Christmas Celebrations

Since we drove to my parent's for Christmas, we decided to have Natalie open some of her bigger toys before we left. The trampoline was from Grandma and Grandpa Corn, the rocking horse was made by Grandma Blazzard and the wagon was from Justin's brother's family. 

She was excited and surprised, and could not decide which toy to play with first. 

I don't have a close up picture of the rocking horse, but Justin' mom is very talented and it is very cute. 

We call her "Molly" and Natalie loves to rock on her and give her kisses. 

This was Christmas morning at my parents. Natalie did alright opening presents at first, but after a while got tired of it and just wanted to sit on the cardboard box with a book she got.

Notice her lovely runny nose. She fought a cold for a little over two weeks.

Poor girl.

We had a wonderful time with my family. We had not celebrated with them in about 3 three years, so it was especially nice for me to be there. We had  a lot of yummy food, fun games and visiting. Natalie enjoyed seeing her cousins, but she especially enjoyed them when it was on a smaller scale. 16 of them were there on Christmas Eve night and it got a little overwhelming. My parents were so kind and patient to let us stay with them. Natalie had a hard time sleeping while we were there. Usually she just ended up in bed with us, after crying very loudly. We even had clear roads on the way there. Coming over the Blue Mountains on the way back was treacherous, but we made it and are grateful to be home sleeping in our own beds.

It was also important and good to be able to see my grandparents on both sides. They are getting older and I know they won't always be around. These years every time I get to see them I am grateful for. Christmas is a peaceful time of year.

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

2014 From the Blazzard's

 I was so grateful to get this picture of our little family. 

For one reason or another, taking a picture of us all looking decent has not been a priority this year.

This was the last Sunday before Christmas and we all felt well enough to smile and look pretty.

Sorry to those who sent me their Family Christmas Cards. 

I would have loved to have returned the favor, but it just didn't happen this year.

We all loved seeing you though!

This little angel is such a light in our life. 

She was not a fan of this dress, but tolerated it.

I loved how poofy it was and she did not.

7 things the Blazzard's did in 2014

1. Bought their first home in Sandy, Oregon

2. Justin started teaching Youth Sunday School in our new ward and Ruth taught the Beehives.

3. Natalie started going to nursery and has grown a full head of beautiful hair.

4. Justin and Ruth painted the downstairs in their home while Natalie had a weekend of teething. We all survived, but there were many tears.

5. Ruth got called to be the Primary President. 

6. Natalie's vocabulary is increasing daily and we are trying to decrease her views of Frozen.

7. Justin traveled out of the Country for his first time to Canada and drove to

 Utah 4 different times only getting a snowmobile ride in once.

 It has been a great year, full of growth, traveling the I-84, changes and learning for our little family. We look forward with faith in our Savior to what 2015 will bring. 

Best wishes and a Happy New Year to you and your family. 

We will be ringing in the New Year asleep in our cozy beds. 

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Christmas Time

I had been hoping to get a picture of Natalie with Santa this year, but since our ward party did not include one and I didn't have time to search one out I kind of gave up on the idea. Last Saturday Justin and I were finishing up Christmas shopping and while we were at Cabela's we spotted the jolly man himself. I think this picture sums up her feelings pretty well on the subject. She was only on his lap long enough to snap the picture. We got a good laugh at it.

This is how she likes to study her scriptures in the morning.

Actually, this was just while I ran up stairs to get her clothes after breakfast. She does love to look at the scriptures and the Gospel Art Kit book. This makes my heart happy when I catch her doing this.

I took some time to make this flannel Christmas tree in hopes it would keep her out of our real tree. She really hasn't been to bad about getting into our tree, or this tree in fact. The benefit is it stays looking nice at almost all times.

Tonight is Justin's work Christmas Party. Unfortunately we aren't going. Last weekend and Monday and Tuesday of this week Justin and Natalie have been really sick. Justin went to the doctor's yesterday and they told him he had bronchitis. Natalie just has a bad cold. We are staying home and resting. That sums up our Christmas parties for this season other than our family Christmas Eve Party. It is crazy that Christmas is in only about a week. We are excited and hope to be feeling better by then.

Grateful

 After dinner, I told Natalie that we were going to go for a walk. 

She quickly found her shoes, and then grabbed her stroller.

Her friend Ivy likes to push her stroller to the park, and Natalie and her 

had to learn about sharing the stroller last time we went to the park together. 

Tonight Natalie wanted to make sure she was prepared with her very own.

As we walked, an overwhelming feeling of gratitude came over me.

This little pink and black stroller is a reminder of just how much my Heavenly Father

loves me and my family and knows our needs and our wants.

In May I started searching a doll stroller at yard sales for Natalie.

We are on a tight budget these days with not a lot of extra for nice to have items.

I knew Natalie would love having her own stroller to push around 

as that was her favorite toy at any house that had one, 

but I wasn't able to get her one right away.

I didn't have much luck at any of the yard sales.

Then we went to Utah towards the end of June and my generous sister in law 

offered me several of her girls old clothes.

While we were in her basement searching through everything, 

she also offered me some toys.

I asked if she had a stroller.

She did, it needed to be mended, 

but she was actually going to get rid of it and it was all mine.

I brought it home, mended it, and it has worked wonderfully.

It brought so much joy to my heart tonight as I watched 

Natalie proudly push that stroller up the street. 

She clearly felt very 'big' and grown up doing it.

I felt a reassurance that God has a hand in my life.

I am grateful.

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

A Day in the Office

We had an extra fun day last Friday. Natalie and I got to join Justin in his office. The beautiful outdoors. His work had a display up at the Oregon Logging Congress Show.

The beginning of the day was a little rough. We drove out past Molalla only getting lost once and then parked our car and rode a big yellow school bus another 15 minutes up to the mountain. Justin had told me to text him when we were on the bus, but with holding Natalie who was a little afraid of the bus ride, I forgot. When we arrived, we followed the ribbon to the registration tent. I didn't figure that my lack of contact with Justin would be a big deal. I thought the booths would all be in a central flat location. I guessed wrong.

Upon my arrival at the registration tent the women in charge got me started filling out a registration form and proceeded to try and collect $15 from me. I had purposely left my wallet out of the diaper bag to lighten my load and because my husband had assured me it was free. The lady helping me was an ESL speaker and I was having a hard time understanding everything she was saying. The ladies finally agreed that I could come back later with my husband and pay, and handed me two yellow hard hats. One for me and one for Natalie, and no her's was not kid sized. They then told me after it fell off her head twice that she must wear it or OSHA will give me a $300 fine.

I was relieved to get away from the registration booth, and was sure my husband could not be far. Well after another 13 minute hike up hill packing the diaper bag, a goody bag, and the 25lb. 18 month old who's hard hat continued to spin and bounce off her head, my husband was not far. I was a bit flustered when I reached the Pierce Booth. The first person we encountered that was familiar was his boss and all I could say was, "Where is Justin?" He finally appeared and the day got better after that. It was a bit of a frustrating 20 minutes though. I am definitely glad that I work out or I may have died on that hike. :)

The rest of the day was really fun and I learned a few more things about the logging industry. For instance that the spotted owl took the Oregon Timber market from producing over 5 billion board feet of wood to under 1 billion and the market has never gone back over 1 billion. Crazy, huh?

We were both tuckered out on the drive home. Little Nat fell asleep on the bus ride out. She really loved being out in the forest and walking over all the sticks and everyone enjoyed having her there.

Justin's two babies. 

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Change Your Mind

 This little bracelet on her arm is from Hawaii. Our friend brought it back for her in June and she refused to wear it. Just the other day she found it while going through a drawer. Now she wears it every day. I guess it matches her outfits better now. 

 I have been cleaning out our closets and reorganizing some stuff. N found her baby bouncer chair to be highly entertaining. She insisted on sitting in it every chance she got. She even tried to dig it out of the closet today by herself so she could sit in it. Interestingly enough, she didn't really enjoy it all that much as a wee babe. I wonder what it will be like when we have another baby who needs to sit in it? (No, I am not pregnant)

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

18 Months

Ummmm, so where did my baby go? This little girl turned 18 months on the 9th.  

We celebrated with sending her to nursery. She LOVES it in there and is so cute to see sitting on the tiny little seats during snack time. 

She can say several words, is communicating very well what she does and does not like, 

and loves to go outside. 

She enjoys Frozen (side note, every little girl at the park this year that is 3 years of age sings songs from that movie as they swing on the monkey bars) and cookies, 

and giving kisses and loves. 

She is in the 80% percentile for weight and 55% for height. 

I love watching he learn and grow and am grateful she is still laid back and easy going. 

This picture is while we were waiting for the doctor at her 18 month appointment.

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Wrapping Up The Summer

Wow, there has been a lot that has happened since July. We have been hard at work with canning, playing in the water, walking, and spending as much time together as family as we can. Here are a few pictures to catch up.

Natalie playing out back with her favorite things. Water and a cup. Can I just tell you how grateful I am to have a back yard/patio area for her to play in?

This was the beginning of the canning season, before things got messy, and busy and tiring around here. She appears to be helpful in the picture, but really her helpfulness lasted about 1 minute, then she just wanted to get down and cry or go play with her toys. I do have to say she was a trooper through all of it. I was also given several tender mercies from Heavenly Father while I worked on this. Namely, the fruit didn't ripen faster than I could do it, and Natalie napped for enough time each day for me to get the fruit into jars and started processing.

I love when she wears this little apron and helps me in the kitchen. She is turning into a big little lady. She no longer likes to sit with the tray on her high chair. She insists that she be able to sit up to the table. Meaning, I really need to get on finding a booster seat for her.

My sister Rachel politely asked me to post more pictures of our family. I was flattered that she liked us that much, and glad that she reminded me to slow down and take more pictures. I really haven't taken as many as I should the last month. I get so used to doing the day to day things and don't feel like there is anything special about our days. The truth is though, that those are the most special days and the things that are most important. So, here we are before a walk. We love to go on walks and are soaking in the last few days  of sun over here.

We are starting to have some cooler days as you can see by our sweat shirts.

Isn't fruit so pretty when it is all done and lined up in rows? I guess I like to admire my work.

Trying to get her to smile for the camera. She mostly just wanted to grab the Ipad. 

\

My sister and her husband and 2 of the 4 children came and visited for a long weekend in August. We sure enjoyed the company with Justin being out of town on work. We did some shopping one day, hung out, ate a lot of good food and visited the park. Trey and Natalie were born just 6 weeks apart and it was fun to see how similar their behaviors are while they played. When they were in the double stroller together many people exclaimed, "Look at the cute twins!" They really look nothing alike, but are both kind of cute stinkers so I guess it works.

We have also spent a lot of time playing with this little girl this summer. Her name is Ivy and Natalie loves to say, "I-ee." Ivy is a little bit older than Natalie, but Natalie loves to tag along after her. She is a sweetheart and we are glad her family is our neighbors. We actually met at story time at the library and then a few months later got lucky to move into the same neighbor hood.

They liked the sound this metal plate made when they jumped on it.

She loves to zip down the slide. 

I love her smile in this picture.

It has been a very good summer. As always, I will miss it, but Fall and Winter are good to look forward to as well. Really, I am just counting down the days until Christmas.

Trip to Utah Part 1

The last part of June, first part of July we traveled to Utah for Justin's 10 year high school class reunion. We did a lot in 10 days and the reunion was only about 2 hours of it. Enjoy the pictures

Waiting or the world's largest pickup parade to start. (Literally, the town of Vale was trying to set a Guiness World Record)

Seeing our good friends the Maughan's. This was our first time meeting Rowan. These two had a great time playing together.

We splurged and stayed at a hotel two nights while on our trip. I went through some hoops to secure a pack and play for us both nights. Well, we didn't use it. She just slept with us.

Future Aggie! (I hope)

Old Grist Mill, waiting for our food.

Sister's from Justin's mission he served with. They are awesome!

After church in Woodland, UT

She looks so big here!

Justin had to go do work one of the days while we were gone. Here is his second baby.

Justin was so excited to set up and use his saw mill he built as a senior in college. Sadly, we still don't have room for it at our home. Hopefully our next home we will though.

Walking to the river, hoping to not meet a bear or cougar. Some of my irrational fears about where Justin's parents live. Haha.

Grandpa Barry with his grand daughters. He spent so much time with Natalie while we were there. She loved being outside with him. He even insisted on making her a tire swing.

At the Hogle Zoo. It is a really nice Zoo, but I was hot and tired. Good thing I can fake it and smile for the camera right...

Watching the Big Tiger walk.

The second hotel we stayed at in Jerome, ID. Headed back to Oregon.