Abby's First Easter Egg Hunt

A few of the moms in our ward got together this morning and had a Easter egg hunt for our little kids. Abby would not let her easter basket go. Even though it was way to big for her she has been carrying that thing around all week. 

Abby cruising over to the easter egg hunt with the other kids. 

Abby doing her funny little walk around the play ground. Even though she is so much smaller than the other little kids she wants to be right in what they are doing. It really makes me nervous sometimes, but she always seems to handle herself well. 

All of the kids together. Abby refused to stand any closer to the group. She is an individual for sure.

Abby picking up her eggs, she got a grand total of six eggs. She was having so much fun watching everyone that she was getting distracted from the main objective of picking up eggs. 

She was thrilled once she realized what was in the eggs. This is her and her friend carter going through their eggs. 

Her huge basket, with only a few eggs!

When we got home Juliet went down for a nap and it was such beautiful day that Abby and I put our patio set to good use and had a picnic. Notice the chocolate on her cheek... she was pretty much full of candy and didn't eat very much of her sandwich. 

Showing me her egg. This little girl is the sweetest little thing. She always has something funny up her sleeve to crack me up. 

** If you are wondering where Juliet is in all of this fun stuff, she was strapped to my chest during the egg hunt. She was really enjoying herself sucking on the baby bjorn and watching all of the kids. Then she passed out in carseat on the way home so she was upstairs taking an nap during lunch time. 

Estes Park - Spring Break 2013

For Kyle's spring break a couple of weeks ago we went up to the mountains to Estes Park. It is a really cool little mountain town that kind of reminded us of Sedona. We stayed in these sweet cabins with some of Kyle's dental school friends and their families. 

Our cabin was really nice. We upgraded ours and after seeing our friends cabins that didn't upgrade we were so glad we did. We spent most of our time inside our cabin with the girls so we were glad it was so nice. It snowed the first night we were there, but by the next day it was all melted and the sun was out. The problem was the freezing cold, hurricane style wind that blew the entire time! We definitely want to go back in the summer time so we can really hike around and enjoy the mountains!

Abby didn't mind getting bundled up and playing out side. Her nose and eyes would be watering but she loved every second of it. 

This is a sweet picture of the wind picking up the snow. It kind of shows you how cold it was.

Juliet does not like hats, coats, gloves, extra blankets, or being outside in general. So she wasn't crazy about going for walks in the bitter cold. 

There was a miniature golf course that was free to play at as much as you wanted. It was really convenient because it was right next to our cabin. Kyle and Abby played out there a lot, even in the wind. Abby loved hitting the balls around our cabin.

We saw all of these deer and some huge elk while exploring the main street of downtown Estes Park.

Kyle and Abby out playing mini golf. I would watch them from the window while I was in the cabin with Juliet. Abby looked so cute holding her golf club and ball and following her dad around. 

We had such a fun trip. We had dinner with one our friends one night, and then we had all of the families over for ice cream sundays at our cabin another night. It was so fun to get to know them a little bit better.Kyle played pool and foosball and I did a lot of reading and relaxing.  This was a really special trip because it is our first official Kyle and Natalee Cordner family vacation. Every other vacation we have been on since we have had Abby has been with family. This was just our little family and it was really fun. It was nice to get out of the house and go on an adventure. We love these two little girls so much. I think that this picture might be my favorite family picture yet. The girls' faces are priceless.

This is just outside the entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Forest. We wanted to just go up and drive around for a little bit, but it was $20 for a 1-7 day pass. We just wanted to be in there for 20 minutes while Juliet napped. So we stopped off at a visitors center and looked around for a little bit.

It was such a fun trip, full of good family memories. The rest of spring break was really nice too. We just relaxed and played. The day Kyle went back to school Abby was really sad. When I got her out of bed she ran into our room and yelled "daddy"! When she didn't see him she started looking around our room and bathroom saying "daddy whe aw oo?" Kyle is such a wonderful dad and husband. We are so grateful he planned such a fun trip for us! I can't wait to go back there again when it is warm and green!

3 months and 22 months

This little girl is 3 months old. How did time go by so fast? I have to admit those first 3 months are really difficult for me. You are both trying to figure each other out. This time with Juliet was especially hard because I didn't have all of my family around for support, and I still had little Abby to take care of. But we have survived it and life is getting easier and more wonderful by the day. 

Juliet, you are the sweetest little baby I have ever met. You have such a calm, sweet demeanor. You will watch me as I'm folding clothes, playing with Abby or working in the kitchen. As soon as I look at you, you break into a huge smile and start babbling at me. It always stops me in my tracks and makes my day. I introduced the bumbo the other day and you enjoyed it for a little bit. Your big sister loved you in it and always is demanding I put you in it so she can easily play with you.

My sweet Abigail. You are 22 months almost 2 years old! I can't hardly believe it. You are such a darling girl. And you adore your little sister. I am so grateful for all of the love that you have shown her. She loves watching you, and she is always smiling when you are talking to her and hugging her.

I hope that you always stick close to her like you do right now. She is going to need your feisty personality to help protect her. 

Abby, you always know how to make me laugh. Your little faces and the new words that you are learning everyday crack me up. You know that all you have to do is say "cookie" and it melts my heart so you get as many cookies as you want.

Although most of your days are spent throwing tantrums I still love to be around you.

You are beautiful little girl inside and out.

My dearest Abby and Jules,

I am so grateful for both of you. You are teaching me to be a better mother and a better person. I love being with both out you and getting to know your special spirits. Its been a big adventure and I know I have many more mountains to climb as you both grow but I know that you will be with me and supporting me. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father sent you both to me.

I love my little buddies!

So grateful

I feel like I need to write a post about all of the many blessing I have in my life. I have been so grateful lately for all of the many blessing my Heavenly Father has given me. He has also given me many challenges, and I feel like I have been facing a lot of those challenges these past few months. Because of these challenges I have been even more grateful for my blessings.

My first and greatest blessing in my life is my husband. I will work my entire life trying to deserve that man. He is the most incredible, selfless, understanding and hardworking man I have ever met. He will always drop anything to be right there to help me. He has three finals this week and is planning on spending all day and late into the night at the school. But if I texted him and said I need you to come home, he would. He wouldn't even ask why. I love that about him. His family always comes first.

I'm so proud of how hard he works, and how much he values the hard work that I do. He always says thank you when I make dinner, or when the house is clean. My line of work isn't the most glamorous but he always helps me see the value of what I do. He makes me feel beautiful and confident. He makes me laugh. He is giving me the most wonderful life to live. I don't know what I would do without him.

My next greatest blessing is my beautiful little girls. They are my entire world. They make me laugh, they make me feel loved. They are beautiful and sweet. Abby has taught me so much about patience, forgiveness and true love. Jules has added even more to the love I feel every day. She brings me so much peace. My favorite moments of the day are dancing in the kitchen with Abby, playing hide and seek and singing her favorite songs. She makes me feel like a super star when I'm around her. I love her. Both of my girls love me unconditionally with all of my faults. I am their mother, they need me. And that feels so good. I smile every night when I'm falling asleep thinking of the sweet smiles I will wake up to. I never knew I could feel so much love in my life.

I am so grateful for my extended family. I'm so proud of my little brother and how hard he is working in the MTC. I'm so grateful for my parents and how wonderfully supportive they are. I'm grateful for my little siblings. They mean so much to me. I am so grateful for all of my inlaws. They have made me feel like a real member of the family. I am so grateful for the strong relationship I have with them.

I am grateful for my good health and the good health of my family. We are so blessed in that area.

I am grateful for my home. Its is a beautiful home and I can't believe I live here.

I am grateful for my education, and the right I have as a women to be educated.

I am grateful for this opportunity we have to be living Colorado. Its been an adventure. I'm learning a lot about myself and stretching my comfort zone.

I'm grateful for the friends that I have been making. I am not very good at making friends, but its been easier since we've moved her. I'm grateful for the support system that I am building.

I am so incredibly grateful for the gospel in my life. I am trying harder and harder to live it everyday. I want to be the best I can possibly be and I know the way to do that is through the atonement.

I know this is kind of a deep post, but I've just been feeling like if I didn't write all of this down I would forget how many blessing I have. This is only an extremely small list. But its a start. I want my kids to read this one day and see how blessed we have always been as a family. I want them to know how much I love them .

On a lighter note, one big thing I have been grateful for lately is Duck Dynasty. It makes my entire day when I watch it. I don't know how long its been since I laughed that hard at a television show. Good Stuff. 

Grandma Great's Funeral

On February 27th my great grandmother passed away. A couple days before she had been hospitalized because she was having problems with her heart. She had a heart valve that wasn't functioning properly. The doctors knew that there was nothing that they could do, so they sent her home so she could be more comfortable. We all knew that it was just a matter of time before she passed. So when I woke up to a text message less than a week later I wasn't surprised, but I was very sad. 

I wasn't extremely close to my great grandmother. She could be kind of grumpy and wasn't always the biggest fan of young children. But she lived right next to my grandma and grandpa so she is in most of my childhood summer memories. It was so sad to see my great grandfather mourning his wife. He is the sweetest old man, and now he has to be without his sweetheart for a little while. So sad. 

It was a crazy drive, its about 5 hours in summer weather from us to Roosevelt. With the snow and traffic it took us about 6 hours. Abby watched the same Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Little Einstein episodes over and over and over again. But she was a really good girl. I was very pleasantly surprised. We had plenty of kit-kats and smarties so we were all happy. Jules was an angel, as usual. She would eat, lay happily in her carseat, and then fall asleep. She started getting fussy about a half hour away from my grandparent's house and Abby was done about 15 minutes before we got to my grandparent's house. So it wasn't too bad. At one point they were both asleep at the same time and Kyle and I felt like we were on a road trip as a newly wedded couple. Back when we looked forward to road trips and didn't dread them. 

The girls were both pretty good while we were there. I think little Jules got a little overwhelmed by all of the people. Abby loved it, she loved the attention and all of the kids and the new toys and seeing her grandparents and aunts and uncle. They were great on the way back too. Even though it took us 7 hours because of the horrible traffic in the canyon. Colorado has horrible traffic. One of my least favorite things about living here. But we survived and made it home in time for some naps and for kyle to take his practical the next morning. 

The funeral was beautiful and it was so fun to see all of my family. I learned things about my great grandmother that I didn't know before. She had about 7 different vacuums and she used each one for a specific purpose. Her house was always perfectly clean.

My grandfather bore his testimony during the funeral and it was absolutely amazing. I'm so grateful for families, and the love and support the give. My great grandmother leaves behind 4 children all active members of the church. Tons of grandkids and great grandkids just about all active in the church and 4 great great grandchildren. What a wonderful legacy to leave behind. I hope that my children will always cherish this gospel. It means so much to me, and it brings me so much joy and peace.

I love it. I want to always try and be better. I know I'm not perfect, and I never will be, but I want to be the best wife, mother and friend that I can be.

I am so grateful for the life I am living and for all of those people that are in it. 

Around our House

We play with pipe cleaners

We color with chalk

We hang out

We go on date nights. (we love our new date night group)

We dress up like princesses

We celebrate Valentines day with these delicious things! My husband rocks!

We go to church and look cute.

And we watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse when we don't feel good.

2013 is off to a good start!

Sister Love

Poor little Juliet. She is a little sister... I think her face conveys how she feels about this.

Abby will do anything to get to her little sister. If she squawks Abby is right there to hug her and give her kisses. "Oh Jules" is one of her favorite things to say. She will bring me Jules' binky if she sees it somewhere.

Abby decided to photo bomb Juliet's 2 month pictures.

Can I sit here?

Ok. Thank you.

Sometimes Jules isn't very compliant with what Abby wants her to do. So Abby just forces her to do it anyway. 

Sister talk.

Abby is really good at sharing with her. Toys, snacks, drinks. I hope that she continues to be so willing to share with her sister.

Abby loves, loves, loves to hold Jules. She would do it all the time if I would let her.

I am beyond grateful for the love I've seen Abby give her little sister. If Abby will give Jules her distance when she is trying to play with her Jules will smile at her. Melts my heart and about makes me cry every time. I was so nervous for how Abby would react to this new little person stealing my attention away. But it was a wonderful transition for Abby. I feel like there is just more love and happiness in our home now. For now. I wonder how their relationship will progress over the years. I hope that they are close, that they will stick up for each other and that they will love to play together.

I sure love them with all my heart!