Closing Out 2011...

After the holidays were over, and we had some time to rest from all the fun and excitement, it was time to restock the kitchen and take care of errands that had been neglected. As an enticement to gain excitement for grocery shopping, Mom told Macie and I that we could dress up and push carts through the store. I chose a super-hero costume (one I put together on my own) with a baby carriage, and Macie chose to wear fairy wings and push a shopping cart.

I was SO excited as we walked through the parking lot!!!

Macie and I made it though the grocery store without incident, and Mom decided she may have to use that trick again in the future!

Mom was glad she took the time to clean up and restock the house since we got some special visitors at the end of the week- Uncle Ryan and Aunt Liz!!!

Macie and I were glad they came back to Arizona to visit and were even more excited at the prospect of it becoming a yearly tradition! It was fun showing them around the house and playing with all of our new Christmas toys! Uncle Ryan was a great sport, and played princesses with Macie and I in our very small princess house (Uncle Ryan is like, 6'5", so I am sure it wasn't too comfortable).



The following day we met the family at the train park for some outdoor fun! While Mom, Macie, and I were waiting for everyone to show up we played on the train tracks. Mom loved watching as Macie and I ran up and down, laughing as we hopped over the wooden planks.

When everyone arrived we jumped on the train and rode around the park!

I was glad that Hollywood and Aunt Hayley spent the day with us!

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Liz LOVED the train ride, and everyone agreed that the tunnel was the best part- we ALL yippe-yow-hooweed the whole way through!!

After riding the carousel and playing in the train museums, we all went our separate ways so that we could rest up for round two in the afternoon! Naps were MUCH needed for everyone that day, and allowed us to re-charge! Uncle Will joined Mom at the house and they both drove us down to the train park to wait in line for the last night of Christmas activities.

We played at the park for a while and Uncle Will and I had fun spinning around and around!

Done at the park, and needing rest from all the activity Macie, Uncle Will, and I got some good laughs taking pictures with all the character cut-outs:

Aunt Hayley, Aunt Liz, and Uncle Ryan all joined the rest of us as we took the special Christmas train ride.

We weren't excited at all...

The train ride was amazing- everywhere you looked there were lights, displays, and at one point it even snowed!!! Macie and I were enthralled by all the sights and sounds!!!

It was great experiencing this with family!

After departing the train, we explored the rest of the park, stopping for photo ops often!


After working up a big appetite, the whole family left the park and went to fill up our bellies with sushi!!!

The next morning Uncle Ryan and Aunt Liz had to head back to San Diego so they could get ready for the New Year. At home we celebrated with Dad (we had missed him that week since he was out of town for work), and closed out 2011 enjoying our time together as a family!

Mom woke up early the next morning ready to get the New Year started on the right foot! Riley and Dad settled into the couch to watch some football while Mom and I went to the grocery store to buy some newspapers filled with coupons! I stayed in my jammies (something I have never worn outside!!!), and was even allowed to carry my sock punky to the store with me!!! Mom said that I was the best little helper ever!!!!


The following weekend our friends invited us to an indoor amusement park! Macie and I had a blast riding rides with Kaya and Jack!


Though there were SO many fun things to do at Jambo (mini golf, amusement rides, climbers, laser tag, etc.), but our favorite thing, by far, was the bowling alley!!! We wished that Dad has been there with us- he would have been so proud!

Macie was quite the bowler,

and got pretty extincted every time she knocked down the pins (which was almost every time- no joke, Mom thinks she may have found her sport).

I didn't do to bad myself,

though the bumpers probably helped my cause:

Since the weather in Arizona has been so pleasant lately the family decided to go "hike up the mountain." Macie had been asking for months, and the time had finally come!

Dad and I walked hand and hand on the trail and spent some quality time together!


It didn't take long before Macie's little legs were tired and she had to be carried- good thing we brought our work horse with us!

After seeing Macie in her comfy carrier, I decided I wanted a turn. Dad thought it would be funny to see if Will could carry us both at the same time...

While Will carried Riley, I bounced back and forth between Dad, Hayley, John, and Mom.

We all made stopped to document our first family hiking trip!!!

Mom and Dad were proud of their little troopers!!!

So far, 2012 was off to a great start!

Mom and Dad took me to tour some preschools, and found one we really liked! I start next week, and can't wait for all the great experiences I will have!!!