This girl is is already seven months old. This past month Hazel has grown leaps and bounds- literally.

Brice & Hazel on his first day!



She is such a busy little girl!
She crawls on, over, and under everything and everyone. 
Still sleeping from 8:00 pm to 7:30ish am.
Still wearing 3-6 months. She isn't gaining a lot of weight these days and I think it is because she is so active.
loves her daddy, but is sad when mom leaves the room. clingy? yeah
crawling, crawling, crawling.
Still no teeth but she has had a serious runny nose for over a week now...
Stands up on her own when holding onto something, but stands on her tip-toes so I don't think shes going anywhere anytime quickly.
Brings a smile to our face everyday!
Loves the mirror!!!
We started rice cereal and apples this week. She didn't seem too thrilled about anything other than the spoon.
Hazel LOVES watching other people---- last week we were at my sister's softball game and Hazel's attention was glued to the game or to the three little kids playing on the bleachers.
Loves bath-time and is so happy playing with toys and anything not meant to be a children's toy that were not watching any more t.v.
:)
We made it! 
884 miles.
2 days of driving in our tiny little car, but we made it safe and sound.
Lots of toys, books, straws, music, naps, and playing with daddy in the backseat.
We listened to NPR's "CarTalk" and the MockingJay by Suzanne Collins.


We stayed the night in Kennewick, Washington at a little place called the Clover Island Inn. It was on a peninsula for the the Columbia River. It was kinda dinky but we slept great and really enjoyed the night taking walks by the water and enjoying halibut fish tacos at a local brewery  Everyone loved Hazel and couldn't get over how busy she was. I think she had a lot of pent up energy,because she was practically jumping out of our arms. Brice pointed out it was Hazel's first time in a bar. But don't worry, Grandma, we were only in the restaurant portion.






We are sending out a giant thank-you to the Wrights for putting us up for a few days, for yummy meals, and for Swedish fish :)
We learned that Hazel loves dogs, even though Max was less than interested in her! 
Oh yeah, and Hazel is starting to pull herself up and take a few forward steps. I don't think shes going anywhere anytime soon though. 
Enjoy the picture overload


While we stayed with them before leaving for Seattle, Hazel found several ways to get into trouble. Not super big trouble but she is crawling everywhere and getting into everything! 






I can remember my first day in Provo. 
My parents moved me into my apartment at Wyview, I met two new roommates (both of whom I loved), my parents took me grocery shopping and then dropped me off at New Student Orientation. It is embarrassing to admit, but I sat in my parents car for like twenty minutes...crying... I did not want to get out and go alone. It's so silly looking back because I loved orientation. I liked my roommates, I survived my classes that first year, etc....but I felt too young to be doing such an adult thing. 
GOING TO COLLEGE!
 Fast forward 5 years, which really does feel like its flown by and I'm done. I couldn't be happier to be done with classes, homework, and especially exams in the testing center (dun..dun..dun...)but at the same time feel oh so lucky to have a college education, to graduate with no debt, and to have experienced a secular and spiritual level of higher learning! 


Thank you to all my family members an in-laws, friends, and teachers for your encouragement and support. And thank you to wonderful friends/babysitters- I would not have done it without you! :)


Tomorrow is the big day. I couldn't be more excited for the long ceremony.

source


The last few days I've thought a lot about my time in China. It's been three years since being a volunteer English teacher. I remember how hard it was to stick with the decision to go, especially because Brice and I had just gotten engaged. I am so glad I went.... today I miss these kiddos.





My in-laws have been scanning and saving all their pictures taken over the years so it has been so fun to see pictures of Brice growing up... It is amazing to look at a picture over twenty years old and just see the same face looking back at me. 
Brice was such a cute kid- adventurous, a little sneaky, and really shy.















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Welcome to our little space
“No nobler work in this world can be performed by any mother than to rear and love the children with whom God has blessed her. That is her duty.” David O. McKay

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