Happy Valentine's Day

I went to bed the other night and I found this on my pillow.

(a picture from Maura)

She put this one on T.J.'s pillow so he would see it when he came home from Syracuse.

Maura was really into Valentine's Day this year. She kept saying things like "I love Valentine's Day 'cause its about love". Then after her little party at school she kept going through her Valentine mailbox and reading and rereading her valentines and oohing and ahing over each one saying, " oh....that's so nice!" She's such a silly girl.

T.J. and I got the kids a couple of treats for Valentine's Day and I had to take a picture of this...Happy Valentine's Day!

...And also a quick thanks to my Valentine who spoiled me like always. Love you T.J.!

Happy 2nd Birthday Topher!

My baby turned 2 today. I can't believe how fast time has gone.We sure love Topher. He is such a good boy. Here are some special things about Topher:

• He is the comedian of the family.
• He speaks Jibberish most of the time, but the words he does say are: mom, dad, no, papa, Maura, more, ya (yes), ball, jue (juice), blue, yellow
• He has just started to love movies lately. His favorite right now is "Bup" (UP).
• He gives the best bear hugs.
• He loves his bath, but ends up emptying most of the water onto the floor.
• He sleeps really well at night and we just got rid of his passy (he was really attached)
• He loves trucks, cars, and balls

When I asked him this morning how old he was, this is what he showed me...it doesn't get any cuter than that. We love you Toph!

"I two"

Getting ready to open presents

Chasing Timmy with his new remote control car

The cake

Getting ready to blow out candles.

Topher the 2-year-old!

Birthday and Sledding

Last week I turned the big 3-0! It was a good day. I got to enjoy my husband (whose been out of the town for the better part of a month)and kids, got tons of birthday wishes from friends and family, got a nap, watched Timmy go sledding, and went out to eat with T.J. . It was a good birthday and I'm excited to see what this next year brings us.

Funny kids

I have to post these before I forget them.

• The other day Topher was bugging Maura when she was trying to play and she came up to me with a concerned look on her face and declared that she was allergic to Topher and that he needed to get away.
• TJ has been in Syracuse for the last couple of weeks doing clinicals. Maura has a hard time remembering the name Syracuse so she calls it Security. She says things like "When is dad coming home from Security?"

• The other day I sent Timmy out in the snow to get the mail out of the mailbox. I was watching him through the window. As soon as he got to the mailbox he spotted an icicle hanging from it. He broke it off, licked it once and then decided to dip it in the snow (I know...ewww!). He licked the snow off and continued to dip it a couple more times in the snow. On the last lick he stopped, got a disgusted look on his face and spit the snow out. TJ and I were dying laughing, when he got in, we asked him why he spit it out and he said it was too salty! Oh the things kids do...

Christmas in Globe

I got the pics out of order, but we spent Christmas with TJ's family. We had fun playing Wii, eating, visiting the firehouse and doing all of our Christmas traditions.

The little boys trying out their Hulk hands.

Looking at what Santa brought.

Ready to do the ornament exchange.

All the kids in their matching jammies.

Visiting the firehouse with the kids. They loved the big trucks.

Tyring to get a descent picture of the kids in their Sunday clothes....it didn't happen.

The Rubalcava Family

Christmas Time in Snowflake

After staying in Gilbert and seeing Grandma we headed to Snowflake. The kids had tons of fun following grandpa around and checking off the chores on his list. We also went to a bid Webb family party where they had a family band. We didn't have instruments for the kids so my dad made them instruments out of tin cans, cups of beans and wood sticks. They played their instruments like they had one of the real ones my cousins were playing. It was adorable to see. We had a good time visiting and spending time there.

Topher was tired out from all of the festivities.

Jumping on the jumpoline

Wheelbarrow rides

Working in the wood pile

Getting ready to play in the band

Timmy happily playing

My mom and dad with my little family

Over the River and Through the Woods...

Just the girls went to my Grandma's house while we were in AZ. We had such a good time. While we were there I had to stop by and see the first house TJ and I lived in. It looked just as rough as it was when we lived in it.

Grandma and the girls

We visited the Rival Rock at EAC. My dad's name is on it.

Me, Lyss, and Cass in front of the Gila Valley Temple

So pretty!