Arizona and Stepping Up

FINALLY! It seemed like forever since we'd been down to Arizona, (for me anyway) but we made the trip last week and had a LOT of fun! :) While we were there we: visited, ate, played a board game (Nuclear War, one of my favorites), played Playstation and Wii, swung some light sabers around, of course went to Jack in the Box and Eegee's, watched movies, had a birthday party, and other low key things. But - we aren't high maintenance people, so we are easily entertained. :) I think Ben's favorite part was getting to drive our rental car.....a Dodge Charger.

We were able to meet our niece, Reilly, for the first time. She is just 4 months old. I can say I have honestly never met a more laid back and smiley little baby!! She is just a patchwork of all my brother's kids rolled into one. I think she looks like each of them here and there! Harmony had so much fun playing with her cousins, even tho she was sick ( and made half their family sick too!! ) and maybe a little overwhelmed. :) She loved all the hugs and kisses and loves from all the family. You can tell she now even recognizes them when I show her their pictures.

Speaking of pictures...we finally got new Thomas family pictures!! I, for one, am excited about this, because we haven't had a recent family photo with all of us since 2002, I believe. Long overdue. Hopefully I'll be able to get those back soon and post them!

So enough typing about that...HERE'S THE PICTURES.

Oh, but first, one more tiny thing...Harmony took her first steps!!! Not quite her main mode of transportation yet, of course, but who knows what could change in a week?

The story is- We were at our friends Nathan and Nicole's house, playing the Wii, while Harmony tossed around a jacket. After about 15 mins of playing with this "magic" jacket, she stood right up, and took about 6 or so steps around the corner to the stairs! Up until now, she's insisted on walking only when holding on to someone's hand. She has excellent balance, and doesn't need to use a hand, but insists on it nevertheless...until she had this jacket. We think that she believed the jacket was helping her walk, (like Dumbo's feather helped him fly) so we call it her 'magic' jacket.

You can see video clips of it HERE.

So, just about a week shy of her 1st birthday- she decides to go it alone and take some steps. What a big girl my baby is getting to be. Who does she think she is???

July Goodness

So, I thought June was busy-until we had July! Maybe it just seems that way, since I have an excessive amount of videos and pictures that I want to post for July! I think the easiest way to do this would to be to direct you to a link for all the pics- here! I'll change up the font a little for each paragraph, too, so your eyes won't glaze over from all the reading!

First, as I mentioned in the last post, Ben's brother Sam, his wife Jenn, and their adorable son, Cameron, came up from Denver for a visit. Ben's sister Becky (and briefly, her husband Jared!) also came from Houston- With everyone here, we took the opportunity and had some awesome family pics done, again, by the wonderful Miner Photography! You can see more of the pics if you visit the link!

Then, my dad came to visit for about a week! It was wonderful to see him, and Harmony loved her Grandpa Thomas! We took a trip (Harmony's longest so far) up to Preston (and Grace) Idaho for a family reunion - my dad's mother's side. Harmony got to finally meet her super cute cousin, my cousin Elisa's daughter, Aislynn! They had fun playing together, and got along quite well!

Then, we had Pioneer Day (it's a Utah thing) fireworks- which my dad finally was here for this year. We always sit in the Layton's front yard for a primo view of the action, which takes place in the park across the street. Harmony actually did pretty well watching the fireworks. She loved to watch them-but after a few mins, we went inside so as not to deafen her permanently! During that same week, Ben's aunt and cousin (his mom's sister) Kathy and Andrew Dixon were visiting. Harmony sure had fun playing with Andrew, and loved Kathy too! Kathy thinks Harmony was confusing her with her Grandma Layton! ;)

While my dad was here, he was able to take a couple quick fishing trips (his true love really, is fishing) with Ben and the other boys. Harmony and I went along for the 2nd trip at the Spanish Fork Reservoir. My dad actually did catch a pretty good sized fish in there...although sorry, Jared and Becky, no proof with a picture- Cos unfortunately, it broke the line off and stole my dad's hook! DARN! At least we proved that there was (and still is) at least one fish in that reservoir.

This is Harmony's 11th month by the way- we'll be going to AZ this week, and then celebrate her 1st birthday on the 22nd. TIME FLIES!!