4 Generations and Mexican Food!

After visiting with my Grandparents we all met up with my Aunt JoAnna and ate some yummy Mexican food. Check out how cute my Aunt JoAnna's hair is! (more pictures to come on that subject)

After dinner we were able to take a 4 generation picture, Nash was asleep in the Moby Wrap (the only way I can eat with both hands) so you can't see his face...I am really glad we took this picture. It is a treasure in my eyes.

Great Hurst Grandparents!

When I was growing up some of my most favorite people were my great grandparents. My brothers and I didn't go a week or sometimes a day without seeing or hearing from my great Hurst grandparents. We loved sleeping at their house, playing at the farm, and going for motel drives (my grandparents liked to see which motels had no vacancy signs out...haha). I don't think I have very many memories of my childhood that do not include my great grandparents.

This past week in Orem I was so excited to introduce Nash to his Great Grandparents. It was a very needed visit for all of us and I am so grateful we made the effort to see each other.

Nash was entertained by Grandma Elaine and fell asleep on her shoulder. Grandpa Bruce educated my mom and I on genealogy...we verified the sad fact that Darin and I are related...AHHH!! (at least it is several generations down the line.) Thanks Grandpa Bruce and Grandma Elaine for letting us come visit! We love you guys very much!

Playing with Grandpa!

We love being at the Willardsons! It is so fun having Grandparents that love and care for Nash! Grandpa Willardson is fun to watch play with the Grand kids. Nash enjoyed the fun songs he sang to him as he rocked and played with him. I am grateful for such wonderful in laws. Thanks for making us feel so welcome in your home!

Reading the Newspaper!

Grandma Willardson has the magic touch with Nash. Since we have been in Utah he has been REALLY fussy!!! However when Grandma Willardson holds him he will relax. These pictures are so cute, it looks like he is really interested in what she is reading in the Newspaper. We are having so much fun spending time with Darin's family. Thanks for letting us visit!

Big Bath Time!

Nash has always taken a bath in a portable bath tub that Troy and Tanya so graciously gave us. Today, however he was able to take a bath in a BIG bath tub and he loved it! He had so much fun splashing his arms and legs. I don't know if we can go back to using the portable tub now!

Good Little Traveler!

My mom and I were able to travel to Orem on Friday. Nash was the best little traveler, he slept all the way to Mesquite. I had Nash ride in a convertible car seat and I think it was the best decision ever. His head was fully supported and the chair is nice and soft. This picture is a mirror I rigged up so I could see him from the front seat. It was fun to see his smiles as I was driving.

Owwwwwie 2 Month Shots!

Our little buddy received his 2 month shots today. I don't know who it was more traumatic for him or me. These are the days I really miss Darin...he obviously is better at the medical care stuff!

Nash is becoming a big boy! He now weighs 10 lbs 10 oz and is 21 1/2 inches long. YEAH he is growing!! He is in the 7th %ile in weight and 20th %ile in length. (When he was born his weight was in the -2 %ile...haha)

I have decided Nash needs a new Pediatrician, his doctor is nice but when Nash is screaming I can't understand a word she is saying, so my questions go unanswered...she is from Ciro.

These pictures are from the other night. Nash was in such a good mood, and my mom and I were taking full advantage of the smiles. I love how squished his face gets when I dress him. Such a sweet baby! Tomorrow we head for Utah to see the Willardsons. We are so excited to see all the family!

My Daddy's a Computer!

This is how Nash and I communicate with Darin...

The webcam is one of the greatest inventions ever! We love it! Really it helps with the homesickness, and Darin is able to see and talk to Nash.

Ahhhhhh my Daddy's a computer!!!

(Seriously my kid is going to be so confused, I call a computer Daddy and the dog "Bug".)

Look at how happy Darin is on the computer...Nash looks a little confused. It will be nice when we do not have to communicate like this anymore, but for now it is great to be able to see and hear one another. I am soooo grateful for technology!

8 Weeks & The Bottle!

Nash is 8 weeks old...that means 1 month down 2 more to go before Darin comes home. I have to admit Nash and I have done pretty well since Darin has been gone. I know there were a bunch of skeptics out there, but we are both alive and kickin' still. I have really surprised myself on how calm I have been. I think this sweet little boy has mellowed my high strung personality...well...maybe just a little bit!

This past week has been really nice. My mom was able to come out to help me travel back to Utah with Nash and our two dogs. I know, I know, I wasn't going to go to Utah, but Darin talked me into it. Hopefully Nash and I will get to go see Darin soon, and we needed a way to get our dogs to Utah. THANKS MOM! My poor parents will have a full house again. Cody has recently moved back to Blanding with his dog Sancho. Then I am moving home for a few months with my two dogs. There will be 5 dogs total in the house and 3 of them are chihuahuas. I am pretty positive my chihuahua BUG will be the boss.

Since my mom is here, I have been taking full advantage of the free babysitting...so we introduced the bottle to Nash yesterday. He didn't really like it at first...in fact he hated it, but he soon became hungry enough that he finally latched on and had his first bottle. I didn't want Darin to miss out so I took these pictures for him.


As for an update on Darin, he finished his first rotation in Michigan on Thursday and made his journey to Pennsylvania over the weekend. He was able to stop in Kirtland and toured the temple there. He also checked out some other hospitals on his way that could be potential residency spots. He is now in Lehigh, Pennsylvania. He says it is really pretty back there but very humid. He starts his rotation tomorrow.

Beautiful Children!

Yesterday my neighbors in my apartment complex set up the Nemo sprinkler for the kids to play in the water. My friend Amy and I have similar cameras so we decided to practice using them. It was a lot of fun. I was using my zoom lens so most of my shots are close facial shots. The kids were eating "push-up" ice creams. (Do any of you remember eating those in the summer at my house. I loved those!!!) I can't believe what beautiful children live around me. I wished Nash was old enough to run through the sprinklers...he was busy taking his morning nap. Here is a sample of the fun shots we got of the kids...
If any of you have any Photography or Photoshop pointers you would like to share I am open to learn and receive the critiques!

Beach Fun!

Last Saturday, Nash and I were able to go with our friends ReAnn and Jeff to the San Clemente Beach. We had so much fun taking pictures, playing in the sand, and relaxing under the shady pier. I know we go to the beach to get some sun and we spend the whole time under the pier. No wonder my legs are a scary white!

We were joined by a couple other families from our apartment complex who took the train with their little preschool class. The train was an adventure for all of them. If you stay up on your SoCal news you might have heard about the "Laguna Niguel Mooning." I guess every year groups of people line the train tracks and moon the train as it passes. Last Saturday happened to be that special day...needless to say the poor preschoolers and families got an eye full of thousands of bare bums...they have some great pictures! I was almost sad we missed it...we needed to go early in the car so we could return earlier for a baptism.

I love this little boy!!! Thanks ReAnn for making me take these pictures with Nash!

I have decided photography must be a Hurst family passion...it must come from Grandpa Bruce. My cousin Brooke has evolved into an amazing photographer and I love looking at her blog! I have two other cousins Kara and Tycie and two Aunts JoAnna and Toni who as well take beautiful pictures. It is fun learning different techniques from each other. Thanks Grandpa Bruce for putting the photography passion into our genes!

The beach is an awesome place to take pictures...ReAnn and Jeff are great to let me play with my camera and take pictures of their cute family. We never did get that perfect family picture...but we got some amazing candids that I love more than the poser pictures! Here are a few of my favorites...

This picture is great, too bad it was SO BRIGHT!

This family is so photogenic it didn't matter how badly I screwed up the angle or the lighting they still looked great!

Kaylee and Gage have the most amazing eyes!

Candids are great because they capture those moments that go unnoticed.

It was fun watching ReAnn play with her kids...she is a great mom!

Doesn't that water look fun! I didn't get in much but I did fall in taking a picture. Poor Nash was strapped to me and I made more of an effort to save my camera then him...

What a fun day at the beach!