a play day

i don't often bring my camera when we go on walks or to the park, but there was a day in january where i did... and i'm glad because i got some great pictures. (you may notice some of these from the blog already).
i especially liked walking with Big Tex, Annie Oakley, and Cowgirl something (i confess, i forget what name afton was using! i should have blogged sooner, it was super-cute!)

 

rayna's been practicing on the monkey bars, she's really good at hanging, but she doesn't go very far yet--getting there!

 

silly kids on the slide!

love these kids!!!

the end of winter... cause yes, i'm really that far behind

a few pics from the 'end' of our winter, as the kids went back to school, enjoying our new christmas gifts. malachi is quite the engineer lately, he loves his new trains, and frequently wears the matching hat from grandma. which i love!

the girls had at least one dance party (and a few walks) with their new tutus from tia maggie, unfortunately the videos weren't really uploading, but they were cute :) evidentally i don't have any still shots of rayna, so use your imagination.

all the kids love the new trains, so much so, that we went out and bought a second set (when they were on sale of course), so there's really enough to cover the whole rug with some great different train avenues. and yes, malachi does occasionally change out of his pjs, though they are certainly his favorite, and when it's cold out i let him wear them a lot longer...

we even had one good snow day, so we went for a little walk while waiting for the school bus. there was just enough to attempt a snow angel and leave some fun footprints.

it tastes cold and wet.

and i really wanted to post this picture in hopes that aunt karyn checks the blog occasionally. we were so spoiled by her this christmas! thanks so much for the wonderful homemade gifts! i don't have a picture of rayna with her apron, but she loved hers too. and the quiet book is now a staple in our sunday bag :) for all three kids!

Fireworks: New Year's Eve, part 2

NEW YEAR'S EVE! finally, one of our favorite holidays of the year :) --clearly the love of that one comes from daddy's side of the family! after our lovely hike and our corresponding naps, we were ready to PARTY! and no one knows a late night party like afton and grandma w! so we played a bunch of silly games like 50 cents, doggy doggy who has your bone, hot potato and huckle buckle beanstock (afton had a list of 10 or 12 games she wanted to play, we didn't quite get to all of them, but i think we all had fun with those we did play). i didn't take any pictures there because i was too busy playing!

then we got ready for uncle matthew's 'game'

rayna's all ready to go out

and afton found out what we were going to do!!!

malachi heard something about crackers, so he went running to get the crackers from the kitchen (what a helpful boy! unfortunately, we didn' really need the wheat thins to shoot fireworks!)

then we all headed outside!

we had lots of little fireworks -though the noise was enough for malachi to head off to bed, and rayna watched the second half of the show from the kitchen window

a few were BIG!!!

afton found herself a safe comfy spot to snuggle in for the rest of the show!

then we went back in for the rest of the party! lots of noisemakers, crowns (which evidentally fell off amid the blowing of the noisemakers)

and grandma's crackers--the little ones with a prize inside. i timed this shot really well though, if i do say so myself, see the little bracelet by rayna's leg? it's in mid-air coming out of her popper!

good night all! (ps, note chi is mid-yawn--i guess the flash disturbed him?)

 

and in case any of you are amazed we let our kids stay up so late, they were all sound asleep by 10, even with all that going on :) and i think they really had a great time too! i know i did.

 

happy 2013 everyone!