BiRtHdAy GiRl!!

Today we celebrated Claire turning the BIG one!!  This past year has FLOWN by and it needs to slow down!  In the past few months Claire has really grown up, and it makes me so sad!  At the end of nine months she realized the she could move SO much faster if she walked.. and that is exactly what she did (more like a run).  Andy and I always say that she skipped that grazing phase on furniture and stood up one day and started walking!  A few of Claire's favorites is the big bro Drew, playing outside (she could do this alllllll day long) climbing (she will be our first emergency room visit...), fruit, and scrEAming when she's excited!!!

Another one of Claire's and Drew's latest favorite things are laundry basket rides up and down the hall way.  I will hear Claire in the laundry room grunting trying to pick up the basket to bring it to us for a ride!  Who needs a gym with kiddos this age!

After a big birthday breakfat we took the ferry across the bay to the city of Cadiz.  Cadiz is a beautiful city with so much history and great beaches.

Kiddos sitting on top of the boat enjoying the ride!

City of Cadiz

Claire starting to fade without a nap....

And she's out...

While I soacked up a few rays of sunshine while Claire slept the boys hit the beach for some football!  This photo below is of Drew with an awesome throw to dad.  NFL potential???

To top the night off we had homemaid brownies and ice cream.  We've been working on Claire holding up her finger to say one and she MIGHT have it mastered!!

Happy Birthday Claire Bear!!!!

Kiddos Birthday Bash

On Saturday we had a combined party for the kids at a local park here on base.  My thinking is with there birthdays just two weeks apart and at a yound age, why not combine for a party. Saturday morning when we woke up I told Drew, "Today is you and Claire's birthday party"!!!!  He replied back to me, "Mom it's MY birthday party today"!!!  So maybe the combined thing won't last long....!!!

With thirteen kids there and most of them under the age on five no one sits down to eat!  So the menu consisted of peanut butter and jeally, fruit, and a trex mix! 

Drew I'[m sure telling Claire that the cupcakes are up there on the table and if she can distract mom and dad for a few he would grab them a couple to sneak...

Clarie looking as though she's cought in the act headed towards the ice chest with her cup!

One of the games consisted of a potato bag race!

We also made MuD PiEs that consisted of dirt, water, twigs, pine needles, sprinkles, and to top it off whip cream!

And at last CuP CaKe time!!!

HaPPy 3rd and 1st BiRtHdAy!!!!

Feria and Drew's 3rd Birthday!

On Sunday Drew celebrated his 3rd Birthday!  I can't believe how fast the past three years have flown by and how fun they have been.  EVERYDAY for the past few months Drew has told us or someone else that, "Today is my birthday"!  So to wake up and finally have TODAY be his real birthday was so much fun!

We started the day off with homemade pancakes and then opened birthday gifts.  One of the items was a Buzz Light!  Drew is obsessed with Toy Story and Buzz has not left his sight since this morning!

Drew went running to his room and yelled, "Dad you be buzz"!  It was sooo cute and in my mind I thought how fun this is like Barbie's when I was little!!!

Drew also recived a helmet from Papa and Mimi that talks!  Drew isn't to sure about it once dad wore it....

Drew put his water rocket pressent to the test as well today!  It has a switch that you pull and it blasts off the rocket while shooting water in the air!

Feria is Here

On Saturday we took the kiddos to Feria in Jerez about 20min from here.  Every Spring,  every local Spanish town  throws a week-long party with tons of  people that show up! La Feria  began as a cattle trading fair in 1847, and through the years it has evolved into a sexy Spanish round-the-clock spectacle of flamenco, bullfighting and  fun.

On Friday night a few of our couple friends all got baby sitters and hit feria!

Typical Spainish appetizers

This picture cracks me up!  The Spanish keep their kiddos out till wee hours in the night and have them sleep in strollers!  This little girl had her feria dress, high heal shoes, and was out!

Jerez is known for all of their horses.  Horses took couples all around

We told Drew he could pick one ride he chose the three wheelers! 

                                Claire was a hit with the local Spaniards!

Garden Is Ready

This was our first year of having more than one veggie and so far so good!  We planted tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, onions, and radishes.  This past weekend the lettuce was ready to pick.  We told Claire she needed to be the helper on the outside of the fence to avoid walking on the veggies...

We were able to pick bowls FULL of delish lettuce!

Claire managed to find the SMALLEST opening in the fence and squeeeeeezed in to also be a BIG helper!

Claire and Drew thought it ws fun to sort all of the yummy lettuce!  We have been having a lot of salads!!

Dave and Laura's Wedding

Last weekend I traveled to San Diego, SOLO while the kiddos were in heaven at my sister's house with my parents, and brother in great hands.  Laura and I met six years ago when we were both in Okinawa and then went to Korea together for a summer college program.  We hit it off right away and were at each other's hip. I then moved to San Diego where she also lived and we became roommates.  Laura watched Andy and I fall in love and it was so neat to see her and Dave (who was stationed in San Diego) also fall in love. This past weekend was her wedding and I was honored to be apart of it.   Laura has now joined the Navy wife team and their stationed now in Hawaii!!

Dave, Laura, and I

Ashleigh and I have known each other since the 1st grade.. all through high school.. lived together in college for a few years.. and then she moved out to Cali and was Laura's roomate!

Utah and 1st Hair Cut!

Last week we took Clarie to our favorite kids salon in Virginia Beach for her 1st hair cut!  I was a little nervous if she would sit still, but she did great!!  We the mullet off of the back and then made it all one length. It still goes up in pig tails and pony tail... that's how much hair she has!

Taking the Taxi car for a spin

Claire sporting her new cut!  Also in aw with the Disney movie on... this salon is soo smart!

Drew and Cade on the swings probably talking about how they can sneak into the snack drawer!

Claire and Lucy LOVED each other and it was sooo cute!!  Lucy is seven months older than Claire and it's so much fun!  They will be  both so serious and give one another kisses while the other hold totally still!

One of Drew and Claire's favorite toys at Allison's awesome assortment of toys was a toy doll stroller!  Claire held completely still in it the entire time Drew pushed her.  This is the stroller that I need to keep in my car for her to sit in for errands if she likes it this much!

Claire could move right into Allison's house ASAP as she discovered the most wonderful cupboard at  her level.  Claire helped Allison with all sorts of organizing!