The Brower's

Rid'em Cowgirl

2012-02-10T11:03:00.003-07:00

This week we headed to Treehouse with Brit and the girls, we had a blast. Everytime we go I think Hallie finds a new area that is her favorite...today it was the horses.

1 Month

2012-02-10T10:55:00.003-07:00

Its hard top believe but it has been a month since Gracie joined our little family of four. She has been nothing but a joy and I feel very blessed to have been given another wonderful baby...lets hope she stays this way. She is very scheduled...don't know whose child she is. She eats every 4 hours although at night she goes sometimes up to 6 hours. After she eats she is awake for an hour or two then down for a nap until its time to eat again. My favorite time is when Hallie naps I sit in the recliner and hold her for usually at least 2 hours uninterrupted sometimes we read, watch tv, or nap too cuddling is my favorite.She eats a lot more in the evenings and we usually put her to bed about 9. She looks a lot more like Hallie did than we originally thought except for the dark hair. She also is about a month a head of where Hallie was weight wise which makes it seem like she is growing a lot fast although she is "normal" I'm not quite used to that. She loves to watch Hallie doing whatever. Hallie has started calling her Gracie Girl and I think it will stick.

I don't need a nap

2012-02-10T10:49:00.003-07:00

I have heard this a lot lately at our house. Although I am unsure if it is part of her adjusting to Gracie or just her getting older Hallie hasn't been napping and if she does it isn't for very long. She is like her mom and her aunts on my side and gets very cranky very quickly when she doesn't get her rest so needless to say we have had many moments of deep breathing and reminding myself that she is only 2 which is very frustrating when I know what a happy child she is when she does sleep. I really hope it is just adjusting because I love that she naps...it keeps me sane and gives me some one on one time with Gracie. The other day she informed me she wasn't tired but when I told her she couldn't watch a show she totally melted down and I told her that if she was going to throw a fit to go to her room so I didn't have to listen to her until she could be happy. I went down a few minutes later to find this....her on the floor sound asleep...yeah she wasn't tired!

Mommy & Her Girls

2012-02-10T10:47:00.001-07:00

Here are some pics with me and my girls. Priceless pics I will always cherish....love them more than words can say!

Not the clearest picture but if you look close Gracie is smiling

Hardware Ranch & Meeting Grandpa

2012-02-10T10:22:00.008-07:00

We had planned on making it to Hardware Ranch before Gracie was born but with the holidays and other plans we didn't make it so last Saturday we decided to make a day of it. We were lucky enough to have Nic, Ky, and Rigs join us. We rode over together which was really nice because we got to catch up and visit and the kids entertained each other in the back seat...mostly they slept really. We had lunch at Firehouse Pizzaria and then headed up Black Smith Fork Canyon to the Ranch. Once we got there we realized how cold it was and were very glad we had brought everyone's winter clothes. After getting everyone dressed we walked around the visitor center before heading down to go on the wagon ride.

Hallie was so excited and kept asking when she was going to get to see the reindeer. We kept reminding her that they were elk but after a while we just let her think they were reindeer which then lead to her asking if we were going to see Santa. Then she had to specify all the "reindeer" as a boy/girl or a mommy/daddy. Being a little kid Im sure gets really confusing sometimes. We had to wait about 10 minutes before it was our turn on the wagon but the horses kept Hallie plenty entertained..this kid loves animals.

Once it was our turn we headed out into the field. Our guide explained they had about 300 head on a daily average but usually about his time of year they have 700 but because of the lack of snow they haven't been forced to really look for food. I couldn't believe how mellow they all seemed they just sat on the ground or watched us as we drove past them.

Here is Hallie and I trying to stay warm...Gracie stayed super bundled in her carseat and slept the entire trip(6 hours)

After getting thawed in the car we headed for Tremonton to visit grandpa for his birthday(also feb 6) he turned 92 this year! We wanted to visit for his birthday and also introduce him to Gracie. His memory is slipping a little and he kept asking whose baby she was. I wanted some pictures but by the time we got their Gracie was starving and Hallie with no nap was not a happy child.

Grandpa was thrilled to see us and said we had made his day. His new hearing aides are helping a lot so it makes it more enjoyable to have a conversation.
On our way home we swung by Pizza Plus to get some breadsticks and show Kyle what great food is all about...we should have bought 2 boxes. By the time we got home we were all exhausted so we spent the remainder of our night watching the Jazz game and just hanging out.

Matt's B-day

2012-02-10T10:11:00.004-07:00

I was a little unsure about having a party with Gracie being not even a month old yet so we kept it small and enjoyed our time with some close friends and family. It worked out nicely that it was also Super Bowl Sunday so we added that to the festivities but really we visited and ate more than we watched the game...any one else do that?

Matt's birthday actually fell on Monday. Hallie and I made cupcakes and ice cream to take to Matt's work and latter that night we went to Texas Road House for dinner and then came home to enjoy a relaxing night at home. Gracie turned 1 month old on Matt's birthday..here they are together.

Funny enough Matt had asked for golf clubs for his birthday and they went on sale in mid-January and he brought them home on my birthday and on his birthday we finally found a double stroller we liked so we bought the double stroller that I had been wanting on his birthday. Matt put together the stroller that night.

Now we just have to wait for some warm weather to get out and use it. Happy birthday babes.

Cousins

2012-02-01T14:43:00.003-07:00

These pictures weren't easy to get as you probably guess by all the pictures included. Rigden wanted to eat Gracie's bow so we had to move her to a safer location next to Hallie. Then not everyone would look..no surprise so this is what we got.

Yeah for 1st time cousin pictures!!!

Hallie 28 Months

2012-02-01T14:30:00.012-07:00

Well my 1st baby is now almost 2 1/2 and she never ceases to amaze/entertain us. She just keeps getting more and more fun. It seems like ever stage becomes a favorite. Her imagination is growing like wild..where do kids get some of the things they say or do? There are moments in a mother's life when you regret every time you ever yelled at your child. Every time you told them no and broke their heart. Every time you ignored them to get something done that you thought was "more important". Every time you silently said you wanted to lock them in a closet for 5 minutes or send them to the zoo cuz they HAD to be the worst behaved kid on the block. Right? Well I have had a lot of moments like this. But then there are also moments when your child tells you endlessly how much she loves you and how beautiful you are as well as saying/doing some of the cutest things you can imagine. I have to think that God has a sense of humor when it comes to parents and their children. For just as you think your patience is gone one of those tender moments occurs and gives you the patience to go on a little longer. Month after month I find I write a lot of the same things about Hallie so I decided to switch it up a bit and share experiences.
Giving Gracie a bath is one of Hallie's favorite things to do these days most mornings she asks if Gracie needs a bath. Although Im not sure if she likes helping bath her or just playing in the water. After giving Gracie a bath the other morning I moved Gracie to the living room to get her dressed. After getting her dressed I went to check on Hallie and found her playing in the bath water. I asked what she was doing and she said don't worry mommy I'm helping you by doing the dishes. If you look closely in one of the pictures she has a bottle with a wash cloth cleaning it.

While eating lunch and watching Team Umizoomi the other day I noticed Hallie sliding down in her chair and putting her hand up. I asked what she was doing and in a whisper she informed me that she was hiding from the bad guy so he couldn't see her.

Mommy & Me time at Treehouse
Hallie from the moment we took her to treehouse has loved it and to be honest its nice to have a place to take her where she can socialize and play without destroying my house. The older she has gotten the more fun the trips have been. Since her imagination has really kicked these are my favorite trips.

Posing with her Bike
This bike is the one she got for Christmas we have kept it inside since its to cold to ride it outside she does everything from ride it to sitting on it while she watches tv...she even delivers stuff on it.

Babies loaded up and ready to head to school

Driving the firetruck

Farm Sets a for sure favorite

Posing by the Swing..silly girl
Every time we take a picture of Gracie Hallie wants her picture taken with either Gracie or just one of herself but lately she has wanted to pose with various objects including the swing, her bike, a pillow, and whatever she is eating at the time.

All dolled up and ready for the day
While my mom was here she would get Hallie dressed and ready for the day. My mom has four girls and needless to say is very good at doing hair and for sure has more of an imagination than I do. Hallie loved getting reasdy and then asking for you to take her picture. Another side note is that once you take a picture of her she wants to see it almost to quick sometimes that the picture is blurry because she wants to see it before you even finish taking it.

A Sippy, a bed, and a show
These are all common occurring events at our house. Grandma Joy made Hallie this blanket for Christmas and it is just the right size to fold it in half to make a bed

Crazy Morning Look

Blankie Burrito

I asked Hallie if she wanted to help me make dinner(she loves to help cook) after about 10 minutes in she said she was tired and wanted to go to bed so she headed for her bed. I followed her I asked her for a hug and kiss. She informed me that she would give me a hug but she wasn't giving kisses today. After getting my hug I stole a kiss. I stood at the top of the stairs watching her somewhat in awe at how big she is getting and how she is to smart for her own good at times. She turned around and said aren't you supposed to be making dinner, I need to go to sleep.

And I saved my favorite for the last. Matt has been teaching at Weber since the beginning of the year which leaves me to get the kids ready and in bed one night a week some nights this is a major chore and other nights it goes very smoothly. I had got Hallie into bed and story and songs done by 8:30 so I headed upstairs to feed Gracie. I thought I heard Hallie about 9 when I looked on her monitor I found her light was on, stuff was all over her bed and I could hear her talking so I impatiently headed downstairs to put her back to bed. I quietly stuck my head into her room and found that her books were spread all of her bed and she was reading to her stuffed animals.It didn't take her long to realize I was there and quickly gave the explanation that "they" weren't tired and needed her to read to them. I tucked her in and then she said she couldn't go to sleep until she put all her stories away so we quickly picked up her stories and back to bed. When I got back upstairs it hadn't been five minutes and I could hear her singing. I checked the monitor she was still in bed with the light off so I let her be. I couldn't help but smile as I heard her sing song after song then tell her stuffed animals it was time for bed and then she would say oh you want to sing another song...well ok just one more(I bet you can guess this is how every night goes down at our house)and then pick another song. This continued for about another 30 minutes then she said I'm tired now go to sleep. Love you, goodnight and I didn't hear another peep from her. About five minutes after she had stopped Matt got home so I told him what had happened and said if he wanted he should go down and tell her good night before she was really asleep. He went to tell her good night and she said daddy the sun is still asleep you need to go to bed.(we regularly tell her she needs to go to sleep and stay in her bed until the sun comes up). Silly Girl but moments that make us smile and make life brighter.

A Day at the Zoo

2012-02-01T14:17:00.004-07:00

All dressed up ready for the zoo.

Over the last 3 weeks we haven't been anywhere really staying inside where it is warm and where we can limit germ exposure(yes I'm a germ-a-phob)and to be honest I was getting stir crazy so when I called Brit and she mentioned she was taking the girls to the zoo we jumped at the chance to get out in the fresh air. The weather was perfect about 50 degrees we didn't even wear all of the snow gear I had packed for us. Hallie loves playing with her cousins so it made it even more fun to go with Brit and the girls(carson was at school). I think either the monkeys of giraffes were Hallie's favorite.
Just in case anyone thought Gracie might get cold...pretty sure she didn't had this plus a blankie, carseat cover, and another blanket just for good measure

We had a great time and are planning on going next month as long as the weather is good...it was so nice to get out in the fresh air and some great company. I sometimes forget that Brit is my sister-in-law and not just one of my friends they have been so wonderful and thoughtful to us we can never thank her or Nick enough.

2 Weeks

2012-01-30T15:37:00.003-07:00

Wish I could say that time has slowed down since our little Gracie arrived but unfortunately the days seem to go faster than ever. At her 2 week appt Gracie weighed in at 8lbs 4oz(43%) and 20.5in long(52%) we aren't sure what to do with a child that has made it out of the single digits percentile wise since Hallie hasn't in her 2 1/2 years. She is healthy and growing well. She is a great baby and was pretty much born with a babywise schedule. She eats every 3-4 hours during the day is awake for about an hour and then sleeps until we repeat it all again. At night she sleeps 4-5 hours and then goes right back to bed. She eats between 3-6oz at a time and luckily has never been spitty to this point. She is however a big pooper and has blow thru several outfits in her first couple of weeks. The sleep deprivation although minor compared to some of my friends is killer with Hallie I slept when she did and now having 2 that isn't always the case. I feel like when they are both sleeping that I have a lot to accomplish but recently have found that I get more done and everyone is more happy if I get some extra sleep when I can. The guilt has been really difficult no matter what I do I feel like one of the girls isn't getting the attention they deserve so when Hallie does nap I hold Gracie usually for the entire time Hallie is asleep(2-3 hours) it helps me feel better. Hallie is a huge help and want to get me everything for Gracie. She also wants to have her picture taken every time we take Gracies' picture which is nice because she was at a point she didn't want her picture taken before the baby.I am learning that getting out of the house is a bit more of a chore than it used to be and can't be done quickly unless we look like we just got out of bed it can be frustrating at times that it is noon and no one is ready for the day but I am trying to focus on the fact that we are all fed, teeth brushed, and have at least clean PJs on. So to sum it all up we are adjusting and will someday be back to fully organized and somewhat sane.

Our Girls

2012-01-30T15:19:00.003-07:00

I love the way "our girls" sounds when I refer to Hallie and Gracie. We are very much enjoying having 2 girls. Hallie is a big help and is very concerned and loving towards Gracie although she still doesn't want to hold her unless it is momentary while we take a picture. Since the beginning of the year Matt has been teaching a class at Weber State which leaves the girls and I home alone 1 night a week. I frequently ask Hallie to watch Gracie while I run downstairs or in the other room to get something the other night I came back to find Hallie laying by and singing to Gracie. I hope they always like each other.

1st Bath

2012-01-18T21:14:00.002-07:00

Five days after Gracie was born her umbilicaL cord fell off and on day 7 she had her 1st bath. I think she really enjoyed it and didn't cry until I got her out.

Matt's Favorite Thing

2012-01-18T21:10:00.002-07:00

Matt isn't like most dads that prefer older kids that they can play with although he does like that too. He loves the newborns and the cuddling aspect. When Hallie was little he would sit in the rocker or on the couch and watch football for hours with Hallie asleep on his chest...he has wasted no time starting that with Gracie. I love this picture he is such a great dad.

Family of FOUR!!!

2012-01-18T21:06:00.004-07:00

Our 1st picture as a family of four

Matt and his girls

Our Girls in their 1st matching outfits

Our Gracie

2012-01-18T20:46:00.006-07:00

Time is going to fast as usually but I still don't think I will ever get used to it. Gracie is now 12 days old and is another little blessing in our life. I still have times when I have to stop and remember that we have been blessed and entrusted with 2 sweet daughters of god I don't know how we got so blessed. Gracie is a great baby she eats every 4 hours around the clock. I have been supplementing with a bottle after breastfeeding but are now down to doing that only a couple times a day. She has very awake times after eating but usually within an hour is back to sleep for at least a couple hours. She really only cries when she is hungry. She look so what like Hallie but at the same time has a look of her own which is yet to be determined who she looks like. Here she is during some of her awake times.

She likes to be bundled and I quite often find that she has wiggled down so you can barely see her face.

Our girls in their PJs. Hallie has no interest in holding her but loves to pose in pics.

Hallie and her Pouting

2012-01-18T20:41:00.003-07:00

Hallie has started what I like to call a "phase" in hopes that that is exactly what it is. We have been ignoring her and it has already stopped at times so I will remain hopeful but I can't help documenting this and the pictures that say it all.

After a few minutes of being ignored and possibly laughed at..real mature I know

Coming Home

2012-01-18T20:28:00.005-07:00

We came shortly after our 24 hour mark due to visitation restrictions and Hallie so on Saturday afternoon after labs were drawn and paperwork complete we came home here are some pics of the big event.

Because we came home somewhat early we had to take her back to the pediatrician at 2 days for a weight check and overall assessment. She weighed 7lbs 5oz and is doing very well

Our Week with Grandma

2012-01-18T20:04:00.005-07:00

My mom was great enough to come for a whole week when Gracelyn was born although I originally thought I wouldn't need help that long I am so grateful that she was here and to have the extra help was awesome. My mom came Thursday night since we were being induced Friday morning. Saturday morning it snowed for the first time almost all winter so she took Hallie out to build a snowman which upon completion she promptly kicked it over and then wanted to build it again.

She also took Hallie to the mall to run some errons and to ride the train. She loves the train at the mall and is always asking to go for a ride on it.

On top of being a huge help with the kids she cooked, cleaned, and helped with anything and everything I needed help with. Thanks mom come back soon.

Gracelyn Michelle Brower

2012-01-12T15:45:00.003-07:00

Here she is Gracelyn Michelle Brower
Born 1/6/2012 10:34AM
7lbs 9oz
19.5 in

Visitors

2012-01-11T15:38:00.008-07:00

Although we had minimal visitors due to the restrictions we did have several family and close friends come to see us or more likely our new little girl. My mom, Hallie, Nic, and Rigden came as soon as we got moved over to our new room and settled.

Matt's mom came to visit later friday evening

Anne Farner also stopped by briefly with a gift and to hold our little one. As well we had several of my coworkers from the nicu that came to say hi.
The Bennetts came to visit Sunday and brought us some yummy dinner Nick made.

Kim and Ez came up for the weekend since they had Martin Luther King day off of school. Hallie really enjoyed hogging their attention..kim and ez were very good to play with her. We were lucky enough to have Nic & Ky come up to hangout with us througout the weekend we did a lot of eating and playing games as well as just hanging out and visiting.

A New Year=A New Addition

2012-01-11T14:59:00.011-07:00

On Friday Jan 6, 2012 our little girl hadn't arrived so we headed to the hospital to be induced. I had called my mom Wednesday after my dr appt and she made arrangements to be here Thursday so she could stay with Hallie while I was in the hospital. We had to be there by 7:30AM so we got up about 7 got ready and headed in to the hospital. The more I really thought about what was going to happen the more anxious and nervous I got. We got checked in and settled into our room by about 8:30AM. My nurse came to place my IV and Dr Boheen came to break my water all about 8:45 they had decided not to start my pitocin sooner because I had gone so quickly with Hallie. When Dr. Boheen broke my water I was dialated to a 6+ and she suggested if I wanted an epidural(which I totally did) to get it before they started my pitocin. So about 9 I got my epidural and they started my pitocin. Matt and I just visited as we waited.

One detail I want to remember is that Matt always thought she would come on the 5th or 6th so he was very proud of himself that he was right. Dr Boheen visited with us and the nurses she said she wasn't leaving because as soon as she did she would have to come back and she was right. After about an hour or turning from side to side to help speed things up Dr Boheen checked me at 9:20 and said I was complete and said to the nurse to set up for delivery the nurse said did you say she is a 7 and Dr Boheen replied no set it up she is complete. Matt jokingly said do you think we could have a baby by 10:30? Dr Boheen informed him that was probably a little optimistic but it turned out to not be so far off. After 3 contractions of pushing(3 sets of pushing per contraction) our new little one arrived at 10:34AM. My initial thought was that she was a lot bigger than Hallie and that turned out to be pretty true. Weighing in at 7lbs 9oz and 19.5 in she was 1lb and 1oz bigger than her sister(boy was I glad we hadn't waited another week for her). She has more and darker hair than Hallie and didn't really look like Hallie at all. She has the same big eyes and good temperament but that was about it.

It is really hard to believe that in a matter of a couple hours we had gone from a family of 3 to a family of 4 but I think we are still letting that one sink in.

I was really bummed because with RSV and an outbreak of pertussis they had very restrictive visitation so we could only have 2 visitors and no one under 14 so Hallie couldn't even come visit(was not happy about this). Hallie was very nervous and couldn't understand why I had to have an IV and couldn't hold her and most of all why I had to come to the hall to visit and couldn't go home with her and she couldn't see the baby but luckily she is still at the age that she is easily distracted. Since I have had Hallie they have also changed a few other things they bathed the baby in our room and Matt got to do her footprints on top of also getting to help with the bath. He did an awesome job even the tech was impressed. It was fun because I got to watch and take pictures.

Daddy loving cuddle time after her bath

39 Weeks

2012-01-11T14:47:00.002-07:00

Now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel I headed to my 39 week appointment I was dilated to a 4+ and completely effaced. My colitis continues to get worse so my dr asked what I wanted to do in which Matt quickly replied get her out as soon as we can. Dr. Boheen said how does Friday work? Matt said great and I sat there trying to keep up with the conversation it all seemed like a dream. So then it was decided if she hadn't come on her own by Friday morning they would induce me. My final weight ended up at 160(32 up from pre-pregnancy). This picture is on friday morning(induction morning).

The Christmas Project

2011-12-29T12:40:00.013-07:00

We have been doing a lot of projects at our house lately partly to do some updating and others just to make our space more usable now that we are adding another member to our family but this by far was the biggest project I think we have tackled. Around Thanksgiving Matt and Ez started to scheme about ways to get Matt a flat screen tv and it just evolved from there. With the soon arrival of our little one I told Matt he had to convince someone to be his partner in crime for this big project and luckily for us Kim & Ez were there to volunteer. The project was originally supposed to start this week but Matt was so anxious and excited it worked out that Kim & Ez could come sooner so we jumped at the opportunity to not only finish it sooner but also to have them to spend Christmas with. Kim and I were the official runners for supplies when we went to go get an additional piece of beadboard the only way we could get it into the truck was to rest it on top of our heads..we got some funny looks on our way home.
Before

Wednesday night some guys from our ward came to help Matt move the furniture and all the old cabinets. Here is what it looked like after.

Then the real work began. Matt started working on the base cabinets and finished both sides on Thursday once Ez got here. I felt a lot better knowing that Matt had a "partner" that was just as excited about the project as he was. Thursday night they got both bases installed and then it looked like this.

Friday the top cabinets went in as well as framing out where the tv would go. And then it looked like this...

Saturday was the day that seemed to make the most difference look wise. The remainder of the structure went up as well as everything getting painted. The fireplace even got an update with some new paint and stain. This was a huge group day we really don't know what we would have done without Kim & Ez they were such a big help and never complained about the long hours or endless work. Kim even helped me to keep the house clean, take care of Hallie, do laundry, and make dinner!

We painted into the late hours of Christmas Eve before heading for bed.

Christmas morning we slept in and this is what it looked like once dry on Christmas morning.

When we got home Christmas evening the boys had to hang the tv I thought it might kill them to wait. Monday was spent building cabinet doors, touch up painting, and staining the tops of the bases. No picture for the end of Mondaybut Nic & Ky came to check on us for the evening.

Tuesday morning Kim & Ez had to head for home and we had a doctors appointment so Tuesday afternoon the cabinet doors, hardware, and decor went back up and by Tuesday night here is the finished product.

I have to admit I was a little skeptical but am overly impressed at how well it all turned out as well as completely relieved that it got done before the baby got here. Matt & I can't say enough how much we owe Kim & Ez we really couldn't have done it without them. There were a lot of late nights and long hours but we think the end result was worth it. I think it may be awhile before we take on another project.

38 Weeks

2011-12-29T10:18:00.003-07:00

2 weeks left!! Last week at the dr I was dilated to a 2-3 and the dr said thinning out nicely(whatever that means) and that she would be surprised if I made it to my due date. So over the last week I have wondered at times if we would make it to the next day little lone our due date. Im not uncomfortable and I am still sleeping great which neither was the case with Hallie but this one the contractions go in spurts of regularity and severity and then slowly die off. I really feel like the boy who cried wolf but one of these days it will really happen. This week when we went to the dr I am dilated to a 3+ and 70% effaced. Matt asked if we could have the New Years baby, Dr. Boheen said it is a definite possibility so until then we will just keep waiting patiently. I hit the 20lb weight gain this week also after a couple weeks of losing...thank heavens for Christmas I guess.

Christmas Weekend

2011-12-29T09:16:00.014-07:00

Our Christmas this year was spent with Matt's family. Im sure in the next couple of years it will get easier as our kids get older but at this point these years are somewhat disappointing since most of Matt's siblings have older kids and have established traditions of their own. So we were more than thrilled when Kim & Ez decided to make the drive from St. George to spend the entire weekend with us. On the night of the 23rd we were able to get together and have some fun with Matt's family before doing our own thing. We got to Tremonton just in time to eat dinner and head out for some caroling. Hallie loved walking with grandma and running down the sidewalk and in the little bit of snow we do have. After we went back to Joy's house and played a gift game for the kids. Hallie was a little confused as to what was going on but as long as she had a present she liked watching the bigger kids. The kids each got a card game and a treat as well as a package of M&Ms with a story. After a fun evening we headed home and I went to bed while Matt and Ez stayed up to work on their project.

Christmas Eve Day I was suposeed to work but ended up being put oncall so the day was spent working on the new entertainment center and getting ready for Christmas. Christmas Eve we opened our PJs and worked late into the night on the entertainment center(more to come).

Originally I was really excited that Christmas fell on a Sunday being able to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and what not but ultimately I think I am glad it only comes around every so often. Sunday morning we got up about eight opened presents with Kim & Ez(we were so excited they came to be with us) and enjoyed some yummy egg/sausage casserole. Hallie's favorite part, just as we suspected, was unwrapping the gifts. She played with her toys momentarily but went back to unwrapping pretty quickly.

Hallie got a lot of stories..needless to say we have been doing a lot of reading.

The one thing Hallie remembered all day that Santa brought was her animal cookies...go figure

She also got a quilt that can be folded into a pillow and a puppy purse from Grandma Joy

The dr kit has since become a favorite and gets taken pretty much everywhere with us. She also got so wireless headphones for the car, some living scripture dvds, and puzzles.

By the time we were done we had to hustle to get ready for church and to Tremonton on time.
Hallie enjoying her new headphones while watching her living scripture dvd

We attended church with Matt's parents and then headed home for some yummy traditional Christmas lunch. I thankfully remembered I wanted a family Christmas pic before we changed our clothes

After we were more full than we should have been we ran over to "Our House" where my grandpa currently lives to see him. He seemed to be doing really well and his new hearing aides make conversation a lot more enjoyable.

After grandpa loaded us up with candy we went back to Joy's to take to Chris(matt's brother) who is currently serving a mission in Brazil. Although there were some technical difficulties we ultimately got in a good visit once we switched to one on one conversations. We are excited for Chris to come home sometime this summer. By this time it was dark and we headed for home. Ultimately the boys decided to hang Matt's new tv because he and ez couldn't stand it in the box anymore. All in all we had a great Christmas but we did a lot more running than I would have liked so we will look forward to next year when we can spend our day in our Pjs and just hang out.

Christmas Village and Santa

2011-12-21T16:47:00.004-07:00

Monday night for family night we headed to downtown Ogden to see the Christmas Village, Santa, and enjoy some hot chocolate. Hallie was excited to sit on Santa's lap although she didn't have anything she could tell him she wanted just the candy cane as she said thank you and climbed off his lap. After some prompting she said she wanted her mommy and daddy..I don't know if that means she wants a new set of parents or that she is happy with what she has..we hope its the latter.

Christmas Date Night

2011-12-21T16:31:00.002-07:00

It is no secret that recently I have become pretty emotional about pretty much everything from the news to all of the Christmas traditions going on around me(really this is a horrible time to be prego). Well for some reason date night this week was no different. Matt and I are like a lot of couples with young kids out there that aren't always the best at getting out and dating weekly and sometimes even monthly but I also know that the times that we do our marriage, our love for one another and our little family grows. So as the days draw closer to having our new little girl I find myself cherishing all the date nights we have had lately. One date night that has become somewhat of a tradition at our house is attending the Motab Christmas Concert. Historically this concert holds a special place in my heart and Matt and I's relationship. While dating in high school I attended the concert a couple of times with Matt and even shared one of our very first kisses after the concert in the underground parking...how romantic right?! So each year as we attend the concert I get giddy thinking of the significance this concert holds to me and getting to sit next Matt and relive one of my favorite Christmas past times. This year was no different although the dynamics have changed a bit. Matt and I have been married five years, have to find a babysitter, and plan a little more in advance than we used to but the feelings are all still the same. After a wonderful dinner we enjoyed the concert hand in hand and after wandered back through temple square to where we parked as we talked about fun things both past and present. What greater blessing is there than to have married your best friend??? I don't think there is one.

Temple Square

2011-12-13T14:43:00.003-07:00

So after a bit of a rough week with Hallie and I having the stomach flu we needed a night out in the fresh air and a touch of the Christmas spirit. Hallie talked all day about going to see Jesus and the temple. The lights as always were breath taking and Hallie's added commentary made it all that much more fun. Hallie's favorite part was the reflection pool with all the lights and nativity in the center. Kids add such a light on this sometimes dim world we feel greatly blessed to have Hallie in our lives and the added spark and favor for life she has.

Gingerbread Decorating & Cookies with Santa and his Elves

2011-12-06T14:15:00.004-07:00

Wadman(Matt's work) does a lot of projects to help the community and those less fortunate. This year for the ABC dinner they are auctioning off a construction site to help families in need. Yesterday they invited the employees and their families to come and build gingerbread items to be part of the sites. Hallie was literally like a kid in the candy store when we arrived with candy spread all over the tables for anyone to use along with their creativity. Hallie and I made trees covered in frosting and ornament candy as well as sampling various candy.

After finishing the trees we headed over to Treehouse Museum for the annual Cookies with Santa & his Elves. They had a sing along with Santa as well as cookies and milk with all of his eleves. Along with enjoying everything else Treehouse has to offer.
Hallie's Face when she saw Santa for the 1st time

Hallie's New Room

2011-12-06T14:02:00.003-07:00

In anticipation of the arrival of the new baby we decided to move Hallie downstairs. This decision was not made easily or without lots of discussion. Ultimately it doesn't make a lot of sense to have a five bedroom house and have your 2 girls share a room. I think that when the time comes that everyone will sleep better with their own room. I hate that Hallie is downstairs it seems so far away at night. We did however move the video monitor downstairs with her so I can see her at anytime which helps a lot. Saturday night(1st night) was a nightmare Hallie was up every half hour from 1-5AM. But since then she actually gets excited to sleep in her new room. Before moving her to the basement she was getting up at least once a night for what seemed like just to say hi and be tucked back in and since her initial night downstairs she has slept the entire night and acts throughout the day like she slept better...I know I have. Although I am still fearful that something will happen and I wont be able to get to her(which will be a worry probably her whole life)the new arrangement seems to be working well. We let Hallie pick the color she wanted her wall, within reason, and then my artsy husband actually painted the tree, leaves, and blossoms on the wall(yeah he has skills). I think as a whole with a few more little girl touches it will be just what we wanted.

35 Weeks

2011-12-06T13:41:00.003-07:00

I had to take a double look before I continued past this title. Although someday I feel as if I have been prego forever this pregnancy really has gone quite quickly. After today's appt we will continue with weekly visits until our new one arrives. Dr. Boheen was so funny today as we talked she asked if I remembered when I needed to head to the hospital. To be honest that part I'm still a little fuzzy on with Hallie I didn't want to go to the hospital for fear they would just send me back home telling me I wasn't in labor so by the time Matt convinced me to go there wasn't a lot of time before Hallie arrived. So Dr. Boheen informed me that because I went so quick last time that when my contractions are 7 minutes apart that she wants me at the hospital ASAP the problem is I didn't even realize I was having contractions until they were 4-5 minutes apart so I will have to pay closer attention because the last thing I want is to have Matt deliver this baby and not have an epidural. My ulcerative colitis seems under control as long as I control my stress. This past weekend we moved Hallie to her new room, set up the nursery, washed the carseat, and put all her tiny clothes in the drawers. One thing that is very different is that I have another child to worry about so we have friends and family oncall so when the time comes we hopefully have a plan. I also found out this past week that the hospital has shut down all visitation for kids 14 and younger including siblings and only 2 people at the bedside at a time. I'm not one for a lot of visitors but I wanted hallie to be able to visit her new sister before we brought her home for good but that wont be happening. I do feel as though Im running out of time...time to do things with just Hallie..time to get everything in order. I worry that Hallie will feel unloved or replaced and that breaks my heart Matt just keeps telling me we will figure it out one day at a time(yeah for sane husbands when you have raging prego hormones). I only pray that Hallie will be patient with us as we all take this adventure together. Heres to about a month til we meet this active little girl.

26 Months

2011-12-06T13:20:00.005-07:00

With the holidays upon us I totally spaced updating about our sweet Hallie. She has become quite the little independent. She loves to do things by herself. Her personality is becoming more apparent all the time. Just Saturday we moved her to her new room in the basement in anticipation for our new arrival(more to come later). Her love for Mickey Clubhouse seems as if it was more of a phase and she has now moved on to Dora the Explorer. She would watch it all day if you would let her...which may come in handy in the coming months. She has really started liking to sing and be sung to she now can sing her entire ABC's and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and likes to sing parts of other songs and even a few sets of her own. She likes to sit at the piano and play while she sings. Crafts have become a part of her daily life she loves to paint, color, and cut whatever you will let her. She still is hesitant of potty training but daily asks to sit on the potty I figure it is a matter of time before she decides she is ready. She loves to tell people she is going to be a big sister to baby "gracie" in mommy's belly. And asks all the time if today we go to the dr to see her. My only hope is that she likes her as much when she really gets here. She continues to be nothing but a pure joy in our lives. She is a very loving and tender hearted little girl. Part of her bedtime routine includes hugs and kisses(regular, eskimo, and butterfly). She has started to take interest when we read scriptures/say prayers and loves when we read and she gets to repeat her verse/prayer. With the weather becoming so cold the library discovery time and tree house museum have become weekly outings. It is so fun to watch her imagination grow all the time. She is great to play by herself but also loves when someone will play or read to her. She is a very good listener and rarely if ever has to go to time out. She still naps 1-2 times a day which I love. She goes to bed about 8:30P and sleeps til 8-8:30A. Before moving her downstairs she was waking herself up at least once a night but since moving her downstairs the problem has resolved. The picture above is how I found Hallie when she told me she was ready for church...she makes life comical.

Thanksgiving Weekend 2011

2011-11-28T20:34:00.009-07:00

Usually we would head to sunny Las Vegas for our year with my family for Thanksgiving but this year we switched things up a bit. After some discussion with a thoughtful family considering Grandpa Norr living in Tremonton in an assisted living and me being 8 1/2 months pregnant(I hate to drive anyways) we decided to have Thanksgiving in Ogden. I was thrilled with the thought of having the entire family together regardless of where it was. The older I get the more I look forward to holidays such as these with life being so busy it is rare that we can all get together in the same house for multiple days and just enjoy each other. I really enjoyed putting together a menu and grocery shopping for the weekend...I know I'm weird. Everyone arrived Wednesday and got settled in as well as doing some of the cooking ahead of time. Hallie was so funny and didn't call everyone aunt or uncle they were all her "friends" she would ask each night after prayer if her friends would still be here in the morning...she is to fun.f Thursday we got up and had a lazy morning. About mid morning we cooked the ham, potatoes, yams, and stuffing. Pre-eating pictures

About 1 my dad arrived back with my grandpa for lunch. We enjoyed lunch and of coarse ate to much. And post eating.

Thursday afternoon after getting everyone back home we had our "Christmas" since we are with in-laws this year. The adults were pretty boring and all exchanged money. As for Hallie and Rigs they got spoiled and Hallie for the 1st time really enjoyed unwrapping presents.

We looked through the ads to map out our plan for that night and the next day. Kimber is the most into the shopping thing and mostly because of the crazy people. Later that night Nic, Kim, and Maddi headed to Target while the boys headed to Walmart and Best Buy(mostly to people watch). I stayed home and went to bed early to prepare for the next morning. The girls returned home shortly after midnight and the boys not until closer to 3:30 AM....crazy people. Everyone got what they were looking for plus being very tired. And I have been told it is now going to become a yearly tradition...if we can talk mom and dad into coming north every year. After a few hours of rest the boys headed for some "mantime" or shooting while the girls finished up shopping for fabric at Joanns.

Saturday we did family pictures. Hallie was less than cooperative but she thoroughly enjoyed Maddi and her bubble blowing skills. I just thought it was plain cute and loved that Matt captured these pics.

Saturday night Nic/Ky & Kim/Ez headed back home. Hallie was less than thrilled that they wouldn't take her and that her "friends" were leaving. We decided to make our candy turkeys that we hadn't gotten to at that point. I think they turned out way cute and even tasted better when we ate them and the building pieces.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone we hope you thankful day was as full as family and food as ours was...we are truly blessed. I'm exhausted and I think I will need a month to recover.

Early Thanksgiving

2011-11-28T20:17:00.008-07:00

To me Thanksgiving is really just a time to get together with family and eat way to much food. Now having to split time with family who really says you have to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday..no one really. So we decided since we were spending Thanksgiving with my family this year that we should do "Thanksgiving" with the Browers early so we could see everyone. I think it was a great idea and hopefully something we can continue to do for many years to come. We had yummy food and enjoyed seeing grandma, grandpa, and the Bennetts.
Our little family
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After dinner the kids made turkeys out if gumdrops, apples, and toothpicks. Grandma helped a lot and I think Hallie liked eating her gumdrops more that the building.

Then as always we had to clean up..enough said

Sometimes I wonder why we even buy kids toys. The ottoman is always a big hit when the kids are together.

Grandma and the grandkids(minus Kaylee)

Matt and I(33 weeks)

30 Weeks come and gone

2011-11-09T22:46:00.002-07:00

Somewhere in all the excitement of Halloween we passed our 30 week mark. Less than 10 weeks til we meet this little girl.We are now 31 and a half weeks.

Halloween Happening

2011-11-09T22:09:00.008-07:00

Halloween is not one of my favorite holidays it seems to be getting blown out of proportion and over shadows Thanksgiving(or maybe everyone is to busy to give thanks anymore?) But with Hallie getting older holidays as a whole are more fun. One upside is there were several fun activities to do...so here we go.
Thursday was trick or treating with the residents at the nursing home. Hallie is always a little hesitant with the elderly until she realizes they are nice and the candy just made her realize that that much faster. She did very well at saying trick or treat and thank you and then off to the next person in the line.

Then on Monday(actual Halloween)Hallie and I ventured out for several different events 1st the library had a fish pond, golfing, pin the nose on the ghost, stories, and snacks.

2nd off to Maceys to get some groceries and free snacks(namely maple glaze donuts!)

3rd-Treehouse Museum has awesome educational activities and even more activities around the holidays..Halloween was no exception with crafts, stories, and singing.
After the story time Hallie had to ride the horse including the hat I thought it looked adorable with her spider outfit.

Currently her favorite thing to do..use the scissors. She is getting really good with her control.

Last, but not least, off to daddy's office to do our final trick or treating.

I had to include this pic although dark its the only pic I got of mine and babies costume. Mommy and baby skeleton!

After this point we were tuckered out and headed home for a nap. And after a long nap we colored and carved pumpkins to eat for dinner and went to bed early.

What a Halloween!

Fall Pics...almost forgotten

2011-11-09T21:49:00.008-07:00

So I have to remind Matt every so often to upload all the pics off of his phone. After seeing this array I need to ask more often...heres to randomness.
I hesitated to put this one one here but I think we can always use a good laugh...wonder what Matt does while I'm at work?! haha

With Fall in full swing there were so many fun things going on. In this pic we were at a chili cook off with our good friends but I think Hallie enjoyed the cupcake more...she is my child for sure.

One of our favorite things to do is to go to Maceys and get soft serve ice cream. We are now to the point eberyone has to have their own cones..no more sharing!

Over conference weekend we decided to take on the task of bottling pears and I guess in all the excitement I forgot to post the pics. Matt and I both grew up with moms that canned/bottle fruit and veggies but neither of us had ever done it on our own...no better time than the present. I just have to say I love having a husband that is wanting/willing to be involved in everything. Hallie was even a very big helper(no surprise their)she took all the lids off so we could wash the jars.

And after all that Fall fun I don't think I could have said it better...we need a nap!!

Halloween Family Date Day

2011-10-24T10:56:00.003-06:00

We have started trying to have family dates at least once a week with so many fun things this time of year we have had a hard time trying to fit it all in. So Saturday was whole day of fun out in the beautiful fall weather. Gardner Village in Murray was our 1st stop and has become a tradition for Halloween, they have so many cute displays and pumpkins.

Feeding the ducks is always a favorite.

Hallie was very unsure about the frogs on the witches outfit, no looking or smiling for this pic

Next we headed to the Haunted Halloween boat ride in Provo. It was a boat ride down the Provo River with over 100 jack o laterns and lights strung across the river all hosted by our pirate captain. At one point our boat was attacked by pirates that brought us candy for Halloween. After we got warm next to the fire before heading home. No pictures(they all ended up blurry). We have so much fun with our little family and can't wait to add another one to the mix.

Fall Family Pics

2011-10-24T10:38:00.003-06:00

I really liked how our pictures turned out I kinda wondered during the shoot. Hallie was less than cooperative but I just kept thinking all it takes is one or two good pictures to frame and no one will ever know how many it took to get them..haha.

A big thanks to Brit and her family for the time and effort she spent to get these done for us.

29 Weeks

2011-10-24T10:29:00.002-06:00

So the last couple weeks have been a little stressful and trying to figure out what my body is doing. Since getting home form Mexico about 6 weeks ago I have been having parasite type symptoms but originally was told it was just due to the position of the baby. After talking to my dr after about a month of these symptoms she informed me that it wasn't the baby and sent me promptly to see a GI specialist. He ran several tests all of which came back negative, which is nice but still didn't know what was wrong with me. After some more invasive testing the drs determined I have ulcerative colitis. Luckily nothing more serious and to this point it hasn't effected the baby. Hopefully after some baby safe treatment we can get it under control. Being pregnant is hard and I don't know how women did it before modern medicine. Hopefully after a couple weeks I will be back to "normal" at least for now.

2nd Birthday Pictures(25 months)

2011-10-24T09:55:00.005-06:00

So after much procrastination, weather, and scheduling conflicts we got Hallie 2 yr pictures done a little closer to 25 months. I know I say this with every month update but I really have a hard time keeping up with what Hallie has learned and what she is doing. Her vocabulary has expanded 10 fold since last month and she now uses full sentences most of the time. She has just started to like princesses and loves to dress up in her dress up clothes and spin in front of the mirror and sing that she looks just like a princess. This is a really fun stage to have kids at although trying at times with discipline and them becoming more and more independent. She understands more and is interested more interested in the world around her all the time. She loves to jump on anything and everything...which can be scary. She loves tv(which should be very helpful when the baby comes)and usually when she gets up after telling me she is hungry, asking how I slept, and confirming daddy is at work she asks to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. We have been trying to spend as much time as possible outside before it gets cold, I just feel bad when she is cooped up all day. She loves to brush hair, help cook/bake, or pretty much be involved in anything someone is doing. She is a great helper and seems to be very excited for her sister(Im sure until she gets here)we hope the great listening and big helper stays. There are still days that I can't believe that she is ours we love our sweet Hallie.

A Ghost at our House?

2011-10-18T11:37:00.003-06:00

So this month as part of our "preschool stuff" we have talked a lot about Halloween and fall. This morning after getting up and attempting to get ready for the day Hallie came into my room saying she had seen a ghost. At first I thought she ment on tv or in one of her stories or activities we have done but she was really sad and it kinda freaked me out. After talking for a few minutes about how ghosts are just a fun thing to dress up for Halloween and wont hurt you she was still persistant that she could see one. I asked her if I came with her if she could show me where the ghost was, she agreed. We walked over to my door and she pointed to some close hanging on the door and said ghost. I couldn't help myself from laughing after confirming that she was indeed talking about the clothes on the door. And explained that those were just her clothes for pictures later today. She replied with "So no scary ghost?" Nope Hallie no scary ghost but a good laugh just the same. And after looking at it I guess I can see why she would think that.

A Day at the Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-18T11:15:00.006-06:00

Last Week while Matt was away on business we lined up some fun activities to keep us busy while he was gone. Black Island Farms was destination number one. It is a running farm in Syracuse that does fun fall activities this time of year. Hallie was so excited to go for a hay ride and see the animals. They had so many fun activities. After getting there we had about an hour until our hayride so we headed out into their field that was full of slides, a bounce house, and kid size mazes, and a bunch of animals.

Then it was our turn for the hay ride we got a tour of the farm as well as 2 stops. One to pick carrots and the other to pick pumpkins. Hallie loved the hayride and the red tractor that pulled the trailor.

She took a long time picking just the pumpkin for her and ended up liking the carrot she picked better because she had seen kids feeding the animals carrots before the ride so after we picked it she wanted to head back and feed the animals. And that was just what we did after posing with a pumpkin as big as her.

This was Hallie's favorite goat. There was a bigger black one that was a "bully" whenever he would come over to push the little ones one out the way Hallie would say "go away mean goat." Silly girl

Our plan was to stop and eat on the way home but I had a hard time even keeping Hallie awake long enough to get home for a nap(3 hours later) we had a great time we just wish Matt could have come but maybe next year. I love Fall!!!

The thoughts of a 28 Week Mommy

2011-10-11T06:34:00.004-06:00

So I have had a lot of thoughts lately. Ones that I wouldn't normally share for fear that people would think that I was ungrateful or a big wimp. But you know what if thats the case then so be it I feel like I need to remember these times to cherish the especially good times. So here goes nothing. I hate being pregnant, pretty much everything about it. Its all selfish of coarse I don't like feeling crappy, being limited on what I can do and of coarse the gaining weight part. So yesterday we went to the dr to check on our little one. They took us back to the room did weight and blood pressure you know all that fun stuff. I got on the scale to find that I had gained 7 lbs in the last month. Now I can say that most days I can fill my insecurities with thoughts of this precious bundle that will soon be joining us but sometimes it doesn't work so well(yesterday was one of those days). So now my total count is 22lbs(can't believe I am sharing that with the world but I can't even remember how much I gained with Hallie and now I'm curious). After 2 long reassuring visits one with my dr and the other with Matt I am back trying to think happy thoughts of where all this weight is going. Second, I think being a stay at home mom is in fact at times harder than working ever was. I remember when I was pregant with Hallie my lunch breaks were spent napping or something of that nature now I feel that somedays I am lucky to get lunch! But to be honest I wouldn't change a thing. I love the way that life has worked its self out to this point. This is where I have to state what I think is one of God's greatest tender mercies. Everyones have a different name...mine just happens to be Matt. I will be honest I have been very blessed with a helpful and capable husband all of the time. But I truely can say that throughout this pregancy I have fallen in love with him all over again. He is getting very good at reading my mind. He does things before I even have time to ask. He never makes me feel like a burden, although thats exactly how I feel. He never expects anything in return and continues to give 110%. I really don't know how I got so lucky and blessed. So just a few minutes taken to remember the true and important parts of life.

Last Weeks Happenings

2011-10-03T15:06:00.002-06:00

Over that last week we have done a variety of random fun stuff. 1st- last week while my mom was here we went to Tremonton to see my cousins baby Trinity she was 4-6 weeks early and just tiny. I can't get over how much hair she has. 2nd Hallie and I attended our very 1st SLC Royal game. Matt loves soccer and he was thrilled that Hallie and I wanted to join him. The game was a lot of fun and I think Hallie was more interested in the confetti the group in front of us threw every time there was a good play. She would pick it back up and throw it again. We also sat by the drum section that made it fun to see all of them dressed up and doing their chants. I think it is something we will definitely be doing again.

Hallie's 2nd B-day Party

2011-09-26T16:46:00.010-06:00

Hallie had a great party. The weather this time of year is perfect to do something outside. We enjoyed pizza, fruit, cookies, and cupcakes with our family and friends. Hallie had a great time playing with all the kids in the sandbox and on the swing set. This kitty wandered in from somewhere and Hallie was in love with it. The kitty was very patient with her and let her pack it around but stopped long enough to pose with grandma

Enjoying her b-day cupcake that her awesome daddy made so I could go to the temple that morning with my mom and sister

Kim was able to come up with my mom for the weekend Hallie loves having more friends to play with

Opening presents, she loved opening them and got very spoiled

Enjoying the swing with Issac

Someone got caught eating frosting off of the cookies!

We had a great time and are so blessed to have wonderful friends and family to share our special occasions with. Happy Birthday Hallie!!

Hallie...2 yrs Old?!?!?

2011-09-26T16:19:00.005-06:00

So today is our sweet Hallie's 2nd birthday. It has been 2 awesome years and its hard to think back to life before her. Stat wise she is 22lbs(3rd percentile) and 34 in (55th percentile).She is so much fun and is learning more and more everyday. She loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and would watch it all day if we would let her. She loves to play outside and the swing is still a favorite. She has gotten really fun with pretending and its fun to see what she comes up with on a daily basis. She has also become very into babies, for her birthday she got 2 babies, bottles, and a stroller that seems to be a constant companion. We tried potty training and did great on day 1 only having 5 accidents all day as well as going both pee & poo in the toilet more than once but on day 2 she wouldn't even sit on the potty so we will wait a little longer and try again(I think potty training is possibly the hardest thing about being a parent thus far). She still has her binki but only gets it for nap and bedtime. She is very smart sometimes to much for her own good. She knows her ABCs, she can recognize and knows all the sounds they make. She knows her colors as well as being able to count to 10 consistently and sometimes 20 as well as backwards from 5, we are still working on number recognition. She is great to play on her own but also loves to be a big helper. She is very loving and has a fun bedtime routine that includes hugs and kisses for everyone including babies. She loves to talk on the phone and regularly asks to talk to grandma "my mom", Kim, Nic, and Maddi. While on the phone she has to ask about each person in their family and what they are doing. Still is not a fan of veggies but will eat fruit at just about anytime of the day. She continues to love music and can now sing parts of "a spoon full of sugar"(from one of her favorites Mary Poppins) and pretty much all of Jesus wants me for a sunbeam as well as other random parts of various other songs. She loves to sing and lead the music at church. She is very good at listening which is nice because I can't even remember the last time she had to sit in time out. Although she does have her moments if you feed her or lay her down it remedies the situation. She is great at putting herself down for a nap or letting you know when she is tired which is usually once if not twice a day. She is getting very into girly things loves dress up clothes and jewelry(its funny how they pick up on things you never taught them).

I am so excited to see what the future will bring with our sweet girl we couldn't ask for a better kid.

25 Weeks

2011-09-26T16:09:00.003-06:00

The weeks are slowly passing and our little girls arrival is getting closer and closer. Here we are at 25 weeks still staying with our original due date and same appearance wise seems to be the same size as with Hallie. I have been feeling pretty good just mostly tired but I will take that over nausea any day. After our visit in just under 2 weeks we go to every 2 week visits I think it seems like that snuck up on us a lot faster than it did with Hallie.

Hallie's Week in Vegas

2011-09-16T13:02:00.011-06:00

Hallie got to go to my Mom's for the week while Matt and I were in Cancun. I was very nervous about leaving her more for me than for her she loves to be at grandmas and there is always someone to play with or something to do. We left Saturday morning in the wee hours so luckily she was still asleep as I kissed her multiple times and promised to come back soon. Saturday after getting up and ready she went with papa and grandma to the stake baptisms that my dad was conducting and Nate was playing the piano at. I guess she thought it was pretty cool that papa was conducting and Nate playing the piano and kept pointing them out and saying their names not so reverently. Later they packed up and headed for St. George to stay with Kim and Ez for the day. They went to Fiesta fun and played games as well as rode rides. Hallie was to short but wanted her picture taken by the alligator while everyone else rode the ride.

Grandma, of coarse, spoiled her by letting her ride all the ride and play all the games that she could play. Kim was so good to climb through the play area with her although she was less than enthused.

Sunday morning everyone headed to Rigden's(Nic & Kyle) baby blessing in Cedar City. We were so sad that we missed it but glad that Hallie got to go and be part of Rigden's special day.

Monday was spent hanging out and doing some shopping of coarse Sportsman's Warehouse has to be included in every St. George trip.

The rest of her week was spent swimming in the pool, at the park, or playing in the play room with whom ever she could convince to play. Once we got back we decided to stay for a couple more days. We did some shopping and swimming which are musts in Vegas.

Saturday before heading for home we stopped to eat at In N Out(Nate has been working there for about a month now) and to the aquarium.

The hightlight may have been the escalator rides or the four wheeler ride with Maddi and her friend.

We took our time getting home stopping Saturday night to stay with Kim and Ez and after a lazy morning headed to Nic & Ky's for lunchand some more hanging out before heading for Northern Utah. I had to get in some cuddle time that I had missed the previous week.

I was a long time to be away but it only made it that much better to come home. I guess the entire week she told whom ever would ask that her mommy was at work taking care of the "sick babies." Then would remember we went on a airplane I guess at least she didn't say she had been abandoned. My mom and Kim were so good to take pics and keep me updated on how Hallie was doing. I really appreciated that she asked for a schedule of what Hallie's normal day is like and did her best to keep her on that. I am so blessed to be surrounded by wonderful family to help us raise Hallie, could you ever ask for more?

Our Week in Cancun

2011-09-16T10:46:00.025-06:00

We were lucky enough the 1st week of September to get away and head to Cancun for some fun in the sun before our new little one arrives and to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. My mom was wonderful enough to watch Hallie because I was very worried about leaving her. We flew out Saturday morning(really early)after a long drive to Las Vegas the day before. Our flight funny enough went from Vegas to Salt Lake and then straight to Cancun. The flight was long but uneventful they ended up not having our seats together so that was no fun. We got to Cancun about 3PM and found our ride to our resort. My 1st thought was how hot and humid it was. Everything was very green and beautiful though. We did learn a few things from our last trip that we corrected this time to be able to enjoy our trip more. 1-we took a private transport to and from the airport(worth every penny) and 2- we stayed in the outside of Cancun about 45 minutes in a beautiful and huge hotel. By the time we got to our hotel we were both tired and starving. After checking in we went to find one of the 8 restaurants we had to choose from or of coarse the buffet. These are pics of the outside lobby and just inside.

After finding some really good Chinese we returned to our room to find our bags there and got everything organized. We changed and then headed out to explore our resort. Everything was lit up so pretty at night. The next morning we headed to the buffet, they had so much food we really didn't know where to start.

Then off to the beach for some relaxation. The view from the beach was breath taking and there were plenty of animals to watch out for. We did make one mistake we decided we would put on sunscreen once we felt we were getting to much sun(stupid)I particularly ended up fried and Matt was red.

But luckily we came prepared with plenty of aloe vera and after a quick shower and change from the day at the beach we headed out once again to find some dinner. We went to a BBQ place it was funny to see the waiters act like cowboys but the food was very good and fancier looking than I'm used to for sure.

Monday was set to be our excursion day so we got up early grabbed some breakfast and headed off to the Mayan ruins.

Matt had been looking forward to this for awhile. We visited Tulum which to call it breath taking would be an understatement this particular ruin is on the water front of the ocean and has a constant ocean breeze. From the top of the main building you can see for miles which was used for protection not the view back then. After a quick tour we wandered around around and through the ruins.

Then we did some quick souvenir shopping and off to a natural waterpark. Xel-ha is a waterpark of 208 acres created when a fresh water river meets the ocean there are tons of tropical fish and fun natural made sites.

We snorkeled this particular place had the biggest and most variety of fish

This is where the river actually meets the ocean there is a bridge to cross from one side to the other we called it the "beer goggle" bridge because the waves made it pretty funny to watch people cross.

We also did some cliff jumping and zip lining(this was my favorite)

We fed some of the parks animals mainly fish, dolphins, and some native cat like animal before heading back to the resort for the day....it was a long day but a ton of fun!
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We got changed and headed to dinner at a Japanese(Tepanyaki like) restaurant. On the way Matt snapped a couple of these pics of our resort at night, they don't do it justice.

One thing we had to be careful of the entire trip was to make sure that our drinks were virgins, especially mine. When you would order one they looked at you a little strange and Matt would explain to then why then all was well. Oh did I mention how wonderful it was that Matt speaks Spanish fluently?.?.well it was awesome I just sat back and let him handle everything. But anyways we had to make sure at the restaurant that we only got the sushi that was actually cooked, once again we got funny looks until Matt explained. We really enjoyed watching them cook entrees table side which was a show all in its own.

Tuesday we spent the morning relaxing at the spa

After some lunch we headed to the private cabanas on the ocean front to have a nap and read our books.

By our last night we were both pretty sick of food and had lost most of our appetite but there was still so much good food so for the last night we visited a Brazilian BBQ place much like Rodizios in the states the food was great but we only had a few bites of each because we were so full on the way back to our room we stopped to take a few pics and let our food settle.

The next morning I slept in late and my crazy husband got up for one more run on the beach.
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We grabbed some breakfast and enjoyed just hanging out until it was time to catch our ride to the airport. I was so anxious to get home to our Hallie I could hardly stand the waiting in the airport. Luckily the rest of the trip went fairly quickly and we flew into Las Vegas late that night. My mom and dad had brought Hallie although she was way ready for bed she was beyond happy to see us. When they pulled up to the curb I could see her smile from ear to ear and trying to climb out saying "mommy, mommy!" I couldn't have/wouldn't have done with trip with anyone but Matt I had several breakdowns throughout the week missing Hallie and wanting to be home with her as well as having lots of naps because I was so tired. Matt was great(as usual) and made it nothing but a wonderful experience. We had a great time it was so nice to spend a lot of uninterrupted time with Matt but also so nice to come home to what I know and love as our "normal" life.

23 Months

2011-08-31T05:39:00.004-06:00

So this will sadly be the last post before the 2 yr one. seriously I can't believe time has gone this fast but we have enjoyed all of it. Seeing the world through a child is like nothing you have ever seen or done until you do it. Hallie is learning more and more how to exert her independence with in turn is helping me to learn increased patience. She just within the last couple of weeks puts herself in her room when she throws a fit. Most of the time she is still my sweet girl that is a big helper and curious about the entire world around her. She loves to sing and sit at the piano and play while singing. Her favorite song is "you don't see me" I have no idea where it came from but she sings exactly that you don't see me over and over..pretty funny. She has also become a major mommy's girl and no one can do it like her mom which is sometimes nice but most of the time inconvienent and a pain(hopefully it is just a stage). She loves to color and read and never ceases to amaze me with her vocabulary skills that grow on a daily basis. She has learned that mom and dad have "real" names but only uses them if you ask her. She also knows what we do for jobs: mommy takes care of "sick babies" which she asks about on a regular basis and daddy well at the moment she thinks he works at the airport or on an airplane that flies away d/t all his traveling lately. She can now count to 10 pretty well and knows all her colors. Im excited to start some preschool lesson plans with her this fall mostly so I have designated time to spend with her once the baby gets here. I know all parents say this but she is growing up way to fast

21 Weeks and Counting

2011-08-29T12:34:00.003-06:00

So as the title said we are now just over half way to meeting our newest addition. I feel somewhat bad for this little girl. With Hallie by this point we had bought tons of stuff and had a list full of names(for some reason we are struggling with names)and with this one I am just hoping for time to pass so we can finally meet her. Since about 17 weeks I have been feeling more like myself again minus the ever growing tummy and constant moving of our little one. I have been craving fried chicken and veggies. Every time I eat veggies she goes crazy(loves them/hates them?) I am pretty much the same size I was with Hallie. Thursday we go in for our "big" ultrasound to make sure everything is developing and working correctly, hopefully all good news will come from that.

Cherry Hill

2011-08-28T19:39:00.002-06:00

Does it seem to anyone else like the 1st part of the summer went slowly and now summer is all but over? Well that seems to be our story but we are trying to enjoy the last weeks of summer before fall sets in and yesterday was no exception. Yesterday thanks to Brit and her free tickets we got to enjoy a fun family outing. The weather, company, and water were perfect. The kids had a great time which made the time all that much more enjoyable for us. We got to do a little of everything.

Thanks Brit for a very enjoyable day we need to do it more often.

A Day at The Fair

2011-08-28T19:09:00.005-06:00

Probably one of our highlights of the summer has become the Box Elder County Fair and Parade. For as long as Matt and I can remember we have been part of both. From remembering back to the day that you met at the zipper in your new favorite school clothes to hang out with your friends to the new tradition of meeting old friends and letting our kids enjoy the activities that were once our favorite. One Wednesday we headed to Tremonton we met up with Mindi & Corey's little family as well as Matt's mom. We enjoyed the parade in a nice shady spot(thanks to Mindi saving one for us). The kids stayed cool with the popsicles they handed out and had planty of candy by the time we were through.

For some reason the lady that came by gave us a whole bag of popsicles we didn't know what to do with that many.

After some awesome fair food dinner we headed to see the animals. Hallie loved and wanted to touch all the animals. This year they had a mini goat tent that had some cute and fun goats that were very people friendly they were really fun.

After one more amazing scone we headed for home. Box Elder Fair we will miss you until next year..thanks for the memories.

Lake Powell....Our Happiest Place on Earth

2011-08-24T10:03:00.014-06:00

****Prepare for Picture Overload*****
One of my favorite pics I think it perfectly describe show she felt about the trip

For me Lake Powell holds so many memories and fun times and it has been so fun to have Matt and Hallie do the same thing. So the story goes as follows we headed out on Wednesday afternoon hoping to make it to Lone Rock Beach at Wahlweap before dark. Hallie was great in the car and Matt enjoyed some great catch up and planning talk that I feel sometimes gets pushed aside by other things. It took us just over 6 hours to get there. Once there we looked for a camp spot for everyone that would be arriving shortly after. We drove on a lower road and quickly found ourselves sinking in the soft velvet like sand. Matt asked for someone to help push us out and Hallie yelled help out the car window(which was so cute). After getting somewhat "stuck" one more time we found a nice flat spot near the water where our ever growing family would fit. About that time my parents got there. Hallie was more than thrilled as she ran to the car to see grandma and popa but she was more excited to show them the sand and water that we have been talking about for weeks. We quickly set up camp in the sweltering heat, had a few snacks, and took a much needed swim in the lake by moonlight. The stars were absolutely beautiful and the slight waves crashing on the beach were like a sleep inducing cd(how could you not love this place?!?) Just after heading for bed we heard Kim/Ez & Nic/Ky arrive Hallie was out like a light so Matt and I headed out to say hi. They had decided to bring a trailer this year to help put nic's mind at ease with 2 month old, Rigden, and the heat. They set the trailer up and we were all off to bed for a couple hours before the fun would begin. The next morning, Thurs, we relaxed around camp mostly finishing setting up and visiting. Hallie found some friends very quickly, a group of ducks that she was more than happy to feed bread.

Shortly after breakfast we dumped the boat in and the fun began. Hallie asked all morning about riding in the boat so she went with grandma and popa to dump the boat in.

Rigden is such a good baby and was totally go with the flow.

The rest of the afternoon we floated, played behind the boat, and in the sand

Grandma volunteered to watch the babies while we played some more and prepped for dinner when we went to check on them this is what we found. Two sleeping babies and a sleeping grandma!(priceless pic)

After a rough evening that included high winds and lots of rain(cool sleeping) we awoke to a beautiful cool morning ready to play.

Playing so hard equals tired little people

After a quick rest it was back to playing Hallie had a great time standing on the tube and swimming she thought both were really funny(who knows why)

Friday evening was beautiful we enjoyed dinner, played some games, and discussed next years vacations which I am already excited about(rafting, lake powell, and Hawaii are on the agenda) Sadly Saturday brought a close to our fun we spent until late afternoon playing before breaking camp.

Sorry Disneyland, Lake Powell makes you look like a bore!

Tired!

2011-08-13T14:38:00.002-06:00

Friday morning after getting to bed very late Thursday night Hallie came into our bedroom about 6AM(way before I was ready to get up) I told her to go back to bed and when we woke up a couple hours later we found her sound asleep with blanket, puppy, and binki in the hall just outside of her room. Silly girl its amazing how kids can really sleep anywhere.

Jon Schmidt Concert

2011-08-13T14:28:00.003-06:00

Saturday after we flew home we headed to Wolf Creek to see Jon Schmidt concert. The weather was perfect for pants and a light jacket it made me really excited for fall. We spread out our blanket and snacks and just enjoyed the music. We also found Hallie, like her dad, loves Oreos. Well at least the cream inside of the oreo and then she is content to give the cookies back.

A Week in Las Vegas

2011-08-13T14:03:00.007-06:00

The 1st week of August Hallie and I flew to Vegas for some serious family time. With Matt starting as an ad-junked professor the end of August he needed some time to get lesson plans together so we had to go without him.
Hallie loved the pool and since getting home asks to ride in the airplane to go swimming(funny how literal kids take things)

It was so HOT while we were there so we ran most of our errands in the morning and ate plenty of slushies

We did have some brain freezes

The piano was another favorite and Nate was just the one to play with he has gotten so good!

Maddie mentioned one day wanting to make cupcakes and Hallie was set on the idea until they were made. Maddi was her definite buddy and she wanted to know where she was at all times.

We had a great time but it was really hard to be away from Matt but mission accomplished he got all his lesson plans done and we are now ready to finish our summer with more vacations and lots of family fun!

17 Weeks

2011-08-13T13:58:00.002-06:00

This pic is from the last week of July the time is flying in someways and dragging in other but before we know it this little one will be here and our little family of 3 will be a family of 4. I am feeling better all the time although I feel more tired than usual. Although I feel like I am bigger than when pregnant with Hallie my pictures are right on with how I looked with Hallie(probably the 1st time I have been glad I took maternity pics..haha)

"New" Swingset

2011-08-13T13:50:00.002-06:00

We have wanted to get Hallie a swing-set for some time now but hesitated to spend the money they want for one..seriously expensive. Thank heavens for KSL. One day while at work I came across an ad for a swing set that needed some "love" which for anyone that doesn't know Matt or I we are pretty good at fixing things(by "we" I mean Matt and I am the sidekick). After many hours with a wire brush, primer, spray paint, and a few replacement parts we think it turned out pretty well. Hallie couldn't be more thrilled to have her own slide and swing in the backyard which makes my life a lot easier.

Taste?!?

2011-08-13T13:41:00.004-06:00

One of Hallie new things is she wants to "taste" everything. For anyone that doesn't know I love to bake and having a little partner that loves to help makes it that much more fun. While making a batch of brownies the fun got a little more out of control than normal and I think Hallie ended up wearing more brownie batter than she ate. 1st she picked up the bowl and put it to her face(while I was greasing the pan)that explains the face then the spatula fell out and that explains her arms leg and shorts. But I have grow to realize everything washes so I let her finish her mess while I finished the brownie and then everyone had a bath. I think memories like these one are ones you will remember forever and miss someday when your little one no longer and interested in helping or are grown and gone. So heres to being mom of the year when your child eats raw brownie batter and enjoys every minute.
Caught in the Act

Once she figured out she wasn't in trouble

Rodeo

2011-08-13T13:32:00.004-06:00

Every year the Ogden Rodeo falls over the 24th of July since Matt started working for Wadman it has become a tradition to go and spend the evening enjoying dinner and the rodeo with some of his coworkers. The older Hallie gets the more fun events like this become she talked for day prior to going about all the animals she would see and the sounds they make. When the day came she was not disappointed and Matt couldn't get home from work fast enough. It always starts with catered dinner(that is awesome) we then watch the pre-show in our shaded seats with more complementary treats(seriously VIP is the way to go).

It didn't matter what we did Hallie was to busy watching the rodeo to take a picture

This gives us something to look forward to every year for the 24th so until next year

A day at Dinosaur Park

2011-08-12T17:31:00.002-06:00

RAMPS is a cool program that every Saturday throughout the summer various places/activities are free. This particular weekend it was the Dinosaur Park. Nate, Anne, Josh, and Will came along for the fun too. The kids loved the playground the most but a close second was either feeding the ducks or the giant sandbox fun of dinosaur bones. Can't complain about a fun day especially when its free.

Treehouse Museum and Baseball

2011-08-12T17:19:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite things about living in Ogden is Treehouse Museum a friend of ours convinced us to try it out one time and now it is just about a weekly occurrence for Hallie and I. Every couple of months they do special events where they pick a place in the world and offer activites and food from that place this time was a fiesta. We had homemade churros, horchata, made pinatas, among other activities. Hallie thought it was all pretty cool.

After we finished there we walked down to watch the Raptors play. Hallie loved it, to be honest I think she just loved being outside for a long period of time. It was a beautiful night and one that true summers are made of.

Lava Hot Springs & Brigham Pool

2011-07-27T12:38:00.010-06:00

So over the last two weekends we have been lucky enough to spend some time with Matt's family and doing what we like the most..playing in the water!!! Last Sunday we got together for dinner and games. We were so excited for everyone to be together and even had matching shirts to play games and get pictures of.

Brit's infamous eating pictures

We then attempted to get some sleep, which was a joke, to much going on I guess. Monday morning Matt headed back to work and Joy was nice enough to let Hallie and I tag along for the day while we headed to Lava. I was really nervous because I have been so sick and I am not a good car rider either but Joy was so good and made us feel comfortable the trip went quickly as we visited and Hallie watched a movie(what would we do without that??)We got there and wondered if the weather would hold out for us luckily it did and we had a great time. Matt's family as a whole was so great to help me with Hallie and make sure we were taken care of, which means more than they will ever know.
Cooper was a Hallie favorite he would just lay there and smile at her she was totally enthralled with him(she is going to be an awesome big sister)

Hallie played so hard and was so tired this is right before we headed for home she just laid there while we cleaned up

Tiff & Hallie(Hallie's Tiffy)

The following Monday to celebrate the 24th we headed to the Brigham Pool. The weather didn't cooperate it was windy and cold. We spent a little time in the water but most of our time visiting and hanging out under the wind blocker. The wind didn't keep the kids from having some fun. Hallie has really grasp the concept of grandma lately today was no exception if grandma was in the pool Hallie was keeping track of her.

Then we headed to a nearby park for some awesome food(I crave fast food like no other so KFC was perfect)

Nick and Matt are always so good at playing with the kids this was no exception although I wonder sometimes who is the one in charge.

Poor Grandma became the jungle gym while the rest of the kids played crochet, she was such a good sport.

We had a great time and even started the beginnings of a family vacation for next year.

22 Months

2011-07-14T17:20:00.002-06:00

So next week Hallie turned 22 months..where does the time go? Our 1st baby is now a toddler that is very self sufficient and independent. She has recently become VERY affectionate she always has to give hugs and kisses to almost anyone pretty frequently. I am thankful that it is a rare occasion when she hits or screams. And extremely grateful that she has no idea what being naughty really is..we are very blessed. I don't usually worry if she is quiet or I can't find her because I can find her either in her room or down stair playing in her play room. Her vocabulary is beyond explainable if you say a word, especially one she doesn't know she repeats it and then looks for approval that she said it right. She knows all her letter by site and sound(I'm working on getting a video to document this), can count to 5 and loves to read and sing to herself. She is a great eater and by no means is picky. Some of her favorites are hot dogs, cheese, fruit of any kind, oatmeal, beans, noodles, cookies, suckers and fruit snacks. She loves to sit on the potty and sing our potty song and would probably be potty trained if I could find a couple days not to puke or lay on the couch all day(the goal is by the time we have baby #2). She is great to entertain herself. She loves to learn and is constantly asking "what that?" I love to bake with her(part of our weekly routine) and now that she has become more interested she has to "taste" everything which usually proceeds with a "what that?" until lately and she has started to identify some ingredients we use quite often. I don't know that we have found something thus far she doesn't surprise and excel at. The other day I came out of my room to find her couple stuffed animals lined up as she was praying with them(proud mom moment for sure)of coarse she noticed me before I got a pic. Which leads me to that she has started pretending, which is one of the cutest things ever. She is a great sleeper and usually sleeps 11-13 hours at night with a 2 hour nap. She still has her binki and to be honest I'm in no rush to take it away. She only has it for naps, bedtime, and sometimes in the car. She really enjoys coloring(colored pencils are her tool of choice). She is very friendly and like to talk to people either on the phone, skype, or while we're out and about. She can identify all of my family and a couple of Matt's family from pictures. She loves to be outside to playing the sandbox or swing. She would swing for hours if someone would push her that long. All in all I would take another one of her in a second(I am hoping for that in #2) she has been nothing but a joy in our lives and its strange to think she hasn't always been in our lives.

Cousin Pictures

2011-07-14T17:17:00.002-06:00

I don't know if there are words to describe this precious picture...thanks Brit for capturing it. This is Hallie newest and 1st cousin on my side Ridgen(my sister Nic's baby)isn't he cute!

1st Visit to the Dentist

2011-07-14T17:11:00.002-06:00

Well the title says it all yesterday was Hallie's 1st visit to the dentist. It was quite uneventful the dentist was so good Hallie sat on my lap in the chair they laid us back and looked at both of our teeth. The dentist was very friendly and patient taking his time which made it go very smooth. Hallie got her teeth cleaned, looked at, and fluoride painted on. After she got prizes and a new toothbrush and paste. All in all it was better than I expected I had hoped to get more pics but it I ended up mor einvolved than I thought but Hallie was more than happy to have her picture taken with her goodie bag.

Buttermints!!!

2011-07-14T17:05:00.002-06:00

Do you remember the butter mints that used to be served at weddings in a little nut cup?? Well Hallie has made them her favorite treat...a little strange I think yes but whatever. She was first introduced to them at my grandmas house and she talks about grandma every time she eats one. Matt had to stop at the grocery store on the way home from work the other day and picked her up some(dont worry I didn't get left out I got a pedicure gift certificate..doesn't get much better). Hallie was like a kid at Christmas I couldn't resist taking some pics but it was hard to get one because she wouldn't hold still.

Dancing

2011-07-14T17:01:00.002-06:00

I know I have said before that Hallie has rhythm but it never ceases to bring a smile to my face when she dances. She is finally getting to the point she isn't so shy when I get the camera out as long as she gets to see the end result hope it brings a smile to your face

Moving Around

2011-07-14T16:52:00.003-06:00

So with the addition of the another little one we have been doing some adjusting around here. We figured if we did all of this a little at a time that Hallie would do better...to be honest I don't think she cares it may be more for me. So the initial step was to take down the crib and to put her in a full bed in her current room. And making a play room down stair. Step 2 which will happen sometime after August(when the new windows are put in the basement) will include moving her bed down stairs with her full size bed into her new bedroom with her play room next door and the baby will then take over what is now Hallie's bedroom. She seems to love the new bed(I was afraid she would fall out to her death..a little dramatic? yes)and acts as if nothing has changed she continues to sleep 12-13 hours at night and at least a 2 hr nap during the day hopefully the rest of this adjusting will go just as smoothly. For now we are loving having a dedicated play room that I can just shut the door and forget the mess.

Baby #2

2011-07-12T12:12:00.002-06:00

10 weeks(almost 6 weeks ago)
Yup you heard it right baby number 2 will be joining us just shortly after the 1st of the year Jan 11 to be exact. This has been one of the reasons I have been so bad at blogging I can't seem to find much motivation these days. This pregnancy has been a lot different and more difficult in these 1st 16 weeks than in my whole pregnancy combined with Hallie. I have been very sick and have just recently started to feel like myself again. We go on Thurs to see if we can tell what this little person is..my guess is boy. As long as it comes with all of its parts and healthy is all we really care about. I have mixed feelings hoping the next couple months goes quickly so we can meet our little person but also slow so I can enjoy my sweet Hallie. To late to change our minds now..haha

4th of July

2011-07-06T16:47:00.019-06:00

I look forward to the 4th of July mostly because of family get togethers. It also hold a lot of tradition for my family as well as our little family. Since Matt and I got married we have spent the 4th in Deweyville. The breakfast, parade, candy drop, and party at Hatch's is unmatched by anything I have ever been to. It was all that much better this year when my entire family was able to be together.
The Mommy and her baby

How can you not love these two goofballs

Getting in some cuddle time

Hallie thought it was funny to cover daddy's eyes on the way to the parade

Before the parade the boys found a great way to entertain Hallie every time they would stop she would say more can you tell she liked it from the grin on her face?!

Our little family that will be one more next year can't wait

Grandma loving her newest bundle of joy

The princesses

Our great friends let Hallie ride their pony it was just about her size.

At Hatch's BBQ I love having the time to catch up with people that I otherwise wouldn't have. I wish I could say that little bundle of joy Im holding was ours but sadly not he is my sister nics..lucky girl

And this year we tried something a little different. Wadman, Matt's company, is very supportive of all the activities they have in Ogden and for that they are given tickets to a lot of the venues which we have been very fortunate to attend this year we got tickets to the Rockin 4th which included the Demolition Derby and the fireworks. My sister and Matt's mom had never been so we knew it would be fun.
Our little family enjoying the derby

Hallie has unbelievable rhythm so she may have enjoyed the parts they played music more than the cars(which initially she thought were too loud)

After a while grandpa gave her a frisbee but for some reason she thought her head went through it...silly girl

After they started the heat Kim had a big smile on her face I think everyone really enjoyed it. The best part were the trucks near the end they were way more entertaining than the cars. One truck ever got pushed over twice.

Hallie rarely if ever picks her nose(which I'm grateful for..gross) but Kim got this great pic that she assures me will be on her wedding video someday

Hallie really liked the fireworks and every time one would go off her eyes would light up and she would say "whats that" so cute these times we cherish because we will never get them back.

All of the festivities made for a long and eventful day I think we will be recovering at our house for at least a couple more days but it was worth it. I told Matt on the way home in the car we will never remember how tired we are just the great memories that were made on days like today no amount of sleep or money is worth that. We are so blessed to live in a free country and to have so many willing people to protect it. Happy 4th!

Sunday in Tremonton & Meeting Rigden

2011-07-06T16:22:00.010-06:00

Growing up I have come to miss the simple life I once had spending countless weekends with my grandparents and cousins and not having what seemed like a care in the world. I was very blessed growing up that I never wanted for anything. My parents were always great at making sure our needs were met, I now realize as an adult that its not quite as simple as it appears. So when we have weekends where the family can get all together Matt and I do whatever we can to make it work. I want Hallie to grow up having the same feelings of being surrounded by family and people she loves and love her on a regular basis. So Sunday when my cousin Dane and his wife blessed their new little guy it created a wonderful opportunity to create some of those memories that I cherish from childhood.
Introducing the new and improved Norr Family(this is our 1st family pic with the newest addition Rigden)

My beautiful sisters minus kimber she was taking the pic.

I love grandma pictures they melt my heart. My mom was playing a game where she would stick out her tongue til Hallie would try to get it then pull it back in she laughed so hard until she got frustrated that she couldn't get it.

Sunday after the blessing we all headed to Grandma Joyce's house where we planned food for Lake Powell(less than a month away!!) I enjoyed hogging Rigden(I would seriously hold that cute little guy forever if I didn't have to share) Hallie was pretty interested which made me really nervous but she was very gentle with him and loved to touch his hair.

Enjoying some tummy time

My baby looks huge next to an actual baby in their 1st cousin picture all ready for bed

Hallie and her Kim(she was so good to hold Hallie so she wasn't jealous I had the baby)

Saturday @ Cherry Hill

2011-07-06T15:44:00.012-06:00

On Saturday once everyone had arrived(minus Nic & Ky who we missed lots) we got ready and headed to Cherry Hill but before we left Hallie didn't waste much time getting Ez to read to her there was more than one instance during the weekend that someone was on the couch reading to her.

Hallie enjoyed pirates cove with grandma to she was quite the dare devil once she got her feet wet.

I love Cherry Hill we packed our dinner and found a wonderful shaddy spot where when we needed a break we headed back to our spot. Here is everyone when we rstopped momentarily for dinner

Hallie and I waiting for our chance to go down the slide. I really thought she would be scared but after her 1st time down she turned and said again with a huge smile.

Hallie and her grandpa watching her interact now that she associates who they are just melts my heart

The river run I think was by far everyone's favorite we would link up in a long train and go through the obstetricals bumping into one another I think we all laughed so hard we are lucky we didn't pee our pants

Pirates Cove was a fun place for all of us to play but Hallie particularly liked having so many friends.

After getting home just before nine the boys(Matt, Ez, and Nate) headed to see Transformers 3 at the drive inn..lets just say the rest of us were to tired to go including Hallie.
This is what happens after an awesome day with a great family

I don't know if thanks you can ever express how much I appreciate my family and all the time and money they spend in our behalf especially this weekend. We know it isn't convenient for you to drive to far to visit but it means more than you will ever know. I think I am slowly but surely seeing the world through Hallie's eyes and what a blessing it has been for us to realize that some things you thought in life that were once important aren't anymore. We love you guys please please come back soon!

Gama, gama, gama

2011-06-27T15:52:00.002-06:00

Well the title of this post says it all. Hallie has recently made the connection of what a grandma is and well lets just say she likes to use that word. Last week Hallie and I were able to attend my cousins wedding with my grandma(my moms mom), my aunt, and uncle. We had a great time and from the minute we left Tremonton it seemed that Hallie had found a partner and her name is gama. On the way she would say grandma and then act shy when grandma would turn around to see what she needed. At the wedding she sat on grandma's lap enjoying treats she had brought for her. This was a special day in our little Hallie's life and I don't think she even knows it. Growing up my grandma was never really involved with our lives mostly her and my grandpa did things together so I love that she has taken a real interest in Hallie and Hallie in her. Since gettin ghome she still asks where gama is..it makes my heart happy.

U-Day

2011-06-27T15:35:00.004-06:00

The 2nd weekend of June was Uintah Days. Matt was off golfing for the day(dads need days off to I have realized) so Hallie and I decided to venture out and see what all the fuss was about...happy to say we weren't disappointed. They mostly had things for the kids games and such. They had a cannon that shot candy which Hallie of coarse loved. They had little booths with icees, balloons, and other fun kid stuff. Hallies' favortie was the play ground and the ring pops

Notice the sucker in every picture...yeah she loved it

After playing we went home to get our dad just in time to pack up to go back to the fresh salmon bake...it was awesome and fresh from Alaska. After an awesome dinner, more games, and candy of coarse we headed home for the night. Our litte one had no complaints as you can see from her face..blue taffy is the one she liked the most

Our Memorial Day

2011-06-03T11:37:00.003-06:00

Our Memorial Day was maybe a bit unmentionable except for the fact that I need to take more of the daily opportunities to talk about how amazing my husband it...seriously have you ever met him. Well if you haven't let me just tell you that this particular post is just one of the many times that he finds a way to fix anything and everything. Hallie loved helping her dad although at times it made me very nervous(I guess its part of growing up). She liked to use her "magic" to lift the concrete up.

The broken piece

Fixing the pipe under the concrete

All fixed

I don't think you ever realize how talented the people you are before you marry them and Matt still never ceases to amaze me!

Nate's birthday and snowcones

2011-06-03T11:25:00.004-06:00

Seems as though the only days I remember to take pics are the warm days when we are out doing something worth mentioning. This is no exception. The middle of May our friend Nate celebrated his birthday with a BBQ. Our 1st one of the summer actually(maybe our last with how the weather is)They had awesome food and company. They played volleyball and of coarse Hallie wanted in on the action, she actually knew just what to do(she must get that from he aunt Nic).

Hallie loves snowcones(who doesn't) we went to IHCs employee appriciation dinner and they had plenty to go around(Hallie had 2) another sure sign of summer

And this is what happens after so much fun. Hallie has always been so good at going to bed sometimes even putting herself to bed but this particular night she was wanting to be up with Mommy and Daddy and on rare occasion that this happens we let he stay up...and then you get this.

I want my BINKI!!!!

2011-06-03T11:21:00.002-06:00

Any one that knows Hallie knows that she is also very attached to her binki. We so easily got rid of her bottle but the binki not so much(is that horrible that I don't care its just a binki?) Any how she has been getting in her all four K9's(teeth) at the same time when we went to run errons we forgot the binki. We ended up buying some while out and about to make it easier on us. Well I think she was loving them to much she kept both in her mouth a majority of the night....it was pretty funny.

Summer is coming!!!

2011-05-13T13:38:00.006-06:00

Today we were out enjoying the sun with Anne, Josh, and Will. After our walk we headed to their backyard to let the kids play in Josh's kiddy pool. I wasn't sure what Hallie would think but with Josh showing her how it is done she figure it out pretty quick. Of coarse as their fun progressed they got more and more wet.
Eating snacks before the water fun began

Climbing in to test the water

Made it into the pool, this is where all the fun happened until Josh poured cold hose water over Hallie's head

The end result to pretty much naked but happy kiddos.

I'm sure this is the beginning of many wet days to come. Life is so good.

Mother's Day Weekend

2011-05-13T13:20:00.006-06:00

Our Mother's Day Weekend was very busy...I think we may do it different next year because it was to busy to even enjoy the day. Saturday morning we headed to Tremonton to visit my grandma and grandpa. We had lunch with Mindi and Corey and then rushed back to show our house(have I mentioned I hate that?)Only to turn around again and head to Bountiful to have dinner with the Brower family. We had a great night visiting and playing games. Matt as always was in on entertaining the kids(he is a big kid a heart which is one thing I love about him) and when it was time to come home we did so with four extra kids(that was a hand full).

Late to bed and way to early to rise sometimes I think I need to think these things through a little better. Matt wasn't feeling good so he slept in while I fixed breakfast for the herd. Not the Mother's Day I expected but we had a good time. We then made cupcakes to take to Alivia's baby blessing that afternoon. They turned out so cool and I would totally do them again and it was fun for the kids to help. The best part was Hallies face when she was eating it...priceless

Hopefully next year Mother's Day will have a little more relaxing and time with our little family. I really think I get to celebrate Mothers day each morning I get to get up and find my sweet baby sleeping in her bed only to remember that she is mine forever. Thanks Hallie for making me a mommy.

Look at my Cute Hair..19 Months

2011-05-13T13:06:00.003-06:00

Hallie's hair is finally filling in so it looks pretty cute...what do you think?

Hallie continues to excel in everything that she does she is using new words everyday. She now can count to 3 both aloud and on her fingers before yelling GO! She can also say her ABCs up to D but after that they get a little mixed. Her newest words are good girl, go, water, outside, Missy, bubbles, cheese, stop, as well as lots of new singing which we love and she thinks she is so funny.
I'm sure there is a lot I am forgetting but it changes everyday I can't keep up.

Poor Dog

2011-05-13T13:03:00.002-06:00

I guess this is why we got a puppy so they could grow up together and Missy wouldn't kill Hallie.

This is usually what she looks like after which is just how I like her.

Girls Day

2011-05-13T12:53:00.004-06:00

I am always looking for fun and cheap ways to have fun with Hallie. So a couple of weeks ago was National Pretzel Day and Pretzel Maker gave away free pretzels so that afternoon we headed to the mall to have some pretzel. Hallie has been getting more and more into girly things lately and it makes it so much fun we window shopped and even tried on some shoes for Hallie. I love having one on one time to spend with my special little one. She makes life so much fun and each day a new adventure.

Then the next day was Baskin Robbins 31 cent scoops. I got home from work showered. We ran up to get ice cream before Matt left for the soccer game leaving Hallie and I for another girls night. We decided to take our time on the way home since we were in no hurry. We didn't even have dinner before so when we got home we had to enjoy one of the 1st warm days so far so we set up a picnic with sandwiches, chips, and the remainder of our ice cream. I am definitely mom of the year but you know what sometimes its more fun to act like a kid than an adult(once and a while).
In this picture she was way to busy eating her nutritious chips to look at the camera.

I think like most parents I can't picture what our lives were without her.

Easter Morning/Day

2011-04-26T12:56:00.006-06:00

She found and sampled the bunny trail very quickly...maybe thats why sleeping hasn't been so great lately.

Sunday after church we had an awesome dinner with Matt's family. It seems lately as though the time we spend with them is more and more enjoyed. Grandma Joy was sweet enough to bring all the kids a gift(a ball, singing dvd, and a sidewalk chalk) they all loved it and didn't wait very long to use it.

Matt's new toy(a remote helicopter)

After dinner we made resurrection rolls the kids did a great job I didn't really do any of it. It was so fun to have Kaylee and Carson to help include Hallie too. She is just now gettin ginto fun things like this. They were so excited to see them when they came out of the oven...as for me I was more excited to eat them!

Nic's Baby Shower

2011-04-26T12:20:00.005-06:00

Saturday afternoon also included Nic's baby shower. We had a great turn out and saw many friends that we had all missed. Nic and her little graham got spoiled.

And of coarse I had to get my fair share of cuddling too.

Matt helped to watch the kids. I went downstairs to check on him once and had to take a pic. He said that this is the life!

Hallie really enjoyed some cousin time she and Kaylee were so funny and found interesting ways to entertain each other.
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Our Easter Weekend

2011-04-26T11:34:00.013-06:00

Thursday night Kim, Nic, Maddi, and Mom got her from their various destinations to spend the weekend with us. We had a chill night and Hallie did some cuddling and showing my mom and maddi her favorite shows(Leap Frog). Maddi also really liked Missy and spent most of the weekend holding or playing with her.

The Easter festivities started on Friday morning Kim didn't want Hallie to feel left out when Nic was opening all her presents so she brought her an easter present. This darling pink swimsuit with the ruffles I'm sure will be her favorite. She is getting more and more into girl things all the time.

Hallie is going to hate these pictures some day but this phase will only last so long or so we hope.

Last year at this time Hallie was to young to do easter egg hunts so this year was very exciting to be able to participate. So Friday night we headed to our first one in South Weber. They had the area taped off with caution tape to keep the kids out until it was time. I didn't know if Hallie would just stand there or gather tons of eggs without even looking back so when we got there Matt ran the camera while Nic, Kim and I "preped" Hallie. The only problem was that Hallie was way into it and wanted to get the eggs now! They were a little late getting started Hallie was being very impatient but when the horn rang she was off into get the eggs.
Before the egg hunt with my sisters

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Getting held back until it was time to go

Hallie with her Daddy after the hunt

Saturday morning we dyed easter eggs and had breakfast before getting ready and heading to another easter egg hunt. We did eggs a little different this year we did what they call dinosaur eggs they turned out really good, they may become a tradition.

Then we headed to an different kind of Easter Egg hunt. At Manor Care the nursing home I used to manage they have special activities for holidays for families to bring their kids to interact with the residents. Growing up I remember being afraid of older people and I don't want Hallie to feel like that so we try to attend these activities often. It was awesome this year and I think Hallie had a blast. Initially she was scared because all of the older people wanted to hold her and talk to her but with some help from baskets of candy she warmed up quickly. They had a traditional egg hunt in the courtyard so the residents could watch the kids get the eggs then took them back inside to walk around a circle and get individual treats from the residents(kinda like trick or treating). All the older people kept calling for Hallie to come back for more and by the time we were done we had gone around the circle five times and had emptied her basket three times! Needless to say we got plenty of candy...more than we got at the other easter egg hunt!

All of Hallie's LOOT!

Hallie and her buddy

2011-04-26T11:28:00.003-06:00

So we have had Missy for about a month now and she and Hallie have a love hate relationship. Missy wants to go everywhere Hallie does and vice versa but at the same time they are both still adjusting. In the video above this is a daily occurrence chasing each other throughout the house or yard. I think its fun that hallie has a friend that wants to play most of the time and is very patient with her.