This is beginning to be a joke.

I like blogs. I read blogs all the time, everyday. But for some reason I'm having a super hard time keeping up with my own blog. There are a couple of reasons, really, just plain excuses. Number one, I see other people's blogs and think; how in the world did they make theirs so cute. Cute backgrounds and beautiful photos. I decided it is time for an upgrade on my camera. I want beautiful photos. Especially of my kids. I think I'm ready for an actual lens camera, looking at the Canon Rebel series as a gateway lens camera. Not too expensive but I still have to save for it so it might not be till Christmas. I can wait. Number two, I can't figure out blogspot. Stupid-I know! I'd like to think of myself as being a smart and fairly computer savy but for some dumb reason this stuff is comfusing to me. Sometimes I can add pictures and videos and sometimes it won't let me. Today, it's letting me. And I just want a simple background, large pictures and text. Oh well. I'll settle for this. And number three, I have a beautiful life. I have wonderful kids and a sexy husband that provides enough for me to stay at home. I am an overall happy person. Heathly and happy. I cook, clean, change diapers (more than I'd like), wake up early and run and have fun with my kids. Nothing really that interesting to write about. Nothing that will send anyone into deep thought or reflection. Nothing that will change the world.

Okay so here it is, I am going to do better. I am not going to care that my blog might be boring to some people. I think it is good for me to share my life with my family and friends that don't live near me. And that happens to be a lot of people.  There. Enough said.

These pictures are from our recent trip Idaho for rodeo weekend.

Our Yosemite Trip

I've been wanting to go to Yosemite for about a year now and I finally booked the trip. I just got a unheated tent cabin in Curry Village for 1 night but was super excited. I was hoping for a peaceful couple of days, relaxing in one of the most incredible places in the world. But I forgot that I have a very busy almost 3 year old boy and a 6 month old baby. Marston got so excited to be in dirt and have a world of sticks and rocks to throw it made it a bit hard to hike. He had to touch every single rock he came across and he wasn't keen on sitting in the stroller. This made things difficult when hiking. Okay - maybe not difficult but very very slow. It was beautiful nonetheless. A perfect time of year to go. 65 and sunny, waterfalls everywhere, and not so many people. We hiked the whole time we were there. We went up to Yosemite Falls, to Yosemite village, up to mirror lake, to the Awahnee hotel and back to the village. Between the 2 days I think we hiked about 15 miles. The night was cold. Marston and Daniel slept soundly in their very own sleeping bags, while Hazel and I had 8 wool blankets. Hazel woke up 6 times and was not happy. I nursed her for what seemed like the whole night. I was pretty tired the next day but happy to have the night over. It was a good trip but I was glad to come home and sleep in my own bed.

By the way, we saw a bear. Check out the photo!

Yosemite Falls.

Yosemite Falls. 

"Must throw rocks! Must throw rocks!"

It's terrible but to settle Marston down we brought our dvd player. Always does the trick!

Our tent cabin. Very comfortable. 

On our hike to Mirror lake we came across a very large bear. Scary! We backed away slowly and let it have it's space. 

In the first 10 minutes, Marston fell and busted his lip. 

Has it really been almost 2 months?!?!

So I've had some problems with my blog and just could not figure it out. I've let weeks turn into months and I still can't figure out the problem. Daniel suggested that I try to use the chrome browser and not explorer and problem fixed. 

Let's see. Hazel is now 6 months and rolls all over the house. She has 2 bottom teeth and loves food. I can't believe that a half a year has gone by with her. She is still such a doll. Marston is busy. He is such a good brother. The other day, we were at Daniel's parents house and little Evan (our nephew) took a toy from Hazel (which she could care less about). Marston snatched the toy back and did a basketball block so he couldn't take it again. 

We have been painting our kitchen cabinets. It took us about 6 weeks but it looks beautiful. I am so happy how it turned out. Daniel took off the cabinet doors and drawers and painted them with the sprayer and I painted the frames with a brush. We painted the outside cabinets white (same white as base boards) and the island pottery barn terra cotta. It totally changes the whole house. I love it. Thank you Daniel for your hard work. It makes me happy to have a white kitchen. The next thing on my list is a curtain for above the kitchen windows and a new kitchen sink faucet. The faucet I want is really expensive so that probably won't be happening soon and I have an idea for the curtain but I need to find the right fabric.

Daniel has also been working on a motorized bike. He bought a beach cruiser and attached a motor to it so he can ride to work without all the sweat. He painted it orange and likes to call it  his "creamcycle". It gets 100 miles to the gallon and he can ride in the bike lane all the way to work. Brings a silly smile to my face every time I think about it. 

I ran my 3rd half marathon last Saturday. It was so much fun. I got my personal best with 2 hours and 4 minutes. I felt really good for the first 10 miles and then the last 3 were a struggle. But I did it and feel really good about finishing. My next race is the Ragner race. It's from the Golden Gate bridge to Napa valley. 200 miles, I think, we are in teams of 12 and run for about 24 hours. Each person has 3 legs. It's in September and I'm super excited about it. 

The Easter bunny came!!!

The Easter bunny brought Hazel mum mums.

Our little family Easter Sunday. 

She has to be the cutest girl ever! My mom made the skirt. Too cute! 

Marston had a lot of fun hunting for eggs at Grandpa's house. 

American River Parkway Half Marathon-CHECK!

Kitchen before.

Kitchen after. 

Daniel made a spray station in the garage. He was out there almost every night for weeks. Thanks dude!

Hazel's first food.

My little Hazelnut.

Hazel is a doll! She is just so sweet and we are thrilled she is in our family. She is 3 months here and rolling over already. Cute as a button!

Can you say cords? Daniel was mounting our tv to the wall the day I took this. How many cords does one man need...sheesh!

Perfectly Spring

One good thing about California living is spring comes in February. I got to decorate a relief society activity and I used a lot of burlap. This is what the centerpieces looked like. I think I'll keep one out. It makes me happy.

The month of January and then some

Boring. Uneventful. Vanilla, no toppings.
But beautiful, even joyful.
Content.

Over the holidays

It's taken me this long to post Christmas pictures...

We had a lovely Christmas. Christmas Eve we had Daniel's family come over for a big ham and potatoes meal. We played games and read Luke 2. Dan's parents and brother Erik stayed the night so we could have Christmas morning together. It was a lot of fun. I loved watching Marston come down the stairs to see that Santa came. I can't wait for more years to come.

I got to have 2 of my brothers visit. Isaac and Jenn and Adam and Julie came a couple days after Christmas. It was so fun to laugh with them. I miss being around them. It's always an adventure-never a dull moment. We hung out, went into the city, went up to Placerville and just visited. I feel really lucky to have brothers that would take the time and spend the money to visit their sister. 

January 2nd we blessed Hazel. She was a doll. Slept through the whole thing. Daniel gave her a beautiful blessing. I feel blessed to have a worthy priesthood holder as a husband to bless the lives of our children. We had family and friends over after for a little lunch. I loved it! Lots of people and lots of yummy food.

Christmas is over. Decorations are down. Another year has started. My house feels a little cold and empty but it's nice to have a new beginning. 

Christmas morning.

Marston would open one gift, want to play with that one and forget about the rest. It was really cute to watch. 

Sweet baby girl at 7 weeks. 

This is the only proof that I have that my brothers Adam and Isaac and their wives, Julie and Jenn came to visit. We spent the day in San Francisco. Here we are riding the cable cars. 

Marston loved riding the "choo-choo".

Hazel and mama on the day of her blessing.