Sledding at Steamboat Gulch

We decided to venture out sledding with some friends for President's Day.  We packed up and headed up to Idaho City to check out Steamboat Gulch; it ended up being well worth our $5.  It snowed on us the entire time and it luckily wasn't a heavy wet snow that soaked us, just big snowflakes that were amazing to watch as they fell.  The kids, including the babies, lasted for a couple of hours and it was so much fun!!!

Alice, Sophie, Allie, and Macy-All the girls enjoyed getting pulled from the parking lot to the sledding hills

Sophie bundled up enjoying the snowflakes

Blake and Allie were off....what a great workout and way to get to the top of the hill

Allie jumped on her saucer and hit the hill tubing.  It was a great hill for the kids; there were a number of bumps and the kids could get going fast, but no one ended up hurt

Blake and Allie trying some crazy moves to get down the mountain

Allie was all smiles

Sophie took a few runs with both Blake and I.  She was going without a nap for the day and exhausted, so she wasn't enthusiastically asking for more at the end of the run

Allie brought her good friend Macy up to the hill with us

Allie and Hannah shared a sled and hit a few runs together.  I love Allie's face; it was snowing so hard, you pretty much had to close your eyes as you flew through the wind

We tried a run as a family and then that was the end of that....not to comfy on the long sled down a bumpy mountain

Allie wasn't thrilled we were stopping on our way back to the car to grab some pictures

A bribe for some cocoa for a smile....What a fun day on the mountain, we will be back!

Sisters

These two girls are becoming the best little buddies.  They love to hang out and play together.  Sophie is finally learning that Allie is fun to play with and she doesn't have to be attached to my hip. Allie is finally glad Sophie is big enough to join in on the fun things she plans for them to do. 

Riding bikes at an open gym.  Sophie loved being pulled around on this little bike all morning.

Wresting together....Sophie knows how to hold her own and take Allie down.

Bathing beauties

Allie went through a period where she didn't want me to do her hair. Now that Sophie's hair is getting longer, I get to do fun stuff with her hair.  Allie is always wanting matching hair these days and it's so fun.  Allie's hair parts to her left and Sophie's goes to the right....two little opposites.

Cute twiners

Allie has been having fun playing make believe with Sophie.  They are always "boating" and off in their basket adventures.

Allie loves using the stool to push Sophie around in too.  Sophie is always saying "MOOR" to Allie.  Allie is such a good little sport about it, always taking her on more rides.  Love you two girls!!!

15 month check up

Oh Sophie...I can't believe you are 15 months.  You bring so much joy and laughter into our home.  You are always keeping me running and on the move trying to find you, what you are into, and what you have made a mess doing.  Here are some highlights of the last 3 months.

I often find you in Allie's room up on her table.  You climb up onto the table and love looking outside

You fell asleep for the first time in my arms when you were 13 months old.  I loved every minute of it!!!

You fell asleep for a second time, rocking with me in the rocker.  Slowly you are warming up to be a snugly one.

You love your babies and slippers.  You love sitting up in the rocking chair and rocking your babies.  

You love Max!!!  You two must have a special bond.  You are constantly snuggling on him and he is the most patient kitty.  Over the last month he enjoys jumping in your bed and sleeping with you all night.  

Mommy was cleaning up toothpaste you had squirted out all over my bathroom, when I heard you screaming from the other room.  When I came to find you, I found you in the toilet.  You had climbed up and jammed your foot into the hole of the toilet and left one leg hanging out. 

I had to run and get the camera to grab a few shots before I pulled you out.  You are starting to show interest and use the potty. I think you might have been attempting to sit on the potty, but your foot went in.  Luckily it just took some wiggling to get it loose.

The day of your 15 month apt. was 2-15, exactly the day of your 15 month birthday.  We had some time to kill waiting for the Dr. so it was a good thing Mommy brought your bugs

Your grasshopper was "hoping" on your legs and I love this picture of the little yellow centipede on your head

Daddy and I just love your belly.  Compared to your tiny little body, you have the biggest Budda belly

Taking a spin on the Dr.'s chair before he needed to use it.  We had good news at the Dr.'s this morning.  We learned you finally made it onto the growth chart.  We learned you were off the growth chart at your 12 month check up.  You are 5% in weight and 20% for height.  According to the Dr.'s projections, you will be 5'8.5".  Sure glad you are growing!!!

Valentines

We had a fun filled Valentines Day this year.  We got together with work friend's and had a Valentines lunch for the kids,  let the kids decorate sugar cookies, and then exchanged Valentines.  

My two cute Valentines

Exchanging a kiss on the Day of Love

Our Valentines Table ready for the party

The kids hard at work decorating sugar cookies

Owen and Allie

Say Cheese

For dinner we continued the heart and red theme and ate heart calzones, strawberry spinach salad, and 5 layered red jello

We swapped babysitting with our friends the Histands so we could each enjoy a date night with the hubby for Valentines.  Owen and Olivia got to hang out and celebrate Valentines with us for the night.  Blake and I got to look forward to the weekend ahead of us for our date night.  Loved celebrating Valentines with my beautiful family. 

Seattle

It had been almost a year since we had been up to Seattle to visit the Littles.  Blake headed out on a fishing trip with some friends, so we decided to leave at the same time and jumped a plane to Seattle.

Sophie did pretty well on the plane.  The last 20 minutes was a little rough, but we made it.

We took the kids down to the Seattle Aquarium.  Lots of the tanks were floor to ceiling and Sophie loved just staring into the giant tanks of fish and coming face to face with them

Allie the octopus



Allie meets a shark....I couldn't believe how long a shark can be.  I hope I never have to encounter one

Allie loved this puffer fish

Sophie checking out more fish

Sophie found Nemo

The kids were so excited to see the baby otter that had just been born a few weeks prior to us visiting.  The disappointing thing for the kids was the otter was really big for being a one month old baby.  The kids had in their minds the baby was going to be a little tiny thing and it wasn't. 

Allie getting hands on with the starfish

We attempted to make some Valentines suckers from Jolly Ranchers.  The girls loved mashing the candy into tiny pieces

The girls filled the heart molds with candy pieces and got them ready to bake



After several trial runs, we ended up with a few good looking heart suckers

These girls love getting to see each other.  They wanted to do a few different faces for me; we got a cute one and then a mean and sassy one

There is nothing like lots of sleep overs with the cousins; the baby dolls even joined the girls.  We had a quick fun trip up to see the cousins and got to also see Uncle Jeremy while we were there too.  Thanks Little's for having us up to visit.  Hopefully we see you guys soon!