming to help celebrate Megan's birthday!

On her 1 year check-up at the doctor, she weighed 17 lbs (9%), she measured 30 in. long (76%), and head circumference of 17 in. (9%).  We are trying to get her to eat lots of high calorie, high fat foods, but she is just a skinny little thing.  No worries though.  I just want to be able to put her in a forward-facing car seat.  :)

I have to admit, I was/am sad about this milestone.  Megan is our last baby.  I won't get to have another little tiny baby (until grandkids).  I will miss this.

(Megan at 1 month old.)

I won't miss the colicky stuff though.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!  We love you!