ZIONS! Baird style..

                                    We went on our first camping trip of the summer over Memorial day and I am JUST now getting around to posting pics!! We went with Jason's family, Scott, Lisa, Emily, Ron, Nick and Carrie.  IT was a blast, as always, and the hikes were gorgeous! Jade even got out and hiked for about 2 miles! We got to train her!

Group photo of the hiking crew! End of MAY at Zions is the perfect time to camp. After that it's SUPER hot and miserable.  I know, cause i've camped during July! agggh... learned our lesson!

Jade found a cave she was a little obsessed with.  So I hiked up with her to the cave opening and took a picture of her right next to it! Caves are a little creeeeepy.

Jade's favorite spot is on Grandpa Scott's lap listening to him tell her story after story.... she LOVES it! 

Ok is this not the most precious picture? Scott with all the little grandkids (that can walk) going to take them on a stroll around the campground... hunting for squirrels I believe. SOOO CUTE!

Jack and Gracie are like the little dynamic duo! Planning their next scheme. They are soooo funny together. Gracie is the mischievious one and Jack just follows whatever she does.  You gotta keep an eye on those two! :-)

ummmm... Grandpa Scott always makes camping SO great! When we got there, our tent was all set up, camp was all set up.  Cool water in the jugs and snacks to eat... Not to mention when dinner time rolls around funeral potatoes in the dutch oven!!! Seriously, he's the best to camp with! If camps were hotels, our camp was for SURE a 5 star Marriott resort!

somethin' to blog about!

It seems like forever! Here's what has been happening around our neck of the woods:


*JASON got a NEW JOB!! Yea! After he graduated with his masters he has been looking around and actually found a FANTASTIC job in Salt Lake City.  So we don't have to move (at least for awhile until I hate the commuting thing). We feel SO blessed and are VERY excited about it.  It's with CHG Healthcare, and they are actually ranked 26 on the FORBES 100 BEST companies to work for.  SO, horrrrrraaaay! 


*Jade had her FOURTH birthday!! I have to say Jade is my little best friend.  She follows me everywhere and has since she was little.  No matter what fun toys are around or what interesting things there are to do, Jade will follow me around the house in and out of rooms, talking, laughing, asking me questions, and even helping clean.  She loves her little sister and is the BEST older sister to Gracie.  She protects her and watches out for her (which sometimes is a full time job).  There are always TWO mommies when Jade's around. I love Jade's sweet innocence, and sensitivity and her ability to notice whatever moods I am in and be so keen and intune.  She has been like that since she was little baby.  I feel a deep connection with her little spirit and am SO grateful I can be her mommy. I will miss her dearly when school starts and i will cry... a lot. Here are some pictures of the PRINCESS PARTY!!! ONE spoiled girl i tell ya... 

Hear YE.... hear ye.... this the princess going out on a DATE with her Daddy for lunch!

Grace had to sneak in there too... although she stayed home with me and had a nice nap

Jade had her cute little sunbeam friends over.  They got pampered! I am in charge of Activity days so I invited those girls to come dressed up and paint the little girls nails, and do their makeup.  They had a ball!

These are the girls dancing to the princess music! 

Grace loved the cupcake ice cream cones. Can't ya tell?

My mom made Jade this cute skirt, and Carrie made her the matching doll! Adorable huh?

AND YES, this was in my backyard! Jason's parents own some inflatables and they promised to bring it for her birthday! IT WAS THE VERY BEST PRESENT! She LOVED IT!!! SO did all the kids... 

AND SO DID the BOYS.  They had a race and it pretty much wiped them out!

Grandma Jo, Carrie, Jack and Gracie had a blast too! 

Ok, I even dressed up for the occasion! That's how much i love my little Jade :) 

OTHER RANDOMNESS

So the girls were suppose to be getting their clothes on... but instead i see THIS! oh, i howi love moments like these that make you LOVE staying home and being a mommy to witness such cute acts of childhood.

Oh wow. This was taken just a few weeks before the party and she already looks older! Stop growing would ya? 

AND mother's DAY- spent with my favorite mothers- my Mom and wonderful sisters! And we even saw Jason's Mom too! What a great celebration! 

CHANGE...

So I normally have a hard time with change.  I don't like it.  Especially when it involves my brother and his cute family moving across the country! Miss them A LOT :-(   But good change, is okay.  We've had some fun changes in the past month.

Jason GRADUATED from USD (University of San Diego) with a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management.  WAHOOOOO! So proud of him! Loving the fact that we can just hang out together at night, with no homework!!My parents and his parents both were able to come out and see the ceremony! My uncle Mark and Aunt Pam came and my wonderful Grandad!

       Grandad with his sweet shades! Such a sweet man! He'll be turning 90 this year! Jason looks a little TOO happy to be graduated and finally DONE school forever! I ALSO chopped 6 inches off my HAIR!! :-(  That was a HUGE CHANGE! 

                                        
                       Family pic right after the graduation ceremony.  The humidity was doing crazy things to my hair! I needed a straightener.  Badly.

We finally got NEW countertops and a sink! HUGE change and makes me happy everytime I look at my kitchen.  This is SO icky.

                                      
                             ahh.  much better.  Next up... getting a black stove and black dishwasher.

                                     

HOTNESS! seriously, i have to give big props to JASON who took the countertops OFF, took out the sink, and completely INSTALLED a NEW SINK all by HIMSELF! What a man!

matching burp rag, hair bow and baby skirt. I mentioned my new little hobby... but i need to do it more.  I've only made them for gifts for baby showers! Seriously, where do you find time to work on your hobbies?? Let me know if you have a good answer!

Jade moved into a BIG GIRL BED! Finally! It's only been almost 4 years! She has just been SO good in her crib, but finally... it was time.  She is so excited and Grace thinks it's pretty cool that she gets Jade's old crib! It's much bigger than her mini crib she had.   But when I go to check on them before bed Grace is still mashed into the bars in the corner.  So funny! Seriously... you got all this room girlfriend, use it!

MY FIRST HAIR CUT!! Yes, I cut miss Gracie's hair the other day all by myself with coaching from my mom and sisters! :-) It was so funny. But really, my FIRST child's haircut! Jade has NEVER had her haircut and is going on 4!! But with all those cute tight curls, how can i complain? 

I am embracing the changes lately. Hope there are more to come :-)

Happiness IS...

 *finding an interest in sewing and being proud you actually created something!  

thanks to Bonnie, my lovely sister in law who showed me how to make these cute bows... I figured I could make a skirt to match them, so I gave it a try and gave them to a friend for a baby gift.

*Waking up to this lovely princess and her cute 'bed hair'- makes me smile

* Finding yumm-o recipes 
 Fruit Dip
Combine 1 cup milk and 1 pkg. White chocolate Instant pudding
Fold into 1 - 8oz. container Cool Whip.  Chill.  Serve with delicious FRUIT


Guiltless Alfredo Sauce (super easy and i like to put this on homemade pizza with basil, tomato, pesto- or even chicken with some veggies) 
2 cup low-fat milk
1/3 c (3 oz) 1/3 less-fat cream cheese
2 T flour
1 t salt
1 T butter
3 garlic cloves
1 C grated parmesan cheese
Toss the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender.  Then saute garlic cloves in butter over medium heat for about 30 seconds.  Add the 'blended' mixture to the pan and stir.  Keep stirring until thickened and add parmesan cheese.


*Hearing Jade (all on her own) pray for a 'baby brother'.  Very cute. 
*Waking up to Jade singing primary songs to Gracie- and them both laughing at each other. 

Major Update

CHRISTMAS pics?? See, I told you it was a 'major update'.  Wow... that seems like so long ago! 

Christmas with Jason's family.  He got a sweet display of his scouting awards from Cassi! HE loves it! I got an awesome family home evening board that Scott made! So cute! Homemade gifts are fun!

Grace was sporting a new gift from Grandma JO (my mom).  Very cute! We had fun visiting both families and hanging out!

some of the Christmas craziness at my parents! It was sure fun to see everyone and of course the grandkids got spoiled! Jen made me a big photo album of tons of pictures of us and our girls... it was SO great! 

MOVING ON...  here is what happened last month! SO I 'DID' survive Jason's 3 week business trip! My mom and I drove out the last week and stayed in San Diego with my Grandad.  It rained most of the time but we had a few days of outdoor fun! Then we went to Jason's hotel (1.5 hours away) and surprised him on his Birthday with decorating the room and we went out to eat as a family! I spent the next day at a HUGE mall in Ontario.  What a rough time. .. and did i mention it is like one of the biggest outlet malls in the U.S? Right across from his hotel room... what's a girl to do?  Then we drove back to San Diego and JAson was DONE his trip so we hung out with Joel, Bonnie, and Katelyn and my mom for the weekend and then drove home! Home sweet HOME!  So...that's our story last month.  

Jade with G'ma Jo at the beach.  The one day it didn't rain!

Sporting their new dresses at Grandad's house! My good deals... 8 bucks each for those dresses at Target! 

Grace looking like 5 years old!  At the 'rainforest cafe'-  Cool place we ate on Jason's Birthday!

Rainforest Cafe on hubby's 31st Birthday! Oh I love him lots and lots!! 

How could I not take this cute pic? Jade slept in a huge bed at the hotel.  She looked soooo little in this huge bed!

Chocolate mouths... CAUGHT!! They were little buddies hanging out! 

I am going to cry... looking at these! Joel, Bon and Katelyn moved this morning to  Virginia!! Oh I will miss them sooo much! 

SUPER FANTASTIC GREAT DEALS I FOUND:

$5 bucks! At the swap meet in San Diego! Love it!

You ready?.... $5 bucks a piece!! MAC makeup! Swap meet... i love you.

one of my FAVORITE finds... $20 bucks! 800 thread count sheets!! So comfy!!

Target finds... who needs snow boots in San Deigo?  $5 bucks a piece!! They just happened to have my two girls sizes! OH I wanted to jump up and scream in the store!! This one made me happy. They will be put to good use here in blizzard country! :-)  

ok... now I'm done.