paint a dog.....

i think she did a great job..... I also think its hilarious. Diva puppies. Diva BOBBLE HEAD puppies. But it was HER birthday, and she requested these.... she took it very very seriosuly as you can plainly see.

botanical gardens

ira bdat take 2!

the only pics that were snapped were off the cake fight!

first pinata!

ira bday take 1

also known as forth of july in phoenix!

potty??

everyday, at least once a day- liv demands to sit on the potty. at 14 months, im not expecting anything, but she goes in, grabs a book & chills.

beautiful sunset during a monsoon....

just some sillyness

monsoon season!

finally!!!!

water painting

live loves to paint, but it gets MESSY, so i have her paint the chalkboard with water- and it helps me clean it ;)

today was a hot hot day

we live in the desert.

I should more than be capable of handling 105 degree afternoons.... but- well, with being pregnant I am just NOT.

Today we did yard work for the third day in a row. It takes that many days when its this hot. ;)

ira washed the windows- with a mop and bucket- her idea ;)

we played in the water.

made a fairy apartment structure, surrounded our dying/dead tree that refuses a chainsaw with pottery and fairy houses..... we will plant the flowers later....

played in the water.

laid out patio paver steps.

played in the water.

rearranged play structures & other play equipment.

played in water ;)

it is hot here. very. very. hot.

things ira learned today-

evaporative cooling measures

how weeds come to be weeds ;)

why we roll rocks with a shovel before picking them up

what unfinished granite looks like

how NOT to move a play structure

techniques to get faeries to move into new faerie living quarters

how to start a fire

everyday objects

Below are a few pics I snapped of the girls, playing, laughing and giggling with a book lamp, colored pencils, and a miniature chest of drawers... and a red stuffed puppy.

they played there with these same things for an  hour. hilarious.

knitting projects

Im working on three things.... a potholder, a kids scarf, and a skirt for ira.....

13 months

Liv is

walking

saying things like "whoa!" "awww!" "hi!" "dog" "duck" & "dada"

she is in LOVE with food..... and her favourite book is "PAT! PAT!" she even sits andreads it herself.... patting away.

she started drawing and coloring this week.

Im just amazed, this is my second child, but I had forgotten how quickly, how fast and how MUCH they change!

more reading fun!

our current list from the library is pretty good.... we randomly grab at things and lately its been leaving much to be desired ;)

this past weeks trip was much better so I thought I would share.....

Little Beauty

Davy Crocket Saves The World

When You Were Born

Jessica Takes Charge 

It's A Butterfly's Life

Mr. Pusskins and Little Whiskers

The Art Book for Children

and for liv's personal favourite....

Baby Plays Pat Pat

she just LOOOOVES to pat each page.... she brings the book to me every story time.

tombstone

we took a day trip out to tomstone, arizona.

it was my first time there & i have advice- go in the winter! :)

it was really too hot to enjoy any of it & we rushed through almost everything! seeing the history of the old west was definitely worth a trip- just not in the summer!

book club

we joined a book club at a local toy shop- you are supposed to read a book, do a craft or draw a picture about the book & bring it in for a stamp... after so many stamps you get prizes/free passes, free gelato, etc.

we keep forgetting to go in for the stamps... but here is a snippet of the latest drawings!

Ostrich Ranch

We stopped at the ostrich ranch that is half way between phoenix and tucson..... oh my goodness was it hilarious and fun!

We fed ostrich, deer, donkeys, and rainbow lorikeets!

Then, we rode on a HUGE, monster truck! The ride took us all over the ranch property and explained what exactly ostrich ranches do. Like, for instance, did you know that a grown adult human can stand and jump on an ostrich egg? its that strong!!!

It was very fun, very informative and well ran. We always said we would stop there and then would forget! I am so glad we finally did it.

here is a link to the ranch!

dinosaur bones

Ira is quite interested in dinosaurs right now.... she wants to know EVERYTHING.... 

we found a great kids museum in phoenix that had a nice selection so we made a mini-vacation of it and stayed the whole weekend. 

The resort we stayed at was beautiful, the pools were lovely in this unforgiving heat!!!!

All in all it was a good trip- but as always- was way too short!