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!

Happy Birthday Henry! 

You're ONE

Height: 30 1/4 inches

Weight:20 pounds

Head: 17 3/4 

- This boy is looking so much bigger after turning ONE! I know its got to be all in my head but I sweat he filled out his carseat today.

- Sleeps from 8:00-7:00 most days. He sometimes wakes up through the night still but we've been having him cry it out.

- Happy, happy, happy!

-loves to grunt and say "dada". He still squeals a lot too which drives me crazy!

- only says "mama" when he's sad or upset.

- Henry chases the vacuum when its on and the ducks outside. He is always unplugging cords and chargers from the wall and always makes eye contact with me before he does it!

- he loves to climb on the stool to brush his teeth and prefers to take baths WITHOUT Hazel now.

- loves playing with vehicles that move, balls, birthday balloons!

- Still isn't too interested in reading books for a period of time, but I try daily.

- Henry will eat anything you put in front of him.

He loves crackers with cheese, yogurt, lasagna, bread, apples, bananas, dried fruit, avocado, beans, applesauce pouches, and corn. He always spits ham out of his sandwich though.

- Has started dancing when he hears music. 

- Still loves that newborn binki but I only give it to him at bedtime and he usually throws it out of his crib and that's it for the night.

- Is giving us a run for our money at church. Brice and I feel like we really just swap him between us and the halls every hour. It's exhausting!

:: hazel ::

1. loves to make deals. Lately she's been all about saying " I have a better idea..."

2. I made Lasanga for dinner the other night and she really was 'ooohhing' and 'aaawwing' about it. She told me it was her most favorite best dinner ever. ever. ever.

3. Everyone comments on her voice lately. It's just happy and eager and cute.

4. Does her "jobs" happily each morning and has even asked me to write them down for her so she an cross them off.

5. She loves crafts/activities that involve cutting with scissors. She's picked it up really quickly and bow i find paper shreds under the table all day.

6. Answers "nothing" immedietly to any question.THen she thinks and responds with a real answer.

Example. Hazel, what did you do today? "nothing"

Hazel, what did you learn at church? "nothing"

Hazel, why did you not listen to mom right away? "nothing"

:: henry ::

1. this week Henry's 7th tooth popped up more and more.

2. I think its been pretty painful for him, because he is not sleeping well at all!

3. Finally wearing 6-12 month clothes.

4. obsessed with the ducks outside. He tries to grab them but they're a little too fast. 

5. gives the best cheesy smiles 

6. I can't believe it but he turns one this weekend!

:: breann ::

1. running. running. running.

2. obsessed with Fixer Upper and Joanna Gaines. but who isn't? 

3. wants to get treated to a manicure/pedicure so bad.

4. has been in party prep mode for a week and loving it. Henry's birthday wont be over the top, but I like doing the little details to make it special.

:: brice ::

1. is up to run on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:00 am. He's gone for 45 minutes and home and the sun still hasn't come up.

2. Is working as a business analyst for his current client and while it took some getting used to he's doing great! He's learning to multitask several people and responsibilities, develop code, write stories, and lead meetings. 

3. His commute has more than doubled and he enjoys podcasts while he drives.

4. is ready to move out of the city.

5. wants to run a 1:45 half-marathon in April.

6. is obsessed with his fitbit data.

Monday: 9 miles in 65 minutes and Insanity

Tuesday: 10 miles and BBG workout

Wednesday: Yasso 800s- 3:05 half mile splits with 3:30 minute recovery repeated 8 times

Thursday: 10 miles and BBG workout

Friday: 6 easy miles outside

Saturday: 14 mile run outside with a friend (average pace 7:24/mile)

Total Miles: 57

Weeks until the marathon: 13

We're discussing and reading from the Book of Mormon in Sunday School and today's lesson covered the first few chapters of 1st Nephi. 

7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

The Lord has a plan and he will help us accomplish the things we need to do. 

We must be obedient. Completely obedient. Have faith in his way, don't let fear come into our minds and stay.

:: hazel ::

1. her little imagination makes me smile daily.

2. playing play-doh, reading, kitchen time, and characters... everyday happening at our house.

3. She has been a stinker at dinner time the last few weeks but this week did great trying THREE new recipes. She wasn't a fan of any of them but ate them without tears and I was so proud.

4. She woke me up at 6:30 this morning by wrapping her arms around my neck and said " mom, lets be best best girls forever". 

5. She asks me to paint her nails all the time, but wont hold still long enough for them to dry.

6. Keeps asking for Christmas songs before bed. She's also made up her own words to some classic tunes and their pretty hilarious.

7. This week she bacame a sunbeam! She wasn't nervous or anything and was excited to tell us about it on the way hoem from church. The part she was most excited about was that her teacher asked all the kids what their favorite snacks were and she was the only one that "knew." PEANUT BUTTER CRACKERS was her response.

8. asked to go running with me today. She wore shorts too even though it was 45 degrees to look like me. She made it 1/2 mile with a few little breaks.

:: henry ::

1. loves unplugging everything, especially the vacuum while I'm pushing it along.

2. He said "dada" and "mama" this week.

3. were sleeping with the fan on again to drown out his cries because he's waking up at night again. I think its teething but you just never know. 

4. He is just the happiest, easiest going kid. Follows our lead, sits in the strollers for long walks, gives the best hugs and kisses. He is lovely.

5. Loves dinner time. I've said it before but he will eat anything. This week he ate chili and jambalaya. HE will eat any fruit or vegetable so far too!

6. He wont sit still for book reading the way Hazel would, but he does find them tasty.

7. gives Brice the biggest smile when he gets home from work.

8. The more he walks around the more bonks he gets. its sad.

I did it. Well the easiest part of all marathon training. I signed up for a full marathon here in Irving, Texas on April 16th. Brice decided to run the half.  26 miles for me...13 for him. 

Brice has also lost two more pounds since Thanksgiving. He is starting to really enjoy running and the benefits.

I'm actually really excited to train and we've figured out the best schedule so our Saturdays aren't totally consumed with hours of running. I ran the Utah Valley in 3:37 which I was happy with but I was on track for a faster finish until I hit the "wall" hard at mile 22. I'm hoping to finish under 3:20 but we will see what happens!

This has nothing to do with running, but Brice was watching the Iowa Hawk-eyes play in the Rose Bowl on Friday (they didn't do very well unfortunately) and Hazel kept yelling

 "Go hot guys! Go hot guys!" 

We think she meant to say "hawk-eyes" but either way works really :)

I'm in party planning mode for Henry's FIRST birthday! I like to make a big deal about their first birthday because it really is so special. He is still a tiny little guy but I can tell he is understanding everything we say. He is great at helping clean up toys and loves to eat anything. I'm excited to celebrate him and really hope he learns to say "mama" in the next three weeks!

Also, Hazel went to primary today. We can't believe she is a sunbeam already!

2016

1. Run another marathon and finish faster than 3:37.

2. Try really hard to be less critical of myself and others.
Picking myself apart does nothing for my confidence and is no way to be happy. I really need to just stop comparing myself to others and be myself. I will have strengths and weaknesses and flaws but they will be mine. Trying to look, dress, run, act, and mother- like anybody but myself is just not good enough.

3. Make more home-made salad dressings and vinaigrette's.
Personally i think these are way yummier than store bought and healthier. Its an easy thing I can do to save a little more money and limit the processed food in our home.

4. Celebrate more things.
I definitely feel stuck in a routine and find myself not getting very excited about things. I don't like it. I want to find more joy in the everyday and not be afraid to make simple things exciting!

5. Go on more dates with Brice.
We need the time away from our too loud and demanding, all-beit adorable children. Whenever i feel like we're not in sync it snowballs quickly into mis-communicating and lack of quality time and attention. We can do better and I'm sure date nights will help a lot.