yipee!

I started this baby book for Paisley months (maybe a year?) ago and I finally finished last night! I figured that if it didn't get done before baby number 2 gets here, it wasn't happening. 



One class I really regret not taking at BYU is bookbinding.  I heard the teacher was a tough grader.  I cared way too much about grades and not enough about learning.  Maybe one day I'll take a real class, but for now I just read some books on on the subject and decided to try an accordian style binding.  (Basically you fold a little paper accordian and glue pages into it).  I love that you don't have to decide how many pages you'll have or what order they'll be in until you're all done.  Here's a little peek inside.   

 

 p.s. are you digging the april fool's decor I woke up to?

missing nana already

Look at these two cuties.  We had a fun visit from Mama Smith this past weekend.  Paisley was thrilled to prance around in Nana's hats and high heels, be carried 24/7 (I haven't been doing much of that lately), and eat her very first piece of gum.  Aren't grandparents the best?

our secret garden

" 'Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities.  It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend . . . When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present--love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]--the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.' "

-Sarah Ban Breathnach quoted by Thomas S. Monson "Finding Joy in the Journey" Ensign November 2008

Beautiful, huh?  I'd been feeling the blues, but this quote snapped me out of it.  I've got a lot to be happy about.  Here's a little glimpse at our secret garden:



mini boat races

sweet paisley

desert adventures

  

fresh salad for dinner

almost 7 months!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.

Valentine's weekend in Las Vegas seems like the perfect time to go see some snow and remember what winter feels like.  Or maybe we just wanted to reminisce.  Remember the pregnant snow lady we made a couple of years ago?  Well, this year we were a little too late in the season.  Packing the snow was like trying to pack piles of dust. 

Here's Brandon's attempt at throwing a snowball.



We did manage to make these little guys though.



See the family resemblance? 

And here's a little peak at our Valentine's decor.  I fell in love with this coffee filter garland and wanted to make it at Christmas time.  No worries though, it fits Valentine's Day better anyway.  It makes me think of cupcakes all day long. 

Wishing you all a Happy day!

surrounded by her favorite things



Paisley typically spends a couple hours a day looking at books.  I know, I'm super lucky.  One of my goals for the new year is to request picture books for Paisley before making a trip to the library.  (We can request books online and in a couple of days they'll have them ready for us.  Does your library do that?)  It has been the best goal ever.  Paisley loves the variety and I've found some amazing books that weren't around when I was a kid. 

These are my absolute favorites so far:

In a Blue Room by Jim Averbeck
How to Make an Apple Pie and see the world by Marjorie Priceman
Little Hoot and Little Oink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Any other suggestions?  We're always looking for more!

baby's name is set in stone! (well, felt at least)

I finally finished the stockings I started before Christmas.  I guess that's one of the perks of Christmas coming every year.  We can pretend I'm just really early instead of a little late. 

I thought it'd be fun to make one for our baby boy as well.  Brandon and I fell in love with the name Sawyer last summer.  And I know that finding the perfect baby name has got to be one of the silliest reasons to have a baby, but it can sure put you in the mood.  We were so excited we even read his namesake aloud to each other.  I guess we just felt like there was a little Sawyer waiting to join us. 

p.s. We had a formal farewell to our little tree, so with that done and stockings stored we can finally say goodbye to Christmas . . . for a little while.

a sketchbook review of 2010

I love looking at the drawings in Brandon's old journals.  Sometimes he draws pictures of the big events in our lives, but most of the time he captures the simple everyday moments, times when we didn't have the camera, stories that would be forgotten if he didn't record them.  I thought it'd be fun to use some of his pictures to illustrate this past year. 

January

To preface this picture, you have to know that Brandon rides his bike across town once a week so I can have the car.  On this particular morning he popped his tire on a glass bottle and ran home to get the car while wearing a backpack and work shoes.  I think he's a superhero. 

 Brandon was released from his calling as Cubmaster and I was given his position.  As a farewell and thank you, all the little boys performed a banana cheer and we gave him a bunch of bananas (purchased with his own hard-earned money).  p.s. I've been loving my calling.

Paisley's favorite game is being chased around the house by Daddy

February

We went on a family canoe trip for Valentine's Day

 Suddenly hiking becomes much more entertaining when Paisley discovers Daddy's hair

March

One of Brandon's surprise dates for me was our own mini olympics in the living room.  Obviously I got the gold medal for figure skating.

My Mama came to town and spoiled us with her good cooking

April

Paisley Eden turned one! Her birthday "cake" consisted of a yogurt that she snuck into at the grocery store

Spencer (Brandon's brother) and Zoe were  married! At their wedding reception in Florida, we performed a little song about them floating away on a giant tomato.

Paisley learned to walk

May

 Brandon played sherpa on our first ever campout with Paisley

 Sometimes Brandon feels this big at work

June

Paisley loves looking at pictures of Jesus during her bedtime routine

July

 We celebrated my birthday with a canoe adventure

August

 We helped "chaperone" a tubing trip at Lake Mead with the young men and women at church

September

 Goodnight kisses for Paisley!

 While hiking at Mount Charleston, we took a little break to read Huck Finn and let Paisley explore

We took a road trip to Utah to watch a BYU game with Spencer and Zoe and visit with family.  Paisley likes to play a game called "let's see how long I can stay awake" when we're driving.  She's pretty good at it.

 Suspicions that baby #2 was on the way were confirmed!

October

 Why do they call it morning sickness when it lasts all day?

 Paisley loves to be tickled!

November 

 We had a lovely Thanksgiving with my parents, brothers, and Grandpa Kiser in St. George, Utah

 Teaching Paisley to identify body parts can be a painful pastime

November

 We celebrated Brandon's birthday with a road trip to Disneyland.  Brandon worked on driving less than 20 miles over the speed limit and I worked on biting my tongue. ouch.

 We a had a relaxing Christmas Holiday with family in Florida.  Everyone's favorite present was the new trampoline at the lake house.

It's a boy!

i.e. Brandon is super excited about snakes and campouts . . .