Heading to Arizona

Our big family vacation for the year was a trip to the Grand Canyon for a reunion with my family.  We decided to lengthen our trip so we could take the driving a little slower.  We drove to Grand Junction and visited Colorado National Monument.  It was really cool.  We did a picnic dinner there and wished we had more time for exploring.  After being in the car the kids loved getting out into some dirt and climbing trees.

It really was beautiful and was such a good time of night to be there.  I love these pictures of my boys looking at the ants and finding sticks with scenic canyon and rocks in the background.

Ben was resisting photos with Dad and Mom...so there you go.

I also love this picture of Jacob putting Nora's shoe on.  She is obsessed with shoes and loves taking them off and having us put them back on.  Shoe is on of the few words that we can recognize. 

And then the next day was a longer driving day as we made our way through Utah and to Flagstaff.  We stopped at some cool rest stops though.  I have a picture of the nice pioneer rest stop in Bluff, Ut somewhere....hmmm.

After Bluff it was all pretty boring until entering Flagstaff...so more to come later.

Birthday Girl

One year old!  I can't hardly believe it.  She is amazing in every way and I can't imagine our family with out sweet Nora.

She is still working on some teeth and has had some difficult nights.  But, all in all, she is her happy self.  She gets so many comments about being such a happy baby.  Her hair is really coming in now.  And it is so, so blonde.  White blonde.  And the back sometimes gets curls.  Oh how I would love that.

She does not like sitting still.  She wants to be out exploring and especially hates it when I let her brothers outside and she is stuck in doors.

She loves playing with her brothers.  She also loves blankets and pillows and rolling and cuddling around in them.

She still doesn't say much.  But she chatters all the time.  I really think she thinks she is talking.  It's pretty funny.

We sure love her!

She loved opening her gifts.  She really liked playing with them too, when her brothers would let her.  Ha!  It's fun having some girl toys in the house.

She was so funny trying on her new outfit.  She really is a bit of a girly girl.

Later that night it was more presents and cake and ice cream with cousins.