MoNsOoN!!!!

Monsoon season is my FAVORITE! I love the peaceful sound of rain falling. I love the thrill of listening to thunder and watching lightning. MOST of all I LOVE LOVE LOVE the smell!!!

I took these pictures last summer, but I love them. Today's rain has gotten me really eager for the storms to come.

Count on more pics like these all summer. Mother nature is so beautiful.

So I actually have had a few things blog worthy....but being the complete brain dead person that I am, I left my camera in the valley. It's been over a week now and I feel like my left hand has been chopped off. I'm quite addicted to picture taking.

My family plus Matti and my mom when camping last week for a couple days-- I wish I had some pictures to post :(. My mom and Matti took some with there phones, but both went out of town for the week before I had a chance to upload them. I would have taken some with my own phone camera, but alas, the battery died the first day. sigh.

For the sake of posting I saw an picture I took a couple weeks ago, and LOVE.

AAAHHH She has the best kissing cheeks!!!My little ballerina is so darn cute!

Elli has cut her 2nd and 3rd tooth since this picture a few weeks ago, but I think it's funny cuz for 3 weeks she only had one tooth. It looked quite ridiculous--in the cutest way possible. I also like this picture because I have always had a "this thing" to look off into the distance for pictures mostly with Tatton though. My Elli catches on fast, Tatton will be so proud.
Eliana is always ready to give big slobbery KISSES!! (usually her mouth is wide open)

Splish, Splash

Step 1: Climb on
Step 2: Slide down
Step 3: Show me how much fun you're having!!


ALRIGHT!

rock it baby!

Elli has found a new love of dancing. She bounces her body sitting down, shakes her head, and even get up on her hands and feet to rock it! So much fun to watch. Sometimes the keyboard is my babysitter-- it can keep both girls entertained for like 30 min. Hallelujah!

p.s. I know that it's not Christmas, but "Jingle Bells" is one of Trin's faves.

Elli also has these little bongo drums that play music and she'll just sit and shake her head to the tunes it plays, and when it stops she hits the drum again and once the music commences...so does the dancin'!

Oh! those big brown eyes!!

Try saying no to this face :)

Or to this face.

Trinity was "talking" to her great-grandma, asking her how she was feeling and how she liked the chicken noodle soup her grandma made for her. (Her Great-Grandma had just had surgery a couple days before and Trinity always gets so concerned if someone is not feeling well.)

Amazing how such an angelic little face can change so drastically.--by-the-way these are silly smiles:PWhat are they putting in cheerios now-a-days?Whatever it is I LOVE it!! Love these brown eyed babies!

little birdies

Every year we get a new family of birds. Although they usually don't make it through summer, due to bad luck and/or our cat, we enjoy watching them feed their baby birdies that constantly chirp and listen to their melodious songs. Trinity especially loves the birds and longs for nothing more than to just be able to catch one and play with it.

Here are some of the things that she said while following a bird all around our backyard for around 10 minutes before getting discouraged.

"Mom should I catch it?"

"Come here little birdie, I am nice."

"Don't you want to play?"

"Come here!"

"Come and play with me."

"I guess the birdie is just to shy, huh?"

"He just doesn't like people cuz he's too shy."

The very thought of you

3 years and 9 months ago I found out you were on your way. How scared, how excited, how indescribable I felt. From the start you made me want to be better -- worthy to be your mother. How my life has changed since that day. It’s not been easy, sometimes we still struggle, but the love we have cannot be measured. You came into this world wanting me. And oh how I wanted you-- especially after 21 hours of back labor.

From the start your intelligence has been astonishing. You’ve always been so cuddly and affectionate. You were an early talker and could pretty much name anything by your 1st birthday, or shortly after. You could count to 10 and knew all your colors, and could even sing the alphabet and many others songs by the time you were 2. And gosh could you talk.

Not long after turning 2 you became a big sister. And your capacity to love astounded me further. You have always been ready to love and forgive in an instant. You are learning to share, and love to make your sister laugh. I hope you two will always be close.

You got smarter still, learning your colors in Spanish, recognizing letters, loving books and memorizing several of them so that you can almost recite them word for word. Always loving music, you began to make up your own songs, and can’t help but move your little body to the sound of music. You are a princess to the fullest and have a wonderful imagination. You love being outside almost better than anything.

You always take care of me when I am not feeling good or am sad—scolding your father to be nice to mommy. I love to watch you play, dance and, sleep. I love to hear you talk and sing. I love being around you, you make me happy. You have the best kissing cheeks in the whole world, and I hope they never go away. You have a special hold your daddy’s heart, calling him your prince, knowing he will do pretty much what ever you want.

You are 3 now, and quite the little girl, no longer a baby—but always my baby. You are funny and extremely captivating. Anyone who knows you loves you. Thank you for being our girl. We love you with all of our hearts.