New Year!

New Year's Eve and Day were really great this year! We made plans with my Brother and Sister-in-law to have a small party at our house on New Year's Eve, but we didn't know my parents had accepted an invitation for us to hang out with their friends too. So we ended up spending most of the night with good family friends. Savannah was in heaven playing with the two kids that were there. And we enjoyed dinner and games and looking through old photos of my parents and their friends from their newlywed days. 

 

^^And yes, Easton is in a tuu-tuu as well!^^

The later it got in the evening, the crankier my kids got, and we decided to head to our house with Sawyer and Kenna, put the kids to bed, and then chat and eat munchies while we waited for Midnight. Midnight came quietly in our house, with just the 4 of us, and we cheered and poured sparkling cider in red solo cups (we are sooooo fancy sometimes) and wished each other a Happy New Year. Our neighbors started lighting off fireworks and Savannah came running out of her room excitedly yelling that she needed to go outside, so we did, and watched them go off.

One of these days I'm going to throw a majorly huge New Years party where everyone has to dress all fancy and their will be music and dancing and everything! Someday...

The next day, we went out across the lake for our annual New Year's day shooting trip! We go out with family friends every year, but I have not been able to go out since Bryant and I have been married. One of us was always working, or I was pregnant and didn't want to go stand in the snow or whatever reasons. But this year was a blast! Savannah went off with her friends to play in the mud and snow and do a bit of sledding, and Deagan had a blast being passed around to everyone. 

^My sister-in-law Kenna and I^

^^Kenna's Dad Kurt came out too! It's so fun to have more family!^^

 

^^Kandis, Kenna and I. I think the girls actually did better at shooting than they guys did. And I took 2nd place, believe it or not! I kind of shocked myself when I did!^^

 

^My Brother Colter, who probably spends more time outdoors than anyone I know. You should see some of his photos from him hunting and fishing! I really think he should get into outdoor photography!^^

^The view of my mountain from the other side of the lake.^

^This is possibly my new favorite photo of Bryant. He just looks so manly and stuff. If I still had a Jr. High school locker, I'd hang this picture up inside it with little hearts drawn all over it. Hubba hubba!^

The weather was beautiful! I was just in a sweatshirt and I was so warm I was sweating! And we were up higher than the inversion, so it was nice to get some fresh, clean air in our lungs. We had a really good time and we can't wait for next year!

Afterwards, we went to lunch, where a guy walked up to our table and said "You guys look like Duck Dynasty meets Utah!" I had to agree. Everyone was covered in camo and mud. Not to mention my dad has a pretty sweet beard going on!

Happy New Year everyone! 2014 is off to a good start!

Also... this. Because Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are too much perfect going on.

And because Zooey is wearing a tiara, and I'm in full support of everyone wearing tiaras just because.

 

Pool Party

Last night, we attended our ward's yearly end of summer party at the local pool.

We started the night off with some games for the kids, and dinner. It was fun getting to talk to a few neighbors (I feel like after 4 years of living here, people are starting to finally see me as their neighbor, and not just the girl who babysat for them when I was a kid! I feel like such a grown-up...)

Savannah barely ate anything, she was far more interested in the volleyball sand pit, where she got sand in her mouth, hair and eyes, and was covered from head to toe in dirt. Every few minutes, she would come to me crying and asking me to wash her arms, or face or hands. And I'll apologize to our neighbors now for when Savy took a swig of water, then spit it out next to your food while trying to get sand out of her mouth...

This was her first time with water wings, she thought they were pretty awesome. While I was taking this, she said she was showing me her muscles. And afterwords, she kissed both of them and said "my muscles are so pretty..."

After dinner, we got in the pool. Savannah had a blast! This was the first time we have taken her to a pool all summer. With having Deagan in June, I just never found the time or energy to attempt to take both kids to the pool. Last year, when we would take Savy to the pool, she would be so scared that she would cling onto Bryant or I the entire time. This time, she was going down the slide backwards, and even took off into the deep end by herself (we went after her, no worries). She loved having the water wings and would swim around all by herself. She told me that she was flying like Tinkerbell.

 

(sorry the photos are all blurry, it was getting dark, and all I have is my iphone camera.)

 

Even Deagan got his toes in the water. I mostly carried him around while wading in the kiddie pool watching Savannah. Eventually, he fell asleep so I put him in the stroller and made Bryant watch him, while I went with Savannah to the deep end, where she enjoyed jumping off the side of the pool into my arms. 

When we got home, it was late and Savannah was exhausted, but I stuck her in the tub. It took me a good 20 minutes and about 4 washes to get all the sand out of her hair. I basically had to soap up her hair, then take a fine-toothed comb and brush through it, rinse and repeat. When she got out, I decided to double check her eyes, and sure enough, there was a giant glob of sand in her left eye, that had been in there for hours! I have no idea how it wasn't hurting her the whole time!

The pool party is always a great send-off to summer. Can you believe school starts so soon? Looks like I need to do a bit of school shopping for myself!

Party!

It still feels weird to think that my little girl is 2 years old! 

We decided to celebrate her birthday the day before, because it was a Sunday night and it was easier to get family together. I thought about throwing her a big party with friends, but then I decided that it would have been crazy trying to keep a bunch of 2 year olds entertained. So we kept it small with just my family and my grandparents.

We had the party at my parent's house, where my mom went all out and decorated the living room. I bought some balloons the night before and took them over there, because Savannah loves balloons and I wanted them to be a surprise (we even have a few still kickin' a week and a half later, and she loves to carry them around the house.)

She loved all of the decorations and especially all of the attention she was getting from everyone! 

We did a dinner, where my mom cooked some elk and moose roasts, and then I provided the cake and ice cream for dessert.

 I tried to ombre the cake... it didn't really work...

She loved all of her presents! She got a play cupcake set, a Tinkerbell doll and matching outfit, some clothes, a bike helmet, cute minnie mouse bows, some wooden butterfly magnets with paint to paint them, a penny bank, and some markers and a coloring book.

She also received some really wonderful gifts in the mail from family and friends! Her great grandma sent her some money, her aunt Sandy sent her a dress, a hello kitty toy, and a lei, and her grandma and grandpa Stokes sent her some play food, some squeaky BYU shoes, and an outfit.

I really feel like I'm missing someone or something, and I really apologize! I don't sleep much these days and finals are coming up so I basically can't think that well anymore. Let me know if you sent her something and I'm forgetting, because I really appreciate it!!!

Her Grandma and Grandpa Stokes also sent her a toddler bed! We haven't set it up yet because I haven't had time to buy sheets for it, and I don't have her new room ready yet. But I think we will try to set it up this weekend. She is really going to love it!

And Bryant and I ordered her a play kitchen with an apron and chefs hat. Unfortunately, when I started to set up the kitchen, it was missing the fridge, which is a huge part of the set. So It's all packed back up in the box, and when I called wal mart, they said I could return it, but I then have to re-order a new one myself. And no, they wouldn't give me free shipping to my home, or even free express shipping to the store. I'm a little mad about it, but I guess I can deal with it. It could be worse, they could just tell me "tough luck" and I'd have a kitchen with no fridge.

Anyways, Savannah had a wonderful party!

On her actual birthday, Monday, Bryant had to work most of the day and I had school. But that evening, we took her out for some pizza at our favorite little pizza shop, Brick Pizza (not to be confused with Brick Oven, which is also yummy.)

 

 (Savy trying to tickle her daddy with her Tinkerbell. Or as she calls her "pinkerbelle")

Then we came home and watched Wreck-It Ralph. She's kind of obsessed with that movie at the moment.

Thank you again to everyone who sent Savannah a message, called her, sent her a card, or sent her a gift. It really means a lot to me as her Mom to know that so many people in this world love her just as much as I do! I hope she will always know that throughout her life!