Best year.

Hard to believe sweet Benson has been with us for one year!
Best year of my life so far.
It wasn't the best year because life has been perfect.
(In fact, if I'm being honest, lots of things about this year have been really difficult!)
It was the best year because I got to spend it with this little man and his two siblings.
I'm so blessed to have three healthy kids.

The fact that they are this cute is just a bonus.

While I'm on the subject of blessings - that man holding Benson.

BEST. DAD. EVER.

(and I'm a sucker for that dimple in his cheek . . . just sayin)

Happy birthday little Benson.
We love you and your sweet personality.

my girl is five

Lily is FIVE!

We're pretty stingy with birthday parties around here.

You only get a "friend party" when you turn 5, 8, 12, 16.

Lily had her party a few days before her actual birthday.

She wanted a "rainbow/art" theme, since she loves to do art projects.

First of all I have to say "thanks" to this beautiful sis-in-law of mine for taking pictures for me during the party.

I'm REALLY sad that she moves to Germany today.

Like, REALLY sad.

Having her here in town all summer kind of spoiled me.

We started with Mimi leading the girls in the "chicken dance".

Mimi was SO helpful at the party.

I was so glad to have both she and my Mom helping me out!

The Aunt Lara lead the girls in the peanut butter song.

I read them a story about rainbows.

Lily loves a good story.

She's gonna love kindergarten.

We decorated cookies with all different colors of icing.

Mimi painted rainbows on their faces.

This was the only boy who was invited to the party.

Lucky guy.

We had a pinata...

we had cupcakes...

eating the cupcakes . . . Cannon looking pretty comfortable in the middle of all the ladies . . .

and finally - opening presents!

What a fun party it was.

Glad I don't have to plan another one until Cannon turns five in two years.

Can't believe little Benson is turning one in a month!

first

Little B had his first sucker at Lily's birthday party today.

See that death grip?

He wasn't lettin' go.

More to come on Lily's Rainbow party.

Spiderman is three

Spiderman turned three this month, and I'm just getting around to blogging it!

We had a party with cousins.

The kids had a blast.

Cannon loved playing at the park.

We went to one in Mesa that we don't go to very often.

Cannon would only stop playing long enough to open two of his presents.

Aunt Kristi gave Cannon this LEGIT spidey mask.

And we gave him the batman he is clutching in the picture below.

We had to open the rest of the presents the day after his party.

Thanks everyone for all of the fun gifts!

We enjoyed some ugly blue/red spiderman cupcakes that the kids thought were AWESOME.

Cannon inhaled his.

Literally.

He was sneezing red velvet out of those nostrils for a few minutes.

My sweet Lily and I . . .

Our superhero family . . .

A few facts about Cannon at age three . . .

You ARE NOT potty trained.

You LOVE anything superhero.

You like climbing trees.

You love Benson & Lily.

You love vegetables.

You are good at giving hugs and kisses and telling your family you love them.

You like Bob the Builder.

You respond well to love & logic parenting.

You are loud.

You are a great sleeper.

You don't especially like haircuts, but you endure them so patiently.

You cowlicks are still out of control.

You are SWEET.

You like to laugh.

You are a tease.

We love you.

**thanks aunt kristi for photographing everything**

one - two - three

Cannon is turning THREE!

Growing so fast.

This little charmer is always telling me he loves me.

He also enjoys hitting my butt and saying "you're a hot mama"

I can't imagine where he learned that.

newborn

first birthday

second birthday

third birthday

to be continued . . .

holiday

What a fun holiday season!

We found out in the middle of November that my parents had sold their house in Missouri. They were scheduled to close on January 5th and move to Arizona!!

They bought a house here two years ago, so they will be moving into that house about 5 miles away from us.

That news was the best Christmas present we could imagine!

We decided that we wanted to head back to Missouri so I could see the house I grew up in one last time.

We were flying out on Christmas day so we had the kids open presents on Christmas eve morning.

Since we were leaving we talked to Santa and asked him to come early. He agreed.

It was fun watching the kiddos get so excited!

Here is a picture from the morning with Mimi & Papa (they stopped by for a quick visit).

Don't the kids smiles look so natural?

Here is Daddy putting together Lily's new "big girl bike".

Lily entertaining Benson while Daddy puts her bike together.

The next day we flew to Missouri and had Christmas with my family.

My Aunts/Uncles/Grandparents live about 2 1/2 hours from my hometown so we stayed the night there.

Great-Grandmother made these blankets for all of us.

When we got back to my hometown there was snow and the kids were so excited to play in it.

Luckily Uncle Chance aka "Super Uncle" was there to entertain them in the snow for a bit.

The kids had SO. MUCH. FUN. with Chance.

Here are a few shots of them decorating a gingerbread house with him.

My grandmother helping Cannon.

Let's be honest, he was more into eating than decorating.

We always laugh about this fake smile that Lily does, Chance has the imitation down pat!

Who can lay there and pretend they are dead the longest.

Best game ever.

The kids got pretty good at it.

I wish they would play that game for me.

Only for Uncle Chance.

My Aunt Ginny, and my grandparents came up for my birthday (I turned 31 and Dave turned 37 in December).

Great-Grandmother, Lily & Benson

Aunt Ginny and Mr. Benson. Poor little Benson had a rough trip.

He did ok the first few days, but by the end, he was ready to get home and get back into a routine.

We had so much fun in Missouri.

It was bittersweet to leave my house for the last time, but so fun to start a new chapter with my parents here in Arizona!!

My parents begged to drive from Missouri to Arizona with my older kiddos (yes, you read that right), so Nana, Poppy, Lily & Cannon arrive here in Arizona tomorrow!

Lily Dear

I love this girl.

She turned 4 a few days ago and we had a little family party for her tonight.

Swimming with cousins is always fun, especially in August.

Cannon is the daredevil of all daredevils in the pool.

Turn your head for ten seconds and he'll drown for sure.

It's really not scary at all.

Lily saw some purple cupcakes with red cherries on Max & Ruby and requested those for her birthday.

Trying to decide what to wish for . . .

Oh Lily dear, you are so loved!

You are smart.

You are caring.

You are sweet.

You are a great big sister.

Everyone who meets you loves you.

We are proud of you little Lou-Lou.

And . . . just for fun.

Here I am on my fourth birthday!

Happy Birthday!

his celebration

What a fun birthday Cannon had!

We started by meeting a couple of friends at Freestone Park for a little while.

Cannon was in heaven.

Here are a few pictures from Freestone.

Chilling in his ride.

Riding the train with Mommy.

He wears that hat everywhere right now.

Its always sideways or backwards because it's so big.

He has several that actually fit his head, but he prefers the BIG hat.

So cute, just chilling.

He's really into putting his hands in his pockets right now.

Here is Lily getting ready to ride the ferris wheel with her friend Ava.

After Freestone park, we took naps and headed to Mountain View Park his birthday party.

We kept it low key with just family, and it was perfect!

The kids played on the playground for an hour or so and then we played a couple of games.

I had assigned Mimi to be in charge of a couple of games and my favorite was "pin the nose on cannon".

Here he is laughing at the picture that Mimi made of him with no nose.

So cute!

Here are some of the cousins lined up waiting for their turn to pin on a nose!

The kids loved the game, and we decided we need to make it a birthday party tradition.

Great idea for a game Mimi!

After that we had dinner and then cupcakes!

Don't ask me what I was thinking with these.

They're pretty ugly.

I saw the "green velvet" cupcakes on Bakerella's website this week, and decided to try them.

And, well the yellow icing, and red dots, not sure what I was thinking there . . .

Here is Cannon blowing, or rather spitting out his two candles.

And, eating the ugly cupcake . . .

And finally, presents!

My favorite was this present from Lily.

She is getting really good at writing her name all by herself, and I couldn't help but take a picture of it!

Here he is in front of his presents, which sadly didn't get opened at the party because after he opened the cars that Lily gave him he didn't care about anything else!

We opened all of the presents later when we got home, with help from big sister, Lily.

Hope your birthday was wonderful little Cannon.

We love you to pieces and are enjoying watching you grow!