Fun with Boxes and Lotion!

Jaxin is turning into quite the little photographer. She took the photo of Bishop and me and the one of Wah in the "sandbox" all by herself! She is figuring out how to get what she wants in the frame and hold the camera steady while she pushes the button. Grandpa YeYe can be proud! I'm sure, had she not been so slippery, she would have taken a picture of herself and Sevilla with lotion all over themselves, too!

Gotta be One of the Cutest Shoppers EVER!

Jaxin is a great little shopper. She doesn't ever complain about being in the store, whine, or ask to go home, and very rarely does she ask for anything (except whether they have a "little basket" and if none are visible, if we will go ask them for one ("and remember to say please.") One thing's for sure, though: if you're going to buy her something you really want her to get excited about (bike, fishing pole, climbing harness, rain gear), you'd better take her with you so she can help pick it out. This lesson was driven home with the Like-a-Bike we got her for Christmas. We were so excited for the surprise, and then finally Christmas morning came...we went on a treasure hunt to find it...and she simply would have nothing to do with it! We offered and offered, each time making it sound more and more exciting to ride, with no luck. Then, once the weather warmed up and we brought it out yet again, she told us what we obviously should have known all along: "This is not a bike. Bikes have pedals." Well. So, we took her back to the bike shop with us, they were kind enough to let us exchange the Christmas bike for one with pedals and training wheels, which she promptly rode all around the store and has not once hesitated to jump on and ride since. Lesson learned.

Mother's Day & Stuff

We had an absolutely lovely Mother's Day. From mom/daughter sushi on Saturday to our Liberty Park visit (Jaxi rode her bike all the way around - 1.5 miles!), to hanging with the family at my mom's, it was sunny, warm and wonderful. Can't believe it's my third Mom's Day already! It's a sunny day today and I hear the family stirring upstairs....we're off on a hike. Enjoy your day!

Easter 2010 and Quincy's Clan

Quincy, Cooper, Tully, Harper and Jaxin

Easter 2010

Jaxin and Quincy will be 3 on May 28th

Girls Night Out for Sevilla, Jaxin and Quincy

Easter was a special treat this year because even though we woke up to 2" of snow, we got to spend the weekend with Quincy, Cooper, Tully, Harper, Wes and Anita from Boise! It was so fun to see the girls together and realize what an amazing connection they have. Jaxi put the tea party set she got from Aunt Mimi, Uncle Mike, Katy and Annie during last weekend's visit to Jackson Hole to very good use...she is officially a "tea party diva!" Thanks everyone for making the last couple of weekends so much fun!

Grandma

Kyle, Destinie, Grandma, me and Mom

Grams and me

Huge smiles from Aunt Carole and Grandma

Gail and Mom...lookin' good

My aunt and uncle celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in March, so Mom, Kyle and I took the opportunity to get a few pictures with Grandma, who will be 90 in August. Jeff and Jaxin were out of town that weekend, and Stacey couldn't make it, but Destinie and Gail were all smiles.

Sonoma and San Francisco

The most colorful girl at Sonoma Square

Lake Sonoma

Lunch at the Academy of Science and Technology

Chillin' at Union Square

Taking in the view at Buena Vista Gardens

We celebrated Chinese New Year (Year of the Tiger) at the San Francisco parade, after spending a week in Sonoma and San Fran. We explored the wine country back roads, stayed in quaint inns, visited the very cool Academy of Science and Technology and the Museum of Modern Art, and took a boat tour of the bay. Yep, pretty touristy, but fun! Jaxin rode her first carousel, got to touch stingrays and starfish (her favorite part of the trip according to her), and and we rocked out to "Eye of the Tiger" - the tune of choice of every marching band in the parade. We're looking forward to next year and a hoped-for three-year reunion with the families we met and travelled with in China!

Catch UP

Morning mist on Redfish Lake, August 2009

Yep, that's us "out on the town" in September

Jaxin, Simrin and Miss Sophie

Jaxin the "Kitty Princess" trick-or-treating with Sevilla the "Bee" and Simrin the "Fireman"

Harper, Cooper, Tully, Jaxin and Quincy at Liberty Park

November 2009

Quincy and Jax

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner with NaiNai (Grandma Quayle)

Checking out the lights with Annie

A freakin' cute picture by YeYe (Grandpa Quayle)

On the boat at Lake Havasu

We had some fun the last half of 2009! We camped at Red Fish Lake in Idaho, Jaxin enjoyed the Moon Festival and Halloween with her school friends, Sevilla and Simrin, and we had a visit from our friends the Piatts from Boise. Quincy and Jaxin are from the same orphanage in China and share the same birthday. We spent Thanksgiving with Jeff's parents and the Estes family (Jaxin's "second family" from Jackson, WY), and took our new boat to Lake Havasu over winter break. Whew!