2011 and LOVE day

I've had a few requests for an update on the Mason's. And it's about time I suppose since the last post was in December! Funny, we just barely put our Christmas tree in our storage area upstairs...

For the most part, 2011 has been a great year for everyone. David is still making the long commute to BYU and is doing exceptionally well with all his tests and homework this semester. We are so proud of him. My Interior Design business has been winding down a bit; unfortunately because this is just not the time for building and design...let alone with the economy, but we are picking up with a new residential project here, so hopefully there will be even more continuing projects to come. And of course Peyton is growing like a little weed! Now  5 1/2 months and just over 13 lbs, she has more than doubled her weight since birth. Her hair has become extremely blonde, almost non-existent looking, and her eyes have lightened to the most gorgeous shade of blue. Her constant smiles and little giggles always light up the room and our lives. She's not quite crawling yet, but it is only a matter of time since she loves to flip from her back onto her tummy and wiggle her hind legs to inch forward just a tad. Here is the most recent picture :)

We finally completed our insurance transfer and Peyton received all her first shots as well. I insisted that David come with me, because I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle it on my own. And I was right. At the last minute, I opted to stay out in the hall while David took Peyton in the room. Those darn doors are NOT sound proof though. Luckily the staff members were quick and it really only took a matter of seconds before they were done, and little Peyti came out with her colored bandaids on her legs with her "after cry" whines and moans. I definitely cried more than Peyton that day. Sigh...today is her second set of shots, and David can't come with. Hopefully the second time will be better. For me at least.

February came and so did LOVE day. David was gone for the majority of the day, so we decided to celebrate it mostly the next day. However, in between David's class times I received a little mini cake, and we snapped this darling picture of Daddy and Peyti:

Peyton's first Valentine's Day. Notice she matches the cake:)

 Notice the Christmas tree in the background? (We had mysteriously lost the box it came in...so it didn't get put away until March). I have mixed feelings about celebrating a holiday after the actual holiday. One the one hand, you feel a little left out, especially on facebook, where everyone's status's has some sort of love quote. My favorite has always been Winnie the Pooh's : "If you live to be 100, I hope to live 100 minus one day, so I never have to live without you." It also closely resembles the feeling of knowing the finale of your favorite TV show is on tonight, but you have to wait until tomorrow morning to watch it on Hulu since you don't have cable at the moment...something I do a lot nowadays:) On the other hand, EVERYTHING related to Valentine's day goes on sale the very next day, so those ridiculously expensive bouquet of roses suddenly become affordable. And look just as gorgeous:) You also have a Valentine's Day just for you and your sweetheart...well and any other couple who does this as well.
I know a lot of people feel this holiday is silly and almost not worth being a holiday, but I have to say that Valentine's Day is probably my second favorite holiday (sorry...nothing can beat Christmas), because 2 years ago, the love of my life knelt down and proposed to me that very night. Best decision he ever made! ;) and the best decision I ever made was to say yes. Here is our proposal story for all you readers:

I was in the Interior Design program at LDSBC, which if you have never heard of it, it is very rigorous and time consuming. Although David and I spent every free moment together ever since we met, this program just became tougher and tougher, making our time together more about him helping me with projects as best as he could. It was February 7th, and David and I were walking home from the temple. David asked me if we could take a quick walk together. I had a very big project due that Monday, and was already behind, so I told him I couldn't. He insisted that it would be quick, but I had just spent an hour and a half at the temple, and knew I shouldn't delay my homework any longer. I told him we could go on a walk tomorrow or after I got this one project out of the way. I remember his disappointed face...it's so sad to think about it, even now! But I never suspected that this "walk" was going to be a life-changing event. When I got back to my little dorm room, I was so cold and wet that I decided to take a quick bubble bath. (To this day, David's little joke is that I would rather take a bubble bath than be proposed to). Little did I know that David had planned a romantic horse ride to a small bridge over a stream with roses where he planned to propose to me...so out came plan B. The next time I would be available, away from projects and school, was the obvious day. Valentine's Day. Of course I was planning on us doing something that day, so there was no risk of another "bubble bath" incident. That night on Valentine's Day, David and I went on one of our many walks. We bundled up on the snowy night and walked around in a small but romantic park. We talked about our relationship, our fun stories and memories we've had etc. At the end of the walk, we were right in front of the Salt Lake Temple. I still didn't suspect anything because 1.) It was Valentine's day and 2.) David and I have spent countless hours having fun on the temple grounds. He asked me to dance with him, and that's when he seemed nervous and started his speech. I knew right then that this was it, and he was going to propose! He got down on one knee and pulled out the box. When he showed me the ring I was so excited that I flew my hands up to my mouth...and knocked the ring out of the box. I never saw it, but David says that it flew a good distance and just BARELY missed all the snow that was around us. It was on Valentine's day that I made the best decision of my life. I said yes!
So, you can see that it was divine intervention that I took that bubble bath on February 7th instead of going on that sleigh ride to that bridge, because I would have knocked that ring right in the freezing stream water. At least, that's what I tell myself :)

Now I consider Valentine's Day a special holiday specifically dedicated to remember David and I's life together. Okay, maybe a little corny to think of it that way, but I'm a girl, and that's how we think. Either way, it is a very special day for me. I love you babe!

Life...it's gotta make you smile

Just a small blurb on some recent stuff. David is finally DONE with his first semester of BYU. Finals were brutal and consisted of one dedicated man waking up at 5 or 6 am every morning to study, and not returning home until dinner time or later. Test scores turned out fairly well though! Mostly A's and B's, so a happy satisfied husband equals a happy RELIEVED wife, and couldn't be more proud.

David was originally planning on attending the University of Utah, but since they denied him Utah residency with other complications, it was a last minute decision to attend BYU. Although the U would have been much more convenient from a transportation standpoint (we currently live in Sandy), both of us felt that BYU would offer a much more spiritual and uplifting environment. My husband would wake up early mornings (sometimes as early as 5:30 am) to drive to the bus stop and take the 45 minute bus ride to and from BYU campus almost EVERY morning. Talk about dedication! Especially when the first few weeks with a newborn kept waking us both up every 3 hours or so. Adapting to BYU student life was certainly different for David at first, especially when coming from the generals program from LDSBC. David was required to study for hours everyday and it seemed like it was no end to his Chemistry homework. He quickly learned discipline and time management to say the least, and now can finally say he has survived the first semester at BYU, a commendable achievement indeed! So proud of you honey!

On a different note, David, Peyton, and I have been visiting my aunt and uncle Heather and Mark Horstmeier and their family more and more. We have come to love and adore their family and especially their funny and rambunctious kids! Their youngest, Declan who just recently turned 3, manages to always keep us entertained. You always have to laugh at this kid's witty remarks. One Sunday night when came to visit, Season asked Declan if he wanted to kiss Peyton's cheek real soft. His reply was simply hilarious:

"Oh no, not these cheeks. They're too soft."

What a cutie! We love Dec and know there's always a good laugh in store when this little guy is around.

Peyton's Blessing Day

A little late (it's nearly Christmas now) but here is my post on Peyton's blessing. We were very blessed to have nearly all our immediate family attend (missed you Marci, Kaedon, Daxton, Alex, and both Joshs!). Okay, so I guess we were missing a lot of the Mason side, but still EVER so grateful that we could have the family members that came.

 David's parents took the daring 20 hour drive from Oklahoma to Salt Lake with a short stop at Hurricane to visit Grandma and Grandpa Mason and other family. Grandpa seems to be hanging in there!  We all pray for his health and happiness. Despite all his medical problems, I believe it has been his dedication, numerous prayers from family members, and his plain zest for life has kept him with us for so long. Although I have only known him for a short while, he has actually been a huge inspiration to me. All throughout his life (including his aging years) Grandpa has been dedicated to long distance running to keep up with his health and fitness. One of my husband's fondest memories has been running multiple 10 Ks with Grandpa. He has ran many prestigious races, but his most memorable running moment being the 2002 Winter Olympic torch runner! If there is one word to describe Grandpa, it would be diligence. His passion for exercise has remained prominent even in his elder years. As  running became more difficult, Grandpa would wake up early every morning, ride his little tricycle down to open the town's gym, and walk on the treadmill. Not only would he exercise his body, but his mind too! Grandpa hired a young lady to come every morning to teach him Spanish as he walked. He utilizes every minute of his day. As a running-lover myself, his dedication to exercise (especially at his age) has taught me that anything is possible if you set your heart to it. We LOVE you Grandpa Mason! You truly are amazing. We pray for your health and happiness.



Grandma and Grandpa Mason at our wedding. Grandpa was quite happy to be close to the bride I think :)



Sorry for veering off a bit, I just had to put Grandpa in the spotlight for a bit.

Peyton was blessed on December 5, 2010; a truly beautiful day. We had a large amount of support come and share this special day with us.

Peyton Noelle just before we left for the church...nice and asleep :)

 As sacrament meeting began, I started to feed Peyton her bottle so she would still be nice and sleepy for the blessing. But of course, she was fully awake and fidgety as soon as I took her out of the carseat. The only thing keeping her calm...was her bottle. When the time came for her to be blessed, she began to wimper as I took the bottle away and handed her to David. Of course the thought going through my mind was, "Oh no...our child is going to be one of those babies that cries all during the blessing!" But as soon as all the men held her and bouced her up and down, she didn't make one peep. In fact, she was awake for the entire blessing, which I felt was even more special that she could hear her daddy's voice and see him while she was blessed that morning. The blessing was beautifully worded by my husband. I couldn't have been a more proud mother at that moment.

Thanks to my 2 wonder women (my sister Lanelle and Mom) who took off early from sacrament meeting to go set up the food in the clubhouse, the brunch was scrumptious and stress-free! Luckily I have wonderful family who all helped with food and pictures (thanks to both moms, Dad, Lanelle, Kirsten, and Donna). Here are a few pictures:

Trick or Treat...

Halloween came...and of COURSE I had to dress Peyton up! It's a motherly right and privilege. After searching literally every costume store nearby, I came to the conclusion that no costume store understands how little a newborn really is. Every "newborn" costume would have had Peyton swimming in fabric. So I decided to make my own. Now, if you knew me growing up, I am WELL versed in creative costume-making. In past years I have created clever costumes such as a Ty beanie baby, a tissuebox, and even a goose which consisted of stuffed white tights for the neck and head. Although embarrassing, here's a quick reminiscence of my goose costume:


Safe to say I was comfortable in making a cheap but creative costume for Peyton. And so I came up with this:

Peyton: Our little Chicken :)

The results didn't come out too shabby! Sooo darling as a little chicken. Like mother like daughter eh? I simply bought a white feather boa and hot-glued it on a long-sleeve white onsie of hers. I then hot glued red felt on top of a white baby cap along with google eyes and a beak. I finished it off with a pair of yellow pants and socks...and VOILA! Instant cuteness! Well...that could have something to do with Peyton :)

As for the adults of the house...my creativity ran out with the chicken costume. We were dressed as responsible adults. Who wouldn't want to pretend to be that? ;) But I must say Halloween was really neither trick OR treat this year. We officially had 2 trick-or-treaters come to our house: two dead cheerleaders. Well...I suppose you could count them as 4 since they came both on Saturday and Sunday. I suppose I didn't really expect our 60+ year old neighbors to be too enthusiastic about the holiday. Needless to say David and I were left with a bowl full of candy all to ourselves. We reluctantly ate it all except the tootsie rolls, which I made into a fairly scrumptious fudge. That's right, tootsie roll fudge! It's a great way to use up all those extra tootsie rolls. Here's the recipe:

TOOTSIE ROLL FUDGE
...............................................................

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cups Tootsie Roll Midgees
2 tablespoons peanut butter
3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar (I only had about 3 cups and it worked fine)
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
...............................................................

1. Line a 9 in. square pan with foil. Grease the foil with1 teaspoon butter; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, melt the Tootsie Rolls, peanut butter, and remaining butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla (mixture will be very thick). Fold in pecans.

2. Spread into prepared pan. Using a sharp knife, score the surface into 1 in. squares. Let cool. Using foil, remove fudge from pan; cut into squares. Store in airtight container.

**makes about 2 lbs

Peyton Noelle Mason

Peyton Noelle Mason



 As most of you know, David and I have just recently welcomed our first daughter into our family! Peyton Noelle Mason was born on September 28, 2010 at 4:21 pm weighing in at 6 lbs. 4 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. She was originally due October 15th, so it was a huge surprise when I went into labor 2 weeks early!

I officially went into labor we think around 7 am. When David and I started to drive to the hospital, we were so lucky to hit the morning traffic jam on highway I-15...and my contractions were 6 minutes apart! David and I laughed when we saw an ambulance a few cars ahead. Atleast that would have been a better alternative than giving birth in the car! Can you imagine? Luckily we made in time and the only complication was a minor epidural malfunction (the anesthesiologist punctured a blood vessel on the first attempt, and had to try a second time). Epidurals are HEAVEN SENT! I don't know why anyone would suffer through natural childbirth by choice...

Peyton Noelle Mason ~ September 28, 2010 4:21 pm 6 lbs 4 oz

And so Peyton Noelle was born! Possibly the most beautiful baby ever, David and I couldn't be happier parents. It is absolutely amazing how something so small and so precious can suddenly become your entire world. The love of a mother and father cannot be described until that tiny infant is put into your arms for the first time...and the love only continues to grow with every moment. Peyton is the most precious daughter, and is everything in our eyes. I am such a proud mommy! Here's a look at a few more pictures:

First family photo



Nana and Peyton





First bath! She LOVES her baths...just like mommy:)

d

Army Girl! I'm not sure if she likes it...



"Milk-a-holic"





Little Red Riding Hood!



Our Sweetie "P" :)



Another Project Started...

So I decided to try the blog thing. Probably a little late considering EVERY woman seems to be blogging these days...but better late than never! I just figured our awesome life needed to be recorded on the web so that everyone I know could see what we've been up to! Perhaps I'm just not naturally built to blog, because trying to self-learn how to customize this blog has taken me about 2 hours now, and I have successfully created...a standard template. So much for creativity! Hopefully I will be able to figure out how to make this page look fabulous for all our blog followers, but this will have to do for now. I will leave this post as a simple introduction to the Mason's first of many posts...hopefully.