All About The Anderson's

Mason Cole Anderson

2011-09-22T11:26:00.001-07:00

Mason was born on
September 12, 2011 at 1:45 pm
weight 6lbs 10.5 ozs
lenght 19 3/4 in

Mason 1 week

2011-09-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

Mason has been the best baby he loves to do the typical sleep, eat, and poop a lot. I never knew the true meaning of blow out until we had Mason what a new experience. Claire has loved being a big sister she sings and reads books to him so I think she likes him so far. The hardest part has been not being able to carry her around but were adjusting and a few more weeks I'll be as good as new.

Before baby Mason gets here

2011-09-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

We took a few pictures when I was 8 months pregnant I definetly got bigger with Mason but gained more water weight with Claire. Claire loves taking pictures so we had a little photo shoot one night.

For about a week we felt like the doolittle's we had all kinds of reptiles show up it seemed like evry night someone different was in our yard.

Utah 2011

2011-07-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

This year the Olsen family trip was to Utah. We spent time with family and visited a lot of old places with lots of memories. We had a lot of fun places to see that we used to go to when we were growing up. The kids did great. The flight was quick and Claire loved the hotel especially taking our order on the note pads they left everyday.

They had a great pool and the guys were the only ones that could ride the water slide becuase of height.

Swimming in the tub!

We went to a Bee's game formerly known as the Trapper's it used to be a regular outing for us as kids.

Claire loved all the new things we saw like the luggage dolly.

One our favorites was Sugarhouse park we had the chance to see my Grandma who Claire has never met for a picnic in the park. We also say some old Arizona faces for an afternoon.

Claire got her first tattoo while Mom was taking a nap. She thought it was so cool we couldn't wash it off until church Sunday.

Brighton

2011-07-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

We made a tradition for when we go to Utah we stay at a cabin in Brighton for a few days. They have fishing, hiking, and this year snow! The kids had a great time playing in it for the first time and making a snow man. The lake was so beautiful because the water was really high from all the snow melt. We had fun relaxing for a few days before getting back to our busy vacation schedule.

Lagoon

2011-07-29T08:11:00.001-07:00

All week we saw and spent time with our aunt and uncle and cousins from Utah and Washington. We spent the day at Lagoon and thought we would be tired around 5 and would go back to the hotel but Claire was a trooper she rode rides until they closed at 10. They had the best kiddie rides I think she had more fun there than at Lego land.

Hogle Zoo

2011-07-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

We went to Hogle Zoo during our trip and loved seeing it after so many years. Claire loves the zoo and we had such nice weather it was a great time to go. They had a dinosaur exhibit that was fun they sprayed water as you walked by and Claire thought that was great. It is weird that where it snows they have all the small animals inside building where in Arizona everything is outside.

Timpanogas Cave

2011-07-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

We went to Timpanogas Cave during our vacation and had a great time . It used to be a regular place to hike when we were kids. We definetly forgot how challenging it was but the kids had a great time and the caves are amazing to see.

This summer

2011-07-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

These are a few pics of what we have been up to this summer. It went so fast and with 7 weeks until the baby is here we have been trying to get this organized Claire has been a real help with cleaning and reorganizing. Tim loves to help her get into crazy places.

They find old toys that were about to make the DI box.

She loves to do make up and hair especially on Dad.

We also had the chance to go to Ian Tim's brother's graduation everyone had a great time together!

Easter Weekend

2011-05-02T15:44:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter weekend we had a chance to stay at my parents and be close to family and friends. Claire loves playing with her cousins and seeing her Grandma's and Grandpa's. She got to do 2 Easter egg hunts and had a really fun time looking for eggs. We even had a chance to visit our old ward which is always nice to see old faces and keep in contact with people. Claire had the Easter bunny visit Grandma's and the princess shoes were a hit! It is never hard finding gifts for a little girl.

BABY NEWS!

2011-04-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

We are so excited we are having a new little boy in September. Time has flown bye and we are already 20 weeks along. We had our ultrasound last week and it was really exciting to hear it was a boy. I thought it might be but I never really get sick and I 'm not really showing yet so I wasn't sure. Claire is still getting the idea but she knows she is getting a baby brofer and she will be a big sister whether she realizes what that really means or not probably not.

Time with Dad

2011-04-25T16:00:00.001-07:00

We had the chance to go to the zoo as a family the other day and had a really fun time. Claire loves doing stuff together and her favorite thing is to see the animals at the zoo.

She really wanted a sno cone and of course she chose her favorite color blue. Thank goodness it all came out of the white shirt she was wearing.

Claire!

2011-04-25T15:56:00.001-07:00

Claire keeps us really busy most of the time. She is a very fun, energetic little girl who keeps us on our toes. Most of the time we laugh at what she comes up with because she hass a great imagination. This is a very rare picture!

Family Fun!

2011-04-25T15:51:00.001-07:00

We went to my sister's one sunday and my parents brought there fire pit. We had such a fun time making smores and letting the kids play.

Potty Training WOO HOO!

2011-04-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

Claire is officially potty trained. We did the 3 day go all out method and Claire did really well. We are still working on a few over night things but other than that she is completely potty trained. Of course I don't have pics but no diapers and new underwear is even a wierd feeling for me. She really likes being a big girl and of course we play it up as much as possible.

Claire's 2 year pictures

2011-04-11T16:48:00.000-07:00

Claire got her 2 year pictures done and she was so good with the photographer. She did really well for about 30 minutes and then insisted on having her purse which is so Claire she doesn't go anywhere without a purse. It was really fun seeing how grown up she has gotten. I aways love adding a family pics in while we are doing them to keep up to date.

Build a Bear

2011-04-11T16:19:00.000-07:00

For her birthday she got a bulid a bear gift certificate from her cousins. She had such a fun time picking out her animal. She insisted on the panda bear which turned out really cute. She saw so many things she wanted.

Claire is 2!

2011-04-11T16:13:00.001-07:00

Claire turned 2 in January! I can't believe how fast time has flown bye. We took her to one of her favorite places Freestone Park they have rides and a really nice park to play at. She had all her cousins there and had a really great time.

Spring Cleaning

2011-04-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

We did some spring cleaning to get the yard cleaned up and get the leaves out before it got hot. Claire had such a fun time with the leaves she just automatically jumped in.

A Few Random Pics

2011-04-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

Its really hard to get pics of Claire right now by the time the camera shoots she is off to something else but we got a few.

Christmas 2010

2011-04-11T10:17:00.001-07:00

Christmas morning was really fun this year we actually slept since we had a chance to put everything together throughout the week. Claire was really surprised and wanted everything open right away. We started at our house and then headed to my parents for Christmas day with them. The kids had a great time and were spoiled with all the great gifts they got.

Christmas Eve

2011-03-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

We had such a great Christmas this year. We went to the annual Amsden Christmas Eve party at Tim's grandparents and we were able to see all the family and catch up on everything. I don't think we have ever tried so hard to get all 3 girls in 1 picture with all of them smiling as we did that night. Two two year olds are definetly a challenge but they have such a great time together.

Claire and Lilly love sitting on the coffee table this was as still as they were all night.

Claire got so many great gifts and was of course spoiled she even got Tim's old cabbage patch doll from when he was little.

Claire was guarding her new chairs and carried them around everywhere.

Freestone Park

2010-12-22T00:02:00.000-08:00

We went to Freestone Park on Monday with the cousins and had a great time. I Had no idea how many things they have to do. They had rides, play ground, ducks, and a train. Claire's favorite ride was riding on the jet ski

Of Course the carousel she can't forget about that

She liked the little wheel at first but quickly changed her mond when it took her up high

She really liked throwing the duck food

Temple Lights

2010-12-21T23:56:00.000-08:00

One thing we always do before Christmas is go to temple lights something about the temple and the grounds all lite up helps get us in the Christmas spirit. They have such a great display and I love the musical numbers that come on Sunday nights. The temple has been even more special for us this year since we were sealed together in August.

Our Little Photographer

2010-12-21T23:52:00.001-08:00

Claire loves to be in charge of the camera and this Sunday when she was wearing her Christmas dress I attempted some pics in front of the tree. It ended up her getting some really cute close ups while she was saying cheese.

Pics with Santa

2010-12-21T23:49:00.000-08:00

This year getting a picture with Santa was much more difficult. She only wanted the candy cane so trying to get a quick picture was unsuccessful.

Phoenix Childrens Museum

2010-12-21T23:41:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we went to a really fun museum called the Phoenix Children's Museum. They have so many hands on activities for kids Claire played all day long. She picked flowers and raced cars with Grandpa.

She played in the pretend store but was only interested in the split peas.

She cooked in the kitchen and loved carrying the plates around.

She even went in the maze they have with all types of twists and turns.

TeMpE ArTs FeStIvAl

2010-12-21T23:34:00.001-08:00

The last 2 years we started a tradition to go to the Tempe Arts Festival during December. They have artists from all over selling stuff from iron garden decor to expensive one a kind art. We have such a fun time walking down each aisle seeing what talents people have.

THE PERFECT TREE

2010-12-21T23:29:00.000-08:00

This year we got a Christmas tree unlike last year we figured Claire was old enough to notice and enjoy having a special tree for the holidays. She loves trees right now and wouldn't stop showing it to us for the first week. She even helped water it once but by the 4th time of spilling all the water on the way to the tree I watered during nap time from then on.

Time With Old Friends

2010-12-21T23:11:00.000-08:00

This past Thanksgiving break we had a chance to spend time with old friends. My friend Abbie came from Seattle to visit and we had a chance to meet each others kids. We haven't seen each other in a few years with both us being pregnant and life being busy. We went to our favorite place Oregano's pizza and we have even convinced the guys to like it. It's the perfect place for kids because it's so loud no one can hear the being loud.

We went to the park and played Blake and Claire really hit it off and had a great time playing together. Little Lukas was too small to play but he enjoyed sitting in the stroller watching everyone run around.

They spent one night with us and time flew bye. We had so much fun spending time with them. It's funny to think Abbie and I have been friends since 8th grade. We miss you guys already!

Thanksgiving Day Festivities

2010-11-29T15:31:00.001-08:00

This year Thanksgiving started with all the ads. We thought we were going out on black friday but changed our minds. We got in on so many sales ahead of time most of the shopping is done. Maybe next year! We did Thanksgiving at our house this year and had such a great time. We didn't have to worry about what time we were going to each house and how long we could stay we just relaxed and enjoyed the day with both families.

The kids played all day outside and Tims brother Matt came in from Texas

Surprise! ELMO

2010-11-22T14:27:00.001-08:00

My niece Lilly had ger 2nd birthday last sunday and had Elmo come as a surprise. The kids had a great time. Claire loved looking at him

They all danced and jumped in a blow up jumpy thing with him

Pre Thanksgiving Dinner

2010-11-22T14:18:00.001-08:00

Everyother year we do dinner early with my family. My sister goes to her in laws so we get together the week before thanksgiving and have our pre dinner. The kids had there own table this year but there wasn't a lot of dinner being eaten!

We made turkey shirts for the kids ahead of time so they could be festive but by the end of the night Claire had no feathers left on her shirt.

Grandma did apple turkeys as a craft project but Claire was more worried about the sucker rather then the project.

The kids had ice cream cones for dessert, they love playing together

Zoo Lights

2010-11-22T14:13:00.001-08:00

Scottsdale healthcare for the second year in a row has had the employee day at the zoo lights. It makes it nice because they have it before the lights actually open. Claire really liked the lights and there wasn't very many people so we took our time and had a great night.

West Fork Trail

2010-11-22T14:02:00.000-08:00

A couple weekends ago we went to Sedona to enjoy the last of the fall leaves. We could of gone a little earlier but there was plenty to see. The west fork trail was a great place to go Claire could walk part of it since she loves gathering sticks and rocks. We even saw a little snow back in the shady areas.

Zoo Days

2010-11-22T13:49:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa recently took a day off work to go to the zoo. What a perfect time of year to go the animals were out more then I have ever seen. Claire loved to see the animals and be outside.

She loved this statue she sat and petted it like it was real.

She loves playing with her cousins especially when sitting on enormous camotto dragon

Halloween

2010-11-22T13:39:00.000-08:00

Halloween was really fun this year. Claire picked out our punpkins at schnepf farms and we were able to carve them on Halloween. This year we went to trunk or treat at my parents ward because we had my brother in laws party on the same day and then we trick or treated around our neighborhood on halloween. Claire had such a fun time. She really got the hang of getting candy. She was very protective of her bag no one could touch it until the end when it was too heavy.

Schnepf Farms

2010-11-22T13:27:00.001-08:00

We went to Schnefp farms at the beginning of October this year. We really wanted to get in the halloween spirit and pick our own pumpkins. Last year we didn't even get pumpkins. We thought we might spend an hour looking around and then come home but there was so much to do and Claire loved it we ended up spending 5 hours there. It was great. Claire rode the big kid trikes and loved going around the course.

She loved the petting zoo she is a real animal lover and wasn't scared of the animals at all. She kept petting the goats.

She went in the kids hay maze and hide in this corner until we caught up with her.

She rode her first pony. I'm not sure if she knew it was real or not she kept petting its maine.

She even picked out her own pumpkin of course it had to be the biggest one. We talked her into a smaller one.

10/10/10

2010-11-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

The second week of October we went to Del Mar California for Stephanie and Erik's wedding. Stephanie really wanted to get married on 10/10/10. We ahd never been to the Del Mar area but it was really fun. They have evrything within walking distance so the only time we drove all weekend was to go to the wedding brunch on Sunday. We got there Friday and had dinner with Stephanie, Erik, and Matt who came in from Texas.

The hotel was right on the beach and everyone stayed in the same place so it was fun we didn't have to go very far to find each other. Every morning we went to the beach and found shells and rocks. Tim found a really awesome boogie board our last morning it was just laying in the sand.

There was a park right next to the hotel overlooking the beach. It was so fun to have so many things to do so close. Claire loved swinging overlooking the ocean.

The wedding was Sunday and was the best day of the weekend. Saturday night we had pizza and a rehearsal at the hotel and Claire had fun playing with everyone. It was really nice to spend quality time with everyone. Sunday was the perfect temperature with a slight breeze. Erik's family was able to be there also. Erik and Stephanie did the wedding right on the beach. We are so happy for the both of them and had a really fun time sharing in there special weekend.

Claire didn't like the hotel at first since it was her first time staying in 1 room for most of the time but she got used to it and had fun exploring all the things a hotel room has to offer.

She even let everyone hold her which is a rare occasion. Uncle Matt was a favorite.

We had a great at the beach as always the weather was great and Claire loved the water. She even got buried by Dad and Uncle Matt.

Part 4 Sea LIfe Aquarium

2010-09-20T13:11:00.000-07:00

Sea Life Aquarium is part of the Lego Land park . We went one day to see all the fish they had it is bigger then the one in Arizona and Claire loved looking in all the tanks at the fish.

Part 3 LegoLand

2010-09-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

We went to LegoLand this year Claire was still a little too short but another year or a few more inches and she could ride most of the rides. She was able to do quite a few things though.

She watched Dad go on a big roller coaster with Grandma and Grandpa

She had snacks while sitting on the curb

She had a great time at mini town usa they had a farm with buttons to make the animals move and sing

Tim and the Wilkinson's fought a fire on this fire truck challenge.

Claire loved to drive this ambulance she waited in line to get her turn

She sat in jail and loved to push the button that made the locking sound

They had a little train she loved riding she even sat by herself

There were Fairy tale boats that took you around to see different fairy tale stories I think this was her favorite

Claire went digging for dinosaurus

Carlsbad Part 2

2010-09-20T12:12:00.001-07:00

This year we went to the beach 3 dfferent days. The kids loved the sand and doing there own thing. Claire loves sun screen and eats it every chance she gets.

The beaches were covered with surfers the last day because the waves were huge. It was the best waves they had had in 30 days. I never got in more than up to my knees but the boys were boogie boarding and had a great time. We say dolphins out a little bit but its always neat to see marine life in the wild.

Claire refused to look at the camera most of the time while at the beach she just loved getting sandy. We didn't put suits on the first day we thought it would be too cold but she was soaked by the end of the day.

We even managed to get her to ride on the boogie board for awhile by the end she had gathered a board full of rocks. Her main pass time while on the beach.

It is amazing how much sand can be on a snack and still taste good especially when your eating it out of a sand toy

It took us all day but we finally got footprints in the sand

Claire had such a fun time with her cousins digging and carrying water back and forth.

Carlsbad 2010

2010-09-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

Last week we went on our yearly Olsen family vacation. The last few years we have gone to Carlsbad California so we could drive and not have to worry about flights and luggage. It was later in the year this time but it was great. There was no one there and school had started so Legoland was anything but busy. Claire was only 4 months last year so this year she loved everything. We rented a house for the week so the kids could play and everyone could spend time together. It was gorgeous it had a pool and a backyard to play in for the kids.

We also stayed right down the street from Batiquitis Lagoon which was great for hiking and running for the kids. They have a ll types of birds that migrate there so it was fun to look at all the different types.

The girls went shopping at the Calsbad premiere outlets while the guys went sea cave kayaking. Of course we didn't trust the guys with cameras so there are no pics but they had a blast they saw leopard sharks and a ton of the California state fish.
Claire loves these ride on things at the malls she makes us laugh with her binkie and blanket we don't go anywhere without it.

Claire loved every minute with her cousins she followed her older cousin Ben where ever he went. Poor Sadie got bossed around all week since she was the youngest. Claire made sure everyone had there balnkets and sippie cups. She would follow everyone around making sure they got the right ones.

Our Eternal Family

2010-08-16T20:31:00.001-07:00

Tim and I have been married for 41/2 years now it seems like just yesterday when we were planning everything. We now have our precious Claire and took the opportunity to be sealed to her. What a special day. It was a long time in the making since I remember talking to Tim about the temple before he even understood what that meant. Since his baptism we have talked about the chance to one day go to the temple together and be a forever family. That day came on Saturday August 14. Tim and I took out our own endowment and then were sealed to Claire. We were so nervous about the unknown but we felt so good there we knew we were in the right place. There is nothing like seeing your daughter walk into a room full of people looking like an angel. It was such a wonderful experience for our family. We also had the chance to have our great friends come from Utah to be with us. We miss them so much and what a great chance to see them again . We have such a great family and friends we love them so much and thank them for all they have done to help us get to this day.

Mile Marker 292

2010-08-16T20:21:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago we had the chance to go camping with Tim's family. We really enjoy camping when we go. We went a few miles past Payson in the forest and made camp.Tim's mom and Erik have a trailer so it was really nice to have some amenities like a bathroom while there. Claire loves the outdoors and she was lookin pretty grungy by Sunday. She played and played. It rained every night and all day Saturday so we got a taste of a really good storm. Monster came along also and had a great time with Stephanie's dog Crazy. Tim thought for sure that I was crazy for packing warm clothes but by the first night we realized that we didn't pack warm enough. Claire was the warmest one in the camp. She was sweating one night.

Adventure #1

2010-08-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

We decided that Arizona has so much to offer and we don't take advantge of it enough. So we decided to start doing things every month. The first adventure we went on is called Parson's trail in Cottonwood. Of course, it rained more than probably the last 6 months but we went anyway. The sky was really dark and we had a light mist most of the hike. It felt like you were in a rain forest with all the trees and vegetation. Claire loved being outside and running around on rest breaks. It was really fun to hike right next to Sycamore Creek.

Updated Pics

2010-05-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

Claire loves being outside and enjoys every minute especially sitting in Monster's gross dog bed no matter where it is she finds it.

Tests

2010-05-23T19:30:00.001-07:00

Yesterday and this last week has been a little stressful. As most of your know our Claire has always been small. When she was born she weighed 5lbs 8oz but healthy and happy and that is the way has been since. At her 15 month visit the doctor was concerned because she didn't gain anything she only got taller. To me it wasn't a big deal because she got 2 huge molers in the last 2 months and hasn't been sleeping or eating the best, but he suggested tests and so we got blood drawn which came back normal and we needed to get a chloride sweat test which they only do at Phoenix Children's Hospital. So Tim happened to get Friday off and we were all able to go get this test. They make you sweat and then measure the chloride that you produce to get a result. She had these Popeye arms for about 20 mins while the stuff worked to make her sweat under the bandages. We find out tomorrow the answer whether we need to worry more or she is just going through a stage where all she wants to do is play and run around while we chase her around trying to get a few bites in.

Sunsplash Opening Day

2010-05-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

We went to Sunsplash last saturday it was the opening day for the season. We got passes again and Claire is actually old enough to play and go down the kiddie slides. She loves water and even made a friend while splashing in the water.

Saying Bye to Friends

2010-05-23T19:17:00.001-07:00

Last week we had a really hard time saying bye to our friends the William's family. They decided last minute to move out of state instead of down the street. The last few months we knew they were moving but were hoping they would stay close. We loved playing games (especially cards not involving macaroni), movie nights, dinner, shopping, and meeting at the park last minute for fun before naps. They will really be missed but are excited for them that they have a new opportunity in Utah. It also reminded me that I do not want to move it was hard work packing and helping with everything, and I know we have way too much stuff.

Pics

2010-05-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

Claire has grown and changed so much the last few months and I got really behind on my blog but I think I am officially up to date. Claire has a very big personality and loves to be independent. She says mommy, daddy, dog, wow, out, milk, ei ei oh, and a few others. She loves outside and playing with other kids. We are really going to miss our good friends who are moving to Utah this Saturday we used to go to the park and play a lot. She loves to walk on her own and take off in stores I am seriously thinking about getting the little leash backpack. She is so fun to play with and cuddle with. She loves binki still but now has added blankie and least it doesn't matter which one as long as ahe has one ahe draggs it everywhere. She is still not 20 lbs but we got her a big girl car seat and she loves watching movies and looking out the windshield instead of staring at the back seat.

Train Park

2010-05-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

We went to the Train park in Scottsdale a few weeks ago and had a great time they have the train, carousel and a huge play ground. Of course I didn't take very many pics but Claire was so tired she fell asleep while we ate lunch.

The Pirate Ship

2010-05-12T12:09:00.001-07:00

Claire always wanted to play in Monster's water bucket so we decided to get her something to play with outside since we don't have a pool. We went to Toys r us and let her pick between a few different water tables. The one she picked more than once was this pirate ship. She loves sitting in it and throws all her toys in it.

Backyard Fun

2010-05-12T12:00:00.001-07:00

Claire loves being outside no matter how cold or hot it is. She loves running in the grass, playing in the rocks and her favorite eating otter pops on the spa. We have already turned the sprinklers on to run through she loved it even though we did it a few weeks ago and it was still a little chilly. She is very independent and wanders the backyard and finds things like leaves, rocks and oves to pull flowers apart.

Easter Family Fun

2010-05-12T11:48:00.001-07:00

We had a lot oof ufn for Easter this year we got to spend time with each family and Claire enjoyed picking up eggs and eating the candy. My Mom did an Easter egg hunt in my parents back yard. Then cousin Ben played kick ball with Tim and Claire she had such a good time with help for Dad.

Easter Sunday

2010-05-12T11:44:00.001-07:00

Easter this year was on General Coference Sunday so we got Claire all dressed up the sunday before so she could show off her Easter dress but pictures are not as easy to get as they use to be.

Tim's 30th Birthday

2010-05-12T11:39:00.000-07:00

Tim had his 30th birthday and had family over for a BBQ he loves carne asade burritos so we grilled and enjoyed being outside. It was really fun but of course I fell short on the picture taking.

Zoo Days

2010-05-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

Claire got a Zoo pass for her 1st birthday and we have been trying to use it as much as we can before it gets too hot. Claire really loves the animals and says WOW when ever we come up to a new animal. It's amazing how fast she is learning new things. We have even been lucky enough to go with Tim and my family a few times. We have even taken advantage of the splash pads they have it wears Claire right out.

Claire's One Year Pictures

2010-02-20T09:58:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to share Claire's 1 year pictures. She chose what to do we just followed her around. I can't believe it has been a whole year.

Traditions

2010-02-03T11:16:00.001-08:00

My Dad started a tradition when me nephew Ben turned one and continued it with Claire. When the grandkids turn 1 he makes them a toy box. My Dad has always been really talented when working with wood. Although we had to borrow a trailer to actually get it home it fits perfect and I'm glad it took up this otherwise waisted space at the top of our stairs. He made me a barbie house when I was little and I loved it. I love Claire's new toy box it makes it really nice to store some toys upstairs so when we are up or down she can play and have fun.

Claire's 1st Birthday Party

2010-02-02T11:12:00.001-08:00

Planning Claire's party was a lot of fun but it always seems like there are a million things to do the day of the party. It was so nice to have Tim there to help with getting things ready. Somehow he seems to have fun with anything. Claire got a special hair treatment with a balloon while decorating. Tim found a new way to vacuum with her. She loves the vacuum but wants to be held.

I decided I wouldn't do a traditional cake this time. They actually were really a lot easier then I thought and everyone seemed to like them.

It was fun to have family come to celebrate with us. We don't all get together very often but Claire loved playing with everyone.

Claire loved opening all her gifts. Everyone got her such nice things.

We let her go all out on the cake and she really got messy.

After everyone left the birthday girl was all tired out and didn't even make it through dinner.

Happy 1st Birthday Claire!

2010-01-28T21:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Claire!! Claire turns one today. I can't believe how much has happened this year. It has been such a fun and exciting year for us. Claire has been the best little girl. Things I love about her are:

She's smart

Funny

Loves her binki

Bathtime

Feeding Monster from her high chair

Throwing things behind the couch

Holding blankets

Eating otter pops

Playing outside

Turning the cable box off

She likes eating dog food

There are so many things we love about Claire. Here are a few pics from this year.

The Wall

2010-01-25T14:59:00.001-08:00

Ever since Tim and I bought this house which was 4 years ago we have wanted to do something with the big wall our stairs back up to. We have come up with several ideas but never loved any of them. We finally saw something at a boutique I went to and loved it. My sister also told us about an awesome deal Aaron Bros does twice a year where you get frames buy one get one for a penny. So for christmas we finally did it. We still have to add pictures and a few flowers but pretty much done.
Before

After

The Day After

2010-01-24T12:32:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas Tim's Mom, Erik and Matt all came out to spens the day. The guys went dirt bike riding while Stephanie, Claire and I mananged to put the rest of the toys together. Like I said why does it have to come with so may parts. I had to go searching through Tim's tools to find everything we needed but she loved it.

Claire's first Christmas

2010-01-24T12:18:00.001-08:00

This year with Claire having her first christmas we decided to stay at home instead of rushing around trying to be on time somewhere ( which we never are). On christmas eve Tim and I stayed up putting Claire's presents together. We thought it would be more fun to see her face with the toys ready to play with since she wasn' t really into opening gifts this year. It was a lot of fun opening all the plastic and using the million scews to put them together. I can't believe there is so much assembly that goes along with baby toys. Tim and I had a fun time seeing Claire's face in the morning. I was tempted to sleep in but I didn't want to miss her 1st Christmas surprises.

Later that day my parents came out for dinner and presents. She had a great time opening everything and getting spoiled.My sister even had a chance to stop over with Claire's cousin Sadie.

Christmas Eve

2010-01-24T12:06:00.000-08:00

I have been so behind on my blog but I want to get upto date. This year was so much fun with Claire. Even though she didn't know what Christmas was we had a great time showing her her new toys and having fun with family. This year I couldn't get Christmas eve off form work and was worried I would miss the whole thing but it was slow and I was cancelled. We went to the Amsden annual Christmas party. Tim's grandparents are getting older and it is nice to spend time with them.Claire loves spending time with her cousins Lilly and Hannah.

Christmas LIghts 2009

2009-12-21T11:20:00.000-08:00

Last year at this time I was 9 months pregnant. It was really nice to have Claire see all the lights with us this year. She slept through most of it but with a 10 month old who is getting her 2 front teeth at the same time we let her sleep. This has been a really fun tradition with my family. My mom always has donuts and hot chocolate waiting for after the lights.

More Pics

2009-12-06T20:36:00.001-08:00

My mom gave us our first advent calendar. Although she is too little to
understand there is candy in each pocket she loves touching his beard.

We have had the opportunity to do a lot of fun things this fall.

We went with my sister and my mom and the kids to the train park in Scottsdale.

It was a lot of fun and Claire loved the train.

For work this year they had a day for everyone to go to Zoolights. It wassn't as cold as I thought it would be so it was perfect for Claire to see all the lights.

She is quite the character she likes to get in her toy basket and take everything out. She also likes to tease Monster while she's in and he's out.

As you can see binki is a must it goes everywhere with a spare in the diaperbag. She loves it and puts it in when ever needed.

Halloween

2009-12-06T20:32:00.001-08:00

On Halloween we went to our wards trunk or treat Claire had a great time. She wanted to sit in the Jeep and lick all the candy in the bowl pretty much the whole night. Tim did a great job getting her in her costume.

Silly Pics

2009-12-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

Where has the time gone?

2009-08-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

These last few months have been really busy. Claire has changed and grown so much. She is beginning to be a momma's girl and has her first tooth. She has also gotten so much hair I can actually put a clip in it without a headband. She has been the best baby even with all that is going on she is fun to play with and sleeps really well. This week we officially took her out of our room and put her in her crib. It was really hard for me to let go of her sleeping in her pack and play in our room but when I saw her reach the curtains I figured it was time. She moves around so fast and she is really strong I can only imagine what would happen if she started pulling herself up. I think she is probably going to crawl soon she scoots and moves with her arms all the time now. It's amazing what one month will do. She has tried various types of baby foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, peas and beans. She likes the veggies but the fruits not so much she's has applesauce, bananas,strawberry yogurt, and vanilla pudding. I'm sure she'll change her mind with the fruits. It's been really fun to see her try new foods. I don't think we are ready for public eating though, she makes a real mess. Besides our busy little girl we had a few other changes. Tim got layed off after 11 years at his job. It was a blessing for our family. He started school to start the firefighter process. He is now becoming and EMT and really likes it. Prayers are answered in unusual ways but it was something we have been hoping for for a long time. In the meantime Tim works in Tuscon for a commercial concrete company doing some of what he used to and some new things too. We are getting used to early early morning alarms and early bedtimes for all of us. It has been so nice to feel more rested in the morning for me anyway. We have been able to continue to same day care routine which has really worked out perfect. Claire smiles everytime she sees Bettye.

California

2009-06-30T10:43:00.001-07:00

We do an annual trip with my family every year. This year we went to Carlsbad for a relaxing vacation. In years past we normally need a vacation after the vacation. We end up with a very tight schedule and too much to see. This year was Claire's first trip. She was a real trooper every where we went she took good naps and slept through the night it was great. We stayed in a really nice house 3 miles from the beach and went to Seaworld and the San Diego Zoo. It was perfect weather in the 70's and 80's. We almost died when we hit Yuma and it was 110. It's nice to have our own car and skip the airport and hotel rooms.

The water was pretty chilly I only got in up to my knees and called it quits. Claire got her feet in and cried she hates cold water. My nephew Ben had such a fun time playing in the sand and he went in the ocean with no problem. All the guys attempted to surf but there was no success. The waves were pretty high on Sat when we went my Dad lost his sun glasses after being barrelled over by a wave. When we went to Seaworld we had a great time we actually ended up going 2 days with the 2 for 1 ticket. The only thing we reaaly noticed being different from the last time we went was the animal shows only showed the whales and dolphins a little bit instead of them being the main show. It was so nice to get away from the daily routine and gave a chance to spend time with family. We look forward to this trip every year.

Our little Girl

2009-06-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

Our little girl is growing up! Here are pictures from the last month. Most of them do not have her smiling because the flash makes her stop smiling and look at the orange light. She smiles all the time just not at the camera.

Summer Time

2009-06-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

We have had a lot of fun so far with summer being here. My sister had Ben's b-day a little early this year because we are going to be in Carlsbad and won't be here for Dan's family to see him on his special day. We have been trying to get Claire into the pool but she isn't fond of cold water and neither am I so she has put her feet in a few times but hasn't gotten completely in yet but she always looks cute in her swim wear.

4 Month Appointment

2009-06-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

We had Claire's 4 month appointment the other day and she has already changed so much she is already 12lbs 4ozs. She is really growing and her new thing is giggling, making a high pitch sound and rice cereal. She had rice cereal for the first time. She likes it but isn't sure what to do with it. I keep putting it back in and she keeps pushing it back out. I know she will get the hang of it.

The Letters Are Up

2009-06-14T18:59:00.001-07:00

I went to a boutique before Claire was born and saw some wood letters that I really liked. I always think I could make that but sometimes it takes longer than I think to get everything together. Tim helped me and after 6 months they are finally complete.

Camping on Mother's Day

2009-05-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was my first Mother's Day. It seems like we have had Claire forever but it has only been 3 months. For Mother's Day this year we went camping. My Dad was incharge of the father's and sons for their ward and the place made him book for 2 nights so we went up Saturday night and came home Sunday. We had such a great time my parents and my sisters family went. We had all bought camping tents, and sleeping bags to take with us since we really didn't have anything to take. We really enjoy camping but really haven't made the effort to do it but we would really like to start. It was a little warm during the day and cold at night. We took Claire had a great time we were worried that she would get cold but we were the ones that were cold. When she got up in the morning she was super sweaty, but she was in a great mood and loved the sleeping bags.

Monster was with us and loved every minute he was exploring every inch. We took him to a creek near by and he stayed in the water the entire time. He walked up and down the creek with Tim.

The weather was great it was windy enough to fly kites.

Monster never has a hard time sleeping. He slept the whole night without a peep.

Three months already

2009-05-05T12:51:00.001-07:00

We can't believe its been three months but we are enjoying every minute. Tim and I still can't believe how much we adore her and of course what ever she wants she gets!

Claire's Special Day

2009-05-05T12:42:00.000-07:00

Sunday was Claire's blessing day. All our family was able to make it and Tim gave the blessing. It was so special to have her Dad be able to give her this special blessing. He was so nervous he looked like he was going to pass out right before. He had been practicing what he would say and memorized the necessary parts. He was perfect! Then we had lunch with everyone it was fun to get together for this.

I'm Finally Done

2009-05-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend was my graduation. I have been going to Grand Canyon for 15 months now and I am so glad I'm done. I got my Bachelors degree in Nursing through the hospital. The program was on campus and 3/4 online. It worked out perfect to have Claire when I only had 2 months left. My family and some of Tim's family came it was fun to have everyone there. I can't wait to have Tuesdays free from now on.

Easter Weekend

2009-04-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

This weekend was really busy but we had such a great time. We celebrated Easter and Tim's birthday.

Friday night we spent with Tim's family at the Cheesecake factory. That place is so good. I always have to get there chicken salad sandwich. Then it was the start of the Easter celebrations. Saturday we had Easter with my parents and then went to Carlos Obriens for mexican food for Tim's dinner with my family. It is definetly one of our favorites but the closest one is in Scottsdale so when ever we get the chance we go there. My mom had an easter egg hunt for Ben and gifts for Claire. At the end of the night both kids got to wear there Easter jammies home.

Sunday we had the chance to go to church with my parents and see a lot of our old friends. Claire did really well playing with Grandma. After we headed to Tim's family celebration it was at my sister in laws Dads house they all a ton of games to play and Tim played a bean bag game with his brother. Of course I only took one picture of Tim and Claire with Grandpa Anderson.

Last Night

2009-04-09T15:25:00.000-07:00

Last night I was playing with Claire on her toy mat. She was on her stomach and all of the sudden she was on her back. I couldn't believe it she rolled over for the first time and I actually was right there. I hurried and called Tim over and she did it again for him but that was it we grabbed the video camera and she wouldn't do it again. She is changing so quickly. Here are some pics from the last few weeks.

New Toys

2009-04-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

This week has been very exciting. We went to Babies R Us to get a high chair we figured we would need one eventually and Claire likes to sit with us during dinner so it makes it a little easier when she has somewhere to sit instead of us holding her. While we were there we also got her a play mat she has been having so much fun with it.

D- backs

2009-04-09T15:09:00.001-07:00

My Mom had the opportunity to get suite tickets for all of us to go to the D-backs pre season game. It was a lot of fun. I barely watched any of the game but it was fun going with the family and taking Claire to the stadium for the first time. I was so excited bfore she was born I had anticipated cold weather and a bigger baby so we have a few outfits that are long sleeved and jeans I have been dying to put her in and they finally fit. Friday night was really windy so she got all dressed up.
My sister had a chance to hold her while my nephew Ben was playing trucks with my Mom. He isn't quite sure about his Mom holding some one else yet.

The Worst Day For Mom

2009-04-09T14:59:00.000-07:00

Last week was Claire's 8 week appointment I was dreading it ever since I found out she had to have shots. Even though I am a nurse and learned to give them I have never been a big fan. When I have to get shots or blood drawn I never look and my hands get super sweaty. So when Claire had to have shots I didn't look and stayed by her face for comfort. She did pretty well but cried when the 3rd shot came I think she thought she was done. Here are a few pics from that day we just stayed home and spent time relaxing on the couch. The pics were hard to get, she kept covering her bandaids right as the flash went off.

Growing Like A Weed

2009-03-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

Claire has been growing so fast. Tim weighed her with him the other day and she is over 9lbs already. He says she has thunder thighs but I think they are adorable. We are officially out of preemie clothes and into newborn. It is so fun to dress her! She has been such a good baby and we enjoy every minute. She loves bath time and is starting to smile daily and not just when she's sleeping.

Here are a few pics we took the last few weeks!

Fun with Cousins

2009-03-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks we have done a few things with Claire's cousins they change so much just in such a short time. Claire is already 8 weeks old and has grown so much. Last week we went to the Zoo with my sister and Claire's cousin Ben. I'm not the best about pictures so this is all I took. I'm trying to get better.

Yesterday we celebrated my Mother-in-laws birthday and we had a chance to get together with Tim's side of the family. It was a perfect day we enjoyed the nice weather and sat outside. Claire has a cousin 2 months older than her and we took some pictures of them together.

We are super excited my sister is expecting a girl so we will have another cousin in Sept!

Newborn pictures

2009-03-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

We recently had Claire's newborn pictures taken by our friend Mary. She did such a great job we are so excited to put them up in the house.

One Month Old

2009-03-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe our little Claire is a month old. The month has gone by fast but I felt like the first 2-3 weeks were recovering I still had to be careful of bending over and lifting things but now I can pretty much do anything. Tim and I have loved being parents and can't get enough of our little girl. The last few weeks we have been sort of busy I have been reorganizing a few things and sorting through the endless papers we have gotten or continue to get from the mail and doctors. We have tried to keep her in as much as possible but I was going stir crazy so I have been taking her out here and there and we have figured out movies are a breeze when she sleeps through the whole thing. We have also started the temple prep classes and are super excited to take that step at the end of next year. We went to a baptism the other Saturday and I really felt the spirit it was just the other day that Tim got baptized and is now waiting to gain the priesthood so he can bless Claire. We are so excited for this year to be just or more eventful and exciting as last year. Last week a friend came in town from Utah and it was so fun to go to our favorite resteraunt Oregano's that is our meeting place most of the time when we all get together. Here are a few pictures form the last few weeks she can almost fit into newborn clothes. I think she is probably around 7lbs by now she continues to change but still seems so small. We think she will be a real water baby because she loves having a bath she kicks and waves her arms it makes it a little difflcult when she gets so slippery we use the sink the bath tub was a little too big!

Those of you who know Tim know that he is always coming up with silly things and teasing. We were watching TV and when he stood up this is what I saw. She didn't seem to mind at all she doesn't know how funny her Dad is yet. This is a really cute shirt we got from the doctor when she was born. It says Dr Shannon's special delivery. Here is another example of Tim being himself holding her up with her diaper cover on her head.

Claire's first 2 weeks

2009-02-17T11:56:00.000-08:00

The last 2 weeks she has been so much fun to have. Tim stayed home from work the first week and my Mom hung out with us the 2nd week. She now weighs 6lbs 9ozs and is 19 inch long. She loves to eat and reminds us every three hours that she is hungry.

This was her first Dr's appt

she didn't even cry when she got her blood drawn. She loves to lay out and kick her feet.

She loves having time with her Dad especially playing video games and taking naps.

Our new addition

2009-02-17T11:46:00.000-08:00

On January 29,2009 at 1929 we had our new bundle of joy Claire Olivia. She was 5lbs 8 ozs, 18 inches long and perfect.

We stayed in the hospital

a few extra days for my blood pressure but we got all our questions answered by the daily pediatrician visits and some rest before we came home.

She was such a good baby she didn't cry hardly at all she got her hearing test done one of the days she looked so cute.