The Hurd Family Happenings

August '11: Part 3

2012-02-10T05:26:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of August we went to the farm at Thanksgiving Point. We saw tons of animals, rode on the ponies, went on a wagon ride, and even milked a cow.

For some reason I can't get enough of my two little girls in matching/similar dresses! It just kills me. They are too cute!

Ummm....also...this one started 1st Grade. 1ST GRADE! Can you believe it?!? I can't. She was so excited that she got to eat lunch at school. What a big girl!

Grace thought she needed to get in on the action too! What a goof ball!

Of course we couldn't forget our traditional Back to School Banana Splits.

August '11: Part 2

2012-02-08T05:09:00.000-07:00

After arriving home from California, we had one day to unpack, do laundry, and pack up again for our Wade Family Reunion! We were camping in the Park where my brother Chad is a ranger. The plan was to have two nights of camping, but the Hurd family only lasted one. I had picked up a chest cold and barely had any voice left, sleeping on a blow up mattress when big pregnant was not fun, and we were just exhausted from being away from home for so long.

While we were there though, we had a blast! We hung out with family, went on a nature walk, played games, sang campfire songs, and played in the water. Grace really loved the water. She even loved dipping her licorice in it before eating it (possible explanation for the VERY messy diapers for the next week)! There was a floating dock and Hannah was even brave enough to jump off!

Of course it wouldn't be the Wade Family Reunion if we didn't make shirts for the kids. They turned out really cute. I love spending time with my family and I can't wait until the reunion next year!

August '11: Part 1

2012-02-06T05:58:00.000-07:00

August was a big month for us so I have divided it into three posts (also I have had a little (actually pretty big and I am sick about it) mishap with some of my photos and I am working on recovering them, so hopefully it will all be resolved by next week and I can move on to September.

In August Chad had just finished up his semester at school, I was super pregnant (at least I felt that way), Hannah was about ready to start school, and we just felt like we needed to get away. We had never had an official family vacation with just us before so we decided to plan one! It had been a very long time since we had seen Chad's dad, so we picked California as our destination.

We flew first to Los Angeles. Our trip was going to be pretty short and I didn't want to spend more than half our vacation driving! Hannah loved playing with the toys in her surprise bag and Grace watched Elmo on the DVD player and Chad's phone.

Our first stop was the Hollywood sign. Chad and I went to California on our honeymoon eight years ago (gulp) and we drove around for hours trying to get close to the sign. We were never able to do it, so we were determined to find it this time and we did!

Later that day we drove down to Santa Monica Pier. The whole time we were planning the trip I was so worried about dying of heat, so I was totally unprepared for the cold weather we experienced! We had to stop at a little shop and buy sweatshirts for all of us!

The next day was Sunday and we were able to go and visit Chad's dad and family. We went to church with them and just spent the day relaxing with them. Hannah loved her Aunt Mackenzie and Grace loved their dog, Lily.

We drove to San Diego next and went to some little shops along the beach. We even played a little in the sand and cold water. Again, it was chilly! Who would have expected that for August in California?!

Our next stop was Balboa Park. It was huge and amazing! We were able to see some beautiful buildings and landscaping.

That afternoon we put the girls in their suit and headed for the water. They loved it! Hannah was running from the waves and even got knocked over several times. Chad was so good to get in the water with them. I stayed back away from the water and protected the towels! On the walk back to the car there was a wedding on the beach. Grace kept yelling, "Princess!" It was pretty funny!

Our last day was spent at Sea World. Chad's sister Mackenzie was able to come and spend the day with us. She was so great, she was a buddy for Hannah and was able to go on the big ride with Chad that I wasn't allowed to go on. My favorite part was all of the shows. Grace was in Elmo heaven when we went to the Sesame Street Playland. She was able to take a picture with Elmo and Big Bird! It was an awesome day and I really wish that we could have had two days, because there was so much more to see and do!

This was a much needed and enjoyed vacation for our little family. It was fun to get away, experience new things, and enjoy just being together as a family.

July 2012

2012-02-03T05:04:00.000-07:00

We had a great and busy summer.

July was full of:

Swim lessons for Hannah. She is becoming very confident and brave. I spent most of my time trying to keep Grace from jumping into the water!

A trip to the Planetarium. We saw really cool things about space and stars, but the thing Hannah remembers the most was the HUGE elevator we went on (bottom middle picture).

After the Planetarium we went to the splash fountain at Gateway mall. It was a blast! Definitely have to remember this for next summer! Grace didn't get very close to the water before running away. Hannah got too close to the water and was sprayed right in the face.

A little side story: I was sitting on the steps watching the girls play. When we were ready to go, we packed up all of our stuff, walked a long ways to the van, and headed back home. When we were about 15 miles away from the mall I realized I left my phone and Grace's sippy cup on the stairs! I had a panic attack! I flipped the car around and drove back, parked the van, and started the long walk back to the stairs (also remember I was 8 months pregnant at the time!). I was praying that my phone would still be there, but I was doubtful. Once we finally got there lo and behold, there was my phone with the sippy cup sitting on top of it! I was sooo relieved!

We finished out the month with our traditional trip to Logan to celebrate Pioneer Day with the Olsen family. It is always a fun day!

April 2011

2012-02-01T05:04:00.001-07:00

This is what our April looked like:

Hannah had crazy hair day at school.

We went to Baby Animal Days with Angie and her family in Logan. We could pet and hold lots of cute little critters. Hannah was the "animal whisperer," every animal she held fell asleep in her arms!

We made a trip to Rexburg (I can't remember the reason for the trip, maybe Spring Break?) and went to see the ducks at the Nature Park. There were sooo many! Honestly they freaked me out a little, but the girls loved them!

Grace learned how to fold her arms and kneel down for prayers.

Hannah, Grace, and Chad planted some seeds in a makeshift garden. sadly most of it didn't grow, except for a few small tomatoes from "the plant that would never die!"

We celebrated Easter with a local egg hunt. There were soo many people! Even a few special guests showed up (as you can tell Hannah loved them and Grace loved them from a distance)!

The Easter celebration continued with baskets full of Easter goodies a visit from the Easter Bunny leaving lots of eggs behind.

And, of course, matching Easter dresses from Grandma Hurd.

March 2011

2012-01-30T05:04:00.000-07:00

Yes you read that right! 2011! I WILL get caught up!

Not too many pictures from March:

My cute girls all ready for church!

Grace and her "hats!"

Playing video games with daddy!

Flashback Friday: Valentine's Day

2011-07-08T06:12:00.000-06:00

We had a simple Valentine's Day. I didn't even make any heart shaped food! I was totally slacking! The girls each got a stuffed animal and Hannah got some chocolate that she LOVED!! A whole little heart shaped box of chocolates all to herself! Grace loved to give squeezes to her bear. I can't believe that next V-Day we will have 3 little girlies!

Some Cute Videos of Grace

2011-07-06T06:25:00.000-06:00

So three things I would like to point out about both of these videos:

1. The videos are not the best quality...the sound is the most important anyway!

2. I am aware that in both videos Grace looks like a ragamuffin! I promise I do her hair!

3. Grace is so cute I could eat her!

Bowl Baby

2011-07-04T09:35:00.000-06:00

We signed up for free summer bowling. It is such an awesome thing. You only have to pay for the shoe rental and then you get 10 frames of bowling and 4 tokens for the games!

Hannah is getting better every time. Maybe by the end of summer we will have a bowler on our hands!

Grace loves to "push it" and yell "yay!" and clap.

It is so fun! I especially enjoy the nice cool air conditioning!!
It makes for a wonderful afternoon.

Flashback Friday: Chad's Bday

2011-07-01T06:35:00.000-06:00

Somehow I ended up with no pictures of my birthday, but I am sure it was great! Chad had a good birthday too. Since his Christmas present was for his birthday also, he got simple gifts. Some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and some hiking sticks. Chad is not a big fan of cake so Hannah and I made his favorite no bake cookies for him to blow the candle out from. We love Chad and it was fun to have a day to celebrate him.

A Fun Visit and Hannah's Dance Recital

2011-06-29T05:59:00.000-06:00

Last week we were lucky enough to have my parents visit for a few days. We went swimming in the hotel, Hannah slept at the hotel with grandma and grandpa, and we went to Wheeler Farm and saw some animals. We just loved having them!

The main reason for their visit was Hannah's dance recital/performance of Mary Poppins. Chad's mom and sister also came down for the performance. We really appreciate the support of family! Hannah was a rag doll in Jane and Micheal's playroom. We weren't able to pictures of the actual show, so I took a few at home and then a few and the dress rehearsal, but I don't have any from the night of the show.

She did such a great job and now is constantly singing and saying lines from Mary Poppins. This morning she told me that I have a "cheery disposition" just like Mary! I am glad she thinks so!

Temple Square Adventure

2011-06-27T06:17:00.000-06:00

This summer Hannah has been working on different jobs around the house and school skills. Every Friday we get to choose a special activity if she gets everything accomplished during the week. Last week was a trip to Temple Square. It was really fun. We discovered the children area in the Church History Museum. It was so amazing! Seriously, I never knew it was up there. If you get a chance you should go! We were sad that we didn't have more time to spend.

They had a tortilla toss,

a fishing pond next to Nephi's ship complete with a Liahona,

some Golden Plates,

and a table with food to feed the missionaries!

This was just a small part of what was there! It was great!

Of course we couldn't leave without seeing the Christus.

A funny side story: On the way back to the car my flip flop broke! We were still about a block and half away from the van! I was trying to keep it on with my toes and shuffling my foot. It was going ok until we were crossing the VERY busy street in front of tons of cars. It completely fell apart! I had to pick up my flip flop and run across the street and the rest of the way to the van with just one flip flop! I am sure I am going to get some disease! I am sure I was quite a sight with my big belly, pushing a stroller, and running with just one shoe! How embarrassing!

Flashback Friday: Ice Castles

2011-06-24T06:29:00.000-06:00

Every winter in a nearby town a man uses sprinklers and hoses to make amazing ice castles. We decided to take to trip over to check them out for ourselves. They were really cool. They were huge and beautiful. Because the weather had been warmer and rainy some of the castles were melting so we weren't able to walk underneath them, but it was still amazing to see. The girls loved touch the cold ice and Chad and I loved to colors.

A Zooper Day

2011-06-22T06:25:00.000-06:00

We purchased a year membership to the Hogle Zoo recently. We are excited to have a year long unlimited pass to the animals. We took our first trip last week and it was awesome! The weather was perfect and we were able to take our time. I didn't feel worried about not seeing everything in one trip. Both of my girls are animal lovers so it was a perfect day. We all can't wait to go again!

A Happy Father's Day

2011-06-20T06:00:00.000-06:00

We had a nice, relaxing Father's Day. On Saturday we bought Chad a little grill and the girls helped him assemble it.

On Sunday we let him sleep in and made him breakfast-in-bed! Lucky guy!

Chad is an amazing dad! The girls just love being around him and miss him when he is not around. I love to see him interact and play with them. He is a great dad!

Flashback Friday: Christmas!!

2011-06-17T06:19:00.001-06:00

So Christmas in June...We had a fun Christmas. We were happy my parents were home from their mission and we were able to stay at their house with them. All the family was there for the annual family breakfast and the Dance Around the Christmas Tree. Somehow all of my pictures are missing from both of those events! Sad.

Everyone else headed home, but my brother Chad and his family stayed for Christmas Eve night. We did the usual traditions of putting out the stockings, leaving cookies, milk and a note for Santa, and leaving food for the reindeer.

Christmas morning was fun. It was pretty quiet, but we enjoyed taking our time opening presents. Hannah got a camera and Grace got a baby doll. I also made fleece blankets for the girls. Chad got a fancy laptop for school and I got new running shoes and a book about preparing for a triathlon (little did I know that in a very short time my training would be put to the side when I found out I was pregnant!).

Hannah opening her main present. Can't you just feel the excitement (sarcasm!)?!?!

We had a great Christmas and it was fun to reminisce about it 6 months later!

Summer Reading Kick-Off Party

2011-06-15T05:56:00.001-06:00

To start off the summer we headed to the library Summer Reading Kick-off Party. We didn't realize how big it would be or that everyone would be closing shop the last hour for a barbershop concert. There was a coloring craft of a paper boomerang. I explained to Hannah what boomerangs do and she was VERY disappointed after she threw hers and it fluttered to the ground! At least it was colored very beautifully! Grace and Hannah both loved to see the princess. Grace kept saying, "Princess, princess, princess!" But as soon as she sat on her lap she wouldn't even look at her or say a word! As soon as she got off and we started walking away she started saying "Princess, princess, princess!" We were only able to do a few of the activities, but we had fun! Next year we will know to get there early!

Grace's favorite was the music station.

And Hannah loved the inflatable slide.

One Year Down

2011-06-13T05:48:00.000-06:00

Hannah finished her first year of school. It was a great year! Her teacher, Mrs. Wright, was great! She was so sweet and helped Hannah so much. Hannah looked forward to going to school everyday, which is so nice. She is excited about summer, but can't wait to be a first grader!

Flashback Friday: The Mighty Mustang

2011-06-10T06:27:00.000-06:00

Back in December Hannah won the Mighty Fine Mustang Award at her school. She won it for "Always having such a positive and happy attitude"! I have to agree! She also won a blue rubber bracelet and a pencil. We were so proud of her! YAY Hannah!

An Update on Grace

2011-06-08T06:09:00.001-06:00

Grace turned 18 months old on May 22.

She is in Nursery now! YAY!! She is funny little character. She weighs 21lbs (11%) and is 31.5in (46%). She is so silly and loves to laugh. She follows her big sister around and always wants to be included in what Hannah is doing. Grace loves to be outdoors.

She is really starting to talk a ton. Most of the time I have to be the interpreter, but we get along well! She loves to color which she calls "yellow".

Grace is pretty much obsessed with Elmo. She wants to watch it all the time, she has a little stuffed Elmo she sleeps with, Grace thinks that if anyone even touches the banana chair in our house that means Elmo is going to be turned on, and she thinks Chad's phone is exclusively made to play Elmo videos.

We love Grace and laugh so much throughout the day at the silly things she does!

Field Day

2011-06-06T05:35:00.001-06:00

As school is coming to an end Hannah is having some fun activities. Friday they had Field Day! They had all sorts of fun games and activities.

The parachute

Waterless Water Balloons. It was not a very warm day so they skipped the water.

Popsicles and water bottle they could decorate with stickers. Despite the chilly weather all of the kids loved chowing down on popsicles at 10 am!

Flashback Friday: 2nd Annual Nighttime Playdate

2011-06-03T05:04:00.000-06:00

This is a FlashWAYback!

For the past two years, my sister and her husband have attended the Morman Tabernacle Choir's Christmas Concert. We have the pleasure of watching her two kids. Hannah loves it because she gets to play with her cousins and stay up WAY past her bedtime!

They get in their pjs. This year we made a Christmas craft.

Had a yummy Christmas snack.

Then cuddled up and watched a Christmas movie.

We love having them and look forward to next year!

We Pulled it Off!!!

2011-06-01T10:07:00.000-06:00

On May 26th my mom turned 60 years old. My dad had a great idea several months earlier that we should have a surprise party for her. After lots of planning and several times of people almost spilling the beans...WE PULLED IT OFF!!

All of my brothers and sisters and all of their kids were able to attend. It was a big group! All of the grandkids were so excited and proud that they didn't let the secret slip!

This one was super excited and couldn't stop bouncing!

This one just wanted to love and snuggle with her grandma!

Grandma opened a few presents. Including a book all about Grandma with questions about grandma answered by the grandkids. Cute and funny!

And it wouldn't be a birthday without a cake.

It was such an awesome party for an awesome lady! We love you Grandma Wade!!

It is Fun to Run

2011-05-30T05:22:00.000-06:00

Every year Hannah's school has a fun run. The Kindergarten age kids run 1.5 miles! That is pretty far for those little legs to run! Chad was able to be Hannah's running buddy and Grace and I cheered them on at the finish line.

Trying to keep warm before the race.

The two runners!

A hug right before the race
The cutest little cheerleader

Hannah did a really good job. She wasn't the first, but she finished and we are so proud of her!

Flashback Friday

2011-05-27T06:05:00.001-06:00

I guess this isn't a total flashback, but it has been happening for a while....We are going to have another baby!! It was a bit of a surprise, but we are super excited! I was super sick in the beginning but I am doing great now. Today I am 21.5 weeks along. We found out last week that we are having another girl! 3 little girls! Totally crazy. Hannah was really hoping for a little brother, but I told her how great it is to have sisters. Poor little Grace has no idea what is going on and how much her life is going to change in just a few short months! We are excited and nervous about the changes coming, but it is always great to bring more children into our growing family!

Birthday Extravaganza Cont.

2011-05-25T06:29:00.000-06:00

On Saturday we had another party for Hannah and her little friends. It was a Unicorn party that came with all of the things anyone could want at a party!

Friends...

Games...including Pin-the-Horn-on the Unicorn

and Unicorn Horn Ring Toss...

Decorate-Your-Own-Edible-Unicorn Horn...

Unicorn pinata...

Presents from our generous friends...

And a Unicorn Cake!

Happy Birthday Hannah!!!

I Am Back!

2011-05-23T05:58:00.000-06:00

So it has been a VEEERRRRRY long time since I last posted. I have decided that the longer you don't do something, the harder it is to start doing it again. My plan is to start posting again starting with recent events and then do Flashback Fridays to catch up on the stuff that has happened over the past almost 6 months (yeah...it seriously has been that long!).

We will start with Hannah's birthday! She turned 6 last week. I really can't believe it. She is so big and smart. We love having her in our family. She is a great daughter and a wonderful and loving big sister. She is a big help to me and is really a good little girl. Hannah wanted a Build-A-Bear for her birthday, so on the big day we went into Salt Lake. She looked over every possible animal and finally settled on a cute little puppy that she ended up naming Kate.

After Build-A-Bear we had a yummy dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. Hannah was so excited for her free Birthday Ice Cream Sundae!

As if that wasn't enough sugar, that night we had some friends and family over for cake and ice cream. She had a great birthday day and the celebration didn't end there...check back Wednesday for even more birthday excitement!

2010-12-20T05:26:00.000-07:00

Last week for FHE we bundled up and drove to Heritage Park for their Candlelight Christmas.

We rode on a train. It was freezing!! This is the face that Hannah gives whenever I say "Eyes on the camera." Nice.

Grace does NOT like her hood.

It was so cold on the train ride, but luckily, the houses were toasty and we stayed warm.

There were fun crafts, a puppet show, stories,

stores to play dress up,

and we were able to print our own Christmas card on an old-fashioned printing press.

In the school house we were taught a dance from pioneer days.

Pretty impressive, huh!?

They had a live nativity and an elf village.

One of Hannah's favorite things were the live reindeer. She kept saying, "Dasher?...Vixen?..." Trying to get them to answer. So cute.
We finished out the night with a visit with Father Christmas. Hannah whispered what she wanted for Christmas.

Grace had her first meeting with Santa. She was NOT a fan. I was surprised because she loved all of the characters at Disney, but not Santa! Hopefully he won't be offended and will still leave her a present on Christmas night!

Christmas Tree and Christmas Tees

2010-12-17T09:24:00.002-07:00

This year we decided to purchase a small fake tree. Hannah and I made all of the ornaments. We made snowflakes and clothespin Rudolphs and tied bows on candy canes. It was really fun to decorate a homemade tree.

We bought our annual Christmas tees. Here is Grace (crazy eyed!) in her festive shirt. Notice the blockade around the tree. This keeps little hands from pulling off all of the decorations!

Here is Hannah striking a pose. This little one is so excited for Christmas!

Here is my attempt at getting a picture of the two of them together...yeah, doesn't work so well. At least you can see the shirts!

A Gingerbread Train(Wreck)

2010-12-13T07:10:00.002-07:00

On Monday for FHE we built and decorated a gingerbread train that came in a kit. I had purchased it last year and we had never gotten around to making it.

It came with gingerbread cutouts, candy in bags, and frosting. The kit expired in May, so we told the girls, "Do NOT eat it!" Grace just sucked on the bags. The frosting was like cement, but we did the best we could! Hannah was in charge of the creative aspect.

I think it turned out pretty darn cute!
On a related note: We woke up in the morning to find that the engine walls were leaning significantly to the left. The frosting had dried to it was permanently crooked! Hannah, the eternal optimist, said, "The train is just dancing and shaking from side to side!"

Ride 'Em Cowgirl

2010-12-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

When we were in Rexburg for Halloween, Hannah really wanted to ride my dad's horse. When we asked him I let him know that odds were she would not want to ride very long, but he was nice enough to saddle a horse. Well I was wrong! She rode for a really long time. By the end of her session, she was able to make the horse stop and turn in the direction she wanted! I was super impressed! I skipped riding the horse and instead opted for something more my style, the 4-wheeler!

After Halloween Comes Thanksgiving!

2010-12-08T08:23:00.003-07:00

Thanksgiving was different for us this year. Because of bad roads and Chad's work, we decided to have Thanksgiving with just our little family. It was really fun to do something different. we could do whatever we wanted...like eating cheese balls at 9:30am!

This what our day consisted of...watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade,

Chad cooking his first ever turkey (which was delicious!),

Hannah colored beautiful place mats for us,

I tried new recipes and made things I had never made before (it all turned out great, if I do say so myself!),

of course we licked whip cream off the beaters,
and played WII!

Hannah really wanted to eat a whole turkey leg! She didn't, but made a good effort!

We finished off the day with a really fun game that Hannah made up all by herself, Tape the Feather on the Turkey!

It was a really fun day. We missed being with our extended family, but we enjoyed our first ever Chad Hurd Family Thanksgiving!

Halloween...in December

2010-12-06T06:22:00.000-07:00

We had a some really fun Halloween activities. They started with a trip to a pumpkin patch with our cousins. We didn't pick a pumpkin this time, but I had fun taking some pictures of the girls in the bright orange pumpkins.

The next thing was our yearly tradition of visiting Gardner Village to see the witches.

We went to another pumpkin patch. This time we chose our pumpkins for carving. Even Grace picked her own pumpkin. Hannah was very picky about which pumpkin was perfect for her. She ended up with a great one, so her dedication was worth it!

We had fun carving our pumpkins this year. Chad did his awesome artsy pumpkin, Hannah did a cat, I did a flower, and we just wrote a cute BOO! on the pumpkin for Grace.

We spent the actual Halloween weekend in Rexburg with our families. We went to Boo at the Zoo with my mom. We had so much fun looking at all of the lights and pumpkins that we only saw a few animals. Hannah dressed up as a fairy and Grace was a flower in a pot. Grace had a really cute hat with flowers on it, but of course it only stayed on for a few seconds. I thought I had taken at least one picture of her with it on, but sadly I didn't.

There was a stage with music, so Hannah HAD to dance!

We had a fun party at Grandma Hurd's house and finished the holiday with some Trick and Trunk or Treating!

It was really great and we are thinking we may have to make Rexburg our Halloween tradition!

Look Who's Walking

2010-12-03T09:44:00.002-07:00

Grace started taking a few steps back in October. After the cruise she became even more daring walking all the way across the room. Now she is a walking pro! She uses walking about 74% of the time. The funny thing about this little one is that she will NOT walk holding our hands. I remember walking with Hannah for a few months holding her hands. Well Grace is not that way! She is very independent and wants to do it on her own!

Make Your Holidays Even More Merry with Shutterfly

2010-11-30T07:17:00.002-07:00

It is that time of year again when I start to make and send out Christmas cards. I always love to receive cards from friends and family. In the past I have gone to Costco or Walmart, but I have been disappointed with the selection. Well this year I am so happy because Shutterfly has an awesome deal for bloggers to get 50 free cards! Really! They have such a huge selection! I am going to tell you my top 3 favorites and you will just have to wait until you get yours in the mail to see my final choice!

Option # 1
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards
I like the Family Red Wall. I like the fact that you can include several pictures. And who doesn't want to see more pictures of my beautiful girls?!

Option #2
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards
I like the Snowflake Damask. I like that it is not the traditional colors that you think of for Christmas. Also my very talented cousin designed the card.

Option #3
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards?viewAll=true&sortType=1&DCL=true&lfoType=c&omn=128h&fc=1&fh=128&foType=h
I like the How Holly Story Card. I love that you can put in just a short little sentence about each picture.

So I know everyone can't wait to get their card in the mail to see which card was the lucky winner!!

You know Shutterfly has so many cute cards for more than just Christmas. With Hannah's birthday coming up in May I might just use their cute birthday card selection for the invites!
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/birthday-cards-stationery

So if you are a blogger make sure you check out this deal and you might just be lucky enough to have a super cute and unique Christmas card this year!
http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/

A Year Already!?!?

2010-11-29T05:40:00.000-07:00

I know it has been FOREVER since I have posted, but we took an AWESOME trip to Disney World (posts will be coming) and the whole month before it all I could think about was the trip! Anyways, I am back and trying to get back to my normal life. So I will post some timely events and then start on the trip!

Grace turned 1 on November 22! I know everyone says this, but seriously it went so fast! We love our little Grace. She is such a funny little girl. We are so blessed to have her in our family. Here is some info on her:

-She weighs 17lbs 7oz.

-She has 4 teeth on top and 4 on the bottom.

-She is working on walking. Just tonight she walked all the way across the room. The funny thing about her is that she will not walk if someone is holding her hands. She will only do it on her own.

-She says mama, dada, uh-oh, bye, nods her head yes, and shakes her head no.

-She loves to eat (wouldn't know it by her weight)! If anyone is eating she HAS to have a bite.

-She loves to feed herself, finger food all the way!

-She thinks Hannah is hilarious (from a distance, she gets anxious when any kids get too close to her!).

-She has definite stranger anxiety.

-She loves to smile at people when she is in the comfort of her mom or dad's arms.

-She takes after her sister and loves to dance, whenever she hears music her little head starts to bob!

-She is so funny and makes us all laugh and smile.

Due to colds, Thanksgiving, and bad weather we just celebrated her birthday with our little family.

We had cake.....

And then after a much needed bath, Grace opened her presents (with lots of help from Hannah).
Hannah gave Grace a singing teapot and we gave her a walking music toy.
It was so fun to see the two of them playing together.

Happy Birthday to our little funny monkey!

School Carnival

2010-10-15T06:36:00.000-06:00

Hannah's school had a carnival a few weeks ago. We were able to eat hot dogs and nachos, watch Hannah play games and win prizes, and go in the bouncy houses. It was a fun night to spend as a family and Hannah was so proud to show off her school.

While we were eating we enjoyed a little show!

Grace wants to be just like her big sister!

Silly, silly girls!

The Greatest Show on Earth

2010-10-13T06:15:00.000-06:00

We were lucky enough to be invited to attend the circus with my sister and her family. I was so amazed. It really was the greatest show on earth! There was so much to see. It is just awesome what some people are able to do. Grace did really well for such a late night. She even fell asleep after intermission. Which is amazing that she could do that through al the noise and lights! Hannah still talks about it and plays pretend with the circus! Thanks again Angie for inviting us (and thanks Kayla for winning the coloring contest)!

Update on Grace

2010-10-11T07:03:00.000-06:00

Grace turned 10 months old on the 22nd of September, so I thought I would do a little update on all of the amazing things she does now.

Since I last updated on her she can crawl...

She pulls her self up on everything...

her toy basket,

the couch,

and her all-time favorite, the tub!

She claps...

She drinks from a sippy cup...

She says "Uh oh!"...

...she has enough hair to make a "whale-spout" and she is getting more teeth. 4 on the top and 3 on the bottom. She is such funny, cute girl! We love her so much!

Last of the Summer Posts: I Think?!?!

2010-09-24T06:39:00.002-06:00

One day at my mom's we all packed up and went to Rigby Lake. The kids had a blast and the adults about died in the heat! This was Grace's first time experiencing a lake. She loved it! She loved to splash in the water and eat the sand. Yummy!

Hannah was busy the whole time. She loved playing in the water and sand.

She and her cousin, Kate, spent the whole day building something special. I was impressed at how long and hard they worked on it. We were not allowed to look at it until it was completed.

TA-DA!!!

It was a fun day! After playing in the sun we got a sweet treat to help us cool off.

What a delicious way to end the day!

Our Last Trip of the Summer

2010-09-22T05:58:00.001-06:00

On our last trip to my mom's house before school started we couldn't miss out on a trip to Bear World to.....

See the animals and.....

Ride the rides!

It is always fun to see my mom and dad!! Thanks for the great trip!

Back To School Banana Splits

2010-09-20T06:24:00.000-06:00

As our little family is growing we are trying to establish traditions that we hope our kids will love and remember. Some of them are traditions carried on from our parents and some are things that we are trying out for the first time. This was a "first-timer" and it was a huge success. We will have Back to School Banana Splits every year after the first day of school. It was fun to make our own creations and to have time to sit and talk with Hannah all about her first day.

Hannah's first experience with aerosol whipped cream in the mouth! Funny!

A Great Getaway

2010-09-06T05:32:00.001-06:00

On 24th of July weekend, the girls and I packed up and drove to visit my sister and her family. We had a great time and a fun-packed weekend. We had a picinic at a really fun park.
They treated us to some delicious ice cream. Love the glasses!

Angie and I realaxed in the shade while the kids had a blast in the pool (and Grace slept).

And we went to a parade and fair at the park.

It was definitely a great getaway! Thanks for everything Angie!

The 9 Month 411

2010-09-03T06:03:00.003-06:00

Grace is just a funny little monkey! The smile above is the one she always gives now when the camera comes out! Cheesey! One day I went to check on her during her nap and she was sleeping with her little bum in the air. So cute. She loves her little piano. She just might become a musician. One day she fell asleep while I was holding her and I laid her down on the pillow. Hannah gave her that little lion to keep her company. Sleeping babies are so sweet. That pot is her favorite. I have to put it on back on the self at least 10 times a day.

Here are the stats:
Weight: 15 lbs 14oz 4%
Height: 27.95 inches 59%

She loves to eat! She gets so mad if anyone is eating and she is not! She is a screamer. Whether she is happy or sad, she screams. She is crawling and pulling herself up on furniture (videos to come). She claps on occasion (also a video). She thinks Hannah is hilarious! She is a funny baby and we love having her in our family!

FIRST DAY!!!

2010-09-01T06:01:00.001-06:00

The day Hannah had been asking about and hoping for finally arrived on Monday, the first day of kindergarten! She was so excited! Honestly, I was pretty excited myself. We had a special dinner the night before, that Hannah picked...make your own pizzas. We even had some sparkling juice, left over from our dinner at The Melting Pot, that we drank in fancy glasses. Hannah thought it was great!

We had a special outfit picked out and her backpack waiting by the front door. We had planned on walking to the school, but there was a big storm so we had to drive. Because of the storm it was so hectic when I dropped her off, that I don't think either of us really thought about what was happening! There was no time to be nervous and no tears!

She had a great day and I loved hearing all about the new and exciting things she was doing! Kindergarten is going to be a learning experience for both of us!!

7 Years and Counting...

2010-08-30T05:42:00.000-06:00

Us 7 years ago...

We celebrated our 7 year anniversery on the 22nd. Chad sent me to a spa the day before for a wonderful hand/foot/neck massage. It was wonderful!

Us now...

A week later we ate dinner at The Melting Pot. SO YUMMY!

It was nice to enjoy a dinner out with just the two of us!

Hannah Banana

2010-08-27T06:05:00.001-06:00

Before Hannah starts kindergarten next week(Can you believe it?!!? My little Hannah banana is going to be in kidergarten!! I can't!) I thought I should finally post a couple of things from the LAST school year. One day at preschool they had Hawaiian Day. Hannah loved dressing up like a "hula girl" and learning about the hula and having a special Hawaiian punch. I think she is the cutest hula girl I have ever seen. She loved the little flowers on her shoes so much that she refused to let me take them off. Even now that one has fallen off and the other is tattered and dirty she will NOT let me cut it off. She is so weird.

And check out her moves!

She has already started her new year of dance, but this was at her year-end recital from last time. She looked super cute and recieved a special ballerina crystal from her teacher.

Flying's for the Birds

2010-08-25T08:05:00.000-06:00

Another fun thing we did this summer was visiting the Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City. Our bishop is a member of the board and invited us to a special breakfast for the opening of some new exhibits there. We had a yummy breakfast and were able to have a personal tour of the aviary. It was a fun morning and we felt lucky to be invited!

Sorry about the terrible lighting, but you get the picture (or video)!

Home Again, Home Again

2010-08-23T06:08:00.000-06:00

On one of our trips to my mom's house (I will be posting even more!) we did two classic things. One was a trip to the splash park! I am pretty sure that they spent more time "catching some rays" than actual splashing, but it still made a fun day. Grace just enjoyed hanging out on the blanket. I dressed her in her swimsuit, but she didn't even get wet!

The second adventure was a trip to the zoo. Mandy's older kids were (actually I don't remember where they were), so it was just us and the little girls. We had a fun time seeing animals, feeding the ducks, and petting the goats.
Going to my mom's house is always so much fun! Can't wait until we can go again!

I Can't Believe I Actually did it!

2010-08-13T06:37:00.000-06:00

My sister Mandy has become a runner and she inspired me to try it too. I set a goal for myself to run the 5k that my hometown has on the 4th of July. I started training and it was hard. I am not a runner, AT ALL! When I first started, I about died running for 4 minutes straight! By the time of the race I was much improved from that, but I was still not confident. Luckily I had already signed up, paid, and had the support of my family (especially my awesome sister-in-law, Cortney, who ran it with me). I was super nervous the morning of the race, but it turned out really fun. I was glad that I had Cortney to run and talk with.

My brother-in-law, Adam, sped through the race with a super fast time and my nephew, Ethan, ran most of the time with us.

We most certainly didn't have the fastest time and I wouldn't say I am officially a runner, but I am proud to say that I ran a 5k!

WHAHOO!

Remember the 4th of July?!?

2010-08-12T06:04:00.000-06:00

I know the 4th of July was awhile ago, so let me jog your memory of what happened...

There was an awesome parade (Grace's first)! It was filled with candy, dancing, and music.

Hot dogs and yummy smores!

And, of course, fireworks!

Add it all together and it made a really great holiday!

They're HOME!!!

2010-08-06T05:34:00.000-06:00

I know this is late and most (if not all) of the people that look at my blog already know this, but..... THEY'RE HOME!!!

I am so excited. We have made two trips to see them (posts coming later) already.

This is everyone waiting at the airport. After missed flights and an unexpected night over in Colorado they finally made it home. And I couldn't be happier!

After the airport we all went my parent's house and their told us stories and showed us the cool things they brought home with them. We all received gifts, including these cute dolls, which Hannah appropriately named Belarus. We are so glad they are home!

Timpanogos Caves

2010-08-04T06:45:00.000-06:00

Remember this? Well, we were finally able to see Timpanogos Caves!

Okay, we all know that I am not in the best physical shape, but even Chad said this hike was hard! We were expecting just a leisurely climb to the cave, but we were mistaken. It was almost two miles, VERY steep, and took us 1.5 hours to reach the cave! Hannah was a trooper. She wanted to take lots of breaks and eat lots of snacks, but she made it! I made it too! Grace just enjoyed the ride in the backpack. She was happy the whole way.

The cave was very cool. Definitely something to see at least one time! We saw rocks in different shape formations in the rocks and learned interesting facts about the cave. The pictures above make me laugh...like father, like daughter. What goofballs!

We had a lot of fun! It was a hard hike and I don't know if we will be doing it again any time soon, but it was something to try once!

Bubbles!

2010-08-02T05:52:00.000-06:00

Who knew that bubbles could entertain a 5 year old and 8 month old for so long!?! They enjoyed it and I could actually get some things accomplished!

A Super Silly Show

2010-06-23T05:01:00.000-06:00

For Hannah's end of the year program they put on a Super Silly Show that included silly costumes,

silly songs,

and even a silly play. They did a production of Silly Sally. Hannah was a dog that played leap frog!

They ended with a graduation ceremony. I got a little teary-eyed! I can't believe my little girl is finished with preschool!

We are so proud of you, Hannah!

A Change of Plans

2010-06-21T06:32:00.001-06:00

On Memorial Day we went to the Timpanogos Caves. It was something that we had been wanting to see since we moved here a year ago. We knew it would be busy on a holiday, but we decided to take our chances. We arrived at the place where you purchase tickets and found out that there was a 3 hour wait until the next available hike! With our two little ones? Yeah that wasn't going to happen, so we had a change of plans. We read about a place nearby called Cascade Springs and decided to check it out.

We started out driving through a lush green forest, then it turned into a dirt road and ugly dead grass fields. The road just kept going and going. It was in the middle of nowhere. We were concerned that this was a bad decision, but knew we couldn't turn back after this far. Well after a few more miles of nothingness we arrived. It looked like nothing, but dirt and field of dead grass! We parked the car and started walking. Just around the corner was these beautiful springs cascading down the hill (hence the name)! It was so pretty and worth the drive! It was the perfect length of hike and Grace slept most of the way there and back. Can't ask for a better day than that!

Hark, A Lark, Flying Through the Park

2010-06-09T05:50:00.000-06:00

There are lots of different kinds of birds around our apartment (due mostly to the fact that our neighbor has about 20 different bird feeders on her porch). Hannah likes to just look out the window at all of them. It is her favorite when they land on the railing right in front of our window. She tells me she wants to be a bird watcher someday!

This one sat there for a long time. Hannah sat there so quietly and moved in slow motion so she could see it. I got in trouble for taking these pictures, though because I scared it away.
p.s. 10 points for whoever knows where my title came from!

I'm So Lucky

2010-06-07T06:35:00.000-06:00

That is what Hannah kept saying the whole day before her sleepover with Chad. He had the great idea of the two of them having a sleepover in the living room. Hannah could not have been more excited. They watched Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakual, had popcorn and treats, and stayed up late. I went to bed early with Grace. It was delightful for me, too!

She just kept saying how lucky she was to beable to stay up soooooooooooo late and that I wasn't invited, it was just the two of them! What a great daddy she has!

A Dippin' Good Time

2010-06-04T06:39:00.000-06:00

For Family Home Evening we made some delicious chocolate-dipped strawberries. Sorry about the blurry picture. Apparently I don't have a future as a food photographer! I think you can still see the yumminess through the blur.

They were simple and oh, so delightful!

Even Grace got in on the action (without the chocolate, of course).

The Amazing Graceini

2010-06-02T06:28:00.000-06:00

Today for your entertainment the Amazing Graceini will astond you with her tricks!

For her first trick...

For her second trick...raspberries!

Last, but not least....growling!

Isn't she amazing (and really cute)?!!?

Splish Splash I Was Takin' a Bath

2010-05-31T06:21:00.000-06:00

Grace loves her bath. I mean she REALLY LOVES it. She gets sad when we take her out. She is a kicking machine. When we put her in the tub we close the curtian halfway so that she doesn't completely soak us and the floor.

What a silly girl!

Yummy in My Tummy

2010-05-28T06:35:00.000-06:00

Grace has started eating solids. She is not a huge fan of cereal, but she loves bananas. Why are babies with messy faces so darn cute!?

Here is a video of her first time eating.

Half a Year

2010-05-26T06:11:00.001-06:00

Grace turned 6 months old on the 22nd!

I can't believe she has been in our family for half a year. It has gone so fast and I can't imagine our famly without her!

Here are her stats:
Weight: 13.5 lbs 6%

Length: 25.75" 50%
She is rolling over from back to belly and belly to back
She LOVES her bath
She is working on sitting up (she can do it for a few seconds)
She is very alert and smiley
She is eating baby food now (LOVES bananas)
She has one little tooth on the bottom
She is such a wonderful happy little baby!

A Paws-itively Purr-fect Party

2010-05-24T06:08:00.002-06:00

We had a Kitty Party for Hannah on Saturday. It was a really fun party. Kinda wild with 6 crazy kids in our little apartment, but the guest seemed to have a blast. We made a cute kitty craft.

We played some fun games; such as a mouse search, a yarn ball relay, and Feed the Fish to the Cat.

And, of course, ate a cute(if I do say so myself!) kitty cake.

Hannah said it was "the best day of her life!" Can't ask for any more than that, right?!!?

Thanks for everyone that came and helped Hannah have the best day!

A 5yr Old Bike

2010-05-21T06:55:00.000-06:00

One day as Hannah was riding her trike I realized that her knees where hitting on the handlebars! Time for a new bike. We had planned on getting Hannah a big bike for her birthday, but we decided a few weeks early wouldn't hurt!Hannah picked out the exact bike she wanted. It met all of her requirements: pink, streamers, a bell, and a bag on the front.

What more could a 4 (almost 5) year old girl need?!?!

A Day of Celebration

2010-05-19T06:08:00.001-06:00

The day started out with a birthday sign (kinda lame I know, I was a little behind the ball). She went to preschool where she recieved a birthday crown, she brought special treats for her class, and thet sang a ver LOUD "Happy Birthday" to her. We had a picnic lunch in the park (sorry! forgot the camera) with Hannah choosing Einstein Bagels for our meal. I redeemed myself by having the house decorated and a balloon waiting for her when we arrived home.

Hannah even helped decorate her cake. Not the best-looking cake I have ever made, but it was pink so Hannah though it was great!

When Chad got home from work we headed to the store to pick out her present...a fish!

She picked a colorful betta and named it Rainbow Butterfly.

Chad and Hannah got the most beautiful and best betta ever (according to Hannah) all set up in it's new home while I made the special birthday dinner.

The birthday girl requested chicken and cheese quesadillas.

The cake tasted better than it looked!It's good to be 5!

Look What She Can Do

2010-05-18T05:56:00.000-06:00

She has been doing this for over a month now, but I am little behind in my posts! She can now roll from her belly to her back also. She moves across the room sometimes!

Half a Decade

2010-05-17T06:57:00.006-06:00

My little Hannah is 5 today!

Here are 5 facts about the Birthday Girl:

#1:She loves to dance:

#2: She loves to play outside (even in the rain):

#3: She has a beautiful smile and adorable freckles
#4: She is a great big sister and daughter

#5: She has a wonderful imagination and an infectious laugh

We love you Hannah Banana! We are so glad you are part of our family! We hope you have a wonderful birthday!

A Family that Exercises Together...

2010-04-30T05:49:00.000-06:00

Chad and I have been trying to excercise together a few days a week.

One night Hannah decided to join us.

She even found her own weights... Work it!!

Cowgirl Up

2010-04-28T06:38:00.000-06:00

Hannah's preschool was celebrating Western Days. They spent the week learning about cowboys ("and cowgirls" as Hannah constantly corrected me the whole week I would talk to her about what she was learning). They learned that cowboys (and girls!) eat stew, have horses and cows, and say yee-haw! Ya know, the important stuff! Here she is dressed up and saying "Yee-haw" so one out of three ain't bad! We couldn't find a cowboy(girl!) hat for her to wear...where is Grandpa Wade when you need him?

Back in the Swing of Things

2010-04-26T06:24:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, on a nice day (between the snow melting and then the weather reaching 70 degrees and then snowing again) we headed for the driving range. Chad had been itching to get out and hit a few balls. You will notice that I am in a sweatshirt and Chad is in shorts...I think Chad feels that if you wear shorts spring will come quicker! Grace and I sat down and watched the two pros. Hannah definitely has her own style of swing, but she gets the job done. Chad was surprised at how quickly he got back into it. I even took a couple swings. It was nice to be outside. It is nice here again...for now!

An Easter Recap:Day 3

2010-04-23T07:18:00.000-06:00

Chad was working the whole weekend so we had to wake Hannah up early in the morning before he went to work. Good thing the Easter Bunny visited our house early!

Checking out the basketHannah got bubbles, Easter egg chalk, a little Dancing Dora figure and a chocolate Easter Bunny.

Grace got a little rattle toy.

The hunt! I took lots of pictures of Hannah's back! It was hard to stay in front of her!

Checking out the goods!

We had a great Easter! Hannah said she can't wait until next year when Grace can help her find eggs!

An Easter Recap:Day 2

2010-04-21T06:44:00.004-06:00

Here are just some random pictures from Easter time...

The weekend before Easter we went to Rexburg for the blessing of this little guy.

Kellen Mark Pearson

He is Chad's little sister's baby. It made me sad to see how big Grace was compared to him! They grow too fast!

Because of General Conference, we wouldn't be at church Easter Sunday so the girls wore the adorable dresses that Grandma Hurd gave them. Thanks Grandma Hurd!

We made some super yummy Easter cupcakes....

which turned into a sugar loaded "Special Easter Breakfast."

As I mentioned before...Easter was on the same weekend as General Conference so since we wouldn't be leaving the house I told Hannah she could pick out her own clothes. This is what she came up with. Nice.

We did take the time to get dressed up and quickly visit the Easter Bunny in between sessions.

I was so happy that we got a cute one of Hannah and Grace both smiling! What pretty girls!

An Easter Recap:Day 1

2010-04-19T05:49:00.005-06:00

I know I am always a few weeks late on posting about holidays, but I get to it eventually, right?!

This week will highlight the fun activities of our Easter celebration.

We started of celebration with a day at my sister's house. Chad was working the whole weekend so we headed to Angie's house for a day of coloring eggs.

Step 1: Egg in dye Step 2: Wait Step 3: Enjoy!

We had a lot of fun! Thanks Ang!

My Silly Girls

2010-04-09T06:23:00.000-06:00

Grace has started grabbing her feet and pulling them up to her face. The other day she pulled off her sock! I have a feeling that this is just the beginning!

Hannah cut these lips out of a magazine. Isn't is hilarious! I was crying because I was laughing so hard! It looks like she had a little too much collagen!

I love my girls!

Spur of the Moment Trip to St. George

2010-04-07T06:01:00.000-06:00

Chad had Spring Break a few weeks ago and we decided very last moment to go to St. George for a few days. The weather was so nice and springy! One of our stops was to the temple. It is so beautiful!

We were also able to see my good friend Ashley. We met Ashley, her husband, and baby for dinner. The next day we played a little mini golf. I lost, but it was really fun to enjoy the weather, talk to my friend, and see her cute little baby, Ellie.

It was so fun to just get out of town as a family and just enjoy our time together! It made me have major spring fever!

Alllllmost There!!

2010-04-05T07:34:00.001-06:00

She is getting so close! I don't think it will be too much longer! She is getting so big and it is killing me. Can't she just stay a tiny baby forever?!?!

Our Little Daredevil

2010-04-02T06:48:00.000-06:00

Hannah is not brave.

She is afraid of many things. She is not a fan of heights or going fast. She is just very cautious. So when she did this I was very shocked and impressed!

Here is a blooper...this is what happened the first time I tried getting a video!

The Luck O' the Irish

2010-03-31T06:21:00.000-06:00

On St. Patrick's Day we were visited my a sneaky leprechaun. He hid clovers all over the house that had clues leading to a yummy treasure. Hannah was super clever and found the treasure in the fridge!

For dinner Chad made some delicious chicken on the grill. The sneaky leprechaun returned and turned our noodles and milk green!

Grace: The 4 Month Stats

2010-03-29T06:44:00.000-06:00

Grace turned 4 months on the 22nd!

She is 12lbs and 24.41 inches long.

She is growing so much!!

Grace loves to suck on her hands.

She is rolling onto her side.

She sometimes sleeps through the night.

She has a new squealing/screeching sound.

She is so smiley and giggles easily.

She is loved by our whole family!

February Fill-In: Day 3

2010-03-26T06:04:00.000-06:00

Random Pictures and Videos

Here are just some cute pictures from February. Grace is getting to be really smiley. We purchased a bumbo (the purple seat Grace is sitting in). She likes to sit in it while we are eating dinner. Hannah has been growing up so much. She is getting really good at brushing her own teeth. She has a new toothbrush that flashes lights for two minutes so she has to brush the whole time. In the top right of the little pictures Hannah and her friend's played with some make up. She was so proud of her skills, until she saw herself in the mirror. She said, "I look like a clown!"

Hannah learned this cute (and educational) song at preschool. Have I mentioned how much I love her preschool? It is great!

Along with being smiley, Grace is a giggle goose!

February Fill-In: Day 2

2010-03-24T05:52:00.000-06:00

VALENTINE'S ACTIVITIES!

We had a fun Valentine's Holiday. It started with a party at Hannah's preschool and dance school. She wanted to make her own valentines. She did a great job and was VERY proud of them. She kept saying, "I know they are going to love these!" Grace and Hannah had super cute Valentine's outfits and Hannah had a special heart hairdo. We had pink heart-shaped pancakes with strawberry syrup. We also had to make our traditional sugar cookies. I used a new recipe this time and they were super yummy! Hannah's present was a heart-shaped pillow and some candy. Chad gave me a really nice gift...some fancy diamond and birthstone earrings. They are very nice and he is very sweet! We had a great holiday!

February Fill-In: Day 1

2010-03-22T05:09:00.001-06:00

Wow! It has been a LLLLLOOOOONNNNGGGGG time! I figured that before March was over I should fill you in on our activities during February, so this week will be the February Fill-In!
One weekend a month Chad has to travel to Ogden, Utah for school. We decided to go with him and meet my sister, Angie and her family at The Treehouse Museum. It was fun to see them and spend time together. The kids had a blast looking at everything and I enjoyed chatting with my sister. She was even nice enough to carry Grace in the snuggie the whole time! The big picture above is especially for my dad, I thought he would like to see Hannah in a cowboy hat! I do have to mention though, this picture was taken moments before she burst into tears. She was terrified of being up on this little fake horse, so I am doubtful of her becoming a cowboy!

The weather has been so crazy lately, with sun one day and snow the next, so we have been trying to take advantage of the nice moments. One night for FHE we walked to a nearby park. it was a little chilly, but it felt so good to be outside.

We talked about God's creations and everything he has given us. On the walk Hannah was pointing out everything God made for us from trees to mailboxes! What a funny girl. Grace was happy and content the whole walk. We are looking forward to really warm weather so we can walk without her being covered the whole time!

Look Who's Talking

2010-02-05T06:01:00.000-07:00

Recently Grace has really started finding her voice. She loves to gurgle!

Fun with Glasses

2010-02-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

Both of these pictures make me laugh! They help me to remeber, when the baby is crying or Hannah is whining, that they are funny kids! I need to laugh and appreciate the funny things of life more!

Hannah got these glasses in a goodie bag from a party

Grace with Chad's glasses

Matching PJs

2010-02-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

Around the time that Grace was born, my aunt Susan and some of her family, stopped by to see us and the baby. She gave us a gift of matching pjs for the girls and I just had to get a picture of them together. Aren't they adorable!?
Notice Hannah's crazy hair? She just finished her bath and her new thing is that she likes to leave her hair unbrushed because it is "sooooo soft". What a cute weirdo!

To Belarus With Love

2010-02-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

For Family Home Evening last week we put together a Valentiene's Day care package for my parents in Belarus. I won't say what is in it so it will be a surprise, but we had fun putting it together. We had some really, I mean really, yummy sugar cookies for treats. It was very lovely!

Monkey See, Monkey (Hair)Do!

2010-02-01T05:51:00.000-07:00

The other day while on the computer Hannah asked if she could "make my hair stylish?" (Apparently I need help in that department!)

As she was yanking on my hair I said "Ow! Hannah you need to be a little softer."

She promptly replied, "That is what you do to me!"

I also heard her say a few other things that sounded a little familiar:

"Just a second more."

"Keep your head still."

"You have so many knots!"

"Just sit still and we will be done a lot faster!"

Oh man! I better watch what I say!

My Little Snow Bunny

2010-01-29T05:53:00.000-07:00

There hasn't been too much snow this winter, but the few times we had a good storm Hannah would get all bundled up and head out to play.

This picture cracks me up!

Hannah loves to make snow angels and snow babies (I have yet to figure out the difference)!

Which One is Which?

2010-01-28T05:49:00.004-07:00

Can you tell? I think it is fun to see the similarities and the differences! These pictures are taken when they are both around the same age and they are wearing the exact same outfit! Funny! I think they are both cuties!

Winner, Winner, We Have a Winner!

2010-01-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

So remember this post?

Well guess who won!?!

Hannah is the proud winner of a Harmon's coloring contest! She won a $5 gift card to the store that she used to purchase this baby!

Smiley Pants!

2010-01-26T05:56:00.001-07:00

Grace started smiling a few days before Christmas. At first I thought it was just gas, but then I noticed that she would do it when you talked to her. She smiled the most for Chad in the beginning. Here is a video of some of her first smiles.

Another one...

(please ignore my voice in these next videos!)

The most recent one...

Two Months, Really!!?!

2010-01-25T05:14:00.001-07:00

Can you believe this little one is two months old?! I can't!

Here are her stats:

Weight: 9.24 lbs= 13%

Height: 22.24"=46%

Loves:

She loves to smile (check back tomorrow for some video of it), talk(gurgle and squeal), cuddle, the swing, to be swaddled, to (as my mom says) stretch and growon the floor, and her bath.

The only thing that she doesn't like so far is being on her belly, she gets so mad!

She rarely cries and when she does she is easily soothed. She sleeps 4-7 hours at night and will usually fall right back to sleep after eating. She is great in the car (for those of you who knew Hannah as a baby will know what a blessing that is for us)!

She is such a good baby and we love that she is part of our family!

Sisters, Sisters

2010-01-22T06:15:00.002-07:00

The other day we were reading a book and it asked, "Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

Hannah answered, "No."

I said, "Yes you do. What about baby Grace? She is your sister."

She replied, "She's not my sister... she's a baby!"

Well, whether she is a baby or her sister these two are starting to like each other (for the most part)!

Hannah is more interested in Grace lately, wanting to hold her and show her toys. She just doesn't like when Grace cries and "messes up" her shows.

Grace watches Hannah very closely when she is around. I am not sure if she is watching her because she is facinated by her or because she is waiting for the attack! Sometimes Hannah gets a little too close to her face and it freaks her out.

So I guess they have the normal love/hate relationship that most sisters have!

I just hope that as the years go the feelings of hate will be far overshadowed by the feelings of love.

Family Movie Night

2010-01-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

We have started a new tradition in our family. Once a week (or at least we try) we rent a movie and sit down as a family to watch it. Sometimes there is pizza or popcorn, but there is always cuddling under blankets!

Hannah also insists that we turn all the lights off so that it is like a real movie theater. This last week we watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. We all really liked it!

Grace enjoyed the movie the way she enjoys most of our family activities...

sleeping!

Night at the Museum is on the schedule for this week, anyone wanna join us!?!?

A Name and a Blessing

2010-01-20T07:22:00.002-07:00

We blessed Grace on the first Sunday of January. All of my brothers and sisters and thier families were able to come up for the blessing. Chad's mom and one sister and brother were able to attend. We were so grateful to all of them for coming. It was a really great time. Grace looked adorable in her little(big) dress. She was a good baby and slept the whole time. Chad gave her a wonderful blessing and the spirit was definitely there. We were in such a rush that we weren't able to get a whole family picture, but here is a collage of pictures instead! The quilt behind Grace was made by her Grandma Hurd. It is so beautiful! Thanks again for everyone that was able to share this experience with us and we missed those of you who couldn't make it.

Guess Who Turned 29?!

2010-01-19T07:30:00.001-07:00

Chad turned 29 on Sunday! Here are 29 things you may or may not know about this great guy:

29. He loves to play video games and is REALLY good at them. He beat the new Super Mario game on the Wii in about 5 days!

28. He served a mission in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

27. He has a really great relationship with his mom (one of the things that attracted me to him at first).

26. He has lived in 5 states Utah, Idaho, California, Arizona, and Pennsylvania.
25. He rode a horse for the first time when we first met and I took him to my parent's house.
24. He collects PEZ candy. I give him one every Christmas.
23. He is a really great dad.
22. He has always wanted to go kyaking (anyone wanna take him??!).
21. At one point he had seven piercings (good thing they were long gone before I met him!)
20. He loves rollercoasters and took me on some really scary ones on our honeymoon.
19. He always remembers birthday and anniversery dates (I am usually the one who forgets)!
18. He has always wanted to visit Scotland and Ireland.
17. This past summer he went on a big hike and fell in love with hiking...he is preparing himself for some more big hikes this next summer.
16. He has been skateboarding since he was 4 years old.
15. Del Taco and Taco Bell are two of his favorite places to eat.
14. He has dreams of publishing a book someday. He has even started a couple promising stories.
13. He has a hard time GAINING weight!
12. He is starting to become a really great grill chef.
11. He lived with his grandparents for a year while growing up.
10. He doesn't like to eat seafood, but had recently started to enjoy some shrimp.
9. When he was growing up his mom taught him to sew and cross stitch.
  8. He is a big goofball and makes me laugh!
  7. Music is a great love of his. He is always listening to something and loves to find new bands and singers.
6.  He is talented with painting and drawing. At one point he wanted to become a graphic artist.
5.  He is a great spiritual influence in our home.
4.  William is his middle name.
3.  He learned to love reading from his grandma.
2.  The beach is one of his favorite places.
1. He is an amazing guy and I am so lucky to be married to him!!

Christmas Day

2010-01-15T05:59:00.004-07:00

Christmas morning was nice and calm this year. With only two little kids (at least ones old enough to open presents) it was pretty quiet and over quickly!

We woke up to find that Santa had come and eaten our cookies!

Grace slept through most of it so Hannah opened her presents for her!

Hannah recieved the "Wowwee a Lion Cub" that she had asked for, Grace got a glow worm from Hannah, Hannah and Chad made me a really cute scrapbook, and Chad got a digital picture keychain.

It was a great Christmas!

Let Them Eat Cake

2010-01-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my big day. I turned 26! I am now officially closer to 30 than 20! I recieved calls, e-mails, cards, and texts from my family, including one from my parents in Belarus!

Chad bought me a super yummy cake from Coldstone.

And Hannah picked out some very cute earrings for me.

Chad is taking me out for a surprise date on Saturday night and is going to get me a present as soon as I figure out what I want!

It was a great birthday!

Christmas Eve Night '09

2010-01-13T06:00:00.003-07:00

Christmas Eve night started with some yummy soup for the adults and the kids really enjoyed corn dogs (as you can tell!).

After a lot of playing and talking we had a nice program given by Grandma Hurd.

Last, but not least, the kids were able to do what they had been waiting all night to do....open presents! They were each able to open one present.

PJ's from Grandma Hurd!

I didn't get a picture of Grace's PJ's, but they are super cute too. She actually wears them as an outfit because they are too cute to not be seen!

It was a fun night! Thanks Grandma Hurd!

Later that night we cuddled on a Luv Sac,

colored pictures for Santa,

and of course left cookies and milk for Santa!