Jeff, Ashlee, & Skylar

Snow Day

2012-01-18T20:45:00.000-08:00

We got our first real snow storm of the season today and Skylar was beyond excited for it. She was hoping that school would be cancelled because that is what usually would happen in Kansas but not here in Washington! Skylar did think it was pretty awesome to wear all her snow clothes to school though. As soon as she was home for school she dived right in the snow to play and loved every minute of it.

Christmas 2011 Part 2

2012-01-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

We always have a fun time while visiting Grandma and Grandpa Bledsoe in Provo and this trip was no exception. Skylar constantly convinces Grandma and Grandpa to play an endless amount of games with her and watch numerous movies together. I think they all equally enjoy one another's company.

We were able to see a few groups of dear friends and sadly I did not take nearly enough photos of all our activities (I am really kicking myself for not taking any pics on our overnight stay in Jerome, Idaho with my sis Lindsay were we had a tour of the dairy farm and witnessed a calf being born!). We were grateful to spend the holidays with family and are happy to be back in Washington and are looking forward to getting more settled in our new surroundings.

Santa left lots of toys and goodies.

Ready for Church Christmas afternoon

We can never make a trip to Provo without going bowling as a family.

Jenny & Taylor

Jared & Mike

Skylar and Jared playing air hockey against Jeff.

Skylar and "Cousin Lucy"

Christmas 2011

2012-01-05T16:26:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas in Provo this year but took a quick trip down to Beaver for the Yardley Family Christmas Party. We of course had to get lunch at Kan Kun with the fam. My ENTIRE family was together for the night, which hasn't happened in 4 years. Tiffani and Mark surprised us all and decided to come down and spend Christmas in Beaver. Even though we were only together for one night it we made the most of it and had a great time. I sure love my family!

12 Days of Christmas

Some Minute to Win It games

All 9 Moyes siblings

The entire Moyes Clan

Some of my most favorite people!

Christmas Fun at School

2011-12-16T15:36:00.000-08:00

Skylar has been enjoying all the Christmas festivities at her school this week. She was the cutest little reindeer at the Kindergarten program! The kids had pajama day today where they had a pancake breakfast and went on the "Polar Express". Skylar seems to have made a smooth transition here to Washington and is making some cute little friends which makes me oh so happy. Hope everyone is enjoying their own Christmas festivities!

Mrs. Sauve's Kindergarten Class

A very blurry Skylar & Raeann

Addie & Skylar

* I apologize for poor photo quality, I had forgotten my good camera but thankfully had my phone.

Frosty? Is That You?

2011-12-15T13:01:00.000-08:00

I bet you have never heard this version:

The Tooth Fairy Is On Her Way

2011-12-05T18:51:00.001-08:00

Skylar lost her first tooth tonight. It has been loose for a long time and really needed to come out considering the other tooth was already growing in behind it. After a bit of coaxing Skylar pulled the tooth out on her own. She is super excited for her first visit from the Tooth Fairy. Here's to the milestones of childhood!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-05T16:14:00.001-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving in Boise with Tiff's family en route to Washington. Lots of family, food, shopping and fun. What more could you ask for?

Farewell Friend

2011-12-05T16:06:00.000-08:00

The time came for Skylar and Clara to say their goodbyes the night before we left Kansas. As you can see from the pics Skylar didn't want to let Clara go. They were such dear friends and I hope they can stay in touch through the years so they can attend college together, at least that is what Skylar prays for. :)

HOME

2011-12-01T17:13:00.001-08:00

SOLD

2011-11-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

October 2006 - November 2011

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T18:31:00.000-07:00

Halloween was a success!

Rockstar and a Witch

Brandon, Tyler, Kyson, Caden, Skylar, Clara, Makenna

And they're off!

The goods.

Halloween of Yesteryear

2011-10-29T13:00:00.001-07:00

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Pumpkin Time

2011-10-29T12:51:00.001-07:00

We decided to carve our little pumpkin today.

Skylar drew on the face and carved most of it herself. I took over once her hand was tired.

Look at that concentration and determination!

The final product!

Last night we had our ward Trunk or Treat and this was pretty much the only pic I took. Skylar was a princess but had taken off her tiara before I could get a picture, oh well.

Friends Forever

2011-10-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

Skylar has great friends here in Kansas but there are 3 girls in particular who will forever be near and dear to her heart:

Clara, Addisyn, and Annie

These girls are the best of buds and we moms have enjoyed watching them grow up together.

Look at how little they were!

Since Addisyn is moving this week and we will soon be moving as well we decided to get these girlies together for some fun and a photo session at the park. They were more interested in playing rather then picture taking so I was only able to capture a few photos of them all looking at the camera at the same time with decent smiles.

I am grateful that Skylar has had such dear friends and I know it will be hard to say farewell to them but I'm hoping it's less of a "goodbye" and more of a "see you later".

Besides, friends are forever right?

BYU Homecoming

2011-10-13T14:33:00.001-07:00

Skylar and I made our way to Provo for BYU's Homecoming weekend (sadly Jeff could not come, he was in PA for the transition course for the Lakota). We stay with Jeff's parents but also get to see my family since they have made it a tradition to try to come every year for the festivities. The weather turned freezing that weekend but it didn't stop us from having fun. Go Cougars!

I have become very lazy with taking pics but here are some from the parade and one before the football game.

Sleepy Head

2011-09-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

Jeff thought of the great idea to take a picture of Skylar asleep every night for one week. She is such a funny kid and we find her in crazy positions. She refuses to sleep under her covers and insists on sleeping on top of this soft blanket. You can't blame her, it is a great blanket and I will admit it is nice not to have to make a full bed each morning.

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

A Good Day

2011-09-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day.

We made oatmeal cookies and had a picnic dinner at the park.

It's the simple things that make life wonderful.

The Blob

2011-09-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

4 Corners

2011-09-11T19:01:00.000-07:00

On our way home from Lake Powell we stopped by Four Corners to see what its all about. Boy is that place exciting! Please note the sarcasm.

It was a nice needed break on our long road trip and we did get some yummy Indian Fry bread.

Lake Powell 2011

2011-09-10T19:28:00.001-07:00

We had a fabulous time at Lake Powell this summer. It is one of my favorite places ever and it never disappoints. We were fortunate to have almost the entire family there along with the Barker and Nelson families (a total of 3 houseboats). We did a little of everything- skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, kayaking, cliff jumping, swimming, devotionals, birthday celebration- we even managed to watch BYU play against Ole Miss (so happy they won). The best part of the trip was just being around people we love so dearly. Until next time Lake Powell.

Me and Courtney

Nathan with Chelsea wakeboarding in the background.

Lindsay and Brandon

Jason wakeboarding

We celebrated Papa's birthday.

Trevor and his cute girlfriend Kaitlin.

Skylar fell asleep on my legs while we were all up late chatting.

The girls:

Tiffani, Dana, Melissa, Lindsay, Me, Kaitlin

Mallory, McKenzie, Chelsea

Papa and Kaitlyn playing horshoes.

Kaitlyn skiing for the first time.

Skylar almost got up on the skis. I was so proud of her for even trying. Jason was so nice to help her. I think next time we go she will get it for sure.

Mallory skiing for the first time.

Lots of Tubing

Synchronized Swimming:

We were laughing hysterically. Such a great afternoon.

The Blob:

We came upon a camp of college kids just in time to see this rather large girl get sent flying. It was hilarious! I'll try to post the video sometime.

1st Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-18T12:16:00.001-07:00

Well we made it through the first day. The send off went way better than I expected. I didn't get emotional or anything, I was very proud of myself. Although we shall see how I am tomorrow when I have to actually send her off on the big ol' bus.

Skylar was so giddy and ready to go that she was literally bouncing as she walked in the doors. When she came home and got off the bus she proclaimed it to be "the best day ever"! (We tease because she pretty much declares every day to be the best day. Oh to have the care free life of a 5 yr old again.)

Back to School Night

2011-08-16T19:06:00.001-07:00

Skylar went and met her teacher, Mrs. Speltz, tonight at the "Back to School" open house. We did not know what class she was going to be in until tonight and she was thrilled to find out that her best friend Clara will be in the same class as well. Life doesn't get much better than that in her book. Skylar is so ready and so excited to start kindergarten. I feel a little better now that I know who her teacher is, where her classroom is, etc but I know it will still be hard to let her go on Thursday morning. I can't believe my baby girl is starting school! AAAAHHHH! Jeff was teasing the other night that we will be day time empty nesters once Skylar starts school. My days are about to become really quiet. We really need another baby and quick!

She's Got a Dream

2011-08-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

Dinner and a Show

2011-08-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

We checked out the new Japanese Steakhouse in town, UMI, and boy was it yummy! Skylar thought it was so much fun and her favorite part was the onion volcano. Jeff and I just really enjoyed the food. We will definitely go there again.

Photo Booth Fun

2011-08-10T11:59:00.001-07:00

We got a few more pics back from the photo booth at the wedding. So fun! Please don't laugh at my double chin, mmkay!?! Thanks Tom & Court for sending these my way!

Too Cute!

2011-07-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

This was taken at a photo booth at a friend's wedding this past spring.

Love it!

Although I could do without the silly bands on her wrist :)

Strong Bonds

2011-07-27T13:44:00.000-07:00

We spent a free weekend at the Great Wolf Lodge thanks to the military and their "Strong Bond" retreats. We went to a few hours of a seminar where we discussed ways to improve our families and then got to spend the rest of the time just enjoying one anothers company. We hit up the water park a few times did some shopping. Last time we stayed there Skylar was a little scared to go on the water slides but this time she had no fears and loved every second of it. The highlight I think for both Jeff and I was when Skylar showed us her dolphin dives in the pool, it was classic! It was a great way to spend the weekend.

Random

2011-07-06T13:51:00.001-07:00

4th of July

2011-07-06T13:38:00.001-07:00

Cousins

2011-07-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

Life is more fun when you have a cousin to play with.

These two had a ball together.

Fun in the Sun

2011-07-05T18:56:00.003-07:00

I have been debating on whether or not to do a new post because I don't want anyone to miss out on the awesomeness of the previous post so if you missed it please scroll down, you will not be disappointed.

My sister Chelsea along with her husband Nathan and baby Luke came out to visit us for the weekend. We hit up the pool to cool off from the scorching heat and nasty humidity. Skylar took swim lessons for the past two weeks and has really improved in her water abilities which makes me so happy. She now wants to be at the pool everyday. I wish I had one at my house. A girl can dream.

The Best Worst Photos

2011-07-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

This is a pic of my sister Lindsay at Lake Powell back in 2008. Please take note of the nasal/upper lip area, the shadows make it look like she has a mustache. Awesome. We died laughing at this pic, and still do.

This pic was at the top of my Best Worst Photos List until this summer when the following pic was snapped:

We have a new winner! Again take note of the nasal area. That is water streaming OUT of Jeff's nose! Everything about this photo is insanely humorous. I can't control my hysterical laughter every time I look at this pic or even think about it. Good times.

What kind of pics are on your Best Worst Photo list?

Let's Ride

2011-06-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

Skylar asked her daddy to show her how to skateboard tonight. Jeff was more than happy to share his skills.

Jeff put the skateboard in the grass so Skylar could stand on it properly and then he instructed her on how to pedal.

Then she was off on her own.

I obviously wanted in on the action so I showed Skylar another way to ride the skateboard.

Skylar didn't want to feel left out so she insisted on being my teacher and schooling me about the ins and outs of riding.

A great way to spend the evening as a family.

Ice Cream and Pictures

2011-06-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

I had forgotten to post about this so I am playing catch up...

Way back in March, just shortly after Jeff was home, we were invited to a little ice cream social over at the EQP's house. Well along with ice cream he insisted that he take photos of everyone (photography is his hobby and he as a little set up in the basement). It was kind of awkward and funny but he did get some great shots of Skylar so I thought I would share.

Family Fun Day = FAIL

2011-06-21T10:57:00.001-07:00

Jeff's work had a "Family Fun Day" yesterday and it was a complete bust. Threats of bad weather made them move the festivities into the hangar and it was just not well organized. It was hot, there was no seating, no drinks or food for hours (thankfully we brought our own drinks from Sonic, we sure love that happy hour), nothing really to do and overall sort of lame. I know they meant well but it was not executed properly. We would have left once we realized it was a bust but Jeff had to stay until after the Lt. Colonel spoke. Gotta love the Army.

Playgroup

2011-06-21T10:46:00.001-07:00

On Friday for Playgroup we went on a little field trip to Tuttle Creek State Park for a tour of the Dam and to go fossil hunting. It turned out to be a pretty hot day but the kids weren't too phased by it, they still had a great time.

Strike A Pose

2011-06-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Skylar got her face painted like a bunny at Camp Carnival and when I asked her to look at me for a photo she turned into a little model striking all these poses. It was very entertaining.

More Cruise Fun

2011-06-17T19:42:00.000-07:00

Water Slide Fun

2011-06-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

Snorkeling Tour

2011-06-17T19:25:00.001-07:00

On our second day in Cabo we had arranged a snorkeling tour with a local. Our boat driver's name was Leo and his boat was appropriately named "Leo the Lion". He was really nice and funny and we were happy he came back to pick us up when we were done snorkeling. Good times.

Cabo San Lucas

2011-06-17T19:10:00.001-07:00

At the beach in Cabo San Lucas

Skylar loved the beach and had no fear of the waves. She body surfed with the best of 'em. The Palmer Family introduced us to the paddle board since they are pros now that they reside in Hawaii. I took to it a little better than Jeff did but sadly no pics of that. It was a great day spent with family.

Cruise 2011

2011-06-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

Getting on the ship:

Splash Pad:

Skylar loved it.

Madeline hated it the first time around.

Dinner with the Bledsoe Family

2011-06-16T14:42:00.001-07:00

Keerslee

Madeline

Colton

This little cutie kept making the funniest faces when he saw the camera.

Family Picture

2011-06-15T14:21:00.001-07:00

We traveled to California a day early before the cruise to meet up with all of Jeff's family. Not all of his siblings were going on the cruise so we spent some time together at the hotel and tried to get a family picture. The photo session was not ideal in the slightest. It was fairly impromptu since all we did was meet in a ballroom and asked a hotel worker to take the pic. The worker obviously was not a photographer since she poorly framed the pic and the subjects were not very cooperative and/or thought it was a good idea to be silly. This is pretty typical for this group though :) Here is a sampling of a few shots. We will definitely be needing some Photoshop action.

Girls Camp

2011-06-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

Well girls camp this year didn't go quite as planned. First of all it was going to be on a ward level so it was already scaled down and then we decided to only camp one night because this group of young women aren't exactly the "outdoorsy" type. I had been working hard on getting everything planned and prepared including a few crafts, personalized journals, t-shirts, etc. The night before I had the car packed full with all the crafts, camping gear, etc. Well Mother Nature had other plans. We had a huge storm come through with a tornado watch, severe thunderstorms and numerous severe flood warnings. It poured all night long with crazy lighting and thunder and by early morning the river and creeks were flooded. Numerous roads were closed and our campsite was most likely underwater. Needless to say we had to make other arrangements. After a lot of discussing we came to the conclusion to hold "camp" at my house for 5 hours. Sadly we didn't get to do everything we had originally planned and didn't come close to completing all the certifications but I think the girls enjoyed themselves somewhat. I for one was happy it was all over. Cheers to unconventional Girls Camps!

Pamper Party

2011-05-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the Father and Son's Camp Out so my friend held a Girls' Pamper Party. We did facials, foot soaks, painted nails, had treats, and just relaxed with great conversation. The little girls have been playing "pamper party" for the last few days. I think they had a good time.

Who Wants To Go Camping?

2011-05-24T17:16:00.001-07:00

We recently purchased a tent so Skylar and Jeff set it up in the basement for a trial run. Skylar was beyond excited about the whole ordeal. That girl is ready to camp.

UCC Preschool Graduation

2011-05-07T10:14:00.001-07:00

My baby is growing up way too fast. First it's preschool graduation and before we know it it's college graduation. Please stop growing so quickly.

Flash Mob

2011-04-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

The reason we went to AZ was for the wedding of Courteney and Tom. This was just one of the highlights of the wonderful event.

Flash Back Friday

2011-04-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

The year was two thousand and three. The fall was upon us. The war in Iraq was starting to show signs of warming up. Ashlee had just turned twenty-two and made me a very happy man.

Shortly after I asked Ashlee to marry me I bought the url jeffandashlee.com and started working on a website for our wedding. The website was a big hit. Yet few people knew that I hid an easter egg on the site. In fact, I don't think anyone ever found it. This time around I will make it easy. (Warning this is not for the faint of heart.) Here is your hint: click enter, watch the intro, then move your mouse around in the lower right hand corner. (Pssst, you will see a ninja.)

Easter with Cousins

2011-04-26T13:34:00.001-07:00

Kaitlyn-7 Creighton-5 1/2 Skylar-5 Sydney- 3 Makenna-3

The Many Faces of Skylar and Sydney

2011-04-26T13:13:00.001-07:00

QR Code

2011-04-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

Tulip Festival

2011-04-16T18:24:00.001-07:00

We hit up Wamego for their annual Tulip Festival. It's nothing too exciting, in fact there really aren't that many tulips, but it's our excuse to go out to lunch at Toto's Tacoz. We had a fun family outing and thankfully the weather was quite nice.

And So It Begins...

2011-04-13T17:21:00.001-07:00

Wish us luck.

There are 9 other homes in our neighborhood that are for sale right now.

Ugh.

We could use all the prayers and good thoughts you have to offer.

Thanks!

Yee-haw!

2011-04-13T17:15:00.001-07:00

It was Rodeo Day at UCC Preschool and all the cowboys and cowgirls had a great time hanging out at the corral.

A One in a Million Bounce

2011-03-26T17:46:00.000-07:00

Not there...

There it is!

But where is it? Maybe we should ask this guy. That's me on the bathroom floor. An hour earlier I dropped my wedding ring on the floor. No big deal, I heard where it hit. What I didn't hear is where it hit after its amazing 3 1/2" bounce over a piece of trim and through an inch gap. That's a real feat for a ring with a diameter of 7/8". It may have rolled on its side where with a width of just 5/16" it would have had an easy go at the gap. Nice form Mr. Ring.

Now back to the first four pictures. I took those with my phone in an effort to locate my ring. Once the ring was found the brainstorming began. Pull out the drawers, no luck. Pull apart the trim, bad idea. Buy a new wedding ring, stupid idea. Tunnel in from the basement, good idea but lack of appropriate permits. Put it off for an hour, go get some dinner, and buy some mechanical pick-ups; winner.

The plan to save Baby Jessica, I mean my ring:

Webcam for eyes.
Mechanical pick-up as fingers.
Spidey senses to feel.

Results:

Webcam could not get the right angle - No eyes.
Mechanical pick-up as fingers - Awesome.
Spidey sense to feel - No luck, unable to find radio-active spider to bit me.

In the end I guided the mechanical pick-up while Ashlee operated the claw. Or as Skylar put it, "The clawwww." After a few minutes of fishing around we got it.

As for Baby Jessica, they found her too. To learn more about Baby Jessica, I suggest the 1989 made for TV movie Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure.

Spring Wreath

2011-03-25T14:48:00.001-07:00

I made this wreath the other day in honor of the warm weather we were having. It has now turned cold again, boo! To make the wreath I took a foam form and covered it in yarn, used my Silhouette machine to cut out some flowers from scrapbook paper and then pinned them into the form. Super simple!

I Called 911

2011-03-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

This afternoon Ashlee suggested that I hit up Sonic during happy hour for some half priced beverages. On the way home I saw a lot of smoke billowing from a large field near our home. It was a grass fire. I called 911 to see if they had been notified, they had. (I guess they found out through Skynet or something.) As soon as I got home I told Skylar about the fire and that firemen were on their way. She was very excited about the whole thing. More than once she exclaimed that this was the first fire in Kansas. It wasn't, but who am I to burst such a cute bubble.

1st Haircut

2011-03-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

This little girl went in for her first haircut. Yes you read that right, her first haircut EVER! She is 5 yrs old and finally has enough hair that warranted a trim, this has been a long time coming. How sad is that!?!

Skylar was a bit nervous at first but once the process began she was happy. After it was all said and done she was a bit giddy about the whole ordeal. I was a worried she was going to lose all her curls with the cut (as her hair has grown it has become less curly) but thankfully the curls are still there and her hair looks much healthier.

I don't have an "after" pic because it really was not a dramatic change by any means, it was just a trim after all, but Skylar can say she finally got a haircut. Now we wait for her hair to fill in and thicken. Here's to wishful thinking!

Pajama Party

2011-03-19T19:20:00.001-07:00

We finally had a Birthday party for Skylar. She wanted a pajama party and we complied.

Here's the breakdown:

The girls all arrived in their pj's
We decorated pillowcases. I painted each guest's name on the pillowcase with the freezer-paper stencil method
Ate breakfast for dinner. The menu consisted of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and fruit. It was a huge hit
Opened presents
Played downstairs
Cake and ice cream

The party was pretty low key which was nice and I think everyone had a good time. Skylar was thrilled with the result so I say it was a success.

Here Comes The Bride...

2011-03-19T17:28:00.001-07:00

We went to Utah for 48 hours so we could celebrate Jenny's wedding with her and the rest of Jeff's family. We managed to squeeze in a lot of fun in a short amount of time. We are thrilled for Jenny and Taylor and are excited for them as they begin their lives together.

Here are a few snap shots from their big day:

Jeff Vs. The Wall

2011-03-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

And the winner is....

The Wall

Jeff walked right into the corner edge of a wall in our house late Wednesday night. Ouch! To his credit it was pitch black and he hasn't walked around our house in the dark in a very long time. He nailed the wall and I even had to wipe eyebrow hair off of the wall after the ordeal. He had to get 3 stitches and it caused quite a black eye. Keep in mind this all happened the night before we were to go to Utah for Jeff's little sister's wedding. Yeah for family pics!

The Cheese

2011-03-14T17:08:00.001-07:00

I promised Skylar I would take her to Chuck E Cheese for her birthday back in February but on that day there was a big snow storm so we postponed the trip until daddy came home. She never let me forget that promise so off we went to The Cheese. It's always fun to spend time together as a family no matter where we are.

Bonding Over Peeps

2011-03-05T17:31:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again...

PEEPS!

The man of this house absolutely loves those marshmallow creations (I on the other hand think they are gross). He recently discovered that a little lady enjoys them too. I'm not sure if he is pleased that someone else appreciates their deliciousness or disappointed that he now has to share. Either way they have a good time eating them.

The Circus is in Town

2011-03-03T12:59:00.001-08:00

The Preschool put on a little circus today. The kids dressed up in their circus attire, Skylar chose to be an acrobat. We had a pizza lunch and then played some carnival games. It was fun to enjoy the school day with Skylar.

He's Home!

2011-03-03T07:28:00.000-08:00

Tuesday was a long day of waiting for Jeff's arrival. The ceremony wasn't scheduled until 11:45 pm but of course it started much later than that. There were many anxious families waiting and anticipating the arrival of their loved one. Skylar was a gem during the wait and it was so cute because towards the end she started chanting "Daddy! Daddy!" in hopes that he would appear through the double doors. I was having issues with my nice camera, actually the SD card, so I had to bring my old point and shoot camera. Sadly the pics did not turn out well. It was a long night but we are so happy to have Jeff back home right where he belongs.

The Finish Line

2011-03-01T10:12:00.000-08:00

We are about to cross the finish line of our 2nd (Jeff's 3rd) deployment! I can hardly stand it and am having trouble containing my giddiness. Skylar has been making mental lists of all the things she wants to do with daddy, tackling him is high on the list :)

We have been truly blessed this past year with all the love and support from family and friends. We couldn't have made it through without you so THANK YOU! We are extremely anxious to be reunited as a family and are looking forward to all the adventures ahead.

Almost there!

Friday Night Project

2011-02-26T12:16:00.000-08:00

**This post is mainly for my sisters**

Look what I spent my Friday night making:

I covered a canvas in burlap and added the embellishments.

A little dry erase menu board for meal planning.

I am having a lot of fun with my Silhouette Machine. You like?

Birthday Girl

2011-02-25T08:46:00.000-08:00

My baby turned 5 years old yesterday. 5! I can't believe it. It makes my heart hurt to think that she is growing up so fast. She is the absolute joy in our lives. We couldn't imagine life without her. Jeff and I have wondered many times in the past few years if maybe Skylar will be our only child and although we definitely want/long for at least another child we are extremely grateful that we have been blessed with this amazing girl. We love you Skylar!

Since we had a terrible winter storm yesterday we did not get to celebrate the way we planned but I think Skylar had a good day nonetheless. She brought cupcakes to preschool, had a field trip (hence the preschool t-shirt in the pics) and was chosen to bring home the class pet (the stuffed animal dog named Bandit). Then she opened her presents. She loved everything she got and kept saying over and over how it was an awesome day. She is going to have a party after Jeff comes home so the celebration isn't over yet!

Concert Series

2011-02-23T08:01:00.000-08:00

Skylar recently started putting on concerts in her room. It's hilarious! When she has friends over she makes them be her audience as well. Enjoy.

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-02-16T17:27:00.000-08:00

Our Valentine's Day was pretty low key since Jeff is still gone. We went to a little party with some friends and had some lunch and the kids got to decorate cookies and what not. Later that night our dear neighbors invited us over for a yummy dinner. Skylar's school party wasn't until today (Wednesday). I made these little valentine's with the template from eighteen25 and attached candy to them and Skylar wrote her name on them.

We are anxiously awaiting Jeff's return. Is it March yet?

And We're Back!

2011-02-09T13:15:00.001-08:00

Well, we made it back to Kansas safe and sound and let me tell you it is FREEZING here! I want to thank my dad for helping us with the move, we couldn't have done it without him. It's good to be back in our house again and at times it feels like we never left but then I face all the boxes that still need to be unpacked and remember that yes we did leave for a long time. Jeff is not back yet but we hope his return will be sooner rather than later. Skylar is beyond thrilled to be reunited with her best friend Clara (as well as her other friends). When we were about an hour or less out from Manhattan Skylar told Papa that he needed to drive faster so that we could make it to Clara's house before sun down. Once we got to our house Skylar bypassed her own place and went straight to Clara's. They gave each other a huge hug and began right where they left off, it was precious.

I have yet to take any pics in Kansas but I do have some from right before we left that I need to document. The night before we left some dear family friends, The Barker's, arranged a little night out together. We first went to dinner at the famous Pizzeria Bianco.

Then we headed off to the Suns game. Thanks Brimhall's for the extra tickets.

It was a great send off but we do miss AZ dearly and are looking forward to our next visit.

Cousins

2011-01-24T15:19:00.000-08:00

We went to California this weekend to visit my sister and her family. It was a very quick trip but we had a lot fun being together. Skylar and her cousin Hayden are only two weeks apart and they are such good little buddies. They had a blast playing together and it was so cute to watch. Here are a few pictures I snapped of the kiddos:

Biker Chick

2011-01-05T20:46:00.000-08:00

Trip to Provo

2010-12-30T21:38:00.000-08:00

We went up to Provo for a night to spend time with Grandpa and Grandma Bledsoe. We had to go bowling per Skylar's request and these are the only pics I took of our quick trip. Grandpa gave Skylar some good tips on how to bowl and she diligently followed the advice.

Christmas Recap 2010

2010-12-30T21:03:00.001-08:00

We had a fabulous Christmas but were sad to have to celebrate it without Jeff. Skylar and I went with my family to Beaver, UT for the usual festivities. My parents have spent every Christmas for 41 years straight in Beaver, crazy! We played in the snow, did a little sledding, had a few family parties, and just enjoyed being with family and relaxing. Santa knew where to find us and left lots of fun gifts. Now for the pics...

Lucky Number 7

2010-12-30T14:37:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the best seven years of my life and here's to 70 times 7 more. Love you always Jeff.

Marshmallow Pops

2010-12-14T17:24:00.000-08:00

I got this idea from the blog Eighteen25 and made these cute marshmallow pops for Skylar's preschool class. I would dip the marshmallows in the chocolate and then pass them to Skylar to add the sprinkles. She loved it! Cute, easy, and fun.

Christmas is in the Air

2010-12-14T17:15:00.000-08:00

The tree is up and we visited with Santa Clause. Even though Skylar's smile is a bit fake in the pic with Santa she was quite happy and excited to see him which was a first, she usually opts out of that meeting.

Dance

2010-12-10T20:25:00.000-08:00

Skylar had a little Christmas party at dance this week where they showcased a little routine. Enjoy!

Photo Sessions

2010-12-08T13:23:00.001-08:00

I did a few photo sessions last month that I thought I would share with you. Here are just a handful of shots I took.

A Little Getaway

2010-12-07T22:10:00.001-08:00

I recently returned home from a fabulous little vacation to Boise to see my sister Tiffani. My parents were so nice to watch Skylar so that I could have a break. It was quite a treat to travel alone although I did miss Skylar a ton. The weekend was full of shopping, eating and many episodes of Modern Family. Boise was freezing compared to the gorgeous weather in Phx right now but it was fun to enjoy a little snow. Lindsay also joined us for a few days which was great as well. Thanks again Tiff and fam for having me!

Random Pics

2010-12-07T16:12:00.001-08:00

Here are just a few funny/random shots from our family filled weekend.

Thanksgiving Recap 3

2010-12-07T15:59:00.001-08:00

Temple Christmas Lights:

Thanksgiving Recap 2

2010-12-07T15:47:00.000-08:00

We had a little birthday celebration for Luke.

I made these turkey shirts for Skylar and a few of my nieces on both sides of the family.

This was the best pic I could get of these girls on Thanksgiving day, they were too busy playing with all the cousins.

Sadly I didn't get any other pics on Thanksgiving Day. We had almost 30 people over for dinner and it was delicious!

Thanksgiving Recap 1

2010-12-07T15:34:00.000-08:00

Remember us? Yeah its been awhile since I posted. I will try to catch up and be better but sometimes the blog just has to fall to the wayside for awhile.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving Skylar's preschool had a little program and then a pizza party. It was cute to see all the kids sing and fun to have the grandparents come and watch.

Dress Up

2010-11-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

I caught Skylar playing dress up with a few of her stuffed animals. It was so cute to watch.

Halloween

2010-10-31T22:58:00.001-07:00

We had a blast at the Trunk or Treat at the Church as well as a fun neighborhood party with friends. We now have way too much candy especially since Skylar doesn't eat chocolate but I'm sure we will find the will to eat it all, ha! I think this Halloween was a success. Skylar told me numerous times tonight that this was "the best Halloween EVER!"

Harvest Time

2010-10-29T14:13:00.001-07:00

Skylar's preschool had a little pumpkin patch and petting zoo today and the kids could dress up like farmers or cowboys. It was fun to go and see Skylar's class in action. Preschoolers are so cute!

Sneak Peak

2010-10-26T22:42:00.000-07:00

We're off to see the Wizard...

Hope everyone has a fabulous Halloween weekend! More pics to follow after all the festivities.

Photo Shoot

2010-10-25T22:25:00.001-07:00

Just for fun I had a little photo shoot with Skylar out on the golf course the other night. It didn't last long because we got kicked off but I snapped a couple cute ones.

Boo at the Zoo

2010-10-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

We ventured out to the zoo today, along with everyone else, for some Halloween fun. The weather was nice so we had a pleasant time despite the crowds.

Skylar is usually quite opposed to me taking her pic but today she was all about the poses. What a cutie pie!

First Time for Everything

2010-10-15T22:59:00.001-07:00

Well I had my first photography client... never saw that coming. My friend Melissa asked me to take some pics of her adorable family. She was brave enough to have me attempt it. I was a little nervous since I am no professional but it was a great learning experience. Here are a few from our session:

The Beaver Mountains

2010-10-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

We took a drive up the Beaver Mountains before heading back to AZ to see the fall leaves. They are just beginning to change and it was so lovely to see. These mountains are just gorgeous! I can't wait to go skiing this winter at the new ski resort :)

BYU Homecoming 2010

2010-10-12T15:15:00.001-07:00

We went up to Provo for a quick weekend to celebrate BYU's Homecoming, it's a family tradition. It was great to see some of the fam as well as go to the Spectacular, Parade, and Football Game.

Go Cougars!

Rainy Day

2010-10-05T23:14:00.001-07:00

Today was a much anticipated "rainy" day. See here in AZ, even though it's October, we haven't felt any fall temperatures yet. In fact, we have been swimming almost everyday. Until today. Today was beautiful! The temps were cooler and we got some moisture. Now some parts of the valley were really affected with severe winds and large hail, but at my house we just got rain and it was lovely. Skylar pulled out her rain boots and had a ball playing in the puddles. It's starting to feel like fall, at least for now.

Class of 2000

2010-10-03T16:01:00.001-07:00

This weekend I had my 10 year high school reunion. I can't believe it's been 10 years! Sadly not very many people came but we made the best of it. A big chunk of the people I was hoping to catch up with didn't show but I had fun with those that did. Maybe 20 years will be better... or not. :)

An Unwanted Friend

2010-09-29T22:40:00.000-07:00

My dad and Skylar found a little friend out on the driveway this evening.

At first glance you may think it looks like an extra long worm, right?

Well upon our further inspection we realized it's actually a snake!

We consulted with my good friend, the Internet, and after some research found out it is a Western Blind Snake.

Skylar thought it was the coolest thing.

She kept referring to it as "this little fella".

I, on the other hand, didn't care for it much.

It creeped me out a bit and I will be ok if I don't have to see another one again.

Done & Done

2010-09-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

Is it March yet?

I am so over this deployment.

I want my husband back.

I want my "normal" life back.

Is that too much to ask?

Thanks for letting me vent a little. Life has been extra crazy lately.