26

Yesterday was my 26th birthday.  And although I kept up with tradition and took no pictures it was a magical day.  Seriously, probably the best birthday I've had in years, maybe even since my 16th.  Nothing really changed except my attitude.  I know some of you would scoff at me being mortified by the idea of growing older but that has pretty much been my thing for the past several years.  This year I decided that I wasn't getting any younger and I should just enjoy it while it lasts.

I woke up early and went to exercise group at Jaime's house.  I love being able to get some time chatting in everyday while doing something that's good for me.  Chap was well behaved and didn't cause too much trouble.  Next Chapter and I just hung out and I got all the pictures off the camera (felt good to catch up with that).  Then I decided to go Christmas shopping, so we headed out.  We met Logan for lunch at Port of Subs and then I picked up a Dirty Dr. Pepper and Chap and I went to the mall.  He fell asleep there and stayed asleep all the way home and slept in his crib for almost 2 hours.  I wrapped Christmas presents and blogged about his birthday.  When Logan got home he made me homemade shrimp scampi.  So yummy!  Then we braved the freezing temps and went to Target to buy new dishcloths for my birthday.  I got lots of money from family, which I was counting on, therefore I bought a carpet cleaner on Black Friday and I was hoping to get enough to cover that.  I did with an excess!  Not sure what I'm going to buy next though:)  Probably something for Chap since I'm a huge sucker for that kid and I think he needs everything (even though I'm already overwhelmed by what he already has).   I also got an almost one of a kind door mat from my sweet father-in-law.  You see, he delivers for Pier1 and he bought himself this door mat and I loved it.  I told him I did and he got one for me too.  Apparently there are only 2 in the state of Utah at this point (not sure why but that's what the inventory said) and I own one.  I can't wait to try out my carpet cleaner on that spot in the living room that's been driving me nuts for months.  Oh and before Chap went to bed Logan read me the Happy Birthday to You book by Dr. Seuss.  It's our new tradition since Chapter:)

Anyway, it was a spectacular birthday.  I'm so blessed to have Chapter and Logan.  They made me feel so loved and special yesterday. And I don't know if my new chilled out attitude can be attributed to some major breakthrough in my mind or it it's because I'm getting older but my new philosophy is that it's a waste of time to stress all year about turning another year older, when in fact I'm not really that old to begin with.

Finally Blogging Chap's Birthday (2 months late)

There isn't a whole lot you can do to make the day more exciting for a 1 year old.  I mean, isn't everything about them all day anyway?  But we did find some ways to have a little extra fun.  

 We met daddy at the park for lunch and Chap ate his first doughnut.  Love his face in that picture!

 We filled his room up with balloons.  I blew them all up and then Logan told me you could do it with an air compressor.  Who knew?  I was lightheaded all day:)  Funny story about the hat.  We were shopping at Target for birthday supplies and we jokingly put this hat on his head.  And he left it there, he even cried when we tried to take it off.  So he wore it all through Target and everyone was telling him happy birthday.  He loves this thing.

 We took him to the park and went down the slide for the first time.  He didn't like it until it was time to go and then suddenly it was fun.

The weekend after his birthday we went up to Elsinore to have the party (on our was to Logan's birthday adventure).  The theme of the party was the "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb" book. He cracks up every time we read it. We served monkey bread and his smash cake was decorated like a drum.  He got nearly every Fisher Price Little People set known to man.  So many in fact that I have to rotate them into the closet on a weekly basis to keep myself from going crazy.

Chapter is so much fun.  I really can't express what being a mom feels like to me.  I was given the best little person to experiment on.  He is sweet, he listens pretty well, he thinks everything we do is hilarious.  He "answers" when I ask him questions.  And I adore his little squishy face.  He is the best, and when he gives me a hug I nearly die every single time.  What a boy!

The Big 32

We're going to gloss over Chapter's birthday just for a moment (because the pictures are still on the camera and it's a pain to get them off with Chapter "helping" me).

For Logan's birthday we went to Horseshoe Canyon.  Again, it's a destination that we have been meaning to to do for years.  But waiting only meant that we had the pleasure of sharing it with Chapter.  We got many weird looks from family when they heard that we intended to carry him all 7 miles in a pack on our back. But let me begin by telling you that this was my kind of hike, with a destination around every corner and lots to keep me motivated.

Sure, I could show you all the awesome pictures Logan took with his rented wide angle lens but not only would he make me but his silly watermark joke on them, I also think these are the ones we'll want to look at in our year end blog book.  

But back to the trip.  It was incredible to see these extremely old pictographs, even if it cost me 3 gigantic blisters, oh and that lovely Chapter pack?  Not comfy at all.  Read that as meaning basically torture:)  But so worth it to be able to share so much fun with our wee one.  We spent that next night at Goblin Valley and then headed home.  But we'll definitely go back to Goblin Valley as the destination at some point.  It's well maintained and very child friendly, I don't think there was a singe campsite that didn't have at least one kid. 

Great Basin National Park

We've been meaning to hit up Lehman Caves for years now, but we'll admit that the idea of driving there and really of even going to Great Basin National Park seemed like it would be pretty boring.  But boy were we wrong.  We took off on Labor Day weekend (right after church) on our adventure since we both had to teach that Sunday.  It was Chapter's first camping trip and it was awesome.  The drive that we supposed would be boring was really pretty fun.  It was like driving through a giant empty Sevier Valley which was pretty awesome.  Great Basin National Park is also amazing.  We expected it to be desolate and filled with nothing but blah but it was so beautiful and we'll definitely go back someday (if it ever opens again, haha).  It's located at the foot of a beautiful mountain range.  It rained pretty much the whole time we were there but since it was a quick trip we didn't really mind.  After all, the Cave is indoors and Logan recently developed this ingenious plan to sleep in the car (and I lament we didn't figure it out years ago).

 Chapter trying to steal the goods while we drive.

 All ready for bed.

 Yep, there's a horrible cave picture of the family.

Chapter on the only surface of the cave that you can touch...the floor.

11 Months

Chapter's late 11 month "Photo Session" with Paddle Oar Die Photography was taken in a semi secluded location on the Santa Clara River Bench.

 Chapter is becoming quite the little personality 

 Chapter says, "I'm not scared of the Indians like Mommy is."

 Chapter says, "Ooh big scary Indians Mommy."

What a pretty place we live isn't it?

COOKIE!

Might as well use all those beautiful teeth to bite into something yummy!

6th Anniversary

On August 17 we celebrated 6 years.  It's been a roller coaster; kind of crazy, but I'd do it again.

We decided to celebrate by taking Chapter to his first movie, Planes, and then eating our traditional homemade shrimp alfredo.  YUM!

Chapter really didn't care a bit about the movie, but that's most likely because we don't let him watch TV, so basically he doesn't know how.  He was really good though and went to sleep about halfway through.

I got Logan a frame for his professional engineering license (WOO-HOO!) and Logan got me a package of Sharpies to try to ease the back to school withdrawals:) Logan also makes me an anniversary video every year, but probably not this year because we have almost no pictures with us in them.  Guess that's what happens when you're baby is so much cuter than you are:)

10 Months

Chapter turned 10 months 3 weeks ago.  To celebrate we took him to Cedar Breaks on the wildest stroller ride I hope we ever go on.  Logan kept repeating, "I swear this was paved when I was little." But it was really an adventure in bushwhacking our way through stickery wilderness with a stroller.  Yeah.  An adventure we'll never forget, and never repeat!

The big news is that 2 days after taking these pictures, Chap started walking!  Wow has my life got a lot more interesting:) Love this baby boy!

Washer Scare

My washer is practically family.  When we moved to St. George 5 years ago we got an apartment with it's own hook-ups.  It was pretty much my dream up to that point:)  But we were short on cash so I started scouring the classifieds for the perfect set.  I finally found it.  It was listed in a yard sale ad that happened to have a phone number. My beautiful set of  mid-1990s Maytags were only $125 if my memory serves me correctly.

This is a magical washer.  Perhaps I love it more because it was so cheap, or perhaps because it is a super capacity, or maybe it's our sticker collection on the front, but this is probably my favorite piece of machinery, second only to my car.

Well it started to leak:( I was terrified as Logan nearly completely dismantled it.  But as usual Logan was able to fix it and all it needed were two new 98 cent hose clamps. Hooray for a few more years!

24th

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  If you are from the South Sevier area, it's all about Pioneer Day.

We made our annual trek to Elsinore for Pioneer Day this year as we have for each year since I left 7 years ago.  My whole family was DYING to see Chapter and teach him that this is clearly the best holiday there is.

 And it is.  Just sayin'.

 Kristy bought Chapter a balloon and he really liked it a lot.

So much so that he fell asleep on the way to the park holding it in the backseat.

Chapter didn't get to play any games this year because he was asleep when the lines were short and by the time he woke up it would have been an hour long wait to ride the fire engine or play the fishing game.  Sorry buddy, maybe next year will be your year:)

Then we went to my mom's and made homemade corn dogs and fries with Logan's mom's top secret corn dog recipe.  (Logan is the one who made it top secret).  They were delicious as always.  Then we drove home late in the afternoon missing the best fireworks show in the state (according to Logan, and I agree) because there are so few places that set them off so close to you that you run the risk of your blanket going up in flames.  It sure does make a nice show though when your whole eyes are exploding with beautiful color.  Again, maybe next year.  

Grandma Deb

Sadly, on July 9 we lost Logan's mom to a long hard 5 year battle with cancer.  It was a pretty rough week for all of us, but especially for her children and husband.  

Her funeral was beautiful and although I feel a little weird posting pictures (and taking them) I know that she would be sorely disappointed if it wasn't documented (that woman was a scrapbooker before scrapbooking was cool).  So this is for you Debbie.

Logan made an incredible video to show outside the viewing.  Amazing.  He did such a good job.

 Chapter was so tired and grumpy.  He finally fell asleep for my sister at the end of the funeral but woke up at the cemetery.  Rough day. But check out the matching ties on those beautiful boys:)

Independence Day

For the 4th this year we went to Kanarraville.  Logan's Granny's old house is still up there and the whole gang (minus Josh and his family) stayed up there the night before.  And it was pretty much the worst least restful night I've had since the one immediately following Chapter's birth.  And that is saying something!  It was hot, noisy and just WAAAAY too many people in that tiny old house.  We finally got to sleep about 2am and Chapter slept fitfully until maybe 5ish.  Yeah.

That morning we went to the parade (Chap's first) and then to the program in the cultural hall.  There was a little boy who did a Napoleon Dynamite dance that was so funny I cried (I was sleepy).   Then we went to Cash's house for the BBQ.  Logan was so excited that he had made some homemade yeast rootbeer to share.  His Granny used to make it every year but they haven't had it since the early 90s.  It's disgusting.  But they were all oooing and aaahing and guzzling the stuff.  It's an "acquired taste".

We headed back to St. George in the late afternoon and staked out our spot on the Black Hill for the fireworks.  We usually go to the park but we thought this would be more Chapter-friendly.  And it was.  It was hot but we had a really good time playing in the car waiting for the fireworks to start.

We even got an ice cream from the ice cream truck! Mine and Chap's first time ever doing that.

Chapter held on until just before the fireworks started and then he fell asleep.  A perfect ending to a fun but exhausting day.

The next morning we went to the splash park because daddy has never been there with us.  I don't know who had more fun:)

8 months

Chapter is 8 months old now!  He still thinks everything is funny and he now has 2 teeth.  He scoots backwards and is working really hard on crawling.  We got him this little kiddie pool and he thinks it is great:)

St. George Town Square

Anisa invited me to meet her and a couple friends at St. George Town Square.  There's a really fun "river" that runs through it for people to play in.  This was Chap's first time and he thought it was great!

My favorite thing was when a little girl who was probably 2 years old came running up and looked at Chapter and asked him if he could play.  He didn't answer her (obviously) and so she ran away.  It was hilarious!  He fell asleep on the car ride home and is still out:)  It must have been exhausting!

I think there's a Chap strapped to the pack on my back:)

For Memorial Day Weekend we went to Moab to visit Lucas and Shellie and also to play:)
We had a really good time, Chapter did really well in the car and he went on his first hike and also went swimming for the first time.  He really liked both activities:)

 Chapter really liked hiking.  It was pretty windy but he didn't mind, he just really liked to look around and see things from his perch in his backpack.

 We saw this sticker on a store window in Moab.  I want one!

Chapter liked swimming.  And it really wore him out!  As soon as I got him out and wrapped him in a towel he was asleep before we even left the pool area:)