In a Nutshell

I still cannot believe how fast this past year flew by. Probably because the first three and a half months were spent counting down to the most amazing event that has happened in my life to date (besides Cold Stone...Terry Goodkind...Psych...and Andy), and the last eight and a half were spent trying to stop time...or find some way to capture every minute that went by with my sweet little girl!

Unfortunately, I was unable to do the time-stopping thing, and then I realized there were some minutes (that if added up were more like days...weeks....maybe a month or so) that I really didn't want captured (Andy can attest to that). All in all it was a fantastic year!

Here's the recap:

January:

Mostly boring--- we had been married for almost a year at that point, so the passion had definitely died down. We officially began the Reagan count down and started getting ready for her arrival.

(Me at two months pregnant....not really...more like two months to go!)

February:

Andy turned the big 22 and we celebrated by going to Chuck E. Cheese's (I figured the kid deserved a good party). We also celebrated our first Valentine's Day as a married couple- apart--- I worked that day, while Andy made the 24-hour drive back from Wisconsin. Three days, 1500 miles, one (unpaid) speeding ticket later, he was back, and all was right with the world :)

(What this picture doesn't show is the little kid crying in the fetal position on the floor, that Andy shoved out of his way, so he could get to this...we were asked not to return...but not beforeAndy domintated Big Buck Hunting)

March:

First--- our one year anniversary-complete without the top layer of our wedding cake (but we saved a fortune on medical bills I'm sure we would have incurred from eating year-old frozen cake).

(Passion-Free... Baby on the way...Happy Anniversary to us!)

Then, five days later,two-weeks early, and after 12-hours of labor, Reagan Elyse entered the world weighing 7lbs. 7oz. and 19-inches long.

(Amazing how something so small can make such a big change)

April:

By the first week in April- we had this parenting thing down---sleepless nights? No worries. Screaming baby (for hours on end)? Bring it on. Having some form of baby fluid on us at all times? Love it. Okay not quite-but wouldn't that have been amazing! Needless to say, this was the majority of that month:

(No explanation needed)

May:

This month meant almost as much to Andy and I, as Chuck E. Cheese's. Reagan was blessed on the third of this month, and we loved having all of our friends and family there. Andy also graduated from UVU, in accounting, and started his job as an Internal Auditor (which he's amazing at) up at JC Penney (clothing discounts are awesome, clothing budgets are not). He actually recieved the job offer the day we had Reagan. I think she was waiting to come until she knew we would be able to clothe and feed her!

(Blessed Baby)

(The Proud Graduate!)

June:

The apartment we had been staying at in Orem is one we will never forget: spacious bedrooms, 70's themed kitchen (love the yellow vinyl), the wonderful stairs we had to climb to get to it (which were only problematic in winter when it was icy), the front window that had the broomstick in it (which matched the yellow kitchen vinyl) to keep the "bad guys" out...our neighbors below who invited themselves into our couples prayers certain nights, with four-letter word shouts (and I'm not talking "amen")---- and our favorite, the real bad guys, the Richins. Too bad they decided to go to Miami, so we, in turn, decided to move away as well, and to stick it to them, we moved before them. (Let it be known, if they hadn't come up with the genius idea of moving we would still all be hanging out, leaving random ransom notes and breaking the law to get to church).

(The Bad Guys....with the bad idea)

(The new house....this wasn't taken in June...just to clarify)

July:

Happy 4th of July! We had a gathering of sorts at our house, complete with BBQ and fireworks. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing hard that night, and the fireworks we bought to set off at our house became problematic--- but it was still fun! That same weekend we had a leak occur, not baby related, in the kitchen, that put that region of the house out of commission for a few months...I loathe water dispensing fridges, and love barbeques with side burners, so you can still have "stove-top" access!

(America's Sweetheart....bald and beautiful)

August:

I celebrated the big 24 (for those of you who think I am a cradle-robber....I'm a year and a half
older...not two, and the six months does make all the difference). We celebrated by going to a theme park and then to dinner at Tucanos (yay for free birthday dinners!)- It was pretty fun. We also had the Bean Family reunion, and my brother and sister and kids all came to stay- and we found out that our house is not as tiny as some people think it is :)

(Yes--- that is bread....and that was my cake...I got a make up cake later...but still...)

September:

Oh how I hate thee month of September, and all the football you bring to the world. And by world, I mean my living room. September always put a bad taste in my mouth growing up, lack of freedom because we had to go back to school, end of summer...nothing good came from it. Then I grew up, and now there's a completely different taste in my mouth...and I came to the realization that I really dislike all forms of pig.... bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ham, swine flu, and pig-skin related sports. But because I love my husband, my last words here will be:

GO BADGERS! AND PACKERS!! AND EVERY OTHER FOOTBALL TEAM!!!
(He likes them all...nd by likes...I mean watches)

October:

Please refer to "Happ-Bee Halloween".... that should some this month up :)
November:

Probably my favorite time of the year! It was so fun getting ready for the holidays, and even more fun having my parents here for Thanksgiving. Reagan tried Jell-o for the first time, and loved it, and while we were all enjoying a turkey dinner, she was having herself some turkey and sweet potato baby food. The family that has Thanksgiving together...loves food :)

(Andy was really reserved about eating that day...such a gentleman)

December:

For the first time in the history of my life, I did not do gift shopping on Christmas Eve! Amazing I know! I did however, become addicted to Amazon, and unbeknownst to Andy, I still look on the website every other day, and maybe I will order things, and when they come in the mail, and he asks who they're from, maybe I tell him we found ourselves in the favor of a Mr. Ama Zon...(I used to flirt a lot back in the day, so the questions stop there). We made it out to Wisconsin Christmas Day, after a Christmas Eve feast with my sisters. We spent the rest of the month with Andy's family, and loved every minute of it! (at least the minutes where no one was getting hurt)

(Happy Hannukah!)

What an incredible year! I really don't think it can be topped, unless of course I get a decent Birthday cake this year...We are excited to see what 2010 will bring (and which of our friends will be pregnant by the end of it.... I have $20 on Elise and Carrie...and if I'm wrong...you guys owe me :)

HAPPY
2010