Once There Was a Snowbear

The sun came out today and it was warm enough for MayLynn to go outside in the snow. So we all bundled up and went outside to play.  MayLynn loves being outside, and although she didn't move around much, she just sat and smiled as Owen and I made a Snowbear.

The original idea was to make a snowman, but the snow was perfect.  Not too soft and not too hard, so we were able to mold it more than normal and the result was more than just a snowman.  After watching me roll one snowball, and helping with the second, he figured out what he was doing enough to roll the snowball for the head all by himself.  Add some snow arms, a nose, ears, a stick for the mouth, and some "pokey" balls for the eyes and buttons and wallah! you have a Snowbear.

I even managed to get Owen to stand still enough to take a good picture with the bear, and then he returned the favor by taking a picture of MayLynn and me.  I am very ready for spring, but after this afternoon the snow isn't too bad, as long as it melts soon.

The Great Snow Ball Fight

Easter: The Prequel

Yesterday was a fun day.  We got to get together with some of our friends and have dinner, a Easter egg hunt, and a lesson on the real meaning of Easter.  We enjoyed the whole evening, but I think that the kids enjoyed the Easter egg hunt the most.

Owen was super fast at picking up his eggs, but then his speed got the better of him as he dropped the eggs and then he had to stop and pick them all up again. He finally got his allotment and helped MayLynn get hers too. MayLynn picked up a few, with Daddy's help, but she had more fun just sitting and putting the eggs in the basket rather than having to find them.

Over all, both of our kids had a lot of fun playing with other kids and Easter eggs, Bryce and I got to enjoy visiting with our adult friends, and we got to share this Easter Season with like-minded individuals. I am very grateful for the gospel, for the truth that we have received, and for the opportunities that the church provides for us to have friends readily available no matter where we are living.

Celebrating MayLynn

Our cute little One-Year-Old (MayLynn) has had quite the week of celebrating.  After dinner on Wednesday  (her birthday) we went to get ice cream and balloons at a local ice cream parlor.  MayLynn got to share her very first chocolate ice cream cone with her daddy.  If you look closely, Bryce is trying to show her the proper way to lick the ice cream off of the cone : ).

Then last night (Friday) we had a couple of Bryce's students come over and we had cake and ice cream.  MayLynn loves teddy bears, so I found a cute teddy bear cake pan and made her a purple and pink teddy bear cake.  MayLynn liked the cake and made enough of a mess of herself to document, although it took her a minute or two to figure out what to do with the pile of cake and frosting on her tray.  Now, with birthday celebrations over, we can return to normal life with maybe just the slightest hint of a sugar buzz from last night.

Happy Birthday MayLynn

Our pretty little girl, MayLynn, is 1 year old today so I want to dedicate this post to her:

One year ago, on March 6, 2012.  MayLynn Elizabeth Allen joined our family.  She was a cutie right from the start and she fit right in with the rest of our little family.

At 3 months old, MayLynn was still a quite little girl that would sit still and just watch what was going on in the world around her. She just wanted to be with people and be loved.

By 6 months her mischievous attitude was starting to show through and she had a lot of fun making faces and playing with her family - especially her daddy.

As a 9 month old, MayLynn had become a favorite with everyone that she'd ever met.  Her face and eyes are so expressive and she can communicate so much without saying a word.  

Now, as she turns 1 year old, MayLynn is a character.  She loves softy cuddly blankets, teddy bears, books, and music.  She loves playing with and watching fairy movies with Daddy, imitating Owen and playing with his toys, and reading books with Mommy.  She's not quite walking, but crawls like a champ, pulls up on everything and is starting to say a few basic words: mommy, daddy, bye-bye, uh-oh, and book.  She also loves being outside and can't wait until it's warm enough to do so regularly.  We love our little girl and want to wish her a Happy Birthday and look forward to seeing how she grows over the next year.