The Hogans

"I'm the Big Brother!"

2011-04-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

We just found out this week that we are going to be having a baby! We are so excited! I keep asking Jaxon if he wants a brother or a sister but he just wants a baby. Hopefully, whatever it is, it will be healthy! (Now if I can only get through the morning sickness phase!)

"Cool Fort!"

2011-03-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

I know I am a terrible blogger (my last post was last May!) But I really want to start up again and I just had to post about Jaxon's new "cool fort".

So, I feel sorry for all of you who don't have an awesome carpenter in the family. Not only has my dad significantly improved our house (at no cost, might I add!) but now he is spoiling Jaxon with his superb skills!

Check out what he made for the little stinker.

Ta da!!
Isn't it the coolest fort you have ever seen?!

And it has everything!
It has great towers for Godzillas...

and snipers...

giant Jurassic Park gates...

a motel for the "dudes"...

turrets to shoot out of...

a jail for the bad "dudes" (and unruly "saurs")...

a "Fort Jaxon" sign....

a staircase, complete with railings....

multiple doors with mini hinges...

It is multi-functional....

And even has a place for missionaries to preach from!

And these pictures don't even do it justice! You need to bring your kids to come check out this fort (big "kids" are welcome too!)

Jaxon adores it! (And I might add, Shane and I had a little too much fun playing with it ourselves!)

Thank you so much "Pa" May! We love you tons and appreciate the skill and love that goes into each and every one of your projects.

New Blog

2010-05-20T19:45:00.000-07:00

I just started a new blog. It is all about books and reading so if you are an avid reader like me, check it out at thebookbug-hogan.blogspot.com.

Baby Shower

2010-05-17T18:32:00.001-07:00

In April, my Mom and I hosted a baby shower for my little sis, Lacey (who is due in 3 weeks!!). We had such a great time planning it and it turned out fabulous!

Lacey's favorite color is red so we went with a red, black, and white theme. We bought TONS of baby clothes (I had way too much fun shopping for a baby again!) which we hung on a clothes line type thing with clothespins and all.

We made black and white cupcakes. The black frosting was horrible but at least they looked cute!!

We had a "candy bar" with every type of black, red, and white candy imaginable in cute vases that my older sister found (she is such a clever shopper!)

And the crowning attraction . . . a red, black, and white diaper cake!! 3 tiers of tiny little baby diapers with all kinds of cute baby toys and clothes and topped with a stuffed husky (Lacey has 2 husky dogs.)

We had a great turn out and it was a blast!

Kalei Hogan, Superstar!

2010-04-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

My sis-in-law, Kalei Hogan, just finished her first music video. It is amazing!! She is so talented and beautiful and we are so proud of her!!

Her video is on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sizu3wvYQQ. Love you Kalei!!

Review of Heather Moore’s “Women of the Book of Mormon”

2010-03-23T20:02:00.001-07:00

Anyone who know me knows that I love love LOVE to read!! Especially LDS fiction, which is why I was so excited to be able to receive an advance copy of Heather Moore's new boook, Women of the Book of Mormon to review. Heather Moore is the author of a number of LDS historical fiction novels including the Out of Jerusalem and Abinadi series. Women of the Book of Mormon is her first non-fiction book.

This book appeals to me on a number of levels - as an avid reader, as a member of the LDS faith and (wannabe) scriptorian, and most especially as a woman. Women of the Book of Mormon is a brief but insightful glimpse of the incredible women who are mentioned in the Book of Mormon. Even though these women lived in vastly different time periods, Heather Moore makes them relatable to us in a modern setting. She focuses on both the physical and spiritual trials and hardships that they endured and how their stories can help us overcome our own obstacles.

This book is thoroughly researched in the environment and culture that each of these women lived in as well as the characteristics that they most likely possessed. It is told with respect and a touch of humor and reminds each of us that we are daughters of God and sisters in the gospel.

Women of the Book of Mormon made me want to study the scriptures in more depth, especially the role that women play in it. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has a love of the scriptures and wants to expand their knowledge of it.

Lil' Dudes

2010-03-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

I know it has been FOREVER since I blogged but I have a good excuse -- we were sick for the month of January. So, I fully intend to catch up on the holidays, etc., but first, an update on Jax. He is so hilarious!! The funniest thing happened the other day which probably should have annoyed me but just made me laugh so hard. Anyway, Jaxon loves to play with GI Joe type action figures which we refer to as "little dudes". (Jax calls them "doos"!) I find them all over the house in the most interesting places. He loves to put them in little "forts". And the other day when I went to get Kaysley some dog food, this is what I found!

Me and Shane laughed for so long!!

Some days I just really wonder where this kid comes from!! But we love him to death! (And he sure does entertain us!)

Jaxon's Photo Shoot

2009-12-14T14:40:00.001-08:00

We had some pictures taken of Jaxon at JCPenney last week. He is such a little model!!

(And yes I do know that this is SO illegal!)

The Frog Princess

2009-12-11T21:45:00.000-08:00

I just saw the new Disney movie "The Princess and the Frog" tonight with my sis-in-law (thanks Kalei!) and I loved, loved, LOVED it! It was so cute and sweet and I wish they would make more movies like it. It reminded me of the princess/fairy tale Disney classics I watched when I was a kid.

Forts

2009-12-09T16:34:00.000-08:00

Jaxon found a new place for a fort -- in the dryer!!

"Exterior Illumination"

2009-12-02T19:47:00.001-08:00

"You taught me everything I know about exterior illumination."

-Clark Griswald, Christmas Vacation

This post is for my Mom who really did teach me everything I know about "exterior illumination"! (If you have ever seen my parents' house, you will know what I am talking about!) My Mom puts up over 20,000 lights on their house every year (and yes, that is more than Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation!) Their house has even been in the newspaper. (And by the way Mom, the house looks great this year, as usual.)

Since I didn't put up any Christmas lights last year, I figured I better get on it early this year. I put them all by myself and I even put lights on our mailbox!

(I did have some extra support from Jaxon. He was BIG help (catch the sarcasm?!)) (And no, I really don't let my 15-month old climb ladders yet!)

I haven't hit the 20,000 mark yet but Shane did ask me if we were living in the Griswald's house this year so I figured I had done my Mom proud!All in all, I am very proud of myself. I even had a neighbor girl tell me that our house looked like a "gingerbread house"!

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend up in Jackson (even though it was absolutely FREEZING so we had to dress warmer than ususal! (I have become such a wimp since I've been living in Utah! Whatever happened to my Wyoming blood?!!)).

We played games, ate GREAT food, and just relaxed. And Jax loved it up at Grandma and Grandpa's house because there are so many fun things to get in to!!

And most importantly we got to spend quality time with the fam including my parents, 5 (large!) dogs, and my sister Lacey and her husband Todd who announced that they are going to have a baby in June!

Congrats you guys! We are so excited to have another little cousin for Jax!!

And thanks Mom and Dad for putting up with us all weekend and for, once again, taking care of us! We love you tons!

MAJOR Home Improvements

2009-11-06T18:41:00.000-08:00

A couple of weekends ago, my family came to visit and my Dad helped us (once again) with a MAJOR home improvement project -- putting in hardwood floors! (or laminate floors that look like wood.)

Anyway, if any of you have been to my house you know how bad our floors were. The carpet in the living room was threadbare and stained and the linoleum in the kitchen had to be stripped each time I mopped to get the dirt out. So, we were SO excited to get new flooring! And the best part was -- it was all free!! My Dad was remodeling a house and got to keep the old flooring. And he put it in for free too! It looks fantastic and we cannot thank my Dad enough for all his hard work. Our house would have fallen apart by now if it wasn't for him.

(Plus Jaxon loves to help with the tools and driving Papa's truck!)

Jaxon absolutely LOVES the new floors because his trucks drive so much better on laminate than carpet. I think he thinks we did it just for him! (isn't everything though?!)

He also loves when we pull him around on a blanket or pillow. Slippery floors are so much more fun!

He even likes the new arrangement of furniture because he has figured out how to drive his trucks behind the couch. It is like a tunnel for him!

Even Kaysley digs the new floor!

(And I love my new rug, pillows, and clock if you couldn't tell!)

It was a fun weekend too because Lacey and Todd also came to stay for a night. Lacey was playing in a volleyball tournament up at USU. We got to watch some of her games and Jaxon even learned how to clap his hands and cheer. Granted, he clapped even when the opposing team scored but at least he got the general idea.

We also got to celebrate my Dad's birthday together. We went out to dinner, opened presents, and had Cold Stone cakes (my favorite!) I hope you had a great birthday Dad! We love you tons and so appreciate all your hard work!

Congratulations!

2009-11-05T16:23:00.001-08:00

I'm totally behind on doing this since it happened almost a month ago, but we just wanted to say congratulations to Shane's brother Craig and his fiancee Kari on their engagement. We are so excited for you and are looking forward to having Kari as part of the family!!

Standing, Talking, and Cheering!

2009-11-02T10:20:00.001-08:00

Even with as much as I love my little Jaxon, this past year has definitely been difficult. Jaxon is an extremely "spirited" child and has a major case of separation anxiety which means he can never be more than 5 feet from me. He never slept through the night until he was 9 months old and before that he woke up every 2 to 3 hours. However, I think the past 2 months have made up for this in some way because I cannot believe how cute and fun he has been! He is growing into such a little person and is learning and developing so quickly.

In the last few weeks he has started standing on his own. He crouches down and then slowly stands up with a huge smile on his face! He is SO proud of himself! And just last week he learned how to clap and cheer so now every time he stands up (or takes a couple of steps) we all have to clap and cheer. He could be walking right now but is still really cautious about that.

And all of sudden he has started really talking. He calls all of his toys "trucks", he says "go" for dog, and "cracker" is all of his food (which he pronounces "crack"). And some days he just starts jabbering away. My favorite is when he first wakes up and I can hear him just chattering to his crib.

He is really fun to play with now too. He loves to play with his trucks and cars (but he definitely likes it better when Daddy plays with him because he makes better truck noises!)

And he loves to play "tickle monster" and has the sweetest laugh when you get him going.

Happy 30th!!

2009-10-20T12:13:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to wish my big sis a happy birthday today! 30 years old is a big milestone! Hope you have a great day!! Love ya tons, sis!

Summer 2009 - The "Hole" Summer

2009-10-05T22:16:00.000-07:00

(I'm finally catching up on the summer.)

We spent a ton of time in Jackson Hole this summer. We were there for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and many other times. Unfortunately, we were bad luck this summer and had bad weather most of the times we were in Jackson but we still had plenty of fun with the family!

On the 4th of July we went to Hidden Falls. Jaxon loves to hike in his backpack (but he usually falls asleep!)

The fireworks show in Jackson is pretty good. I even woke Jaxon up just to say he saw fireworks on his first 4th of July! (And I still haven't missed one 4th of July in Jackson yet!)

On a couple of other trips we discovered an awesome hike to Phelp's Lake. (Jackson is just so beautiful in the summer!)

He sure loves his "Papa" May!!

Contemplating life . . . like father, like son!

Unfortunately, my Grandma May died this summer so we spent a lot of time at the ranch. I am so glad Jaxon got to experience a little of it before my Grandpa no longer lives there.

We got to see my Grandpa again after the funeral when he came with my uncles to clean out his house. This picture has 4 generations - Jaxon, his Mom, Grandpa, and Great-Grandpa. His Great-Grandpa May was excited to see him because he was the first great-grandson after 5 great-granddaughters!

It was so good to see him but sad that he will no longer be living in Jackson.

Jaxon got to "help" his Grandma and Grandpa pick raspberries at the ranch one evening.

They have the most amazing raspberry patch!

Jax also got to sit in the big tractor with his "Papa".

(I think "Papa" May loves finally having a boy to play trucks with!)

Papa calls Jax "Boy".

The ranch has always been a huge part of my life and I'm having a hard time letting it go. I will very much miss spending time there and sharing it with my children.

We also got to spend some time with my parents' neighbors. They are a great family and have a little boy exactly one month younger than Jaxon.

We had a few swimming parties together.

They even had a special birthday celebration for both Jaxon and their son.

They had party hats, presents, and cupcakes! (Jaxon and his buddy got most of the cupcakes on themselves! I think they each had 4 or 5!)

The birthday boys!!

Unfortunately, they moved at the end of September. We will really miss playing with them!

My parents took such good care of us on all our trips! They fed us and played with us. Jaxon became good buddies with his Grandma May because she helped watch him for me while I got some work done.

Thanks Mom and Dad for putting up with us this all summer!

First Day of Winter?

2009-09-30T22:13:00.000-07:00

So it was really cold today and for the first time this season, felt like winter was officially on its way! I am not ready to put the sandals away yet.
To keep the spirit of summer alive, I am going to (finally) get up-to-date on our summer adventures. So, the next few posts will being going back a few months. (But at least they will remind me of the sunshine when it is snowing!!)

I Heart Keith Urban!!

2009-09-15T21:37:00.001-07:00

For my birthday in May, my in-laws bought me tickets to a Keith Urban concert. Last week, after waiting 3 long months, Shane and I finally got to go. It was awesome!! He is my favorite and the concert just made him even better.

And not only did the Hogans give me the tickets but also paid for dinner at the Macaroni Grill (one of my favorite restaurants) and babysat Jax for the evening. I think it was the first night that I wasn't the one to put my baby to bed!! But he did great.

Thanks Hogan family for one of the best birthday presents ever!!

"NO"

2009-08-31T21:09:00.000-07:00

Jaxon said his first word a few weeks ago. Guess what he said? "NO." Not "Mama" or "Dada" but "No". Of course. He already has a mind of his own.

Birthday Bash

2009-08-31T15:56:00.001-07:00

For Jaxon's 1st birthday, we had a John Deere themed party at the Hogans house (hence the John Deere blog background.) It was so cute! My mother-in-law decorated the house with John Deere streamers and balloons. And I have to say that Jaxon is the most spoiled 1 year old in the world!!

Look at all those presents!! He got a cute John Deere outfit from Grandma and Grandpa May, a couple of cute shirts from FL from his Aunt Lacey and Uncle Todd, a Batmobile from Aunt Kalei, and a totally cute John Deere quilt from Aunt Leisel.

And since he is so fond of blankies, I even attempted to make him a quilt. It was the first sewing project I did (mostly) by myself. (I had a little help from Jaxon's Grandma May!)

And then, of course, he got TONS of toy tractors from us and his Great-Grandma Gruwell.

I even made him a birthday cake! (I thought it turned out pretty well for my first decorating experience.)

Shane even got his first experience putting together a toy. The Hogans got him a little car he could ride around in and it required assembly. But Jaxon absolutely loves it and hates when we take him out of it!

Overall, Jaxon's 1st birthday party was a smashing success! Thanks to everyone for their sweet presents and for making Jaxon's 1st birthday so special!

Tall and . . . Small?

2009-08-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

Jaxon just had his 12 month checkup. He is such a tough little kid! I always dread the shots because I hate to see him in pain but he only cried for a second and then the nurse gave him a lollipop and he was done. What a trooper!

They took his measurements and he is 30 inches long and weighs 20 lbs 14 oz. His weight turned out to only be in the 22 percentile! This is crazy because he has always seemed like such a big kid. He must just be getting skinnier from all that crawling around. I totally miss his baby fat! He had the cutest rolls and they are almost gone! I hate this growing up stuff!

Happy 1st Birthday, Jaxon!

2009-08-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

My little Jaxon is 1 year old today!! I can't believe a whole year has gone by already. Everybody says the day their child was born was the best day ever. I don't necessarily agree since giving birth was seriously not that great but Jaxon IS the best thing in our lives.

Over the past year, I have loved watching Jax grow and learn. He is so smart and curious and has already changed so much in just 12 short months. He has such a fun, outgoing, and loving personality. And I just love him more every day! Happy birthday, my sweet little angel!

1 Day

1 Month

2 Months

3 Months

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

7 Months

8 Months

9 Months

10 Months

11 Months

1 Year

New Addition to the Family

2009-08-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to congratulate Shane's brother and his wife on their new addition. Her name is Isla and she is the first niece on the Hogan side of the family. Welcome to the world, little one!

Face Lift

2009-08-08T18:44:00.001-07:00

I am so way behind on blogging but I just wanted to mention our summer project of fixing up our house.

My parents have been to Logan three different times to visit us and each time we have wrangled them in to working on our house. For those of you who don't know, my Dad is a general contractor and an all-around pro handyman. Basically, if it wasn't for his skills, our house would have probably fallen down by now!

The first project we did was to paint the house. This is the "before" picture of our grayish-purple house.

Unless you are up close, you can't tell how bad the paint really was. It was chipped and peeling in so many places and in certain lights, it looked purple!

Me, Shane, my Dad and Mom, and even my sis-in-law Kalei all painted for two days straight! It was a ton of work but the end result was fabulous!

Jaxon loved being outside and "helping"! He especially loved Grandpa's tools.

Our second project was fixing our roof where there had been water damage. For this one, us girls weren't as much help but my bro-in-law Todd came to help also. And it was tough work being on the roof in 90 degree weather!

These are my three favorite "boys" hard at work!

And just this past weekend, my Dad finished fixing the water damage by redoing part of the wall in our garage.

Thanks so much for all hard work, Mom and Dad! And thanks to everyone else who helped give our house a much needed "facelift"!

11 Months!

2009-07-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

My little man is almost a year old! I can't believe how quickly it went by!

11 favorite family activities to do with our little guy:

Swimming! This is by far our entire family's favorite summertime activity. We love to go to the pool all together. And Jaxon still loves to swim!

Hiking. I think Jaxon likes to go hiking. Whenever we put him in the backpack he falls asleep! No, he really does love it and it is a good workout for us too!

Traveling. Surprisingly, Jaxon is really good at traveling. We mostly go visit family (since we are on a budget) but he loves going new places and is usually really good.

Listening to Music. No matter what kind of music is on, even from the TV, Jaxon starts bouncing up and down. No wonder Baby Einstein works so well!
Crawling up and down Stairs. No, this is not one of mine and Shane's favorites but Jaxon has just recently discovered that he LOVES to climb stairs! And of course he can't do it by himself yet so it becomes a family activity (though we have to admit that he sure looks cute doing it!)

Visiting Family. We spend a lot of time in the summer visiting with our families here in Logan and up in Jackson. Jaxon loves his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins! And he especially loves to be the center of attention! (And Shane and I love the extra helping hands!)
Having Conversations. Shane and I have definitely regressed in our speech since we have had Jax. "Baby talk" is spoken in our house on a continual basis. And Jax sure is a big talker! I really think he thinks he is having a conversation with us!
Watching Baby Einstein. Once again, this is DEFINITELY not one of mine and Shane's favorite activities but Jaxon is still very enthralled with it so we end up being mesmerized right along with him.
Reading Books. I am so proud! Jaxon is really starting to like reading books and both me and Shane have a great time reading to him.
Being Outdoors. Just like Shane and I, Jaxon loves the outdoors! We are all much happier when we can be together outside. We love the summertime!

Snuggling! OK, so maybe this is Mommy's favorite activity but Jaxon is sure a good snuggler! Of course, he only likes to snuggle with us when he is overly tired but I'll take it whenever!

On the Go

2009-07-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

My little Jax is crawling! Of course his version of crawling is not exactly "normal". He gets on one knee and then pulls himself with his other foot. It is totally cute though! I absolutely love it when I go in another room and a few minutes later I see his little head poke around the corner. He is always so proud of himself! But he is not very happy if he does all that work and then I go somewhere else. However, I am sure that before long I will not be able to keep up with him!

My Boy

2009-07-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

Ever since Jaxon was 6 months, I kept thinking that he was at the cutest stage. But every month, week, day he just keeps getting cuter and more fun! He has changed so much in just the last few weeks. This past week, for the 4th of July holiday, I spent a week in Jackson with my family. And while we were there, Jaxon actually slept through the night once or twice! Of course, it hasn't quite stuck yet but I am hopeful. He has also started crawling . . . sort of. He is so strong and has the physical capability but is a little nervous. He gets on all fours but wants to stand up so he is on one knee and one foot. He kind of drags his leg but he does move! And just today, he started pulling himself up on the couch. He also loves to cruise around with me or his Daddy (or anyone who is willing) holding his hands. And he is so proud of himself while he does it! He looks around to make sure he has an audience (he gets that from his Dad!). And of course, wherever we go he most likely is the center of attention. He has such a captivating personality. He loves to smile and giggle and he has just started copying things he sees. He shakes and nods his head, points (at everything), and waves bye-bye. He has also started copying our facial expressions which are hysterical!

Jaxon is definitely the boss. He has me and his Daddy (and his grandparents) wrapped around his little fingers. He has a mind of his own and has just recently decided that he doesn't like to go to bed or take naps. But even when his is being stubborn, he is still the cutest little boy ever! Watching him sleep is my favorite thing to do. He looks even more innocent and precious than usual. He is such a sweet special little angel and I love him more than I thought possible!

Hair Day

2009-06-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

My parents were in town this weekend to help us work on our house (once again). Lacey and Todd also came to help out (thanks guys!) So, while the guys went to do the "manly" work, us girls turned my house into a salon. Since we have our hairstylist in the family (Lacey) she got stuck doing my Mom's hair, Jax's hair, my Dad's hair, and my hair!

My mom was brave and tried this cute (and totally chic!) new hair style:

Isn't she gorgeous?!

Jax also got a hair cut. He has spiky hair now and looks totally adorable (of course!)

Unfortunately, mine didn't go so well. We tried a big wave perm on my hair to add some curl (I used to be naturally curly but I think the pregnancy hormones got rid of that!) It was so much work and sadly, when we took out the rollers, there was no curl!

But we had a great time anyway! Thanks, Aunt Lacey!

10 Months

2009-06-23T13:56:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it! Jaxon is already 10 months old! Time flies when you're having fun, right? Well, in honor of being 10 months old, here are the 10 things I LOVE about my little Jaxon:

1. His eyelashes. Jaxon has the longest eyelashes (just like his Dad! They are SO wasted on men!)

2. His SMILE! He smiles all the time (especially when he wakes up). And he has the cutest front teeth right now.

3. His giggles. The thing that makes him laugh the most is when his Daddy throws him up in the air. He loves that! 4. When he cuddles with me. This has got to be my favorite thing ever! He usually will only cuddle with me when he is tired or sick but sometimes, out of nowhere, he just lays his head on my chest and snuggles with me. 5. Watching him eat. It is so cute when he feeds himself crackers and cereal. He grabs a handful and tries to shove his whole fist in his mouth!

6. The expression on his face when is figuring something out. He scrunches his eyebrows together when he is thinking really hard. (Shane has the same expression!)

7. Reading books together. He has just recently gotten really into reading books. He learned how to point and now points at anything and everything in the books.

8. Bathtime! Jaxon loves water and loves to play with his bath toys.

9. His "talking". I love when I wake up in the morning, and I can hear him on the monitor, just talking to himself. He has a high-pitched kind of scream and it is so funny to listen to!

10. Teaching him to walk. He is strong enough now to walk around with us supporting him. But what is so cute is that he looks around at us to make sure we are watching and he is so proud of himself!

Happy Birthday Kays!

2009-06-19T22:17:00.000-07:00

"Dogs nap so much because the love so hard."

My Kaysley-puppy is four years old! (I'm not sure of the exact date of her birth, but I know it is at the end of June.) She was such a cute little furball! Now she is a cute BIG furball. I feel bad for her because she has been neglected a little since Jax was born. She is no longer an only "child". She is used to being the princess and now she is no longer in charge. But we love her and she is an important member of our family.

Goodbye Grandma

2009-06-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had a funeral for my Grandma May (I like to think of it as a celebration of the wonderful life she lived). Luckily, both of my sisters were able to make it up to Jackson so we could all be together. Leisel, Lacey, and I wrote and gave my Grandma's eulogy. Her funeral was beautiful but much harder than I thought it would be.

It was also good to see some of my Dad's extended family.

Jaxon got to meet his Great-Grandpa May!

Even though it was a very hard weekend, it was great to be with my family. Jaxon had a wonderful time with his grandparents and cousins!

I'm still having a hard time missing my Grandma and "the ranch" and it was hard to say goodbye to my Grandpa, but I know my Grandma is happy and with her family. I love you, Grandma!

"God Be With You Til We Meet Again . . ."

2009-06-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

My Grandma May died today. It has been pretty devastating for me because I was very close to her. She lived in Jackson all through my growing-up years so I got to spend a lot of time on the ranch with her. She was a wonderful, sweet person and I love her tons. Fortunately, she was 90 years old and had a lived a great life. I know she is in a better place and is very happy but she will be very missed. The hardest part for me is that my little Jaxon and my other (future) children will not get to know what an extremely special person she was. But hopefully she is in heaven right now watching out for my little babies until they get here.

I love you tons, Grandma and will miss you dearly!

9 Months Old

2009-06-02T12:37:00.001-07:00

This post is extremely late in coming since Memorial Day was almost 2 weeks ago. But we had a nice little vacation. We spent the weekend up in Jackson Hole with my parents. We did some hiking, ate tons of great food, and just hung out. Of course, Grandma and Grandpa May spoiled Jaxon rotten. They bought him this cute little fire truck. He can push it all by himself!

Thanks for spoiling all of us, Grandma and Grandpa!

Also, over Memorial Day weekend, Jaxon turned 9 months old. So, in honor of that, here is a list of Jaxon's 9 favorite things:

9. Cheetos. He loves to eat the new Natural White Cheddar Cheetos. He sticks the end in his mouth and sucks on them!

8. Watching Baby Einstein. (Mommy really likes this one too because I can actually get something done while he watches it.) His favorite one is Baby Monet. He smiles and giggles when the puppets come on.

7. Tools (or anything that is not one of his toys!) I actually just figured this one out. His Grandma and Grandpa May were in Logan helping work on our house and he loved playing with Grandpa May's tools, like a wrench and the tape measure.

6. Being naked. (He is such a boy!) He has always liked it best when I take off his clothes and he whines when I put them back on.

5. Doggies! Jaxon loves to watch Kaysley and my parents' 2 collie dogs. He is so fascinated with them. And if they get close enough, he pulls their fur and whiskers!

4. Swimming. He loved swim lessons and especially likes being in the pool outdoors.

3. Blankies. He loves to get all snuggled in his blankies. His favorite blankie is actually the one that Mommy sleeps with!

2. Being outside! He loves just being outside whether we are walking, swimming, or just sitting in the backyard.

1. Mommy! This kid loves his Mommy (for now anyway!) He always wants me to hold him and cries if I leave the room without him. I'm glad that he likes me so much but he is a little clingy!

I can't belive he is already 9 months old! I love my big boy!

4 Years and Counting . . .

2009-06-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

Happy anniversary Shane! I can't believe we have already been married for 4 years! And we have known each other for 5. (We got married exactly a year after we met!)

It has been a wonderful 5 years and I can't wait to spend 50 more with my best friend!! I love you babe!

Motherhood

2009-05-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."

-Elizabeth Stone

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers in my life!

Most importantly, I want to wish my own mother a happy Mother's Day. I don't think you ever fully appreciate all the hard work that your mother has done for you until you become a mother yourself. My mom always made being a mother look so easy and since I have become a mom I can tell you that it is definitely NOT easy! It is the hardest job in the world and my mom set such a great example for me to follow. I don't know how I would have survived that last 8 1/2 months of being a mother without my mom there for me. She was such a great support and always seemed to know exactly what to do. So, thanks Mom for always being there for me and for being such an incredible grandma as well!

I also want to wish my "second Mom", my mother-in-law, a happy Mother's Day. She is also an incredible mother and I am so grateful to her for raising such an incredible son.

And to all the other mothers in my life: my Grandma May, for being such a wonderful grandma to me growing up, and my sister, for being a great example of motherhood . . .

But the thing that I am most grateful for on this Mother's Day is my own opportunity to be a mother. Being Jaxon's mom is the most precious gift in the world. I can't believe Heavenly Father trusted me enough to send me such an incredible little spirit to be a mother to. I love everything about him--the color of his eyes, how he smells after getting a bath, his hands and his fascination with them, the expression on his face when he is trying to figure something out, and most of all, his smile that lights up my whole world! He is the light of my life and the greatest blessing I could ever ask for!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2009-05-01T12:44:00.001-07:00

Thanks for being such a good Daddy to me even when I am a pill! I love you tons!

Happy Birthday Shane!

2009-04-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

Reasons why I love my husband and why he deserves to have a wonderful birthday:

Because he brings me flowers for no reason at all.

Because he never gets upset with me (even when I gave him a horrible haircut!)

Because he still calls me "Princess".

Because he is my other half.

Because he loves his little boy as much as I do.

Because he is a worthy priesthood holder.

Because he tells me he loves me at least once a day.

Because he still takes me to see chick flicks.

Because he makes me laugh.
Because he takes care of me when I am sick.

Because he is as sentimental as I am.

Because he gets up early on Saturday mornings with Jaxon so I can sleep in.

Because he works so hard to provide for us.

Because he married me in the temple for time and all eternity.

Because he held my hand through 24 hours of labor.

Because he tells me I'm beautiful every day (even when I am 9 months pregnant!)

Because he gets so excited to give me presents that he can hardly wait for me to open them.

Because he is the most handsome man in the world!

Because he makes my world a better place!

Happy birthday babe! I love you tons!

Thanks Fam!

2009-04-29T21:53:00.000-07:00

I know I am really late posting this (it seems like everything takes longer with a little one!) but I just wanted to thank my family for spending time with us last weekend. My parents and Lacey and Todd came over to visit and we had a great time seeing everybody! We love you all!
Oh, and Jax got to wear his first tie to Church! Isn't it cute?

Jax Attax!!

2009-04-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

These are just some random pictures of our little angel.

"A boy's best friend!"

What a ham!!

He still doesn't sleep well but he sure looks cute doing it!

This was his first time to the park with Grandma and Grandpa Hogan.

Isn't he a stud?

Getting to Know You . . .

2009-04-02T15:28:00.000-07:00

I have seen these “Get to Know You” posts on other people’s blogs and decided to create my own tag. So, these are 100 things you may or may not know about me:

I love playing sports!
My favorite sport is basketball. I played basketball in high school, intramurals in college, and most recently, in a city league.
My second favorite sport is football.
My favorite sports team that I have ever been on was a intramural football team with my roommates. We were called the Goof Troop and we won the championship. (Intramurals were surprisingly competitive at BYU-Idaho.)

My favorite color is pink.
Me and Shane are avid movie-goers. We used to go to the movies all the time before we had Jaxon. We have seen everything (that is not rated R of course)!
I love movie-musicals like The Phantom of the Opera and Mamma Mia.

My favorite movies of all time are the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
When I watch TV shows I get addicted to them and have to see every single episode.
My favorite TV shows are The Office, Battlestar Galactica, Bones, and So You Think You Can Dance.

My favorite guilty pleasures are The Bachelor and America's Next Top Model.
I always wished I was a good dancer. I still do when I watch SYTYCD and DWTS.
I went to early morning seminary at 6:30 AM for four years of high school. (I admit, I did fall asleep frequently.)
The best year of my life was the year that Shane and I were dating and engaged.
I used to be really shy when I was a kid and I am still terrified to get up and speak in front of people.
My favorite calling I have ever had in Church was being in the Relief Society presidency.
I am naturally hot-blooded. I don’t get cold easily and I can’t stand too-hot weather.
I am a very picky eater. I only like really bland foods. It drives Shane crazy!
Speaking of eating, I LOVE anything chocolate which really sucks right now because I am on a diet trying to lose the baby weight and I can’t eat it. It’s a tragedy!
Oddly enough, I didn’t like chocolate when I was pregnant.
My favorite dessert is Cold Stone ice cream cakes.

My favorite DIET foods are those new little 100-Calorie packs. They have all different kinds of snacks that are (obviously) only 100 calories!

My LEAST favorite foods are raisins and stuffing.
I was voted “Most Flirtatious” in my senior class. (Random, I know.)
I am deathly afraid of big spiders. Not so much other bugs or even little spiders but big, aggressive, house spiders like we have in Logan (and of course, Shane is never here when I see one. Go figure.)
I am also afraid of roller coasters. Shane finally got me to go on some small ones (Lagoon anyone?) but I am still afraid of anything bigger than those.
I am a country girl at heart.
My secret dream is to live on a ranch and be a cowgirl. (Hey, I did grow up in Wyoming!)
I love the outdoors which worked out perfect since I grew up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
I love to camp. My favorite place to camp is in Jackson. It is on private property (near Harrison Ford's house) and is near the river.

I love to go boating on Jackson Lake. I do like to waterski and wakeboard but I am not very good at it. I mostly like to just admire the scenery (it is right under the Tetons!)
I love to go fishing with my Dad and Shane. I only learned how to a few years ago but I really like it. The best part is just hiking through rivers and streams.

I love water. I especially like to swim in rivers and lakes. And I love taking swimming lessons with my little Jax!
I love to go rock climbing. My favorite place to go is in Moab.

I used to be afraid of whitewater rafting but after I went a couple times I now love it!
Coincidentally, me and Shane's first date was going whitewater rafting.
Shane and I met on a blind date.
Even though it is a little scary, I love to be outside at night time in the woods because it is so peaceful and beautiful.
I also love to look at the stars.
I have very bad vision according to my eye doctor but I quit wearing glasses/contacts because I think I can see just fine.
I worked construction for two years with my Dad.
I was born in Kalispell, Montana. I only lived there for three months and I have never been back.
Jackson Hole is my favorite place on earth. Three generations of my family grew up there. My parents and grandparents still live there. Shane and I met there. And yes, Jaxon is named after it.

My least favorite chore is ironing (though scrubbing out Jaxon’s laundry is a close second!)
The place I most want to visit in the world is Africa. (I’m jealous of you Trish!)
I have never been out of the country.
The farthest trip I have ever taken was to Hawaii.

The worst trip I have ever been on was last year when I was two months pregnant. I went to Washington D.C. on a business trip. I was still in the morning sickness phase and traveling made me so nauseated. (Plus, we ate some really bad Southern food.) But I was glad I got to see the nation's capitol.
The best trip I have ever been on was my honeymoon to Vegas!

I was in a car accident involving three buffalo when I was eight months pregnant!
My favorite thing about being pregnant was watching my baby move in my stomach. The best was when Shane could see it.

My LEAST favorite thing about being pregnant was going to the doctor's office every week!
The only thing I ever really craved while I was pregnant was ice. Everything I drank had to have crushed ice in it. My favorite is the little tiny balls of ice that are served in restaurants like Costa Vida.
The most difficult and scariest thing I have ever done was to give birth.
I didn’t have an epidural when I gave birth (see my previous posts for the whole gory story). Lots of people in Utah find this really weird but it was pretty much the norm where I grew up.

Being a mother is the hardest and most wonderful thing I have ever done. I can’t believe how much I love my little Jaxon.
I feel so protective of my little boy. I definitely have mama lion syndrome.
I think my son is the most beautiful baby in the entire world! He has gorgeous blue eyes, a huge smile, and the longest eyelashes I have ever seen on a baby!
My three nieces, Kira, Kamber, and Kendi, are close seconds in the most beautiful baby awards!

I have no idea what my natural hair color is because I have been dying it since I was 16.
I love to wear sandals which is one of the reasons that summer is my favorite time of year. I can’t stand closed-toed shoes.
I think my parents are the hardest workers I have ever known. I really admire both of them and appreciate everything they have ever done for me.
Even though I don’t say it as much as I should, I really love my two sisters. They are both wonderful people and I very much admire both of them.

I have never broken any bones except for a fracture in my arm when I was five and a broken fingertip when I was playing intramural football.
I also never had any stitches until I gave birth.
I really love school and learning.
I graduated Magna Cum Laude from college.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in Technical Writing.
I also really love math (it’s true Chase!)
I want to go to graduate school someday.
My favorite toy growing up was Barbies (I only had sisters. Go figure.) I still love to dress them up when I get together with my sisters.

I am very nostalgic which is probably the reason why I am also somewhat of a pack rat. I hold onto things for sentimental reasons.
My favorite American Idol of all time is Chris Daughtry.

I have the most wonderful husband in the world!

The best day of my life was the day I married him in the temple for time and all eternity.

Shane spoils me rotten!
I love animals.
I especially love dogs!

My favorite type of dogs are Collies but I love puppies of any kind. (Who doesn’t? I mean really, have you ever seen an ugly puppy?) And I would have 12 if we could afford them (and had more land and a bigger house.) And yes, they would all sleep on the bed with me. (Sorry, Kaysley. I do love you the most!)
My dog, Kaysley, is a complete klutz. She is only four years old and she has already broken her toe, had a tumor removed, and became epileptic.

I still have a security blanket.
My biggest pet peeve is when people say they are going to do something and then they don't.
I love to lay in the sun! Funny story – last summer (when I was eight months pregnant) I would go to the pool and lay in the sun a lot. I wore shorts most of the time but one day I decided not to wear them. I burned my upper thighs so bad that I couldn’t go to church the next because I couldn’t walk!
I am a small town girl at heart and I never want to live in a big city.
The biggest “city” I have ever lived in is Logan, Utah.
My favorite music artist is Keith Urban.

I know two future rock stars -- Cary Judd and Kalei Hogan!

I still love stuffed animals, especially teddy bears.
I love to read! Reading novels is my all-time favorite hobby.
I usually read three or four books at a time (just to keep it interesting!)
My favorite books are The Work and the Glory, Lord of the Rings, and of course, as I posted before, the Twilight series (which my sister-in-law, Kalei got me hooked on!)

Someday, I want to write a novel.
My favorite store in the world is Deseret Book. I go in there when I am having a bad day and it usually cheers me right up. Also, I spend too much money there. (Hey, I’m just keeping them from going out of business!)
I read mostly LDS fiction and fantasy novels (strange combination, I know!)
I have the best in-laws in the world! They are very different from my family but I love them all to death!

I know a lot of people don’t, but I love McDonald’s!

My favorite thing right now is nursing Jaxon in the middle of the night. I know, I know, I complain about it a lot but he is just so cute when he is half asleep! He doesn’t open his eyes but he pets me with his chubby little hands and it is just so sweet! (It’s even better when he only gets up once or twice a night!)

I love to wear rings but my wedding ring is so gorgeous that I quit wearing my other ones because they pale in comparison.

I love my little boy to death but I really hope I have a little girl someday.
I am already afraid of sending my son on a mission!

Wow! It was a lot harder than I thought to come up with 100 somewhat interesting things about myself. But I can’t wait to hear some of yours! I tag Leisel, Mark and Amberlynn, Travis and Bree, and anyone else who feels like doing it. You can write 10, 20, 50, or if you are really ambitious, 100 things like I did.

Our Little Swimmer!

2009-04-01T18:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Jaxon and I had our first "Parent-Tot" swim lesson. It was so much fun! Jaxon is such a good little swimmer. He was so good in the water and even learned how to go under the water. There were a bunch of 2 and 3 year olds who were crying and screaming and didn't like the water but Jaxon was just happy and smiley (as usual) and he loved the water! Can't wait for tomorrow to go back!

7 Girls . . . and a Guy

2009-03-31T19:12:00.001-07:00

This past week me and Jaxon went to Twin Falls, Idaho to visit with my family. We got to hang out for a couple of days with my mom, my sisters, Leisel and Lacey, and my three nieces, Kira, Kamber, and Kendi. (Poor Jaxon was a little outnumbered!) Between taking care of two babies and two little kids, we squeezed in some shopping, playing games, and eating lots of chocolates. My favorite part was going swimming at the hotel. It was Jaxon's first time in a pool and he did so good! It was also so much fun to swim with Kira and Kamber.

Jaxon sure loved his cousins! It was so funny when we would sit Kendi and Jaxon together. They had the same binky and Kendi thought Jaxon had stolen his. She would steal it out of his mouth (even when she had one in her mouth already!)

Jaxon and Kendi sure are opposites! Even though Kendi is six weeks older than Jaxon, he is definitely bigger and taller. She is such a petite, dainty little princess and he is a big, burly boy. She is also very shy and quiet. I could barely hear her when she cried. And she has a sweet, shy little smile. On the other hand, Jaxon is loud and makes sure everyone can hear him when he cries. He is also extremely outgoing and will go to anyone who pays attention to him.

It was definitely challenging because Jaxon decided it was too exciting to take naps and he woke up every hour at night. So, needless to say, he was fairly grumpy. Hence, Mommy was very grumpy as well. But it was definitely great to be with my family and spend time with my adorable nieces.

Thanks for a great time, everyone! We love you tons!

(He is such a ladies' man!)

Twilight

2009-03-24T15:13:00.000-07:00

I know that it is extremely cliche, but right now my all time favorite book is Twilight. I had read the whole series about three times before the movie came out but I started reading them again when I saw the movie in November. I just finished the series right before the movie came out on DVD. I just watched it this last weekend and I couldn't resist reading them once again. For those of you who know, you know how much I read. But even for me, this is a little bit of overkill. However, I can't resist! These books are absolutely addicting! I highly recommend reading them.

Happy Birthday Trent!

2009-03-23T17:09:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Lacey!

2009-03-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

I know I am a day late, but I just wanted to wish my lil' sis a happy birthday. She turned 24 yesterday. We love you tons, Lace!

The Story of Priscilla and Charlotte

2009-03-05T14:22:00.000-08:00

So, we FINALLY got a new car! Priscilla the VW Passat is no longer with us. Don't get me wrong--I loved that cute car but it sure has had more than its fair share of problems. I should have known better. The problems started the first day I had the car. I got pulled over for a taillight being out. And then it was in and out of the mechanics for almost 2 months fixing something or other.

Since then, the "Check Engine" light has been on constantly (any of you who have VW know what I am talking about!) We have had it towed three times in the past year, including the buffalo incident (which is a whole other story!)

Anyway, on my last trip to Jackson, Prissy finally bit the dust. The timing belt broke which resulted in rendering the entire engine useless and subsequently leaving us owing almost $5000 on a car with no engine.

So as depressing as it was, I said goodbye to Priscilla (and Volkswagens for good) and we bought a 2005 Chevy Malibu.

It is a great little car that is better than Priscilla in that it has a 6 cylinder engine (which means it accelerates really fast and is very powerful) and it has a full moon roof! And the best part is that it does not have to be taken all the way to Layton to get worked on because you don't have to be a "specialist" to work on a Chevy!

(Oh and by the way, her name is Charlotte!)

Check Up

2009-03-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

We just went in for Jaxon's six month checkup and he had to get more shots! It is the saddest thing ever! They stick 3 needles in his fat little legs and he has a delayed reaction--shock and then screaming. I hate it! Thank goodness it is six months until his next visit.

He is getting huge! He now weighs 18 lbs. 14 oz. and is 28 inches long. He has grown 2.5 inches in the last two months and is now in the 90th percentile for his height. He is going to be one big boy!

6 Months Old!!

2009-02-24T19:14:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that my baby is already 6 months old! It went by so fast and he is getting so big!

He is such a happy little boy and is so curious about everything. He likes to sit or stand up so he can see more and he loves to go to the store because it is way more exciting than our house.

He is such a little angel and we have so much fun with him! His Daddy likes to brag that he is the best looking baby in the world. I tell him that all parents think that about their kids but he still insists that ours is the best. (I have to agree!)

My Man

2009-02-23T10:21:00.000-08:00

I know I mostly post about my little man on this blog but I just wanted to let my other man know how important he is to me and to our little family.

I am the luckiest wife alive! My husband is so sweet and understanding and takes such good care of me and little Jax. He works so hard at his job and is sacrificing everything right now to get his MBA so he can be an even better provider. I am so proud of him and I love him so much! I love what a great Daddy he is and I love how he treats me like a princess everyday of our lives.

And isn't he just the most handsome man in the world?! I love you Shane!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks, Aunt Rossi for taking my Valentine's Day photo shoot! Don't I look cute?

Happy 5-Month Birthday, Baby!

2009-01-24T20:49:00.001-08:00

I can't believe that my baby is already 5 months old! He just keeps getting cuter by the day! He is so happy and smiles all the time. His smile could melt ice! He also loves to talk (and scream). He needs to make sure everyone can hear him. He is also starting to like his toys. He reaches for them and loves to hold them. He is still very fascinated with his hands and now also his feet, which he can reach. He is very outgoing and loves all of his aunts, uncles, and grandparents (anyone who pays attention to him!)

I can't believe how much I love him (even when he only sleep 2 hours at night!) He will be screaming in his crib and I will go over to him and he will just smile this adorable little grin and I can't help but smile back. He is a little stinker! He definitely has me and Shane (and his grandparents) wrapped around his pudgy little fingers!

Paging Dr. Payzant

2009-01-22T14:42:00.001-08:00

Congratulations Payzant family! I am so excited for my sister's family! Her husband, Brandon, just graduated from Physicians Assistant school and got a job in Twin Falls, Idaho. They are moving there on Monday.

We are so excited because we will live a lot closer to them now and Jaxon will get to see his cousins more often!

Twin Falls looks like a good little town. They just built a new temple there which is beautiful.

Also, it sounds like there is a lot of fun things to do like fishing and hiking and skiing (it's pretty close to Sun Valley!)

And the best part is how close it is to our families!

Distance from Jackson, Wyoming: 260.61 miles

Distance from Logan, Utah: 171.8 miles

Distance from Ogden, Utah: 184.67 miles

Can't wait to see my favorite beautiful little nieces!

I'm a Big Boy!

2009-01-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

We just recently started feeding Jaxon some rice cereal. It is so much fun! He looks so cute sitting like a big boy in his high chair. I think more cereal gets on his face than in his mouth. But it's so fun because he smiles big and he seems to really like eating! Obviously, he is going to be a very big boy! He already weighs 17 lbs!

A Very Hogan Christmas

2009-01-08T15:43:00.000-08:00

I know this is really late (and slightly anti-climactic) but I just wanted to write a little about our holiday season.

We spent Christmas day with the May family in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Me and Jaxon were able to go up there early to help get ready for Christmas. We wrapped presents for 5 days straight! And know one will believe this if they know about the May family Christmases but my parents didn't even put up the tree until 3 days before Christmas!

But our Christmas was so fun! Shane and my sister Lacey and her husband Todd came up on Wednesday. They brought their two husky dogs and Shane brought Kaysley. So, added to my parent's two collies, there were five dogs there! It was a madhouse!

And it started snowing like crazy a few days before Christmas. And it was a total whiteout blizzard on Christmas day.

It was great though. We ate ourselves sick and opened lots of great presents.

Lacey and Todd bought us a backpack to put Jaxon in while so we can all go hiking this summer. We are looking forward to it.

And my parents bought us (among many other things) a recliner! It is so nice to rock Jaxon to sleep now. Shane and I fight over it though. The rule is, whoever sits in it has to hold Jaxon. (Shane willingly concedes it to me!)

And Jaxon got so much stuff we barely fit it all in the cars on the way home! He has a bigger wardrobe that I do! (which is pretty hard to beat according to my husband!)

Thanks so much May family for a wonderful Christmas!

The next week we were able to spend the New Year's holiday with the Hogan family. That was so much fun too!

My sister-in-law left on her mission on New Year's Eve. It was sad to see her go but we were all so excited for her.

And we opened more presents from the Hogans on that day. Shane got his shotgun, I got a great photo printer, and Jaxon got the whole nativity set of Little People. It is so cute!

Jaxon wasn't very into opening presents, but he sure liked playing in the boxes!

It was a great weekend, just relaxing, watching movies, and hanging out.

Thanks so much for everything, Hogans!

Sister Shaleece Hogan

2008-12-14T22:48:00.000-08:00

I am so proud of my sister-in-law, Shaleece Hogan! She has been called to serve as a missionary in the Mesa, Arizona mission. She had her farewell talk today in Church and she did amazing! We are so excited for her! She will be a wonderful missionary! We love you Shaleece! (But we will miss you!)

I Love Christmas!

2008-12-14T22:43:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited for Christmas this year because it is Jaxon's first Christmas. He is getting so big and we are having so much fun with him! He is the center of attention at all of our holiday get-togethers (and I get to dress him up in cute little Santa outfits!)

My favorite is a onesie that says "All Mommy wants for Christmas is a silent night". Too true!

My Blessing Day

2008-12-02T20:11:00.000-08:00

I got blessed on November 23rd by Daddy. I also had both my Grandpas, Great-Grandpa Hogan, Uncle Todd, Uncle Craig, Uncle Adam, and Travis Allred in the circle. It was great! I am going to grow up to be big and smart and I am going to get baptized and go on a mission. But my Mommy made me wear a little white tux with tails and a bowtie and even a cumberbund! My Mom thought I looked cute and she was proud of me because I didn't even spit up on it.

We had everyone over after church for a lunch. It was so much fun! But then my Aunt Rossi tried to take pictures of me. I am a little camera-shy.

But I finally got to take a nap and then life was good again.

Thanks to everyone for coming and helping out. We love all of you!

Thanks, Aunt Beth!

2008-12-02T20:09:00.000-08:00

Aunt Beth and Uncle Gary bought these adorable outfit for Jax. It is so cute!! It even has bear ears on the hood.

Lil Aggie Fan

2008-12-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

Shane bought these awesome ear muff things for Jaxon so he can go to the USU Aggie games and not go deaf. They are also great at movies. And they sure make him look cute!!

Our Very Own ROCK STAR!

2008-11-09T13:59:00.001-08:00

My sister-in-law, Kalei Hogan, is SO talented! She is the best singer I know and has won tons of singing competitions. She just finished recording a song for the Church's CD for the youth called Be Thou an Example. It's amazing and we are so proud of her!

Congratulations, rock star!

Our Little Chili Pepper

2008-11-02T14:58:00.000-08:00

Though me and Shane are not very in to Halloween, we had to be this year since we now have a kid. So we dressed Jaxon up -- as a chili pepper! He was so cute but he only lasted in the outfit for about 15 minutes.

Like father, like son!

Vegas, baby!

2008-10-20T19:24:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a trip to Vegas. It was way fun and Jaxon was such an angel (especially on the long, 10 hour drive)! When we got to Vegas, we stayed with the whole Hogan family in an apartment. Shane's brother Trent and his wife Cherie just bought a house in Vegas so we were almost all together (Craig is still in Korea). It was a great to spend time with them. We went down to the Strip, went hottubbing, had a BBQ, and celebrated Shaleece's 21st birthday at the Cheesecake Factory (my favorite restaurant ever!).

We also got to visit with my sister Leisel, her husband Brandon, and my 3 adorable nieces, Kira, Kamber, and Kendi. This is the first time all of the May grandkids have been together.

(Poor Jax is a little outnumbered!)

It was so fun to get Kendi and Jaxon together. They are only 6 weeks apart. Kendi is older but Jaxon far outweighs her! She is so dainty and petite and Jaxon is a little bit of a chunk. They were so cute together!

Nap time with Mommy

2008-10-20T19:23:00.000-07:00

SMILE!!

2008-10-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

Jaxon has started smiling some but this is the first time we have been able to catch it on camera. He must have some great dreams!

Cute Little Monkey Boy

2008-10-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Day for Mommy!

2008-10-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

Jaxon slept for a full 6 hours last night! Hooray!! I was in heaven! I didn't think I would live to see the day.

Happy 6 Week Birthday, Jax!

2008-10-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

Jaxon is growing up so fast! He is such a chunk now! We think he weighs close to 10 pounds and he is only 6 weeks old! Anyway, his hair is falling out now too. He has a receding hairline and little patches all over his head. But he is getting to be more fun because he can look at us and he is starting to like some of his toys. And if Shane has anything to do with it, he will be walking by his 2 month birthday!

Labor and Delivery

2008-09-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

This is for you Tara. And for those of you who don't want to know the gory details, skip this post!
My labor started on Saturday, August 23. I was having random contractions most of the day. We went to the Hogan family reunion that evening. I tried to hurry the process along by taking lots of walks and playing volleyball. We got home at around 10:00 PM that night and the contractions became more regular. I called the hospital to find out if I should come in but the nurses told me to wait until my contractions were 3-4 minutes apart. So, we stayed up most of the night and the contractions were about 10 minutes apart. This kept up til 2:00 PM the next day. I finally decided to just go in to the hospital to get checked (even though the contractions were still 10 minutes apart). And good thing too! When I got to the hospital I was already dilated to a 7 and my water broke minutes after I got there. So much for listening to the nurses! Anyway, things went pretty well for the next couple hours. The nurse thought I was crazy because I was still smiling during my labor. I chose not to have an epidural but it was very easy until about 7:00 PM when I started to push. I pushed for 2 and 1/2 hours and it was horrible! I think Shane almost had a heart attack! Jaxon arrived at 9:18 PM. I had to have an episiotomy and I had a 3rd degree tear as well so I took quite a while to recover but Jaxon was perfect!
Anyway, I think the labor was much easier than taking care of him now!

Tagged!?!

2008-09-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to answering Cherie's "tagged" post (sorry it took so long! Everything takes a long time with a 3 week old baby!)

How long have you been together? 4 years
How long did you date? Almost exactly a year from our first date until the day we got married (excluding the month we were broken up)
How old is he? 27
How old is she? 26
Who eats more? Jaxon!! (haha)
Who said "I love you" first? Funny story. Shane said it first but I didn't say it back right away (even though I felt it too) because I had to make him pay for breaking up with me!
Who is taller? Shane, by far. He is 6'3" and I am 5'6"
Who sings better? Neither of us! But that doesn't stop Shane from singing in the shower!
Who is smarter? Equal. Though Shane is in graduate school and I did lose many brain cells to Jaxon when I was pregnant!
Who does the laundry? Me.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Kaysley! oh yeah and Shane
Who pays the bills? Shane does now (though he likes to say he married me because I was his sugar mama!)
Who cooks dinner? I'm trying to since I'm a stay-at-home mom now but Shane is definitely the better cook.
Who is more stubborn? hmmm...probably me.
Who kissed who first? Shane kissed me (and on our first date! What a stud!)
Who asked who out? We were actually sort of set up on a blind date. Shane knew my sister, Lacey so he came up to Jackson to visit and they set him up on a date with someone else. Well, she bailed out on going on a river rafting trip so I volunteered to go. And it turned out pretty well.
Who proposed? Shane.
Who has more friends? Neither. We don't have any!
Who has more siblings? Shane has 5. I have 2.
Who wears the pants in the relationship? Jaxon!

More pictures of our little man!

2008-09-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

Family Pictures

2008-09-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

Both of our babies!

2008-08-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

This was when we introduced Kaysley to Jaxon. It took her a while to even notice him at first. Now she is a little jealous because she has to share us with the "other" baby.

2008-08-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

Jaxon is only a few minutes old in this picture. He weighed 7 lb 11 oz and was 19.5 inches long.

Our little angel, Jaxon!

2008-08-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

2008-08-20T11:36:00.000-07:00

I think there is something in the the water at SDL!

My favorite nieces!

2008-08-14T08:31:00.000-07:00