She did it!!

Last Friday Payton finally passed her swimming class and has now graduated from bronze jr to bronze. I was so proud of her, she has had the ability to pass for a long time now, but it took the motivation of a new night gown and a different deck manager watching her for it to all really happen. She got to ring the bell and then get her medal and then later that night we all went to the Disney store and she got to pick out a new night gown. She picked a pink princess one and has wanted to wear it to bed everyday since. Yea for Payton, I wonder how long it is going to take her to pass the new class that she starts tomorrow?

I guess I really do like to run.

I never thought that I really loved to run. Running was just an easy form of exercise for me to accomplish a few times a week, because all you have to do is walk out your front door. Before I moved to Gilbert I use to run with my friends in South Phoenix a few times a week we would run for 30 minutes or so and that was good enough for me. I never really had a wish to run over 3 or 4 miles, but that has changed for me in the past year. Now I find myself running more and more. I usually run Tuesdays and Thursdays and then I usually run 11 to 13 miles every Saturday. I never thought that I would run over 6 miles, but I guess I though wrong. I enjoy running now, I find myself willing to wake up at 4:00 am to run before it is too hot. I really have come a long ways.

After I had Kayda I started running in order to try to lose some baby weigh. I usually ran a few miles in the evening and that was all I really had a desire to do. Swimming was always my preferred form of exercise, but it is hard to get to the gym with two little kids (especially when they do not take babies until they are 6 months), so I decided running would have to do. I ran a 5k with some friends in January and I have been running with them every week since. Right now three of my friends are running the in the St. George marathon, and I have been running with them whenever I can. I have not really ran over 13 miles, but today I told Reddin that maybe I do want to run a marathon at least once, just to say I have done one. I am thinking about running the big sur marathon in April next year. I never thought I would ever want to run a marathon, but now it is something I think about often. I think I enjoy running right now, because I am running with friends (so it is more social), but if I had a friend to run this marathon with I might just do okay.

Happy Birthday Kayda!

Today Kayda turned one! We had her birthday party this morning. We had donuts and let the kids play outside in a baby pool and on the slip-n-slide everyone had a great time. Kayda enjoyed her pink donut, all her presents, and playing outside in the water with her cousins. I think the party was a success and pretty stress free for me. After her birthday party she took a nap and then our family went to Peter Piper Pizza and then to Cold Stone Creamery (Kayda loves ice cream). We spend the rest of day just hanging out. My baby is one, really were does the time go?

She is walking

Kayda has been taking steps here and there for a few weeks now, but last weekend when we were in flagstaff she was walking a lot more and now she walks more then she crawls, so I guess I can say she is officially walking. She still falls down a lot especially when she gets excited, but she gets right back up. I am still having a hard time believing that my baby can walk and that she is going to be one tomorrow, but she sure is cute.

Flagstaff Trip

Kayda practicing her walking skills in flagstaff

This past weekend we went to flagstaff for a long weekend and we had a blast. Reddin took Friday off of work, so we went up Thursday night and stayed until Sunday. I had a great time running in cooler weather, scrapbooking, going to the pool, talking, eating good food and just hanging out. Payton and Kayda had fun, playing with their cousins, playing at the pool, playing miniature golf, going on walks, staying up way past bedtime, and hanging out with dad. Kayda starting walking really well while we were there and she keeps getting better everyday. I am so glad I went on this trip, last year I was not able to go, because I was days away from having Kayda, and this trip I was a little worried that we might be over crowded, but it all worked out good. I got 12 scrapbook pages done for Kayda's scrapbook (I am trying to finish her first year before her birthday) and I really enjoyed being in cooler weather and being with family.

All the older cousin's taking a bath in the huge Jacuzzi tub

Kayda loved playing in the little kids pool, it was just the right size.

Payton playing baseball

Rubba dub dub six kids in one tub

This last weekend we went to Eager with some friends and we had a great time. We played out side, eat great food and just talked. After we went and played at Sheep's Crossing for a few hours the kids got all muddy so they came back and all took a bath in a horse trough together. It was a tight fit, but it worked.

The past week and a half

We have been pretty busy around here for the last two weeks. First my sister-in-law Aubrey came home from her mission from Portugal on Friday the 17th. We all meet her at the airport to welcome her home.

Aunt Aubrey and Kayda

This is the shirt Aubrey brought home for Payton she liked it so much she wore it for two days and wanted to also sleep in it.

Next my niece Adele was born on Wednesday July 22nd. She is so perfect and tiny. We went to the Hospital and saw her right after she was born and then we went and played at the mall for a few hours.

Payton holding her new baby cousin Adele, she now would like a baby brother in our family

Next we went and played with Ava and Ella, for a few hours on Thursday. My girls had such a good time.

Ava and Payton playing dress-up

Ella and Kayda waiting to eat lunch, I think these two girls are going to be great friends.

Next Uncle Travis and Aunt Stephanie came to visit from Buffalo, so we have been going over to see them a lot. It is so fun to have all the cousin together for the first time. Uncle Travis and Aunt Stephanie helping Kayda get a drink. She really like Aunt Stephanie's cup and kept going after it.

Last on the list for now is Payton had her last dance class on Monday. They had a little recital and they got to wear the shirts they made last week. She was a little shy at first, but when they all danced together she did really good.Payton in after her dance class