May - Grandpa and Grandma Bentz came to visit, Makeup, Dance Recital, and Kloepfer Reunion

Mom and Dad Bentz came to visit for their 30th Anniversary. They decided that there was no place they'd rather be, than with their only grand child. :-)  They came to visit for just over a week.  While they were here we went to Outback Steak House for dinner, spent time with Bill and MaryAnn for Mother's Day, and went to the cabin in Fairview cabin.  Because of the excessive amounts of snow and rain that we received this year, there was still a ton of snow at the cabin (at least 4 feet).  We played games inside, had yummy food, and played in the snow.

  While they were in town we went to the River Walk on the south end of BYU campus.  We walked around and enjoyed the scenery and the ducks and then had a lovely picnic next to the water. 

Pretty crazy that within the same week we played in 4 - 8 feet of snow and then basked in the sun by a waterfall.  After the picnic we went home and watched American Idol for an hour while a rain storm came and passed.  Then we went to Trafalga and played miniature golf. We had a ton of fun. I pretty much chased Andrea around and tried to keep her from picking up everyone's golf balls before they hit them, but everyone else had a blast. :-)

 Just before we finished playing miniature golf it started to rain.  We kept playing because we were so close to being done.  It subsided quite a bit by the time we were done, but most everyone else in the park had already left, so on our way out, the director of the carousel ride let all of us ride for free. It was really fun.

 We also stopped to let Steve and Bill play with a fountain toy.  The water constantly bubbles from underneath and it keeps the ball moving quickly in the same direction.  However, if the direction is changed then it will continue to roll in that direction for a very long time.  Steve and Bill played with it for a while and changed directions a few times.

 Grandma and Grandpa Bentz gave Andrea this most beautiful dress for Easter, so of course she had to wear it while they were there.  This dress is soooo cute, but the jacket is even cuter.

 Andrea loves to play in her mommy's makeup.  She actually put all the different makeups in the right spot; eye shadow on her eyelids, and lip gloss on her lips.  Doesn't she look so pretty? :-)

I was sewing bags with my Activity Day girls over a period of a few different activities, so Andrea observed and learned how to sew. :-)  She took the material and knew exactly how to old it and where to put it. I thought it was so cute.

I teach Ballet and Jazz at the Ruby Shoes Studio.  Each year our final dance recital is the Wizard of Oz.  I was able to help last year starting in January after I had Andrea.  This year I taught the whole school year and was able to help a lot more with choreography and teaching.  I absolutely LOVE teaching with Amber.  She is amazing.  Not only is she an incredible dancer, but she is an even better teacher.  She uses so many creative techniques and always makes class fun.  The girls have fun and they also learn a lot and become great dancers in her studio.  Here is a collage of pictures taken after the show.  I have learned so much from Amber and hope to be half as good of a dance teacher as she is some day.

Memorial Day Weekend

For Memorial Day weekend we went to Idaho for the Kloepfer Family Reunion.  It was one of a very few trips that we were able to have with Steve this summer, so we were super excited, but then the weather was a high of 50 degrees and tons of snow!  :-)  Not necessarily the vacation we were anticipating, but it ended up being a lot of fun because we were able to spend time together with our family.  We played games at the cabin such as charades, cards, and 60 seconds or less challenges.  It was a lot of fun.  However, we ended up announcing that I was pregnant to everyone at the cabin because half of the family members guessed that I was pregnant because I wasn't feeling very well and didn't have very much energy.  It was a little sooner than planned, but fun to tell everyone in person.  Here are some cute pictures.

May 18th 2011 - Andrea is Adorable!

         Andrea was soooo cute today.  All day long while playing by herself I would hear her laugh and laugh, then play again for about 15 seconds and laugh and laugh.  She was so excited and fascinated by life today.  I love being her mother because she helps me remember that life truly is a blessing and each little thing can be so fun and enjoyable.  After we came back from running errands Andrea kept stepping over a small log in our back yard.  Each time she'd step over it she'd laugh and laugh.  Then she'd say, "Mommy turn."  So, I'd step over it and we'd both laugh and laugh. We went back and forth stepping over the log for about 5 minutes.  Each time our laughs got louder and deeper.
         Then, later in the evening when her Daddy got home and we were watching American Idol Andrea and Mommy were cuddling on the couch with a blanket.  Every two minutes or so Andrea would get up RUN back to her room and while running she would say, "Blankie, blankie."  She'd open her bottom drawer in her room and run back out with a blanket.  While running back she'd say, "Pink, or Purple, or Red." depending on the color of the blanket.  She'd climb up on the couch and cuddle with Mommy for another few minutes then start all over again by running down the hall.
         During the commercials I was washing the dishes.  Andrea came running in and wrapped her arms around my leg trying to give me a hug.  Then she started rubbing my legs just like I always do to her back.  She did that for almost a minute.  It was the cutest thing.  It completely melted my heart!  I Love Andrea.
        Lastly, she said one of her longest prayers for her "night night prayers." She's getting really good at copying the words and sounds that we say.  Steve and I both took her back to her crib.  After tucking her in she lifted up her head and said, "Bye Daddy."  He reached in and gave her a kiss.  She lifted her head and said, "Bye Mommy."  I bent down and kissed her as well.  As we walked out of her room she kept saying, "Bye Mommy, Bye Daddy."  It was the most perfect moment for me as a mother.  Those moments are what make all the work with it!  I love family and I love being a mother!

April - Grandpa's B-Day Party, Andrea's 1st Haircut, Ice Skating, and Easter

 The family through a big 80th Birthday party for my Grandpa Barclay.  So many of the grandchildren were able to make it.  My sister Cami flew in from Texas.  We had lots of yummy food of course. :-)  My cousin Doug and his wife Stephanie went to Scottland and Germany a few summers ago and while there he bought some Bagpipes and then learned how to play them.  He played two or three songs for Grandpa and everyone else at the party.  It was amazing.  Not so mention really fun to look at too. The four sons told memories of their childhood that involved Grandpa.  Then they opened it up to the Grandkids and even Great Grandkids to share some stories as well.  It was great.  At the very end of the party Grandpa ran through a banner that said, "Happy Birthday" on it just like he was back in high school playing football and running out of the dugout.  I don't know too many other 80-year-olds who can run through a banner!  We love you Grandpa!

 So many of my siblings were able to make it.  It was so nice to be able to spend the weekend together.

 While staying at Ken and Lindsi's and watching conference, Andrea got her first haircut from Aunt Stephanie.  She was really good for her first haircut.

 This is what Daddy and Ken do when they get together.  They program, invent, discuss, etc. anything that has to deal with technology.

 Grandpa Barclay carried Canon on his back while chasing Andrea all around the house.  She was loving it.  Go Grandpa!

 She loves to play with Grandpa, especially when he kisses her, just like in this picture.

 We went ice skating with our friends that are also in Law School.  Andrea hated the actual ice skates, but once we took her skates off and got her a little walker, she LOVED it!!!  She had to have walked/ran at least 10 laps around the ice skating rink.  That's a long way for those little legs.  She has a lot of fun with her friends, even if they are four years older than her. :-)

 For Easter this year I wanted to take Andrea to as many Egg hunts as I could.  This picture is at the Smith's Marketplace Egg hunt.  It was not so much an Egg Hunt as a candy hunt.  They just threw candy out on the floor, cut the ribbon, and let the kids run for it to see who could get the most candy the fastest.  Andrea was completely confused.  It was still fun.

 We also tried to attend the Easter Egg Hunt at the Park in Provo with our next door neighboors and really good friends.  However, we did not realize that it was such a huge event.  We were trying to find parking a mile away while my 9 month pregnant friend, Mary-Elizabeth had two two-year-olds (1 1/2 for Andrea) and tried to get them to the right section.  Needless to say, they each got trampled by the big kids, but they each managed to get one egg each. :-)  It was still fun to spend time with Cason, Mary-Elizabeth, and her husband. :-)  Andrea got to the point where she was playing with Cason almost every day until they left for the summer.  Mary Elizabeth was on bed rest because she had placenta previa, so I offered to watch Cason a lot, or at least come over and keep her company or help with Cason.  I'm so glad that I was able to do that and make a great fun.  We're excited for the end of the summer when we'll both be back and be able to play again. :-)

 We went to Manti for Easter weekend.  Andrea colored eggs with Grandma.  She had a hard time understanding that she couldn't eat the egg until we pealed it. :-)

 Chancho was trying to help Andrea find the eggs. :-)  We found half of the Easter Eggs and then a big rain storm hit.  We kept hunting even in the rain until we were pretty wet.  Then we waited for it to pass and went back out and found the rest of the eggs.  The next time we went to Manti, which was almost a month later the first thing Andrea said when she walked in the house was, "Grandma, I want eggs, I want eggs." as she was knocking on the door and trying to open it up.  She remembered even a month later that she had hunted for eggs in their back yard.  That's just amazing to me.  She definitely got her father's brain.

 Andrea loves to cook with mom.  She rolls out the dough and then eats it. :-)

Andrea also loves to play with my "pretties."(jewelry)  However, while trying to get jewelry out of the drawer she often pulls a little too hard and all of it comes crashing to the ground.  Yes, this has happened more than once. :-)

 Steve used a part of our tax return money to make a new computer.  It was time for us to get a new computer.  He saved us a ton of money and had a lot of fun making it himself.  The parts were scattered all over our living room for a few days, but it was totally worth it.  He's amazing!

 This computer is by far the most organized computer inside.  He spent a lot of time making sure everything was perfect.

 Steve watches Andrea each night while I teach aerobics at UVU.  One night I came home to a lot of giggles and static hair.  Steve and Andrea made an awesome fort in our living room.  It was so cute.

March - Andrea adventures, law partners, and playing with friends

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 Washing Dishes.  Andrea loves to watch the dishes, especially her bottles and sippies.  She gets to wear her cute aprons and gets to play in the water.

 Andrea got into her mother's makeup and tried to use the eyeliner just like Mommy does.  It was pretty cute. :-) She definitely observes and copies everything.

Baking with Mommy.  Andrea is actually pretty good at rolling out dough.  She loved to eat it too. :-)   

Counting Cookies in her cute running outfit from Great Grandma Kloepfer.

 Dancing in her Tu Tu!Playing with Friends!

  I got to watch Dali one night while Bekah went to a Ballet.  She didn't like being away from her mother, but she was ok when spinning on the chair.

Andrea also loved spinning on the chair with Tyson.  She loves playing with friends and she can say all of their names too.  She is really good with names.

Andrea's first trip to the library and her mommy's first library card.  I never had a public library card before.  Pretty crazy, I know.  I have decided to try and change that and spend a lot more time at the library with my kids.  I want to instill a love of reading in my children while they are young so they will make time for reading in their lives.  Andrea had a lot of fun pulling everything off of the shelves. :-)

She spends a lot of time on the floor when Daddy is home.  Either she is tickling him or he is tickling her or they wrestle, crawl around, play with toys, etc.  She loves when Daddy comes home.

 Activity Days

I am now an Activity Day leader.  I really like this calling.  It is pretty intense.  I forgot how much energy 8-year-olds have.  It's just like playing with my nieces for two hours every other week, because they are the exact same age as three of my nieces.  I'm really excited for this calling and hope I can keep the fire of the gospel alive in them.

 Law Partners

I am now the Law Partner President.  Law Partners is an association for all of the spouses of the BYU Law students.  We oversee socials, date nights, work out groups, Mommy and me, Children's Hour, Book Group, Forums, etc.  It's a lot of work, but it will totally be worth it.