It snowed today! It was the first time this winter that the kids could actually go out and play in it. It’s been such a mild winter, which I’ll take any day, but they loved going out in the snow today to play! 
Two perfect little snow angels.
James was loving it! He kept trying to make snow balls and throw them at me. He thought it was so funny.
And the girls thought it would be funny to eat the snow!
They said it was yummy.
Yay, snow!!
Oh Leah, don’t you throw that snowball at me!!
Leah came downstairs Sunday morning to a huge pile of presents! So fun to still have Grandma, Grandpa, Michael, John, Kristen, and Jacob here to watch her open them.
She was so excited as she opened each one!
Here she is with her birthday stash! She loved everything! We got her the Rapunzel dress-up dress, Hello Kitty legos, Connect 4, Green Eggs and Ham (her very favorite book), and a few new games for her Leap Pad. Grandma and Grandpa also spoiled her with a beautiful Rapunzel nightgown, Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder dolls, a new Fancy Nancy book, and the two Nanny McPhee movies. The Rich’s gave her a cute dance skirt and a Hello Kitty notebook, Kristen and John gave her a cute little Melissa and Doug wooden doll to decorate, and later that evening she opened up some beautiful new clothes for her American Girl doll that Grandma Walton made! She’s definitely a very loved little girl! Happy Birthday, Leah Lou!!!
John drove up from Sacramento after work last night and arrived during Leah’s party. So we were happy he could join us today for our Grand Sierra adventure! We started out on the go-carts.
Dan checked at the Ultimate Rush booth, and sure enough one of his patients was working and offered Dan $5 tickets to ride the bungee swing. He convinced John and Michael to ride with him . . . . here they are all ready to go and definitely a little nervous!
Rethinking their decision . . . . 
It’s a long way to the top!
Michael pulled the cord and down they dropped!
Lovin it now!!!
Meanwhile, my dad and Brigham took the kids mini golfing!
This trip did wonders for James and Grant’s relationship. Grant (5 months older) really didn’t want anything to do with James before this. James was just a baby in his eyes. And now, all of a sudden, he is realizing that James is a big boy now too. He wanted to ride in the same car as James everywhere we went. He wanted to play ball with him. He wanted to share his snacks. And he even wanted to teach James how to golf. First, he would show James how to hit the ball in the hole, and James would patiently watch like a good student should. When Grant would finally make it in, he would immediately take it out and line it up for James about half an inch away from the hole. He would then step away so that James could come up and hit it in. Grant would then clap and cheer for him, “Yay, James! You did it!” And then they would go to the next hole to repeat the process all over again. They are finally friends.
After our outdoor fun, we hit up the mall (mainly the Disney Store and the pet store to check out the puppies), and then we all went out to dinner at one of our favorites, P.F. Chang’s. Then back home for a birthday cheesecake for Leah.
Grant leaning in to help blow out the candles!
The Rich’s left to go home tonight since Brigham and Steph have some lessons to teach in their ward tomorrow. But everyone else will go to church with us and leave straight from there. After the Rich’s left and the kids were all in bed, we pulled out Dominion and taught my mom, John, Kristen and Michael. They loved it! Especially Michael and John. John even said it was his favorite game! We’re happy they liked it. I see a lot more Dominion nights ahead in our future:)
It’s always so fun to have family in town! Michael and Scotty were off of school for a week (gotta love Ski Week!), so my family decided to come hang out with us for a few days. My mom, dad, and Michael picked up Kristen and baby Jacob in Sacramento on their way up and got to our house on Wednesday evening, just in time for some dinner and then to go watch Leah at her gymnastics class. The Rich’s got in a few hours later. It was party time!!
On Thursday, Dan, Annie, Brigham, Scotty, and Michael headed up to Mt. Rose for a day of skiing. It was Scotty’s first time, and Annie’s second. They were so excited to go and had a great time! 
Dan had to work on Friday, so the rest of us headed off to the Reno Children’s Discovery Museum. We love this place. It just opened this past fall, and we bought a pass to it. We go with friends a few times a month, so it was fun to take our cousins there! Sorry for the bad pictures, I took them with my iPhone . . . . I just thought it was so funny seeing the difference between these 2 pictures. The girls happily cutting away at the craft table (they could have spent hours here) and the boys busy at the magnet wall playing with balls, pipes, gadgets, and everything boy. 
Friday night was Leah’s birthday party! She had been talking about this party for months, changing the theme, it seemed, weekly. Well, we saw a cute cupcake piñata while we were out shopping a few days before the party, and so that’s what we went with. She was excited about her cupcake party and invited girls from our ward over for a girls’ night . . . . games, pizza, cupcakes, piñata, and a movie. Half the girls were Annie’s age, but since Leah plays with Annie’s friends when they come over, Leah truly considers them her friends as well. And I don’t think any of the older girls minded that they were at a 5 year old’s birthday party. They all love Leah and everyone had a great time! And it was so fun having my family in town for it too!
