Birthday Fun

I am now 26. I had a great birthday. Lots of people made me feel special. We did several things to celebrate. Celebrations started the Saturday before my birthday. Paul took us out on a family road trip to see some Arizona sights. We have been wanting to check out Sedona. We've heard that it is beautiful and it was! On the way we stopped at a national monument called Montezuma's Castle. It was pretty cool. 

Sedona really was beautiful. I'm not sure I've ever seen rock that red before. It is a very touristy town. We walked around and looked at all the fun shops, got some ice cream, and enjoyed the scenry. We walked a lot and Susie got tired. She decided to ride in the stroller basket. We thought it was pretty funny. 

Monday, (April Fools) Susie and I went to the Phoenix zoo with some good friends. It was a great day to be at the zoo. The kids did really well and we all had tons of fun. We even paid to go in and visit the sting rays. I thought Susie would be all over that-- she loves to get wet. But she was a little scared. She loved watching me touch them but she didn't want to do it herself. I got her to put her hands in the water a few times but if she saw a sting ray coming close, she quickly retreated. 

On the day of my birthday I woke up to a house full of birthday banners and streamers. I was quite surprised. It looked great! Paul must have been up late. After preschool Sam's mom took us all out to lunch which was a lot of fun. Except for when the whole restaurant sang and clapped Happy Birthday. That was humiliating (thanks Michele). When Paul got home from school we picked up some Sprouts sandwiches and went to the park. We went home for cheesecake and presents. What a great birthday! I had several friends call or come over with a treat and it really made me feel loved. I'm so grateful for the good friends I have. What a blessing! 

 

Take a look at these zoo photos, taken by my favorite exhibit, the orangutans. The first picture is of Susie, almost a year ago exactly when we took Logan to the zoo on Spring Break. Look how much she has grown in just one year! What a cutie. 

Easter at the West House!

I loved celebrating Easter together. What a wonderful and happy holiday to remember that all is well because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of Him, I have every reason to be happy. 

Susie is getting older so she enjoys the holiday festivities more (especially when it involves candy!) We all had fun dying eggs. Paul reminisced about the beautiful eggs his sisters would color when he was growing up. I tried a few new things in an effort to impress him. 

That pink polka dotted one? Not bad-eh!? 

She loved finding her Easter basket and searching for eggs. Paul also has fond memories of Easter egg hunts growing up. I don't think we did too many in my family. So Paul headed that up and Susie had a blast with it. 

Susie looked like a little angel on Easter Sunday. She wore a dress Grandma Suzy bought her for her birthday. 

                                                 

                                                   

I hope you all had a fun holiday! Just a few of our Easter decorations: 

Grandma Comes to Visit

Grandma Suzy is working hard to get her Education degree at SUU and last week was her Spring Break! She decided to come to Arizona to spend it with us. We were so excited! (We love visitors). Sam and Susie helped me make this welcome sign to bring to the airport. 

We packed in lots of fun things in while Grandma was here. Preschool was also on Spring Break so we had lots of free time. We went to Arizona Mills and shopped till we dropped. Susie did pretty well. She got a little antsy a few times. Luckily they have a Rainforest Cafe there will lots of fish and animatronic rainforest animals to admire. She was super scared of the crocodile. :) Susie and I also rode the carousel together. Grandma treated us to several yummy snacks throughout the day and even surprised me with an early birthday present! A beautiful dress that works for maternity. Thanks Mom!

We ran around Phoenix showing Grandma some fun places. She looks forward to Baja Fresh and Trader Joes when she visits. We had a fun dinner and a movie date night, just Mom and I, that I really enjoyed. Safe Haven-- go see it! It was awesome! We went swimming to enjoy the warm sun, to the duck park, and made chocolate roll in honor of her visit. 

Appalled! The ducks are fighting over her bread!

My favorite was going to the zoo. We got to see all of the animals, and some up close and personal! The Phoenix zoo is great. Mom paid a few extra dollars to take Susie in to feed the girafees. She is still talking about it. Every time we she sees a picture of a giraffe in a book or a puzzle we have, she reminds me, "Granma? Jaffe?" Susanna loved spending time with her Grandma. We're glad she could visit. 

Susanna's Birthday

Birthday preparations: 

Those of you who know me know that I like to make birthdays a big deal. I figured out this week that I'm really going to love my kids' birthdays! Paul and I had a lot of fun making things special for Susie. 

We went back and forth about the party idea but eventually decided it would be fun. And it was!! So fun!! I've never thrown a kid birthday party before so I didn't really know what to do but we had a blast. Susie is such a social bug, she loves all of the little kids on our ward. We invited all of her friends from preschool and from nursery for our picnic party. It was Finding Nemo themed, of course. 

We had french bread sandwiches with toppings and fruit and chips. I made a Nemo cake with the help of a young woman in our ward. (She taught me a cool trick). I'm so very grateful for the people in our ward who have helped us to come to love Arizona. Good friends are such a blessing.

We had the birthday party the day before her actual birthday because Paul had to work during the day on her birthday. We put up a few decorations the night before in our house. Here we are having lunch with Sam and Emma:

Later when Dad got home we went to Chick Fil A for dinner and played in the play place. Then Susie got to open the family gifts she had. Paul and I got her the green chair and a dog that walks and barks. Oh boy she loves that dog! Grandma Braden sent a beautiful tiara. We put in on and Susie kept saying "'Rella? "Rella?" Yes Susie, you look just like Cinderella. After presents we let her stay up for a movie night with Mom and Dad. Popcorn and chocolate milk, it was so fun!

It is so fun to watch her grow up. I'm excited for our growing family. There is nothing better than family!