Tumbleweed Park - February 5, 2009

We met our playgroup from Maricopa at this great park! It was modeled after a farm and mini city. All of the play equipment had animals, tractors, or a barn theme. We loved it so much we stayed for nearly 4 hours!
Savannah riding in the pig!

Anthony and Savannah going down the twin slides. They might as well be twins! They both love to climb, jump, run, explore and definitely have little fear of anything at all, which gives Meagan and me the daunting task of trying to keep them safe!

Driving the fire truck!

There was also a dinosaur excavating site. Savannah loved to walk up and down the back of this giant Gila Monster.

We're goin' to the zoo, zoo, zoo...How 'bout you, you you? - January 30, 2009

Sydney is mostly very patient in the stroller at the zoo. She likes to be outside and is such a good baby. She likes to keep moving though. If we stop for too long at an exhibit, she lets us know she wants to keep going!
Savannah and Anthony watch this enormous tortoise as he slowly moves toward the cactus the zoo keeper left for him to munch on. (Yes, cactus! We watched him bite into it, and it was super juicy on the inside. He seemed to love it.)

We posed for a picture in front of the bear pen. He was napping, so we took time to sit and rest and get a picture.

The goats and the carousel were the big hit at the zoo. Savannah has finally advanced from the bench to riding on an animal (well, she only rides on the horse, nothing else will do). She and Anthony love the carousel...even though Anthony looks like he is trying to escape....he had a great time!

Goats Galore!

I was a bit surprised to see how brave Savannah was with the goats at the petting zoo (Phoenix Zoo) - she got close and then she even got nose-to-nose with this goat!

Look at that grin! Savannah REALLY loved the goats! She had so much fun following them around.

The zoo provides hand brushes for the kids to use. Here is Savannah giving this lazy goat a good brush. What a beauty! (The goat looks good too.)
Mom, Savannah & Sydney loved the goats. Sydney just watched, but Mom and Savannah brushed, groomed, followed and pet the goats.

Wii Fit...LOVE IT!!! - January 21, 2009

I got a Wii Fit for my birthday in October...Grandpa Glenn found it for me at a store in Utah and they brought it to us when they came to visit at Christmas. We LOVE it! Joe is trying to teach Savannah how to ski jump!
Savannah is getting better each time she tries to do step aerobics or ski. It is so cute to watch her try and be such a big girl and excercise like mom and dad.

Jello Jigglers! - January 20, 2009

We made jigglers for the first time. Savannah had to take a bite of each different shape just to see if they all tasted the same! She didn't eat much, surprise...surprise! but she had fun anyway.

Spaghetti & swings...Two of our favorite things! - January 15, 2009

This is Sydney's first venture with spaghetti noodles. She loves them. She even slurps the whole noodle into her mouth! It is funny to watch!

Sydney really does smile!? (Just not when I am taking a picture. She is always trying to figure out what I am doing with that weird camera thing!)
Savannah loves to slide too. She usually walks up the slide rather than climbing up the ladder.

We go out back almost everyday and the girls love to swing! And yes, I am one of those moms that likes to dress my girls in matching outfits. Here they are in pink heart shirts from Grandma Parker. So cute!

Leaves! - January 10, 2009

Joe and Savannah had a great time playing in the leaves! We have a huge tree in our back yard that drops a ton of leaves. Joe is so good to let Savannah "help" and she loved being thrown into the pile and stomping the leaves down in the recycle bin.Look closely! Savannah is in the middle of that big pile of leaves!

Hangin' Out with Friends - January 8, 2009

Anthony is one of Savannah's best friends...they are only 3 days apart (Anthony is older) He lives in Maricopa and came to play at our house. Here they are sharing the glider and Adrian and Sydney are sharing the baby swing. We are sure they are going to be best of friends too! (Especially if their Moms have anything to do with it!)

Piano concert by Savannah & Samuel - January 3, 2009

Savannah & Samuel are just 3 days apart in age. They get along great because Savannah is bossy, and Samuel is not! He & Miranda followed Savannah around and they played together all day.

Grandpa! - January 1, 2009

Grandpa is so good to read and play with the kids. They love him and crawl on him. He tickles them and makes them laugh! They always want him to toss them on the couch - they wear him out!

New Year's Eve - December 31, 2008

On New Year's Eve when the little ones were in bed, we played the "Signs" game. It was so fun and we got Joe giggling so hard that he fell to the ground laughing! That is a rare occasion and everyone in my family was a witness!

We had such fun playing outside with cousins. Savannah even remembered Miranda & Samuel from when we visited Utah in August. They were quick to get a long and played together great! We love to swing!
James got back from his mission to Russia in mid December. It was so fun to see him again and see how mature and grown up he is! Here he is holding Sydney so that she would be happy!

Christmas w/Parkers - December 30, 2008

Grandpa & Grandma Parker gave Savannah a ride-on rocking horse. It neighs, trots and sings a song. She loves it! She is really into horses! She also loves the princess and fairy dress-ups that the Fredericks gave her. She is really styling as she rides her horse in her new get-up!
Grandma Parker always makes something fun for us. This year she made each of the girls a pillowcase with their name on it. So cute!My family came to visit for New Year's! It was so fun to have them come. There were 14 of us staying at our house....we were a bit squished but it was lots of fun. The weather was beautiful (70's) and we shopped, played games, tennis, watched movies and enjoyed being together.

Grandma Parker
Jesslyn - age 14

Nick & Julie

Miranda - age 4

Samuel - age 2 1/2

Laundry basket ride - December 27, 2008

Savannah loves to take a ride back and forth and in circles on the tile in a laundry basket. Sydney is not quite sure what she is supposed to do in there and if she likes it or not!

The Resort - December 26, 2008

Joe's parents and sister stayed at a local resort in Scottsdale when they came to visit. Savannah stayed outside with grandpa and had snacks and watched people, animals and the weather!
Joe took Savannah swimming, yes, swimming! The pool was heated, but the outdoors were not! It was in the 60s that day....BURRRR!

Savannah and Dad were so cold they jumped into a warm jetted bath after their cold walk from the pool to the condo. Savannah loved it so much, she didn't want to get out. Next time we will let her swim in the tub instead!

Christmas Day! - December 25, 2008

Before we opened gifts, we told the Natvity story and Savannah put all of the animals and people in their proper place by the manger.
Then we had a special visitor! Santa came to our house! Sydney sat on his lap and was not sure what to think. Savannah would not go near Santa (again!). But we were happy he took time to come and visit us!

Of course, Sydney loved the wrapping paper more than the presents!

Sydney loved everything, especially if it was colorful and easy to taste!

Of all the gifts Savannah got, she liked her set of $5 horses the best! She even had to have them on her tray as she ate lunch. We should have just gotten her those and she would have been happy!

Christmas Eve - December 24, 2008

Savannah and Sydney opening their one gift on Christmas Eve...Pajamas!

Sydney loving the wrapping paper....it tastes so good and makes fun noises!

Phoenix Zoo w/Glenn's - December 22, 2008

Savannah has two favorite activities at the zoo...riding the carousel and touching the sting rays.
Jana, Sydney, Joe, Grandpa Glenn, Savannah, Aunt Anna and Grandma Glenn

Sleeping Sydney!

It will always be remembered: We were all watching in awe as the tiger was up high in the tree...Savannah exclaimed "oh!" in surprise as he jumped up into the tree and out popped her blue binki and plopped right into the tiger's pen. He saw it fall and immediately jumped down from the tree. Then he climbed down the hill and proceeded to the binki. Sniffing and chewing it and then he swallowed it! At first Savannah was horrified!!! But after everyone had laughed about it, she was okay with it too. To this day she still tells the story of how the tiger came out of the tree to eat her bink!

Touching the "ray, rays" with Aunt Anna.