Happy Birthday to our miracle babies!

 I do realize that my blog sidebar is completely outdated. One of these days when I'm not busy with Anna and Audrey and school and everything in between, I will change it up. But don't hold your breath. 

Audrey on her birthday!

 Anna stopping to smile at Dave while climbing up the stairs.

 I'm not kidding when I say that Anna and Audrey like peppers better than cake, or most anything else. They did love Grandma Shelly's chicken divan casserole. They LOVED it in California so that's what I decided to make for their birthday dinner. They devoured it!

 Every big event with our babies is so much fun for me. One reason is because I never thought I would get to do 1st birthdays or any other "firsts" again. It makes me appreciate the big and little things so much more. Their birthday was no exception. As we were helping them blow out their candles, I had so much joy as I thought about the miracle this day represents. I can't express how much I love them. Not a day goes by where I don't feel so much gratitude for the blessing they have been to our family.

 Neither of them were very interested in their cake. I made them a chocolate zucchini cake.

 Audrey

 A few times Audrey put her mouth up to the cake but didn't want to eat much. They did have fun playing with it.

 This wasn't on their birthday...but it was a big day for our kids! We have a bean jar where they put in a bean every time they put something away without me asking. It took about three months to fill it and the prize was to go out to dinner. After trying to eat at In-n-out with my family in CA over Christmas, I vowed not to eat out with babies for a while. It was crazy and I don't think I tasted a bite of my hamburger. I ordered take out as we left so I could enjoy my dinner at home!

 We finally stopped and took a picture of our kiddos by the new temple being built. It is so fun to watch the progress!

 We were so excited to have Chris and Kate come in town...and even better, they were there to celebrate Anna and Audrey's birthdays with us! The kids played all day together. They played roller blade tag (thanks for carrying those all through the airport, Chris!). They worked on a movie. They stayed up late talking! Dave took them on a fun hike up our hill for a picnic.

 Anna. That angle looks scary to me!

 Cute cousins on their hike!

 Cute Audrey.

 I think balloons might have been their favorite toy to play with! Audrey kept saying "ball" when she looked at the balloons.

 Audrey's favorite thing is a ball. She loves to sit like this and pass the ball back and forth. I love it.

 Ash gave them a box of tissues for their birthday and boy did they have fun!!!

Anna especially loved Uncle Chris. She loved when he held him and even snuggled up a few times on his shoulder. So cute!

It has begun...

They have discovered bookshelves and they love them. I'm starting to see a little personality come out in each of them. Anna is especially interested in books. She will sit and flip, flip, flip a book over and over. She loves turning the pages. Any time I pull a book out, they both come crawling fast to be read to. I'm curious to see what things are not child proof around my house. I'm sure very soon I will know! As of now, I know that my bookshelves are very exciting to two little babies!

 Anna is sort of sitting up and fell asleep on Audrey's back.

 I think this is their favorite place to be. It's a full time job to watch both babies on the stairs as they aren't super secure at getting down safely.

 The other night Nate said "Mom, I don't know why, but I feel much safer with weapons on me." So he went to bed with his machete attached to his belt. Funny boy.

 Bath time is so fun and Nate and Sadie really wanted to join them! They had a ton of fun together.

Anna and Audrey love the stool the Great Grandpa Walton made. They love to climb on it (when it is sideways) and sit and feel so big. Today they both squeezed on and barely fit. They were so happy sitting there together.

California

I couldn't pass up the great deal on the 8:30 am flight but I was wondering if that was a good idea come Monday morning when we all had to get up at the crack of dawn to head to the airport. I had such good helpers and everyone traveled well - so it all worked out! With car seats, I couldn't believe how many things we had to carry to check. Good thing we fly Southwest and get to check things for free.

Grandpa and Grandpa (and the rest of us) spent a lot of time on the stairs teaching these girls how to go down. They were obsessed with the stairs but we sure didn't want them falling down to the tile! If one escaped from the kitchen, we knew just where to check: the stairs. 

 Dave, Nate and the babies had a fun visit to Grandpa and Grandma Walton's for a visit while the Fishbein girls went to see a play.

 Snuggling up during their nap at the Walton's.

 Nate, Anna and Audrey had fun playing with cousins at Gr. and Gr. Walton's house!

 Grandma Shelly and were out playing badminton with Ash, Sadie and Nate. Who ever designed that game? It just seems odd to have this little ball with a net attached to it to try and hit.

 Ryan had fun (Anna and Audrey had more fun) pushing A and A around on a cookie sheet, I think it was? We had fun getting to see Mike and Stephanie's house and cute boys!

 Anna and Audrey loved when Grandpa John came home from work. He would get on the floor and they climbed all over him. So cute.

 Anna and Audrey helping Grandma Shelly put dishes away.

 Sage is strong to hold both babies!

 Cousins and donuts...doesn't get better than that!

 Cute big sisters dusting off Brie's headstone. So sweet.

 I can't count how many times I've visited the cemetery with a heavy heart or an unsettled feeling that somehow our family wasn't complete. It was a miracle to visit the cemetery with such a happy heart and a feeling of contentment with our family. We are complete and it finally feels right.

 We always kiss our thumb and then kiss the B. Ashlyn is helping Audrey kiss the B.

 Happy Audrey on her big sister's headstone.

 Anna and Audrey having fun together. I'm sure it would make Brie smile. It sure made me smile.

 People ask how I travel alone (without my husband) with two babies. I have two big girls that take a baby for the whole flight. They are awesome helpers.

 Dave made it out for a quick weekend to see us in CA. He came back to pick us up at the end of our trip. Audrey was crazy about the ride Dave gave her on the luggage. She was in heaven.

Sleeping babies and Christmas

 Barely touching in bed. I love how Anna's hand is reaching out to make sure they are at least touching a little bit.

 Science class by Nate. They girls were sooooooo interested in Nate's lesson on bearded dragons! I'm afraid they seem especially amused by animals. I'm totally outnumbered!

 Nate was such a cute helper at their doctor appointment. I loved how the doctor asked if Nate wanted to be the one to hold them while she did the exam.

 Is that comfortable?

 Having our "angel cake" to celebrate our December 22 Angel, Amber from 2005.

 Ginger bread house cookies. Mom used to always do gingerbread houses with us. Every year that I can remember! Since we've had a few rough Decembers, I switched to making a giant gingerbread cookie in the shape of a house. It's easier and they still have a ton of fun.

 We had a few families over for dinner and the kids all acted out the Nativity. I had to document this picture. Nate used to have a little crush on this cute girl. He claims that is a thing of the past, but whenever the girls say her name, he does get a cute smile. Either way, Ash and Sadie are voting for him to marry Kaitlyn because they really like her and think she would make a great sis in law. She was the only girl who wanted to play Mary and Nate was gonna play Joseph...they made a cute couple!

 Sadie and Nate worked hard on our veggie tray for our Christmas Eve dinner.

 Anna and Audrey LOVE bath time.

 I love the little hands helping Nate play his song.

 Christmas morning.

 Those eyes just make me melt.

 Going for a fun sledding afternoon with some fresh snow.

 Ash had a big science project to do for the science fair. With Dave involved, of course it had to do with guns. It just makes me laugh to see this sweet girl with a massive, powerful gun.