Happy Friday and 18 day countdown

To the end of this awful-horrible tax season.


But not to end on an awful-horrible note I have this little lovely gem for you.  He's quite the miracle baby - entered this world at 24 weeks and no amniotic fluid or lung development before birth...and yet here he is ready to take on this world...well maybe a little later.

March - in Review

 I'm doing the month in review (yes - I know it's not over ~wish it was~ so I'm doing it anyway).
First up Matt, the CPA, who was lucky enough to be born DURING tax season.  It's awesome - makes for a great birthday (please disregard the heavy sarcasm...I'm sure it will go away after April 17th - and no that's not a typo - just lucky enough to have 2 extra days added on to the tax deadline this year). **Given my current mood and stress level I should probably stop typing right now ~ but no...pressing on**

I was so proud of this gift - after 14 years I finally boxed up his shapka from his mission in Belarus (get it? "bela"Russia he...he..) 

We managed to race down to a spring training game - first time he has ever gone to one - it was fun and the field/facilities are awesome (especially the kettle cooked chili cheese chips :)

I have no idea what this is other than it will be priceless in a few years...

We went to the zoo and got sunburned over spring break

I entered my first ever bike ride/duathalon (encouraged by the man on the right who I call "Dan Dan the Crossfit Man".  He's one gnarly bike rider - he had finished the entire race (1.5m run/8.2 bike/2.5m run) somewhere in the middle of my bike ride! Yes.  He won.  Yes I was a wreck the week before - asking myself why I felt possessed to do something so dumb when I had only bought a bike one month prior - and had only ridden that bike a few times before the race.  It was similar to childbirth - the beforehand was crazy but the after was awesome.  I achieved my 2 goals for the race: 1) not to crash and 2) not to have to walk my bike up heartbreak hill.  So Saturday we went from this weather...

TO THIS!
Seriously - Prescott is awesome...shorts and sunburn to snow and snow day (the first day back from spring break)

Ella doesn't really care for the snow - and her wardrobe choices...who dresses this kid? 

Ahhhh my little rascal

I think Tatum is having to much fun...do you think she's enjoying her role as torture chamber operator?

Ride is over.

Tricked ya.

Thank heavens for Lynn and her desire to sit at the top of the hill and watch the mayhem that ensued.

 

Jacob wins for best facial expressions and wipeouts

I loved it when the sun came out - the color is awesome - this is the best time to have a camera!

Did I mention that our sled hill rode right into a sludge pond? The kids had to be careful to stop BEFORE they hit the sludge...

  

Because that is a sledding trip ENDER.

After 85 days of having their room signed off - the boys are getting it re-done...stay tuned.

Miss Amanda K. - Yuma Senior Photography

Little Miss Amanda K has been groomed for photos ever since she was 2 years old and her big cousin Tia bought her a little leopard dress and took her to have her photos done.  She curled her hair and probably slipped a little lip gloss on her lips too - and of course coached her on all the poses she had up her sleeve.  Tia was with us in spirit as we had a photo tour of Yuma and ended up in her front yard - honestly I could've taken her pictures in front of a garbage can and she would have made it look lovely.  I had fun playing around with the sunlight & flare (and the fire-flame - thank you Sabra for that idea years ago) - and Ella had a good time playing around with Amanda's heels.

  

She can give the piano a nice "work-over"...

I'm so glad she took her heels off for a second so I could squash my midget feelings - if only for a second.  Ella wasted no time of grabbing hold of those babies...

The Jessica Alba look-a-like is totally wigging me out!

She's got a killer spike...

 

 

 

Inside joke :) I told her to walk back across the street ... to her house.

 

Yes - she can reach the top of the trees

In case you were wondering how tall...

We had a great time - living vicariously through Amanda (our baby in the family).  She is a beautiful, confident young woman who is destined for great things (especially if they're "TALL" great things).