Our Cupcake Turned ONE!

We celebrated our little birds 1st birthday (thanksgiving day) on (black) Friday.

We can't believe how fast it came!

She was so happy all night and the smiles just kept getting bigger!

(even though we were not thinking and planned it 30 minutes before her bedtime{silly})

She knows how to please a crowd!!

And she loved the huge STICKY cake too!

She couldn't make us happier and we sure love all of our wonderful family and friends who are always so generous and supportive!

A special thanks for all the super fun birthday presents and to Darcie who saved my bacon by coming over early and frosting ALL the cupcakes!!!

WE LOVE YOU ALL!!

Side(bar) Note

I am sure you have seen this link on my side bar

It wasn't working for a while but I have corrected the problem and let me just tell you, it is worth clicking on.

My dad has been doing photography to some extent since long before I was even around. And he is now trying his hand in extending it into the blogging world. He would love for you to stop by, leave a comment and to tell your friends about it too.

And make sure you check out his series on '10 cool features on your digital camera you should learn and use' I know I need to learn a lot more about my camera so that I can get the most out of it!

SO... Check it out!

Another photography note...

As many of you have noticed the new header (seriously... I love it too!!)

Jeff's wonderful Aunt Lilian took family pictures for us in October!

Wonderful huh!

What a dear she is to take time away from her family on our behalf.

There are more pictures of us here along with a lot of her other great subjects:)

I think she is for hire. Double smiley:)

Thank you Lilian!!!

Happy Halloween

Avery had a fun 1st Halloween and managed even at only 11 months old to make it to 3 'parties'.

That is 3 times in that adorable, soft, fluffy CHICKEN costume and she didn't seem to mind it one bit:)

She loves her little cousin Mason (dressed up as a BYU football player... too cute!)

Mostly there was a lot of hanging out at grandparents houses and about 30 min. at the YM/YW primary Halloween party.

Next year will probably be a little more work:)

Fifth and Final [trip to Kentucky]

I have been so lucky to have been able to visit Kathryn, Trevor and the kids in KENTUCKY 5 times in the past 2 1/2 years. Each trip has been memorable and I left feeling an increase of love for each of them! I am so grateful that I was able to take Avery with me the last 2 times I have been and am so grateful to Kathryn for her help with all the motherly advise that has made me a better mom and Avery a happier baby!

Avery and I love those kiddos so much and they LOVE her! It was so fun to watch Avery and Davis together. I am sure Davis was long past ready for Avery to go home as she like to love on him and always get in his space.

(notice Davis in the back ground)

No really, they totally love each other and I am sure they will be good friends when she a little older and is not trying to scratch his eyes out:)

I LOVE that we take a trip up to the Gap Clearance Center in Cinci every time! I love that we find great deals and that we get a chance to have a nice long conversation on the way there and back. But most of all I LOVE that my sister is my best friend!

We do a lot of hanging out and everyday stuff while I am there... which is what we all want to be doing!!!

Megan and Hallie loved holding and playing with Avery and she loved it too!

But mostly when Hallie would hold her she just wanted to get her hands on those cute glasses that Hallie was wearing! Attack!!

We HAVE to do crafts of course!

And I have to take advantage of Kathryn's amazing photographing skills while I can!

AHHH, what can I say??

I CANNOT WAIT TILL THEY LIVE CLOSER!!!

9 months (and 2 weeks:))

I love her more everyday if that is possible and I lovehate that she is getting so big and old!!

At her 9 month visit her stats were as follows:

weight: 16lb 11oz -> 12%tile

length: 29in -> 90%tile

head: 17 1/4in -> 45%tile

She is at such a fun age and it is so fun watching her start to discover the world around her!

She is still a spunky little monkey and is trying so hard to crawl. She scoots backward (while lying on her belly) and turns around in circles. She can get on to all fours now and wiggles her legs around but can't quite move herself forward. It doesn't take much of that and she gets really frustrated!

She LOVES her binky and I LOVE that she loves her binky and think it is so cute to watch her suck on it!

All that length helps her reach really far and grab a hold and tip over anything that looks interesting... like a freshly made pitcher of orange juice.

She has turned into such a good sleeper... I think she is making up for the first 6 months that she never slept! (4 naps a day... AHHHH!)

Still a mommas girl... OH MY GOSH, I CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF HER!!!

She is the happiest smiliest baby I have ever known!

Smiling, LAUGHING, talking, squealing, cooing, and (I am convinced) humming.

I kiss her 1 million times a day! She lets me!

The little love of my life!

-video to come soon to show off her new 'tricks'... smarty pants!-

I know it is all a little over the top, what can I say, I am a proud mom!

Crazy Mad Hornets, Crazy Mad Dad and WINDOWS!

Jeff, Avery and I where taking a nice Sunday stroll minding our own business when out of the blue (and the tree branches above) come swarming hornets, in full attach mode....

Then come the screams of the little one!

We were running and could not believe what just happened. They got Avery on the head (and her jaw-line I found the next day) and Jeff on the arm.

Luckily the screams didn't last to long, that was until I laid her down for the night and she would roll over on to her right side and the screams would begin again!... Poor little thing!

Jeff kept threatening to go back and kill all those angry hornets but I don't think that has happened yet!

Since we moved into our house almost 3 years ago...ALMOST 3 YEARS AGO {wow}!

We have desperately needed new windows throughout. All the seals were broken on the almost 25 year old windows. On one of the snowy days of the first winter here, I was shocked to see snow... yes, actually snow flakes blowing into my front room.

We literally could not see out of some of them! Pathetic!

We have had multiple quotes and even at one point put money down on getting them replaced but it never happened until finally, thanks to my wonderful dad, 2 weeks ago

WE HAVE NEW WINDOWS! ... Well, at least on the front of our house.

Keep in mind Jeff or my dad have never before installed windows. My dad did lots of homework and talked to all the window guys he could get to listen on how to do it.

I had no reservations that my dad could do it and that he would do a good job of it.

He did NOT disappoint!

We are SO SO SO grateful for all his hard work and for his love (he must love us for all the work he does on this house:)) and sacrifice!

Jeff and I are still stopping each other in surprise... "Oh my, look at our front yard, you can see it from the front room"!

Oh yea, we also cut down that awful old evergreen that stood exactly where Jeff is standing in the above picture. (I have also had it out for that tree since we moved it!)

What a GREAT week!

Annual Summer Family Trip

It was just a small group of us this year, my parents, us and my brother Eric's family and

I didn't take nearly enough pictures!

We headed down to HOT Mesquite Nevada and had lots of fun playing with cousins, golfing (boys), facials (girls), and SWIMMING.

Skyelie and the boys got a little bling after tearing it up in the Arcade!

We also headed back up to St. George one of the nights did a tiny bit of shopping and saw Footloose at Tuacahn (good but a little risque..Eeehh).

should have gone to Annie- my bad

Our room shared a door with my parent and on several occasions they listened in for Avery while she napped and Jeff and I were even able to go get bite to eat on our own one night. What a treat!

We sure love these folks!

There were lots of first on this trip... we drove further then we every have, we stayed in hotel rooms, we ate out a lot, the boys golfed two 18 hole rounds, the girls went to the spa (my mom had her first ever facial and of course LOVED it) and we endured temperatures up to 108* that is CRAZY hot (if you ask me)!

I love that we have this tradition and that we make it a priority every year.

Big group or small we go every year!