The Big 30!!! Happy Birthday Krista!

 30 reasons why I love you:


1. You have the best personality of anyone I know.

2. You are the best mother to our little Whitney.

3. You have such a cute smile.

4. You are the best cook I know.

5. You make the best treats.

6. You take care of me when I am sick.

7. You are so good at making friends.

8. You are so nice to everyone around you.

9. You have the best looking hair.

10. You are such a good driver (as long as you are not in the back seat).

11. You have a very cute laugh.

12. Your jokes are funny as long as they are not funnier than mine.

13. You have such a good family.

14. You have such a strong testimony.

15. You are so good at sports (that is where the sports bra comes in handy).

16. You help Whitney to learn so much.

17. You are such a good housekeeper.

18. You are such the gardener.

19. You are good at collecting buckeyes.

20. You are good at looking after the well being of others.

21. You have such a great spirit.

22. You have the best looking (green) sweats.

23. You are a peacemaker.

24. You are kind.

25. You are fun to take on dates (even if it is to Best Buy).

26. You are a cute dresser (except for the teal shirt j/k i like the shirt).

27. You are True Blue through and through (that is BYU for you Utes).

28. You make me want to be a better person.

29. You are so giving.

30. And the #1 reason I love you is because you MARRIED ME!!



I love you Krista!  Have the best 30th birthday ever!!!

23 Weeks

Here's me last Sunday in my prego glory.  I seem to be getting larger every week.  That must be good.  This little guy is quite the mover and we are so excited to meet him (in January).  

Here's my little Whit pretending to sleep at the foot of our bed.  She's using the bedskirt as her blanket.   

If only...

We love our Dolly.

2 Year Update

I never did an official post for Whitney's 2 year update.  I know that it probably is only interesting to me and Bart- but I want to make sure not to skim over a very important milestone in my "baby's" life.


I decided to write my little Whitney a letter:

Dear Whitney June,

You officially aren't a baby anymore.  In love with Princesses, jewlery, dress up shoes and purses- you pretty much thinks you're a grown up now.  You love to put on a back pack or purse and say, "Go to school!  Be back in one minute, okay?"  You love Cinderella, Princess undies, your Princess backpack, and your princess jammies (and pillow).  You are such a girlie-girl but I love it.

You are full of spirit and you love to be right where the action is.  About a month before your second birthday, you started sleeping in a twin bed.  You hate that old crib (especially now that it is used for time-out).  You still have a hard time making it a whole week without waking up in the middle of the night for "Mommy!!!!" to come and lay next to you.  You love to snuggle and cuddle and put your face right up next to mine.  When you awake in the morning, or after a nap, you get out of bed, walk out of your room, shutting your bedroom door behind you, and quietly wait next to my bedroom door.  You are a cute cuddle bug in the morning while we wake up.

You have started eating more food (hooray!), unless you are sick or distracted.  If we take lunch to the park, you won't eat until the car-ride home.  I guess there's just too much fun stuff to do.  Your favorite place to eat is WENDY'S.  You've spotted every Wendy's Resturaunt around the Columbus area.  On the way to church each Sunday, when we are getting off the freeway, you see that Wendy's sign and say, "Wendy's right there!"  You love ice cream, chocolate chips, cookies and M&M's.  You are such a sweetie lover.  One of the healthy foods I can get you to eat is oatmeal.  It's turned into a daily staple for you- which I don't mind.  Lately, you've loved eating Gogurts and popiscles.  (In your words, "Popsicold")

You love babies, kids and your friends.  It's too bad you don't have a big brother or sister because you get so bored with me at home.  Luckily, you have good friends who you just can't get enough of.  At church, you beg the entire first hour to go to nursery.  You used to cry when I left you, but now you just want to be with your friends.  You love to play at Jadyn's house and are constantly knocking at her door.  You like to go on morning walks with me in the stroller, as long as you have a friend in their stroller next to you.  You love to chase and be with your friends.  You like to give them hugs and cuddles- but occasionally, you will get in some major squabbles.  It's usually some type of battle between toys.

You aren't very fond of men.  Things are starting to scare you.  At night before you go to sleep, and Daddy or I lay next to you, you love to talk about all the things that happened that day.  Often times, you repeat over and over how some man scared you.  "Man no touch you!"  "Man go home!"

Some of the things you love to do are swim, go to the zoo, color, play in the kitchen sink, go to the park, swing and go down slides.  When I push you in the swing you tell me to, "Do like Daddy does!"  Which means to push you really high in the air.

You love to play chase- especially with your Daddy.  He comes home and you guys tickle and tease one another.  He can make you laugh so hard.  He loves to tease you and you love to be tickled.  Sometimes you'll say, "Hey!  Stop do that!  That's my arm!"  You don't like it when he takes your kitty or your princess items.  He adores you and loves it when you tell him "I love you!"  You still like to joke around and love to tease us too.  When we ask you, "How much do you love me?"  You reply, "56" with a big smile.  Whenever Daddy is at school you say, "Daddy at school!"  You know that is where he goes everyday.  You are so sweet.  You love to watch him play soccer and help him fix things around the house.

You always want to be around other children and are very sweet to babies.  You will make a great BIG sister and we are so proud of you.  You are such a good little girl, and we are so glad you are forever ours.  You learn so quickly and are good with directions, and are growing up into a little girl.  You make us so happy and we love you.

Love,
Mom

Hair Removal

You know it's probably time to look into Laser Hair Removal when your 24-month-old walks into your room, grabs your magnified mirror and proceeds to imitate you by putting the tweezers to her chin.  

Yikes!  

The Pages

We just barely said goodbye to our visitors- the Pages.  Bart's sister, Laura and her family drove a LONG way to visit a short while.  We had a delightful time and got to do so many things.  Whitney was in heaven with four brothers who she kept tabs on every minute of the day.  "Cousins?  Cousins?"  They were all very cute with her and she had such a great time!

On Tuesday morning, we had our own tour of the Anthony Thomas Chocolate Factory.  The kids all loved their own chocolate Buckeye candies.  Here's a picture of the gang after our tour.

Then we stopped over to visit the grounds of the Columbus, Temple.  It was a beautiful WARM afternoon.  

Here's me & Whitney:

Everyone enjoying their suckers from the factory:

Whitney & s touching the temple.

The Pages:

Kids taking a peek:

Austin, Whitney & Preston:

On Wednesday, we went to the Columbus Zoo.  It was a fun trip and the PERFECT temperature. 

Austin & Bart watching the flamingos.  

Kids looking at the orangutans:

The lorikeets loved Austin:

At the aquarium:

The petting zoo:

On Thursday we went to Amish country.  It was nice having one of the boys ride with Whitney in the car.  It kept her quite entertained.  Austin is an awesome singer.  (High School Musical).  

Here is a drive-by shot of an Amish home:

The petting zoo:

Past & present.  Love the buggies:

It was sort of cold when we got there.  I forgot my sweater- so I used the car-blanket.

Feeding the farm animals:

Riding the ponies:

Love our little Buckeye:

We stopped at the Heini's Cheese Factory.  They had lots of free samples and fudge.  My kind of place:

Somebody was really tired when we stopped.  She slept like this for hours while we toured.  

Riding home with the Amish:

Thank you to Laura, Ron & their boys for driving all the way from Utah to see us!  We are sure lucky!  On Thursday night we were treated to a yummy dinner of Mexican food and a movie night.  Whitney absolutely LOVED having all those boys around.  Good thing she's getting a brother!  

Thank you so much for coming!  

Love you!

Grandma & Grandpa Paxton

We just had a marvelous visit from Bart's parents.  It was so much fun!  When Whitney saw Grandma in the airport she started running towards her to get a giant hug.  She was SOOOO happy they came just to see her (and us!).  We had so much fun and are sad the trip is over.  It's always fun when Grandma and Grandpa come!!!!

Having fun with Whitney's new bubble toy from Grandma & Grandpa:

Walking into the library to see Daddy studying:

Opening birthday presents from Grandma & Grandpa.  She sure got spoiled!  Whitney is SO into the Disney princesses.  She LOVES her new Cinderella toys:

And that Princess pillowcase is her favorite:

She only wants to sleep in her princess jammies:  (Her princess backpack is in one of the following pictures.  She just had to have it on her trip to Amish Country.)

Belaxing with Daddy... only a couple more days of finals:

Visiting the Park of Roses:

Grandpa & Whitney looking at the bunny:

On Monday, we went to the Columbus Zoo:

Afterwards, we ate at Wendy's.  I love my face in this picture. 

 I actually felt just how I look... ready to pass out.

On Tuesday, we visited the Anthony Thomas Chocolate Factory for our tour:

Then on Wednesday, we left to see Amish country.  

Here is Bart & Whitney at the free petting "zoo".

Grandpa loves feeling like a kid in this huge rocker made by a very large Amish man:

Belaxing in Amish country:

At the Christmas Shoppe:

Bart and Whit went on a little train ride at the Christmas Shoppe.  Whitney loved it.

Beautiful view outside of Der Dutchman restaurant:

We stayed at the cutest B&B.  It was called the Grapevine House and I highly recommend it.  We had our own little two bedroom house and the gardens were beautiful.  It was by far the CLEANEST hotel I've ever stayed in.  

In the backyard of the Grapevine House:

  

On Thursday, we went over to the Yoder farm after eating breakfast in Mrs. Yoder's kitchen.

Here we are on the swings while Grandma & Grandpa enjoy their tour without a 2-year-old rummaging through the Amish house:

The infamous buggy ride:

On Friday, the weather was a bit stormy, but we wanted to visit the Innis Woods Metro Park before our guests left.  It was beautiful and we got to enjoy things before the rainstorm really hit hard.

Bart & his Mama:

We miss you guys!  Thank you for treating us so well and being so much fun.  

Whitney is bored to tears without you!  

We love you!

Come back soon!!!

Whitney woke up this morning asking if you were downstairs.