The Burnsed's

Christmas and New Years!

2012-01-15T15:52:00.000-08:00

After taking a trip to Disneyland for Christmas, the Holidays seemed to creep up in a hurry this year and before we knew it, it was Christmas Eve! We squoze in a visit with Santa and a special Elf named Jake came to live with us during this festive season!

From Collages

We made special Reindeer food for Santa's Reindeer. Kaitlyn insisted on leaving carrots for them too!

From Collages

Santa made an early visit to our house that night and left us special Christmas pajamas!

From Collages

We left "homemade" cookies and milk for Santa. Kaitlyn kissed Jake the Elf goodbye since he would be making his return trip to the North Pole with Sanata when he stopped at our house.

From Collages

Kaitlyn must have been extra good this year because it seemed like the presents just kept going. She got her Princess Castle with all the princesses and a princess scooter which she rides around the kitchen saying "Watch out here comes Scooter Girl". I would advise you to watch your toes and ankles. She thinks it's funny to run over them. We found a bite of carrot that the reindeer left as evidence of their visit.

From Collages

Scooter Girl!

From Collages

Ed went to Flaming Gorge ice fishing a few days after Christmas and I decided since we hadn't made a trip to Temple Square yet I would take her myself for a girls night out. We rode Trax up from Sandy. The weather couldn't have been better although a little snow on the ground would have been nice. The lights this year seemed better than in years past and they had everything open. We went inside the Assembly Hall and the Tabernacle. They even had all around the temple open. We took our annual carriage ride then headed back home. I don't think we had even made it to the freeway before she was out like a light!

From Collages

We rang in 2012 with a bang. I found those ridicules glasses and decided we needed a family pic sporting them. I wasn't sure if Kaitlyn would make it to midnight but when she saw Ed getting fireworks ready she wasn't about to miss that. I gave her a pot and spoon and showed her how to bang pots and pans. We still had some popper left over from the 4th of July which she happily threw on the street. Our neighborhood was pretty much dead at midnight except for the neighbors up the street which came running down the sidewalk banging pots and pans yelling Happy New Year!! Needless to say I cheered them on!!
Happy Belated New Year!

Disneyland!!

2012-01-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year, my parents took our whole family to the Happiest Place on Earth! That's right Disneyland. We went the week after Thanksgiving. It was all decorated for Christmas and looked awesome!!

From Disneyland

At night Sleeping Beauty's Castle was lit with thousands of blue icecicle lights. After the fireworks it would actually snow on main street. Granted the snow was a foamy bubble substance but from a distance it looked like real snow and smelled like cinnamon!

From Collages

Ed bought all the girls and my Dad mouse ears! At first they looked good but after about an hour of wearing them, they started to give you a whopper of a headache!

From Collages

Pour Kaitlyn took her first ride down Splash Mountain. I on the other hand remembered it from the last time I was there and in Kaitlyn's words was a scardy cat to ride again. But if you ask her I don't think she will be making a trip down again anytime soon! She has a look of sheer terror on her face!! Her cousin on the other hand, rode it 3 more times after the first ride, not because she liked going down the mountain, but because she liked hearing them sing Zippi-Do- Da!
We spent 3 days in Disneyland and California Adventure. I told Ed I was planning on renting a stroller while we were there, he somewhat politely told me, "Do you really thing she is going to sit in a stroller?" By the looks on her face at the end of each day she was glad I did. Her little legs were so tired it didn't take much convincing to get her to sit in it!

From Collages

We saw lots of characters while we were there. Alice and the Mad Hatter were our first encouter. Later was Mary Poppins and Burt.

From Collages

Grandma and Grandpa took Kaitlyn and her cousin Paige to Ariel's Grotto for lunch with all the Princesses! The girls LOVED IT! Each princess made her way around to each one of the tables signing autograph books and posing for pictures! Definately one of the highlites of the trip!

From Collages

We saw Mickey and Minnie, Goofy and Pluto, Chip and Dale and Daisy and rode ride after ride. We watched fireworks everynight and Soared over California.(I think that was my favorite ride!)

From Collages

Kaitlyn's first time at the beach and she was in heaven. She loved digging her toes in the soft sand. We started at Long Beach and then made our way down the Pacific Coast Highway stopping at some of the other popular beaches. I loved seeing the signs that said beach access along the highway. You would find a place to park and literally walk between the beach houses and right onto the beach!

From Collages

Huntington Beach
Dad even took off his shoes and socks to walk along the surf!

From Collages

At Newport Beach we walked out on the Pier. It was low tide when we were there so you could walk under the pier and see all the muscles stuck to the pier pilons. Kaitlyn thought it was great trying to pull them off. Once she caught sight of the seagulls she was off trying to chase them. She told my mom she was chasing chickens!

From Collages

Going for a spin on the teacups!!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-07T19:51:00.000-08:00

This year Kaitlyn was able to enjoy Halloween a little more. I was able to get tickets for Breakfast with a Witch at Gardner Village. At first she was a little cautious as the witches made their way around the breakfast tables, but by the end she was enjoying every minute of the "Silly Witches". After breakfast I took her around to see all the witches in the village. We made Halloween cookies which she carefully helped to decorate and even donned her chef hat and apron for the occasion. Carving pumpkins didn't happen this year. We bought pumpkins with the intention of carving them but by Sunday night, I decided I wasn't in the mood to clean out pumpkin goo. So we left our unscathed pumpkins on our dark porch. I say dark because I was able to talk Ed into joining us for Trunker Treat at Grandpa and Grandma's House. As usual she ended up with more candy then she needed but hey what kid doesn't on Halloween!

Road Trip!!

2011-10-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

Ah Alas another post, and this one with pictures! We decided to take a quick road trip to Pagosa Springs Colorado, just east of Durango. The weather and the leaves were both georgous this time of year. We purchased a timeshare just over a year ago and finally decided to try it out. This was our condo for the 4 nights we stayed. Not to shabby! It was nice not having to go out to eat every night. We took our own groceries and just cooked at "home". It came complete with a hot tub, (sorry, no pics of that). Kaitlyn was anxious to the "hot" bathtub as she called it. We left early in the morning and had a small bout of car sickness just before we hit the summit in Spanish Fork Canyon. Watching a movie in a winding canyon while it's still dark out is not a good combination for a 3 year old.

We arrived in Pagosa Springs about 1:00 and decided to check out the town. Definately a tourist town. Pagosa Springs means "healing waters". Down town Pagosa has many mineral hot springs. The most popular ones we found were right next to the river. There a many mineral formations from the springs and the not so pleasant smell of rotten eggs drifts heavily through the mountain air

The next day was spent riding the rails on the Cumbres Toltec Narrow Gauge Railroad. We had to take a short trip into New Mexico then back into Colorado to get to where we boarded the train. It started out in the desert but quickly climbed into the mountains where the Quakies were at their peak of color. The train stopped in Osier where the railroad has basically built a glorified mess hall for the passengers with a catered lunch. Roast turkey and all the fixins'!
These were just a few of the several hundred pictures I took of all the scenery.

BEAUTIFUL!!

We headed back west to spend a day in Mesa Verde National Park. I remember visiting here many years ago as a kid. Unfortunately the weather was not as pleasant then as it was this time. My mom refused to let us go out in the rain when we visited the first time so she made us these oh so fashionable rain ponchos out of black garbage bags. Lovely!! We called ourselves the bag ladies.

I have to admit, the first time we visited I was a little bored. I could have cared less about people that built houses in the side of cliffs and lived there. Now that I am a little older and hopefully wiser I look at these same cliff dwellings in awe and think, "People really lived like this!" It is amazing the skill levels they possed back in 7 and 800 A.D. to be able to build something like this. Amazing!!

This particular dwelling was know as Sun Temple. It was never completed by the ancient indians, yet you look at their architecture and they even had ancient "rain gutters"
So, I have to share a funny story about these dwellings. When we were telling Kaitlyn about them she kept asking where the indians were now. I tried to explain that they had all died a long time ago and didn't live in them anymore. On the way back to the car, she asked me, "Mom, when you and Dad were indians, where did you live? I looked at her and then at Ed at which point he replied, "I lived in Idaho." I quickly followed up with "I lived with grandma and grandpa." To which she then questioned "Grandma and Grandpa are indians too?!"
This was the last dwelling we went to. This one we were able to walk down to and walk around. While we were walking, Kaitlyn made the comment that she didn't think the indians would like us going in their house! This dwelling was called Spruce Tree House. I believe this is the one I have a picture of me sporting my fashion savvy "rain" poncho!
On our way home we made a stop at New Paper Rock to see the Petroglyphs and then on to Hole N' the Rock. Call me dumb but I didn't know there was actually a house built back in there. I just thought it was the store. The people that originally lived there are buried towards the back of the property and as I was snapping pictures, a tourist came wandering back then turned to ask me, "So is there really a hole in the rock" Apparently he didn't quite grasp the concept. He was looking for an obvious hole. Sorry to disappoint ya there buddy!

Are you serious?!

2011-10-13T22:04:00.000-07:00

So, no pictures to go with this post, just a story from work that will leave you asking, "Are you serious?" For those of you who didn't know, I have a degree in Automotive Technology. Lamens terms, Auto Mechanic. I work at a shop in Lehi fixing cars for a living. Yes, I love my job. Anyway, we had a customer come in for a state safety inspection on his Cushman Scooter. Now I will warn you this customer is a bit weird. He wears a french barret. He is older with long greasy salt and pepper hair and over weight. Not a pretty man by any means. Anyway it was a bit hot that day and apparently he needed a drink of water. We happen to have a water cooler in our office but happened to be out of cups. He proceeded to come into the shop and ask if I had any cups laying around. I politely told him, "Sorry, I don't." He then asked for an empty oil bottle. I thought that was kind of strange. He found one and proceeded to tell me he was so thirsty he was going to rinse it out and use that to get a drink. By now another customer that was in the shop had heard the conversation and was looking at me like, is this guy for real? The customer proceeded to go over to a water tap that we have inside the shop and give the bottle a quick rinse out, then went into the office to fill his container of choice with the cold water from the water cooler because apparently the water from the tap wasn't good enough for his oil bottle. He placed the plastic transmission fluid bottle to his mouth and DRANK from the bottle. You read correctly drank!! I think my eyes were as big a silver dollars as I watched this bonehead swig down the entire bottle. He then screwed the cap back on and tucked it under his arm as if he was going to take it home like a souvenier cup from your favorite restaraunt. By now his safety inspection was done and it was time to pay for our services. He reached for his wallet then commented on how he should have washed his hands before he handed me his sweaty money. I thought to myself, "Really, you just drank from an oil bottle and you are concerned with your hands being dirty?!" The icing on the cake was when he went out, climbed on his scooter and lit a cigarette. I thought as he was driving away, I'll be reading his obituary within the next couple of days. Dead from transmission oil poisoning! Just when you think you've seen it all, someone surprises you and drinks from an oil bottle. So next time you need a drink, think of how lucky you are to be drinking from a glass and not a used oil bottle!

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo

2011-10-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn has been anticipating this birthday for several months now. She new that after Grandpa's birthday it would be her's and she would finally be able to have her Cinderella birthday party. She wore her fancy princess dress all day including to the nail salon to have her first manicure. She LOVED it! She had a hard time picking just 1 color for her nails. Later we had friends and family over for pizza and cake and ice cream. The party was complete when Cinderella's Carriage arrived for a special birthday ride. Hey, your only 3 once!

From Kaitlyn's Birthday

Starvation

2011-07-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Mother Nature has finally decided to participate in this season we call Summer and we were able to take our first camping(RVing) trip of the season. We made our annual trip to Starvation Reservoir to spend a few days relaxing and fishing. Kaitlyn was anxious to go for a boat ride so she could wear her new princess life jacket. She was even able to buckle it, but when it came to unbuckling, Mom had to help out a little. She was so excited to catch fish and to my surprise, wanted to hold everything she caught and throw back what we didn't keep. I couldn't believe it, I won't even touch the fish! We had a great time and hope to make a few more trips out before the Summer sun fades.

NOW OPEN

2011-06-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

ANNOUNCING THE GRAND OPENING OF SALON KAITLYN!

HOURS OF BUSINESS:

M-F 8:00 AM TO 12:00

CLOSED IN THE AFTERNOON FOR NAP TIME.

NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED

ALL CLIENTS WILL BE TREATED TO A CARTOON OF THEIR CHOICE FOR THEIR VIEWING PLEASURE DURING THEIR VISIT.

STYLE PREFERENCES ARE WELCOME BUT NOT USUALLY ACKNOWLEDGED!

IN LIEU OF PAYMENT AND TIPS, PLEASE BRING CANDY!

They say all kids cut their hair and one point or another. Thankfully, I can say it wasn't to the scalp!
She wanted to know if it would turn brown? (Thank-you Tangled)

Holding the damages!

Thanks to our fabulous stylist and aunt, she was able to save the day!

One little monkey jumping on the bed!

2011-05-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

Thankfully, she didn't fall off and bump her head.

Mom's Day 2011

2011-05-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

Mom's Day 2011

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T21:58:00.000-07:00

Our Easter weekend was filled with hunts, candy and fun. We started with the annual Easter Egg Hunt at grandma and grandpa's. It's hard to believe my sisters and I attended this same annual festivity when we were younger. (that was just last year, right?) After the scavenge was over, Kaitlyn proclaimed she won! What, I'm not sure. Then it was home to color our own Easter Eggs. We watched The Ten Commandments, it's just not Easter if you don't watch Moses part the Red Sea! The next morning we dawned our COATS (are we sure it's the end of April?) to hunt for more eggs. The Easter Bunny found some awesome jumbo eggs at Hobby Lobby to fill this year. They were a definate hit! Kaitlyn got way to much candy, which I tried to control the consumption of (which was a complete failure). We had a delicious turkey dinner then watched Tangled before collapsing from our sugar overdose.

HaPpY EaStEr!!

I wanna go for a motorcycle ride!

2011-04-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

It was her first ride on the motorcycle and it was just around the block

but it certainly won't be her last. We just need to find a helmet that fits a little better.

Pickle Relish?!

2011-04-25T21:01:00.000-07:00

While most children are busy stuffing their cheeks with jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and pink marshmellow peeps,

Mine chooses to eat PICKLE RELISH.

According to Kaitlyn, "It nummy in my tummy!"

"Am I pretty now?"

2011-04-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

Well, as the saying goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." and yes, but you were much prettier before my make-up bag attacked you!! Hopefully I have a few more years before I will have to tell you, "wash your face, you have on to much make-up!!"

Midway Ice Castles

2011-02-11T21:01:00.000-08:00

We made a trip to Midway to check out the Ice Castles we've heard so much about on T.V. Needless to say they didn't disappoint. We got there a little before the gates opened and walked around the perimeter. I was already impressed with what I saw. The outside didn't even hold a candle to what the inside looked like. Amazing what a little water and freezing temps can do. Every morning there is a crew that goes around and "tills up" the frozen ground so you can somewhat walk around without taking a nose dive. It leaves behind all of these frozen looking rocks of various sizes. Kaitlyn kept picking them up and asking me what they were,

Christmas 2010

2011-01-05T22:44:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year seemed to come to quickly. I'm not sure if it was because I had been staring at it since October at work, or if it was because I wasn't home much to enjoy it. We did however find time to do a few things before Santa's sleigh took flight. We made our annual pilgrimage to Temple Square to see the lights and took Kaitlyn on her first carriage ride. Personally I think she enjoyed the carriage ride more than the lights. She stood on the seat the entire time watching the horse pull us around the streets of downtown SLC. The lights were pretty but have seemed prettier in the past. Maybe it was the lack of snow on the ground. Kaitlyn received her annual letter from Santa at the North Pole (Alaska) and was excited to learn she was on his good list. She visited Santa several times this year and each time the answer was the same. "What do you want for Christmas?" to which she would reply "2 babies." Santa was kind and granted her wish. We built a snowman and snowlady with the snow that fell just days before Christmas. Ed told me to come and help him. I told him I hadn't built a snowman since I was in grade school. Needless to say he looked at me like I had 10 heads!! We made cookies, visited family, elfed ourselves in a dance (Kaitlyn likes to watch that over and over) and went on several car rides to look for Christmas lights. We had a great time but are somewhat relieved it is over for another year!

Gone Fishin'

2011-01-05T22:36:00.000-08:00

Ed has been taking Kaitlyn down to the Jordan River fishing on the days I am at work. He was telling me how he hooks the fish, then Kaitlyn will reel them in. The other night after I got home she informed me that she had caught 2 fish! I knew I needed to get some pics of this, so on my next day off we headed down to the river. It started slow and I thought for sure we would get skunked. I should have known better, very seldom does my other half come home without at least a bite, and this day was no different. In the 30 minutes we were there, they caught over a dozen fish. From catfish to Crappie and Kaitlyn reeled every one of them in. She even blessed a few with a good luck kiss!

It's the Roaming Gnome!!

2011-01-05T22:23:00.000-08:00

I struggled to find a Halloween costume this year. I don't know what the deal is with manufacturers that insist on making skimpy little costumes for toddlers. It really ruffles my feathers. I finally found a garden gnome costume and with some pink tights and a bit of rouge on the cheeks, she was ready to go!! We took her to a pumpkin patch that you could pick your own pumpkins at. I was a little hesitant at first to let her try and cut the stem her self for fear she might lop off a finger, but she managed fine and we left with all 10 digits still attached. We headed to grandpa and grandma's for Halloween trunker treat. I was a little scheptical that it might be cancelled since it had drizzled and poured all day, but as the witching hour approached the clouds lifted and the candy free for all began. Thankfully we finished up just as a hail storm hit.

Kaitlyn's 2nd Birthday (3 months late!!)

2011-01-05T22:09:00.000-08:00

So, needless to say I haven't been the most on the ball lately with my blogging. I started a new job at the Orem Hobby Lobby at the end of September and it has pretty much consumed what little free time I use to have, so since I have taken a plethera of pictures over the last few months I figured it would be easier to create collages for the recent months activities rather than uploading one at a time.

For Kaitlyn's birthday, we decided to take her to the Zoo. The weather was perfect for the end of September. She loved seeing all the animals and was prompt to ask "What's dat?" I have to admit there were some interesting animals that I have never seen myself. We were going to stop at McDonalds on the way home, but she quickly fell asleep in the car before we even made it to the first stop light. The festivities continued later that night with family and friends and the opening of WAY to many gifts, followed by platefulls of sugar. After everyone had left. Ed and I proceeded to put together some of the toys, her favorites being the doll stroller and the vacuum!!

Good for a laugh!!

2010-09-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

I thought you all might need a good laugh, and when I saw this picture I almost fell out of my chair. Not sure who the siblings are, but haven't we all wanted to do this at one time or another to our siblings!!

Look who's turning 2!!

2010-09-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe my baby will be 2 the end of this month. I decided I had better get some new birthday pics and since Kiddie Kandids pulled the plug, I figured I would take some myself. She cooperated rather well until I pulled out the cake. It was all over after that. Luckily I had taken the majority of the pics before. I had to keep convincing her "just a couple of more pictures then you can have more cake." I think she just liked sticking her finger in the icing.

Mmmm frosting. Tasty!!

Is that not the look of mischief?!

I think this one is my favorite!!

Lately, she has turned into quite the little helper around the house. She will unload the entire dishwasher all on her own. I do remove the silverware (ie: knives) and anything that is too breakable. She loves to help with laundry, vacuum, dust, move the sprinklers around the yard, and get out her toy lawn mower pretending to mow the grass, or in her case the carpet. I have been trying to think of what to get her for her birthday, aside from the ever popular baby doll and stroller.I have considered buying a toy vacuum for her. I realize it is almost a sin for a husband to get his wife a vacuum for any gift but what about for your daughter? Especially if you know she would really like it! Do you think the people from the Child Labor Division would be after me?!

Milk Weeds

2010-09-05T22:23:00.000-07:00

We went for a ride up A.F. Canyon this weekend and found these giant milk weeds. I thought we needed to do our part in helping to repopulating the forest, so I enlisted the help of Kaitlyn and her lungs.

Apparently Mother Nature thought they would look better as long beautiful eyelashes than to be blown about on the dirt road.

Be vewy, vewy quiet, We'we hunting yelk!!

2010-08-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again, when the seasons change from fishing season to hunting season. We were lucky enough to get a couple of cow tags for the season and a good friend of ours drew a limited entry archery bull tag. Late Sunday night he filled his tag. This morning our back yard was turned into a meat locker. Kaitlyn had to get her pic with the big "yelk" horns as she calls them. But after the meat was in the fridge, she would walk to the door, point and say chicken!!

Congrats Danny on an awesome hunt and a full freezer!!!

Viva Las Vegas!!

2010-08-23T17:56:00.000-07:00

This post has been a long time coming and I'm sorry for the delay. I had so many pictures that I couldn't just pick a few, so I have been pulling my hair out trying to do a slide show and have finally got it done!! Ed and I had a chance to go to Vegas to see his daughter and son-in-law for a few days. So I called my mom to see if I could twist her arm and have her babysit for us and we were off!! It has been about 13 years since I was last in Vegas and who knows how long for Ed. I couldn't believe how much has been built since I was there last. The saying "Vegas wasn't built on winners" is definately true. We stayed at the Venetian Hotel and needless to say, if there wasn't so much free stuff to do I could have lived in the room or at the pool the entire time! Our first night we started off sight seeing and what sights we saw! Lets just say nothing is off limits in Vegas! Later that night we made our way over to the Freemont Street Experience and it is just that an EXPERIENCE. They have a huge canopy that stretches 4 blocks and is nothing but a huge light show. Girls dancing on bars and game tables, people smoking who knows what,and people of all walks roaming the streets. The next day was again spent sight seeing and we made our way to Hoover Dam. They have been constructing a new bypass bridge since the whole 9/11 thing and needless to say it is quite a sight to behold. They have built a whole new road to the bridge and traffic stacks up fairly quickly because of the random vehicle checks. Afterwards we went to M&M World and the Coke Store. Those were pretty fun. We taste tested Coke from all around the world. You would think a Coke is a Coke but boy were our taste buds in for an adventure. Most of them were tollerable but there was one from Italy, the thought alone makes me gag. I was later informed it was used for a "pallet cleanser" I thought, more like a floor cleanser. Yuck! Later that night we went to the Bellagio and saw the Dancing Fountains. That was pretty cool. Then it was over to the Eiffel Tower and up to the observation deck. Once we got on top there was a slight breeze blowing. The woman standing next to me commented on how nice it felt. I thought, Nice if you like a hair drying blowing on you. It was HOT! It was a pretty awesome view of the Strip and we were able to see the Dancing Fountains again from our birds eye view. The next day again was spent sight seeing. Its a good thing we were only there a few days. We were starting to get bored by Saturday and looking forward to heading home. We did a little gambling and won $56.00 on penny slots. Wahoo we were rich!! We took our winnings and had Panda Express for dinner. We know, we are high class people. Only the best for us!! Sunday morning we said our goodbyes and dropped Jesse and Paul off at the airport and headed for home. We were glad to see the city that never sleeps in our rear view mirror. We had a great time but were glad to be going home.

Mmmm.... Tomatoes

2010-07-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

The first tomatoes of the season are finally ripe!! As I picked and washed them. Kaitlyn could hardly wait to get her hands on them. I didn't even have time to remove the stems before she had snatched one up. As she bit down she pulled the most disgusted face, then quickly gagged and spit it on the grass. I thought to myself, That was a waste of a perfectly good tomato!!

I guess she just doesn't appreciate the finer tastes in life.

Nothing beats and home grown tomato fresh from the vine.

Oh well, more for me!

What retired people do

2010-07-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

Sit in a lawn chair, drink Mtn. Dew, and soak their tired aching feet in a pink pool!

Ahhh. what a life!

FuN 4 aLL at the CaRniVal

2010-07-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

Tickets for carnival rides, $10.00

Three corn dogs and fried potatoes $13.00

Expressions like these.....Priceless!This ride started out fun, but ended not so good! And to show what a terrible mom I was, all I could do was stand and laugh and take some pictures. Even the carni attendant was laughing at me!

This one was by far the fav. We actually had a hard time getting her off!

A little unsure but the train turned out ok too!

4th of July Weekend

2010-07-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

Since the 4th of July fell on Sunday this year, it made for a long weekend of celebration and as usual I have taken way to many pictures to all be included in this post. Therefore I have created a slide show for you to enjoy with the hightlights of our weekend. We started out on Saturday morning by going to the hot air balloon festival in Provo. A few balloons were inflated but the darn wind kept any others from doing the same. None of the balloons left the ground. And to think I got up at 5:00 in the morning for this?! Needless to say I was a little disappointed in Mother Nature. Later that same day we came back to watch the fireworks from the Stadium of Fire. The "pre-show" that was sitting around us was none the less interesting but once it was dark, they were quickly forgotten. Thank goodness! The fireworks were great even Kaitlyn was amused. On Sunday we were invited to a BBQ at Jordanelle. Again Mother Nature was cruel with her supposed summer temperatures. I don't recall a 4th of July that I was actually freezing!! These were some people that Ed has gotten to know while fishing. I kind of felt like Ralphie on Christmas Story when they went to the Chinese Restaraunt for dinner on Christmas Day and they were introduced to Chinese Turkey, we were introduced to Vietnamese 4th of July! But I have to say they were a very friendly group of people. On Monday I convinced Ed to try the balloons again and to our delight they all inflated and took to the sky. Then came the task of locating a spot for the parade. Luckily for us my parents a.k.a Dama and Dampa as Kaitlyn affectionately calls them, had found a spot for us. Then it was home for a much needed nap. Then to Dama and Dampa's for a swim, BBQ, smores by the fire and of course FIREWORKS. It was definately a busy weekend but lots of fun!

Cool Down

2010-07-03T13:15:00.001-07:00

Nothing like a good douse with the hose on a hot summer day!She hates the word "bath" but you can't keep her out of the hose or the sprinkler.

My new niece

2010-07-03T13:03:00.001-07:00

I had to share some pictures of my new niece. I recently got a new camera and have been dying to take some fun pictures. Lucky for me, my sister just had a new baby and I had my first model!!

I even got her to "smile"

This picture reminds me of the pictures Anne Geddes takes. So sweet!!

Congratulations Robyn & Korey! What a sweet girl. I can't wait to take more pictures for you!

Memorial Day 2010...Finally!!

2010-06-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

I realize this post is almost a month late but due to some computer malfunctions I am finally able to post again YAY!! We spent Memorial Day Weekend at Starvation Reservoir. The weather I would say sucked but really it blew. HARD!! This was the sunset when we got there. Pretty, huh!As you can tell by the jacket it was a bit on the chilly side. But Kaitlyn didn't seem to care. She just wanted to ride in the boat and go "shishing" to you and I that would be fishing.
Sitting on the sand, now that was a treat. What kid doesn't like to play in the sand or sit in it. She literally screamed bloody murder when she had to so much as walk in it. What a pill!! She wouldn't even sit in it without sitting on a towel. Last year I couldn't get her stop eating the stuff. Now, she wants nothing to do with it!

These were my favorite pics. Who knew that a live well with a few floating fish could be such entertainment. Literally, for hours she would lay there trying to catch the fish that were now floating belly up

Don't fall in!!

I thought these pictures would be a struggle to get her to hang a fish on her finger. But she was more then willing to appease me for a few minutes. Once Ed taught her how to bend her finger like a hook so it would hang there, she stood there and stroked the fish like she was petting the cat! Freaked out about anything that even looks like a bug but will hold and kiss a slimy fish! Go figure.

This picture makes Dad proud!! I think he has found a new fishing buddy when she gets a bit older!

What a catch!

Shopping with the Grocery Guru

2010-05-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

Do you ever hear about the budget savvy moms that buy two weeks worth of grocerys for literally pennies and wonder how the heck they do it? Well today I got to find out. Oh sure I've done the coupon classes and tried my best to clip coupons but soon run out of patience for cutting out all those coupons every week (or month in my case). Have you ever seen the Grocery Guru on Channel 2 on Monday mornings? He posts his phone number and takes the first 25 shoppers shopping at the specified store. Just show up and he provides all the coupons and info you need (minus the money). Today he took us shopping at the Smiths in Orem. Here is what I got.

1lb strawberries, 1 head lettuce, 10lbs of potatoes, 3lbs bananas, 6 boxes of GM cereal, 2 boxes of capri sun drinks, 2 boxes of pasta, 2 cans spaghetti sauce, 1 loaf of bread, 1 bag of hamburger buns, 3 boxes of hamburger helper (makes a great soup base he said if you don't like hamburger helper) 1 cake mix and frosting, 1 gallon of milk, 1 bag potato chips, 1 bag tortilla chips, 1 doz. eggs, 1 bag of grated cheese, 2 tubs of BBQ pork, 2 tubes of toothpaste, 4 bags of cough drops, and 2 sticks of deoderant. Grand total with tax, drum roll please....$35.67!! Wahoo!!! This wasn't store brand either it was all name brand stuff except for the hamburger buns. Plus I got more coupons when I showed him my receipt with my total savings! My savings was over $47.00 dollars!! I know this post is a little crazy but I had to share my money saving day with all my blog buddies!!

Happy Shopping

Happy Mom's Day

2010-05-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Mom's Day to all the great moms I know!

Cookie Cutter Hair Cut

2010-05-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

It was time for a little trim. Kaitlyn's bangs were so long she looked like a little rag muffin. So I made an appointment at Cookie Cutter's. What an awesome place. They kids get to pick what car they want to sit in to get their hair cut. Each station has a T.V. where they get to watch a video that they pick out when they first get there. When they are done, they get a balloon with a sucker and a cookie cutter attached to it. FUN!!She sat so still! I couldn't believe it. Not typical of my girl!!

All done! It's so nice to see her eyes without her having to look out through her hair!

Tahitian Noni Gardens

2010-04-24T22:17:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure if we will get to the Tulip Festival this year, so I decided to take Kaitlyn to Tahitian Noni Gardens today. And best of all, it's FREE!! The flowers were beautiful.Take time to stop and smell the tulips! and while you're at it make sure to pluck off a bunch of petals in the process! Hopefully no one saw her!

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail

2010-04-05T21:25:00.001-07:00

Waiting for the hunt to begin! Kelby, Paige and Kaitlyn all went to the annual Easter Egg hunt that was held at Grandpa and Grandma's. This hunt has been going on since we were little and has now turned into a grandkids egg hunt.
Check out the loot!

At least this year she was able to walk on her own. Last year I had to carry her. After bending down to pick up eggs and candy while carrying her my legs felt like two limp noodles the next morning!

This year dad helped her hunt for eggs.

Coloring eggs was interesting this year, most of the dye did stay in the cups but I made sure to put her in an old t-shirt just in case we had an accident.

Oooo...... Pretty!!

The Easter Bunny left a good loot. Plenty of candy, some books, sidewalk chalk (dad's favorite!) new shoes, a ball and some Summer outfits if Summer ever gets here!

She was so excited for her new shoes she wouldn't even wait to get dressed before putting them on. Aren't they stylish?! and yes I know their on the wrong feet!

My new ride!!

2010-03-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

So, mom and dad took me to Wal-Mart the other day and I begged them to take me down the toy isle. Then, I spotted it. The bubble gum pink plastic body looked so pretty sitting on the wood pallet. The shiny black wheels reflecting in the polished floor. I screamed to get out of the cart so I could sit on the beautiful shiny seat. The steering wheel fit perfectly in my small but chubby little hands. I stepped on the throttle, the rear wheels spun a little and the faint smell of burnt plastic drifted through the air. I was off!! No one could catch me now!Okay, so maybe it didn't quite go down like that. Dad was more captivated by it then I was but I still look pretty darn cute in it.

I've learned a thing or two watching mom fix cars, so I decided to take a peek under the hood.

I found a couple of loose screws that needed tightening so I fixed them up

This was just a spare part that I wasn't sure where it went so mom put it in a box for later

Catch you later! I'm off for a test drive!!

Spring Fever

2010-03-17T21:37:00.001-07:00

It was such a beautiful day yesterday that after work I decided to take Kaitlyn up to the Adventure Land Park to feed the ducksShe tried so hard to get the bread into the pond, but most of it landed just past her feet
she loved when the ducks would come close. She would point and pull her excited face and go Ooohh!!!

When I asked her if she was ready to go home, she kept shaking her head no. I can only imagine what she'll be like come summer time!

Conquering the playground

2010-03-13T20:45:00.000-08:00

So since Ed's retirement, he and Kaitlyn have been spending a lot of time together while I go to work. It has turned into a daily routine for them to go for several wagon rides, weather permitting. On friday he called me at work to tell me that she had gone down the "big slide" all by herself. Now, lately when we even come close to the slides at the playground, Kaitlyn would point and shake her head no and on a few occasions actually start to cry a little. But after watching the big kids go down the slide she decided it wasn't as scary as it looked. Today they took me to the playground to show me that she had conquered her fear! Walking up to the park.

It takes her a good 5 minutes to climb the stairs at the bottom of the playground all the way up to the top of the slide. Mind you there are a few distractions along the way. The good thing is the bars are spaced close together the whole way up so you don't have to worry about her falling out. She actually does make the climb all by herself and gets sat down at the top and scoots to the edge then, down she comes.
As you can tell she quite enjoys the ride. She would have stayed there all day if it hadn't been for the rain that moved in on us.

It's so cute to watch Ed with her. He couldn't be more proud of her.

One Cool Kid

2010-03-09T21:44:00.000-08:00

She knows she's cool!

Potty Time

2010-03-09T21:39:00.000-08:00

I realize I'm pressing my luck with this, but hey who wouldn't want to go potty on this spiffy throne. It even congratulates you after you do your business and best of all you can actually pull the handle and give it a spin after your done. Unfortunately it doesn't pay out any rewards. Kaitlyn is FREAKED OUT!! to sit on it but more than willing to pull the handle. Oh well you can't blame me for trying.

Cone Head

2010-03-09T21:36:00.001-08:00

Who doesn't remember this movie?I only wish I could find the picture of myself and my sisters with this same suddys do

Hooray for Nursery!!

2010-03-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

My baby is no longer a baby. This past Sunday was her first day in nursery. I realize this really isn't a milestone for most but for me, I couldn't be more excited!!

It went well for the first 15 minutes, she didn't even realize I was gone but they soon came to retrieve me from Sunday School. I spent the rest of the time in nursery. It was really pretty funny. I always thought it was 2 hours of playing. They played for the first 30 minutes, then it was snack time. Holy cow you'd have thought some of those kids hadn't eaten in days. They were all running around and pounding on the table saying "nack, nack, nack" I couldn't help but laugh. Then it was time for the lesson. Hopefully next Sunday will go a little smoother and I can make it through Sunday School!

New Helmet

2010-02-24T21:14:00.000-08:00

We went to the Elk Foundation Dinner and Kaitlyn won a new bike helmet. After getting it adjusted to fit her rather large head, she insists on wearing it around the house like a hat. It does look pretty cute on her.
No seat belt on this car but at least she has her helmet on!!

She even wears it on wagon rides, you know in case she falls out! I'm sure people driving by look at her and probably think poor kid, she must have paranoid parents!

She loves her wagon rides!!

It's Official!!

2010-01-28T18:35:00.000-08:00

After 25 years of dedicated service to the City of Orem, my hard working hubby official retired today. For those of you who don't know, Ed has worked for the Department of Water Reclamation. In lamens terms you and I would know it as the Sewer Plant. He was responsible for T. V.ing (sorry, I know thats not grammatically correct) all of the sewer lines within the city. He was responsible for making work orders for any repairs that need to be performed on these lines. Among all of his other duties, he like to tell people he made "dirty movies" for the city.
The Department of Public Works gave him a retirement party today. I think most of the city showed up to wish him well!! It was definately a day of emotion. Everyone kept coming up to me asking what he was going to do with all of his free time? Anyone that knows Ed already knows the answer to that question!

This is a picture of Ed and the two guys he has worked with on the T.V. van.

Ryan Johnson on his right and Chad Johnson on his left.

There were so many people that came to say good bye. It was great to be able to visit for a bit with everyone.

For anyone that reads this blog that is involved with the city I would just like to take a minute and personally thank you for the great job you did with the party today. Thank you for all your time and preparation, love and support and most of all your wonderful friendship. Not only will Ed miss you but I will too. Thanks again for everything!

Family Pictures

2010-01-17T21:30:00.001-08:00

So, I thought it was time to update our family pictures. I had seen my neighbors blog and thought she took awesome pictures. So I twisted her arm and talked her into taking some of our family. She said she would love to but "didn't know what she was doing" Yeah right!! These were just a few of my favorites. Thanks again Karol for doing these for us. Despite what you think, I think they turned out great!!

Where's your belly button?

2010-01-11T18:40:00.000-08:00

Lately Kaitlyn has been infatuated with finding her belly button, and everyone elses for that matter. She will go around lifting your shirt at the most inopertune times saying
"bah" and then politely stick her finger in it. Tonight, however as she began her quest again to find everyones belly button, we told her to go find the cat's belly button. The cat, who was lazily laying on the floor minding his own business, soon found a 1 year old laying behind him lifting his tail pointing to his bum saying "bah" we quickly had to inform her "No that's not the cats belly button, don't stick your finger in there!!" We both got a good laugh at this. Funny, I never really thought the two looked the same but apparently to her they do!!

Mmmm..... Chocolate!!

2010-01-07T21:30:00.000-08:00

So, I decided to make brownies the other night. I let Kaitlyn lick her first rubber scrapper.

Definately a tasty treat!! I'm sure there was more on her than in her. Needless to say it was straight to the bath after this!! The finished product wasn't half bad either.
And no I didn't eat the whole pan!!

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-02T20:04:00.000-08:00

Well I think I can officially say our New Year came in with a very dull bang. We decided to stay home given that Kaitlyn usually goes to bed around 9:00 and we usually follow not far behind. This year however we did stay up till midnight only because a certain little someone decided to get back up around 11:30. I guess she didn't want to miss out on the festivities. So needless to say we wrapped her up in a blanket and went out to ring in the new year. There were a few neighbors still up banging pots and pans but the majority of the street was dead!! What party poopers!!
I did purchase some party hats and horns and a package of confetti and streamer poppers. The party hats looked like"Dunce" caps on Kaitlyn. She definately gave it her all when she tried to blow the party horns but wound up slobbering in them instead. The party poppers were a big hit too, as you can see. It was funny to watch her flinch just before you pulled the string.

As for New Years resolutions, I have made a few but am keeping them to myself, so when I fall off the wagon, no one will know but me. I will share this one though. I made it a point to get my 72 hr kits together. Now mind you this is only the food and no clothes or any other parts have been gathered but at least I have this part done. I managed to stuff all of this into a 1 gallon milk container. It was a feat but I succeeded!!

The packing processes. I packed and unpacked several times before I got it all to fit but there is a folding stove and fuel pellets in each one, 1 can of beanie weanies, (use the can for heating water after it is empty) 2 servings of tang and hot cocoa, 1 personal serving of ravioli, 3 fruit roll ups, 2 granola bars, 2 instant oatmeals, 2 lipton soup mixes, 2 pkgs beef jerky, matches, 2 packs of gum, 10 jolly ranchers, 3 plastic spoons, a box of raisins and a partridge in a pear tree!! (just kidding on that one). Anyway, it did all fit.

The finished product!! I have to give a small plug for one of my favorite food storage web sites. It is http://www.foodstoragemadeeasy.net/ . If any of you wish to get started on your food storage. Anyway best of luck on all of your New Years Resolutions and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Christmas Day

2009-12-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

Santa brought us all new p.j.'s on Christmas Eve so we had to model them in our family picture
Kaitlyn in her new Christmas outfit. We went to Aunt Kelli's house Christmas night for dinner and open more presents!

Kaitlyn was able to open her presents a little easier this year than last. She was starting to grasp the concept of unwrapping

She got a new camera so she can take pictures like her mom!!

She got way to many clothes but it's hard to resist such cute things hanging on the racks.

Tearing into it!! Once she got a few new toys opened she lost interest in unwrapping anything else. And like most kids could have cared less about the clothes.

Ooohhh a new purse. Mom tried to find one for her with a smiley face on it but was unsuccessful

Just woke up and she looks a little overwhelmed by all the presents waiting for her. It only took us a little over an hour to open everything, much faster than what I thought it would take!

Christmas Morning waiting to Kaitlyn to wake up!

Playing in Dad's new "hut"

Temple Square

2009-12-18T21:20:00.000-08:00

We made our first trek to Temple Square with Kaitlyn this year. She was such a good trooper, only fussing when she was tired of sitting in her stroller. She kept oooing and pointing at all the lights. Considering it was the Friday before Christmas we were pleasantly suprised at how few people there were and we couldn't have asked for much better weather and temps then what we had. I took a lot of pics and had a tough time deciding which ones to post so there are several to look at.
Grandpa and Grandma were kind enough to accompany us and be our chauffer for the evening. Thanks for a fun evening mom and dad!

The big red tree on the east side of the temple. We were curious just how may strands of lights go on that tree? And how they keep them all working!! All I can think is lots of prayers!

Kaitlyn and dad looking at all the pretty lights!!

Trying different shots with the camera. Looking for that perfect pic!

The trees around the Assembly Hall looked beautiful. I remember one year they were all done in bright pink lights. they looked like they were draped in cotton candy.

This is the nativity they put in the reflection pond. I thought this one turned out really pretty

The temple reflecting in the pond. We had a lot of fun tonight and can't wait to do it again next year!!

Let it snow, Let it snow!!

2009-12-07T17:57:00.000-08:00

I couldn't help but take advantage of new fallen snow. So I dressed Kaitlyn in her snow pants and boots, hat and gloves and went out into the Winter Wonderland. Ed & I said she looked like a "pink nightmare" minus the rabbit ears!! It really was like getting ready for "extended deep sea diving" but she could still put her arms down.

She didn't seem to mind the cold and plodded along quite well through the snow despite the clunky snow boots adorning her small feet. She looked so cute!!

Ed drug out his ice fishing sled and loaded her up for a sleigh ride through the back yard. The moments leading up to this photo however weren't quite as happy. While Ed was getting the sled, Kaitlyn tried to bend over and pick up some snow. Being a little on the bulky side and top heavy she managed to do a face plant right into the snow. I tried to get her up as quick as I could but was laughing so hard it took me a minute. By the time I got her stood up and cleaned off she was in a full fledged scream. Good job mom!! Kinda reminds me of when my sisters and I were smaller and got thrown from a donkey I remember my mom standing over us laughing. Kind of the same situation. I can now see the humor of this past memory!

She finally calmed down and we walked up to the front of the yard. I think she liked the fact she could fit under the cover for the nativity. She kept looking at all the pieces probably thinking they were just her size. It cracked me up how she kept petting the sheep like they were the cats.

I had to take a picture of our christmas lights. Not as many as in years past but at least we have some up this year. I always think christmas lights looks so much more friendly with a blanket of snow on them.

Santa's Hat

2009-12-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

We have a couple of old Santa hats lying around so we have tried to get some pics with Kaitlyn wearing them. Unfortunately by the time I get the camera ready she has already ripped it off. So the only time I have been able to get a halfway decent picture is when she is asleep.
Look, it's Santa Claws!! Even the cat posed longer then Kaitlyn would

A letter from Santa

2009-12-05T19:38:00.000-08:00

Kaitlyn's official letter from Santa Claus came today. I'm sure I was far more excited for it then she was but she did humor me for a few minutes before she lost her patience.
It came with a letter from Santa, Santa's picture, a sticker that says she's on Santa's Good List, a personalized ornament and a North Pole T-shirt.

Loosing patience!!

She's already tried eating the ornament off the tree!!

2009-11-15T08:54:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I know, I know....

2009-11-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

But I just can't help it! It's that time of year again. Time to clear away all the clutter to make room for the Christmas decor. Time to clean the house from top to bottom because in the words of my mom " Santa Clause doesn't come to a dirty house!" Time to stock the fridge with eggnog and all the other holiday goodies. Time to get out the Christmas lights and see what works and what doesn't and unravel all the knots. And best of all it's time to listen to all the great Christmas tunes!! So, I'm following in the steps of my sister and from now until at least Christmas you will hear nothing but non stop Christmas music on my blog. I hope you all enjoy and don't worry there will be plenty of pictures posted during this most joyous holiday season!!

Trick or Treat, Smell my feet

2009-10-31T20:41:00.001-07:00

We started our Halloween festivities with Trunk or Treat at grandma and grandpa's. Everyone was dressed in their Halloween finest. Grandpa came riding his pet ostrich, several of us let our true witchy selves show, Darth Vader traded his light saber for a goodie bag for the night, a small lady bug flew in for the occasion, a stray pumpkin rolled out of the patch and one good little witch finished off our group.

Kaitlyn walked for the first 30 seconds and was carried the rest of the way. Thank goodness I had a few helpers to help pack her around.

Grandpa and Grandma both have the same dentist. Hopefully he gives them a discount since they seem to have so few teeth to take care of. Years of eating all the left over Halloween candy has reeked havoc on their smiles.

I think Kaitlyn has a pretty good idea of what to do with all the candy in her bag.
I better be careful so her teeth don't end up like grandma and grandpa's

Aahh.... The Loot!! A little for her, a lot for me!!

I'm I mean old witch with a hat!

2009-10-17T22:13:00.001-07:00

And I ride on my broom with my cat! Okay not really but tonight... was Witches Night Out at Gardner Village. So my mom, Kaitlyn and I all dressed up in our Halloween finest to cast some spells and stir up some spooky potions
Grandma Warts and Kaitlyn.

Bubble, Bubble Toil and Trouble. We certainly look like some trouble.

I think what was funnier was stopping at IKEA before and going in dressed like this... Needless to say we got a few stares!! I don't know why, I thought we looked perfectly normal.

I did take pictures but unfortunately they didn't turn out so well. Lets just say it was a sea of black and witch hats, with plenty of lines for anything and everything you wanted to do. But it was fun to see everyone dressed up for the event. What do you say?? Are we on for next year?

Happy Halloween!!

It's official, Kaitlyn walks!!

2009-10-10T20:34:00.000-07:00

This started last night. Kaitlyn was talking small steps around the couch. I finally had had enough I took her and moved about 6 ft from the couch. She walked from me to Ed with out any hesitation.

I slowly widened the gap and within 10 minutes she was walking from one end of the living room to the other without any assistance.

Within 20 minutes she would walk from the couch into the bathroom again without any help. I think she thought it was a game. When she got where she was going she would turn around, smile and head back the other direction.

Today took a little more coaxing but again by the end of the night, we were playing the game again. She now walks around without hesitation and hardly even wobbles. I can't believe how fast she picked it up.

All I can say is the cats are in trouble for sure now. She has already started chasing after them.

Kaitlyn turns 1!!

2009-10-01T06:24:00.001-07:00

This post will be a little longer than most simply for the fact I have a few pictures to share and it was hard to pick which ones to post. This was the day I was looking forward to and dreading all at the same time. My sweet baby girl turned 1 today. It is hard to imagine that a year has gone by already. We had a big ladybug party with lots of guests and food
We had presents galore!! A See-N- Say from Aunt Robyn and Uncle Korey

Princess pajamas from Aunt Heather and Uncle Kevin and a new chair to sit in when we going camping

Cute squeaky shoes and a bouncing ball from the Butterfields

Ooops... didn't keep track of the pictures I uploaded!

Cute clothes from Julie and Whitney
and lots more just not enough time to show them all, but thanks to everyone for the gifts. It looks like Christmas in our living room

Then it was on to the cake. She didn't really care for the frosting all over her face, hands and feet.

Even dad got in on the frosting action!

Great Grandma Tew helping to find her hands in that big shirt so she could play in the cake. Or gently poke at it in her case.

Happy Birthday to you!

I'm so excited I just can't contain myself!!

Once in a while I was able to get her to look at the camera

Sitting pretty with my fancy ladybug cake!!

And the ladybug cupcakes for all the guest to eat. I did these because there is always ample birthday cake left over to take home so I thought perfect I'll do cupcakes. No leftovers right!? WRONG about half were left over. Oh well.

I just want to say to anyone who reads this blog and came to the party. Thank-you so much for all your help, love, support and friendship. Thank-you for all the gifts and for being a part of Kaitlyns life. Kaitlyn we are truly blessed to have you in our life and we love you so much!!

Happy First Birthday!!!

1 Year Old Pictures

2009-09-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

So these aren't the official birthday pictures, they are the professional birthday pictures.

The real ones will come in a couple of days. I can't believe my baby is almost 1. where has the year gone?!

Yes she does have natural curl to her hair but we got this, with the help of velcro rollers!!

Witches Witches Everywhere

2009-09-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

We decided to take a trip to Gardner Village to see the Witches that they put out for Halloween. Everywhere you turned there were witches doing one thing or another.
From fishing in boats with dinomite to playing baseball and even riding through the trees on bicycles

They have a big shed thats full of bright colored pumpkins waiting for pictures to be taken

Even a witch on a park bench who wants to be in the pictures with you.

There was even witches dancing in circles and one that had a cat chasing a mouse under her skirt. Definately puts you in the Halloween spirit!!

Cupcakes

2009-08-26T20:19:00.001-07:00

So I decided to make cupcakes tonight, after frosting one and devouring the last bite, I looked and saw Kaitlyn licking her lips in anticipation. I asked her if she wanted one, (as if she could answer me) she smiled and licked her lips again. I thought why not. So I frosted up a small one and set it in front of her. She stuck her fingers in the frosting and smushed them together with a disgusted look. I thought it was good practice for when she has her first birthday cake. Hopefully she will dive in and not just poke at it a little.
Soon I stuck the cupcake up to her mouth to try and show her how to take a bite. It didn't quite work but she was soon licking her lips tasting the yummy frosting.

She soon looked like this. Your probably looking at the half eaten cupcake thinking "Wow I can't believe she ate that much" To be honest mom did help out a little (a lot) I couldn't resist letting a perfectly good cupcake go to waste!!

Mmmm. Lip lickin good!! A few more of these and we should be ready to devour birthday cake!!

Kaitlyn Appleseed

2009-08-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to take some fun pictures of Kaitlyn and I heard about this orchard in Provo up by the State Mental Hospital. So I grabbed my sister on Saturday and went for a ride. First of all I have to tell you this orchard is loaded with deer. We couldn't believe how they would just stand there while we walked around. We took a few test pictures and decided to come back today to take more pictures of all the kids. Here is how some of them turned out.
I plucked an apple off the tree and of coarse the first place it went was to her mouth, although it did make for a cute picture.

She wasn't into smiling very much but the faces she did pull I thought were pretty cute!!

I think this has to be my favorite. What an angel. Definately will have to go back in a couple of weeks for some family shots!!

Halleluja!!

2009-08-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

Praise the Lord!! It's a miracle. She finally crawls. I know I will regret saying this in a few weeks because she will be into everything and I will now have to move everything in her reach up and out of the way. Now when other moms ask if she crawls yet I can say YES!! To bad they will be asking now if she walks!
Who new a stinky rubber shoe could be such encouragement!

Look at her go!! Watch out kitties

Angry Eyes!

2009-08-16T21:42:00.000-07:00

I had to blog about these pictures. Lately Kaitlyn has been giving these scowly face looks to anyone and everyone. I have been trying to figure out where she has learned it from. Then one day when she was getting in the garbage (again) I told her no, it was yucky. I found myself pulling the same face I have been getting. I guess it really is true that kids mimic everything their parents do!!
This reminded me of the movie Toy Story when Mrs. Potato Head is getting Mr Potato head ready to go and find Woody. She tells him she is packing his "angry eyes." I have decided this is Kaitlyns "angry eyes" I have a feeling I will see these eyes alot more as she gets older!

10 months old

2009-07-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

My baby turned 10 months old today. It's hard to believe how fast she is growing.

She desperately wants to be mobile and is trying so hard to crawl. She won't even sit still always trying to get her knees under her only to bounce and rock in place and flop to her belly. Any chance she can get she is standing or holding someones fingers wanting to walk.

Couldn't you just eat her up! Those chubby cheeks just beg to be pinched.

So big!!

Biker Babe

2009-07-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn went for her first bike ride today. (around the flower bed).

She fits just perfectly on the gas tank in front of her dad.
She seemed to be a natural. She would smile and wave every time they drove past.
Hopefully she won't ask for her own for a while.

Can you do the Dew?

2009-07-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

I think Kaitlyn has watched her dad drink this stuff a little to much. She seems to have grasped the concept of what to do with the can already.

Too bad the can was empty. That's all I need is a 9 month old addicted to Mountain Dew!

Skinny Dippin or Chunky Dunkin

2009-07-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

On Saturday after the Steel Days parade the heat was too much to bear so we filled up the pool and went for a dip. Kaitlyn played for a good hour before I decided to get her out. When Ed lifted her out of the pool, something came dripping out from her diaper. It looked like crushed ice. I thought what in the world? I took off her shirt and found her diaper had sprung a leak. The absorbent stuff inside the diaper was leaking out! After I got her diaper off she had that stuff all over her, so I decided to put her back in the pool and rinse her off minus the diaper. She played around in the buff for probably another hour before she had had enough. Needless to say she was well pruned by the time she got out!

Baby Contest

2009-07-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

For A.F. Steel Days I decided to enter Kaitlyn in the baby contest. I was surprised how many parents entered their kids in the contest. They had it divided up by ages and then boys and girls for the different age categories. They had a ton of 0-4 month babies, then 5-7 month, then our group was the 8-10 month. We slowly made our way to the judges table. Both judges commented on how beautiful her eyes were. She did smile but that was about all I could get her to do. Then we played the waiting game.
I had to take a picture of her cute painted piggies. FYI I have to paint them when she is asleep.

The end of the contest drew to a close and then it was time to announce the winners. Unfortunately Kaitlyn didn't win her age group but I could have cared less. She is a winner in our book. Who could resist a face and smile like that!

Three Cheers for the Red, White, & Blue

2009-07-04T13:50:00.000-07:00

To kick off our 4th of July weekend we went to the hot air balloons on Friday morning. Kaitlyn would just sit and stare at all the commotion going on in front of her. We were right next to the Bank of American Fork piggy bank balloon as it was being inflated.

We lit sparklers while waiting for the fireworks to start. Kaitlyn kept trying to grab the them. I didn't dare let her hold them for fear she would grab at the ends but she seemed to really like them. When the big fireworks started she sat as still as a mouse in my lap. I thought she might be asleep but found her wide eyed and staring into the night sky. She gave it up just before the grand finale.

We attempted to go to the parade Saturday morning but couldn't find a place to stand let alone sit, so luckily for us my sisters salon is right on University Avenue so we sat in an airconditioned building watching from a big picture window as the parade passed by.

Our little 4th of July Sparkler!!

Anticipation

2009-06-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since my last post and I do have new pictures, I've just been to lazy to upload them to my computer. But I wanted to at least make a post before the 4th of July came and went. This has to be one of my favorite holidays. I love seeing the firework stands being set up in the grocery store parking lots, the red, white & blue attire for sale in the stores waiting to be bought and worn to show your patriotic support. The blankets and chairs laid out early along the parade routes in hopes of getting the perfect spot. The smell of gunpowder as it drifts through the air after the fireworks finale. The sight of local sweet cherries for sale in the stores. It reminds me of the cherry tree we had in our front yard growing up. I remember my dad going out the morning of the 4th picking a bucket of fresh cherries to take to the parade and then sitting on the sidewalk eating cherries till we were sick and spitting the pits in the gutter. But one of my most favorite things about this holiday was attending the Stadium of Fire before they started overpricing the tickets. We would sit at the north end of the stadium as close to the top as my mom could get. As the national anthem was sung by whoever they hired that year the anticipation would grow waiting for the F-16 fighter jets to flyover at the end of the song. We would stand with binoculars looking off to the south. I remember the lump in my throat I would get seeing those jets come and thinking of the brave men and women who we have to thank for being able to celebrate this glorious holiday. My eyes tear up now just at the meer thought of that sight. To those men and women I would like to say thank-you for all of your bravery and sacrifice. We truly are the Land of the Free because of the Brave!!

Sunday Drive

2009-06-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

We decided to go for a ride up American Fork Canyon on Sunday. My hope was to be able to drive over to Cascade Springs and wander around for a bit. So we loaded up the diaper bag and stroller in the jeep and headed out. We thought we were in the clear until we hit the road closed gate just above the look out. So we turned around and headed back to Tibble Fork and started up the dirt road. We soon bounced Kaitlyn to sleep. We stopped where the road crosses over the American Fork river and got out for lunch. The stroller makes a good hi-chair for feeding.

Dad was feeling left out with all the pictures of Kaitlyn on the blog so we made sure to get some of him and Kaitlyn. This was taken where we stopped for lunch at. I wished the camera had a wider view so you could see how beautiful it was up there.

We continued up the road until we came to a bend that was still shaded by the pines and had several feet of snow. We put it in 4x4 and made it a little farther but alas had to turn around and head back the way we came. We stopped again and used the spare tire as a tripod for the camera to get a family picture. Too bad Kaitlyn was looking at the ground!! We never did make it to Cascade Springs. I found out later that they opened the gate on the paved road the next day!!

Beach Baby

2009-05-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn took her first dip in the pool today. I made sure to fill it earlier in the day and let it sit in the sun to warm up. Then I slathered her in sunscreen, donned her sun shade hat, grabbed the bathtub toys and camera and stuck her in the pool. The water was just warm enough, to her she may as well have been taking a bath without bubbles. She splashed and played for a good half hour before she had had enough.
She looked so cute I couldn't stop snapping pics.

I love the expression in this one. "Mom enough with the camera!! I'm trying to play"

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

We went to Starvation for our first camping trip of the year. After packing everything but the kitchen sink we headed out Thursday afternoon to avoid the holiday traffic. We took Kaitlyn out for her first boat ride that afternoon. She had a lot of fun other than having to wear her life jacket. As you can see she couldn't move to much. She couldn't even turn her head all she could do was look out the sides of her eyes in the direction she heard voices.
I thought she kinda looked like a turtle in this pic

I took her down to the beach one afternoon between rain storms. She sat in the sand and played for a few minutes. She would pick up handfuls of sand and let in go then look at the tiny rocks still stuck in her hand

Our last ride in the boat. She held really still for this picture. It couldn't have been because she couldn't move. All in all she was a good little camper.

Lions & Tigers & Bears Oh My!!

2009-05-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

I took Kaitlyn for her first trip to the zoo the other day. My sister Heather and her kids let us tag along for the fun. We were hoping since it was during the middle of the week it wouldn't be to busy, boy were we wrong. We quickly remembered why it's called the zoo. It was exactly that. Our first stop was at the lion drinking fountains. I don't know how long these things have been around. I know when we were younger my sisters and I have our picture taken at them. I thought it was fun to have Kaitlyns pic taken at them too. Aside from the drinking fountains these were the only lions we saw that day.
Our next stop was the monkeys. I couldn't believe how many different types of monkeys there are. I thought this one was one of the most unique. To bad I did't pay attention to what kind it was so I could tell you.

Next was the giraffes. Only two that day

Then the Apes. This one held still long enough to let us have our picture taken with him. We thought it was mighty nice of him. Kaitlyn even liked him!!

Then the tigers. We only saw one of those and it was just warm enough he was taking a nap in the shade and all you could see was his paws. Of course we saw lots more, elephants, zebras, snakes, bears, cheetahs and lets not forget the train ride. I remember that ride being a lot longer than what it was, and it didn't use to cost extra to ride it. I guess anything to make a buck. We had a lot of fun but we were glad to get back to the car, it was alot of walking!

My First Mothers Day

2009-05-13T22:03:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday I celebrated my first Mothers Day. This picture was taken just a few hours after Kaitlyn was born. It was one of our first pictures as mom and daughter. I am so greatful she chose me to be her mom. I have a picture of me and my mom taken the day I was born. I wish you could see how similar they both look. It's really quite ironic
I had Ed take this picture of us before we headed to church. Mothers Day has taken on a whole new meaning for me this year. The primary kids in my parents ward got up and sang a few Mothers Day songs and I found myself using Kaitlyns drool towel to wipe my tears. I remember getting up many years ago singing those same songs to my mom and not thinking much about it. Now I can't wait for Kaitlyn to be up there singing those same songs to me. I'll make sure to have a box of kleenex instead of a diaper to dry my eyes.

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

2009-04-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

Today I felt like Tiny Tim. Not Bob Crachett's Tiny Tim, but the singer, tiptoeing through the tulips. Okay it was more like stolling but still, you get the picture. My mom, Kaitlyn and I all went to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point today and as you can see from the pictures they were beeaautifull!!! So many colors and varieties. I couldn't believe how many people and stollers there were. Everyone doing the same thing we were.... taking pictures. Every corner we came around someone was snapping a photo here or trying to get their kids to smile over there. I unfortunately was one of those parents. Do you think I could even get my kid to crack a smile let alone look at the camera. I think she was just taking it all in and didn't want to be bothered with a silly picture. Every time I set her down she looked everywhere but at me. She kept rubbing her hands across the grass like, "What is this stuff?" Oh well at least I tried. The weather was absolutely perfect!!

Kaitlyn and I in the secret garden. Notice where she is looking!!

This picture reminded me of that part in the Wizard of Oz just before they get to the Emerald City and they have to go through the poisoned poppy fields to get there. So these aren't poppies but it just looked like a sea of flowers.

You wouldn't think stopping to pose for a few pics could wear someone out so much!!

Look Everyone I'm not afraid anymore, I said I'm not afraid anymore!!

For those that don't get that everytime grandma comes near Kaitlyn she breaks down crying. She gets even louder if she holds her. By the end of the day grandma even had her laughing. We'll see how well she remembers next time she sees her.

Splish Splash I was taken a bath!!

2009-04-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Rub-a-dub dub Kaitlyns in the tub. Okay it's actually the kitchen sink, but I found that on the nights when Ed won't be home until later bathing her in the sink is far easier than trying to control her in the tub. After about 5 minutes of kneeling on the bathroom floor my feet have gone to sleep not to mention leaning over the tub is so comfy!! Plus you are soaked to your shoulder from having to hold her up to keep her from doing a face plant into the suds!! Then one night I remembered pictures of us being bathed in the sink when we were little. Of course!! why did it take me so long to remember to try that. Kaitlyn fits perfectly in the sink plus she can sit up and she's just big enough I don't have to worry about her going over to take an unexpected drink. Although she looks like a mini budda the way she is sitting in there!!

1st time blogger

2009-04-18T22:17:00.000-07:00

Okay so this is my first official blog. Kaitlyn and I went to the Living Planet Aquarium with my sister Heather and her family on Friday. Like any red blooded american mom I was looking for any photo opportunity I could find to take pics of Kaitlyn. After several pictures Heather told me I needed to start a blog. I told her, "Who is going to read it, you and Kelli." my other sister who is also an avid blogger. Since becoming a mom my scrapbooking has taken a back seat to my other daily responsibilities I now have but I thought I could spend a few minutes a week updating this. I figured as many pictures as I take now it shouldn't be to hard to come up with a few things to say. It's kinda like scrapbooking only quicker and more people than just me will be able to see it. You will probably find that most if not all of my posts will be about my one and only daughter Kaitlyn, my pride and joy and sometimes my headaches. Luckily those are few and far between. But I wouldn't trade her for the world. It is hard to believe it has been just over six months ago that she entered this great big world. She has gone from and lump on the floor to a chattering, smiling, laughing, rolling over, chubby, bundle of energy. We will be celebrating her 1st birthday before I know it. But for now enjoy my few mindless ramblings and pictures and don't worry there will be plenty more to come.

The Burnsed's

Christmas and New Years!

Disneyland!!

Halloween 2011

Road Trip!!

Are you serious?!

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo

Starvation

***NOW OPEN***

One little monkey jumping on the bed!

Mom's Day 2011

Easter 2011

I wanna go for a motorcycle ride!

Pickle Relish?!

"Am I pretty now?"

Midway Ice Castles

Christmas 2010

Gone Fishin'

It's the Roaming Gnome!!

Kaitlyn's 2nd Birthday (3 months late!!)

Good for a laugh!!

Look who's turning 2!!

Milk Weeds

Be vewy, vewy quiet, We'we hunting yelk!!

Viva Las Vegas!!

Mmmm.... Tomatoes

What retired people do

FuN 4 aLL at the CaRniVal

4th of July Weekend

Cool Down

My new niece

Memorial Day 2010...Finally!!

Shopping with the Grocery Guru

Happy Mom's Day

Cookie Cutter Hair Cut

Tahitian Noni Gardens

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail

My new ride!!

Spring Fever

Conquering the playground

One Cool Kid

Potty Time

Cone Head

Hooray for Nursery!!

New Helmet

It's Official!!

Family Pictures

Where's your belly button?

Mmmm..... Chocolate!!

Happy New Year!!

Christmas Day

Temple Square

Let it snow, Let it snow!!

Santa's Hat

A letter from Santa

I know, I know....

Trick or Treat, Smell my feet

I'm I mean old witch with a hat!

It's official, Kaitlyn walks!!

Kaitlyn turns 1!!

1 Year Old Pictures

Witches Witches Everywhere

Cupcakes

Kaitlyn Appleseed

Halleluja!!

Angry Eyes!

10 months old

Biker Babe

Can you do the Dew?

Skinny Dippin or Chunky Dunkin

Baby Contest

Three Cheers for the Red, White, & Blue

Anticipation

Sunday Drive

Beach Baby

Memorial Day Weekend

Lions & Tigers & Bears Oh My!!

My First Mothers Day

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Splish Splash I was taken a bath!!

NOW OPEN