18 Months aka 1 1/2 Years

I know I'm posting this late, but here is a bit about my beautiful one and a half year old.

Height:  30"

Weight: 21lbs. 4oz.

6 teeth (four on top, two on bottom)

• Her favorite toys are her babies and her Little People. She also loves playing with cars, dressing up, and building towers with her Duplo bricks.
• She loves to be outside. She spots birds, airplanes, dogs, and likes picking flowers.
• She can throw a major tantrum. Like the fall on the floor screaming type.
• She already likes to put make-up on and exclaims "pretty!" when she looks in the mirror.
• Her nonsense songs are adorable. 
• Her favorite foods are avocado, blueberries, peas, noodles, strawberries, cucumber, Goldfish, and Nutella on bread.
• She has one mean grouchy face.
• She loves reading books. I find her sitting and looking at books often, or she brings them over for you to read to her.
• Her laugh is one of the best sounds in the world.
• She can speak in sentences and has a wide vocabulary. Her newest phrase is "What's Affy doing?"
• She has 6 teeth. Four on top, two on the bottom. 
• She is finally weaned! Took me long enough. Ha!
• She is very mischievous and likes to get into everything. If you can't find something, chances are she had a hand in it.
• We have had to implement time out.
• Kisses and hugs are her forte.
• She still wakes up during the night, but can usually calm herself and go back to sleep without me.
• For her to sleep, she MUST have her teddy bear.
• She is down to one nap. Sometimes it is as short at 30 mins, but can be as long as 3 hours.
• She is such a cuddler, and loves to sit on laps.
• Her hair is prone to lots of little knots but she doesn't cry when you comb her hair. Hooray!
• She had a cold a month or so ago that ended with the doctor prescribing a nebulizer.
• She is a dare devil. She loves climbing, jumping, and can go on the slide at the park all by herself. 

More Family, More Fun

The reason I was willing to go to this high school reunion, was that I would get to see my family. It was so nice staying with my parents; waking up to yummy breakfast, laughing and reminiscing, having my kids play in the same places I played as a kid, and just being home. 

I was especially happy that my niece was able to be there at the same time. Nothing like cousins!

Here's Rowan playing peek-a-boo with Grandpa!

Rowan was such a good mommy carrying her babies around.

Here's Lee, entertaining us with his mad jumping skills.

Sidestory: The red and blue rectangles on the table, in the below picture, are abstract Joseph and Mary figures. In their arms they hold a small square baby Jesus with a wooden knob (like for a drawer) head. When I was unpacking after we returned home, I found the little knob in my bag. I called to let my mom know but only my brother Lee was there, so he took the message. During dinner that night, he randomly informs my mom that, "Heather has baby Jesus' head." Pahahaha!

The boys all went to the driving range and putting green one day. It was the first time Afton had ever been to a real golf course. I can't even describe how happy he was. My dad said he did really well. He said he has a good swing, and nice aim. Grandpa will be happy to know that Afton has been watching The Masters on tv. This morning he made me set a reminder so that he wouldn't miss any of the second round! I just asked him who he wanted to win and he said Mickelson. Not this time Affy, not this time.

Off to Arizona

I drove the kids, on my own, to Arizona to attend that random high school reunion back in March. I have never taken them anywhere overnight on my own, and jumped at the chance to do something independently. 

We only made two stops, and one of them was at Dateland. I let the kids run around and pick out a treat inside. And of course, I bought myself a bag of dates. I mean, come on, it's Dateland!

Afton found gummy Ring Pops and thought they were the greatest thing ever, though his face doesn't show it. Ha!

Unfortunately I forgot to get any pictures, but we stayed with my in-laws in Chandler that evening. We ate delicious Mexican food, watched some college basketball, and took the kids to the neighborhood park. The next day we met up with my friend Brett and drove to Safford. We stopped at the Lee Little Theatre in Thatcher to meet up with an old friend (who I graduated with and have known since preschool) who wasn't going to be able to attend the reunion. We ended up seeing another friend from our class too! I'm kicking myself for not getting any pictures, but I was so crazy excited about seeing them that I forgot. Bummer. I did snap this great pic of Brett being photo bombed by Affy though!

When we got to my parents house they had lots of fun surprises. Afton was given a box of Pokemon cards...

and the fireplace was decorated by my mom with fun handmade posters like she did for our birthdays growing up. My mom is the best!

Grandpa even got on the floor to play with the kids. Now that's love!

And that night it began.....

15 1/2 Year Class Reunion

Somehow a random, non-school affiliated, class reunion was put together, and I decided to go.  It was actually extremely fun! It was nice catching up with so many classmates that I spent a good deal of my childhood with. I've known some of them since kindergarten! There was only one person I didn't remember. Not too shabby.

Friday night we met up at the Safford Bowling Alley. Many, including me, brought their kids. There was a lot of laughing, storytelling, and picture taking. After bowling we hit up the Bull Pen, a total dive bar, which was quite enjoyable. I wish I had the picture of Nicole standing next to the hideous horse door to the women's bathroom. Classic.

Left to right: Shane, Jennifer, Stevie, Me, Larry, Brett, Alexis

Stevie, me, Shane, Alexis, Brett, Katrina, Nik

On Saturday there was a family picnic held at the Graham County Fairgrounds. The wind was so bad that we ended up having to move inside to the Agriculture Building. Rowan thought it would be fun to crush all of her goldfish and make a orange cracker-crumb snow angel. She provided lots of entertainment to those sitting nearby.

Christina and I. Somehow her hair missed the wind, unlike mine.

That night we were serenaded by Larry Archuleta's band...

and Shane Casey's cover band.

There was delicious cake made by Andrea Young, some dancing, a few (understatement) mice, yummy food, and lots and lots of giggles. I love reconnecting with people from my past. It reminds me who I was, and who I still am.

Brett and Nicole.

Stevie and Jennifer 

There were some people that had left already, and some that didn't make it to this last event, but this is pretty much the group that attended.

Top Row: Larry Archuleta, Brian Sargent, Teara Sargent, Alexis Rios-Hanson, Stevie Spalsbury, Cory Barker
Top Middle Row: Gayleen Sanders, Melissa Dodge, Amy Perea, Jesse Campos
Bottom Middle Row: Shane Casey, Kate Williams, Adriana Rodriguez, Kimberly Earp
Bottom Row: Brett Ulery, me, Jennifer Casey, Nicole Palomino

Can't wait to do it again Class of '98!!

Not Afton

We went to a orthopedic consultation the other day. After staring at his x-rays for a long time, Afton turns to me and says, "Mom, that doesn't even look like me!"

Pahahahahaha!!!