The Woodburys

To My Valentine

2012-02-14T09:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day to...

my husband.

my best friend.

my partner in crime.

my foundation.

my knight in shining armor.

my other half.

and my eternal companion.

you're the best valentine a girl could ask for.

i love you.

A Few of My Favorite Things

2012-02-06T14:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, so these aren't a few of my favorite things,

they are Mason's.

But the title, "A Few of Mason's Favorite Things" wasn't quite as catchy.

These are a few of the "It List" items for Mason and his salivary needs.

A string from a jacket.

A shiny candy wrapper.

A leather braided belt.

A necklace.

A headband.

An old cellphone.

And a water bottle.

So simple.

So easy.

I'm soaking up these days when he doesn't know the difference between a crinkled up piece of paper and a racetrack equipped with Hot Wheels.

Because to him, a piece of paper equals at least 10 minutes of shear entertainment.

I love babies.

I love my baby.

He's Back!

2012-01-30T18:49:00.000-08:00

The deed is done.

After months of begging Chase to cut his hair and shave his beard,

he finally woke up the other morning and asked me to cut it.

FIVE months long of growing out his hair and beard.

I was one happy camper.

I apologize for sharing a picture of the gross pile of hair, but you just HAD to see how long it was. I'm pretty sure I cut off like 3 inches of hair.

And now he's back.

With his one dimple and all :)

8 Months Old

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Mason just keeps getting older, bigger, and more and more delicious.

8 months is such a fun age!

Mason has such a funny personality and entertains us all day long.

I think my favorite new thing of his is that he has been SUCH a cuddle bug lately.

He'll even fall asleep on my chest like the good ol' days when he was just a teeny tiny little guy.

I miss that so much and oh my, is it heavenly to have a baby take a nap on you, no matter how old they are.

Mason at 8 months you...

-Are about 16 and a half pounds

-Love to chew on your feetsies

-Knock over, throw, grab and/or chew on anything in sight

-Love kisses and to give kisses (more like slobber licks, but I'll take it)

-Are finally ear infection free after having 2 in the last month

-Love to play with/eat all of your toys (your favorites of course, are the non-toy items... such as my jacket string, old cell phone, necklaces or anything shiny, and crinkled up paper and water bottles)

-Like to tug on your daddy's beard (I'm hoping eventually you'll just pull out all of his hairs, since he refuses to shave it...)

-Will take anywhere from a half hour nap to a 3 hour nap... you're very hard to predict

-Like to bounce up and down all day long

-Wake up once or twice a night... you slept through the night for the first time the other day, which was glorious, but has yet to be repeated

-Are going through a phase where you like to roll onto your tummy while you're sleeping and get frustrated because you can't figure out how to roll back

-Try to roll over when I'm changing your diaper or clothes, so things can get prettyyyy messy

-Love to cuddle (especially right after you wake up or when you're tired and need a nap)

-Like to just lay on your tummy and hang out

-Love to smile, giggle, talk, and squeal

-Make the funniest faces and are absolutely way too edible and delicious!

Happy 8 months little guy, we love you!

5th Annual MLK Breakfast

2012-01-16T13:31:00.000-08:00

Martin Luther King Jr. Day...

The day that brings people and pancakes together.

Let's just say that the 5th Annual MLK Breakfast was a success.

Speeches were made.

Black and white pancakes were integrated and eaten.

People were brought together in unity.

And of course, MLK Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech was read.

May we all remember his words, stand up for what we believe in, be mindful of our thoughts and actions, and treat everyone equally.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." -MLK Jr.

Gerber Baby Material?...

2012-01-04T20:16:00.001-08:00

As Mason's mother, of course I think he is a good-looking baby and quite photogenic.

But tonight this kid was on a ROLL when we were trying to take pictures of him in the bath.

He kept doing the funniest faces,

I literally had tears from laughing so hard.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

We finally got one good one out of all of them.

What a little goofball he is.

7 Months Old

2011-12-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

To say that I'm obsessed with Mason would be an understatement.

He's the reason I get up every morning.

Literally, and metaphorically.

I cannot wait to snuggle him every morning and smother him with kisses!

This past month I have grown extremely attached to him and I constantly want to be cuddling or playing with him.

He is SO cute and hilarious, I could watch him smile and laugh all day long.

And so that is what I do.

And I LOVE it.

I knew that being a mom would be the world's greatest blessing,

but until you experience it for yourself, it's hard to really understand just how amazing motherhood is.

I can't believe it's been 7 months since he decided it was his time to come into the world;

it feels like every month just goes by faster and faster!

I wish time would just stand still and that he would stay my little baby that loves his mommy's kisses and lights up when I enter the room.

BUT, I guess in the mean time, I'll just soak it all up and enjoy every second of it while I have the chance!

Mason at 7 months, you...

-Are 15 lbs 8 ozs

-Love sweet potatoes, pears, and peas

-Are always smiling all day long (until like 5 or 6 pm... then we really have to work to get you to smile)

-Have the world's most adorable laugh!

-Sleep well these days (you usually wake up twice a night, but sometimes you only woke up once, so there is some hope!)

-Since your acid-reflux is still really bad, you don't eat a lot at one feeding, so the doctor said you probably won't be sleeping through the night until it subsides and you're able to eat more

-Love mommy and daddy's kisses

-Love when I or anyone sings to you

-Can sit up on your own

-Still drool all over everything, but no teeth yet!

-Love to stand, kick, and bounce up and down

-Are the happiest, most chatty little thing... I love listening to you babble on all day long, it's so stinkin cute!

I feel so blessed to spend every second of every day with you Mason.

You truly are the cutest, most precious baby in the world,

and I love you so much!

A Very Bieber Christmas

2011-12-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

I suppose this is what I get for putting Chase in charge of picking out the wrapping paper this year...

... lesson learned.

We're about to have ourselves a Very Merry Bieber Christmas.

Family Photos

2011-12-18T09:11:00.001-08:00

As you can tell by me re-doing our blog,

we got our family photos back.

If you haven't already seen them on facebook,

you can check them out by clicking here.

Here are some of my favorites though.

Actually, they are all my favorites.

But I'm too impatient to upload all 20 or so of them,

so here are a select few.

Life Lately.

2011-12-12T16:20:00.001-08:00

Wow.

I didn't realize how much catching up I had to do until I was browsing through all of the pictures I've taken over the past 3 weeks.

I've been terrible at blogging and so this long post is what I get.

I think the easiest and best way to catch you up is to just show you,

so here it goes...

In the past 3 weeks...

Chase grew a manly beard.

I did not.

We moved.

We met some interesting people...

Mason has decided sweet potatoes are his favorite.

Mason can sit up on his own now.

2 new beautiful babies have entered the world...

My newest nephew, Clayton Isaac Walker.

And Mason's betrothed, Evelyn Jane Leach.

I've had some incredible luck (I don't think I've won anything since the 5th grade),

but in the past week, I've won 2 things...

A family photo shoot by the talented Keira Grace (more pictures to come soon).

And this pretty little dress by Shabby Apple via a giveaway on i believe in unicorns.

We went and saw the Temple lights.

And we played in the rain,

and liked it.

All in all, it's been a great 3 weeks.

And I'm about to have an even BETTER 3 weeks.

Because Chase just got home from taking his last final.

And now he's all mine.

YAY! :)

6 Months Old

2011-11-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

Mason is 6 months old?!

I CANNOT belieeeeeve it!

(Said like Quincy from Little Einsteins... yes, I'm a terrible mother and make Mason watch that show while I'm making dinner, and he loves it, and any other Disney Junior show for that matter)

Anyways, I have no idea where the time has gone.

I feel like he's going to be a year old before I know it.

He is so much fun right now, his little personality has been coming out in full force these past couple of weeks and I'm just LOVING it.

Mason at 6 months you...

-Are 14 lbs 11 ozs and 26 inches long

-Love to eat the baby food we make and get so excited when I put the bib on you

-Have had sweet potatoes, avocado, and acorn squash so far (I wouldn't really say you have a favorite quite yet, but my favorite is the avocado so far because they have been the nicest to your digestive system)

-Can sleep for 4-6 hours on your long stretch, but usually only choose to sleep for 2-3

-Drool all over and put everything in your mouth, but still no teeth

-Like to sit on your own, even though you still need our help to sit up

-Love to stand up and kick your legs like you're marching or something

-Are the most wiggly, active baby we've ever seen and everyone else thinks so too!

-Have this new thing where you like to bury your face into me and act shy when someone tries to talk to you

-Are getting more and more cuddly by the day and I'm just loving it and smother you with kisses every time

-Have started to get "stranger danger" and will cry out of nowhere if someone holds you for too long and you finally realize I'm not around

-Are such a busy little bee and keep me entertained all day long

-Talk, squeal, giggle, and make funny noises ALL day long and it's just the cutest thing ever

We love you so SO much that sometimes I think my heart is going to explode. I love your cute little personality and everything about you, smelly poops and all.

Happy 6 months my precious little peanut!

Moving

2011-11-20T18:11:00.000-08:00

This month has been such a blur.

We started looking for places to live a couple of weeks ago that were closer to ASU.

We found one that we liked last week, were approved the next day, and so we're moving this Saturday.

It's all happening so fast, but once we found a place in Tempe that was 2 bedrooms, in our price range, and literally less than a mile from ASU, we had to jump on it.

So we're moving before Chase's finals start and his life gets too crazy.

It's already too crazy.

But somehow, we'll have to find time this Thanksgiving weekend to move!

I have one week to pack all of our stuff.

Yikes.

We're sad to be leaving Ahwatukee, since it's home to both of us, but we're excited for our new adventure!

Rice Cereal

2011-11-06T19:02:00.000-08:00

Our adventures of solid foods has begun...

and this little guy is just lovin' life and going to town.

Nom nom nom.

Oh, and just a side note: When I ran upstairs to get my camera, Chase decided to get the cereal ALL over Mason for the pictures. We don't normally bathe him in his food...

New Toy

2011-11-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

Now that Mason's big enough we decided we would try out this bouncy toy,

and he just LOVED it.

I'm glad we have another way to entertain him when he gets cranky!

Halloween Festivities

2011-10-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

We started off our Halloween festivities right,

by attending the Hamilton's Annual Pumpkin Carving Party on Saturday.

Last year when we went we had JUST taken a pregnancy test right before that said we were going to have a baby!

We were super excited last year at their party, but it was even more fun to attend this year with our very own precious little pumpkin!

We carved each of our hands in our pumpkin

Chase gave Mason some Halloween tattoos...

Mason took a little siesta during the party...

After the pumpkin carving party, we went to my sister-in-law, Brittney's baby shower.

Here he is with her, sitting on his soon to come duzzin (which is Woodbury for cousin) .

Mason was so excited to see his Grandma and Auntie!

He was just bursting with smiles!

What a little handsome pumpkin he is.

It doesn't get much cuter than that.

Happy Halloween from our little Superman!

Rolling Over

2011-10-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

We have a roller!

Mason decided to roll over for the first time the day he turned 5 months old.

I put him on his tummy because I wanted to take a picture of him for the blog,

but then he just kept rolling over instead!

So I had to switch quickly from camera to camcorder on my phone,

so sorry it's not the best quality!

We're so proud of him!

Yay Mason! :)

5 Months Old

2011-10-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

5 months ago, Mason was born.

That's almost half of a YEAR.

That just boggles my mind.

Seriously.

Mason, at 5 months old you...

-Are about 13.5 lbs, but feel like 20 lbs to me and my weakling arms

-Like to try and suck your thumb, but haven't quite gotten the hang of it yet (it's really cute to watch you though!)

-Don't sleep well at night all of a sudden, the longest you'll sleep is 3 hours (I'm hoping it's just a phase or a growth spurt or something)

-Are hungry all of the time

-Drool all over yourself and everything you're near

-Suck and bite on everything you touch (still no signs of teeth yet though)

-Have had rice cereal a couple of times, but will have more experimental adventures with it this next month

-Your acid-reflux seems to be getting worse all of a sudden and we're not sure why

-Love to play and smile

-Can't be awake for more than 2 hours at a time without getting cranky and wanting a nap

-Need your catnaps (30 min-1 hr) all day long

-Like to listen to our Primary CD in the car, it seems to calm you down and keep you from crying hysterically in the car like you used to (so lets just say I know every song... VERY well)

-Love to play with and eat your Mr. Whoozit toy

-Like to be swaddled still and won't sleep or calm down unless you are wrapped up nice and tight (I'm convinced we'll still be swaddling you when you're a toddler... maybe even a teenager... we'll have to use a sheet instead!)

-Wear 3-6 month clothing for the most part (so right on track!) but can still fit into some 3 month old stuff

-Can roll over from your tummy to your back (you just did it for the first time TODAY!... video to come soon)

-Have the chunkiest thighs that I wanna squeeze, the chubbiest cheeks that I wanna pinch, the longest eyelashes that I envy, and the cutest smile that I wanna kiss!

Here's his photo montage from the last month...

He was trying so hard to poop...

Mr. Whoozit

We love you so much little peanut! Happy 5 months!

'Tis the Season

2011-10-11T10:51:00.001-07:00

October is here and so is a little tease of good weather...

which means it's time for pumpkin goodies!

Being how chocolate chip cookies are my weakness, I had to start off the autumn season with my favorite... pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Even though I'm still on a dairy, soy, and egg-free diet, I do NOT let that stop me from making any type of baked good I am craving!

I combined a few recipes to make this one, and substituted here and there according to my allergy-free diet...

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened (or shortening)

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

1 egg (or 1/4 cup applesauce)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips (or dairy-free chocolate chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients; set aside.

2. Cream together the butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, applesauce, and vanilla, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.

3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

Recipe yields 3 dozen cookies.

Enjoy! :)

DIY Fall Wreath

2011-10-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

So I'm not normally a DIY kind of person...

1. Because I never seem to have the time

2. Because I never seem to make the time

3. I'm not the most creative or crafty person in the world

BUT... when I went to lookup DIY fall wreaths,

I saw a yarn and felt flower one and HAD to make it because I loved it!

Here's my version of it...

Don't you just love it?

I do!

Here is the wreath I copied and the tutorial I followed, if you want to make one for yourself!

Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can.

Happy Fall!

4 Months Old

2011-09-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

Seriously?... It's been 4 months already?!

Mason at 4 months old you are just such a joy to be around! You talk and smile all day long and pretty much only get cranky when you're hungry, tired, or driving in the car.

At 4 months you...

-Are 12 lbs 5 oz (10th%) and 23 3/4 ins (25th%)

-Love when we sing (you particularly love Christmas songs)

-Love to snuggle up with your blankie and pacifier

-Suck on anything and everything in sight

-Are one hungry baby

-Are over your digestive problems and poop pretty much at least once a day

-Hate driving in the car and cry the whole way to and from a destination

-Still love to be swaddled

-Fall asleep on your tummy when we're trying to do tummy time

-Cry if someone makes a very sudden and loud noise (aka sneezes or coughs)

-Love bath time

-Follow me with your eyes everywhere I go, but as long as I'm in your sight, you're a happy camper!

Laying on our bed all snuggled up with your blanket is your favorite...

Here's a full-body shot... you're getting SO big!

You're seriously addicted to your blanket and pacifier...

You love sucking on your hands!

Asleep during an attempted tummy time...

We sure do love each and every little quirk about you little guy!

Happy 4 months! :)

Mason's Blessing!

2011-09-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

This post is much overdue, but Mason had his big day on September 4th and received a beautiful baby blessing from his dad!

He did so well during the blessing and was in such a pleasant mood that whole day.

I truly believe that he was filled with the Spirit which allowed him to be super calm and at ease.

It was such a wonderful and emotional experience for both me and Chase and I'm glad we were able to share it with so many family members and friends there.

I am filled with so much love and gratitude for my family and for a loving Heavenly Father for entrusting me to be the mother of such a sweet and gentle spirit.

Every day I'm reminded of how blessed I am to have such an amazing husband and a beautiful, healthy, baby boy.

Mason I hope you know that your dad and I love you SO much and are so grateful for you!

My A-Z's

2011-09-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

Who is Kim Woodbury?...

Well, you may just learn something new about me today.

I keep seeing this on other people's blogs and couldn't help but fill it out myself...

So here it is, the A-Z's of me:

a. Age: 24 (eek, I feel like I'm getting old quick...)

b. Bedsize: queen... but desperately wish we had a king

c. Chores that you hate: dishes, folding laundry

d. Dogs: we've done too much dogsitting in the past to want one anytime soon... but probably some day in the future

e. Essential start to your day: chugging water to quench my thirst

f. Favorite color: purple

g. Gold or silver: gold

h. Height: a mere 5'4"... poor Mason

i. Instruments you play: I wish piano... anyone want to give me lessons?

j. Job Title: was nutritionist... now it's Mason's mom

k. Kids: Mason

l. Live: AZ

m. Mother's name: Deb

n. Nicknames: Bo, Kimmy, Kimichanga, Punkin

o. Overnight hospital stays: when I had spinal-meningitis as a baby, Mason's birth

p. Pet peeves: bad drivers, potty mouths

q. Quote from a movie or TV show: "Buddy the Elf... what's your favorite color?!"

r. Righty or lefty: right-handed

s: Siblings: 1 brother, 1 half brother, 1 half sister

t: Time you wake up: every time Mason wakes up in the middle of the night...

u: Underwear: uh, yes...?

v: Vegetable you hate: cauliflower

w: What makes you run late: a screaming baby that hates getting in his car seat...

x: X-rays you've had: teeth, arm, foot, neck (wow, that's a lot now that I think about it...)

y: Yummy food you make: banana bread

z: Zoo animal: monkey

2 Year Anniversary!

2011-09-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

Today is mine and Chase's 2 year anniversary!

I can't believe it's already been 2 years and yet, at the same time,

I can't even remember life before Chase.

These have been the best 2 years of my life and I don't know what I would do or where I would be without him.

He truly is the love of my life and I couldn't ask for a better husband or father to Mason.

2 years ago I didn't think we could get any happier...

But then I look at us now, and we love each other so much more than we did and that love just keeps growing more and more everyday.

Thank you for the most amazing 2 years,

I can't wait to see what our future brings!

2 years ago...

1 year ago (plus a few weeks)... I was pregnant and didn't even know it!

Now... our happy little fam :)

Happy Anniversary babe, I love you!

Evolution of Sleep

2011-09-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

Mason, this is your sleep schedule at night thus far...

0-1 month: 30-45 min max

1-2 months: 2 1/2 hours max

2-3 months: 4 hours max (but very rare)

3-4 months: 6 hours!

That's right... you slept for SIX hours last night and set yourself a new all-time record!

You slept for 5 hours 2 nights ago and I thought the world was going to end because it was too good to be true. But then last night... WOW. You surely have outdone yourself! We are so grateful for you and your long sleep intervals at night. You have come such a long way and we are so proud of you! People used to say this day would come, but to be honest, I didn't really believe that it ever would. Thanks for 2 awesome nights of sleep in a row buddy, keep it up!

We love you!

Birthday Boy

2011-09-13T14:41:00.000-07:00

From adorable to handsome...

26 has never looked so good.

Happy birthday to my best friend, handy-man, personal chef, comedian, comforter, house cleaner, masseuse, and darling husband.

You truly are my everything.

Love you babe.

3 Months Old

2011-08-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

This past month has been so fun to see Mason's cute little personality come out! He has made so much progression and we are so glad that he is so happy and healthy these days! :)

Mason, at 3 months old you...

-Are 10 lbs 15 oz

-Have started to smile and we LOVE it!

-Love to coo and talk all day long, but your most playful hours are in the morning

-Are fussy and cry for no reason from the hours of 5pm-8pm everyday (or basically until we give you your bath and put you to bed)

-Love bath time

-Finally fit into your 0-3 month-old clothes

-Have started to like the swing and give me some nice long afternoon naps in it

-Got your first cold this week and it was so sad :( (and then I got sick once you were better...)

-Like to flirt with blondes... (you were smitten with the speech pathologist during your barium swallow... I've never seen you smile that much ever!)

-Your longest sleep interval at night is 4 hours long now (and we are incredibly grateful for that!)

-Have a sensitivity to dairy, soy, and eggs (so therefore I'm on a pretty boring diet... lucky me!)

-Love to stick your tongue out all of the time and lick anything that comes close to your mouth

-Are absolutely perfect and we love you to pieces!

I have a problem when it comes to taking pictures of Mason every time he smiles... so here are a bunch of them (I can never decide which ones are the cutest)...

Happy 3 months Mason! We can't wait to see how you will grow and change this next month! We love you :)

Mason's First Vacation

2011-08-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

Where else would Mason go on his first vacation than to the Happiest Place on Earth?...

When the opportunity to go on a vacation to Disneyland and the beach last weekend arose, we were a little bit skeptical of whether or not we would be able to swing it with such a youngen... but boy are we glad we went!

Mason did great in the car ride and slept pretty much the whole way there and back!

We were lucky enough to be able to stay at a family friend's house in Laguna Beach and this is the view from their deck. Such a beautiful ocean view!

Their main room that leads to the deck, their entire house was just gorgeous!

The deck

The view of the ocean from our room :)

After settling in late Thursday night, we woke up nice and early Friday morning to go to Disneyland!

Little Evy up to no good :)

Space Mountain

My little boy

My other little boy

The best daddy in the world

He was such a trooper at Disneyland and behaved so well!

Chase, Mason, and I left Disneyland by like 6 because we were so exhausted and went back to the house to relax. Everyone else toughed it out though and stayed until late that night!

Saturday afternoon we went to one of the beaches in Laguna Beach

Mason's adorable pirate swim outfit with an eyepatch on his hood and all!

Mason loves being held by grandma. She ALWAYS gets a smile out of him!

Hanging with my little peanut on the beach

My two favorites boys :)

After we went to church on Sunday we stopped by the beach on the way out of town for a family picture!

We had such a good time and were so glad that we decided to go on vacation with the family. We needed to get away, especially before Chase starts back up in school next week.

Goodbye for now beach! We will miss you! :)

2 Months Old

2011-07-27T15:55:00.000-07:00

Mason turned 2 months old yesterday!

Mason, at 2 months you...

-Are 9 lbs 11.5 oz (10%tile) and 22 inches (25%tile)

-Have transitioned to size 1 diapers

-Still don't quite fit into your 0-3 month-old clothes

-Are so strong!

-Have bad acid-reflux

-Are unfortunately still not sleeping for long stretches (your longest stretch is about 2 1/2 hours long at night, otherwise you usually only sleep for about an hour) :(

-Have colitis (which the doctor thinks is from a milk protein sensitivity and ever since I cut all dairy and soy out of my diet a week ago it seems to make a world of a difference, so hopefully you only improve from here on out!)

-You're a trooper and endure going to the doctor at least once a week

-Love to be held

-Smell delicious

-Have the biggest, more curious eyes (we still don't know what color they are, but I'm guessing they'll be brown...)

-Are super edible and kissable!

We love you so much little peanut and are so blessed to have you in our lives! :)

New Phone = Fun Pics

2011-07-12T17:22:00.001-07:00

Gotta love technology. More fun pics to come I'm sure... :)

Snoozin'

2011-07-08T11:15:00.000-07:00

He's more and more like his dad everyday...

snoring and all :)

Happy Fourth!

2011-07-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July!

And Happy Due Date to you Mason,

you're officially 0 weeks adjusted age!

We hope your holiday is full of stars, stripes, sunshine and smiles :)

One Month!

2011-06-26T19:22:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Mason is already one month old! Time flies!

Mason, at one month you..

-Are 7 lbs 6.5 oz (5%tile) and 20 1/4 in (10%tile)

-Are hungry every 2 hours on the dot (which leaves minimal sleeping time for the both of us)

-Cluster feed in the late morning and late evening

-Have a herniated belly button that extends about an inch outward (the doctor says it's normal for preemies and that it will go away on its own anywhere from a few months to a year)

-Still have all the hair you were born with

-Have the cutest smile on your face (dimples and all) when you're falling asleep

-Are still slightly jaundiced (they'll probably prick you again to check at the doctor's office tomorrow, sorry big guy!)

-Have such strong neck muscles already that you make it hard to burp you

-May or may not be borderline colicky (but we love you anyways)

-Love to be held

-Like it when I sing you to sleep

-Are the cutest thing in the world! (especially when you have the hiccups)

It's hard to believe that you're still supposed to be in my tummy. I'm so glad you're here though and that we've been blessed with your sweet spirit. We can't wait to see your progression over this next month! Mommy and daddy love you little guy! :)

Splish Splash

2011-06-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hey Mason, it's time for your bath...

Uh oh...

Whoa, whoa, whoa, what's going on?...

This isn't so bad...

Actually, I could get used to this...

Mason had his first non-sponge bath a few days ago since his umbilical cord finally came off, and I think he ended up thoroughly enjoying it :)

Baby Shower Galore!

2011-06-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

Since Mason came a little unexpectedly,

I ended up not being pregnant at the baby showers that had been planned for me!

It felt kind of funny not being pregnant, but it was still fun none the less!

Here are some pictures from them and I'm sorry that some of the pictures are blurry, I didn't realize that my flash was off :(

One of the baby showers was at my mom's friend Kathy's and it had a pirate theme since Mason is our little pirate!

This is the center-piece that my sister-in-law and mother-in-law put together... it's awesome huh?! I didn't get a picture of the food before it was eaten, but it was all yummy caribbean themed food!

The pirate blanket that my Aunt Kim made for Mason, SO cool!

The beautiful blanket that my grandma's friend made for Mason!

My ward also threw a baby shower for me,

and thanks to the wonderful Diana, Lindsey, and Taani, it was fantastic!

It was so cute! The theme was "cookies and milk" (some of you may not know, but I am the biggest cookie monster ever. Seriously though... Chase has to regulate my intake). They spelt Mason's name out in chocolate chip cookies and had every kind of yummy cookie you could imagine!

And of course some milk to go with the cookies :)

They used mason jars for everything in honor of Mason :) clever huh?!

The super cute guest gifts they made with all of the ingredients to make the best ever chocolate chip cookies!

Thank you SO much to all of you that helped plan my baby showers and to all of you that came!

They were so much fun and I loved them :)

Growing Boy

2011-06-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that this little peanut has gained a solid pound since he left the hospital and is 6 lbs 6 oz now?!

I know I can't...

Even Mason's a little skeptical of it himself...

He's gettin' there, slowly but surely! :)

Dimples.

2011-06-04T18:17:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing I'm proud of passing on to Mason,

it's definitely my dimples.

They melt my heart.

Home Sweet Home.

2011-05-31T17:47:00.000-07:00

Goodbye NICU.

Hello world.

Love, Mason

NICU News

2011-05-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

Once I came to terms with the fact that Mason was going to be coming early and that he would have to spend a couple of weeks in the NICU I was upset because hospitals bother me and having to be at one every waking second for who knows how long was just depressing to think about.

But I have to admit, the NICU at Banner Desert is pretty dang great. All of the nurses and doctors so far have been so helpful and absolutely wonderful, we couldn't have asked for a better experience so far. It's such a scary thought having your baby in the NICU and being poked and prodded all of the time, but I know he is in good hands here (although that doesn't mean it wasn't heart-wrenching to walk in here one morning and see an IV in his forehead. I wanted to cry, it was so sad!). Luckily, Mason is off all of that and is just being treated for jaundice right now. He is doing so well, the doctor says that if his bilirubin is down by tomorrow morning than he should be able to go home tomorrow afternoon! We are so excited and can't wait to take him home!

Our room at the NICU. There's also a couch that pulls out into a bed and a TV... it's actually a pretty cozy room.

Our poor little jaundiced baby under the light getting a suntan. As cute as those goofy glasses are, he's definitely not a big fan of lying there under the light with no blanket. He doesn't get very good sleep, I feel so bad for him :(

We hope you're better by tomorrow Mason so that they let us take you home! So keep eating and keep pooping lots little buddy, you can do it!

Mason Adam Woodbury!

2011-05-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

I know what most of you are thinking...

Wait, wasn't he supposed to be due on the fourth of July?!

Yes, he was... but SURPRISE!

We knew Mason was a little uncontrollable firecracker my whole pregnancy.

But we had no idea he had plans of his own for his delivery.

I like to think he was just anxious to meet us,

but it could've been other reasons too I guess.

Everything was going really well my whole pregnancy, no complications, no concerns.

Then last Sunday I came down with a nasty flu, and things took a turn for the worst.

I couldn't keep anything down and I hadn't felt Mason in a couple of hours.

So we called my doctor Sunday night and she said to go to the hospital and see her and so we did.

I was given an IV since I was so dehydrated, and some anti-nausea medication and then they sent me home around midnight.

Then around 5am Monday morning I start having contractions exactly 5 min apart for 2 hours and realize something's not right. So I go straight back to the hospital.

They gave me a couple of different medications to stop the contractions, made sure I wasn't dilating, and then sent me home.

The medication wore off pretty quick and I still continued to have contractions about 10 min apart all day, but as long as I didn't have more than 6 in an hour and I felt the baby moving than I should be fine.

So I stuck it out all night until about 5am Tuesday morning when the contractions started getting too close for comfort. And it was back to the hospital.

They gave me more medication to stop the contractions, made sure I wasn't dilating, and sent me home with a prescription for the medication so that if they started getting too close together again than I could just take it at home.

And so I did. Because they just kept on coming.

I began to accept the fact that my body was just under a lot of stress from the flu and that I was probably just going to have to deal with these contractions for the next few days until I was better and they subsided.

So even though when Wednesday morning rolled around and I wasn't feeling that great,

I bucked it up and went to work.

Contractions were 10 min apart most of the day, but then around 2 they started getting closer and closer together so I took some medicine.

They stopped for about an hour. Then started coming back 5 min apart.

By the time I got home I wasn't feeling so great. I didn't want to go back to the hospital though (for the sake of our dwindling wallet) and so I called my wonderful friend/doula to come over to see if I was dilating and to calm me down.

Sure enough, she checked me and I was 4cm dilated. We went to the hospital.

By the time I got there at 7pm I was 5cm dilated. They decided the best thing for Mason was to try and stop the labor so that his lungs had more time to develop. They put me on magnesium, which they hoped would slow things down for at least 48 hours while they gave me steroids for Mason's lung development.

They checked me again around 11pm and I was 7cm dilated. The doctor was still insistent on stopping the labor though and they gave me another IV of magnesium.

No luck though. 5am rolled around and they checked me again. I was 9cm dilated and there was no stopping him from coming.

They gave up and stopped the magnesium and let nature take its course.

Things started slowing down though and they had to break my water.

I was 9cm dilated for 5 hours and around 10am finally hit 10cm.

That's when the REAL fun began.

The doctors were shocked I was doing it without an epidural and probably thought I was crazy.

But I was determined. And thanks to Chase and my wonderful doula Brittani (who I owe my LIFE and couldn't have done it without!), it was definitely do-able.

I pushed for a half hour and then Mason came out at 10:38am.

5 lbs 13 oz, 19 inches long. A gigantic 34-week premature baby.

We like to call him the bully of the NICU.

His lungs were healthy. The doctors said he looked great.

His biggest difficulty right now is feeding. He doesn't really have much of an appetite and wants to sleep all day long, so they have him on an IV and a feeding tube. But he's breathing on his own and that's more than we could ask for.

They say he'll probably only be in the NICU for about 5-6 more days, so keep your fingers crossed!

Here's our story in pictures (minus all the lovely "personal pictures" that showed just a little too much):

Me trying to pretend to be happy on our way to the hospital, when in reality I was having an emotional breakdown.

Chase probably exhausted from lack of sleep for 4 days.

Me laughing at one of Chase's jokes at 9cm dilated, slightly delirious from lack of sleep.

Things start to shake up a bit as I enter the transition state of labor.

The NICU nurses getting ready to snatch my baby away from me after delivery.

Overwhelmed right after delivery and holding him.

My first words were "this is weird!". I just couldn't believe that there he was, the thing that had been in me for the past for 8 months!

Chase and I having a moment with Mason before they shipped him off to the NICU.

What I didn't mention though is that as Chase went to cut my umbilical cord, he accidentally snipped my IV too! It was pretty dang funny.

And off to the NICU he goes.

Our perfect little creation.

Chase helping give him his first bath!

Nice and clean and yummy!

Absolute perfection.

We couldn't have been more blessed to have such a successful premature delivery.

He's our little miracle and the best thing to have ever happened to us!

He's perfect.

We love you so much little Mason and can't wait to take you home!

Week of Anniversaries

2011-05-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

Today is our 1 year anniversary of being sealed in the Temple :)

Yesterday was my 1 year anniversary of going through the Temple.

Friday was my 24 year anniversary of being born into this world.

Monday was my 2 year anniversary of my baptism.

Lets just say it was a really good week and weekend.

To celebrate we went to the Temple as often as we could this week.

I am so grateful for all of the many blessings in my life, for my faith, and to have gained such a strong testimony over these past 2 years.

I love the Gospel.

I love my Heavenly Father.

I love my family and my friends.

I love Chase.

I love knowing that I will have the blessing of becoming a mother in just 2 short months.

I absolutely love my life.

One year later we're 7 months pregnant and even more obsessed with each other than we've ever been.

Happy Anniversary husband, I can't wait to spend the rest of eternity with you :)

So Close, But Yet So Far...

2011-04-03T11:11:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is the big 2-7.

No I'm not turning 27...

But rather my tummy is turning 27 weeks.

Which means a new trimester.

The LAST trimester.

Here's some pics from the second trimester:

22 weeks

25 weeks

I think my bump started showing somewhere around 18-20 weeks, it's all a blur to me already.

And it just keeps on growing.

For the most part, the second trimester was good to me.

The end started getting a little rough as my bump grew and caused more aches and pains in my back and feet.

But I'd say overall it wasn't too bad (Chase might beg to differ though).

But they say the second trimester is when you feel your best.

So that worries me.

But I'm going to be optimistic and not go into the third trimester already dreading it.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

So close, but yet so far!

Mason will be here before we know it :)

Gone Fishin'

2011-03-30T20:21:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you just need the weekend during the week.

So we decided to spend our Wednesday afternoon fishing.

Well, Chase fished.

I read my book and attempted to work on my sun tan.

Either way, I must say it was a relaxing afternoon :)

Babymoon

2011-03-25T18:07:00.001-07:00

Well, we have come to terms that our trip to California last weekend was probably our last road trip/vacation until the baby comes.

I'm not sure how much longer I'd be able to endure the 6 hour drive while pregnant, and well we probably won't be going on many road trips for awhile after Mason's born.

So we did our best to make the most of our weekend and enjoy every second of our time together at the beach.

Goodbye big blue, we will miss you...

El Bigote.

2011-03-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

Chase has been growing his beard out.

For the sole purpose of being able to have a solid mustache for a couple of days.

Chase loves a good mustache.

Me on the other hand?

No me gusta.

But I did agree to let him have one for 2 days (he usually only gets 1).

He's lovin' every second of it.

Which one's Chase?....

This one?

or this one?

So having me in the picture may have given it away,

but you had to do a double take right?

Here's Chase's bigote inspiration...

I Think We Can Do This

2011-03-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

I think we might just be able to do this.

Be parents that is...

This past weekend we babysat the 3 cutest little kids for a few days and we have to admit we feel kind of spoiled to have this as our first nannying experience.

The thought of watching 3 children for 3 days was overwhelming,

but they were the easiest kids in the world!

I'm assuming it's not usually this fun and easy,

but we loved it, and to be honest we've been having withdrawals from them all week!

Chase misses his best friend Westy, he's all he talks about anymore.

But how could you not miss this?...

Car. With the movie Cars in the background of course.

Fun at Peter Piper Pizza!

Train.

We made yummy green cupcakes for St. Patrick's Day!

The girls each decorated their own

Playing at the park

We can only hope our kids will be this cute and well-behaved!

A Valentine to Remember

2011-02-14T20:28:00.000-08:00

Nothing says Happy Valentine's Day like feeling your baby's first kick.

I haven't felt the slightest flicker from him until tonight.

And this was no flicker.

It was somersaults, kicks, and punches.

So either he really likes Cafe Rio or he's just been waiting to show his love until just the right day :)

Either way, I'm loving it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's A...

2011-02-04T16:20:00.001-08:00

BOY!

Introducing baby Mason...

He gave us plenty of crotch shots just to make it clear he doesn't want a pink room...

His tiny little feet :)

His tiny little face...

This is what Chase calls his "angry pirate face", with his eyepatch and all...

We're so excited to be having a boy,

but most of all we're excited that everything looks healthy!

They said he weighs about 9oz right now, which is crazy because I feel like he's at least a whole pound!

So all of the weight I've gained so far doesn't seem to be going to him,

just to other places in my body :-/ eek!

He was putting on quite a show for us, with lots of kicking, punching, and moving around.

He scratched his knee, and I even saw him wave!

Either that or he was just putting his hand up to his face.

But I like to think he was waving at us :)

We're so grateful for you baby Mason and can't wait to meet you!

Love-Hate Relationship

2011-01-21T10:38:00.001-08:00

I have a love-hate relationship with this boot.

I love it because at least when I'm wearing it I'm able to walk on my foot and ditch the miserable crutches.

I hate it because, well look at it... it's clunky and gigantic and I have to wear it for the next 6 weeks.

What happened you say?...

I really do wish I had a cool story to tell you,

like I was hiking and a giant rattlesnake popped out from behind a rock,

scared me, and caused me to trip over a big rock...

but unfortunately my story lacks in excitement.

I was simply walking to my car in a parking lot,

stepped off a deep sidewalk ledge,

my foot got caught in a drainage vent (that I didn't see because it was dark),

and well, I lost my balance and tripped.

It's as simple as that.

I'm just a little clumsy and can't walk.

But I didn't fall to the ground or anything,

the baby is okay,

but my poor foot is not.

It's a type of fracture where the bones in my midfoot dislocated and relocated, but in the process caused the ligaments around it to tear.

So in the mean time while they heal I have to wear this lovely boot for the next 6 weeks.

Just my luck.

But it could've been worse.

And I'm greatful it's not.

I'll get through these next 6 weeks, piece of cake.

What's one more obstacle while you're pregnant?

No big thang.

Happy weekend!

May you all walk straight.

4th Annual MLK Breakfast

2011-01-17T17:40:00.000-08:00

Some people think of MLK day as just a nice monday in January that they get off from school or work.

Most people don't think of it as a holiday.

Most people don't celebrate it.

Well... we aren't most people.

This morning we held the 4th Annual MLK Breakfast at Jake's house.

It's a long standing tradition at Jake's house where we eat a feast of delicious eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, and the best part... black and white pancakes.

Jake makes a powerful speech in the beginning that initiates the combining of the black and white pancakes that were once segregated.

We then feast upon them, combining and eating the delicious pancakes together.

And to end it all,

we read MLK Jr's famous speech, "I Have a Dream".

It is quite a joyous occasion that Chase and I look forward to every year.

Good friends, good food, and good history.

What more could you ask for?

Here are some pictures that I took so you could all feel like you were there...

The set-up for our large turn-out...

The fruit...

The bacon, sausage, eggs, and pancakes... yum!

The group.

Separate...

But equal.

Little Ellie sporting her MLK shirt... LOVED it!

And my favorite part...

when they read the speech just like MLK would

Here's Chase finishing up the end of the speech...

and again I apologize for my recording skills, I'm working on it...

but sometimes I just can't help but giggle :)

Happy MLK Jr day!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

Let me know if these pictures have convinced you to come next year...

and I'll make sure you get on the invite list ;-)

5-Day Weekend!

2011-01-16T17:27:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I finally took a couple of days off of work while Chase was still on winter break and we took a trip to California.

The weather was absolutely perfect,

78 degrees and sunny as can be.

You never would have known it was January by the looks of it.

Chase and I were basically pasty white compared to all of those Californians, it was ridiculous!

Here's a 360 view of the pier in San Clemente... so pretty!

Here's the view from our drive down the Pacific Coast Highway... I would drive down it everyday if I lived in California!

But beware, Chase is driving kind of fast and my video taping skills are kind of weak, so the video might make you a wee bit nauseas!

We hurried home from California today though so we could make it in time to celebrate Evelyn's 1st birthday!

Here's her opening up her presents...

And of course her first cupcake... YUM!

She started feeling the sugar rush by the end of it and couldn't stop giggling and smiling!

It was the cutest, most precious thing ever :)

Happy birthday Evy, we love you!

Goodbye 1st Trimester

2011-01-02T16:04:00.000-08:00

Dear 1st trimester,

It is 2011 and time for a new change.

By saying goodbye to 2010 I am saying goodbye to you.

Oh how I will not miss the torment you put me through.

I look forward to what the 2nd trimester holds.

I already (almost) feel back to my normal self.

So until we meet again (not for awhile I hope),

goodbye.

Your least biggest fan,

Kim

Chase and Kim... Plus Her or Him!

2010-12-25T17:40:00.000-08:00

The secret's finally out...

We have a little Woodbury on the way!

I know our blog has been really boring lately...

but this is why.

The only thing going on in our life right now is this itty bitty little secret we've been keeping until Christmas because we wanted to tell our families in a special way.

And this is how we told them...

We are SO excited and feel so blessed to be so lucky to have a baby on the way (I'm almost 13 weeks now).

We've been looking forward to this for a long time now and can't wait until next summer (the little girl or boy is due the fourth of July!).

Trust me, you all have not been missing out on much though.

I can catch you up in very few words.

To sum up my first 12 weeks... there was:

-Nausea

-Vomiting

-Cramps

-Itchy stomach

-Insatiable hunger

-Nausea

-Acne

-Cravings

-Nausea

-Chronic headaches

-Extreme fatigue

-A month long sinus infection

-Nausea

-Oh... and did I mention the nausea?

I will not sugarcoat. It was not a pleasant experience and I was not a pleasant person to be around. I was a mess. And Chase put up with A LOT.

But on a happier note...

I have felt MUCH better lately and am practically back to normal!

I promise I'll be way better at updating my blog from now on now that there is more to our lives than just work and school.

We're so glad to have our news out in the open now and to be able to share our happiness with everyone :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T11:16:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I'm more excited to have 3 days off of work,

or that it's finally Christmas!

I'm grateful for this much needed break

and to be able to spend the next few days with friends and family.

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Merry Christmas!

The 5 Stages of Loss

2010-11-20T20:44:00.000-08:00

For the past 10 days I have been going through an internal struggle...
also known as The 5 Stages of Loss and Grief.
As many of you know 10 days ago Chase's dear and beloved younger brother,
Jess buns, left to go on his mission to Spain for 2 years.
And ever since it has not quite been the same.

The stages I have gone through are as follows...

Stage 1) Denial: It won't be that bad. We only saw him a couple of times a week anyways, time will fly by and we'll barely notice he's gone.

Stage 2) Anger: Wait a minute... Jesse is gone for TWO years. What are we going to do?! Who are we going to tease day in and day out? Who will get mad at us for eating all of his food? Who will constantly circle the kitchen island for hours on end? Who will spill things more times in a day than even I can? How will life go on...?!

Stage 3) Bargaining: If only we hadn't teased him so much. If only we hadn't given him an embarrassing nickname. If only he would've been born in the spring so we'd have a little more time together. If only we could fast forward 2 years in the future...

Stage 4) Depression: the current state in which I find myself. Sad. Very sad. I was looking through Jesse's facebook pictures earlier today and realized I was in this depressing stage. I'm hopeful though that soon I will move on to the 5th and final stage...

Stage 5) Acceptance: He is doing the greatest act of service and will open many hearts towards the Gospel. He is excited to be going to Spain and to be serving the Lord. He is going to be a great missionary and the next 2 years will fly by before we know it!

I can't wait until stage 5. But until then, I will slowly advance and accept his absence little by little. It makes it kind of hard though now that Chase owns Jesse's entire wardrobe...

Halloween Festivities!

2010-10-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend was filled with Halloween fun!

We started off the weekend at the our friends' Pumpkin Carving Party

where there was great company, great food, and great lookin' pumpkins!

We carved a cute little minion from "Despicable Me"...

He didn't glow as well as we wanted, but I still liked him :)

Then later that night we went to our ward's Trunk-or-Treat dressed as pirates.

Here's some pictures of our cute nephews that were there too.

THEN we went home and made fun spider cupcakes for our primary class!

They were actually really easy to make and I thought they turned out great!

I hope your Halloween weekend was as fun as ours!

Happy Halloween :)

Weekend in Utah

2010-10-18T21:18:00.001-07:00

So the last couple weeks have been really hectic it seems.

Last week in particular.

I got the stomach flu again which put me a little behind in preparation for our trip to Utah over the weekend.

The result: forgetting to charge my camera before we left.

My reaction: sheer disappointment after taking about my 5th picture in Temple Square.

Here are the few pictures I got in before it died.

The rest are just mental memories that I will cherish forever.

The stunning Salt Lake Temple

The newlyweds, Don and Annie :)

Love the Leach family.

Loved my first time in Temple Square.

Love the history behind it all.

Love the fall weather in Utah.

The reception was absolutely beautiful,

I'm so sad I didn't get to take any pictures to put up.

But believe me, it was perfect.

It was so great to see Don and the rest of the Leach's,

I wish they still lived in Arizona!

But on the bright side,

at least we have a place to stay when we visit now :)

Oh and yes, now that the wedding is over,

Chase will be shaving off his beard.

Let the Beard Begin...

2010-09-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

To Chase... fall and winter mean "beard season".

Our dear friend Don grew his beard out for our wedding last fall.

Don is getting married this fall.

And therefore Chase is returning the honor and growing his beard out for Don's wedding in October.

Let the beard growing begin.

To beard season.

May you end quickly.

One Year!

2010-09-19T07:52:00.001-07:00

Has it really been one year?!...

Actually to be honest, it seems like four.

Not in a bad way by any means, it just seems like our wedding day was so long ago and that we have been married for years now.

Maybe it's because of how deep our relationship has grown since then, or maybe it's because of all that's happened in that one year.

I look back at this day and I remember how in love we were and how excited we were to be starting a life together.

And now I look at us and it amazes me how much MORE we love each other now than we even did then.

Chase is more than just my husband, he is my other half- my best friend.

I couldn't have asked for a better year, and I can't wait to see what the years to come will bring.

Weekend Get-Away

2010-09-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

Since I work every Saturday,

Chase and I haven't really had much of a chance to spend a weekend together.

Until this weekend.

And it was wonderful.

Our one year anniversary is coming up in a couple of weeks,

and since it will be on a Sunday, and I work on Saturdays,

we saw this 3-day weekend as our only opportunity to get away for a couple of days and celebrate it.

We couldn't go too far though because my friend from college was getting married on Saturday night and I really wanted to go.

So we stayed at The Pointe at Tapatio Cliffs for two days and it was perfect.

We sat by the pool all day Saturday, on a terrace by the waterfalls...

And read our books...

Chase's choice: Dracula.

My choice: Hunger Games.

Saturday night we went to my friend's wedding.

Sunday we went to church, read, and ate all day with family.

Monday we had a BBQ and swam. And read and ate all day again.

(Are you sensing a theme yet?)

I feel bad for Chase because this was supposed to be a weekend to "us" but I ended up getting so captivated by my book (it's a real problem I have) that I probably didn't give him the amount of attention he was hoping for.

Sorry babe.

I'll be back when I finish the trilogy. Only two more to go...

Anyone have "Catching Fire" that I could borrow?

The Best Show on TV

2010-08-25T21:18:00.001-07:00

Chase and I don't really have time to watch TV.

But we make time for one show in particular.

The BEST show on air.

Psych.

It is witty, hilarious, interesting, clean, and just overall fantastic.

Every episode, every season.

It's on USA, Wednesday nights at 10pm (or 7pm for any dish networkers).

Watch it. Record it. Download it. Do whatever it takes.

Trust me. It'll be worth it.

As Shawn and Gus would say, "whaaaaaaaat".

Family Disneyland Trip!

2010-08-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

We have been wanting to go to Disneyland with the whole family all summer and we finally coordinated a weekend that worked for everyone.

Last weekend.

We actually planned the trip last week and luckily everyone could go!

It was my last Saturday that I won't have to work, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend it. Because for those of you who don't know... I'm obsessed with Disneyland.

SO cute in her little minnie outfit that Chase and I got her the last time we went to Disneyland...

A random exhausted grandpa... poor guy. We feel ya...

The aftermath of Splash Mountain...

A monkey hat for our little monkey...

Chase made me put this on... sorry Cliff :-/

If you're wondering why little Chris is missing from this family photo... that's because he went missing. For the hundredth time that day.

It was our nephews' first time there and it was so fun to see their excitement at the end of every ride.

Even little Jack Jack (who's 3) went on Space Mountain! All three of them were so brave!

Anyways, it was a BLAST and we all enjoyed ourselves a lot :)

Shoo Flu, Don't Bother Me

2010-08-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

Dear stomach flu,

I have not missed you these past 10 years we've been apart...

I was starting to think I had special powers to fight you off with.

You have indeed proved me wrong today.

Many times.

I'm thirsty and hungry, but you won't let me drink or eat.

What's your deal?

Please go away so I can still go to Disneyland this weekend.

I'll never ask for anything again.

I promise.

Sick and concerned,

Kim

Escaping the Heat

2010-07-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we went camping with Chase's family again!

His family has been all about the summer getaways and camp-outs lately and since Chase and I don't have many obligations we decided to go on this one last trip before I started work...

and BOY did it feel good to get out of the heat!

We stayed up at Canyon Point Campground at the top of the rim (they were CRAZY strict there though... that's a whole other story in itself!) but we had a great campsite and the weather was refreshing :)

And we even went to church up in Heber.... nothing like being in your Sunday best in the wilderness :)

It's been a GREAT summer and it was a fun last trip before going back to reality!

New Job

2010-07-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

So... I was just offered a GREAT new job!

You're lookin' at the newest Nutritionist at Mountain Park Health Center.

I'll be working for the WIC program, giving nutritional counseling to pregnant and breast feeding women, as well as infants and children :)

Super excited.

Can't wait!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!

2010-07-14T21:41:00.001-07:00

Chase and I kinda sorta have a sweet tooth... for McDonald's ice cream cones.

Whenever we are craving a little dessert, or in summer's case... a way to cool down,

we get a cone because they are delicious, cheap ($1!), and not too bad for you (150 cal w/ 3g fat) :)

Well the other night we were on our way home and stopped to get cones.

To our surpise the guy gave us the BIGGEST cones we have ever had (and we've had alot)

Crazy.

I'd say they were about the size of a water bottle.

So... they probably had a lot more than 3g of fat... but boy, was it worth it :)

2010-07-11T18:13:00.001-07:00

My grandma is one of the most AMAZING women that I know.

She is kind, thoughtful, giving, selfless, the world's greatest cook, and the most loving person you will ever meet.

And you'd never guess by the looks of it... but she just turned 75!

(I mean... 55...)

We made her wear a princess crown...

And be the first to have a go at her piñata...

Don't worry... I had my fair share of the piñata as well :)

Happy birthday Grandma!

Thank you for all you've done and still do for me,

you are the best grandma in the world and I love you!

Let Freedom Ring!

2010-07-04T18:05:00.000-07:00

This fourth of July weekend we had a fun little family BBQ at the Woodburys

(even though they were in Utah!... sorry guys, we missed you!)

The kids (us, Chase's siblings, and neice and nephews) had a great time celebrating, BBQing, swimming, and making some homemade ice cream (YUM)

This is the only picture I took the whole day though... but it pretty much takes the cake.

She is just too darn cute for words.

I didn't get a picture of the cute nephews in their matching shirts, so here is one that Brittney took of them earlier in the day :)

Love them! Can you tell?

Happy Fourth of July!

High on the Mountain Top

2010-06-27T13:17:00.000-07:00

Who: The WHOLE Woodbury clan

What: Camping

When: This weekend

Where: Somewhere around Flagstaff

Why: Because it's a BLAST!

We took SO many pictures, so here are about 1/4 of them :)

When I say the whole Woodbury clan was there, I mean the WHOLE family.

Even Brooks was there in spirit...

As you can see... it was such a good weekend and SO much fun :)

Casualty on the Lord's Errand

2010-06-19T17:32:00.000-07:00

Around seven last night, we were on our way to Chase's parents house when we saw our ward's missionaries on the side of the road. One of them had crashed on their bike so we quickly swerved into the parking lot when we saw them on the sidewalk and hurried over to help. Elder Olsen was sitting on a rock, his face and clothes in bad shape from his crash. Kelly Parkinson was cleaning a cut on his right eye that was pretty deep and in need of stitches.

They had already called 911 by the time we got there, but no one had come yet. Once they did arrive, they asked him a bunch of questions and he was able to answer all but one...

he couldn't remember what happened.

Elder Olsen claimed that he felt fine, but they said that since he hit his head pretty hard that they wanted to call an ambulance and have him taken to the hospital to get looked at and stitched up.

As the hour passed by, more and more ward members would drive by, see us, and hurry out of their car to see what was going on. By the time the ambulance got there, there were about 20 ward members surrounding Elder Olsen showing him their love and concern.

That's when I realized how much I truly love our ward and the people in it... each and every member is so thoughtful and willing to help out one another in a heartbeat.

When the ambulance arrived, they hoisted Elder Olsen onto a stretcher and took him away. Elder Amey took the passenger seat of the ambulance, and the Baldwins followed them to the hospital. The Mission President met them there as well.

I have no doubt in my mind that Elder Olsen will be just fine, as he is in the Lord's hands and the Lord knows all the wonderful things that Elder Olsen still has to accomplish on his mission, as well as the many lives that he will bless.

Please keep him in your prayers- that he will have a quick recovery and that he will be okay!

Shishkabobs n' Cupcakes

2010-06-13T20:17:00.001-07:00

This weekend was full of fun festivities.

Saturday, Chase and I went to a BBQ at our friend's house and we brought something that Chase has wanted to make for a long time...

SHISH KABOBS.

And since we ended up having a bunch of extra peppers... Chase had a chef vision (he gets these often) of making stuffed peppers. He has never made stuffed peppers though so he made up his own recipe and man was it delicious!

He has such a gift.

Oh, and the shish kabobs turned out yummy as well :)

On the other side of the kitchen was me.

Baking my favorite cupcakes for my favorite kiddos in Primary.

They are called "Psychedelic" Cupcakes but since that's a tough word for a munchkin to say (or even know what it means)... I call them Tie-Dye Cupcakes.

The fun part about Tie-Dye cupcakes is that every bite is a new surprise and a new pattern of crazy colors.

They are super messy to make, but SO worth it when you take your first bite into their colorful rainbow and realize you forgot just how fun they were.

I didn't remember to bring my camera to church so you could witness our class enjoying them, but I did get to share some of the cupcakes later with my nephews who love them as well :)

Symphony + John Denver = Happiness

2010-06-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend the Symphony proudly presented...

John Denver: A Rocky Mountain High Tribute

We found out about this wonderful event this past week and couldn't pass up an opportunity to listen to some authentic JD tunes.

Chase, myself, and our friends are probably the biggest John Denver fans you will ever meet.

And yes... we proudly admit that we know every word to every song.

We did what the Symphony calls "Rush Hour Tickets" where you go an hour before the show and with your student ID, you get in for $10! So we got AMAZING $76 seats for only $10!

Now you have to understand that since John Denver is not alive anymore, we thought well... it's not really John Denver singing so it probably won't be that great... but it'll be fun to hear the music anyways. Let me tell you... the quality of the music FAR exceeded our expectations and all of us left with the biggest smiles on our faces.

Such good music. Such a fun time.

Oh... and of course... Chase entered himself in a John Denver look-a-like contest.

We're supposed to hear back from the symphony sometime this week with the results.

I have no doubt that he will win ;-)

Are YOU the One?

2010-06-03T12:55:00.001-07:00

Name: Jake

Attributes: charming, respectful, spiritual, intelligent, kindhearted, and not to mention quite handsome

Likes: John Denver, being outside, exploring new places, Mexico, a good homemade quesadilla, road trips, discussing the Gospel with friends and strangers, swimming, the environment, civil engineering, and of course his two greatest friends (Chase and I)

Seeking: his one and only

There is no catch.

He just simply is that great.

So... are you the one?

Give a Day. Get a Disney Day.

2010-05-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most of you heard about the fantastic idea that Disneyland had this year...

Where you sign up for a volunteer activity through them, complete your volunteer day, and in exchange you get a FREE day at Disneyland!

Chase and I will take ANY chance we can get to score a free ticket to Disneyland.

So we volunteered at a Boys and Girls Club event, earned our free tickets, and decided to use them this week, before Chase starts summer school next week and disappears again.

After waking up at 4:30am to drive to Disneyland, this was us on the train at about 4:30pm...

EXHAUSTED.

After getting the best night of sleep in our lives, we had to stop by our favorite beach (in San Clemente) on our way home and get a taste of Big Blue before heading back to our beloved desert :)

Our traveling may be put on hold for awhile now because of summer school and work,

but it was a perfect way to end it :)

Sedona

2010-05-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

Last night...

Kim: So... what do you want to do tomorrow?

Chase: Let's go to Sedona.

Kim: Done.

Let's just say Chase and I are in the denial stage of not having money. We both aren't working right now and both have yet to face the reality of finding jobs. So in the mean time... we are soaking up this quality time that we have together before summer school and work starts again. We may not have much right now, but we've never been happier because of all the time we've been able to spend together!

After walking around town and going to see the Chapel in the mountain, we had every intention of going on a nice, long, scenic hike. In fact, that's why we went to Sedona for the day in the first place. On our way to the trailhead though, we saw our favorite BBQ place that we ate at on our honeymoon and just couldn't get ourselves to say no.

We were so full from our yummy burgers and sweet potato fries that we couldn't get ourselves to go on a hike.

Sad.

So we settled for South Mountain when we got back in town... after our tummies felt better :)

Jess Buns Graduates HS!

2010-05-21T23:04:00.001-07:00

For those of you who have not caught onto the revolution yet...

Jesse goes by Jess Buns.

Okay... maybe just Chase and I call him that.

But it's only because we love Jess Buns.

So much that we decided to make shirts in his honor for his graduation party.

This is the front of our shirts...

And naturally, this is the back...

You can imagine the excitement on Jess Buns's face when he saw us walk into his party sporting "Team Jess Buns" shirts, with his favorite picture and nickname on the front...

He warmed up when he realized it was all outta love...

Congrats Jess Buns! We're proud to call you our sibling. Even if you are embarrassed to call us yours :)

Our Sealing Day!

2010-05-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

On May 1st, Chase and I were sealed in the Mesa, Arizona Temple!

I just got the pictures back, so I haven't been able to blog about it quite yet, but

thanks to our wonderful photographers Kellee and Mark, here they are!

After 7 months of counting down, May Day finally arrived. And what a wonderful and exciting day it was! There was nothing more that I wanted in life than to be sealed to my amazing husband for all of time and eternity. To think that we'll be together forever fills me with so much joy that I can't help but smile even as I'm writing this.

I want to say a special thanks to all of the wonderful friends and family that came to share and celebrate that unforgettable experience with us. We have been waiting in anticipation for this day for what seems like forever, and it was even better than we had ever imagined. Our love for one another has grown increasingly everyday, and it has only been 8 months (on Wednesday). And to think we still have eternity to go... I can't wait :)

Samantha Jean Mancine.

2010-05-15T20:38:00.000-07:00

Today was a monumental day. My best friend, Sammie Jean graduated from U of A! Chase, Abe, the Nelson's dog Jack, and I ventured down to Tucson this morning. I dropped them all off at my grandparents for a day of lots of cooking and eating Mexican food, while I went to Sammie's graduation ceremony and party. Such a fun road trip and day! So good to see my wonderful grandparents and my best friend... who is now moving to here to come play with me :)

31st Anniversary!

2010-05-12T17:57:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time... a handsome young man met a beautiful young woman. They fell madly in love and were married in the Oakland, CA Temple on May, 12, 1979...

31 years later... they are even MORE madly in love. If that's even possible...

And thanks to them being such amazing parents, they have raised wonderful posterity... particularly Chase ;-)

Happy Anniversary Cliff and Correen! We love you!

Jack Turns 3!

2010-05-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend baby Jack Jack turned 3 years old! I guess he's not really a baby anymore, but he is to all of us. Brittney planned a super fun pool party over at the Woodbury's home and the kids had a blast "wimming ast" (swimming fast... as Jack would say). Also at the party, for her very first swim... was baby Evelyn!

Now how CUTE is that?!

A Pirate's Life for Me

2010-04-30T12:02:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don't know...

I'm obsessed with pirates.

As Chase thought of what he should do to make my birthday a memorable one, he explained to his friends... "Every little boy's (and Kim's) dream as a child is to go on a real treasure hunt."

And that is how he got the brilliant and fun idea.

On the morning of my birthday, Chase was at school and I went to breakfast with my mom. She gave me the first part of the above treasure map. I was super confused... but knew it was the work of a real pirate.

So using my own pirate instincts, I followed the map until I finally arrived at a giant "X" in the middle of Jake's backyard. Chase handed me a shovel... and said, "Dig."

So I dug... for about 3o seconds. And then handed Chase the shovel and said, "You dig." A couple minutes and a few feet later... he hit a large wooden object. We dug it out of the ground... and low and behold it was a REAL pirate's treasure chest filled with Captain Redbeard's treasure!

If you are wondering why the chest is filled with big silver dollars... that is because I do everything in my power to find and collect them because I thoroughly enjoy them. My thoughtful husband knows that and so he has spent the past couple months going from bank to bank trying to collect as many as he could to fill the treasure chest. He's somethin huh?

Thanks to Captain Redbeard.... I couldn't have asked for a better or more fun birthday! :)

California!... Wait, Again?!

2010-03-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking... didn't they just go to California? In fact, didn't I just see that same exact picture of that same exact beach only a few blogs ago?... And you're right. You did, you are not going crazy... we are. Crazy about San Clemente, that is. We went to San Clemente, CA over winter break a few months ago and loved it so much that we decided to go back for a nice, relaxing weekend over spring break. It's such a nice little beach town... low-key, peaceful, lots of fun shops and restaurants, and not to mention absolutely beautiful. Are we moving there some day you ask?... Perhaps if we win the lottery.