Santa Monica Pier

Quinn got to stay an extra week in Moses after Christmas and he got to fly on a big airplane with GraMimi back home to us. Mom was able to stay a few days here, and it was so fun having her here even though we'd just spent two weeks with her. I love my Mommy! I wish she could come visit all of the time. 

One of the days we decided to go check out the Santa Monica Pier. It was fun and a beautiful day which made for an enjoyable time. We just walked around and watched the people all around. There was tons of people working out there, which was funny. I went wild and took tons of pictures, since it was such a great day. 

We first checked out the Santa Monica Aquarium which was very teeny tiny, but the kids still enjoyed. 

Love Malcolm's face in this first picture. The fish would come out and sometimes even spit at you. 

My boys are freaked out by yucky stuff, and I was rather surprised that Quinn was willing to touch the starfish.

Love Winston's expression in the first picture, he is so funny. He's putting on a puppet show for us with a little sting ray. 

Just loved all these colorful buildings outside on the little beach walking strip.

I also rather love all the bikes for whatever reason.

There was a park in the sand and the boys enjoyed playing in the warm sun and getting sand between their toes. 

They are loving digging everywhere. 

Winston doing the beam sideways. 

They loved the swings.

Winston loved to fly. 

Quinn enjoyed burying himself in the sand getting a little carried away and throwing it up in his face, and into his mouth. 

My favorite picture, Matt and Winston showing off their guns with the Pier behind them. 

Daughter and Mother. My mother is beautiful and I love her dearly!

Just some fun shots I took walking down the little walk. 

The other boys sat in the stroller most of the time, and Quinn was out doing tricks everywhere, running ahead and being Quinn

Santa Monica Pier

There was several volleyball games going with girls just in their swimsuits, which I didn't think it was warm enough for that.

We just took a little stroll down the pier, which was freezing since it was out over the water and the wind was blowing up there. Winston was freezing and so he cuddled in with daddy. 

The Pier was just full of some little shops, places to eat and carnival rides. Nothing that was too exciting for me, so we just walked around it and were done. I liked these pictures I got of the rides, I think I just like the colors in them. 

Just had to post this pic of Mom and I laying down on her air matress and I look down and we are doing the same thing with our feet. It just made us laugh. Don't mind my naked toes, as I'd just taken off my polish and hadn't redone them. When I asked Quinn whose fee they were, he said GraMimi's and Poppy's. Haha! I guess I have man feet. 

Quinn and his sayings

Quinn at Santa Monica Beach in January, which I still need to post about. 

This morning as I'm eating oatmeal Quinn says to me, "Oatmeal is a meal because it's oat"meal".

A few during Christmas break that I keep forgetting to post.

"I know why they call it chocolate chips, because it has chocolate and is crunchy like a chip."

After Malcolm threw something at him, "That didn't hurt because I'm a Hardy and that means I'm hard."

I love the funny things he says so randomly. I think it's his age.

New Years Eve

We headed for home on December 30th, as Matt didn't want to head into any trouble and not make it back for class. Brianne and Tom were moving to Utah that day as well, so we decided to go the Utah route and help them. It was pretty convenient, then we didn't have to stay in a hotel either. We were also able to stop and see Jeff and his girlfriend along the way as they were heading from Utah to Moses. 

Quinn was a pretty lucky boy and got to stay with GraMimi and Poppy for another week and hang out with both his grandparents longer, and to see all the Hardy family that finally came into town. It was sad to leave him, especially since he woke up as we were taking the other kids to the car and was crying wanting to go. But we were able to convince him to stay, which might sound mean, and we felt bad, but plane tickets were already bought. It was weird not having him with us, but also much easier. Our car was packed too, so not sure where he would have fit. ;)

It was so fun to see where Brianne and Tom were making their new home and stay with them. I was also able to see my cousin Cherise, who had brought pizza over for everyone. She's so sweet and I was able to meet her twin girls that were already almost a year. The boys had fun playing with her son Mack, not to be mistaken for Malcolm's nickname. :)

We were planning on only staying over night, but Matt decided since the roads were so clear to stay another night and celebrate New Years Eve together. We made some appetizers, got a little party pack of blowers, leis and hats. We pretended it was already midnight and did a countdown with the kids and got them down still at a decent hour. Ha! It was great. 

 Jayni and Winston waiting for the "party" to begin. 

 Mason enjoying his lei.

 As well as Mack attack.

 Matt thoroughly impressed by our party decor. Haha!

 Cute boy, with a little pizza face. 

 Brianne is going to hate me. 

 Tom tooting his own horn.

 Brianne is really going to hate me. 

 Seesters! Can you see the resemblance at all? I was actually there. 

 So funny, Winston didn't know how to make the blower sound. He would just try making it with his mouth without actually blowing it. We were trying to teach him how to do it. 

 When he couldn't do it, he would put his head down and get a pouty face. I wish I would've gotten a better picture of it. 

 He finally was able to do it. Look at the joy on his face from figuring it out. 

 Happy New Years!

Bed Jumping Cousins

It was so sad that the only one of Matt's siblings that was home over our visit was Nathan. It made for some quiet times over there. Laura, Mike and their kids flew in the day before we left, and although their flight was delayed a ton, we did get to see them for a few hours. It was great seeing our almost 1 year old twin nephews. They are getting so big and still just as cute. The kids were glad to see their cousins for a tiny little bit. Right before leaving Matt called me downstairs to see this. The kids were enjoying some bed jumping in one of the spare rooms. They were jumping from the tall bed down to the mattress on the floor and thought it was the greatest thing ever. Not sure where Quinn was, but apparently he wasn't participating, as he's not in the pictures. Just love these pictures and had to post them. My lens is wide angle enough, so the effect if sometimes not the full effect. Oh well!

 Rose, Winston and Malcolm appearing throughout these.

Baby Wyatt

One great highlight of our visit home was getting to meet our newest nephew Wyatt, Ryan and Stephanie's first little one. He looked like a little Hardy boy, and reminded me a little of my own babies. But who knows, maybe that's because I wanted to take him home with me.

I was so happy to take some pictures of this sweet little guy. My mother in law Cynthia has these beautiful bowls that were made by a man in their stake. I have wanted to take pictures of a baby in them FOREVER! The pictures turned out way better then I had hoped, as I hate taking pictures inside and hate the flash. I still have some shadows in some of the pictures, but any picture of a newborn makes up for that fact. So here are my favorite pictures, and I just barely finished doing the edits tonight. It has taken me a while to put everything aside and get them done. 

 Isn't that just an adorable face! Oh how I with I could snuggle him right now!

These are making me even more baby hungry. Just look at that sweet and innocent little guy. I love newborns and would have spent hours more photographing him. Too bad a snow storm started coming down.