Trip to Logan Zoo

We didn't have any plans yesterday so we decided to take Kendal to the Logan zoo. (Not that you can call it a great zoo, it's highlights are a plethora of birds, an albino porcupine, and Capuchin monkeys) Kendal is by no means an animal lover. She's great when she has a book or puzzle and likes to imitate the sounds; however when you get her close to real animals she gets squeamish. Kendal did well because the animals were all in cages and encasement's (except for the stupid roaming peacocks). She liked to watch the animals and even made a few sounds at them, however she kept close to daddy the whole time. (I do have to confess i really don't love the zoo; birds are not my thing and birds just happens to be 70% of the zoo. Casey was nice enough to put up with my squeamish way's yesterday while visiting the zoo) Casey's favorite part was when a raven was in the trees making noise, then below it two cranes started screeching at it. Kendal's favorite part of the zoo had to be the monkey's; she loved watching them and was trying to climb the fence to get a better look at them. I had to pry her away finally when we were ready to go. Hopefully sometime this summer we will take Kendal to a bigger zoo like the Hogle zoo. It was a nice day, a little bit rainy; but that didn't stop us from having our adventure to the Logan zoo.
Here are some picture of the Little Lady at the zoo

Nursery Age!

I have been looking forward to Kendal reaching 18 months for a while now. Why, because a squirmy, talkative explorer is not so fun in church. Casey and I decided a couple of weeks ago to put Kendal in nursery to test it out. Kendal did great, she loved being in there (that is until she was the last kid not picked up - then they had to find Casey and me). I think I was more nervous that week every time the door opened I would expect it to be my upset daughter. Let's just say I kept my eye on the clock a lot, but I didn't need to; Kendal did great. Last week there was no one there to teach nursery so I took my loud, squirmy kid to meetings. I'm anticipating later today when I get to drop Kendal off and enjoy the meetings (and be able to focus on the lessons).

Kendal is a fun / energetic little 18 month old. She just loves to do her thing; whether it is climbing / exploring everything, or pulling books off her shelf one by one for Casey or me to read to her. She's started to love puzzles. Most of the time she takes them apart and makes us put them together. She has a number puzzle that she knows where all the pieces go she just can't get them to fit on her own yet. Her vocabulary is expanding everyday. She'll even repeat the ABC's (with a lot of prompting). Kendal has become a fair eater. She's just been so touchy in the past months about eating I was getting frustrated with putting multiple meal options in front of her and very little would be consumed. However, since the bulk of her teeth are fully in she is eating very well, surprising us with the things she will eat. She'll eat cinnamon Altoids mints without any thought, she loves anything with noodles, starting to eat meat better, and loves most anything that has strong flavors (can i say daddy's girl all the way).

Kendal's favorite books we have to read multiple times a day.

I try my best to do Kendal's hair and to keep bows, flowers, and pony's in but Kendal just doesn't love them in. Kendal calls her hair things, necklaces, and bracelets "pretties". She'll have them on and she'll point to them and say "pretty". Kendal loves to dance, lately when she hears music at home she'll break out a dance move, or at the store when she hears overhead music she'll twist her head around to try to find the music source than she'll say "dance, dance". Casey and I caught her singing last night; we were on the way home from the store and we hear babbling - eieio - then her quacking noises (Kendal doesn't say the word quack she does the sounds. It's odd but funny); she'll also try to sing the theme song to cat and the hat by babbling then saying go go go. Kendal has caught onto tickling. She loves to get tickled and can even pronounce the whole word tickle (sounds like tee-cull). Kendal has been restricted to Binky use only during naps for a long time now. Casey and I decided that she should be done 100% this week and Kendal has done pretty well without it.


Kendal with some "pretty" on

Casey and I are in love with our little sweet pea and love watching her grow and flourish! I just have to say yay for reaching nursery age!


Kendal with her best buddy - "duck"

A lot to be proud of

After . . . years in school Casey graduated today. He graduated from Utah State with two majors family finance, and Social Studies Secondary Education Teaching. Casey has done so well, and i'm beyond proud of him for all that he's accomplished. Casey has worked so hard to get to where he is, and i know he'll be a marvelous teacher!
Congratulations Casey you did it!




I am very proud to say i have such a wonderful mom and mom-in-law to celebrate this Mother's day. These two women inspire, uplift, love, care, and do so much. I am truly honored to have them in my life and i look up to them so much.
Happy Mother's day Mumm, and Mom D!

To all of the mother's i know (family & friends); i am proud to know you all and am truly grateful for the wonderful examples you are to me. Thank you.

I am so proud to be a Mom myself. Even though i am not always as gracious and patient as i would like to be, i know i have a sweet daughter whom i love so very very much. She teaches me so much and i am so grateful and honored to have Kendal in my life.

Easter

Saturday Kendal got to participate in two Easter egg hunts. (I can't really call them hunts since both times the eggs were covering the grass in plain view) The first was put on by our housing community and the second Kim and i put together a small hunt at my parents house. Kendal liked going around gathering things, she loved it even more when she discovered there were treats inside the eggs. We had our Easter celebration with my family on Saturday when all the Sib's could be there. Sunday was a quiet dinner with my parents and grandparents. Kendal received many fun things for Easter including a cute outfit (thank you Mom and Dad D), a sweet purse (thank you Mom and Dad L), and a bubble gun. It was a good weekend full of firsts for Kendal, and it was a wonderful Easter.

- Getting ready to go on the egg hunt

- Egg hunt in our housing area

- Kendal's Easter purse!


- Egg hunt at my parents house

- Kendal's Easter dress

O the joys

Kendal is now 17 months. I would've updated on the fifteenth, however Kendal has been sick this week (and it's been a long week). Thankfully she's doing better we just need to get her rash gone, and her eating a bit better.
This month Kendal has gained many new things
- the skill to climb onto chairs then our dinning table : (
- Four molars, she now has 12 teeth : (
- More fun words such as ink (pink), wher's tha (hide and seek), tu (two, the only number she knows), see u (see ya), gama (grandma, finally), and more that i cannot remember just now : )
- she's learning pretend play, she'll get two animal crackers and prance them across her tray then make them climb her belly or kiss each other. : )
- points to her bum and either says poop or diaper, (early potty trainer??) : )
- Explores and gets into anything she possibly can : /
- Gets bowls / buckets and a whisk / spatula, puts some toys into the bowl, stirs it, then she takes the utensil out and pretends to eat off of it. : )
- "Go" anytime Kendal wants to go outside or somewhere else she points to the door and says go go. : )

This little girl is always making us smile. We love her so much!

- countdown, nine more days left in Casey's student teaching
twenty more days till Casey graduates
twenty one more days till Kendal is in nursery
thirty two more days till I'm done with After School club
O the joy of it all!

Put a smile on your face

This past weekend we went to Idaho to spend some of our Spring Break with family, and to attend Baby Bryker's blessing. It was a good family weekend.


Here is one of the best highlights from the weekend.
I hope it puts a smile on your face!!

Happy Birthday MUM!

Today is my Mummy's birthday. (I don't love the word Mother, so i call her Mom, or Mum) I am truly truly blessed to have the mom that i do. There are not enough words to thank her for all that she's done; i am so grateful for her support, and everything she does for me. My mom is generous enough to watch Kendal most afternoons so that i can work, and Casey can student teach / lesson plan. She loves Kendal so much, and i know Kendal loves going over to play. My mom is a great example to me. I want to be as awesome a mom as she has been to me. She taught me so much growing up and i have her to thank for my sewing skills, cooking skills, love for the gospel, good nature, love for others, collecting (her - peanut's cartoons, me - blankets), and much much more. She is a strong beautiful Lady and i'm lucky to have her as my MUM!

Happy Birthday Mum, may all your wishes come true!