Changing where I blog

This post is just to inform you all that I will no longer be blogging here. I have started a new blog at emulatingpearl.wordpress.com
Hope to see you all over there!

First Birthday

Brooklyn celebrated her first birthday on March 21!! It was a lot of fun to finally hit this milestone. We had a little get together that Saturday with some family and friends. My brother Nate was able to fly to Texas to be here for it. We have been so blessed with wonderful friends here and having some family close by. A lot has happened this year so far, it's crazy. I can't believe we have lived here for almost a year! Recently we went to Galveston and camped on the beach with Jake and our cousin Jimmy. It was a lot of fun!

Brooklyn has being growing (I won't say like a weed) and making lots of developmental progress. At her 1 year check up she weighed a little over 18lbs and 27" tall. That put her in the 2nd percentile for height and 29th for weight. She isn't walking yet but she is so close. She still has a huge pot belly, which we love!

We have been looking into buying a home here but the market is super crazy! We are having to look at homes the day they come on the market and put an offer in that day to even have a chance! We have put a few offers in and haven't gotten the bid yet, even after asking over the list price! So home prices are on the rise here. We hope to get into a home soon.

Year!!

Onto Christmas and the New Year...

Christmas was great this year, the weather was really good but after I learned how much snow Rangely received I was pretty bummed out. Then we go to Jake and Sabra's for Christmas and it snows in Dallas! I just was not meant for a white Christmas this year. We instead had a tornado warning on Christmas Day.

My family came to celebrate the holidays with us. It was so nice to have everyone together. Jakes house and mine (when we all came back to Dallas) were completely crowded but I loved every minute of it! The dogs got banished to the garage but they seemed just fine with it. Sabra and I went to Les Miserables on Christmas Day and I LOVED it!!

I did a 12 days of Christmas for Bush this year and it was so much fun! I was so excited for everyday, probably more than he was. I really had to restrain myself from not giving him all of presents at once or starting early! I am such a kid at Christmas, I love giving presents! I love the way people light up to see what you did for them. I find it so rewarding.

On Christmas Eve we watched The Nativity Story and I also loved it. I have never watched it before, I really regret that now. It really gave me a different perspective on Mary and her journey. What a great, divine woman! I feel like my love for the Saviour has grown so much this year. It has been a trying and rewarding year. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy it brings me.

Well my parents finally had to leave, even though I contemplated just not taking to the airport. Brooklyn had been so close to crawling and she finally did it, the day my parents left and yes after they left! Now she is crawling everywhere!

We had her 9 month check up, I can't believe she is 9 whole months! She is still our little girl... 26.2" tall, which is the 3rd percentile and weighs in at 15lb 12oz, 10th percentile! She is happy and healthy though. She loves food and blocks. Oh and anything that makes noise!

I am so excited for a new year and all that it will bring, both the good and bad. We need to learn to appreciate our trials because they help us grow and learn. A lady in our ward gave a talk and said if you can't find the "why" in your trial or affliction then know that it is for the good of someone else. Maybe we needed to go through that particular trial so we can help our friend who may go through it later in life. All things come together for God's purpose. We just don't always understand it.

The end of another...

The holidays are over and it always makes me sad but glad at the same time. We have had a busy few months. Which I am sure everyone can say the same thing.

In October, Brooklyn and I went to Virginia to spend a week with Kimmy and Mason. We were able to go and see my Uncle Jim and Aunt Priscilla in Maryland. That was so nice since I haven't seen them in a long time.

Halloween was not eventful for us this year. I put Brooklyn in her outfit for some pictures and that was it. She was too tired to go to our ward party. She makes a cute elephant though!

We were able to go to Rangely for two whole weeks during Thanksgiving! We were so glad to go back home and visit family and friends. We miss all of them so much! We tried to see as many of our friends as we could but it just didn't happen. Next time!

While we were there we did a 5 generation photo on Bush's side. It was really great to do that. We were able too see all of Bush's family for Thanksgiving. So we got a family picture, although I don't have a copy. However, I did get a picture of Brooklyn and her cousin Zanea. She is the closest in age to Brooklyn on the Hazelbush side.

After Thanksgiving we made the long trip back to Dallas. We were able to fly to Rangely but needed to get our truck back so we drove home. It took us two days. We decided to go through Kansas and Oklahoma. I am so glad we did because Bush said the other way is not as pretty after you get past Durango. I had no idea that Oklahoma was so gorgeous! Lots of trees and rolling hills. I would much rather fly for future trips if possible.

September

This last September was filled with a lot of things...

My parents came over labor day weekend and we went down to Jake and Sabras.  We went to the Nasa Space Station Museum, which is neat to do once in your life but I have to say I don't think I will ever do again.

Bush and Brooklyn next to one of the Space Shuttle Rockets, this picture does not do it any justice.  It was incredibly huge!

After the time at Jake's, we stopped by a gentlemen's game room.  Jake and Sabra drove up to see it.  This guy has so many animals and has hunted most of them him self.  He owns an oil field construction company in Texas and so he is pretty well off.  He has saddles on his lions that he lets kids sit on and get pictures.  Here are just a few of the animals and pictures we have! It is truly amazing, so if anyone comes to visit we can take you there! He doesn't charge anything, all he asks is that you sign your name and leave a comment.  He is truly a generous man and so kind.  But if he is there when you are looking around he will tell you all about his adventures and you won't get out of there for a long time!

Brian and Kenna came to look at the animals with us

Bush was wearing his "Bears love People" shirt, so I thought this picture was pretty funny!

Also in September we were able to fly home, or to Vernal, on a private jet! That's right we were fancy for 2 whole days!  The CEO, COO and Bush had to fly to Vernal to take care of some business they have there and they were so kind to let Brooklyn and I come with them so I could go home for a week. Flying this way was so nice, there was no lines, no security and no waiting.  You just show up at the signature terminal, it is separate from the regular terminals and you just walk in and then walk out to your plane, get on and leave!  I guess they figure no one will be bombing a plane that will only kill a couple others besides themselves! It was nice but not a lot of space.  So cross that off our bucket list, flying in a private jet!

This was the plane!

Oh Dallas, How I Love Thee

Life is so interesting how it turns out.  I would have never guessed that I would be living in Dallas, TX and even less that I would feel so at home and like it so much!

Ok so it has been a while since I posted and I feel like there is a lot to tell but at the same time there is not anything to tell!

Brooklyn:
-She is super tiny, only in the 9th percentile for height and 15th for weight at her 6 month check-up!
-Started on solid foods around 5 months and will eat just about anything.
-Strawberries give her a super cute pucker face!
-She is super happy, easy going and laughs a lot
-She started sitting on her own at 5 months
-She is not crawling yet but she is getting closer (not exactly excited for that)
-She says "da da" all the time, especially when Daddy is around (not really sure if that is related or not)
-She is super cute!
-She rolls everywhere, and is scooting
-No teeth yet but drools a lot and puts everything in her mouth!

Riding a horse

Enjoying her food, a lot!

Bush and I have been doing Cross Fit since the middle of August and we love it! If anyone out there wants to work out and love it, look into cross fit.  Bush is super busy with his job but he is really loving it.  It is challenging but it is fun for him to be in the ground work of a company, plus he loves that his opinions are wanted and listened to! Yes, he likes to be in charge!  I have been busy with Brooklyn and cross fit.  That is my two main things during the day.  I LOVE being able to go to the grocery store a couple times a week and not having any produce go bad because you don't have to buy for 2 weeks at a time!  Brooklyn and I have been doing a play and learn gymboree class, which she loves a lot! We will be starting a Kindermusik sign and sing class this month and next month.  I am enjoying taking advantage of what the city has to offer.  

We traded in our black dodge mega cab on a toyota tundra.  We don't need two big trucks anymore living in Dallas.  Plus the mega cab is so huge to get around in the city.  

Currently my cousin Dane is living with us for a little bit and Brooklyn is our Harry Potter, she is living in our closet!  We set up a pack and play in our walk in closet and that is where she is sleeping while Dane is here.  Our town home only has 2 bedrooms so no extra space.  

Dallas/Update

Well we have been living in Dallas for a month now and it is super HOT!! It has been hitting record highs here in Dallas the whole time we have been here.  It is humid but not as humid as Houston, which we found out this weekend when we went to visit Jake, Sabra and Hannah.  Our place is nice but it is different than living in a house, although I won't miss mowing a lawn!  We have been enjoying it here, it is so nice to have a pick of several grocery stores in a 1 mile radius of where you live.  Also you can't beat having a Costco and a Sam's Club within 5 minutes of you.  Moving was not fun, but I have never heard from anyone that it is fun.  It was not too stressful since we had a moving company come pack us up and move everything. They had to get a smaller truck and take all of our stiff out of the normal 18 wheeler and then put it in the smaller truck to move us in to our town home.
And this is why

It is tight quarters here, our mega cab has a hard time getting parked.  However, it is so very nice having more than 1 bathroom.  We really miss our nice cozy home in Rangely but a garage and multiple bathrooms is sure giving it a good competition.

Broooklyn and I in Salt Lake the day before we flew here to Dallas. 

Poor tired Brooklyn on our living room floor.

Hannah and Brooklyn before her first swim in our pool

The lovely Dallas traffic!! This is a huge city!