We Are Walking!

While he is still pretty wobbly, Hoyt is now walking all over the house. He started taking a few steps about a week ago, and now only wants to walk! He will crawl to something, stand up, and then try to walk to his destination. I'm sure he will be running in no time - he just can't get to where he is going fast enough!!

Flower Power

Petunias...petunias...petunias

In the backyard - I call the tall plants my "wheat"

I love planting flowers. Every spring I look forward to warm weather, buying flowers and getting out in the yard and planting. There is something about being outside and getting my hands dirty (I can't wear gloves, I have to get my hands in the soil) that is relaxing.

I also love to mow and edge the lawns - there would be days driving to work where I would see the men out mowing all the city lawns and I wanted to join them. Ryon says it would take me all day to do one lawn - I tend to be a perfectionist - and I would get fired. Oh well...a girl can dream!

So Happy Together

Ryon and I at the Oakland Temple

On our honeymoon in Hawaii

Four years ago today Ryon and I were married in the Oakland Temple. How time flies! When I woke Ryon up this morning (I had been up since 6:00 with Hoyt) he looked at me and said, "four years of wedded bliss"! I do believe he was being a bit facetious, but it really has been four great years.

Soon after we were married we heard a sacrament meeting talk from a member of our stake presidency, in which he told the congregation to make a list of the things we loved about our spouses. A few days later I received an email at work from Ryon entitled "Sacrament Meeting Assignment." Here are a few of the things that he listed:

I love you because:

1. You are beautiful both inside and out

2. You are dang funny

3. You are dang smart too

4. You go coyote hunting with me

5. You already know what to get me for my birthday

6. You look great in Camo

I was amazed that he had remembered the "assignment," because I hadn't! So, I responded to his email with a list of my own. Here are some of the things I listed:

I love you because:

1. You honor your priesthood

2. You can always make me laugh

3. You save money like no man I know (I am typing this with gritted teeth!)

4. You are a hard worker

5. You can fix almost anything!

6. You are handsome and easy to wake up to in the morning

I printed out the emails and have them saved. I run across them every so often and smile when I read them. Happy Anniversary Sweets!

Hoyt's Favorite Room

Hoyt reading a few books

Playing on the rocking horse - what fun!

Hoyt now loves to play in his room. I walked in the other day to find him "reading" a few books. I was surprised that every book was not on the floor, which is usually the case, and that he was intently looking at each page and all the pictures. He loves when I read to him and he gets to turn each page of the book for me.

Another fun activity in the room is the rocking horse. Ryon gave me a hard time when I bought the horse before Hoyt was born, because he thought I spent too much money on it. However, he now believes it was a great purchase. Hoyt loves to sit and rock and listen to the horse whinny. He smiles every time he's on it. When I ask him where his horse is, he crawls right over to it and tries to get on. I might be biased, but I think he's pretty darn smart. It must be all the reading!!

Eleven Months...

Eleven months and he already wants to drive!

Hoyt and dad with Annie

Hoyt loved sitting on Annie

Hoyt and mom hanging out by the trailer!

Lately I find myself wondering where eleven months have gone, and wishing that Hoyt would stay "little" for just a bit longer! He is definitely losing his babiness and turning into a bonified little boy. He loves to walk along everything (couches, walls, beds, bathtubs, etc.), pull cans and pots and anything else out of the cabinets, babble and carry on full conversations with everyone, and play with other children. I like to say that we need a "rent-a-sibling" program - he gets so bored with only two adults in the house!

We have had a great summer thus far, with lots of fun in the sun and playing outside. We went to watch Ryon rope the other night and took a few pictures with Annie. Hoyt now loves to pet the horses and even loved sitting in the saddle! Ryon thinks he can be riding on his own by age three - as a mother I think I have issues with that - so we will have to wait and see. (I suppose it could be a possibility if an extremely docile, gentle pony is somewhere in our future!)

Funny Farm....

This past week we were also able to spend a lot of time with my family. Now you have to know one thing about the "Hoyt" family - we have always taken animals to the local county fairs. My brothers, sisters and I all showed a variety of animals...sheep, steers, horses, etc. I vividly remember bawling my head off when I had to sell my lamb "Ernie" (my sister's lamb was named Bert). I had a tendency to get a little too attached!!

While Hoyt and I were in California it was that time again, and everyone was getting ready for the county fair. My brother's kids all take animals (sheep, pigs, chickens, rabbits) and my two youngest brothers show animals as well. Caleb is taking a lamb, and Brandon is taking four chickens! We were lucky enough to be at my brother's house when countdown to the fair was on. Everyone got together to wash, weigh, and clip all the animals. Hoyt had a marvelous time. I have to admit that I am looking forward to when we have some land, so Hoyt can raise animals as well. (I'm sure that Ryon will take that statement to mean that I am looking forward to Idaho...oh well!)

Great Friends

I was able to go to California this past week and visit some great friends that I had not seen for a long time. It was so fun to sit and reminisce about the "good old days" - high school, college, days as a vice principal at GHS.....I could go on and on. I have to say that I truly have some of the greatest friends ever. We could not see each other for years, and then when we do get together it is as if no time has passed.

Charlene, Jeannie, Paul and I (top picture) were the best of friends growing up and have known each other since middle school! Charlene and Paul are brother and sister, and their older brother Bobby was great friends with my brother Seth. We were all able to get together at Bobby's house in Modesto last week. What a reunion! Charlene's sister Deb and her family were also there, and it was so fun to catch up with everyone. As we were sitting around talking, Deb said, "Wouldn't it be fun if we were all in the same ward?" I would love it - but unfortunately we are all scattered across the country. Luckily every four or five years we seem to be able to get together, so I guess that will have to do.

Diann, Chantelle, Cheryl and I (second picture) have been friends for at least the last twelve years. When I started teaching at Galt High School I met all of these wonderful ladies. We coached volleyball together, went on long trips for FFA, took students to Disneyland, cried and laughed and screamed in each others offices, took masters classes together....I could go on and on. The last few years I was at GHS Diann and I were vice principals, and I learned so much from her. We all say that the greatest years we ever spent working were the years we were together in Galt. I have to say that I loved my job, primarily because I was able to work with my best friends. We like to give Ryon a hard time, because he broke it all up when he came on the scene and I had to get married and move to Reno!! (Love ya babe!)

I just wish we were able to get together like this more often...

America....America

I was feeling a bit patriotic the day before the Fourth of July - Hoyt was helping me put this flag in the flower pot out front - so I had to get a few pictures of him waving (holding...eating...) the flag. I was sure that I would also take pictures the next day, but wouldn't you know I forgot my camera so there are no pictures of us having fun swimming with friends and gorging ourselves on all sorts of food!!

Ryon asked me (rather hopefully) the morning of the fourth if we had to go watch fireworks. I'm sure he was thinking that even though Hoyt really isn't old enough to have fun watching fireworks, that I would want to get all sorts of pictures to put in scrapbooks, photo albums, etc. To his delight I told him that we would save the first fireworks for next year - so where was Ryon the night of the Fourth of July? Riding his horse...why am I not surprised?!

A Crazy Week...

This past week was a busy one! Ryon's parents came to town for a few days, we celebrated my birthday, went to the Reno Rodeo, had the Relief Society retreat, and then took off for California to visit my family. While it was super busy - we had a great time. Now I just can't believe that June is over and in two days it will be the Fourth of July. Where does the time go?

Reno + Rodeo = Cowboy Hats!

Grandpa and Grandma Murray came for a visit last week, so we decided to go to the rodeo. You just can't go to the rodeo without your cowboy hat, so he are three generations of "Murrays" with their hats on. Hoyt wore his hat for the pictures and for about 5 minutes at the rodeo -while he had it on he did look pretty cute!