Thursday, October 6, 2011

Summertime


Fall has finally arrived in Utah. Yesterday was the first day in months where temperatures didn’t hover in the 80’s. It was overcast and rainy and crisp…and I loved it! The rain reminds me of home and although I prefer the weather here in Utah for the most part, I do miss a good rainy day every now and then. So now that summer is officially over in every way, I figured it’s time for a summer recap!

As soon as the weather got warm enough, we hit the pool for Evangeline’s first swim…



Then we hit the road and drove to Seattle for a visit in July... 
Such a good little traveler

  We got to spend time in Bellingham with the two of our favorite families, the Loy’s & the Blumberg's (unfortunately this is just one of many times this summer that I didn't have a spare arm to be taking pictures so this is all I got)...
On a walk with the Loy's... I miss being surrounded by such tall trees!

 ...and spent the 4th of July at the cabin…
My favorite place in this whole world - McKee's Beach


The Annual McKee's Beach 4th of July Parade

Fireworks from the deck

We got to spend lots of time with family…
Playing with cousins Charlie & Josie

Visiting with Grandma Kathy

Hanging out with the Hirschman cousins

Uncle Andy is so sweet!
Playing with cousin Ayantu

Riding in the car with Ayantu & Jack

Having fun with Great-Aunt Janet

And so intrigued by Great-Aunt Kelli

Playing with Great-Grammy Carol

Picking fresh raspberries from Grandpa's garden

Captivated by Grandma Shala's necklace

A quick trip back to the cabin to see Grandma Frankie, Emma and my Aunt Sook & cousin Gracie

Loving on Auntie Em

…and friends…
Vanessa & Sebastian, me & Evangeline, and Traci & Jake

…and brought Gram Gram home with us for another week of fun…

We played at the neighborhood splash pad…



…and went to the Hogle Zoo…



…and played in the pool on the deck…


…and went camping (another time where I took almost zero pictures)…

…and skyped with Gram Gram…

Now bring on the boots and scarves, soup and pumpkin desserts, colorful leaves, crisp air and all the wonderful things that fall brings…

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Summer Storms

Once again I'm feeling very behind on my posts. There are so many fun things we did this summer that are worthy of documenting. However, while I get those organized (why does uploading pictures onto blogger have to take FOR.EV.ER?!), I'll leave you with this...

Utah is known for it's amazing lightening storms, especially in late August. A few weeks ago we had a storm that seemed to go directly over our house. We watched it start in the distance from our back door. As it moved closer it seemed like lightening was going to strike right in our own back yard. Until finally it passed to the front of our house and moved north. The crashes of thunder were so deep and loud, and for a few minutes were immediately following the flashes of lightening so we knew it was just as close as it felt! I couldn't resist grabbing the camera and attempting to catch a bolt or two. Using just a simple point and shoot really doesn't do it justice, but trust me, it was the most amazing storm I've even seen!

Here is some video. I apologize for my annoying gasps; there were a few times where I felt like the lightening was going to hit my toes! The last one I got on video startled me so much I ran inside so the thunder gets cut off.

Skip to about 50 seconds an watch for 2 bolts of lightening.

Summer Storm from Natalie Sanchez on Vimeo.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

6 and 7 Months

Evangeline turned 8 months old on Friday. And as if time wasn’t already moving quickly enough, having a summer packed full of fun things has just made it seem to go by that much faster. But more on those fun things later. I was about to post her 7 month update until I noticed that I’m further behind then I thought. So here are some highlights from the last two months!

6 MONTHS

Evangeline - 6 months old


-- We’re finally settling into a more predictable schedule this month. It’s so nice to be able to plan ahead and know that with few exceptions, you wake up around 8am, nap from 10-12 and 3-5 and go to bed at 8:30. You’re also back to loving your crib. Often times, when I lay you down for your naps, you’ll lean your head back until you feel it hit the mattress, then you pop your thumb in your mouth, take a deep breath, close your eyes and you’re out! Sometimes you’ll cry when I start to walk out of the room but it never lasts long. This is such a HUGE change from the last few months!

-- The day before you turned 6 months, you got your first taste of solid food. We fed you avocado and you L.O.V.E.D it! By the end of the month you had tried Rice and Oatmeal Cereal, Avocado, Bananas, Apples, Plums, Sweet Potato and Peas. Sweet Potato and Avocado seem to be your favorite, and Peas are definitely your least favorite (who can blame you!), but you are a good eater and have yet to spit anything out.

-- Your hair is getting long enough now where the sides are starting to grow over your ears like Daddy’s does when he needs a haircut. I can’t wait until it’s long enough to pull back with pretty clips and put into pigtails and braids!

-- Sometimes you smile so big that you crinkle your nose, squint your eyes and flash your one tooth. I call it your scrunchy smile and I love it!


-- You’ve learned how to give kisses. This might be my favorite milestone yet! There is just nothing better then one of your slobbery smooches, especially when you grab my face with your hands and lean in. I love love love it!

Evangeline loves her Aunt Jen!


-- At the end of 6 months and beginning of 7 months you went on your first road trip and were fantastic! You didn’t take as long of naps as you usually do, but you rarely got fussy and seemed to enjoy the adventure. We drove from Utah to Seattle and were gone for just over two weeks. You were a great sleeper almost everywhere we went and you had a LOT of people loving on you! All our family and friends couldn’t wait to see you, hold you, kiss you and play with you and you definitely turned the charm on!

-- Your personality is really developing and starting to shine through. Your Daddy and I both agree that Joy is the perfect middle name for you! You are so full of joy, waking up with a smile in the mornings and squawking and smiling all day long (squawking is still your form of laughter). You also bring a tremendous amount of joy to us, your grandparents and family and just about everyone that spends time with you or gets one of your adorable scrunchy smiles!

Favorite Toys: Bird Car Seat Pull Toy, Jumparoo, Sophie, Lovie Lamb
Favorite Foods: Avocado, Apples & Sweet Potatoes


7 MONTHS

Evangeline - 7 months


-- You love to shout and squeal and have learned how to do it even louder and longer this month.

-- You are constantly bouncing! Every time you try to stand up you are always bouncing away and have gotten really good at bouncing in your jumperoo and in the excersaucers at church.



-- We started putting you in the nursery at church once we got back from our trip to Seattle. You were 7 ½  months and you seem to do pretty well, even though it’s during one of your feedings and nap time. I think I’m the one with separation anxiety at this point!

-- You seem to know the difference between people you know and strangers now. You are usually still very friendly with strangers, smiling at them, laughing and sometimes letting them hold you, however, sometimes you put your arms out for mommy or daddy to take you back.

Discovering the baby in the mirror

-- You have learned when you are funny and will repeat things that make us laugh. You are also ticklish now, especially on your sides and feet.

-- You are constantly trying to reach for anything and everything within sight. Unless you are busy sleeping or nursing, you are reaching for something, and sometimes even while you are sleeping or nursing! You have mastered the art of “swiping”, so nothing within reach is safe! I’ve also given up on wearing any jewelry these days because it’s just too tempting for your little hands to tug on.

-- Daddy taught you how to hold onto two of your stacking rings, one in each hand, and tap them together. I love watching you two play this new game. He’ll give you the rings, pick up two of his own, start tapping them and then you’ll follow. After a few taps, you throw your hands up in the air which sends your rings flying and then try and grab Daddy’s and it starts all over again.

She loves those puffs


-- Bath time is still your favorite time of day. You take baths in the big tub now and you love to splash and reach around for toys, especially your rubber duckies and stacking cups.

-- You have started showing an interest in books (other then just chewing on the covers and pulling on the pages!). You will actually sit still, listen and watch the pictures as I turn the pages. I love reading to you, especially stories from your children’s bible.

-- You learned how to clap. However, this is a story deserving of it’s own post…


Favorite Toys: Jumparoo, Fisher Price Stacking Rings, Wooden Blocks & Bucket
New Foods: Carrots, Butternut Squash, Green Beans, Apricots, Peaches, Raspberries (thanks to Grandpa!), Grapes (in a mesh feeder) and Puffs (which you LOVE!)

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Father's Day Part II

Yes, I realize this post is severely overdue. However, every time I’ve tried to sit down and catch up on this blog I just simply could not put this past me. And it’s important. Becoming parents was the biggest thing that’s happened to us in the last year, actually, in the last 6 years, and will be one of the biggest moments in our lives. I love that! I love big life moments. Having children is something both Jeremy and I have desired for a long time. Even before we were “ready” to start our own family, we have always wanted children. Before we had met and even more so after we were married. We had probably had thousands of conversations about how many kids we want, what we might name them, what it would be like to be parents and the way we’d want to raise them. (Funny how things change in just a few years, and especially after actually becoming parents… 4 kids has turned into who knows, maybe only 3, name ideas have evolved, and neither of us are exactly the way we expected to be as parents so far.) So although we celebrated Fathers Day over a month ago (really?! already?!), I must acknowledge the wonderful man that I have had the privilege of watching become a father for the first time this year.
I have always felt that I couldn’t have dreamt or prayed for a more perfect husband. Jeremy is truly the most loving, compassionate and thoughtful man I have ever met. Watching him with Evangeline makes me overflow with joy and I know that someday when she grows up, she too will know that she could not have ever dreamt or prayed for a more perfect father. They already have such a connection. Evangeline loves her Daddy and when he is in the room, she acts like nothing else matters. Her eyes are glued to him every morning as she sits on our bed while he gets ready for work. She smiles the minute he walks through the door after a long day of work. She’ll even stop eating and search for him the second she hears his voice, even if it’s just over the phone!
And it’s no wonder she loves him so much. Jeremy takes every opportunity he has to be involved and spend time with her. He is the one who gets her up, changes her diaper, and brings her to me for her first feeding five out of the seven mornings every week. He gives her a bath just about every night and sings silly songs to her the whole time. It’s her favorite part of the day!

There is not a day that goes by that Jeremy doesn’t mention how much he loves her. “She melts my heart!” is a commonly used phrase in our house these days. Watching the two of them meltsmy heart. I have so much to be thankful for!

Apparently a lot has changed on Blogger in the month I was gone. I can't seem to figure out how to caption my photos anymore! (Adding "Get to know Blogger Better" on my endless list of Things to Do.) The following are just a few pictures actually taken on Father's Day. Please ignore the horribly tacky wrapping paper. Somehow that didn't make the list of Things to Do that week. However, the Stir Crazy popcorn popper was a hit. It's the same one Jeremy's family had while he was growing up so it was a little nostalgic for him to watch as the oil heated and the popcorn started popping...until we realized that we overfilled it and it started exploding everywhere! We both are looking forward to lots of family movie nights with delicious homemade popcorn to come.


Sunday, June 19, 2011

Meet my dad...

John Dennison


He’s a handsome one, huh?! This is an older picture of him, but one of my most favorites. He works in construction – and has his whole life. That makes him quite a handy man. He can build anything... furniture, a house, you name it! He just recently made a picnic table for my brother just because. When I was younger he made us kids “play planks”. They were basically like life-sized lincoln logs but were flat instead of log shaped. When they were all set up they made a 2-story fort. They looked something like this:


Talk about hours of endless fun! I never got tired of hanging out in our play plank fort.


My dad is also an amazing water-skier. Check out that rooster tail! He taught me how to ski when I was 10 and I’ve loved it ever since. But I’ll never be as good as him. I’m too afraid to lean to the side. :)


He has taught me a lot of other things too. How to ride a bike, how to row a boat, the difference between a flat head and philips head screwdriver, and apparently how to use a jackhammer too!


And that is just the beginning. More importantly then anything else, my dad has taught me some pretty important life lessons. Our father-daughter relationship wasn’t always easy. We’re too similar to get along perfectly all the time. However, it is because of those difficult times that I have learned so much about life, love, forgiveness and the things that matter most. The older I get, the more I realize how much I admire and respect this man.


Dad - Thank you for always being the best dad you know how to be… you’re pretty darn amazing. 

Happy Father’s Day! I love you.