Six Months worth of Blogging

I just haven't been into blogging this year but I've decided if anything I need to do it as a journal so my kids can see pictures of themselves somewhere. I wish I could say I am on top of it and print out pictures and put them in a book so we can look at them but that kind of stuff seems to take a back burner. I know my kids like to see pictures and one day I will be on top of it enough that I will have photo albums but for now a blog every once in awhile will have to do.
So here are 6 months worth of pictures and events at the Thompson Household.

Ava's 4th Birthday
March 20, 2010

Ava and her Princess castle Cake

I just couldn't resist putting this picture of Ava in. She got this bike for her birthday and at first she insisted she needed to wear the knee and elbow pads along with the helmet. For six months before her birthday she kept saying she was going to Chucky Cheese for her birthday so her wish got granted. I can't believe how excited she was to finally go.

1st Swimming Lessons
June 2010

This was the first year we have signed up the girls for swimming lessons. It was a lot of fun for them and seemed to help them a lot by the end of the summer to not be afraid of water. I think the best part of swimming lessons was when Bart threw Ava off the diving board kicking and screaming. The teacher commented that maybe that was a little too rough but it worked because the next day she went off 3 times without the kicking and screaming.

Sophie and Marti in the Mommy and Me Class

Ava in the Beginner Class

Bryce Canyon
August 2010

For our summer vacation we decided to visit Bryce Canyon and Zion's. We did Bryce one day and then the next day went through the East entrance of Zion's. I highly recommend this drive for anyone. Coming through the East Entrance was amazing and the tunnel was way cool. Ava was such a trooper and hiked with us with very little whining which was also amazing.

Zion's National Park

Weeping Rock

If we look exhausted in this picture it is because we really were. We had hiked a lot farther than we had planned but we couldn't leave the park without going to the Weeping Rock so we dragged ourselves up to it. Needless to say we all slept really good. We hiked about a mile along the rim of Zion's and then hiked up to the start of the Narrows trail. It was so hot that day and poor Bart had to haul Sophie on his back the whole way. The next time that we go in the dead of summer we will just hike the Narrows trail with a picnic lunch and just play in the river. We didn't know this little secret of Zion's until it was late in the afternoon.

1st Day of Preschool
September 2010

We are so lucky this year because Ava is able to go the Rees Elementary Preschool. It has been great and she really enjoys it. (Mom really enjoys it also!) Sophie is still getting used to it. She walks around the house asking, "Where's Ayya?" It is getting less and less and I think she is starting to figure out that she can do whatever she wants instead of having an older sister boss her around.

Halloween

This was the best picture I could get of Sophie. She is really hard to get smiling in a picture these days because she moves around and my camera is so slow.

Sophie's 2nd Birthday
October 28, 2010

I hope she had a good birthday. We went to Trafalga in Lehi to celebrate. Ate cake and cupcakes and opened presents. She is into barbies so she got her own barbie, some lego's from Ava and lots of Play-dough.

Well I am back to where the last blog ended. I can't believe it has been a year already. My baby is two years old and reminds me all the time that she is getting older. She is constantly telling me "I do it". She is so much fun and I can't imagine my life without my girls. It is so much fun to see them get older.

My favorite new thing of Ava's is her new glasses. They are super cute and makes her look so grown up. My not so favorite thing of Ava is her bossiness. She is definitely an oldest child. My favorite new thing of Sophie is all the new words she says each day like "yep" whenever you ask her a question. My not so favorite thing is her learning to crawl out of her crib and come into our room 1-3 times a night.

All sugared out!

Well I am all partied out.  Now if I can just get rid of the Halloween candy while Ava isn't looking I will be very happy.  We have had such busy week.  On Tuesday it was my 30th birthday.  How time flies.  I didn't think I was that sad that I was turning 30 until that day and I was laying in bed and trying to decide if I was sick or not because I was so tired.  I felt like the friend on Ferris Beullar's day off and he is just laying in his bed depressed trying to talk himself into getting up.


Then on Wednesday it was Sophie's First Birthday.  This year has just flown by and I can't believe she is already one.  It just seems like she is still my little baby. We had a great time just staying home. I bought some balloons to play with, we had rainbow cake and opened presents. It was a lot of fun. Who knew that kids could be so entertained by some balloons on the floor but they loved them and chased them all over the house.





We finished off the week with Halloween. I am so glad that it is finally over. After birthdays and Halloween I feel like we have consumed enough candy for the whole year. This year I was pretty uncreative and just went to my sister's house and got some costumes that her kids couldn't fit in anymore. Ava kept saying she wanted to be all of the costumes so she actually was Snow White for the ward party, a cheerleader for her school party and then a care bear for the real deal (only because we talked her into it because it was the warmest).
Hope everyone had a great Halloween and had lots of fun.

Camping July 30-31 2009

Our summer is winding down and almost over but we were able to squeeze in one more mini trip camping.  We went camping at Lost Creek Reservoir in the Uintah's with Bart's family.  We had a great time during the day.  The one night we stayed was a nightmare with Sophie which I expected.  She was up most of the night because it was freezing and when she was asleep I was crazily awake listening for bears.  Needless to say I slept maybe 2 hours!  I'm not a good tent camper in my old age but Bart really wanted to go so we agreed to go for one night.  I decided I really do like to camp especially with Bart's family because they spoil us and cook great food  but I would  enjoy it a lot more if I could just figure out how to handle the nights better.

These moose came grazing through the campground both nights.  They were probably 30 feet from the road. 

Ava playing in Bart's Pontoon boat singing "Row your boat"

Ava fishing at Lost Creek Reservoir

Bart and Ava with her first fish ever.  She reeled it in by herself.  

Summer Lovin, had me a blast

I am tired of looking at the same blog posting so it is finally time to change.  We have been busy this last month traveling and just enjoying the summer.  We started the summer off with a family trip to San Diego.  We went to Sea World, San Diego Zoo, and Balboa Beach. It was a lot of fun.  The zoo was a lot of fun and I was amazed at how up and close a lot of the animals are.  Sea World was also tons of fun and enjoyed more by Bart and I then the kids.  They are just too young to realize how cool it is that a big old whale is doing tricks in the water. The beach was not as much fun as I had wished.  I would have loved to just sit on the beach and read my gossip magazine but with two kids it was more annoying than anything.  Sophie loved to play in the sand and wouldn't stay on the towel (no shocker there, I finally just gave up trying to keep her on the blanket) and Ava was a little afraid of the ocean after she got a face full of water so she decided to swim in the sand instead.  I was finding sand in both kids for a week and am still finding sand in the car.  The things we do for kids!

Our next vacation was on to Glendive, Montana to visit my parents who are on a mission there. We met the whole family there and spent the 4th of July with them. We stopped on our way up there and went to Yellowstone to break up the 13 hour drive. Yellowstone was great and I finally saw a bear there. I have been there a handful of times and have never seen a bear. This trip we actually saw two and a some wolves. After Yellowstone we went the rest of the way to Glendive which is clear on the East side of Montana in the Badlands. It was pretty much in no man's land but it was worth the trip to see my parents and spend time with my family. We were there over the 4th of July so we went to a parade and then the town has an event called the Bump and Run. It was hilarious, it was like a nascar car race on a dirt road mixed with a demolition derby. It was memorable to say the least. Here are just a few pics.

Here are just a few more things we have been up to this summer:

We said goodbye to Ava and Sophie's cousins before they moved to Holland

We've made several trips to parks

We've played way to much Guitar Hero

We've also been able to get out a little and go hiking at the Grotto in Payson Canyon

Well that is about it so far.   Summer is such a fun time and hope everyone else is enjoying there time.  

My Baby has teeth!!

I don't document things as much as I should but today my little baby has teeth.  She is almost 7 months old and the time has just flown by.  This morning at breakfast I thought that I saw some paper in her mouth since she is getting really good at getting paper these days so I finger swept and didn't find anything.  Then today at lunch I was feeding her and found two little bottom teeth poking out.  I couldn't believe it; she is growing up so fast.  She is already scooting all over the floor and getting into things and now two teeth.  I just couldn't resist posting a picture of her even though you can't see the teeth at all but she just looked so cute.  

I also couldn't resist posting a picture of Ava today at her quiet/nap time.  This is how she fell asleep.  I don't know if the picture does justice.  She has her backpack on with her moon boots and I think I even saw a couple of necklaces.  Oh she is funny!

                                                            

 

This is what she looks like when she is not sleeping.  

Ava is also getting so grown up and has been a lot of help these days.  The other day she told me she was ready to work in the yard and pull some weeds.  I had to laugh because that just means she is ready for Mom to work in the yard and pull weeds and she gets to play in the yard.  If I could really get her to pull some weeds for me I would be in heaven!

Not much else going on here.  We are getting excited for summer vacation and Bart having some time off of school.  We have lots of fun little trips planned and can't wait to just have some time together as a family.  

Ava's 3rd Birthday

Well I can't believe it but my little Ava Jo Jo is 3 years old.   She had so much fun at her birthday party and still is talking about it a week later.  Thank you for everyone that made the trip to celebrate with us.  We really appreciate it and always enjoy spending time with family.  

For her birthday we met at the park and had pizza and then went to Jumping Jacks.  I was surprised at how much fun it was there.  I even enjoyed the slides a little.

  

On Sunday we had cake and ice cream with just our little family.  I made a barbie cake for her and it was too unsteady to make the trip to her birthday party with the whole family so we ate it on Sunday.  I am going to post a picture of the dang cake to remind me next time how frustrated I get when I try to make homemade birthday cakes because it never turns out the way you want it to be.  But after about two cans of frosting, some sprinkles and meltdown from me it turned out pretty cute.  

Other than that our family has just been busy with day to day things.  I tried to take a picture of Sophie but none turned out that well except one.  She was moving so much they all turned out blurry.  She is now 5 months old.  She is rolling over and scooting herself on her back.  She is such a good baby and just smiles and talks at everyone especially Ava even though Ava is constantly picking on her and stealing her toys.  

So that is pretty much all our going on these days.  Now it is time to get excited for Spring and Summer.  Oh I can't wait to be able to play outside and go on walks with the kids.  Although it did snow today and I enjoyed seeing a blanket of white.  It sure makes everything so peaceful looking for a little bit.  

Best Valentine's Ever!

I have no pictures unfortunately but I think this Valentine's will be high on my list. I had to work on Valentine's Day so I wasn't really expecting to do much but Bart is the sweetest husband and made it such a good day. I walked into the house after working my 13 hours to find Ava and Sophie bathed and already in their PJ's. Then the table was set with beautiful flowers and chocolates. Bart made Chicken Parmesan with the whole works of bread, salad and Italian Soda's. It was so good and better than anything we could have gotten at a restauarant. We had such a nice low key dinner at home with the kids, I just loved every minute. It was so much better than trying to get a babysitter and wait for a table at a busy restaurant. The best part of the whole night was pulling in the garage after a long day and seeing the kids bathed and ready for bed. I could not have asked for a better present. Thank you Bart for all that you do for me and the kids. You are the best ever.