Mexico in March

Here are a few more pictures from our trip to Mexico this month! It was a great time as always :) There were a few days that it was party cloudy and windy and the rest of the days were beautifully sunny!! 

Thankful for this wonderful family time that God has provided us with! 

Reece - 18 Months Old

Reece is 18 months already!  I feel like we just had his one year birthday party! 

Reece is currently a whopping 20 lbs 6 oz (5th percentile)  and 30.75 inches (6th percentile) tall. He takes one nap a day which usually starts around 1:00. He sleeps for 2-3 hours and has just started playing in his crib after his nap rather than instantly crying. He goes to bed between 7:00-8:00 pm and usually wakes up between 7:00-7:30 am. Reece still nurses three times a day.

This little guy is a boy of few words. He says hi, mama, dada, and nigh nigh that we can understand and pin point. He is good at jabbering and conversing but just not in a way that we understand yet. He understands a whole lot more than he says though. He can follow simple commands like "go find your shoe" and he runs to his booster any time we mention eating. He eats a whole lot for being so little but his favorites are waffles, dry cereal, banana, pear, Cutie, deli turkey and ham, peas, sweet potato, french fries, veggie straws, raisins, and Larabar. 

I think that all the attention that Reece has not been putting into talking he is putting into moving  around! He runs all over the place, climbs on any and everything, and can actually jump and get a little bit of air. He loves spinning in circles with his sister, throwing balls, and crawling around just for fun (especially if there is a crawling baby around).

Reece has always been and continues to be an affectionate and cuddly little guy. He loves laying his head on our shoulders when we are holding him - especially if he got hurt or is getting tired. He randomly will come up to us and give us a hug. He likes to be held and cuddled right after he wakes up. And he will often just hug a page of a book if he likes what is on it which is usually a picture of a baby or an animal. He will also do this with most toys especially if it is one he hasn't played with or seen before. 

As a newborn, Reece comforted and soothed himself by sucking on his arm near his elbow. He still does this while laying down or standing but without actually sucking his arm. He will just place that same part of his arm near his mouth with his hand on his upper forehead and hair. So he often looks like an elephant or Tim Tebow every time he needs soothing or is getting tired.

He loves being around people, animals, and things and getting their attention. He says "hi" whenever he sees a neighbor cat on our porch and every time he hears a dog bark. He puts his hand in the air and sort of coo grunts every time he hears an airplane or loud car go by. He will laugh if he hears other's laughing or cough when others cough around him. And he loves giving people a scrunchy faced smile which is just about the cutest thing. He has made many a stranger swoon :) I have had to apologize for him socially before too. He has been known to bring our guests their shoes and start waving bye bye to them when he is ready for them to leave the house.

Reece loves to play! He loves balloons, balls, toys that make noise or light up, and reading books. Some of his favorite books are "Usborne Slide and See Jungle," "Where is Baby's Bellybutton?" and "Numbers." But his absolute favorite way to play is with his sister. He is always near her when she is around him. They love riding the Plasma car together, running around the coffee table, trying on mom and dad's shoes, cooking in the play kitchen, and playing in the backyard. He seems to like Ember's toys more than his own but probably just for the reason that she plays with them and he wants to do what she is doing.

Reece also likes to play with and do some things that are not ideal.... like pulling the kitchen towels down every time he sees them, pushing the coffee table (with wheels) all over the living room, getting into Maci's water dish, and dumping out bins of toys just because it's fun. He is getting better at listening when we say "no touch" to something but is also starting to throw tantrums when he does not get his way. He will also hit when he is upset with what Ember, Mom, or Dad is doing. He quickly switches back and forth between being very dramatic one minute back to his cheesy-smiled sweet self the next.

He loves baths, running at the beach, swinging, giving Maci her treat, chasing bubbles, waking up Ember in the morning, helping Daddy brush his teeth, playing with a shovel and washing his hands. Reece loves walks either sitting in the stroller or walking on his own. He is not a big fan of long car rides, getting his diaper changed, and being told no.

Reece is such a perfect addition to our family and we all love him so! It is so amazing watching him grow and develop into who God created him to be. We love you Reece! 

Some other pictures from the last few months!

High Altitude Personal Training #2

We are praising God for allowing us to officially open our second HAPT location in Paradise Valley. As of January 30, 2017 we have been open for business! It has been a whirlwind of excitement and stress and we can't wait to see what God has planned for this facility! 

And we have loved seeing Daddy and Joey on TV multiple times! 

Ember turns 4!!

Ember is 4 years old!! It is amazing that every year it gets harder and harder to believe how big our girl is getting! And it is more and more amazing how God is shaping and forming her into a unique, personality-filled, beautiful little girl! 

Here are some pictures of the big 4 year old! 

Ember is now 30 lbs and 6 oz (13% for her age) and 38.25 inches tall (20% for her age). Ember is still sleeping in her toddler bed at night but now in a room all to herself in the new house. She has a quiet time every day where she usually just sings and plays well by herself. She takes a nap about 2 times a week. 

Ember is still very full of personality and very social. She is constantly talking to kids, adults, babies, herself, and to her toys. Ember is definitely an entertainer at heart. She is very particular with how she would like most things done. She is highly independent and assertive  marches to the beat of her own drum. She is usually super helpful and goes out of her way to do something nice for someone in the family or our friends. She can be very dramatic about the positive and negative things that happen in life and just has days where she wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. But this little girl makes life much more joyful and we are so blessed to watch her learn and grow.

Some of Ember's favorite things are preschool where she loves singing songs, doing centers, playing outside, making new friends, and the parties that they have for every holiday. She loves eating meals and some of her current favorite foods are eggs, pancakes, waffles, banana, berries, apple, hot dogs, mac n' cheese, "cold" sandwich, veggie straws, pretzels, cashews, Zuppa Tuscana soup, pizza, hamburger and fries, and mint chocolate. She loves going to parks, taking walks, The Summit, going to the movie theater or having a "Family Movie Night." She loves to go on any trip whether it be to Sedona, Phoenix, or Mexico. She loves going out to eat to a restaurant or going to someone's house for a play date or dinner. She loves to sing ALL THE TIME. Her current songs on repeat are "Amazing Grace," "Away in the Manger," "O Come, Emmanuel," "Hark the Harold Angels Sing," and "Thy Will be Done." She loves to go to "little church" and still loves to pray at mealtime. She loves Chick-Fil-A still as well. She enjoys wearing her apron and helping me cook whenever she can. She likes her "jobs" of putting her laundry away and sorting silverware. 

Some of her favorite things to play are games! She loves Feed the Woozle, Candy Land and Zingo. She also loves and is very talented at doing puzzles. She even got some 10+ pieces in Mommy and Daddy's 750 piece puzzle. There are so many games that she loves playing with Reece. They will run in circles around the dining room table giggling. She will be the waitress and Reece will be "Cook Cook" and he will hand her things to cook with from the play kitchen. Ember will also build things for Reece to knock over. Ember absolutely loves doing crafts. She loves tracing stencils, writing letters and words she knows, drawing pictures, cutting and gluing things, and making cards for people for almost any occasion imaginable or no occasion at all. She plays a game with Daddy called "Tickle Bridge" where she crawls under Daddy's legs and he tickles her. It is sometimes turned into "Cuddle Bridge." Ember loves playing Hide and Seek. She will often disappear for a few minutes and come back dressed in a princess dress and shoes. She also loves playing Super Hero and "saving" toys or Mommy and Daddy when we need rescued. She will also play church up on the catwalk and sing church songs (Reece is usually the pastor).  

There are also some things that Ember dislikes and does not enjoy. She doesn't like being sick - when her nose just keeps running and running. She doesn't like water in her face or her toys or clothes getting dirty. She doesn't like sleeping with a night light anymore because of the "scary shadows" on the wall. And she isn't a fan of Reece messing up something she is building or doing.

Ember is not one who likes being alone. She constantly wants someone playing with her or just sitting near her while she does an activity. At night, once she is tucked in, she often calls up "Daddy/Mommy, come touch my fingers," and lays on the floor by the door with her fingers sticking out until we come up and lay down and touch her fingers back. She just wants to talk one last time before going to bed. 

Ember is an interesting combination of fearless and shy. She will sing "Amazing Grace" in front of her whole class for fun but then be afraid to try something new or be shy in a large group of people at first. She is very nurturing and motherly to other kids... especially those younger than her and especially Reece. She will help him if he needs help doing something. She will try and distract him if he is getting into trouble or hug him if he is hurt. She also needs reminding that she is his sister and not his mother as she tries to tell him what to do many times as well.

And let me tell you - this girl is silly and goofy! She says it is just the way God made her :) The names that she has for her toys are very unique (Baby Chee Chee, rainbow leopard, Tickle). And she will make up funny stories about jumping over signs and falling out of trees. She is also really great at goofy faces! Whenever we see a Silver Pilot on the road, she says "Silver Pilots Unite, woop woop!" (Her Daddy is responsible for that one)

Ember is very thoughtful and asks some great questions and makes some great observations. We have a thankful journal that we continually add to and it is becoming easier and easier for her to think of things. A few examples are "I'm thankful for the icicles that are pretty to look at" and "I'm thankful that the road is plowed so we don't get stuck."  It is also so fun to hear her perspective on why God does what he does. One day she said "I think God made it windy today so everyone could watch everything wiggle." It is inspiring to experience God through the eyes of a 4 year old. 

Ember will have us teary eyed from saying something sweet and tender one moment and the next moment be challenging our patience and grace. Through it all it is obvious she is truly beautifully and wonderfully made by God and we can't imagine our lives without our big 4 year old - Ember Renee.

This is Ember's birthday present

She wanted chia pudding with a candle in it for breakfast

The birthday girl on her new bike (that she still needs to grow into a little more)

We went to her favorite place today to play - The Summit

And then onto Chick-Fil-A for lunch

Ember's birthday celebration at Mima and Pappy's

Ember's 4 Year Interview:

Favorite color? Pink and purple

Favorite toy? Tickle and Reece

Favorite food? pancakes, macaroni, pizza, apple, veggie straws

A food you don't really like? Onion

Favorite thing to watch? Frozen

Favorite place to go? The Summit

Favorite book? "Where the Sidewalk Ends" and Jesus Storybook Bible

Favorite song? "Let it Go"

Favorite restaurant? Picasso's 

Favorite thing to do each day? Ride Plasma car

Favorite thing to do with Mommy? Play with Reece and play outside

Favorite thing to do with Daddy? Play Zingo together and play games

What makes you happy? When Daddy let's me go downstairs and get Pink Leopard if I forgot her

What is something scary? The thing in the entryway at Mima and Pappy's around Halloween and the mat that screams at Uncle Lee's house

What are you really good at? Preschool, driving the Plasma car, walking on the retaining wall without falling, putting the silverware and my laundry away, singing "Amazing Grace," "Hark the Herold Angels Sing," "Away in the Manger," and "Let me Call you Sweetheart"

Who is your best friend? Addi Mews, Evelyn Kayser , Evi Drayton, and Brynlee Trujillo

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a dentist, a nurse, and a mom

What do you think about before you fall asleep? That I want to go and say "Daddy, come touch my fingers" and then I actually do that.

House Update

We are absolutely praising God and loving our new home! 

The people who owned the house before us left us flowers and a sweet card saying they hope that we make as many good memories as they had made. It was so thoughtful! 

Here are a few pictures of the rooms that we have already finished completely. The rest of the rooms are still waiting for something to be done so hopefully pictures will come as they are finished!

The backyard and deck area:

The shed: 

Guest bath:

(Ally got me this beautiful art piece that is in the guest bath as well)

Ember's Room:

Reece's Room:

 (The decals were left and we decided to keep them!)

Kid's Bathroom: