Where have we been?

Hi, I am just writing to say yes... we are still here...

I won't be posting pictures at this time but I wanted to let everyone know we are still alive and well! Alive and well in ROCHESTER, NY! Yep we moved to Rochester in August, a quick and crazy move! Matt decided to get his MBA at the University of Rochester and while attending he is one of the U of R's swim assistant coaches (here is the trick, coach at a college and get free schooling!). Matt is loving it and started his first week of classes last week as well as actual hands on coaching. He is so in love with coaching and I am glad he has this opportunity to share his Big Book of Knowledge about swimming. For those of you who know Matt, he can read the thickest book on swimming and get so excited about it. He just has this energy inside to share his knowledge! I am so proud of him for making the decision to get his Masters Degree because its been something he has wanted to do. Good Luck honey and I will support you the whole way through! Though we never see each other! I thought we moved away to spend more time together... hahaha at least I get to be home with cute lil Brooklyn!

Brooklyn seems to be doing okay here, although she misses her grandparents and cousins very much! She has told me several times, "Mommy I want to go back to Utah...". It breaks my heart and I try to cheer her up saying that we will fly back and visit! She does light up especially to the thought of getting on a plane. She started her first day of preschool a couple weeks ago and she is so in love with her new teacher, Mrs. Hadzima. She is such a sweet teacher and Brooklyn enjoys every minute of it. She goes twice a week and would go everyday if she could! I am having so much fun being at home with her and still trying to figure out the whole stay at home mommy thingie! Brooklyn is so excited to announce that we are going to have a new BABY GIRL! She was right all along! Stubborn in her answer that it was a girl, she was right! She has always said her baby sister is in mommy's tummy. She often pulls my belly to her face and gives Baby Bailey a big kiss and hugs her. She is thrilled to be a big sister soon... January 17th is the due date.

Me, I am adjusting to Rochester, day by day. Its very beautiful here, especially when you go out of Brighton, where we live. Its all trees and green and trees and green! I am enjoying the status of a full time mom at home! This is my first time staying at home all day though I have been a mother for over three years! Its an adjustment from working all day to being a mom all day and Brooklyn makes it fun! I feel like I need to be up and going somewhere but now I get to sleep in a little bit which is nice I have to say haha. I do work from home about 10 hrs a week so that helps me with the adjustment. The pregnancy is going well, despite the first four months of pure nausea. It was definitely a different experience from the first pregnancy. Many thought it was a boy, which steered me to think it was a boy too, but we are EXCITED to have another girl! We will be naming her Taylor but have not decided on a middle name yet, it will either be Audrey (after my grandmother), Enone (after my great grandmother) or Anne (after my middle name, which is after my Great Aunt). Taylor Audrey Bailey, Taylor Enone Bailey or Taylor Anne Bailey.... hmmmm not sure which one.... we love them all! I think we will make the decision once she is born. We just can't wait for her to come. I have all her clothes washed and folded ready to go, blankets, and crib (almost). I still need to get a few things like diapers and wipes but its all ready to go! Taylor we are so excited for you to come!

We have a great ward which consists of the English, Deaf and Spanish! So we have three languages happening in one ward and I love that I have an interpreter for each meeting! I am in heaven! Now I can understand all that is going on! Woot Woot! In our own neighborhood we have about 7 other families in the ward, two of which moved out here the same time as we did. Each of the husbands are getting their MBA as well at the U of R and each of us has one daughter! Its been a blessing to have them around! They are so sweet and awesome!

We only live about 30 mins from Palmyra and we have been able to attend the temple already! What a great experience that was! We met a couple serving their mission in the temple who were from St. George, Utah and they knew my aunt and uncle who live in Hurricane, which is just outside of St. George. What a small world. The temple is so small that we get to meet all the temple workers and the spirit was so strong and full of love. In the temple you can look out one of the big windows and it overlooks the Sacred Grove.... a very awe-inspiring view! I love it here, though I get homesick at times... I miss my family dearly and my friends. But I know we are supposed to be here and its been a good adventure for us so far. We have truly been blessed and are very thankful to the Lord for all that has come about.

I will be posting pictures soon and telling about some of the things we have done! Now if I can just get ahold of Matt's computer which has all the pics! It has a better program to touch up the pics and he always has it everyday at work/school! Gotta figure something out haha.

Stunning Models!

Brooklyn was asked by her friend's mom, Stacy, to participate in some photo shots modeling in Small Beans clothing. She and Hailey, her friend, were so darling and so fun! I think it was a fun experience for them both to dress up! They love to dress up so this was a big treat for them! Thank you Stacy for asking Brooklyn to have so much fun!

You can view this clothing line at www.smallbeans.etsy.com as well as other pictures taken by the photographer here.

I just love her pretty face! She is such an angel...

Brooklyn's best friend Hailey, isn't she such a doll? And those blue eyes are gourgeous!

My favorite picture of Hailey.

This one is my favorite of Hailey and Brooklyn. I just love the natural laughter they are showing!

Love the tutu and polka dot leg warmers!

The Princess Wave and none other

The other night while I was out on a business trip, Matt and Brooklyn went to Grandma Bailey's home for pizza night. Grandma taught her how to the "princess wave". Its not the pageant wave either, its the "Princess wave". Brooklyn looks so darn tootin cute! Click here to watch the video (posted on my mother in laws blog).

Brooklyn is getting all banged up!

I had to post this picture of Brooklyn. A few weeks ago she went through a bad bout of falling, bumping her head and getting scratches all over her face. Poor thing... She has since now recovered and healed well. Although she has a new scratch on her eye lid and several bruises on her legs and a skin cut open on her hand (happened today). She is the most adventurous little gal I know and is an accident waiting to happen. My friend Nicole predicted (when Brooklyn started learning to walk) that she would always be bumping into things, falling, crashing and she sure was right! So how do we break the spell now Nicole? :)

Anatomy of my scratches, cuts and bruises: Below the bottom lip (I fell at Grandmas house in the bathroom doing who knows what), scratch on my left cheek (running and tripped on gravel), scratch above lip on the right (not sure how that happened), elbow scratches (falling, what else), other bruises and cuts on legs (not shown couldn't quite do an acrobatic pose and show all at the same time). 

SUPERCROSS BABY!

Back in April Matt and I got to go to Supercross that was right here in town! We went with Matt's dad and his brother DJ. A cute friend of ours joined in as well, Swiss! He swam at the U of U with Matt and just finished this year. He's single! 

Now you have to understand a little bit about the Bailey boys. Especially Matt and his dad. They are MOTOCROSS FANATICS! They love to ride, watch and talk motocross/supercross! What I am saying now is just an understatement, its just well its just crazy! So the event doesn't start til 7 pm and we get there close to 1:00 pm... I know, I know soooo early! Well you see the riders all camp out in their huge RV's in the U of U parking lot and they have all these autographing, displaying, give aways and stuff. So they like to go for that and look at everything! It was actually fun for a while but it gets kinda boring... well Swiss and I and think, but nope Matt and Randy and stand and stare at a motobike and talk about every little thing forever! hahahaha. The day started out lightly overcasted and cool. Later on it started raining and to tell you the truth I was just not darn happy about it! I had straightened my hair and you know if it gets wet it goes curly! I have to admit that I was sulking and not too happy being there so early, I even thought about leaving them there and going to visit a friend that lived near close by. It started to get cold and we still had a few hours before the races began. Matt, being the kind the sweet husband he is tried to make me all happy and said, "I just want to be with you and if you leave then I am going to leave." So of course I felt bad and sulked a little more. Matt did mention also that he comes to all of my basketball games (though he likes to watch them anyways...). I decided then that I was being stinker and I could just be happy and let my husband enjoy this event that happens like once every few years here in Utah. So I ship-shaped up! And I found that I actually enjoyed it once I decided to be happy. It actually was close to 7 and we were all seated ready for the the events to happen. It turned out to be a fun filled night despite my feet freezing up and not being able to feel them as we left the stadium after it was all over. 

I just want to say I am glad I was able to go and enjoy some time with my husband, especially with something he really loves. Sometimes I get into the motocross part (minus any jumps, whether big or small) where I actually ride the bikes but it's not all very often. I guess I should liven up a bit heh? Well anyhow, below are pictures of the event! (In no particular order). 

The stadium! We actually liked where we sat even though we were a little high up. It gave us a perfect view of the whole course!

Matt rubbing my frozen feet (many times and I didn't even have to ask!). He was sooo sweet! 

Our SINGLE, CUTE friend Swiss! Any takers?!

At the beginning of the event there were big huge rings of fire lit off and this is what it looked like a few minutes into the air! Smoke rings!

(I dunno this guy and I cant get my hubby to text me back about this pic, he is some well known dude at Supercross who always sticks his tongue out with each fan that gets a pic with him)

Matt brought garbage bags to keep us dry! I was the only one who ended up wearing it! Some people called me the bag lady

At the race, early in the day! :)

Chad Reed, one of the top riders. He ended up taking 2nd that night behind James Stewart.... who keeps winning and winning and winning!

The Joys of Easter

A few weeks ago the world celebrated Easter. I am so grateful for that special time of the year as we remember our loving Savior who died for us so that we can live again for eternity.... for eternity.... I can sing that phrase in my head so many times and each time it means so much... "for eternity".... 

As I thought about Easter and what it means for us. I looked at Brooklyn and saw a sweet girl who is so innocent, so full of love and so like a little child. 

We are taught to become like little children as they possess the characteristics that God has, love, kindness, thoughtfulness, happiness, caring and so many other traits. I am reminded of a scripture in the Book of Mormon in Nephi 9:22, it says,

"Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again, therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved."

Christ gave his life for us so that we may live again. To live with Him again we must become as little children, pray with all the energy of our heart to receive the gift of charity. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who sent his son, Jesus Christ, my brother, to help us all if we do our part. I know I am not perfect and have lots to learn. I am grateful I have a sweet and sensitive daughter who keeps me on my toes and helps me to want to be a better person. I love you Brooklyn, oh sweet and happy one...

Happy Easter everyone. I decided against saying "belated" as Easter is something we can continuously celebrate in our hearts. 

Below are some pictures of Easter weekend in St. George! We went to the big easter egg hunt in  Ivins and all the kids got lots of eggs! We had fun despite all the rain!

Matt not so happy in the rain.... Neither one of us brought jackets since we didnt think we needed it for the trip... we thought wrong, no?

My sister Amie and her cute youngun Spencer!

My friend Kellyanne was in St. George with her family as well and brought her two cute nieces to the easter egg hunt. 

Daddy and Brooklyn gathering eggs! Go Brooklyn!

Basket full of eggs!

Matt and I decided to follow my sister's way of celebrating Easter. The bunny and egg stuff on the Saturday before Easter and then celebrate the true meaning of Easter on Easter Sunday. I felt this would help Brooklyn understand the true meaning of Easter. We sure love our sweet gal!

We just love our Sweet Angel....

Matt and I just feel so blessed to have such a wonderful sweet daughter... She is something special... She has such a sweet spirit about her and has very sensitive feelings (wonder where she got that from...). She does have a mischievous side to her, for example the other morning I had already left for work and Matt was still trying to get last minutes sleep in before starting the day. Brooklyn was already up and she managed to get into Matt's nightstand drawer and grab the KY Jelly. She went into the bathroom and shut the door without Matt knowing. Next thing you know she is crying and yelling Daddy! I am stuck! Matt got out of bed and opened the bathroom door and noticed she had KY jelly all over her hands and couldn't turn the knob because her hands were too slippery. Matt couldn't stop laughing and just thought it was the funniest thing. We sure love her stinkin guts that I just had to post some pictures of her we have taken lately.

She looks like she is posing for Vogue or something!

Sweet and innocent smile....

The other day Brooklyn was playing with my small picture kaleidoscope thing I got when I was about 7 or 8. It has a small picture in it of me with my deaf friends at Raging Waters. You have to look through one end to see the picture. Anyways years ago, our family dog chewed on the opposite end of where the picture was and I have just kept it since I could see the picture if I use a microscope! (hahahaha). Well Brooklyn lately has been telling me we need to fix things and that we can fix all things with a battery. She said we needed to fix my picture and put a battery in it... Lo and behold (look below) this is how it was to be fixed! Wouldn't life be grand if all things could be fixed with a simple battery?

She also said we could fix a blue crayon she broke by putting a blue battery in it... bless her heart...

Brooklyn loves loves loves to read books... She has to sleep with at least one in her bed... the other night I had just stacked all her books back on the shelf after a tornado blew right through it and put her to bed. Next thing I know, I go check on her around 12:30 am to see if she is breathing and still there (something I am paranoid about). Oh she was there and the tornado came back and blew all the books all over her bed! (darn it I didn't take a picture cause I just wasn't thinking). But she looked so cute! The book in the picture is one of her two favorite books, The World's Greatest Mom (me of course!) We always sit in our big family chair and read that or Five Little Monkeys before she goes to bed. Its been a fun routine for us.  

Just a cute picture of Brooklyn right after a quick bath. I wrapped a towel around her head and twisted it like some people in Africa do and her head just fell back since it was so heavy! I just laughed so hard and helped her get to her room to stand in front of the door and lay her head against it to take a picture.