Spring Update

We have been enjoying the early spring weather we are having so much! The girls have traded in their sleds for bikes and scooters again. Even Piper now enjoys getting outside and playing on the slide and pushing her cars around. We did a little skiing last weekend - total spring conditions! We ditched the gloves and goggles at lunch because it was so warm! By the end of the day we were skiing on slush, but it was still fun. I sure hope we get a little more snow, I hate to think we are done skiing for the year!!




Other big news in our house:


Mia had to get glasses. Poor girl - she got her father's bad vision! :) But she looks darn cute and super studious in her glasses!

More Snow Days!

The snow has been keeping the girls busy lately! We have had a few good storms this week, so today the snow in the yard is great. Mia had some friends over after school to enjoy it. And tomorrow we are heading out for another day on the slopes, and we'll hopefully get some good powder runs in with the girls.

Mia and her friends.



And Piper gets in on the fun - how cute is she???



Here's a good sledding story for you - Mia, Lily and a friend were sledding last week and Mia runs inside to tell me that Lily has hit a tree on her sled and is crying. I go running out, thinking the very worst and prepared for blood. I get to her and she has a nice bump on her head. I ask how she did that and she said, "I was sledding down the hill with my eyes closed..." What?? My girls don't use their heads sometimes. I then went on to explain a new sledding rule - your eyes must stay open all the time!! Crazy kids!!

Piper's Poop Post

Ok, I usually don't post just random stories without photos but I have to document our afternoon yesterday so that we will have it as part of our family stories for years to come since this has become my journal of sorts - and to give each of you a good laugh (however, those with sensitive stomachs may not want to keep reading). Piper has always lovingly been referred to in our home as our "super pooper" or "stinky bum" or "captain poopy pants" because she has always had healthy bowels. Yesterday she FULLY lived up to her name. In a matter of a few hours we had 3 incidences with that crazy girl.
Poop Problem #1 - After getting home from church we hear Mia screaming and crying. I go to see what is going on (assuming it is just another Mia/Lily battle) only to find her whole side covered in poop. She was freaking out. She was able to finally tell me that she picked up Piper...and then it all made sense. Her diaper had leaked on Mia's jeans and shirt. The worst part - Mia's DS was in her front pocket and was now also covered in poop. Jason helped clean up Mia and I took care of Piper, who was all smiles. Once everyone calmed down and was clean, Jason took on cleaning the DS. What a selfless dad - he took a toothpick and made sure the cracks were clear of poop!
Poop Problem #2 - We got Piper down for a nap and she slept for over 3 hours, which is unusual. Well, Jason went in to check on her and found her standing in her crib pointing to her diaper. She had not been sleeping that whole time - she was quietly playing with her diaper. Yes, she had taken one side off and there was now poop in her bed and down her leg. Once again we took to cleaning up - I took care of the bed and sheets and Jason took Piper. Only this time his stomach weakened and he was soon dry heaving and had to hand Piper over to me. Again, Piper was all smiles!
Poop Problem #3 - After an enjoyable meal and time together watching the Super Bowl we had the kids getting ready for bed when we heard Lily come down the stairs and exclaim, "Oh, Piper, what is all over your face?" You got it - it wasn't chocolate like Lily first thought. It was more poop! This time she had completely gotten her diaper off and had rubbed the poop in her hands and on her face! That was the limit for Jason, who disappeared from sight. I just had to look at her and laugh. Then I went to work cleaning her up and putting her into the tub for an extra long soak. Once again, Piper was all smiles! I did question my loving husband as to why she was only feet away from him while he was watching the end of the game, and he never saw or heard her taking off the diaper, rubbing the poop everywhere and even getting it on the carpet (not to mention the smell). It just reminded me of the deep trance Jason goes into when watching sports - oblivious to everything going on around him.

Needless to say, we have added lots more names to her list - top of the list being Miss Poopy Face. :) I so wish I had taken a picture to treasure with these incredible memories, but my need to clean instinct kicked in too quick. It was a memorable afternoon in our household. Piper has truly brought so much love and laughter (and poop) into our home. We love her, poop and all.

Mr. Snowman - and Piper's first time in the snow!

My girls have never completely finished building a snowman in their lives. We have started a few while out here on vacation, but the snowman somehow was never finished...until today! We had so much snow yesterday that we woke up to a winter wonderland. The girls couldn't wait to get home from church and put on their snow clothes. Even Piper got in on the fun today!

Meet our snowman!

Kisses for the Mr. Snowman.

Jason helped out on building the snowman, too.



Piper wasn't sure what to think about her first time playing in the snow. She liked it at first, but it didn't last long. But she was so darn cute - she looked like a pink marshmallow!!

WE HAVE SNOW!!

It finally snowed!! The girls were thrilled! A new highlight is now taking turns on the snowplow with daddy and helping to shovel the walks! What great little helpers we have! (I will take it for now because I am sure this new found willingness to help will not last long.) And after the work was done - the girls could not grab their new sleds from Santa fast enough!! They went outside and we didn't see them for hours. They raced down the hills around our house all afternoon. This is what we have been waiting for this winter. And with the new snowfall we also went skiing (and finally put our passes to use). Jason took the girls back in November, but I had not been yet this season. We spent the day at Solitude yesterday and it was great! The weather was warm and beautiful and Mia and Lily skied hard. They are getting to be quite good skiers so it is fun to watch them go down the hills. Mia is brave and wants to keep going to harder runs. Lily is confident on the lower runs and prefers to stay there. :)




We love the snow!! Look at those bright smiles!!



Skiing at Solitude -
Lily

Mia


My sweet hubby that has so nicely put away his snowboard and put back on skis so he can hang with his family and help teach the girls on the slopes. The true test will be to see what he does when it is a great powder day....

Better Late Than Never

So, this filled stocking has been hanging around the fireplace since Christmas morning, and Piper could have cared less about digging into it. I have all the other Christmas decorations put away and was ready to put this away too, so I finally persuaded her to see what was inside. It only took her 3 weeks to see what goodies Santa had put in her stocking! Mia and Lily were dying to open it, but were good about waiting for Piper. Better late than never - the stocking is now empty and I can put it away for another year!

White Christmas?!?

Ok, we are feeling really upset about the fact that we moved to Utah and there is no snow!! We were all dreaming of a white Christmas, but it didn't happen. The girls are dying to go skiing and use their new sleds that Santa brought them, but there is no white stuff outside. Weather aside, we did have a nice family Christmas this year!

My parents came into town from Florida and we we to dinner and to see the lights at Temple Square after they got here. What a beautiful night. Piper was not a fan of her hat we made her wear to stay warm, but Mia and Lily loved it. It had been a long time since we had been down there, and it was fun to do that as a family - us, grandparents and cousins.

We spent Christmas eve with Jason's family at his mom's house. The highlight was seeing Jason dressed up as Santa and bringing toys to the kids. It was Jason's dad's job each year, but with him gone this year the honor of dressing up as Santa was passed to Jason. It took a minute, but Mia and Lily soon realized it was "dad" and got a kick out of seeing him in the costume. Piper had no idea who it was, but she didn't like the man in the red suit at all!

We had Christmas morning here at the house, and my parents came up to open presents with us. Lily was the most excited, and couldn't open her presents fast enough. Piper got with the program and it was fun to see her face each time she opened a new gift. Then we quickly got ready and went to church. I was amazed at how easily the kids put down all of their toys and got dressed for church without any complaining. It was nice to be there on Christmas Sunday, and really remember the whole reason for the season. We then had lunch and opened more presents at my sister's house. The girls then spent hours dancing to Just Dance 3 - we had two dancing addicts. It was a nice day and the girls fully enjoyed Christmas in Utah, even if there was no snow.

Our Christmas break has gone by so fast!! Once the holiday was over, we jumped into my nephew, Hayden's, birthday and baptism. More family meals with Jason's family and then we got struck with the dreaded family stomach flu! It hit Mia and Lily within hours of each other, then Jason and we unknowingly passed it on to Jason's extended family. I felt awful that we started the chain reaction. Somehow Piper and I escaped this time around. But it was not a great way to end the holiday season and start a new year. We spent New Year's Eve in bed recuperating from 3 days of sleepless nights and piles of laundry. The happiest part of the new year so far - a new nephew that was born New Year's Day morning! We now have a baby Terry in the family (named after Jason's dad). We can't wait to see him. But we will wait and make sure we don't spread any more germs. :)

Well, 2012 is here and we are ready for a happy and healthy new year, with no major life changes as we continue to adjust to life in Utah. Just praying for SNOW!!

The Santa at the restaurant - Hayden, Mia and Lily.


Piper - not happy with her hat. But so cute!!


Mia and Lily at Temple Square.


Christmas Morning!! And matching PJs (one of my favorite parts of Christmas)!!