Well....

She is a cutie, isn't she?

Today it's just Abby and I at home. It's been a pretty quiet day. She's been playing with her sisters all the time now when they are around. Today, she's been at my side. We played memory , her favorite game, and she's just been talking to me while I've been getting a few little things done. She loves to be where people are. She gets very excited for our rest each afternoon when the girls are still at school. Reading on Mom's bed with chocolate milk, her bunny and her blanket. I look forward to this time too. I'm so glad I have time with this little girl.

Bakersfield Appreciation Episode 1

I came up with this New Year's resolution this year while I was watching the musical "Meet Me in St. Louis" with my kids. They loved it by the way. In the movie they talk about how great their town is when their dad wants to move the family to New York City. Anyway...we do lots of fun things as a family but my New Year's Resolution was to appreciate where we live. So once a month as a family we are going to do something that can only be done here in town. I think that too often we wish we were somewhere else or when there are great things right around us. I want to teach my kids to live in the moment and enjoy what is around us. (Actually, they are kids so they are pretty good at that anyway) One of the things I love about where we live is how friendly people are. I really think some of the nicest people in the entire state of California live right here where we are. So I present Bakersfield Appreciation Episode 1: We got up on Saturday morning and went out to breakfast at the 24th Street Cafe. So yummy. Joey eats there often with his co-workers and it's right by our old house. Their menu is huge and on the weekends there is a family band that plays outside in the mornings. It has such a happy atmosphere. Breakfast did not disappoint. Joey ate the linguica omelet which he gets every time he goes. The girls loved playing "Menu Ordering" with the kids menus that they were coloring. For it being a busy place we didn't have to wait too long.Then we ventured on over to the Buena Vista Natural History Museum (after we got the car washed. It was right next to the restaurant.) We've never been there and the kids were amazed! They loved looking at the all of the animals and bones. The kids area was actually closed because they were moving some displays, but they gave us a free pass to come again. It wasn't a huge place, but there was lots to look at and the the staff was so friendly. Why have we not been here yet?

The Zoo

While in Folsom we went to the beloved Folsom Zoo. I think nearly every Eagle Scout in the Folsom area has done their project at the Folsom Zoo. It has been YEARS since I have been to this little zoo. When I was little there were just a few animals. It's a rescue zoo, so all of the animals that live there are not fit to live in the wild. But when I was little I only remember there being a fox with only 3 legs. That was about as exciting as it got. Now they have bears. Bears. and Tigers! What? Why does everything get more awesome after you leave? The cool thing about the habitats is that you could actually see the animals pretty closely. I loved watching Sammie and Abby. They were so excited and running all over the place. Olivia very studiously read the exhibit signs. I think she had fun, but won't admit it because we had to drag her out of the house to go. And no trip to the zoo is complete without funny faces being made in animal cutouts.

The Boyce Family has Grown

Last Christmas when we all got together, Nate and Dianna's little Noah was just a brand new baby, Tyler and Brittany didn't have Brennan yet, Becky and Terry just got engaged after Christmas and K.C was on his mission. This has been a fun year for everyone with the changes in our families. It was fun to hang out and play games, watch football, and just be together. My girls loves playing with their cousin Noah. Now that he is a little older they chase him around the house and have some good laughs together. Brennan will be right there with them soon. It's nice to have some cousins now for my girls on my side of the family. We've got plenty on the other side and hopefully we can see some of them soon. And it's fun to ahve K.C. home. Life is just a little more quiet when he's gone and not nearly enough funny faces are made. Abby especially loves KC. She calls him "My K.C." So here we all are...thanks to these two lovely folks. Love them.

And while I love being a Boyce (I was a little bit sad to give up my maiden name), it's really good to be a Biron. I'm glad I get to be both. My kids have some good roots.

Climbing

The girls love this tree by my parent's house. They call it, "That tree." "Can we go climb that tree?" they ask. And I know exactly what they mean. I love these craggly old oak trees. They remind me of home.

10 YEARS

10 years ago. 10. Years. Ago. I can't believe that we've been married for 10 years now. Joey and I celebrated just after Christmas by going down to L.A. to see Wicked. We had such a wonderful time. It was a great show and now I'm one of those people who are obsessed with Wicked. We had dinner in Santa Monica, stayed the night down in L.A. and went to the Temple in the morning to do some sealings for Joey's family. I was so glad that I was feeling well enough for this little getaway. After the temple we went to lunch, did a little shopping at The Grove, and then saw a movie. Then we headed home to our dear children who gave their grandma a definite taste of life at the Biron house. It was fun to go somewhere with Joey and to reminisce on those early days of when we were dating and falling in love. Life changes so fast once you are married and have kids. Remember how it seemed to take forever to grow up? Well, once you grow up it sure flies by. So much has happened in these past 10 years. I can't wait for the next 10!

Christmas at Home

It was so much fun to be at home for Christmas this year. I did miss seeing all of my family, but Christmas in our home felt so magical to me. I think I was as excited for Christmas as the kids were. On Christmas Eve we had a little program with lots of singing, stories, the nativity, and eating. Our nativity had 2 baby Jesus' this year. Mary and Joseph both wanted to hold him. I learned some Christmas songs on the guitar and we all sang along. It was fun to have Grandma and Grandpa Biron with us for Christmas. We needed more people to help us eat all the food we prepared! The girls were so excited. Santa didn't disappoint. Olivia got "Marie-Grace" and Sammie got a "My American Girl doll" which she named Addie. Santa completely surprised her this year. Abby got a little guitar that's just the right size for her. Now she can play her own and I can actually play without her crying to play mine all the time. She loves it.
I love Christmas morning. I love being together around the Christmas tree (I think we need a new one soon. Ours is looking so small now) I love opening presents and watching everyone's eyes light up. I love how everyone rushes downstairs to see what Santa has left, but I also love the reverence we feel as we remember the birth of our Savior. Now that the Christmas decorations are down, the house feels a little empty...and a little dusty too.

Getting Comfortable

I caught Abby coloring while laying on the floor a few weeks ago. She loves to color...just like her big sisters. She loves to do anything they are doing. She is so happy now that they are letting her play with them more. They used to shut the door and she'd come crying to me (She also used to step on all of their toys and mess things up to get a reaction. Can you blame them for shutting her out?) Now they have been happily playing together...mostly. Well, 80% of the time. I love to hear their voices laughing together and making up when they fight. Sweet girls they are.