Pictures of Ayla!

Here are some of the pictures that Kris took. Which one is your favorite? I know they are small but I can't get them any bigger or they will look pixelated.

#1 Ayla with her hands up!

I got a 5x7 of this one.

#2 Ayla getting ready to eat the flower!

#3 Ayla in the tulips!

I actually got an 8x10 of this one.

Thanks again Kris for sharing your talent!

We got pictures of Ayla taken!

My friend, Ann called me up the other day and told me about a free photo session for kids that would be taken in a garden. Kris, who is an amazing photographer, was the one doing the session. I tell ya, she is amazing at taking pictures and capturing moments. Ann has her take pictures of her family all the time. So when Ann told me it was a free session, I jumped at the chance to have pictures taken of Ayla in a garden. I just have to pay for the pictures I decide to get.

Yesterday was when the photo shoot took place and the pictures are amazing. If you want to see them, check them out here. Ayla is in the 4th photo from the top. She is standing in the middle of some tulips. It is so cute. I can't wait to see all the pictures she took of Ayla.

Thank you Kris! You did an amazing job!

You should check out Kris' blog. She is truly an amazing photographer.

Did I say amazing enough in this post?

Kurt and I went on a date!

On Tuesday, me and my hubby, Kurt went out on a date. The last time we had gone out together was this past September for our anniversary and we went to the temple and did sealings. That was wonderful. This time we went out for dinner and a show.

We started the evening at the luxurious Arctic Circle. One of our faves.

I had to take all the pictures myself.

Dinner was awesome. Like I said, I love Arctic Circle. I also loved the price. It kind of balanced out the price we  paid to see a show. 

Now when I say a show, I mean a show and not a movie.

Are

 

you 

ready 

to 

see 

the 

title 

of 

the 

show

 

we 

went

to?

Well here it is:

Wicked!

Yes, I said Wicked!

We rode trax to the show. Here, we are waiting for the train. 

I thought it would be better to ride trax than fight all the traffic downtown but we spent more riding trax than what we would have if we paid for parking. Well, I guess we live and learn. Right?

Here is a view of the Capitol Theatre from across the street where we saw Wicked.

Don't you love how people are dressed in green? How fun!

Had to get a picture of Kurt with the sign.

And me too!

I had to take a picture of the chandelier inside because I thought it was so beautiful.

Well the show was amazing and, really, that is all I can say because if I go on about it I will be here all night long. Plus I don't think I could point out favorite parts because I loved it so much. It left me in awe. I don't know if I could say anything about it that would justify the show. So I just leave you with the word "amazing!"

This was my first time seeing a Broadway production. I thought they were lip syncing because it was so flawless. I have been to lots of musicals but not Broadway. I totally think it was so worth the money we spent. I would do it again. I so want to see more Broadway shows. I loved Wicked and now I am listening to the music on my MP3 player. The story was awesome and I want to see it again and again. I can't wait to see another Broadway show. I am sure we will because Kurt loves them and so do I now.

Ayla clips!

I just wanted to share a couple of clips of Ayla. In the first one, she is trying to eat with a spoon. The second one is funny to me because she kept walking around the bar stool in the kitchen every time my friend, Melissa turned on her Easter Bunny she got from Grandma and Grandpa Perry. She dances a little bit with it as well. She even busts out the Flash Dance move. 

So Wes and Amber Ayla need to get together with Holden and bust the moves with him! Especially the Flash Dance!

My Second Award!

I haven't done a post in a while because Ayla has been sick. She got a fever of 103 on Wednesday. She had the fever through Friday and now she is coughing and sneezing. Today she is teething really bad and is in a lot of pain. So far I see 3 teeth coming in. Who knows, maybe this whole sickness has been from teething.

Anyway, onto the award. I received the Fresh Drink Award form my blogging friend, Cherie. I received this award about 2 months ago and my posting it is long over due. I just want to thank Cherie for giving this to me.

Cherie's blog is also a Fresh Drink. She shares some uplifting things and she has some tips on blogging. I didn't change my background on my blog until I read one of her posts. I didn't know how to do it but, thanks to her, I found the perfect background. You can see Cherie's blog right here.

Now I would love to pass this wonderful award to two wonderful and amazing women. And they are:

Nanette - I chose her blog because it is like a fresh drink when you go to her blog. She has a lot of variety and she is great at telling stories and, just recently, she is giving skin advise. She is a esthetician. Right now, she stays home with her cute little boy, Murdock but she still wants to share that knowledge she has with other people. So check out her wonderful blog.

The second person is:
Julie- I chose her blog because, like Nanette, her blog is like a fresh drink. She has some really interesting and informational things on her blog. Some of my favorites have been how to chose an avocado and God's pharmacy. Here is her wonderful blog too.

So once more I would like to thank Cherie for the award and to congratulate these two amazing women with this award.

One more thing I have to mention. I was in a singles ward with both of these ladies and so I know them pretty well and, like I said, they are amazing.

I want to post a few things this week but I will see what I can get in with Ayla needing her mommy. I will eventually get it out anyways.

Our Easter!

We had a busy but fun Easter. This post has lots of pictures of what we did over the whole weekend. Easter lasted for 2 and 1/2 days for us. I hope you enjoy.

I started the weekend off by going to the temple on Friday. It was so nice to go for the Easter weekend. And it was nice to go to a session for my first time with glasses. I could see so much more of the detail of what the pioneers did to decorate the Salt Lake Temple. I had no idea how blind I was.

Saturday morning, Ayla and I went to my parent's for pancakes. I finally cleaned up our storage over there. I will post about that later. (I did it Ann. I finally cleaned up our storage.) It felt so good to get that taken care of.

While  we were there, my dad gave me these puppies. 

I mean crocodile heads. At first I thought my uncle Ernie bought them because he would always take us to Reams (the only place I have seen that has these) when we were kids and buy us all a crocodile head. This is one of my favorite memories I have with my uncle Ernie. I love him.

In the afternoon on Saturday, we went to Kurt's parent's house where they had a candy hunt for the grand kids.

Ayla did really well.

Ayla collecting more candy.

Ayla also got this cute Easter bunny. 

It plays "Here comes Peter Cotton Tail." and its ears move up and down to the song. It is too cute and Ayla loves it.

 

I tried to get a picture of Morganne during the hunt and this was the best one of her. She was too quick for the camera. You know she needed to get as much candy she could.

Here is Brooke and Baby Kurt patiently waiting for Ayla and Morganne's candy hunt to be over. Then Brooke got to go on a treasure hunt for her Easter basket. I love this picture of the both of them. Brooke is really getting to be a beautiful young lady.

Pooped from the hunt.

One of me and Kurt. 

And a better picture of me in my new glasses. I really have come to like my glasses. I think they were a good pick. 

Here is the pale after the hunt and other candy Kurt's parents gave us. We made out like bandits.

Sunday morning, the Easter bunny came to our house.

Ayla got a bonnet (that is what the white thing is at the bottom of the basket), some new socks and some new shoes. We all three got chocolate Easter bunnies. And Ayla got some plastic eggs to play Easter Egg hunt.

Here is a close up of Ayla's new shoes. Aren't they cute? I love Nikes!

Here is Ayla in her Easter dress she got from Grandma and Grandpa Perry. This was taken before church as we were heading out the door.

We had a wonderful day at church. It was very uplifting—as always.

And this was taken after church.

I got 3 new shirts for Easter and this is one of them. They each cost a whole $5 each. Awesome deal.

And I got some new shoes for church. 

One of my young women came to church with these shoes a couple of weeks ago and I had to have them, they were so cute. Thanks Erin for you good taste in shoes.

Sunday evening, we went to my parents for a yummy Easter roast dinner. Notice the roast is all gone on Kurt's plate?

And of course Dad and Uncle Ernie. 

They switched places from the last post I did.

My sister-in-law, Carolyne.

Me and my mommy!

You can also see my new shirt better in this picture.

Kurt, Dad and Mom.

My bro, Robert and my sweet nephew, Lane.

After dinner, we came home and had an Easter egg hunt with Ayla with the eggs she got from the Easter bunny.  I put all her toys up (so they wouldn't be a distraction for her) hid the eggs for her and she did really well. I recorded the whole thing.

We had to help her a few times to spot the eggs but once she did, she knew what to do with them.

She had a lot of fun playing with the eggs. We did a few hunts with her and there were a few times we put gram crackers in them so she could find a surprise. It was so fun. Both Kurt and I were so surprised at how well she did. She is so smart.

And here is a picture of her in her Easter bonnet. Too cute.

Below is a clip of her first Easter Egg hunt that I recorded. It is 3 minutes long but so cute. Enjoy!

That was the best Easter I have ever had!

The temple, spending time with family, going to church and spending time with my little family, watching my little girl enjoy herself with the Easter egg hunts.

We also watched a couple of videos on our saviour's Resurrection on Sunday. What a great event to celebrate.

We had a birthday party on Wednesday!

On Wednesday, my family had a little birthday party for my sister-in-law, Carolyn's daughter, Angie. We all had dinner together and, of course, I made a chocolate birthday cake. We had a good time. We always have a good time together as a family. I just love to spend time with family. I can't get enough of spending time with family. And that goes for both sides of the family, Kurt's and mine.

Birthday girl, Angie, Carolyn and my bro, Robert all eating some yummy chocolate cake.

Carolyn's dad joined us too. It was nice to have him there.

Ern and Dad!
The sad thing is Ernie can't have cake because he is diabetic. Sorry Ernie! :(

And of course, the cute chocolate faced girl, Ayla!

She kept reaching for her aunt Marion with her messy hands. Marion was trying to dodge them of course but it was so cute that she wanted Aunt Marion.

Here is Marion trying to explain to Ayla!

And here is a picture of them together.

Waffles from scratch!

I was asked by a couple of people to post the recipe of the waffles I make from scratch. So, Katie and Alison, this post is for you!

I can't take credit for the recipe. I actually googled it and got it that way. Anyway, they are really yummy. Enjoy!

Here is a picture of some I made a couple of weeks ago.

Wet Ingredients

1 1/2 Cup of milk

1/2 Cup of oil

Dry Ingredients

--Sift together

1 3/4 Cup flour

1 Tsp. Salt

2 1/2 Baking powder

Directions

Add dry ingredients to wet.

Separate 2 Eggs; Whites in one bowel, Yolks in another

Beat the Yolks and add them to the other ingredients.

After beating thoroughly, fold the fluffy egg whites into other ingredients

Cooking Directions

Bake in greased waffle iron.

Serving suggestions

I also make my own syrup. The recipe is on the box of mapleine.

2 Cups sugar

1 Cup water

1 Tsp. Mapleine.

Bring ingredients to a boil and voila! Super easy!

It is pretty running but if you want it to be thicker, there is a recipe for thicker syrup on the box too.

Our Conference weekend!

We had a fun conference weekend. 

We started our Saturday, having my family over in the morning for breakfast. My dad and I cooked the breakfast.

Here are the chefs.

What does this picture remind you of? A famous painting maybe? 

I'm not so sure that I am standing on the right side of my dad to match which side the woman in the painting is standing on but, oh well. We tried.

My hair is greasy because I hadn't showered yet but you can see me in my cute new glasses. 

After breakfast, we watched conference on the Internet. It was wonderful—so inspiring.

That night, Krista came over to visit us with Morganne and Baby Kurt. They spent the night at our place.

Here is Kurt and Kurt.

Ayla always loves to be close to Kurt but she scares the poor little guy.

And she can't get enough of Morganne. She follows her like her little shadow. I love to see how happy she is to play with Morganne.

Kurt in his pack and play. Isn't he so adorable?

Time for bed. Morganne in her PJ's.

This was Sunday morning after I made waffles for everyone and got Ayla dressed. I love the T-shirt she is wearing. It has little monkey heads all over it. I couldn't resist it when I was at Dollar Tree. It only cost me a dollar.

Ayla and Morganne playing during the first session of conference.

I thought this picture was cool of Morganne getting up to leave.

Here is happy little Kurt. Happy boy!

Kurt and Ayla look like they could be twins with their red hair. So cute.

Don't mind my handsome hubby's hair. Like I said this was the morning session of conference.

Morganne got in on the fun. Too cute. I love this picture.

Krista and her little family left after the first session of conference. It was so nice to have them spend the night with us. Not only did I love their company, but it helped me realize what I need to prepare for when Leah and her little family stay with us next month. I also loved that I had Ayla in her pack and play in our room for the night. I always love to have her right by me. I hate that she needs to be in the other room but it is best for her and for Kurt and I to have our own rooms.

We had a wonderful conference weekend and I absolutely loved every minute of conference. There was so many words of comfort in the recession. Some of my favorite talks were from:

Elder Hale—he spoke on needs and not wants.

President Erying—he spoke on adversity and so did a lot of other general authorities. It was wonderful.

Elder Holland gave a beautiful Easter talk and talked about adversity and that we never have to be alone.

And of course, I loved to hear from President Monson. I love how he counseled us at the very end of conference about the dangers of Satan. You could really feel the love he has for all of us.

I could put everyone on this list for one reason or another. They were all inspiring. I love conference. I always feel so renewed and ready to take on the next 6 months until the next conference. I know the things I need to work on. Even though I feel guilty because I know I need to do those things. It is so nice to be reminded of those things.