Phoenix Zoo Time

We decided it was time for a family adventure!  We had been planning on one for a while and finally got a chance!  Off to the Phoenix Zoo!  

This place is huge! And the kids were ecstatic to go explore!

The kids loved the squirrel monkeys where you could walk right into their abode and get some close up shots!

The two goofballs! :)  Love-love-love them!

Playing on the tractors sunk into the ground...who woulda thought...these got way more attention than I thought they would! The kids played on them for quite a while.

Mr. Joey the turtle! 

Rooooaaaarrrr!

The coolest picture posing statues ever!  

Oddly enough, this was a favorite! His back was pointed like a mountain range. Haha!

Our little Joey's.

Our real little Joey in a joey.  :)

One of the highlights of the day....a friend gave us some free tickets to the sting ray pool where you get to pet the sting rays as they swim around and around.  Way cooler than I thought it was going to be.

It was super cool and fun....until Ellie, Hannah and I got completely splashed and drenched by a few sting rays!  I mean- SOPPING-in the MOUTH wet!  It was disgusting! Yet in it's own way, super memorable!  That place was packed...and who are the THREE people that get drenched?  Me and my 2 very tired babies!  Haha!  Oh well!  Even though I was dry heaving for a while, we will never forget that experience! Here we are below- dripping wet! :)

Aren't they just adorable??  My kids could live at the zoo.  No, they really do fit right in! Haha!

I love this capture Dave got! Abby got a camera for Christmas and they love posing for each other! :) I love it when I see moments like these. Makes me completely forget the hard times. 

Such a cutie...wearing his carefully chosen- for the zoo- tiger shirt! :)

Waaaahahhaaaa??  

Here we all are!  What a nice elephant to let us pose on him.  We'll have to send him a thank you card! :)  What a great day!  We had so much fun!  We didn't quite cover EVERYTHING at this enormous zoo, but we got kinda close.  These family adventures bring us together and create memories that we will have for always!  I'm so grateful we could  go. I love my family!

Grandma Love

Grandma sent us a fun box of presents and treasures and the kids were ecstatic!  She made these adorable hats!  I mean- check out these smiles! It was so fun!  She also made Joey some eye masks (like super hero style)!  They are way cool!  I need to get some pictures.  

The girls just glow in them in the sun!

My little flapper girl!

My cuties!

My Mom also made a couple adorable headbands for Hannah!  Thank you Mom!! We love you! 

Joey Turns 6!

So our Joseph turned 6 this weekend!  Woohooo!  I can't believe it has been 6 years since we came home from the birth center with this little guy in our arms.  He is such a sweetheart! 

But he can sure be a silly kiddo too!  He loves to make people laugh and he LOVES to tell stories! (Just like his dad!)  Joey is very creative and imaginative.  He can create things with legos and have a full story to go along with it, including background details!  We love him with all our heart and are so grateful that Heavenly Father has sent him to our family! 

To start out Joey's birthday weekend, we brought donuts to his kindergarten class and they celebrated there with him!  

His teacher Mrs. Williams is super nice and made him feel very special!

Then the next day was his actual birthday!  We had a movie/pizza family night and he ripped open some very fun presents!  Thanks everyone!

The operation...opening the boxes! :)

Dave and I made him some arrows with a little holders for them to go with his bow and arrow set.  We were so grateful it turned out! :)

Then that Sunday, the day after Joey's big day, we had a family party for him at our house. Dad made a delicious dinner of mashed potatoes and hamburger gravy---Mmmm!  And I can't believe we made it as far as after dinner for Joey to open his presents, but somehow he did.  I sadly didn't get many pictures.  But everyone spoiled him and he loved his presents!  Thank you again!

Then it was Cupcake time!  He requested Chocolate cupcakes with min frosting.  And then he chose the colors of the frosting and the style I used to decorate them.   He had a wonderful birthday filled with lots of love!  

We love our Joey!

Smarty-Pants Abby!

Ta-da!  Abby was on the Principles List for all A's on her report card!  Go girl!!

These are a little blurry, but I thought I would post them anyhow.  A sneak peak at Abby waiting to get called to the stage. 

Mrs. Angeles (her teacher) standing and awarding the kids their achievement papers and Mrs. Poirier (the principal) sitting and giving the kids handshakes as well!

Yay Abby!  She is a wonderful student! Excels in everything she puts her mind to. :) Love that girl!

Abby and Annie...BFF!  

Ellie was such a patient little girl for the assembly!  And she was looking exceptionally pretty! :)

Random Outside Fun January 2013

Ellie LOVES the swing! 

We spent an hour on a random swing one day.

Just swinging away...

Looking adorable...

....until she got hungry! hahahaha!

Ice cream!  We may have been celebrating Joey's birthday again!! :)

I think we had gift cards and BOGO coupons...

Couldn't get much better than that! 

We love rainy days in the desert!

Although I think the kids just love playing with umbrellas! :) 

They were so cute all playing together in the rain!  Love these kids!