First part of December 2015

We still got a LOT done before our trip. Stay tuned for about 30 pictures!

We (Cora and I) helped to babysit our friend's 2 year old. He didn't want to take a nap and threw a mini tantrum... Cora was shocked. I didn't have the heart to tell her that this would be her in a few years!

 She kept rolling while holding her book, and couldn't figure out what was happening.

 Someone now needs to sit in the front of the stroller instead of in her carseat... she insists on doing this. She's just trying too hard to be big!

 Cutest book ever! I found it at Michael's for $10, and it talks about American Airlines arena, Bayfront park, and Biscayne Boulevard. All places we have been to and love.

 One night she finally slept through the night again, so I took her on a morning run!

 We have been experimenting with different foods, and we tried beets (which smelled like dirt to me, so no thank you!). She loved them! And the mess was pretty funny.

 We took her to the Miami Children's museum, and I got this picture of her in the little children's section. She was so cute and tiny!

 "Hey you guys! What are you doing?"

 Another Michael's find. Unfortunately, she is at the stage where she is ready to rip out the page of any book after about 10 seconds of reading.

 When you lay her down to sleep, this is how she ends up. It kills me!

 Actually got all my Christmas cards out this year yay!

 She is just so happy when her dad comes home. So am I, especially because he comes home and just wants to play with her!

 To keep her from screaming, I sometimes give her the cover of the baby food container to chew on.

 She LOVES her exersaucer now, and will play happily in it for a long time!

 "Umm, Mom, we need to set some ground rules on what is considered entertaining!"

 I don't even remember what this was, but look at how red her hair and eyebrows are!

 OBSESSED WITH CHEWING ON THE BLANKETS!

 We went to the library one night before bed, and it turned out to be the toddler story time (pajama themed!) so we crashed it. I had her practice her sitting skills, and she was thrilled to be a part of the big kids. Is there anything cuter?

 She loves to help me grocery shop, but it goes faster if I give her something entertaining. Like a container of toilet paper to scratch.

 BEAUTIFUL water!

 Alyse sent us this dress before she was born... it is to die for!

 We went and saw some Christmas lights, they even had a Thomas you could ride on a tiny track!

Unfortunately, right before my dad came into town Cora developed MAJOR stranger danger. Luckily we were going to see him right after he flew back to California. But still, she was wondering who the heck he was... and I know I shared this picture already but ECUADOR!

We went to a Cuban place for dinner (since the nearest Ecuadorian place is over an hour away), and when we came back my dad decided to try and hold Cora again. Clearly, she is open to change.

 I don't know if this is why, but he then said he was going to spend a night at the hotel before his early morning flight. Just kidding dad, I know you still love her and her opinions!

 We have been really speeding up the Spanish reading since Cora needs to get ready to visit grandma and papa in Ecuador, and this book is perfect for that!

I went over to Star's place to grab some stuff before we took off on our trip, and Chip was climbing over the back of the couch to get to her. Very "My Heart Will Go On" stuff there. Cora graced him with a little smile.

Thoughts of a Mission President's Daughter.

So, the week of Thanksgiving my dad sat us all down (virtually) and dropped kind of a bomb on us. Now, usually that means something super bad, but in this instance I just mean HUGE. He said that he and my mom had been called to serve as mission presidents. They explained that first they video chatted with Elder Renlund, who asked them a lot of questions about themselves and their children, and then a few weeks later President Uchtdorf contacted them to extend their call.

A few thoughts.

1) WOW.

2) It amazed me that Elder Renlund knew each of their children by name, and knew where Alyse and I are living. Some people might think that's too much information for the church to know, but I take it as the Lord will keep an eye on us in a very specific way over the next 3 1/2 years.

3) I am SO excited for them to go Spanish speaking. They will do so many wonderful things in South America. Brandon said that next to his dad, his mission presidents are the most amazing priesthood holders in his life. And I love that my dad can do that for others.

4) I'm kind of jealous of Cole. He gets to go to a different country and have a very unique adventure. I doubt I would have been as excited as he is if I were in his shoes, but it sounds so exciting. And he will get to have a bond with my parents that the rest of us won't have.

5) The thing that makes me sad is how much they will not be able to be here for. Chances are we'll have at least one more baby while they're gone, and while I don't want to speak for Alyse and Tommy it's possible on their end too. Austin and Dallin can get married, Bethany even could (GAH), Bethany could go on a mission AND COME BACK before they get home. It is so crazy! But they both come from families where their parents served as mission presidents when they were married and had Alyse. So dynasty jokes aside, if any mission president will understand our sadness about them missing these events it's them.

But the great news is we think we're going to fly out when Brandon takes his certification test! That is January 2017, and it will be before Cora turns 2 so we don't have to pay for her flight. We still have to make sure everyone's passport is up to date.

So, while I won't say where they are going just yet (they can do that later today), I'll give a hint!

It's all just a phase, part 2

So, these rotations have been pretty crazy. Each successive rotation has come with longer hours. While Brandon is super good about studying during his down time at the hospitals he has worked at, he still needs to study here some nights or on the weekends.

This rotation, Brandon has been putting in 50-60 hours a week. Which means that I don't have the car often, and that he is there until well after Cora goes to bed. I have been finding myself thinking "Just a few more weeks, then it will be better".

But I realized something the other day!

 1) Brandon will most likely always have crazy hours. He is in the field that he really loves right  now (surgery), and it would be remarkably selfish of me to ask him to go to a specialty that has less hours just for my sake. And so to say "Just a few more weeks" doesn't really help here. Surgery doesn't suddenly go away because it hits 5:00 PM.

and 2) We will NEVER not have a person to worry about in our lives. That thought keeps hitting me every week or so. Cora is here to STAY! It's so great to think about and remember. Our lives have been divided into semesters and trimesters for as long as I can remember. Since kindergarten! Even while teaching, my life was divided into getting progress reports in on time every trimester. But Cora is a life changing experience that changes daily, and doesn't just roll over every semester. And so we will have a fun time learning to be by ourselves and possibly without a car a lot this next year. And we will take advantage of the car when we do have it!

 I don't want to be a person who wishes their life away. As hard as the long days are, look at what I would miss out on if I was just waiting for graduation, or a job, or for Cora to be not so dependent!

November 2015 Recap

Just a ton of pictures and videos from November!

 Seriously, she is so cute!

 Cora helped Sister Robles be the reverence police in Primary one day. If someone was talking she would just turn and stare at them.

 

 We finally got the hang of eating solids!

 When the sun is too bright, I pull the shade visor down over her face. Well NOW she has learned to pull it down, so I will see little fingers poking at it then her proud face as it comes down.

 Here is sweet baby Jane. She was born at the end of October, and gave us quite a scare for a little bit! She was in the hospital for about 2 weeks but finally made it home.

 I love these two.

 Look at those THIGHS. I love them!

 Small, medium, and large babies. I love having so many girls close in age around here! 

 Daylight Savings did a number on us. Cora has been conking out in the car ever since.

 Poor Brandon, the end of his rotations are always rough.

 I love her eyes.

 Grandma Myres got these pajamas for Cora before she was born, and they are SO cute! She looks like a cabbage patch doll in them.

 She LOVES the keyboard. I was trying to play for her but she whined until I picked her up and let her play herself.

 Here is baby Jane again. Either transfixed by Brandon or the light behind him.

 One of the days I ran a Color Run with Ingrid and Star, two of the girls around here! It was was fun, and we got a picture with the mascot.

  Cora in her mermaid tail towel. It is so cute.  

 We live in a very safe area, but it's easy to forget that we don't live far from the crazy. One day on the 95 freeway there was a drive by shooting so the freeway was closed for hours. The traffic was AWFUL! Brandon worked only about 5 miles away and it took him 45 minutes to get home.

 

 So funny story with this. Brandon was SUPPOSED to be done with his rotation by 5, but the doctor kept him late. So I was supposed to go to a dinner for Kendra (in the middle)'s upcoming baby, but I had to bring little Cora along. I mean I couldn't have put her to bed anyway so might as well right? And it was a stressful time so I didn't even have the chance to get ready so we showed up as bums. Sorry everyone else who looked so cute! 

 Got drool? The teething has begun...

 

 Cora really liked Puffs, but was still learning how to eat them.

 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

 I ran a "virtual 5k", where you sign up and they ship you a medal to go run by yourself. Brandon thinks it's a waste of money and he's probably right, but I still like it. And they are always for good causes. This one was for clean water in Africa, and the medal is a Port-a-Potty.

 We already talked about how Cora hates Santa, but this picture will never not be funny.

 Sweet baby cut her first tooth this day, and the tiniest red mohawk ever!

 This is how we wake up from naps in this house. And she is ALWAYS pulling out my hair, so what's the point in trying to do it?

 And again. Post nap face.

  Day after Thanksgiving, we went to American Airlines arena and watched Kentucky play South Florida University. The tickets, after all taxes and whatnot, cost less than TWENTY DOLLARS. So Brandon got his basketball fix in and I didn't freak out over the price! Win win!

 Seriously. Her legs kill me.

 She is becoming quite the little singer in Primary

 She LOVES the leaves outside. Just inspecting them!