Happy Memorial Day

 Most everyone was still in town for Memorial Day so we decided to do a fun hike up Provo Canyon. We hiked Bridal Veil falls which is really easy and fun! Perfect hike for 2 pregnant girls and lots of kids! It was a blast!!!

Daddy and Emry at the base of the waterfall

Cael, me, and Emry at the base of the waterfall

Feeding the fishies in the pond (Jason with Jacks, Jenna, Ben, Cael, Ryan, Emry, Gavin)

Throwing rocks in the river (Jenna, Jason with Jacks, Gavin, Brooke, Ben, Cael, Shalon, Emry, Ryan)

 We hiked up a ways to where the waterfall actually fell. A small, easy hike. Here is our family after the hike

We all met at Riverwoods to have lunch and they had a fun splash pad. Emry was less than impressed but at least she touched the water. haha

 We totally wore her out from our day of hiking (and no real naps) so by 7 she was so tired she would just lay on my shoulder and fall asleep. It was some much needed cuddle time!! Love her!!

Surprise Surprise

This year Ryan is turning 31 and since I was overdue with Emry on his 30th birthday and we didn't do anything really special, I thought it would be fun to do something big this year! Thanks to the help from family and friends we were able to pull off an awesome surprise party for Ryan. He totally had no clue and it turned out to be a great party!

Nathan helped out by taking Ryan golfing that morning (I know, it was a huge sacrifice). Since all his family decided to come to the party, all the boys ended up going golfing (Nate, Ryan, Scott, Ben, and Jason). I was scared Ryan was gonna get suspicious but I just played it down and acted just as surprised as he was that all his family just decided to show up without telling anyone. I figured he wouldn't catch on because his family does visit a lot now that they are so close in St. George and thankfully, he didn't even question it! Phew!!

That morning I just got everything ready for the party (cutting up fruit, setting up the fun twister game and the mini tramp, getting the hot dog  toppings ready, etc.) and just prepared for everyone to get here. Everyone started arriving at 1:30 PM and then it was just a waiting game until we got the call that Ryan was on his way! We all gathered in the front room and when he walked in, we all yelled "Surprise!!" He was slightly confused I think but then he got it and said, "You lied!!" haha!! It was pretty fun!! 

Ryan walking in (having no idea what's going on!!)

Ok, now he gets it!! :D

We had a delicious BBQ fashioned after J Dawgs (a famous hot dog stand right off BYU campus). We even got the J Dawgs sauce so it was really authentic! We had all the toppings they offer and it turned out really yummy. We had a fruit platter, a veggie platter with dip, chips, and homemade Root Beer!! Ryan has been talking about making home made Root Beer for awhile so I decided it would be fun to have it at his party. He loved it! 

Eating outside. It was SO windy but we managed to survive. 

Getting some yummy J DAWGS from the food table!! (You can also see the really fun fruit skewers that we had. Yummy and cute!)

More eating!

Emry liked the food too!!

Ryan trying really hard to blow all the candles out with one breath. He just barely was able to do it!

I love this picture because it looks like Emry is saying, "What just happened!!" She is too precious!!

Ryan and me!

Emry enjoying her bottle in her high chair!

Mostly at the party we just ate and talked. It was really fun to just visit with friends we don't get to see very often and family. We had cake and ice cream and then people started trickling out. Ryan was exhausted from getting up early to golf and from working late earlier that week so he took a little nap while his family and I played games. (It was supposed to be a game themed party, but we didn't play any games until it was only his family left. Oh well!) We played twister and Kubb outside and then we came in to do some "Minute-to-Win-it" games. We had a blast and it was really funny to watch everyone try to do the activity. Comical. 

It turned out to be a way fun party and I'm glad Ryan was genuinely surprised! (It's so much better that way!) Happy Birthday Ryan! Emry and I love you so much! Hope you had a way fun Birthday party!!! 

Jenna, me, Jason, and Jeff playing twister. Instead of using the actual mat, you just paint colored circles on the grass. It was really cute and really fun too!!

More twister fun! Jeff, Jason, Jenna (this was after I got out!)

Grandma Vivian with Jackson and Gavin jumping on the mini tramp!

Playing Minute-to-Win-it games. This one you had to stack 6 dice on the end of Popsicle stick within 1 minute. I think we all did this one pretty easily. The next one you had to start with an Oreo on your forehead and then just wiggle your face until it moved down into your mouth. This game was hilarious to watch and made for some awesome pictures!!

This girl is just too cute for words!! Seriously, she is darling!! She had a fun time laughing at all our funny faces!!!  Happy Birthday to Ryan!!

11 Months!!

I think this is my very favorite age. Emry is learning so many new things and is starting to really understand a lot more too. She is happy and loves her mommy and daddy. It's too adorable! Here are some new things she is doing these days:

*Lately she has wanted to start her days early. She is up at 6:30 AM every day and it makes her parents really really tired!!

*Loves to talk on the phone. She holds it up to her ear and she just loves it. She also does it with remotes. It's adorable. 

*She can stand on her own for a few seconds at a time, But she hates when you try to make her walk on her own. She does cruise everywhere and walks using hte furniture all the time. 

*She has her own rocking chair and she absolutely loves it! She climbs up there and reads her books. If you sing "Rock-a-by" to her then she rocks in the chair. It's so adorable!! 

*Loves being outside

*Nurses 3 times a day and will eat anything you give her. She seriously loves eating. I'm glad I don't have to worry about her that way. It's nice.

*She knows what an elephant says. it's the cutest thing in the whole world. You ask, "What does an elephant say?" and she does the elephant sound. So cute!!

*Loves to play peek-a-boo. She hides behind the couch and then pops up with the biggest smile on her face. 

*Loves to go up and down the stairs. Loves to play on the stairs, which makes me really nervous but she is pretty good at balancing. I love that she is learning things I have taught her. She goes over to the stairs and turns around and goes down backwards like she is supposed to. She is the smartest!!
*Started to dance when music comes on. It's adorable!! She shakes her hands up and down and bobs her head. Too cute!!
*Knows how to tell us she is "all done" by signing it. She puts both her hands up and kinda shakes them or waves them. I have never been very good at teaching her signs but this one she caught on to I suppose and it's nice to know when she is done eating. Also, it's adorable.

Hanging out in the sun at Grandma's house!

Loves talking on the phone!

Hanging out at temple square

Happy girl at City Creek. I can't wait till she is walking because I feel like it will be easier to play outside when she can run around.