She's TWO

We celebrated Claire's birthday on Saturday with a low-key (well... compared to last year) party with just immediate family.  It was so fun! I love decorating and planning (and thank you Ben for putting up with it all).

This was a very last minute creation.  We were about to throw away some huge cardboard boxes (that held some of Raquel's large pictures for her wedding), when I decided to cut a "2" out of it. Then when I got on Pinterest and saw this, I decided to try it.  Took forever to find stupid coffee filters, but we love how it turned out!

She loved opening her presents this year and knew what was going on, which was fun.  After each gift she would give hugs and kisses.  She is my sweet little girl!

Baby boy definitely joined the party as well:

She had everyone sing to her 3 or 4 times because she loved it so much.

She wouldn't eat her cake... weird, but she loved her Pace bar!

The gang:

Thank you to everyone for coming and making it a special day for her.  She is so loved and man does she love you all!

Today, as her official birthday, I took her outside to snap a few "2-year pictures."  This is how it started:

But she soon started cooperating.

I can't get over how pretty my daughter is. I mean seriously. She is so beautiful.

This is what a hippo says:

Reading back through the day she was born HERE makes me teary-eyed for sure.  But I love each new stage and watching her grow.  She just gets more and more fun.  I can't even begin to write all the things we love about her.  She is the sweetest toddler I've ever known. She is friendly and loves everyone (especially men).  She will give hugs and kisses to anyone, young or old.  She adores babies and young kids.  Some of the funny things she does:

She needs hugs and kisses before bed time, and also during random times in the day. She'll go into daddy's office, and point to all the places she wants a kiss, starting with each cheek, then moves to forehead, ears, arms, legs, and toes.  

SHE LOVES MUSIC. She loves to dance.  Any music that comes on, or any singing for that matter (like sacrament), and she will bust a move.  I've got to put some video on here of her dancing. We love it.

She's brave and will try anything, especially if it deals with water.  She's a natural swimmer and loves being in water!

She's speaking more and more, still not a ton (and we're the only ones that know what she's saying for the most part), but we love when she grasps new words and sentences. 

Her favorite movie is Tarzan. She watches it once a day. She also adores Dora and Word World.

Happy Birthday my sweet girl.  I am so proud of you and all you are learning and doing.  Thank you for choosing us as your parents and letting us have the privilege of raising you.  We adore you.  These have been the best 2 years and we can't wait for all to come with you in our family.  

We love you, Claire!

Spartan Beasts

 The Spartan Race was designed by seven insane ultra athletes and a Royal Marine.  It's a 12 mile obstacle course race designed to "test your resilience, strength, stamina, and quick decision making skills."  Ben, Brady, and Brandon did it in a relay team, each taking on about 4 miles and 5-10 obstacles each. 

 It was down at Soldier Hollow near Heber and was a whopping 95 degrees. Brandon's wife, Karley and I went down with them for moral support. It was so fun!

Here they are, clean, happy and ready to go:)

Some fellow contestants:

Brandon started, here he is on his way back:

Unfortunately, we weren't able to see more than about the first obstacle. Then we had to wait about 45 minutes for them to come back.  Here Ben is setting off on his first obstacle, which was to climb a wet, muddy rope to the top:

If at any time you didn't finish an obstacle, you had to do 30 burpees:

Karley and I are due on the EXACT SAME DAY!! October 2nd!

Ben on his way back and doing his last obstacle:

Brady is off, crawling through mud under barbed wire: (White shirt, red shorts)

Probably only 1 in 10 were making the javelin throw stick in the hay but Brady NAILED it!

Up and over the wall... easy for a tall guy like Brady.

Over the mud hills...

Rolling through the mud:

Ben and Brandon joined Brady to cross the finish line together:

After making it through the "Gladiators":

Finished!!

And I guess I better start preparing.... because they signed themselves and their wives up for next year's Spartan (June 2013)!! AHH!!  Burpee practice here I come! :)