Spring Break

I know I'm a few weeks behind, but better late than never. For Spring Break we drove the 20 hours to AZ with a 5 month old and a 4 year old. I thought it was going to be a disaster, but the girls were fantastic. Paige didn't make a peep the whole time (of course I fed her and changed her diaper before she got a chance to complain) and Hollyn kept herself busy with movies and toys. Dan drove the 20 hours straight without stopping overnight. It went by really fast, much faster than the trip home. We actually had to stop on the way home because we lost 2 hours and there was no way we were going to drive through the night.
While in AZ we enjoyed every bit of sunshine and warmth we could. We went swimming several times at Val Vista Lakes, thanks to a friend of my mom's. Hollyn got plenty of cousin time and we were even able to see a few friends, not as many as we would have like too. Sorry for those of you we missed. We thought we were going to stay until Saturday, but decided at the last minute to leave Friday. We had a great time, and can't wait to go back for the summer. Thanks mom and dad for letting us stay with you. I forgot to mention that we surprised them. Hollyn and I walked in the garage door at 11 pm and the look on my mom's face and the scream from her mouth was well worth keeping it from them. Thanks Pat and Charlie for planning so many fun things with the cousins, Hollyn had a blast. We love you guys and will see you in 5 weeks.

Gymnastics and Crazy Paige

For those of you who know Hollyn, know she loves to dance and sing, but recently we discovered something else she loves to do gymnastics. I talked her into doing a gymnastics class because she has taken the same dance class at the Y twice. After a little bribing on my part she decided to try it out and loved it. She is actually really good at it too. As good as you can be for a four year old. Her favorite part is the bars and balance beam. So, my daughter has picked another skill that I know nothing about. Hopefully Paige will want to play a sport that I have some ability in. As for our crazy little Paige, we finally started her on solids, rice cereal. She likes it okay, but I think she is trying to get use to the texture. We recently got Paige a Bumbo chair which she loves to sit it. One day when I put her in it I watched her get out of it. As you can see from the picture she arches sideways and then rolls out. I guess she won't be sitting up at the table anymore. She is going to give Dan and I a run for our money.

Going Private Again

So, as many of you have noticed that I unprivatized my blog. And no I don't think that is really a word, I'm pretty sure I just made it up. Any how, if you have already been invited to view the blog privately you will be invited again, because I have your email down. For those of you who I don't have an email for, or who view the blog and want to be on the email list let me know. Just send me a quick email and I will send you an invite. By the end of the week I will be going private again. Sorry for the inconvenience.
gerbear07@yahoo.com

Happy Valentine's Day!

We had, in my mind one of the best Valentine's Day. It started out with Hollyn and Paige both sleeping great. Then Dan staying home with the kids while I went to the gym. Next we went to brunch at a place in Omaha called Dixie Quicks. We saw it on the Food Network Channel and it was delicious. Then we walked around the mall for a while and got Hollyn some ice cream. (Yes, I know what you are thinking, we did take our kids with us and I think that's what made it so much fun) We left Omaha and then went to our friends home for home made pizza, bread sticks, salad, angel food cake, and a movie. The movie was awful but the food was delicious.
While I am talking about Valentine's Day I wanted to let my Valentine know how much I love him. I have the greatest husband. These are just a few reasons why I love him.
1. He works hard for our family every day
2. He's funny and always makes me laugh
3. He honors his priesthood
4. He's a great dad. I love the way he looks at the girls and he is so good with them.
5. He's ambitious.
6. He's good lookin
7. He's my best friend (I know it's cheesy but it's true)
8. He's athletic
9. I feel safe when he's around
10. He makes me want to be a better person.
These are just a few of the reasons why I love Dan. Below are a few of the pictures we gave Dan for V-Day. Thanks to my two friends Andrea and Becky for taking the pictures.

Beautiful Saturday

We had the most beautiful weather on Saturday. It was in the 60's which is amazing for this time of year in Lincoln. How better to take advantage of the day then to go to the park and then go out for ice cream. I couldn't believe how many people were at the park. It was as though everyone came out of hibernation. Too bad everyone will be going back into hibernation this weekend. With weather in the 20's going outside to play isn't much fun. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

To pierce or not to pierce, that is the question?

So, on Saturday we got Paige's ear's pierced. I know that I am in the minority when it comes to piercing my girl's ears so young. I completely understand why people wait to get their daughter's ears pierced until they are eight or until they want them pierced. I also understand that many people say that I am taking my daughter's free agency away. Here is my reasoning for piercing their ears so young.
1. I didn't get my ears pierced until I was 15 and it wasn't because my parents wouldn't let me. I was terrified to get them pierced. I was also terrified of them being ripped out when I was playing sports. (Yes, I was a big tom boy)
2. I wished my parents would have pierced them when I was a baby so that I wouldn't have had to go and be scared to get it done and then have to worry about applying the stuff on my ears three times a day and remembering to turn them.
3. Even though I was a tom boy I would have looked more feminine.
4. When I was bald for the first two years of my life I wouldn't have been called a boy so often.
So, there it is, my reasons for piercing the girls' ears. For those of you who think it's cruel to do this to an infant, I will just say that shots are so much worse than this. Especially the two month shots when they have to get four shots with two nurses on each leg doing two shots each. What we do as parents for health and beauty. Plus doesn't she look adorable!

Through the eyes of Hollyn

For Christmas Hollyn got a camera from her grandma and grandpa. It's a little Fisher Price Camera that you can drop, get wet, and anything else kids might do to it. She loves her camera and has been having fun taking pictures with it ever since. I love it too, because she doesn't ask me to use my camera any more. I just wish I could figure out how to get the batteries to last longer. Any suggestions? Some of the pictures are random and some are really cute.