I Looked Out the Window...

I looked out the window and what did I see?


A family of deer staring right back at me!
This little family of deer are prone to hanging out on the island
{where I live}
They have taken refuge in my back/front
(not sure which because I live in around back from the "front" of the building)
yard.
This little family has been here through both of the winters I have now
and
today I noticed a new baby deer!
Its all fuzzy and furry.
lots of fun!

Grace loved watching them.
She crawled up to the window and pulled herself up so she could see out.

Life's A Beach

Grace's First Trip to the Ocean

The first thing she did when we got to the beach was try to jump out of my arms.
She loved the sand between her toes!
And she grabbed a great big handful and put it in her mouth!

Happy Girl!

She LOVED getting to play in the tide pools, they were so warm!
{Like bath water}

its said that a picture is worth a thousand words
do you think she had fun?
This is on our way back to Rachel's house.

Defying Gravity

Every once in a while a great story comes along and has to be told. As you All know my favorite Movie is The Wizard of Oz, it has been since I was just a little bit older than Grace is now, no joke but in 2003 WiCKED was released on Broadway. Wicked is the story of what was going on in Oz BEFORE Dorothy was brought there. The story of Glinda "the good witch" and Elphaba "The Wicked Witch of the West". It was up for 10 Tony awards in 2004 and it was during that night when I first got my first taste of the Musical. I saw Idina Mendezel and Kristen Chenoweth playing Elphaba and Glinda respectively. Defying Gravity.

Which you can watch here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J72thWNW6PE

It only took half of that magnificent song and I was hooked. I bought the soundtrack that night and listend to Defying Gravity over and over again and this was without knowing ANY of the storyline. I later listened the the entire album and slowly began to piece together what the show actually was about. I fell even more in love and decided I must see it. I wanted more information about it so I decided to read the book it was based on... BAD idea. Its in the top ten of the worst books I have EVER read, and that's saying something! I still have no idea how Stephen Schwartz was able to take the novel that if it were to have a rating it would have been NC-17 to something that children of ALL ages could enjoy but he did and its awe inspiring.

So what has me on this Wicked kick tonight? Well I got to talking with my Grandma and Aunt Jenny and both of them admitted to not understanding how I could be so excited about a musical because when I did see it, it was all I could talk about for weeks, months okay years most likely but tonight my Grandma confessed that she too understood how the story could take such a hold on you. Its captivating. And what's so wonderful is we all took different things from it, themes of frienship, love, right and wrong, we all focused on something different.

Defying Gravity is about well watch it and let me know what you think, while my favorite song well they are all favorites but the love song As Long As Your Mine, has lyrics of "Kiss me too fiercly hold me too tight, I need help believing your with me tonight" and who of us out there can't say we have never felt that? And of course For Good, "Who can say that I have been changed for the better but because I knew you I have been changed, For Good." I have actually heard this line used in a talk in Sacrement meeting! As I said we all take something different from it.

Grandma and Jenny get to see it again this spring and I can't say I'm not insanely jealouse but I have seen it in the origional theater it was performed in on Broadway and I have seen it at Gamage in Tempe, AZ but I long to see it again, the music, the story, the feelings its all amazing and makes you feel as if you can.... Defy Gravity.

February 14th

Happy Valentine's Day All!

More Excitement

Grace and I woke up and went to a wonderful breakfast of heart shaped biscuts and gravy at Aunt Jenny's house. Ran some errands with Grandma Woods, Jenny and Pat then headed back to the house and got things around.

I taught Kassidee how to crochet flowers and she and her mom made a head band. Jenny showed me how to make Lemon Curd and we made Blackberry Jam tonight as well.


Nate came out and played with Grace ALL day long. They had so much fun! They wore each other out! He was so excited to get to play with her. They jumped on the trampoline and
swing, swang, swung, (swinged) (?) on the swings.


Grandma and Grandpa Gardner stopped by to visit.

Grace is so big that Grandma had to sit down to attempt to hold her! It was wonderful to get to catch up with them and they LOVED seeing Grace. They had not seen her since April! She's gotten so much bigger since then!

Marvin and Shirley 2009 :)

Birthday Week!

Grace turned The Big O-N-E on Tueday. I can't hardly believe that she's already a year old. It seems like I was puking my guts out only yesterday... (that could be because I was, Grace and I have had a nasty bout with the flu but I think we are just about over it)



We went out to my parents house for Cake. Grace was not really quite sure how the whole blowing out the candles thing worked but she found another way to put it out With her hand! I don't think it was the flame that hurt her but the hot wax.


She was NOT happy about it but she LOVED the icing on the cake!


Grace and I made it! We are in Arizona. Its incredibly beautiful down here and I LOVE getting to spend time with all the extended family down here. Its always nice to know I have a home away from home.



Grace did incredibly well during the super LONG car ride. We drove from Logan to Mesquite, NV the first day and from Mesquite to Phoenix the next. We had to stop in St. George to get out and stretch our legs it was just time. So we stopped at the St. George temple and took pictures.

We stopped and stayed in Mequite, Nevada and Grace LOVED jumping on the bed!


The Mesquite to Phoenix drive seemed MINDNUMBINGLY long. Construction through Vegas (which is a city i despise!!) and past Hoover Dam was INSANE!!! We arrived in Phoenix JUST in time for TRAFFIC. I loathe driving in from Vegas I ALWAYS get lost!

Grace and I have had a blast we did Lunch with Morgan and Ashlee. Nate joined us while we were there and after we took the girls home we headed to the Superstitions Farmsers Market... they had pint size clamshells of the sweetest blackberries I have EVER tasted for 79 cents!!! I bought four but I think I will need to go back for more they are divine! After the market we went and visited with Nate's mom and got to meet Grace's new cousin Joshua... he is so tiny compared to Grace (not when she was that age because he's got about three pounds on her but now) and she was fascinated to see a REAL baby!

Grace and I headed back to the Woods, I made Gumbo and spent the rest of the evening with the Grandparents. Its been wonderful.