Biehl Family Blog

Happy Birthday Emie Jane!

2012-01-19T18:37:00.000-08:00

Our sweet little Emilyne turned one today. I am overwhelmed by how much she adds to our family. We all love her so very much. I was a little worried a bit over a year ago, worried that things would change when the baby came and my relationship with Bry would suffer--how could I love another little girl as much?, etc. etc.. Chalk it up to pregnancy hormones... All of the worries vanished when I held her in my arms. Things have undoubtedly changed, but for the best--I can't imagine our little family without her. She loves her big sister and has really started giggling with us all. She has been taking steps for a few months, but she has pretty much abandoned crawling altogether now. I crawled after her today while she was walking away from me, and she just giggled--apparently crawling is now silly. She's moved on. Among her favorite things are her baths, peeking around corners and pretty much anything else, her sister's play kitchen and strawberries (as of today when she tried her first).

Emie has had two of her three little planned parties. One was with her cousin who is a little over a week older and her grandparents, one tonight with our family, and one planned for Saturday with her other grammy and grandpa. Her ability to destroy a cupcake is awesome--she gets that from me. It turns out she prefers chocolate over funfetti--also me. We'll see how she fairs with carrot cake and yellow cake.

Here are a few pictures of our Queen for the Day, Queen Emilyne:

Emie got her two front teeth for Christmas.

Before...

After.

Notice the messy vs. clean baby

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T22:44:00.000-08:00

We failed to send out Christmas cards this year, so don't feel bad if you didn't get one...it really will happen next year...I hope. But here is what I would have sent you all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

A Couple of Turkeys

2011-11-26T20:37:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving!

Helmet?

2011-11-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

As Bry rode the tricycle around our circle, she and I discussed the benefits of her wearing her helmet:

Bry: Why do I have to wear a helmet?

Alicia: Well, in case you fall or someone hits you, your head won't get hurt.

Bry: And my hair won't get messed up either.

I guess she hasn't discovered helmet hair yet. I wonder if Emilyne is soaking up her sister's beauty tips.

Halloween Ballerinas

2011-10-21T14:32:00.001-07:00

So, I still have a lot of blogging to catch up on, but I thought I'd post the little ladies costume pics for this Halloween. I've made Bry's costumes the last two years (cupcake and fearsome bat), but this year she wanted to be a ballerina, which I didn't think made sense to make. Much less stress, still fun, and super cute. You be the judge... We still need to do a photo shoot of Emie as a skunk like Bry's first Halloween.

Ten Years

2011-10-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

It seemed like forever, getting from birth to 10-years-old; however, being married for ten years has gone by in a blink. Why is that? Time flies when you're having fun? In August, we reached that milestone. Ken took me to Monterey for a few days, which it turns out is a totally different place than I experienced on field trips in grade school -- good food, great company and a really long bike ride along the coast.

I still have to blog our summer in California, but I've skipped ahead to our anniversary gift to each other: a trip to Istanbul and Nairobi to go on safari in September. We had a wonderful time and though I was tempted to pet the big cats, I managed to stay in our safari van. Here are some pictures from the trip -- please excuse the sheer number. There are too many pictures from the safari to do anything but a slideshow.

ISTANBUL

The Blue Mosque

Interior with blue and white painted tiles.

The Spice Bazaar

Fortress of Europe -- base of Mehmet before conquering Constantinople.

Topkapi Palace - The Harem - home to the sultan and his women...many women.

Sultan's quarters

Grand Bazaar

Hagia Sophia -- once a basilica, then a mosque and now a museum.

Mosaic within the Hagia Sophia of Mary, Jesus and John the Baptist. Amazing what one can do with tiny tiles.

View from the windows and through the domes of the Hagia Sophia to the Blue Mosque.

Basilica cistern -- once held the city's water supply.

NAIROBI and MAASAI MARA

Two to Tango -- Buenos Aires

2011-07-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

Ken got me dance lessons for Christmas last year, and we finally took the introductory classes. We finished on Friday by learning to dance the Tango, a dance originating in Argentina. Our teacher told us we were naturals and that it was our dance to which Ken replied, "Maybe it's all that time we spent in la Boca." I laughed because we spent about two or three hours there on our whirlwind trip to Buenos Aires at the end of May. We did manage to see some people dancing Tango while there, but didn't have time to learn ourselves. Excluding travel time, we had about three days total in Argentina. This also reminded me that I had not posted the pictures from our trip, so below are a few from our visit. Ken served a mission for our church in Buenos Aires for two years, but didn't spend time in the capital, so it was a lot of fun to explore it together. We spent about a day and a half in the capital and the other half of our trip visiting friends that Ken taught in areas just outside the city.

BUENOS AIRES:

Ken in front of the Pink House - akin to our White House

The futbol (football - aka soccer) arena in La Boca - Ken always roots for Boca, but they weren't playing the weekend we were there.

We took a long walk in a park downtown before we got on our plane to come home.

In the park with the Rio Plata behind.

Nueve Julio stretching behind Ken to the obelisk. This road is like 20 lanes wide and people don't pay much attention to the lane lines. I'm not brave enough to drive there.

I get most excited about food when I travel. I love trying new tasty things. We went to a couple of steak houses while we were there and aside from the incredible steaks, I loved the cheese rounds they would cook directly on the grill...amazing.

Ken asked the host to take a photo of us and if we could take one of the chefs cutting the steaks. The host then told me to go into the grill area and they had me cut a steak...I'm sure the other patrons were wondering why they might have to eat a steak cut by me, but it was a lot of fun.

VILLA ELISA:

I try to imagine Ken at 19 walking these muddy roads in a white shirt and tie. Many of the roads in town have been paved since Ken lived there, but this one was still dirt.

Ken with the Cordido family.

PLATANOS:

I saw a pony in the road in Platanos and exclaimed, "There's a pony in the road," Ken didn't really react, so I continued, "Hey, do you see the pony in the road?" Apparently, it's not unusual to see a pony hanging out in the street. I didn't get its picture, but I did manage to get one of the emu and other random fowl we saw later that day - Ken was equally unastonished.

Marisul and her daughter.

Ken with Gisela, her husband Caesar and their four sons. Gisela is one of the daughters of a family he spent a lot of time with while in Platanos. We visited her mother earlier that morning and had a lovely time.

It was hard to leave my girls, but I had a wonderful time with Ken in Argentina. Hopefully we will visit again soon.

Freedom Fighters

2011-07-04T16:02:00.000-07:00

The number of pictures of my ladies liberty is a little excessive, but can you blame me? I love this country and the freedoms we enjoy. Happy 4th of July all! I hope we can protect and increase our liberty here at home. Now, here are my little ladies...

Swimming Lessons

2011-05-17T14:38:00.001-07:00

So, I've learned I need to be more stubborn than a three-year-old if that child is to progress...especially where swimming lessons are concerned. This is coming from a person who used to hide from her mother when it was time for swimming lessons. Not sure where this fear of deep water originates, but my little one had it too, so I'm guessing it's hereditary?

When we moved to Arizona, Bry loved going to the pool and we went every day. When the next summer came around after a winter of no swimming, she was scared to venture away from the steps. The solution: swimming lessons. We started two days a week last August. She cried the first few lessons, but her teacher was very patient and persistent. I found I had to be the same way, oftentimes carrying her crying to the car.

Slowly, she began to cooperate and after about five months, conquered her fears and loves to swim. She can now dive for rings, glide, kick across the pool, free style "big arms", and is learning the back stroke. She even jumps off the diving board. Did I mention that she's three and I was hiding from my mom when I was four or five? Here is some video of her lesson today that Grammy has been wanting to see.

Kickers:

Big Arms:

Learning the Backstroke:

Goggley Girl

Audience:

Graduation Day

2011-05-10T22:59:00.000-07:00

Bry has been going to preschool this year two days a week. A bunch of moms got together and took a week in a rotation. She had a great time and didn't want it to end. She wanted to know what a graduate was, but I would have thought she'd question the crazy looking hat. Here are some pictures of her first day last September and her big graduation day at the park this month. Growing up so fast.

The First Day:

Graduation Day:

It was really windy, so they were all holding onto their hats.

Tasty treats Bry helped me make.

She's ever so dainty, right?

Bryoney, I'm so happy you did so well at preschool. I love you. Congratulations on graduating!

Miss Bry is 3

2011-03-12T18:57:00.000-08:00

It happened last month. My girl turned three. We had a princess party, and with her Aunt Aly and Grandma Sandy's help it was a success. We had lots of fun decorating crowns, going on a dragon egg hunt, eating a castle cake, beating down a unicorn pinata and playing on the playground at the park. It can only be described through photos, so forgive the number.

The cake.

The princess and her grammy.

The golden dragon egg.

The pinata.

The beat down.

The execution.

The beheaded.

The aftermath.

The wish.

The party girls.

The jester.

Emilyne's Blessing

2011-03-12T17:53:00.000-08:00

A few days before Emilyne came to us, her cousin Nathan was born into my brother's family. So, last month my whole family traveled to Arizona to join us in blessing both Nathan and Emilyne. It was so nice to be together and welcome these two little ones into the world and our family. Thank you to all for coming!

All the cousins in the Day family, or a whole lot-a-trouble.

Grandma and Grandpa Biehl with Emilyne.

Grandma and Grandpa Day.

Looking like a little angel wearing the gown Grandma Mary Lynn gave her.

The whole family.

The whole goofy family...even Emie is making a face.

Hard to resist kissing this sweet girl.

10 Years of Valentines

2011-02-16T09:22:00.000-08:00

Here are my valentines. I hope everyone had a nice time with theirs. Bry went around the house saying, "This is the best Valentine's EVER!" She had so much fun exchanging valentines with her preschool friends and then making a surprise for Daddy to see when he got home. Thanks to everyone who made it her best Valentine's Day!

P.S. What were you doing 10 years ago today? Ken was asking my dad for permission to marry me while Nate Day was cutting firewood with a chainsaw -- pretty gutsy move. But it all worked out later that day when I said yes. Thanks for asking me. I love you Ken.

Emilyne Jane Biehl, 7lb 13oz, 20 1/2 inches long, January 19, 2011

2011-01-20T20:45:00.000-08:00

I woke up Wednesday morning to two plus hours of 3-6 minute contractions. They still sent me home from the hospital with a dose of morphine till three hours later I returned almost too late for an epidural. There were some unfortunate complications, so I had the baby cesarean section. All is well thanks to my team of doctors and nurses. I can have more babies -- under my take it one at a time rule. We'll see how it goes. So far, so good. Emilyne is very sweet and Bryoney is making the adjustment...I think things will be a little easier when she has mommy back at home.

Here are a few photos of our sweet new baby (in and out of my tummy).

Last family photo before the interloper arrived.

Holding her the first time after surgery.

First new family photo.

Sisters...look out.

Every 6 Minutes...But No Baby, Yet

2011-01-16T21:32:00.000-08:00

So, I'm sitting out on the couch having pretty regular contractions. You'd think I'd be excited, but I've been taken in too many times by the crafty little girl in my tummy to get too optimistic about it. I've been having contractions all week. Friday night after 6 hours or so, we were down to 7 minutes apart when they just stopped. Same thing the Friday before, but not as close together.

We still haven't settled completely on a name, so maybe she's not ready to come until we've picked. Some of Bryoney's favorites include: Mary Poppins, Cupcake, Baby Baby, Baby Cakes, Gisella, and Bryoney just like me. We'll see. Any thoughts?

Bry has also been coaching the little one saying, "Come out, come out!" She says that baby sister is her "Friendy friend" and at other times her "best friend." I hope this feeling lasts. She also tells me that she thinks she's coming soon. Here's hoping.

Happy Christmas!

2010-12-26T19:04:00.000-08:00

This has been a magical holiday season. I love seeing it through my daughter's eyes. One of the highlights was meeting Santa Claus himself. There was no hesitation sitting on his lap or letting him know what she wanted for Christmas...after all, she already wrote him a letter. Santa was wonderful and he brought her everything she asked him for. She confessed this afternoon that she heard his sleigh bells after she went to bed on Christmas Eve. When Bry woke up on Saturday, I asked her who's birthday it was, to which she replied, "Jesus'." I said, "That's right, so it's Christmas." We went down the stairs and had a great time opening and playing with toys, but I am so grateful for the best gift that was given long ago in Bethlehem.

Here are some photos of our Christmas time:

Santa: A Personal Interview

Mesa, AZ LDS Temple lights.

Prepping cookies for Santa.

The cookie that Bry left for the big man himself.

Patient Baking Team - Aunt Emma and Grandma Sandy

Bry wanted to make reindeer cupcakes for Santa, so all the cousins got creative.

Twas the night before Christmas...and these three cousins managed to stay on the "Nice List."

Christmas morning after opening a few dress up presents.

The scene from upstairs - I guess 20 "nice" people can amass a lot of loot.

Merry Christmas!

Dear Santa...

2010-12-14T14:25:00.001-08:00

Today Bryoney wrote (dictated) her first letter to Santa. She cut out her first snowflake, pasted it to the front of the card and began a conversation with the jolly old elf. After requesting a spot on the Nice List, she declared her love for the bearded gentleman. Here are the photos taken shortly before Daddy took the letter to be mailed to the North Pole.

We can't forget our manners.

I also wielded some frosting last week while Bryoney placed the candy on her gingerbread house. I was so surprised that I wasn't the one decorating the house. She really loves building and crafting.

A Bat of Many Faces

2010-11-01T17:18:00.001-07:00

Bryoney decided she wanted to be a bat for Halloween this year, so I did my best to find a costume. All the ready made seemed to be winged witches or bat girls (which don't have much resemblance to a real bat), so I bought some black felt, tights, leotard, and headband -- and voila! Here is my bat and her many faces at her Grandma's Halloween Party:

A serene Bat.

Flying Bat scanning for prey.

Growling Bat -- I don't think they actually growl, but Bry was very convincing.

Happy Bat.

Patient Bat awaiting her take at Grandma's house.

And most terrifying of all...the sugar crazed, fearsome Bat. For everyone's safety, Bry was transformed into a PJ clad little girl very soon after this photo was taken.

Pre-Bat party prepping with Grammy (doughnuts)

Quite the Halloween spread -- yum.

Mummifying Grandpa. Everyone won playing this game.

Aloha

2010-10-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Our first trip to Hawaii has been awesome so far. We've spent time on both white and black sand beaches, seen two sides to Volcano National Park, Ken learned to surf - not terribly safe for a pregnant lady, we hiked to waterfalls and one of us jumped in, went to a jungle zoo, and I've eaten several chocolate covered macadamia nuts. We're having a great time and Bryoney absolutely loves the beach. I've burried her about 50 times. I think the highlight for Ken was hiking in to see some lava flowing into the ocean (a little treacherous for a sleepy 2-year-old and her less than balanced mommy in the dark). One of my favorite things is falling asleep to the sounds of the waves crashing outside our bedroom lanai.

Here are some pictures from the trip so far:

Bry starting the engines from LAX to Kona.

Trying to figure out where that snail went.

Kilauea Volcano . The steam is coming from the Halemu'uma'u crater (where Pele the goddess lives) withing the larger Kilauea caldera. It glowed bright red at night...amazing.

Hiking through the Thurston Lava Tube where lava flowed. This part is lit. Ken hiked the second half with a flashlight to the end. Bry and I waited where it was a little less spooky.

Bry after being burried while daddy learned to surf - he caught several waves and I was impressed.

Waipio Valley lookout

Kolekole Beach Park - Ken couldn't resist the rope swing; I did.

Akaka State Park with its 422 foot waterfall.

What Bry referred to as the "Jungle Zoo." The parrots actually said, "bye bye" to us on our way out.

Kilauea Volcano from the other side of the Big Island. The smoke is from the lava flowing into the ocean at sunset.

New black sand beach created by the lava flow.

Lava meeting the sea.

Ken got really close...almost too close for my comfort.

Bryoney's "Big" News

2010-09-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

Bryoney has some big family news she wants to share with everyone, so click on the video below to hear it straight from her:

Here are the first photos:

Yes, Bry is having a little sister. I am 23 weeks along, so I'm due in mid-January. Exciting that our girls will be about the same age difference as my sister and I. Hopefully, they will skip over some of the cat fighting we experienced and go straight into the best friends stage...one can dream. She was very cooperative when we had the ultrasound. She waived at us and even stuck out her tongue. Hopefully, that isn't an indicator of the personality to come, but you never know. We feel very blessed and are so happy to have another sweet little one join our family.

Also, never say never. I never wanted a minivan, but here it is. Truth be told, I love it. Crazy, but I love it. The best part is we bought it from an older retired couple, and when I got in to test drive it, Rod Stewart blasted from the radio, "Forever young, forever young, for-ev-er yo-u-ung!" Not sure if I was laughing harder at the song choice or the fact that I was driving a minivan.

Road Trip 2010 -- St. Louis to Tucson

2010-08-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

So, back in June, I went to St. Louis to pick up my car and drive it to Tucson with my sister Alyson. Then Ken, Bry and I finished the trip in July by driving it through California to my parents' house.

The best part about travelling with my sister is we can meander a little to stop in fun locales and base all our stops on our Road Food book. This book lists all the best eateries across the country for a roadside snack and mentions menu favorites of the couple who wrote it...amazing!

Our first stop was Memphis where we visited Graceland, Sun Studios, the Civil Rights Museum, and several BBQ joints. I love Elvis.

Next, we stopped in Dallas where we stayed a quick night with amazing family friends. Then, on to Santa Fe. I think I want to live there. The weather was amazing, it was beautiful, and the place we ate was great. Unfortunately, we didn't get to spend too much time because we had to get back to my girl. We finished with a night in Phoenix with the in-laws who were taking care of Bry, then the final two hours home the next afternoon.

The funny thing about our road trip was that something went terribly wrong every day. We kept wondering what would befall us next. First, Ken's bike was lost off the back of my car -- oops. The next morning, our pipe busted in our hotel room bathroom, so when our neighbor took a shower we had water leak all over our floor -- luckily we had already gotten ready, but disaster. The next day we almost drove several hours out of the way while following my handy dandy navigator -- thank goodness we went old school and checked our paper map. Amazingly, we almost ran out of gas in the middle of the night while driving over a never ending mountain pass into Santa Fe -- no gas stations! To top it off, we got a flat tire -- a really nice man helped us fix it up and move on. There was nothing to do, but laugh.

Here are a few photos documenting our travels:

My view of my sister's stinky feet for hours on end...

Alicia's lone mountain bike...so sad.

My best rock star pose singing into the same mic as Elvis and countless others at Sun Studios. Alyson on the ivories.

Our Graceland Tour -- Awesome!

Entry to see Elvis' jets.

We left our mark on the wall surrounding the estate.

Best pork bbq sandwich I have ever had! A&R BBQ in Memphis. Not only is the food good, but I just love the southern hospitality. People just chat you up.

Downtown Santa Fe

Neglect

2010-08-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

I won't attempt to make too many excuses, but life has happened and I have completely neglected this blog. Ken and I both had enormous exams (the AZ Bar and Medical Boards - we both passed, hooray!), we've continued house hunting, I've been trying to function as the Primary President at church, and we went away for the month of July, and more -- life. These are all wonderful things, but my family still wants to see pictures of Bryoney. So, here are a few from the last several months. I will make some separate posts for my roadtrip with my sister from St. Louis to Tucson and for our summer vacation to California and Alaska. Here is a little Bryoney girl for those who don't have the privilege of spending every day with her.

Bry finally got a homemade b-day cake a month or two late.

Dodgers spring training in Tucson - two true blues.

Bry's first watercolor experience has her hooked.

Grandma and Grandpa on a tour with a real cowgirl at Old Tucson Studios -- "Yee Haw!" as Bry says.

Bry and her cousin in dresses from grandma.

Bryoney as the cutest clown at the circus and her daddy as the ringmaster.

Bry's rendition of the "Weensie Spider"

Most of the ABC's. She get's them all these days.

Rome and Athens

2010-03-03T12:53:00.000-08:00

So, as soon as I finished taking the Arizona bar exam, I immediately started packing (9 days worth of stuff in one small roller bag -- I am totally impressed with myself). Ken decided it would be nice to take me on a trip to unwind from all the test preparations and to celebrate my birthday. So, here I am typing in my hotel in Athens. Never did I think I would actually go to Athens, but here I am after a day of hiking to the Acropolis and seeing the structures I spent so much time studying during all those humanities classes in college.
We started our trip in Rome, which we have both visited before, so got to take it nice and slow and see things we loved, and almost more importantly eat things we loved. We'll go to Corinth tomorrow, return to Athens and end in Rome.
The people have been incredible and someone told me today that America was her favorite place. I was taken aback since our world reputation hasn't seemed to be all that wonderful, but Ken asked her why she liked it the best. She said that in America, you could have freedom, and not so much in Greece. Sometimes I think I probably take it for granted. Anyway, it was nice to feel liked as an American. I liked this woman all the more because she sold me yummy baklava-type desserts.

Here are some photos:

St. Peter's where we saw the Pieta - I didn't bother taking a picture inside through the glass. It's just not the same. I did take a picture of one of my other favorite Michelangelo sculptures -- Moses.

Constantine's Arch with the Colosseum in the background.

Ken imagining he's as cool as Judah Ben-Hur at the Circus Maximus. What? Can't you see his chariot?

Sunset at the Acropolis Museum looking up at the Parthenon.

After the climb up to the Acropolis and sitting in Dionysus' Theater, we entered through the Temple Athena Nike, which opened to a view of the Parthenon.

It's amazing how much looting and fighting this building has seen.

7 ladies. The originals are in the museum - well, all except me of course.

Another view of the Parthenon between the pillars of the Temple of Hephaestion in the Agora.

Two is better than one

2010-02-26T23:25:00.000-08:00

If you ask my girl how old she is, she will reply, "Two, and Mommy's five." After a slight correction, she now says, "Mommy's 29," and we're trying to teach her, "and holding." It did happen amid the last minute bar exam preparations. My little baby is no longer a baby, but a full-fledged two-year-old. We managed to procure a tasty cake and a pink kitchen set, so she can cook with Mommy. Grandma and Grandpa were also here to celebrate and take her to the zoo, which was awesome.

As a sign of her new found maturity, Bry has decided to wear panties on a regular basis. She surprised everyone at the doctor's office today by wearing said panties instead of a diaper and after receiving Disney princess stickers (as a reward for not crying during her immunizations), naming all the princesses and saying, "I know my princesses," on the way out. Cinderella is a staple at our house these days. I think I have watched it one too many times as I'm starting to sympathize with Lucifer the cat and think Cinderella is a bit of a meanie.

Here are a few photos of our girl:

So excited about her new cowgirl boots,
just in time for the Tucson Rodeo.

Don't you get too excited to wait for your fork?

Riding the train at the zoo with Grandpa.

A little timid about the slimy black tongue.

This snow is in the mountains in Tucson, believe it or not.
She and daddy went to the snow to sled and build snow people while mommy studied.

Here is the Christmas angel I promised in my last post.

Where are those Biehls?

2010-01-06T22:32:00.000-08:00

We have been MIA over the last couple of months. For some crazy reason, I decided to get a real estate license in Tucson, have Thanksgiving in the midst of my licensing exams, travel to St. Louis to check in on our place (anyone want to buy a beautiful condo?), and then immediately prepare for Christmas and for my bar exam study course etc. etc. etc. I know I'm not the only one with life happening to them, but man I'm ready for a break.

Now, Bryoney and I are in California for the last few days of our "break." My vacation ended the beginning of last week when the studying began. Ken went back to work on Monday. Bry is still on her holiday enjoying trips to the park and beach with her grandparents.

We had a wonderful Christmas full of grandmas and grandpas, brothers and sisters, and Bry's favorite things - cousins! Our favorite present this year was Ken arriving safely late Christmas Eve. As Bryoney said over and over, "Santa brings the Daddy." And what else, "Presents."

We are approaching three weeks in California and it seems like my girl has grown exponentially. She is forming sentences now and trying to repeat everything anyone says. She was caught this morning immitating the workout routine I was doing. I must say, she does an excellent downward dog (Yoga pose). She even made an attempt at the potty this morning - I was in mid diaper change when she shouted, "Potty, potty, potty!" and made a mad naked dash for the bathroom. At any other time, this would be a welcome surprise, but I don't know if I, or our wonderful babysitter, could handle potty training during bar preparations.

Please forgive me if it is another couple months before you get an update (or a Christmas card for that matter). I will be totally consumed by bar preparations and our little lady. Birthday number two is coming up as well as birthday number thirty, so we will have a lot to celebrate when all is said and done. Maybe I'll get a few photos of our Christmas Angel posted before then...

The best part of our Family Christmas Pageant was when Bryoney decided mid pageant that she no longer wanted to be the Angel, but a shepherd instead. She badgered her poor cousin Luke by pushing and yanking on his bathrobe. A brawl was ready to ensue, but we found an extra blankie to put on her head, and all was well. She later became a wise man with another cousin's discarded crown...good times. Maybe I can even get the video on here one of these days.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love,
Ken, Alicia and Bryoney

(Just in case a card never goes out.)

Cupcake anyone?

2009-10-28T21:29:00.000-07:00

Well, two months have flown. My favorite season of all is in full swing - colorful falling leaves, pumpkins, hot cocoa, sweaters/jackets, and BYU football. That's right, fall in Arizona! I must admit, we took a trip to Utah to see the Cougars stomp Utah State and see the amazing colors in Provo Canyon. It's the first time I've been back since graduating seven years ago - gasp! - wow, time flies.
Though we enjoyed a couple of gorgeous days, including a little light snow in the mountains, we returned to Arizona only to find fall foliage within an hour drive of our Tucson abode. Believe it or not, Mt. Lemon on the northeast side of Tucson is home to the southernmost ski resort in the United States - something we will be checking out later this year. To my astonishment, it was cold on the mountain last weekend and there were trees! Not cacti or shrubs, but real trees with gold, orange, red, and green leaves. I can get my fall fix right here on the surface of the sun...amazing.
This week, we ventured up to Phoenix where my girl and I attended an incredible Halloween party hosted by some wonderful grandmas - including Bryoney's. There was no contest this year as to her costume, but here she is in all her baked goodness glory with her head pastry chef (Ken referred to himself as the sous chef)...along with many pictures from the last two months:

My little cupcake with whipped cream and a strawberry on top.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins!

Bry loves choo choo trains as much as her Grandpa Nate. Everywhere we went around this fall fest, she kept saying choo choo, but she also loved the duck races.

Pump, pump, pump Daddy! Go, go, go!

Fall in Utah with a little snow.

Fall in AZ.

Hiking on Mt. Lemon

BYU Football in San Diego. We ran into my cousin Scott and his family (awesome) and my big sis' was there too.

Focused on the prize. We even made a BYU fan out of cousin Noah.

Our first visit to Tucson's Desert Museum (a zoo desert style). Bry loved the kitties, just like mommy.

Big Sisters and Mini Series

2009-08-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

If you have a big sister, you have likely been forced to watch many a mini series against your will. Though I acquired a taste for them and love some, Pride & Prejudice the A&E version for example, I wasn't always the best audience - asking many questions since I couldn't understand all the strange "old fashioned" words the characters would use or perhaps their funny accents.

Today, I laughed out loud when a real life situation brought back one of my favorite scenes from a beloved film. I was swimming in the pool with Bry and got out to grab a ball she had ejected from the water. I was about to jump back in when I saw a little mouse on the sidewalk who had obviously drowned in the pool. It was so sad, but the words that entered my brain were, "I suppose it was a romantic way to perish...for a mouse." Gotta love Anne of Green Gables.

Official Arizona Resident

2009-08-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

Today, I can officially say that I am a resident of Arizona. Though I got to Tucson about a week and a half ago, today, they punched two holes in my beloved Missouri license and gave me a new one with my pre-Bry weight instead of my current weight listed - hopefully the MVD lady didn't snicker as I walked away. The Old Courthouse has been replaced by the Grand Canyon and long frizzy curly hair by short and straight. It also doesn't expire till 2045, which means I won't need an eye exam for a long, long time.

Well, it has been two months since my last post, so here are some highlights of the rest of our summer. I will make a separate post for Ken's grandpa's 90th b-day we celebrated in San Francisco. So, Ken and I took a trip to Mammoth and Yosemite where we hiked the 16+ miles up to the top of half dome while the grandparents supervised our active toddler. We camped on a cliff overlooking the beach with my brother's family and friends. Then, we travelled to Metlakatla, Alaska to visit family. On our flight up, we stopped in Seattle, so Bry could see her Aunt Hezzy. By the end of the first day with her aunt, she said, "Hezz-aaaa," which made everyone's day. Lastly, we arrived in Phoenix to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary and wound up in Tucson a few days later. My mom and sister came to help and by the end of their stay, Bry started to shout, "Al!" and grin with pride afterwards. Needless to say, Aunt Aly loved the title.

Here are many (sorry) photos from our travels...with a little commentary...

Mammoth and Yosemite:
Our two mile warm up hike in Mammoth prepping for Half Dome.

Nevada Falls - second waterfall along the hike.

Waiting in line to climb the cables to the top
*Tip: don't hike Half Dome on the weekend, it's packed!

Almost there!

Though a squirrel practically attacked me as I sat for a snack break,
this furry marmot was very docile. They live on top of the dome.

If you ever go to Mammoth, CA, stop for a meal at the Mobile gas station??? When the concierge at our hotel said,"Of course you'll be stopping at the Gas Station for lunch," I wondered what kind of resort we had fallen into. Then in response to my confused stare, he said, "It's the only gas station to be written up in Bon Apetite and the NY Times." We gave it a shot, and the carnitas tacos were awesome.

Stopping for a last eyeful of Yosemite Valley...beautiful.

Camping:
Bry "helping" Daddy set up the tent. I loved the waves crashing to put us to sleep. Thanks Jon and Marianne for sharing!

Bry discovered the joys of bikes and cars on this outing...much to her cousin's dismay who had to share. Luke and Bry love each other, but it is a complex relationship. When Bry sees a picture of him or Jack, she says, "Ckk, Ckk, Uuuuke, Uuuuke!"

Best part of camping at the beach, is playing on the beach...
especially with eskimo kisses from Papa.

Aly, Mom, and Me.

Seattle:
Our first day we went to the Science Fiction/Experience Music Project Museum...awesome. We saw a Jim Henson exhibit and a Jimmy Hendrix exhibit in the same spot. Plus Michael Jackson's sequined glove and jacket he wore for the Motown Special.

Watching a live Muppet sing along show on Sesame Street Steps. We even got to do our own show.

We also went to Pikes market and pet the pig...

and had fish talk to Bry.

I forgot to mention the 100+ degree heat wave hitting Seattle. The next day, we went to Jetty Island and sat on the beach with shallow warm waters. Bry loved it.

Alaska:

We flew into Ketchikan in time to hit the Blueberry Festival and go to Totem Bite Park to see some poles before we had to catch the ferry to Annette Island.

Pole prepped for restoration.

Ken and Bry making up the bottom of this pole,
which is also the entrance to the long house.

Ken, Bry and Jackson - Bry's cousin, who was dubbed Jackson Biehl after his mother hadn't seen him for several days - watching the huge king salmon at the hatchery awaiting spawning.

Feeding the baby salmon.

Watching the Founders' Day parade go by.

Bry chowing on her first edible candy bracelet. Mmmm.

Daddy coaching her in her first foot race. She won the first one, but apparently it was a false start. Still, not bad for the youngest in the age group. Look below for the actual run.

(I love the arms)

Tucson:

Home sweet home...

Boardwalk Birthday

2009-06-23T22:35:00.000-07:00

Birthday Girl

I attended two birthday parties this week - both for my wonderful sister, Alyson. The first was an outdoor showing in Alyson's backyard of one of my favorite comedies - So, I Married an Axe Murderer; it still makes me belly laugh. It turned into a slumber party, which even included Bryoney. I love celebrating you, Alyson. I love you and am so glad you were born to be my big sis.
Tonight, we went to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk where Alyson and I rode in the front car of the 85-year-old, wooden roller coaster The Giant Dipper - amazing as usual. This was a family birthday party that included my parents and my brother's family. We partook of incredible corn dogs, fries, and cotton candy. Bryoney attempted her first ride with her cousin Jack - a flying helicopter - only to be refunded her ticket after a melt down. Then, she rode with me on a car ride that glides along in a circle, but whips you around the corners - sort of like a mild version of the teacups. As soon as she got off the ride, she walked around to the entrance for another ride...we indulged. She even rode on a flying dragon, immediately signing for more when it landed.
I have been to the Boardwalk many times during and since my childhood and it always has the effect of turning back the clock - the sea air, sandy sidewalks, junk food, screams and laughter. I love it. My favorite part tonight was seeing Bry's eyes light up with each new experience. She'd look up at the sky ride in amazement - all the colorful cars suspended by cables above. She stared at the garish horses gliding up and down on the carousel that I used to ride over and over again tossing rings into the mouth of the clown on the wall as I rushed past. She danced to the cheesey music playing and pointed to all the lights.
Maybe even better was when loading into the car, I said something about her grandpa standing nearby and she repeated, "Pa pa, pa pa." She'll master the "g" sound soon, but I knew what she was saying - Grandpa, Grandpa. My heart melted.

Here are some shots (forgive the number, we had so much fun):

Arriving for what I remember as 50 cent night, which is now 75 cent night

Jack braving the helicopter flight

Luke after flying high

Bry, not quite making it off the ground

Watching the horsies and her family fly by

Turning a crazy curve on Bry's first successful amusement park ride

Marianne and Luke following close behind

Aly, Jon, and Alicia after a thrilling Giant Dipper ride

Cousins and cotton candy - bonding

Dragon dreams

Pa pa - Grandpa

Happy Father's Day from California

2009-06-21T18:13:00.001-07:00

Well, Bryoney and I made the two long flights out to California and are settled into the beautiful weather and comfort of grandma and grandpa's home. The only thing missing is Ken/Daddy. The up side is that it's nice to be with my daddy on Father's Day - you're the best Dad! I love you.

Ken, I love you and miss you. Bryoney and I are the luckiest girls in the world. You make us so happy. Some of the photos below are of Bry saying Da Da this afternoon and grinning. Thank you for being such and amazing father and for all you do for us both. We can't wait to see you soon. Hugs and kisses!

Love,
Alicia and Bryoney

Circus Flora

2009-06-13T19:05:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite St. Louis traditions is Circus Flora - a local one ring circus extravaganza including the Flying Wallenda's (high wire), the Flying Pages (trapeze), clowning around, acrobats, aerialists, horse and pony feats, a hula hooping genius and a dog act that can't be beat. Bryoney was particularly taken with the trapeze artists, popcorn, and cotton candy. She actually handed her straw and keys, two very prized and fussed over possessions, to her daddy and clapped enthusiastically when Anthony did a tripple summersault from one bar overhead to his catcher. She was impressed. I'm not sure how she felt about Nino the clown as you can see from the photo below.

Is there a local circus in Tucson? We may have to come back next year.

The big top

The Ring where the magic happens

Get your own, Daddy!

Hmmmmm

Packing, cleaning, packing...

2009-06-05T11:13:00.001-07:00

Why is it that a child will ignore certain toys, but as soon as you tape them up in a box, they freak out like you have just stolen their favorite thing in the whole wide world. Bry has no problem with me putting items into boxes, but as soon as I bust out the tape, she cries. It's like she knows we are going away from home. I sat her on my bed this morning to explain why I was putting things in boxes to which she responded in an understanding tone, "aga oooh." Then we laughed, played and of course packed.
Here she is "helping" me to pack...unpack?...reorganize? Well, she was trying to help anyway. And, yes, those are floppy disks from the dark ages. We don't even have a drive anymore, so I should probably throw them out. It would be nice to put them on CD first though - does this make me a pack rat?

Tour Eiffel

2009-05-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

I just got a CD of photos from my mom and dad of our trip to London and Paris. I LOVE these pictures of Bry and plan on framing a series for our next home. I think it was worth laying on the dirty Parisian sidewalk to get these shots. What do you think?

I love how honest kid's expressions are.

Summer is a Comin'

2009-05-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

On Friday we traveled to the Lake of the Ozarks about three hours away. Every year one of Ken's attending doctors throws a party at his home on the lake for the graduating residents. We packed Bry into the car with our summer clothes excited about the weekend possibilities. I have never water skied in my life and was looking forward to the challenge, and other than a big ferry, Bryoney has never been on a boat.
As we were approaching the last thirty miles or so, thunder storms erupted showering us with rain and hail. My favorite part of the drive was when we mistakenly drove into the third or fourth driveway on a dirt road and had to back out and find the real road. At this point, I rolled my window down to help Ken see where to go and couldn't roll it up again. When we got to the house my right arm and leg were a bit wet (Ken managed to fix the window - yea! - and instructed me to never roll it down in the rain again).
The next day was a little overcast and too windy to ski, but we did manage to squeeze in a speedboat ride and enjoy some relaxing play and conversation. On our way home Saturday evening, the day brightened in time for us to stop and shop at the factory outlets where I bought loads of summer clothes for Bryoney including two pairs of Crocs that she absolutely adores. She has been handing them to me since we bought them for me to put them on, and even tries to do so herself. She wanted to wear them to bed, but I didn't want to set a precedent. Is a love of shoes hereditary?
Sunday was beautiful, so the family went for a long walk in Forest Park. I got to put Bry in one of my favorite weekend purchases: multicolored, striped and flowered Osh Kosh shorts - seriously, could you resist? I'm pretty sure they will go with anything.

Strutting her stuff.

Bry hanging out with Bella just before departure.

Bry had no fear, walking all over the boat during the ride.
She even tried to climb onto the back platform above the rear seats to lounge.

Tucson, Arizona . . . Home Sweet Home

2009-05-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

Well, there's no ocean or greenery, but Tucson, Arizona is going to be our new home. I'll leave St. Louis in about a month. I'm still not sure exactly how I feel about it - excitement to be close to family, anxiety about uprooting my little family to live in the desert with scorpions, snakes and cacti, relief to be settling down, joy to be leaving the humidity and ice storms, sadness to be leaving all my friends who have been like family in St. Louis, stress dealing with a quick move and attempting to sell our home, early homesickness thinking of leaving our first home and such a great town behind, determination to prepare and pass the Arizona bar exam, happiness to have Ken in a job and place he will love, amazement that all our schooling is almost behind us, contentment knowing I can play outside under blue, blue skies much of the year, and anticipation for a new challenge and beginning - a brief synopsis of all that's been going through my mind lately. It's been hard to sleep because I can't turn my brain off.

We've had some interesting experiences over the last couple of months that have made me think a lot about what I have, what I need, and what I want. What I have and what I need are pretty much the same at this point, which makes me realize just how blessed I am. I have my faith and my amazing family (most of the time - even when Bry eats dirt). I don't have all my wants yet, but that just gives me something to strive for - some frosting on the cake.

Here is the latest frosting:

We were in Tucson last weekend over Mother's Day and I wasn't expecting any kind of celebration other than a dip in the pool. Ken and Bry surprised me with some beautiful flowers the night before, and I woke up to my lovely little girl carrying a present to me. She got me a sweet charm for my bracelet that says "Mom."

But, the best present by far was Bryoney waking up to find Ken instead of the usual mommy a couple of days before Mother's Day; she wandered around calling for me, "Mama, mama, mama." She hasn't really said it and meant it until now, and I was a little surprised at how it warms the soul. The best part is the smile all over her face as she says it. I will try to remember this when - not too far in the future, I'm sure - I hear her call in the middle of the night from her room, "MAMA, MAMA, MAMA!!!" I love being a mom.

A Girl and her Bear

2009-04-28T18:57:00.001-07:00

Love

Big Hug

Eskimo Kiss

Happy Easter!

2009-04-13T16:02:00.001-07:00

Bryoney is now an expert egg hunter and loves chocolate, Starbursts, and anything else her Grandma and Grandpa Biehl or Aunt Hezzy would give her. We had a fun-filled Easter weekend and hope everyone else did too.

As soon as Bry dropped her egg into the dye,
she immediately wanted it back, but we can't always get what we want, right?

Bry loves playing peek-a-boo, but sometimes she doesn't
quite understand that if she can see you, you can see her too.

Bry began the hunt before church. I spent about
20 minutes pressing her Easter dress (and I hate ironing),
so she hunted in her tights and bow. Didn't seem to bother her one bit.

Instead of loading all the eggs into the basket,
Bry would fill both hands, bend down, set the
old ones down and pick up new ones -- that
makes for an ongoing hunt and ongoing fun.

Still hunting after church.

More?

HAPPY EASTER!

5 Posts in 1 - Zoo, London/Paris, First Slide, Botanical Garden in Bloom and Easter Egg Hunting

2009-04-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I have posted anything, so here is everything. Bryoney has decided that she now enjoys being awake at the zoo and loves looking at the penguins and hippos. The exhibits are great because there aren't any fences blocking your view if you are under 3 feet tall -- just glass. The weather is now turning nice and we have been getting out and about. I think we drive each other crazy if we don't get out and run around at least once a day.

Humbolt Penguin

At the end of March, we got out every day, all day when we traveled to London and Paris. We met my parents, Nate and Mary Lynn on a Saturday after flying in. We dropped our stuff off and immediately set out on a walk to Buckingham Palace. The weather was amazing, so we walked through St. James Park, which was in full bloom and full of people. Then, we went to Portabello Rd. through Notting Hill markets. We eventually met up with my parents and dined at an English pub where I had fish and chips...yummy. The next few days were packed with sightseeing - Museums, boat ride to Greenwich and the royal observatory (we stood in two hemispheres at once), Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Houses of Parliament etc.

Little sleeping princess outside her palace.

Portabello Road

Little Bry with Big Ben

Bry and Grandpa rolling on a river past the Savoy.

Tower Bridge

Tower of London

Cheesey tourist...need I say more.

Then, we took the Eurostar to Paris where we had rented a flat. All I have to say is viva la pain parisain! (Long live Parisian bread!) I loved the food/pastries/bread in Paris. We jammed a lot into 4 days -- the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, Versailles (Bry slept the whole tour, and parents FYI: no strollers aloud inside, so Ken basically carried a 26lb. sack of flour around all day -- take a wrap or something), Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, marionette show in Luxembourgh, bakeries, bakeries, bakeries, cheeseries, bakeries etc. We had a great time and Bryoney adjusted beautifully.

A few waking moments at Versailles...

Before the trip to the top.

After a diaper change at the top.
I never imagined.

Arc de Triomphe

Once we got home, we were back to the park as usual, where Bryoney discovered the slide. She can now go down sitting up all by herself (I put her at the top and catch her at the bottom, but she pushes off and slides like a big girl).

On Saturday we attempted a photo shoot at the Botanical Garden, which was covered in daffodils and tulips, but someone has decided she is done posing for the camera...

Once we stopped posing and fed fish, we had a great time.

Today, we joined several other cute kiddos for an easter egg hunt at my friend Lacie's house. We ate an awesome lunch and then Bryoney hunted for an egg - once she found one, she was a very happy little girl and didn't bother searching for any others. Do you think she'll always be so low maintainance?

Ready!

Set!

Hunt!

Look what I found Mommy!

Victory!

Little hunny bunny.

Enough, on to the slide!

Bryoney's Birthday Bash

2009-02-24T18:31:00.000-08:00

Bryoney has become a full fledged toddler showing off her walking skills to her friends at her first birthday party. She now prefers walking to crawling and there's nothing I can do about it.

Bry turned one last Wednesday and we had a family party after picking Aunt Aly up at the airport. Bry dove right into her cake after her daddy blew out the candle and seemed to enjoy it. But my favorite part was her opening her birthday present from us - a Cookie Monster puppet.

We had a party on Saturday, so her friends and Aunt Heather could come and celebrate too. We had a monkey theme, and trust me, plenty of monkeys attended and had a great time. Bry loves cake and ice cream!

Here are some Valentine's Day photos and birthday party shots:

Happy Valentine's Day!

Make a wish!

C is for Cookie...Monster that is.

Deep down, I may have gotten Cookie for me.

I think she loves him as much as I do though.

Aunt Aly got Bry the cutest tennis shoes EVER!

Decorators hard at work. It's nice to have a professional around - Thanks Hezzy.

Party Central

Monkey cupcakes - my favorites are the
googley eyed and surprised looking one.

After wondering what to put in a baby party bag,
I finally decided on a banana, bottle of bubbles and Nilla Wafers.
I'm sure these will get more complicated the older she gets.

Surprisingly, the kids all shared toys pretty well.

Bryoney's cake.

She donned her party hat for about as
long as it took to take this photo.

Dig in!

Sugar shock.

The Two Step

2009-02-05T18:42:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, Bryoney took her first steps. The allure of an open drawer was just too much for her to bear, so she took a few steps from her daddy's side to her dresser in her room. When I got home, she took a step toward me and then we turned her to take about four to Ken. She still prefers crawling, but we have been encouraging her to keep moving.
I have been thinking lately that my little baby is nowhere to be found. Her independence is increasing on what seems a daily basis. People always tell you it goes by fast and I believed them, but I still can't believe she is about to have her first birthday.
Other than learning the two step, Bry has taken another trip to Florida. This time to Naples on the west coast. She is a fantastic frequent flyer, and she even got her own seat most of the trip. It wasn't until she smiled really big on the plane that I noticed that in addition to her second top front tooth coming in, she had the two on either side coming in - counting 6 teeth in all.
Naples was beautiful, but I'm sure I stuck out as a tourist wearing my jeans and t-shirt in 60 degree weather. All the natives were bundled up, but I had come from St. Louis with a foot of snow on the ground.
I also thought that the sign reading, "Please don't feed the alligators" must have been a joke, but there it was posted on our way to the beach.
Bry made quite a stir when we went out to dinner with the medical group Ken interviewed with. Several people came over to our table about an hour and a half into dinner to tell us how sweet and good our baby was. I think they really just missed their grandchildren, but it made me realize - again - how lucky we have been with Bry.
She will have her first official playdate tomorrow with her friend Kayan from church. He is the same size as her and they look like they could be twins. It should be fun.
Here is a little video I managed to capture of Bry taking a couple of steps and some recent photos:

So proud of herself after taking her first steps.

Miss Independence in her own seat.

Bry was fascinated with the sand and spent
several minutes sifting it through her fingers.

Playing glasses keep away.

Biehl Family at the Beach.

Almost where?

2009-01-02T19:32:00.000-08:00

Have you ever woken up and not known where on earth you are? It's a very strange feeling. This happened to me over our Christmas vacation. We have been traveling quite a bit for job interviews and I woke up to find myself, not in my own bed, but in Arizona at Ken's parents house. Then again at my brother Mike's house the next night. Prior to this Christmas trip - beginning in October - we have flown to North Carolina, Phoenix, California, Florida, and Phoenix again. I'm tired, but excited by the possibilities, so I'm willing to pack up for another couple of trips and then decide where to plant our family for awhile or for a long while - even if it means I'll pick up another couple of viruses. Bry and I were sick over both Thanksgiving and Christmas vacations...so sad. But we had a great time in both CA and AZ.

So Christmas came even though I declared that there would be no Christmas this year. I blurted this out in frustration when after a rough week, I tried to put up our old fake tree in preparation for a Christmas party. The base snapped and the tree fell over as I was attempting to put lights on. The rough week included breaking our microwave, contracting a virus on my computer, ruining a batch of toffee, baking overly flat ginger cookies and realizing I had no stocking for my baby girl. Ken must have been feeling much less Grinchy than I and super glued the base back together. I taped around it and it is still standing. We are picking up a new microwave tomorrow, I cleaned my computer, made new toffee, the ginger cookies tasted good despite their flatness, and I knit a striped stocking for Bry. I love Christmas.

Our house is now teeming with toys and Bry had a particularly fun bath tonight with her new bath flutes and books. She was very satisfied with herself when after several attempts she finally got a little sound to emerge from the water filled pipe.

Here are lots of pictures from our adventures over the last couple of months:

Happy Thanksgiving!
"Tell me you like my hat."

Mom, Dad, Uncle Rosel and Aunt Nancy prepping in the kitchen.

I love pie. Alyson and I were in charge of them
and this was a particularly yummy apple pie.

Feast.

We always cut down a tree the day after Thanksgiving when I was a girl. Now, we just stack and fan out a fake one. We don't even have to string the lights anymore. Look how much happier Mom and Dad are about that.

Bryoney with her great grandparents.

Alicia, Melissa, Serena and Bry. Bry got to meet Serena's two cats
and make a mess in general while we were visiting in San Francisco.

Saying goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa works right
next to the airport, so we got to have lunch together one last time.

Bry's first time swimming in Florida.
She loved it - like a giant bath, rubber duckie included.

This was the view from our hotel; we should go there, right?

Bryoney's stocking finished just in time.

Grandma Sandy gave Bry every girls' fantasy skirt.

Christmas morning.

Christmas cousins - three days apart.

Opening Bry's stocking.

Ken helping Bry open her first gift.

It didn't take her long to figure it out.

Visiting Uncle Mike and Aunt Char.
Mariah was so nice and shared her toys,
even if she didn't want to share her daddy.

We went to the park and Bry got on the swings for the first time.
She liked it for a little bit...

We spent the rest of the time on a bench people watching.

Bry got dancing lessons from her Aunt Hezzie and me.
We were getting her ready to dance in the new year - to the Beatles no less.

Happy New Year!

Happy Birthday to Ken

2008-11-15T11:45:00.000-08:00

The last month has been a lot of fun. Ken, Bry and I have gone to North Carolina and Arizona for interviews. Plus, Grandma Mary Lynn and Aunt Nancy came to visit us. The Phoenix interview happened to fall on Halloween, so Bry got to hang out with her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. She had her first taste of cotton candy, trick-or-treated, played a piano duet with her cousin Avalon, drove laps around grandma's kitchen and became a professional flyer.

It was Ken's birthday on Thursday and we went to the Zoo to see the hippos. We decided to play in all the fall leaves on our way home. It's amazing how quickly they change and are gone. Though I am looking forward to all the hot cocoa and vanilla steamed milk I will be drinking over the next few months, I wish fall would stick around a little longer. It is my favorite season.

Here are a few pictures of our many adventures:

Trick-or-treat block party: Bry's first cotton candy.

Avalon - the pirate princess - couldn't get the cotton candy
off her fingers no matter how hard she tried.

Bry and Anna - aka tinkerbell - getting ready to clean up on candy.
These two are only a couple of days apart.

Bry and Avalon - concert duet.

Daddy and Bryoney driving laps around the kitchen.
There are enough of these things for each grandkid.
The noise is reminiscent of why the Grinch stole Christmas.

Bry walking with grandma.

Frequent flyer.

Bathing beauty.

When we got home from Arizona, Grandma Mary Lynn was waiting,
so Bry got to see both her grandmas in one day . . . so fun.

Bry and Daddy with a graceful hippo.

Happy birthday to you!

No chocolate . . . yet.

Halloween Madness

2008-10-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

We've had a blast this weekend getting ready for Halloween. We went to Eckert's Farm to pick apples and a pumpkin from their patch. Bry took her first hayride and sucked on fuji apples all morning. When we moved the apple away, she dove out for it. I bet she'll love apple pie as much as her daddy. After the apple feasting, Ken helped Bry pick the perfect pumpkin. Here are some photos and video from our day.

Let the smorgasbord begin!

Fujilicious...mmmmm.

We have discovered the perfect pumpkin.

Alicia found her perfect pumpkin...cheesey, but oh so true.

We dubbed Bry "Crusty Face" after a messy lunch.

It's amazing how an apple monster can turn into a sleeping beauty. It was a long day.

On Sunday, we tried on all of Bry's Halloween costumes and have decided she makes the best skunk ever. What do you think? Let us know on our poll at the top of the page.

Bry in Motion

2008-10-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

I have been holding off on posting because we are going to the pumpkin patch this weekend, but I felt that I should start posting moving pictures of Bry since she is moving so much...all over the place. There have been a lot of changes lately - crawling, her first tooth, and homemade baby food...yummy. Bry is keeping us busy.

Next week, there will be more photos to come of giant pumpkins, a cute little skunk, wait she's a turtle...no a monkey. So many costumes, so little time.

Wedding on the Beach

2008-10-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

We just got back from Ken's best man's wedding in Huntington Beach, California. We had a great time and managed to squeeze a lot into a three day weekend. We visited my Uncle Rosel in San Clemente, went to the wedding while Ken's parents babysat, and visited some family friends in Corona. When we got home Bry got her Christmas presents from Grandma Mary Lynn and Grandpa Nate (which we opened a little early).

Here are a few pics from the trip:

Bry and her Great Uncle Rosel.

Experimenting with sand.

Watching surfers.

Bry money dancing with the groom, Sam.

Ken and his friends from high school celebrating Sam and Abby's wedding.

Saying goodbye to Grandma Sandy and Grandpa Joe.

Stacking blocks.

Early Christmas! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Day!

To Scoot or Not to Scoot?

2008-09-23T20:02:00.000-07:00

Just as Bry is beginning to show signs of scooting, I gave up scooting entirely by selling my Yamaha Vino. That's right, now I have no valid excuse for buying cute leather jackets. It was hard to part with it, but now I can buy the digital SLR camera I've been wanting for years. Plus, I couldn't exactly put her on the back.

It's been awhile since the last post and in the meantime we have had a visit from Bry's Aunt Hezzy over Labor Day. Bry started sitting up sturdily that weekend. We also saw the five tiger cubs at the zoo.

Ken has been in Boston since Saturday for a conference and has been interviewing with practices scattered all over the country. Bry and I miss him very much, but we're excited about all the possibilities.

Here are a few photos:

Bry likes "reading" the Sunday paper with her daddy.

Bry enjoying her Aunt Hezzy's Coke at the Greek Festival.

Apparently, she thought she was being sneaky about it.

Gee, do you think they look alike?

I will sit up for toys.

Here kitty, kitty.

Summer Vacation to Alaska and California

2008-08-26T05:35:00.000-07:00

We got home from our big summer vacation last week. Bry and I started by flying into San Francisco and stayed with my family for a couple of days. Then, we flew up to Ketchikan, Alaska. Bry was great on all the plane trips except one. I turned to the woman sitting next to me after the crying began and said, "This is not my child." I think Bry had just had enough flying.

When we arrived in Ketchikan, we took a couple of ferries over to Anette Island to visit Ken's family in Metlakatla. Bry met Ken's cousin Bonna and her husband Steve who is captain of the ferry, and his Auntie Karen picked us up at the ferry dock. The next morning we went to the hatchery on the island where we saw workers spawning salmon. I love going to the hatchery because you can see tons of bald eagles roosting and flying overhead.

Our time in Alaska was very relaxing and we had a wonderful time. We went to a potlatch, visited the Blueberry Festival in Ketchikan, hiked Yellow Hill, ran in the Metlakatla Marathon (not really a marathon, more like 3 miles), harvested cedar bark, searched for crabs, and visited family. Ken and Bryoney both got cedar hats while we were there too. Karen made Bry's and Myranell made Ken's.

Ken and Bry jumped in the driver's seat of an old fire engine at the
Ketchikan Fire Department at the Blueberry Festival.

We shared a tasty crepe bluezette - yummy!

My sleeping beauties on our ferry ride
home after a long day in Ketchikan.

Ken and Bry hiking up Yellow Hill.

A view of the island from the top of Yellow Hill with Bry's cousins.

Family shot from the top.

First baby across the finish line of the
Metlakatla Marathon on Founders' Day . . . 7th lady
(Ken got 2nd place in the men's race).

Bry fell asleep somewhere between
the three legged race and the egg toss.

Bry woke up to meet her little cousin Karen.
Karen is a couple of months younger, but much smaller.

Auntie Karen with Bry at our
turkey Founders' Day dinner.

Auntie Bea with Ken and Bry.

Alicia determined to catch a crab,
but sadly didn't - next year, next year.

Ken and Bry wearing their cedar hats with their
lovely designers and weavers, Auntie Karen and Myranell.

We went berry picking and then checked out Captain Steve's boat in the harbor.

Sad to leave such a beautiful place - this is the
view from Auntie Karen's back porch.

Ken had to go back to St. Louis, but Bry and I returned to San Francisco and spent some time with my family. We went to the beach, shopped - of course, went camping, operated a train, BBQ'd and visited with friends and family. We had a really nice time and Bry is already a camping pro.

For my dad's last birthday, the family decided to get him an hour of instruction and operation of a diesel train. So we went to a train museum in Portola - about a five hour drive - and camped nearby. After we spent the night, we took the next day to operate the train and explore the museum.

Bry in her new bathing suit with Aunt Aly.

Lounging at the beach.

Showing off her great legs.

Happy camper at breakfast.

Alicia pulling the horn while operating the train.
Dad decided to share his driving time with us all.

Ringing the warning horn and bell and letting out the brake was loud, so the kids wore ear protection. Bry also turned it into a fashion statement.

Aunt Aly, Bry and Alicia riding in the caboose train.

Bry got to meet some of my best friends on this trip -
Shoshi, Serena, Jasmine and Melissa. She fits right in.

Bry saying goodbye to CA at grandma and grandpa's house.

We had such a fun time and can't wait to go back to both places. Bry had so much fun with all her cousins and family. Hopefully we will be closer next year . . . Ken is still interviewing.

Exploring a New World of Food - Rice Cereal

2008-07-23T15:08:00.000-07:00

Bryoney had her first bowl of rice cereal on Sunday and loves eating. She gets as much on her bib as in her mouth, but since she weighed in at 19 lbs. 15 oz. at the doctor's today, I don't think she'll go hungry.

Refrigerator Melt Down

2008-07-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

If I ever felt frustration, I took it out on the thirteen-year old refrigerator in our home that went out slowly over the last few weeks. We live in a four story walk up and there is no freight elevator. Apparently, the fridge that was here when we moved in was craned in through the window. The delivery guys couldn't get it out down the stairs after several tries. After considering our options and talking to crane owners, I decided to take matters into my own hands and spend my money on a new reciprocating saw. My friend Janet watched Bry on Tuesday while I sawed the beast into four pieces (after researching the safety of the project - evidently they saw up fridges during the recycling process). So, people told me the fridge wouldn't go down the stairs, but I wound up getting it all in the passenger elevator after all.
Today, the delivery men came back and managed to muscle the new fridge up the stairs and it looks beautiful! I saved myself some money and got a new tool as a bonus.

Admiring the back of the sawed up fridge.

Just before the last cut above the freon/oil filled freezer section and down to the base of the fridge compartment.

Pieces...nice.

Getting the awful thing in the elevator and out of my house.

Here's the beautiful replacement (amid the new painting project).

For the last month or so, Bry has been fascinated watching us eat. She has been grabbing at my cup and food. Ken finally gave in and let her suck on his watermelon. I walked into the kitchen and saw her reaching for it and decided to put some in her teething bag to suck on. She went to town. We have since given her banana and she managed to get the juice all over her tonight while we ate dinner.

Bry before the watermelon.

Bry during the watermelon.

Bry during bananas.

Bry after going bananas...it's exhausting.

Aunt Aly's Visit

2008-06-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

Alyson left on Wednesday afternoon. Bry and I have really missed having her here. Bryoney gave Alyson a trip to Circus Flora - a local circus company - for her birthday. It was an awesome show and we got to meet Nino the clown at the end.

Bryoney and Daddy in front of the ring.

Alyson, Nino and Alicia

Sunday was Alyson's birthday and we started celebrating with breakfast in bed.

We finished the day with a roast dinner and a giant hostess-like cupcake cake...mmmmm.

The cake was gone by the time Alyson was. The cake recipe is as follows... it is a doctored cake mix recipe that you can make into layered cakes, cupcakes or a bundt.

Ingredients:

1 Devil’s Food Cake or Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix

1 3.9 oz Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix

4 Large Eggs

1 C Sour Cream

½ C Warm Water

½ C Vegetable Oil

1 ½ C Chocolate Chips (Ghirardelli Bitter Sweet are my favorite)

Combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips and mix on low for one minute. Scrape the bowl and mix on medium for two to three minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips. Bake as instructed on the cake mix. It takes the long end of the time frame.

We did a little shopping when Alyson was here. We went to "the Loop" and shopped at some boutiques and had lunch at Fitz's, where a St. Louis root beer is brewed. Why does it seem everything centers on eating?

Saying goodbye was hard, but Bry got a nice nap in on her Auntie's lap before she left.

A Very Merry Unbirthday to You - Four Months

2008-06-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

Bry is four months old today. I can't believe how big she is getting. She has just started growing out of her 3-6 month clothes...getting heavier and heavier. She has been threatening to roll all the way over and keeps trying to sit up, but hasn't quite made it yet. She has also been playing with her toys much more over the last month and is really enjoying her new baby gym.

Bry's Elvis Snarl finally caught on film.

We are really looking forward to Aunt Aly coming tonight. We are planning to go to the circus, the outdoor musical theater, and the park lots. We are also making her a special birthday cake Sunday.

2008-06-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

This is our first official blog post ever. We thought that the family would like occasional updates and that this would be the easiest way to post photos and tell everyone what's up.

After a long semester, I finished law school finals last month. After my last final I threw my stuff in a suitcase and headed off to San Clemente, California to visit my Uncle Rosel and Aunt Nancy. We had a wonderful time going to a Dodgers game (they lost), walking on the beach, going to the opera in San Diego, and visiting with friends and family. Bryoney loved the sound of the ocean and has decided she'd like to live near one...preferably the Pacific (at least that's what her mommy thinks).

After a relaxing trip, we returned for graduation. The whole Day clan was there and some Biehls too. It was a packed weekend including graduation, two birthdays and Bryoney's blessing in church.

Since the family all left, Alicia and Bryoney have been taking long walks, reading (non law stuff, unless you count John Grisham), and cooking/baking.
Bryoney is almost four months old and continues to love eating. She has gotten so good at taking a bottle that she doesn't even need our help anymore.

Today, we bought plane tickets today to visit San Francisco and Metlakatla, Alaska this Summer and are very excited about the trip!

Bry's most recent snapshot.