You be the judge... a smile or two for your opinion.

 Exactly the same age almost to the day- Violet and Annie are in my red dress.  Silly girls.  What odds to have them both hamming it up in the same photo op two year apart.  To me they look nothing alike.  Ollie is such a chub and Annie is the ultimate extravert.  I don't even think they look like they are in the same family.  What do you think?

Got a good one with the timer today after church!

GirlsX5

 Girls Girls Girls Girls Girls.   There were 5 girls between the two of us and all just barely 2 and under.  We braved lunch out on the town even. Needless to say, we had a fun day.  Annie adores the twins and Baby Emi.  We so wish they lived next door.  now THAT would be a dream!

Baby Violet is a sweet little thing and I feel we are starting to adjust.  We are not close to a routine yet, but we are discovering what works and what doesn't.  Baby V loves to have her diaper changed.  She loves being naked and taking baths.  She definitely cries the minute her diapers are wet, and she likes baby toys.  All of which is the complete opposite of Annie.  More than a few nights a week, she even wakes up less times than Annie.  Maybe our #2 will surprise us by being a mild child.  I'm getting about 5 hours of sleep a night and it seems like I could win Gold if nursing were an Olympic event.  This girl loves to eat!  It has begun to sink in that I get to have 2 little girls close together and I thrill with delight.  I even wheeled and dealed with Q to get him to build them a giant playhouse in our basement.  It's all so exciting. Life is good.  I have two girls, a hot hubby, and I can sit down without wincing.  Life is good.

 Can you guess who dressed Annie?

...And you should check out my awesome friend's photography biz.

She is the bomb-diggity.com and if you are lucky enough to schedule her, pay her whatever she asks.  We were so blessed to catch her in SGU again.  She photographed Annie as a baby and so we headed back to the same place to get some goodies of V.  Erika performs photography miracles.

See more HERE at Yellow Pear Blog and Photography.

only, those hippos are a lot more spry

My Nikon is AWOL. I left in it Hurricane before Easter and I haven't had the heart to post without photos ever since. I guess I still don't because now you're getting stuck with our family photos which were taken on March 15th way back when. I'm behind. I hate it. Busy with work and all that... Here's the catch up:

• We finally pulled the impossible triple threat: Forms ready, Q off work, and money to buy 10 yards of cement. Then it rained, and rained, and rained the entire day. No cement. We still have dirt dirt dirt. An acre of dirt. We are bleak and dismal round our parts. Plus, a spider almost ate Q when he was digging out the irrigation valves tonight. It seems all we do is work and never see any progress.

• It seems all we do is work. For the first time I caught myself on Monday looking at my students and willing myself not to run to my car immediately, drive home, and pick Annie up and never leave her. I have since had to keep reminding myself it is just the end of the school year, I am simply impossibly huge with baby, and I really can do this again next year.

• I am impossibly huge with baby. Conversation with an 8th grader this week: "I, Mrs. Hadley, like pizza." "We can SEE that Mrs. Hadley." "You now have an F for a week." You should see me try and teach dance on Mondays and Tuesdays. It's like those jumping hippos on Fantasia only, those hippos are a lot more spry.

See what I mean about the pigtails being a bad idea?
Anyway, going on my first trip without Annie tomorrow. There will be shopping.

Here We Are

Over Spring Break we had to take Annie to Salt Lake City to have a pediatric orthopedic surgeon check out her legs. The trip was super fun but Annie decided to enter her "NO!" stage at the exact moment we scheduled family photos. It did not go well. Here is a little preview. Note to self: pig tails are definitely NOT a recipe for success in photos. Also, bring back-up balloons just in case someone else walks into the studio with them and your kid thinks they've been ordered for her.

Happenings:

• Finished the clog competition!
• I have determined that Q is the most attractive man ever.
• DWA testing is complete!
• Agreed to work even more next year (?!?!?! What am I thinking!?!?!)
• On track to finish front yard by Earth Day (My Birthday)
• Arts Festival Performance on April 7th
• Recital Scheduled: April 30th
• Gas Leak fixed
• 5 different kinds of popsicles in my freezer!
• Currently sewing 8 more appliques on costumes
• Still haven't seen Hunger Games
• 2 . 5 months to go! Q is betting on a boy but won't offer any name suggestions yet so I told him that means my picks win.

deep and inspiring visions- unrealized

I had deep and inspiring visions of taking a valentines picture of Annie in her favorite chair and sending cards out to everyone, but alas, now that Annie can walk, she absolutely will not hold still- especially when it comes to outside. No cards coming your way. So I got some photos of our car for sale instead and snapped our Annie who is now in constant motion. Squeak squeak squeak go her shoes as she takes off into the great outdoors. And you simply must be loving St. George weather right about now. Some 70 degree days this week and counting. We've had to bring out the sunscreen!

The chair stands alone. Annie-less no matter what I tried!

...and why would she sit for a photo when she could run instead?

I have to be pretty quick to get a shot of this little girl. It's been a good long time since I brought out my portrait lens and I'm sad I've been lax these past few months. I forgot how fun it is. Does all the work and takes the aperture to 1.8! Wish I knew what I was doing, but fun to try none-the-less. Renewed commitment to take more photos starting now.

February 9th, 2012
Annie, 18.5 months

In recent news: We brought home Annie's Christmas present from my parents. That painting needs to be hung and the rug moved, but Annie likes looking at both of them while she plays house so there they remain. She loves to have tea parties with her pinkie up and requires real snacks and water in her dishes or she will opt out of the event. Funny girl. Eventually this kitchen will go down in the playhouse we will build in the basement.

Annie & Lailee; Domestication Earns Applause

This Really Happened:
Yesturday during Annie's nap, I decided to finally put some Halloween decorations up. I hung some pumpkins, ghosts, and bats from the window curtain rods with fishing line and then taped the rest around the house. I knew Annie would notice them (she is the most aware and observant baby in the universe) but I did not expect applause! Kid you not, when I brought her out from her nap, she saw the decor instantly, squealed with delight, and then looked right at me and applauded my efforts for a good five minutes. Domestication should always earn applause!

LAST WEEK:
Katherine came home from her mission and our little girls had another chance to play together. There were some terrific photo ops at Kris's house. L is totally leaving A in the dust when it comes to walking and eating. We can't wait for L's big party later today!

Cousins, Best Buddies, Best Pals:

L was being completely photogenic {Unlike A who had to be bribed and coaxed to look away from Sarah's little rocking chair- Annie love love loves little furniture}.

I don't want to forget these cute funny faces:

Lailee: 1 year - 6 days.

Annie: Almost 15 months

Last night I made homemade CAKEBITES {after cleaning the entire house, mopping, and baking a fabulous dinner). Results: Marginal. They look pretty, but I put too much frosting in with the cake.