Guthrie Family Photos

It's a very rare occasion that we get the Guthrie parents, their seven kids with spouses, and all ten grandkids together. So family photos were a must! We went down to the Mesa Arts Center and took our pics outside. 

They all turned out amaaazing!

 

Gavin's 27th Birthday/Camping

Happy Birthday, my Love!



I always want to make a big deal out of everyone's birthday. It's the one day someone can feel they are totally special. My husband, however, doesn't like making a big deal out of HIS birthday. That's what wives are for.
Every year I always make his favorite cupcakes (Rainbow chip with Rainbow frosting). Then, we usually go out to dinner as a couple, celebrate with dinner and cake with each of our families and friends, and then I get him something small. This year I wanted it to be a little different.

First, we did the usual cake and dinner with Gavin's family. We homemade those 2 and 7 numbers if you can't tell. Haha. We ordered him a new part for his "race car" so it would go even faster I guess. (I'm a girl... it was already fast??) Then, that next weekend we celebrated with Gav's friends by going camping and having a bonfire in Payson, Az. SUCH a good idea, I know. Gav wants this now to be our "thing".

Josh and Elba came for the bonfire and Ben, his gf Haley, Amy, Hoang, their little girl Lydia, Gav, Gram and I stayed for camping. We left Saturday around 3 or so and got there about 1 1/4 hours later. Not bad. We set up our tents, hammock and cabana thing when we arrived. Later, we ran to Walmart for some more camping stuff and Rootbeer floats Josh had to have. Haha. That night we roasted hotdogs and made s'mores. Some people played campfire Texas Hold 'em while I crashed with my Gram baby. I was supposed to be helping Gram to sleep but I just laid there while he turned on the flashlight and held the glow stick and crawled around. It was super funny to watch.

It was surprisingly one of the best nights sleep. Gram sleeps best next to his parents and without having to worry about him rolling off the bed, we slept sooo nicely. Our tent was HUGE and we just slept on a little foam pad with our sleeping bags and blankets. It was so satisfying knowing that Gram could crawl around and play in the middle of the night and not have to worry about him escaping. In our next house, I'm setting up a tent in our family room and throwing Gram's toys in there. Genius, I know.

The next morning we woke up and started the fire for breakfast. Hoang had brought everyone stuff to make breakfast burritos. It was cool watching them use the dutch oven to make eggs. A huge centipede crawled right by Hoang's foot and I freaked out. Aren't those things the poisonous ones? While we hung out and packed up, Lydia and Gram watched a movie on the iPad. It's 2012, of course we take electronics to the middle of nowhere. They are so cute together.

All in all, our camping "redemption" was a success. And hopefully Gav had a fun time doing something different.

{Gav's race car part}



(Early morning after Gram passed out in Daddy's arms)



{Swinging in the Hammock with Haley}



{Good Morning}



[Back down for a nap]



(Future Boy Scout right here)



[Gav just set up our tent mansion]

{Lydia, Hoang, Ben and Haley}

[What women and children do best, lay back and let the men work!]

Mallory Marries Ben

My sister-in-law, Mallory, got married August 4th to Ben Coombs. They were married in the evening at our ward building on Gilbert and Brown. Debbie Whipple was the wedding planner and omg it looked amaaaazing. It was great that the whole family could be here to celebrate their union.

When everyone was walking down the aisle, they changed the music to "Teach me How to Dougie" and Jourdan, my niece, started doing the Dougie. It was awesome. Then they switched the music back to the regular song. It was so sweet watching my FIL, Sam, walk Mal down the aisle. He is such a sweetheart and a great dad! After the ceremony we had a bunch of country food! They served BBQ pork sandwiches, corn on the cob and cobbler for dessert instead of cake. Adorable. Mal loves all the vintage stuff so it was so her!

{Eating my accessories, as usual}

(Looking like such a little boy)

[Ah! Those big blue eyes!]



Congrats Mr. and Mrs.!!

The Grand Canyon State

Passey Family Reunion



(On our way to the Reunion)

[Gram didn't even mind wearing a bandana. What a stud.]

This is the next morning after sleeping in our tent. I don't remember the last time I camped, but it is way more difficult with a baby. We had a broken tent and a deflated mattress to sleep on. Needless to stay we didn't sleep. With this kid, the more tired he is, the more he just wants to laugh and play and be crazy.

Despite being exhausted, we had the time of our lives up there. There were about 80 Passey family members. We all just hung out, joked, and played games. The other kids ran around in their "kiddie jail" so they couldn't escape. Gram just crawled around in his dinosaur suit growling at everyone. It was awesome.





That afternoon we headed out to see the Canyon. OMG it is beautiful!! It doesn't look real at all, just looks like a picture. We watched the I-Max video and saw the little museum, too.

Cousins Come Visit

My husband's sister, Hanna, and her family came from Wisconsin to visit the fam. Since they have been staying with us, it's been a party 24/7. Her two littlest kids absolutely adore Gram. If they already aren't playing with my baby, they ask if they can anytime they see me. Ashley brings her kids over everyday to play as well. They go swimming, run around, play on the computer or iPads and watch Dora the Explorer. Gram loves following his cousins around to watch all the cool big kid things they do. It has been such a joy having them all here.

In the first few days Hanna, Tami, Ashley and I refinished the kitchen cabinets. A lot of work but so worth it. They turned out beautifully. We did a lot of "house work" while they were here but we did get a few chances to step out of the house. We got to go camping at the Grand Canyon with them, go out to lunch and go shopping. The Passey girls are known for their shopping.

We absolutely love having my SIL, BIL, nieces and nephews here. Everyday is more fun with them. Until next time! (Hopefully when we go visit Idaho!)

{Guthrie Grandparents and Grandkids}



[Guthrie Parents and Siblings]

Our Fourth Anniversary

Wow, four years already. I met Gavin five years ago. A fresh R.M. and I was right out of high school. The first time I met him was also my first time at single's ward for our church. He sat by me in Sunday school and offered to share his scriptures. What a missionary. Haha. Right away we hung out pretty regularly. He has always been a TON of fun. 

Five years later, we have had a million great memories. We've gone on trips all over. California and Mexico a few times, visited Sedona, Iowa and Oregon, been to Disneyland together, gone on little stay-cations, quadding a bunch and going up north to the snow or to visit family. We have gone to family reunions, watched fireworks, gone hiking, swimming and hot tubbing, went shopping a lot, been out to eat and to the movies a lot. We have moved five times total and are looking to hopefully buy our first home in the next few years. We have a beautiful 8 month old baby boy. He makes our marriage so fun stronger and filled with love.

 I'm so grateful to have gone to church that first Sunday so that I could end up with all of this. I love my husband more and more every time I look into those big, blue eyes! He really does love us unconditionally and we couldn't be more lucky to have him in our little family. 

This year, Gavin had the day off of work. So we took Gram shopping and got lunch and just really hung out with each other. Our lives have been so busy with Gram lately, it's fun just to get out of the house and walk around the mall. It's the little things that help keep our friendship close. He really is my best friend and I'm glad I get to share my life with him.

(WOW. I could really stare at this pic all day.)

Father's Day

Gram and I were incredibly excited to celebrate Gavin's first Father's Day. Even though Gram was only 7 months old at the time, he admires Gav like you wouldn't believe. I've never seen anyone look at someone the way Gram looks at his daddy. The instant my husband walks in sight, Gram's face lights up and he moves his body in excitement. It could be any time of the day, bright and early in the A.M. or right before Gram goes down for the night. He knows what his father means to him. They could play all day and night, if I'd let them. They were meant for each other because they both have a crazy amount of energy all the time. I love watching my two loves laugh and play, a mother's dream. 

So. Gram decided to give Gavin a baseball with his hand print on it. Gram's hands are quite large for a little baby, so the print barely fit on there. Haha. Gavin's favorite sport to play when he was growing up was baseball. So naturally, he wants Gram to play like he did. I collected all or most of the pictures of Gram and Gavin together since Gram was born and got them printed. I also printed cute and memorable pics of Gram, too. I did a little photoshoot of Gram next to the letters D and A so they would spell Dad for Father's Day. I put all the pics in a photo album in chronological order. I had pictures professionally done of Gram and I when he was three months old and had those printed. I put those in pictures frames for Gavin to take to his new job, too. The look on Gavin's face when he opened his presents made me so happy. I could tell Gavin is so thrilled to be a daddy and he loves it so much. He thought the baseball was precious and loved looking back when Gram was such a tiny little guy. This made me smile.

I am so grateful to have a wonderful husband, who loves me more than life itself, who puts me ahead of his own needs, constantly. He has been a perfect partner in crime and someone I can really confide in. I love him unconditionally. He is the perfect dad and role model for Gram. I'm so blessed to be with him everyday and see him take care of our son. I love their special bond. I'm excited to see Gavin over the course of our life time raising our kids. They couldn't be luckier to have him for a dad.