anthony woke up and crawled straight to the kitchen...he remembered about his balloons!
his cheesy grin! always so happy!
i love these colors together! banner printables from house of 3.
birthday presents, one in the tissue paper is from grandma and grandpa.
and time goes by too fast! we love him soooo so much!
it's late, i am done cleaning the house, and i have everything ready for anthony's 1st birthday tomorrow! we are having it at the park close by right after church. i wanted to have it in the backyard, but with all these mosquitos here we would get eaten alive! poor anthony already has! if the girls leave the front door open he sneaks outside and plays in the flower pots and they attack him!
All year long Gulianna's been saying that she wants to have "an aqua birthday party." At first she wanted a princess party, or a Tangled party, but then she kept insisting on an aqua birthday party. That is her favorite color!
She was sad because one of the balloons got loose and flew away!
She's also been waiting to open her presents...last month we were at the mall at stopped in at the Disney store {like last year!} and I saw that they had towels and swimsuit coverups on clearance again. She's already outgrown her one from last year, so I had Levi sneak and buy her one, she was already looking at them, I showed her the tinkerbell one, it was purple just like the one that she got last year, but a different style, and she immediately turned to the aqua one, and it had Ariel on it! She said "oh I wish I could get this aqua one!" So I took her to Tai Pan and looked around, while Levi bought her the Ariel swim towel and the cover up. I told him to hide it, but as soon as he came in looking for me, she spotted the bag. Then she got all excited, and I told her it was something else..."no dad bought me the aqua swim thing for my birthday! he did!" "No he didn't!" ahhh! so much for a surprise!
She was excited for her candles and her birthday cake, but she got shy when we sang happy birthday to her!
"ahhhh! baby wipes for my birthday!"
"the Ariel towel!"
Isa tried to take away her second present, she thought it was for her...
Colton and Claudia stopped by later, with a present from Grandma Cherrie. Gulianna got a cute little purse with some money in it from Grandma Cherrie, and a heart necklace that she likes to wear every day.
Somewhere in between playing around...Isa ended up in her swim suit, too funny!
Claudia got her some cute hello kitty pajamas and a little hello kitty back pack!
We had a good day with Gulianna, we were happy that Levi came home for her birthday! I can't believe that she is four now. She's always been very smart, very aware of everything. She's a good helper to me, she watches out for Isa and Anthony. She always says her prayers and reminds us to read our scriptures. She looks forward to going to her class on Sunday every week! She loves to dance and can't wait to go to school. She's been that way since she was tiny! As soon as we move, we will fit her in to a preschool and find a dance class for her...she asks me every day!
Gulianna couldn't wait all week, just for this little cookie! She talked about it all week, saying "I'm so excited to go to primary they are going to sing to me, and then give me a birthday cookie and a bookmark!" I was hoping they would too...I know sometimes they let them pick out a little toy or something, but she was right! Levi got the same thing for his birthday a couple weeks ago too...hence all the excitement!
Gulianna turned FOUR on the first of August! 8 days ago! Levi was in Idaho working the whole week before her birthday and we didn't know if he was going to come back for another week, but Gulianna kept saying, "I hope dad can make it home for my birthday party!?" So he drove down Sunday night, and we celebrated Monday night. {Things didn't go quite as planned, I ended up watching the neighbor girl from 8-3:30, so that took up all my time trying to prepare a last minute birthday party.} Originally are plans were to just have a birthday party on her birthday, but then we weren't sure because of Levi's schedule, we were going to have it the next weekend...any way.
We had it and she had fun! I'll post more pictures soon! {yeah...I've said that one before.} ha. ha!
And I still never posted photos of both Gulianna and Isabella's birthday parties from earlier this year and last year...I did have intentions of doing it last month, but my external hard drive has not been working...and now I'm scared that I may have lost all of my photos and files...please I hope not.
Even though we had all the ingredients to make cheesecake on Sunday, Levi procrasinated and made it on my birthday before he went to work. {Your supposed to let it sit overnight in the fridge.}
So we had it that night...well...he and the girls did. He got out of work at 9pm and came home to finish the blackberry topping for the cheesecake, and then I blew out my candles and headed to go workout. I had a piece of cheesecake when I got home at 11:30pm...mmmm! It was good, the best cheesecake yet! Thank you Levi for making me my favorite "cake!"
And this is how much I had ate through the night {minus the small pieces that they ate}...you see everytime Levi makes cheesecake, I dream about it all night. So when I wake up to get a drink of water and go to the bathroom I take a bite or two or three of cheesecake and then go back to bed! I LOVE c h e e s e c a k e !!!
It's wierd to think that I am actually twenty nine. Because it doesn't feel like it. Yet every year I have to think back at how old {young} I was when my parents were my age now. {Does that make sense?}
It's funny to me because it's just another year...but another year that you have more experience and are more wiser. It really is true. And to those who haven't grown up yet...to realize that you should slow down and enjoy the everyday moments...start now, because in a blink you'll be almost thirty like me! And it's not even old. Now back when I thought thirty and forty and fifty were old, it's like a slap in the face really! I swear, not old! Our bodies grow old, yet we are still the same person inside, same personality...we just grow and learn more about life. Growing up, all I wanted was to keep going, keep growing up, I wanted to be older now. My parents, and my grandma told me that I will have time to do everything that I need to in each stage of my life, I just needed to be patient. {things like wearing makeup, going to dances, etc...} Guess what they were right. Aren't they always? Now I look back and wish that I would have taken it easier and slowed down a bit. But you can't change the past. Now I live for each day, and enjoy every moment I can...yes there is time for everything, you have to learn to make time for what is most important to you.
I love my family! Oh...and I love cheesecake...mmmm! Thanks for all the birthday wishes and presents!
We went back home to my mom's house to a surprise birthday dinner for me! We just thought we were having dinner together :)
Isa couldn't wait to get into the cake...
"Why you do that Isa!?"
she says "I don't know???"
Chelsey and Annareigh made chocolate dipped strawberries, and cool waffle bowls dipped in chocolate with sprinkles. It was all good!
Happy early twenty ninth birthday to me! Thanks to my family for making it special!
My best friend turned 33...almost a month ago now! We celebrated with dinner at Tucanos, mmmm...the brazilian lemonade is the best! He actually made some today, using this recipe! you should try it! He misses having feijoada and farofa every day! We went to Brasil back in 2003, I think? Now I'm forgetting...anyway, the food was good, but I kept saying it would have been better with tortillas and salsa :)
These two girls absolutely love their dad!
And we attempted our family picture for the year...
I can't believe that I still haven't taken family pictures...it's quite ridiculous! I always said I would get family pictures taken regularly, and I have failed! That is my goal from now one...
I stayed up late and scrapbooked these pictures a couple nights ago...now it's one of my favorite layouts! I will share tomorrow :)
Gulianna turned 3 on Sunday! I can't believe it...of course everyone says that but it's true...one minute they are just born...and the next they are doing everything on their own!
We went to church and then afterwards Levi made some homemade pizza. He asked Gulianna if she wanted some orange soda, she said yes...then she asked but I need my water :)
Then Levi attempted to blindfold her but she freaked out...and ripped it off, so we just walked her out to the backyard to give her and Isabella the biggest birthday present ever!
This is where Isa said 'happy birthday nanna' in her own way!
They were super excited! It's not a jeep it's an FJ Cruiser! A princess one too! And it has a real fm radio...they were already fighting over the stations!
Getting driving lessons from dad...
And this is what they both looked like...poor Isa getting whip lash!
Then Gulianna helped me finish baking her birthday cupcakes! I put 3 candles on her cupcake...and she said "but mom, it's not a wish make?" what? she was meaning they weren't lit, so she could make her wish! too funny!
Gulianna was shy when we sang Happy Birthday to her!
Enjoying cupcakes!
notice how they have to eat their cupcake :)
my girls love cupcakes! mmmm! Gulianna loved her special day...and her new dress, she's been putting it on every day! We are having Gulianna's special birthday party in a couple weeks, hopefully everyone can make it!
{only 6 months later :)...}
we had a cupcake birthday party for her! it was inspired by the cute cupcake dresses my mom bought for our girls for Gulianna's birthday last year!
and now to look back on her pictures when i thought she had a lot of hair back then...it has grown so much more! i was just remembering when her hair would always form a point, she looked like a little dracula! now it just hangs in front of her eyes, but i don't want to cut it, because then half her head would be bangs lol!
here we are the night before, getting ready for her birthday party! Gulianna feeling a bit jealous that it's not her party! we went to get all the food and pick up mini cupcakes from the Cocoa Bean, i was happy that Gloria just opened up another shop down here in Provo :)
the morning of her birthday i attempted to make cake pops...um yeah, i think i will not try that again! it was not easy for me! i think i gave up after making ten or so cake pops, and just made 'cake balls' instead!
candy treat bags for all the cousins...
we had 'beans and cabbage' for lunch, Levi's family grew up on this recipe! i have to admit, i thought it was really wierd at first, but it's really good!
my sister Annareigh made her cupcake birthday cake!
here is the little cake that i made...it was a back up, because i didn't know if Annareigh was going to have time to make it when they got here {they drove down here that morning} but she came prepared! and sadly enough...Isabella didn't even get a chance to dig into either one of them! We just got too busy trying to do everything!
mmmm! i guess we did let her stick her fingers in it!
trying to get a picture of both girls is nearly impossible!
Isabella opening up her presents...or more like everyone else opening up her presents for her!
and just like that all the presents were opened! and isa was left alone!
she loves her little purple baby!
and then it was time for the pinata!
isa was more excited that dad was upstairs than wanting to hit her pinata!
we are so happy that we have isabella in our family! she has grown so much, she is a feisty little girl, and now the last month she has turned into a pouty girl, she knows that she won't be our little baby for much longer! she tries to soak up all the attention she can get! at nights when we try and get her ready for bed, she will lay there and pout, and then look up to see if we are still paying attention to her...and then hide her head, and make her pouty face! then if we even try to pick her up she throws a tantrum and won't let us hold her! what to do with her! she used to just go to bed and fall asleep just like that...not anymore!?
she has been getting a little bit better! we still love her dearly :) and once again...i can't believe she is now 18 months old already!
i can't believe that in just 2 short weeks Gulianna will now be three?! she is still the same little girl, just a bit older and taller! she loves to be with me in my scrapbooking room and help me with whatever i'm working on, she likes to look at every little embellishment i have. she's a good 'helper girl'...she helps with the laundry, loading and unloading the washer/dryer, putting clothes away, helps with dishes, picking up her toys & organizing them, she does just about everything! she always says 'mom what are we going to do today?' and i say 'i don't know, what do you want to do?' and she shrugs her shoulders and says 'i just want to have fun' ! that's my Gulianna! she loves to go shopping, we always go to the toy sections in every store to 'look' at the toys. i remember earlier this year, instead of wanting to go look at the baby dolls, she told me 'mom, i don't want to look at the babies, i want to look at barbie dolls, isa wants to look at the babies! Where did that come from! Her favorite shows are still Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Max & Ruby, Hannah Montana, Wizards, and Zach & Cody.
this was her 2nd birthday party last year...
i can't believe how small she looks, yet back then she was still such a big girl!
hitting her pinata that grandma & grandpa brought!
and look how small Isa looks! she was only 6.5 months!
Gulianna checking on her little sister!
opening birthday presents...
then we had to move her to the trampoline, because everyone was crowding around and couldn't see...
{uncle Anthony helping with her presents...we were happy he got to come home for a little while, in between his tours in Iraq & Afghanistan}
and those shoes that Grandma gave her no longer fit her growing feet!
but that didn't last long...everyone still joined in :)
she got 'princess dishes' from uncle RJ! she plays with them everyday!
and we finally got to put this Hello Kitty toaster to use! i bought it for myself for Christmas 4 or 5 years ago? and then decided to wait until we had a little girl to use it! Levi despises it...because 'his toast is getting jipped on not being toasted where the Hello Kitty face imprints on his toast!' lol!
And here is us attempting a family picture with our birthday girl, who just wanted to play! why is it so hard! i just want one good picture!
We are now getting ready to plan her third birthday party! I hope that this baby won't come yet and spoil Gulianna's special day!
Wow! I can't believe its already been a month and a half, okay more like 2 months pretty much, since her birthday. I have finally got my August pictures burned to a CD. So here's pictures of her party, it was a great one!
I had been planning on having a pink & brown polka dot Birthday party for her since...well before she was born! All of the Bunco girls held a suprise baby shower for me, a couple weeks before I was due, and I had received the cutest dress from Alison!
Thanks to everyone that came to celebrate with us!
Her invitation: {and I actually made them!}
The food:
my {little} sister made these cookies...
And of course her eating her CAKE! Happy Birthday Gulianna!
and so it begins...
geeez dad, thanks! Gulianna was really pretty good with her cake, of course we had chocolate frosting for her, and that is all she really ate, not the actual cake! She would touch it, and then lick her finger, and before I knew she just thought it would be easier to just lick it from the cake! I only had to wipe up a little chocolate from her dress, and she wore it the next day to church!
look at that face! Pure happiness!
I can't believe that you are actually one! This last year went by so fast! We lOvE you very much!
31???? say wHAT??!! Happy Birthday to you! This year was the first year in about 4 years that we didn't go camping at Lava Hot Springs for Levi's birthday! What is wrong with us! I guess I just didn't plan it this year. I always love to float the river, even last year when I was just about 9 months pregnant with Gulianna!! Fun times! Next year for sure!
We went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse for Levi's birthday, last minute of course, 9PM!! We were starving of course...Gulianna was going crazy for food as usual, she was entertaining the people in the other booths next to us! Ribs and steak {medium rare} the usual of course!
Gulianna eating her dad's birthday cake...
What a goofball!
I said "I don't want anymore!!!"
Hello dada, did you NOT hear ME!?!
My littlest brother RJ {okay he's not really little anymore...wait yes he is, he's just older now...} turned 12 on March 21st. He had he's birthday party the next day, so we went over to my mom's house and stayed the night. It was also Easter weekend, which should have been in April. 
Anyway Gulianna experienced being around balloons for the first time, at first she would freak out when they were by her face, but then later on in the night she got used to them and was grabbing them, I thought she was going to pop one in her face, but luckily that didn't happen. Grandpa fed Gulianna some JELL-O for the first time, she loved it! 
These are some silly faces that Gulianna makes! 
