Alicia comes to NYC!! #1

Note to readers: This will be a series of posts, it might bore you but remember that this blog is my journal and I want to remember this visit!

Finally! We have lived here for over 6 years and she has only guessed at the craziness that is NYC. I was so excited to get to show her around my town! First stop was the Union Square Farmers Market

First subway ride for little Miss Haven who is 7 months old and just as big as Evan! And who we discovered (much to my delight) that she is portable and WILL nap on the go!!

A very threatening NYPD Seqway cop...hah!

Alicia's first doggie in a stroller sighting.

Apple cider donuts, the first of MANY treats!

Nursing on a park bench! She is on her way to being a real city mama!

Gorgeous building that I never noticed in Union Square, but because of my new camera I totally thought it was a great photo op :)

Alicia had never seen the restaurant grades before. B=bad. A= awesome!

Cute little Havey at Elevation burger...yum! Try it out, it's on 14th and 6th. (grass fed meat!)

Ridiculously priced Xmas trees from Canadia. The most expensive 7 footer we found was $240! That's refronculous! FYI Ridiculous+dumb=re-donculous, ridiculous + freaking crazy = re-fronculous.

At TJMaxx takin a break in the fabulously huge dressing room.

Can't get enough of this little man!

Donut Plant!!

We loved the cranberry donut.

Subway.

OK so give me a break I had only had my camera for 4 days so I was a little excited about it, but how cool is this picture of a bus speeding by?

Trump tower.

Practicing our action shots.

We went to the MOMA for frizzle (every Friday night from 4-8...it's a steal!)

And then we had to hurry home because Haven was crying, which turned out to be a recurring theme during the week :) Thanks Can Man you are the best!

And on the way we snapped photos of these beauties.

Happy Birthday Little Leavers!

2.5

My boy is 5!! I can't believe it. Time really does go so fast and it is actually very sad but so exciting, because he (and the others) is growing up! I feel like Levi's life has sped by. Today I was thinking that I just need to savor the time I have with Evan because really the all night nursing, and spitting up etc won't last forever. Even though I'm tired and it's hard now, I will miss it when it's gone.

2.5 years old

Levi, son of my youth. I love you more than words can say. You are crazy, you are silly, you are shy, you are stubborn, you are a handsome little devil and you are all mine! I relished my pregnancy with you. I was SO excited to meet you! I was finally going to have my homebirth....which to me was the best part of the pregnancy. I laughed when you were born. I laughed because I was done with labor, because I was so happy to meet you and because I thought that Heavenly Father had played a joke on us when I saw you were a boy. We knew in our hearts you were a girl...hah! I will never trust my intuition again! But, you have taught me that having a rough and tumble boy can be so much fun, and that boys are WAY easier to dress than girls. I have also learned that I need to make sure that you love your mama  so that when you are married, the wicked woman who stole you from me will let you come back and see me from time to time. Hopefully with beautiful grandchildren in tow. You are so sweet and thoughtful, but you are also a spitfire, much like Elyse. You know what you want. You didn't talk much until you were 3, instead you screamed to make your point.....that was good fun. You used to love to be naked all the time! In the past year, you have become more and more modest, but I must admit I miss seeing those cute buns around! You are so thoughtful and extremely sensitive. You are your uncle Hyrum to a T. In personality and looks. You even came out looking like him! I hope that you grow up to be a boy that is kind and respectful, who loved him mom (and I guess dad too) and the Lord. I love you buddy boy! Happy birthday. Love, Kass.

And without further ado....here are many many pictures depicting how cute and chubbylicious little Levi was :) 

Newborn...I loved loved sleeping with you, you always loved to cuddle so close! 

You look funny in this picture, but you were cute to us. Also, note the mini crib in the background....this was never used by you but as storage for approximately 9 months. You would have none of it. 

Beautiful!

Look at those thighs! You were so much chubbier than Evan is!

I was much more diligent about infant pottying than I am now with Evan, you were SO good at it!

2

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4 

Buddy boys

How cute are these boys? We are grooming them to be BFF's like their mamas. Fingers crossed!

Buddies

These cute kids usually walk home together after Pre-K. (ahh no coats on...the good 'ol days)

Winner!!

And the winner of the crackers is..........Melissa! Yay! Melissa, send me your address and I'll mail them out.

Melissa holds a very special place in my heart. She taught my sister Laura school for years and became a member of our family. She was always patient and loving with Laura....love you Melissa!!

New Years Eve!

We had a little New Years Eve party

We played Charades

Levi was obsessed with Sam. 

We sat around and talked

and we rang in the New Year....all before 8 o'clock.

Kasi Hansen's pie

This is the best pie in the world. It is courtesy of Kasi Hansen, a woman from my ward growing up. She helped make it for my wedding luncheon and Can and I have made it every year for Christmas. It is A-mazing!

Recipe:
Make any cookie crumb recipe. We use Tate's gluten free cookies crushed with melted butter pressed into a pie pan.

Filling:
2 Eggs
2 Cups Chocolate Chips
1/4 C sugar (optional)
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
2 tsp vanilla
Blend up and then add 1.5 C of whipping cream that has just come to a bubble. Blend on hi for 1 minute and then chill for a few hours.

*i say optional because I made it for New Years and forgot the salt and sugar and it was still great :)