No Small Thing

Camping

2011-06-07T17:26:00.015-07:00

Over the course of the 24 hours we went to Williams for a family camp out, I think Rylee slept for a total of 2 hours. Yet she continued to be a happy little camper the whole time we were there.

She loved the tent and playing peek-a-boo with Aunt Brooklyn.

She loved the swings.

And she loved the dirt, and that it was okay for her to constantly be picking it up and putting all over herself (and mom occasionally).

And if she had things her way I think we would stay outside all day long every day. These are pictures after not having slept for 12 hours (during the night I might add).

And I think it is official: Addison is going to love being outside as much as her big sister.

On our way home, both girls fell asleep and stayed that way the whole way home (which made for some nice quiet time).

We love that our girls love the outdoors and we're hoping our next camping trip will be a much better sleep experience. In the meantime I need to have Ry show me the trick to staying so happy on so little sleep!

Late Easter Pictures

2011-06-07T17:17:00.011-07:00

Easter was a blast, and I know these are late but I think they speak for themselves.

I think we re-hid the empty eggs about 10 times. She LOVED it!

I don't know what our Ry Bug would do without her "Papa".

Good Morning

2011-05-16T09:45:00.006-07:00

Things can get pretty hectic in the morning trying to juggle two different schedules. But there are some mornings, like this one, that are absolutely perfect and I don't think my girls could be any more perfect.

The Attempt

2011-03-15T00:29:00.007-07:00

I decided to attempt my own infant pictures with Addi and I this is by far my favorite.

I also happened to get a pretty good one of Rylee too.

This is the time of year we LOVE Arizona and being outside!

Family of Four

2011-02-18T23:03:00.008-07:00

I still have to say it out loud to remind myself every now and then. Now that Addison is 5 weeks old I thought I would finally update my blog. I've just been a little pre-occupied with adjusting to life with...

not just one...

but two!

Addison Mae was born February 6 at 4:21 pm while Christina Aguilera messed up the national anthem (I had to catch it on YouTube). It was probably the best delivery I could have asked for and I had an awesome support group there with me.

All 7 pounds 7 ounces and 21 inches!

Notice here that there are two bears...one for big sister and one for the new sister. And notice how Rylee has both. She didn't give up either one of them until well after we had gotten home.

What can I say...I love our little family!

THANKFUL

2010-12-18T22:23:00.010-07:00

I know we are well beyond Thanksgiving, but I have had such an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and thankfulness for so many things. And throughout this whole holiday season I have had a dramatic shift in the things that are now a primary focus and the things I am the most grateful for.

Here's just a few of the things that have been on my mind the most.

Family.

The best grandparents my kids could ever ask for.

Temples.

The most beautiful and fun daughter a mom could ask for and an absolutely amazing better half.

I don't think I could be more blessed!

Sometimes I Feel Like....

2010-12-01T22:22:00.002-07:00

Let me lay it out for you...

Living in half the square feet you have for the past year and adding another person to the mix.
Being 8 months pregnant.
Not even having a bedroom to have as a retreat.

And while it may feel like this, just as with the picture you get a good laugh out of it all.

I couldn't find words to better describe it.

Week of Halloween

2010-11-01T15:02:00.045-07:00

My brother and sister-in-law brought their daughter Peighton to visit us two weekends ago and Jade and Peight stayed all week and Ty came back for Halloween. It was so fun to see them and have them here for Halloween. We decided to take advantage of having the girls cousins together again this Halloween.

We went to Schnepf Farms with the girls and I am only now realizing how funny it is to see all these parents taking around their overtired children trying to convince them that this is so much fun.

Exhibit A: The Carousel (which neither of the girls could get off fast enough).

Exhibit B: The Honey Bee Ride (which Peight liked more than Rylee).

Exhibit C: The constant yawns and eye rubbing that occurred while Jade and I were determined to make it worth our $12.00 per person trip :)

Although there were tears and fussing and a lot of yawning, the trip was well worth it if you ask me.

Rylee loved the pigs.

And we liked the girl's faces in the Honey Bee.

The girls loved playing in the little "park" that they had set up.

And I liked being the 6 month pregnant lady watching everyone else crawl around and go up and down slides.

And the petting zoo alone was worth it for Chris and I. I think Rylee could have stayed in with the goats all day long. She was determined she needed to touch all of them!

While Peighton was happier in dad's arms...

Or just outside of the petting zoo all thogether.

I think my most favorite part was seeing how much fun Rylee had with Chris.

In the maze...

On the rides...

and in the pumpkin patch...

I even got in on some of the lovin'

He is such and amazing dad to her and I couldn't help but sit back and smile while I watched a big 6'6 dad hold hands with the little munchkin of a daughter.

Then there came Halloween (or to most of us the night before Halloween). We had a movie projected up on the garage and passed out candy to the few trick-or-treaters we had come visit. Still filled with family, friends, and fun.

And some home made pumpkin pie thanks to Uncle Jensen!

Fun night for all!

It's My Party

2010-10-08T21:03:00.001-07:00

This time of year has brought back many memories and for Chris and I it brings back the absolute joy Rylee has brought into our lives since the minute she was born. It is hard to believe that a year has already gone by. We celebrated what was originally planned as a "small get together" that gradually grew into a full blown party. Rylee was happy all day and absolutely loved helping mom and grandma get everything ready for her big party.

I don't know what she was more intimidated by. The huge cupcake just for her...

Or all the people singing to her...

But she eventually got over both and absolutely loved her cake.

I don't know if it was Chris or Rylee that was more excited to open her gifts.

After she got her stuffed animals she seemed as happy as could be.

But over the next couple of days she eventually found and fell in love with all her new toys. And she has loved being pushed around in her new Cozy Coupe.

We are lucky to have so many amazing people in our family that can have so much love for such a little person in what seems a short amount of time. Thank you everyone for coming and having so much love for out little girl!

She is a lucky girls and still remains a beam of light to everyone in her life.

1 Year in the Making

2010-10-04T23:02:00.005-07:00

Rylee is already one year old! It's hard to believe it has already gone by so fast. She has such a big personality for such a little person. She is the cutest and funnest thing every day, and just when you think she's done the cutest thing she completely out does herself.

Thank you to Aunt Shurlin for letting us tag along and get some fun Halloween costume pictures!

Pictures of the party to come!

Lip-Popping Good

2010-08-03T09:56:00.010-07:00

Kind of a blurry picture, but my most favorite part is the eyes. And the last one is definitely the best one.

Chris's Gift

2010-05-25T03:51:00.004-07:00

For mother's day Chris got me this video camera.

This thing is incredible! It's rugged, small enough to carry in the diaper bag at all times, and it's water proof! Which is perfect for our water-loving family.

I love it so much and love him even more for getting such a thoughtful gift. As soon as I figure out how to get videos onto the computer and onto the blog I will share some.

First Swim

2010-05-25T02:40:00.009-07:00

Sometimes I think Chris may have come to earth in the wrong form, he is a fish at heart. He would spend every extra minute of every day in the water beginning with the first day of April (if I would let him). He finally convinced me to take Rylee and go swimming with him and much to my surprise it was fun! Also much to my surprise that we have a heated pool in our community (which may have been the deciding factor in the fun part seeing as how the water would have been freezing). I'm glad to know that the money we pay to our HOA isn't just for landscaping. :)

Rylee was a natural and loved the water. For her first time I was expecting to need to ease in and go slow and maybe even just introduce her to the water this time, but not for that girl. She's definitely an all or nothing girl even at 7 months of age, which could mean trouble later but is fun for now.

Chris was the most adorable dad with her and was absolutely thrilled that she liked being in the water. She was splashing and everything. Overall, definitely a successful first swim!

And did I mention that she was by far the cutest thing at the pool! Oh how I wish my legs could look cute with rolls like that!

Home Town

2010-05-10T20:05:00.028-07:00

Or at least the town where I was born (seeing as how I've lived in Mesa since I was 3). Whatever you want to call it, we only recently realized that Chris has never been to some of the most fun places in Prescott. I'm not saying that relatives houses aren't the most fun, but he has only been up there and to my Aunt Lenora's house after her daughter's baptism about a year ago and has never had the opportunity to experience Prescott for the quaint (growing) small town that it is. So we decided to fix that issue during conference weekend. My mom and dad were gracious enough to go up with us and be our "tour guides" of the town. We went to places that I had never even been in all my years of visiting.

We took the quads up to Spruce Mountain and made it almost all the way to the watch tower but there was still about a foot of snow up on the higher part of the mountain, but it was still a fun ride up and back.

Rylee even got to experience her first quad ride.

After we went quading (or four-bying as Chris calls it, we went to Goldwater Lake and walked around for a little bit. It was colder than I had anticipated and we left Rylee's blanket at my grandparent's house so Chris came up with a make-shift way to keep both of us warm.

Pretty clever!

We ate lunch at The Grill in downtown Prescott by the court house.

And Saturday morning Ty and Jade and Peighton drove up with Brook to meet us a Zeke's for breakfast. I have never seen such big pancakes and no reward for eating a whole one in a certain amount of time, but Chris didn't finish his anyways so we didn't feel too left out.

We all went and walked around Lynx Lake.

Smelling trees along the way...

Peighton trying to skip rocks like daddy...

And Rylee helping navigate our route...

We were going to walk all the way around until we got to the dam and realized there is still to much water in the lake and that there was no way we were getting accross with two babies and a stroller without getting wet, but it did keep the boys entertained for a while. What is it about signs like this that attract men? It's almost like a challenge. I mean if they really don't want people over there they should post a sign saying "Nothing to see here" or just post nothing at all.

Nonetheless, it was all fun and games, until Ty stepped onto an unstable log and got his only pair of jeans and shoes wet. So we turned the other way and walked back in the direction we came.

On the way back to grandma's Ty tried to get his shoes and socks dried (socks in the window, shoes from the driver's side rear-view mirror), but I don't think it worked.

We spent a little bit of time downtown Prescott which is so cute!

And then decided to head home.

Thank you nature for being so beautiful and giving us the perfect weather and beautiful places to go and amazing things to see! It's times like these that I'm glad I'm obsessed with taking pictures because it really does make me look at things differently. What a beautiful world we live in!

And thank you mom and dad for being our guides and being willing to help Chris and Jade get a different view of Prescott than they had before.

A grateful,

6 Months

2010-04-07T21:14:00.006-07:00

This last weekend Rylee Grace turned 6 months!

At 17.3 pounds and 26 3/4 inches long she

Rolls both ways
Always has her legs and feet moving
Loves her pacifier (only at night or when she's sleepy)
Can turn all the way around and even scoot a little bit
Loves oatmeal, applesauce, sweet potatoes, pears and peas
Is the most curious little person I've ever met
Can sit up like a pro all on her own
Loves books (anything Dr. Seuss, I Love you This Much, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar)
Usually can't fall asleep without a lullaby or two and being rocked (we're trying to break this habit)
Can grab anything within about a foot in any direction
Is a little ball of energy

And is an absolute love!

Happy and proud mom,

Peighter's Party

2010-03-24T12:06:00.010-07:00

My niece Peighton turned one! I know I'm about a month late already but better late than never.

My mom made an adorable monster cupcake.

Which Peight liked at first

Which turned into this...

But maybe the most exciting (for me anyways) is that Rylee and Peighton and starting to interact and notice eachother!

So excited for the girls to grow up and be good buddies.

Going, Going, GONE

2010-02-14T22:42:00.008-07:00

The DeWitt stables had one of their auctions a couple of weekends ago and although we aren't interested in buying any horses or mules it's still a fun experience that I wanted our little family to have (Chris has never been). Brook was helping with the auction and did a wonderful job if I do say so myself.

My mom got a few things, this cute bucket being one of them.

And my dad got a what every man dreams of getting....a tractor! Random I know (picture soon to come).

We got to see our good family friends Andy and Jodee Seehagen who came down to help.

And got to see all sorts of things to do with horses like saddles

and boot spurs

And the orange groves (not really a horse thing, but pretty none the less)

And Rylee was totally into it and showed off only some of her many faces.

And for being so tired she was still so happy and fun.

She's getting so big so fast!

We had such a happy day and a fun experience!

Muscle Tone

2010-02-14T22:36:00.003-07:00

4 month check up! Everything is perfect and Rylee was a total busy body and wanted to look at everyone and everything at the doctor's office. She may not be rolling over yet but the doctor saw her and said, "Wow, she has great muscle tone". And this is what he was looking at...

I'm just relieved that at least one person in our family has good muscle tone!

Flying, Family, Friends, and Fun

2010-02-14T21:22:00.018-07:00

We took our first trip up to Idaho with Rylee! The dreaded taking a child on a plane for the first time went SO well! Rylee did amazing and totally charmed everyone on the plane and everyone in the airport we came across. She knew just when to smile and totally melt people. She is the sweetest and happiest little girl!

We stayed with Chris's friend Ryan and his wife Cali and their son Jaxon (who is only 4 days younger than Rylee). So she got to meet the cute kid that her dad says she is betrothed to. We had a blast staying with them and it was nice because they were already on "baby schedule" which made me feel more comfortable. I went up there thinking that Rylee was doing really good sleeping anywhere from 6 to 8 hours a night. But by the second night we were there she slept 10 hours! I was absolutely amazed! We had a fun trip and got to visit a lot of people. For those of you that don't know Chris has 7 brothers and sisters that live up there not to mention the numberless nieces and nephews that we love to see as well. So Idaho is always a busy but very rewarding trip for us.

Rylee and I got to share an "Idaho first" experience when we went to McCall. It was absolutely beautiful and totally cold! We were lucky enough to be there when they were having their Winter Carnival where they have people come from all over to do ice carvings which are absolutely incredible!

We left Boise (it's about a 2 hour drive) thinking we would get there in time to eat breakfast at the pancake house. And we did, along with every other person in McCall so we waited about 2 hours for a table. Luckily, we had Cali and Jaxon with us and we used the babies as entertainment while we waited.

Jaxon is a total stud, and although he's 4 days younger he is still about 2 pounds heavier and at least 2 inches longer.

Cali was telling us that Ryan had "the talk" with Jaxon before we came up that he and Rylee couldn't sleep in the same room and that he had to leave the room when she was getting her diaper changed, and they couldn't hold hands yet. So Chris and Cali were having a fun time making them hold hands and being as close as possible.

I can get lost in these big beautiful eyes! When life seems hard and I'm tempted to give up all I need is a good look into these eyes along with a smile to give me a wonderful pick-me-up.

Dad and Rylee bundled (well Rylee and mom bundled and dad in a sweater) and ready to walk!

This is the first cool ice sculpture (or snow sculpture rather) that we came across. My favorite part of this picture is that fact that Chris has a wonderful smile and doesn't even know that Rylee's face is covered.

He busted up laughing when he realized what we were trying to say. The next one makes a better picture but the picture above is priceless.

This was one of the other cool sculptures (among the many).

There was a lot of traffic headed out of McCall as we were walking into town. And people were pointing at Rylee admiring her as they drove by. I have to admit, she is pretty adorable.

This was really the first time since that first week Rylee was born that Chris got to spend 5 solid days with both of us. It was fun to see he and Rylee bond. The are good little buddies.

Thanks to Cali this is the first good and fun family picture we have so far with all of us (well...minus Cooper).

Cali did McCall the smarter way... a stroller and a nice warm bundling outfit for Jaxon.

Back at Cali and Ryan's we liked to let Rylee and Jaxon "find" eachother.

Jaxon was helping show Rylee how to hold her head up high during "tummy time".

There was a slight delay for the plane headed home and she was still happy as can be. We're so glad she's such a good traveler.

'Tis the Season

2010-01-19T20:26:00.013-07:00

This was one of the best Christmas seasons of my life! There was a whole new meaning of Christmas and thinking of the birth of our Savior now that we have our own little one in our house. I couldn't help but realize that I have never had any perspective or any idea of how much love you can have for someone and it has totally and completely humbled me to say the least to know of the love Christ has for each and every one of us. It has also helped me realize how much I need to work on loving everyone I come in contact with. It was a Christmas of a few very valuable lessons learned.

In addition to that, it was both baby's First Christmas! And I absolutely loved every minute of it. First time visiting temple lights, I think Rylee was a little over stimulated but it was well worth going. We caught her off guard with the flash on the camera.

Christmas eve was spent split between the Blasers and the Bennetts. But both got to see her cute Christmas onesie from Aunt Shurlin.

We spent the morning at our house opening presents and playing with our happy girl.

And then got ready to go to Grandma and Grandpa's (still in pajamas of course).

And she got her medicine (she got bronchitis from her little cold). And I made Chris do it whenever he was around because she hated it (if you can't tell from the leg and arms in every direction).

And we found out that she can sit up in the Bumbo (thanks Jade for letting us borrow it!)

She loves it!

And Chris and Jensen playing with one of Chris's new presents Mario Brothers for the Wii!

This was a perfect first Christmas for our little family! Fun gifts, good Christmas feeling, and wonderful people all around us!

MOM

2009-12-08T16:29:00.002-07:00

I would like to wish a happy birthday to one of the most incredible women I have had the privilege to know and love...my mom! I know it's a day late, but there is no way to ignore the birth of a person who has had such a major contribution in my life. I am a firm believer that you cannot comprehend the appreciation you should have for your mom until you become one.

Thank you for everything you've done for all of us.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Blessed Day

2009-12-08T16:05:00.011-07:00

We blessed Rylee on Sunday. My mom made Rylee's blessing dress out of my wedding dress and it was absolutely adorable. Chris gave a beautiful blessing. And we had so much support from family and friends. It couldn't have been any more perfect than it was.

The dress

The shoes and headband

The proud parents

The four generations line-up

And only some of the family

A BIG thanks to my mom for her incredible dress-making skills. And thanks to Ty and Jade for letting us bring almost 60 people into their beautiful home.

Month of Pure Bliss

2009-11-05T11:42:00.009-07:00

I cannot believe that it has already been a month since we had Rylee. Time has gone by so fast, but at the same time so slow. This last month truly has been memorable. There have been fun and frustrating times to say the least. And it has been full of "firsts" for Rylee and mom and dad. This is just a little glimpse into the past month in our little family, and only a few of what seems to be hundreds of pictures of Rylee (we are a little obsessed).

Gotta love the sleeping sacks and how easy they make it to change a diaper at 2 in the morning.

The many family members and friends that have so willingly held and absolutely loved her. And of course her sleeping through all sorts of noises and being passed around during the day, but not so much at night while mom and dad are trying to sleep :)

Trying to figure out which cry this is...the "I'm hungry", the "Dirty diaper", or the "I have a bubble" cry.

One of many many naps.
Okay...Chris is faking it, but Rylee really is asleep.

And of course being a daddy's girl (and Chris absolutely loving it!).

There are many things that have not yet been captured by the camera, but all of our time with Rylee (yes, even the sleepless nights) have been well worth it!

We love you Rylee!

Halloween Firsts

2009-11-05T11:07:00.018-07:00

This Halloween was especially fun seeing the two little girls all dressed up for the first time (remember this is Peighton's first round for holidays too). There are not many things that are better than spending a wonderful-weathered evening watching a movie on the projector with the people you love the most. The adults were lacking on the costume end of things, but I feel the two little ones made up for it.

Finishing up Peighton's costume. She was not a very happy girl.

The nose...

The whiskers...

And she's happy again!

I think my favorite may have been the leggings...

Then there was Rylee, the cute and cuddly teddy bear. It was a warm costume, which was good for outside, but was a little too much inside.

One of the few pictures I have with Rylee (thank you Jade).

But as the evening went on, she seemed to look more like an ewok. You be the judge...

Any resemblance?

All tuckered out by the end of the night.

Happy spooks to all and sweet dreams to our little one!

Family

2009-10-18T14:23:00.012-07:00

Throughout everything we have had so much love and support from family and friends alike. Thanks to everybody who was there for us through it all! Here are some pictures just after she was born (literally right after she came out). All these people were waiting just behind the curtain while I was pushing.

Chris and his mom.

My mom and dad.

Uncle Jensen.

Aunt Shurlin and Shalon.

Aunt Jade.

Aunt Brook.

I feel so much closer to them all now. :)

Rylee Grace Blaser

2009-10-18T14:20:00.007-07:00

Here she is! The newest addition to our little family. She was born Sunday, October 4 (which was my original due date) at 1:02 pm after only 37 minutes of pushing (which I hear isn't bad for a first baby). She weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces and was 21 inches long and is absolutely perfect! Thanks to my cousin Heather (plainlytaken.blogspot.com) we already have some absolutely adorable pictures of her.

She has brought more joy than I could have ever imagined!

Roller Coaster

2009-10-15T17:03:00.004-07:00

On 99.99% of occasions I would say I absolutely love roller coasters. Emotional roller coasters, on the other hand I have turned out to not be a fan of. If you ask Chris he might say I've been on an emotional roller coaster for about 9 months now, but to me it all started September 30 at my last OB visit. I had originally gone in thinking,"wouldn't it be great if they induced me tonight?" Then we found out that my blood pressure was extremely high and we were sent to the hospital to have everything watched. I thought for sure they would just induce me while we were already there, but someone up there had a different plan for us which turned out to be a better plan. The next night we got word that Chris's 40-year-old brother Clint had passed away. This came as a total shock to us all seeing as how he was training for the P.F. Chang's marathon and had just run 10 miles on Saturday and was out running when he had passed. As of now they're saying it was a heart attack, but the official results from the autopsy have not come back yet. 39 weeks and 5 days pregnant and then this. I was a total wreck. Needless to say, we spent most of that night and the next day at Clint and Jackie's house with all the family trying to make sense of things. It was when the funeral plans were being made that I realized that I was scheduled to go into the hospital Sunday night and be induced Monday morning which meant I would miss everything. So I called my doctor to see if I could change things up a bit so that if nothing else I could be there for the funeral, and luckily she was more than willing to work with us on that. We went in Saturday night and I was induced Sunday morning at 6:30 am. By 1:02 pm we had our 8 pound 3 ounce 21 inch long bundle of joy.

Emotional roller coaster may not even begin to describe the overwhelming amount of emotions. But through the lowest of lows and the highest of highs, we all were brought back to the realization that all that matters is family. That week brought everyone (not only in the Blaser family but also on my side of the family) closer together and made us all realize how fragile life is and how important it is to make sure the loved ones around us know how much they are loved.

A Few of My Favorite Things

2009-08-24T17:52:00.004-07:00

The joys of pregnancy come from the small and most simple things, yet seem so profound and exciting. These joys include (but are by no means limited to):

Rylee's constant movements (even though some times cause pain, moving is a good thing!)

All of the cute little socks and outfits that are now washed and put in her dresser.

The absolutely adorable shoes and boots (thanks to my sister Brook) she will get to wear.

The cute and fun baby toys.

The collection of baby feeding items in our kitchen cupboard.

And the softest blankets in the entire world!

I simply remember a few of my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad.

CRAZY

2009-08-19T11:30:00.007-07:00

Chris has wanted a dog since before we were married. Do not even ask me why the thought even entered my mind at this point in our lives, but I thought it would be cute to get him one for his birthday (which was last month). And although I am someone that used to think it was absolutely rediculous to fly a dog in from anywhere, I am now one of those who has picked up a puppy at the airport. Chris thought we were going together to the airport on August 8 to pick the little guy up, but I surprised him and brought the puppy home on the Thursday night before. Some of you may not know, but Chris does not show his emotions on his sleeve at all and hardly ever gets excited. He is also nearly impossible to surprise. But check this out....

I think he was surprised, and he is actually showing emotion. And it is all over him. I absolutely LOVE that picture.

After having the puppy (which we named Cooper) for over a week now I am starting to feel overwhelmed simply with the thought of the puppy and the baby at the same time. I only have about 6 weeks until my due date and Cooper is so so far away from being trained.

But even with the messes in the house, the terrain markings left on the floor, and the uncoordinated long-legged animal running around in all his energy...I have to admit he is one of the cutest little things ever! And after all is said and done, he really is a sweet dog.

And he is such a cuddler.

Now he just needs to be trained. Wish us luck!

What Used to Be...

2009-08-19T11:18:00.017-07:00

Preeclampsia. According to the Preeclampsia Foundation it is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms. This is a very serious issue and something I am glad I ended up not having. But traumatizing none the less to have to go into the labor and delivery to be monitored and checked out. While swelling and headaches are important symptoms, I have both and still do not have this. Lucky for me however, I get to flaunt my lovely cankles and (mostly swollen feet) which seem to inflate after standing for any longer than 15 or 20 minutes. But on the bright side...no preeclampsia and no bed rest! Thank heavens!

Honeymoon feet and ankles:

8 month pregnant feet and cankles:

This has already been quite the experience, and I know there's only more excitement and unexpected things to come.

Life Lesson: Enjoy what you have while you have it, because it may be gone before you know it.

What Growing Pains?

2009-07-06T19:28:00.011-07:00

As you move through different stages in life, you realize that you change and adapt to what is going on. Today was one of those moments when I realized Chris and I are getting "more mature" and adapting to the responsibilities of being home owners and soon-to-be parents. I ordered a vacuum last week and Chris has been so excited to get it. Keep in mind, this is no average or ordinary vacuum. It is the Dyson DC28 Animal.

Today we drove home and as we drove in front of our house he saw a big box and started shouting "Let me out! Let me out! Let me out!" He gave me just enough time to bring the car to a stop so that he could jump out and grab the vacuum. It was absolutely hilarious. Welcome the Dyson Animal with the Air Muscle. Our carpets are already cleaner than they have been in the last 3 months. Ah...the joys and entertainment of growing up!

The Alpine Way

2009-06-18T14:07:00.030-07:00

An Alpine trip was always a big summer thing for my family growing up, and we all got the chance to head up there for a weekend and escape from the heat! I took my new camera (and for some reason think I know how to use it) and took SO MANY pictures. It was a fun trip to have with everyone in our family there, including Peighton (the new addition). They're fun to look at, even though there are literally hundreds. To sum the weekend up we did a lot of shooting....

Mom...

Dad...

Brook...

Jensen (who I think was the best shot with this gun...we had a contest)...
Ty...Jade wanted to shoot and got a couple of good rounds off. (we're so proud of you Jade!)

Chris...
And even me!...

We had a photo shoot with Brook and her three horses.

Drove up the Escadilla (on the most windy day ever might I add).

Found a perfect carving stick.

Fell in love with Peighton.

And posed for some pictures.

Caught Brook read-handed in a weak moment :)

And made a "Dog on a Stick".

Again, it was a quick trip and a lot of driving over the course of three days, but it was well worth it!

Canada...Eh!

2009-06-04T14:43:00.020-07:00

We decided (and by we I mean Chris) that a fun trip was in order to celebrate our one year anniversary, graduation, and to get to have one more big trip with just the two of us before the baby comes. So to Canada we went! We flew into Calgary and drove to Banff (which is probably one of the most beautiful places i have ever been to). We had a total blast. My graduation gift from Chris was a new Nikon camera and it was perfect timing for our trip. Keep in mind, the pictures still don't do complete justice for how beautiful it really is. But here's the attempt to share it...

We stopped to take a picture on our way to Lake Louise
Lake Louise, absolutely gorgeous. It was still mostly frozen over...I know...hard to imagine for all of us Arizona folks that don't see ice at all.
The gondola ride up to the top of Sulfur Mountain.
The gorgeous view of the entire valley from the top of the mountain.
And the cute weather station on the top (which is no longer in use...but still cool to see).
And all the stairs we had to go up to get to the weather station. The combination of a higher altitude, windy weather, and being pregnant was not a very good one, but we made it (slowly).
This is the Banff Springs Hotel, it used to be an old castle.
Some of the falls...
And a cute bridge with a typical view of beautiful Canada.
And of course...Chris with the Belly dancer at the Greek restaurant.

This one of the best trips Chris and I have been on. It was absolutely gorgeous and a great escape for a week.

What more could you want?

Babies, Babies, Babies!

2009-06-01T08:33:00.008-07:00

There have been about seven babies born on my side of the family alone in the past eight months or so and it has been so fun. But the two we are closest to are Ty and Jade's baby Peighton Jade Bennett on my side.

And Melanie and Paul's baby Peyton Melia Towers on Chris's side.

While we love them both, Peyton (the later of the two) has quite the arrival story. Melanie was originally due on June 26 and recently had her due date moved to June 19. She lives in California with her husband and her wonderful mother-in-law Debbie. Melanie and Debbie came to visit Mesa for a family baby shower on Saturday May 30. We woke up to a phone call Sunday morning from Chris's mom at 7:30 saying letting us know that Melanie's water broke at 2:30 am at her brother Clint's house in Tempe. Needless to say, they rushed her to a hospital and Paul was on the first flight here. Having Peyton born here was such an awesome experience. And while I feel horrible for the panic and stress it put on Melanie and Paul, the family members here were so blessed to be able to be a part of it all and to be able to be there for it. She is a beautiful little baby and we have already fallen in love with her. So at the expense of Paul and Melanie's sanity, we would like to say thank you for letting us all meet baby Peyton earlier than any of us expected!

A Year in the Making

2009-06-01T08:29:00.018-07:00

This past year has been such a whirlwind and has flown by. Here's just a quick view of some of the major things that have happened...

Chris and I started the adventure when we were married on May 16, 2008.

We celebrated Grandma and Grandpa Bennett's 50th Wedding Anniversary on a Mexican Riviera Cruise.

We found out we were pregnant in February 2009 (later in May found out it was a girl).

We moved into our first home in March 2009.

I graduated from ASU on May 14, 2009.

We were sealed in the Mesa Temple on May 16, 2009.

I know this is the beginning to a greater adventure and it has been absolutely wonderful and by far the best year of my life...so far.