A Year of Posting

I friend of mine posted a blog about how she didn't do a very good job of keeping up to date in 2015. Well, I haven't posted in almost a year so I decided to copy her blog idea. Thanks Jenna from Unencombered words...

A Year in Review:

January:
Braxten turned 1 and got his first haircut. Tyler turned 28 and started his second semester at CU Boulder. Braelyn started writing her name and taught Braxten "ring around the Rosie's" and I worked...a lot...

February:
Braelyn hung out with Chip the buffalo at a basketball game. We went sledding for the first time in Colorado with our friend Amy (it was Braxtens first time ever). Tyler and I got to go to a Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets game at the Pepsi Center.

March:

I started training for a half marathon. We got to spend some time with family in Utah the first tome since moving to Colorado. The kids had their first extended stay without Mommy and Daddy and we missed them A LOT!!

April:
We were able to take the kids bowling on campus for the first time and they had a great time. I was able to go to the Denver Temple for the first time. It is such a beautiful place with an amazing spirit.

May:
Tyler finished the semester yay!!! We spent a drizzly foggy day taking pictures at the flatirons and I got to take Braelyn on a mommy daughter date to cold stone for ice cream. We made another trip back to Utah and went to the zoo with Kelsee and her kids. We got to meet up with my uncle Myron who I haven't seen in ten years in green river. Braelyn graduated her first year of preschool. We had some AMAZING Colorado thunderstorms!

June:
Braelyn turned 4 years old!! We had such a fun rainbow birthday party. It was a great month of Rainbows and puddle jumping. Tyler and I got to go see Wicked for the first time! It was incredible!

July:
Braxten (officially) started nursery. We got to take another trip to Utah where Tyler, Braelyn and Braxten got to say goodbye to Amy for 18 months. She is serving a mission in Forth Worth Texas. They are so lucky to have her and her beautiful spirit! I ran a half marathon! 13.1 miles! I finished in 2 hours 39 minutes (that's less time that I pushed in my labor with Braelyn). It was such a great feeling and good accomplishment!

Post race puppy snuggles 😀 I'll upload pictures of my half marathon on another blog post. Let's see if I can motivate myself to start running again 😀


August:
This month was full of activities before daddy started school again. I was able to go to the temple again and eat cafe rio 😀. Braelyn got to spray a fire hose and the kids got to sit in a police car and learn about safety. Braxten had his first experience of putting makeup on all by himself😜.  We had BBQs and friends and all in all it was a great month (I worked A LOT all summer though).

September:
Braelyn started preschool at an Elementary School. She rides the bus and loves the bus and shook and her teachers. Because of my work schedule, the kids started full time day care (they had previously started part time) and as hard as it is to be away from them I know they are in great hands and well taken care of. Tyler and I celebrated our 6th anniversary. We were able to use our managers discount at a fancy restaurant so our $120 meal was $25 before tip 😀 I turned 26 years old and made myself a  pumpkin chocolate chip cake with cream cheese frosting 😋. The kids went in their first airplane ride and we were able to spend a relaxing week with a hotel pool and visiting family. We took another trip to the zoo and Braxten enjoyed every second of the elephant show. I got to meet Ralphie (the female live buffalo for CU) up close and personal. She's incredible! Braxten sat on the potty for the first time (and pooped) but we still aren't ready for potty training.

October:
October brought fun and trick or treating. We had another BBQ with friends. Braelyn and Braxten made the cutest Elsa and Olaf for Halloween. I  reupholstered chairs, we got a new table, and rearranged our bedroom (doesn't sound all that fun).

November: we had a great thanksgiving with the 4 of us plus out friends Tim and Alecia. It was small but easygoing and wonderful. Braelyns favorite part was the rolls, Braxtens the corn and jello.

December:
It was a whirlwind. The break from school went by so fast and I was working so much it almost seemed like I was never home. We had a little Christmas with just us and we invited the Elders over for breakfast.  Tyler surprised me with tickets to a Jazz game while I was in Utah. I loved talking with Craig Bolerjack again.

Happy Birthday Braxten!!! And Tyler

My little man had his First Birthday on Friday, so we had a party for him yesterday. We celebrated on Tyler's birthday so it was a little bit of a twofer (TWO-for-ONE) :) We had a lot of fun and I went a little overboard, but it was more for me anyway, right?! He isn't going to remember what was going on, just that he got cake :)  We did a Utah Jazz Basketball theme birthday, so it was a lot of fun with some great friends.Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the food table with the cupcakes and cookies.

Braxten Thomas: 20 1/2 pounds, 30 inches, Brown hair, dark eyes
He is walking all over ther place and climbing up and down everything from the stairs to furniture. He waves, gives high fives, and blows kisses. He can say mama, dada, daddy, hi, hey, nana (as in banana) and bottle. He can sign all done, more, milk, food, and hits his bottom when he needs a bum change. He is a very calm child most of the time and loves to sit back and watch people, unless we are at church. They all he wants is freedom and will do everything he can to get it.

 Braxten's smash cake

 He kept trying to "high-five" me and the camera

I just love this expression on his face. That mixed with the Wolverine hair and you just can't help but smile and laugh at the little sweetie :)

Happy first birthday little man! I love you more and more each day! I can't believe you are already a one year old. The time has gone by so quickly. Please slow down! Love Mommy!

Build a Bear

This year since we were in Colorado, my Grandma Dickson sent us some money to get something for the kids and us. We decided that it would be fun to take the kids to Build a Bear and have them build an animal just for them. It was a lot of fun to watch them and the kids had a blast. Here are the pictures. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Dickson and Lori! We love you and miss you!

 Braelyn picked a pink bear

 Braxten picked a puppy

 Waiting to stuff the animals

 Making a wish and giving her bear a heart

 Braxten picked a Jedi costume and a light saber--Really we held up the Jedi and some superheros and that is what he grabbed.

 His puppy all dressed up. His name is Pup Skywalker

 He decided he was more interested in the light saber than the puppy...

 Braelyn dressing up her bear

We first named her Rosey, but then Braelyn decided she needed a Rapunzel name after we got home so we changed it to Bear-punzel.

That was our fun trip to Build a Bear. Braelyn already wants to go back for her birthday. :)