5

This is what our family looked like five years ago yesterday...
This is what our family looked like yesterday...
To celebrate five years, we started with a little swimming at the Grand America Hotel with Maycee. (This was after we made a last minute trip to Maycee's doctor, where she was diagnosed with her first ear infection...SO sad!) After A LOT of convincing from KC that Maycee would be fine, we dropped her off for a sleepover at KC's parents (thanks Chuck & Tami), then headed to Provo for a little take-out at the picnic tables where we first met...pretty cheesy, I know. But, it was fun to be back where we both have so many fun memories from working for EFY.

Not too many people around...this was the best we could do with the self-timer.

Standing at the exact spot where we were first introduced to eachother...right by the flagpole.

Then we headed for a little treat. KC had heard about this new ice cream place with a really cool concept....

Start with the cream and the flavors you want mixed in...

then add freezing gas...

mix together and this is what you get!

They freeze the cream right in front of you! The end product was pretty tasty and I'm sure you could come up with some crazy combinations! Then it was back to The Grand America Hotel for a relaxing night and morning. KC had massage appointments booked for us, then we spent a little time by the pool. It was a nice little stay-cation to celebrate our marriage - Thanks babe!

Turn down service...and nice robes!

Yummy chocolates with a little note telling us the temperature for the next day, thanks Beto!!

Pretty crazy how quick the last five years have gone by. I am so lucky to be married to such a crazy, funny, hardworking, loving, happy, amazing man! I am grateful for the man that KC is and all the hard work he does to support our little family. I love watching the relationship between him and Maycee grow, she loves when he comes home at night and runs to meet him when he walks in the door. Thank you KC for being so patient with me and working through everything with me. We have made some amazing memories with all our adventures these last five years! I am SO excited for everything that is to come! Love you!

If you really want it...

Then ask your Uncle! Maycee has learned the trick...If I won't give it to her, she runs to one of her uncles. They pretty much give her whatever she wants. I'm fine with it, I will fill their kids up with sugar one day too!

Freedom

We headed to San Diego to celebrate the 4th of July this year. KC rarely has Saturday's off, so we had to take advantage when has a free day to spend with us. We stayed on Coronado Island, watched the fireworks over San Diego Bay, took a quick trip to the beach, and enjoyed some good mexican food in Old Town. It was fun to hang out just the three of us and enjoy the beautiful weather of San Diego.

Waiting for the fireworks to start...

Sportin' her red, white and blue...I made her skirt.

Downtown San Diego

She LOVED the fireworks...made sure to applaud when they were done.

Love her ruffly bum!!

She actually really enjoyed the pool this time! I think we are turning a corner.

All tuckered out from swimming...she is such a cuddle bug!

She is still a little scared of the waves...notice her little foot in the air, so cute!

I love this little girl, she is so happy with the simplest things!

I am so grateful we have a special day to celebrate the many freedoms we enjoy living in this country. Thank you to all the men and women of the military for the service they provide and their willingness to preserve the freedoms we have.

One year pictures

The pictures say it all...Way too many to choose just one! Guess I am little bias, but she is SO adorable!

**Thanks to our great friend and neighbor Joy for taking the pictures!! If you want her contact info let me know...she's pretty good at what she does!!

Alright Already!!

Am I the only one that thinks its really time for it to actually be summer?! We have been trying to do as many summer "things" as we can. However, the weather hasn't allowed us to do much. We did take a little trip down south to "The George" and of course we had to hit up a certain burger joint...

We discoverd, after she ate half of it, that Maycee really enjoys her an In-N-Out Double-Double Animal Style. What can I say, she is related to KC and must have a little Burdette in her!

Some other random pictures...

Halle has been teaching May-May (as she calls Maycee) that she needs to carry a baby everywhere! They love each other!!

We love being outside...no more rain!!

This is really random, but strawberry shortcake always makes me think of summer bbq's.

We have moved forward! She was SO alert for the first couple days...but then she remembered how much she loves to sleep in the car.

Maycee's first trip to the splash pool. She wasn't too thrilled with the water temperature or the older kids splashing her...hopefully she will like it better next time.

Please get here summer, and stay for good!!

Dubai; United Arab Emirates

KC has always wanted to visit Dubai, so he talked his cousin into making the 26 hour trip with him, and they spent 4 days exploring the sights of Dubai in the 120 degree desert heat. While they were there, they went on a camel safari, went to a cool waterpark with uphill waterslides, went skiing at an indoor ski resort, saw the tallest building in the world, went to the 3 largest malls in the world, and hit all the local markets. It was a bizarre place with lots of wealth and cool things to see and do.

Really??

Maycee Jane is 1 year old!! Is this really true?? I can not believe how quickly this first year has gone by. It is incredible how much I have learned and experienced in this last year. I think about how nervous I was about bringing Maycee home and having to do all this "mom stuff" on my own with no nurse call button and no experts to answer all my questions and its amazing that I made it through it all. I have LOVED every minute of watching my little girl grow and learn. It truly is a miracle to watch a child in their first year and see the huge difference in just 365 days. I know I am a little biased but I think this little girl is AMAZING!! She makes me smile every day. I definitely underestimated the love that I would feel for my child. I heard about it from so many people, but until you experience it for yourself you don't. If I never had anything else to get done and could do whatever I wanted, I think I would sit and watch her every minute of every day (even when she is sleeping). I have realized how much I need to put those other things aside and just play with Maycee, this time will be gone too fast. I am so grateful for all the time that I have been able to spend with her, being lucky enough to stay home with her. I love that she loves to cuddle, even now, that is my favorite. She makes me feel needed more than I have ever felt. There are days that I want to wake her up early from her nap so I can just sit and hold her. I miss the days that her naps were spent in my arms. I really didn't mind that I wasn't getting anything done...wish it was that easy now. My favorite moments are spent just laying next to her first thing in the morning, chatting with her when she gets in her talkative moods, running in circles while she chases me on her knees and laughs and squeals her head off, seeing her hit the major milestones and celebrating with her, and so many smiles and laughs to even mention. Maycee has brought such joy into mine and KC's lives and our families lives. We love her more than words can say and hope that she always knows how much she means to us. I hope that I can be the mom that she will always consider her friend (even when she is a teenager). I am excited for all the years to come...

**See below for more birthday celebrations...

***Sorry for the OBSCENE amount of pictures...way too many to choose from!

The big day...

I tried my hardest to make Maycee's birthday the best I could for her, even if she didn't really know what was going on. She got a couple gifts, went out to lunch with mom and dad, had a fun dinner with her cousins and grandpa, and basically got to do whatever she wanted.

Opening her fisrt birthday present, her birthday outfit.

Promise she enjoyed her lunch, she loves Cafe Rio!
Lounging for a minute with a full belly...

Excited to open her new toy, even though she picked it out earlier that morning. It was still new to her!

She has the best facial expressions!!
Maycee with her cousin Halle. Can decide who loves who more...they are always so excited to see each other, its so fun to watch.

Party Time

We had a great birthday party for Maycee on Saturday, a couple days after her real birthday. I was pretty nervous because all weather reports said it was supposed to rain right when the party was scheduled to start. But, we got lucky and just had clouds, which kept it a little cooler and it turned out to be really nice.

The party colors...pink, orange and yellow.

The Guests:

Great Grandaddy 102 yrs old...Maycee 1 yr old

Great Grandma 90 yrs old...Maycee 1 yr old

Our friends and neighbors...Geoff, Joy and Beck Osmond

Uncles Blake and Joey (sweet mustache Blake!!)

Paytin Osmond and Halle

Marin and the Monsens

The gifts:

Maycee was actually interested in opening all her gifts...she got some great stuff!!

The cake:

Marin made the CUTEST cake for Maycee. She is the best chef! Thanks again Marin, you're the best!!

She wasn't too interested in the cake...really didn't eat any of it. Got mad when she got frosting anywhere on her. Silly girl!

Stopped to chat with Great-Grandma before cleaning up...but then she was sad her cake was gone. So...

We tried again. But once again she just got mad when she got messy. She did enjoy most of the rose from the top of the cake.

Thanks again to eveyone that came to celebrate with us. Maycee wants to thank you all for all the wonderful gifts, you were all so generous! All in all it was a great couple days of celebration for Maycee's first birthday. We love you Maycee Jane!!