Cody had a birthday! Shout hooray!

We celebrated Cody's birthday with a few presents and cinnamon rolls (from a can :( ) in the morning and then a delicious dinner at Chili's.  We had the paradise pie (on the house!) for dessert, and we licked the plate clean it was soooooooo yummy.  If you have not tried Chili's paradise pie, I highly recommend it.  There are literally no words to describe its deliciousness. 

For the first time ever I feel like I did good with the presents.  I always struggle with what to get him because the practical part of me wants to get him things I want him to have like books or clothes.  In reality, these things are the lamest gifts he can think of even though he would and has in the past always acted very grateful for them.  Anyway, this year I got him a nice little key chain leatherman which is pretty sweet--manly and useful.  I also got him a remote controlled indoor helicopter--totally useless but lots of fun.  And some dress slacks.
It was fun day for all and I hope he knows how much we love and appreciate him.

Eliza has had an explosion of language in the last several weeks.  She says and does so many new things every day that it is hard to keep up.  I have been trying to document all of the cute things she does and says because she is growing and changing so fast, but it is hard to catch it on film.  She gives a running commentary in the car that I don't really understand yet and she always wins the game "spot the bus, ball, doggie or kitty".  Her latest infatuation is buses.  Every time she sees one she says emphatically "bus" and points and stares at it almost longingly.  She has also been pointing at everything with both index fingers pointed outward with her hands at her mouth and asks "what's that".  My favorite thing she does right now is kneel and fold her arms for the prayer at night, it is so precious.  And I love how she likes to hold my hand and go on walks with me.  Most of the time she is a good girl and does what I ask her to but we have our bad days.  We have been dealing with screaming fits lately and of course the ongoing battle of getting her to eat any sort of vegetable.  I have come to dread mealtimes.

I love this picture for many reasons...the sunglasses above her eyes, unruly hair, crumbs all over her mouth, ear smooshed by the sunglasses and most importantly that contented smile.

A new perspective on life is always a good thing.

gotta find some use for this basketball

doing the dishes

Our ward had a camp out a couple of weeks ago but we did not camp.  We went up in the morning for breakfast and then went with several other families to the observatory just down the road.  We got to see the telescope inside the dome and lots of mind-boggling photos from outer space.  It was a fun day made even better by the fact that I slept in my own bed the night before.