Christmas Greetings

I am not really in the Christmas spirit this year. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's that we live hours away from family. Maybe it's that I don't have a Christmas tree up. Maybe it's that I don't have room for more presents where I live. Maybe it's that I don't have enough money to get everything I want to buy others. Maybe it's that Christmas is overdone. I don't know for sure, but I haven't done anything "Christmasy"....until now.

While I was in Utah, my mom let me pack up one of her Cricut machines to bring back to Colorado. And boy have I had fun with it. I decided to make some of my Christmas cards this year. Here are some of the cards I came up with. Now I have to admit--I am not the creative type. BUT I think I came up with some pretty cute cards.

The Airplane Ride

My grandparents recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. My mom, aunt, and uncles planned a big party in their honor. Kevin and I knew we wouldn't be able to make it. But my Aunt Erica and Uncle Alan had other plans. They decided to fly us out for the event. So we packed up, drove to Denver, sat at the airport for hours, and finally boarded the plane for Brynnlee's first plane ride. I was a little anxious about how she behave. I mean we can't even get through sacrament meeting without taking her out of the chapel. It turns out she was great. She was a little fussy, but we handled it. And may I say proudly she did not bug our fellow passengers.

We had a fun visit with our families. We even got to spend time with Kevin's parents and siblings. Thanks for the great trip Aunt Erica and Uncle Alan!

Thanksgiving

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated because the Pilgrims had survived their first year of living in America. We haven't lived in Colorado for a year, but I like to think of our Thanksgiving as a celebration of our move. We decided to stay in Colorado Springs for Thanksgiving so that we could spend a good chunk of time in Utah for Christmas.

This was the first Thanksgiving in which I cooked. I was a little nervous but determined to make the food delicious. I decided to roast turkey legs instead of a whole turkey. It meant we wouldn't waste food AND the dark meat is the best part anyway! I also made apple cranberry stuffing, turkey gravy, twice-baked sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and fresh baked rolls. So much for not having too much food huh. For the centerpiece, I went outside and collected pine cones and placed them in the crystal bowl with oranges and cranberries. It added just the right touch.

Even though it was a little lonely with just the two of us, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. And hey there was no fighting with family members about religion and politics!

Finger Pudding

I am trying to have fun times with Brynnlee. We go to the library for toddler time, we read books together, we sing songs, Brynnlee walks around "talking" on the phone....Sometimes we do the same things over and over again. I have been trying to come up with new activities. One day I found an idea for finger painting with pudding. So, I thought I would try it out. I bought some vanilla Snack Packs and colored them with food coloring. With Brynnlee on her food mat, I let her at it. After some showing and prodding she got into the painting. Then she discovered the "paint" was pudding, and she didn't stop eating! The activity didn't last long--I figure she will do more as she gets older--but I have some great pictures on my fridge!

The Cutest Little Ladybug

This year Brynnlee was the cutest little ladybug. And thanks to my mom and some nice friends in my ward, she had two adorable costumes to sport around. We went to a couple parties that were a lot of fun. First, we went to the Valdez's home for a party. There were a lot of new people to meet there and some great food. Next was our ward Harvest Carnival. It was a blast. The young women in the ward put it together. We had a dinner first and then after were games for the kids. Of course I had to play all of them. Kevin and I were dressed up as a witch and a vampire. Finally we took Brynnlee trick-or-treating for the first time. Here in Colorado Springs, there is an area of the city where the business owners and employees dress up and hand out candy. Brynnlee loved her first time getting candy! When we got home, she dumped out her pumpkin bucket and sorted through her stash. She really loves little suckers! It was a great Halloween.

Eight Years and Counting.....

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I use these words from Charles Dickens to describe the last eight years of my life and marriage. I hope it doesn't sound too horrible, but it is the truth. We have had some hard times--military activation, war, infertility, miscarriage. We have also had the most wonderful times--vacations, lots of love, holidays, Brynnlee. I know that there are so many of both to come. I wish that I handled the worst of times with more grace and dignity....poor Kevin. But I know that if I have him by my side, I will always make it.

On September 21, 2001, Kevin and I got married in the Logan Temple. It was a beautiful moment shared with wonderful friends and family. The day was simple and perfect. We had our reception at the Old Rock Church. I loved it. But most of all I loved that I married my best friend!













This year, we celebrated our eighth anniversary. We did the actual celebrating a few days before. Kevin arranged for our new friends, the Buschi family, to watch Brynnlee. It was the first time in a year that we had been alone. Incredible and sad! Kevin made reservations for The Melting Pot. He reserved us a little room so that we could be alone and enjoy each other's company. It was wonderful---the company and of course the food!

Thank you Kevin for a wonderful night out. Thank you for eight great years. I am excited to see what is left for us in the years to come!

Balloon Magic

Every year over Labor Day weekend, there is a hot air balloon festival. Kevin, Brynnlee, and I went to the park where we saw the balloons come to life and float away. It was an incredible sight!

The Giant Cupcake

Ahhh the first birthday cake. My mom brought an awesome cake pan that makes a giant cupcake. I made Brynnlee's birthday cake using this. The cake isn't perfect....but I think it is very {cute}. When we put the cake in front of Brynnlee, she was a little hesitant at first. She didn't know what to do and kept looking at us. I showed her that she could grab the cake with her hands. Once she knew it was okay to eat the cake, she had at it. She loved it and was so cute as she ate her first birthday cake!

Spoiled Little Girl

After we had our fun at the zoo, we decided to PARTY! Okay...we had Brynnlee open her birthday presents. She really LOVED opening them. And she loved what was inside too! Mom and Dad gave her a huge bag of balls--100 to be exact. Dad chose this one and was really excited. We also gave her a shopping cart with little plastic foods. She loves to fill it up and walk around the living room. She is becoming quite the little walker these days. Grandma and Grandpa Ball sent a really cute outfit, darling pjs, and a baby animal book--which she has been "reading" over and over all ready. Aunt Lisa and Uncle Jake sent an adorable heart-covered jacket and a baby doll. She likes to give the doll great big {HUGS}. Aunt Jackie, Uncle Jeff, Hallie, Hannah, Aunt Rylie, and Grandma and Grandpa Eames gave her a Tinkerbelle four-wheeler. It even moves when she presses on a button. We keep it unplugged most of the time, but she loves to get on it and laugh. The little dare-devil even stands up on the seat. Grandma and Grandpa Eames also gave Brynnlee {A LOT} of new clothes. Combined with the Hallie and Hannah clothes Aunt Jackie all ready gave, she should be set for the winter and into the spring. Nice! Thanks so much for all the great gifts. We are grateful for your KINDNESS!

More Zoo Pictures

My sister, Rylie, took some really great pictures at the zoo. Here are some of the great animals.

Giraffes and Tigers and Bears...Oh My!

On September 5th, we celebrated Brynnlee's first birthday. My parents and sister Rylie came to Colorado Springs for the BIG day. We decided to take Brynnlee to the zoo. We went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo here in the Springs. What a great place! We started by stopping by the Giraffe's home. At this zoo, visitors are able to feed the giraffes. It was so great. The giraffes have really long tongues they use to grab the crackers. Brynnlee loved the giraffes! We saw a lot of great animals at the zoo. Kevin went crazy taking pictures, but I don't think many of you are interested in seeing ten pictures of meerkats!

We also stopped off to visit the tigers. As we stood by the big tiger window, suddenly one of the tigers came running towards us! My heart skipped a beat. I forgot for a minute that we were separated. We got a great picture of Brynnlee and the tiger! She loved it. The bears were also a fun place to stop. You can get really close to the window where they live. They were busy playing and trying to grab the grapes being thrown at them. While Kevin and Rylie were on the sky ride over the zoo, I took Brynnlee on the carousel. It was her first experience on one. I was so excited because I thought she would love it. The ride started, and it went so fast, she almost fell off the horse. I thought it would never end. But I think maybe she liked it a little bit---well at least sitting on the horse!

What a great day! The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is fantastic and fun. I still can't believe my baby is ONE!

Brynnlee has Whose Genes?

I always wonder who Brynnlee looks like more....Kevin or me. I always think me, but then I look at her again. I found pictures of Kevin and me at about the same age Brynnlee is now. So, what do you think? Who does she really look like?

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox

Kevin came home today and asked me if I wanted to go to a baseball game. I was a little hesitant at first. It was short notice, we would be out late, and I didn't have dinner ready. But he told me it was Military Appreciation Day and the tickets were free. That motivated me to get going. We needed to get out on the town. And it was Brynnlee's first baseball game.


Brynnlee seemed to love the experience. She was laughing and clapping and watching everyone around us. We were only there for a few innings when it started to rain. That was no big deal, but then the lightening came. The game was delayed, so we decided to take off and get Brynnlee into bed. The short time we were there was fun, and I think we will plan to go to another game. And amazingly enough we even saw some people we KNOW. Our new friends-the Van Wagoners-were there.



Yeah for baseball!

Eleven Months

I know it has been said before, but time flies by so fast. Brynnlee is now 11 months old. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone by. We waited so long for her. The years went by so slowly and now suddenly we have an 11 month old baby. She is growing so fast. Here are some of the things going on with her.
*She has two bottom teeth and three top teeth coming in.
*She loves to clap her hands and say a version of "Yeah."
*She can say hi and bye and momma and daddy. I'm not sure she knows what they mean though.
*She stands next to things like the couch or chair or me and then
lets go and stands on her own.
*She has been waving at everything....her food, her toys, Toby.
Now she waves at people.
*She smiles and giggles all of the time. She will laugh when Kevin
and I are laughing at something. It is cute because she has no
idea what she is laughing about.
*I am trying to teach her what a nose is. I asked her the other day
to find Mom's nose. She grabbed mine. I was so happy, and she
giggled and giggled.
*She actually let people hold her!
*She loves Toby, and he is finally warming up to her. She will follow him all over the room and try to pet him. Sometimes he will even let her do it. She just smiles and giggles at him. When we call Toby, she tries so hard to say his name. She can only say "Boby!"
*Her hair is finally long enough to put into two ponytails on the top of her head. It is so cute, and everyone at the store makes a comment. It is still a little curly too. I love to see the adorable little curls on the side of her head.


I knew I wanted to be a mom. But I didn't know why. I do now! Brynnlee is such a joy.

What's Up....or Down?

As Kevin and I sat at dinner, Brynnlee was playing in the living room. I looked over at her and was surprised to see she was losing her pants. I don't know how it happened, but it was funny to see. The best was that she didn't even seem to mind.

A Weekend of Fun

Have you ever made plans to meet up with friends you haven't seen for awhile? You get a little nervous right before you show up. You wonder to yourself, "Will it be the same?" Well Kevin and I experienced this twice over the 4th of July weekend. Both events turned out to be a lot of fun.

On Friday the 3rd we met up with Tag and Tracy Giles, two friends we haven't seen in years. They live in Denver, which isn't far from Colorado Springs. We-and when I say we I mean Kevin and Tag-decided to meet at the Garden of the Gods, an amazing park here. I was apprehensive about the day. But it turned out I had nothing to be worried about. We had a great time. For the first part of the day, we walked around the Garden of the Gods looking at the beauty and catching up on life. Then we went to a few other places. One was called the Seven Falls. There were of course seven falls there. It was nice to see but not very exciting. We had such a great day. I can't wait to do it again! Next time Denver Tracy?

On the Fourth of July, Kevin, Brynnlee, and I headed up to Aurora to visit another old friend. This time we went for a BBQ at Angie Blanchard's--otherwise known as Angie Myers! I hadn't seen Angie since her oldest child was born. I think he is 11 now. We had a great time catching up and getting to know her husband, adorable kids, and nice friends. Angie made us feel right at home. She made the cutest and yummiest treats also. Thanks Angie and Steve for a great time!

Counting My Many Blessings

I can be a snob. Maybe many of you all ready knew this. Maybe I did too. But as I sat in my apartment crying and as I complained about where I lived, I realized I was being a snob. I was told by a good friend, "At least you have a place to live." Well, Keri Beth was right. There are people all over losing their homes and not having enough money to live. So I have to live in an apartment for a little bit longer. So Kevin and I couldn't go house or apartment shopping. At least he was offered a job! I decided to have a better attitude about where I live. It will make the year go by faster. So here are 10 blessings of living in our apartment.

1. It has a nice view. When I look out the windows, I see trees and grass and sometimes even squirrels. There is not a parking lot to be seen.
2. It is close to the swimming pool. In fact there are two swimming pools here.
3. It has brand new carpet. When I try to find Brynnlee's pacifiers under her crib, I can smell the newness of it.
4. There is a pantry. I can fit all of my food plus pans that I wouldn't ordinarily have a place for.
5. I can vacuum it quickly.
6. Toby can live here with us. Colorado Springs is a very pet friendly place.
7. It is close to everything I need.
8. I can easily afford it.
9. There are two bathrooms.
10. Kevin and Brynnlee are here. What else do I really need?

I know I make it sound like I am living in a dump--I'm not. It is just small. And you know what? It's okay!

Sick Babies

Why do babies have to get sick? It is so unfair because they can't even tell you what is wrong. A baby can't say, "Hey Mom my tummy hurts." or "Daddy my gums are killing me." Yes, a baby can give you a sign with crying. But how many reasons are there for a baby to cry?

Last night Brynnlee woke up a couple of times crying. We thought she just wanted her pacifier and couldn't find it. Kevin went into her room a third time and found a disaster. Brynnlee had thrown up. It was everywhere--in her eyes, up her nose, in her hair. We went into action bathing her, changing her sheets, and giving her some Tylenol because she had a fever. We felt horrible, but we had no idea.

It's hard enough being a parent, but when the baby is sick, it's heartbreaking.

A Day at the Park

Now that I am staying home with Brynnlee, I have discovered the joy of spending time at the park. I can go there in the middle of the day if I want. I love it. Kevin and I took Brynnlee to a park in the evening to put her in a swing for the first time. She loved it so much that I took her the next day. This time I brought the camera. We also spent some time on the grass in the shade. We had a great time together.

Brynnlee Update

I just wanted to take a minute and brag about my adorable little girl. Brynnlee is now almost 10 months old. It is so hard to believe how fast time goes by. She started crawling about two months ago and loves to get into everything. Lately she has been taking one of her toys and pushing it along the floor with her. It looks like we better get her a car. She loves to make a mess in the living room. She takes her box of blocks and throws the blocks everywhere. Then she takes the handle of the box and puts her arm through it like it is a purse. It looks like we better get her a purse. Brynnlee is always waving. I don't know if she knows what it means because she waves at everything--her toys, her food, Toby.

She also stands up next to objects. She loves to stand next to the t.v. and touch all of the buttons. Brynnlee also loves to play the piano her cousins Hallie and Hannah gave her. She will stand next to it and wiggle her little bottom and sing with the music.

I think that one of her favorite activities is taking a bath in the evening. She will start to get fussy about 6:00, and the moment we put her in the tub, she laughs and splashes and has a great time. Then when she gets out, she is ready to play again.

Brynnlee has tons of energy and is so fun to be with. She is trying new foods and new sounds. But she is also trying to get away with things. Sometimes I think we may have a little troublemaker on our hands. She is almost throwing fits. She will lie back and start to cry, but usually it doesn't go to far. Brynnlee has a great and adorable personality all ready. She will give everyone a huge smile or crinkle up her nose. Kevin can make her laugh all of the time. The girl loves her dad!

We waited a long time for Brynnlee to come into our life. She was worth the wait!

Colorado Springs or Bust

The day we had been waiting for finally arrived! Kevin was offered an exercise physiologist job at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. We had an idea that it would happen, but he was given the firm offer on June 3. Because I had school until June 4, and Kevin was starting June 8, we didn't have time to go apartment hunting. We found one on the Internet and hoped for the best.

Moving of course is always a pain in the rear, but moving out of state it the worst! We had a lot of help from guys in our ward, Kevin's family, and my sisters. Kevin and his brother Justin left with the U-haul on June 5 while Lisa, Jackie, Rylie, and I cleaned the apartment. Let me rephrase that. I didn't clean much of the apartment in the end. Brynnlee was so tired and suddenly needed me to hold her every minute. I owe my sisters a lot.

The next day my mom, Brynnlee, and I headed out to Colorado Springs. I finally got to use the GPS Kevin had purchased in anticipation of the move. Brynnlee was great on the drive, but man does Wyoming take a long time to get through. We finally arrived in Colorado Springs, and I got to see my new home. Yeah, I cried. It is tiny and old and not anything like what I was living in before. I guess my hoping for the best didn't really work out. Kevin and Justin worked hard bringing in all of our stuff--all the stuff that would not fit in this place. My mom and I did our best to stay out of the way. Brynnlee hung on to me for dear life. Every time I would leave the room, she would cry. It was a frustrating few days.

I cried for a week straight. But now that we have all of our furniture in and pictures up, it looks like home in this little apartment. I just have to remind myself that once we get settled and see how Kevin's salary will stretch, we can purchase a house. Who knows--maybe it will be sooner than later. We have to do what we have to do.

I am getting used to being away from Logan, but I still miss it and my family. It is weird to not be able to drive up the road or over the mountain to see our parents. I guess I took them all for granted.

I love all of you and miss you. I can't wait until we get to come and visit.

Let's Party

Kevin's 30th birthday was a great reason to have a party. We invited friends and family to celebrate the big day. Kevin wanted a luau theme. I made pulled pork sandwiches, fruit, and salad for the buffet. It was a fun time. It is always fun to spend time with the people you care about.

Showing Our Aggie Pride

As Kevin was getting ready to graduate from Utah State, he thought it would be a great idea to get pictures of us wearing our Aggie t-shirts. Kevin's mom, Cathy, took us up on campus and took these adorable pictures. Can't you see our Aggie Pride?

Kevin's Big Day

On May 1, 2009, I walked to the Spectrum with Brynnlee. I hadn't been there for a long time-probably years. I was so excited for the event. No, it wasn't a USU basketball game. It was the day that had been six years in the making. Kevin was graduating with his Master's degree in Corporate Wellness.

I think back to when Kevin started school. We were about to get married, and he was going to major in something to do with outdoors. I always teased him that he was going to be a Forest Ranger. Then his schooling was interrupted by war. He got through only one semester of school before he was called to active duty with the Marines. He spent the next year and a half serving our country.

Finally he was able to go back to school. And boy did he go back to school! He took as many classes as he could each semester, and I couldn't even get him to "sluff" any. He worked at school even when he had to work hard at his job and church callings. He also decided to major in Exercise Science. What a great decision for him!

The ceremony was great. There wasn't a long, boring speech that made me dread being there. I watched in amazement as Kevin was hooded and as he walked across the stage. I was so proud of him, and I know Brynnlee was too. It is interesting how they call it a commencement. It certainly is the beginning. The beginning of something big. Kevin has been doing all he can to support our family, and this was a big step for all of us.

Easter Time

Every year since little Hallie Potter has been alive, we have gone to Baby Animal Days. Our little group has grown to include Hannah and sometimes Jackie. Hallie and I have always had so much fun. So this year I was even more excited because I have Brynnlee to also share this experience with.

We had a lot of fun looking at the baby animals. Brynnlee loved them and showed this by squeezing them a little too hard! When I showed her the duckling, she grabbed his bill and wouldn't let go. She tried to grab the fur off the rabbit. I really had to protect these little guys. But she wasn't afraid. I was very glad to see that.

The next Sunday was Easter. Kevin and Brynnlee were very excited to see what the Easter Bunny had left in their basket. Brynnlee found bubbles, and boy did she love them!

Brynnlee also enjoyed being all dressed up in her adorable Easter dress. She loved posing for pictures. Isn't she a doll?