We got there at midnight on the 26th and woke up to Sean and Colbi and more Christmas for the kids!!
Livy got some Tangled barbies.
Johnny got Bakugan stuff and was a total twerp and said things like, "who told you I wanted this?" That IS what he wanted two months ago when Mimi asked.
He loves his uncle Sean and wants to be just like him when he grows up.
Sean took the boys on a pheasant hunt one morning and they brought back six tiny little dead birds. Livy sat there petting them for a few minutes until she saw their bloody bullet holes. It's a sad reality.
When she saw Sean grab them by the feet, she caught on real quick!
The hunters. Take a good look at John because this is the only picture I took of him on this trip. Promise I love you honey!
My mom and Colbi took the kiddos to the zoo on Saturday. I know, they are amazing. I stayed home nauseous and barfy. The kids had SOOO much fun. Mimi is pretty much the coolest grandma ever.
The PHX zoo has sting rays now and the kids thought that was pretty awesome. Mimi is so good at this stuff.
The kids even got to buy cotton candy and while they were petting the sting rays, put it on Berkley's feet while she was sleeping. When they came to check on her, she had woken up to a treat!!
Livy got some Tangled barbies.
Johnny got Bakugan stuff and was a total twerp and said things like, "who told you I wanted this?" That IS what he wanted two months ago when Mimi asked.
He loves his uncle Sean and wants to be just like him when he grows up.
Sean took the boys on a pheasant hunt one morning and they brought back six tiny little dead birds. Livy sat there petting them for a few minutes until she saw their bloody bullet holes. It's a sad reality.
When she saw Sean grab them by the feet, she caught on real quick!
The hunters. Take a good look at John because this is the only picture I took of him on this trip. Promise I love you honey!
My mom and Colbi took the kiddos to the zoo on Saturday. I know, they are amazing. I stayed home nauseous and barfy. The kids had SOOO much fun. Mimi is pretty much the coolest grandma ever.
The PHX zoo has sting rays now and the kids thought that was pretty awesome. Mimi is so good at this stuff.
The kids even got to buy cotton candy and while they were petting the sting rays, put it on Berkley's feet while she was sleeping. When they came to check on her, she had woken up to a treat!!
YUM! I could eat her. Sweetest baby girl ever.
Sean and his obnoxious dog Lotus. He loves her like a child....and I don't.
Happy New Year!! We celebrated with apple cider and fire works.
Mimi and their neighbor, Trisha.
Ivy and some sparklers
Janelle came over for Sunday dinner with her girls. Love them.
Livy was obsessed with Berkley and wanted to do everything "by her own self". So she really did change diapers, feed her, burp her, and even tried picking up and walking around with her. Shhh, don't tell her mom! I freaked.
One special day Liv and I got to go to Ashlee and Sienna's house and play. These cuties are only three months apart and had a blast together!
Sean's friend had his reception in the back yard one night and we got to go boogie on the dance floor and steal cake pops all night.
Our next adventure was-EAR PIERCING! Colbi was set on getting Berkley's ears pierced and somehow convinced Liv to do it even though I told her they shoot holes in your ears with guns.
Look how sweet that baby is. She has no idea what is about to happen.
Colbi bracing herself...
sad baby for 20 seconds.
All better.
Liv cried for about two minutes but got over it. She was so brave. She did it all for a sucker and chocolate ice cream.
Look how pretty they are!!
Sucker in hand, and she 's ready to go!
Sweet Ivy came with us. She is so excited to get hers pierced in May!Our next and biggest adventure was KC coming home!!! He didn't get home until 7:30 that night so we just sat around until it was time to get ready.
Grandma Baker explaining to Liv that he will be there in just a few minutes. Patience is not her thing.
Colbi needed food.
My pretty girl
Friends and family of the two elders coming home gathered with their signs.
Team Elder Toolson
Here he comes!!
We could see his white teeth from a mile away!
Mom got the first hug. Tears, tears, tears.
Skinny Elder Toolson met Berks for the first time. Sean was so proud. He is such a cute daddy.
Livy had no memory of KC since he left when she was not even two yet.
KC and grams.
Connor and KC
Cute Hancock boys still holding their signs. Love that family.
He finally got home and immediately took his shoes off to feel carpet for the first time in two years and went to his room. Aunt Sheila had left treats for him.
Mom had chicken wings, veggies, and cookies for the friends who came back to the house. They all agreed times had changed, Cheri had put veggies out!?
Then it was time for KC's Christmas! We all sat around (20 of us) and watched him open every single gift. It was hilariously awkward. And notice all the girls on the couch? There were about five more on the other couch and I'm pretty sure every single one was sitting there saying, "there is the man I'm going to marry." Including the two that were engaged!
New bedding. KC loves anything fluffy.
Every movie he had missed.
Some random church books my mom had to search for on eBay. He also got an iPhone, an iHome, and clothes and shoes to get him through a few days while he shopped.
He put normal clothes on and looked like he had never left!
The next day he went through all of his Guatemala stuff and Sean found this gem.
We all skyped Ry and Jess. I LOVE this picture
Look KC, this is an iPad. They are wonderful.
This picture sums up Livy's trip perfectly. She was only seen out of her pj's about five times and she lived on the counter. Usually with chips or chocolate in her hand.
Pretty girls.
I got to see the BEST Highland Hawks game ever. My cousins Connor and Jake are both on the team. They beat the #1 team in the state! Go Toolsons!!
We got some special Berkley time while her mommy was still at the game.
wretched picture of me, but I had to get one with my baby bro. Love him.
Meems and Liv making cookies. Might be a different day or not, same pj's.
Cousin Shannon came to visit and got some snuggle time with the baby. She's having her own in August!!
A natural.
Liv even got to play with BIG girls, Sage and Anna.
Papa and Berks.
He sure loves his grand babies.
The Baker women (minus Sharilyn and Susan).
What a special time. I loved bonding with these ladies.
Colbi needed food.
My pretty girl
Friends and family of the two elders coming home gathered with their signs.
Team Elder Toolson
His Friends and Connor and Jake (cousins)
Here he comes!!
We could see his white teeth from a mile away!
Mom got the first hug. Tears, tears, tears.
Skinny Elder Toolson met Berks for the first time. Sean was so proud. He is such a cute daddy.
Livy had no memory of KC since he left when she was not even two yet.
KC and grams.
Connor and KC
Cute Hancock boys still holding their signs. Love that family.
He finally got home and immediately took his shoes off to feel carpet for the first time in two years and went to his room. Aunt Sheila had left treats for him.
Mom had chicken wings, veggies, and cookies for the friends who came back to the house. They all agreed times had changed, Cheri had put veggies out!?
Then it was time for KC's Christmas! We all sat around (20 of us) and watched him open every single gift. It was hilariously awkward. And notice all the girls on the couch? There were about five more on the other couch and I'm pretty sure every single one was sitting there saying, "there is the man I'm going to marry." Including the two that were engaged!
New bedding. KC loves anything fluffy.
Every movie he had missed.
Some random church books my mom had to search for on eBay. He also got an iPhone, an iHome, and clothes and shoes to get him through a few days while he shopped.
He put normal clothes on and looked like he had never left!
The next day he went through all of his Guatemala stuff and Sean found this gem.
We all skyped Ry and Jess. I LOVE this picture
Look KC, this is an iPad. They are wonderful.
This picture sums up Livy's trip perfectly. She was only seen out of her pj's about five times and she lived on the counter. Usually with chips or chocolate in her hand.
Pretty girls.
I got to see the BEST Highland Hawks game ever. My cousins Connor and Jake are both on the team. They beat the #1 team in the state! Go Toolsons!!
We got some special Berkley time while her mommy was still at the game.
wretched picture of me, but I had to get one with my baby bro. Love him.
Meems and Liv making cookies. Might be a different day or not, same pj's.
Cousin Shannon came to visit and got some snuggle time with the baby. She's having her own in August!!
A natural.
Liv even got to play with BIG girls, Sage and Anna.
Papa and Berks.
He sure loves his grand babies.
The Baker women (minus Sharilyn and Susan).
What a special time. I loved bonding with these ladies. John and Johnny had to head home Monday the 2nd so John could get back to work and Johnny to school. Of course, Johnny ended up getting ear infections, poor kid, and missed the first day of school anyway:( Next time, he will just stay with his mama! I loved getting to be home for so long and spend so much time with people I love so much and miss every day. Especially my sweet grandma Baker who I love so much. It was so fun seeing her and Liv form a relationship and make memories that Liv will remember. Sean and Colbi were there every day too and I loved seeing them and my little Berkley. It's hard living away from family but it sure does makes trips like this even sweeter.
