Alaina Swimming & Mother's Day

Our camping trip was the same weekend as Mother's Day. My Uncle Jon and Aunt Ange blessed their baby that day so Morgan and Brice decided to stay the night and same 45 min on their drive. So on Saturday when we got back from camping Toby had to go to work. Brice took Raelin and Ryker to get Sunday clothes and Mother's Day gifts and left Morgan at my house to relax and have some quiet time. She decided to take a bath with Alaina in the monstrous tub in my bathroom. Alaina had so much fun!!! I LOVED seeing her so excited. She is so cute.

Here she is practically swimming.

So CUTE. She would dunk her head all by herself. She is standing in this picture!! But she would slip sometimes and Morgan would catch her but she was never scared.

So while Toby was at work I got all unpacked and ready for Mother's Day by cleaning up and getting things ready for the slumber party. We enjoyed having people over and the abundance amount of space!! It was fun.

In the morning Toby, Russell and I just laid in bed for a while until Ryker came in and asked Uncle Toby to come help make breakfast. Strawberry short cake from scratch. YUMMY! Thanks boys. Then it was off to the baby blessing. It was so great to hang out with family that we don't get to see very much. It was also a great chance for me to show off Russell (my new favorite thing to do).

After we had a great lunch at my uncles house we visited for a little while longer then headed back to my house. Almost everyone took naps and Toby and I got ready for dinner. My mom and dad came over to celebrate Mother's Day. They brought Morgan and I roses and a sweet card. Morgan got lots of presents from her cute little (but not so small in numbers) family. They even got me something.

Toby called his mom (I didn't even have to remind him). And after his call he disappeared. So we started dinner with out him. After her were eating for about 10-15 min Toby comes walking in the house with beautiful Orchids and some chocolate. His mom told him that the first Mother's Day really needs to be special and when she found out that he didn't get me anything she told him to go to the store right now and get me something!!!

THANKS RUTH!!

Brice's Graduation Party

We had a little party for Brice who graduated. I was really lame and I didn't get pictures of the party while it was happening. So all I got was a morning after picture.

We had streamers all over as you can see. Also a big banner on the garage and a "Happy Graduation" lettering by the back door. It was a surprise for him so that made it extra fun for us to plan. We had great hamburgers Toby made and a delicious cake my mom made (she always makes great cakes). We played ping pong and watched a movie in the theater room
(Transformers 2 so we could get the full effect of the theater room. My parents and Brice's Brother and his family all came so we had a good little group to support Brice (8 adults and 5 kids). It was a really fun night. We are so proud of Brice. He has worked so hard at school. He does a great job at balancing work, family (including us) and school. Not saying it was easy but he is always so pleasant to be around even when his plate is OVERFLOWING with high stress things. I don't know how he does it but he is a great example to us.

Congratulations Brice we love you!!!

Oh did I mention that that was a Friday night and Saturday morning Toby left me all alone to clean up this huge house and a messy dinner by my self so he could go 4 wheeling!!! Just want you all to know so you know who to nominate for best wife of the year!!! Just kidding but maybe just to help remind Toby how luck he is!

Camping at 5 mile

Morgan and Brice were planning a camping trip somewhere down south. They had invited us but because of Toby's work (on call sucks) we couldn't go. They were so great to change their planes and go somewhere where Toby got cell service. So that meant 5 mile! We took both the truck and the little car so if Toby had to go to work then I could stay with Russell, the truck and the 4 wheelers.

Ryker wanted to go with us so here is the exciting ride he got to take with Tia (me...Morgan's kids call me Tia which is Spanish for aunt. I LOVE that they call me that!)

I was able to take this picture while driving and NOT taking my eyes off the road. I felt safe and super talented!!

The plan was for Toby in the truck and Morgan and Brice in their Subrban so go wandering around and find a camp site then come and get me and Russell in the car so our little car didn't have to wonder around getting hurt in the turrain. They took forever but this was the way Toby thought would be best. Right down this super steep hill...what a goofy guy.

Alaina, Ryker, Raelin, Russell and Toby enjoying camping!!

My dad and mom came up the next morning with his 4 wheeler. So we played all day on the 4 wheelers. It was really fun because we brought up Toby's old green 4 wheeler and so more people could go out. That made things so much more fun.

Toby decided to take the old 4 wheeler (bad breaks and sketchy 4 wheel drive) up a super steep and long hill. The thing rolled about 4 times!!! Good thing Toby was able to jump off quickly. But if you know Toby a 4 wheeling trip wouldn't be complete without some sort of incindence. Just glad no one got hurt!!

All in all it was a great camping trip. Russell slept like a baby (hahah I'm so funny!). And it was a great start to a Mother's day weekend.

Speaking of Mother's day I'll post about that later...

Tulip Festival and Pictures

One day we decided that we would go to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point. It was a nice long walk. We enjoyed the exercise and it was a pretty walk.

Russell and I at what we would love to have for a backyard. (with a little less tulips for Toby)

Toby trying not to blink with the bright sun.

I was NOT posing...just looking at our beautiful baby.

He didn't like the bright sun either.

I loved so many of the plants they had planted there. It was so beautiful!!!

Again, Russell did not like the bright sun. Toby is the master of taking pictures with him in it. You know where he takes the picture while he is in it, so he has to guess if everyone is in the shot. He does a great job every time.

The waterfall was our favorite part. If you have a chance to go to the Gardens I would suggest it. It was really nice.

Our garden!

While Toby and I were digging for our garden at my parents house Sadie would lay by Russell. We would move the car seat and Sadie would run around and then end up right by him again. It was so cute.

Russell Pictures:

He has the cutest stretch. I am trying to get the full thing but it's hard. He is so wiggly.

He is so little.

Toby was having fun taking pictures of Russell.

I love laying in bed with Russell when we are waking up in the morning. He is so happy and observant. It's fun watching him. He is starting to look at me. It is really exciting. It is so neat watching him grow and develop.

Floppy head. Could Morgan be any more pregnant? In that shirt she looks like a pumpkin. I am so excited for that baby to come out. I think it's a boy by the way. But I don't have any names to help...Sorry Morgan.

Squishy face. I just want to squeeze him.

Toby got sick so we all hung out on the couch with him. So here are my boys passed out.

I LOVE this face. He makes this face all the time. It makes me laugh every time!!!

I am just loving being a mom and spending time with my little guy. It is still unreal sometimes. We are getting more and more excited for him to interact with us. But today he slept all day...I'm thinking that he is got to have a growth spurt coming soon, he is already growing up too fast!! How do I handle it? STOP GROWING...no that didn't work.

Uncle Keith's Visit

Just a funny picture of Angel putting his binkie buddie on his head! Silly Angel.

Toby's best friend Keith came to visit from Georgia!! Sadly Toby had more work that week then he planned. So while Toby was at a job Keith, Russell and I went to temple square. It was so warm and beautiful!!

Keith and floppy head.

After Toby's job's were done we were all really hungry so we went to In-N-Out. Keith hasn't had it since his mission.

Russell and his In-N-Out hat. We took Russell to In-N-Out for the first time a couple of days after he was born!

We went for a little walk to some waterfalls in Provo canyon. It was kinda cold so we didn't take a long walk, but it was really pretty!

The boys!!

It went from about 70 degrees to snowing within Keith's 4ish day trip. So it got cold and Russell and Keith cuddled.

I was about to go to bed when I looked over and Russell was holding on to Toby's arm. It was so cute!!

I love this boy!

First 4 Wheeler Ride, Foot and Hand Prints and meeting GG

Toby has been so excited to take Russell on his first ATV ride since before he was born. So the weather was good that the ATV was out already. So he got his ride!

Proud daddy and SLEEPING boy.

"It's so bright"

Can you tell he is so excited while he is asleep.

Cute boys on a 'sick" lookin' 4 wheeler.

So sweet. He went a good 2 MPH the first round but the second he reach a whopping 10 MPH.

For my baby shower one of the lovely ladies in my ward gave me a gift certificate for hand and foot print wall hangings that she makes in her basement. So we went when he was 3 weeks old.

This was not his favorite 10 of his life.

So cold.

Toby took these pictures to black mail me when he is older to prove to him that Toby loves him more. Then I should have taken pictures of him getting circumcised...

Circumcision was way worse then this!

My Grandma and Grandpa were able to come out last weekend for my Cousin Trina baby's blessing. He was born the day after Russell.

So cute!! Russell looked half the size of my Grandma...she is so cute and even cuter with Russell. Her and Grandpa Tom loved holding him the whole night, when he wasn't eating that is.

Russell's First Camping Trip

So the week of my mom's Spring Break my dad wanted to to go to Little Sahara to test out the RV some more and have some fun before my mom had to go back to school. Toby, Russell and I fallowed my dad in the truck just in case. So we were wondering around the camp ground trying to find a good spot to camp and my dad hit some really soft sand. So this is us stuck. Toby was able to pull him out with the truck. That thing is still a beast. But the RV is so old and heavy that when my dad was trying to get out the tires wouldn't even spin. So lucky we had a heavy duty chain and were able to get him out a whole lot of problems.

Here is the RV just after it got out.

Toby took Raelin out on the 4 wheeler and at one point they hit a little bump and she hit her head on the handle bars. I would like to say that luckily she was wearing a helmet but that is what caused the problem. It was to heavy for her to keep up and she hit her cheek bone and has a bruise and a scratch. Toby felt so bad but she was to tough. She didn't cry she just said "I don't like the sand dunes" Then when she got back she said with a sad little face that she just wants to take a nap. What a sweet kid.

This is the awesome bed that Toby put together in the back of the truck. It was almost better then my bed at home. Russell was a champ and slept great that night.

He had a couple of layers and this beanie to help keep him warm. And we had LOTS of blankets and I kept him nice and close for body warmth.

His camping outfit that Toby was so excited about.

Russell's camping blanket!!! Thanks Grammy.

The camp site. Not what we are used to, there were tables and grills but it was great for what we were up there to do.

Sadie broke the rope chasing some kids...darn dog.

The moses basket!! There is a baby in there.

Mommy and baby cuddling in the RV.

My mom, dad, Toby, Russell, Sadie and I got there on Thursday and had a fun night. My parents stayed in the RV while the rest of us stayed in the truck. The next day my sister and her kids came for the day. We ate a lot of food (that I didn't even have to prepare!!-Dad did everything so my mom could enjoy herself!!), played in the sand and Toby and my dad 4 wheeled a lot. The plan was to stay another night but I didn't think it was good for Russell who was 1 week and 3 days old to spend another night breathing that cold of air and Toby had to get back to work. It was a good thing too because it got crowded. We we all left and had a wonderful dinner at my parents house!! It was really fun and I think Toby is proud to say that he took his son camping when he was not even 2 weeks old yet! Good trip! Thanks dad.