road trip to st. george - day 1

it's tradition.. we always hit the road mid february and head south to hang out with my parents! almost always.. the weather is sunny and much nicer than our winter temps back home. we soooo look forward to going every year!!!

{instagram photos intermixed with nikon d90 camera photos}

when we ses this red & white stripe lighthouse we know we're almost there!!!

first thing we always do, is meet up with my parents for lunch at good 'ole chuck-a-rama! have i mentioned.. they have the best salad bar ever? then.. the kids are usually chomping at the bit to get checked into the hotel and race out to the pool... kynlee couldn't wait either, she loves to play in the water! :) 

kynlee had so much fun at the pool. they have a little kiddie pool that is just perfect for her. the water is warm and it's not too deep. she got pretty adventurous with exploring and even going into the middle away from the wall. still to this day though, her favorite thing to do is to find the little jet where the water circulates. she puts her hand on it and laughs and laughs... she laughed for two hours straight. i thought for sure she was gonna have a tummy ache from laughing so hard.. for so long! 

 i told him to smile.. and this is what he gave me! Nice---

 wow!!! don't i look like a cutie! LOL

i guess that's what stayin' up most the night before packing, sleeping maybe a total of two hours, early morning road trip, chuck-a-rama lunch, long pool time, dinner out at subway and back to the room for exchanging some valentine goodies.. will do to ya! everytime...

holding hands with grandma!!

she loves it.

especially when she hasn't been around her in a long time...

"cheese-louise" everyday life via instagram {1-12-12}

 made a visit to kynlee's school and saw her cute

little winter art project hanging on the wall!

 brrr----

 "cheese-louise!"

that's what my dad has us say when he's taking a picture.

i wasn't done sayin' louise in the first picture. :) 

 day 12: close up

hugs-n-kisses from grandma.

 favorite:

the sweater my mom wore when i was little and now i'm wearing it!

sweet holiday moments & the last day of school before Christmas!!!

***We celebrated Andres' birthday on the 14th with our parents and his grandma @ Carrabbas!!! 

When we got home, Tanner had wrapped up some of his favorite books and put them under the tree for Andres to open for his birthday! 

***Kynlee discovered the Christmas tree and the warmth of the lights on it and loved it. She'd often leave the table after dinner and go find the tree so she could play with the branches and feel the lights while we watched a movie or read from the scriptures before bedtime!

***The kids had fun shopping for, wrapping and handing out gifts to some of their friends this year!!!

 ***I enjoyed cutting out paper snowflakes with the kids to hang from the chandelier and in the window, and taking lots of pictures too! 

***We all loved admiring and sitting by the tree!

***Mr. Yummy & I celebrated our 16th anniversary together and I took my very first instagram picture with my new iPhone he gave me! Yay for instagram & my man.. I'm totally hooked!

***Last minute Christmas shopping with the kids.. instagram caught 'em bein' silly on the sleds in Walmart!

***And finally.. the last day of school! Pajama day, the Christmas around the tree program and class parties!!! All the kids were so excited, I surprised them with new pajamas to wear sitting outside their bedroom doors when they woke up in the morning on the last day of school!