Another Girl!

I guess I never really announced it, but....

It's a girl!  

Due November 18, 2012

Airplane Park

Gravely Point Park is one of my favorite places in the DC Metro area.  It has a big wide open field, with an awesome view of the Potomac and the DC skyline: 

It's funnest feature is that it's built right on the end of the runways of the Reagan Airport so airplanes fly RIGHT OVER your head.  It never ceases to thrill me. 

Spray Park with Daddy

On one of Jake's days off we hit our favorite spray park in Alexandria.  Paige's favorite thing this day were the fountains shown in these pictures. 

If you step on one of them, the others shoot with more pressure.  Paige especially liked these this day because Jake showed her how to strategically step on them to spray me in the face.

Luray Caverns

Since Jake had a few weeks off between when he took the bar and when his job started, we tried to do a few fun things in the area that we've always wanted to do.  One day we took a trip down to Luray Caverns.  

Luray Caverns is huge cave with lots of cool formations.  My favorite part is shown in this picture here: 

There is a shallow pool of water that is so still it perfectly reflects the formations above, making it look like the formation are on the floor of the cave as well as the ceiling.  It was awesome! 

Paige was in heaven because she got to ride in the hiking backpack.  The hiking backpack is one of Paige's FAVORITE things so she was absolutely thrilled to be on Jake's back. 

For months after this trip Paige kept telling me that she "needs to get in the hiking backpack and go through another cave." 

Out For a Walk

Jake and Paige like to take walks together around the lake.  

Visiting Utah

On our trip to give Jake some space to study for the dreaded bar, Paige and I drove over to Utah with Grandma Brison.  Paige did really well on the car trip.  We were in Grandma's Jeep, so she was high enough that she could see out the window.  She spent most of the drive looking out the window, and when that got boring she was quite content to snack, color, watch a movie, or listen to music.  

We did lots of fun things in Utah.  Paige played with Heidi: 

We played with Aunt Peggy (who taught Paige the "Purple Stew" song):

Paige played in the Pirate Ship Pool.  She absolutely LOVED this little kiddie pool.

Paige got to meet Grandma Haws and Little Peter: 

Paige and Heidi learned that they like popsicles:

Our good friends Chirsten and Henry (who recently moved from VA to UT) came over to play with us:

Paige got to play with Grandma Brison a lot: 

It was a fun little trip.  

Here's a picture of Grandma Haws, Grandma Brison, Heidi, and Paige.  Four generations of oldest daughters! 

Visiting Colorado

The last two weeks before the bar, Paige and I went to Colorado so that Jake could have some time and space to focus on studying. 

We stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Brison and had a lot of fun visiting them. 

Paige got to play with Grandpa:

We ate lots of yummy food.  Here Paige is eating cotton candy ice cream:

Paige and Grandpa watched Cinderella while eating popcorn: 

We went to church at my old ward:

Paige got to go to a "different nursery with Grandpa" (as she called it)

Plus we went swimming and Paige was in HEAVEN.  That kid loves to swim.

The pool at the rec center had a slide and lots of things to play with. 

We went grocery shopping with Grandpa

And he showed Paige how to turn on all the lights as you walk down the aisles. 

We also went to dinner (at Olive Garden! Yum!) with Grandma and Grandpa Kartchner and Aunt Lindsey. 

Paige played with Grandma and Grandpa Brison's fun spoons.

We also stopped by Music-Go-Round to visit Uncle Erik.  He gave Paige a drumstick and let her bang on some cymbals (which she thought was pretty cool).

We had such a fun trip!  It would've been better if Jake were with us, but it was great as it was.