Caribbean Cruise

For our Christmas gift in 2016 my parents took us on a cruise to the Caribbean - all of my siblings too! It was AMAZING! We had the best time! I'm gonna post a million pictures and go into more detail there!

We went into our room and I started unpacking and Juliet immediately climbed into our closet and played. She loves any tiny space that she can fit into. She is the cutest, sweetest girl!

Juliet won an award for dancing in the middle of a party. She was the only one out there shakin' her stuff, but she had a great time and brought the house down! This little girl loves people, loves attention, and loves to have fun. She always brings the party with her!

This is the back of the t-shirts that my dad made for everyone on the cruise. Juliet was asleep in this picture and it was just too darn cute to pass up. 

Us on elegant night!

Juliet dancing with Grandpa on elegant night

They brought Juliet a little birthday cake to celebrate her first birthday. She wasn't quite sure what to do with herself! 

Diving in! She mostly played in the cake and didn't eat it.

On our way to the Sea Turtle Hatchery in the Cayman Islands

Posing in front of our ship! There were 3 or 4 other cruise ships out that day as well. I love seeing cruise ships, especially at night because they get all lit up!

This is the Mayan Ball Game. We visited this park in Cozumel. It was our favorite day. We learned so much about the Mayan culture and this ball game. The players could only hit the ball with their hips or their knees and try to make into a hoop connected to the side of the wall.

Juliet loved every second of it! We were all captivated. There was a man drumming and singing during the game and Juliet was dancing and clapping. It was fun to see her having such a great time.

With all the players

One of our beach views!

Juliet and I got to meet Thing 1 and Thing 2 at the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast one morning. I thought Juliet was going to be scared of the characters, but she wasn't! She smiled at them.

Juliet in fact ordered Green Eggs and Ham and she ate it all up!

We stopped in the Florida Keys for lunch and we got to eat lunch on this beach. It was so beautiful and delicious! We stopped at a key lime shop on our way out of town and got frozen slices of key lime pie, dipped in chocolate, on a stick. They were fantastic! I would go back just for that! So if you are ever in the Keys, look up the Blonde Giraffe.

Holding the Sea Turtles in the Cayman Islands. We got to swim with them later on that day. It was very cool!

Mom and Dad got a surprise for their anniversary (My brother J put it all together for them!) It was really sweet! We all got together and shared the cake. Yum!

Our fun Mayan Ball Game group. Aunt T chose to come with us that day and we she was so glad that she did. As were we!

We had a really fun time on the cruise and can't wait to work off ALL the weight we gained so that we will be ready for our next cruise! Oooooh boy!!!

Christmas 2016

This Christmas was extremely fun because it was Juliet's first Christmas! We got Christmas jammies and everything! We were moving to Utah the 23rd of December so we got to drive through Las Vegas and spend a few hours with our Vegas family before continuing on to Utah to move into our new house and spend Christmas with our family there. Juliet loved opening presents and playing with her new toys. Santa brought her a Whinnie the Pooh train that she can ride and it plays music. Let's just say, it was a major hit!

Aunt T cam a few days before we moved to help us pack up the house. She saved the day! She came with me to take Juliet to meet Santa. 

Juliet's first Santa visit. I think it is a right of passage for every kid to meet Santa and cry.

Juliet's Christmas dress. She felt so pretty! At church she walked up and down the aisles waving at everyone. It was precious!

Hanging with Grandpa W

Our Christmas jammies! I knew that I couldn't pay Jake enough money to be matchy-matchy with Jules and I, so I just got him a basic set of jammies. He complied.

This is a toy that Great Grandma B brought Juliet back from her vacation to the Middle East. Super cool!

The favorite item of the day!

Playing with cousin E. These cute girls are 2 months apart. It will be so fun for Juliet to have so many cousins close to her age. 

Quick Weekend Stop

Grandma L and Grandpa R came for a quick weekend visit. It was their last trip to CA to see us before we move. Juliet and I picked them up from the airport and immediately headed down to the city to have lunch on the Pier and tour Alcatraz. We were gone for most of the day (even got caught in the commuter traffic.....). We met up with Jake for dinner at this delicious Mexican Restaurant by our house and stuffed our faces. Juliet caught a cold over Thanksgiving, and our trip to Alcatraz made it worse so we stayed in the next two days and played games, ate yummy food, and watched some tv. It was relaxing and just what we needed! I love having family come to visit, and I am sure gonna miss CA.

Juliet all bundled up. In the shade of the prison it was really cold!

View of the city from the Island - that is the Bay Bridge

The prison

Uncle S told us to try out this mini donut shop that makes fresh donuts and gives them to you in a bucket. So we did and we were not disappointed! 

Dad and I looking real good. Another shot of the city from the Island

Grandpa R, Grandma L, and Juliet 

Sunday Juliet stayed home from church due to her cold so Grandma and Grandpa willingly took the responsibility of staying with her. Grandpa never turns down snuggles with his baby!

Thanksgiving

We went to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving and had such a fun time! Lots of family, food, and fun times. Jake and I got to spend a night down on the strip for our anniversary and Grandma and Grandpa watched Juliet for us. It was lovely. Juliet also met her great-grandparents. There was lots of cousin time and Juliet loved chasing all this kids around.

Juliet with Great Grandma F - they had met prior to this Thanksgiving, but this is their first picture

At the airport with dad!

Our anniversary date night! Happy 4 years to us!

Little E and Juliet were fighting over Grandma! It was really funny and cute!

Meeting Great-Grandpa W

Juliet and E are three months apart. Juliet loved playing with E, but E wasn't so sure about this new girl on her turk

Uncle Jake is always a winner with the kids!

Juliet LOVED to climb up on the fireplace, but she didn't know how to get down herself so it was always a battle with her. She knows how to climb down now - of course

Posing with the sign outside of Great Grandma and Great Grandpa's house

Meeting Great Grandma W

I love this picture so much. Juliet playing with Grandpa W

We also went to a basketball game with the siblings and Grandma and Grandpa watched all the kids. We of course did not take a picture, but we had a fun night. We got into the game and joked around. It was nice to hang out with family again. I love hanging out with Jake's family because we are the youngest, and it is nice to have "older siblings".

Lake Tahoe

We were able to chaperone some of the Young Women in our church on a trip up to Lake Tahoe. It was a quick trip, but it was lots of fun. We stayed up late watching movies, eating treats, and crafting. The next morning we had waffles, went shopping, and stopped at the lake. It was fun to be able to spend some time away before this crazy Holiday season begins.

Our sleepy little bear - but her jacket is too cute

Lake Tahoe

My super cute, fun friends.

Betty Boop - for my Grandma B, because she looooves Betty Boop!

Halloween

This Halloween we kept it simple (or in other words, lame). Juliet doesn't really care, and I just didn't want to put in the effort of making a cute Halloween costume this year. I found an awesome Gryffindor shirt - cape included at the store, and so that inspired me to buy character shirts. Juliet was a pink batman and Jake had a darth vader shirt. It was cute! We went to our church chili cook-off and trunk-or-treat. Juliet helped me hand out candy. Then we got a visit from Grandma and Grandpa W. We got to spend some time with them and cousins M and S. We went to the zoo and ate yummy food! On actual Halloween day, we fed the missionaries and a "trick-or-treater" brought us treats! It was a delightful surprise!

I think she likes her costume!

Trix on the floor with your cousin are better than trix in a bowl

At the zoo!

R2D2, Minnie Mouse, Batman

Grandma and Grandpa Waite