Happy Birthday to me

Thanks Molly and Wayne for sending the love. Thought I would share it further.

Finally chilly in Tucson

Another baby video update

The runner

The crawler

Bisbee 1000

The unthinkable happened. I ran my first race. It was only a 5K, but still, that is a big deal for a non-runner like myself. Well, really it was a 5K plus 1000 steps. The Bisbee 1000 to be exact. Some friends and I drove down to Bisbee, Arizona for the race. It is such a cute, quaint and colorful mining town. Lots of little shops and Bed and Breakfasts. You literally run up 1000 steps all throughout the town, in between shops and houses. I think the scenery was the only thing that made it bearable for me. I can't say that I will become a runner after this, but I may try it again.

After the race.

A quick and tacky cell phone shot, mid-run.

First laugh

This was so fun for Greg and I. It happened back in July while we were in Kansas City.

Happy Halloween

I think we were the only family who didn't go to a pumpkin patch this year. Oh well, I did manage to find good use for a classic white sheet and a cardboard box. Thanks Natalie for letting us borrow the wonderbread sack. It inspired the family bakery.

If you can't tell, I'm the oven. We all make sacrifices.

As you can see, Thomas was thrilled to be dressed up. So was Greg.

The highlight of the evening for Thomas was the bag of Reeses Pieces he got to chew on.

Happy Birthday Grandpa

I couldn't resist

I had to try these glasses on Thomas, I think he looks like Robin Williams a little with them on. Never mind that my voice sounds like a man's.

Busy Book/ Quiet Book

I worked on this project a lot while I was stuck in a hotel room in Missouri. I needed something I could work on that required no sewing machine. I was originally working on it for my nephew Collin, but I decided to keep this one as my template and practice round to base future books off of. Don't worry Natalie. I will still send him one.

I don't think I will include this page. I've never seen a kid actually try to tie the shoe.



I can't take credit for the barn. I got the idea from Homemade by Jill.

Summer Vacation. Utah Chapter

Delayed again. I've had this post as a second half to a previous post, but I'm really bad at prioritizing. So here is more of our summer.

After our Missouri and Iowa visits, we headed on a road trip home. I didn't realize that there really isn't much of anything through Nebraska and Wyoming. We randomly ended up in a place called Sidney, Nebraska. It seemed to be town of nothing but hotels for tired traveler, but we couldn't seemed to find a room. We soon found out it is the town of the original Cabella's and the World Headquarters. Who knew? We also happened upon this odd little sight. What are these things? They are really big scary metal beasts. It's not everyday you pass this view on the freeway.Our stop in Utah seemed brief. We were able to see Greg's sister Lauren come home from her mission and his whole family was there. It was great to see everyone. Every second was planned and packed and no one seemed to catch up on their sleep, but we had a great time. Thomas got to meet more of his cousins and I think he enjoyed himself.

Waiting at the airport for Sister Taylor.

Family BBQ



Cousin/Uncle time. It is so funny how Greg can entertain his nieces and nephews. They love him.

Swimming at Steve's (Brother-in-law) family property. Molly got to come up. YEAH!!


Clearly a lot of people were jealous of our tans.

We finished our trip by stopping at Bryce Canyon in southern Utah and Montezuma's Castle near Sedona. That post will come another time.

6 months

Someone turned 6 months yesterday. Everyone always says it goes by so fast, and they are right. I really can't believe it. I want him to stay 6 months for another year. He is so cute right now.

What I did with my summer vacation

First things first, I keep forgetting to make my official blog announcment. It's never been a secret that I couldn't call my own baby by his name. Andrew just doesn't fit him. So we are officially calling him THOMAS. Not Tom or Tommy, just Thomas. He is so much more of a little Thomas. Thomas is his middle name, but we are going to try to officially change it to his first to spare him the trouble throughout his life.

So with a new name for our baby, we kicked off the summer. Greg left at the end of May for a summer internship in Missouri and I had to stay behind to finish working. Thomas and I were able to join him at the beginning of July. We started off with a glamorous stay at an Extended Stay hotel off the side of a freeway. Aside from the shared laundry, occansional gunshot and mid-night appearances from the cops, we enjoyed getting around and seeing the Mid-west. We drove to Iowa for the 4th of July to visit my then, expecting sister Abby and her husband Dave. It was great to see their little home.

Better then their home was a park near their home. It was there that I discovered fireflies.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE them. I had never seen them before. It is like something strait out of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Of course I knew about them, but I guess I never believed they were real. I was absolutely tickled at nature's twinkeling lights. I feel as though my childhood was a bit robbed by not growing up with such awesomeness. Greg's wasn't robbed at all. Growing up in Chicago and Michigan, Greg took the opportunity to describe to me how as kids he and his brothers would try to catch and/or hit the innocent fireflies with tennis rackets mid-glow so they could smush the bugs and wip the glowyness on themselves. Thanks for the visual Greg. In spite of that, I fell in love.

While in Iowa, I convinced Abby to do a photo shoot. 7th months is a great time for the perfect pregnancy tummy. She looked beautiful. Hope she doesn't mind that I'm posting one.


Back in Kansas City, we went to a cool outdoor theatre, explored some museums, went to GREAT parks
and enjoyed some gelato and custard a few times. We also took the opportunity to see some Church History sites. Missouri is the mother land for that kind of thing, and I have a rich ancenstry among the early saints. We drove to Independence, LibertyJail, Haun's Mill and Far West. I had a Great Great Great Grandfather killed at the Haun's Mill Massacre, so I was a little disappointed that we drove so far just to see an open field next to a creek with a sign. Oh well, I did my part. We also saw the Community of Christ (RLDS) temple, which was so interesting. It is like a spiraling corkscrew into the sky. But have to say, it was really funny seeing other LDS families with their teenagers. Although I really enjoyed seeing a lot of the sights, there really wasn't much to see and we imagined them thinking of their friends that all got to go to Disneyland for the summer.

Someone got to feel grass for the first time.

I found that the mid-west has its fair share of churches and religions. Religion was everywhere. Enter exhibit A.
Clearly this man does not want to be tail-gated. But how else was I going to be able to get this shot? Anyway, I really feel that this driver taught me a valuable lesson on following the Lord. Funny how bumper stickers are so inspiring. People in the mid-west sure know how to spread the word. :)

I spent the last week of July visiting my sister Natalie and her family in Chattanooga Tennessee. She had baby Collin just a few months after I had baby Thomas, so we felt they needed some cousin time. My niece Lydia tried to squeeze in when she could.

I made my last trip back to Kansas City then Greg finished his job and we headed back up to Iowa to visit Abby and Dave. I got to help throw a baby shower for Abby and we all headed to the Nauvoo Pageant that night. We crammed a lot in, but we had a great time.

The Nauvoo Pageant. There was a great pre-show event with games and crafts. We enjoyed just walking around and seeing it all.

A classic Abby and Dave shot.