Our Easter Weekend

Easter was great for us this year. We stayed in Cedar City. We really wanted to go to Ephraim but Ray was unable to go. We were happy to find that Cedar did put on a Easter Egg "Hunt" for the public Saturday morning.

Growing up we usually did our festivities on Saturday and then celebrated the true meaning of Easter on Sunday, so we decided to carry on the tradition. Earlier in the week we colored eggs with Ray's siblings. Mady had a blast. I unfortunately did not get any pictures of that night. But here are our eggs. Mady loved putting on the glitter with her princess stickers. I didn't do much for Easter this year for Mady. She had just had her birthday and was given so many presents. So I only got her a small Elmo stuffy and put it in her basket. She was so ecstatic, we had to bring him along to the Easter Egg Hunt.

There were so many people at the hunt. Mady was a little overwhelmed by everything and didn't want me to put her down. I tried to get her to pick up the eggs but she didn't want to do anything. So I helped her put a few in her basket and called it good. Here we are with her basket filled.Next I wanted to get a picture of Mady with the Easter bunny. Because we only grabbed a few eggs and called it quits while everyone else was still grabbing the eggs, there was no line for the Easter Bunny. I put Mady down and told her to go hug the bunny like the other little kids. She started to walk towards him, but then stopped turned around and started crying. So this is the closest thing we got to a picture of Mady with the Easter Bunny.We then decided to go home since there really was nothing left for us to do and Mady was telling us she wanted to go back to sleep. As we started heading towards the car Mady saw the playground and started running. So we played for a good 15 minutes. Other kids were all eating there candy and trying to get to the Easter bunny, but all Mady cared about was the slide and swing. Hopefully it will always be that way. Haha.When we got home I wanted Mady to see that there was actual candy inside the eggs. So I helped her open one. She got so excited and started opening all of them. It was so cute how every time she opened them she would say, "Look Mommy, candy!" After Mady's nap we took her for a picnic at the park. She loved every second of it. After playing for an hour or two, we headed over to some dirt hills for Mady to roll her eggs. I think it was the funnest part of the day for her.


It was such a great day and we had a lot of fun playing with Mady and making the day special for her. Sunday was equally as wonderful as we celebrated by having a wonderful Easter church meeting and then eating a wonderful dinner at Ray's sister's in-laws house.

Madelynn's Second Birthday

I cannot believe my little girl is two! TWO! I can't believe she's that old already. We had a really fun birthday for her though. She is obsessed with Yo Gabba Gabba and so we decided to have that as her theme this year. I didn't go all out like I did last year, mostly due to school and not enough time. But I was able to do some decorations for her. I didn't get a picture of her room decorations before I took them down but I took the idea from the picture with the balloons and tablecloths. It turned out cute.I was a little upset by the way her cake turned out and by the near end I was so fed up with it I didn't even bother putting more effort into the characters. But when Mady saw it in the morning she was so excited and knew exactly what I was trying to do. It was a little humbling for me. I was putting in so much work and getting so upset over something that was meant for her and she loved it even though I thought it looked awful. And really that is all that really matters - that she knew what it was. I don't make the best cakes in the world and I think I've come to terms with that. I hope to someday take a cake class that will fix that. But seeing her so happy over something I thought was horrid really helped me to see past my stupidity. I had a lot of fun deciding the different foods to make for her party. I thought it would be fun to use her colors (red, pink, green, yellow, blue) as to what to make for the refreshments. So for red I made smokies and salsa, pink was an icecream sherbert drink and jello salad, green was a green salad and a veggie tray, yellow was deviled eggs and chips, and then blue was jello jigglers. I also made a fruit tray with all the different kinds of colors. My friend Ada and her mom made the "Brobee" veggie tray for me. It turned out so cute!Here's a few pictures that I did take on the day of her party - unfortunately there's really not that many. But oh well. Notice her cute outfit though. I bought her a Yo Gabba Gabba shirt with the number two on it and then I made the tutu for her. I think it turned out great. She absolutely loves her shirt. She'd wear it everyday if I let her.Mady was given a TON of wonderful gifts that she loves! I wasn't able to get a picture of all her presents on that day. I decided that from now on I will take a picture with her sitting with all her presents so that we will be able to remember everything she was given that year for birthdays and for Christmas. But for now, you get pictures that I took just today haha. I had my Dad make Mady a kitchen set from an old entertainment center. He did such an amazing job! I still need to find a picture for the frame and then get some curtains in there so it looks like a window but that's a ways down on my priority list. It has been by far her favorite present. She LOVES washing her hands, her dishes, making food for her babies, cooking the food and stirring it. She spends hours just in there with her babies, which really helps me out. One of my favorite features of it, is the storage space. We keep all her books, miscellaneous toys, anything really in the fridge part. All the other drawers we use for her dishes and play food and so forth. But man do we love it!Mady was also given a princess table set, princess organizer and chair, princess baby highchair, bed, doll and stroller, tricycle, stuffed animals, a horse, bubbles, clothes (my favorite gifts!), and probably a whole bunch of other stuff I forgot. She also was given a fish, which we named Topher. She loves watching her fish, feeding it, saying hi. Its pretty darn cute. I will get a picture of him soon, but its one of those pretty beta fishes. Love it! Doesn't she look so grown up? Makes me sad. On her real birthday (the 26th) we took her out to McDonalds and let her run around there. She loves it so much. Everytime we go somewhere she always asks to go to McDonalds. She's not real big on the food (who is?), but she loves the playplace. And apparently so does my Mom and I. Haha, kids at heart!

Mady had such a great birthday and I want to thank everyone for making it such a special day for her! I love you so much Madelynn. You are turning into such a smart beautiful little girl and I couldn't be more proud to be your mother. You always know how to bring a smile to my face with everything you say and do. You are learning so quickly and amaze us by the things you catch on to. We love you so much! Happy birthday Madelynn Shay!

Thank You Presidents!

Presidents Weekend was exactly what we needed after such an awful week. Friday was my cleaning/lay in bed and watch chick flicks while Ray is at the school studying day. It was very nice. It got even better when Ray came home and suprised me with my favorite treat - Mt. Dew and Dill Pickle Seeds. He then stayed up till after midnight studying so that he could go swimming with Mady and me the next day.

Saturday was perfect also. We were able to take Mady to the pool. I couldn't beleive that she played for over two hours and still didn't want to go home. She screamed when we took her out to get her dressed. While we were changing her, she managed to slip away while but naked and made for the pool again. She's getting too smart for us.

We then decided to go out to lunch before we headed home to put Mady down for her nap. We stopped by McDonalds. We had to take pictures because it was our first family McDonalds trip. My parents would take us kids to McDonalds as a special treat. It brought back some good memories as I watched Mady eat her Happy Meal and play on the Playland.

That night, Ray studied while I had Ada over for a chick flick. We watched She's the Man - it was in the $5 bin at WalMart and I just had to get it. If you haven't seen it, you should. Its soo good!

Sunday was a good day too. Other than the huge snow storm that was blowing. I was also set apart as the Releif Society Visiting Teaching Supervisor. I'm excited for the calling and feel peace about their decision. That night, we usually have family/friend dinner with everyone. But Ethan, Kimberly, Justin were all out of town for the holiday. So we just had our neighbors down the streen, Paul and Kylie, join us. We had a nice little chat afterwards while Ray studied in his room. We then planned on going sledding the next day with them.

Sledding was way fun. We found some great hills to go down. It was also Mady's first time sledding and in her snowsuit. I'm not quite sure what she thought about sledding down the hills, but she loved being outside and playing in the snow.

We left early because Mady's hands were getting cold. When we got home we decided to make a snow fort like we did a year ago. Ada and her family were gone for the day, so it was perfect (they caught us last time because they were home and its hard to be quite while making one). Paul and Kylie came home soon after and saw us. They came over and started helping us.

It turned out great! Paul and Kylie even had some spray paint that we used.

The Munk's got home around 6 that night. They thought we were crazy for doing that. We had a nice family night with them and were able to watch the Bachelor. Which now I hate because my favorite girl, Kacie B., was sent home and he kept the witch - Courtney. Ugh. Ray made me feel better by playing two hours of L4D. Nothing like killing some zombies to relieve my anger! Haha. Hope you had a good weekend as well!

A little bit of everything...

I finally feel like I can blog again, now that my blog looks ten times better. I ruined it the other day trying to do different fonts. Thankfully, my friend Emily fixed it for me! And then I figure out how silly I had been in not even knowing there is a "Template Design" link to change everything! So I've been playing around with it. I'll probably change it back to what Emily had done because it was super cute.

These past few days have been crazy, amazing, fun, entertaining, frustrating....everything. Sunday was probably where it all started. We had such a wonderful time at church. Ray gave the lesson in Sunday school and did such a good job. We then had my sister, her friend and boyfriend over for dinner. Ethan and his girlfriend came too. It was so nice to visit with them all. I really enjoyed talking to Ethan's girlfriend, Amanda. She seems like such a fun girl. Hopefully Ethan will bring her over more.

Monday we had our Valentines meal/Family Night. Ethan came over and helped me make cookies and cupcakes for our valentines. Ada and her mom came over to help me make dinner which was much appreciated, since I was running behind. Our ward was doing a dinner and a dance for a fundraiser for the young women on Tuesday so I made Ray's favorite dish on Monday. We also had Ada and her family come over and eat with us. After we went over to their place for family night - which included watching the bachelor while the boys played on their gadgets. I also gave Ray his valentine present so he could have it for his clinicals at the hospital the next day. He loved it so much!

Valentines day was so wonderful. Ray made it so special for me. He had bought me so many wonderful gifts, including flowers and chocolates. We went to the dinner and the dance put on by the ward and then he was so sweet and had gotten tickets to go see The Vow. I was a little put out by the ending but overall it was a great show. I had a test the next day so I stayed up until 3 studying - and Ray stayed up with me. He must love me eh?During these past few days Mady has been crazy! We are starting the terrible/funny twos. She has been driving us nuts - everything from peeing on the carpet to putting on my mascara. Today I think topped it all though. We have our next door neighbors watch Mady on Thursdays and because they are right next door we have them just put Mady down for her nap here and take a baby monitor over so they can hear her. Well today Ray came home to find Mady not asleep but running around naked! She had somehow managed to climb out of her crib, take her clothes and diaper off, poop on the floor, and run around having the time of her life. Hopefully this won't be a reoccurring thing.

An Update

Remember when I told you that I would be posting more? Well that was a lie. I, however, will promise to blog at least once a month. That's not to hard right? Let's just hope I won't be swallowing those words later.

Things have been anywhere from nice and relaxing to crazy scary balling my eyes out. School has been going good so far. Ray is so busy all the time working hard on his school work. He has started his clinicals - which take his to every hospital in the area (Beaver, Parawon, Cedar, St. George). They have him do 12 hours shifts, which is normal nursing hours. School for me is going good. Just work work work, then study study study, then a class here and there (since most of mine are online). Wednesdays are my worst days. I go from 12-9. I have this 3 hour class, that is only once a week thank goodness, on Economics. Shoot me.

Mady is getting so big! I can't believe that I"ll have a two year old in a month! When did that happen? She is talking all the time. I love when she says her prayers, its just too cute. Hopefully I can record it one of these times. She's been doing good after our little scare just the other week. She had had a fever for 4 days when we rushed her into the ER late at night. She had a fever of 104 on one ear and 105 on the other. She had to have an x-ray for her lungs, a catheter to check her urine, two needles (one of them was supposed to be the iv but they didn't get it in so they just drew blood again), another iv which didn't work either and they started feeling her arm up with fluids (that was scary), and then some medicine, given anally, to help with the fever. Ray gave her priesthood blessing to help her with the pain and to help to doctors figure out what was going on. After all that, we finally were able to go home around 3-4 in the morning. The few days after she was still acting sick but her fever had broke and her cough was better. She is now doing better than ever!This weekend we were able to go home and attend my littlest sisters baptism and my second oldest brother's Eagle. It was so nice to be with the family and so see my relatives. Ray had Nursing Convention that was mandatory for his class, so unfortunately he missed the events. He did, however, was able to visit his parents. Hopefully we can make it up there soon to visit them. We miss them. I just can't believe how old my siblings are, though. My baby sister is eight! Nathan, my second to oldest brother, now has his eagle and is coming down to SUU in the fall. Its crazy how time can creep up on you. I loved spending time with my family and seeing Mady ever so happy (because of how spoiled she was). Hopefully we'll be able to go back.Other things we have been up to:

Swimming:
Mady loves going to our recreation pool. It has a cute kid area she loves playing in. I always love taking her and playing with.Going to the park:
I've been trying to go out more with Mady instead of keeping her inside where its nice and warm. Luckily it hasn't been too cold and we were able to enjoy a nice couple of days at the park.
Games:
We've been spending some good quality family time playing with our Kinect. Its been so much fun! We've also been playing some Left4Dead lately. Its so much fun playing with Ray and Ethan, and getting some of our close friends as well. Its wonderful!