Texas Fair 2012

Ah the State Fair. You think your lame county fairs can compete? Think again! TEXAS RULES!

Ok no, but really I love the fair. To me, it's the set of fall, and festivities. This year was even better because I wasn't 9 months pregnant and I was actually able to enjoy my time this year. With June it made it even more fun! 

Being Dan's week off we went on a week day, which made it so much less crowded! We had so much fun eating and eating, playing games, watching shows, and watching the crazy people that come out when it's fair time.

This being June's first fair, we made sure to do everything we possibly could with an 11 month old

The Weather was great! We went on an overcast day, so it wasn't to hot! 

This guys name is Big Tex. Super creepy. He talks, and his head is obviously way to small for his body, but yet we love him. Hicks, we are just a bunch of southern hicks who love their big Tex. So dashing don't you think? 

She's perfect. I'm sorry June stole all the perfectness, but really. Perfect..... to me. 

She loved big tex. She was clapping and laughing every time he was speaking. 

So neither June nor I know how to smile normal. I feel like in this picture I'm saying "Take it. did you take it? 

                    Ahahahah! Comical. I totally made Dan do this. People were standing around laughing at the fact that June was bustin moves with a pretzel in her mouth and I kept telling Dan just hold her, no you put your head higher, to the left...right.... so on and so forth. 

a Marching band randomly came through the park. It made us all very excited

Best part of the day. We wanted to win June a stuffed animal since it was her first fair. We saw the monkey and since June is obsessed with her little monkey, we had to win it. Dan decided to play the spray gun game... ya know where you shoot it at the target and race other players....

Ok so The game is a full game! 8 players! 3 adults and 5 kids. I told dan, screw the other kids, you are playing for your daughter. YOU WIN THAT MONKEY!!! I'm a good sport. So they start. Oh man Dan hits his target right off the bat. BOOM! Then the race gets close. I'm yellin, people are staring, and Dan is in the zone. Ding Ding Ding, I thought dan lost, It was SUCH A CLOSE RACE!! 

The old announcer man yells #8 wins! OH SMACK! It'S DAN! 

He was so proud that he won, and he felt like such a good dad for winning June a toy at the fair. It was a pretty heart warming moment. Until June realized she had to share her stroller with it and threw it on the ground wanting her other monkey. But still heart warming. We really were excited. Clearly we don't get out much. 

It was a great day. We were all tired, and June was so beat that she slept for 14 hours that night. I love these moments with my family and knowing that, well. I'm a Texan. Later Y'all! 

My simple Daily Pleasure's

This has been on my mind so much lately, that I just finally decided to write it down.

I truly love being a stay at home mom. I can honestly say that this is what my calling in life is. I never really had a huge career ambition, I just always wanted to be a mom. And no, not because I am lazy, or unintelligent. I just know what I wanted out of life. I am very respectful to women who do work and who are moms as well. Two of my sister's have career's and my mom does too. My whole life, both my parents worked, and well I feel like I grew up just great. But it's just not something I felt like I needed to have in my life. After the first year of trying and nothing.... and then the second year, still no baby, and then the third year came and still no progress, I became very frustrated and worried that, well, maybe children wasn't apart of this life's plan. It was such a hard time. Still to this day, it was the hardest trial I have been through.  It was hard emotionally and spiritually.
Now, I have an 11 month old, sound asleep in her crib, and a heart so full that it literally hurts sometimes. What a blessing she is to our lives. Dan and I now realize what we thought was such a horrible trial, was actually a magnificent blessing. If I had gotten pregnant when we originally planned, we would have moved to Texas with a brand new baby, Dan would have been in school, I would have still had to work, and well I think our marriage wouldn't be as strong as it is today. After 4 years of marriage and then having a child, made us really see each other and rely on each other before throwing a baby into the mix. When June joined our family, Dan had a career, we had insurance that led to no hospital bills, and a safety net for anything that were to come our way. Things fell into place exactly how they should. Heavenly Father knew, and even though I questioned and pushed, he knew that this would actually benefit our lives with just a little bit of patience.

Holy crap. I just went off on a rampage about the meaning of life.

My sole purpose of this post was basically to say that things have worked out very well. We KNOW that life has many curve balls ahead. Things that are going to be so hard, and horrible trials, but will lead to be magnificent blessings.

My life is simple. I am a stay at home mom, who is enjoying the daily pleasures of spending my time with my little girl.


 To name a few.

                              Eating lunch and watching her feed ranger and giggling over it

                             her quick little looks she gives me to make sure I'm still close by

                  Our many many trips to the park, with a playground she can now climb on by herself

 The help I get while emptying the dishwasher

Just these two together. No matter what they are doing

Her favorite thing of taking things in and out of baskets, bags, and boxes

 Not only the fact that she now climbs on the dishwasher, but that the top of the dishwasher is full of sippy's, bottles, cups and bowls for June

 The moments when I realize she's growing up way to fast

The innocent looks, when she KNOWS she's doing something wrong

 Her constant excitement of learning something new

 And simple discoveries 

When a 12month dress was bought for her before she was born, and now she wears it

And Ending the day with splashes in the bath and the smell of a clean baby

I'm just simply in love with life. 

I've Had a Really Bad Day

Today. bad. Just bad.
Let me tell you. It requires bullet points because it was just that bad. Ok it was more just lots of things went wrong.

• Woke up with a sinus infection which felt like the left side of my brain was going to explode
• Planned to wear my hair curly today for the easiness of it. Turns out horribly greasy. Slick hair back and put a hat on. 
• Had plans to meet with friends at a play place. I thought 11:45. Nope 11. 
• Last night made 60 handouts with M&M's. Come home today from outing and Ranger has opened about 10 of them. My rug covered with smeared M&M's. 
• June is super clingy today. I think teething might be starting back up
• Work on Editing June's photos. She hits the computer. It re-starts. I lose EVERYTHING
• Ranger pukes up M&M's from earlier. Blue, orange, and red slime is all over my carpet. June makes a dash for it. Ranger is licking it up. BOLTED to get carpet cleaner. 
• Come back after throwing rag in washing machine. June is sucking on my power cord to my laptop. It no longer works. I have approximately 1 hr and 40min remaining.
• June falls backwards and smacks her head against wall. screams
• June pulls dan's scriptures off nightstand. rips about 3 pages out. 
• Go get mail, slip of paper falls from my door. The Orkin man was scheduled today and I forgot. Reschedule AGAIN. 3rd times the charm? 
• Get one of my Amazon packages too by the door. So excited since my last 3 packages were sent to my old address and then returned. All for June's birthday. I ordered a cupcake stand. The cupcake stand was a mini. A FRIKIN MINI CUPCAKE STAND!! WHO EATS MINI CUPCAKES! I HATE THOSE PEOPLE!!! Now have to return it. One more thing to add back to the list for this birthday party. 
• Make dinner for June and I. Noodles and tomato juice with an avocado and Parmesan cheese. I make noodles first for June to eat. put in oven the avocado. June throws it all on the ground. She isn't eating. 
• I forgot about avocado until the fire alarm reminds me. smoke pouring out of my oven. June screaming, ranger barking. 
• Get it all cleaned up. Try to take a few bites here and there. June has had it so try to go clean her up. Her tray would not come off her high chair. I am tugging and tugging. Finally I give it one last jolt and smack June in the head with it. (REALLY ACCIDENTAL!) June Screams. 
• Knowing that I can't even go to sleep because I have to go get Dan from the airport at 12:30am. Waking up poor little June. I'm just so ready for Dan to be home. 

Like I said. It's been a bad day. 

11 Months

Dear June,
     I can't even think about the thought of you being one year old next month. The fact that this is my last monthly update and next time it will say years. I don't know how to feel about it. You being 11 months old, just blows me away. You have been a very busy little bee in the last month.
    You start off your 11 month with climbing, and moving, and playing with everything. The Kitchen is your new favorite hangout spot, since there is so much to have fun with in all the cupboards. You are keeping your mom very busy chasing you around all day, but I love watching you move, so really I don't mind. You are now cruising along everything. You prefer to walk along things, and it scares me half to death. Yet you always seem to find your balance and keep on going. Your favorite spot is between the two couches. You could just hangout between them all day. Where has my baby gone.
     Clothes and shoes are your nemesis. You prefer to be a naked, barefoot baby, but well since I want people to know you have a mother, I try to dress you and keep clothes on you. Don't worry somedays you win the fight and you roll in a diaper. It's just how we do.
     You are eating so much now. Your favorite food right now is bread and spaghetti. Holy smokes chicka you love your spaghetti. You also like to feed yourself. I put food in your mouth, you spit it out in your hand and then put it back in your mouth. You are very independent and well.... not to fond, but I'm still proud. You are holding your own cups, and enjoying more and more food as you get older. We will see how it goes next month with cow's milk....
     You are continuing to sleep splendidly through the night. You go to bed at 8 and you are waking up at 8. It is so nice. literally. just one of the many reasons why I love you. Bath time is apart of our night time routine and it's your favorite part. You splash the whole time. The bathroom, me, and everything in the bathroom are soaked by the time you are done, sometimes I feel it would be easier to get in with you. I'm trying my best to stay out.
     June, You are a chatter box. You Say Da Da constantly, and just this past week you started make M sounds. Ma Ma is right around the corner... We are working on it. You jibber jabber to anyone who will listen to you. You yell at Ranger a lot. We aren't sure if it's out of love or anger, but you two seem to have this strange relationship. You love dropping your food and watch him hurry and eat it, then you put out your hand for more from me. It's our favorite game.  It's very fun to watch you two get mad at each other.
     You are so aware of everything. You get so angry when toys get taken away, when there isn't a food you like on your tray and when something exciting is happening. You love cheering for people, clapping your hands, and bouncing up and down when something really fun happens. We try to make fun things happen all the time, because you clapping, makes my heart beat a little bit faster with love. It's been a close call a couple of times that my heart could explode.
     One tooth has popped out, but that's it. A good sign of good teeth. supposedly late teeth mean good strong teeth, so really no complaints, and teething has taken a backseat, which...few, thank goodness.
 You have started biting things, and we are trying to get a handle on that. I really don't want you to be a biter, so we are trying to stay on top of that. We brush your tooth and you seem to enjoy it. I love your little tooth brush.
    Ju Ju's I just love you. I just love everything about you and everything you do. I'm scared for next month. I love my baby and that baby is slowly starting to fade.....
Sweets I hope you know how much joy you bring into our lives. How you make bad days always seem so much better, except when the bad day is caused by you, well then we have some issues... haha I love you.

Love mom.
     

Rexburg in August

I really love going to Rexburg. Though I consider Texas my home now, Rexburg will always have a special place in my heart and I will always love it. I was able to go home again to school shop, see my family, and the dreaded Rush Triathlon.

From the top.

June and I left for the airport at 4:30a.m. We were in comfy clothes. OF COURSE one of my luggage doesn't make it, which in the end was actually a blessing, because I decided to rent a car to head to Spanish Fork, so I was all by myself with June, a stroller, carseat, one piece of luggage, her diaper bag, and my purse. I was a sight to see trying to carry all of these items. At one point I looked down at June and realized I pretty much was holding her only by her head, we repositioned and moved on. comical.

I made it Spanish Fork,  hung out with my sisters, let my nieces paint my toes and finger nails, and enjoyed out night.
The next morning we all loaded up in the car and headed to Salt lake to meet up with my mom, Megan, and Shay to go school shopping for the weekend. This has been a family tradition for as long as I can remember, So it's super fun to carry on this Tradition with my Niece's and my own daughter. We shopped, and shopped and shopped. It was so fun. The little girls were all troopers and there were only a few whimpers of hurt feet at the end of the weekend. We had a fashion show and everything. I don't really have a whole lot of pictures, I'm not sure why since we took about a million, but well ya know...

Don't mind June in her scandalous outfit.... Goodness girl she is showing what her momma gave her.
 

We had a family reunion on Sunday and then Megan and I headed down to Rexburg with my parents to spend the week before the Triathlon. We had so much fun watching these two girls together. Samantha is 3 months younger than June, so they are super close in age, and they really had fun together.

My dad put them in the little red car and drove them around the yard for hours. THEY LOVED IT!!


I MEAN COME ON WITH THIS!!! ADORABLE!






We love to swing, and I think this Picture portrays June of her joy!






Tuesday we headed to Rigby lake so I could do a practice swim in open water. PANIC ATTACK! It was fun though with the girls, and shay and her kiddo's came too. We had a great little picnic and had fun swimming in the FREEZING WATER!













Wednesday was full of eating out, trips to Porter's (OF COURSE) and laughing and having fun with the girls and my sister and me.

That night my mom had a work party at Rexburg Rapids. It's a great little water park, and very kid friendly. It was later in the evening so we didn't swim too much, but it was still fun to splash in the water.

Thursday my other two sister's came, and Friday we really just hung out and had fun! 

Saturday was the Triathlon. Oh the Triathlon. No really it wasn't that bad. This year we did a team in the intermediate. So really all I had to do was swim a mile. A LOT harder than I thought. Oh man. It was great to be there with my sister's and my Dad was our little supporter, and my mom watched all the kids. WOW!AMAZING PARENTS! We laughed so much during the race. and 

we WON SECOND PLACE OVERALL! 

               

That night we took it easy and had a delicious  picnic at the house and enjoyed just being with everyone. 

                  

All the Grandkids with Grandma!

I really love my family very much! It can be hard living so far away from them, but it almost makes it better when I do get to see them. So excited for the next trip in December! 

10 Months

       Dear June,

we have hit the double digits sweets! time is flying by way to fast. The last month has been very exciting for you! You have started doing so many new things, and you FINALLY got your first tooth. We have been wondering when that was going to happen, and well it did at Grandma and Grandpa's house. It was just one long night and then all of the sudden a tooth appeared. It's pretty adorable! You are eating very well. You love gold fish, and waffles, really anything except for green beans. You have even taken a liking to peas, but those green beans just come right back out of your mouth. Your skills are developing great! You love having two things in your hands and connecting them. You can sit there with 2 things in your hands and play with them all day. You love to clap and rub your food together in your hands and of course your hair. You make quite the mess while eating, but you're eating so I can't complain to much. 

     You have a cold right now which is really sad, but you cuddle up tight with me, and I love it. Day's like this don't come to often, so when I get the chance to cuddle you I take it! 

     You are deciding to change up the schedule a bit, by only wanting to take one nap. I sometimes can get you to take 2, but one seems to be doing the trick. After talking with your doctor I have learned that if you are ready for just one nap, then that's ok. You are still happy as ever, though I do miss the two naps. It's a working progress. You are sleeping through the night. Going to bed about 8 and waking up about 7-7:30. Thanks for always being such a great little sleeper. You make me a very happy mom when we both get a good nights rest. 

    You have also started crawling, which I have written about already, but now you are getting so much faster, and climbing on and over things. You love to move. It's impossible to get pictures holding still anymore. It takes all I got to get you to look at the camera, but camera ready I can get a few shots. You just love to move!! Your dad and I have been trying to baby proof the house, but you always seem to find something that can go into your mouth, or that can be pulled down. You have already had your fair share of bumps and bruises but you seem chipper as always.

 

     You have been loving summer. You love swimming and are getting quite a nice little tan. I love that your chubby roll lines are all white and then your arms are tan. I think we are ready for it to be fall though. It has been such a fun summer and watching you progress and learn new things, but fall only means more excitement and more things for you to do and learn. I love you sweetheart. With every fiber of my being I love you. My life is my family and you are such a huge part of it!
    I love you.
Love mom.