Arizona-February 2014

Going to AZ is always a blast.

The trip (on the plane) not so much. Especially when flying alone with a 14 month old who loves to walk/explore/get into everything. But we survived both flights (to and from) thanks to our tablet and Baby Einstein.

Pay and I spent 2 weeks there.  Daddy came a week after we got there and left the same day as us...but took a different (cheaper) flight home.

Some of the things we did include...

GILBERT TEMPLE OPEN HOUSE
So sad Nick missed this but grateful my mom could join us. Girlfriend was an ANGEL during the whole thing. Except for when we got outside and she saw all the water.

PLAYED WITH COUSINS AND AUNTS AND UNCLES AND HUNG OUT AT GRANDPA AND GRANDMA'S
This makes my heart sing.

Pay loved following Tootsie and Toby around.

We had Valentines Day Dinner with Sterling and his family.

TOOK PICTURES AT THE DANA PARK WATER FOUNTAIN
She really is becoming quite the ham.

 "Where's Payton"

Then she saw the flowers.

PICKED DADDY UP FROM THE AIRPORT AND HAD THE BEST REUNION AT IN-N-OUT
I LOVE how happy these two were to see each other after a week apart.

SAW BIG RED AT GRANDMA AND GRANDPA GREAT'S
Grandpa Crandell is restoring this 1949 dump truck and actually uses it to help with my Uncle Don's roofing company.

Playing with Uncle Daren

14 MONTH PHOTO SHOOT IN GRANDMA AND GRANDPA'S BACKYARD

BASS PRO SHOP
Got baby girl her first AR. Just kidding. It's a lighter.

TOOK SOME PICTURES AT THE GILBERT TEMPLE
...since Nick wasn't able to get to AZ in time to go the Open House. It was also nice to be able to go without the huge crowds. We went at dusk and it was absolutely beautiful.

January 2014

The BIG thing that happened this month is that PAY STARTED WALKING! It was like she woke up one day and said, "I'm going to walk today!" And she did. She walked across the whole living room. She took at least 20 steps. The first time. No falling. No stumbling. She just took off and hasn't stopped walking since.

She loves these pokey ball things that fall from our trees.

She's discovered dirt and decided she didn't like the taste.

I made and hung up this banner.

Pay has become obsessed with doors and opening and closing them.

Breakfast at Rudy's-Weekly date with Daddy and Mommy!

Still loving her wagon rides.

So this month was a little rough at some points.  Along with learning to walk this little one was simultaneously teething.  Therefore, nap time was non-existent for a few days.  This is a picture of her actually napping after a 3 day nap-time hiatus! It was a glorious moment :)

 She LOVES brushing her teeth with her new Elmo toothbrush. I love that she's holding it correctly!

Christmas 2013

This Christmas was a million times better than last Christmas.

Last Christmas wasn't so fun because Payton had just been born and I was still really sore {and hormonal} from having a c-section.

Also, I didn't put much thought or effort into the gifts I gave because...you know...I JUST had a baby.  And that's one of my favorite parts of Christmas...GIVING gifts.

Also, because I was a new, stressed-out, sore, and hormonal mommy I never really got in the TRUE Christmas spirit.  I think I was too engrossed in the whole new-mommy thing that I never really thought about the birth of Christ.  Let me tell ya...I WILL NEVER LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN!

So THIS Christmas I did my best to keep my mind on Christ.

I thought a lot about our Savior's birth and everything else surrounding it.  I thought about Mary bringing the Son of God into this world and how heavy of a burden BUT also blessing that must have been to her!  I thought about the sacredness of it all and the humble way he came into this world --- in a stable.

So this Christmas the ornaments that I bought represented our Savior's birth.

This Christmas was more fun also because Payton was older.  Yes, she's only 1 and didn't understand what was going on at all, but she enjoyed opening presents and playing with her new gifts!  It's true when they say that Christmas is more fun as a parent than as a child.

Merry Christmas, Ya'll!

Can you believe I actually sent out Christmas Cards?

Meeting Santa at Bass Pro Shop

Christmas Eve breakfast at Rudy's.  Walking around with Cousin Brooke.

All dressed up and looking all grown up for church the Sunday before Christmas.

These antlers had bells on them and she would shake her head when she wore them so she could hear them jingle.  Or she would take it off and play with it instead of wearing it.

This girl was IN LOVE with the Christmas tree.  Her favorite was pointing {and trying to grab} all the ornaments.

She got a wagon for Christmas and it was an instant hit.

Watching the fire daddy made to burn all the boxes and wrapping paper.

She also got blocks and loves them.