2012...A Year in Review

It is crazy to think that it is already 2013?! Where has the time flown?? 2012 was a great year for our family, a year of many firsts, and definitely a year to remember.

In January, Peyton kept us entertained constantly with her deep belly laugh and never-ending giggling! Everyone would tell us what a happy baby she is...we knew we were blessed.

In February, Peyton cut her first two teeth and started to crawl. She also had her first bite of solid food. It was a big month for us!

In March, Peyton started getting into EVERYTHING as she really could get around. She also learned to wave...we loved it!

In April, Peyton learned "Mama," "Dada," and "Nana." She also would repeatedly say, "Oh no!"

In May, Peyton continued to put everything in her mouth. It was this month that she discovered her infamous plastic french fry. The two of them were nearly inseparable.

In June, Peyton was really confident about standing and would try to run...and then, she would laugh at herself each time as she would fall down. 

In July, Peyton's cousins, Alex and Genne, decided they had had enough of us after living with us for four months. They moved into their new home and tried to sell Peyton. We were happy for their new adventure, but sad to see them go!

In August, we spent time at the Denver Temple, teaching Peyton about the importance of eternal families. She also learned to fold her arms during family prayers and took her first steps.

  

In September, we visited Grandpa and Grandma Vinton on their mission. It was really fun for us to spend time with them, touring the Willie Site. Peyton also discovered her love for gymnastics and started doing floor routines anywhere she wanted...at home, at the store, but usually at church. She also broke teeth 11 and 12.

October was a big month for us! Peyton turned one, we had a fun "Pretty in Pink" party, she started REALLY walking, and we dressed her up as a bumblebee for Halloween. In October, she also started blowing us kisses. Melts. Our. Hearts. Every. Time.

After much effort, Peyton finally started catching on to sign language in November. Life got much easier for us! She also discovered her love for "Little Pookie." We read her Pookie books now 4-5 times a day. Yes, all of them. Definitely her favorites.

In December, Peyton had her first encounter with Santa Claus...and she bawled! Classic. We also got to spend the Christmas season with all of Peyton's grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We made sugar cookies, decorated gingerbread houses, and played in the snow. It was a season to remember!

We feel incredibly blessed for all that we have. Wonderful family and friends, the Gospel, a home to live in, a wonderful job, and...our incredibly fun, beautiful, lively, and smart little monkey. 

We are anxious to see what is in store for us in 2013!

Life Lately...

Peyton is truly our world. And we love it!! She is a dynamic, lively, entertaining, incredibly happy little girl. She keeps us on the go and always puts a smile on our faces. She loves touching, tasting, and exploring everything she sees. She loves strangers as well as familiar faces and will try her best to keep your attention for as long as she can. She loves to dance, jump, "run," and climb! Never a dull moment with this little one! We are so grateful to have been blessed with such an amazing little girl!

In addition to our little baby....

• Brian still works at Backflip Studios, and loves it. We feel so lucky to be a part of such a great company with such incredible employees! Backflip Studios creates fun games for Smart Phones. You should check them out!
• I am fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom, and I love it! I look forward to each day I get to spend with our sweet Peyton!
• Brian was recently released as the Executive Secretary and now serves as the Assistant Scout Master. I, also, was released from Young Womens and now am serving in the Primary Presidency. We loved our previous callings, and we love our current ones. We are truly blessed.
• We have an amazing network of people in our lives; awesome friends and family. We fill our free time mostly by spending it with others. 

Really, life is good! And we are loving every minute of it!!

why i love being a mom...

becoming a mom is one of those life-changing situations that words just don't do justice. it's one of those opportunities that you simply have to experience yourself in order to comprehend the joy and fulfillment involved in caring for a precious child. when i decided to quit my job to be a stay-at-home mom, i was surprised at how many people didn't support my decision. i guess they must not understand how incredibly wonderful being a mom truly is. and so for all you out there who think being a mom is a waste of time, a foolish choice, or an unimportant role...this is for you. and for all you moms (and dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents, guardians and friends) out there who are lucky enough to know the love of a child...this is for you, too; a sweet reminder.

a few reasons why i LOVE being a mom:

i love being a mom because every day i get to watch her learn new things...like how to roll, or play peek-a-boo, or try to eat (everything!)...and i feel so proud for each of her successes, and even her failed attempts

i love being a mom because a small, precious, gummy smile can turn any bad moment right around

i love being a mom because she laughs at my silly dances and smiles (not cries) when i sing

i love being a mom because i know how to make her laugh...that infectious, deep from the belly laugh that is sure to leave you laughing

i love being a mom because i love the feeling of having a sweet baby fall asleep in my arms

i love being a mom because i love the sense of wonder and adventure i see in my daughter. every day i watch her discover new and exciting things. her latest favorite: tupperware lids

i love being a mom because i feel like a hero. i know i can comfort and protect my baby from her fears (vacuums, falling, big dogs)

i love being a mom because i get to play dress-up. they make the cutest clothes and accessories for baby girls!

i love being a mom because i look forward to each day and the opportunities i will have to interact with my sweet baby girl. it's funny, but i get sad when i have to let her sleep. who knew you could miss your baby just while she's asleep?

i love being a mom because i love the coos, the giggles, the "ahs" and other fun babbles i get to listen to each day.

i love being a mom because there is nothing like watching your daughter's eyes light up when you walk into the room. i think this is what "pure joy" feels like

i love being a mom because time seems to slow down when we go for a walk, or lie on the carpet and look at each other, or just rock in our rocking chair and read books together

i love being a mom because my daughter can make any moment special. and she does.

i sure love you peyton!!

So, it's been a while...

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to be better about blogging. We'll see how I do. As much as I would like to be a good blogger...my track record isn't the greatest. Since I last wrote, A LOT has changed. Brian graduated from the Art Institute of Denver and was then hired by Backflip Studios where he works as an animator, designing games for I-Pods/I-Pads. He LOVES his job and co-workers; I have never seen someone so happy to go to work and still so happy when he returns home. Such a blessing!! Right around that time, he was called to be our ward's executive secretary. He has a crazy busy schedule, but we feel the blessings in our home from his service. I, gratefully, still serve with the young women. What an awesome calling! I love the girls in our ward--37 and counting. However, I had a major change in my lifestyle when I quit my full-time job in early October...to stay home to take care of our sweet baby! That's right, Brian and I are parents!! We have an adorable baby girl who adds so much fun and joy to our lives.

We found out we were expecting a little over a year ago, and our lives have never been the same (in a very good way!). The months leading up to Peyton's birth were slow, but the months since have been flying by! She turned 4 months old this weeks!?! I cannot believe how fast she is growing up.

Peyton enjoys many things: Warm baths, sticking her feet in her mouth, our cheers each time she rolls over, pacifiers, bubbles, pulling my hair, her blanket, the book "One Thumb, Two Thumbs," being held to stand up, cuddling...the list goes on. She has just started the "belly laugh." All of you experienced moms and babysitters and aunts know what I'm talking about. Once she starts, I will do whatever I can to keep it going. It is SO cute. Her other new favorite pastime is receiving attention from strangers. Our little baby hams it up every time she realizes someone is admiring her. She smiles big and giggles for them. Such a crack up!

Brian and I feel very blessed to have such a sweet baby! And we feel so blessed to have each of you in our lives. I promise to try harder to keep you all updated. Until next time...

2010: At a Glance

A LOT has happened for our little family over the past year!! Here are a few highlights.

In January, we celebrated Brian's 27th birthday. Look at that fire!! We also took our engagement photos and made a lot of wedding plans. It was a busy month--but a great way to start off the year!

In February, we went down to the Colorado Mountain Zoo with Blythe, Sam, Josh, and Dane. It was a blast! We had a great time reuniting with our wonderful friends and loved spending time seeing all the fun animals. We even were able to feed the giraffes!


In March, we were sealed at the Denver Temple for time and all eternity!! We couldn't have asked for a better day...everything was perfect! We really appreciated all the love and support we received from our family and friends!

In April, we honeymooned in Hawaii and tried to see it all--from the beaches, to the Polynesian Cultural Center, to the Laie Temple, to Pearl Harbor. We even saw a giant sea turtle when we snorkeled in Hanama Bay! After a week in the sun, we came home and went back to school and work and life...but this time, we were doing it all together.
In May, we went on a miniature train ride with our niece and nephews--Kate, Michael, and Eric. The train was handmade by a family friend, powered by burning coal, and it went surprisingly fast.

In June, we spent a weekend babysitting some of our favorite boys from the Berthoud Ward (Joseph, Samuel, Andrew, and Spencer DuToit). We caught a frog, played in their costume box, had races, and spent time exploring their farm. It was a weekend to remember!

In July, I spent a week up at Camp Batel with my ward's wonderful young women. I had a great time getting to know all the young women in a different light. I sure love those girls! Meanwhile, Brian aced his finals and manned the fort--what a great husband I have!!

In August, we had to say goodbye to our sunbeam class as we were given new callings. I was called to be our ward's Young Women's First Counselor and Brian was called as the Assistant Ward Mission Leader. We LOVE our new callings, but we sure miss our sunbeams! These are a few of our little rascals.

In September, we spent a weekend down in the Springs visiting Jim and Lisa. While we were there, we went to an outdoor Penny Arcade in Manitou that had every game you could think of! I highly recommend going there if you are ever looking for a fun date idea!
In October, I completed the quilt I was making for my sister's new baby. Considering I have only made one other quilt ever, this was a big deal for me. We also had fun celebrating our first Halloween as a couple and have started discussing ideas for our costumes for next year.
In November, we went to Utah to spend Thanksgiving with my extended family. It was fun to be able to introduce Brian to some of my family members he hadn't met yet. Everyone sure seemed to love him...especially my younger cousin who wouldn't leave his side.

In December, we had the BEST Christmas ever! All of our siblings and all of their kids came to Colorado to celebrate the holiday. We even were able to meet our newest nephew, Tyler Jay. We really couldn't have asked for more!

We feel so blessed to have had such a wonderful year and are anxious to see what 2011 brings!

The Love of a Family...

"In a world of turmoil and uncertainty, it is more important now than ever to make our families the center of our lives and the top of our priorities." -Elder L. Tom Perry

Last month, Brian and I celebrated our 6 month anniversary!! I cannot believe how fast time is flying!? We love married life and enjoy being able to spend so much time together. It is so fun to have our own little family! As cliche as it sounds, every day is truly better than the one before. How lucky I feel to have married such an incredible man!!

We also enjoy being able to spend some time with both of our families. Brian and I LOVE having them here in Colorado and feel really blessed to be able to see them as often as we do! (However, it also makes us really miss our siblings who live far away!) Here are some of the things we have done with our families over the past few months:

Katelyn raised pigs through 4-H again this year. They were so tiny and cute when she first got them! We were able to go help feed them sometimes and loved watching them grown! Who knew pigs liked animal crackers so much?! Brian and I also enjoyed watching Kate show her pigs at the 4-H fair. It's still so funny to me to think of our family raising pigs!

We loved being able to be here for Katelyn's Prom and Homecoming dances this year. Katelyn, Sarah, and I have always loved helping each other get ready for school dances--there's nothing like having two sisters to help you with your hair, makeup, and accessory selection! I sure do love my beautiful sisters!

Brian also got to have his part in the fun...taking pictures of all the excitement! :)

Brian and I were able to celebrate both of my parents' birthdays with them, which was a lot of fun. I have had a lot of fun improving my cake-making skills. I can thank the Food Network Channel for inspiring me. And of course we had to make sure we used the right number of candles on their cakes. :)

We were also able to celebrate some memorable birthdays with Brian's family. Our cute little niece, Genne, had her first birthday this summer, so Matt, Suze, Alex, and Genne came out to Colorado to celebrate with us! We even had a Mariachi band play for her when we went to Casa Bonita. :)

Our oldest nephew, Eric, turned 8 this year! We felt so touched that he invited us to participate in his baptismal program! We are so proud of our little nephew and for the good choices he has made so far in his young life!

We also had a blast with Josh, Beth, Jackson, and Megan, when they came to visit us. I cannot believe how big Jackson and Megan are getting!? Jackson is such a crack-up, and kept us all laughing with his funny gestures and faces...definitely a Burgess!

Brian and I feel so blessed to have such wonderful families! I truly know that our family members are given to us for a purpose, as I have seen on many occasions. How lucky we are to know that our families can be together forever!