Finally!

So long glasses!!! Brian had surgery last Friday on his eyes. Once his eyes are healed he shouldn't have to wear glasses anymore. The poor guy's glasses were literally falling apart. He's wanted this surgery for so long. Now it will just take time for his eyes to heal.

Brian is such a cute Dad. He took Alivia to the air show in Utah when they were there together. They always have too much fun together. Anyone can tell that Alivia ADORES her Daddy!
We love you Brian. Here she is being silly and hiding from the camera.

This past summer was fast, furious, and a bit hectic at times but we had a lot of fun!! First, Brian spent the summer in Utah working for my dad. Of course he took Alivia with him to Utah to visit grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins. (I think if he would have gone without her then he would have been in trouble.) Alivia had a ball spending time in Price/Elmo with the Taylor grandparents and cousins

and in Salt Lake with the Jackson grandparents and cousins. She was there for several weeks while I was back in Kansas working. After Brian and Alivia were there for several weeks they both made the drive back to Kansas and brought Kiersten, Brian's sister, and her four kids with them. We had a ball with them. We took them to the swim beach at Shawnee Lake, they played in Alivia's mini swimming pool on the back patio, we went to World's of Fun,


and just plain had a blast!!
After that fun was over Alivia remained with me and Brian drove back to Utah with Kiersten to continue working. Alivia and I did fun things together. We went on bike rides, went swimming, etc... We then got to hop on an airplane and we flew to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We had an awesome time there with Grandma Jean and Papa Jackson. We loved the scenery and did all kinds of fun activities. Alivia even managed to go on a 4 mile hike up to a waterfall (most of it was flat). She just needed a piggy back the last 1/2 mile or so. What a trooper!!

While we were there we got our family picture taken on a one ton Brahma Bull.
I'm thinking about using it for our Christmas cards this winter. :)
Yes, this IS a real bull. We had to climb a ladder to get on him!!
Of course, Alivia doesn't go anywhere without making a new friend. Meet Ruby. Ruby and Alivia were connected at the hip around the condo. They had fun swimming together, riding bikes, and we ran into her and her family several times while doing different activities away from the condo. They're planning on seeing each other again another year.

One day in the condo we heard Alivia calling for help. We found her stuck in the cooler.

It's official. We've got a fish on our hands!!

Alivia has been so proud that she can "swim in the deep."



She even wanted to wear her goggles at home.


My sister Normandy came out for a few days and we did a lot of fun things when she was here.
We went swimming at the swim beach at Lake Shawnee. We went down the water slides. Alivia was even big enough to go down them!!! We would just catch her at the bottom. What makes the slides even more fun is the slight layer of "slime" you feel on them from the lake water. It's all about adrenaline!! We also went to Six Flags in St. Louis when Normandy was here.
Alivia went on her first BIG, full sized, roller coaster. I was SO proud. During the entire ride she looked like her eyes were going to pop out of her head and she looked like she might cry. However, when the ride was over she immediately said, "Let's ride again!! Which we did!! This roller coaster at one time held a Guinness Book of World Record for being the longest, tallest and fastest coaster of its time. This coaster contains 3,872 feet of track, has drops of 91 feet high and 87 feet high, and reaches a top speed of 62mph. Go Alivia!!!

(WE MISS YOU NORMANDY!!!)

Needless to say, there's never a dull moment when Alivia is around.

She brings us so much happiness and we are so glad that we are her parents. Today at church she gave a talk in Primary about her visiting the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. She was able to share this picture with the other primary children.
At the end of her talk she sang, "I love to see the Temple."

We miss all of our dear friends and family in Utah!! Sorry this is so late coming. We look forward to seeing you over Christmas break.

The post below is a new/old post. I guess I never saved it. So enjoy!