Lydia and the Christmas Lights

I saw a picture the other day where a baby was holding a string of christmas lights. It was really cute so I thought I would try it with Lydia for some fun christmas pictures. Sadly, it didn't work very well. It would probably work better if she could sit up by herself. Still, we did get some cute ones and it was fun (until Lydia decieded she'd had enough).

Gingerbread house

I recently made a gingerbread house for a local competition (at Maceys grocery store). It took me longer than I expected (mostly during Lydia's nap time) but was pretty fun to do. I have done basic gingerbread houses before (ok- basically putting some candy on and calling it good) with my family, but this one was a bit more detailed than that. My sister, Rhonda, helped me with the design and it was nice to be able to call her up when I had questions. For my first gingerbread house, I thought it turned out pretty well.

Side view

Back view

Other side view

Airplane rides, hanging out, and storytime.

It is so fun to watch Lydia grow and develop at each new stage. She is starting to be a lot more interactive and able to do more things, not to mention getting cuter and cuter each day! She is usually a very happy and smiley baby and we love to hear her giggle and babble. We love each minute spent with her and just can't ever seem to get enough!

Lydia loves her airplane rides, whether we just lift her up in the air, or if we put her on our legs and give her rides that way. This is a pretty typical face she makes- very happy with her mouth wide open.

Hanging out with Dad is another favorite for her. It is so fun to see them together and Neal is so cute with her. She has started babbling a lot more and will sit (or stand) and just talk to us for a while. We love it!


About a month ago, she also started grabbing at things and holding onto them for a while. She still can't hold onto them very long (unless of course it is my hair or earrings) but she is getting better and better.

Although she is still really young and isn't always in the mood to sit and read, there are a couple of books that Lydia loves to look at and have us tell her about the pictures. Hopefully as she gets older she will enjoy reading more and more.

Thanksgiving and Family Pictures

Well, I think it is past time to put up a new post. :) Life is still great and has been busy this last month. Of course Thanksgiving was wonderful. This year we spent it with Neal's family, as we had been up to Rexburg with my parents the week before. We drove up to Bountiful early Thursday morning where Neal was able to play some "Turkey bowl" football with friends while Lydia and I visited with family and helped rake leaves in the yard. It was a bit chilly but otherwise a perfect day to be outside.

Lydia playing in the leaves at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

In the early afternoon, Stephanie was kind enough to drive down to Salt Lake with us and take our family pictures on temple square. Lydia wasn't so sure what to think and wasn't very cooperative, but it was a beautiful day and we did get some ok pictures with her looking. We next drove to a chapel in Salt Lake where we met up with more extended family ( the Johnsons) for Thanksgiving dinner.After dinner there was lots of visiting and some fun games of basketball (which I did actually join in for a while), before driving back up to Bountiful. The fun continued as the Swalbergs came to visit and play games. It really was a great day with great food and great company. I am so thankful for our wonderful family, both on Neal's side and on my side!

Out for a walk

Lydia absolutely LOVES being outside. If we stayed outside all day, I think she would be very happy. She doesn't even seem to care that it is getting colder. I must admit, I do also enjoy outdoors quite a bit so we go on stroller walks every day. Some days (now that it is getting colder) our walk only lasts15 or 20 minutes, but on a nice day we like to go for as much as 40 minutes to an hour. We got a travel system with a jogging stroller and we love it! The jogging stroller is great on any surface, even if it is rocky and uneven. Hopefully we can continue with our daily stroll even when the cold weather is here.

Getting all bundled up.

All smiles! She knows what is coming.

Mom, do I really need to wear this hat?

Halloween 2011

Normally I am not a big fan of halloween and dressing up. This year was different though. We now have a cute little girl to dress up! Because Neal already had a Peter Pan costume, we decided to make it a family affair with me going as Wendy and Lydia as Tinkerbell. I had so much fun making Lydia's costume (including the headband and wings). After finishing the dress, I looked around for something I could use for her tiny wings. After a search in the closet, I found success... in the form of two white coat hangers. I shaped them, sewed on some sheer fabric, and we had some wings! I think it turned out pretty cute! I had planned on making myself a Wendy costume as well, but ended up finding a dress. After adding sleeves and a few other touches, I had my Wendy outfit! Some of Neal's cousins had a Halloween party, which was so much fun to attend! The food and company were great! Who knew dressing up could be so much fun.

Hiking Rock Canyon

We were able to go hiking one last time before the weather turned too cold. My sister Jen (and her husband Jeff) invited us to go along with them so we drove down to Provo to meet up. We had all been wanting to go for a while and it was their last chance because Jen had their baby the following Wednesday. :) The weather was wonderful and it was a beautiful day. It wasn't too hot, and not too cold, and the fall colors were gorgous! We brought our Snugli carrier and Neal carried Lydia the whole way. She absolutely loves being outdoors and moving around, so of course she was happy (although she also slept quite a bit). Her hat did a great job of keeping her from getting too much sun, although it was too big and she couldn't see out from under it well. We can't wait until next year when we can start going more often!

Lydia's blessing day

Lydia was blessed on September 18, 2011 by Neal. He did a great job, even though she cried through most of it. I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood and the blessings it brings to our family. Many of our family members came, as well as good friends and neighbors. Afterwards we had lunch at a nearby park. What a great day!

LOTOJA 2011

On September 10, 2011, I competed in the hardest physical thing I have ever done-The LOTOJA Classic.

Every couple years or so I get the desire to compete in an athletic event. Already having done a marathon, multiple half marathons and the Ragnar Relay, I thought I would try biking. I still remember the day when I first decided I wanted to compete in the LOTOJA- we were on a mini vacation down in southern Utah and I was researching the race on my Dad's smartphone. It just so happened that the open entry period to sign up was a few weeks away. Since the race is extremely popular and the demand is high, all LOTOJA participants are selected through a lottery. After being selected, I committed myself to training all summer long. A few of the training rides I did over the summer included: riding up American Fork Canyon and Provo canyon (through the Alpine Loop), through Heber City towards Kamas, around Bear Lake (while on family vacation), around Utah Lake, the tour de four( Little Cottonwood canyon, Big Cottonwood canyon, Millcreek canyon, and Emigration canyon), and Bountiful up towards Logan via Sardine canyon. Needless to say, there were many Saturdays where I was gone all morning and into the afternoon- leaving Becca to fend for herself (and towards the end- with Lydia). I also biked from American Fork to work (in Sandy) a few mornings during the week. At last, the day of the race arrived. I spent the night at my brother Brent's apartment in Logan, as the race began there. Needless to say, I did not sleep particularly well. All too early, it was time to head over to the start line. My starting time was 7:37 am, which was the 2nd to last group to leave (the relay groups left at 7:40). The course of the LOTOJA covers 206 miles, 3 states, and 3 mountain passes. In order to complete the race, participants must be in before dark, or 8:15 pm. Because of the late start time, I knew I would need to book it all day! The ride north from Logan goes through a flat Cashe Valley to Preston, ID (34 miles). Leg 2 covers 46 miles- up to Strawberry Summit, and down to Montpelier. The remaining 2 mountain passes (including Salt River Pass- the steepest one) followed by a decent to Afton, WY, make up the 3rd leg. It was during these stages where Brent (my brother) and Stephanie (my sister) provided much needed encouragement and support (including stopping at feed zones) along the way. From Afton to Alpine, WY was another 34 miles, and en route I was greeted by Becca, Lydia, and my parents, who drove up to take over the role as support team/vehicle for the remainder of the race. Upon reaching Alpine, I still had 47 miles to go and was totally exhausted and burnt out. The remainder of the race weaved up through the Snake River canyon and ended outside of Jackson Hole in the Teton Village. Soon it would get dark and the finish line was not yet in sight. Even more so now, the race turned from physical endurance to mental. My training had gotten me this far, but now it was up to willpower and the thought of seeing my wife and daughter at the finish line. After riding for another 2 plus hours, I saw the 1 km sign and the bright lights at the finish. The bikers around me started to cheer, knowing we would all finish before the race closed. I raised both hands high into the air as I crossed over the finish line at 8:09 pm, with the time of 12 hours and 32 minutes. What a relief. Throughout the entire race, I was burdened with the thought of not finishing in the allotted time. I bent down, pounding the ground with my fist- knowing I had accomplished a great feat. I was beyond exhaustion and could barely walk when Becca and my Dad came to find me and take me to meet up with the others. It was great to see my family (especially Becca) at the finish line, which made it all worth it. Looking back, I have gained a new found respect for cyclists and anyone with the LOTOJA decal sticker on their car!