Swimming with Sting-rays...Laundry...a Trip Down South...and SNUGGIES!

Gracie encountered all the fish at the "Living Planet Aquarium" in Sandy. We went with our wonderful friends Tracy & her little boy Kaleb, and Melissa & her little girl Savannah. Gracie and Savannah mostly ran through the exhibit without noticing the fish on display. Gracie did attempt to jump into the petting pool with the Southern Stingray. Ahhh...Brand New Baby Nikes full of Stinky Seawater. I can understand her reasoning...she probably thought it was a gigantic bathtub.

Also recently, we took Gracie on her first trip down to Escalante where Gwama Tait grew up. We visited (Great) Grandma Alvey, and she left us smiling with her energy and songs! Grandma Alvey is 82, and she is still the life of the party! We had a great time visiting and watching the Jazz play on TV.


We really enjoyed our visit. Grandma Alvey has so much to share.


Visiting the Horse by Grandma's House.


And here's some RANDOM PICTURES. We do lots of laundry at our house. Gracie really likes to be involved!


She likes to play on the stairs...It's a good gathering place.


And Happy Birthday Mom! Today's your big day. And can I just say tonight was an absolute "Snuggie Miracle"?! Earlier tonight, at the Red Lobster, my mom opened a gift from my Aunt and Uncle. It was a Snuggie. You know...the blanket with over sized sleeves. (You've seen the commercial with the people wearing these humongous fleece backwards robes. Without their Snuggies, they are truly not happy and might I add...Freezing!) I was shocked because the Snuggie I ordered for my mom's Birthday had not come in the mail yet. So she really received TWO SNUGGIES for her birthday. Most Definitely a Snuggie Miracle.

It's a gift she was way too embarrassed to ask for...but obviously we all knew she secretly wanted one (or two) because we all got her one! So here she is with her Snuggie. (And she really did almost bust it open and put it on in the Red Lobster because she was cold.) This just cracks me up. They are so ridiculous looking - and yet I love them.


We love you Mom, and we're so glad this year we could spend the day with you...now that we're back in the state! Thanks for being an outstanding example. You've been handed enough lemons to make anyone sour, yet you continue to push along with an amazing perspective and love for life. Thanks for making us laugh and for reminding us what life really is all about.

FIRST HAIRCUT!!!

On March 5th, we took Gracie to Cookie Cutters to give those locks a trim!

*BEFORE*


*DURING*


*AFTER*


Cookie Cutters was so cute! Gracie sat in an airplane, and she got to choose a movie that she would be viewing during the cut. The cut consisted mostly of cutting off the tail she was sporting in the back. So we said goodbye to the mullet, and there were no tears.

I think she held as still as a 15-month-old can! My favorite part of the cut was when the stylist went to blow dry her hair. She thought the hot air in her face was funny. That, combined with the Dancing Elmo movie, had her moving all over the place. You can see her go wild in the video below! (And they finished her "new-do" off with some glitter hairspray.)



And...TOUCHDOWN! Jody taught Gracie when you yell "Touchdown" - your arms go up!

Birds of a Feather....Stick Together...

Just Talking About The Weather....


While in California, we took in the sights at Santa Monica Pier! Sally took some pictures of Gracie that I absolutely love. Gracie was enthralled with the pigeons! She followed them around, squealing the entire time. She was getting so excited, that others started taking pictures of her too, and she gathered quite the crowd.


...Stopping to Find Joy in the Simple Things of Life!

First Visit to the "Happiest Place on Earth!"

While in California, we visited Mickey and his friends at Disneyland! It was a little soggy (and freezing) due to the rain for part of the day. However, the weather didn't affect our magical day! I had forgotten HOW FUN Space Mountain is! Gracie loved Small World. I'd say her First Visit was a success! We can't wait to take her back when she gets a little bit older.


Riding the Jungle Cruise!


It was really fun to watch Gracie interact with the Characters, although she kept wiggling her hand out of mine and butting in line....She was really excited....


Gracie ran right up to Tigger and gave him a Huge Hug!


And Pooh Bear Too!




Shooting bad guys on the Buzz Lightyear Ride!


Gracie and Maycee checking out the ducks!


Really...who needs Donald anyway? Gracie was so excited about the real ducks!




Getting Ready for "Honey, I shrunk the Audience."


KC and Jody by Disney's Main Street.


Thanks KC and Sally for a super magical day! We had a blast.

Beach Baby!

Earlier this month we traveled to California for some fun in the sun with our friends KC & Sally and their little girl Maycee. KC and Sally made sure we didn't miss a thing! We visited a number of beaches, and we discovered Gracie LOVES the beach and the ocean.

It was her first trip to the ocean, and I'd say she looked like a California Girl with those blue eyes and blonde BLONDE hair! She ran right up to the ocean at Newport Beach and sat down. Whoops!



I tried my first "Cheese on a Stick" on the Santa Monica Pier and my first "Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana" at Balboa Village.


Playing on the Beach!


So I had to take this picture because "Fun Zone" is a bit of joke in our family. Back when Jody and I were at BYU, we were selected to travel to Peru with the Broadcasting department to help film a series of documentaries. On the overnight flight to South America, I was sitting next to Jody rocking out to my headphones. I turned to Jody, who looked bored, and said (in what I thought was a normal speaking voice.) "It's the FUN ZONE over here in seat 26 B!" Turns out I YELLED that...overcompensating for my loud music. People on the plane woke up to see what the Fun Zone was all about....and it was quite embarrassing. It was funny at the time. Maybe you had to be there! :)


Thanks California...we'll be back to visit soon!

So Much Personality at 15 Months!

Gracie is 15 Months TODAY! She's moving and running all over the place. She makes me laugh everyday. Here's what's new with her at 15 Months...

Taller Pigtails. Her Hair is growing more and more everyday.


Playing at the park! (She loves the wood chips!)


Longing for the wood chips!


Necklaces! She puts them on...takes them off. She even wears them during her bath. Why sacrifice fashion during bath time...right?


Sometimes it gets complicated....


We love you Gracie.
Or as Jody calls you..."Grace-Of-Base"!

Lots of Love to Go Around...

Many of you know that during my Pre-Jody years, I occasionally called Valentines Day "Stupid Cupid Day"! This year, there was nothing "stupid" about it. Jody and three of his friends surprised all the wives with a Valentines Getaway to Bear Lake.

We stayed at the Tait Family Cabin in Fish Haven. You can tell the boys really thought this one out.


They had some serious V-day decor, with a rose by each of the ladies' plates and a note from their man! They made us a delicious dinner. From appetizers to the chocolate cake dessert...we were loving every bite! KC wrote up the menu. It was quite clever. If you didn't think crackers could be "flirtatious" or Spinach Leaves could be "sexy" - You're wrong! The menu said it - and it tasted perfect!


The Boys: The guys: K.C., Jody, Roommate Jeff, and Tall Jeff.
(Didn't know the Jeffs had these descriptions before their names until this trip. I have so much to learn about Jody still!)


The Girls: Natalie, Brittany, Sally, and Chiante


The Babies: Maycee, Dreyden, Gracie


Jody and Tall Jeff went sledding/tubing behind the 4-wheeler in the cold snow, while the rest of us stayed inside the cozy cabin.


And Valentines Day was extra special - because it included Gracie. She adds so much joy to our lives!


Thank you to the guys for taking the time to plan something so special for all of us girls. We had a blast staying up until 2 a.m. laughing at all the crazy stories everyone had to share.

And Jody...sure our relationship isn't perfect - but whose is? We are a great team. You complete me, and I love and appreciate you.

It Could Save Your Life...

I have a new appreciation and gratitude for Carbon Monoxide Alarms. Earlier this month, I came home after a day of errands with Gracie to our smoke alarms screaming. Immediately, I made the assumption that this was a malfunction. There was no smoke in the house, so clearly the alarms had gone off by mistake. When I got on a chair to silence the alarm, I saw that our alarms are both Smoke AND Carbon Monoxide detectors. I felt terrified realizing there must be CO gas in our home.

After a few anxious phone calls, the Lehi Fire Department showed up to test our home. They concluded it was unsafe to be inside, and we were evacuated. The next few hours were filled with visits from the paramedics, Lehi Police, and Questar. (Talk about getting to know your neighbors - just have a flashing fire truck arrive in front of your new house!) :)

Questar Gas determined the CO gas was coming from our furnace. He read levels at 4,000 ppm of Carbon Monoxide inside the furnace. (70 ppm causes a headache, fatigue and nausea. 1,000 ppm causes a coma after prolonged conditions, and levels above 4,000 ppm causes rapid death.)

We never expected anything like this to happen. Who does? Right? Especially with a brand new furnace. However, you never know where there might be an unsafe distribution of CO gas because it's colorless and odorless...and also deadly. Carbon Monoxide can build up in fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters; also engine-powered equipment such as portable generators and fireplaces...So PLEASE, check your current CO detectors. Make sure they are working properly. If you don't have some - buy them! I saw them at Costco yesterday for 30 bucks! Well worth the investment. It's frightening to think what would have happened if we hadn't had working alarms. We feel overwhelmed with gratitude. And we're perfectly fine now. The furnace has been cleaned out, equipped with new orphasis valves, and checked and re-checked. Our home is again safe, and we have thankful hearts!

Four Years and Loving It!

Jody and I celebrated our Four-Year Anniversary on February 4th. We went out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. (So Yummy!) Thanks Jeff and Lacey for watching Gracie while we went out!

It sounds trite...however the time really has just flown by! We've been through a great deal in the past four years, and there's no other person I would want to share the rest of my life and eternity with other than you Jody!


Cheers to us!

This picture was taken shortly before we were engaged. Who are these much younger looking people with no dark circles or tired lines under their eyes??? Come back...I beg you come back! :)


Thanks for an amazing four years sweetie!