Running in Circles

Last week I turned TWENTY-SEVEN! 

So 27 things about me and my life right now to try and make up for the weeks of not blogging.

1. I'm running the Boston Marathon in less than a month.

2. Teaching Pilates once a week for now.

3. My calling is Visiting Teaching Coordinator.

4. Discovered that I do like bell peppers.

5. I'm very much in a minimal state of mind. I like less things around the apartment, less things being bought, and less things on my calendar.

6. Ready for a bigger apartment or to move so we can afford a house.

7. So grateful to have a car everyday again.

8. I want to wear lipstick more often.

9. Normally, I like cooking at home but lately I just don't want to make dinner.

10. I got a new ring for Valentines Day- two whole sizes smaller than my engagement ring.

11. Really want to buy a pair of black Swedish Hasbeens and a jade cake stand.

12. I've never actually baked a birthday cake.

13. I'm definitely tired of waking up at 5:30 to run before Brice needs to leave for work.

14. Should probably buy myself a new swimsuit.

15. Mostly reading a lot of children's book from the library, but I did read and really enjoy, Daring Greatly by Brene Brown.

16. I didn't touch my eyebrows for 16 weeks and got then them reshaped and waxed yesterday and it was so so worth it!

17. Took my first Pilates Reformer class last month and loved it.

18. Wishing I knew our plan for the end of summer. Our apartment lease will be up, and I don't want to resign it.

19. Probably not eating enough throughout the day.

20. I'm thinking of starting to count macros- I'm so close to seeing a full 6 pack but I don't think I'm eating quite enough protein. 

21. Wish I was a blogger that got sent free stuff from my favorite stores and brands too!

22. Trying to say yes when I mean it and no when I want to.

23. Excited for our long weekend to Boston without kids! My parents are coming too!

24. Wish I could have a kneaders sandwich and chocolate covered cinnamon bears from the BYU bookstore.

25. Gave up m&ms (my biggest vice) on December 26th and have only had them once since then.  #sweettooth

26. I'm so grateful Brice and I are married- and happy-and willing to work for it.

27. Excited for another year and maybe another city?!

It's Hazel's FOURTH birthday and I can hardly believe it! 

We celebrated this morning with a low-key party at the park where so many friends came for treats and to play on the playground. Hazel's face lights up every time someone say "Happy Birthday" and gosh I just hope she feels special and loved today, but really every day! She's requested a family night and grilled cheese sandwiches for tonight.

Hazel is smart, daring, and kind. She loves climbing high into trees, jumping off of walls, and going fast on her scooter with her eyes shut! She loves to have her nails painted, to have matching outfits with mom, and to have sandwiches for dinner.

She loves to learn. We've counted up to 30 and are working on counting by 10's. She loves to make lists of rhyming words while we're out on walks. Loves to ask questions about animals and learn about the different species. Play-dough, crafts, play-dates are some of her favorites too! She loves using scissors to open packages, and going to the library.

This last year she learned how to swim independently, her feet grew three sizes, and has leg hair! She says the funniest things, love to take baths, and gives Brice a hug as soon as he's home each day.

She can sit for hours reading books, playing blocks, or watching a movie. She loves pretending she's a superhero (wonder-woman currently), watching the soft-shell turtles, and playing princesses. She has abs of steel and more upper body strength than her mom!

She asks for running shoes like moms, wants deodorant like dad, and at least 10 more babies in our family!

Hazel- you are such a fun girl to be around! You keep us on our toes with thoughtful questions, your curiosity, and athleticism. You are a kind friend that always wants to include others and it makes me so happy to see you being kind to others. Sometimes you lose your wits  and get frustrated with your brother but are quick to apologize and include him in whatever you're doing! We are so happy to be your parents and I feel especially blessed that you made me a mom. It's been the most rewarding four years and I can't wait to see what else you can do!

We love you so much bug!

On Saturday, his birthday we celebrated Henry turning ONE!

We had such a fun little party celebrating "our party animal" and loved having time with friends and all their kids in our apartment. I'm so glad our friends are so go with the flow because there was 20+ in our little apartment.

I was scrambling to get everything set up so I really only got to snap a few pictures before friends were arriving. I love seeing how the little details come together. 

Brice helped design the invites, I spent my evenings making the banners, spray painting, and planning out the food. We served "popcorn party mix" - popcorn, pretzels, peanuts, M&Ms, and animal cookies, crackers and cheese, fruit, and cupcakes!

Henry loved having so many friends around and just loved his chocolate cupcake. He stuffed it right into his mouth and just sucked all that frosting off before taking a break to breathe. He got some great little gifts and I just can't believe he's already one!

Our Hazel Rae is THREE today!

Favorite Food: bread/ sandwiches

Favorite Treat: brownies with ice cream

Favorite Show: Paw Patrol

Favorite thing to do with Daddy: go outside on a wander

Favorite thing to do with mom: girls trip or paint our nails

Favorite Song to sing: "how much is that doggy in the window?"

Favorite job to help with: vacuuming

Favorite game to play: Boola-boola AND tag

Favorite toy at home: duplo blocks

She's 36 inches tall and 30 pounds!

It has been a dream being a mother to Hazel the last three years. This girl is so sweet and silly and smart and crazy! She can be such a big helper and loves to help cook dinner, make dessert, do jobs, help with Henry, and do errands. She loves to do things alone with mom or alone with dad. She loves to love on Henry but can be a too rough sometimes too. I'm always saying be soft- don't sit on him, don't pull him, do push him down ;)

She calls Henry "little- boy" or "boom-boom" and loves to run to the balcony and yell "Bye Babe" to Brice as he leaves in the morning. She is quick to remind us to read scriptures and pray in the morning. Most days she has so much energy it feels like he she is jumping all over the house. She loves to twirl, and dance, and jump, and climb. This girl has the strongest upper body and the most contagious laugh. She can sing you any song, recite the first three articles of faith, bear her testimony, and sound out beginning letters of words. She loves to have one-on-one chats with me, steam roll and tickle Brice, be a little bossy, try new foods, and make deals like she's bargaining in China. She keeps us on our toes and we wouldn't have it any other way!

We love you Hazel and can't wait to celebrate you tonight!

  

1. Calico Critters- she has played with all sorts of these little critters at other people's homes and is obsessed.
2. Duplos! all day everyday!

3. The perfect dress and boots for the Fall/ Winter months in Texas. Both are from Old Navy, who I have to admit has taken at least $100 from me in the last few weeks.

4. Land of Nod chalkboard laptop. Small and compact and still lets her doodle! 

5. IKEA kitchen. I've been pinning DIY makeovers of this little kitchen and am hoping this is what we get her. 

6. Flora the Flamingo book. and a flamingo. #butofcourse
7. Hunter rain boots- these are a major splurge but just so darn classic...and it surprisingly rains a lot here!

Happy Birthday Hazel!

  In two years we've watched you grow so much and change from a baby to a little girl! You are so sweet and thoughtful, quick to apologize and even quicker to snuggle with us on the couch. You amaze us daily with the words you know and how big you are! You are so good at following directions and you listen pretty well to your dad and I. You are quick to share with friends and love holding their hands and giving hugs goodbye! You love talking to family members on the computer and you love hanging up on them all by yourself too ;)

You love to shower with mom or dad and be a helper in the kitchen. You love coloring pictures of aunts and uncles, you love reading books (especially Pinkalicious), you love jumping on the bed, the couch, and daddy! You love singing songs and have most of the words down to Book of Mormon Stories, Row Row Row Your Boat, No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, and I am a Child of God.

You definitely love to ask questions and figure things out on your own. You love going outside with daddy on adventures, laying with bigger kids, and swinging at the park. People always comment on how active and brave you are for being such a little girl. 

You like watching Paw Patrol or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse when we need a break, but you would much rather be playing or reading. You love saying the prayer before dinner or bedtime and you love putting yourself to bed in your big girl bed. You love animals and insist on saying hi to every dog we see, no matter how big or small they are! You love being in nursery with your friends and you always tell us what you did on the car ride home from church.  You are so much more aware of my growing belly than I thought you would be. You love talking to your baby brother and telling him to be happy inside my tummy. You love practicing with your baby doll, gathering sticks outside, and spotting bugs. You are so interested in sitting on the potty and using your stool daddy made, but aren't quite ready to be done with diapers. You love stickers and painting and getting dressed on your own. 

I'm trying so hard to type exactly how you are at this point in your life, but I just can't. You are so loved by friends, family, Heavenly Father, and your parents. We love spending our days and nights with you and hope we get to celebrate many more birthdays together!

Happy 2nd Birthday Hazel Rae!

Just wanted to wish a Happy Birthday to my mom! 

 You are so wonderful and so talented and so kind. 

Thank you for always being willing to listen to me and usually helping me to calm down and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you for supporting me through years of soccer and piano (even if I really hated lessons), and coming to endless assemblies and elementary school performances. Thank you for showing me how to be compassionate, how to throw a party, how to balance so many responsibilities at once, and how to parallel park. Thank you for motivating me to finish my personal progress, to save my money instead of spend it, and for teaching me a meatball recipe that EVERYONE always wants seconds of. Thank you for teaching me to be a wife and how to run a household. Thank you for being a wonderful grandmother and friend to all- especially me! I could go on a lot longer but i just want you to feel loved and appreciated.

We love you so much and we hope you have a wonderful day! We wish we could spend it with you but we can't wait to see you in Costa Rica!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful father! 

Today is a big birthday and we're all sad we aren't around to visit and celebrate! 

When I think of my dad i think of him reading his scriptures every night, making piles out of the newspapers, BLTs, salt and pepper hair, helping me figure out how to break up with boyfriends and then telling me it will be okay, singing me to sleep, staying up until I got home on Friday nights, mutual activities,church basketball, and nights playing racquetball, huge biceps, a stickler for the rules and their consequences, soft spoken kindness, saying "bozo" ,Scout Leader, camping, a dirty truck, friend, a great teacher, and a pruner of a beautiful backyard and garden. 

I hope I can develop more of your kindness for others and fierce testimony of the gospel. 

Thank you for being a wonderful Father, Papa, and friend. 

We love you!

The last birthday post- post 3

I spent the evening before the party baking cakes to make the cutest stacked little cake. Turns out I'm not a baker- actually I could have told you that way before baking these cakes. I'm not sure why I thought just browsing pictures of adorable cakes on Pinterest would automatically give me the skill to make them myself.  The cakes got destroyed so Hazel got to eat a perfectly sized, non-homemade, $2.00 cupcake and I was just fine with that.

At first she had not interest or idea what to do, so we helped her out a bit. Then she shared with Brice, and smashed the rest!