Some of The Many Reasons why...

 While Alex and I were dating, engaged, and at our wedding we have always done The Many Reasons why I love you.. So we thought we need to do The Many Reasons why we love being parents and watching each other with our PAYSEN!! So here they are...

Mommy's some of the many reasons why she loves watching Alex be a daddy:

5. I love the smile that both Paysen and Alex get when daddy comes home!! Alex is able to get a short lunch break in between jobs and the whole time he is with his boy! I love watching them together!! They sure melt this girls heart

4. I love how much Alex helps me! He is always up if I am up, He does so much around the house, cooks dinner at times (most the time) , and takes Paysen when mommy needs to get things done etc., He also has been watching him for an hour at night so I can go to the gym. I love that he shows Paysen how much he loves his mommy at all times.

3. I am so grateful that Alex is so willing to work so hard and many hours so that I can be a stay at home mom to our little boy! This means the world to me. He provides so well for all of our needs. He has never complained once about how expensive we can be. I am so thankful for all of his hard work for us.

2. I love our morning cuddles and that Alex takes time with us in the morning and at night to cuddle, and just be 100% ours when he is home!! I love that he doesnt let work affect him or that we dont really ever hear about other things in life other than what we are striving for as a family. He is so great to let everything else be aside and he makes sure that we know we are his number one!

1. I love that he is always leading our family in a righteous way. I love that he always makes sure that we are always doing the little things in life that are of course our most important. I love how big of a heart Alex has, and for giving it all to our family and those he comes into contact with. I love the testimony that he has and is constantly sharing it with us! He is our everything and we are so blessed to have the best DADDY in our home and HUSBAND.. We love you Alex!

 My sweet boys before church

Daddy and Paysen after his bath

 Alex and Paysen 

 My tired boys after church

Cuddles with Daddy

Daddy's some of the many reason why he loves watching Julie be a mommy:

5.  To watch her wake up every morning knowing she gets to spend the day with Paysen and they get this special time together before its just me and him:) Its so important to me that she is a stay at home mom to our little ones. 

4. I love seeing her face light up everytime that she sees him, knowing how much it truly means to her to be a mommy.

3. I love our special time that we have together daily, and for the memories we have and the many to come.. I love how she gets so excited to get things for us to do and for the special things that she puts together to make each day special.

2. I love how much she truly worries for Paysen's well being and for our family to be eternally together. I love that she is the mother and nurturer of our home.

1. Last but not least I love how watching her be a mommy to our little one always pushes me to be a better father and husband and patriarch of our home. I love her more than she realizes and adore her. 

Mommy and Paysen before church

Cuddles with mommy

Paysen lately has to sleep with both of our hands on each others faces

Kisses for mommy

Mommy and Paysen

Our trip to Utah/ The Merkley's are HOME!!

So last week we decided that we wanted to go to Utah for a long weekend to go to our mission reunion and to hear our mission President and his wife speak as they just got home from the OTM.. (Oklahoma Tulsa Mission) We also invited my mother in law to come along so that we could take her to see her mom. We had a great trip down.. We left around six pm and got there about four in the morning. We stayed at Alex's Uncle and Aunt's place. We then got up and had breakfast and then Alex, Paysen, and I went on a shopping spree!! :) Alex of course spoiled us. We then had lunch as a family and then headed back to get ready and then head to American Fork for the reunion. We for some reason thought that it was in Spanish Fork so we had a little detour.. The Gps still got us to a LDS church just the wrong one.. We got the address from Sister St. Clair ( that should explain it) haha just kidding right address just wrong city.. So we then headed to American Fork:) We had so much fun seeing everyone and Paysen was so good the entire time. We had fun showing him off and showing old companions him!! We also reconnected with everyone from the district that we both served in! We had so much fun talking about all of our memories. The Merkleys took so much time with us and when Alex asked if they would like to hold him, President said " would we like to hold him!!!" He had him a lot of the time and would come to get him! It was so precious and meant so much for the two of us. Also their son David who has down syndrome absolutely adored Paysen, he was so sweet with him and kept touching him and saying sweet baby! Cute baby! He was by my side part of the time which I loved and kept thinking about Jared from my mission. I couldn't wait to meet David. the whole timePresident Merkley and I talked about him while I was on my mission and I am so glad that I finally got to meet him! The next day President Merkley said David woke up this morning and they asked how he liked last night and all he could say was cute baby. They told us we totally made his week. We couldn't of had a better time. All of my companions were there except for two and we felt like we knew pretty much everyone there too fun!! So fun to talk about the people in the mission and to talk about old memories!! We laughed sooo much.. Some of the best memories that we treasure and talk about so frequently in our home. I love that Alex and I hold such a special place in our hearts for our mission president and his dear wife!! We love them so much and are constantly talking about what they taught us. The only horrible part is we got so carried away talking to everyone that we didn't get many pictures only towards the end did I even think about it.. Same to everyone else no one was taking pictures.. But here are the ones that I did get just on my phone and I am a horrible wife because I only got me with some of my companions.. none of Alex with his... So here they are

 Age with Paysen and me.. So fun to see her!!

 April Moore.. Now Butler she also married an Elder from our mission :) We are known as the OTM couples

 Amy Stallings!!! Love this girl and we have missed each other so much!

Katherine Jorgensen and me

Also Whitney Day and Ashlee Johnson I just didnt get pictures with them:(

 President Merkley with Paysen

 My sweet family with the Merkleys! We love them and look up to them so much

We then stayed in Provo that night at Alex's Grandma's condo and we stayed with his cousin Nate and his roommate we had fun hanging out with them that night. We had the whole upstairs to ourselves and bathroom so that was nice. We then went to church at 11:00 and listened to the Merkley's. More missionaries made it to that. They gave the best talks and we were so emotional through the whole thing. It was such a tribute to us missionaries. It was truly amazing. I was so touched by the spirit and it felt like I was back at a zone conference again. It was so uplifting to feel the spirit of my mission again, and to reflect on the people who changed my life for the better and my husbands life forever. Afterward we all talked and reconnected for the next three hours or so... Hard to say good bye to everyone. We then drove by the MTC and talked about our time there and drove up to the Provo temple. We also drove by where I talked to Alex till four in the morning everyday after our first date where I stayed with Brittainy Rieske ( from my mission) too fun. We also went by the tabernacle and cant wait to do a session when it becomes a temple:) We enjoyed our day together as a family

 Missionaries walking to the temple:)

 Provo Temple

 Paysen after church

 Our sweet boy

The tabernacle

Where I stayed after I had lunch with Alex for the first time.. A lot of phone hours were spent here:) haha

Staci and Jared came to visit!!!

So last week I got a late night text from Staci saying we might be coming to Oregon to see you next week!! I could hardly sleep that night I was so excited. And the next day she confirmed that they were going to come:) So we started to plan. They got here last night and stayed the night and then spent the day with us. I was so excited for them to meet Paysen and just hang out with them. We love them so much and look up to them with everything.

Last night we just hung out, talked and laughed and reflected on old memories!! Mr. Paysen welcomed them by peeing on Staci and spitting up all over Jared he just loves them that much!! We had a lot of fun today.. We went to lunch once Alex got off and then we headed to Pendleton to the water park. It was SO Hot!! and so fun! Then sadly it started to storm and thunder and lightning so we had to get out of the water and pack up and leave a couple hours after being there. They then were headed to Hermiston where Jared's Aunt lives... We miss them but are so glad that we got to see them and spend some time with them. We had so much Fun! I am so thankful that Staci is and has been my amazing BEST friend!! We feel so blessed to have them in our lives! When we left the water park Alex said I just wish that we lived closer to them!! WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!

 Staci is at my house Woot Woot

 Love this Girl

Too Cute

 Staci and Paysen!

Jared and Staci at Pizza Hut 

Alex and I at lunch

Paysen at lunch! Such a good baby

Water Park fun!!!

Momma and Paysen! Ready to swim:)

He loved it!! 

My little water baby

Sweet daddy and Paysen

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Our family at the water park.. So glad daddy could join us this time

All of us!!

Staci and I