I am the Coolest Person Ever!

At least Hannah, Chad, and I think so! The other day we were at a store and they had one of those games that you pay 50 cents and a big claw comes down and you try to catch a toy. Hannah was looking at it and so I decided to give it a try just for fun, not really thinking I would win. Well...Who is the coolest person ever!?!?

Me! I won! I have only played that game four times in my life and I have won everytime! I think I will never play again, so I don't tempt fate! Needless to say Hannah was happy, but I don't think she quite appreciated the awesomeness of my win! Chad was very impressed.

House Hunting (Window Shopping Style)

On Saturday Chad, Hannah, and I went house hunting (window shopping style). I say that because we don't have money for a house right now so we just like to look. It is fun to look at houses in what we think our price-range will be and see what we will be able to get. Hannah kept saying, "I like this house, let's buy it." If only it was that easy! Houses are just so expensive. It kills me! I think that I am pretty realistic about what we are going to be able to afford, but a girl can always dream right?!!?!? Speaking of dreaming---this is a picture of a house that I would LOVE to live in. Wishful thinking never hurt anybody!

The Coolest Thing Ever (at least Hannah thought so)

I know I just did a collage yesterday, but I just think it is the bes way to display so many cute pictures!






Monday was Kids Day at CSI. This is an annual event that the school puts on for little kids. They have lots of activites and they are all free. Hannah loved it and I loved that it was all free. In the pictures you can see some of the fun activites they had: a bounce house, painting, crafts, a train ride, playdough, fish pond, face painting, dancing with music and instruments, live snakes, and lunch (including pizza, milk, and ice cream). Pretty impressive, huh?!!? I was totally suprised at how much stuff they had for the kids to do. Hannah could have stayed there all day. Did I mention that it was all free? It was a fun day!

Check out Hannah dancing! I think that she might have a bright future a head of her!

To Grandmother's House we go...

So we had a fun weekend in Rexburg. We were able to lots of fun things. Since many of you also read Mandy's blog, I will not repeat the activities. For those of you who do not read Mandy's blog here is a link to her post about our weekend (click here). One thing that she didn't do that Hannah and I did was to go and visit Grandma Hurd. Hannah had fun showing off her tricks and I had fun catching up on all the Hurd family news. Shauna gave me a great book by Gordon B. Hinckley and also gave Hannah a book. Hannah also borrowed the "Lady and the Tramp" dvd to watch on the way home. It was really fun to see her and Hannah loved her kitties. We really had a great weekend. Here are some of my favorite pictures.




When we arrived at home we began unloading all of our stuff from Mandy's van. Hannah kept saying "Where is my girl on the trampoline?" "I want my girl on the trampoline!" Chad, Mandy, and I were all trying to figure out what in the world she was talking about. Then it hit me, Girl on the trampoline=Lady and the Tramp! She didn't want to forget her Lady and the Tramp dvd! Hannah is so funny! We were all laughing so hard.

Pizza Playdate

On Tuesday we had friends over and made mini pizzas for lunch. They rolled out their own dough, put on the sauce, and picked their toppings. It was really fun to see them make something and then eat it. I think Hannah was more excited about making them then actually eating the pizza.

Although she may not have eaten as much because she filled up on the toppings while we were making them. It was like "One for the pizza, five for Hannah, one for the pizza, five for Hannah"! What a funny girl. I made sure the I ate a pizza that I made.

Prophets and Prayers

Hannah's first birthday, with cake all over her face. A picture that melts my heart and a memory I will never forget!

It was an amazing opportunity to watch Conference this past weekend. I loved listening to the teachings. I was hoping and praying for some insight on parenting and ways to better raise Hannah. I was so amazed by how many talks were about mothers, parents, and families. Prayers are most certainly answered! I don't know maybe they talk about those things alot all the time and I was just more aware of it this time. Anyways I got so very good ideas and insights. One of my favorites was "Focus more on the doing and less on the getting done." Sorry I don't remember who said that or if those are the exact words, but it was the jest of it. I think that I need to relax and let go. Enjoy more time with Hannah. When we go to the park, stop counting down the minutes until it is time to go. Just enjoy being with her and having her enjoy the experience. I also loved the article in the Ensign (that I just happened upon yesterday) titled, "The Joy of Nurturing Children." A sister from Utah was talking about focusing on moments and making memories. She said, "I wasn't just rearing children; I was preparing a future generation of parents-- a generation that would need all the positive experiences I could give them to cope with an increasingly challenging world. Was it possible that children who have a happy childhood will be better parents?" (Click here for the entire article) I just have been overwhelmed with the inspirations the Lord has been sending me. I am thankful that I belong to a church that encourages us to have a personal relationship with God. I am thankful for my family (the one I was raised in and the one I am raising now). I am thankful for the memories and traditions that my parents set up that made my childhood happy. I hope that I can create memories and traditions that Hannah can enjoy and want to have with her family someday.

Let's Go Fly a Kite

Monkey do, Hannah see, Hannah want to do. On Curious George the other day he was flying a kite. Hannah saw that and said (repeatedly) "I don't have a kite. I want a kite. I want to fly a kite. I don't have a kite. I want a kite." So yesterday we took her to the store and let her pick out her very own kite. She had so much fun "making" the kite with daddy and she ran all over the huge field flying the kite with a fancy (according to the package) and massive 7 foot tail. It was a fun day!

Good bye Gold's Gym, Hello Hermit

So yesterday Mandy was commenting on the fact that I haven't posted in a while. I quit my job at Gold's Gym the week before last. Since then I think I have just been wallowing (I don't think that is the right word, because I have been enjoying it) in the fact that I don't have to go anywhere. Which means that last week Hannah and I spent a lot of time in our pjs and watching tv. I think I just needed that week to do nothing. I loved it, but now I am ready to get out and do things to celebrate my new freedom. It was so boring I don't even have any pictures, but I promise I will soon have a more exciting post with picture.

This is the handsome way Chad was dressed for his interview to get into his program. Dressed to impress, eh!?!?!

By the way Chad's Rad Tech class has put together a blog. It is pretty cool and you can look at it to see the things he is learning. If you are interested here is the link, http://www.csir8d8rs.blogspot.com/.