Pappa and Grandma Elson

About three days after Diana left, my parents came to visit. Having them here was amazing. It helped us not be too sad over Diana leaving, it gave us new ears to talk to, it gave us an excuse to explore Phoenix, and it gave Kelsey and Madison even more QT time with grandparents. I was worried that they would be shy with my parents, but Kelsey was so excited to see them and after a few days Madison warmed right up too. I can't tell you how many times I was absolutely invisible during the day. I'm used to being invisible when Ethan is home, but to be invisible during the day too? It was actually kind of wonderful.

The first full day here we took my parents to the State Capitol, went to Churn and Joy Ride, and spent "quiet time" learning how to sew. That evening my mom and I also went shopping where I broke down because I was so happy that my parents had come. I didn't realize that I was so emotional/lonely for family. It was wonderful to have them here. 

The capital was amazing. They had a memorial for every war and other related things like police dogs, firefighters, and policemen. It was unbelievable. Definitely a must see in Phoenix. 

My favorite memorial was the tribute to the USS Arizona that sunk in Pearl Harbor

This was the actual anchor on the ship

 There were so many fun things about this memorial that I can't really remember. Some of the details that I do remember include things like the memorial is the actual size of the ship, every 1 inch sidewalk slat equals 10,000 people killed in the war, and the guns were the guns on the ship. A very neat memorial.

Once we made it inside the capitol there were even more museums to explore. We had to hurry through these because the girls were starting to want to run, but they were neat all the same.

 

 

"Okay girls, smile. Girls look at me. Kelsey stop holding Madison. Madison sit still. Girls!!" Ta Da! 

 Inside the capitol they had a voting section where Kelsey proceeded to practice her talk that she was going to give on Sunday. Unfortunately the practicing did not pay off becasue she got really nervous on Sunday, but it was very cute at the time. 

At Churn my dad was allowed to give Madison ice cream and she HATED it! She was personally offended that she gave it to her. 

 This may be one of my favorite pictures of all time.

The next day we went to Scottsdale to see the McCormick train park. It was adorable! There was a miniature train museum, a train and a carousel.

Kelsey using her binoculars on the train ride

 

After evertyhing, we played at the park while we decided what to do for lunch. Ultimately we decided just to go home for lunch but the girls got some serious play time in with Papa and Grandma. 

This picture made me laugh so hard. My parents are so wonderful and tried to be so helpful with the car seats, but the car seats are very tricky. I just had to take this picture becasue it so accurately described pretty much every time they tried to help. !#@%#@$ car seats! 

 That evening, we had "quiet time" with more sewing, chatted,  ate outside, roasted s'mores, played games, and played with the selfie stick.

 Friday was Madison's birthday but it was also the day that we were leaving for the Grand Canyon. We had a lot to do so Madison's birthday kind of got pushed to Sunday. It was a busy day with tons of errands, but with my parents help I was able to do a lot of the errands by myself.  While I was gone, they took Kelsey on a bike ride around the golf course and then to the park where she learned the Swinging Song. When I got home, Kelsey asked me to leave again so she could be babysat.

 The weekend was Grand Canyon fun and Madison's birthday and then it was Monday. We were all losing a bit of steam in our adventures so a trip to IKEA and Sams Club sounds just right.When we got home, we spent the afternoon playing with toys, touring Avondale, , sewing aprons, and playing with the girls. We had a list about a mile long of things to see while my parents were here, and naturally only did about 3 of the tings. We all knew we couldn't do everything but we tried really hard! side note: while my dad was here we ate grapefruit from Aunt Kays tree every morning. It was delicious. Second side note: I hit 120 golf balls while my parents were here!! It was a big day!

The last full day that they were here we went back downtown just in the morning to visit the Wells Fargo Museum and the Police Museum. Again AWESOME! Phoenix has some really great things.
Kelsey really wanted to have a picnic so we went back to the capital park and had a picnic where Kelsey chased pigeons and Madison played in the dirt. It was a perfect afternoon.

 

 

 The Wells Fargo Museum had this free carriage that the kids could ride. It was so jerky and old and hilarious which made it a perfect fit for kids.

The museum was really fun. There was an old fashion store, a piece of "gold" to play with, an old movie theater, stage coaches, and a place where you could put your face on money. For as small as it was, we spent a lot of time there.

 

Madison kept taking her shoes off in the car and then we would lose them. The day we went she had to wear her church shoes which aren't the best of walking so the whole time we were at the museum she was trying to take them off. It was kind of funny. Natural consequences babe (I'll explain it to you when you are older)

 The Police Museum

I don't think anyone was very sorry for breaking the rules...

 The museum had a room for fallen policeman from the Phoenix area. It was a beautiful tribute

 

 

Unfortunately, Wednesday came and my parents had to leave. I was able to hold it together while they help get all the rooms back in order and for the drive to the airport, but once they were out of sight and we were driving away, I lost it again. I missed the turn and had to circle the airport actually. It was so much fun having my parents here. February really was just amazing. After a good cry and the drive back home, I remembered how good life is and was then just grateful that we had such a great few weeks with some many visitors. We have so much to look forward too, many friends, and a great family (even if they don't live close). I say it a lot, but I am just so grateful for parents who make the time to come visit us. We have the best family in the whole world. 

Madison the One year old

Madison turned one on February 19th. I have put off writing this post for two months now because I wanted to do it absolutely perfect. I finally excepted that I can't do it perfect and its just time to write. I guess this was my attempt to capture every little detail about one year old Madison and hopefully slow down her growing up so fast.  It's not working so I better get to work.

Due to time,  I am going to do bullet points. Hopefully that way I can actually capture something for sweet Rooster.

Basically I love everything about Madison. I love her little personality and love that I get to be around to watch her everyday. What a blessing she is in our lives.

~Madison LOVES technology. I mean LOVES technology. She is always fighting for our phones becasue she wants to take selfies. She loves to swipe the pictures too. I can't really get her to watch TV but she loves anything computer related
 ~ Madison crinkles her nose all the time, mostly when she is smiling at us or trying to be silly.
~ She has started "playing" with us. If we did or have done something that she tries to get us to understand how to continue. For example, she loves to be tickled. If she wants us to tickle her and essentially play with her, she will come up to us and throw her head back so her neck is exposed. Its adorable.
~ She pants when she is having fun
~ Madison loves to play tag. She "runs" in circles all the time thinking that she is running away from someone. We can't tell if she is "it" or if she is trying to get away, but regardless, she loves it.

~ Madison is so mobile. I hate to compare kids becasue they are two completely differently people, but seriously, this girl can move.
~ Anything Kelsey is doing Madison also wants to be doing.Kelsey has a little makeup table and so naturally Madison is always in it. She grabs the brushes and paints her face and goes "Awe"
~ Madison tries to dress herself by putting clothes on top of her shoulders and head
~ She LOVES necklaces. Anything that can fit on her head is a necklace. She gets really frustrated however when they get stuck in her ponytail as she tries to take them off.
~ Madison inhales berries of any kind
~ She loves to tease. She will purposely take things that she knows people are using and run away laughing
~ She loves Mac and Cheese, string cheese, tomatoes, and berries. So much so that when she sees me put any of these things in the shopping cart she FLIPS out! She has personally eaten an entire container of blueberries before we got to the checkout. It is fist to face for like 3 whole minutes.
~ Madison loves Kelsey and copies anything she is doing

~ Madison loves her blankets more than I have ever seen anyone love anything. When it comes out of the wash it is like Christmas morning.
~ She loves to walk up and down stairs, including the steps from the house to the patio. She slides the door open and will step outside and back in, and step outside and back in.
~ Madison loves to dance and does so by clapping her hands
 ~Madison waves hello and goodbye, but does so like she is in a parade. Instead of a full hand side to side she like rotates her wrist.
~She says babababa for like everything

~ She blows kisses
~ She blows kisses when we say "what does a fishy say" and says woo woo woo when we say "what does a doggy say
~LOVES to climb
~ She gives really great hugs and cuddles and sometimes even pats our shoulders
~ Madison will bring me applesauce like 5 times a day so she can eat it
~ Madison hates milk
~ She is very wary of strangers which, unfortunately, included her dad for severl months. She has been forced to get over that one
~ She LOVES baths and being thrown on the bed
~ She hates getting changed and being buckled in her stroller
~Madison hates being alone. If she thinks she is alone, she will scream and start roaming the house until she finds someone. Our doors have an alarm on them and any time she hears that beep, beep, beep, she starts screaming.
~ She loves to read books especially Peek a Boo Blueberry. She brings me her books, and tries to climb into my lap so she can see it.
~ She loves Willy Wonka the song and raises her hands at the end as if she is saying HOORAY!!
~Madison is an amazing sleeper, a terrible eater, and loves to laugh
~ She doesn't smile easily but laughs at everything.

~When Madison does smile she softly snorts. Its not really snorting but more blowing air in and out of her nose really fast
~Madison wants me to hold her 24/7 and will come up to me and start going on her tippy toes with her arms stretched to the sky so that I will pick her up
~She loves straws and sippy cups. We had to force her to take bottles when she was younger
~Madison always tires to squeeze through cracks that are too small for her and she gets crazy frustrated.


~Madison is a terrible eater. She isn't picky, but she physically is a bad eater. She chokes all the time.
~ We decided to take away the binkie cold turkey and she handled it like a champ
~ She was a TERRIBLE teether. I mean, moaning, crying, whining, for three straight months. It really was terrible.
~You don't love sweets, hate to sit and watch tv, and dislike sand

 ~When Madison is really happy, she lifts up her chin and smiles
~If we hide behind a corner and pop out and say BOO she laughs and jumps back like 6 inches. Then she laughs hysterically and goes back for more. Its awesome. 
 ~ Madison hates leaving mom, even if it is for dad
~ She LOVES to walk. The second she figured out how to walk at 8 months, she has been a happier girl.


I'm sure I'll think of a million more things and forget a million others. Madison is awesome. She is so full of personality and just spunky. She knows what she wants and goes after it. She teases me and Kelsey, loves to play, doesn't want to be left behind, and is such a mamas girl. Madison is slow to smile but quick to laugh. She loves her blanky, sleeps like a champ, and hopefully someday will physically learn how to eat. We all love you so much Madison. I can't wait to watch you grow up. You fill our lives and home with such joy and laughter. You keep us on our toes. You are our wildcard and I love you so much for that! Love you Rooster.

Gramma Wing

On February 7th, Diana came to visit us! We had been looking forward to this day for a very long time and at long last it was upon us! Having Diana here was like a breathe of fresh air. I swear the first day I talked with out taking a breath for like 6 straight hours!! Apparently I had a lot to catch up on!
We were all a little nervous how things would work out as we were sharing out time with Aunt Kay, but it worked out beautifully. Diana rented a car so she had the freedom of traveling back and forth. She would  spend every day time with us and every evening with Aunt Kay. It was perfect.

While Diana was here we explored a lot of Scottsdale, drove around North Phoenix, explored Avondale, went to Claim Jumper,went to The Container Store, and of course talked and talked and talked and talked!It was so wonderful to have the extra set of hands to say the least. She read and played and took so much care of the girls. I felt kind of bad because although it was her vacation I was the one who felt like I was on vacation.

Downtown Scottsdale

There was a little drama thanks to a certain 1 year old in the group. The last night that Diana was here, we all went to Claim Jumper and it was literally the worst restaurant experience I have ever had with kids so far.   I don't remember if she was sick or getting teeth or what, but she literally screamed for 2 straight hours. SCREAMED! We all had to take turns sitting outside the restrurant while the others ate. Eventually, we threw in the towel, took our food to go and finished at home. Once we got home, Diana calmly helped get Kelsey into bed while I tried to talk myself down. I just get so spun up over the girls. After the screaming finally stopped we really did have a pleasant evening and were able to chat lots, but man oh man!

It was so much fun to see how much Kelsey loved being around Diana. She followed her everywhere and wanted her to read every book that we own. She even asked once if I would leave so that she could just be with Gramma.  I was nervous that she would be a little shy but she wasnt. It was so much fun. Madison on the other hand was a little skeptical at first but eventually warmed up. The last day she even went into the same room with Diana and played with her. Diana was so wonderful regardless of the girls moods. She just took everything in strides and only ever showed patience and love. I really have a lot to learn from her.

I am so grateful for the love and attention Diana and Robert give our kids. We don't live close, but we don't feel far. We feel very loved and thought of. I'm so grateful that we got to see Diana for a whole week. It was such a blessing to have her here and obviously, since I have become an emotional wreck in my old age, I cried and cried as she drove away. What can I say, I love my family! My girls really do have the best grandparents.

Ward Talent Show

Our ward had a talent show at the beginning of February. I was helping with the sign-ups in primary when I noticed that Ethan's name was on the list.

"I noticed you signed up for the talent show."
"Oh yeah. Cool huh?"
"Very cool. What are you going to do?"
"Magic. Obviously."

Obviously.
 Well I don't know if he could open a show in Vegas but it was a lot of fun. He practiced and practiced a certain card trick and got it to work several times on me (I still don't know his secret) but when he got up on stage he got a tad nervous. Something went wrong and so he didn't name the right card. But unlike most of us who would freak out, Ethan acted like getting the wrong card was part of the act. He played it off so well and turned it into a big joke. It was hilarious. I mean, people weren't rolling, but he had laughter for sure. I love Ethan for so many reasons, but his ability to keep his cool and play things off is definitely at the top of the list. He just knows how to go with the flow and help people feel comfortable. This was one of those times. It was a lot of fun to watch.

Valentines Day

Valentines Day this year was a little lack luster. Actually Valentines Day every year is a little lack luster, but I still love it. Its just a fun  excuse to give gifts to people and eat sweets.  I remember growing up Valentines day was never about "love" in the boyfriend/girlfriend way. My mom was real cute about making it about "love" in any sense of the word. Love your neighbor, mom, dad, siblings, children, friends who ever. It always made Valentines Day really fun for me. Even as I got older Valentines Day was a fun excuse to do things for other people. That being said, I never doing anything big but we make sure to always do something.

This year since we celebrated Valentines Day with a Aunt Kay. We decorated cookies, ate a delicious meal outside, roasted marshmallows, picked grapefruit, and exchanged valentines. Valentines Day is always fun but I have to say being able to eat outside makes it so much better.

 A few Valentines Day family selfies

A little Valentines Day rough and tumble

 This year I also hosted my first Galentines Day. It was so much fun. Leslie Knope really knew what she was talking about. Unfortunately I didn't have time to complete a scrapbook for everyone and didn't provide waffles but I still think everyone had a really good time. KaMili Bunn, Leslie Coleman, Amberly Mallinger, Sammara Starchman, Andrea Madsen, and Kalei Milton were able to come.

Valentines Party

I was in charge of the preschool Valentines party and it was a smashing hit. Luckily Edie planned all the games and activities becasue I was not feeling it this time. I am a little partied out.
Here are some of the fun things that we did:
Exchange valentines
Pin the heart on the bear
Balloon toss
Valentine Heart walk (like a cake walk)
Decorate Valentines
Play tag outside
Usher ABC dance
Decorate Valentine cookies

Its no surprise, but I am also in charge of the Easter party for school (just the way the calendar falls) but I am doing it way different. Shorter and somewhere other than my house. The kids had fun though so I guess that's a big part that matters.

I was in charge of the letter Q so we were quaking like a duck. Naturally it turned into the Mighty Ducks duck quack and I tried to embellish it as best as I could. They couldn't figure out why I loved it as much as I did. 

Mardi Gras Arizona Style

While living in Provo Virginia and Scott Barrett invited us to a Mardi Gras party the week before Madison was born. They had a crab boil, beads, masks, a Mardi Gras game, and King Cake. They had lived in New Orleans for a couple of years before they moved to Provo so they decided to share their tradition with us.
We had so much fun at that party, that we decided to try to do it again this year. I don't know much about Mardi Gras so I don't know when you are officially supposed to celebrate but we did everything on the day of Mardi Gras. It was a lot of fun. Nothing fancy, just something different to shake things up. Unfortunately the King Cake didn't happen so no one found the baby Jesus, but there's always next year.

Not to toot my own horn, but the boil turned out delicious! I couldn't find corn on the cob anywhere so that was a bummer but everything else was amazing! 

Kelsey decided to sport a more liberal Mardi Gras look while Ethan and I decided to sport a more conservative look.  Just keeping it real