Happy Birthday Princess Hazey!

Aaaaahhhhhh!!!!!  My baby is f...f...ffff...five today (I feel like crying with joy and sadness).......so bitter sweet!  There have been a lot of ups and downs in the last 5 years of my life, but the one part of my life that has remained, happy, full of love, and is constant, is my sweet, beautiful, angel and princess, Hazel Patricia Robbins!!!

Five years ago today I was in Indianapolis, IN, in the best hospital ever (5 stars), peering down at my beautiful baby.  It was at that moment that I finally began to understand just how much Heavenly Father and Jesus love us.  I personally cannot imagine more love than I felt the day I looked at my sweet Hazel, but I know Heavenly Father and Jesus have it.

Hazel, you are such a sweet girl.  You are very smart and doing so well in school.  You already have an extreme amount of common sense (remember the time you were wearing pink, white and red?  I told you pink and red do not go together and you said "Mommy, what does red and white make?" ....hahaha).  You do the best impersonations. I love it when you sing, dance, act, and especially when you run so fast.  You are so funny too and inherited Aunt Sheryl and my potty humor.  You are a beautiful girl, and when you smile, my heart melts with happiness.  There is not a day that goes by that I do not thank our Heavenly Father for blessing me with you!  You make my life whole!  I love you to Heaven and back, and back again, and back again, and more!  Fishies, Eskimos, Butterflies, kisses! 

Daddy loves you so much too!!!  You have a wonderful and very big family now and we all love you so much!!!

Love,

Mommy

Fall Meets Winter Beauty

This Sunday, Hazel and I decided to take a drive, as the semi-warm days are coming to an end, and enjoy the beautiful transition of Fall to Winter.  We drove up Butterfied Canyon and then found a spot to pull over, take some pics, and enjoy the natural beauty in life.  We made it a picnic on the trunk with our Mac and Cheese. 

I love moments like these where I can rest with my beautiful daughter, set life's worries aside, and just be.

I have also been reading a lot of conference talks lately, and to coincide with this post, let me promote one that always lifts me up when I am feeling down.  It is called "Finding Joy in Life" by Richard G. Scott.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1996/04/finding-joy-in-life?lang=eng

  

Why are all of these sideways.......?

Sushi addition.....

Guess what?!!!  Happy Sumo has a sushi roll (Lollipop) that is wrapped in cucumber instead of rice!  Hazel may not like rice, but she LOVES cucumbers..........I am sure she would love this roll......maybe we will try again............................ ;-)

Sushi and Back Country Soul

For some time now, Hazel has been wanting so much to try, as she calls it, shushi.  This past weekend I decided I was going to take her.  Here is our story........

 First, I have a new found love for Hamachi, so this was taste test #1.  We prepared it by using our chop sticks to put the fish down on our plates, we then sprinkled it with sea salt and put a very thin lemon slice on top.  At first taste, it seemed as though Hazel really liked it.  I even asked her and she said yes, she liked it.....then she proceeded to spit some of it out.....hmmmm.....

 This slightly tempured sushi roll has yellow tail, salmon, fish eggs, cucumber.

 This is the non-fish lovers sushi roll.  It is a slightly tempured veggie roll with sweet potato, avocado, cucumber.....

 Tasting........

 Tasting........

 Tasting.......

 Hmmmmm......I think that says it.   She did like the fish and the fillings, but Haze is not a lover of rice, which poses a problem when endulging in sushi.

 At the end of the meal two important things were settled.....one, we had a really fun time; two, that was an expensive experiment.........maybe when she's 18 we will try again.

 Let me end this post with this handsome man.  My brother, his wife Wendy and I all really enjoy Nathaniel Rateliff's music.  He has a back country (not country music), rock and folk kind of feel; very calm and soothing.  We first saw him this year when he opened for Mumford and Son's and fell in love.  I saw that he was coming again to open for Michael Kiwanuka*, so, my sisters, their husbands and I bought CJ and Wendy tickets to the show for my brother's birthday.....and of course I bought myself one too. 

Definitely worth it!  He was acoustic and sounded amazing.  Best of all, we were able to shake hands with this maker of fabulous music.  Then....

I flipped the picture (to hopefully get a better angle of myself, I am not photogenic), cut my brother out, and......aren't we cute together, Nathaniel and I?.......(still a bad picture of me, but I will settle).

Hazel's 2012 milestones

Ahhh.....finally, I can start on 2012.  This has been a big year for Hazel. 

1.  Hazel became a CTR

2.  Hazel started swimming lessons.

3.  Hazel had a great second half of the year at Jazzle Dazzle and her team took 1st place overall at one of their competitions.  She has now started dace at Vision Dance Studio in Riverton, and her dance teacher is.......Miss Sheryl Odell!!!! =)

Hazel and Mommy St. Patrick's Day fun 2012!

Easter 2012

Went the the Utah vs Oregon St Beavers basketball game with Uncle John (other picture at the end of this post).....Beaver's won......

4.  Learning how to use the computer at the library

5.  Went Ice Skating for the first time!!!  Hazey can't wait to go again!!!

6.  Went to Disneyland with Daddy, Anne and the family.

7.  Went to Family Vegas with Mommy and her friend Jason.  We stayed with Jason's sister and her family and there Hazel made a good friend, Ava.

Hazel and Ava

One of Mommy's favorite Vegas have-to's.....Scallops at Sushi Roku in Ceasar's Palace.

8.  Hoover Damn.....Hazel and my first trip there.

Girly mohawk time!!

I just had to post this....Hazel loves to make me laugh!

Precious moments

9.  Apparently I became a Grammy......FYI....she says she married Isaac Klug....looks like Randi and Marcus bacame Grandparent's too......

My project....these tables have not matched my other furniture for years, they were a lighter oak color, so I decided to paint them and sand the edges a little for an antique look.....they turned out great!!!!  I am pretty impressed with myself.....

More precious moments with Great Grammy Patricia Bliss and Great Grampy Bliss.

11.  Last and one of the most exciting.....Hazel started pre-school!!  We are having so much fun with this.  Hazel is learning so much and we get to work on homework together. 

This year has been a very fun year with sweet Hazel!!  I cherish every memory with her!!!!  My Hazel time is my Hazel time and the joy cannot be replaced!!!

This year has also been a very growing year for me.  I have had some interesting life experiences the past 2 1/2 years and have had to have some very humbling moments this year.  I just want to end this post, and looking to the future, share how grateful I am for the Atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and for His Resurrection.  I know that through Him we can all be forgiven and become the best that we can be.  It is a hard and long journey, but it is worth it.  I know by allowing His Gospel to lead and guide me, I will find true happiness and be the best mom I can be for Hazel.  I had that growing up and she deserves it too!