Welcome to our Blog

Welcome!!

You have made it and now have access to our private blog.  We still have a public blog that we will use to notify everyone of a new post on our private blog (private blogs do not notify of new posts).  Here is our public blog address: http://bradandshay.blogspot.com

So, if you want to add us to your blog-list or if you use a RSS reader (like Google Reader) then add our public blog.

I posted a longer explanation about our private and public blogs on our public blog here.  If you are completely lost and are wondering what the heck I just said, please let me know in the comments.  I'll try to explain better.

-Brad

The Friend

About 7 months ago Brad subscribed to the magazine, the Friend, for Aleah.

I thought that it was a little silly. What would a little girl like her do with a magazine besides tear it. Well, I was wrong. She loves this magazine. I don't know why. She doesn't tear it. She loves to look through it, as if she was reading it. It is so cute! When Brad got home from work today he said, "Aleah, do you want to look at your Friend magazine?" Again, I thought that was a little silly. The next thing I knew she was sitting on the floor with her Friend. She looked at it for a good 10 minutes all by herself. Amazing!

My mom said that they got me the Friend when I was little, but I don't really remember it. I do remember the New Era. I loved the New Era. I could just sit and read it. Now I enjoy reading the Ensign every month. Brad and I read it at night before we go to sleep. It's a wonderful tradition that also helps me to have good dreams! I'm thankful that in some way Aleah is already enjoying her magazine. And I'm glad that Brad wanted to get it for her!

All about Aleah!

Aleah turned 19 months last week. She had her doctor appointment and she is doing great. She is healthy and her doctor was very impressed with how well she is talking. So what is Aleah up to these days? She is a busy girl. Very happy and talkative. She loves to pose for the camera.

But she is on the go so much that it is really hard for me to catch her poses and her smiles. Most pictures look something like this.

She had her first ice cream cone a few weeks ago. She, of course, LoVeD it and wanted more.

She needed a spoon so that she could get it all. Next time you see her you will have to ask her about ice cream because the way she says it is so so cute.

She is a hat girl. She loves to wear her hat. Thanks to our wonderful neighbors the Lepores she always has a cute hat to wear. And she loves to push her babies in her stroller that Oaklee gave her.

She finally has enough hair to have a clip or cute pigtails. I'm having a lot of fun doing her hair. I just wish she would leave it in.

Aleah is very good at feeding herself. She knows how to use a spoon and a fork and for the most part she doesn't make too big of a mess.

She absolutely loves Cade. She calls him D. She is a wonderful big sister and a good helper. If his nose is running she will get a tissue and wipe it for him. I don't think that he enjoys it, but I think it is cute. She is learning how to share. Mostly she, trades, with him.

She is having fun playing outside. Riding in her car that her cousins gave her.

And playing on her bike from Oaklee. She can really get it rockin'.

Water, water, and more water. She would play in the water all day if I let her.

She still loves story time with her Dad!
I am so very thankful to have Aleah in my life. She is constantly making me smile and laugh. It really is amazing to watch her grow and learn! What a blessing she is.

Happy 4th

This year our 4th of July was a little different. We usually go to Brian Head with Brad's family, but this year we stayed home. We had so much fun and really enjoyed the three day celebration. Saturday we went to our ward breakfast and bike parade. Aleah had a fun time with her friend while he pushed her around the parking lot! They are so so cute!

We got to watch the Thanksgiving Point fireworks Saturday night on our deck with some of Brad's family. It was wonderful! We put Aleah and Cade to bed and then we made ice cream and visited and watched the fireworks. It was fun and relaxing, I really loved it!

Sunday we had dinner with some of Brad's family. We also watched some tank and helicopter wars. Aleah did not enjoy it at all! It really scared her and she cried the entire time. Brad had to take her in the house so that she could calm down. Poor girl! Cade loved it! I was trying to cover his ears so that it wouldn't be too loud and he just wanted to see what was going on.

Monday we had a BBQ with some of my family at my grandma's house. Her backyard is amazing. Aleah LOVES to swing. She could have stayed on the swing the entire night and pretty much did! Almost every time I looked over she was on the swing. She has even started to pump.

Aleah is getting good at jumping. She can jump pretty high. When she falls down she laughs and says, "Crash!"

She thought that it would be fun to feed her cousin, until he bit her!

Cade just had fun playing on a blanket and visiting. He had a lot to say that night! Oh how I love his smile and his laugh and I love listening to him talk. So it was a fun evening for me.
I just have to say that I love my family. I love getting together with them! It was a fun weekend because we got to spend it with our family.