Clara Update: Boxes, Big Girl, Ballet

Here is an update of what Clara has been up to so far this year.

Modeling her favorite slippers in her favorite chair.

The first photograph in my new series: Babies in Boxes

Getting ready to go outside and play in the water table with Lucy. Work those grandma pants!

Eating her "soup" with a knife while enjoying her new box chair/house?

This picture reminds me of a genie going into it's lamp. 

Trying to sit in this box = Classic baby logic.

"Helloooo in there!"

Box hat.

Start them while they are young! Clara putting dirty laundry in the washer. 

Watching "ballet TV" at ballet class.

Clara "changing" her bunny baby's diaper. Haha. Now with Henry around she is even more invested in her "babies" and their care. 

I Am Batman

These pictures are from last year when we went to our friends house for dinner and games. They have a little boy who had lots of great superhero toys to play with.

Whenever you find yourself with the opportunity to be Batman, be Batman.

Happy Batman and Sexy Batman

"I am Batman." "No! I am Batman!"

Water Table Time!

Zach promised Lucy that as soon as the temperature hit 60 degrees that he would fill up the water table for her. This day it hit 81 degrees! A nice heat wave for these water babies to enjoy before it got cold again.

January 20, 2015
Heat wave!

Sweetie sisters. <3

Large With Child

Just a snap shot to remember:
Picture of a pregnant lady watching TV

January 18, 2015
Sooooo pregnant!

A Cheesy New Year To You!

We celebrated the new year by hanging out with friends, playing games, and eating delicious food, including one of my favorites, cheese!

I had an assortment of cheeses already bought and realized that a new years eve party was the perfect time to eat them! Zach does not like cheese, so I have to find opportunities to share my cheesy bounty with other people that enjoy them as much as I do.

I also tried gooseberries for the first time and brought those, sliced baguettes, and walnuts. Our hosts provided the delicious jams and assorted cheesecakes! Yum!

Not pictured: white chocolate cereal mix, hot sausage dip, sodas, various flavored sparkling cider/juices, guacamole, and chips. So, so good! It was one of those nights where you are kind of full, but everything is so yummy that you want to keep eating.

Brie, goat cheese (with jam), smoked Gouda, and candied apricot cheese. Mmmm. 

We had such a great time making new friends while playing games and chatting. All the kids loved running around upstairs and playing until it was time for bed and we shuffled them all to different corners of the house to sleep while we continued parting it up downstairs until midnight while watching the countdown on TV. 

It has been so good to make friends and find people to spend time with here in our new home. I only wish we got together more often! If anyone loves cheese and/or games, let me know and we will invite you over!

Happy new year, 2015!

Christmas in January

The Christmas fun kept on coming when we got a package from my mom filled with presents and treats!

Lucy and Clara loved their new books and baby dolls, and I enjoyed the homemade chocolates! Thanks, Mom! There were even presents for the new baby to enjoy for when he made his future debut.

Thanks, Grandma Gillson and family!

We always love getting real mail around here! Thanks again, Mom!

Christmas Eve & Morning 2014

We celebrated Christmas a day early this year because Zach had no work on Christmas eve, so we decided to start the party a day earlier!

We let each person pick one present to open on "Christmas eve". Zach opened the present Lucy got for him (a Playstation game), Lucy opened one Zach got for her (army gear pack), and I don't remember what Clara and I opened. Haha. After hanging out for awhile we sent the kiddlets to bed and got to work finishing wrapping the last few gifts, and set them out. I snapped a few pictures before heading to bed myself.

Lucy modeling her new Army gear present from Zach. 

Lucy decorated the wrapping paper herself. 

Candy Cane girls!

On "Christmas morning" we decided to make a new tradition and went to have breakfast at Kneaders. We had never been, but loved the delicious unlimited sourdough pancakes with fresh caramel syrup, strawberries, and whipped cream. Yum! I hope we can do this every year from now on!

Christmas morning snuggle pile.

Yum! Those pancakes were so huge we didn't even get a second order!

After breakfast we headed back home to open presents!

Per tradition, we started with stockings.

Lucy loved her present from Clara, a new leotard with ballet leggings.

"Thanks, Clara!"

Zach loved his games from his parents.

I loved my Anne of Green Gables DVD set from Kay and Greg!

Clara loved her pots and pans from Zach.

Lucy (and Clara) loved their plastic animals from Scott and Christina!

She loved them SO much.

Clara didn't love her bib from Boyd...

Just kidding! She actually does love it, but she was really tired and didn't even get to finish opening her presents because right after this picture we put her down for a nap. :) Grumpy baby.

Thanks Dad and Gayle!

Thanks, Uncle Boyd!

Thanks, Uncle Trent!

Lucy with her loot. Tea set from our neighbors, alarm clock and crayon book from Nana and Poppa.  

Clara and her loot. Rocking cradle from Nana and Poppa, Bunny book from neighbors. 

Clara loves her new slippers from Grandma Gayle and Grandpa Billy!

We finished off the Christmas season by eating popcorn and watching one of my favorite movies, Mr. Kruger's Christmas. The scene with baby Jesus makes me cry every time.

Lastly, must document this big 'ol belly.