A Little Family with A Lot of Love

{Sparkly} Earrings!

2012-02-20T22:24:00.002-07:00

Chloe has been talking about wanting her ears pierced for a couple of weeks. A week or so ago, we were at the mall, and she asked when she could get her ears pierced. We explained to her that it would hurt, but she was convinced that she wanted her ears pierced. After few tears, Chloe had some new sparkly pink earrings! She loves them, and they are just beautiful! They make her look 10x more like a princess :)!

Grandpa's {Jeep}

2012-02-20T22:20:00.003-07:00

We spent President's Day weekend in St. George, and Chloe enjoyed one of her new favorite things - a ride in Grandpa's Jeep! Chloe and her little cousin, Maddie, went on a jeeping adventure with Grandpa Kim. They love to ride in "Grandpa's jeep to the mountains." Crazy girls!

{L.O.V.E.}

2012-02-20T22:09:00.002-07:00

We shared all of our love this Valentine's Day! Chloe is truly her mother's daughter - She love, love, loves holidays. This year, she was very excited to give her friends some cute Valentine's. It was a fun day for us - we delivered Valentine treats and cards to friends and family, enjoyed a special dinner, and were spoiled by Brandon with beautiful flowers for both of his girls! Our little Valentine, Chloe, received matching outfits for her and her favorite doll, Abby! Love it all!

Children's {Treehouse} Museum

2012-02-20T21:49:00.002-07:00

We live near a fun little children's museum. Chloe's little friend, our dear friends' daughter, recently had a birthday party there, and we were able to spend the afternoon exploring the museum. Chloe especially loved the "school" room, where she pretended to be the teacher and made Shannon and I copy all of the shapes she drew on the chalkboard. The party was had a "Cowgirl" theme, and Chloe loved dressing up like a little cowgirl!

From St. George to {Snow}

2012-01-22T20:18:00.003-07:00

We spent the weekend in a rainy, but warmer, St. George visiting my parents and Liz and celebrating Maddie's 2nd Birthday (we took these cute birthday pictures last weekend at our house).

It was so fun to see everyone! Chloe loves being at Grandma and Grandpa's house, and Liz is her very best friend. After our drive home (during which Chloe entertained herself by plastering the car window with stickers), we found our driveway covered in snow.

Brandon set to work clearing it off, and he instantly had a little helper. For a while Chloe was content to just walk, march, or sorta dance beside him, but she quickly decided that the pick bubble mower doubles as a pink snow blower.

{Dance} Your Heart Out

2012-01-16T15:29:00.002-07:00

Chloe started dance lessons a month or so ago. She loves it! I think her favorite part is probably wearing her dance outfit all day long, but she loves her teachers, too! Chloe is a little shy when we first drop her off, but she slowly warms up. Now, we just have to work on teaching her to pay attention during the entire class :)! Chloe is 100% girl, and I anticipate dancing to be a part of our life for a long time! We are so proud of our little dancing queen!

A {Black Eye} for Our Cutie Pie

2012-01-09T01:43:00.004-07:00

Our sweet little Chloe was running through our front room last night when she tripped and fell. She hit her cute face on the corner of our fireplace, and she ended up with a little laceration on her cheek by her eye. After a traumatic trip to our Pediatrician's office and a LOT of help from our most amazing Physician Assistant and his wife, Chloe has two little stitches and a very swollen black eye. She is a tough little girl, and she promised to be more careful! Poor little sweetheart! Oh, we love her!!!

Happy {New} Year!

2012-01-09T01:39:00.003-07:00

We were excited to welcome a new year and a fresh start. Let's just say that we are thankful to have survived 2011 in one piece; I'm sure that the only way we mad it was by relying on each other and with a lot of help from our dear friends and family (and maybe lots of divine intervention). We can't wait to make 2012 great (fingers crossed ;)!)!

Merry {Little} Christmas

2012-01-08T22:37:00.003-07:00

Christmas celebrations were kept exciting this year by our little Chloe. She added joy to what has been a very bittersweet December. Here's a little breakdown of our month long celebration:

{Live Nativity at Tuachan}

We spent Thanksgiving in St. George with my family. We have a very special family tradition of visiting the Live Nativity at Tuachan every year. This year, I found the reflection on the birth of Christ to be particularly close to my heart. The Nativity scene was beautiful, and it was the perfect way to begin the holiday season. Chloe loved the live camels used in the Nativity!

Following the Nativity, we walked around the lights at Tuachan. Chloe just loved posing in the little picture scenes. She made Liz pose with her a million times! Chloe and Maddie rode on a small swing ride. They had a blast! We ended the night with a horse drawn wagon ride. What a fun night!

{Christmas FHE}

Brandon and I feel that it is important for Chloe to understand that Christmas is really a celebration of the Savior's birth and not just the commercialized celebration that accompanies the holiday. We found a small Nativity just for her and a very cute book that tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. We had a special FHE where we gave Chloe her special Nativity and Book. She loved to read her book and play with her Nativity all season long. (Don't mind her sweet hair and jammies!)

{Ogden Christmas Village}

On our Anniversary (December 10th - 7 years this year, but another subject entirely) my Mom and Dad came to babysit Chloe while Brandon and I went to dinner to celebrate. While they watched her, they took her to the Christmas Village in historic downtown Ogden. Chloe couldn't get enough of the little houses. Brandon and I took her for a return visit a few weeks later, and she showed us all around the little square. Her favorite houses were the Grinch houses and the Descente house that depicted a little ski/snowboarding scene. It was a fun night out with our little family.

{Temple Square}

On the 23rd we went to Temple Square with our good friends and neighbors, the Austins. Chloe and their son, Maxx, are little friends, so she was very excited to go with them and really excited to see the temple. Traditionally, Brandon and I have visited Temple Square at Christmas time every year since we were just newlyweds. With Christmas falling on Sunday, the 23rd was the Friday night before Christmas. Temple Square was beautiful, but SO crowded! I have never seen it so busy. Chloe has been facinated with the temple lately. She wants to go there when she gets bigger with her "prince charming" - such a cute girl! It was really quite cold, too. Between the chilly weather and the large crowd, our stay wasn't too long, but we enjoyed seeing all of the lights and the beautiful temple.

{Christmas Eve}

Brandon's Grandma Verna hosts a very fun party on Christmas Eve. She prepares a wonderful dinner, complete with her delicious homemade orange rolls, and we are able to enjoy the company of his extended family. After dinner, the children are surprised by a visit from Santa Claus! We had visited with Santa with Chloe several times prior to Christmas Eve. Each time, she had been pretty nervous about speaking with him. We actually ran into Santa and Mrs. Claus at Wal-Mart! Chloe refused to talk to him until he asked her what she wanted for Christmas, to which she exclaimed, "A lot of stuff! Just all of that stuff!" So, when Santa arrived at Grandma Verna's, Chloe just clung to my neck. She would only go talk to him if "Dad went with her." Brandon accompanied her to the front of the room to see Santa, and she actually sat on his lap, opened a small gift, and again voiced her request for "a lot of stuff!"

After the party, we opened our traditional pajamas, read the story of the Savior's birth, and tried to get Chloe to bed. Before bed, Chloe set out special treats for Santa and his reindeer. She was convinced that Santa would want a cupcake and a Diet Coke; you can't tell that is a popular combo at our house, right?! Chloe had a hard time falling asleep. She was very worried about where the reindeer would park and if Santa would come in the front door or the back door. She finally hit the sack after we told her Santa might pass her house if she was still awake when he arrived.

{Christmas Morning}

We woke up early on Christmas morning; we actually had to wake Chloe up. She wouldn't come out of her room because she was convinced that, "Santa didn't come because there is no snow!" We finally convinced her to come out of her room, and she just couldn't believe her eyes. She kept asking, "Is this stuff for me?" She is such a sweet girl! Santa Claus must have thought that Chloe had been a SUPER good girl because she got spoiled! I was really nervous about a "surprise" gift that Brandon gave me. He had teased me all week about the "electronic, useful" present that he had in store for me. I kept thinking, "oh great, he bought a dumb GPS or something!," but he actually gave me a new lense for my camera and a spa package. I was so surprised! He did a great job; I'm a lucky girl! Chloe had found a special gift for Brandon, and she was excited to give it to him. She handed it to him and said, "Here is your present, Dad. It is a remote control car!" Haha! After we exchanged gifts, we got ready for church and attended a very nice sacrament meeting.

After church, we went to Brandon's parents to celebrate Christmas with his family. His mom made a yummy breakfast, and we exchanged gifts. Her cute cousin, Tyson, gave her a pink little shopping cart. She has pushed it around our house nonstop since Christmas! We were spoiled by their generous gifts, and we shed a few tears as Brandon's opened the pictures of Talon we gave her - so bittersweet. Before we left, Chloe had to "build a Princess tower" with JoJo, probably because she insisted on wearing her Sleeping Beauty dress to our Christmas Breakfast! It was fun to celebrate with them and to see all of the joy that Christmas brought to Chloe and her cousins.

My parents and Liz drove up to our house on Christmas day. Brandon and I hosted a little Christmas dinner at our house for our parents and Liz. It was a nice evening, and I was just relieved that dinner turned out. We had planned to exchange gifts with my family just after dinner, but Chloe just crashed in front of the tree before we could even begin opening gifts. After a short nap, Chloe woke up and was ready for more present action. My mom and dad gave her a little Belle doll, which she loves!

Our family had a very Merry Christmas, and we are so grateful for the birth of our Savior. I think that His birth means more to us this year, and it will continue to be such significant event in our lives.

Little {Turkey}

2011-11-20T16:09:00.004-07:00

On Wednesday nights during the Fall/Winter, Brandon plays basketball with his friends. Normally, Chloe and I spend the evening doing laundry, cleaning up, watching DVR'd episodes of Dancing with the Stars - you know, really exciting things, but this week we made a GRATITUDE TURKEY to send to Eric on his mission in Baton Rouge. Chloe loves Eric; she prays for "Eric's Mission" and Eric to be safe every time she says her prayers. Cute, right? She did a great job making her turkey, with a little help from her mom :). I would ask her what she was thankful for and write it on each turkey "feather." She started with Jesus and Heavenly Father, then "Grammer" (which is what she calls my mom), and turned to princesses, Bandit (Eric's dog). We packaged the Gratitude Turkey up with some treats and mailed it to Elder Carter. It was "SO FUN"! (Chloe's favorite thing to say is,"Please, Mom! It will be SOOOO FUN!)

A {Spooky} Halloween

2011-11-13T21:18:00.006-07:00

Our little Trick or Treater had a great Halloween! Chloe was a beautiful Cinderella, and she was convinced that she was a real princess. Our friends invited us over for dinner and trick or treating. Chloe loved it and had so much fun with their boys. She told me, "When I first met those boys a thought they were maybe a little bit spooky, but they are way nice!" She is so funny! Chloe was super scared of "spooky" Halloween houses! She really loved Halloween. I told her that in a couple of weeks we would be getting ready for Christmas, and she told me that she didn't want Christmas to come she just wanted it to be Halloween again :). Oh, how we love our little Princess!

Chloe's Halloween Skirt made by Mom
Visiting Baby Talon's grave
Darling Princess Chloe
Chloe's Princess Pose
Daddy's Princess
Chloe & Mom
Little Cinderella
Pretty serious Trick or Treaters :)

Our Angel

2011-11-07T22:33:00.024-07:00

{The Pregnancy}

On April 24, 2011, Easter Sunday, Brandon and I were surprised to see two pink lines appear on a pregnancy test. We had talked about adding a new little bundle of joy to our family, but we were in waiting phase before starting infertility treatments. It had taken us so long to conceive Chloe that we were anticipating the same challenge with baby number two. We were excited and a little overwhelmed, but absolutely thrilled.

As the pregnancy progressed, I was sick, but not nearly as sick as I had been with Chloe. It was just a different "sick." I would wake up in the middle of the night and run to the bathroom to throw up. At our prenatal visit near sixteen weeks, we discovered that our little baby was a boy. Brandon was beside himself; he was so excited to have a little guy join our family after living in a world of pink for two years.

I started to notice swelling in my feet early in my pregnancy, and I had terrible headaches that couldn't be relieved. We prepared for a family trip to California that would be half business and half pleasure. Chloe was so excited to return to Disneyland! As we landed in Long Beach, we joked about how terribly swollen my feet were! I had struggled to find shoes to wear to my meetings and to Disneyland. I continued to become increasingly more swollen as the trip progressed, and when we returned to Ogden, I made an appointment to see my midwife right away. I was spilling protein, which prompted her to run a few more tests and put me on bed rest for the weekend. During Conference Weekend, I rested and recovered. Chloe would lay in our bed with me and watch Conference by me because she had "fat feet, too." On Monday, we returned to my Midwife's office. After a long wait, she poked her head into our room and said that we needed to go to the hospital right away. She turned my care over to her supervising Ob/Gyn.

{His Birth}

I started crying. I was really scared about the whole situation. I was only 28 weeks along. The Ob/Gyn came into the exam room and indicated that I just had mild preeclampsia. They were admitting me to the hospital for a couple of days simply for observation. He relayed that I would be home in a couple of days, but likely on bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy. Brandon and I drove home to gather my things. I wasn't prepared at all to head to the hospital. We had finished our little guys nursery and bought a few sleepers for him to wear, but that was about it.

As I entered the hospital, I refused to even change into a gown because I wasn't there to have a baby, just to be observed. However after the CNA took my blood pressure and performed a few preliminary assessments, I had a swarm of nurses in my room. One of the nurses relayed how serious my condition was. Chloe was getting really restless, and I told Brandon that he and Chloe could go home for a while. The nurse interrupted me and said that it would be best for Brandon to stay at the hospital and for Chloe to leave. We started to understand how critical things had quickly become.

It was shift change for the nurses, and I soon had a new nurse, who indicated I was the sickest patient on their floor. They started Magnesium Sulfate to prevent seizures and a stroke and blood pressure medicine. The Mag made me feel so hot and vomit violently. I barely responded to the blood pressure medicine. Soon, the Ob/Gyn was standing at the end of my bed running his fingers through his hair trying to figure out how to bring my blood pressure down. He conveyed that he was really concerned that I was going to have a stroke because my blood pressure was simply too high. I had severe preeclampsia. Liz drove up from St. George to take care of Chloe; Liz just started crying when she saw me. The night was terrible. I really don't remember very much. I was so sick and so scared for my little baby. Brandon stayed with me all night. We were scheduled to meet with the Maternal Fetal Medicine physician as soon as he arrived in the morning. It was determined that it was too dangerous for me to remain pregnant, and we were scheduled for an emergency c-section at 1:30pm.

I was wheeled into the c-section suite at 1:30 pm. The c-section began and soon our little son was born. They showed quickly showed us our small baby who was just forced into the world. He was so incredibly small; I couldn't believe it. They rushed him to the NICU, and I began to panic. The CRNA gave me medicine to sleep through the rest of the procedure. Brandon joined our son in the NICU as I was wheeled to my room.

Our beautiful little boy, Talon David Nanney, was born on October 4th, 2011. He weighed 2lbs 8oz and was 14 inches long. Instantly, we were in love with our darling son.

{The NICU)

We were prepared for Talon to have a long stay in the NICU. Everyone warned us of the NICU roller coaster, but we had no idea how hard it would be. Talon did not breath on his own when he was born. He was intubated and given medicine to help his little lungs, but he was extubated during the first night. I couldn't believe what a little miracle he was; so perfectly formed and beautiful. He was fed, changed, etc. every three hours. During these "care times" were were allowed to touch Talon, and I was able to hold him during his feeding once a day.

While I was still in the hospital, we had a stream of visitors. My parents hurried up from St. George, Brandon's parents, our siblings, grandparents and friends all came to meet our tiny Talon. Chloe was super confused; she couldn't go see baby Talon, but she was super happy that he had arrived.

As I left the hospital, I was just numb. People kept asking if we were sad to leave our little Talon in the hospital, but we both felt that it was such a good place for him to be. There was just no way we could take care of him at home. Brandon and I would visit Talon daily, at least once or twice. Talon was diagnosed with a PDA, a small valve in his heart had not closed yet, but it is a very common condition in preemies. He had episodes of apnea everyday and other challenges, but overall, he progressed well. Before we knew it, he was back at his birth weight and working to continue to grow.

On Wednesday the 19th of October, Brandon, Chloe and I went to the hospital in the morning drop off milk for Talon. Brandon and I took turns going into see him. He had a rough day on the 18th with lots of apnea episodes, but he was doing much better on the 19th. We returned at 5:00pm to hold Talon. As I held him, he cried and cried. He had never been so agitated before. He would calm down when I patted his little back and sang softly to him. After 45 minutes, I suggested to the nurse that we should let Brandon hold him for a while, even though we had exceeded our normal amount of time to hold our little Talon. I sat in the waiting room and played with Chloe while Brandon stayed with Talon. The nurse suggested that perhaps is increased oxygen flow could cause his agitation. We left the NICU and took Chloe to grab some dinner.

As we pulled into the driveway, I received a call from Talon's nurse. We needed to head up to the hospital. Talon's condition had gotten worse. We met Brandon's parents in the park and ride in Farr West and hurried up to the hospital. When we arrived, we were informed that Talon's abdomen was swollen and distended. After a series of x-rays, the nurse inserted a small tube Talon's abdomen to relieve some of the pressure. He settled down, and we felt confident that we could go home.

{Primary Children's Medical Center}

We picked Chloe up from Brandon's parents and arrived home around 1:30am. At 5:25 am we were awakened by my phone. It was the NICU, and they told us we needed to get back up to the hospital as soon as we could. We quickly gathered Chloe and drove her to Brandon's parents before speeding to the hospital. While we were en route to the hospital, we received a call from the Neonatologist. Talon's condition had deteriorated very quickly, and he needed to be life flighted to Primary Children's. When we arrived at the NICU, we found our Talon again intubated and in complete distress. We waited anxiously for the life flight team to arrive. I gave our sweet baby a kiss before he was loaded up for his first flight.

I had neglected to take my blood pressure medicine before we left for the hospital so Brandon and I had to quickly head home before traveling to Salt Lake. We gathered a few things to ensure that we were prepared for a day at Primary's. As we started toward Salt Lake, I received a call from the Neonatologist at Primary Children's Medical Center. She gently told me that based on her review of Talon's latest diagnostic tests and her conversations with the life flight team, his intestines were likely entirely dead. The Neonatologist explained that we could proceed with a surgery to see if any portion of Talon's intestines could be preserved or we could elect to not do the surgery based on his current condition. I told her that we had a two-year-old daughter who had never met her little brother, and I asked if it would be possible for her to hold our tiny Talon. She kindly said that accommodations could certainly be made for Chloe to meet Talon, and we exited I-15 and hurried to pick up Chloe.

As we drove to Salt Lake, we received a call from the surgeon at Primary's. He strongly recommended that we proceed with the surgery. He indicated that because there were no other issues with Talon, we should proceed with any and all efforts to preserve his life. Talon underwent surgery in the NICU, and we waited anxiously for any good news. During his surgery, Brandon and I were informed by the Neonatologsts that Talon had Necrotizing Entercolitis and his intestines were completely dead. There was no way for him to survive. They told us that they would keep Talon alive to allow us to spend the day with him and to allow time for him to receive a Name and a Blessing. The surgeon met with us and again relayed the findings of the surgery. There are not words to express how absolutely heartbroken we are.

We were shown into a family room inside of the NICU. Our beautiful baby Talon was brought to us, and we clung to our darling son. Chloe was so excited to hold Talon. She kept saying, "I know, bubba, I know." Brandon held Talon in his arms and gave him the most beautiful blessing. Just before 4:30pm, Talon was taken off life support. We held our precious son in our arms as he passed from his mortal life.

Our perfect tiny Talon is such a blessing to us. We love him fiercely, and we are so grateful to be his parents. We simply cannot convey how grateful we are for our eternal family and a loving Heavenly Father who has provided a way for us to see our very special son again one day.

{MOO} Neighbors

2010-06-18T16:09:00.008-06:00

Chloe loves animals. She will make animal sounds for a horse, a cow, a bunny, a fish, a kitty and a dog. Our house is next to a pasture where our neighbor keeps his cows. Chloe has fallen in love with the cows. She stands on the deck and talks to them, but her favorite thing to do is look at them right next to the fence. Last night, Brandon cut some grass for us to feed to the bull. Chloe was in heaven!

Our {Little Lady}

2010-06-18T15:28:00.013-06:00

Chloe is such a fun little girl. I don't think that I ever imagined the joy she would bring into our lives. She has the most darling little personality; she keeps us laughing and on our toes.

Here are a few fun things she has been doing lately:

{Walking!!!}

Chloe started really walking about three weeks ago. She just buzzes around everywhere now. It's amazing how fast she has learned to walk! When Chloe was learning to walk, she would take a few steps, laugh and clap for herself. So funny! She loves to carry around her baby, the laundry basket, and Brandon's shoes. When she is trying to walk faster, she ends up on her tip-toes. She's officially a walker!

{Oodles of Noodles}

Chloe is a pretty picky little eater. She loves noodles, beans and go-gurts, as long as I feed them to her outside! She likes to feed herself with a little fork and spoon, and usually, her plate ends up completely upside down by the time the meal is over. If she needs to take a drink while eating, she spits out everything in her mouth before taking a sip of her drink. She's a mess!

{T-R-O-U-B-L-E}

Chloe has been getting into everything! A few days ago, I found her with toilet paper strung from the bathroom to her bedroom.

Chloe loves showers and baths. She frequently has a shower in the morning and a bath before she goes to bed. Her favorite thing to do is turn on the shower while I am running her bath water!

Chloe jabbers all day. She is always yelling, "Ya, ya, ya!" If she is looking for me in the house, she walks around saying, "Mom! Mom! Mom!" Whenever she sees Brandon, she whispers, "Dada" or says, "Hi, Dad!"

Funny Story: Chopper ran away a few days ago, and I was calling his name throughout the house and outside. Chloe was following me around yelling for Chopper and patting on her legs and tummy (you know, the "come here dog" pat). I was so mad at Chopper, but when I saw how much Chloe loves him I knew that we had to find him! He ended up just being across the street - dumb dog!

{Brave Bug}

Chloe is not afraid of anything! She likes to jump to us from the countertops, the top of the fridge, the stairs, you name it. Brandon handed her a potato bug, and she just played with it. Our little niece and nephew, Mylee and Tyson, have a hampster that Chloe loves; she almost squished it when she was holding it! We saw a HUGE dog earlier this week, and Chloe just walked up and started petting it. Chloe loves playing with her Daddy! He encourages her to be super brave!

Chloe is just an absolute pleasure. We love her SO much!

Birthday & Baseball {Plus, Other Exciting Stuff}

2010-06-18T14:41:00.006-06:00

Don't ask me where the last two months have gone. It has been crazy at our house. I've been absolutely swamped at work; seriously stressed out about a few very challenging contracts I've been negotiating. Brandon has jumped into all things spring and summer - working in the yard, golf, softball, golf, planting trees, golf. Little Chloe is growing up too fast! She is such a hoot - I only thought she was a wild child before...

Here are a few of the highlights:

{State Baseball Tournament}

Eric's Snow Canyon High School baseball team made it to the state tournament this year. We were able to head down to Salt Lake for a couple of the games. Eric is a truly excellent baseball player, and it has been so exciting to watch him grow into such a talented guy. It was fun to have my family stay with us for a few days while SCHS advanced through the tournament. The only pictures I was able to snap before my camera battery died are of Chloe playing on the playground at the UVU field. She loves the slides!

{Brandon's Birthday}

Brandon turned 27 on May 27th, which was the day of Eric's high school graduation. As you can imagine, Brandon was thrilled to spend the day driving to St. George (we left at the crack of dawn, which was perhaps a birthday miracle), sitting through Eric's graduation ceremony in a very hot, very crowded Dixie Center, and tending Chloe while I ran to help with Grad Night. What can I say, he's a trooper. I'm so lucky to be married to such a wonderful guy! Brandon is the best husband and daddy. I can't imagine my life without him.

(Don't mind Brandon's hat hair, we'd just arrived in St. George after a VERY long drive. Chloe had enjoyed a little "feast" of Oreos; I think she's in a sugar coma at this point.)

{Eric's Graduation}

I can't believe Eric has graduated; he's supposed to just be my tiny brother who makes me read Junie B. Jones books to him every night. He's a really great kid. I'm so proud of him.

Chloe was pretty much crazy by the time we made it to the graduation ceremony. Brandon was out in the hall with her for the bulk of the time.

I made a few things for Eric's graduation: a rag quilt (which I only have a picture of the quilt all wrapped up), a candy bar lei, and a banner. Whew!

{Swim Baby}

While we were in St. George for graduation, Chloe experienced her first swim. She LOVES it! She loved floating in her little tube, splashing, and jumping off of the side. She's going to be our little water lover for sure!

Where the {WILD} Things Are

2010-04-27T23:49:00.006-06:00

Our Chloe turned NINE months old and transformed into one WILD little lady! She is busy, busy, busy! She is crawling around like crazy. If we try to chase after her, she kicks it into high gear and just giggles. Chloe is climbing up on everything! She can stand on our mantle and open all of our cupboards. Her darling little smile features SEVEN sharp little teeth; she has been quite the biter for the past couple of days. Oh, how we love our wild little girl, so much!

Nine months has been a difficult milestone for me. It is starting to feel like my tiny baby days with Chloe are coming to an end. Chloe wants to feed herself, she rips her cute headbands off, she just has a mind of her own. She has been a little bundle of joy and life for longer than I was pregnant. I love watching her grown and learn so many new things, but I just simply cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by.

At her nine month doctor visit she weighed 19 pounds 6 ounces (50%) and was 29 inches (97%!!!) tall. Our great PA recommended feeding her whatever we eat; it's been a struggle. She went through a little phase where she would just pull all of her food out of her mouth, which caused her to gag and barf all over. Pleasant, right? I'm glad (fingers crossed:)!) that phase has passed. She has really liked Penne Noodles with Alfredo Sauce, grilled chicken and beans (weird, right?).

Chloe has the most happy, funny little personality. She is constantly giggling and smiling. She likes to "BONK" heads with everyone, and sometimes with the treadmill or the wall. She adores her Chopper dog and likes to go on long walks (soon to be jogs/runs ;)! ) in the jogging stroller. Chloe is getting a little mop of stick straight, light brown hair. It fits right in with her WILD side! I am just feeling so fortunate to be her mother! She is truly such a joy! We just love our crazy baby girl!

Hippity {Hoppity}

2010-04-27T23:35:00.009-06:00

Our Easter Celebrations this year were spread across two weekends. We spent the weekend before Easter in St. George with my family, and we spent Easter weekend in Ogden with Brandon's family.

{Easter} in St. George

There is something about springtime in St. George that makes me miss living there SO much, too much really. It's warm and filled with all the wonderfulness of spring, you know, "popcorn popping on the apricot trees," tulips, and sunshine on your face. Brandon planned a boys-only-golf-trip in St. George, and Chloe and I tagged along. We pulled into town and dropped Brandon off at the Holiday Inn to enjoy a weekend full of golf. Chloe and I spent Friday and Saturday watching Eric play baseball and shopping with my mom and Liz. Ethan and Brooke blessed Maddie in my parents' ward on Sunday. It was such a nice weekend!

Chloe love, love, loves my mom; I can't blame her, my mom is a great lady! She had a blast at Grandma Kris and Grandpa Kim's house. My parents gave her a cute little Easter basket. Chloe thought it was just wonderful. She is such a hoot! I just love her little personality.

Funny Story: Every Easter we take a family photo on the front steps at my parents'. Chloe thought it was so funny to reach down and pull Grandpa's hair. The picture below caught her in action:

{Easter} at Home

Having General Conference fall on Easter was a mixed blessing for me. I love listening to Conference; it always seems to be just the spiritual boost that I need. However, I enjoy Easter Dresses! This year on Easter, we spent the day at our house and enjoyed a delicious Easter dinner at Grandma Verna's.

Chloe loved her gifts from the Easter Bunny. She was lucky to receive a Little Tikes Castle that has a super fast, super fun slide. She zips down it all by herself; we have a little dare devil on our hands. Chloe likes the farm animals that the Easter bunny delivered; she is REALLY into horses right now. (Actually, all animals make the horse sound...cows, dogs, birds. We're working on expanding her animal sounds.) Her favorite part of her goods from the Easter Bunny were the Yogurt Bites, Rice Puffs, and Apple Juice! Chloe had a blast her first Easter!

{8} is Great!

2010-03-17T21:12:00.004-06:00

Being EIGHT months old is fabulous!

Chloe is so stinking cute!

Chloe has learned how to crawl super fast, and she can get into everything! She is constantly pulling herself up to stand and shuffling around all of our furniture.

She gives huge kisses to everyone, including her Sally Rowe doll and her reflection in the mirror.

Chloe took her new car to Grandma and Grandpa's house and rode it outside.

She LOVES her car! Chloe puts her feet up on the car and lets her daddy push her around WAY too fast!

Chloe's hair is long enough for a few curlers, but she is much too busy to smile for a picture.

She is all ready for warmer weather, and she has loved wearing her cute sunglasses out on walks in the stroller.

We just love our little Chloe girl! She is such a darling baby!

{Shopping} in the City

2010-02-20T22:44:00.003-07:00

By some miracle, I convinced Brandon to take me shopping at the outlets in Park City today! I told him that we should drive up to the Ashworth outlet to get him some new golf apparel for his upcoming golf trips. When we arrived at the outlets, we discovered that the Ashworth store is GOING OUT OF BUSINESS!!! There was seriously one rack of men's golf shirts. Brandon found a few (SEVEN!!) shirts that he thought would work for him. I love, love, love the Banana Republic outlet. I could have bought one of everything, but I refrained. Chloe was a trooper (Doesn't she look THRILLED in the picture above?!). She thought the falling snow was pretty cool stuff.

We stopped at Taggerts for a late lunch. It's one of my favorites. The serve their sandwiches on homemade pitas that are to die for! Chloe is so funny; when we go out to eat now, she sits in a high chair and fake laughs the whole time. What a hoot!

It was a GREAT day! It was the break from our normal routine that I needed; plus, I will NEVER pass on a shopping trip :)!

It's a {LOVE} Thing!

2010-02-15T12:25:00.005-07:00

We had a very HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! We shared all of our love with our tiny miss Chloe and our family.

Chloe received some BEAUTIFUL tulips from her Daddy! She just loves them; she couldn't even take her eyes off of them long enough for me to snap a quick picture.

I made one of these - a Valentine Scalloped Banner

And we made some Valentines

And we made LOTS of these

We packaged them with love

Wrapped everything up and sealed with a kiss :)!

Chloe also received a couple of cute outfits from her Grandmas. This one is from Grandma Kris. We love our little Chloe bug!

Growing Girl

2010-01-27T22:26:00.005-07:00

Chloe visited the doctor for her six month well baby check. This visit her immunizations were particularly painful; she was so sad! It just breaks my heart to see her cry SO HARD when she gets her shots. She is our growing girl. I swear that she has just grown overnight. Here are her 6.5 month stats:

Weight: 17 lbs - 75%
Height: 26 inches- 80%
Head: 44 cm - 80%

Chloe has the cutest little personality. Here are a few things that she is doing now:

**She loves to play with her little farm and loves animal noises
**She will communicate with us in a series of cute little squeaks
**She is very smiley and has the cutest little giggles
**She is GREAT at sitting up
**She is ready to be able to move around; crawl or walk whatever comes first
**She really likes to stand and jump
**She loves the Little Einsteins
**She gives the best slobbery kisses
**She is the best eater, but her favorite food is applesauce
**When she is eating she drops all of her Bitter Biscuits to Chopper and watches him eat them

Chloe officially moved to her crib! (I know that I am terrible for keeping her in my room for so long! I cried the first night she slept in her crib!) The driving force behind the move to the crib was that she learned to do this:

I can't believe how the first six months of little Chloe's life have just flown by. We LOVE her SO MUCH!

We welcomed this cute little babe to the world on Sunday, January 24th. My brother, Ethan, and his wife, Brooke, added sweet Maddie Nicole to their family after a very LONG labor. She has a TON of dark hair, way more than Chloe has now! We just love her, and we are so happy for them!

Go Jazz!

2010-01-20T19:24:00.004-07:00

Don't mind Chloe's drool, she is just excited about watching the Jazz with her dad! She especially loved it when he woke her up because he was running around the basement after Gaines drained the last second three (He was so excited; he just simply couldn't contain himself!).

Our little Chloe is six months going on nine months. She has decided that it is time to stand. She's so fun!

Our Girl and Her Dog

2010-01-18T23:58:00.003-07:00

Chloe has fallen in love with our Chopper. He is just her little best friend. She grabs his ears and pets his fur. Chloe is just facinated with him. She squeaks at him and giggles at him; they must communicate in their own language. They're sure cute together...well, Chloe is sure cute :)!

Christmas Past

2010-01-18T23:15:00.011-07:00

We enjoyed a truly WONDERFUL Christmas! It was so fun to watch little Chloe enjoy the whirlwind of Christmas that circled around her. Here are a few of our highlights:

Christmas Sunday

Brandon and Chloe dressed in their best for the Sunday prior to Christmas. I had to sing in Sacrament Meeting with a group of ladies, and of course, it was Chloe's squirmiest Sacrament Meeting yet! Brandon and I took turns standing in the back with her, but at least she looked darling: :)!

We attempted to snag a few shots of Chloe in her Christmas dress, but she was way too interested in her fancy dress and the ornaments on the tree.

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve with Brandon's family at Grandma Verna's. Brandon's sweet grandma goes to so much work to make Christmas Eve enjoyable and memorable for everyone. She prepares a wonderful meal, complete with her to die for homemade rolls, and she has a gift for every single person.

Chloe was able to meet Santa Clause for the first time at Grandma Verna's. She thought he was quite great; she especially loved his beard.

Chloe loved her "Snuggletime" bear that Santa delivered. She thinks it is hilarious.

After we wrapped up the festivities at Grandma Verna's, we headed home to open our special Christmas PJ's, read the Christmas Story, and head to bed. (Luckily, Brandon figured out the timer on our new camera, and we were able to snap this lovely PJ picture.)

Christmas Morning

Chloe must have been exceptionally good because Santa sure spoiled her. She was so funny on Christmas morning. She giggled at the portable DVD player that Santa delivered, and she was mesmorized by all of the wrapping paper. She is such a funny little girl.

After opening presents at our house, we headed to Brandon's parents for breakfast and more presents. Chloe received a "Jumperoo" that has become one of her favorite toys. It has taught her that she should just stand up and jump all of the time. She's a pretty intense jumper now :).

Christmas Day

My parents, Liz and Eric made the long drive from St. George to Ogden on Christmas Day. We enjoyed Christmas Dinner at our house with my family. Chloe loved her "Sally Rowe" doll and her fun music toy from Grandma and Grandpa Carter.

Chloe had her own little girlie tree in her room this year. She thought the ornaments were so fun. They were the perfect size for her tiny hands to throw across the room.

We hope that you all enjoyed the holidays. We certainly had a very special Christmas and New Years with our tiny Miss Chloe!

Gone Country

2009-12-19T01:35:00.012-07:00

Last week we had a HUGE adventure! Our little family flew to Nashville for the week. I had meetings scheduled, and there was literally no way that I could attend my meetings in Nashville without bringing Chloe. Fortunately, Brandon was willing to haul us both half way across the country. Lucky guy.

I was tied up in meetings for the majority of the time, and Brandon was stuck in the hotel room tending a somewhat grumpy baby. I cannot express how grateful I am for Brandon. He is the very best dad and a really wonderful husband. There is no way that I could perform the responsibilities of my job without his help....lots of his help.

On Thursday night we were chauffeured in a LIMO to Opryland. The Opryland Hotel is just enormous, and it was decked out for Christmas. We walked through the hotel, and Chloe looked at all of the lights. She ended up being a little tourist attraction herself....so many people stopped to comment on our little bug and her headband. It was kind of funny. Perhaps the most wonderful part of the Opryland complex is the GIGANTIC OUTLET MALL! I could have spend days, hours, months shopping there. We tackled a little Christmas shopping. It was fun evening.

While we were in Nashville, we celebrated our 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!! I simply cannot believe that we have been married for five years. I am so lucky to be married to Brandon. What a wonderful road we have traveled together so far. It has been so fun to watch him as a dad; little Chloe just adores him. He is such a genuine, loving person, and even though he loves golf, xbox, fantasy everything, his friends, and ebay almost as much as he loves me, I wouldn't trade him for the world.

I was SUPER nervous about flying with Chloe. I could just imagine a myriad of disasters unfolding throughout the four hour flight. Luckily, she was an absolute angel. We couldn't believe what a good little baby she was throughout the whole trip. She is such a smiley, cute little miss. Even when we woke her up at 3:30am to catch our flight home, she was delightful. We just love her!

We survived our first major travels as a family...hopefully our next trip will be for pleasure instead of business.

Grateful Hearts

2009-12-19T01:30:00.010-07:00

Better late than never, right? We spent Thanksgiving in St. George with my family. It was wonderful! We have so very much to be grateful for this year...little Chloe, our families, our jobs, and just a multitude of blessings. Prior to enjoying a fabulous Thanksgiving Feast, Brandon played a round of golf with my dad, and Chloe and I visited a very fun park.

While we were in St. George we were able to spend "Black Friday" watching Eric play baseball in Mesquite. I can't believe he is a Senior this year! I think Brandon is looking forward to not attending any Snow Canyon sporting events soon :)! We love to watch Eric play; he is so very talented.

Chloe is such a good little girl in the car. She sleeps most of the time, and we read books, sing songs, and watch the John Mayer video on Brandon's blackberry the rest of the time. Thank heavens for John Mayer!

The week after Thanksgiving, Eric's Madrigal Choir sang at Temple Square. We braved the FREEZING cold to go listen to them sing. Chloe loved the concert; she slept through the whole thing. She was NOT a fan of the cold...she must take after her mom :)!

Little Bug

2009-11-21T00:21:00.002-07:00

Chloe is getting big so very fast! We visited the pediatrician on Monday for her FOUR MONTH check. Her stats are below:

Weight: 13 pounds 3 ounces (50%)
Height: 25 inches (75 - 90%)
Head: 42.5 centimeters (75%)

Here are her two month stats:

Weight: 9 pounds (10 - 15%)
Height: 21.5 inches (75%)
Head: ...for some reason I don't have this measurement...

AND her two weeks stats:

Weight: 6 pounds 15 ounces (10%)
Height: 20.5 inches (75%)
Head: 36 centimeters (25 -50%)

Chloe has finally started growing. She started eating rice cereal a few weeks ago, and she LOVES it! Her favorite fruits and veggies are apples, pears, and sweet potatoes. I had been feeding her cereal when she was sitting in her bumbo chair, but she started to squirm around too much so I moved her into her high chair. Chloe gets a little anxious when I don't get the cereal to her mouth fast enough, and she starts eating the tray on her high chair. She is such a funny little girl...she must have Brandon's personality. We just laugh at our tiny baby sitting in her huge high chair.

Chloe rolled over several weeks ago. Now, she is a rolling machine. As soon as she is on her tummy, she flips to her back. She loves to play with her feet, and she has started taking off her socks. Chloe has turned into a little chatterbox. She used to just coo so sweetly, but now she just yells at us all of the time :)! She has FINALLY started to nap during the day. I put her in her swing around 9:30 and 3:00, crank it up as fast as it will go, blast the awesome music that her swing plays, and she's asleep in about five minutes. Her swing is turning out to be a great investment.

We went to St. George last weekend for Brandon to play in a golf tournament...I'm always game for a trip to St. George :)! It was nice to visit with my family. My mom, Liz and I took a few trips to Christensen's and did a bit of sewing.

I've started putting up all of my Christmas decor...Brandon's gonna kill me. I insisted that we have a tree upstairs, downstairs and in Chloe's room. What was I thinking...gotta love the holidays :)!

Tr!cK oR TrEat!!

2009-10-31T23:16:00.002-06:00

Happy Halloween!!!

XOXO - Brandon, Emily & Chloe (our little Pumpkin Princess :)! )

Tiny Miss Chloe

2009-10-11T23:20:00.005-06:00

Our little Chloe is already THREE MONTHS old! I simply cannot believe it. She is so much fun! I love watching her little personality developing. She is a little chatter box, especially after a bath or during a diaper change. Chloe looks just like her daddy. We recently went to a wedding reception where I was asked why she looks so much like her dad even though I had do to all the work to get her here :)! She is getting so very big. We went to visit her new friend, Breckyn, and we were amazed at how huge Chloe looked. Chloe is a very good sleeper at night; she hits the sack around 9:00-10:00pm and has been waking up around 8:00am. Her new bedtime gives Brandon and I a chance to listen to the awesome spanish radio station that our baby monitor picks up :)! I returned to work. (YUCK!) It actually hasn't been too bad. I really love my job, and it has been so comforting to know that I am leaving Chloe with her dad, who loves her almost as much as I do ;)! Chloe is a very good girl while her dad is watching her; she just sleeps the whole time. It is amazing how she has become our whole life. We just love her so very much!

Here are a few pictures of our little bug - I can never catch her smiling!

Chloe and Brandon hard at work in Brandon's office. This is how I found them one day after work! Brandon had just re-dressed Chloe after a terrible diaper. When I returned home after my first day back, they both met me in the garage :)!

Chloe's serious face

Chloe and her tiny friend, Breckyn

Just lounging on Mom and Dad's bed

Chloe always sleeps with her hands clenched in fists above her head.

A Blessing from Above

2009-09-14T15:40:00.002-06:00

Chloe's special blessing day was Sunday, September 6th. Brandon gave Chloe a beautiful blessing. It was such a very sweet experience. As Brandon and I reflected upon things we would want for Chloe in her life, I was just overwhelmed by what a little miracle she is. We just love her so much! We had a little lunch with our family and friends after her blessing! We are so grateful that Chloe will grow up surrounded by so many people who love her! (I'm a little teary thinking about it :)! ) It really was beautiful day!

Chloe was VERY grumpy when we were trying to take pictures in her blessing dress!

A Few "Firsts"

2009-09-01T23:37:00.005-06:00

I can't believe that our little Chloe is almost two months old! The time has just flown by, and she is just our little angel. It has been fun to experience a few "firsts" with Chloe.

First nap in her big crib

First trip to the salon

First Snow Canyon football game

First trip to St. George

First softball game with Dad

First Weber County Fair

Newborn Portraits

2009-07-30T20:19:00.008-06:00

We had Chloe's pictures taken when she was just 8 days old. Here's a little peak at a few of our many favorites. Our photographer, Mikki, was wonderful; check out her blog "Captured by Mikki."

Chloe Mae

2009-07-20T21:53:00.005-06:00

On July 9th at 10:39pm, Brandon and I were blessed with the arrival of our sweet little girl. She is just a miracle! Chloe Mae weighed 7 lbs 5 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. The adventure started at our appointment with our midwife on Wednesday night; she determined that my blood pressure was too high and scheduled a medical induction for Thursday morning. We arrived at the hospital and experienced a very long day waiting for Pitocin to kick in. The actual active labor portion of our day at the hopsital went very smoothly and was very easy. I feel so lucky! Brandon kicked right into "Dad" mode. He was such an awesome support thoughout the delivery, and he is such a natural with Chloe.

Chloe is an absolute angel! She has a broken collar bone, but she has been such a brave girl. We love her so much, even if she doesn't sleep at all at night :)!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of the visits, texts, flowers, and phone calls. We are so grateful for our family and friends!

A Father Indeed

2009-06-23T23:23:00.009-06:00

I shared this video during my Relief Society lesson on Father's Day. Brandon and I thought it captured the love of a Father perfectly. It really is worth watching. (Just click on the text below, and you'll be sent to the video.)

A Father Indeed

I am fortunate to have great "Fathers" in my life...I've been thinking about how lucky I was to have a dad who was so willing to teach his little girl important things. When I was young, my dad would read to me every night; we burned through Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, and The Swan Princess. He shared his talents with me and helped me to develop my talents. I remain so grateful for his constant support.

We celebrated Father's Day with Brandon's family. His dad is one of Brandon's favorite golf companions, and they continue to cultivate their shared love of hidden "treasures" from the D.I. (most of which are on shelves in my garage...). Brandon has inherited a few fun characteristics from his dad; they both love to tease tiny kids. Our nieces are very concerned that this constant pestering will be the story of our daughter's life. We are thankful for all that Lee does for us.

It is crazy to think of my husband as a father...I can't believe it will be here so soon! Brandon will be a truly wonderful, sweet dad. I'm pretty sure that our little girl will quickly wrap him around her fingers. We were discussing our parenting tactics a few nights ago, and he declared that he will just let me discipline our daughter so that he can comfort her and be the nice parent. He informed me that he'll just say to her, "Oh, come here, Sweetheart. Mom is so mean, huh?" (Brandon's exact words, I swear!) I know that Brandon will be a fantastic dad; I can't imagine anyone better to help raise our daughter.

Just a quick update on the baby...um, she's HUGE! Okay, maybe not huge, but she's certainly a healthy gal. It all makes me a little nervous...yikes! I'm feeling great; I worry that maybe I am feeling a little too good. I'd like to be in the "timing contractions" stage soon, and I'm just not seeing any sign of that. Apparently, I am the queen of amniotic fluid. When we measure on our ultrasounds I am at the top of the "normal" amniotic fluid range which, coupled with our growing gal, is making me feel super, super large. I love it though...I feel so grateful that everything has been so smooth with the pregnancy. I just can't wait to see her...hopefully sooner rather than later :)! Our AMAZING family has thrown WONDERFUL baby showers for us! I am overwhelmed by everyone's kindness and generosity. We love you all!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!!!

2009-05-27T15:17:00.002-06:00

Today we celebrate Brandon's special day. We've had a "week long" celebration in his honor. On Monday, Memorial Day, we enjoyed a BBQ and swimming with his family, Tuesday night we went to the Taylor Swift concert, and today, he's spending the day at Wolf Creek golfing. We'll wrap up celebrations for Brandon tonight with a couple's massage! Phew! He is one lucky boy!

I'm so thankful for Brandon. He is such a great husband; he makes my job as his wife easy. He is constantly making me laugh, and he always is kind and supportive. He really is my "life's delight." As we enter the world of parenthood, I am so grateful that he will be by my side; I can't imagine anyone who will be a bettter father. He has been so patient with me, even though he is ready to be done having a pregnant wife :)! I appreciate all that he does for me and our little family. I am lucky to have him! Happy Birthday, Brand!

HUGE Update

2009-05-18T16:16:00.006-06:00

First - here is a quick picture from Easter. We celebrated in St. George with my family, and it was wonderful! My parents are always so generous!

Second - We enjoyed a very fun "Family Vacation" with Brandon's family a few weeks ago. We spent three days in Disneyland and one day in Sea World. It really was a blast! I don't know that I would ever return while 7+ months pregnant...I had very swollen ankles (and a swollen face, I swear!). The kids LOVE Brandon, and it was fun to see them enjoy Disneyland and Sea World.

Third - So, I'm a little late on Mother's Day...I'm so very grateful for my mom. I don't know what I would ever do without her. She has taught me so much, and she continues to be such a support to me. I hope the one day I can be half the "wonder woman" that she is. Brandon's mom has always been and continues to be so supportive of us. I'm thankful for her! Mother's Day gave me a nice opportunity to think about the mantle of "motherhood" that will shortly rest upon my shoulders. I hope that I am ready for such a huge responsibility!

Finally - My AMAZING friends threw me a wonderful baby shower this weekend! It was really so very nice! They are all such talented girls, and I am so grateful for all of my friends and their support. Everyone's kindness was really overwhelming. Thank you for making sure our tiny girl will be well taken care of!!!

Sew what?!

2009-05-01T13:19:00.007-06:00

So, I'm not really the world's best blogger. I just barely make a post every month! It's awesome, right?

Anyway...with the upcoming arrival of our little girl, we have been trying to get everything in order at our house. The basement is coming along. Who knew that when you drywall your unfinished basement it covers your entire house with an incredibly messy layer of dust?! It was a freaking mess! We have furniture ordered for the nursery, and I'm just hoping it will all come together before she gets here! I have been set on sewing her bedding...I think I just had some temporary insanity going on...Luckily, I found a crib set that Brandon and I both really like (who knew he would actually care what colors are in her nursery :)!!). So, my "bedding plan" has changed. I'll be buying the crib set and just making a super cute quilt for her.

I'm getting a little nervous that I'm in the third trimester...I mean seriously, do I even know how to take care of a baby?!?! There is just a TON of stuff that we need to check off of our "to do list" before we bring her home. I'm sure that we'll make it...somehow...

My new favorite article of clothing is maternity jeans! Ha! I swear I wear them everyday! I especially recommend the pair above from Motherhood Maternity, otherwise known as "the pregnant girl store in the mall (Brandon HATES this place!)."

My most recent purchase from Motherhood Maternity was a pregnant girl swimsuit for an upcoming vacation. Let me tell you, it is hottest piece of swimwear I have ever owned! It's like a stinking muumuu with swimsuit bottoms. When I tried on my new swimsuit, I just started laughing! It's awesome! I was in the Buckle getting a b-day present for Liz, and I seriously am excited to wear my normal-non-pregnant-lady clothes. Gotta love it! At least my shoes still fit :)!

Our daffodils and tulips are finally blooming. It's a miracle because it has been a very cold, rainy spring. I swear I still miss St. George weather. Somehow I manage to be the world's best weed grower. I can kill every other plant, but the weeds thrive.

Whew! That was a long rambling post!

Baby Update

2009-04-02T19:06:00.005-06:00

We had our targeted ultrasound on Tuesday. I was a little nervous; I just want everything to be okay with our little one. Everything looked great. She is growing right on track and everything seems to be developing appropriately. It is crazy to see her move around. She is a wiggle worm; the Ultrasonographer had a hard time getting a clear shot of anything because the baby was moving so much. Our tiny girl has really long legs, long fingers and a tiny nose. It's just amazing! We feel so lucky to have her!

Here is a blurry profile shot. She was smashed against the placenta, and she was moving her little head all around. Her arm is up by her ear; she kept putting her hands by her face. We think she's darling!

I'm feeling great, kinda feeling a little large, but really good. I am feeling the baby move constantly now. I haven't been throwing up quite as much; it keeps catching me off guard though :)! No belly pictures...I'm still not so comfortable with normal pictures, let alone pictures of my huge baby belly! Ha!

Golf & Gadgets

2009-03-10T17:48:00.008-06:00

It's been a busy month for us! We spent a LONG weekend in St. George. My parents were on a cruise, and I spent last Tuesday through Sunday in Santa Clara "managing" my brother, Eric. He was so, so, so busy. It was baseball tryouts, the end of the quarter, and some huge Madrigals concert. It made me wonder how I ever balanced high school. It was fun to be able to spend time with Eric. He is an amazing guy, and I am always so impressed by him. Liz came down from Cedar to spend the weekend with us. It was a BLAST!

Brandon spent Thursday through Sunday on a "Boys Trip," golfing everyday at various courses around St. George. Luckily, the weather held out, and he enjoyed a few great rounds of golf. Here's a picture of my "Golf Hunk" ;) and the group he played with at Coral Canyon.

Brandon, Norm, JD, & Lee

I recently tested out a few new "cleaning items." I thought I'd save everyone a little hassle and a little cash by including my review of the products :)!

This one does NOT work:

But this one does:

Happy Cleaning :)!

Sugar & Spice

2009-02-12T11:56:00.003-07:00

Tuesday was our last OB appointment, and we were informed that....

We are so SURPRISED!!! I don't know why, but we have been planning on a boy throughout the pregnancy. So much for my "Mother's Intuition!" When our midwife broke the news, I just started laughing. I think that Brandon just about passed out! Honestly, we haven't even considered that it would be a little girl; we only have a list of boy names that we like. Now, we are just so excited that a "little princess" will be joining our family. Brandon has officially imposed a strict budget so that I don't just go overboard on purchasing cute things for her to wear ;)!

Love at First Sight...

2009-01-21T22:24:00.004-07:00

After a VERY long wait, we are so happy to FINALLY be expecting a baby! We'll be adding a new addition to our family in July 2009. We've made it through the first trimester and survived morning sickness, otherwise known as random-all-day-sickness. Our little one is growing right on schedule. We are completely thrilled!

Temple Square

2008-12-16T22:20:00.006-07:00

On Friday, we were able to listen to Eric sing at Temple Square with the Madrigals. He was AWESOME! I can't believe how talented he is...lucky kid! After his concerts, we wandered around Temple Square enjoying the lights. It was beautiful! I love Temple Square, especially with the lights. It was a fun was to feel a little of the Spirit of the Season.

Also...a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Liz! She was accepted into the Nursing program at SUU! Woohoo! She will be a fabulous nurse!

Four Fabulous Years!!!

2008-12-10T17:51:00.002-07:00

Today is our FOUR YEAR Anniversary! I can't believe it; the time has just flown by. I am so happy to be married to Brandon. He is such a fun, patient, and kind guy. I really don't know what I would do without him. I am so grateful for our relationship, and I know that the years to come will bring great things. I love you, Brandon!

Happy Birthday Emily

2008-11-10T15:20:00.002-07:00

I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to my sweet wife.

Sleepless in Seattle & Happy Halloween

2008-11-02T13:15:00.005-07:00

Last week I traveled to Seattle for a CareerMD Physician Job Fair at the University of Washington. I tried to convince Brandon to join me on the quick trip, but I ended up traveling alone. I love Seattle! I happened to arrive on an absolutely beautiful fall day. I checked into my hotel and worked on a few important projects. Then, I decided that there was no sense in staying locked in my hotel room all day. I jumped in my rental car and drove down to Pike's Place Market. It was such a fun way to spend the afternoon. I then headed to the University of Washington. The campus is really stunning. What was I thinking going to Weber State intead of the University of Washington?! It turned out to be a really great trip. I'm still trying to convince Brandon that we need to make a trip back to Seattle in the Spring. Here are a few pictures, taken with my Blackberry, from my adventure at Pike's Place Market.

I returned home on Tuesday night, and we enjoyed the fresh shrimp I'd brought home from Seattle with Bryce, Shannon, and Mariah. On Thursday, I buzzed up to Idaho Falls to meet with the Administration at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. It was a whirlwind week that ended with a very fun Halloween. On Halloween, we had our neighbors, The Austins, over for dinner before heading over to The Hess' to enjoy a movie and treats with friends. Of course, no Halloween would be complete without dressing up our dog...we are freaking pathetic! For your enjoyment, here is a picture of Chopper decked out in his Pimp costume!

MAN TAG

2008-10-24T22:38:00.010-06:00

Thanks, Shannon!

What is your husband's full name: Brandon Alan

How long have you been married? Almost 4 years...CRAZY!

How long did you date? Um...About 6-8 weeks. Absolutely ridiculous, I know. However, we were engaged for 6 months.

How old is he? 25

Who eats more sweets? I do, for sure. Brandon can take treats or leave them, but I love them.

Who said "I love you" first? Brandon; shortly after we met, obviously. He was absolutely smitten ;), and I was thrilled.

Who is taller? Brandon is about seven inches taller than me.

Who can sing best? Brandon is not exactly musically gifted. I would dare say that I am a better singer.

Who is smarter? Brandon is very rational and intelligent. He really has an extensive knowledge of real estate, lending, and other areas of his field. He has a great understanding of "guy stuff;" sports, building things, yard work, etc. However, I would have to say that I am also an intelligent person...after all, I did "help" Brandon make it through his English courses at WSU. We certainly compliment one another well.

Who does the laundry? Laundry is a shared chore at our house. Lately, I have been responsible for the majority of our wash, but Brandon is always willing to help out. I'm lucky to have a husband who is so willing to help around the house.

Who pays the bills? Brandon is very financially responsible. He is currently handling all of our bills, but I have done them in the past.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Brandon sleeps on the right side near the door, which allows him to be in the prime position to protect me when some scary guy breaks in :).

Who mows the lawn? Brandon, always. I have never mowed the lawn in my life.

Who cooks dinner? We both do. Dinner is usually a joint effort. Brandon does handle all of the grilling at our house.

Who drives? It doesn't matter if we are riding in my car or in his car, Brandon ALWAYS drives. He is afraid to ride with me. He thinks that I am a terrible driver, but I assure you that I am very safe and cautious.

Who kissed who first? Brandon kissed me at a party just a few days after he returned from his mission, and it must have been amazing because we've been together ever since :)!

Who asked who out first? Brandon asked me out first. Our first date was very fun. We fell head over heels for one another.

Who wears the pants? We definitely both wear the pants. He really is so patient with me.

I love you, Brandon!

I tag: Shelby, Aloha, and Erin

My 6 Quirks

2008-10-08T21:48:00.004-06:00

I've been tagged to identify six of my quirks. I know I do a lot of unusual things, but it's crazy how they just become part of your everyday life. Here are six I could think of:

1. Whenever I have a drink, whether it is water at my house or pop from a store, I must have LOTS of ice in my glass. I can't stand it when a beverage is not freezing cold.

2. I HATE camping. I do not like sleeping outside, not washing my hair, or not having access to running water. It's a cabin or hotel for me.

3. I always make Brandon go check to make sure all of the doors are locked before I fall asleep. Sometimes I even wake him up if he's fallen asleep before me. I'm totally paranoid.

4. I worry too much about things that I cannot control. I'm a total worrier. I swear that I am an panic attack waiting to happen.

5. I am a planner. I like to have everything all mapped out. I like to know what is going to happen, when it will happen, and how I will be involved.

6. I always have the ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookies on hand. I really enjoy baking, and I like to be able to whip up a batch if we have people over or if I need to take a treat to someone.

Know you know a few really weird things about me. Fabulous! I tag Shannon, Jyl, and Brooke.

Homecoming!

2008-10-05T23:52:00.004-06:00

We spent Conference Weekend in St. George with my family. It was Eric's Homecoming game and dance. It is ALWAYS good to see my family and ALWAYS nice to be in St. George. I love it! I am lucky that Brandon is willing to make the long drive so frequently.

Eric at the Homecoming Game! It was fun to visit SCHS. I have such great memories of my time there. Homecoming was always my favorite!

Eric's Homecoming Group. They enjoyed dinner at my parent's house. Everything was BEAUTIFUL! Eric and his cute date are on the left end.

My dad took Mom and me on a JEEPING adventure. It was very fun, and we enjoyed some great scenery!

PLUS - Conference was AMAZING! I can't wait to read and study all of the talks!

Sweet Sewing Table

2008-09-23T21:01:00.004-06:00

Brandon has always been a big fan of refinishing old furniture. When we got married he refinished an old trunk for me (or maybe for himself, but I like to think it was for me ;)!) He really enjoys it. We actually have a bedroom set in our garage awaiting a new coat of paint, some beadboard, and some distressing.

A few weeks ago, we were visiting some of Brandon's favorite spots to find refinishing "projects," and we found an old sewing machine table for just $8! I was so excited! We cleaned the table up, painted/stained, and added some very chic glass drawer pulls. Luckily, we found the cutest chair; I was looking for something really different and fun. We painted the chair black and recovered the seat with a pretty neutral fabric, but it will be easy to switch it up if I decide to make a decorating change. I'm loving it! I actually have been putting it to good use while making little hair bows for my cute neighbor girl. The table actually expands to accomodate a sewing machine and fabric. We have placed the sewing table in the guest room temporarily, just until we finish the basement and I can have the craft room of my dreams :)!

Bring Us Peace

2008-09-11T21:13:00.005-06:00

September 11th opens a flood of emotions and memories for me. As I have reflected on the significance of this day, my heart mourns for the great loss that our nation suffered, and continues to suffer, due to the tragic events of that fateful day. As our country remains engaged in war, in a state of political unrest, and plagued by economic frailty, I choose to believe that America stands on the shoulders of a noble legacy laid by our forefathers; I choose to trust that the greatness of the United States will flourish and endure. I am grateful for all the men and women who sacrifice so much to ensure that I can live in the "land of the free and the home of the brave."

On September 11, 2001, I penned the words to the song below. A few days later, my friend and I wrote "Bring Us Peace."

Bring Us Peace - Emily Carter

Couples Golf League Champions!!!

2008-08-28T19:48:00.006-06:00

Brandon and I have been playing in a couples golf league all summer. It has really been fun, and it has certainly stretched my golf skills. Last night was the league championship, and we WON! Amazing! Brandon played awesome, and I, as usual, played my normal hit and miss game.

At the start of the league, everyone pledged $100 as a prize for whoever made a hole in one. Last night Brandon was NEARLY the winner of all the cash. He almost made a hole in one. He hit the perfect shot that landed about 8 inches above the cup and rolled back toward the cup. The ball dipped in the hole only to shoot up the flag and roll out. Brandon was super bummed! It was still pretty amazing.

Last Friday marked the start of Snow Canyon Football. My family (minus Liz) met at the game in Salt Lake. It was fun to watch Eric play and see the family. Good luck this season Eric!

Week in Review

2008-08-04T21:58:00.003-06:00

We've been trying to squeeze the most out of our summer, and I'm confident that we (by "we" I mean mostly Brandon) have been spending WAY too much time golfing. It's been "Tournament Heaven" around here. On Friday and Saturday Brandon played in the UGA Cache Valley Open. He's scheduled to play in another on this coming Friday. Between his golf and our couples league, he is really enjoying himself. Golf is his true love, what can I say.

Summer softball came to a close last week. It was a fun season. I am a major fan of spending an hour catching up with the girls while we casually watch our husbands play. For now, I'm enjoying the break until Fall Softball starts...Brandon has already committed to play two nights a week!

On Saturday night we went to Lagoon with Shannon and Bryce. It was a blast. Bryce talked Brandon into riding Wicked, and for those of you who know Brandon, riding Wicked is a major accomplishment for him. He is not a fan of rides, at all. He was hilarious, and when all was said and done he admitted that it really isn't that bad. We had so much fun; we even had our passes validated so that we can "bounce back!"

Belated Birthdays!

2008-07-27T22:57:00.005-06:00

Eric celebrated SWEET SIXTEEN on Monday. He is the most amazing guy! I am so proud of him. Eric is seriously my favorite kid. He is an incredible athlete, a talented singer and pianist, and the best snowboarder! I love hanging out with him, and I wish that I didn't live so freaking far away:)! Plus, he can officially drive now! Phew! I hope that your birthday and freaking cool surprise party were awesome!

It was also my sister-in-law Brooke's birthday on Monday. We celebrated with a little b-day dinner tonight. She and Ethan are so happy together, and I am glad that she is part of our family!

Caldwell, Concert, and Celebration

2008-07-05T23:25:00.005-06:00

Sometimes I get so caught up in what I want to be happening in my life that I forget to focus on all of the genuinely great things in my life...I'm using this post to identify some of the ways that we are "seriously so blessed."

Earlier this month I spent bulk of the week in Caldwell, Idaho at the hospital that I recruit for, West Valley Medical Center, entertaining physicians through a round of interviews. It was a very successful trip, even better than I imagined. I really love my job, and I have to remind myself how lucky I am to be in a situation that allows me to progress and grow professionally.

Brandon and I purchased tickets to the Lady Antebellum concert at the
Ogden Amphitheater several weeks ago. Eric, Liz, and Ethan and Brooke were able to get tickets and join us for the concert. It was AMAZING!!! Brandon and I were super close to the stage, and Lady Antebellum was seriously fantastic. It was one of the best concerts I've been to. We went a little picture crazy, and I've included a few shots below.

We spent the 4th of July at Brandon's parents' with friends and family enjoying the pool. It turned out to be a great day. Then, we caught the Plain City fireworks with our neighbors, Amber and Darren. I am really thankful for the reminder that Independence Day brings. It is a celebration of the values that fundamentally allow us to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I'm grateful for those who pave the way for us to enjoy the abundance that America offers.

Today, we went to breakfast with my Aunt Kathy and her girls to celebrate Kathy's birthday. She is an amazing lady, and I am lucky that she lives close to me. I sometimes feel like my family is so far away, but I know that I can always count on Kathy for when I just need some "family support." After breakfast, we spent HOURS pulling weeds in our yard...at least we can grow something, even if it is just weeds ;)!

Wedding Photos....Finally!

2008-06-29T16:07:00.003-06:00

Finally...pictures from Ethan and Brooke's wedding!

Happy Fathers' Day!

2008-06-15T13:12:00.003-06:00

I am so lucky to have a wonderful dad! He has provided me a solid foundation to build my life upon. He has always shown me to do what is right, and he constantly encourages me to reach for my dreams. My dad has been and continues to be a tremendous support to me. I know that I can always count on him for counsel and advice in difficult situations. He really is such a blessing in my life, and I am so grateful for him!

I am also thankful for Brandon's dad. I am so happy that I have such a great father-in-law. Lee has done so much for us. We can always turn to him for answers to life's difficult questions, like if calla lilies are perennials :). He has raised a wonderful son. I really believed that Lee was instrumental in showing Brandon how to have fun!

Brandon and I are lucky to have really outstanding parents who have paved a smooth path for us to follow. I know that one day Brandon will also be a wonderful dad. He is a "kid magnet," our nieces and nephews and all of our little neighbors just adore him. Today I am also so grateful for him!

Happy Fathers' Day to my dad, Brandon's dad, our grandfathers, and my amazing husband!!!

Saturday Summer Swim

2008-06-14T17:21:00.003-06:00

It is FINALLY warm enough for us to swim. Today we headed up to Brandon's parents for a dip in the pool. All of our nieces and nephews were there to join in the fun. They are all very good swimmers, and we had a blast with them!

Jake was being hilarious. He is quite the dancer, and he loves to jam out with Brandon. Jake was shaking his stuff on the diving board, and I caught these cute videos!

Wedding Bells

2008-06-13T16:05:00.003-06:00

We enjoyed a wild wedding weekend! Ethan and Brooke were married in St. George on June 12th. It was a really great day, and everything turned out to be wonderful! The ceremony was beautiful, the luncheon was very fun, and the reception was fabulous! Brooke's cake was seriously amazing! She was a very pretty bride. I am so happy for them. CONGRATULATIONS, Ethan and Brooke!

Their wedding day was crazy, busy...so crazy, in fact, that I did not even bring my camera! In all actuality, Brandon and I didn't take a single picture together all day! Are we dumb, or what?!? I was pretty upset when I realized that we had been all decked out all day, but we hadn't captured a single image of the day. Fortunately, my mom has pictures of Brandon and I at the wedding individually, but I forgot to load them onto my computer before we left! I am losing it, I swear!

This week has been a nice return to our "normal" life. I've been catching up on work and housework. We seriously are looking forward to dedicating time to finishing our yard. Plus, Brandon has convinced me to start golfing. We joined a couples golf league, and we will be playing every Wednesday evening. I am excited. We have played a couple of rounds, and I can't get enough of it. Who knew? Brandon's favorite hobby is rubbing off on me.

Yesterday, we attended the St. Mark's Hospital Golf Tournament at Thanksgiving Point. My branch of the company sponsored a hole, and I got to sit at the tee for the day. When I arrived, a colleague asked if Brandon would be interested in golfing during the afternoon round. He drove down to play, and while he was at the driving range the guy next to him turned and said, "This sure isn't like playing basketball." (Or something like that...) Brandon replied that it definitely wasn't, and then Brandon noticed that the guy was Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz! D Will was preparing for an upcoming golf event at Thanksgiving Point. We saw him several times throughout the day, but everyone decided that we would just leave Deron to his golf. So, Brandon enjoyed free golf and a brush with one of his favorite basketball players.

Now, we are headed into the weekend ready to check a few items off our "To Do List." Hopefully, it will end up being as productive as I have planned :)!

QUICK St. George Trip

2008-06-02T10:08:00.002-06:00

We buzzed down to St. George for the weekend, well for 24 hours. Ethan's fiance, Brooke, went through the temple Saturday night, and we went to St. George to go with her. It was a fun, quick trip! Poor Chopper had to endure 4 hours in the car two days in a row!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!!!

2008-05-27T08:58:00.004-06:00

Today is Brandon's 25th Birthday! Brandon is genuinely an incredible guy. He is the biggest blessing in my life. He always reminds me that there is more to life than just being completely stressed out. Brandon is a wonderful example of patience and love. I am and will forever be so very thankful for him. It really is hard for me to express what he means to me. I love you, Brand! Enjoy your birthday!

Here are a few pictures of Brandon's Party.

Las Vegas Trip!

2008-05-25T22:54:00.007-06:00

Brandon and I spent the last four days in Las Vegas with friends. It was a blast! We flew out of SLC on Thursday morning very early, too early for me. When we arrived in Vegas, we checked into our hotel, Caeser's Palace, and hit the pool. Thursday night, we had dinner at the Bobby Flay resturaunt MESA. Dinner was delicious. Later, we went to the Cirque Du Soleil show "O." It was honestly AMAZING!

On Friday, we met up with more friends and spent the day shopping. All I can say is that I seriously wish that there was still a Nordstrom in Ogden. Friday night we went to the Excalibur to watch the dinner show "Tournament of Kings." Prior to the show we were messing around in the arcade. Brandon was having so much fun! He is a hilarious guy and always the life of the party. He won this HUGE stuffed horse while playing skee ball. I could not believe I was going to have to carry a massive horse around with us all night. We decided to give the horse away, and it brought the biggest smile to a little boy's face (I'm sure his parents were thrilled that they had to carry around a great big horse!). The dinner show was fun, and it was just really nice to be able to get away with friends.

We hit the outlet mall on Saturday. Brandon found a few (3!) pairs of shoes for his birthday, and I found a great pair of earrings. Saturday night we ate at my all-time favorite steakhouse, Smith & Wollensky. It was a very nice dinner; great food and great company.

Today, we walked through The Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace. In the "Field of Dreams" store, baseball great Pete Rose was signing autographs. Brandon and Bryce got to meet him, and I snapped a quick picture. Then, we headed home.

It was a great trip, and I genuinely enjoyed the time away. It was fun to spend quality time with Brandon and a few of our great friends!

The Grass is Greener...

2008-05-21T20:10:00.003-06:00

Whew! Now that I have completed my obligations after being "tagged," I can post an update on the happenings at the Nanney house :)!

Over the weekend we laid sod in our front yard and more than we had anticipated in our backyard. We had ordered enough sod for the front, and we were planning on seeding the backyard. However, we overestimated, as did our neighbors, and we ended up with a good sized patch of grass out back. It was tough work, but we had lots of help from our amazing neighbors and ward. We would have never made it without them. I am so grateful for everyone's help. Brandon worked so hard, and I'm so proud of all the work he has already put into our yard. We still need to add plants, trees, and seed the back, but we are on our way to a fully landscaped yard.

Last week was my sister Liz's birthday. She turned 20! Wow! Liz an amazing girl, and honestly one of my very best friends. I am so grateful for her and so proud of the person she has become. My family was in town for the weekend, and we celebrated her birthday with the most fabulous cake! Love ya, Liz!

(The picture is a little, okay a lot, scary! It was taken after we had laid sod all day...)

Tag #2

2008-05-21T19:53:00.003-06:00

Here is the second tag:

What you're supposed to do.....delete my answers and type in your own. Don't forget to tag four people.

A)Four places I go over and over:
1. My parents' house in Santa Clara
2. Brandon's parents' house
3. The Mall - specifically Express and Buckle
4. My office in Bountiful

B)Four people who email me the most:
1. Mostly contacts from work
2.
3.
4.

C)Four of my favorite foods:
1. Cafe Rio Salads
2. Chips and Cheese
3. Turkey Sandwiches
4. Anything sweet

D)Four Places in which I would rather be right now:
1. Hawaii
2. On a cruise
3. Lake Powell
4. St. George

E)Four people I'm tagging:
1. Erin
2. Ashlee B.
3. Laurel
4. Kristen

F)Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. I'm not really a movie fan...I get too anxious...
2.
3.
4.

Tag #1

2008-05-21T18:40:00.003-06:00

I have been tagged TWICE!!! Here is the first...

ABC's "getting to know you" TAG ABC's of you.Each player then tags 3 people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

A- Attached or single: Definitely attached
B- Best Friend: My family...Brandon, Mom, Dad, Ethan, Liz, & Eric
C-Cake or Pie: Cake
D-Day: Saturday
E- Essential Item: Jergens Lotion
F- Favorite Color: Pink
G-Gummi Bears or Worms: Either, but only red and white
H-Home town: Santa Clara, UT
I- Indulgences: Shopping, swimming, sleeping in
J- January or July?: July, I'm still a St. George girl at heart!
K-Kids: Not yet
L-Life is incomplete without: My family
M- Marriage Date: December 4, 2004
N- Number of Siblings: 3 - 2 brothers and one sister
O- Oranges or Apples: Oranges
P- Phobias or Fears: Regretting my decisions
Q- Quote: "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us."
R- Reason To Smile: We've started landscaping
S- Season: Summer
T- Tag Three: Nicole, Shelby and Steph Hess
U- Unknown fact about me: I hate doing laundry.
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: I am not a vegetarian, but I am pretty much against animal cruelty...including Sea World.
W- Worst Habit: Biting my nails
X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds; I've had too many of them lately.
Y-Your favorite food: Frozen yogurt
Z: Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Happy Mothers' Day!

2008-05-11T20:42:00.006-06:00

I would feel so completely ungrateful if I didn't take an opportunity to recognize my wonderful mother on Mothers' Day. I have been blessed with the most incredible mom. She has been and continues to be an amazing example of service, love, and hard work. My mom has been a constant source of comfort and friendship. She has been diligent in encouraging me to do my best and to never settle for mediocrity. My mom is an inspiring person. She is so very skilled and successful in her profession, and I aspire to be more like her. I am so very thankful for my "Angel Mother."

I am also very lucky to have a wonderful mother-in-law. Brandon's mom has always welcomed me willingly into her family. When Brandon expressed to her his desire to marry me just a few days after returning from his mission, she offered her full support and love. My mother-in-law raised a wonderful son, and I will be forever grateful for all that she has done and continues to do for my cute husband.

I had the opportunity to sing in church today, and I thought that I would post the lyrics from the song.

An Angel to Watch Over Me
By Sally DeFord

She watched by my cradle through long sleepless nights.
She taught me to pray as she knelt by my side.
She guarded my childhood and all through the years
She echoed my laughter, she counted my tears.
In the arms of my mother, I came to believe
That God sent an angel to watch over me.

She taught me the meaning of courage and faith.
She taught me to live with the Lord as my strength.
She taught me to follow the pathway He marked.
She guided my steps when the journey grew dark,
and I know there were dangers that I could not see.
But God sent an Angel to watch over me.

She taught me to serve with a spirit that sings.
She taught me to seek after heavenly things.
And because of her love and her kindness and care,
Because of the place that I hold in her prayers,
and because of her goodness,
I still believe that God sent an angel to watch over me.

Whirlwind Week

2008-05-03T23:34:00.002-06:00

It has been a crazy, busy week. Last Saturday Brandon and I went to the Dierks Bently concert with our friends Bryce and Shannon. It was a blast! We grabbed dinner at Ruth's Chris prior to the concert. It is now Brandon's new favorite place. The whole night was very fun!

I spent the week in Charleston, South Carolina attending meetings for work. Charleston is an amazing city. It has such a rich history. One night we took a horse drawn carriage through town on the way to dinner. The old historical buildings are absolutely beautiful. There is a really cool open air market right in the heart of town. Charleston was a great city, certainly a place I would like to visit again.

Today, my cousin, Autumn, was baptized. My family came up from St. George. It was a great day. Autumn is a beautiful girl, and I am so proud of her. It was a really nice day. It's always nice to see my family.

Happy Birthday Calton Girls!

2008-04-25T13:14:00.002-06:00

My cute cousins Abby and Autumn are celebrating their birthdays this week. Abby turned 13 on the 24th, and Autumn will be 8 on the 27th. On Wednesday, we went to dinner at the Timbermine to celebrate. It was delicious! They are both darling girls, and I am lucky to live so close to them.

GO JAZZ!!!

2008-04-21T22:42:00.002-06:00

It is playoff time, and we are now focusing our lives around the next big Jazz game. It is apparently very important for Brandon to not miss a single minute of any Jazz game. Unfortunately, I do not share his enthusiasm and love for Jazz basketball, but I am always up for getting together with our friends. Meeting up to watch the Jazz has become our latest hobby. We had some of our friends over tonight for dinner and the big game. It is always nice for the girls to catch up and the guys to scream at the TV during the game...Everyone ends up having a great time! We are lucky to have such good friends. Plus, the Jazz have a 2 game lead in the series, and that is certainly a reason to celebrate!

I made fruit dip to go with dinner tonight, and I thought I'd share the recipe.

FRUIT DIP

1 package Cook & Serve Vanilla Flavored Pudding
1 tub of Cool Whip
1 small carton of Buttermilk

Mix buttermilk and pudding until pudding is dissolved, fold in Cool Whip, chill and serve with your favorite fruit.

FUN in the SUN

2008-04-07T21:55:00.003-06:00

Brandon and I spent the weekend in sunny St. George with my family. It was a blast! I took Friday off, and we headed down in the morning. We stopped to pick up Liz in Cedar City. We went straight to Eric's baseball game. It is always so nice to see my family. Plus, I was able to catch up with some old friends at the game. On Saturday, we went to Las Vegas for Eric's baseball games and a little shopping. It was so nice and warm. I miss the warm weather! It just solidified that it is really time for the weather in Northern Utah to hurry up and get hot! On Sunday, we watched conference with my family. It was a very nice day. We jumped back in the car and drove home on Sunday night. It was a quick trip, but it is always worth the drive. I love spending time with my family! Of course, today was totally rainy to remind me how nice it was in St. George :)!

April Fools' Day

2008-04-01T18:52:00.005-06:00

Our neighbor, Nicole McKellar, played a pretty funny April Fools' joke on Brandon this morning. In the middle of the night she placed a Real Estate Exchange sign, complete with Brandon's contact info, in front of each house on our street. When Brandon headed out this morning, he was suprised to find every house on the block for sale, especially with his name and number appearing on the for sale signs. He was a little upset, and he has sworn to seek revenge. It was actually quite hilarious to see his immediate reaction. Brandon was a very good sport. Happy April Fools' Day!

A Closer View: Here is a closer look at the signs that graced every house on our street this morning.

Our House: The "Listed" version...everything's for sale, for the right price ;)!

Street View: Here is a look at the entire South side of our street.

Busy Weekend

2008-03-29T23:34:00.002-06:00

We have had a busy, fun weekend. On Friday, we went to dinner at Rainbow Gardens and bowling with some friends. All I have to say is that I am a terrible bowler! I need some serious practice. On Saturday, Brandon and I went to Logan to look at houses with my brother, Ethan, and his fiance, Brooke. It was an adventure, but we did see one house that may be a keeper. We went to lunch at the Firehouse in Logan. They have great pizza! It's worth a trip up the canyon to eat there. Saturday evening we watched the NCAA games with the Closes. It was nice to spend a casual evening with friends. Today, Brandon wasn't feeling too hot this morning. We went to his parents' for dinner. Joanne made a yummy new chicken recipe that I need to steal from her. We both have a pretty crazy week coming up...it's looking like it will be a continuation of our busy weekend!

HAPPY EASTER!

2008-03-23T19:49:00.002-06:00

Our Easter Sunday started with church this morning. It was a great to open Easter Sunday with reflection on the real reason we celebrate this holiday. It was also a day rich in tradition and family. We spent the afternoon with my Aunt Kathy and her girls. Ethan drove down from Logan to have lunch with us. Every year I make a "Bunny Cake." It is a tradition that was started by my Grandma JoAnn when I was a little girl. I have tried to make a "Bunny Cake" every year to keep the tradition alive. We enjoyed this year's cake with Kathy's family. Then, we headed to Grandma Verna's to celebrate with Brandon's family. On Easter Brandon's family has a huge Confetti Egg fight. They fill hollow egg shells with confetti and throw the eggs at one another. Eventually, everyone ends up covered in confetti. It has been a great day!

Warrior Baseball!

2008-03-19T20:19:00.004-06:00

Baseball season is in full swing at Snow Canyon High School. Eric is playing on the JV team. He is a very talented player. I love being at his games, but unfortunately, I live too stinking far away to watch too many games. He is a very dedicated pitcher, and his practice and hardwork are certainly paying off. We are so very proud of him. Good luck at your games this week, Eric!

Our New Blog!

2008-03-17T00:04:00.002-06:00

Okay, here we go. I'm not sure that we will have much to write about, but at least Steph and Laurel can read my posts! Brandon thinks that this is crazy and stupid. We'll see how it goes...