The Days of Our Lives

December 18th, 1997 - December 18th, 2007

We just celebrated our 10th Anniversary, so I thought I'd take a stroll down memory lane of the ten most wonderful years of my life!!! Ragan and I were married on December 18th, 1997, in the Mesa Arizona Temple for eternity. I still remember our wedding day and how excited I was to be Ragan's wife, finally.

Here is us 10 years ago, young, skinny, and madly in love.

Ragan and I lived in Flagstaff the first five years of our marriage and we had so much fun. We made so many incredible memories while we both attended NAU and both graduated with our degrees helping to put eachother through school without any debt. In February 2002, right before Ragan graduated, we were blessed with our first son, Nash.

Here we are with Nash. We are now a family of three and still madly in love with eachother and our handsome son, who looks just like Ragan. Notice I didn't add skinny, because I wasn't.

Ragan got an awesome job with PCL Construction and started working the Monday after graduation on a job in Flagstaff. We moved to Tucson, AZ, in January of 2003 for Ragan to work on his second project. We loved Tucson and we were there for one year. After Tucson, we got transferred to Yuma, AZ, to the next work project. In June of 2004, we had our second son, Jacob.

Just the four of us! Still happy after 7 years, still madly in love and we have our handsome little redheads.

Jacob turned about 6 months old and we found out that we were expecting again. Surprise!!! We lived in Yuma for about 16 months and then got transferred to the next project which brought us to Albuquerque. Logan was born in September of 2005, and we got our third redheaded son. Amazing!

Here we are, the party of five. More in love than ever with Ragan and our boys!

So far, Albuquerque has been our longest residence since Flagstaff. We love it here. We have made so many wonderful friends . Once again, we are expecting. This is our fourth and most likely last child. We are getting a girl this time, but we are taking bets on hair and eye color.

Ragan took me out to dinner for our anniversary and after 10 years (I'm just so proud of that number ;) we still have so much to talk and laugh about. Ragan is my soulmate in every way. I love him more every day. Every day with him is a gift and I am incredibly grateful and astonished that I got so lucky to be his wife. Okay, I'll quit being mushy!

It's been a great 10 years and this is just the beginning.

Christmas Card Pictures

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I'm not quite sure what I was thinking when I decided to do the Christmas card photos at home, by myself - delusional, crazy, or just stupid - maybe all. I thought that it would be too difficult to take the boys to a photo studio to do it - I was so wrong.

As you can see in the video, sometimes I got a good pic, but usually only one boy was looking at the camera, then they just all got pretty grumpy and whatever. I got one good one, so we did get our cards done. Below is the finished product. They look so sweet in it, but I could have screamed during the photo session. :)

Gingerbread Everywhere

Nash, Jacob, and I built a gingerbread house, while Logan snuck tastes of the icing and candy. We sure had a lot of fun and had a great afternoon together!!! The sugar rush lasted the remainder of the day, as I'm sure you can imagine! :)

Nash and Jacob picking their candies to put on the house or just eat.

Here is the finished product. I did the icing and these two did the candy decorating.

I think they did a great job!

I think this will be one of our traditions! The boys love it and it teaches me not to be too obsessive about how it turns out. It's all about the fun and memories!!! I love these boys!!!!

Asleep!

The boys in our family have no problem falling asleep just about anywhere. Here are a few cute pics I got of them snoozing.

I've been TAGGED! (Thanks Sara B.)

Six Random Things about me (habits, traits, or secrets):

1. I am a Christmas FREAK!!! I start listening to Christmas music the second Halloween is over (okay, sometimes even earlier). It is so hard for me to wait till Thanksgiving to start my Christmas decorating. I love everything about this season: the decorations, the music, the smells, the food, the traditions and most important, family!!!!

2. I am so SCARED to have a girl! I feel totally unprepared to be a mom for a girl (don't get me wrong I'm excited too, but scared spitless). I've never been real girly myself - always preferred sports and other guy hobbies(motorcycles, shooting guns, etc.) over Barbie and doing hair and makeup. Ask my mom, she use to call me her other son because I dressed like a boy throughout High School. I hated girly stuff. I feel so sorry for this little girl - how do I do her hair?? HELP! :)

3. I talk TOO MUCH!!! I love to talk! I love talking on the phone to my friends and family. Poor Ragan has to put up with all the minute details of my pathetic life when he just asks if I had a good day. I also talk a lot when I get nervous, like if I don't know someone very well or feel unsure of myself, I just ramble - Ask Ragan about the first time I talked to him...I was a rambling lunatic, and I'm sure that is what he thought too. :) Thank goodness, he looked past that and liked me anyway. Thanks Ragan, I love ya'!!!!

4. I do NOT like my nose! I'm not sure why, but I just don't. I'm so glad that our boys all got Ragan's cute nose, and from the sonogram pics it looks like our little girl will too! YEAH!!!!

5. Here's a secret to share: I still have unpacked boxes sitting in my office (we've lived here for 2-1/2 plus years now). The sad thing is, most of these boxes have not been unpacked since we moved from Flagstaff in January 2003. It literally drives me crazy to sit in here around all the unorganized stuff, but Ragan has assured me that at our next house we will have plenty of bookshelves and filing drawers so that I can be my OCD self and be organized once again. So, for my friends in ABQ, now you know why no one gets a tour of the 2nd floor at our house, I'm too embarassed to show my cluttered office.

6. I HATE to cook. I love to bake anything and everything, but I hate to cook meals!!! I don't like to plan a menu, I really don't like grocery shopping (especially with all 3 boys by myself), I don't like the clean up after everything is done. MOST of all, I hate it when my food doesn't turn out perfect the first time I try a recipe. I hate messing up!!!!

So, there you have it. A few things that you may or may not have known about me.

Dr. Pepper, Baby!!

Today I realized that apparently I drink way too much soda. On our way home this morning, Logan points out his window at the Sonic and starts saying, "Dr. Pepper Mom, Dr. Pepper!" (We weren't even going to Sonic this morning.) Every morning after we drop Nash for the bus, Jacob asks, "Are you going to get a soda mom?" I think I seriously need to lay off the Dr. Pepper, if my two year old can point out my Sonic spots.

Logan's Big Boy Bed

Once again, thanks to my wonderful husband who found this cool bed for Logan (since he doesn't have any spare time to build furniture right now). We ordered this so that Logan can have a nice big boy bed now!

Baby Room Furniture

First off, I just have to recognize the fact that my wonderful husband, Ragan, spoils me so much!!! We just ordered the baby furniture and bedding for our little girl's room. I absolutely love it and cannot wait for it to be delivered.

This is a picture of the crib we are getting.

It is one of the convertible cribs so it can change

to a toddler bed, then a full bed as she gets older.

Here is the bedding that we ordered (quilt, bumper, skirt, and sheet).

We also got the valance.

I'm just so excited.

She's not going to be spoiled or anything. ;)

THANKS RAGAN!!!!!

It's Party Time, no wait, Potty Time

The last few days have been so great here at the Bryce house. Jacob has been going potty in the toilet since Sunday afternoon and only had like four, very little, accidents (just a few drops of pee). He can get on and off the toilet by himself, put on his own underwear and everything. It's so wonderful!!! Today was the first time he went number two in the toilet! YEAH!!!!! I'm knocking on wood as I write this, but it has gone so smoothly. I just hope that he continues to do so well. This morning he woke up completely dry and just keeps saying, "I get to be a SUNBEAM now!"

Leave it to a mom to get so psyched about this, but it has been a power struggle to get him to even want to try before now. So YES, I am VERY HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!

YEAH JACOB!!!! We are so PROUD of you!!!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

This year we tried something a little different. A lot of our friends here dress their families all the same theme, like all the characters from a movie or something like that, so we thought we'd give it a try. Our theme was Future Careers for Our Boys.

Here are some shots before our ward Trunk or Treat Party.

Nash wanted to be a construction worker just like his Dad.

We had fun finding a tool belt and getting him a real tape measure for the event. He even got to dress up for school and tell his class what he wanted to be when he grows up.

Jacob was a fire fighter. He was so funny wearing his costume - he would hardly move his arms, so he looked more like a choir boy. I don't think he liked the material of his coat.

Logan was a very cute pirate. Yes, this very well could be his future career - the little scavenger. He didn't understand what Halloween was until the candy started pouring in, then he didn't care - he just stuck his bucket up there for more and more candy.

Here are our boys.

I love Nash's and Logan's facial expressions here.

Here is Jacob with his choir boy pose.

Funny boys!!!!

Here they are the next morning going through their loot.

Ragan and I realized one thing the next morning - Nash is like me in at least one way. Take a look at how he is sorting his candy. Everything had it's own category: suckers, chocolate, chewy, hard, etc... He had fun organizing his stash from the

Trunk or Treat.


We had a fun Halloween, but the boys just don't understand why mom is so glad that it is over. Yeah, now I can start getting ready for my favorite holiday: Christmas!!!

I've already started listening to Christmas music.

I finally did it!!!

Today is a day to make history! I finally bought my first baby girl outfit for our little girl!!! I always buy girl things for other people's babies. Well, I've put a picture up of the outfit I ordered. I'm just so excited!!! Somedays I still can't believe that we are really going to have a girl!

For those who may be astonished, yes I am buying something PINK!!!!

Pumpkin Carving & Rice Crispy Treats

We had a fun Family Night last night. We went and picked out some pumpkins, then carved them after dinner. We made rice crispy treats and had a lot of fun with the boys carving pumpkins and eating yummy treats!!! The boys loved playing with "the guts" of the pumpkin. It was a fun night with our boys!!!

Mmmm. . . is that good Jacob?

So Scary!

Our finished Jack-0-Lanterns.

What a Wonderful Weekend!!!

We had such a FUN weekend!!!

Ragan's mom and dad came to Albuquerque to visit and we had such a great time!!! This was also the last weekend of the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, so we got to enjoy that as well!

We had such a great time hanging out, doing Balloon Fiesta stuff, shopping, eating and just being together! The following are some pictures of the fun times we had together!!!

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2007 - Part 1

BALLOON CHASING

One of the traditions we've started since moving here is to go and chase the hot air balloons during the Balloon Fiesta and watch them land. This year we were so lucky to have Grandpa and Grandma Bryce here to go with us!

Here is the first landing we watched on Saturday morning.

The boys were so excited to be so close to the balloon, but Logan took a minute to say CHEESE for the camera. Funny boy!

They were so enthralled to watch the balloon land.

It was such a beautiful morning with all the balloons.

I just love this shot.

Landing in the cornfield right by us.

Logan being so cute with his hands in his pockets - trying to be like Ragan. Like Father, Like Son. So cute!!!

This balloon was so pretty.

We got to watch them deflate this balloon. It was fun watching how they did it and how many people it takes.

It turned out to be a beautiful morning for balloon chasing. We all had a good time and got to see some great landings. After chasing the balloons we went and ate breakfast, then mom and I went to a craft fair while the boys went to look at a gun shop. Later, the boys went home to rest and mom and I had a great time going shopping!

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2007 - Part 2

NIGHT MAGIC GLOW

This year we actually went down to the Balloon Park to enjoy the final events of the Balloon Fiesta on Saturday night. We went down to watch the Night Magic Glow, which is where the balloons stay grounded and fire up and the balloons glow at night. After the Night Magic Glow we watched some spectacular fireworks! It was all so beautiful!!!

It was starting to get dark and the balloons are just getting inflated to get ready for the balloon glow. Here's all my guys with the balloons behind.


Jacob got to sit in one of the gondolas and watch it fire up. He is on the right side of the picture with the blue hood on.

Nash stood next to the gondola to see it fire up too. He is in the middle of the picture on the other side of the gondola, with his hood on too.

Logan is watching the balloons and fireworks, just happy to be there and holding on tight to his balloon card.

Some of the balloons lighting up with Logan and Ragan watching.

It was so pretty to watch them all fire up together. My picture doesn't do it justice.

We had a fun night down watching the balloons and fireworks. We ate some of the food, watched the different events and had a fun night being together with Grandma and Grandpa!!!