The Hardcastles

Adventurous Trio

2011-12-11T14:26:00.001-07:00

Back in August, while Daddy was a work the three of us decided to go on an adventure. We gathered a few cans of food to donate for a free ride on the new TRAX line and headed on our way. Savanna was stoked to get to ride a train and I was stoked to get out of the house for a bit.

Hunter was just along for a good cuddle...this was him about 90% of the time, snoozing away.

As soon as we pulled away from the station, Savanna was glued to the world through her window. She was mesmorized by everything speeding by.

I had a hard time getting her attention long enough for a picture.

When we headed back to the station, we decided to hit up a dollar movie since the day had been such a breeze. This is Savanna right after I told her we were going to see a movie. Looks like a "I'm-going-to-be-on-my-best-behavior" face.

We saw "Rio" and loved the music, colors and thought of our favorite uncle/brother, Garrett, the whole time. (The movie takes place in Brazil where Garrett is serving a mission) It was a fun day, but we were exhausted when we got home!

All in all, a fun memory for Savanna, Hunter and myself!

Milestones - Hunter

2011-08-02T11:39:00.003-06:00

Hunter has had his fair share of milestones too! We can hardly believe it's been six weeks since his arrival. He is handsome, cuddly and oh so sweet. He had a rough start with eating in the beginning but we've finally got that issue sorted out and now he is packing on the pounds.

At one month he weighed 10 pounds 13 ounces...up two pound, 10 ounces in four short weeks!

~Here he is just three days old~

(note the "finger wrapped around the nose" thing...his dad and sister do the same thing!)

~Two weeks old~
~Three weeks old~

~Savanna insists on being a few short inches from Hunter's face when he's got his eyes open...it tends to give Mom & Dad anxiety~

Hunter has created his own little schedule and we're not complaining, as long as he's awake during the day and not at night we're all happy!

He also quite enjoys tummy time. In fact, he's definitely going to be our stomach sleeper...we can't keep him awake when we do tummy time.

One month down...eternity to go. We love you!

Milestones - Savanna

2011-07-28T19:39:00.002-06:00

We've been knee-deep in adventures in our house, especially finding our new family rhythm with the addition of Hunter to the mix. We've all fared surprisingly well, in particular, Savanna's been a TROOPER! She not only has stepped up to the plate in the role of "big sister", but she's also managed to amaze us with a new major milestone. She can swim! The first swim trip of the season she impressed us all with being able to stay afloat and maneuver around the pool all by herself (with the help of her trusty floaties). Although it makes us a little nervous that she is so confident to swim by herself, we are proud as can be for her milestone!

She's all smiles with her new found freedom in the pool.

We're proud of you, Nanna!

{posts of both kiddies to come soon!}

He's Here!

2011-06-28T11:16:00.003-06:00

Introducing...

Hunter James Hardcastle

born June 22, 2011 at 1:35 pm

8 pounds 3 ounces, 19.5 inches

Here we are...officially a family of four! We can hardly believe it!

Savanna is already in love with Hunter. She loves watching over him and playing with his hair.

Drumroll please...

2011-02-09T11:52:00.002-07:00

We are beyond excited for this little BOY to come! JI is especially thrilled to get some equality in our little family. Today marks the halfway mark...now, if only we could make time move faster!

We told Savanna that she was going to have a little brother and without skipping a beat she said, "No mom, a sister." I then proceeded to show her a picture of her new baby boy cousin. In this picture he had some spit bubbles on his mouth. I told her this is a baby boy and she would have a baby boy brother. She looked at the picture, crinkled her nose and said, "Ew, gross. Brothers gross." We're hoping she was grossed out by the spit bubbles more than the boy. Oh boy...we are in for an adventure!

Surprise!

2011-01-29T21:02:00.002-07:00

It's probably no surprise by now...many of you already know, but we are expecting baby #2 in June!

On Thanksgiving, Savanna wore her "special" shirt to tell everyone what she was thankful for...it was a fun surprise for everyone to see. I should have gotten a picture of everyone's reaction when Savanna showed off the shirt...priceless! Then, when we returned we had my dad and Kristine over for dinner and we told them the fun news! With JI's parents we took dessert over and had pickles and ice cream. We sure had fun telling everyone!

So far this pregnancy has been completely different than my first. When I was pregnant with Savanna I was sick for about half of the first trimester, had heartburn before I even knew I was pregnant and couldn't eat much beyond cereal and macaroni & cheese. This time around I've had zero heartburn (and I've tested it to the max!), no sickness and no appetite changes. Every time I go to the doctor for a check-up, I'm freaking out that something is wrong because I've been thrown through a loop this time around. We find out the gender of the babe this coming week...and I'd be curious if anyone has any predictions?

Our family is growing and we couldn't be more thrilled!

Thanksgiving

2011-01-29T17:41:00.002-07:00

Do any of you remember the storm that was supposed to end the world just before Thanksgiving? Well, we raced this storm south and luckily stayed ahead of it the whole way. We relaxed and had fun in 55-degree Arizona weather while our Utah friends and family celebrated Turkey Day in a whopping 5 degrees!

We played and had fun catching up with family and we ate and ate and ate. Yum!

Caitlin and Austin were fun partners as we teamed up and teased both Hayley and my mom.

We hit up some Black Friday shopping while we were there too. We got going at 3:45 and got home around 8:30 or so. Hayley and Savanna were troppers...but they were rookies. They passed out as soon as we walked in the door.
Luckily, they recuperated quickly and we were able to get out and enjoy the sunny weather some more! Hayley was Savanna's sidekick the entire time...she even changes a mean diaper! :)

Savanna is still in love with water...so much that she about jumped into this water fountain during lunch.

Saying goodbye was hard as always, but Savanna made it a little sweeter by showering everyone with lots of kisses and hugs.

We couldn't have been more thankful for a tiny get-away spent with family that we don't see all that often. Thanks for the good times. We love you!

Falling Leaves

2011-01-28T17:44:00.002-07:00

Fall is so much fun when you've got a couple maple trees in your front yard...lots of leaves to have fun with!

Savanna loved every second spent throwing leaves into the air and crunching them beneath her feet.

Daddy threw her in a huge pile of leaves and then the laughter was endless!

It looks like Duke is going to eat Savanna's fingers, but they were having so much fun with this new and wonderful discovery, there was nothing but love!

I love this last one...amazement and joy. I love how the smallest things are huge in a child's eyes!

Boo at the Zoo

2011-01-28T17:32:00.002-07:00

On Halloween, we headed to Hogle Zoo and did some trunk-or-treating with the Fox crew. Savanna's costume was perfect for the outing!

The best picture of the three of us all day! :)

We rode the carousel and Savanna could have stayed there all day long! She completely lit up as soon as the ride started and once she realized the her seat was moving up and down, it was utter bliss!

(p.s. do you notice JI in the background trying to get comfortable on his seat? Ha!)
We had to take a family picture with Savanna's "long"-lost relatives while we were there. We think Savanna is part giraffe...she's the tallest girl her age and has the longest tongue we've ever seen!

We tried for the classic photo in the drinking fountain, but Savanna was a bit of a chicken and wouldn't stand by the lion without her Daddy holding her in place.

Family Fotos

2011-01-28T17:16:00.003-07:00

It's been ages, I know. I would like to update on what is happening now and say that the happenings of the last few months will be soon to follow, but it would be a complete lie. Let's start where we left off.

We had family pictures taken in October and got some keepers. Thanks to our good friend, Mandy, for the great eye and quick reflexes. :) We headed to Wheeler Farm and when we got out of the car, Savanna was in good spirits. (see picture below)

Well, when the camera came out she informed us that her mood was more like this:

What a sass! She would hardly smile for the pictures...

...until Daddy tossed her around a little to loosen her up, and she finally gave us a small glimpse of sunshine.

The half-smile is killer...but it makes for some fun memories!

Two Years Already!

2010-10-13T21:25:00.009-06:00

See this face...this adorably cheesy face?

It's the face of a TWO-YEAR-OLD! Can you believe it?

Here are the stats from her two-year check-up:

Height: 36 inches

Weight: 33 pounds

The doctor said she's in the 50th percentile...for a three-year-old!
We've got a giant on our hands.

We celebrated with family and close friends and Savanna stood at the window all afternoon waiting for everyone to arrive. Can you see the excitement in her face?
She wanted to make sure that we knew how big her birthday cake slice needed to be. She also couldn't stop saying "birthday" long enough for a decent picture.
Aunt Sandy gave Savanna a gift that every girl loves...shoes! The girlies couldn't wait to break them in. I love their ladybudy crowns and princess shoes...dressed the best from head to toe!

We practiced singing the birthday song and blowing out the candles all week long. She was a pro for the real deal.

Savanna had a wonderful day...thanks to all who made it so memorable! We tried to put the toys away for bedtime, but Savanna wasn't about to let her big day end with an empty bed.

Happy Birthday, Nanna! You make life adventurous!

Family of Four

2010-09-14T21:37:00.003-06:00

Our family has grown by FOUR feet! Duke joined our family about a month ago and we are thrilled to call him ours. We have quickly learned that he loves shoes, toes and socks...pretty much anything to do with feet! He is very smart, accident-free after one week, and he has almost doubled in size since we brought him home.

Duke and Savanna love each other so much...can you just see how excited Savanna was when we first brought him home?!
Savanna loves to help take care of Duke...she calls "Mawn, Doo!" (Come on, Duke) when it's time to eat and she loves feeding him treats. She asks Mom or Dad several times a day is she can give Duke more treats. "Peees, Doo tweet?" We are so glad to welcome him to the family!
We love you, Duke!

Mammma

2010-08-30T22:52:00.002-06:00

We were also spoiled with a couple great visits from Grandma Laurie, or "Mammma" as Savanna says. Savanna and Grandma were attached at the hip the whole time she visited...thanks for the great memories!

I love this picture of the two of them...just loving being with each other!

Grandma kept Savanna entertained with lots of fun reading time, coloring time and play time. Savanna has one favorite coloring book and Grandma wrote a sweet note in the front of it before she left for Arizona. A few days later, Savanna pulled out this coloring book and began to scribble and soon ran to me to show me what she discovered. I read her the note ("I love you Savanna! Love you always-Grandma) and told her Grandma Laurie wrote it for her. Savanna then waved hello to the page and said, "Hi Mammma." It was so sweet...the two of them definitely made a sweet bond during her visit.

Hugs and kisses were abundant with Grandma around...love you!

My Sweet Sister

2010-08-30T22:18:00.002-06:00

My baby sister partied it up with family before heading back to sizzling Arizona. Savanna definitely had her wrapped around her finger. They were best buds all summer long! As I've mentioned before, Savanna is a water baby and she plays hard! We were sure glad to have Aunt Hayley here to exhaust Savanna to the max!

Check out this picture...they are pulling the same face! So funny.

You can always count on Hayley to be sporting the latest fashion! :)

Such cuties...this is my favorite picture of the two girlies of the summer! We went to the drive-in and saw Toy Story 3 and we all loved it! Love you Hayley...we're missing you already!

Land of the Free

2010-07-29T22:40:00.001-06:00

As I mentioned in the previous posts, a lot has happened in our little family this summer. We became grown-ups and bought a house! We moved mid-May and have been knee-deep in projects and yard work...we are loving every inch of our new adventure! In the hustle and bustle of it all though...I have yet to take a good picture of this big milestone! It is on my list of "to-do's" this weekend!

To tide you over until that post (because honestly, it may be a few months before I actually post them), here's a sneak peek at our front door!

On the 4th of July, we all dressed patriotic and had fun with flags, sparklers and family! Savanna is growing up so much...she has really enjoyed the new terrain and has already created her "secret" hiding places for her toys.

She loves her daddy more than anything else...they truly have the sweetest bond! Savanna knows when it's about time for Daddy to come home and waits by the door. The moment JI walks in the door they are inseparable! They are a couple of goof balls together!

Gotta document that we are actually a family of three...it seems like I'm always behind the camera! Of course, as we were taking this picture a dog was running down the sidewalk! Puppies are much more exciting than saying "cheese"!

More to come...we'll try not to leave anything out!

Obsession

2010-07-29T22:30:00.004-06:00

Saying that Savanna loves the water is the understatement of a lifetime! This little girl lives for bathtime, finds puddles in a drought and swims for hours and hours and doesn't slow down. It is hilarious!!

To top it all off, she's perfected the cheesy grin. We love you Nanna!!

(I know the picture is a little on the dark side, but click to enlarge it...so funny!)

Hogle Zoo

2010-07-29T22:14:00.002-06:00

So much has happened to our family these past few months. So much needs to be documented and I have a feeling so much will be left out. In an attempt to get at least one (slightly) updated post up, we'll start with a little fun!

At the beginning of May, yes...FOREVER ago...Heather, Savanna and I escaped reality and went to Hogle Zoo. We had so much fun and Savanna loved buddying up to her Aunt Heather!

Don't be decieved by Savanna's face...she was slightly distracted by the moving train we were on.

Can you say "meow" or "roar"?

My favorite picture of the entire day! Savanna loved playing in this turtle shell...and she looks so cute doing it too!

Thanks for a super fun day, Heather! More updates to come soon.

Double Dipper

2010-03-09T15:08:00.003-07:00

Savanna thinks that dipping sauces are the best!

Yogurt, ranch, ketchup...apparently if you mix them all together, they're really good too.

We're pretty grossed out by her "creative" concoctions!

Houseful of Hardcastles

2010-03-09T14:45:00.004-07:00

We spent Saturday entertaining four little Energizer Bunnies! I'm glad JI & I were double-teamin' it! Whew!

JI (aka the master fort builder) made this cozy fort for the kids to lounge in, snooze in (yeah right) and giggle in! Check out these smiles...happy kids R us!

As if anything could top building a fort, we made mini pizzas! The kids put on their own toppings (with a little help) and waited anxiously while they baked. It was a fun and easy way for the little ones to help in the kitchen...and when it was put on a plate Maddi said, "Guess what? I maked that!"

...Maddi and her masterpiece...

...Landon and his creation...

I love this picture of Kylee, grinning from ear to ear! She was such an angel the whole time...she just loved being a part of the action!

JI & I were a little blown out of the water, going from one child to FOUR for the afternoon, but we managed alright and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. :)

S is for Shopping

2010-03-09T14:38:00.004-07:00

We went shopping at The Gateway a while ago and I think Savanna's seen me shop a time or two because she went right over to a rack of clothes and started rummaging to find something she liked...

Apparently, this dainty shirt was exactly what she was looking for (in her size in fact). She pulled it from the rack and eyed it up and down on the look-out for any flaws. She then brought it over to JI & me! We were rolling on the floor...we couldn't believe our little girl was so grow up that she could shop for herself!

I think we're in trouble!!

Great Grandpa

2010-03-09T11:59:00.002-07:00

Savanna and I went to lunch with Grandpa Fox a couple of weeks ago and we had a blast! Savanna had fun trying to feed Grandpa bites of her food and started dancing to each new song that came on the speakers. We picked Grandpa up at his house and Savanna helped him get his shoes on, escorted him to and from the car and made sure he was entertained the whole visit!

They sure had a good time! I had so many childhood memories with Grandpa Fox, I'm glad Savanna has the same opportunity! We love you Grandpa!
With a face like that, how can you not have a wonderful time together?

L.O.V.E.

2010-03-09T11:46:00.003-07:00

We celebrated Valentine's Day in style this year! JI & I were able to sneak away for a couple of hours and spend some time in the temple. It was a fun way to celebrate and remember our love for each other. We also made some yummy sugar cookies and decorated them for the grandparents. Yum!

My honey also sent me these beautiful flowers...my co-workers are so jealous!

And, Savanna and I made a fun V-day keepsake that we framed and gave to Daddy!

Valentine's Day sure is different with a little one in the mix, but that didn't get us down! We love every inch of our family of three! Happy Valentine's Day!

Candy & Crafting

2010-03-09T11:27:00.003-07:00

On New Year's Eve JI's parents came over and we visited, watched Savanna run around in circles and got cooking in the kitchen! We tried our hand at Butter Mints, those melt in your mouth minty treats. A few things we learned in the process were:

1) Use a candy thermometer...it's a necessity to avoid candy catastrophes (we had to abort the first batch and start over again)

2) The mint mixture needs to be pulled (like taffy) to achieve appropriate color and glossiness. Singing a song while pulling the candy will create the perfect butter mints (see below).

3)Even though the mixture may still be warm while pulling, do NOT ice your hands or the mint mixture...it will create an instantaneous crumbly, sugary mess! (this blue mixture literally went from glossy-like taffy to powder within five seconds!)

My mom-in-law was also kind enough to let me borrow her sewing machine to attempt some baby items and here is the finished product...bibs & coordinating burp cloths!

The burp cloth pattern I found at HomemadeByJill.com and for the bib I just took a favorite of Savanna's bibs and used it as my guide.

I have been in a crafting mood lately...does anyone have a remedy for it? :)

Daddy's Little Shadow

2010-03-08T13:27:00.004-07:00

Savanna is totally head over heels for her Daddy! She is waiting for him at the door when he gets home from work and she doesn't leave his side until bedtime rolls around.

... He gives the best shoulder rides...

...Loves just chillin'...

...and she still imitates his every move!...
(this picture is hilarious to me...mostly because she's staring at a black metal plate!)

I don't know what could make you feel more loved!

Best Ever

2010-03-08T13:19:00.004-07:00

This little beauty deserves her own little post! JI and his parents got me a stand mixer for Christmas, and I have enjoyed making yummy treats without breaking a sweat!

Isn't she pretty?

First things first...gotta make some bread and cinnamon rolls!

Delicious!

Thanks again, JI, Brent & Pat!

Better Late than Never

2010-03-05T14:48:00.005-07:00

I've had blogger guilt lately, so I'm finally finding myself in front of the computer wondering where I should start. So, as the song says, "Let's start at the very beginning...it's a very good place to start." I know, super cheesy...that's who I am. Gotta love it.

***

Christmas was so fun this year! We weren't able to put any presents under the tree until Christmas Eve because Little Miss Curious couldn't stand to leave them untouched.

On Christmas Eve we opened our presents from Santa's elves (pajamas) and watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas." As you can see, Savanna didn't last long...actually, she fell asleep while I was putting her pajamas on!

So, we decided to "fancy" her up and make her our Christmas Eve present!

Christmas morning was exciting for all of us! Savanna had some good present-opening practice for her birthday, so she was in fighting shape for some serious wrapping paper destruction!

Our little family on Christmas morning...it only took one try with the timer to get this winner!

JI tested Savanna's patience with this box...clear tape + white box= two eternal minutes to a 15-month-old!

She got some great toys, clothes and blankets...what a spoiled little girl!

She made sure to open not only her presents, but ours as well. It was a great start to a wonderful day. We are so grateful for the birth of the Savior and the joy that He brings to our family each and every day.

After the shreds of wrapping paper were cleaned up, we spent the rest of the morning with the Hardcastle Crew. I don't know what happened between our house and theirs, but I didn't get a single picture while we were at their house! We had fun visiting, playing with the kiddie toys and eating the traditional Christmas morning breakfast!

Then, for lunch we went to the Fox abode and enjoyed the company of family and friends and goofed off. All the girls got these adorable head wraps (I'm not exactly sure what they're called).

We roped the boys into a photo op with the same accessory and for some reason...they just look like a bunch of guys in turbans!

And, of course, Savanna can count on some SERIOUS lovin' from Aunt Heather whenever she's nearby.

Overall, we had a wonderfully exhausting day!

Hopefully, January's and February's happenings will be recorded soon too...

but don't hold your breath!

Growing Pains

2009-12-18T11:48:00.004-07:00

Savanna is officially a toddler! She is at just the right height to run her head into everything...and be as clumsy as ever! She bonked herself pretty good yesterday...

Check out the death stare!

She's a tough little girl...hardly any tears!

*thanks to E for letting her cling to you all day!*

I Heart Snow

2009-12-18T11:36:00.003-07:00

We had our first major snow storm of the season last week and so we strapped on a hat and some gloves to see how Savanna would like it.

She rolled around in the snow, ate it, dug in it and LOVED it!

Pure joy! I only wish I could love the snow as much as she does!

One Two Buckle My Shoe

2009-12-18T11:29:00.003-07:00

Every girl goes through this phase right? When they're old enough to walk they pull the high-heeled shoes out of mommy's closet and practice walking without breaking an ankle.

So far, no broken ankles.

Expressions of a Toddler

2009-12-18T11:22:00.002-07:00

"Mom, stop taking my picture!"

"I'm tired and crabby."

"Well, you're not listening so I may as well have some fun."

"It feels good to be silly."

I love all the expressions this little girl has...in a matter of 60 seconds!

We love you! :)

Yabba Dabba Do!

2009-12-18T10:52:00.003-07:00

So, I know were only a week away from Christmas, but if I don't put these Halloween pictures up some (ahem!) certain people might never let me live it down.

It seems the older we get, the more excited we get about dressing up for Halloween...maybe it's just because we have a cute little one to complete the ensemble. We decided to dress up as the Flintstones (Fred, Wilma and Pebbles) this year and we had a blast!

Here's our cute Pebbles all ready for some trick-or-treating.

She loved her costume and would rub her hand against the soft fur.

Fred, Pebbles and Wilma

Savanna had a great time...I think her face says it all!

Happy Halloween!

*Special thanks to Sandy and "Grandma" for all the help in making the costumes!*

Girl Time

2009-10-04T09:04:00.005-06:00

Last night my sister-in-law and I got our craft on while the boys escaped us for a couple of hours. Here are the results!

...Landon was our protector for the evening...

Jessie made these pink beauties

Getting two little girls with three-second attention spans to look at the camera?
No such luck!

Such a cheeser!

Oops...sideways camera picture!

She's a (sideways) cutie sporting some simple purple bows.

Cute little Kylee with a not-so-little bow :)

Aw! The girlies all fancied up!

Thanks Jessie and Pat for a wonderful evening...I'm excited to do it again soon!

Happy Happy Birthday

2009-09-28T06:48:00.013-06:00

Our little girl turned ONE on Tuesday! Time sure has flown and we can't imagine our crazy life without her! We began the birthday festivities on Saturday with friends, family and LOTS of fun!

...The birthday cupcakes...

(yes, Heather, I did make them)

Uncle Garrett gave Savanna a very cute and cuddly duck
(We've named him Perry the Platy-Duck...the stuffed animal looks like a mix between a platypus and a duck)

...A couple of the party-going grandparents...

...A few from the Hardcastle bunch...

Savanna's only a little excited about this toy, can you tell? It's a cute keyboard and play station. (Thanks to the Fox Grandparents.)

***

Let's take a quick break for the cake...the glorious cake. Savanna wasn't too sure about it in the beginning, but after a few minutes...well, you can see for yourself!

Sticky, messy fingers...a little timid

Insert fist in mouth...tastes pretty good

It tastes really good...check out the chunk she ate!

Frosting and cake on hands, face, hair and belly? Check!

We think she approves!

***

Okay...back to the party! With a fresh change of clothes and a tummy full of sugar, Savanna was ready for another go-around with toys.

She loved playing with the balloons (and the empty boxes) more than anything else!

Here's the Platy-Duck again!

This toy sends plastic balls flying! Savanna has figured out how to play it by herself...giving Mommy and Daddy a breather from chasing the balls around the house! (Thanks Hardcastles!)

She's a mighty spoiled little birthday girl!

Check this out! A HUGE hooded bath towel with Savanna's name embroidered down the side (Thanks, Aunt Sandy!)...we tested it out and she loves it!

Thanks to everyone who came and celebrated with us! We love you all!

***

On Wednesday Savanna had her 12-month check-up. Yippee!

Here she is getting ready by brushing her own teeth. (She really does try...and it's pretty hilarious.)

Here are the stats:

Height: 31 inches (97th percentile)

Weight: 26 pounds 6 ounces (100th percentile)
She's perfect all around!

Here she is post-check-up. See that Elmo sticker? She got that for being such a brave girl for her FOUR shots! Ouch!

***

Well, as luck would have it, a package arrived for Savanna. Grandma Fox down in Arizona sent up a birthday baby doll just in time to chase away the vaccination blues! Apparently, this particular baby doll has been kid tested (ahem...Hayley) and mother approved (ahem...Mom). Thanks, Mom...she loves it!

She sang to it and played with it all night long.

...and gave it lots of loves too!

***

Her birthday has been a great one and we are so proud to be her parents! She is constantly making us laugh and amazing us around every turn!

We love you, Nanna!

Loving Every Minute

2009-08-10T17:23:00.004-06:00

We just can't get enough of this little gal! She is cute, curious and into everything! She definitely keeps us on our toes. We feel so blessed to have her in our lives. Our family would not be the same without her...we love you, Nanna!

...she gets her crazy side from her daddy...

...she always gives mommy the best smiles...

We can't believe she'll be turning one next month! We look forward to the adventures she'll bring!

Two Years

2009-07-12T08:34:00.004-06:00

Today makes two years since JI and I started our adventurous life together! It has gone by so fast, we can't even believe it! JI is such a wonderful husband, dad and friend. Just yesterday we celebrated JI's grandma's 80th birthday. While I was talking to her she leaned in and gave me a giant bear hug and said, "JI is good for you; he's different with you. He's always been a good kid, but when he's with you he's all the better...he's in love. I see him look at your precious baby and I see him look at you...and I know there's a lot of love there." There's no better compliment!

I love you babe...for all the fun times we've had so far, and for all the adventures yet to come!

Nine Months

2009-07-10T14:46:00.003-06:00

Savanna turned nine months old a couple of weeks ago and we are amazed at how quickly the time has gone by! Here are the stats from her check-up:

Weight: 24 pounds 2 ounces (100th percentile)

Height: 30.5 inches (100th percentile)

This little girl...isn't so little anymore! The doctor said she's your average size 16-month-old. Even though she's an "Amazon Woman" for her age (seriously, the doctor called her that) it's not holding her back!

Some of her most recent developments are:

*waving hello and goodbye

*clapping/giving high 5's

*making elephant noises (mostly just sputtering her lips, but it's super cute!)

*blowing kisses (she hasn't got the "MWAH!" part down yet, she mostly just smacks herself in the mouth...it's a work in progress)

*she pulls the funniest faces when I whip out the camera...sometimes she even gives me a sweet smile

*she has been crawling for three months and definitely keeps us on our toes

*she climbs up stairs and has almost got the hang of going down safely

*she is close to walking on her own, but right now she walks along the furniture...it won't be long now!

...elephant noises don't make the pretties faces, but I get a kick every time she does it!...

...one of her strange expressions she gave me just for the camera!...

Savanna is such a joy to have...we love that she is so good-natured and just goes with the flow! Her smile brightens anyone's day and we're so glad that we can call her ours!

...here's that sweet smile I've been looking for!...

Daddy's First

2009-07-03T18:36:00.005-06:00

I know this is really late, but I had to at least document it! We celebrated JI's first Father's Day in style. Savanna made breakfast in bed (with Mommy's help) and we lounged the day away! JI got a fun Mickey Mouse puzzle that from far away looks like a regular puzzle, but up close it's made up of a ton of scenes from different Disney movies. It was addicting, confusing and frustrating all at the same time. Savanna and I both are so blessed to have such a wonderful dad, husband and friend. We look forward to every minute we get to spend with him! Savanna lights up when her daddy gets home from work...it's so cute! We love you and we look forward to spoiling you every Father's Day!

...Out to breakfast on Saturday morning...

...Smiling our cheesiest for the camera on Sunday morning...

We love you!

Happy Birthday Garrett

2009-06-17T09:10:00.004-06:00

Today Garrett is 18 years old! Huzza Huzza! :) We love hanging out with you...we hope your day is the best!!

He's the best babysitter (even though I caught a frown in this picture)

...Aw! So sweet!...

Heather's Birthday

2009-06-17T09:02:00.005-06:00

Heather’s birthday was on Thursday…I know, it’s a little late! Happy birthday, little sis!! We love you!

You bring out the best in each other! :)

...Always so crafty...

Savanna loves you so much (remember this picture?..."The Forbidden Picture.")

Taking Time to Smell the Roses

2009-06-13T22:23:00.003-06:00

I picked these roses and peonies at my in-law's house. I love how they smell!

We're sorry our blog hasn't been updated...our only excuse is that we've stopped to smell the roses!

What a weekend!

2009-04-05T10:12:00.007-06:00

I'm still getting caught up on some blog posts, but there have been a series of events that takes precidence over all other blog posts that I have to document, otherwise I might not believe it myself!

Let's start with Friday night at 5:59 pm: I had just finished feeding Savanna when I got a call from a co-worker. "Can you see if my keys are in your car?" she asked. (We had run a few errand together during the day.) Sure enough, they were there! I strapped Savanna in the car and off we went...just a little hiccup, no big deal.

At 6:10 JI calls to tell me he's on his way home from work and he'll see me soon...still, nothing out of the ordinary.

At 6:19 pm I recieve a text that my sister is going in for a C-section and a new baby cousin will arrive before 7:30...I needed to call everyone I knew to tell them the exciting news, starting with my husband.

At 6:23 I call JI and before I can tell him the good news, he informs me that he has a flat tire! These things happen every once in a while...just a little delay to the weekend fun.

At 7:37 Sophia Liliana arrived! Yahoo for a new baby girl in the family!

At 7:46 I receive another text from my long-time friend that her baby girl made her debut earlier that night...Kate Mackenzie! What an exciting day!

Saturday we visited my sister and friend in the hospital (coincidentally, the same one!), cuddled with newborn babies and loved every second of it, visited and shopped with family in preparation for Easter weekend and finished the night with a houseful of family and yummy pie.

Cute little Sophia and her favorite aunt :)

Little Kate Cutler, so tiny and precious!

Now, I must admit, I usually am in bed no later than 10:30, but Saturday night was different. At 10:54 pm, I was making a birthday cake for my sister-in-law and just chilling with my hubs when we heard a strange noise outside our kitchen window. BAM! We both looked at each other and ran outside to see what had happened. A tire had come off a passing car and hit the rear end of our car, parked in the driveway. The driver was fine, just shaken up from the strange occurence with her car. We waiting for the police to come and finally we were able to get back into our cozy warm house and finish with our projects we had started. After experiencing a bit of an adrenaline rush, we were both wide awake. I continued with my cake-making and JI put in a movie and cleaned up the house while watching a scene or two.

You can see the marks of the tire that hit our sad car!

The ghetto car that caused the commotion

At 12:30 am we heard Savanna coughing and went into her room to check on her, when we found she had thrown up all over her crib. We quickly stripped her bed and threw everything in the wash. Our cute little one just wanted to be held and protected from the scary germ bugs...her protector was her daddy. Every few minutes she would look up at him and wait for him to look at her. Once he'd look her in the eyes, she would fall back to sleep...only to look up at him a minute later. It was the most precious thing ever, it broke my heart!

Savanna and her body guard for the night

We finally got to bed somewhere around 3:00 am...everything's kind of fuzzy at that point. We slept for a few hours, but we were on pins and needles all night long checking on Savanna making sure she was doing okay.

Sunday we were able to relax a little bit and watch General Conference and enjoy the talks and music. I also finished up the cake for my sister-in-law. She has a major shoe fetish, to say the least...so what better to make her than a shoe birthday cake!

The shoe box is a white cake with chocolate frosting and the shoe is made out of gum paste.

I used a pie server as a mold for the shoe form. The pie server I found also came with a magnetic heel...it worked perfectly! (Thanks Sandy for the idea!)

When all was said and done the cake was yummy...and the weekend was our most eventful yet (knock on wood!)

We're looking forward to Easter weekend, hoping that it is a little more relaxing and a lot less eventful as this past weekend.

Growing up

2009-04-01T21:58:00.004-06:00

Savanna has adapted well to the house change and is loving the big space to discover her limits (and her mom's). She now can get from point A to point B in one of three ways:

1) rolling from tummy to back and over again

2) assuming "the crawl" pose and scooting her way to her destination (she's not quite to the "one knee in front of the other" concept...but she's getting there fast)

3) grunting and lifting her arms until Mommy or Daddy pick her up

She is growing up so fast! It seems like every few days she's mastered a new skill. Her latest is saying "ma ma." Well, she actually says "ma ma ma ma ma ma...", but I like to think she's saying "mama."

She has two cute teeth, can sit up all by herself, has a favorite toy (Ella the Elephant aka "Ella-Friend), chews on anything she can get her hands on, sleeps 10-11 hours at night, eats baby food like a champ and has a weird fetish with the cable remote control (seriously, it's only that one remote).

What's a post without a few great pictures to wrap it up? :)

Playing with Puppy

Sleeping so soundly

This girl LOVES strawberries!

Savanna's "Ella-Friend"

6 months and going strong!

Turning over a New Leaf

2009-04-01T21:36:00.002-06:00

It has been a long while since we have been in the blogging world. February sped by faster than we could click "New Post" and before we knew it we were in a moving marathon. Yes, it's true...we've moved! Out of our basement apartment on February 28th (of course we were only able to move out the LAST day of the month) and having family dinner in our new place on March 1st (there's nothing like a deadline to spice up a move). We loved our cozy apartment and friendly neighbors and ward, but with the addition of a baby our quaint quarters took on a claustrophobic feel. Savanna was starting to want to move and discover...and there wasn't much room to do that. JI and I felt the need to move on to better (and preferrably, bigger) things, so we watched for opportunities...and opportunities came! Thanks to the help and thoughtfulness of family and friends we were able to move into a wonderful house. We're still renting, but we couldn't ask for anything more right now! It's amazing to us the small and simple things that we take for granted. For example, since July 2007 we have affectionately called our dishwasher and disposal..."JI." :) We now call them "Whirlpool" and "In-Sinkerator." We have a kitchen that we can both stand in at the same time and we finally have space to have our bedroom look like a...well, bedroom. In addition to the grand additions, we are above all grateful for the blessing of living within 15 minutes of family...most especially, grandparents! We have a wonderful life and we are excited for the many adventures to come!

Got Milk?

2009-01-12T08:30:00.002-07:00

Savanna sure finds the perfect moments to share with everyone. :) A picture attempt of her hot and sweaty hair-do turned into this the moment the flash went off. Her little half-smile only makes her look even more guilty of doing it on purpose. Absolutely hilarious!

Another one bites the dust...

2009-01-07T22:00:00.005-07:00

Goodbye 2008...Hello 2009! We've had a great year and we're looking forward to many more to come. We never posted any of our Christmas choas, so we've chosen a few pictures to prove that we really are still alive and breathing. :)

A very merry Christmas for all three of us! Our first one with baby Savanna and boy was she spoiled...actually, all of us were! JI surprised me with a new camera which I haven't put down since I opened it. I love it and I have been having a blast learning how to make the most of it. I came out of left field with a Blu-Ray player for JI and we have been loving its awesomeness way too much! Although we were both spoiled, Savanna took the cake this Christmas! We just look forward to her playing with all her toys as much as her parents do. :)

Savanna has been trying to sit up a little so we got inventive and created our own make-shift chair (of sorts). She had fun and sat like this for about 45 minutes...ah, the simple things!

She's also become quite the chatterbox and loves to ham it up when the camera is around!

Case in point...

And again...

She has also grown so much and is so alert to the things around her. I love this picture because it totally captures her curious personality and her cute baby blues! I just can't get enough of this girl!

Happy New Year!

Another Year Older...

2008-12-12T07:25:00.004-07:00

WHAT?!? You're how old??!

We can't believe JI's birthday is today! He's the big 2-9 and we sure have a fun day planned for him!

We love you so much!

Two Months

2008-12-12T06:48:00.006-07:00

Savanna is two months old and growing up fast! She had her two-month check up last week and here are the stats:

Weight: 13 lbs. 5 oz. (95th percentile)
Length: 24 1/4 inches long (97th percentile)
Head: 15.5 inches (65th percentile)

We are so proud to have such a strong, healthy little girl. She was all smiles at the doctor's office until she had to get three shots in those chubby thighs of hers. She didn't like it one bit and let me know with the saddest cry I have ever heard. I told her I would get her ice cream or a pony to make the pain easier to deal with, but she decided some major cuddling would do the trick.

Savanna's blessing was on Sunday and she sure was cute! I don't have many pictures right now, but there will be more to come soon enough.

Lately, Savanna and JI have had some major bonding going on and I've been lucky enough to capture a few of these moments on film. As soon as Daddy walks in the door, Savanna just grins from ear to ear and stares him down all night long. It's fun to see how differently she interacts with the two of us.

Looks at those eyes!

We feel so lucky to have this beautiful girl in our lives and we can't wait to watch her grow every day!

Insane!

2008-11-22T21:55:00.004-07:00

Wow! What a day!! This past week I won tickets to the University of Utah and BYU football game. Holy Cow!!! That place was insane! As I'm sure you are all aware by now U of U won, by a lot! BYU could have pulled it together but they decided to just lie down and be run over by a really good team. Both Lindsay and I are neutral since both of our families are divided, So we wore red and blue to the game, well my shirt had blue on it. As you can tell we decided to take Savanna with us to her first ever football game. She loved it!! She slept through the whole thing!

We bundled her up nice and tight and very warm. One of the ladies in our ward gave us a nice super cute red jacket that she was wearing and Heather, Lindsay's sister got her the cutest red hat.

We couldn't believe she slept for so long during the game. The fans were CRAZY! We ended up leaving right before half time got over since she woke up and started to get fussy. Probably since she hadn't eaten since 1:30 this afternoon. Overall it was a fun experience and one that we are sure to remember.

2008-11-16T07:50:00.009-07:00

Lately we've been able to catch some super cute pictures of Savanna. She's been all smiles and has begun to take notice of things around her. She loves her bouncer, music and cuddle time. I know this blog has turned into a Savanna shrine, but there's nothing better in life than babies, right? Here are a few of our favorites over the past week or so.

...Savanna and Daddy love to lounge together...

This is our favorite! She's all smiles and the cutest little girl ever! It's hard to believe that 7 weeks have already come and gone!

2008-11-10T18:46:00.002-07:00

Just some updated pictures!

Ain't I cute!

All Smiles!

I think she hates the sun

Week 3 and counting...

2008-10-18T09:40:00.003-06:00

I love my mommy!!!

Well it's been a fantastic three weeks! I can't believe how fast its gone. Things are going great. We are still struggling to get her on a schedule and actually sleep at night instead of during the day. That's been the hardest part. She'll sleep until 1 and the she wakes and is wide awake! She's so dang cute when she's awake. Lindsay and I are having fun and loving being parents. Today we are going to the Scarecrow festival that my dad is mostly in charge of and we'll post some pictures from that.

More pictures!!

2008-10-11T15:44:00.003-06:00

Finally baby Savanna has arrived!!

2008-10-11T15:28:00.007-06:00

Ok everyone! Here it is! Finally pictures of our little squeaker. I call her that because, well she squeaks when she breathes or cries. It's really cute. Linds and I decided that if we had a dog it would have a hard time telling which was the squeaky toy and which was the baby. Little Savanna was born on September 29, 2008 at 10:54 pm. It was a long day. She weighed 9 lbs. 8 oz. and was 21 inches long.

Patiently waiting

2008-09-25T22:36:00.002-06:00

Ok well maybe not sooooo patiently, but waiting none the less. This week we went to Lindsay's, hopefully, last docotor's appointment. He said everything was still good, just baby Savanna hasn't dropped. It seems to me that she wants to take after her daddy and come later than she should. :) Well anyway through much convincing on Lindsay's part, we are scheduled to be induced on Monday. Soon the baby will be here and we'll be parents!! AHHHHH!!!!! Scary thought. Me a dad! We are way excited, as is the rest of our wonderful family. We are completely ready for this child physically but I don't think one can ever really be mentally for that step into parenthood. We are excited and can't wait to see her!

My Hubby

2008-09-08T09:27:00.002-06:00

I just wanted to send a shout-out to the best husband in the world. Although I know some days I drive him absolutely BONKERS, he never complains...ever! He has been a great support to me during this fun and interesting pregnancy experience, and he is constantly looking for ways to help out. JI's "nesting" for the both of us lately (is it weird that he's nesting more than I am?) and has painted almost our entire apartment and cooks dinner several times a week! (I promise pictures of the apartment are coming soon.) I love the way he makes it a point to make me laugh daily and always looks at the silver lining in everything. He is going to be such a great daddy...she's already a daddy's girl. Whenever JI rubs my belly or talks to her, she calms right down and I get a break from being kicked in the ribs. You're a natural! I love you, babe! You make life fabulous!

I think I've finally figured out this picture thing

2008-08-12T21:40:00.003-06:00

So I think I may have finally figured out how to post pictures on this dumb thing!! Yay!! I know! I'm blonde! Leave me alone!!! :)

At Last we're on here!!!

2008-07-31T12:35:00.001-06:00

So this will probably be short, but alas, at least I'm writing on this dang thing!!! So just a quick note about us. Lindsay and I met in September of 2006 on her first Sunday in the Singles Ward. Needless to say, all though very cliche, it was love at first sight. I was the choir director int he ward and she volunteered to play the piano and it was a match made in heaven. Almost six months later we were engaged and then married on July 12, 2007. Now a year later we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our little girl Savanna Grace. I'll post some pictures of us and the babies room a little later today. Lindsay actually let me paint!!! I know shocker!