2013

As we wrap up another year I am amazed yet again at how fast time seems to pass by. Everybody said when we have kids time will speed up, I just didn't realize it would speed up that fast.
2013 brought with it so many blessings, challenges, and truly helped to stretch me in ways I wasn't extremely comfortable with. I like the person I am today far better than the one that left 2012. I'm in a better place. I hope to say the same thing for every year that passes.
And now some highlights from our 2012.

-Sawyer and I traveled up to Utah in January while Dixon made a getaway to Mexico with his coworkers.
- February Dixon and I took our very first trip without Sawyer. It was much needed, but just about broke my heart.
- the boy finally fit into his cowboy boots. I've been waiting for that moment since he was born.




We've been shooting a lot of hoops this year. We graduated from the Little Tikes hoop to Bompi's basketball hoop.


My Grandpa Silcox passed away in April. Haven't faced a lot of death, and found myself stretched a little bit. I was so grateful we were able to get p to Utah to celebrate his life.


Sawyer and I took our first spontaneous adventure together in May. I was able to reconnect with a dear friend, and it was so much fun to be spontaneous with my little.


We hiked to the top of lone mountain. sawyer hiked all by his lonesome to the very tip top.


Dixon and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary by going to San Francisco. I loved it there, something about that place made my spirit spark to life. And Sawyer was spoiled to have Grandma Beck and Sydnee all to himself while we were away!





We celebrated the fourth of July in Utah this year, where we convinced Landon to cheer on the Giants. Oh those two. Landon is Sawyer's buddy.


My toddler turned into a big boy and got a big boy bed. That one was so hard for me. My heart hasn't ever been as heavy as it was when I took his crib down. I just wasn't ready.


Made our way to Disneyland in July where we were spoiled by my employer. Sawyer was in high heaven. He still talks about it.



My sisters made a spontaneous day trip to Vegas in August. I'm starting to be quite fond of spontaneous trips. It really does ignite something in my spirit. How lucky am I to call these ladies my sisters?!


We spent a week with the Leavitt family in Oceanside. Watching my boy in the sand. The end.


Traveled with the Leavitt girls in August for a day trip to LA to see Taylor Swift. This trip was seriously a blast and a half. Can't wait to do that again!


Sawyer learned how to swim all by himself this summer! So
Round of my little fish!


I made my first ever batch of cinnamon rolls and they were a success. Huge moment for me.


We watched a lot of garbage trucks this year.


Cheered on our Rebels.


Had the honor of having mom come to visit in October. Nothing wire like your mom. They just know your heart.



Dressed up as a baseball player for Halloween this year. My boy is all about his jersey's these days.


I completed another half marathon in October and beat my time from last year. So grateful to have my boys cheering me on. It was a perfect way to boost my confidence in my body before having surgery in November.


Cheering on our Rebs some more.


I got to meet my brand new nephew in November. Baby Beck. Don't even get me started on how much I love him already.


Had a basketball birthday for our favorite player. Cant believe he is three!





Spent Christmas up in Utah this year.





And here we are. Already ending day one of the New Year. My heart is so full. We are so blessed. It is with excitement I welcome 2014. I like new beginnings. I like clean slates. I hope to be able to follow through more on my commitments this year. To be more reliable. That is my goal this year.

Bring it on 2014.

Oh there's no place like home for the holidays

This year for Christmas Dixon and I both had the whole week off, so we journeyed on up to Utah. It's probably been 5 years since we have both been in Utah for that long of a time and we had a blast.
Whenever I travel to Utah I usually have a hard time enjoying the moment. I'm too busy being sad or anxious that the days are slipping by and that we will have to go back to real life soon. But this trip... This trip was magical. I truly enjoyed every moment. And there was no wasted energy on being sad that I live so far from this family I love so much.

We stopped to visit Dixon's Grammy on our way up. We gave her a poinsettia and sang her the Rebel fight song. I think she was so grateful for our visit, and I imagine she was singing right along with us.



This is the first Christmas since my Grandpa Silcox passed. And with that realization, lots of emotions swam through my head when we went out to Tooele to have dinner with my grandma. I have such fond memories of the two of my grandparents. There aren't any memories I have of just one or the other, they were always side by side. My grandma did a great job on his headstone, and I enjoyed visiting with him and wishing him a merry christmas. It's still so weird that he's gone. I kept looking up expecting him to come walking into the room when we were at grandma's house. Sometimes this whole growing up thing brings so many growing pains.


So I was needing my hair colored in bad ways, and Kenadee wants to go to hair school and had stuff for bleaching my hair... So I asked her to do my hair. She was so nervous. She's never even done color or highlights before. But I knew she could do it. And she did a great job. I will be going back to her again soon. Just one more reason to go back to Utah.
Sawyer loved the snow. We had two days of snow before Christmas, and we took advantage of it. Dixon and I had a snowball fight. And the boys built a snowman with the other little chicks. Oh snow. It does my heart good. Crisp air, beautiful scenery. Sigh.








Okay, this next picture I am framing. Didn't even plan to have us all matching. We all got ready and I looked around and said "family picture day!!" The boys were good sports. Family pictures are not their most favorite.


Syd is Sawyer's buddy and she rode with us to all the family parties. Sawyer loved having some attention in the car. He especially loved playing on her phone.


This is what happens when you take off your snow hat. I like to caption this picture with "it's Christmas. I'm so excited!"


Grandma Kathy is so cute with sawyer. He had so much fun with all my little cousins. I can never get a good picture there because the lighting is pretty bad. But we had a great time. We always go to grandma's on Christmas eve. Wouldn't quite be Christmas without it!


Dixon finally got to meet Baby Beck. Oh that baby. I love him like my own. I had a hard time sharing with everyone. I just wanted him all to myself so I could love on him and rock him and study every detail of his changing little self. Ky and Nate are the cutest parents, so in sync with one another.


And this my friends is sawyer's big gift this year. It went right by the Christmas tree and when he saw it he didn't want to open anything else. And that is one of the thins I love about kids. They don't need much. I'm trying to be more like a child in that regard.


I don't have any pictures of Christmas morning. I was too wrapped up In watching my little three year old soak in the magic. Santa spoiled us this year. Mom and dad still make it a point to make it magical. My heart is so full. I don't know where to start. There is something about being in the home I grew up in with all my siblings there that just did me in. I know those Christmases will be getting fewer and farther between as everyone gets married and has children of their own.

Syd and I have always been "s buddies" because our names both start with s. When she was born I told my mom her name had to start with an s because she had two "k's" and two "L's". And so they named her Sydnee. We call her Siddle... Like skittle. And when she was a baby I was her mom. Ok not really, but I loved her like a mother, I carried her everywhere. There are very few pictures at that time when I do not have Syd with me. I would come home from school and want to hold her and love her. And now she's the big 12?! When did that happen? Anywho. Mom got us matching S sweaters so we can increase our S buddy love.


Dixon and I took advantage of free babysitters and went to the Bountiful temple. We haven't been there since we were sealed nearly 5 1/2 years ago. So many memories came flooding back. That was the temple I went to every week in high school with my dear friend. I have learned a lot about myself there. My testimony has grown there. I married my best friend there. My family is forever because we went there. I love it there.


We went to temple square to see the lights. And I was surprised at how warm I was. I thought for sure I would freeze. Like snot turning to icecicles freeze. But it was just perfect. We parked at City Creek and walked over. Sawyer loved those fountains.


Ok let's talk about how happy my my heart is when I look at this picture. We are just missing Ky, Nate, and Beck. It was a little too chilly for Beck so they opted to stay home. But seriously, this picture. Mom and dad were married there many years ago. I am so grateful to be a part of this forever family. And as we grow and and our family changes, I am reminded that it all started with two love birds and their righteous choice to be sealed in that temple.


Dixon took Sawyer to Boondocks so I could love on Beck. The kid was in high heaven. Mini bowling and basketball for days. Dixon said he was a hoot. I love that my husband will take him and do things with him. They are such good friends.





And Beck. Let's talk about how scrumptious he is! His little cheeks have filled out a little since I last saw him, his eyes are lightening up I'm thinking blue. And his baby hair is turning blonde like his mommy and daddy. He is so sweet. He doesn't fuss very much, and he loves his mommy. It was so fun to just watch Kylee with him. She has the mother's touch and knows whatevery cry means. I just couldn't get enough of him. Held him at dinner while everyone ate so I could get more time with him. I love him like my own.


And those were the hilights. Let's not eave out late nights beating Lyndee at speed and Dixon beating Cam at basketball. Or being fed like kings. Seriously my dad put on quite the spread. Or making Carmel apples with mom and Syd: a small project turned big. Or that time we took a family picture at night, outside, in 20 degree cold. Or the magic that surrounded us on Christmas Eve when testimonies were shared and our family unit was strengthened. I hope I never forget the way dad's eyes twinkled when we opened a gift we weren't expecting, or mom's quiet happiness emanating from her to have all her kids under the same roof. I hope I never forget how I feel so welcome and loved in their home. I hope I never forget how Lyndee is so good about getting out there and doing something. And How much of a tease my tall brother is. I hope I don't forget how happy Ky was to have me in her home. Every trip home fills me to the brim and propels me forward. To be better. To do better. And this trip was no exception.

And because my husband is awesome he took this picture of me in the car. I'm exhausted. In the good exhausted kind of way.


And Santa wasn't done. Sawyer came home to find Santa had left a gift by our tree. Can't wait to see what he cooks up!


I am so grateful for this season. For our Savior who loves us. And for the opportunity it gives us to draw closer as a family and make memories together that bind us together.

Merry Christmas!

On turning 3

My sweet boy turned three this past week. Three. This age is magical. His dad and I are cool in his eyes. We are enough for him right now. And I like that. I know the day will come when I'm not his superhero and when I can't fill all the needs that he has and fight all his bad guys. But right here right now, I am enough.

Some things I want to remember about Sawyer at three years old: He is so polite and is constantly saying please and thank you. "Mommy I want a drink please." "Thank you for playing basketball with me" "mommy, I love you." He is talking so clearly and says complete sentences. "Mommy, when you come pick me up after work, then we will play basketball together." He is getting a lot better with sharing his toys, and naps are still pretty common. He has a very sweet spirit. He hates to disappoint, yet he has confidence in himself and can be stubborn when he really wants something. He is an observer, the wheels are always turning. He observes first and then tries it out. He's a very good listener, always quick to follow through with what I ask him to do. He has a love for his aunts. Oh how he loves them, they spoil him and make him laugh and he loves to be with them. But his uncle Landon, uncle chase, grandpa rob, and bompi have a special spot in his little heart. I melt watching him with those male role models. He is so lucky to have so many people that love him so much!! He is a very picky eater, his menu consists of: yogurt, pancakes, cinnamon life cereal, peanut butter sandwiches, grilled cheese, clementines, carrotts, applesauce, bananas, apples, and snacks of course. No meat. Not even pepperoni on a pizza. He is my singer. I often find him singing I am a child of god or the rebels fight song. And he loves to listen to Taylor Swift and Dia Frampton.

Sawyer has a slight obsession with basketball. Mostly the UNLV rebels. He knows the whole UNLV roster, and carefully examines that roster each day pointing out all the different players to me. He speaks so clearly, with a quiet confidence, and has the sweetest little voice.

He has so many cute little friends in nursery, I thought it would be fun if we had a little basketball party for him. Nothing crazy, just getting his little friends together to shoot some hoops and play ball. He loved it so much. He asks me everyday if he gets to have another party.

The star player himself.









Dixon and I made the basketball cupcakes. I made a few mini ones and a few regular size. Dixon helped me draw the lines. You would have thought sawyer would love these, but he insisted that I make a green cupcake for him, because green is his most favorite color. So I made three green ones, because he's three. And it's his birthday so he can have green if he wants it.

















I just had mini bags of popcorn, cupcakes, peeled clementines(cuz hello they look like basketballs), and little kool-aid pouches. It turned out perfect. Not too much, not too little. Just right.

















And lyla came to the party too. Because again, it's his birthday and if he wants his dog there, he can have his dog there.
Lyla had the look of "oh for the love, please someone help me."

He had such a fun little party. He had 7 friends come. And I loved watching him have fun with all his lil friends. Nothing warms a mama heart like watching your little enjoy the company of his cute friends. A mothers prayer is constantly including the hope that her little will feel loved and accepted by his peers.

His birthday morning was just as sweet. He woke up and came downstairs for breakfast and was so surprised to see his pile of presents waiting for him. This age is so much fun because he totally gets the whole presents thing.

















Playing with his bat cave with his best buddy. These two are the sweetest of friends.








Blowing out his candles on his birthday. We rarely see him without a jersey on these days. I have to bribe him to wear something warm so we can leave the house. Cracks
me up. We walk in from whereever we have been and shorts and shirts and undies are flying off and bare bums are running upstairs
To change into basketball shorts and basketball jerseys and socks. Because that's what the basketball players wear.








And just because I think he's so stinkin cute I included the following picture.








I must say, As our year is coming to an end and we've celebrated another birthday I've been thinking a lot about how our family looks completely different from how I thought it would look when sawyer turned three years old. And yet it's just perfect. I have so enjoyed just soaking this time up with my little three year old. He is my happy thought. He is my little buddy, he makes my world go round and round. I am so grateful to be his mama.

Happy birthday my sweet three year old.