Spring is here.... a bit early!

This picture was taken almost a week ago.  My magnolia bush is now in full bloom and it is still March!  Last week we had several days in a row with temperatures in the 70's.  For upstate NY at this time of year, that is just crazy!  We were loving it!  We spent lots of time outside enjoying the beautiful weather.  The trees are starting to get their leaves and birds are singing.  I love spring!  This week is cold, but it is still clear and sunny.  Just to give you an idea of how early spring is this year, my magnolia bush did not bloom until the end of April/beginning of May last year!  There are NO complaints here! 

A Box

I love that something as simple as an empty diaper box can provide hours of entertainment!

Another Funny Abby Moment

We own a great baby monitor that not only has audio, but video also.  I love it!  Abigail is quite aware that I use it to listen to Michael when he is sleeping.  I realized the other day that she overestimates its abilities...

The monitor was sitting in the office while I was getting Michael settled down to sleep.  As I came down the hall toward the office, I spotted Abby with the monitor in her hand (like a walkie-talkie).  She would look at the picture of Michael and then hold the monitor to her mouth and try to talk to him, convinced that he could hear her.  "Michael, can you hear me?  Michael, this is your sibling!"  She is always coming up with something to make us smile!

The Most Ice We've Seen in Rochester this Winter

This morning, we went with some friends to see Disney on Ice. After quite the run-around trying to buy tickets online a couple of weeks ago (for convenience), we went to the box office last weekend to see what decent seats might be left. It was worth the drive downtown.... we got front row seats on the ice. Yeah! Don't let Abby's and Michael's expressions in the picture fool you. Everyone had a great time! Michael was clapping and waving at Mickey. Abby was mesmerized. It was wonderful.

Michael, Tara, Abby, and Coley are ready for the show.

 Adam, Liz, and Benson loved our front row seats.

 Peter Pan says goodbye to Captain Hook as the giant crocodile eats him.

Michael and Abby loved having the characters come right up to us.... well... all except this ugly hyena.  He made them both pretty nervous.

We even got to see the Seven Dwarfs.  Poor Dopey had a tough time standing up.

The Genie from Aladdin came right up to us.  He was very entertaining.

 Rapunzel and her fying pan take on Flynn Rider.

Mickey was Michael favorite.  He started squealing when Mickey came out on the ice for the finale.

What a great morning.  We loved seeing all our favorite Disney characters and watching them dance.

Four Years Old Going on Twenty-one

Abigail has been very interested in learning about Mommy's and Daddy's missions.  She keeps asking us where we served our missions and to tell her stories.

A couple of weeks ago, we were visiting with a friend.  Abby, out of nowhere, announced to her, "I am going on a mission, but I don't know where I'm going.  I don't have my envelope yet."

January- Past and Present

In case you didn't read Coley's post about the "Crazy" Christmas, we are having an unseasonably warm winter in Rochester this year.  To give you an idea of how strange winter is for us this year, I've included pictures of January past and present.... 

January 2010

You know it is really bad when the GIANT snowplow gets stuck in front of your house. 

January 2011

Abby had a great time playing in the snow with her Daddy.  She loved being pulled around in the sled. 

January 2011 continued

Having enough snow to build a snowman was not a problem at all.

Then next few pictures are from January 2012- now.  We are not complaining at all, but we find the weather just a bit strange for Rochester, NY in January. 

Abby has really wanted to make a snowman this winter, but we have not had enough snow on the ground to build one.  A couple of days ago, Coley swept the little bit of snow we had on the deck in order to build a little snowman.  It took pretty much all of the snow to build a snowman not even as tall as Michael (who is 15 months old).  That night Abby asked if her snowman would be there in the morning.  We didn't make any promises, but we told her it probably would.  Well.... we were wrong. 

 This is what the weather has been like since building the snowman.  Is that really Coley outside without a coat washing cars in Rochester in JANUARY?  Yes.



And this is Abby's snowman.

My Sleepy Little Artist

This is how I found Abby tonight, shortly after kissing her good night.  One minute I could hear her talking to her doll and the next I heard little snores.  She stays busy every second she is awake!