Muggles, Hippogrifths, and Hogwarts

We love a good surprise and we especially love surprising the kids.
They had been dying to go to Harry Potter's Wizarding World, and by dying I mean driving us CAH-RAY-ZEE!

So Joey and I decided that on a beautiful Saturday there was nothing we would rather do than go to Costco...or that's what we told the kids.
Needless to say they were super duper excited when they saw they would be doing something other than eating samples (I personally don't think it gets better than a Costco sample in each hand!).

On their way to see their future school...

Whoop, there it is!

Platform 9 3/4. Glad we didn't miss the train.

Be still my Wizard loving heart.

Perfect little squib baby in a non-magical stroller.

Flying with the Hippogrifths...

Loving on some Rita in Dr. Suess land...

These two are best of friends...

Good job Universal on Harry Potter World.
If only the rest of the park could be as nice.
Sorry, I am a Disney snob.
Jello can never be creme brulee.

How Rita Pita Does One

My sweetest Pita face turned one on January 10th.
She is our sweet baby girl and we could not love her anymore. Seriously. This girl is wrapped around everyone's finger in our house.

She loves her mama and she still loves to nurse. She loves her two fingers to suck on and she loves to have her other free hand down my shirt...it's like a pocket. She loves to horse around on her dad and use him as a jungle gym. She eats like a maniac and knows Rocky will take anything she doesn't want. She likes Fresh Beat Band and Yo Gabba Gabba. Her sister can ALWAYS make her smile. Her brothers have to have her give kisses and wave bye-bye every night or else they're sad. If she sees the front door opened at all she wants to go outside to play or go on a walk to the Clarks. She is a mild sweetie and has let me take a whole shower and do make up while she sat watching TV. She loves taking a bath in the sink and drinking the water. She's a professional dumper and will empty any purse or bag in seconds. She does not like to sit in shopping carts unless she is eating or has a toy to play with. She's my Rita Pita, my peach face, pumpkin head, and the caboose on the Snider train.
WE LOVE HER.

On her birthday we went to the only place happy enough to lift me out of my deep depression that she was turning one...
DISNEY!

She had a great time! She saw how HA-UGE a Clydesdale is.

She went on the carousel and pretended she was on that Clydesdale...

She met her favorite characters (okay, well, my favorite characters)...
She watched the birds...
and she felt as free as a bird standing all by herself...
She met Mickey face to face...
and LOVED every minute of him...
She went to the candy store...
and well, acted like a kid in a candy store...
We partied hard later on with our family...
Things started out pretty neat and tidy...
and then Pandora's box was opened...
She ended up crowning herself Best One Year Old Ever!and we agree.

Never Grow Up

My kids just keep getting bigger and bigger.
Thumbs down.

Crazy Cousins

Aleksi came into town for the holidays and stayed a night at our house with Max and Cassie.
I love them. So much.
They make us so happy when they are here.
Enough said.

Aleksi and Cynthia (who came down with Max and just might be one of the funniest people I know)...

Max...it was late...and cold...and we were delirious...

Cassie can not take a bad picture, no matter the time, or circumstance.

Look at this guy! Could he be any cuter?!
He will be leaving for his mission sometime this Summer or Fall.
Oh, what will we do without him???

And this is why we love him! Because he does stuff like build Legos with the boys...

And draws lightening scars on foreheads...
We love Aleksi, Mitchell, Cassie, and Max!!!

Christmas Auction

We celebrated Christmas on New Year's Day with my family. Such a good time!
My mom had the idea to do an auction instead of a gift exchange! And it was so much fun!
We all had play money and everyone came with an assortment of things, new, used, thrifted...whatever! And then we bid on all the items.
In the end we ended up with a Pampered Chef chopper and a Chick-Fil-A gift card. There were some really great things but Joey and I were holding out for the mystery items...we're risk takers like that.

Edesse, Emree, and Brynn couldn't love eachother more...

My little bro, Evan, the artist...

My Aunt Maria with Pita...

My parents spoil all the grandkids and give them whatever their heart desires...

Can't wait for the Auction next Christmas!

Emree's Big Ten Chop!

Emree decided last Summer that she wanted to chop her hair...I somehow managed to convince her to wait until her birthday! She had waited and waited and the day was finally here!

She had a sleepover with her two very best friends...

Her hair wouldn't normally be this long, but we decided to grow it out long enough to
donate it to the
Pink Heart Fund.
Some sick little girl or mama will be getting her luscious locks.

Our Nana Banana wouldn't have missed this day for anything!

And we had out Tias Chi Chi and Maria here too!

Emree getting ready to go!
My dear friend, Shelly, is an amazing stylist and was so nice to do the cut!

Here it is all ready to go!
Her hair was pretty thick so one big pony wasn't going to be a good idea!
So she had three cute ponies!

No turning back now!

One down!! Two more to go!!

Emree was DY-ING!!
I was in shock at this point and could only snap away.

A lock for each friend...
Shelly cleaning it up...
Emree wanted it just like her American Girl doll Nellie. A clean classic bob.
My cute short haired redhead!
She couldn't stop moving and shaking it...
It was a great day!
Happy 10th my sweet girl!!