Relaxing Reward and Easter!

Let me start off by saying that we had quite a busy weekend, and finally got a little bit back into taking pictures, so there are going to be tons..... just a little warning....

So, since Ben finally finished school on Thursday night, his parents decided it would be fun for me to surprise him with an overnight trip somewhere (thank you Dan & Kathy!). Friday night I got Ben to come home a little early and we drove out to San Simeon. The hotel was so cute, and right on the beach. They even had three firepits going until 11pm. We got there around 9, checked in, and then walked around and hung out by the fire and watched the ocean. Baylee's two new favorite words are now fire and ocean. Then we went back to our room and lit a little fire in the cute little fireplace they had. So much fun!

Saturday morning we got up and took a little walk on the beach.
Baylee of course had a blast. Then we went to our room and she was so excited to get her little swimsuit on to go swimming with her daddy.
However, when we got to the pool, she decided she didn't really want to be swimming afterall, so she sat with me and had a blast laughing at Ben in the pool. She thought it was hilarious every time Ben went under water and she would just start cracking up. It was pretty funny.
After the pool we got dressed and had a bite to eat before heading to see Hearst Castle.
Silly me thought since there were 40+ tickets available on most tours the night before that we'd be fine to just buy tickets there. I was wrong... we had to wait about 45 minutes until our tour left, so we walked around and made it outside to an observation deck, where Baylee decided to ham it up for the camera.
Then, about 10 minutes before the tour left, she decided to find a spot to do her buisness.... We had left the diaperbag in the car, since we couldn't bring it on the tour, so we had to literally run to the car and change her and run back. We barely made it.

The view from Hearst Castle was amazing.
I would love to have this pool at my house, especially the past two summers where we haven't had air conditioning and our house has been about 90 degrees everyday.... This pool was huge!
And check out the size of this house! We had a fun time looking at the little bit of Hearst Castle that we actually got to see. We even got to see an extra room that the other people on our tour didn't get to see- the mother's/baby room. Baylee was really good when we were outside, but when we finally made it inside the house, she didn't like being held in one place for forever, so we went into the baby room so other people could enjoy the tour. We still got to see everything they did. we just didn't get to hear what our tourguide was saying and have to stand there forever.

After the tour, we headed back home, but stopped to see the elephant seals that were on a few beaches. I think I read it was mating season right now, or something like that, and so all the elephant seals had come onshore to do their thing. They were all just kinda laying there. I guess they had worn themselves out. I didn't get to see very close because Baylee had fallen asleep in the car, but Ben went and got a few pictures.

Easter!!!!

Baylee was excited when we got home from church and saw that the Easter Bunny had left her a little present. She got a little distracted by the three bags of candy in her basket and started to go for that.And then we set her straight, and she was excited for her present.The Easter Bunny is really smart and did a great job at picking out plastic make-up for Baylee. Now she uses her make-up instead of getting into all my makeup (which I only have a ton of different colors of eyeshadow she loves to dig her fingernails into). Way to go, Easter Bunny!!!

Baylee took a little nap before we headed over to Ben's parents and decorated Easter Eggs.She kinda wanted to do it herself, but then there would have been a mess everywhere. So she did a silly face for the camera instead.
We had dinner while they dryed and then Ben hid the eggs for Baylee to find (we were the only ones at Ben's parents, so no kids for her to do Easter stuff with).

Baylee was kinda a little funny at first. She got excited when she found them, but she didn't want to pick up any that were hidden in the dirt, or where she might have to step in dirt. If I handed them to her she would put them in the carton, though. Kinda weird... but she eventually caught on, just as we found all the eggs.

Grandma and Grandpa Hall also had two presents hidden outside that she opened after. She was excited for the cute clothes they gave her, and gave Grandma and Grandpa Hall big hugs.After this we went up to the temple to watch The Garden (a musical performance thing), but Baylee wasn't too excited for it and Ben spent most of the performance outside in the hall with her.

Now that it's starting to warm up, I was finally able to put Baylee in the cute shirt and shorts I bought for her last year. She loves to ham it up for the camera...
We hope everyone had a great Easter Weekend!

Happy 40th , Anna!!! (Girls Weekend)

I know this is pretty late, but I have a few minutes so I thought I'd quickly post about our fun little weekend! My sister-in-law, Anna, turned 40 this weekend, so Ben's three sisters all flew in to help celebrate for a girl's weekend type thing. Three of Anna's sister's also came, along with her friend Leah. So, here's a little on the weekend (by the way I did a way bad job at getting pictures-I only got a few of Baylee and Mea, so I'm hoping my sister-in-laws will all send me some and I can add them later... :) ).

Wendy and Mea got in Friday afternoon, so we met them and Kathy for lunch at Panera, and then blew off some time at Target. We tried to get Baylee and Mea to wear these cute bunny ears in the store, but they were much more into trying on any shoe they possibly could find.
Friday night Missy and her two boys and Jenny and her three kids all got in. Ryan and Anna's kids came to Ben's parents and we all had pizza. Later Ryan and Anna and friends all came back for cake. All us sisters/sister-in-laws and Kathy got to pick out a cute necklace that Jenny and her friend made for our girls weekend. I will try to get a picture...

Saturday was our big celebration day! We had brunch in the morning/all afternoon, and all of us girls got a half hour massage at Ben's parents. A lady that used to work with Ben and Ryan does massages, so she came to give us them. It was very nice and relaxing. After that we went and got pedicures. We were supposed to go to Fondue for dinner, but Anna and I don't have good luck with Fondue. The restaurant called Kathy saying we were supposed to go the night before. So, Jenny and I rushed over to Cheesecake Factory and shopped a little while we waited for a table. Then all the girls ate there, and I did a little more after dinner shopping with Wendy and Missy.

Sunday, of course, was dinner at Ben's parents. Friends Liz, Brooke, Evan and McKenzie all came over to join the crowd. We just kinda all hung out, and later Wendy and I got pictures of Baylee and Mea in the matching dresses Kathy got them. Baylee wasn't being very cooperative though....

Monday we all met for lunch at Denica's, then Baylee and I stopped in and worked for 45 mintues before meeting everyone back at Super Franks for the kids to play. Later Wendy and I had Jenny help us highlight our hair and then Missy gave us Arbonne goodies and we did facials.

Tuesday everyone decided they were sick of us, and all went home. Wendy's plane didn't leave until the afternoon, so Baylee and I went over and walked with Wendy and Mea downtown, and then we met Kathy to go to lunch.
(I know, bad picture, but it's cute...) We walked across the parking lot to a little cafe for lunch, and Wendy and Mea left after that. Then it was back to our normal life! Except that Baylee got sick... :(

In good news, Ben is completely done with school!!!!! His last finals were yesterday. So when he gets home from work today, there's a little surprise his parents arranged for him.....

Not A lot Happening- But Some good Things....

With the exception of Baylee becoming increasingly obsessed with Minnie Mouse (the first thing she wants in the morning is for me to turn on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) and her little monkey, not too much has been going on in our house. Ben had to shut the power off two Saturdays in a row, and then go turn it back on Sunday. So, this weekend we were happy to have a little break from that. We did a little shopping, compliments of tax refunds. Baylee made out pretty well, but Ben and I weren't able to find anything. Other than that, we haven't really done much.

On a more exciting note...
Our little Baylee is getting so big!!! She has gone to sleep in her own bed the past four nights, and slept in it until 6 -8:30ish in the mornings! This is a HUGE step for her, and we are so proud of her and how well she's been handling it. I just have to keep explaining to her that she is a big girl now and big girls sleep in big girl beds (hers is just a mattress on the floor next to me for now). Then I have to swaddle her monkey for her to cuddle (she's also pretty obsessed with babies right now and her monkey is now baby monkey and I am consently having to swaddle monkey for a "nap"). She's does really well and falls to sleep or lays there quietly after that. Not really any big struggles, although there are sometimes little ones. I know this isn't really a big deal to most people, but after her sleeping with me for the last year and a half, it is for me. She's also been doing some very cute things lately and has kept us laughing. She also can tell you what color everything is, loves to dance, and loves to sing in the shower or in her carseat (mostly Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, The Wheels on the Bus, and Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed). Too cute and too fun! I love the stage she's in right now. She's becoming quite the talker.

In other news..... Ben has this week of class left and is done with finals next Thursday, which means he is completely done with school!!!!! Yea!!! We are so excited, we just hope he can find a better paying job now....

Sorry for the lack of interesting things, this weekend will be a lot busier and we should have some fun things to say after the weekend is over.