Diabetes Walk

This morning we went on a diabetes walk at UNLV. The hospital sponsered employees and their families, so we thought why not? They are fun and it's for a good cause. And it actually felt like fall today, so we had to dig out the jeans and jackets. You should have heard my kids... they were so stoked to wear jeans, it was funny. There was a band and we collected all the freebies, and there were some good ones. ;) We walked the 3 miles (well, Ava rode) and Lexi didn't complain at all, I was very impressed. We told her when we got done walking that there was a bounce house at the end and she could jump. So I guess it was a good incentive. She had fun bouncing and even Ava got in, although I don't think she stood up once, lol. So here's to a cure for juvenile diabetes!

Dancing Queens

Today was Wednesday, Lexi's dance class day. Ava usually sits on my lap and sucks her thumb. But today... she was out there with the big girls dancing it up!! Okay, if you know Ava then you know she is shy and quite sensitive to anything new. She has been invited to participate several times before by the dance teacher, but never wanted to. And I have asked her if she wanted to take a dance class with kids her own age and she always said, "NO!" But of course at home with Lexi she is always dancing around, usually to the dances she has learned from class. So I was very shocked when today Ava just got in line with the girls and started warming up with them. She did ballet at the barre and when it was time for tap, the teacher gave her an extra pair of tap shoes. I think her favorite dance was Viva Las Vegas, lol. (The pictures are crappy... they are from my phone) She had so much fun. Today Ava is 2 and a half! Perhaps she is starting to come out of her shell a little bit huh?!


When we're home and I'm cleaning or srapbooking or something, I turn on my itunes list on the computer and we jam. Well our girls most favorite song-and they beg me to turn it to this every day- is Beautiful Life by Ace of Base. HAHA!! I love it, they totally rock out to this song and they both have their own "favorite parts." Again, sorry for the poor quaility, it's from my cellphone.

Lexi's Fall Festival

Friday night was Lexi's Fall Harvest Festival at her school. She had been asking when Friday was ALL WEEK LONG, lol. It was a fundraiser and you bought tickets and go around and use them at all the booths. The girls got cotton candy (it just HAD to be the first stop), popcorn, books, face painting (which they wanted on their hands and not their faces), and Lexi wanted to do the bean bag toss. It was really cute and the girls had a blast.

The Apple Orchard

This morning I took the girls out to the apple orchard. Yes! There is an apple orchard in Vegas, it's a best kept secret here. It's clear out in North Vegas, so it was a drive for us, but it was worth it. You can just park along the road and walk down whichever aisles of trees you'd like and start picking. We only had to walk down not even 2 rows of trees and we filled 2 bags with beautiful green apples. They also sell apple cider, pears, and different kinds of melons that are grown there on the orchard. So we filled a bag with pears and I got their yummy canary melon and another canary/watermelon cross over (which the lady said was delicious, so I thought we'd give it a try... I LOVE melon!). There is also vegetable gardens there, but we didn't visit those this time. In October you can go and pick pumpkins too, so we may have to take a trip back there next month. But right now we'll be working on eating all these apples! I actually have some drying in my dehydrater now. If ya'll have any good recipes calling for apples, let me know!! :)

Kid Happenings

So here are some random pics of what the kids have been up to lately. Notice I say KIDS... the past couple of weeks have been full of shuttling kids off to wherever they need to be lately. I take Lexi to school and pick her up every day. And dance class has started back up again. And of course there's our Rooney Time (which has been crazy with library days, park days, playdates, etc.). But this is what we signed up for when we had children, right? I suppose it will be even busier when they get older...


This is Lexi on her way to the primary activity... she wanted to be Samuel the Lamanite

On the rides at San Genaro Feast

Ava on her Barbie bigwheels

Lexi on her bike

Rooney Time...

When Lexi is gone at school, I think Ava gets a little bored. And I am not always the best playmate... I'm just now realizing that I haven't been doing everything I did with Ava that I'd done with Lexi when she was this age. When I have to run errands and do stuff around the house, Rooney gets a little neglected. But I actually think Ava likes running errands with me. When we've dropped Lexi off, she asks if we're going shopping now. :) I do take her to the library for storytime, which she totally hates... but she LOVES books! Anyway, I think I've gotten better at "Rooney time." She loves singing songs, doing puzzles and watercolors. Last week we had a tea party (and Dora had to come, of course). And this week all she's wanted to do was play dress-up (which her and Lexi do ALL THE TIME). Yeah, I could only wear the jewelry... but I did get to be the Queen- Ava referred to me as "your Highness." So Ava, here's to lots more Rooney Time!! :)

Labor Day Weekend...

Cousins: Dima, Lexi, and Daniil

Rain Forest Cafe

This weekend Benj's sister, Roselle and her family came for a fun visit. The kids always have a great time playing together, so they were excited to see each other. Saturday, after Roselle and I hit the scrapbook store, we all went down to the strip for some lunch and some fun. We took the kids to Rain Forest Cafe where they were quite entertained by our goofy waiter and of course the balloon animal guy. Then it was off to M&M World! Later that night, Benj and his brother-in-law Mike went to the UNLV/USU game. We are all USU alumni and were secretly hoping to see them win one. Needless to say, USU still doesn't have the greatest football team and they lost. But we had a great time this weekend! Thank you Harney family for coming to see us! And Lexi and Ava miss their cousins already!

Today Benj and I took the girls hiking up Red Rock... but this time we did a different hike. It was a little more difficult for the kids, but they were real troopers and seemed to be having a good time. We had stopped at the store to get Lexi a new pair of tennis shoes (her ones from last year were too small... I swear, the kid has BIG feet for a 5 year old girl!), so she was very excited about that and jumping off all the rocks. And Ava wanted to do it all on her own. I kept hearing, "NO! Don't hold my hand!" Or, "NO! Don't carry me!" But by the time we were almost to the end of the hike, both girls were whining and crying (so much that you could hear it through the whole canyon from the echo!). We figure all together we did about 2 miles or so. Great job girlies!