We made it!

Bailey was soooo good on the plane! Whew! What a relief. She kept looking out the window and saying Whoa! Me and Chris didn't sit together (UGH!) so we just traded her off halfway through the flight. Luckily it's a quick flight and she just basically colored the whole time.

The weather could not be better here! I love it and I wish I could talk Chris into moving here! (Not a chance.) Last night we went out for sushi and then came home and hung out with the fam. Bailey didn't skip a beat and was running around all over the place with her favorite cousin Owen. Today we are heading to San Onofre to go beach camping until Monday. If you haven't gone beach camping before, I highly recommend it, falling asleep to the sound of the waves on the shore is like heaven on Earth.

Obama

Obama winning is amazing to me. When he gave his speech it brought tears to my eyes and chills all over! Bailey thinks Obama is me, whenever we say his name she says "Mama!" and points to me. She is a cutie. This country needs a change and I really hope he can bring on that change. We will see, he has a lot of work to do, poor guy! Well I am off to California for 2 1/2 weeks to have some major parents/sisters/nephew/neice bonding time. I am so excited! I am sooo dreading the flight Bailey doesn't really like sitting still. Luckily Chris will be there helping me out! Please pray for us! :) To my favorite place in the world (the beach) here we come!!!

Happy Halloween 2008!

This year for Halloween we went to our friends Lane and Heather's house. Nick, Tracy, Brooklyn, Dave, Tiff and Kalon joined us for trick or treating. We had so much fun. It was Bailey's first real trick or treating experience and she totally loved it! She and her little buddies would run to the houses and she even said "Treat" at the doors. After we were done going from house to house we had a little party at Lane and Heather's house and the kids had a blast and definitely were on a sugar high. It was so much fun and all the kids looked so adorable! I really love our friends and I love that all the kids are so close in age! Happy Halloween!!! Here are a couple pictures and videos...

This year Bailey was an adorable penguin!

Watching "Bidsies" (Miss Spider's sunny patch) halloween dvdBailey and Chris @ his Grandma's house
Taking a nap on the way to see Grandparents...notice the blue sticky sucker all over her face :)
The cutest penguin EVER!
Kalon was Thomas the train
Brookie was the cutest little pirate!
Time for trick-or-treating!
Walking up to the door
Trick-or-treat!

Me and Tiff... she is 19 weeks pregnant! She is not even showing! This is the first year I didn't dress up :( Kinda sad!

Some cute videos of Bailey and Kalon trick-or-treating... Brooklyn wasn't there yet. These are pretty dark we had our regular video camera but I don't know how to get those videos on the computer so this will have to do...

Bailey loves to color...

On the couch...
We had our first pen experience a couple weeks ago as I was making Miss B her breakfast. I was shocked! This is a picture after I used soap and water and it wasn't working. Luckily I discovered that rubbing alcohol works wonders and you would never know the couch was Bailey's sketch pad at one time! I am sure this is the first of many art projects though :)

Catching up

I have been taking Bailey to a really cute class at the library called wiggle worms. They dance around and sing she loves it.

Here she is twirling around this girl could make herself dizzy all day long she loves it!
Under the parachute
Running to mama having a ton of fun!
Maraca time
Cute Bailey all bundled up to go jogging with mama! (My jogging stroller has 2 flat tires)
I promise I will try to keep up with the blog more! Happy Halloween!!! xoxo

I love fall

I grew up in California so we didn't see the full extent of what it was like to have the seasons really change. I moved to Utah 9 years ago at the end of summer and was delighted when fall came and all the trees changed to the most beautiful colors. I am still amazed by it. Yesterday Chris and I took a drive up to Brighton ski resort to see all the fall leaves it was so beautiful. We got out once we were up at Brighton and we saw a moose it was amazing and it smelled so yummy up there! I have to say I am not too excited about winter coming around the corner but I do LOVE fall and all the holidays that are coming up especially since Bailey kind of knows what is going on now. Today I put on her first little halloween shirt that has a cat on it and she was so excited to wear it she keeps saying kitty and trying to meow! What a doll.

Sad news

We had some horrible news over the weekend. Linda's mom, Twila, passed away due to complications from a sudden illness. This was such a shock to all of us because even at the age of 79 she was so healthy and vibrant. She really was such a beautiful and loving woman. I wrote recently about visiting Capital Reef National Park where they have preserved the house she grew up in, and this makes me really want to go back again soon to see it! Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers! Especially her husband, Duane who isn't doing too well. Here is her obituary:

Twila G. Mattsson
Twila G. Mattsson 1929 ~ 2008 Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and best friend died on September 13, 2008 at St. Mark's Hospital due to complications from a sudden illness.Twila Gifford Mattsson was born on January 9, 1929 to Dewey and Pernellie Gifford in Salina, Utah at her grandmother's house. Twila grew up in Fruita, Utah on a pioneering homestead in what is now Capital Reef National Park. Her childhood home is known as the Historic Gifford Homestead, which just celebrated its 100-year centennial where she was featured and honored as one of the children who grew up in the home. She climbed the red rock hills, picked fruit, played in the Fremont River, rode horses and went to grade school in the little one-room schoolhouse in Fruita. She lived with her grandmother in Salina while she attended high school. She graduated from North Sevier High School in 1946 and worked as a waitress at Mom's Café in Salina. She married her soul mate and best friend, Duane J. Mattsson, on November 13, 1949. They resided in Salina until 1959, when they moved to Kearns, Utah, where they raised their family. In 1977 Twila and Duane built a cabin in Torrey, Utah. Their home was an award-winning showpiece with hundreds of flowers and a large garden and orchard. They opened their cabin to their family and friends and spent many happy years at the cabin with their children and grandchildren. Twila and Duane loved to travel and would spend a few months each year in Kauai with their daughter Katrina. They traveled to Europe, Alaska, Russia, Scandinavia and Mexico. Twila was an accomplished seamstress and created beautiful embroidery and needlework. She was always cooking delicious meals for her family and had many signature dishes that were the cornerstone of all family get-togethers. Twila was warm, loving, smart, funny, and was the heart of our family. She was generous with her time, love and wisdom. She was devoted to and loved being surrounded by her family. Her beautiful heart touched everyone she met. We cannot imagine our lives without her. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Duane Mattsson; daughters Linda (Ed) Blake, Katrina "Christy" Raphaell, Kelly (Rick) Valleley, and son, Lane Mattsson. She is also survived by her loving and devoted grandchildren Kincade (Janelle) Bauer, Simran Raphaell, Shanda (Jeramie) Wootton, Payton Valleley and Dahlia Valleley and her brothers Fay (Dessma) Gifford and Dale (Carolyn) Gifford, sister-in-law and dear friend Jean Gifford; numerous nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her parents, brother Lloyd Gifford and grandson Gentry Bauer. Services will be held on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 1 p.m. at Garner Funeral Home, 1001 East 11th Avenue, Salt Lake City. A viewing will be held from 11:30 to 1 before the services.