Six Years and Counting...

Have you ever watched the show 19 Kids and Counting?  I haven't, but it seems that have has to change the name of the show to add one more kid.  Well that is how I feel like marriage is, I seem to turn around and another year has gone by.  Well since having Harper our lives have changed for sure but it is nice that we are able to get out and have some fun just the two of us (Big thanks to Toren and Austin for watching the Harps!)

Here is our date with a few facts of why I love my husband!

We are trying to do a better job of experiencing  Las Vegas.  It is for this reason we decided to go to the top of the Stratosphere to be scared and thrilled!  I never did imagine what the strip looked like from above, and I am not sure I am really impressed by what I saw.

#1 He can not tell Actors and Actresses apart, even when it is the same movie as 5 minutes before.

 This is the view form the top of the Stratosphere!

#2 He will read any book I ask him to, just so we have something to talk about.  For the most part he enjoys them all.

At the top, we were waiting for one of the two rides that were open.  

#3 I told him I didn't want to have kids until I had been to Europe, man he took that one to heart!

Strapped into the ride that shoots you from 921 feet to 1081 feet!  I really enjoyed it except for that first decent, when my stomach was in my throat. 

#4 He thinks I am adorable.  This may sound odd but the boy thinks the silliest things I say and do are hysterical.  He likes the songs I make up and often request specific ones, it is nice to not have to be serious at all when I am around him! 

You take the elevator to the top it drops you off at the inside of the stratosphere.  There are no rides in that portion but it is a fun place to look out.  

 When my mom came to help with Harper she took me shopping.  I got some new fun clothes, and on our date I promptly spilled soda all over myself... not just once but twice! 

#5 He gives the Harper Bear so much love! He is so open about cuddling her and always helping with the harder times!

 This is from the top of the observation deck.  Two of the three rides were open and we rode each one 4 times.  It made the the 34 dollar unlimited ride ticket totally worth it! The lines at the top were so short we often didn't have to leave the ride before going again!

 #6: Brent has always been the more calm one and never has prevented or discouraged me from doing what I want.  He has always been and always will be supportive of what I want and what would be best for our growing family!

I will openly admit that the best choice I ever made was getting married to this AMAZING MAN!

Northwest Tour: Portland

To round out our northwest tour we had to make a stop in Portland.  When Brent flew out from Spokane Maren drove the hour and a half to pick Harper and I up.  The next morning we hit the road for Portland. 

Neither of us really had much we wanted to do but I did want to check out the Saturday Market. 

 I love looking at all the different interesting items that people create.  Maren is holding a fruit bowl made out of chopsticks!

 This piano was just placed in the middle of the city for anyone to use.

 A metallic marching band also made an appearance.  That is part of the fun of the market it the most random things will just show up for you to enjoy!

 Enjoying the marching band

 Brody wasn't so sure about the picture with me but he just had to ring the bell.

 A Barnett family picture plus Grandma.  I am not really sure what this weird little iron man is but I think I would take him home!

 My Mom has these cement balls that leave tracks in sand. She wanted some more but hasn't found the maker the last few times.  it was one of the last place I looked but I found them for her!

 Grandpa is always willing to do a little Haper duty so I can browse.

 Can you believe we used to fight all the time!  Not any more, now we just like to enjoy the Portland riverside together.

 All in all it was a great trip to Saturday market, and I feel no desire to go again for at least a year.

The rest of the time in Portland was spent relaxing.  We visited the Portland Aquarium, which was small but very fun, unfortunately no pictures. The other big milestone that happened was Harper started sleeping 4-6 hours a night.  That was probably the best part of the whole trip!

Northwest Tour: Northern Idaho

For some reason Brent thought it would be a good idea to go to his Family reunion when Harper was 5 weeks old.  I will give him this: It wasn't a terrible idea.  I love the Huntley family reunions because they are so nature based.  This year we went to Kingston, which is in northern Idaho.  Most of the Family (Jason, Ryan, Christi) stayed in campers and the rest of us stayed in a house close by. 

The campers were right on the water, which made it super easy to spend time swimming, fishing, kayaking, four wheeling, nature watching, and generally playing around. Brent and I love spending a LOT of time with the nieces and nephews. For the moment they think we are pretty cool, so it is only a matter of time before they figure out how boring we really are!  Here are some of the fun things we did around the site.

Below is Michael and Hayden fishing.

Mike and Micheal out Kayaking.  Everyone was really nice about watching Harper so Brent and I could do a few of these things together!

At night we would all play games.  It got chilly so I would wrap Harper in the Mobi and then put her inside my jacket!  It kept us both nice and toasty!  Card games are always awesome!  Of course things get a little crazy, and I doubt any of us will forget pineapple!

 On the second day Brent and I decided to go to the small town of Wallace to explore.

 This was my first time carrying Harper in the ergo, and overall it was a success!

 The town was really small but had a brothel that was in business up until 1988.  Brent and I just had to take the tour.  This is the doorway were customers would come to negotiate prices before services.

 I am half ashamed to say that I learned entirely to much about that business on the tour.  It was super interesting though.  This is the private entrance customers would use. Some of the interesting rules that we learned 1.) no local girls were allowed to work there 2.) there was a menu of services with set prices and lengths of services 3.) all items in the rooms were actually left there by previous girls who fled due to a prospective raid by state troopers and never came back because the brothel shut down. 4.) On days off the girls were not allowed to be seen around town. 5.) although prostitution was outlawed everyone turned a blind eye as long as the girls made sure to see the doctor once a week 6.) the tour guide learned most of her knowledge by previous workers who had come back to take the tour themselves!

I told you, entirely to much!

 If you are thinking Wallace, ID sounded really familiar it is because the movie Dante's Peak was filmed here.  I still remember how much that movie freaked me out!

 After Wallace we got to enjoy gorgeous views like this!

 Harper really enjoyed it as well.  She spent a lot of time outside but we had to retreat to the house during the warmest part of the day.

 Rope swings were a big hit!  This is William and I think Landon. 

 Huntley and Hayden goofing off.  They were attached at the hip during the whole trip!

 Landon was the rope swing king!  He would go whenever he could.

Tyler and Landon had to work pretty hard to convince me to go off the swing.  I am just not very good at these types of things, but I did i!

 Tyler showing off her stuff!

 Even Ryan got into the mix.  Ryan has the best farmers tan I have ever seen!

 Huntley was amazing.  She had the upper body strength of a gorilla! 

One of my favorite parts of seeing the entire family is making some great memories, and this trip is one to remember!

I can't wait for next year!

Northwest Tour: Boise Idaho

I just wanted to put in a little note.  Before we headed off to the family reunion, we were able to attend the funeral for our nephew Josh.  Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures that day. It was a beautiful service and I feel blessed and honor to have known Josh and have been apart of his life.  From the first time I met him he had a special place in my heart.  

Brent was able to speak at his funeral and did a wonderful job.  There were a few church leaders and teachers who spoke which showed me he was truly a great young man.  Overall, it was a wonderful day to celebrate the life of someone so close to us and I am proud to call him family.

Harper Anne Huntley Baby Blessing

We are very fortunate to understand that our Heavenly Father has given us the priesthood which allows Fathers to bestow special blessings on their children.  Brent and I had planned to have both parents in town to participate in the blessing.

My mom and dad were already in town helping with Harper.

 On Friday, as Brents parents were driving in we received some very tragic news.  Our Nephew, Josh, has passed away while swimming with some friends.  This was totally unexpected and heartbreaking for the entire family.  We had planned to do the blessing on Sunday at church but this news Brent and I understood his parents had somewhere else they were needed.  They were close enough to Vegas that they came in to stay the night and planned to leave in the morning.  With a call to our Bishop we moved the blessing to Friday night.

 It took less than an hour to change plans, and have the correct authority present.  As soon as Grandma and Grandpa Huntley arrived sweet little Harper Anne was blessed by her father, both grandfathers, and uncle in the living room. 

Grandma Huntley had made a gorgeous blessing dress for Harper.(It is more visible in the first picture)

Brent and I were very blessed to have family present to participate in the blessing, and I am grateful to have a worthy priesthood holder who loves his daughter so much.

This is not the blessing I was expecting and although there was an air of loss and heart ache it did help remind me of the eternal blessing the true gospel of Jesus Christ bring into our lives.  I am grateful for the people who were able to share in this special moment!

The BUMBO!

She is getting to big to fast!  She is sitting up all by herself in the bumbo chair!

Granted, she isn't thrilled about it... 

Harper's Newborn Photo Session

I kept seeing all these cute little newborn photos and I thought, I could totally do that.  Brent has an awesome co worker who had then entire photography set up which she let us borrow!  After searching the web I realized that all the cure ones had the babes in the buff.  "Okay" I thought "This can't be to hard"

As brent was setting up the camera I stripped Harps down.  She promptly peed on the jacket I was wearing.  I laughed and took it off.  We laid her down and got a few shots but she was awake, and not very happy about laying on a pillow.

 We decided it was time to change the backdrop and so I held her, when she pooped all down one leg... like ALOT of poop!  I had no choice but to throw my capri's across the floor.

 I was a little less thrilled this time because it was ALOT of poop.  We took a few more pictures at which point she peed on the blanket we had her on all the way down to my feet.

 At this point I knew the shoot was over. 

 I think the one thing I learned is that Harper Anne Huntley will NOT be a model.  That is fine by me.  I hope you enjoyed the few cute pictures we got from the photo session!  Actually all of these were taken the next day when she was asleep... my advice: always take them while the babies are asleep and never forgo the diaper!