You have a banana in your ear. What? I said you have a banana in your ear...

Or rather on your head...Jenna ate her entire breakfast like this today. It was so funny. At the very end of her breakfast, I pulled the banana down. She took it from me and ate it. It was just so funny, I couldn't not capture it.

 

Kim, Katie, and kids day of fun!

My friend Kim Henrie and her two darling children, Cutler and Kapri joined Jenna and me for our trip to San Diego to meet Ashtyn. I thought Kim could take some newborn pictures of her. {Unfortunately, Jen's uncle passed away right after Ashtyn was born and so the pictures didn't work out.} But Kim and I got a completely exhausting fun vacation out of it. We drove down on the 15th and it took us the kids the 16th to recover. But we did the 17th up right. We started the day with a trip to Sea Port Village. We walked the pier, rode the carousel, and looked at all the shops. We went and had lunch at the only place I will eat fish, Anthony's,  and saw the Star of India.

 

We wanted to hit the tide  pools but low tide wasn't for a couple of hours still so we went to Old Town and walked around for a little. The church did a big ole' remodel on the Mormon Battalion. It was pretty cool, though we didn't get to stay very long as the kids were melting down. We did get to see a real blacksmith at work and some old coaches. I forget what cool stuff San Diego has. I need to get out of Sara and Chris' house more often. :)

Seriously, how cute are they?

 Finally we headed to the beach. It's all Cutler wanted the whole trip. When we were headed into town, we stopped at my Dad and Holly's house for a minute. As we were exiting the freeway Cutler says, "Um, sorry guys, I can't see the beach." We were cracking up! So cute Cutler finally got to see the beach. I think he was a little scared of the crabs and sea anemones. I'll admit, sticking your finger in an anemone is a very different experience. If you don't grow up doing it, it might freak you out a bit. I had so much fun. Ocean Beach is such a nostalgic place for me. It's home. And it feels like my soul takes a breath when I am there. I'm hoping this was the first of many trips there with Jenna.

After that we headed back to Sara's. It was a jam packed day of fabulousness. The next day we headed home. Thanks again for coming, Henries!

Snap that monkey right out of that tree...

Ashtyn Lera Malan

My brother Scoot and his wife Jen had a baby girl yesterday. Asthyn Lera Malan was born February 15, 2011 at 6:15pm. She was 7lbs 9 oz and 20 inches long. Sara, Chris, and I went and saw her this evening. She's so cute and she was so alert! Her middle name is an abbreviation of Scoot's middle name and my Dad's first name LeRandal.

Caziers fly to St. George

Casey's aunt and uncle flew down to St. George today in Uncle Larry's plane and had lunch with us. It was so much fun seeing them and getting a look at his plane. We ran out of time with sunset coming so early for him to take any of us up, but I think they are going to try and come down again before it gets too hot so that we can give it a try. So cool!

A perfect day! (Our latest trip to San Diego)

We had a busy day in San Diego yesterday. We started with a picnic at the park with my siblings {except my brother who had to work...boo! And Kylie who was with her Dad...Booooooo!} and nieces and nephew. It was so much fun! Chris brought the BBQ and cooked us up all some hot dogs. Chloe spent the whole time running, running, and more running. I was going to start calling her Forrest. Jenna and Cooper attempted to walk around with Casey. It was funny/cute watching him attempt to help two walking beginners. Then we all headed over to the swings. Jenna and Shiloh in one, Chloe, Jose, Chris and Cooper on the others. It was one of those memories that you won't forget.

Then we left so that Chris, Sara, Casey, and I could get ready to head to the San Diego Civic Center to attend the Turandot opera. I got Casey tickets for Christmas. We have been wanting to go to this opera forever. I discovered the famous aria, Nessun dorma during an episode of Six Feet Under about 6 years ago. I was sobbing! I am not sure that I have ever had a piece of music touch me like that. I got the opera on CD and have been listening to it ever since. Casey and I have tried several times to find the opera being performed but haven't had much luck up until now. Then while I was looking for tickets for my niece to go to the ballet I stumbled on it being performed in San Diego this season. I was so excited. Sara and Chris got tickets as well and it turned into a fantastic night. The opera, though beautiful was a mixed bag for me. I loved the music but I think I would have been okay not know the story line. It was just a little outdated {as it was written in 1920 and is based on Persian stories written in 1722} for my feminist views. Still a unbelievable night and so grateful to have a husband, sister, and brother-in-law willing to go with me.

Btw, this may be the picture of the night. We asked a woman to take our picture at the entrance to the seating area in the theater. She took the camera, pushed the button, and shoved it back at us saying she really needed to get to her seat. Let me say this, if taking the picture is too much of an inconvenience for you, decline....

Genetics is a funny thing

When I was growing up, my sister Sara used to rub her nose with the corner of her baby blanket. She's always done it for as long as I can remember. After she had Chloe we were driving in the car one day and Chloe started rubbing her nose with her baby blanket. Sara and I were freaking out. Chris didn't believe us at first that she had spontaneously started doing it but she did. And now Jenna has started doing the same thing. You'll have to trust me when I say that I did not and have at no point shown her how to do this. It is not a mimicking behavior. Bottom line is this, I don't care how she got here, she belongs in this family. 

Hard at work

Jenna is crazy about all of our electronic gadgets. It makes me wonder just how technologically advanced her generation is going to be. And about how I am going to be one of those old people saying I remember rotary phones, or that I only had a pager {and having to explain what a pager is} when I was in high school. As Troy says on my new obsession, Community, "That wrinkles my brain."

And we're walking...at least a few steps any way.

The proudest Dad ever.

The picture really says it all, doesn't it? Front row at a Weber State basketball game with his adoring child in WSU garb? 'Nuff said.