All Dolled Up!

Niah has been into playing 'dress-up' lately. She changes her outfit about 8-10 times a day, no joke! Her friend Addi came over to play today and Niah was so happy when Addi decided to dress-up with her. Niah told me yesterday that she is pretty just like a princess! I have so much fun watching her play pretend and she has such a huge imagination.
Niah has to have tights, the hat, the necklace, the dress, and her hair brushed when she plays dress-up. If one thing is not right then there is a huge, screaming, crying fit! Luckily, for me she can dress herself now, I would probably lose it if I had to help her every time she changed! I love watching Niah learn new things, and listening to her in her room always makes me laugh. She comes up with the cutest scenarios!

Rub A Dub Dub!

Chloe loves the tub!!! After dinner, she knows that it's almost tubby time so she stands by the bathroom door and bangs on it until I let her in. Her new favorite thing to do, before Niah gets in with her, is to lay on her stomach and soak in the warm water. I think she likes having the tub all to herself for a few minutes! I took some pictures of her in the tub the other night... what a cheesy grin Chloe has!! I think Niah must have taught her that camera smile!
Ahhh, so warm and relaxing.

Easter Day

This year, we decided that the Easter Bunny would come on Saturday so that Sunday morning wasn't spent running around getting ready for church. The girls woke up Saturday to find a jelly bean trail from their room to their baskets. Chloe didn't care about her basket or the hiding eggs, she just ate the beans as she went! Niah got a princess camera, some rain boots for mud season, a baseball glove with a velcro ball so she can learn to play catch, and some shorts for the summer. Chloe got a Tinkerbell camera, some binkis, and a new summer outfit. The girls had fun finding all of the hidden eggs. Friday night at 11:00 I realized that I didn't have a new tape for our video camera. I was really stressed about not having 'Easter morning' on tape. I layed in bed for a while and couldn't sleep because of it, so I got up and decided to go to the grocery store to buy some tapes. Bryan had already fallen asleep so I woke him and told him I was leaving. He acknowledged me so I thought he would take care of the girls if they woke up. The next morning Bryan woke me up early and said, "Do you want me to go buy some tapes before the girls wake up?" I told him I already did and he said, "When?" He didn't remember anything so I'm glad the girls didn't wake up or they would have been all alone!! (I'm not sure that story is that important but I threw it in anyway!) Chloe had a fever but she was happy and having fun with her eggs and baskets.
Instead of taking pictures of the girls in their cute Easter dresses, I took pictures of them laying on the couch sick. Yep, Niah came down with a fever Saturday afternoon and Chloe still had her fever. Needless to say, our Easter didn't turn out as planned. Bryan stayed home with the sick girls while I went to church alone. I have never been to church alone in my life- it was really weird!! We spent Easter watching movies and laying around with the girls. We all had cabin fever at the end of the day so we went on a drive. It was a pretty uneventful day for the Masons.
Bryan was a very good dad and took good care of the girls all day long. Chloe wanted him more than me yesterday, which never happens!! B is such a great daddy and husband.
In this picture Chloe was trying to tell me she needed more juice. All she would eat was juice and jelly beans!
We hope everyone had a great Easter.

Egg Hunts

We had fun this year at Easter egg hunts. Our student housing community had an egg hunt last weekend for the kids. Niah had a lot of fun with her friends. Niah was a little timid and shy at first but by the end she was really getting into it. Chloe just wanted to go outside and play, even though it was freezing cold. Here is Niah and some of her friends hunting for eggs. The second egg hunt was at Bryan's school. All of the med student families come to it and they give away awesome prizes! Chloe woke up the night before with a fever so Bryan stayed home with her and Niah and I went to the egg hunt. Some of the eggs had numbers written on them and at the end you turn the eggs in for your prize. Niah got a rake and shovel set and a tube thing that you spin and it makes noise (I'm not sure what it's called!). There were different stations that you could do activities at. Niah got a bunny painted on her cheek and a butterfly tattoo on her hand. She had a lot of fun! I felt really bad leaving Chloe at home, she would have had a great time.

First Day of Spring?!

When I looked out my window this morning this is what I saw- how depressing!! It is the first day of Spring but where is the sunshine? My girls are dying to get out and play, but when there is still snow and ice everywhere that's kind of impossible. I am hoping that this weather doesn't last long. I am ready to be warm!

Happenings at the Mason Home

Here's a little update on what has happened around here the past few days. Bryan got his Medical Exam Board scores back. HE PASSED!!! Wahoo! Bryan wasn't that happy with his score, but I think passing is all that matters. He worked hard and I am proud of him for passing that big test. Also, Chloe had her 1 year check-up today. She did not like Dr. Costello listening to her heart and feeling her belly. She kept trying to move his hands. She is healthy and growing very fast. She weighed in at 21 lbs (50th %ile) and measured 31 inches tall (95th %ile). I think she will definitely be taller than her mom! She had to have three shots. She didn't cry for very long, Niah says it's because she was there to help her be brave! I'm glad that Bryan did so well on his test and that Chloe is right on track and healthy.

This and That

I have finally downloaded all of my pictures from our Utah trip. There are so many that I am hoping to make a slideshow and post it- that will be tomorrow's project. For now, I thought I would post a few pictures of the girls that I have taken since we've been home. They have been pretty entertained with all of their toys that they forgot about. Niah and Chloe played for hours the first few days back. It was nice for me because I was able to unpack quickly. They are all adjusted now, I think, and Chloe has even started laying in her bed by herself and going to sleep all on her own. MIRACLE! It has been really nice. I can't say that she has slept through the night though, that has happened only once in almost two weeks. I'm hoping that someday very soon she will figure out the sleeping-through-the-night thing! Here is Chloe with a picture of her first pigtails. Her hair is finally long enough to make little fireworks. She looks so big with them in. She even holds still while I fix her hair. Isn't she cute?!
Chloe's new favorite thing to do is to play with the keyboard and the computer mouse. She loves to climb up on the chair and stand up. I was afraid that she would fall off and get hurt so the chair is no longer there. Chloe was a little upset at me for hiding her chair.
We are glad to be home in Vermont but miss our families very much. I know, this is a random post but I thought I would give a quick update. I hope it's not too boring!!

New Calling...

Yesterday, I was released from my primary teaching calling and have been called as the 1st counselor in the primary. I am actually very excited. I have never had such a big calling so I am a little nervous , but I am looking forward to learning how the primary works. Bethany Fager was called as President and Melissa Blake as 2nd counselor. I can't wait to work with them. We will have so much fun!

To Exercise or Not to Exercise...

So, I have been having a really hard time getting motivated to exercise. It's extremely hard for me to make myself workout, I don't know why exactly. I love the feeling after I workout, I am much happier about life when I exercise, and it's just a good habit to get into- so why is it so hard for me to do?! I have been this way my whole life. I have a t-shirt that says "'Every time I feel the urge to exercise, I lie down until it goes away!' -Mark Twain" That saying fits me and my attitude about exercise perfectly! This morning when I woke up I decided I needed something to look at every day that will give me the motivation I need. I made a sign on my computer to hang on my mirror. Here's what it looks like:

This...

or this?!
I hung this on my mirror and it actually worked- for today at least! (I tried to find a picture that wasn't too Victoria's Secretish!) We'll see what happens the next few days! Hopefully it will help me get out of the huge rut that I am in!

Two Tags in One Day!

Well, I have been reading all these hubby tags and thought I should do one about my hubby!



What is his full name? Bryan Charles Mason
How long have you been married? Five years as of Dec. 27th.
How long did you date? Before we were officially engaged, 8 months.
Who eats more sweets? I definitely do!
Who said I love you first? I'm pretty sure it was him.
How old is he? 28. (as of a few days ago!)
Who is taller? He is- 6' 0"
Who is smarter? I would have to say him for sure!
Who can sing better? That would be me.
Who pays the bills? I do.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Bryan does. We tried to switch once after Chloe was born so that I could be closer to the door but it was weird!
Who mows the lawn? We don't have a lawn to mow.
Who cooks dinner? I do.
Who does the laundry? Bryan does. It's too hard for me to pack the laundry and the girls over to the washer and dryers. I do fold though.
Who drives? He does most of the time, unless I'm picking him up from school or something.
Who is more stubborn? I think he is.
Who kissed whom first? He kissed me first- it was in the doorway of the bathroom at his mom's house!
Who asked whom out? He asked me out first. He took me home to meet his family. It was a nerve-racking first date for me!
Who proposed? He did. He pretended to lock the keys in his truck and then made me look underneath the bumpers for his 'extra key'. I didn't find a key- I found a ring!
Who has more siblings? Bryan does- by one.
Who wears the pants? Bryan does

Blast From The Past
My sister tagged me with this one today, it's a pretty good one!

What television show or movie did you want to be in when you were little? Calamity Jane- the one with Doris Day.

Which character or star? Calam, of course!

Most embarrassing moment your friends will never let die? We were at a ward program that the YW were hosting. My friend was putting salt in one of our friends drink and when she drank it we couldn't control our laughter. I bent over to try and hide my laughter so it wasn't so loud and when I bent over I farted way loud!! It was a quiet moment in the program too... maybe that is why I don't fart in front of anyone now, not even my husband!

Your proudest moment or accomplishment? Getting married in the temple and becoming a mom- that's two.

What adult did you have a crush on when you were little? I wasn't that little- but in 9th grade I had a science teacher named Mr. Barrett. He was so cute and an awesome teacher. He left in the middle of the year for some reason and I was devastated.

What habit or personality trait do you have of your mother or father that you swore you would never do? I sing little rhymes to my girls- for example- 'pumpkin pie in the sky'. Kaitie Bug will understand that one!

What did you want to change your name to when you were little? Samantha

Who was your first kiss? Erik Harper. He kissed me in our basement while watching Calamity Jane, I can still remember what part of the movie we were at when it happened!

What are 3 adjectives that someone from high school or middle school would use to describe you? Quiet, shy, nice? I have no idea, I remember myself being a loner! haha.

What hairstyle, clothes, or other accessories did you rock back in the day when it was cool? Layered black and white socks, overalls, snap on bracelets. (that was when I was pretty young)

What job did those long and annoying surveys in school say you would be good at? teaching or counselor. I'm not sure where that came from!

And what did you try and make the test result outcome be? Probably a nurse.

What made you laugh harder than you have ever laughed before? Bryan had these two crazy roommates at Snow and they did things that were so weird. One of them, Rick, once tried to fit his whole body into his pajama pants. It was so hilarious, I have never seen such a bad wedgie!!He also ate a dead fly out of the sink once. I have lots of funny memories from the Jack A. house- they called it that because the guy who owned the house was named Jack Andersen. (Niah is asking me why I'm laughing so hard right now!)

Favorite memories of hanging out with your best friends? In middle school- maybe my sophomore year of high school- my friends and I gave our crushes a color and when we saw them we would say his color- I think mine was green, sluffing school with my friend Lauren and going up the canyon, my first year at Snow my roommates and I made up a dance to a Britney Spears song and then performed it for Bryan and Cody (yes Mickelsen) at Cody's cabin- how embarrassing- I wasn't that young then! I should have done some more rebellious things, I'm kind of boring when it comes to that!

What's the most trouble you have ever got in with your parents? I got mad at them because they wouldn't let me go to the Fun Dome with my friends. I lost my temper and slammed the sink faucet down and it pretty much broke off. They weren't so happy with me.

What was your 5 year plan when you had to write it out in high school? Graduate college, get married in the temple, have kids. The usual.

And last but not least...What is your 5 year plan now? Support Bryan through the rest of med school and his residency, have one or two more kids, take a big trip with just Bryan to celebrate med school graduation, get into a house (cross my fingers!).

Now I tag Erica, Ariane, Miquelle, Annette, Kathryn, Kaitie Bug, McKell, Mom, and anyone else who wants to do this. You can do both the hubby tag and the Blast from the Past or do just one!