What A Week!

Last week was amazing, crazy but amazing! Last Monday we took off to Salt Lake to see the lights, go shopping, rest, and spend time with family.

We spent 2 nights and 3 days at the Kimball with my parents and had so much fun.  On Tuesday we went shopping at the South Town Mall.  Well my Mom went shopping and we played.  The girls so Santa, rode on a train that goes across the mall, and rode on the carousel. Then my sister Wendy came to see us and we all went to see the lights.  Bailey kept saying "This is the best Christmas ever!"  She also loved holding Aunt Wendy's hand and dragging her all over temple square.

On Wednesday we loaded up and came home. Ben went to work and I attacked the laundry.  On Thursday we took off for my parents house in Idaho.  We had to drop some stuff off at my brother Todd's house and he invited us to dinner so we had a good dinner with him and Brenda.

On Friday I got my nails done and we got ready to take off to Boise to see my brothers.  We stopped at my brother Scott's house for awhile and then went and had dinner with my brother Eric.  It was awesome to see all of my brothers and sisters in a 4 day period.

Saturday was Bailey's birthday and we had a party at Scott's house and then most of the boys in the family went to the Idaho Famous Potato Bowl.  They had lots of fun.  Sommers and I went shopping with our kids who are basically the same age so it was like having 2 sets of twins.

Sunday  we left Boise around 10am and with a stop at my parents made it home around 7pm. It was a good week with 4 different destinations. Bailey slept in 5 different houses.  We had an amazing, crazy week, but it was so good to see everyone.

A few highlights

So I haven't blogged in a LONG time and I've decided I'm not going to catch up, but just do the highlights.

We made our yearly trip to the Hogle Zoo in September. 

My parents and my sister Wendy joined us for the day.

We had so much fun.

We carved our first pumpkins this year.

Bailey kept playing in the pumpkin gutts and saying

"This is disgusting!"

Bailey was a ladybug for Halloween this year and Hinkley was a bee!

I don't have any picture from Thanksgiving, I guess I'm not really sure where November went! Hoping to do better at keeping up on my blog!

Special Delivery

We had to go to Idaho, awhile ago, so Ben could help his brother.  We stayed at my parents house and had a wonderful time.  While we were there they opened one of the boxes that they had shipped from Germany and the girls had so much fun!

This was what the box looked like after my mom had unpacked everything but the package peanuts.  Hinkley hasn't found a food she doesn't like, so of course she tried eating the packaging and wasn't happy when we didn't let her!

I love my girls but there are some moments when I think I would like to put them back in that box and ship it back to Germany!

My Tiny Dancer

Bailey started dance class in January, she had to be 3 to start so I got her in as soon as I could.  She loves going to class and being with other kids.  She is one of the youngest in the class, which totally stresses me out.  The other little girls try to pick her up and they have dropped her a couple of times and of course they try to mother her too, but she still loves it.

She loved getting dressed up and getting her hair done. I don't have any make up so we got to skip that, but thank heavens for cousin Katie, she let us borrow some lip gloss!

She did really well the night of her performance! I was so proud of her, the dance was super cute and I was so happy that she only had 1 dance and it was at the beginning of the program.

A huge thank you to my amazing family, my parents, my sister Wendy, my brother Todd and his wife Brenda for driving 2 hours to watch Bailey dance for 3 minutes and gave her 2 groups of flowers, had dinner and than drove 2 hours back home.  Thanks to Lyndsie for being there for all the special moments.  As you can see from the picture Bailey does not lack attention from any one!

Tick Tock

Well, I'm another year older! My birthday was a couple of weeks ago and I can't believe how fast this last year went. I have been so blessed to have had another wonderful year with so many blessings. My biggest blessing is of course that I was able to carry Hinkley for a full 9 months, that she was born healthy, and that she is a beautiful baby! I'm so grateful to have spent another year of my life with Benjamin, he is everything to me. I'm so blessed to be Bailey's mother. She doesn't say "I love you" she says "you to" and I love it when she randomly says "you to" to me! And I'm so grateful to my family and for their support, love, and the example of my parents. My parents mission hasn't been easy for me, but my life from the very beginning was touched my missionary work and I have such a testimony of the gospel that even though I hate them being away I know that they are doing what the Lord wants and needs them to do.


Ok enough being emotional! So the day before my birthday Lyndsie and Brenda came to Logan. Lou had to take care of some arrangements for school and attend some classes so they were able to be here with me. Ben usually tries to take a half a day off for my birthday, but wasn't able to this year so it was really nice to have the company. Brenda helped me start to hang all of my decorations, I really struggle at decorating, so it was nice to have her help.


I got two cakes, like I really needed 2, because Brenda bought one and Ben bought one. Brenda's was a cute water melon cake with 2 plastic ants on it and Bailey about had a melt down. She kept saying "EWWW Bug" and they had her almost in tears! Of course Bailey had to help me blow out the candles and was a little excited we had a hard time lighting them because she kept blowing on our matches. We had pizza and both cakes and it was nice to be with family since the parental units are M.I.A.

Ben got me a gift certificate for a massage! I can hardly wait to use it! He tried to be here as much as he could, he also got me a mirror that I wanted, a movie, and chocolate, some itunes songs, and his cake was a Cold Stone cake, I get one once a year and love them.


Also Hinkley will be four months old this week! I'm really having stress that my baby is growing up so fast!!! She is sitting in her bumbo and enjoys it, she is taking and yelling more and more, she is starting to roll, and has grown out of her new born clothes! I still rock her to sleep and I just try not to cry about how fast she is changing! She is such a happy baby and such a blessing to me. Bailey tries to get Hinkley to play with her, hold toys, wear hats, etc. Bailey has been such a sweet heart with her and is still very possessive of her. In fact she and I argue about whose baby Hinkley is!


Thank you to everyone who has been apart of my life this past year! It has been a crazy year, but a good one.

Than they were gone...

Two weeks ago we had my mom's family reunion in Heber and Scott, Sommers and the Boys drove down to come to it. They made it to Logan on Thursday night at midnight. They put the boys to bed and we talked for a little bit and got up to play the next day. Bailey and Shaydon had fun playing, fighting and being together and the babies were good. We hung around the house for the morning and than went to Gossners. Sommers likes to go there and Scott likes to get the squeaky cheese. After that we took the kids to McDonald's for a gourmet lunch! We played there for awhile and than they took off. It was great to have them here and now Scott is on Bailey's top 10 favorite people list. She calls him "My Scott." We loved seeing them and hope they can come back soon!

On my way back from McDonald's I got a call from Ben's mom and they were just about to Logan. We had invited them to stay with us Friday night and they were almost here! Ben's brother Daniel was having the two boys they adopted sealed to them in Ogden on Saturday morning. Ann, Grandma Snow, and Kat did some shopping while the girls napped. Then we were all supposed to meet in town for dinner. Ben was working on the yard and helping our neighbors lay their sod so just the girls and I went. We had a great dinner at Olive Garden and than came back and chatted. I put the girls to bed and went and helped a little with the laying of the sod while Grandma and Ann napped and Kat watched a movie and listened for the girls monitors. After that Kat and I went to get everyone a treat and we talked and hung out for awhile.


The next morning everyone got up and ready to go. Ann, Grandma, and Kat headed for Ogden, Ben went to lay sod again and I got the girls ready to go to the reunion. My parents were able to leave the MTC to come to the reunion to see everyone and say goodbye. It was great to see the extended family and spend some time with my parents. Bailey and Shaydon were so cute when they saw my dad. They saw him at the same time because they are hardly apart they both yelled "Papa" and ran to him and didn't let go until we left the reunion.


After the reunion we headed to my sisters house. She only lives about an hour away and it gave us more time to be with mom and dad. They and Scott all stayed with her Saturday night. We talked, had supper and than around 10 pm Ben and I decided it was time to head home. It was really hard to say goodbye. Of course the girls didn't know what was going on and it was probably better that way. I didn't have my camera So these pictures are from my niece Lexie. We will really miss you mom and dad and our so proud of you for going when it isn't easy to say goodbye and leave your grand kids.

A Blessing & A Farewell

My parents got their mission call to Frankfurt Germany and had their farewell on June 27th. It has been hard to think of them gone for that long and to see them get ready to go. I know that I was gone for 18 months on my own mission but that was me leaving them not them leaving me. They both did a great job on their talks of course. Dad talked on temples and mom talked on prayer. We had a lot of friends and family show up to support them which is always great to know that so many people care about your family. We had the luncheon at my brother Todd's house, one less thing for my mom to worry about. We had so much fun and great food! The food was so good and we were all so full, but couldn't stop eating. Thank you to everyone who came to support my parents and who helped with the food.


Because my family would all be together that Sunday we made arrangements to bless Hinkley that same day in their ward. Ben did an amazing job and it was great to have all my brothers and brother in laws there to bless her. She was an angel and didn't cry once. Like Bailey she was blessed with her plug in her mouth! Hinkley's did fall out but she still didn't cry! Thanks Lou for letting me borrow your shirt and for taking the picture.


It was also the first time that we had all been together since Hinkley was born so she got to meet a lot of the family for the first time. Everyone is so cute with her and the girls had so much fun being with family. Hinkley and Slater are only a month apart. Slater is as long or longer than Hinkley but Hinkley is more chubby!


My brother Eric's kids are so cute with Bailey and Shaydon! They play with them and love to be with them which is so awesome since they are older. Lily is especailly cute with Bailey and will be her closest girl cousin, Lily is about 3 years older than Bailey but is a great cousin and friend and I really hope that they will always have fun together.


We are kind of worried about how Bailey will handle going to Papa and Grammy's for the first time and find that they are not there. Bailey worships her Papa and can get him to play dolls, kitchen, cars, horsey and about anything else she can think of. I also feel bad that Hinkley won't have that relationship with my parents, but they won't be gone forever. Its really hard not to be selfish and not want my parents to go. I know what they are doing is important and way, way, WAY, deep down some where I am excited for them to be going on this adventure and know that they will love it. We will miss you Mom and Dad, a.k.a Papa and Grammy

Growing too fast!

Hinkley turned 2 months old this week! She is growing way too fast. She is a great sleeper at night and loves to be held and snuggled when she sleeps during the day, which makes it hard to get anything done but what can you do! She smiles a lot which I love and is starting to talk to us more and more. She has the cutest personality. At her two month check up we were told that she is healthy and doing great! She already weighs 11 lbs and we can't imagine our lives without her!


Bailey has done amazing with her she hasn't been upset with Hinkley once! She also is such a big help from bathing, getting clothes, putting back in and finding her pacifier, holding her, and trying to play with and feed her! Hinkley also adores Bailey she can just sit and watch her big sister for a long time! I love to watch the two of them together! Bailey is still very protective of Hinkley and when anyone gets to close to the baby that Bailey isn't comfortable with she lets them know that Hinkley is off limits. Bailey had a hard time at Hinkley's 2 month appointment and did not apprectiate the nurses and doctors looking at her at all!

I know its a little late, but this month we celebrated my dads birthday and fathers day. I was blessed to be adopted by such great parents. My dad has always worked hard to support our family and has been a great man. He spent the past 18 years in the stake presidency, more than half of my life, which showed his love and dedication to the gospel. He has always been such a great example to me and I don't know how I will get along without him for the next 18 months!


And Ben, he is a great father who also works hard to support us. He loves his daughters and they have him wrapped around their fingers and can get away with anything. I love to watch him dance with Bailey, read to her, feed her, and she loves him. I love to watch him hold Hinkley, kiss her goodbye every morning, and tell her how beautiful she is. He is such a softy!

I feel blessed to have known my father-in-law and can only pray that he approves of me marrying one of his sons. Don was an amazing man, who had a hard childhood but was determined to make a good life for himself and his family. He wasn't afraid to be himself and I hope my daughters will get that from him too. Don worked hard and played hard. Thanks to Don and Ann for raising the amazing man I married.


My parents are getting closer to going on their mission which is really hard but everyone keeps telling me how fast 18 months will go by. Ben told me just to think of it as they will only be gone for 1 tax season!

Time with Family

We got back from our trip to Boise on Sunday and we were short one person. We took Lyndsie home when we went, but my brother wanted her to stay until Monday and he and my sister-in-law Brenda would bring her back to Logan on Monday. So we were able to all go out to dinner at Firehouse. We had great food, dessert, and so much fun just being together. Well Lyndsie hung out at our house after her parents left and then went back to her apartment. We she got there, there were some major issues going on so she came back to our house and lived with us until Thursday when we could get her into a new apartment. It was great to have her and I'm soo soo happy that we could be here when she needs us. She is in a new apartment with a lot less drama.

On Thursday Ben had a flag football game that Bailey and I were able to go to. It was a good game and soo crazy trying to chase Bailey everywhere. My cousin's daughter Brookie was there with her uncle, who is a partner at Ben's accounting firm. She was so cute with Bailey, I don't know if Bailey even remembers her but she helped keep an eye on Bailey for me which was really nice.

On Friday we had our last gymnastics class. Bailey was a lot braver about the horse, tramps, etc, than she was when we started and she had a ton of fun so I am happy that we took the class.

The afternoon my parents came into town. My Mom and I had tickets to Time Out For Women for Friday night and Saturday. The speakers were awesome and we had such a great time together! On Saturday Ben, Dad, and Bailey, picked up lunch, picked us up and we headed to the park. Bailey loved running around and I loved spending time with some of my FAVORITE people. The meetings lasted until about 4:00pm and than my parents had to rush home for a stake meeting my Dad had. It was great to be with them and I am so grateful for the wonderful people who raised me!