Two Peas in A Monson Pod

Check it. Julia One and Julia Two. 

And check out Julia One's fabulous new (short!) haircut. Suddenly, post-bath-time hair brushing is not the exercise in patience it used to be. Just wish we had done it months ago.

Love them these girls.

Year in Review...January Through June

Okay peeps, I am shamelessly copying this idea from a friend of mine. She did an awesome year in review post for 2012, and since I am out of original ideas, I am high-jacking hers for the moment. Plus, when I started looking at all of our 2012 pictures, I realized just HOW MUCH I failed to post about last year, on account of its general craziness, so I thought this would be a good way to get some of that missed stuff on here. The problem is, there was so much that I think I need to do this in two posts...so buckle your seat belts for January to June...those of you who skip over the text to look at the pictures are in for a real treat!

January:

Savanna rocks it in her dance class

(Can anyone spot bored Amelia in the background??)

Family trip to the zoo sans moi

so I could work on a Robert Frost paper :(

Craig starts work on a kick-trash desk for himself; 

my desk envy has carried over into 2013...

February:

Lexa turns 2 and proves herself to be the cutest 2-year-old ever

Quick trip to California

Desk envy reaches new heights

March:

A Blissful trip to Hawaii

Daddy takes friends to the zoo and earns his stripes

 Lincoln gets his hair straightened

Our biggest girl turns 7!

April:

Easter

La builds a zoo with the girls

Disney on Ice with my mom

Crunch

(Sad face)

I start taking pictures of our cute house so we can start packing

(Double sad face)

May:

My mom is a closet exerciser

Getting ready to say goodbye to best friends

Vanna turns the big 0-5

Audrina's baptism

I hate my life a little bit

We move into my mom and dad's house,

but at least there's a pool!

June:

We say goodbye to a favorite teacher

Another trip to Utah(!)

Lex hijacks the string cheese
(and the Wii remotes)

We see the house that we'll eventually buy (but don't know it yet)

Happy Father's Day to the Handsomest Daddy

The girls fold laundry for me...

...and show their cuteness in more adorable ways

July to December is on its way, 'cause there's PLENTY more where that came from!

One From the Archives

Just stumbled upon this one from about five years ago. Wow. Time sure flies when your kids are adorable. That's for dang sure.

(Savanna in the stroller and J hiding ever so sneakily behind the sign.)

Ode to Ampersand*

Oh ampersand, my ampersand, how do I love thee so...
You fit so well 'twixt Juliet & handsome Romeo.

 I look for you in signs & ads that feature things quite dumb,
 Ever reassured to see your pointy toes and curvy bum.

 (Though In-N-Out refuses your sweet curvature and grace,
 I'm sure your presence would improve the burgers of that place.)

And for a girl like me whose writing borders on atrocious,
Your lasting style gives print like mine a much improved prognosis.

So ampersand, dear ampersand, please try to never leave me
For grace & style & perfect shape is naught but "and" without thee.

*Perhaps you are a smarty boombalarty, and already knew that "ampersand" is the awesome name for this symbol with which I have had a love affair for many years...my own delighted discovery of its name, however,  is much more recent, hence my excitement. My awe with ampersand dates back to the early 90s, when I would sit with pen and paper trying over and over to perfect this curvy wonder in my own handwriting. Little did I know what a cool name accompanies its awesome shape. Now that I am acquainted with its melodious title, I am pretty sure the baby's middle name will be Ampersand. If nothing else, I might have to at least name an ampersandwich after it...

Some Toilet Humor

Oh, that awkward moment when you step into a child-size toilet seat for laughs and then can't get it back off...

P.S. Lex is totally ready to be potty-trained. (I can tell because she vehemently demands her privacy while pooping in her pants.) Mommy? Not so ready. This will be one to work on next month when she turns 3, if I'm feeling energetic. Stay tuned.