Lyons Family

These cute people are my family!  They are so funny, sweet, and so kind.  I have relied on Mel a lot since moving to SLC.  I love that Evelyn has been able to build a relationship with them.  We are all really going to miss them when we move!

Evie-isms

1) She finally stayed in nursery all by herself!  This is huge.  It has been so long since I was able to go to Sunday School or RS.  When I went to pick her up she was having so much fun that she asked me to leave haha.  

2) When she finds ants outside she tells them night night and then tries to smash them. 

3) She has become my sous chef.  Her favorite thing to do is add the salt and pepper.  She can't say "salt and pepper" yet, but she motions her arms as if she were shaking them. 

4) Grandma Janet gave her some yellow shoes that she is obsessed with.  

5) She asks to watch "George and Hat"  She can't say "The Man with the Yellow Hat", so she has shortened it to just hat.  

6) She loves to find and pick up rocks, and if you add throwing them into water she will be entertained for hours.  

7) She got to FaceTime with her new cousin Jayde this week.  She loved the "baby" and tried really hard to hold her through the computer.  Poor girl doesn't quite understand the communicating via the internet thing.  

She Turns 2!

Where has time gone.  How is Evelyn 2 years old already.  

I can't bare to think that my little one is getting bigger each day.  Yes I am selfish and I want her to stay my sweet little baby forever.  

The night before her birthday Josh and I put out her new princesses on the kitchen table and filled her room with balloons.  Her face was full of excitement when she saw them in the morning.  

(They now take turns going with us everywhere)

After breakfast we all, yes all Josh had the day off, got ready to go see Grandma Sally.  Evelyn loved watching her "Baby" movie with her.  My heart melt a little when they both smiled and laughed during certain parts.  

After a fun visit we headed to the Museum of Curiosity.  This place is always such a hit with her.  I wish I could pick it up and take it with us to Rochester.  

Opening gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Reber.  She insisted on wearing the hat, and nothing else, while singing with her new microphone.  

They also gave her purple nail polish, which resulted in the immediate need to paint our toes.  

After it was nap and a yummy dinner.  

The Party: 

Josh and I wanted to do something special for her party this year.  The theme was really east...art.  It is what fills most of our days.  

I have to be honest and once we picked a theme my mind went crazy with ideas.  It was really hard for me to scale back and pick what to do.  

I was a little bummed that none of Evelyns Grandparents were going to be able to come to her party.  

I knew they had really busy schedules and complete understood, but still secretly wanted everyone there.  

Well surprise of surprises my parents showed up on my doorstep about an hour before the party.  

I was completely shocked, excited, and happy.  Evelyn was dancing around the apartment like a monkey.  She was thrilled and new something BIG was happening.

Soon Evelyns friends and cousins arrived and the pARTy began.   

We read about Pete the Cat and his different colored shoes.  

This iis one of my favorite books and I love how in to it all the kids were.

They all got a cupcake to decorate.  

For the 2nd year in a row Evelyn just licked off the frosting and dumped the cupcake.  

This girl was so spoiled this year with fun presents from everyone. 

Paintbrush rice crispy treats

Ashlin and I instantly became face painting pros.  It is funny what kids choose to have painted.  Dixie wanted a unicorn.  Luckily, we were able to convince her to do a rainbow and hearts instead.  I don't even know how you would draw a unicorn :)

Painting palettes ready to go :)

Jude painting his rainbow :)

Liv the tiger

I need to send a special shout out to Elaisha and Liv for helping us set up the decorations.  It was a shame that we had to take them down.  Wish I could keep them up all the time. 

Her cute party favors.  

I can't believe how time has flown.  We love this crazy, funny, spunky, sweet little munchkin with all our hearts!  We can't wait to see what the 2's bring. 

Photographs

I love taking pictures of my little E I just can't help myself.  I just want to capture who she is right now.  Each day she does something different.  She learns new words, grows as fast as a weed, challenges us for good and bad, and makes us feel that we are the luckiest parents in the world.  I just don't want to forget each day and each moment of her precious life.

2 Year Well Visit

Today we went to the doctor for her 2 month well visit.  I knew that it was going to be rough, but I didn't know just how rough.  Evelyn has developed crazy stranger danger over the last month.  I have not been able to go anywhere.  She doesn't even want to stay with Josh.  crazy!!! Sometimes I secretly love all the extra love and cuddles.  Needless to say her stranger danger was heightened the moment we walked through the office doors.  When we tried to weigh her she screamed.  So I had to hold her on the scale then put her down and weigh myself...that was so fun...Ugh.  Then I had to hold her down to get her height.  It is not fun to hold your babies down.  I think it should not be allowed.  I know its necessary, but really do we have to?  Then it was time for the doctor to come in.  She didn't stop crying the entire time.  She was so upset that she eventually threw up, yes all over me all over her.  The poor doctor.  It is a good thing this was our last appointment before we move because I don't know if we would be invited back.  I thought by bringing her baby with us that she would be ok, but even the great powers of her baby doll couldn't compete agains the big bad doctors office.  Eventually she got her shots, and we were able to go.  Through her tears she said "mom home please" then blew kisses to the nurses...breaks my heart.  Poor girl was so spent that she fell asleep in the car on the way home.  Not even the bribe of a sprite could keep her awake.  Im just grateful we dont have to go back again until she is 3.

Barton Family

This week I was able to take pictures of this darling family.  April is one of my nearest and dearest friends.  When I first moved to El Paso I was nervous and scared about making friends. I had grown very comfortable in Provo and usually relied on Josh to “break the Ice” when it came to introductions.  Thankfully, a girl named Emily came up to me on our first Sunday in church and invited me to a pool day with her and April.  Little did they know but the invite was an answer to many prayers.  We got together and the rest is history.  We all had BUSY BUSY husbands so we did just about everything together.  Our husbands nick named us the three amigos.  April even spent the night with me (Along with her newborn Kaben) when I had my first miscarriage since Josh was in Bangladesh.  My heart hurt the day these ladies moved, but I knew that we would be life long friends.