Riley is doing so great at piano. He actually really likes it. He has stuck to it and is improving all time. He had his second recital last night. HUGE improvement from last time. The songs he played were Surprise Symphony and Row Row Row Your Boat. He even memorized Row Your Boat. Good job buddy. We are so proud of him.
Reese was SO excited for her birthday this year. She had been talking about it for months. Every time we would make something in the kitchen she wanted to know if we were making her birthday party. She would often be heard singing "OH YEAH OH YEAH it's my birthday." I think the thing she was MOST excited for was her birthday cake. She couldn't stop talking about it. FINALLY the day came. We headed to Basha's and straight to the bakery. We flipped threw the book of cakes. There it was Dora Princess. It took her two seconds to decide and she never changed her mind not once.
Her Dora invites that mom made
Her morning present--dress up shoes
YAY balloons
THE CAKE
She had a little party with like 4 of her friends. She was thrilled they all came just for her. They colored pictures.
Just toooo cute
Blowing out the candle
Eating the frosting
Hannah and Reese
Ninna and Reese
Daddy and Reese
Mommy and Reese
She LOVED opening her presents. She got a computer from mom and dad.
She was so sweet to hug her friends and say thank you when she was done.
She got a Tangled doll from Hannah and new dress up dresses from Ninna.
The weather was great so we did bubbles outside and played games. Her favorite is duck duck goose. We also did London bridges. 
We were all excited for her. It was sweet to watch her be so excited. I love this age because they start to remember things and understand more. She had a great day. Thanks to everyone who came by, sent cards, and called it really meant a lot to her.
While we were in California for Spring Break we tried to do a few fun things with the kids. It rain almost the entire time we were there. The kids had fun just playing in grandma's yard. They found TONS of snails. They also enjoyed PLAYING AND PLAYING with cousins.
Raegan in grandma's back yard
Reese eating rain (yeah she's special)
Riley's big snail
More snails
EATING SNAILS
Cousin Joshy-wa-wa
Now that is ALOT of ice cream
Hiding after eating LOTS of ice cream
Grandma and Grandpa Sipes house
Raegan picking lemons from grandma's tree
Looking for sharks off the pier
Daddy and Reese
Sweet cousins (Riley and Sawyer)
Pimpin Riley
Maile and Raegan all dressed for grandma's funeral
The rest of these are at the Children's Museum in San Luis. The kids and I had never been to one. OH MY GOODNESS!! So much fun in one place. We loved it there. What a great experience for the kids.
And we finally got one day without rain so my kids were dying to go to the beach. Avila Beach.
Russ's mom Nancy passed away last Sunday. She was surrounded by all of her children. We still can't believe how fast she went. For the past few months she just hasn't felt good. On Tues. March 9th she went to the ER because of bad stomach pains. They did some tests and an ultrasound. We got "the call" on Wed. saying that she had terminal cancer. It was in her pancreas and liver. There was nothing that could be done. Russ left for CA on Friday after she was admitted to the hospital. Her liver was like a sponge and was collecting all of her blood. They pumped her stomach. At one time they pumped 2 GALLONS of fluid out. Then she would receive a blood transfusion. This continued for a few days. All she wanted was to go home. On Friday they finally sent her home. The kids and I got to CA on Saturday. I was shocked to see how frail she looked. Russ and his sister took turns all night Saturday waking up and pushing her morphine button. Sunday morning she was taken by ambulance back to the hospital to have her stomach pumped again. A half an hour after coming home she passed. Only 12 days from finding out. Super fast and so unexpected for her family.
Nancy was a wonderful person. She was such a giver. She LOVED her family. She LOVED being a grandma. She was the BEST mom, friend, grandma, and wife she knew how to be. She never claimed to be perfect but she always made what she felt was the best choices. My kids adored her. Raegan was her little shadow. Nancy was able to come to our house for Christmas the past 4 or so years. Those were great memories we have of her. Nancy was a great cook. I remember her coming for a visit and I thought I had nothing to make us for dinner. Well, Nancy opened my fridge and was able to make a complete dinner from what she found in the fridge. I can still NEVER do stuff like that. We have many fond memories of being at her home in California.
She was a very hard worker. She took her work very seriously. She only rested when she HAD to.
I am very grateful for the last 11 1/2 years that I have been able to know Nancy. I am grateful to her for raising a wonderful son that I get to spend my life with. This trial has made me realize that life is so short. We need to love those who are close to us. Forgive and forget. And be the best you can be. We love you Nancy and we will miss you.
This is Russel's grandma Ann Ferguson. She was such a wonderful lady. She was TEENY TINY!! But SO full of life. She would order everyone around and she would tell you exactly what was up. She LOVED BYU football. I remember the first time I met her it was our 2nd date (I think) and he took me to meet her. We were going to the BYU game and she was watching it on TV. I don't think she missed watching even one game. How funny to she her SO involved in the game. Kinda funny actually. I am so grateful that Russ and I got to spend so much time with her when we first got married. She lived in Provo and so did we. We had FHE with her and her assisted living friends almost every Monday night. She ADORED her grandson Russ. To her he could do no wrong. It was really sweet to see the two of them together. She was a huge influence and example to Russ in his life. OH how I miss her. Love you grandma!!
WOW our first science project. Riley did an amazing job presenting to his class his project. WE choose the disappearing eggshell. This project was interesting and pretty easy. The eggshell is made of calcium and when you put it in vinegar the acid makes the shell disappear. It makes the egg like a rubber ball. I was able to go to his school and see all the 2nd grade projects. They were all so good. I was super proud of Riley that he wasn't too nervous and he knew exactly what he was talking about. I guess that this means we have LOTS more science projects ahead.
It seems like so long ago that we bought Reese her potty chair. We have been trying for a REALLY long time to get her to actually USE the potty. We tried everything. New underwear, treats, surprises. Nothing really worked. I thought after how EASY Raegan was to potty train and how HARD Riley was that Reese was a girl and would surely follow her sisters footsteps. WRONG!! Reese and Riley are identical in personalities. BOTH STUBBORN!! I knew I shouldn't force her or it would take longer. So we patiently waited for it to be HER idea. Well a few weeks ago I saw at a friends house (thanks Heather) that she had a sticker chart for her little girl. What an idea. Reese LOVES stickers. So I made one and TWO days later she was 100% potty trained. And she only wore a diaper for 2 nights and never peed in them. WHOO HOO!! I'm so happy. It is kind of a weird feeling going from diapers to worrying about if there is a potty close by everywhere you go. Way to go Reese.
