Life With Lexi & Halle

Its Been Awhile...

2009-12-05T21:06:00.003-07:00

I have totally slacked on blogging. I have just been busy, busy, busy. Instead of trying to catch up from April, I am going to start in October. Ryan and I went to Las Vegas to see the Utes play and of course, we took part in a lot of activities during my favorite time of year, Halloween. Las Vegas

Ryan took me to Vegas for a long weekend away. It is just what I needed. We had so much fun and it was great to get away from the cold.

Ryan's parents kept Halle and Shannon kept Lexi. Unfortunately, both Lexi and Dylan had the "piggy" flu while we were gone. Shannon was quite the trooper to take care of her. I felt so bad that I wasn't there to take care of here, but Shannon did a great job.

We went to Las Vegas with my mom and Rick. They were so much fun to go with.

The game was a lot of fun and the Utes won...YEAH!!! I got my picture taken with Swoop and the weather was great. Watching football in the cold is not my idea of a good time.

While we were in Vegas, we also went and saw Jay Leno perform. He is so funny, he doesn't stop for a second. We also went to the Return of the Caveman show. It was pretty funny. Ryan and I took a ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel. It was pretty cool. You can see the entire city from up there. The water show at the Bellagio was just starting and we were able to see that - it was a great show!!!

Halloween

We started the Halloween season by taking the girls to Gardner Village to see the witches. Halle thought it was great, but Lexi wasn't so sure. It was so cute to see them together and for Lexi to show Halle around. They are such good little sisters.

We also went to the Pumpkin Patch, but it was a pretty quick trip. We had to go one night after Lexi's dance and it was COLD. Although it was cold, we were able to find some really good pumpkins. Ryan was such a good daddy and he carved them all for us.

Halloween was a fun day. We had lunch with Shannon, Kody, Ashlie, Grandma Jil and Grandpa Rick. We went to the Pizza Factory and the kids had a lot of fun.

That night there was a Utah game. Ryan decided that he would rather stay home and trick or treat and watch the game on TV. We invited some of our friends and family over to watch the game and have dinner. It was a lot of fun having people over.

I got Lexi and Halle's costumes online and they were so stinkin' cute. Lexi was a Black Cat and Halle was a witch. She had a darling hat, but she refused to keep it on, even for one picture. She also had cute little bloomers that said "Boo". She wasn't so sure what to think of this dressing up, but she was a trooper.

Lexi went Trick or Treating for a while, but she had more fun opening the door and giving out candy.

It was a great Halloween season and we can't wait until next year!!

Mr. & Mrs. Brandon Edwards

2009-04-25T08:58:00.006-06:00

My little sister, Ashlie married Brandon Edwards on April 18, 2009.

It was such a fun day and a beautiful wedding. As you can see from the pictures, Ashlie looked amazing (although she would look amazing wearing a paper bag!!).

Lexi was Ashlie's flower girl and she did such a good job. She took her job very seriously. She loved the wedding. At the end of the night she asked me if she could have a wedding when she grows up. Here is Lexi and Dylan (one of the ring bearers). They looked so cute and so grown up.

Shannon, Amy and I were Ashlie's bridesmaids. I loved our dresses. Ashlie let us pick our own in the same color, so we were able to match our own personalities. I think it turned out great.

Grandpa Brad, Grandma Susan, Chaz and Whitney all came to the reception. Lexi was so excited to have them there. Ryan and I were glad also, as they were a huge help with the girls - Thank you so much!!!

Ashlie and Brandon had dancing at the wedding and it was so fun. Lexi said it was her favorite part of the wedding. Here is Brandon and Ashlie dancing their first dance as husband and wife.

It was such a nice day and Ashlie is so happy. We are excited to welcome Brandon to our family and wish them many years of happiness.

Easter in St. George

2009-04-21T16:17:00.003-06:00

This Easter, Grandpa Brad and Grandma Susan invited our little family to spend some time with them in St. George.

We were excited to leave the cold in Salt Lake for the warm in St. George, but it ended up not being very warm. In fact, on Saturday, it was windy and cold and I could have sworn we were still in Salt Lake.

Regardless of the weather, we had a lot of fun. We did some shopping, 4-wheeling, buffet eating in Mesquite, visited the Pizza Factory, went to the car show, went to the arts festival, had a BBQ, just to name a few. We had a busy, but fun weekend.

Grandpa Rick and Grandma Jil were also down in St. George and we were able to spend some time with them as well. Kody, Amy and the boys came up from Mesquite and met us for lunch. They had just been to Disneyland and had a lot of fun stories to share with us.

Lexi only wanted to do one thing while in St. George and that was SWIMMING!!! She loves the pool down at Grandma's and she wants to spend the whole time in there. Luckily, her daddy, grandpa and uncle love to indulge her so she was able to spend a lot of time swimming.

Last, but not least, the Easter Bunny made a stop at Grandma's and Grandpa's. Lexi was worried he wouldn't find us there, but he did. He left a lot of fun things for both the girls and hid a ton of eggs. Lexi had such a fun time finding them all.

Thanks again to Grandma Susan and Grandpa Brad for inviting us down for such a great vacation. We can't wait until next Easter!!

Disneyland

2009-04-05T09:50:00.011-06:00

As part of Lexi's birthday present, we took a short trip to Disneyland. We had so much fun, but wish we could have stayed longer. There is so much to do.

Ryan had been in meetings in San Diego earlier in the week, so he met me and the girls down in LA. Everyone was worried about me getting both girls to the airport and through security, but we did just fine. I told Ryan that next time he is traveling and there is a mom trying to get her kids on the shuttle with a stroller, he needed to make sure and help because there were a lot of nice people that helped me.

Lexi was so excited to go on the plane. She kept asking, "Are we flying yet?". It was so cute. Halle was a champ, she slept the whole way. I didn't bring anything to occupy me because I thought I would be busy with the girls, but they did their own thing. It was kind of nice just to relax.

Once we got to California, we met up with Ryan and went to check into our hotel. Once we were settled, we headed on down to Downtown Disney. We let Lexi pick out an autograph book and pen for the characters. My little girl has her own mind and didn't pick out the first thing she saw. She took her time to make sure she made the right decision. After dinner, we headed on back to the hotel to get ready for DISNEYLAND the next morning.

The first ride we went on was the Alice in Wonderland ride. Lexi was excited, but a little bit apprehensive. She wasn't sure she liked the loud noise. After that, we went on the Teacups. This was more her speed. She LOVED it (see picture below). She loved the spinning and she laughed so hard.

Both of the girls loved "Its A Small World". They have updated it, but it is still so cute. They have added all of the Disney characters to the different worlds. It was fun for us to try and spot the different people.

Some of the other highlights from our first day was visiting Minnie & Mickey's house. We also visited Pirates, Buzz Lightyear, Honey I Shrunk the Kids and the Merry Go Round.

The next day we went straight to the Nemo ride, but we still had to wait 45 minutes. It was a cute ride, but I am not sure it was worth the wait. We then went on Peter Pan, Snow White and Pinocchio ride. Again, Lexi didn't love the dark and the noise (Disneyland is kind of scary!!). I think we spend the majority of our day waiting for the parade. It was so hot, that I think we almost melted. It was fun having such good seats for the parade though.

The next day, we met up with Ryan's brother Brady and his girlfriend, Melissa. They live in California, so we don't get to see them very often. Brady hadn't even met Halle yet. It was so good to see them and spend some time with them. We were able to go on the Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain and the Pooh Bear Ride. Lexi HATED Splash Mountain, but she loved the Pooh Bear ride. She said she liked it the best because we didn't have to wait in line. Later that night, we had dinner with the Princesses. It was so worth the money. The princesses came right to your table and the food was wonderful. Lexi was in Heaven. She couldn't beleie she got to meet all of the princesses. We also had them bring a birthday cake to her which she thought was so cool. While we were at dinner, Brady proposed to Melissa in front of Cinderella's castle and she said "Yes". We are so happy for them. They are such a cute couple. We met up with them later that night to watch the fireworks. They were so excited!!!

On our last day, we headed back to Disneyland to go to Pixie Hollow. Tinkerbell had left presents for Lexi and Halle in our hotel room while we were sleeping, so Lexi wanted to be sure to tell her Thank You before we left. Then we stopped by California Adventure to ride "Soarin'".

Both of the girls were so good on the trip. I was worried about taking Halle, but she did great. She did get a little upset when we would wake her from her nap to go on a ride, but she was great. If you ever take a baby to Disneyland, be sure to visit the "Baby Center". It is so quiet and the people in there are so nice. They have a nice curtained area for mom's to nurse their babies and a great changing area. Halle and I spend quite a bit of time in there and it was so nice!!!

After a final goodbye to Minnie and lunch with Brady & Melissa, we were on our way home. We had so much fun and made so great memories. We can't wait to go back again.

Blessing Pictures

2009-04-05T09:47:00.003-06:00

I had Halle's pictures taken in her blessing dress. She wasn't very happy about it and the only time I could go is during nap time, so I am glad they turned out as well as they did. Even though she was a little ornery, she is still my precious little angel.

Ashlie's Shower

2009-03-15T15:03:00.005-06:00

The Beautiful Bride

My little sister Ashlie is getting married on April 18, so Shannon, Amy and I had a shower for her.

I had such a fun time planning this shower. We had a daisy "Loves Me, Loves Me Not" theme so we had Daisy necklaces for the "Don't Say Cute" game and I made daisy ice cubes for the punch. For the favors, we got nail files shaped as daisy petals that say "He Loves Me" or "He Loves Me Not" on them.

We had a great turnout for Ashlie and she got a lot of fun gifts. We had a lunch andplayed one game and opened presents. it was a fun afternoon!

Congratulations and Best Wishes to Brandon & Ashlie!!!

Lexi at the shower - Earlier in the week when I was cleaning the house, I told her it was for Ashlie's shower. She wanted to know if Ashlie was going to shower in her bathroom or my bathroom!!! Halle was tired from the shower preparation, but she made sure that she matched the theme. She had a daisy bow in her hair, but I think Aunt Shannon took it out (She doesn't approve of the bows)!

Halle's Special Day

2009-03-15T14:17:00.005-06:00

On March 1st, Halle was blessed at church. We had such a special day and Ryan did such a great job on her blessing. It was beautiful!

We are so fortunate to have so much family and support. Halle had three great grandpa's, four grandpa's and two uncles help bless her. There is so much love surrounding our little girl.

Grandma Jil helped me pick out Halle's dress. I was worried at first that her dress wasn't all white, but in the end, I loved the pink ribbons in it. I had also bought her darling white shoes with pink ribbons, but they were way too big, so Halle wore the same shoes Lexi wore when she was blessed.

Since our house isn't very big, we didn't think we could do dinner for thirty people, so we decided to have a nice dinner at Mark Anthony's restaurant. Our neighbor's own this and they did such a great job for us.

It was such a beautiful day for our little family. Thank you to everyone who was able to share it with us!

This is one of the few pictures I have of Lexi and Halle, where Halle isn't screaming. Usually she isn't too fond of the way Lexi holds her!!

Halle with her Great Granparents (Jaime's Grandparents), Jim & Ilona Holyoak

Growing So Big!!!

2009-02-22T21:22:00.002-07:00

Our little Halle is getting so big - I can't believe she has been with us for almost eight weeks, but I can't imagine life without her.

The poor little bug was having a tough time last week and I couldn't figure out why. She didn't have a fever and everything else seemed to be okay. She was eating, pooping and sleeping normally, but when she was awake, all she wanted to do is cry. I felt so bad because I didn't know how to help her.

I finally took her to the doctor and it turns out she had a mild case of RSV - What!!! I thought if a baby had RSV, they had a cough and a fever. I felt so bad. Luckily, it is a real mild case and we hopefully won't have to hospitalize her. She can't go anywhere for 10 days. We were planning on blessing her on Sunday, March 1, but we will have to postpone, because she will still be under "quarantine". I am sad about that, but I am so thankful she isn't' sicker than she is. This will be my last week before I have to go back to work, and I can spend it holding and loving my baby girl!!!

We bought her a Bumbo seat - Look how big she looks - She is growing up before my eyes. I love her so much. She has brought so much joy into our lives in her short little time.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-22T21:16:00.004-07:00

This year we had a low key Valentine's Day, but we had a great time anyways.

Cupid came to our house early in the morning. He brought both Lexi and Halle a bucket full of fun stuff. Lexi got a new swimsuit and cover-up along with some new sandals. She also got a new Tinkerbell book with some markers. Halle's bucket had some flip flops, a new sun hat, some Binky's and some cute new jammies.

Ryan gave me some new sheets - They are fabulous and so soft - I love them. The girls and I got Ryan some gift cards to Lowe's so he can continue working on his home improvement projects.

We went to an early dinner so Sampan. We left the house at 4:30 so we could beat the crowds. We did a great job, but I felt bad by the time we finished because I think our two kids we not helping create a romantic atmosphere for the other couples in the restaurant. I think our kids were the only ones in the restaurant. Oh, well - We had fun.

Lexi and Halle looked so cute in their Valentines outfits - We are so lucky we have such cute Valentines!!!

Birthday Girl

2009-02-22T20:42:00.006-07:00

Lexi turned four years old on February 13. I can't believe how quick four years has flown by. It seems like yesterday she was a newborn little baby and now she is my four year old little girl. She is growing up so fast.

We are planning a trip to Disneyland next month to celebrate Lexi's birthday, so we didn't do a big party this year. Instead, Lexi took her two friends, Amelia and Donne to Build A Bear and lunch at the mall.

The girls had so much fun. They all chose the exact same bear, but they all dressed them differently. They were so good. I was worried about taking three four year old little girls and Halle to the mall by myself, but it was a lot of fun. Lexi built a Hannah Montana bear and it turned out so cute.

After we were done building bears, we had lunch at Hot Dog on a Stick and got cookies from Mrs. Fields cookies. Lexi was so excited to go to the mall with her friends - She kept asking them if they had ever been before.

On Lexi's birthday, we had a fun day at home. She was able to open her presents and play with them all day. She got a Light Bright, her very own CD player, a cheerleading outfit and pompoms and some new spring clothes. She also got a Princess art set from Halle.

Ever since Lexi went to a football game with Ryan earlier this year, she has been obsessed with being a cheerleader. She would put her tutu on with some leggings for her outfit and cheer. Her she is in her University of Utah outfit. (Lexi HATES turtlenecks and wont' wear the shirt that goes under the dress). She is very particular about her hair as well. She won't let me put nice pig tails in, just quick ones to play.

Lexi's favorite food is crab, so we took her to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner where she got her very own crab meal. She ate every bit of it. The servers made a big deal about her birthday. They put a feather boa on her and sang happy birthday. She thought it was great.

Lexi had cupcakes instead of a cake for her birthday. She had such a fun day and received so many nice gifts. Thank you to everyone who helped make it a fun day!!!

Princess Lexi

2009-02-22T20:31:00.002-07:00

Lexi was invited to her friend Amelia's birthday party and it was a princess party. Lexi was so excited to get to dressed like a princess. I ordered her a dress that was on clearance from Disney.com and when it arrived, I called it her prom dress. There was so much tulle and netting that the dress weighed at least 5 pounds. I bought it a little big so she can wear it for Halloween next year.

She makes such a beautiful Cinderella.

Lexi had a great time at the party. All she could talk about was the how the "Real" Cinderella came to the party. Cinderella told them about her castle that was far, far away (Lexi decided far, far away is by Uncle Kody's House) and her mice that live with her.

A big thank you to Amelia and her mommy and daddy for a great birthday party. Lexi had a great time!!!

Beautiful Pictures

2009-01-29T10:25:00.002-07:00

In September, I went to the "What Women Want Show" and found the most wonderful photographer. She had a newborn special that I signed up. I knew I wanted some of the pictures of Halle right after she was born. We went for our photo shoot when Halle was 10 days old. I was planning on only getting pictures of Halle, but Heather included the whole family in the shoot. She even did her own mini shoot with Lexi that turned out so cute. Check the pictures out: http://heatherbrownphotography.typepad.com/my_weblog/ I know I am biased, but I think they are so cute. I can't believe how good they turned out. I would recommend Heather to anyone who wants so fantastic pictures.

Two Weeks New!!

2009-01-15T16:29:00.003-07:00

I can't believe it, but our little Halle has already been in our lives for two weeks. We have had such a wonderful two weeks with our little angel. While I can't believe she has been with us for two weeks, I can't remember what life was like before she joined us.

Halle had her two week check up earlier this week and she now weighs 8 pounds 9 ounces. I guess I don't have to worry about her not getting enough to eat. She is a very happy baby as long as someone is holding her. She doesn't like to be left alone, but we are working on it. She is learning that her crib is an okay place to be when it is time to rest.

Lexi is such a good big sister. She loves helping out with her sister and giving her lots of loves and kisses. She likes to hold Halle and is so careful when she holds her. We are so lucky to have both of the sweet little girls in our lives.

Introducing....

2009-01-09T21:24:00.008-07:00

Halle Lyn Beckstead

December 30, 2008

4:41 PM

8 Pounds 1 Ounce

19" Long

Our Halle arrived with a little help on December 30.

Since Lexi arrived 12 days early, I had it in my head that Halle would be born early as well. This is not a good idea to plant in your head, because when the baby doesn't come early, it is very frustating.

When I went to my doctor's appointment on Monday, December 29, he told me that there wasn't room for me in the hospital to be induced the next day. This automatically sent me into tears, so he scheduled me for the next day, December 31. I wasn't thrilled to be having a baby on New Years eve, but at that point, I would have settled for anything.

Later that night, we recieved a phone call from the hospital telling me that there may be room for me on Tuesday and to call just in case. I was so excited, but decided not to get my hopes up since they weren't promising anything. Luckily, the next morning they told me to come in and they would induce me - YEAH!!!!

Halle was born late in the afternoon. The labor and delivery was fairly easy and she was born with bright eyes. She didn't cry, but she was looking around at everything and everyone. I will never forget that moment when they placed her on my chest and I got my first look at her. She was so beautiful and perfect!!

Grandma Jil, Grandma Susan, Aunt Shannon and Aunt Ashlie were in the delivery room with Ryan and I to help welcome Halle into the world. Grandpa Gary, Grandpa Steve and Uncle Chaz were all waiting for her big arrival in the waiting room. They were all so happy she was here.

Later that night, Lexi came up to check out her new little sister. I was still hooked up to some IV's, so she was pretty scared. She really didn't know what to think. When she came back the next day, she was a little bit better and she has loved her new little sister more and more each day since we came home (she did ask me to keep her quiet at night so she did wake her up)!!

We have had so much love and support from our family and friends since Halle's birth. Everyone has been so willing to help out with anything we have needed. Thank you to everyone for all your love and support during this special time in our lives.

2008 Year End Updates

2009-01-09T20:45:00.006-07:00

Again, it has been way too long since I last posted. We have been so busy getting ready for the baby and with the holiday's that my blogging has fallen behind. Again, I will try to keep up on this in the upcoming year.

Disney on Ice

We took Lexi to Disney on Ice and she loved it. She especially loved the when the princesses were on stage. Since her daddy was such a good sport to come to Disney on Ice while the Utes were playing, we went to the Skybox after for dinner so we could catch the rest of the rest of the game.

Thanksgiving

We had a very nice Thanksgiving holiday this year. The Sunday before Thanksgiving, we celebrated with Grandma Susan and Grandpa Brad. We had a yummy turkey dinner with Grandma, Grandpa, Chaz, Whitney and Grandma and Grandpa Brady. We sure missed Brady and Zach this year and hope that everyone will be together next year.

On Thanksgiving day, we had dinner at Grandma Jil's and Grandpa Rick's. After dinner, Grandma Jil helped the kids all make trees that listed everything they were grateful for. They were so cute. Lexi told us she was grateful for everything from her mom and dad to the cookies she gets at snack time.

Later in the afternoon, we all went to see Bolt. This was a cute show and Lexi did pretty good in it. She still has a ways to go on learning to sit through movies in the big theater, but she is getting better and better.

That night, Shannon and I slept at Grandma Jil's so we could get an early start on the shopping. We started at 4:00 AM and went until 1:00 PM. I have to say I was pretty impressed with myself that I was able to hold up that long. We had a lot of fun and I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

Lexi's Christmas Dance Recital

Lexi had her Christmas dance recital on the same day as the first big snow storm. Luckily, we planned ahead and didn't run into too many issues.

Lexi and her dance class did such a good job on their dance. They danced to Santa's Mambo - It was so cute. Unfortunately, my batteries on the camera died so I didn't get any pictures. Lexi is learning so much in dance class and we are so proud of her. She loves going to class each week and does such a great job!

Shepherd Christmas Party

Every year, my mom and her sisters host a Santa Claus party for the family right before Christmas. This is something my Grandma Donna always did and they make sure they keep the tradition alive, right down to the food we serve and the games we play.

Of course, Santa Claus comes to the party. Lexi was so excited to talk to him, but when he showed up, she got a little scared. She told us that she would sit on his lap as long as daddy came up with her. She was so brave and did a great job. She told Santa that she wanted a bicycle (not a bike) and a tent for Christmas. He told her that she needed to keep being good and he would see what he could do.

Christmas

The finale of the season. We had such a good Christmas!! I think all of us got what we wanted. Santa brought Lexi her bicycle and Grandma and Grandpa Tanner gave her the tent she asked for. She also got numerous other presents. At the end of the day she asked me how come Santa brought her toys she didn't ask for. I told her that it must have been because she was such a good girl!!

Here is Lexi opening her first Christmas present. It was her new Christmas jammies. We had some for Halle too, but since she hadn't arrived by Christmas, we put them away for her to wear after she arrived. Mommy and daddy also got new jammies.

We always spend Christmas eve with Grandma and Grandpa Tanner. Grandpa Brad pulls out his horse carriage and takes everyone on a ride around the neighborhood. Lexi loves this part of Christmas eve. Here are her and her daddy all bundled up and ready for the ride.

Here are Ryan and Lexi checking out all of the loot Santa left. Lexi couldn't believe everything she got. She was having so much fun playing with all of her toys, she didn't want to open the presents under the tree - I think she has caught on that all mom and dad give her are new clothes and those aren't fun to open!!!

Ryan and I also we spoiled at Christmas. Ryan got a WII and a gift card to help finish his office in the basement. I got a new camera and Photoshop, which I can't wait to use. Santa even left Halle some presents, even though she hadn't arrived. She received a rocking horse and playmat for her room. Ryan said it could count as somewhat of a first Christmas since she got presents. I don't think it works that way, but it is a good way to look at it.

Fall Fun

2008-10-30T21:26:00.005-06:00

We have been having so much fun this fall. Since the weather has stayed so nice, we have been able to participate in all of our fall activities.

Lexi was able to go with her daddy and Uncle Chaz to the University of Utah game. I was really worried that I would get a call about half-time asking me to come and pick her up, but she did really good. She kept asking when the band was going to play "Utah Man". When the game was over, she didn't want to leave. I think Ryan might be buying another season ticket in the next few years.

After the game, Kody, Amy and their kids along with Grandpa Gary came out to go to the Herriman Pumpkin Fest with us. The kids had a great time playing the games. They got some great prizes. Thanks to Amy for the pictures, since my camera was dead - I stole these from her blog!!!

The next weekend, we went to Barnyard Boo with Grandma Susan and Grandpa Brad. This is something I have taken Lexi to every year since her first Halloween. She loves the games and activities. She especially loves going on the hayride. Last year her daddy scared her about the Headless Horseman, so she was a little bit apprehensive, but we had a great time.

Since Ryan was leaving town on Sunday afternoon, we decided we better get our pumpkins carved. I think this is Lexi's favorite Halloween activity. She wanted a Donald Duck pumpkin, a Mickey pumpkin and she decided to do a regular pumpkin. We had a lot of fun carving them and I think they turned out pretty good.

Lexi and Amelia

Lexi and Mrs. LaDawn

Lexi and her dance class

We have had such a fun Halloween season. Lexi had a party at pre-school and another at dance class. She thinks all the fun games and crafts are great, but she LOVES the candy. She makes such a cute "pink" Minnie Mouse.

A New Addition!!!!

2008-10-12T21:08:00.003-06:00

This weekend we found out that we were going to have a new addition to our family...

I know what you are thinking, but no body is going to have a baby (other than our little girl), but Ashlie got engaged.

We are so excited. Ashlie is going to marry Brandon Edwards. He is such great guy and they make such a cute couple. We are so excited for them and I can't wait to welcome Brandon to our family!!!!

Congratulations - Brandon & Ashlie

A Visit to the Witches

2008-10-12T20:59:00.004-06:00

This weekend, we made a quick trip to Gardner Village to see the witches. Lexi was really excited about the trip, but once we got there, she wasn't so sure.

This was the first time I had been to see the witches and I couldn't believe how cute they were. There were all different ones, but I think my favorite was the one who lifted her dress so you could see the cat run around her legs!!!

I think the highlight of Lexi's trip was a visit to Sweet Afton's. Lexi and I have made several visits there before so she wasn't going to let this time pass. We weren't the only ones with the idea. There wasn't room to move. I stood in line for 25 minutes to buy a candy I could buy at Harmon's, but I guess the idea was to have the candy from Sweet Afton's.

There was a spot where you could go on a ride with a real witch. The line was pretty long the first time we tried, but it was 1/2 as long when we went back. We really lucked out because there were only large parties ahead of us and so we were able to fill the wagon on the first ride out because there were only three of us - YEAH!!!!

Lexi was a little apprehensive when we go on the ride, but she quickly figured out that the witch we were riding with was a nice witch. She had instruments and we all played a song. The only bad thing was Ryan's instrument was a rat. I don't care if it was plastic, I really didn't want to sit that close to a rat - YUCK!!!

It was another fun activity for our little family. We had a great time!!!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-08T19:23:00.008-06:00

Fall is one of our favorite times of the year at the Beckstead house, but each of us has our different reasons. Ryan loves that it is time for college football, Lexi loves picking out her Halloween costume and I love that the HOT summer is over (I know...weird)!!!

One of our favorite traditions since moving out to Herriman is visiting the pumpkin patch that is not far from our house. The last few years we have waited too long to go, so this year we decided to go on opening weekend.

Lexi had a blast picking out a pumpkin for everyone in the family. She even picked out a little small one for the baby. She was so excited about all the different pumpkins. She had her sites set on a white pumpkin and that is the one she picked out.

In addition to having a ton of pumpkins, there is also a corn maze for the kids to play in. Ryan tried to take Lexi through it, but she was a little scared. Oh well, we can try again next year.

We ended up with seven pumpkins in all different sizes. We can't wait until it gets closer to Halloween so we can carve them into fun Jack o' Lanterns. Right now they are helping to decorate our front porch.

This is just the first of many fall activities - We like to make the most of this time of year!!!

Crackin' Out

2008-09-25T13:53:00.005-06:00

The other night, the baby was kicking like crazy. I asked Lexi if she wanted to feel her kicking. She came over and felt a great big kick - I think her baby sister was trying to impress her. When she felt the kick, her exact reaction was:

"Mom, I think she is ready to crack out at Halloween"

We have told Lexi that the baby will come around Christmas, but she has decided that if she is strong enough to kick, she can "crack out" now. I am not sure where she came up with the notion the baby is going to "crack out", but it is as good as an explanation as any. I am pretty happy I didn't have to explain to her any more details!!!

Utah Fan Fest

2008-08-31T19:38:00.007-06:00

Ryan decided that Lexi and I needed more "RED" in our blood, so he took us up to the Ute Fan Fest at Rice Eccles. He promised me that I didn't have to watch any football, so I was game.

We met Grandpa Gary and Kody & Amy and their boys up there. All of us were dressed in our red and our white, so we fit right in.

All of the Utah Athletic Teams were there. The gymnasts, the swimmers and basketball teams were all there, as well as the cheerleaders and the band.

Lexi & Ryan with Coach Boylan

Matt Asiada straight from practice - Lexi doesn't look so impressed, but Ryan was.Lexi with two of the cheerleaders - GO UTES!!!

Jaime, Tanner & Boston hangin' with Swoop

Afterwards, we met Grandpa Jim and Grandma Ona at Litza's for some pizza. A trip up to the "U" isn't complete without a Litza's meal.

GO UTES - We hope you have a great season!!!!

First Day of School

2008-08-20T17:42:00.005-06:00

Lexi started her first day of preschool on Tuesday. She was so excited to go to school. She wore her new red dress with the apples on it along with cute apple clips in her hair. She looked so cute in her "First Day of School" outfit.

Lexi goes to LaDawn's Preschool. It is so cute, the preschool is held in a little red school house and they are finishing a barn for the preschool as well. She goes to school with her friend Amelia and has a lot of fun kids in her class.

We are excited for Lexi this year. We know she is going to have a great year and learn a lot!!!

Fun In The Sun

2008-08-14T19:39:00.005-06:00

All summer, Shannon has been inviting Lexi and I to spend the day at Cherry Hill with her and the boys. She let me know last week that her boys went back to school in two weeks and that summer was quickly fading away.

So on Monday, we loaded the kids up and headed on up to Cherry Hill. Amy, Tanner, Boston and Hudson were able to join us, so Lexi had all her cousins to have fun with all day long.

Shannon invited Lexi to stay the night on Sunday, so by the time I got up to Shannon's, she had already had a ton of fun. Aunt Shannon painted her nails and all of the boys pampered her. She was in heaven.

Once we arrived a Cherry Hill, Lexi was pretty apprehensive about the water, but she slowly warmed up. By the end of the day, she was going down the slides and splashing with all the boys. She especially liked it when Hudson played in the water with her.

By the time we got home, Lexi was exhausted. She was asleep in her seat five minutes after we left and she slept until 7:00 that night. We finally had to wake her so she didn't keep us up all night.

Hudson chilling in his stroller. He was such a good boy!!!

Lexi and Boston playing with their water guns!!

Dylan cooling off under the water!!!

Tanner, Connor and Austin following his lead

Lexi FINALLY going down the slide...about an hour before it was time to go home

A great big thank you to Aunt Shannon for having such a great idea and inviting us to share in the fun. We are so glad that Amy and the boys could join us. It was a great end to Summer (since the next day I found out Lexi starts preschool next week...Augh!!!)

It's A....?

2008-08-14T19:19:00.004-06:00

So we finally hit one of the first milestones building up to our new addition. We were able to find out what flavor baby would join our family at the end of the year.

So the moment arrived and our fabulous ultrasound tech let Lexi know that her wish had come true and that she was going to have a ...

Little Sister!!!!

We are so excited and can't wait. I think Ryan is excited that we won't have to buy as much new stuff, Lexi is excited to finally not being the only little girl in the entire family and I am excited to have a new little person to dress up in bows and bracelets. Most of all we are excited to have a new little person to love in our family.

The new little Miss Beckstead was pretty shy during her first photo shoot. Every time we tried to get a good look at her face, her hands would immediately go up to cover her face. She also kept crossing her legs, but finally we were able to get a good look to confirm that she was indeed a little girl.

Silly me - I say the dark shadows on her head and I asked the tech if she already had that much hair. I guess I wasn't thinking very clearly, but I gave everyone a good laugh!!!

We thought it would be fun for Lexi to tell the other kids at daycare if she was having a little brother or sister in a fun way. We made cupcakes and put little toppers in them that said "It's A Girl". (We have "It's A Boy!" ready to take back). She told me she was putting the pink one's in whether or not it was a girl, so I guess we lucked out.

So I guess we can really start getting ready. We now can pick colors for the wall, decide on what bedding we want and get ready for our little girl. We can't wait until she is here.

24th of July in Fairview

2008-08-06T20:42:00.005-06:00

It has become a tradition for us to spend the 24th of July down in Fairview with Grandpa Brad and Grandma Susan. Since the holiday fell on a Thursday, Ryan and Lexi spent the weekend at the cabin. I still had to work, so I went home Thursday night and came back on Saturday morning. Aunt Ashlie was able to come down with us on Thursday. We started out at the parade, which is really good considering the size of Fairview. They have a fun little craft fair where we found some really cute jewelry. Grandma Susan also bought the new baby some really cute burp pads. Since we still don't know what flavor baby we are having, we bought some really cute yellow and green ones.

Me and Ashlie are waiting patiently for the parade to begin. We are checking out the Tupperware books. She is showing me everything she wants to get when she gets married. I am not sure Tupperware will still be in business when that happens.

Lexi is having a lot of fun with Grandma and Grandpa. They both made sure she left the parade with a ton of candy and prizes.

After the parade, we went back to the cabin for lunch. The boys went fishing after lunch, while the girls rested. Later on we went swimming. There is so much to do up at the cabin.

Later that night, we had just finished dinner. Lexi was playing and having fun when all of the sudden she started screaming. It turns out she had been stung by a bee...OUCH!!! She wasn't very happy.

Ashlie and I headed home after dinner, while everyone else went to the Demolition Derby. The next day, the golfed, four wheeled and had a lot of fun. The only down side was that Lexi was stung by a bee AGAIN. She must taste like honey!!! This time she had a reaction and her hand swelled up. They had to get a bunch of Benedryl in her, and she was feeling better. I felt so bad that I wasn't there to kiss and hug her better.

Lexi and her daddy having fun on the golf course. She sure loves her daddy!!!

Here are the boys all ready for their 4-wheeler ride.

I drove back on Saturday morning. We spent a relaxing day resting, swimming and just having fun. Later that night, we drove into Ephraim for yummy Mexican food. It was a dinner for my birthday and these days I cannot get enough Mexican food. We finished the night with a carmel cashew shake - There is nothing better than that!!!

We had a really fun weekend. Lexi can't stop talking about her Grandpa's cabin and all the fun she had.

4th of July

2008-08-06T20:23:00.004-06:00

I know, I am little (okay, a lot) behind on my blog. Once I get caught up, I will try really hard to keep up. We had a pretty low key Fourth of July, but we still managed to have a lot of fun. The night before, we went to the Riverton Parade with Shannon & Clint and their boys. We stopped for pizza before and then we melted in the parade. It was SOOO hot. I couldn't believe it. Regardless of the heat, we had a lot of fun. We were glad that the Forrests could come down and join in the fun.

Lexi, Dylan and Connor trying to escape from the sun!!! Clint got the umbrella's for me and Shannon, but somehow we lost possession of them.

Dylan and Connor enjoying their popsicles. It was the only way to stay cool. A big thanks to Aunt Shannon for buying the yummy treats.

Here is Lexi near the end of the parade. She isn't wet, she is just sweating. She looks like she just ran a 5 mile run, but she only had been watching the parade!!!

The next day we took Lexi to see Wall-E and she wasn't impressed. We only made it through about 1 hour of the movie. Can anyone tell me how it ended? Ryan told her that she isn't allowed to go to anymore movie...we'll see!!

That night we got take out and went over to Grandma Jil's and Grandpa Rick's for dinner. Grandpa Rick had just had surgery and so he wasn't up to much celebrating. We visited for awhile and then we had GREAT seats for the Riverton fireworks.

Here is Lexi in her Fourth of July dress all ready for the movie!!!

We had a fun holiday, even though we didn't do a lot. It was nice to have a relaxing day...that doesn't happen very often!!!

Father's Day

2008-06-15T20:45:00.005-06:00

I wanted to wish Ryan a Happy Father's Day. Ryan is such a great dad and Lexi and I are so lucky to have him. He is always so helpful and he is a wonderful father. He takes such good care of Lexi and I. I don't know what we would do without him.

Today was a fun but busy day. This morning Grandpa Steve and Sandy came over for breakfast. We had a yummy egg casserole and fruit salad. It was quite good.

After church, Grandpa Gary and Kathy, Grandma & Grandpa Holyoak, Shannon, Clint, Austin, Connor, Dylan, Ashlie and Brandon came over for a BBQ. It was a lot of fun and Lexi had a great time playing with her cousins. They played outside in the pool all afternoon and had a great time. Ryan and Clint took the kids down to the splash park. Lexi ran around, but didn't get near the water. She is so silly.

Happy Father's Day to all the great father's in our life.

Lexi's Dance Recital

2008-06-15T20:36:00.003-06:00

Last night was Lexi's dance recital. She did such a good job and had a lot of fun. Lexi has enjoyed dance so much this year and is sad that it is over for the summer.

Miss Torri was Lexi's teacher this year. She taught Lexi so much. Lexi took tap and ballet this year. She was in two performances last night and did a fantastic job in both. Her class danced to "Once Upon A Dream" for ballet and "Emerald City" for tap. They were such cute little girls to watch dance.

After the recital, we went to Leatherbee's for ice cream to celebrate Lexi's great job. She ordered her own banana split, but I think she only ate about 1/4 of it. Grandma and Grandpa Brady brought Lexi so roses and Ryan and I gave her a "Hannah Antenna" doll.

Great job again Lexi on a fabulous year in dance!!!

Exciting News!!!

2008-06-02T20:59:00.003-06:00

We have some exciting news to share. Our little family is about to get a little bit bigger. We are expecting our second little baby at the beginning of 2009.

We were planning on adding to our family and since it took a while to get Lexi here, we thought it would take a while, but this must be one anxious little peanut. This time it happened a lot quicker than we thought.

Me and Lexi surprised Ryan with the news by bringing home some pink and blue balloons. Lexi wasn't really sure what we were doing, but if it involves balloons, she is all about it.

This is our first picture of our little peanut. It is amazing the technology that we can see him or her already. I got to hear the heartbeat and it was amazing. It was the exact same feeling I had when I heard Lexi's heartbeat for the first time.

We are really excited for the change this is going to bring to our family and we can't wait. My due date is January 2 so we will either end 2008 or start 2009 with a great addition!!!

...And they call the thing Rodeo!!!

2008-06-02T20:44:00.004-06:00

Herriman city has a really nice new park with rodeo grounds. This park is fairly close to our house, so it is fun for us to go to the rodeo when it comes to town.

We decided to go on Saturday night. Chaz and Whitney decided to go with us, so after a yummy dinner at Training Table, we were off.

We went last year and Lexi can remember yelling "Get That Barrel" during the bull rides so she was really excited to see them again this year. Along with the fireworks and the snack shack, this is her favorite part of the rodeo.

We got settled in and Lexi decided she was ready for a treat. I think we stood in line for 1/2 of the rodeo. She decided that she wanted a churro, even though I don't think she has ever had one before. She was so happy with it!!!

By the time the rodeo was over, it was really cold!!! I didn't plan very well and I forgot a blanket. Luckily we had jackets, but they didn't help much.

After all the fun of the rodeo, there were fireworks. This was definatly my favorite part and I am pretty sure it was Lexi's too.

We can't wait to go again!!!

Visit To The Zoo

2008-06-02T20:35:00.002-06:00

Lexi has been talking about going to the zoo since last fall. We took her once when she was just over 1 year old, but of course she can't remember any of it.

Ryan had to go out of town for a while, so when he got back we thought it would be fun to spend the day at the zoo. The weather hadn't been too hot yet and we wanted to make sure we went before it was miserable to be outside.

I guess a lot of people had the same idea we did, because when we go to the zoo, it was packed. I couldn't believe it. We had to park in the upper parking lot. Even though there were a lot of people, we had a really fun day. Lexi had a lot of fun, but she wasn't as impressed as I thought she would be. She was really excited to see the zebra's and elephants, but she really didn't like the other things. We were kind of disappointed that the train wasn't working, but it ended up okay. Lexi had fun playing on the playground. They are getting ready to open a new area at the zoo with a really neat carousel. We told her that we would be sure to come back once it was open. We will be sure to go when the weather is a little bit cooler so the animals will be more active.

This ended up being a really fun outing for our little family!!!

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T18:56:00.002-06:00

Today was such a special day for me. It was Mother's Day. After I got married, but hadn't become a mother, this was a tough day for me. I thought I should get a day for me - I kept a house clean and took care of Ryan. I wasn't sure what was so much more difficult about adding a few kids to the mix.

Until I actually became a mom. My eyes were quickly open. It is a whole new ballgame!!! Being a mom is one of hardest, most challenging things I have ever attempted, but it is also the most rewarding and fulfilling thing in my life.

This morning, Lexi was so excited to show me the card she had made for me. It brought tears to my eyes!!! She is such a blessing in my life. I can't believe I was chosen to be her mommy. Each day I learn more from her than I think I can ever teach her. I learn how to look at things in a different light, to not be so judgemental and to have a brighter outlook on life. She is so Innocent and so full of life. She is so excited about each day and the new adventures she has to look forward to.

I also had the opportunity to honor my mother today. I am so lucky to have the mom I have. I also learn so much from her. She is one of my hero's and I hope to be like her as I continue to grow up.

We had a great "Mother's Weekend". I was able to spend Friday night with my dad and family, along with my Grandma Ona. It was a fun night that included dinner at Bucca di Bepo. The kids were all really good and we had a fun night together.

Saturday night, Lexi went to play at the babysitters, while Ryan and I joined the rest of the adults in my family for dinner and a movie. We at dinner at Tepanyaki and went to see "What Happens in Vegas". We had a great night out and Lexi had a blast playing with the babysitter.

This morning we woke up and Ryan and Lexi had some fun presents for me. They got me a Kitchenaid Mixer. This is one of those things that I have always wanted, but I have never asked for so I was so excited to get this. They also got me a fun cookbook with lots of yummy recipes to make with the mixer. I can't wait to start using it.

Later in the morning, we went to Grandma Susan's for lunch. We had to make it an early lunch, because Ryan and I had to be to church to teach primary. We had a yummy lunch of ribs, beans, coleslaw and homemade strawberry pie. Grandma Brady and Grandma Joanie came to lunch, so we got to spend some time with these great mothers on Mother's Day.

After Church, we met Grandma Jil, Grandpa Rick, Ashlie, Shannon and her family for dinner. It was just a casual dinner at Texas Roadhouse, but we had a fun time. It was a great end to a great weekend.

This weekend, I was able to spend some time with all the great women in my life. I am so lucky to have all of these women as examples and teachers to help me along the way with Lexi.This picture is of my Grandma Donna, my Mom, me and Lexi. This was four generations of Shepherd women that was taken about 10 months before my grandma passed away. This is the only picture of all of us and I will always treasure it.

This is the first picture I could find with me and Lexi. As you can tell, I like being on the other side of the camera. Lexi is about seven months old here and you can tell how happy I am. Again, I am so lucky to get to be the mommy of such a sweet little girl.

Cute Stuff

2008-04-30T19:46:00.003-06:00

Ryan and I teach the CTR 8 class in primary. Our kids are so cute and we love each of them. We look forward to seeing each of them every week.

Since they are all seven years old and getting ready to turn eight, I wanted to do something fun for each of their baptisms. I saw this idea on line and thought I could do that. I ordered the vinyl letters online and I found the cute frames at Ikea. This was so easy to do.

I hope each of the kids likes their frames, because I sure had fun making them!!!

Girls Day Out!!

2008-04-30T19:35:00.002-06:00

This past Monday my mom, sisters and I had a fun day out. It was a great time for all of us.

I TIVO Good Things Utah everyday and I watch it every night while getting ready for the next day. I have always thought it would be fun to go be a part of the audience. Monday was the day that we all could take off work and had available.

It was a lot of fun. All of the people at the show were so nice. They gave us free movie tickets, a coupon book to the Gateway and some coupons to a local spa.

After the show, we all went to lunch at Stella's. It is a lot like the Pub at Trolley Square, it was very yummy!!! After lunch, we all went shopping.

Shopping with my two sisters is quite the experience. I always vow to lose twenty pounds after shopping with them. It is kind of depressing watching them buy their size 2 and 4 clothes...oh well, what can I do. I was able to find some cute new stuff for spring, which is always great.

We had such a fun day. I am so lucky to have my family so close and for us to all have such a great relationship. I love them so much - I don't know what I would do if I didn't have them around.

I can't wait for our next day out!!!

Beckstead Look-alike Meter

2008-04-27T12:12:00.001-06:00

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celeb - Collage - Morph

Cookie Monster??

2008-04-27T11:45:00.000-06:00

You Are Cookie Monster

Misunderstood as a primal monster, you're a true hedonist with a huge sweet tooth. You are usually feeling: Hungry. Cookies are preferred, but you'll eat anything if cookies aren't around. You are famous for: Your slightly crazy eyes and usual way of speaking How you life your life: In the moment. "Me want COOKIE!"

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

Administrative Assistants Day

2008-04-23T19:22:00.003-06:00

Today was a fun day at work. If you look at your calendar, you will notice that today was "Administrative Assistant's Day". This isn't a holiday that you get a day off of work or one that they make a wreath for the door, but it is a holiday anyway.

I bought the people that I work with cute little boxes with yummy "Moose Munch" from Harry & David. It wasn't much, but I hope they liked it.

My boss took me out to lunch today. We went to Macaroni Grill, which is one of my favorites. I could eat a whole loaf of the bread all by myself. It was so yummy!!! We went with two other people from work and had a great time.

Another surprise was waiting for me later that day. My boss and the entire sales team sent me a delicious fruit bouquet. The picture doesn't do it justice. The fruit tasted FANTASTIC!!!

I couldn't believe what a nice day I had. I am lucky to work with such good people and it is nice to know how much I am appreciated.

Park City Fun

2008-04-23T18:59:00.005-06:00

This weekend, Grandpa Brad and Grandma Susan invited us to Park City to spend some time in a condo that had.

We left on Friday night. After stopping for some yummy food at the Loco Lizard, we were off to the condo.

Lexi really liked the condo. She was most excited that she got to sleep in the bunk beads with Whitney and she couldn't believe that Chazes bed came out of the wall.

Everyone was excited to take Lexi swimming, but she didn't want to go. She is used to swimming in the pool at the St. George condo and didn't want to do anything different. Once we got her down to the pool, she was all set!!!

The next morning, Daddy and Chaz went down to the Utah spring game, while the girls went shopping. Grandma Susan, Lexi and I spent a lot of time (and money) at the Park City outlet mall. We had a lot of fun. We found a lot of cute spring clothes.

Later that night we all went to main street in Park City. We walked all the way down and all the way back up. We went into all the fun stores along the way. Lexi wasn't so sure about the crazy "animals" that we ran into a long the way, but she was a good sport about getting her picture taken with them. Chazzy was missing his snowboard when he saw all the snow.

Ryan and I went to a nice dinner that night while Grandma and Grandpa kept Lexi for play. It was nice to get out by ourselves and have dinner.

I wasn't able to find a substitute for primary on Sunday, so I had to head home on Saturday night, but Ryan and Lexi stayed up for more fun. They came home on Sunday night after a day of exploring and having fun with the X-Box and the pool table.

Thank you to Grandma Susan and Grandpa Brad for inviting us along for a fun vacation!!

Oh No!!! Play Dough

2008-04-07T19:20:00.003-06:00

Lexi and I sometimes have a power struggle over one of her favorite activities. Lexi LOVES to play with play dough and I HATE the mess it makes. Nine times out of ten, the only time Lexi gets to play with play dough is when daddy is in charge.

Lexi has been better at playing and cleaning up her play dough, so when she came in and asked if she could play play dough once dinner was cleaned up, I couldn't help but say yes. I forgot that I had to throw away the last tub on dough we had because it had gotten hard. Once I said yes, I couldn't bear to tell her no.

I decided I would just make her some dough. After looking to find a recipe that I had all the ingredients for, we started mixing. Lexi thought the mixing of the dough was almost as fun as making the dough.

She picked out the colors she wanted. She really wanted pink dough, so I was happy I got the color right. She also picked yellow and pink.

As you can see, she involves the entire kitchen drawer for play dough. I think this is the first time some of these items have been used.

She was so happy. The entire time I was playing with her, she kept saying "I love you, mommy". That made cleaning up the mess totally worth it. It is times like these that I need to remember this saying:

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things"

PS - Don't you love Lexi's "do" - This is the standard look after 6:00 and a long day of playing hard!!!!

April Fool's Day

2008-04-03T21:00:00.002-06:00

For some reason, I was really excited about April Fool's day this year. I think it might be because I thought Lexi might have some sort of idea what it is all about.

I made candy bars for Lexi to take to day care. I bought Hershey's bars and put a fake wrapper on them so they said they were "Reese's Sneezes". The kid's probably didnt' understand the joke, but I sure had a fun time making them. I got the idea from the Family Fun website. They always have such fun ideas on celebrating with little kids.

As I was leaving for work that morning, I told Lexi I was going to ride my bike to church. That stopped her in her tracks. She wanted to know why I was going to church without her. I told her it was just a joke and to have a happy April Fools. She just looked at me like I was crazy.

I played one more funny joke at work and my day was complete. I had a lot of fun, but I was weary all day that someone was trying to get me. I am glad the day only comes once a year!!!!

Easter Morning

2008-04-03T20:44:00.003-06:00

I lost my camera which is why I haven't posted these pictures until now. I finally found it with the empty Easter eggs. I don't know what I was thinking!!!

Lexi had a really fun Easter. She woke up early in the morning and was ready to hunt Easter eggs. The Easter Bunny hid quite a few, so it took her a while. She thought it was extra funny that the Bunny hid eggs in her bathtub and with her toothbrush. She kept telling me what a silly bunny he was.

The Easter Bunny also left Lexi a great big basket with a lot of fun toys in it. He left her a bubble mower so she can help daddy this year with the lawn. He also left her a cute Strawberry Shortcake doll and a pretty bow and bracelet to wear with her new Easter dress.

After church, we went to Grandma Jil's for dinner and an Easter egg hunt. Our dinner was delicious and Lexi and her cousins had a great time hunting Easter eggs. The eggs weren't hidden very hard, but they still had a lot of fun.

It was a great Easter day for our little family.

Happy Birthday Grandpa Rick

2008-03-22T21:50:00.002-06:00

Our Grandpa Rick just turned 65. I don't think Lexi is old enough to have a grandpa that old. Just kidding!!!

Grandma Jil had a great party for the entire family. It was so much fun. The party was at Rock Creek Pizza and we had a room all to ourselves. This along with all your can eat pizza and salad made for a great combination.

Grandma Jil had also made a BINGO game for all of us to play. It was so much fun and we all won a prize. Lexi won a fun Sponge Bob look and find book, Ryan won a $10 Target gift card and I won a $10 Cafe Rio gift card. We all scored.

We hope you had a great day Grandpa Rick. Thank you for everything you do for us. You are great. You are always full of so much fun and keep us laughing.

Easter Egg Fun

2008-03-22T21:45:00.002-06:00

We are so glad that Grandpa Gary and Kathy have moved home to Salt Lake for good. It is so fun to get to spend a lot more time with them.

They invited us to their ward breakfast and Easter egg hunt. It was a fun morning. Kody, Amy, Tanner, Boston and Hudson also came along for the fun.

After a big breakfast, the hunt was on. The leader asked us to only get five eggs to start, but since Lexi doesn't quite know what five is, she wasn't about to stop. She got a haul. She had so much fun. Since Tanner does know what five is, he was a little disappointed that he didn't get as many eggs as Lexi and Boston. They were both great kids and shared their eggs with him.

The kids had a great time. Thank you for inviting us to your party!!!

Princess on Ice

2008-03-22T21:37:00.003-06:00

When we found out that the Princess on Ice was coming to Salt Lake, I knew Lexi would love this. Since this is kind of a girly thing, Daddy opted out of going. We decided to invite Grandma Jil and Ashlie to come with us.

We had such a fun night. We picked Grandma Jil up from work and we were on our way. I told Lexi that it was "girls only", so she didn't quite understand why there were boys at the show. I guess I have to be careful with what I tell her and make sure I can explain myself when she asks questions.

Lexi loved the show. She was so excited to see all of her favorite princesses. Her favorites are Ariel and Cinderella, so she was thrilled that they were both a part of the show. She was a little scared when the dragon came out, but she was a great sport. Grandma Jil loved the ice skating and she found her inner princess during the show.

We had a great time. Thank you to Ashlie and Grandma Jil for the fun tiara and coloring book you got for Lexi. She loves them both. Thank you for coming with us...We had so much fun!!!

Lucky Girl!!!

2008-03-18T20:38:00.003-06:00

I am one lucky girl. I am sitting in Boise and just got off the phone with Ryan and Lexi. Since I have to travel occasionally for work, I am so lucky to be able to leave and not worry about a thing. Ryan is such a great dad and he takes such good care of Lexi. They are little buddies. Tonight Lexi asked when I was coming home. I think this is the first trip where she understands that I am not coming home right away. When she asks this, it pulls at my heartstrings and guilt. The next second she tells me how much fun she is having with her daddy and I don't think I am missed that much. It is only one night, but I miss her smiling face so much. We are currently working on finishing a few rooms in our basement. Ryan is so talented and is able to do the majority of the work himself. He has a helper all along the way. Lexi helps do anything she can and just wants to be part of the action. Since one of the rooms we are working on is a new playroom for Lexi, this adds to the excitement. The only thing she can't understand is why it is taking so long. She wants a new room NOW!!!! She likes the "messes" they make, but she sure doesn't like all the banging and sawing. She doesn't like it when it is loud. Last night, Lexi had a tough night. For some reason, she didn't want to go to sleep. She just played in her bed. She told me I couldn't turn her light off because it would make her go blind. She just kept entertaining herself for a while. I am pretty sure she was the last one asleep at our house last night. I think she should be pretty tired tonight and will sleep good for Ryan. Thank you again Ryan for being such a good daddy and husband. I am so lucky to have you and Lexi in my life. I love our little family so much. You both make me so happy!!!

Pictures...Finally!!!

2008-03-09T17:16:00.003-06:00

Bribery worked!!! I am not above admitting this. I started on Thursday night telling Lexi that we were going to go get her pictures done. She gave me the standard response of "NO"!! I asked her if she wanted to get a prize after and she relented a little.

On Friday night, I asked her how she was going to smile for her pictures. She told me she wasn't going to smile. I told her that if she didn't smile, she didn't get her prize. Then she showed me her cheesiest smile. I told her that was perfect.

We got up Saturday and got her all ready. This time I made an early appointment so this wouldn't interfer with nap time. All she could talk about was her prize she got. I told her if she wasn't good for her pictures, we didn't get to get a prize. I was trying to make sure she got this point.

We go to Kiddie Kandids and only had to wait 30 minutes past our appointment time (why do I make an appointment if I am still going to have to wait?). She did okay. She smiled as much as she could and cooperated about 75% of the time. She wouldn't do some of the poses, but I think the pictures were a sucess. Let me know what you think...

Until birthday #4, we can all rest at ease at any more portrait sessions.

"Snow" Much Fun!!!!

2008-03-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

Today Grandma Susan and Grandpa Brad invited us up to their cabin for a day of sledding and snowmobiling.

We had so much fun playing in the snow. Lexi loved riding on the snowmobile with her Grandpa Brad and played for hours in the snow.

Once we got up to the canyon, we ran into a herd?? of moose. It was amazing. There were at least five or six of them walking together. We were able to see them up close. You can see by the picture below that they walked right in front of the car. It was crazy!!!

Lexi rode on her first snowmobile and there was no one better to break her in than her Grandpa Brad. She was such a trooper. I thought she would be back in five minutes, but they took a 45 minute ride and she was an angel the whole time. She had so much fun!!!

After lunch, it was time to go sledding. Lexi wasn't so sure about this, but her daddy made sure that she didn't get scared. I think that everyone got a workout pulling her up the hill in her sled and sledding down with her. I didn't get a turn because I couldn't find my snow boots and the only ones available were HUGE!!! I could barely walk in them, so I didn't trust my daughter's safety and future sledding fun in my hands.

Lexi and Whitney built a snowman, while Ryan and Chaz built a jump. This was one sledding hill that Lexi didn't go on. After the fun of the jump had worn off, Chaz, Whitney and Ryan all climbed to the top of the "little" cabin. It was kind of funny to see them at the top.

All in all, we had a great time. When it was time to go, the snow started falling. This made for a scary ride home, but we all made it safely!!

Also, a special thanks to Grandma Susan and Grandpa Brad. Lexi had a sleepover with them last night. Ryan took me to a movie and dinner. It was nice to have time by ourselves and not have to rush home to a babysitter. The best part was sleeping the whole night through without a visitor in our room. This happens most nights and a three o'clock wake up is not fun.

Hopefully spring is on it's way, but this was a great way to bid farewell to winter!!!

Long Weekend In St. George

2008-02-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

Grandma Susan and Grandpa Brad were nice enough to let us spend a weekend in St. George at their house they have there. Since it is always fun to have company, we invited Grandma Jil, Grandpa Rick, Ashlie and her friend, Brandon.

The first day we got there, we visited Zions Park. Grandpa Rick couldn't believe we had to pay $25 to get into the park. He was going to make sure we got our moneys worth. We tried to go on some hikes, but there was still snow on a lot of trails and the stroller didn't make it very far. We drove up through the tunnel and Ryan made sure he honked the whole way through. Me and Grandma Jil asked him to stop because Lexi was sleeping, but he insisted that honking was part of the fun. On our way out, we stopped because there was a herd of wild turkey's on the side of the road. Everyone else stopped to feed them, so we join in the fun. I know the McDonald's Sausage Burrito was the highlight of their day. After we fed the turkey's, Grandpa Rick declared we had adequate entertainment for the $25 so we started home.

Brandon is leaning back because he is trying to push Ashlie into the water. Thankfully he didn't succeed.

A trip to St. George isn't complete unless you have at least one meal at the original Pizza Factory, so that was our next stop. After we ate, the girls went shopping at Christensen's and the boys went to a car show. Later that night, me and Ryan took Lexi swimming while everyone rested up for the next day.

The next day we headed for Las Vegas. The weather was beautiful and it was a perfect time to visit. We told Lexi we were going to a castle (Excaliber). Once we got there, she kept asking where the Disney princesses were. We went over to the M&M factory, where Brandon was disappointed. He thought he got to see how the actual M&M's were made. I think it might have ruined his trip. We stopped t visit a mall and as we were getting ready to leave, I went into one more store. When I came out, Grandma Jil had Lexi sitting at a slot machine and she was actually playing. I couldn't believe it. She played for at least five minutes and no one said a word. I guess she is starting early.

"Do you think I will win?"

"It doesn't matter, I am having fun!!!"

After a full day, we headed home. We stopped in Mesquite for dinner and Grandma Jil won some money playing Deal or No Deal. She was very proud!!!

The next morning we got up and got ready to head for home. We did some shopping at the outlets and one more meal together and then it was time to go. It was a great trip. Thanks to Grandma Susan and Grandpa Brad for letting us stay in their nice new house and thanks to Grandma Jil, Grandpa Rick, Ashlie and Brandon for coming along. It was a lot of fun for our little family!!!

Lexi's Third Birthday Party

2008-02-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

Lexi turned 3 years old this year. We decided that she was big enough to have a birthday party with all of her friends and cousins.

We had the party at the Kid's Barn in Draper. They have a warehouse full of fun blowup toys. There is a castle, a cage and a lot of different slides for the kids to play on. Everyone had a great time, including the adults.

Thank you to everyone who came to help us celebrate Lexi's big day. It was a lot of fun!!

Aunt Ashlie, Aunt Amy and Mommy racing down the slide. I am pretty sure I won!!!

Connor is flying!!!

Chaz & Whitney are sure glad they come home from school for this!!!

Our birthday girl is tired and little bit overwhelmed!!!

Starting a blog!!

2008-02-26T17:44:00.000-07:00

I decided it was time to join everyone else and post a blog. I think this is a great way to keep in touch with everyone and keep everyone up to date on what is going on in our lives.

Our little Lexi just turned three on February 13. I can't believe it has already been three years since she joined our little family. A lot has happened in this time. A new house, a new job and new experiences everyday. Our spunky little girl sure keeps us on our toes.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Lexi. This was taken when she was only 9 weeks old, right before I went back to work. This pictures captures how innocent she is. I have this picture on my desk, my kitchen counter, wallet, screen saver, ect. It make me smile every time I see it.

I would post a picture of Lexi's third birthday pictures, but she wouldn't cooperate. I thought I had planned the day perfectly. We went to the Discovery Gateway in the morning with Aunt Shannon and Dylan. We went home and had lunch and both me and Lexi went down for a nap. The problem is only one of us napped and it wasn't Lexi. I decided to try pictures anyway. We got to the mall and the snow started falling. I ran around the car getting everything ready and leaving Lexi in the car until the last second. I got her out, put her in her stroller and RAN!!!! By the time we got in, we were both sopping. I was wondering what to do, when I looked around the mall and spotted the Regis salon. I went in and begged the girl to let me use her hair dryer and I bought a brush. I was able to dry Lexi's hair and we continued on our adventure. When it was our turn at Kiddie Kandids, the kid would not smile for anything. I was bribing, doing handstand, trying just about anything. She WOULD NOT SMILE!!! I decided to bag it.

I have brought up pictures with her a few times and she is adamant about not going. I am not sure what I am going to do. I guess when she gets older and wants to know why there aren't any pictures of her at three at least I know who to blame it on!!

Once again, I am reminded that I am not really in charge as hard as I try to be!!!