Monkey

As I have been catching up on posting, Jolee has been climbing on me and wanting me to go snuggle her so she can take a nap. It's still too early for her nap though, she is going to have to wait about an hour. But anyways, as she was sitting on my lap and looking at the pictures as I was posting them, she saw a picture of herself and pointed and said "baby." I gave her a big hug and told her she was my baby. She looked at me and said "no, I monkey. Ooh ooh aah aah."

Snow

We got a surprise yesterday morning when we woke up to find snow on the ground. I know it isn't much, but even just having snow fall in Tucson is a big thing, let alone having enough that it actually sticks.

Randy showing Jolee a snowball. Eventually she got the hang of it and threw a couple of snowballs.

Our grill

Cactus

Flower pot

Sandy's and Randy's cars

Mommy and Jolee in our pjs in the snow

Continuation of Birthday weekend for Randy

Instead of just celebrating a birthday on the birthday, we usually end up celebrating for an entire weekend. We celebrated on Randy's birthday, then at his birthday party the next day, then we went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse Saturday as a final celebration.

Jolee's favorite part was getting to eat peanuts

Mommy and daughter

The birthday boy (he wouldn't let me say it was his birthday though, the stinker)

Mommy

At least Jolee was more than willing to get on the saddle. She didn't want to get off.

Citrus Tasting at Mesquite Valley Growers

Randy's long drives to and from work are good for something. He heard on the radio that the grower by our home was having a citrus tasting Saturday morning. So we bundled up and headed out.

Jolee saying bye to Chonkiri on our way out.

Jolee loved eating the fruit, but about an hour into our exploring the grower, she fell asleep. Randy set her in the basket of the cart. As you can see, she barely fits.

We got to taste so many different fruits. We decided that we want to plant kumquats when we move; they are so tasty. We bought some different mints and now we have a little mint garden in a pot on the kitchen table. 

Happy Birthday Randy!!!

 We had a surprise birthday party for Randy last week. He thought we were going to a friend's house for a game night, but instead when he walked in he got a big surprise and was blasted with confetti. We ate sub sandwiches, played games, sang karaoke, and enjoyed birthday cheesecake.

Randy making his wish

Yummy!

Jolee learning how to jump on the bed with the girls.

Playing Clue.

Thanks to everyone who helped out with the party and for everyone who came. Such a fun night! Happy happy birthday to my Randy!

Susan's Run 2011

Sunrise on our way to the race

Getting race bibs on. Sandy and Tyler came and ran with us.

Jolee warming up with Aunt Sandy

The Swanns post race

Super Sandy post race

We had so much fun. Jolee even ran about 1/4 of the mile race. Tyler ran 1/2. Randy, Sandy and I ran as long as the little ones would let us. Next year we hope to run the 5K or the 10K. Looking forward to it!

Oops!

Jolee was helping feed the fish, but instead of food, she pulled off the filter cover and the filter and tossed both in for the fish. Goofy girl.

Jolee Pictures!

Jolee loves to take pictures. Here is a picture she took of Randy with my help.

 Jolee's hair is getting long enough that it will mostly stay in a pony tail.

 Jolee got her first scrapped knee and her first band-aid this week.

 Ouch.

 Jolee had a little too much fun eating tomato soup. She had just gotten out of the bath too.

 Sandy spoiled Jolee with this cute hat. Here Jolee is first thing in the morning yesterday with her new hat.

 Jolee with cute pigtails. She actually left them in most of the day. Hooray!

 Saying "block"

All Gone

Jolee loves fruit snacks, with a passion. To spoil Jolee, Sandy bought a huge box of fruit snacks. Every day, Jolee is always asking for "nacks." Yesterday, Sandy took Jolee to the zoo, shopping, and to lunch while I slept after working the previous night. When they got home, we were all lounging in the bedroom while Jolee was riffling through the diaper bag. To her great joy she found a package of fruit snacks and she ran over to me with a huge smile on her face and asked me to open it for her. I did and she sat on a foot stool to eat the spoils of her searching. I asked for one and with a very pained expression she handed one to me, only to drop her jaw when i actually ate it. I think she thought I was going to give it back. After that, she hopped off of the stool and turned around and emptied the bag of fruit snacks onto the stool and ran to throw away the bag. Sandy stopped her and told her that she would take her garbage and Jolee happily handed it over. Sandy then asked if she could have a fruit snack. Jolee got the biggest smile on her face and ran to the stool, popped all of the snacks in her mouth, quickly chewed and swallowed, turned back to Sandy and with her big smile said "All gone!"

Have a free weekend? Come to Susan's Run!

I am so excited to get to attend the Second Annual Susan's Run! We plan on doing the one mile family walk/run with Jolee and if she is up for it, Jolee will run in the Kid's Dash. Susan's Run supports the Susan Mortensen Turley Foundation, which is the foundation we did our half marathon for last summer. Anyone who can get to Tempe this weekend for the event is encouraged to come! I can't wait!!! 

More info:

Susan’s Run, 2011

Susan loved running from her earliest years, through grade school, high school and for 4 years at the University of Arizona, she continued running throughout her life.

Following the overwhelming success of the inaugural Susan’s Run, we’re pleased to announce the Second Annual Susan’s Run to be held onSaturday, February 19, 2011 at Kiwanis Park in Tempe, Arizona.  This event will feature 10K and 5K distance events, with a 1 mile family walk/run.  For very young participants, a Kid’s Dash is also scheduled.

online registration : Online Registration

Mail-in/walk up form: Mail-in/walk-up form

to visit the website, click Susan Mortensen Turley Foundation.

For more about Susan, go to Justin and Susan 

Big Helper!

 Jolee wanted to make popcorn so I told her the dishes had to be put away first. Here she is helping Daddy with the silverware. She loves to help.

 She also helps make the popcorn. She can scoop the kernels and pour them into the popcorn popper almost without help. I step in and turn on the popper and she will watch and let us know when it is done.

Today she got to help put spices on the popcorn, a first for her, and she had a blast. The popcorn ended up a little over spiced, but still tasty.

Jolee actually likes helping so much that she if she knows I am going to make popcorn she will come running while yelling "COMING, I COMING!" She then stands at the kitchen gate and says "elp?" She is so cute that I can't resist, and it is a good learning opportunity, right? I am such a softy.

Oh another thing. She was playing with her toys and she was trying to get a toy from the back of the entertainment center and she got her head stuck. It was so sad and funny at the same time. She was able to get her head out before we got to her, but she cried for a while and needed to snuggle after getting "stucky." Poor thing. She is fine now and back to playing like a crazy baby.

Happy Valentines Day

I usually have to say that this is a pretty pathetic excuse for a holiday, but this year it some how has been strangely better. Between Jolee coloring Valentine's pictures for Grandparents (hopefully they get there in time) and having our very own singing Valentine on Friday night (A song, a rose, a card and a pie, pretty awesome. We loved it!), I am actually afraid to admit that I am excited for Valentines. We love you all! Wishing you happiness, smiles, and a bit of charity (Definition of Charity from the Bible Dictionary: The highest, noblest, strongest kind of love, not merely affection; the pure love of Christ. It is never used to denote alms or deeds of benevolence, although it may be a prompting motive).

Putting On Sunglasses Can Be Tricky

Mess Maker

Jolee was sitting at the table, eating breakfast, so I took the free moment to run out to the mailbox to drop a letter off. I was outside for about one and a half minutes. In that time, Jolee pushed her chair away from the table as far as she could, but continued to eat her cereal, dripping cereal and milk all over the table, across the floor, and all over herself. I guess that's what I get for going to the mailbox. So I got a rag and made her get down and clean it up. She actually had so much fun cleaning that she didn't want to get back in her chair and eat. I had to convince her that she could clean again when she was done eating.

Last night, Randy and I were talking and Jolee was standing by the kitchen with a tissue blowing her nose. Well, we thought she just had a tissue. It turns out she had the whole box of tissue and decided that she needed all of it to make sure her nose was clean.

No Biting!

This morning when Jolee was in bed with me for our morning snuggle before we decide that we actually want to get up Jolee leaned over and grabbed my arm and bit me. I had to remind her not to bite (ouch!), but that kisses are okay. So instead of continuing to bite me, she gives me the biggest grin and attacks me with kisses all the while giggling hysterically. She will grab my face and kiss my nose, then my cheek, then my forehead, then my chin. She is just to silly. Right now she is sitting on the couch saying "shoe shoe shoe shoe shoe." She has one of my running shoes on and she is trying so hard to tie it. She had both of my shoes on last night, but just as I got the camera out, she pulled them off. I was a little quicker this morning and here she is in my shoe, messy hair and all.

Making Soup

Jolee and I have been sick the last week and we ate a lot of soup. I asked Jolee what she wanted for lunch and she went to the pantry and got out a can of tomato soup. I asked if she wanted to help cook it and she smiles, jumps up and down, and says "cooking." Here she is cooking. (And yes, she had lots of supervision and help)

 And just for fun, here she is playing in her discovery tunnel. She put the head band on herself.

Ballerina Jolee

I couldn't decide which picture I liked the most of Jolee in her ballerina skirt and bow from Aunt Emily, so here are a bunch. She is so silly.

On a completely unrelated note, when we were at the park watching the ducks, we saw an osprey catch a fish. It was so cool. I looked them up on the fish and game website and it turns out that osprey are extremely rare for this area and that they can pass by while migrating and will often eat out of lakes and ponds in the city as they are passing. It was a huge and beautiful bird.