So Typical

Josie is so full of personality... she can be a lot of fun but is really really good at fits.

This is just proof for when she is older.

Sleigh Ride

In February we spent a couple nights in Utah visiting. Addy met us there and we had a great time. My mom tended while all her daughters went to dinner, it was so fun. The kids played and kept everyone busy for three full days. It was a great visit.

The kids wanted to have a sleepover... the parents didn't. So we settled on a pajama party.

Josie as usual was obsessing over Koen. She gave him lots of kisses and wanted to hold him. It obviously didn't phase her that though he is 14 months younger than her he is still bigger than she is. She loved pretending she was the baby and wanted to sit in his bumbo and lay on his blanket. Kaitlyn and Rio helped grandma make brownies.

Happy Valentines Day!

We had a great valentines day. Dean gave us a movie then took us to dinner, and my dad sent a card in the mail. It was a good enough present just to have some good weather so we could get out of the house.

Cowboy Tod..

Dean Hired Tod to help calve this season, we like cowboy Tod he has a lot of good stories. Tod calls Josie his little girlfriend, today she went for a ride with him to sort out the pairs.

We got a new puppy! - Sis -

Dean thinks that in every 20 dogs you find one good one. We got lucky liking Blue first; and now I think we are about on #20 so hopefully this one will stick around for a while. She already survived one near death experience so she might be strong enough to live with us.

Leann had a Dance today. I have been getting these girls ready for days. I forgot how much work it takes to look good. Nails, Hair, Make-up, Dress Shopping... I'm glad to be out of high school.

Papa always has M&M's for Josie.

He gives them to her one after another, all the while he complains about how much dang candy she eats - either way she loves him and loves his M&M's.

PS when Josie sees the camera she makes this face.

I knew this day would come I just didn't think it would be so soon. Help Me!

Cameron invited our whole family to a Grizzlies game for Addy's birthday! When we were on our way to Utah I was on the phone multiple times planning a baby sitter, dinner, and meeting times; then someone else would call and all the plans would change- over and over. Dean looked at me and said, "don't ever expect me to plan you a surprise birthday party with your family- I don't love you that much - there is sooo much drama". It's true there is a lot of drama but it, there is just so many people to please, but it always works out as a good time in the end. After the game we went ice skating. Pretty sure pregnant ladies should not ice skate, however it was a good thing I did or the Ballard's would have never made it around the rink.

For my Journal

My girl is 18 months... 18.11 pounds- She is getting so smart. I have loved watching her play the last few weeks. She is really getting into pretend. She will put a purse over her shoulder and kiss me and wave bye -but never leaves the living room. She is starting to be a good momma too! She used to only give balls rides in the stroller, but she has replaced them with babies and she loves to give her babies a bottle after she has had a few bites on the plastic nipple. She loves to comb her hair and put on makeup. She is always on the phone whether she has stolen mine, using a play phone, or sometimes just uses her hand; she walks around head tilted just chatting nonsense. When I get her down from eating I say go play and she takes off running like she is really headed somewhere but comes right back obviously forgetting her assignment. She knows she can't have a binky unless she is in the crib, she thinks she is so sneaky when she comes out with one, she comes right over to show me and then runs away. She is getting more independent, she cries if she has to sit in the highchair and would rather sit at the table. She cheers and dances at ball games and loves to go up and down the bleachers. She throws whatever she doesn't think is important away, and gets whatever she thinks is out of the garbage. She is a lot of fun but does throw many fits throughout the day - screaming and banging her head on whatever hard surface she can find. She has only gone to nursery once but didn't even look back at me, hopefully that will last. She already does a fake smile for the camera and closes her eyes half way - that does not make a cute picture. She still loves her dad so much and gets gitty and runs to the door when she hears it open. I love spending all day with her and we are truly enjoying this age - the dramatic fits and all.

Branding Heifers

Dean got 120 new heifers this winter and my dad and brothers came up to help him brand. CJ got to come too, grandpa is a sucker for CJ and lets him go everywhere with him. I took CJ down for a while to see the boys work and he kept saying he wanted to go home. The next day he told everyone at Sunday dinner that grandpa would snap the cows necks (catch them in the head catch) and cut off their ears (give them new ear tags) and the cows were crying. It sounds really bad when you put it that way. He did say that he got to ride Pete with his dad so I guess it wasn't all terrifying. I felt bad, I thought he just wanted to go home because he was cold, apparently he was traumatized.

Naturally Curly

Josie's hair is naturally curly. I love it and it's so cute until... She takes a nap!

Alice Lake, WY

Dean went with his friend Doug to Alice Like, Wyoming last weekend. I googled it to try to get a feel for where he would be... this is the picture I got.

I zoomed out and still got nothing. It is obviously in the middle of nowhere, just the kind of place Dean would like. They spent Three days snowmobiling and never saw another person. He said he had the time of his life... I guess that doesn't say much for the last four years of our marriage. I'm just glad they came home safe, he didn't have any cell service and I was worried the entire time.

Busy Lady

While I was getting ready for church Josie was busy making this mess. She was so busy she just kept jabbering to herself. When I finally paid attention to her she held out her arm to show me her pretty bracelets (hair elastics) and then clapped. She was so proud of her jewelry that it didn't even bother her that her arm was bright red and loosing circulation.

Road Trip

Dean had to get a load of cows from Montana. 12 hours... In all reality it was a short drive, from where he usually picks them up at. However for me it was forever. My sweet neighbor watched Josie for me and I invited myself to ride along with Dean. It makes me nervous him driving all that way alone, so I decided I would go and keep him awake. Turns out I slept most of the day and the roads were so icy I couldn't have driven for him to sleep anyway. I really do enjoy being with him even in the truck. He is my best thing!

Josie enjoying the left overs from the New year

New Year's Day

Blake, Casey, Johnny, Dean, Mckay, Collin. There were three more but they didn't come for the picture. Every New Years these boys come for a snowmobile ride at my house. I'm pretty sure they each took a turn trying to back out this year because it was sooo cold, in the end they all manned up and came.

Ang and the kids went sledding with Dean's brothers and sisters but no one else could stand the cold weather. Emilee did a great job getting lunch ready for the boys, while Ang shared her make-up with Josie.