Little Lady in Red!

Hiking Hullabaloo

My siblings and I have been talking about wanting to get outside and possibly hiking. Since there was snow in the Santa Ritas, we decided to go on a hike in Madera Canyon while everyone was on spring break.

Uncle Bubba ready to roll with Colt in tow.

Mikayla all snuggled into the front pack with her mom.

Here is everyone getting ready to go.

All the babies are in their cool carriers, and we are ready to rock!

Here we are enjoying some of the cool stream water. DD's taking pictures of Deja and Josh, while Garth & Quincy (Deja and Josh's Dog) showed Steven how to really enjoy the water.

Here's Garth getting a drink...Mmm, cool snow run off. yummy!

And another great example of what avid, hard core hikers we are. Lots of breaks. :)

Beautiful hiking with the world turning green, and the snow capped peaks in the background.

What a hotty! Beautiful Meagan & Mikayla enjoying the scenery

Here's Colt enjoying the water with his Uncle Dud

Dawn Sheree with her two boys. Cute picture!

The guys enjoying the stream

Here's our little family on our first hike

And princess Mikayla all decked out for the great outdoors.

And of course Garth and Uncle Dud had to find the greatest places to play. This is a really cool old hollow sycamore tree that leans across the creek and makes a great play fort.

Beautiful clear water. What fun!!!

Bedhead

After a long winters nap, nothing is worse than waking up with bedhead, especially this bad!

You just gotta love her "I've just woke up, and the world is so cruel" face. Too cute!

Blessing Day

Mikayla was blessed in church on Sunday and it was a wonderful day, even though it was cold and rained all day long. The blessing was beautiful and Mikayla looked so pretty in her blessing dress made by her Mammy. Here are lots of pictures from the big day!

Mikayla was an angel and slept most of the day except for one little fussing episode in church. When we got to my parent's house for dinner she was absolutely zonked out. Isn't she precious?!

Here's the crew that made it to the blessing. We are so grateful to be close to lots of family and have such amazing support from them.

All of Mikayla's grandparents except for her Great Grandma Hancock and Great Great Grandma Lambson were able to be there for her.

We didn't get a chance to take many pictures of Mikayla on her blessing day so we took some of her in her dress today. She wasn't quite as cooperative today as she was on Sunday, but we did our best.

Love this guy!

Dustin has been my saving grace since Mikayla was born. I am so lucky to have him home a lot of the time right now as he is working on his thesis. We try so hard not to bug Dad when he's working, but sometimes I just need a little break and he happens to walk in and just takes her from me for a few minutes at just the right time without me even asking. He is so wonderful with Mikayla and she sure loves her Dad. She always follows his voice when he is in the room and likes to stare at his cool spikey hair. :) I love to watch him "play" with her as he makes forts for her in her bouncy swing or he will try and get her to notice the toy he has put in front of her (and later determines "okay she's still not old enough to play yet!"). I love that he loves her to be all dressed up and girly and spoils her rotten with dresses. I love watching them snuggle as she lays on his chest to take naps. I love when she gives him "kisses" on the cheek. I love when he takes her on his runs, especially when she is in a nightie and beanie (super cute!), just to spend time with her. I love that he is so excited to be a Dad. I just love HIM! Mikayla is just starting to smile and will smile at Dustin more often than anyone else and it is so neat to watch them interact with each other. I can already tell that they have a special bond and I think it will only grow stronger as she gets older. Things haven't been going super easy for Dustin lately, but he still puts Mikayla and I first and I am so grateful for him for that. I couldn't ask for a better life because of the amazing man I married. We have been so blessed because of the good life he lives. Life truly is wonderful! Love you, Dustin.

Little Miss Pee Pot

There's a good reason that's Mikayla's nickname these days...she has been peeing and pooping all over EVERYTHING! Her diapers explode and leak everywhere, then we go to change her and she pees and poops all over herself and the changing table after the diaper explosions have already taken place. ALL the time. It is seriously making us crazy! Thank goodness for Spray and Wash and OxyClean (the combo works every time!)! All this nonsense means a lot of quality time with Mikayla and I and the jungle bathtub. Mikayla is actually starting to enjoy her baths thanks to the tons of baths the Little Miss Pee Pot has earned lately and yesterday she just chilled in the tub forever. Thanks to Dustin for these marvelous pictures of all the exciting action! ;)

Confession: I discovered a new towel of Mikayla's that we haven't used yet and I thought it was really cute and wanted a picture of her in it, but by the time baths are done and she's in the towel, there has been so much crying that pictures are no longer cute. Easy solution. Take a "fake" picture of Mikayla in the cute towel before the bath. I'm crazy, I know.

And, for the Grandmas here are some random pictures...