Annual Ward Picnic

Last week we attended our ward picnic. They started the night off with a little Patriotic Parade. Kids had decorate their bikes and strollers with red, white, and blue. We didn't know about the parade until right before the time so Hannah just carried a flag. It was a short parade and nobody really knew where they were going, but they sure looked cute!

Chad's favorite part was the food. Yummy hamburgers, hot dogs, salad, watermelon, and of course baked goods!

Chad liked the hamburgers.

Hannah's favorite was, surprise, surprise, the pink cake.

I've Been Tagged!

So my sister Tagged me awhile ago and I thought I could quietly ignore it, but she kindly reminded me about it the other day and said I "have to do it," so here it is!

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

Let me see....10 years ago would be 1998, not a great year for me! I was in 8th grade-Jr. high. Really, did anyone like Jr. High? I had no fashion sense, I had not discovered the flat-iron, my group of 4 friends had just become 3 and I was the odd man out, and I had acne and didn't yet wear any make-up to cover it! Yeah, not such a great time! Thanks for bringing up those painful memories! Just teasing!

2. Five Snacks I Enjoy

I am not eating sugar right now and these are the top five cravings I am having right now (at 8 o'clock in the morning!)

1. My grandma's brownies (best recipe ever)

2. Sno Shack (any flavor, but bug juice is a favorite)

3. Sugar cookies with pink frosting (the frosting just seems to taste better when pink)

4. Any chocolate candy (peanut butter M&M's on the top of the list)

5. Chocolate-chip cookies (fresh out of the oven and dipped in milk)

Man I want some sugar! Just teasing (kind-of)!

3. Five Things On My To Do List Today

1. Lunch at the park

2. Go on a date with Chad

3. Go to the gym

4. Unload the dishwasher

5. Clean the bathrooms (yuck! I hate this job, hence the reason it is Friday and I still don't have it done!)

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

Buy a house or two. Buy a car (or two) so we don't have to drive around a beater with a stick-shift and no A/C. Help a charity that helps children with cancer and their families. Pay off my family member's houses and debts. Travel all over the world. Buy clothes and shoes!

5. Five jobs that I have had.

1. Child-care provider @ both Gold's and World Gym

2. Financial-Aid Officer Assistant @ BYU-Idaho

3. Ticket-sales Representative @ Rexburg Chamber of Commerce

4. Office Assistant @ College of Southern Idaho

5. Phone Survey Person (I agree with Mandy-worst job ever!)

6. Five of my bad habits.
1. Procrastination (i.e. the above mentioned toilets)

2. Not being able to say "No"

3. Watching reality television (pretty much if it is reality t.v. I watch it, even if it is dumb!)

4. Procrastination (Can I count this twice? I think yes because I procrastinate twice as much as the average person)

5. Being shy or self-conscious so I don't talk to people as much as I should

7. Four places I have lived
1. Buhl, Idaho -born there and lived there for 1 year

2. Rexburg, Idaho-lived there for 21 of my 24 years

3. Pocatello, Idaho-lived there for 4 months (longest 4 months of my life! exaggeration)

4. Twin Falls, Idaho-we have lived here for 1 1/2 years and will probably be here for a long time

8. Five People I Want to Get to Know Better: A nice way of saying “Tag. You’re it!”

1. Mom

2. Jennie

3. Chad

4. Travis

5. Emily

9. 6 Random Things:

1. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I would be happy to eat cereal, pancakes, waffles, etc. for almost every meal!

2. I cannot go underwater without plugging my nose. I never learned how to dive properly because I have to do it one handed. Doing a two-handed skill with one hand is usually considered cool, diving and swimming?....not so much.

3. When I was growing up I wanted to be a Veternarian, but now I don't really even like to touch animals (something that is probably neseccary when being a vet)!

4. I took French in High School for two years and one semester in college and I only remember about 20 words! Sad, I know!

5. I used to collect Troll Dolls. I had probably about 50. They are so ugly, I don't know what I was thinking! I even had a Troll birthday party.

6. I am having a hard time thinking of new things that I didn't write in this post. So read this to get more random things about me than you probably ever wanted to know.

See that Girl! Watch that Scene! Dig it! The Dancing Queen!

Hannah Banana started her dance class this week. As you can imagine, she was pretty excited! As soon as she woke up she wanted to put on her dance clothes. She kept asking every 10 minutes, "Is it time for ballet class now?" Each time she says "ballet class" she does a little ballet turn on her tippy-toes.


She had a lot of fun dancing and I had even more fun watching her! She was so cute out there trying to do all of the things the teacher wanted her to do.



She learned first and second position and did some basic tap. She was so cute I just kept laughing.

That was a curtsy if you couldn't tell!

She loved it and can't wait until her next class.

P.S. Sorry about the blurry pictures. I think my camera is on it's last leg!

A Very Busy Weekend

This past weekend we went to Rexburg for the sealing of Chad's brother and family in the Rexburg LDS Temple. It was a very busy weekend. So busy, in fact, that we did not get one picture! Not one! We had so much fun seeing Chad's whole family. They haven't all been together in many years. It was also the first time we were all together in the temple. It was an amazing time. We had a fun weekend with lots of different activities. It was so good to see everyone and see how the kids had grown.

Well since we didn't get any pictures this weekend, please enjoy pictures of yet another buggy activity at the library summer reading program.

My Baby's 1st Haircut

I know that usually, when people scrapbook or in a baby book, this activity would happen when the child is actually a baby. Well, Hannah had her 1st haircut yesterday at 3 years old. She was very excited until it the time came closer. She became very worried when we got there. We tried having her sit in the seat, but (as you can see from the picture) she wasn't too sure about it. I ended up holding her on my lap and then she did great. I was hoping to do a before, during, and after shot, but with me holding her that didn't quite happen.

After it was over she decided that she loved getting her hair cut. She told everyone that we saw at the grocery store that she got a hair cut and had to swish her lovely locks around for all to see. She keeps asking me when she can do it again!

It was a little off the ends, but it sure looks cute!

Ladies and Gentleman, Children of All Ages....

Last week Hannah and I went to the El Kora Shrine Circus. I haven't been to a circus in a long time. I was expecting to be done and ready to go home at intermission, but surprisingly intermission came so quickly, we ended up staying until the end. There were so many cool acts. Acrobats, tight-rope walkers, bears, dogs, clowns, and of course elephants. Hannah was in awe of all of the things to see. She kept telling me.."I can do that!" So apparently she is blessed with talents previously unknown to me and will soon be leaving home to join the circus.

There were so many things to see and buy at the circus. I told Hannah that she could pick out one treat and one prize. It was so hard because the people kept coming around selling stuff. I don't think it would have been that big of a problem, but the people sitting next to us literally (not kidding) bought one of everything that came around! I am sure Hannah wouldn't have been as tempted if every toy wouldn't have been waved in her face! She finally chose a pink inflatable bunny and pink cotton candy. Interesting picks, I know, but with Hannah are you really that surprised?!?!

Happy Belated Father's Day

I always seem to be a little slow!

Anyways...Happy Father's Day to my dad.

Thank you for being such a great dad and grandpa.

Thank you for being willing to give horse rides to the kids, even though it usually takes longer to saddle them than they are actually ridden.

And Happy Father's Day to my husband!

You truly are a great father. You think of fun ways to keep Hannah entertained. You are willing to take the time to play even though there are other things you would prefer to do. You are always willing to take Hannah out when I need a break. You make me laugh and smile. You want what is best for Hannah and I. You are willing to do anything I ask (even if it is pose for a million pictures). You are amazing!

Hannah wanted to say....

Puppets and Park Time

This week's library activity was making a puppet. Once again it was crazy with so many kids at the library, but still fun. Hannah and I colored a bee cutout and made a bee puppet. Hannah spilt a glass of milk on and had to be thrown away that same day. Sad, I know! It was fun to see her try to use scissors. Apparently a skill I need to work on with her! After the library we went to the park and ate lunch with Mandy and kids. They had fun playing. We are planning on making this a weekly tradition!

What's Buzzin' @ your Library?

Our library is having a summer reading program. We went on the first day to sign-up. The theme is What's Buzzin' @ your Library? They have the library decorated with different pictures of bugs. Hannah was so excited about them. She kept saying, "There's a bug. Oh! Look at this bug! There are so many bugs!" She was able to play the Buggy Bean Bag Toss. She actually got it in the hole a few times! It was crazy with lots of people, but really fun! They are going to have different crafts, story times, and activities throughout the summer.

We are looking forward to a summer of reading. Hannah really loves reading. She would be happy if I read stories to her all day long. I hope that her love for reading continues to grow!

Me from A-Z

I saw this on another blog and thought it would be fun to try.

A-My name is Abby. When I was growing up I always wished that my name was spelled, Abbie. I don't know why. Once I got into about 3rd grade I decided that Abby with a "y" was very pretty. I love it now.

B-I love Babies. I love the way they smell and the way they visibly change almost everyday. I would love to have another one. Hopefully someday in the near future!

C-In June of 2005, I was diagnosed with Choriocarcinoma. It was soon after Hannah was born. It was a big blow to me. I underwent high doses of chemotherapy for 4 months. I lost all of my hair. It was a hard time in my life, but it was made so much easier by my loving family and friends. I have been cancer-free for 2 1/2 years now!

D-Daisies are my favorite flower. Gerber are my favorite to be exact. Chad will buy them for me instead of roses. That was the flower that we had at our wedding. I just think they are so colorful and pretty.

E- I have always liked my Eyes. I have always felt that they are one of my best assets. When I lost all of my hair people said that it made my eyes stand out even more. Hannah looks like a mini-me and she has my eyes too. We always gets compliments on them.

F-I have only been Fishing twice in my life. Once was when I was little. I did not like it. We went out early in the morning, it was dark, cold, and we had to be quiet. We didn't catch any fish. Not a great first experience. It was so not enjoyable that I didn't go fishing again, until my senior year in high school. This was a much better experience. It was nice and warm, and we were fishing in a pond that was full of fish. I caught two all on my own. I don't eat seafood, but it was a fun time.

G-I Graduated from BYU-Idaho with a Bachelor Degree in Marriage/Family and Child Studies. I loved my time at BYU-Idaho. I enjoyed the classes I took and the friends I made. I lived at Heritage Manor. I really enjoyed the experience of living with roommates and that is where I met Chad.

H-Hannah is my 3 yr-old daughter. She is so funny and fills my day with excitement and frustration. Most days are more exciting than frustrating. She is super smart and is looking forward to swimming and dance lessons this summer.

I- On August 22, 2003, Chad and I were married for time and all eternity in the Idaho Falls Temple. It was an unforgettable day. I was very nervous, but excited. It was great to have our family there to support us. Chad looked so handsome. We planned on holding our reception in the backyard of my parent's house. We had everything all set up, but then about 30 mins before the reception was to start, a huge storm came. We decided to move it to the church. It was amazing to see everyone work together and I am so thankful that we had so much help. It rained the rest of the night, but it turned out great.

J-Jumping off of a bridge or out of an airplane? I don't think so! Chad thinks it would be so fun, but I am terrified of heights. It is actually kind of sad how scared I am. Standing on top of a slide makes me a little nervous!

K- Chad tried to go in for a Kiss on our first date, but I slid past it and went for a hug. I remember telling my roommates that I wasn't going to kiss him for at least a month of dating. Well, the next day we went on our second date and ha ha ha, we kissed! So much for a month, huh!!?!?

L-I am a member of the LDS Church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love my religion. I am grateful for the things that it has taught me and the way I can live my life. I try to better myself each day and my faith helps me. I know that Jesus is my Savior and Redeemer. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and he assisted in the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that President Monson is the prophet now. He will lead us to truth and happiness if we just listen to his council and the council of the Lord through him. I know that the Book of Mormon is a book of truth. I love reading it and I feel so close to the Savior every time I do.

M-For our one year anniversary, Chad and I went to Mexico. We went to Cancun. It was an awesome trip. We saw many fun things. Our favorite part was one night we went on a cruise called Captain Hook. All of the crew was dressed up as pirates. There were two ships and half-way through the cruise, the two ships held a battle. Our ship won. We had dinner and music for the rest of the night. It was definitely memorable.

N-I love all of my Nieces and Nephews! They are all so cute and each have their own personalities. They usually play together so well. I love when my whole extended family gets together. There are kids everywhere. We always sit around and talk. We always ask, "What did we do to entertain ourselves before kids?" I have 9 nieces, 3 nephews, and one more nephew on the way.

O-I love Broadway and 0ff-Broadway plays. My favorite is Phantom of the Opera. I have seen it a couple of times at the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah. I just love the whole experience of going there. The music and acting is so great. I would love to someday see and actual on-Broadway Show in New York!

P-Someday I would love to run my own Preschool out of my home (once we have a house). My education is in child studies. I would love to do this because I love children and teaching. I think it would be great to have in my home so that I can still stay at home, but bring in some extra income. I would want to do it just for a few hours in the mornings a few days a week. I will let you know when it happens.

Q-I don't know how to Quilt. It is a skill that I have never learned, but I would like to learn. My Grandma Ricks and Grandma Bills can both quilt beautifully. On my bed is an amazing quilt that Grandma Bills and my mother-in-law, Shauna, made for my wedding.

R-I am embarrassed to say that I am addicted to Reality television. I was really looking forward to this summer, because it is full of reality television shows. I have DVR and I record, probably too many, the shows I want to watch. My favorites are Big Brother, Amazing Race, The Next Food Network Star, Survivor, okay pretty much any reality show!

S-I have a wonderful, dedicated, loving Spouse named Chad. He is a great father and a wonderful husband. He is always thinking of ways to help me and ways to show me how much he loves me!

T-I used to play Tennis in high school. I love it, but I haven't played in almost two years. I think that playing tennis really gave me self confidence. It was something that I did on my own. I think that I really became happy with myself as I played. I had really great coaches and I played with fun people. I wasn't ever really good, but I had fun trying! I miss it!

U-I have always wanted to live in Utah. I don't know why, but I have always thought it would be great to live there. I always loved visiting my family that lived there and I have always envisioned myself raising my kids there. It probably won't happen and I'm okay with that.

V-I played the Violin for one year. It was in 5th grade. I didn't really like it. I was never good. I think that both of those things could be due to the fact that I rarely, if ever, practiced. I remember the thing that was the last straw that made me want to quit was when we were required to miss the second recess of the day so that we could have more practice time. Horrible I know!

W-I have visited both Washington state and Washington, D.C. I loved both. I don't know if I would want to live there, but it was fun to visit! In Washington state I loved riding the ferry. I was so amazed that all the cars and people fit on that huge ferry. In Washington, D.C. I went to the White House. That was pretty cool.

X-Chad is going to school at CSI to become an X-ray Technologist. He is currently doing his clinical education in the hospital five days a week. He is learning a lot and loves it. He has one year of schooling left! Yea!!

Y-One of my favorite parts of summer is going to West Yellowstone and watching a play at the Playmill Theatre. I look forward to it every year. The fudge is awesome!

Z-Zero. Zilch. Nada. That is what I can think of for Z. Sorry that the last one is so dumb, but I have been working on this for way too long and I am tired.

Well that is all. Probably more information about me than you ever even wanted to know!

Western Days, Yee Haw!

Saturday was Western Days in Twin Falls. The day started with a parade. It was full of floats, advertising fliers(which we got about two of each), horses, Frisbees (which we got three. Who needs more than one Frisbee!?), and of course, CANDY! She learned how to put her hand on her heart when the flag passes. She was a little hesitant to get the candy at first, but eventually she was holding her own, waving and smiling, and ended up with a bag full of candy. Hannah said that her favorite part of the parade was the horses and candy. She also liked the country music!

After the parade we went to the City Park to have some food and play games. There were so many people there that it turned into fighting our way through the crowd,wait in line, shoving food down our throats, fight through the crowd, wait in line, and ride one ride, and fight our way back to the car. Hannah got to eat a corn dog and ride the train (her all-time favorite ride), which made her happy.

It was a exhausting, but fun day! Just too many people in a cramped space! We love doing things like this as a family. We know that Hannah will love these memories when she gets older! And that is all that we, as parents, could ask!