Thursday, May 31, 2012

#photoadayjune list

seriously?! when did we get HALFWAY through the year?!? and challenges like this don't make it go any slower.  my new habit is no longer new.  now it is just another addiction.  and you are still welcome to play along for all or any part you like!  check out my photos here, on instagram (@alohaneener) or on facebook...


20 questions - 2nd birthday



i've seen some of these floating around on pinterest and thought it would be fun for saraya (and us) to look back on how her answers change over the years...

1. what is your favorite color? pink
2. what is your favorite toy? legos
3. what is your favorite fruit? orange
4. what is your favorite tv show? yo gabba gabba
5. what is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? yam
6. what is your favorite outfit? a dress
7. what is your favorite game? coloring (which she was doing at the time i asked these questions)
8. what is your favorite snack? hummus (i think she was just letting me know what she had for snack today)
9. what is your favorite animal? marvin k mooney fish (our new betta)
10. what is your favorite song? abc's
11. what is your favorite book? new book (what can i say? we get new books a lot)
12. who is your best friend? hayden (a new friend from school since she just started)
13. what is your favorite cereal? o's (cheerios)
14. what is your favorite thing to do outside? snails (she didn't specify hug or squish)
15. what is your favorite drink? milk... i love milk
16. what is your favorite holiday? people in the house (haha! i guess there are people in the house on holidays...)
17. what do you like to take to bed with you at night? dolphin (in reality, every stuffed animal in the room)
18. what is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? banana
19. what do you want for dinner on your birthday? ice cream
20. what do you want to be when you grow up? grow up (well okay!)

#photoadaymay - 31. something beautiful

Photo: 31.- something beautiful (marvin k mooney fish) #photoadaymay #betta http://instagr.am/p/LT_qqwHOiz/
marvin k mooney fish

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

feather acres

giddyup!
i meant to post these awhile back.  a few weekends ago we went to a sweet little farm with some friends to feed some horses and a rabbit named snuggles.  aren't they precious?!














#photoadaymay - 30. your personality

gemini

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

a 2nd birthday


in pictures and one video...

marvin k mooney fish






gorgeous framed amulet from grandma dee (i'll post a better pic once it's hanging)

presents from grandma, grandpa, auntie lynn and uncle rick


"i can build!"

"i build a robot!"

cutest shoes ever from jeremy and nahum

unsuspecting 


green tea ice cream



ending the weekend with a beach bbq


tuesday's treasury - summer lovin

#photoadaymay - 29. a number

the ultimate answer  to life, the universe and everything...

Monday, May 28, 2012

memorial day



memorial day
remember those who have served
and never forget


i can't believe it has been 7 years since derek argel and jeremy fresques have left this earthly plane.  they were my classmates and my brothers in arms who each paid the ultimate price for the freedom you and i enjoy today.  on the day of our promotion in 2005, a day that should have been filled with nothing but celebration, their plane crashed in the iraqi desert killing everyone aboard.  they each left behind a wife and derek, a baby boy.  as we spend this memorial weekend enjoying the weather, barbecues, and family and friends, please remember that freedom isn't free.  that there are many others like derek and jeremy that will never be able to relax at the beach or take advantage of the holiday sales again.  the least we owe them and the families they've left behind is to honor their memories.  here's a toast...

#photoadaymay - 28. the weather today

blue skies and in the 70's

Sunday, May 27, 2012

#photoadaymay - 27. something sweet

a delicious birthday cupcake

dear 2 year old,

2 weeks
13 months

23 months


TWO!  we seriously blinked and two years have flown by.  my sweet, gentle baby has grown into a full-range of emotions toddler.  your daddy and i continue to be amazed at both your physical and emotional development.  family, friends and total strangers alike agree that you are something special.  

you continue to eat like a champ (as we continue to try and limit your eating) and we count our blessings that some of your favorite foods are the really healthy ones.  although you'll eat pretty much anything put in front of you, i'd say your favorites of the moment are bananas, avocados, yam, and black beans.  your current obsessions include dr seuss books, yo gabba gabba, looking at pictures on mamas's phone and finding snails in the yard.  sometimes you very gently relocate a snail from one leaf to another or give them hugs.  other times you squish them until they bubble and use their guts to "draw" on the sidewalk.  we're still not sure what to make of that.

one of our favorite things that you do is to repeat rules.  "don't touch ever sockets," "no snails in the house," and "don't eat anything in the yard" are probably the top three.  the best is when you tell house guests the rules.  they are always so surprised.

you've started going to school a few days a week and although it was a rough transition in the beginning, it's turned out to be wonderful for us all.  you love going to school and playing with your friends.  you think ms. tina is great and love to tell us about the songs you sang and the paintings you made.  whenever you pass by one of your pictures hanging on the fridge you proudly say "saraya paint that at cool!"  don't stop thinking school is cool!

we haven't made a ton of progress in the potty training department.  you just don't seem bothered by sitting in your yucks nor are you excited to wear big girl underwear.  at least you tell us just as you are going or right after you've gone so i guess that's a start.  lately you've been pretty interested in seeing what kind of mess is in your diaper ("wanna see poops!") but we say you can only see them in the potty in the hopes that you'll start using it.

another of our favorite things is that you've started using your imagination.  it's fun to hear your conversations with your toys.  and it's interesting to catch the things we say that you pick up on.  more on that later.

you are a little negotiator ("how 'bout this?" "just one more" and "this then that, ok?") who really gets a kick out of striking deals with us.  but it's worth it when you do our favorite thing of all.  nothing compares to hearing you say "i love you" and telling us you need a kiss or hug.  it gets us every time.

we love you more and more each day,
mama and daddy

Thursday, May 24, 2012

#photoadaymay - 24. something new

date night with the hubby

100. - ride a hot air balloon

"ballooner eclipse" - hahaha
it's been quite awhile since i've written about anything from my 100 things list.  i need to get back into that.  and completing this new experience is a great way to start!  last christmas, justin's mom got us a voucher for a hot air balloon adventure.  since january we've been trying to schedule our ride.  between general scheduling issues, weather, and who know what else, it kept falling through.  but yesterday it finally happened!  the tour was with a company called sunrise balloons.  they were professional but fun and really took care of the details (warm cinnamon rolls, mimosas, good coffee, lots of pics, etc).  i definitely recommend flying with them!  and if you want to see a few other pics i snapped with the phone, check out my instagram (alohaneener)...

starting to inflate





checking out operations



it's HUGE inside the balloon!

casting an awesome shadow



ready for takeoff!

captain phil



nice soft landing