What will Easton be when he grows up...

A pharmacist like his daddy...
An architect...
A famous BBQ chef...

The next Santana...
A dentist...
A vagabond...
A crossdresser...
A Cardinals football linebacker...
A chilled out lifeguard...
A champion boxer...
A basketball hoopster...
A gourmet chef...
A harmonica player and musician...
The next Picasso...
A clown in the circus...
A sheriff...
An escape artist...
A computer geek...
An extreme sports junkie...
A sports car driver...
A jockey...
An intellect...
A janitor...
An American Idol singer...
A drummer in a band...
A scientist...
A farmer...

What's your guess???

Fearless Easton

Easton is fearless. For 3 or 4 months now he has loved jumping off this waterfall all by himself with a big smile on his face. He goes all the way under as you will see and pops up with a giant smile. He does this over and over again and never tires of it. He then even treads water and can swim over to you on his own in the deep end with his floaties on! He's our little water baby.

30 What?!

The big 3-0 is a weird one! Yes, I am behind on this post. Maybe it's a subconscious thing? jk Sam and I both turned 30 4 days apart in April and it is very strange, needless to say. We both had great birthdays though with lots of friends around. It kind of was the endless birthday that lasted weeks with people being so thoughtful and friendly offering to babysit so we could go out and people wanting to celebrate with us. Thank you to all our good friends who knew this was a doosey and who went out of their way to make us treats and to make it special for us. It actually really helped me get over the anxiety of such a monumental birthday because I had things to look forward to with friends and people who were so thoughtful. 30 though! 30! What! Where did our 20's go Sam and I ask??? I am definietely still in denial on this one. I know 30 is not 50 but it's still getting up there and it forces you to think about life differently. I'm not saying I want to or that I'm now qualified to. I'm just saying it forces you to. And frankly, I'd rather not but I suppose we do have to grow up someday, dang it. Life is strange and when you turn 30 you are reminded of this fact once again. Good luck to all of you out there who are around the corner....

Not pregnant

Ok so I am not pregnant and I did not mean for this post to take me so long or for the suspense to be suspenseful at all really. I just didn't get around to downloading pictures and blogging at all in a timely manner, as usual. So, the news is just that on Easter Sunday, Sam and I got the bright idea to shave Easton's long locks and to also leave a little mohawk. His hair grows really fast and we thought it could grow through some cute phases along the way back to long hair again. Sam acutally did a really good job. My computer is being fussy so when in a few days/(weeks) when I actually post again you can see the mohowak in all its glory. Everyone says it makes E-Z look older which makes me a little sad. Here are some pictures of the buzz session, which included a high chair, Baby Einstein, a sucker (with lots of hair on sucker and lots of washing hair off sucker), and a very patient little boy who did very well until the very end....

Easton update 16-17 months

Easton likes to play "Peek-A-Boo" behind the shower curtain so I was ready for this picture!
Here he is playing "Peek-A-Boo" again
Here is an unintentional form of peek-a-boo (notice the scattered TP, kindof hard to miss)
Not sure what is going on here....


Doesn't he look like a little surfer dude.
This is Easton's coy little smile to get what he wants from mommy and daddy.

This is what happens when 1)mommy and daddy leave out a bowl full of oatmeal and 2)Easton likes to climb onto the kitchen table. But seriously, even though the carpet floor, table, and your child is a mess, how can you do anything but sigh and then laugh when you see this face.

P.s. For all you friends out there in Utah I have a surprise for you about Easton that I will blog about soon. I am very behind in my blogging so I will blog about it as soon as I download the pictures. Hehe

Job Offer!

I have been very neglectful of blogging and we received this great news about a week ago so it's about time I share. Many of you know there was a deadline of April 26 that Albertson's was going to let Sam know if he got the job in Utah he interviewed with over a month ago. It is good news. They offered him the position and he is so excited because Albertson's is a great company and was one of his top two choices. They even offer better incentives and pay than Walgreen's (the other company that hired him) and we will still be in the salt lake valley. We are thrilled!

Bulimic Baby

So, I have a bulimic baby on my hands. Easton literally is bulimic. Not in the real sense of the word but he likes to gag himself and he will do it to the point of throwing up. He has done it several times and yesterday was the worst! He was in his crib and Sam walked in to a very fun surprise of throw up all over the crib sheets, blankets and even the floor. Usually I hear him and go in running but then try to act normal when I walk in so he doesn't know that is why I'm coming in but this time I didn't hear him at all and we paid for it. I asked the doctor why he does this and he said he just thinks its interesting and he throws up because he has a strong gag reflex. He told me to ignore it but that is not always easy. I usually just try to give him a binki or something to play with but it's hard! He does it with spoons, his finger, lot's of things and he throws up quickly. I try not to overreact so he gets a reaction from me but I can't keep that up every time. Any advice out there? My crazy bulimic baby.

Out of Africa Wildlife Park

My parents and brother came to town last weekend and we went to a wildlife park in Camp Verde about an hour and 15 minutes from Glendale. They offer a safari and have a pretty large amount of wild animals to view in a zoo like setting and they also have a Tiger Splash and Bear Splash show. We missed the python show where I guess you get to pet and hold the python. It was a unique experience. Guess I don't need to go to Africa now ;)

Yes, you are seeing what you think you are seeing...my face inside a giraffes mouth!!! On the safari we were able to feed the giraffe their treats however we liked. Our guide told us we could feed them with our teeth and the giraffe would give us a kiss. Sick! was my first thought but then I thought, "How many times will I have a chance like this?" So I went for it. It was surprisingly not that slobbery and his tongue was rough like a cats.
My brother decided to do it too.
Here is what I got up close and personal with. Yummy
All the animals came right up to us. It was really cool!
This is what a giraffe has to do to bend down to eat at the ground. Poor fellas
The ostriches came right up to us as well and kept coming to the back of the bus. Our driver almost reversed right into one because it wasn't moving even though we would have hit it. She said its the only animal there that wouldn't move out of our way and would let us hit it. It got so close I could see it's really long eye lashes.
This was Sam's favorite because of the beautiful butterfly marking on its face.



This is the Tiger Splash. The Tigers play with the balls and toys and jump for them into the pool.
This tiger jumped for the toy over this guys back! Twice!
This girl was swimming with the tiger on his back. Just floating with him as he dragged her along.
This is right before the tiger got some serious air as he went for the toy and landed in the water!

They did this same thing with two brown bear cubs who they said the day before had attacked one of the trainers while doing a show.

My tender little one

Today I was sitting on the couch and Easton was standing above me bouncing around when he stopped, bent down and leaned in to give me a kiss. It was so sweet. One of those "Ahh" sweet moments when you stop everything you are doing and hearing and just soak it in. And to make it even better he gave me one more kiss and then laid his whole body against me and his head on my shoulder for a hug. He gives the sweetest hugs that can bring me to tears and will definitely make my day better than it was before.

Boating!!!

We were lucky enough to be able to go boating this weekend with friends up at Lake Pleasant which is only 30 mins from here. We had such a good time! Our friends provided the blue muscle suits for Easton and Cameron and I couldn't get enough of them in them, as you can see. They looked adorable! They both loved the boat and going fast. They didn't get scared at all. Easton was the designated flag holder and took his job very seriously. It was gorgeous outside but the water was cold and we got started late so I didn't get in. I hope to go again and try out the wakeboards.

Back in the day

This weekend we had dinner with four of Sam's high school friends, three of which now live in Arizona, four including us. One was visiting from Utah so we got together for dinner. It's crazy how we have all moved to Arizona and live within 30 mins of each other. There was reminiscing, plenty of food, crying and commotion, and Sam and I got our butts kicked at Dr Mario. Good times.
Lot's of kids between us all.
Easton not only eats sand and dirt but small rocks as well as seen here.
It was kindof sad to have Easton at the big kid/little table. The other kids had to guard their food and he didn't eat much, most ended up on the floor, but he sat on his chair like a big boy.

THe Phx Zoo

I went to the zoo with friends a few different times. I didn't take pictures but my friends got some pretty good ones so I "borrowed" theirs of the cool animals we get to see. Easton is starting to take note of the animals but gets bored quickly.

The baboons are one of my favorites for sure. You just look at them and go, "What the ...?"
Easton and Cameron getting up close and personal-with the animals and each other :)

The second time I went they had a baby orangutan out who was playing with his mother. He was adorable and acted just like Easton playing all over me. Rambunctious and wild. The mother kept grabbing him and keeping him in line. It was fun to watch.

Green eggs and French Toast

So for St Patty's Day I thought I would carry on the tradition of my mother and eat some green food. Yyuummy. The eggs look especially brutal due to the mozarella I added but Sam seemed to like them so that's all I care about. The milk was a trip. Sam said he felt like he was drinking paint but there was not a trace of any other taste. Just good ol' fashioned cow. We even wore green for the occasion. It was fun anyway.

That'll be the day

Not to complain, (although that is exactly what I am doing), I love San Lagos and all but as I was carrying my heavy grocery bags by the handful across the parking lot, over to my stairs, up the stairs, fumbling for my keys and then doing this over and over again all the while working up a sweat-and it's only March-I really, really (emphasized) wished I had a garage! Ahh, that will be the day.

Snowboarding in Utah!

We were lucky enough to take advantage (only one day unfortunately) of the awesome snow in Utah during our rotation (just got the pictures) and go snowboarding with my awesome brother-in-law Rich. When the day was over, as always, I wished we had more time to continue but I felt so good being out in nature enjoying the fresh air and my body felt great and tired!

Sam got a job offer!

Sam was offered a job about a week ago. Walgreens in SLC! We feel very lucky that in this economic crisis he was still offered a signing bonus, some help for relocation, and a small scholarship if he signs with them before June 2. He wants to still wait to see if other offers come up so we are still not sure where we will end up but it does look like we will be heading back to Utah. Walgreens in Arizona is not even offering bonuses and he does not think there are other companies out here that we would stay out here for. Things are still a little up in the air though so we will see???

Away in Utah

Sooo, I obviously have not blogged for a very long time. Most of you know Sam and I were in Utah for almost 5 weeks for his rotation. We had a great time. Below is an update of how we spent our time (well, mostly how Easton spent his time, cause you don't care what Sam and I did.) It's nice to be back to Arizona and to the blogging world.

My brother Chris has a nice camera so instead of paying a professional to take Easton and Gracyn's pictures for grandma and grandpa we decided to have him take them. Here are a few.


The hairdo profile. The kid has ALOT of hair!


There was a blizzard behind us if you can't tell. It was gorgeous!

E loved this chair. He would sit in it everyday and watch Baby Einstein as happy as a clam.
Easton would pull himself up on this and shake his booty and dance. He was putting on a show.
Gracyn loves to kick back. I love this girl!

White Fluffy Playground

Easton LOVED the snow and fortunately it snowed buckets several times. In spite of the cold he never seemed to want to go inside or to grow tired of the wet, cold snow. At times he could barely walk in it but I was surprised at how well he could walk and balance in it actually. He did a couple face plants and his little legs sunk to his knees at times. It was adorable to watch him explore and enjoy himself. Gracyn, his cousin was not a big fan of the snow so it was quite the contrast. He loved going down the slide too as you can see in the pictures. (For some reason I don't have some of the pictures of us and E just in the snow and they were so cute so I might add some more later). This first few snow experiences with Easton were very memorable for Sammy and I fo sho.

I love to feed myself now...but I think I'd go hungry if my mommy didn't help

Utah's Children Museum

Easton was a ham this day. In this picture he was roaring like a lion. It was the first time we ever heard it and he was so animated as you can see.

"Touchdown"
Easton and I got a visit from Katie and Lance while in Utah. It was so fun! "Come on Lance, let's go buddy." Easton was obsessed with the stairs at my parents. This picture shows him going up on his knees but 99% of the time he wanted to be a big boy and go up and down on his own two feet.
We were lucky enough to hold little Miles Fuller in his first week and days of life since we were in Utah during his birth. He's a cute one.
Playing in the pool with Bennett and Gracyn. E absolutely loves the water and Sam and my dad took him almost everyday.

Helmet head with bangs

This is what happens when you try to cut your sons long hair and he won't sit still and you don't have a clue what you are doing.

This is when you say, "Aah Ooh, we can't salvage that and need to get that fixed asap!" and this is what serious bed head looks like


Ahh, much better after a professional did her job and he sat in a car and on a dinosaur.

Binki Wars

Easton went through a time of not much interest in his binki's and I was thinking, "Wow, getting him to let these go will be a smooth transition." Then, he became obsessed! He wants them at all times. He wants one in his mouth and one in each hand while he walks around. He wants them while he eats. He can't seem to figure out if he wants to take them out long enough to put the food in. When he wakes up he throws them out of his crib (strange since he's obsessed) but then when we go to get him out of his crib he wants nothing more than to get out of our arms and recapture his lost binki's on the floor and man he's mad until he gets to them! And he's a binki theif too!, hence the binki wars. He has no wubby or stuffed animal he is attached to. Just his binki(s). We are going to have to get creative soon I'm afraid....

To the rescue

So my parents came into town and they were both so relieved that we had two snuggies awaiting their arrival. Phew!

Experiencing Montezuma and a beautiful "Fall" day

Sam had the great idea of buying this push popper toy for E because he always wants to push our heavy suitcases around and he gets so frustrated when he can't do it well. This is his new favorite toy and he wanted to push it everywhere at Montezuma. All through the leaves and over the twigs and all!

The Phx Zoo and petting zoo

I don't think Easton was a huge fan of the carousel. He liked it ok but probably not his favorite "toy" yet. He just kindof sat there like, "What is this thing?"

I was impressed with the Phx zoo. I dare say I might like it better than the Utah zoo. I think it's laid out better so you can see the animals easier and it seemed less crowded even when it is not hot this time of year. We had a great weekend with my parents and although Easton does not get excited about the animals he does look at them and appear interested which is cool. My favorite were the brightly colored baboons. Easton was not at all afraid of the goats at the petting zoo and was just as interested in the tree stumps and benches to climb on as he was the goats.

Ho Ho Ho 2009

Better posted way late than never? You decide...

My sister thought it would be funny to dress Easton in Gracyn's tights and blouse so he looked like a ballerina girl. My dad said all he needed now was a cup and some ballet shoes. I just don't think he quite has that graceful, ballerina build, do you?

Gracyn and Easton in their Christmas pj's. Christmas morning was more like a jungle gym to them than anything else.
Christmas morning with the Warner's. Yeah! Two Christmas's!
The best Christmas gift ever!
How cute is that behind!
Christmas Eve with the 3 Warner cousins Bennett, Easton and Jonathon.

The Snuggie

A few weeks before Christmas I was looking through my emails when I read something about a Snuggie. Huh? I realized this was not my email account but Sam's that had been left open and had gone directly to his account. I like surprises so I quickly closed the email but was wondering what a Snuggy was. I knew it was my Christmas gift but what was it? A few days later Sam and I were watching TV when a cheesy infomercial came on about a Snuggy and how you can snuggle up with your arms inside the blanket. That's right inside! I started laughing and said, "Who would want...." and then slowly turning to look at one another and realizing that that was my Christmas gift from Sam we both burst out laughing. I was hysterical. I literally fell off the chair and was crying at the irony. It was so funny. Even further irony I write to you while wearing my Snuggy and I am perfectly snug and happy to report that it is convenient to have my arms covered and snug with very very soft fleece as I type.

We've been busy....

These are final moments, as a little tear falls from my cheek. Why you say?
Why are we taking pictures of the back of our 12 year old car and that 2 year old car you ask?
Why again are we taking pictures of our 1996 Honda Passport and that beautiful 2007 Honda Pilot you ask?
Oh, because we are about to drive that beautiful Honda Pilot off this lot right now because we just bought it!!!
This is our new ride. It has 18, 000 miles, a roomy 3rd row, leather seats, and a navigation. Most important it is safe and it was a great deal. A steal according to several people who apparently know their stuff.
We love it and it is a great car for a multiplying family but it keeps us out of a mini van. Can't argue with that ;)

The blanket in the front is covering up the portable DVD player Sam got on Black Friday for our ride to Utah and other long rides but heck it has been nice even to and from the grocery store. I highly recommend.

I loved my passport and looking at the photos above is making me sad. We traded it in and I miss it. I drove that car for 10 years and it incurred lot's of memories, few miles for it's age, and it never let me down. I never had to fix anything unnecessary. I loved that car and Sam could not understand my hesitation in parting with it. Of course there were some things that looking back now I am happy I am no longer dealing with but those are few and whoever is in the price range of owning that car will be a happy camper.

I've been busy trying to be crafty

I don't have any more space on things for pictures in Easton's room so I came up with this idea. It has worked out pretty well. Some of the toy boxes and holders in his room are an old distressed gray look so I figured out how to make that look and painted the sailboat and plane to match.
I used to use this yellow hanger thing for my jewelry but Sam got me a jewelry box for Valentines day so I haven't know what to do to use it to the fullest. Then I realized I could use some fun bath tub pics of Easton and I had just taken some pretty funny ones. I luckily found these cute frames at the first place I looked for super cheap and wall-a!

We've been busy out and about with friends and family

Girls Night Out!
Girls Night Out turned into Karaoke. No boys allowed...for obvious reasons.
I threw my friend a baby shower for her anticipated baby boy Rockwell A.K.A. Rock.
Gotta keep the traditions going. What's X-Mas without some gingerbread houses.
Sam and I took Easton to the Mesa Temple to see the lights as they do something similar at the SLC Temple. It was fun to see the Palm Trees lit up. They had an International exhibit of nativity scenes inside the visitors center which was neat to see. We had a great time and Easton really enjoyed the lights. You could tell he was taking it all in. And who can go to Mesa and not travel 10 mins to Cafe Rio. Bonus!

Couldn't leave you hangin on the Easton pics

I caught Easton cracking himself up at the mirror
And I caught this too! I couldn't believe I caught it on film!
My little GQ boy
He carried around my boots for a few minutes. Probably until he realized they were almost as big as he is.
"Now this is a REAL TV folks"
I took Easton to the park last week when it was still normal Arizona weather and he started pushing the stroller around on his own. I thought that was cute until he began gathering pine cones and putting them one by one into the bottom of the stroller.
Here he is off for more pine cones.
This is Easton's early Christmas present from Grandma and Grandpa Tayler. He loves to try to get on by himself. He has a few different maneuvers.
This one's my favorite. LOL
He has learned how to rock it all by himself.

Rambunctious little boy

Easton has almost this routine of what he likes to get into and do around the house, most of which he should not do or get into and most of which he knows he should not do or get into. He loves the toilets and every time he walks into the bathroom now he says ka-ka cause of all the scolding I've done. Thank goodness for toilet seat lid holderdowner-thinger-bopers. He loves to eat the toilet paper and also says ka-ka while in the process of stuffing it in his little mouth. He has yet to understand the meaning of the word,...clearly. I was tired of him flinging DVDs and DVD cases all over the room so I put them in a plastic case under the tv. He is now obsessed with pulling it out and stepping on it so he is big and tall and can hit the tv with all his might. I am going to have to go to plan C with this one. Throwing things into the kitchen garbage and pulling things out-Yuck! If kids only knew what they were doing sometimes. Now this next one is hilarious and terrifying to watch. I really want to get it on camera but am afraid to leave his side as he might split his head open. He has learned to open the tray of his baby swing and climb on it so he is standing and then swing freely to his hearts content as high and recklessly as possible, all the while laughing hysterically every time. I love to see it but I think I might need to put what has now become a trapeze away. I think it is time.

Easton and his little friend Tienna play so well together.
Ah, sharing so nicely...there was no crying after this exchange. J/k Actually there wasn't they really do get along really well. Tienna is so sweet and chill and Easton is pretty laid back too. It's really fun to see them together.
How cute is that hat!
I asked Sam to do Easton's hair to help us get ready as we were leaving to go to the car show. This was the end result. It was...original and strangely cute.
Tool Man E.B.

Turkey Day with Friends, No Family

This was the first family picture we took since I dyed my hair and when I looked at it on my camera it was pretty weird seeing three dark headed people in the photo instead of just two. But I like that now Easton and I have more similar features and people notice sooner that he has my blue eyes.
This is Easton topless btw after the red jello, spilled rootbeer, gravy, mashed potatoes, etc, etc.
RockBand baby
This is blackmail in 20 years Easton.


Thanksgiving was a nice change this year. We of course love the holidays with our families but it was a once in a time thing to have it with friends and fellow students who stuck around. We ended up with 13 adults and 8 kids. The food was really good, especially for first time turkey preparers (props Siri) and for all of us who made the other dishes without our mothers help :). We had a good time.

I'm Thankful for the Love...

There is always so much to be thankful for but today I want to focus on a few of the people in my life I am especially thankful for. My mom, my dad, my big sis and my two older brothers. I love you all more than words and would not enjoy life to the fullest without you all. Without your fun-loving teasing and ability to really let things go (Wiff), without your endearing querkiness and generosity (dado) without your all encompassing love and thoughtfulness (mom) without your true friendship and sense of humor (Chris) without your contagious laugh and knowing you are always there for me (B). You all make my life better in so many ways. In deep meaningful ways and in light-hearted, happy, fun ways. You all make me cry with sentiment. You all make me want to pull my hair out. You all make me laugh til it hurts. You all have given me priceless memories I never want to forget. Thanks for the love.

Pipsqueak, Kimmy, Kimmers

Helmet and water wings-check

Yep, it's me

So... I have been wanting to go dark for a while now. I knew if I ever went dark I would go really dark. No highlights, no light brown. It was just a thought for a long time until I went to a salon to get my tired blonde hair conditioned. It was badly damaged after all the years of highlighting and the stylist said it would be much healthier if I went dark. I missed shinny hair and with my fast growing hair was tired of the constant regrowth. My hair has gotten rather dark over the years. So, I asked to see some dark swatches just to look at them. There were so many to choose from but I thought one was really pretty and told her to just go ahead and do it today. No one knew I was going to dye my hair dark, including me! I liked it right away, even when it was wet but it still takes some getting used to. Sometimes it might look like I'm wearing a wig or that I dyed it myself maybe but I like the change and am glad I was impulsive. Several people have told me over the years not to go dark, including Sam but he really likes it. He said he likes having a new brunette for a wife.

Be honest and tell me what you think. You will not hurt my feelings, I promise. Blonde or brunette???

I can't believe it...

It's the birthday boy!!!
Sportin' his new Lightening McQueen

Easton turned one and it came with feelings of excitement and sadness all at once. He is no longer a "baby", well, he still is to me actually but he's turning into a little boy and it is fun watching him learn and do new things but sad to see my once 7 pound little cuddly bug grow up.

E I love when you sneak up behind me while I'm on the floor and you "get me". When you walk around saying "Oh", "Ah", "Ah-Oh", "Wow", "Ohhh" all day long. When you dance to all kinds of music by doing little squat like movements up and down. When you smile and laugh while we read your favorite books. When you lean forward to give kisses or hugs when we ask for them everyday. When you hurriedly and excitedly climb the stairs every chance you get. When you splash and laugh in the bath while you play with the faucet safety gadget more than your toys. When you play peek-a-boo with your blanket or behind the couch with a huge smile. When you say "Yum" and "Umm" after eating. When you stop whatever you are doing and freeze when daddy gets home and then smile when you see him. When you bop your head to the left or right repeatedly when music comes on or just because. When you scream with excitement when we chase you and "Are going to get you". When you snuggle close on our laps while we read or watch Baby Einstein. When you fall asleep on our chest as we rock you to sleep. These are just a few of the highlights that warm our hearts as your parents. Your daddy and I love you more than words... Happy Birthday E!

Easton's 1st year birthday party!!!

We had Easton's 1st year birthday party at a park with a cowboy theme. We had a great time with our friends and family! And as Spence prayed we would, we did get some good pictures for our blog!
The three amigos-cowboy style


The Birthday Boy!

His first cake!

At Albertson's you can put a picture you've drawn or a photo on candy paper and then eat it. It turned out pretty cute.
Easton started out tentatively only picking at the frosting. . .

But once we showed him the cake part...
Well, you can see what happened!

My sis and Gracyn. I'm so glad they were able to be here as well as my mom.

Our hick family
This was the only present Easton helped open. He was more into running around than opening up his gifts. But he did sure like them all the next day.

Thank you everybody for your thoughtful, fun gifts for Easton!!!

We went to the Carrie Underwood concert!

Sam called me at 3:30 on his way home from work yesterday saying that his pharmacy preceptor offered him his Carrie Underwood tickets at Jobing.com and Sam asked if I wanted to go....well duh! We luckily and quickly got a babysitter (thanks Taggarts) and off to the concert we went. I have always liked Carrie Underwood but I didn't know her concert would be so great. She was fun, she interacted with the crowd, her voice was of course amazing and the opening act Little Big Town was great too. We had such a good time. We were going to go to dinner prior to the show but ran out of time and thank heavens for that. Our tickets were in a suite with food galore! Steaks, chicken, sandwiches, salads, potatoes, cheese and crackers, treats, and hot desserts. Wow, we were not expecting that! And our seats were amazing and cushioned. Needless to say we had a blast and felt very lucky for the last minute opportunity.

Easton the Grand Canyon Park Ranger

Sara Redd told me you can go to Picture People and print off a free coupon to get pictures taken and get 4 of these cute cards. They turned out pretty good for free!

Halloween Monster Mash

Ok, so Sam looks stoned but this is our couples costume that we made at the last minute. We were going to be overzealous hikers to go with E's costume but when I told me sister she said I needed to do a funny costume and gave me this idea. Thanks Sis! I googled it so I would have an idea of how to craft this thing and we came up with some things to make it work. It was really fun!
Andy and Jon threw a fabulous Halloween Bash complete with lot's of "getting to know you games" :). We also were given a set of stickers and tried to put them conspicously on people without them knowing. If they noticed they got to sticker you. They were bandits and Cameron was a really cute sock monkey.
Where's Waldo and Hula Dancer. Joe loved his cane and loved how handy it was for all sorts of necessary tasks.
White trash and sexy Vampire. What a pair.

Parental supervision is advised...

Kade was a very happy camper to be able to "act" like a white trash trucker ALL night. It became obvious by the end of the night why he chose this costume as he indeed stayed in character.
Where's Waldo and ... some author Jon really appreciates. Jon went all out and shaved the top of his head, yep just the top, because the author is balding.
Our goody table complete with the vile of blood and black flowers.
Andy made this yummy ice cream cake that we ate up at 1:00 am and made ourselves even sicker than we already were because that's what you do on Halloween.

Group shot. Pretty impressive costumes by all.
Aren't YOU scared...

Andy and Jon went all out on the decorations. The house and backyard were decked out with awesome Halloween decor.
The goblin eyes I made for a "freaky" treat.

Ward Halloween Party

The ward put on a fun party and included this fun backdrop for family photos. We had fun seeing all the kids in their costumes.

Visiting the Grand Cayon

My parents came to town and we drove to see the Grand Canyon. It was pretty cool and we had a great time together. My dad was in heaven and kept talking about when he hiked the whole canyon-21 miles or something up and down and how he worked on the North Rim. We found this outfit for Easton and couldn't resist. We thought it was the perfect Halloween costume as well. He was going to be a Mexican and we found the perfect poncho but we decided he could do that next year. Ranger E

We are way, way, way to close to the edge I think after looking at this photo.

We walked along the rim and saw the coolest tree with a perfect nook for Easton to sit on.
His Halloween costume with everything but the ranger hat.


Grandma was really nervous at the rim and didn't like Easton to be near it. She walked with him off the trail instead.

Ok, I don't know how this picture transpired into this. It started with a normal pose and somehow I captured this.
Oppsie
Grandpa loves this little guy and is so cute with him. Easton reaches for him and my mom for them to hold him while they are here.

Easton making his rounds as ranger to make sure everyone is safe.

He's admiring the view from the rim

Sam pretending to fall, which after reading the book my dad bought about all the deaths at the grand canyon this is not too far fetched. People do stupid things for a funny or "amazing" picture and they fall of the edge. Sam actually jumped over the ledge you're looking at for a "funny" picture cause there is a ledge on the other side. I was soooo mad at him. After reading the book I was even madder and so glad he did not fall 500 ft + with a slip or a crumble of the rocks.

Deer Valley Airport

Easton liked the planes but he was just as interested in the rocks on the ground at this point.
Tienna was so sweet wanting to hug Easton. Their a pretty cute pair I'd say.
Thanks Abbie, we had fun!
Yeah! E got a new front facing carseat!!! We are both happy campers.

Mexican Stowaway!

Sam took his VERY LAST final on Monday and I told him I'd pick him up for lunch. Little did he know I was kidnapping him and driving him to MEXICO! He noticed some blankets in the backseat (that were covering our bags) and asked if we were going on a picnic. I had packed a lunch so we wouldn't have to stop so for 20 minutes he thought we were on our way to a park for a picnic. Finally he asked, "Where are we going?" "Actually, we are on our way to Mexico". Now, Sam is not the most spontaneous person so he was not exactly thrilled about the idea until a minute or so later he said, "I'm getting excited. It'll be fun." I know, I know...he's strange. This vacation will go down in history from the kidnapping, *to me locking the keys in the car, *to forgetting Easton's bag with all his clothes, to E's first time seeing the beautiful ocean, to the gorgeous ocean sunset, to the amazing resort we had practically to ourselves, to spending quality time together as a family. We had so much fun and will be returning again this spring if anyone wants to join.
*I locked the keys in the car at an American Chevron (thank goodness) where the cashier masterfully broke into our car (I was very grateful for his speedy, suspicious break-in skills). *Being a surprise I was the sole person planning this trip to a foreign country and I had to pack E and my stuff the night before which meant I had to hide the bags all over the house. Easton's bag ended up in a very good hiding spot-too good apparently-behind the lazyboy. Luckily, he was wearing shorts and we had a washer and dryer in our room.

It's official!

Easton took his first steps a few weeks ago but just 3 or 4 days ago began officially walking for most of his transportation's needs. He still loves to crawl-fast! but he chooses to walk a lot more now too. Check out the video of him walking like a penguin with his arms out. And he's making his favorite sound at the moment "OH".

Cooler weather!

It's finally cooling down and actually quite a bit. It's been in the 50's and 60's at night. I was really cold for the first time in a very long time two nights ago. Sam and I were not really sure what to do with ourselves. It's so nice to just be able to open your windows and enjoy the crisp, cool air. I love fall. It's my favorite time of year. I miss the leaves here but I love being able to get out again more. I even wore some of my warmer clothes. That was seriously exciting!!! I made Halloween cupcakes to get into the season. I'm excited for the upcoming holidays and to have my first Halloween with Easton.

6th Year Wedding Anniversary and Az State Fair

We spent the day at the Az state fair when I found out that the opening day was only $1! And it was well worth the pennies cause it was really fun. They had a really cool petting zoo where we spent all of our time. This 10/10 also happened to be our 6th year wedding anniversary. Sam had a surprise planned for the evening and Leah, our friend in pharmacy school, offered to babysit cause she loves to play with Easton. We left at 5 where Sam drove us to the Botanical Gardens for a concert under the stars with a live blues band-Big Pete Pearson. He was an excellent blues singer with fun songs, it was a beautiful night, the food was delicious, and the trees were lit with christmas lights to set the mood. Sam and I even danced to the music in the backgound. I loved that Sam planned the night and that it was so unique and romantic even. He wrote me a nice card and surprised me again with a pink turquoise necklace we saw a few months ago that I loved but decided not to buy. He went back and bought it without me knowing and I wore it all night. It was a great night and a nice way to celebrate a great life with Sam.

Weirdest lookin lama
Easton wanted a better look at the donkey

Those baby pigs are BRAND NEW. Literally just born and tiny!
If you look close enough they still have the umbilical cords on them and -Caution: this is gross-
the mother piggy is eating the placenta folks

Easton's first instrument

While at the fair we couldn't pass up this $15 guitar that actually plays for Easton. He loves to strum daddy's so now they can jam together.

Indian Fry Bread-a must!

Can you tell how excited I am with my big ol' smile. I love the Indian fry bread only found at carnival/fairs. We had to have one and it was yummy! (as shown below)
The powdered sugar got everywhere!

This isn't even the half of it. It was all over our clothes and legs and arms but it was well worth it.
Powdered sugar goatee

Giant bunnies, well rabbits I guess since they were giant

Easton wasn't quite sure what to think of these stinky animals. And this was one of the more attractive of the bunch.
This Yak-not camel-was very friendly
Cute little baby goats. That white one fell asleep standing up just like that a few minutes later.

I love to draw

Amber Hatton asked me to draw some cowboy pictures for her boys room. Here they are. The one above reminded me of two mischievous boys in kahoots together-just like Peyton and Ryder.

Katie, I finally got this picture I drew for Easton framed. Good idea. It looks much better now.

Tagged and this time I actually did it

8's

8 t.v. shows I love to watch:
The Bachelor (Don't even talk to me while I watch this one. I get so into it)
One Tree Hill
24
The Closer
The West Wing
Prison Break
The Ellen Show
Grey's Anatomy


8 Favorite Restaurants:
Outback Steakhouse
ANY Mexican restaurant (even fast food ones) (this was Carlie's but I agree completely)
ANY steakhouse for that matter
The Mandarin
The Italian Place
Cafe Rio
Tempanyaki
California Pizza Kitchen


8 Things that happened yesterday:
Woke up early-much to my chagrin
Went on a morning hike with Sam and Easton (at this point I was glad I woke up early)
Thought about going to the pool but didn't
Thanked Kaylee for watching Easton while I went to an appointment
Watched Easton walk like a penguin around the house
Cleaned the house-aww, gotta love that when it's done
Made dinner and ate it
Took Easton to the park so he could swing


8 things I am looking forward to:
Everyday when Sam comes home from school
Living in a home we hopefully love (cleaning a home-not so much)
Easton's one year birthday
Traveling once Sam graduates (most likely a European cruise)
Easton saying his first words
Nice weather that reminds me that I do indeed like Arizona
Sam finishing school forever (although I am sad about that too strangely)
When Easton walks all the time so I don't have to carry him when I have a handful of stuff

8 things I love about fall:
The colorful leaves number one on my list (sad we'll miss that here)
Cool, crisp weather but not too cold
Wearing warmer clothes (better wardrobe in my closet)
Thanksgiving season and of course the meal itself
The seasonal decorations in the stores and around town
Taking walks when it's cool
Not sweating
The feeling of Thanksgiving and Christmas time


8 things on my wish list:
A very fun, exotic vacation (make that lot's of these kinds of vacations throughout the years)
To not get premature wrinkles since I am approaching my 30's!!!
For Easton to continue to snuggle and hug me as he gets older
To raise my children to get along with each other and to have real fun as a family
To get a new wardrobe full of clothes I love but to not have to pay for them.
To see The Ellen Show and a good concert like Michael Jackson where there is alot of dancing and performing.
To live a long life with Sam and my children
To have a perfectly toned body while eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted

8 people I'm tagging:
Jodi
Kirsten
Kristen L.
Callie
Rachelle
Amber H.
Maryjane

It's been awhile....

I was on a technology hiatus for 2 months so beware of picture overload as I try to catch up.

Our little stud

How cute is that! If only he would keep it on for more than 1.5 seconds.

Inspector Fuller

My very good friend Kirsten came to see Easton (I was an after thought but I'm not complaining) for the weekend. Love her! We saw a peculiar sight one night while watching tv and tried to imitate the looks of a mustache on a woman.

I'm thinking of growing mine out.
Can't wait to see baby Vernon in January.

He's everywhere!

Notice the bite marks. I came in in the morning to find brown paint marks around Easton's mouth and was wondering what was on his mouth til I looked at his crib! Thank goodness for plastic railings (thank you Abbie) except he learned how to take those off in about two days so we had to tape them down.
His wife might be in trouble if he moves around like this when he's older.

I love when this kid laughs. It's the best

Corn?-I don't remember eating any corn

Ok, Easton loves corn on the cob. With 8 teeth, 4 on top and 4 on bottom, he is actually pretty efficient at it. He gets really intense and does not like when the cob runs out of kernels.

The new addition to the family...Jonathon Scott who was born Sept 4. Sam and I were so excited to have been in Utah to see him. He's a cutie.
Diaper Olympics....1, 2, 3 Go! (I should also note that upon completion of the diaper duty Easton's whole left butt cheek was hanging out so Sam was disqualified.)
Thanks for the shirt Carlie. It fits him perfectly--literally ;)

Easton practicing walking and making one of his many funny faces.
Lance "pushing" Easton on Lightning McQueen. My mom just bought the same car for Easton for his upcoming birthday. He loves to push hit and sit on it.

Lance didn't need that eye anyhow

Time in Utah-again

Bath time at the Grand America. I could have lived in that gorgeous, huge bathroom. My mom, sis and the tots spent the night. It was a very long night however as my mom and sister stayed up til 4 am talking and playing cards and when we went to bed I woke up Easton who then did not sleep the REST of the night and morning so I literally did not get an ounce of sleep that night. It was miserable. Poor guy was not doing well and sure enough had 2 new teefers in the morning.

"I need my personal space, move over Gracyn!"
My dad put up this swing on the patio. E of course loves it!

Sleeping on the job

Easton learning how to walk

Sam had the brilliant idea of having E walk while holding onto this block that slides along the carpet. Easton has gotten pretty good at it and can go pretty fast. We started doing this about a month ago.

If you want a quick laugh on Sam's expense-Read on!

The other day Sam was diligently cleaning and organizing the balcony while Easton was sleeping. I had a doctors appt and went to say goodbye and to give him the baby monitor. By habit I shut the balcony door and locked it leaving Sam locked out of the house! He had no cell phone and no way in! He couldn't get either of the sliding glass doors open (I'm feeling good about that actually) and so what to do? Luckily, one of the grounds workers was close by and Sam had to give him a holler, "Hey can you help me?!" The guy threw him his cell phone and Sam called San Lagos who had to come to our apartment and unlock our house door and then the balcony door for Sam who was in his garment top and basketball shorts. I received a call shortly after saying I was "In trouble!" Ha Ha. Poor Sammy! Pretty funny though huh!

9 Month Checkup

I just took Easton to his 9 month appointment. Weighing in at 21 lbs 7 oz (62%), Height 29 1/4" (75%), and Head 45.5 cm (75%). He's a bruiser! The doctor said he will be getting into everything in the next few months if he isn't already, saying he looks like he has that "Wild Streak" in him. Oh boy, here we go!
I love pulling things out of the fridge!
I'm as big as the water cooler! (Well, on my tippy toes)
Huh?...I didn't eat anything.

Big smile!
Riding the Rhino
The funny face Easton makes when he's chewing. I love it!

Easton loves the grass! He pulls it out and of course tries to eat it and the leaves unless he's got his binki in.

Bean Soup

Dirty Sanchez
Hee Hee

How does he sleep like this?
On more than one occasion.

Two little bottom teef
And two big, very far apart top teefers (and two more on each side coming in)

Botanical Gardens

It's hot!!! One can never have enough water in these parts, huh Easton?!
This is a really late post but when my parents came into town in June we went to the Botanical Gardens for their Jazz Concert Under the Stars. It was really fun! I definitely want to do it again next year, except this time maybe we'll do it in April to avoid the heat. Here is one of the many giant cactus.
They had lights on the trees, good Jazz music and yummy food.
For Father's Day I got my dad some Grandfather children books to read to Easton. I think my dad got a little choked up at the message of the book with Easton on his lap. It is so cute to see him with E.

~Grateful~

For no reason in particular I wanted to say that when I think to myself, "Why did I get married?" (oh come on, you know you have thought the same thing at some point) it never takes long for me to remember why I married Sam and how very lucky and grateful I am that I did.

Our day trip to Sedona

We had a blast swimming in a creek in Sedona with our good friends Kaylee and Kade. It was beautiful and although the water was cold, once you got in and got used to it-it felt great! Easton loved the water the most and wouldn't sit still on my lap. He arched his back to get down off my lap into the cold water-with a great big smile on his face. It didn't even phase him.
Kade is really cute with Easton, his buddy. Check out E's double chin.
Kaylee and Kade with the red rock behind them.
This was after Sam waded through the rocks in just below waist deep water with Easton ASLEEP in the carrier. Yep, Easton slept through it all as Sam moved across the river with Kade's help. Here he is awake after.
Here's the crew. Can't leave home without Easton's sombrero!

Sedon-cha think this looks fun!

Sam loves puns and when we first drove up to Sedona with my parents he couldn't stop saying Sedona puns, i.e. Sedon't tell me how to get there... He thinks he's so funny but when we got home from our trip with Kaylee and Kade he was so proud of himself for not making one Sedona pun. Good job babe!
We asked a passerby to take our picture and he made a big deal about getting Easton to look and smile so I was working on that when he took the picture and then handed us the camera even though Sam and I were clearly not looking.
The waterhole was crowded where the cliff jumping was (I'm kindof a wuss because I always worry I'm going to be paralyzed after jumping- so no jumping for me this time).
It was pretty high actually.
If you walked away abit from the cliffs there was no one around. It was fun to have it to ourselves and it was beautiful.
Kaylee and I being dorks "Jazz hands"

Mom n pop

He already knows how to pose for the camera :)

When you have a great photographer it makes it difficult to weed through all the great pictures but here are some of our favorites just of Easton.

Full of personality!

Help us decide

We had so many pictures to chose from and many different settings of family pictures.  We narrowed it down to the following 10.  Help us decide which one is best.  Don't forget the 5 below.  Which one do you like best? Pictures taken by Heather Peck

1

2

3

4

5

Our favorite family pics of the bunch

We like these settings the best but we still have a few to narrow down.

6

7

This one above is probably my favorite but with the angle Sam looks so tall.  ???

8

9

10

All tuckered out after a day at the pool

We enjoyed swimming at the pool with Kaylee and Kade on the 4th of July.  Easton had so much fun he fell asleep right in his raft! 

The Three Stooges

Dane, Lance and Easton 

Pictures taken by Katie Taggart (I know they look professional)

So these pictures were taken when Easton was 5 1/2 months old so they are 3 months old.  I thought I had posted them but I hadn't.  It was really fun to go with Carlie and Katie to the awesome Sahara Park.  

Sweet little baby Quail/Kim's traumatic quail run

As shown above quails are very cute and baby quails are especially cute.  Today I was driving home from the library when I came across a mother quail and her baby who were crossing the street.  I tried to swerve to avoid hitting them, and at the time did not know they were quails and would hence not fly out of my tires path.  I looked in my rear view mirror and to my horror saw the baby quail hobbling, clearly injured, to the side of the street.  I was so upset!  I drove the car back around to see the mother quail in the middle of the street waiting for her baby to try to hobble across the street to the other side.  It was so sad to see the baby hurt-by me-so I pulled over and slowed down the two cars behind me to make sure no one else would run it over and kill it this time.  The baby and mother finally got to the other side of the street but the mother kept running, leaving the baby.  The baby ran under some little bushes.  I am not the worlds biggest bird lover but this injured baby quail really tore at my heart strings and I was crying at this point.  What was I to do?  I was not going to leave it injured with no mother.  I decided to leave it shortly and go to the nearby vet to ask them what to do?  The vet said she does not take birds but that I could pick it up without hurting it or myself and she gave me a little box.  She told me of a wildlife center that takes injured birds.  I drove back to the bush and saw the poor baby still under the bush.  A man pulled over and asked if he could help me with whatever it was I was trying to catch.  I explained the traumatic episode to him and we searched for a way to get the quail out from under the bush to get help.  I was still very upset that I hurt this little baby and it was still all alone.  But as we were searching the quail ran out and under another bush.  The good thing was it ran normal this time-as in, on both feet with no hobble.  The guy who was helping me agreed the quail appeared healthy and I decided to leave it and hope it's mother would call to it.  This was very traumatic for me.  It was such a cute little baby no bigger than the pictures above.  I really hope it is ok.  When I got home I called a quail specialist, (yes, there is such a thing I guess) in the area and after explaining the incident he too thought the mother would call to the baby.  What I learned:  Be careful for non-flying birds.  Know where you can take an injured bird or animal and/or who to call.  

Back to the Heat

I had a great time in Utah visiting family and friends with Easton.  It was so good to see Sam.  He was very excited to give his boy a hug.  It was such a pleasant surprise to walk in the door and see the house in immaculate condition.  Sam cleaned the whole house from top to bottom and even redecorated-which by the way, he did a very good job.  What a treat!  Thanks hun!

Summer vacations

Over Sam's break we had the opportunity to see both our families while on vacations.  We had them all to ourselves in St George and Sun Valley.  Both  trips we did not want to leave.  

On our way to Sun Valley

Take a picture of that face up close.  He likes to blow out his cheeks.  Ha
Easton flirting with the concierge.  Thanks for the help E.  If it weren't for this little guy she may not have worked so quickly to help us make our flight at the last minute. 
The baggage guy asked us if we wanted a family picture.  What a perfect venue for it don't you think?!
Again, Easton flirting away.  He only wanted to stand the whole flight.  And he did....
...Until this happened.

Sun Valley with the Tayler's

The pool was a giant hot tub at 100 degrees.  It felt great with the cold air.
Sportin our new backpacking gear and taking Easton and Gracyn for a walk.  They both liked it and you can barely feel them on your back at all.
My sister grew up iceskating with me.  

Weee

Back in the Saddle again

Many of you don't know this but I grew up iceskating, competing and doing shows.  My family and I would travel to Sun Valley every year for competitions so I used to skate on this outdoor rink a lot.  It brought back a lot of good memories.  I have neglected my iceskates and had not put them on for four years so I'm a little rusty but it was so fun to feel the ice again and do a few of my old moves.