Run, Brady, Run

There is a youth track program in the summer and we decided to let Brady give it a shot.  I was shocked after the first week when he completed the 400 m run! 6th place ribbon...yeah buddy! 

The next few weeks were much hotter and he was...less successful...and ended in tears. But this past week he ran the whole way again and I was so proud! He was 6th again, but this time 6th place was not last place, so a step up I guess! His favorite was the long jump though. He got 6th place both times there also. But mostly he liked jumping into the sand I think.  So track may not be his thing, but I think he still had fun doing it.

Natalie Visits Vegas

Lots probably comes to mind if you hear "Vegas." And boobs might be one of them, which is exactly what I experienced there...but maybe not the same way most people do.  I learned about them in more detail than most people care to know perhaps.  I have been working on getting certified in mammography, and part of that process is fulfilling the educational hours requirement.  There are several locations to choose from, but I figured Vegas gave me the perfect excuse to kill two birds with one stone because I got to visit my sister too! And I even got to meet my new niece, Ella. She is such a sweet baby! I mean, look at those dimples!

 My conference was at the flamingo, so I had plenty of time to explore there and even see the flamingos.  They were asleep when I saw them though.

 I also got there early most mornings and spent a little time exploring then. It's actually kind of quiet in the mornings there.  And I was on a hunt for a little present for Brady that was not a pink flamingo. I successfully found a little white tiger at the Mirage, who Brady has named "Tigey".  This was at Belagio in their indoor garden area. It was pretty awesome.

 It was really bright. And I sent this one to Quentin because he is always squinting in pictures.

 And the next day I remembered my sunglasses :)

 We all went mini golfing one night and it was so much fun.  I lost.  But no surprise there, I am awful at putting.

And here is my new friend from class, Renee. We sat by each other for 48 hours that week, ate lunch together every day, and even rode to the airport together, where we spent more time waiting for our flights.  So needless to say, we got pretty close in that one week and I kinda miss this girl!

So I obviously had lots of fun, but I also learned so much and am so excited to make this move in my career.  I think it will be so fulfilling. Also, here's a little public service announcement to women over 40: Get your mammogram every year!! And if they offer breast tomosynthesis, do that too, even if you have to pay more for it because most insurances do not yet cover this. Early detection of breast cancer is so vital, and mammograms discover it before you even show signs. So just do it!

Also a special thanks to Quentin for taking good care of the kiddos by himself for a week.  I know it wasn't easy and I am so lucky to have that kind of support in my life. Thanks also to Michelle, Colton and whoever else helped out also.  Couldn't have done this without you guys.

Tons of Trucks

Every year the city puts together "Tons of Trucks," which is exactly what it sounds like.  Or if you want to be more accurate you could call it "Tons of Trucks and Hoards of People."  Huge crowds...you get the idea.  Anyway, Brady always loves it, of course.  I mean, what kid wouldn't love getting to sit in these trucks/buses/vans/etc?

 

We Bought a Zoo

...Errrr...visited one for the day.  We love to go to the St. Louis zoo because it's free! And a really cool zoo also. Brady's favorite part? The hippo pooping in the water.

 Hadley was pretty clingy, so luckily I brought my sling to cart her around in because she refused the stroller.  Thinking back, maybe all the animals were a little alarming to the poor girl.  Anyway, eventually she did crash and enjoyed the stroller then while mommy enjoyed the break of carrying her.

 It's always fun to do little family outings like this.  Next time we go, the polar bear will be there! We were about a month too early for that.

Temple Run 2015

We try to make it to Kansas City for this run every year since A) It's fun to see our KC family and B) It's free! This year we got to meet Kansas City Royals pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. It just happened to be the day after Brady's first Royals game, so he was excited.

 After the run, they have a kid's run. Brady was excited to do it, but just after half way through he started crying and said he was too tired to finish.  But I didn't want to teach him to give up (and come on, half way through meant he had like 15 yards to go), so I dragged him across the finish line, where he quickly cheered up when he was awarded his medal.

 You can see the temple in the background here. And see the turnout for the race is always pretty good.  I wasn't very proactive in preparing for the race this year, so I was pretty proud of myself for getting a personal best time of 27:34 (which I realize is not a spectacular time, but it's good for me). And Quentin was kind enough to take the jogging stroller with him. It's always a good time.

Easter 2015

The Easter Bunny found our house alright.  And both kids were excited to see their goodies.  Not sure if you can see the look on Hadley's face, but it is epic!  She also had no concept of unwrapping the candy first.  Gross.

We also went over to the Yost's house for a little Easter egg hunt between General Conference sessions.  It was a lot of fun and the kids loved it.  Special thanks to Natalie for doing all the work!

 Then at Grandma's we dyed Easter eggs.  I'll be honest, this is one tradition I always enjoy.  Brady's favorite color is orange, so no one else really got to use that one.  And lucky for me, no one else really likes boiled eggs in my house, so I didn't have to share :)

 Since Easter fell on the same Sunday as General Conference this year, we had to wear our Sunday best a week early.  Hadley was not upset by the dress, but was pretty unhappy she had to hold her brother's hand for two seconds.  Life is so hard when you're 1.

Happy Happy Birthday Hadley Dear

Can't believe this baby girl is ONE! We had a little party and were lucky enough that the Pintos, LaBrues and Arlaine made the journey to celebrate with us.  There was no shortage of presents or cake.

 I fully expected her to devour her cake. This sweet girl loves to eat, and likes sweets almost as much as her mother! She also isn't usually very hesitant about anything, but she wasn't really very into her cake.  She actually cried when we tried to make her eat it, but I think she was just exhausted at this point. Love those pig tails!

 And of course, twin cousins need twin tutus! And Grandma looooooves her grandkids.  Aren't these girls just the cutest (Grandma included)?

Hadley is such a sweet girl. She has no fear and tries to climb whatever she can. She loves Butters, loves eating, and really seems to enjoy meat, unlike her brother.  She smiles a lot, but is also starting to become very opinionated.  She can take a few steps, but prefers to be carried around still. I feel so blessed to be her mom and can't wait to see her little personality continue to develop.  Happy Birthday sweet Hadley! And a special shout out to Aliisa for her help with the owl cupcakes :)

Outdoor Adventures

 We have been blessed with some really nice days of weather this winter!  And of course that means it's time to enjoy the great outdoors.  Hadley went for her first ride in the wagon and little car at Grandma's.  And Brady was trying out this new "smile" for the camera. :)

We also got to run off some energy at the park. It was pretty windy that day, so not quite as warm, but it is always nice to not be cooped up inside.  Brady has always been pretty timid with things like swings and slides and, well, everything.  Hadley is so opposite.  She was laughing like crazy in the swing and wanted to do everything she could! She is one tough cookie.

 We also have had some colder weather of course.  Snow is not my favorite, but it's fun for the kids.  Brady loves to help us shovel! Unfortunately, it hasn't been great snow for snowballs.  But we threw handfuls of snow anyway!

I am so ready for the snow to melt and spring to come.  It has been a fairly mild winter for the most part, but it has still seemed so long and I am excited for more days spent outside and to be able to go for runs outside again.  Bring on the sunshine!!

Happy 4th Birthday, Brady!

I seriously can't believe I have a 4 year old! We had a blast celebrating.  Grandma, Grandpa, and Aliisa joined us for pizza, cupcakes, and presents.  Once again, this boy got spoiled! I think the crane was his favorite, and I think it was Quentin's favorite too! He also got a bike, but he hasn't been able to ride it much since it's been so cold.

 I gave him some choices on cupcakes and he chose these, of course, because they were the hardest choice by far.  But that's what I get for giving it as an option, and they turned out pretty awesome if I do say so myself!

Brady is a smart, funny, sweet boy.  He is the best brother to Hadley, and he is growing up so fast.  He knows all his letters, remembers everything he hears (which is a blessing, but can be a challenge at times), and makes us laugh every day, although he does not like when we laugh at him.  He loves to watch TV and movies, loves sugar, and is a joy to be around (mostly).  Sometimes I cry when I realize how quickly he's growing, but I can't wait to see what life has in store for him.  I am so glad to be his mother.  Here are his stats:

Height: 41 in (71%)
Weight: 37.6 lbs (65%)