Ian is 8!

We could not ask for a better son.  These past 8 years have gone so quickly, but with so much happiness.  Ian had a birthday party with two of his best buddies where we took them to Reno for bowling and pizza.  (unfortunately, the other 3 Smith kids up-chucked in our brand new suburban on the way there!  Kevin handled the bday party while I brought the other kiddos home early.)

His bday presents were all about Scouts.  The shirt, the hat, the book, the belt, etc.  

No, he's not 11, but I didn't think of the obvious thing of writing "8" and instead thought he'd like the number 11.  Not one of my brightest moments.

He is being baptized with his cousins in Utah next month.  He already is developing a testimony and is so excited to be a missionary.  Ian loves ANY sport.  Any. Sport.  Golf, football, basketball, soccer, baseball, swimming, mountain biking.  He is kind and passionate about all he does.  We love you, buster!

Happy Easter!

The Ratchfords

Our best Tahoe friends just up and left us.  I've been crying for days.  How could they do this to us?  On to greener "Vail" pastures.  They think they're so cool.  We'll never forgive them unless they agree to come on a cruise with us this Fall.  Never. Ever.

 Leah and Claire with Hailey Bug.

Ronan and Meg.  Ronan once swore to "protect Megan with his fists!"  Such an Irishman.

Ian and Eva.

Really, we miss them all so much!  

Hailey Bug's birthday

Our baby is one!  We just cannot believe that anyone could ever find more glorious adorability wrapped up in one little package (I'm sure there are millions of other parents who would disagree, but they're wrong.  haha.)  She's the only kiddo who got her daddy's blue eyes.  She also inherited her mother's large gap in between her front teeth, which will require braces as a teenager.  But her mother finds that it gives her character.

For her birthday she got lots of books and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle phone (because it was in the bargain section at Target).

 She had lots of help opening her gifts.

Grandpa Dave and Grandma Carol brought a very exciting Minnie Mouse choo-choo train and the most darling little dress (below).

Daddy is her favorite.  By. Far. No Question.

Perfection.  All wrapped up in one blue-eyed, gapped-tooth darling.

Hunter Boy

 Just a few more little tidbits about our Hunter Boy. (things I just don't want to forget).  He has a cheesy grin he likes to show us.  It has always been a little "cock-eyed" but I thought it was just him being silly.  We went to the dentist last week and found out he actually has a cross-bite.  He has to go to the orthodontist to get a little device to fix it.  Interestingly, if we waited until he was older, they would actually have to break his jaw to fix it, ouch!

 He LOVES to help his daddy with any project.  Here they are putting on a new front deck.

I caught him hitting Ian the other day and when I reprimanded him, he said "I wasn't hitting him, I was giving him a high five!!"