Winter Wonderland

We heard it was going to snow in St. George, but nothing could have prepared us for what we woke up to December 3rd, 2013.

The land I know to be blazing hot was covered in white powder.

Truly something I don't think I have ever seen before.

The last time Dixie has seen this much snow was 1974!

I remember in 2nd grade having a snow day and being able to stay home from school but I don't remember it quite like this.

Church was even cancelled!

(above photo credit: Kai Anderson)

Norah seemed to love it until she face planted into it.

(seriously one of the funniest things I have ever seen).

I am typing this post on January 1st and there is still a patch of snow in my backyard.

Business Student of the Semester

You folks are looking at the

Business Student of the Semester

Fall 2013 

Dixie State University

He managed to pull off this award and finish his degree with a 3.9 GPA without buying text books for the past 3 semesters.

I don't know why I am acting surprised.

He is sharper than a tac.

And hates spending "unnecessary money"

Broc. You Rock.

Proud of you husband! 

Norah 1 year video

Norah's Birthday

For Norah's birthday, we had so much fun doing all of her favorite things:

The morning started with balloon playing. 

Then she took a birthday bath. 

This girl would live in the bathtub if we would let her. 

 Then a little birthday cartoons in her favorite shirt, next to her favorite gal, Minnie.

Her favorite food for breakfast, RASPBERRIES!

A little toy store browsing.

And a birthday cup cake.

We guessed wrong on a carousel ride.

Probably the only thing in this world that she is scared of.

And then a birthday dinner with Papa, Gigi, Auston and Sage

Norah is the light of our lives. The reason I live. 

Her lively and exuberant spirit fills the hole in my life that I never knew existed until she got here. 

I often think to myself how I ever lived without her for so many years. I loved and missed her so much for 23 years and I didn't even know it. 

Happy Birthday Baby Girl.

Taylor, The Graduate

It has been a couple weeks and I think that it is finally starting to sink in that my sister Taylor has actually graduated from high school. Geez the years sure fly by once you are out in the real world. Seeing her in my cap and gown took me back and it seemed like just yesterday that I was there. I don't even want to think about her leaving to BYU in a couple of weeks. 

I don't think I like this whole 

"lets graduate high school 

and move on with our lives 

and live in different places 

and only see each a couple times a month... 

if we are lucky 

instead of every morning at the breakfast table" thing. 

But I could not be more excited to see what this girl does in her future. 

She will kill it. I sure do love you tay tay baby. 

I think it is even stranger to think that it has been SIX YEARS since this picture was taken.

And why didn't someone tell me that my smile was as big as Texas?

We bought a zoo

This last Saturday Broc, Norah, Ashley, Taylor, Michael and I all headed down to the middle of nowhere to spend an afternoon with the animals.
Have you seen the movie We Bought a Zoo?
This place is just like that, on a smaller scale.
Roos n more is basically a zoo in the back yard of two veterinarians home.
It is bizarre the kind of animals they have there. Everything from monkeys and zebras to otters and kangaroos. We came to roos n more a couple years ago and it was just as great as I remember it.

This was Norah's first time touching an animal.
Pretty cool for it to be a monkey!

You make me feel so young

Norah is the sweetest, happiest, funniest, most adorable little human I have ever met.

SO lucky to have her in our family.

This is a little compilation of Norah's latest and greatest. 

Love her!

Birthday Boy

Broc turned 24 this last weekend and I can't help but think about all that he has done and accomplished in his 23rd year of life! Graduated with his associates degree, bought a house, became a father etc. I sure got lucky with this handsome and ambitious man. 

This year for his birthday we celebrated mostly the day after. As part of my present to him I let him go coyote hunting with his buddy without any complaining from me. I think he liked that just as much as he liked the weight bench I also gave him. 

Broc my dear, you are loved more than you know and I am so happy/excited/thrilled to be able to spend every birthday together till we are at least 120 years old. You are the best.

a name and a blessing

Yesterday was such a perfect day.

Our sweet little Norah was blessed by her father. 

We got her all dressed up in the blessing dress I wore almost 24 years ago. 

When we walked into the chapel I was overwhelmed with love as I saw that most of the bench seats were taken up by our family members. 

How blessed we both are with such amazing, supportive and BIG families.

Broc gave the most simply beautiful blessing that I have ever heard. 

The four things he blessed her with were joy, service, testimony and gratitude.

If only we all could remember to have those four qualities in our lives. 

We could not have dreamed of a more perfect day.
Thank you to all who shared it with us.

  

2012

While jumping into a new year, it is inevitable to stop and reflect on the year you say goodbye to. 

I can confidently say that 2012 was one of the best years of my life. 

I am not sure I want to let it go. 

  

January: 

Broc turned the big two three!

February: 

We celebrated our 6th Valentines day together

(also the 6th anniversary of our first date)

March: 

We got the life changing news that we were pregnant with our first child.

I also turned 23

April: 

Broc finished his Associates in Business Degree at Dixie State

May: 

We bought our first home!

We also took a trip to Washington D.C.

June: 

We got the good news we were welcoming a DAUGHTER to our family.

July: 

Spent a week in Carlsbad CA

August: 

Spent a weekend in San Fransisco!

September: 

Started really preparing for our baby girl to arrive.

October: 

Our house finally starts feeling like a home after months of renovation.

November: 

Welcomed Norah Mae Hafen into our lives. We will never be the same.

Also celebrated our two year anniversary. I love you Mr. Hafen.

December: 

Celebrated our first Christmas together as a family of three. Best Christmas yet.