we are a tiny team!!

My boys are growing like weeds & they amaze me every day!!
I feel like I have 2 little boys now, instead of a little boy & a baby. Since Joey turned 1 he decided to be a big boy.
He has already mastered the sippy cup- (ok, maybe not mastered)- & is walking everywhere now! Tonight I saw him stand up in the middle of the room & walk. I know he has been doing this, but I have never witnessed it until tonight. He likes to imitate the fluctuation of our voices, so sometimes it sounds like he is repeating us. He wants to talk really badly & it presents itself in loud grunts right now. He & Sammy eat the same foods & they play together & wrestle around together & it makes me laugh to see it.
Sammy says new words every day & always amazes me at the things he has to say. When we were camping a few weeks ago he told me we were hiking over the Andes mountains. He remembered it from an episode of Little Einsteins & thought since they were mountains, they must be the Andes mountains :) He likes to run around.. non stop!!!! & loves to get into things he isn't suppose to, but he has always been that way. Today in the car he told me that his hair was just too long & we needed to go get him a haircut. I think he has heard Sean talking about cutting Joe's hair too much lately! Hopefully he won't find scissors & decide to experiment!
I love cuddling with my boys & am trying to savor every moment of their cute little lives!!!

firsts

Today was Sam's "first" day of school
My mom is going to work with him for about an hour every Friday since he is so close to being preschool age. Today was our first day & Sam has been so excited to go to school & wear his backpack!!
I sat in the room watching my mom help Sam spell out his name & it brought tears to my eyes. Can my little baby be old enough to do this?!
They worked on colors & shapes- we said the pledge & he got to update the calendar. My mom is the best :)

more nature loving

Last weekend we took a little impromptu camping trip. Now that the trailer is ready for use, I see many of these trips coming up in the future.
once again, these pictures weren't downloaded in order...

We tried to leave Friday, but on our way out I wasn't feeling very well. so we left the next morning. That night we found Joey in his bed like this. It was one of those awwww moments when me & Sean just smiled when we saw him.
getting ready to go...

We camped between Globe & the Salt River canyon & yes it was a little warmer than I'd like in camping weather- but not too bad. We drove down into a little canyon where the salt river creeped through & pooled in a few areas. Since we were camped right next to a "pool" Sam immediately began the age old boy obsession of throwing rocks in.

"mom- you throw too?"

Joey hanging out in the trailer
Sam with another rock, on his way to make some splashes :)
Happy Joey
Sad Joey
love my boys :)

playing cars in the woods & dirt? What could be better??!!
family fun for many times to come :)
not sure exactly what Sam was thinking here...
only in AZ.. cactus in the woods!
down in the river bed
on the other side
This is one of Joe's favorite places to hang out in the camper
where we camped
Sam's new favorite camping past time.. soda drinking


a little blurry.. but this boy looks just like his daddy!!!!


The boys wanted to fish at Senecca lake, but after driving around, avoiding other people, grease on the fish pole, & lost worms.. we ended up back where we camped & Sean helped Sam "fish". They just cast into this little dammed up area & Sam reeled it back in. "Mommy... I'm doing it!!" he kept telling me.














two fine looking boys :)
sup?


we went on a little hike down the river bed. There was an old washed up car & of course, the boys had to check it out!!!
I wish someone would carry me around all the time!!!




after walking down the river bed Sean found a trail on the other side that led up out of the canyon. So we started hiking up it. It was fun to see the tops of the trees we had just been under. we saw some beautiful views. I wasn't expecting to get as much sun as I did though!





it never ceases to amaze me how this child falls asleep anywhere. I wasn't really anticipating taking a very long hike or I would have brought the hiking back pack. So Sean & I switched on & off carrying him. After awhile his head got awfully wobbly when I realized he was asleep.. while we were hiking. crazy kid!!
going back to the trailer
finally back.. Joe finished his nap in peace.
when we were hiking I told Sam to stay on the inside of the mountain so he wouldn't fall into the canyon & get hurt. He started to climb up it, sat down & didn't want to move because he was convinced he would fall. the sight was a little humorous!

Arizona has so many amazing & beautiful places to see! I'm so lucky to have married an adventurer that loves to explore. Life is never dull :)

Joeys Birthday

Now that Joe has been 1 for a few weeks, its about time I updated the blog!!

Joey turned one on Thursday the 11th & the day was pretty low key. We woke up, did some cleaning around the house & then went to lunch at Ted's hot dogs in Tempe. Here is Joey in his big boy car seat.

I remember that when Sam turned one I took a picture of him having his morning bottle & thought I would do the same for Joe
Joey at Ted's


One thing that I will remember about Joey's actually birthday is that he waved hello for this first time. At least it was the first time I saw him do it. My mom claimed he had been doing it for awhile.
The next day we got ready to have everyone over to help us celebrate. I made this cake for Joey to dig into.


All of our family came to help us celebrate & we could not have been happier!!! Sean smoked an Italian style pork shoulder & I made spaghetti & garlic bread.

Garrison & Joe
Spaghetti!!!!
Jen & Katie with Joe
Everyone :)
Earlier in the day Dad & Joey took a little snooze :) Not sure why blogger has been downloading my pics out of order lately.
I made a new birthday banner with some cutie scrap booking pages & my moms cricut machine. However , I didn't' take any close ups of my new pride.


Sean set up the swamp cooler in the back yard with some misters around it so the kids all played outside. For weeks before Joey's birthday I had been talking about the party with Sam. He was very excited about the balloons & cake. He carried a balloon around the entire party. Even when he played outside.

Jocelyn helped Joey have some fun in the swing

Joe got a few new peoples trucks, a singing helicopter, a ballpopper, and a fun car to drive around in!! His grandparents & aunts & uncles spoiled him :)
We made the mistake of opening presents before the cake, & he wasn't too excited about leaving all his new toys. I was a tad surprised seeings how he loves food so much. Here he is being sung to & digging in..













He was definitely ready to get down & play with his toys after a little while. & I know how out of control I am with these pictures, but I don't care :)

Joey in his new ride
Uncle Phil & Aunt Melissa
cake?
Grandpa & Grandma Lindblom
Grandpa Johnson & Linda
the Dillards
aunt Nancie
Uncle Justin, Grandma Labor & Mark
the Stevens
Aunt Tiffany & David
After pretty much everyone but a few people had left, I rememberd I had bought little confetti poppers.. oh well. We had fun popping them for Joey.

the Ayalas
the carnage


Mommy, happy the stressing was done :)
more confetti popping.
It's hard to believe that Joe is already one. I feel like I was just at the hospital having him. He is such an amazing light in our little family. He is a very smiley baby & sure puts up with alot from his high energy older brother!!
It's funny- one day a few weeks before his birthday he just decided he was going to be a big boy & started walking everyone instead of taking a few steps here & there - & he is alot more vocal now. He likes to imitate the words we say to him & sometimes it actually sounds like he is saying them. His vocabulary is still pretty limited to mama, dad & no no. He's working on it though.
At his 1 year check up he was 22 lbs 10 ounces. He was in the 50th percentile for height & weight & 90th for his head :)
I'm so excited for the holidays with our crazy little boys!! Joe acts more like a little boy than a baby now & every day he makes me smile more & more.