Easter

Payton and his cousins and grandma getting ready for the Easter egg hunt.
Payton did a very good job finding the eggs and putting them in his basket.

We put some grapes in his eggs (since we limit his candy intake), he was so eggcited when he figured out there was a nummy treat inside!

Easter Sunday

Here is Payton posing in his cute little Easter outfit and a picture of our family.

Announcement!!!

Here is our official announcement! Payton took care of letting people know that he is going to be a big brother. His shirt says, "I know something you don't know....I'm going to be a BIG BROTHER!!" The baby is due to enter this world on September 10th.

We also had our ultrasound today and found out that we are having a....Girl! Now we will have one of each! We are very excited for this new adventure!

Cruise to Cozumel

We went on a cruise to Cozumel, Mexico with Megan's family. There were no out of the womb kids and it was our first time leaving Payton, and yet taking his next sibling on the trip. It was hard, but we managed. We found out that we really do still like each other even when Payton is not around! (Not that we wondered, but the time alone together is always treasured - even when we had to leave our little boy home with his Auntie Rissa). We had lots of fun with the family and the cruise was not bad either. We hit a good storm our first night which made a few of us sick, but the party went on anyhow!


One of the many great meals and formal night.

The ship we went on (don't ever go on this one, it is a little on the old side)

It's a statue, it's a man....it's a little gold statue Mexican! And of course Megan and her sis Nicole

Marcus and Clark made sure to look for iguanas on the Ruins at San Gervasio. And Megan, Nicole and Heather put on a show in front of the Ruins of a temple/shrine.

The whole crew (minus Linda who is taking the picture)

Shark bait... err Snorkelers venturing into the wild blue yonder to see if the fish speak Spanish.

The beach was really nice despite the rougher seas and windier conditions from the storm that had just passed.


Marcus, his new girlfriend - and Megan. We saw several of these (gray ones though) at the ruins.

Christmas & New Year's

Payton, "Well it's an M&M - but kind of creepy to eat candy that has legs and a santa hat."

Christmas tradition gets our family with the cousins all dressed up and ready to act out the Nativity scene. Payton got to be one of the Shepherds.

The boys in their Christmas jammies

Christmas morning - and yes that is a potty seat!

Checking out what's in the stocking... no candy this year (Daddy is a big believer in waiting to give kids candy)

Nummy, my first candy bar - hmm. So we were distracted - taking pictures and otherwise looking at our gifts when we suddenly realized Payton saying "Nummy" over and over again. He found a Twix out of Mommy's stocking and had bit right through the wrapper. Daddy was nice and let him have half of the miniature candy bar - a reward for creative discovery!

Who says grown men can't play in children's hamster tunnels? Payton loves to try and hide in his tunnels.

Our musical child - ok not really all that musically inclined - but he sure loves to dance and to try and make music!

Megans cousin Agnes came to visit with her boyfriend Steven - all the way from Holland (Netherlands, or Dutchies as we call them) Agnes accidentally taught Payton to smell shoes - WHOOPS!

Payton's best friend cousin Kayden - the two are nearly inseparable - and equally mischievous when they aren't being watched!

Payton has started catching on to the idea of folding your arms and bowing your head during prayers. Being quiet and closing his eyes are still concepts he is working on!

Ottoman Storage = great place to keep your kids! No, not really - but Payton sure likes to play in there.

I love my Mommy!! Payton gives the best "squishes"

I love my Daddy!! Daddy loves the Payton "squishes"

Ok we know - we need to update a little more often!

Living Planet Aquarium


We went to explore the underwater world for FHE with the Saxey's where Payton got to see many cool underwater creatures and even pet the stingrays!
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St. George & Zions - September


Payton spent some time with his Great Grandpa Mitchell (Payton's middle name) which brightened the day for Grandpa I'm sure! His home is just a short distance from our trip with some good friends down to Zion's Park.


Mommy got a rest from the 24/7 mommy job and daddy took Payton in pack mule style and had lots of fun hiking with his little man. Payton got so tired from all of daddy's hard hiking he took a good nap right in the pack.


This was an awesome cut through in the trail - pictured here are our friends, Troy & Jana, Doug & Amy, and of course us as well.

Boys will be boys - much to the dismay of Megan who "feared" for the life of Payton. Untrusting of daddy's balance? Or is she saying Troy isn't strong enough? Let just say things aren't always as they appear.
And the girls are making the landscape look a little bit hotter in their shades enjoying the sun.
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Grandparents Lake Powell Trip - October


Can a child be any more expressive? Dang he cracks us up!

Marcus with his Dad and Kimberly in the ski boat and then all of us on the roof with Nick and Wendy and even the hired chef for the trip, Thomas who made the food hassle a non issue! Having both grandparents there for Payton and a chef made this a VERY relaxing trip for Mom & Dad!


PaPa Nick and Grandpa MOH eating up every bit of attention they can muster away from little man Payton.
And Grandpa MOH finds that Payton is a little more savvy with ear buds, Ipods and other technology than one might expect, crank up those tunes......just not too loud.
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Halloween & Fall Leaves

For Halloween Payton and his Haroldsen cousins dressed up to show off their cute little costumes. We decided to have Payton dress as a dog since this was one of his first words & signs.


Although Payton did figure out that free candy was involved, due to daddy's obsessive no candy rule, Payton never discovered what was inside of those wrappers. In fact he would take candy out of his basket and put it in his cousin's baskets because that is what he saw Mommy & Daddy do.
Payton had fun playing in the red leaves - where we discovered he loves to express himself as shown below.



Out come the expressions once again - the kid just melts us with all those little faces and things he does.
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Payton's Firsts

Our little man is growing oh so quickly and among all the diapers and tears there are so many fun firsts....... here are a few that we've captured recently.

Look mom, daddy gave in and let the nice lady at Macey's give me my very first ice cream cone (But only after daddy ate half of the ice cream off of it). Mmmmmm my first apple fresh from my cousins tree, just don't try to take it away from me!


Payton made his first best friend named Arden. They are practically inseparable - each time they see each other they give each other a big hug and usually end up tumbling to the floor, bonking heads and crying. Guess that's what friends are for - always being there for you no matter what.

Payton experienced his first bloody nose - he tripped on Mommy's purse and bonked his nose! He wasn't so sure about having a tissue sticking out of his nose either.

This face is way too good to pass up! First major climbing accomplishment - we thought he grew out of his jumper. Well he decided one day to climb right up into it and boy was he proud of himself! He didn't really seem to mind the fact that he only got one leg in!