Well, the kids are growing crazy fast and sometimes I feel like I am missing out! It is hard to have to go to work and leave their smiling faces and sticky hands and whiny voices. I just have to know that I'm doing what is best for them right now. Adam has gotten a few jobs coming up and it was a long winter but we can see good things to come. I am thankful for the job I have and the opportunities it brings me and my family.

The kids...where do I begin? Their days are filled with dramatic highs and lows, kisses and cuddles, laughs and cries, falls and bumps, singing and joking! They are best buddies and love doing everything together. Aspen copies Oakley and tries to keep up with whatever it is he's doing! She is talking very well now and it didn't start with words, but phrases! She seemed to go from babbling to talking overnight! She has cute baby accents and I hope she says them for awhile to come..."I hungy", "I wuv oooo" "Duh-Dye" (I hungry, I love you, Buh-bye) She is becoming quite the Daddy's girl and sometimes that is hard on Mommy!

She still has a fascination with shoes...she loves ALL shoes and boots, heels, slippers, anything that goes on the feet. Same for hats, in fact we just call her the accessorizer sometimes! She loves to make messes and pull everything out of the toy totes downstairs. She sings and dances at the library story hour and listens to music in her room at night (Beethoven) and sings in the morning to herself when she wakes up. She still is and has always been my good little eater. She loves all fruit, vegetables, and anything healthy. She is healthy and happy and I'm so thankful for that! She recently started sucking her first finger when she had a little cut on her normally favorite thumb, even though it has since healed, she has gone from a thimb-sucker to a first-finger-sucker!

My little happy Appy! I can't believe she is 2! We had a great Birthday Party with lots of friends, big and small! About 25 people in all. We had lots of food, punch, presents, and fun! We are so thankful for the close friends we have out here that are like family to us! They all came to share in the fun and we even had good weather. Aspen loved being a princess in her tu-tu all day! My little Valentine!

Oakley is such an articulate, thoughtful, happy little boy. He loves to read books, play school with flashcards, play on his 4-wheeler, and get into everything! He will solve mysteries, play "kittys" with Aspen, help me in the kitchen, help Adam in the yard with tools. He is well-rounded and very inquisitive. He loves expanding his vocabulary and often uses big words he hears on tv or Adam & I say. He cracks us up! He loves telling jokes and has come up with several on his own! He is am improver and we think he gets that from his Grandma Nette!

He is potty-trained but still loves to be rewarded for his "duties". He plays well with other kids, surprises people all the time with his age because he acts, sounds, and often has the vocabulary and maturity level of a 5 year-old! He can be quick to react, though (can't imagine where he gets that from!) and loves to try and discipline Aspen. He keeps us on our toes and we almost shed a tear last week when we left him in his first big boy class at Sunday School. He is growing up so fast and we are so proud of him. He is always heathy and super happy (except he hates nap time!) and we are so grateful for that!