Daddy's Hat

In the past, Ashlyn has not really liked having things on her head. If we were to put a hat on her, we could pretty much guarantee that it would not be there 3 seconds later. Well, tonight Brad put his hat on her and she didn't take it off! Also, for some reason, wearing it must make her feel big, because she decided that she needed to walk all over the room with it on. It even fell off and she put it back on and continued walking. Here is a quick shot of her sporting the cap. I think it brings out the blue in her eyes!

Hike to Cecret Lake

Today Tiffany, Kyle, Ashlyn, and I took a trip up Little Cottonwood Canyon to a hiking trail that led to Cecret Lake. It was just past Alta Ski resort, nestled snugly in the beautiful mountains. The hike was about .75 miles each direction, but we managed to make it a little longer by taking the wrong trail (it was a steep one too) and having to backtrack a bit. The first picture is of our final destination, Cecret Lake. I thought it was beautiful and if it was legal, I would have loved to wade in it and perhaps swim in it. I bet it was pretty cold water though. The next picture is of Tiff and Kyle on the trail (we stopped to take pictures all along the way). After that is a shot of Ashlyn with the rock that she was sucking on - after I took that one away she started sucking on one in her other hand. Lastly, a picture of the cute kids hanging out on the blanket. They were great sports the whole trip! By the way, this was a great hike. Try it out!

Pioneer Day Party

Yesterday our ward had a Pioneer Day party. It all started with a parade across the neighborhood and led to the park where we had a potluck dinner and water games. Brad spent the majority of his time playing ultimate frisbee and I spent most of my time talking to other ladies and chasing Ashlyn around. There was a great turnout and we all really enjoyed it!

Playing with the Fan

On top of an end table in the family room we have this large fan. Ashlyn's new favorite place to visit is that end table. She likes to stand on it and play with the fan. I don't know why I think it is so cute. It is just so adorable to see her whole little body--I guess it just isn't a view we get that often!

Daddy's Tie

Brad took his tie off and left it on the couch. The next morning Ashlyn found it lying there and got very excited. She grabbed it and promptly draped it over herself like this. It looks to me like she is trying to figure out how to tie it. The cutest thing was that she kept it on for like half an hour--I finally had to take it off because I didn't want it getting all dirty. So, she was crawling around, playing with her toys, all while wearing Daddy's tie.

Clicking Away

Last night Ashlyn crawled under the this end table. Brad has some stuff for his laptop down there, and Ashlyn found the extra mouse. It is so cute because she obviously knew how to use it. I just think it is so precious how observant young children are.

Scary Monster

Ashlyn enjoys hiding underneath the blanket. Honestly, she doesn't seem bothered by it at all and when we would take it off her, she would put it on again!

Friday the Thirteenth

Since Brad and I were married on Friday the thirteenth, I consider every Friday the thirteenth to be our anniversary. So, tonight we celebrated our anniversary by viewing the fifth Harry Potter movie. I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed the film and look forward to seeing it again. Although it was quite different from the book, it was great in its own way. The fact that it was the first movie that I'd seen in a theater in almost a year didn't hurt either! What did you guys think of it?

Pasta Anyone?

No Place is Off Limits

Ashlyn loves to check out places she's never been before. Her new favorite place to explore is the computer desk. When I'm watching, I let her crawl around, stand up on, and "reorganize" the desk area. It is so cute to see her exploring, but I feel like my house is in a constant state of disarray. For example, I think the cupboard beneath our bathroom sink is 50% empty, with its contents strewn across the bathroom and bedroom floor. Also, everything in one of the lower kitchen cupboards has been relocated to the kitchen floor. Now I have a nice mess of pens and pencils to clean up at the computer desk too! I don't know how moms do it when they have more than one child!

Ashlyn Loves Oreos

11 Months Old

Ashlyn is 11 months old today! She is starting to take a few steps on her own and loves to investigate everything. She had a blast with her aunt and uncles and Grandma and Grandpa in Georgia. She is a very happy girl who waves and blows kisses to strangers in the airport, grocery store, or church. Also, she is the proud owner of 7 teeth! Grandma Buttle said yesterday, "she has more teeth than I do!"

Daddy and Daughter Reunited

It is so fun to hear Ashlyn laugh, and almost nothing gets bigger laughs than this game she plays with Brad. It's pretty simple really . . . he just puts her on the couch and she rolls off into his arms. She can't get enough of it, and we can't get enough of that adorable laugh! She also enjoys pushing her walker all over the family room and occasionally ramming it into Daddy!

We're Home!

After a 17 hour drive to Amarillo, an overnight stay at a hotel, and a day-long trip on planes, through airports, and by car Ashlyn and I have arrived safely home! We were so excited to see Brad, but we already miss family. Hopefully they are having a marvelous time at Philmont!