...and on to February!!!!

January was a pretty great month all in all. Judy and Marlin came down for the first couple weeks to help us with a house project. Wait wait wait. I need to back up. I'm using the word help very loosely. Let's try that again. Marlin and Judy came down for a couple weeks, and Marlin framed, and stoned our living room wall. It was alot of work so much more than what Jared and I anticipated and without Marlin here the project would have ended up as follows. A 2 month project that would have been a mess, that we would have had to hire out to fix/finish and would have cost us more than what we could have afforded. Our kids LOVED having them both here, and it was a sad afternoon when they came home and asked where Grandma and Grandpa were and then remembered that they had left. I am not only grateful for the beautiful wall we have in our front room, but for the fun memories that were created. Bradeigh's face lighting up at the site of grandpa or the sound of his diesel truck rumbling up the drive way. GRANDPA! GRANDPA!!! Late nights playing Chicktionary with Grandma. We miss them alot and need to think of another project...hmm or maybe we should go up and help them with a project...

So that's how we began our month.

We ended the first month of 2011 with a new experience "THE PINEWOOD DERBY" and an annual tradition visiting the gem show. I am so happy we were able to spend the day with my parents. We had a terrific time with them. The gem show was fun. Noah helped his friend Preston sell fruit to the vendors, and we purchased a trilobite and an ammonite for our fossil collection. Hannah and Noah split a couple geodes and they did not disappoint. Blue agate with a a center full of beautiful crystal formations. I love how the vendors take the time to make it a special experience. For example they don't just crack the geodes and hand them over. The crack them, keep them closed until they are facing the anxious new owner then slowly open it up to reveal the treasure inside. It's pretty thrilling. :) We also had fun checking out some meteorites and comparing the magnetic resistance.

Before all this we experienced Noah's first PINEWOOD DERBY!!!!! He has been so excited. I have to admit I wasn't as excited as he was. He didn't know that-but truth be told I was wondering how much of the morning we would have to spend there. Well, funny how quickly my fickle heart changed watching my son beat the dreaded silver bullet and watching his face change from anxiety and trepidation to disbelief and amazement as his car won OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. The cubs lined up cheering his car on "Cobra Cobra Cobra" he looked like he was just going to burst. He ended up 2nd in his den and third over all in the troop. He was a very happy boy. I was a very happy mom, so happy for him and his great experience. He also finished up all his Wolf achievements and got his badge and a few arrow points, his astronomy belt loop and his leadership ribbon for the BSA 100 year badge. Yep. Noah had a really great day.

Oh! I almost forgot! Hannah and I went and saw WICKED! It was great. We loved it.

Ringing in 2011!!!!

Happy New Year! We had a great time in Utah. It's great to reconnect with those so close to our heart. The snow was especially fun, because it is so rare we get to play in it-so for our kids to be able to have snow play everyday and with their COUSINS-they were on snowy cloud nine. Now we are back and though we were only gone for a week it feels like months. So much to get into order, plans to follow up on... Yep the Green's are back in business :) I asked Jared if he had any special resolutions for 2011. I didn't feel like I had any new hopes or goals for the approaching year-just the same ones as usual, get into shape, eat better, be better. Nothing concrete though. I feel like this is the year not to plan so far ahead, not to have any major expectations. Weird. Unsettling. I think I really just need to concentrate on making my here and now better and that entails not putting anymore on my plate. I feel the need to conserve, be prepared and really get "my house" in order. It's nice to feel a little more focused. I like it :)

My BIG girl...

Enjoying the "snow" at La Encantada

Following Bradeigh around with the camera this morning...

Peek a Boo

She loves to look at books.

Learning to strike a pose...

Potty! Potty! Potty!

I really have to go....

She never actually goes...just likes to sit, wipe, flush and wash her hands-which can be maddening sometimes. She has been waking up dry... Do I dare get her big girl panties?...We have never used pull ups...but I sure hate cleaning up pee pee all day...

She's 21 months old... Which means she is almost two, and I won't be using months anymore to describe her age...She has decided she wants to use the potty now. I am not quite ready for that. She has been my little baby for so long, and all of a sudden she seems so big. It seems like yesterday Hannah and Noah were this age which means she will be as old as them in no time at all, which I try not to think about. She is so funny and full of emotion. She is quite bossy and was giving orders in her sleep last night. Bailey our dog even obeys her now :). She sat on the floor and patted her lap, and he came...(she has been trying this for weeks)but once he sat on her she decided that wasn't as fun as she thought it would be. :) She gives him kisses, shares her popcorn, and chases him around the house with her stroller and reprimands him if he tries to eat out of her hand. Her favorite toys are my phone, the computer, the printer, the i-pad, the i-pod, and kitchen knives... I never bothered "baby proofing" the house with Hannah and Noah-but now that Bradeigh is tall enough to open up drawers(and get the kitchen knives) Jared and I think we may need to. Hannah and Noah think she is a "mastermind" of sorts-and get hysterical watching her lower her eyes and pout when she doesn't get her way, and are amazed that she can match letters to spell words (i-pad game). She loves to cuddle and her thumb sucking helps me pretend she is still my little baby. I'm grateful she has stayed so little for so long and I am grateful she finally grew so I could stop worrying...

A Month In Pictures

This was my favorite photoshoot this month. Not only did I have the privilege of taking this amazing families picture-BUT-we also got interrupted by the owner of the field who was very nice and whose family, (the Barnette's) have been out their for generations. He asked me to take some shots of the field and I asked him to get in a few of the shots too. He was a character, and it was fun meeting him and taking his picture. When I find what did with those images of him...I will post them. :)

EL Tour! Jared rode all 109 miles and raised $650.00 for Tu Nudito. He is incredible.

This my favorite shot from El Tour. I was experimenting with panning. I panned too fast and shuttered to slow and the result was this image, and I really like it.

Rappelling with the kids and the Webers on Mt. Lemon the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Emily-First time rappelling!!

Noah basking in the sun

Bradeigh and Gabrielle trying to convince the other that it's their turn for the washcloth.

Finally! Putting up the Christmas tree :)