Christmas Vacation 2013

This year, as most, we were able to go home to California for our 2 week Christmas and New Years break, and may I say with the weather, family, and no work, it was simply perfect! It was what we all needed! We love nothing more than to be around family and enjoy the sunshine.

Of course we hardly saw our little bug because everyone else was fighting for snuggle time!

Nora spent most of her time in the kitchen with Grandma Lissa exploring new things!

Then came Christmas morning! Even though Nora doesn't get it yet, it was SO fun with a child! She was actually the one that slept in the longest of everyone! (granted she was up ALL night - she does not sleep well outside of her own crib)

She LOVED all the wrapping paper and as soon as she got her hands on it she could rip open any present! No toy was cooler than the cardboard or paper it was packaged in.

Grandma's amazing Christmas morning pumpkin cinnamon rolls. 

Clearly mom and dad had more fun with Nora's toys than she did!

We always have fantastic holidays at home and this was no different. We get early morning with my family, and with Kevin's so close as well, we get another Christmas later on with his. We are truly blessed!

Some of our favorite gifts this year were Nora's play saucer, my new sewing machine, a GoPro mount and gun case for Kevin, and a new iPad mini!

It ended too soon and we can't wait to see them again!

Nora 5 Months

And just like that another month has passed and our little princess is making leaps and bounds in her development! It's so exciting to watch!

This month we are headed to CA for Nora's first Christmas! We are so excited to share this with her and anticipate an adventure of a 16 hour drive home!

Luckily we are stopping in Provo and Salt Lake for a few days for a friends wedding so the drive may be broken up a bit for her :) We know she's a champ with flying but she's never been on a longer road trip than 4 hours.

She has just started tasting foods off of mom's finger so I'm thinking we'll try rice cereal/baby foods here soon!

family feast and a beach trip

Thanksgiving is the big holiday get together for my mom's side of the family. Like huge, make at least 15 pies, huge!
We usually have it in Utah, but this year we had it in Los Angeles! The blue skies, waves, 70 + degree weather, and lots of family made it just the vacation we needed! My wonderful parents flew me, Kevin, and the little one down for a few days to be a part of the get together - I'm still convinced they were motivated mostly to see their granddaughter, but I guess we're part of the package, so I'll take it ;)
This trip was Nora's first flight and she was a champ! We popped her in the front pack and flew through holiday security with more than an hour to spare at our gate! On the plane she slept the whole flight after fighting to stand up against the force of the plane taking off. {comical!}
Even with all the family we have down there, we stayed in my parents camper on the beach! Just the therapy I needed coming from the frozen wasteland of Idaho. It was bliss! Even Nora loved her first sight and experience at the beach!

Our perfect view:

Relaxing with grandma in the waves

Breakfast with Uncle Kevin and Aunt Celinda at the wonderful Martha's restaurant! It's a must go if you are in LA!

 Nora LOVES her Grandma Lissa!

 Our first baby + airport experience was great!

 The lovely view on the bittersweet flight home.

A name and a blessing, and LOTS of family for Nora.

So I know this is WAY late, but little miss Nora Nicole Dill had her baby blessing November 3rd, 2013.

We were thrilled to have a LOT of family come out to visit and be there for her big day! And when I say a lot, I mean 20+ people crammed into our little two bedroom apartment for soup and bread before church, and 3 long benches taken up in our wards chapel. All our parents came, along with aunts, uncles, and cousins, and even her Great Grandma Judy too! We love having family around! There's something about it that makes everything ok and helps you realize what's really important.

Nora was a champ for the blessing because Kevin was actually feeding her a bottle while blessing her! I think that was a first for many people haha. My mom made her beautiful, soft, simple blessing dress and she even waited most of the day to spit up on it! Good girl.

Nora is 4 months already!

Ya I'm still in love!

She's my pride and joy and fixes all my problems with a giggle or a smile.

She's growing so big so fast and we get to see more and more of her personality every day! She loves her toys and "flying" with daddy. Bath time is her favorite (next to meal time) and even though mom puts them on her all the time, she doesn't like bows too much.

At feeding, as soon as she's on mom's lap and knows what's going on, she starts squealing and laughing and yelling while doing all she can to grab for the goods! It's so comical and I get a good laugh every time!

The little one can also roll now, but does it as little as possible - a smart mover I guess - why move if mom or dad will do it for you?

the things those around you can teach you

Just a quick post about what is on my mind, and then if I have time, maybe more later.

So a day or so ago I found myself on one of my best friend's blog that she recently started, and this simple moment reading her blog has not left my mind since.
http://faithintopractice.blogspot.com
You really should read it! Not only did I find that she's a great writer, but that she is exactly the friend I needed, in just the right circumstances, along with the obvious reasons, but also to allow the Lord to speak to me.

See, Ms. Lauren Ashley Bruner (soon-to-be Mrs. Smith ;) is my best friend and very recent convert to the church.

We have been friends for almost as long as I can remember ... probably since first or second grade or so at Breen or Twin Oaks Elementary in Rocklin, California.
She was always one of those friends that I knew was meant to be my sister, and I'm pretty sure she had me convinced she was mormon ... nope!
But now she is :) and I think it's been more of a benefit for me than her.

I guess I take for granted that I have grown up in the church and often overlook the simple gems that are in the Gospel, and now I get to experience them in a whole new light as Lauren comes to appreciate them as well. I only apologize I had not shared my most prized possession with her earlier :)

Her most recent post followed one such theme and really got to me, in best way possible.
So thank you Lolo, I love you and the things you teach me!

Nora Three Months!

Ok VERY belated, but here is yet another obsessed mothers post about her adorable baby becoming a month older :)

She is seriously just the cutest and I literally just sit and stare at her for at least 20 minutes at a time! 

Her beginnings of a laugh absolutely melt my heart! I'm pretty sure I teared up the first time I heard it!

She is so super smiley, early in the morning until I lay her down for bedtime! 

She is growing so fast and I can see her development progressing everyday! 

She's finally discovering her hands and they are the coolest thing ever!

She makes me so happy!

I love the permanent baby smell in the shoulders of my shirts, the modified posture from a baby always on my hip, and the sound of her coos and her "talking" to me all day. I love the pride and sense of accomplishment anytime she does anything!

Being a mother is really the most fulfilling calling.