Mason Daniel Calley

Memorial Day Weekend 2011

2011-06-03T15:30:00.002-04:00

This year we went to Denver for Memorial Day weekend to visit family and run the Bolder Boulder. The best part was getting to meet the newest edition to the family, baby Ellie! She is so so cute!

We celebrated Dan's birthday...Happy Birthday Daddy!

Here we are with cute baby Ellie...

Such a cute family!

Mason was pooped...

I decided to run this year! I don't think I would have made it I didn't have Benja running it with me! Here we are at the starting line...

This is after...couldn't have been that bad if we are smiling, right?

Here's everyone that ran this year...

Party at Jon and Benja's house...

School Pictures

2011-04-12T16:46:00.000-04:00

I am so behind on my blog entries, so I will do my best to catch up....

Here are the pictures that were taken at Mason's daycare as well as some that we had taken....

Happy 3rd Birthday Mason!

2011-03-12T23:00:00.002-05:00

Our little guy Mason turned 3 this week! People always tell me how fast it goes by, and I think I am finally starting to see that.

So, for Mason's birthday, we started with a stack of waffles and pancakes with candles on top. Then we took Mason to his new favorite place, Monkey Island, which is a warehouse full of bounce houses.

And on Saturday, the 12th, we had a birthday party for him. Pizza and cake at our house followed by, yep, Monkey Island!

It is such a joy for us to watch Mason grow and learn. We love him so much and are reminded everyday, especially on his birthday, how blessed we are to have him in our lives. Happy Birthday Mason!

Dan and Mason at Monkey Island on his birthday

Thomas the Train cake!

Aaron and Porter (our wonderful next door neighbors)

Jon and Ali

The monkey at Monkey Island!

Tahitian Noni Caribbean Cruise

2011-02-28T22:00:00.006-05:00

Ok, so I just have to say that Dan works for an awesome company! They bought an entire cruise boat for one of their international conventions and thankfully invited some of their employees to attend!

We had an absolutely fabulous time! Our ports were Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Labadee, Haiti, and Nassau, Bahamas. All beautiful locations! The boat was loaded with things to do! There was a flow rider (water wave you can boogie board or surf), a rock wall, and an ice skating rink. When Dan wasn't at meetings he was constantly on the flow rider or climbing the rock wall. In the evenings we would all have dinner together and then go a show or two... I saw my first ice skating show! And then there was the karaoke! Dan works with some of the funniest people, so you can only imagine how funny some of the karaoke performances were! And yes, Dan and I actually got up on stage and sang the song "Like a Virgin" by Madonna! I don't know what we were thinking. And then, to end the evenings, Dan and I would go to the dance club and dance till we couldn't dance anymore. We were exhausted, but loved every minute!

Here are some of the pictures....

This is the Flow Rider...Dan is really good at it...me, not so much.

Dan climbing the rock wall...

This is a waterfall in Jamaica that we climbed up...

One of our formal evenings for dinner...

Our friends, Todd and Jenni Bagley

Here are more of our friends, Shane and Alfa Greer

Here's Dan and I in Labadee, Haiti

This is the view of the boat from the beach on Labadee, Haiti

We got a private tour of the bridge while they were leaving Labadee, so we got to watch how they operate the boat. There are lots of computer screens.

Here's a picture of Me and Alfa in the bridge.

Here's Dan and I at the dance club...

Dan and Todd...

This is Ryan and Meg...we were fortunate to meet them on the cruise and just fell in love with them!

On the evening of our return, we treated my Mom and Reid to some In and Out burger. You have to be able to say that you have at least had In and Out burger once!

Here's my Mom and Reid...

We had a very memorable trip and are so grateful that Dan works for such a wonderful company! We are also grateful for my Mom being able to stay with Mason while we were gone. Mason always loves spending time with his grand parents! We both have such wonderful parents that are there for us when we need them...we are truly blessed.

Karaoke

2011-02-28T22:00:00.005-05:00

Ok, so here's the video of Dan and I singing Karaoke on the cruise! It's hilarious! You have to be able to laugh at yourself, right.

Rosie the tarantula

2011-02-21T22:00:00.000-05:00

I found the video Dan took of Mason holding Rosie the tarantula at the Butterfly Pavilion in Denver. He is so brave!

Mason playing the harmonica

2011-02-20T22:00:00.000-05:00

Dan caught Mason on camera playing the harmonica this past Christmas Eve. It is so stinking cute!

Merry Christmas

2011-01-05T22:00:00.003-05:00

Wow, I am way behind...here's our Christmas post!

Every year it is tradition to go to Denver for Christmas, and we always have such a great time!

I think this is the first year that Mason somewhat understood the whole getting presents for Christmas thing. Although, even if he didn't, he still loved opening all of his presents! His favorite presents were his Buzz Light Year and his pillow pet. Of course, then he loved Toy Story, but now it's all about Thomas the Train.

For Christmas Eve, we always have dinner at Aunt Jo's and Uncle C's, which we just love! Well, this year Uncle Kurt taught everyone how to play a harmonica...awesome idea! So, Mason got ahold of Dan's harmonica and just went to town with it! I wish I had had a video camera. It was adorable!

Just like last year, we went to the Butterfly Pavilion...we thought Mason might enjoy it more than he did last year seeing that he is a little older. So, one of the cool things to do at the Pavilion is to hold Rosie, which is a big hairy tarantula! I never would have thought, but Mason actually held this spider in his hands! I got some pictures, but Dan got it on video; so if I remember, I'll have to post it.

As always, we have such a great time in Denver and we love seeing everyone! It is one of our favorite times of the year and we can't wait till next year!

I took a lot of pictures, so I'll do my best to keep it to a minimum...

Mason playing Dan's harmonica...

Aunt Betti, looking fabulous as always!

Mason with Woody, from Toy Story...

Dan got me a "pretty in pink" scarf and hat...

We couldn't leave Sadie out of the pictures!

Here's Mason holding Rosie, the big hairy tarantula!

Happy New Year!!

Here is the newest addition to Kurt and Betti's family...

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Family Home Evening

2010-12-07T19:09:00.004-05:00

In the LDS church, every Monday evening is called "Family Home Evening". It's a time for the family to share a spiritual thought, say family prayer and have a family activity. So, in the spirit of Christmas, we decorated a gingerbread house! It was messy and a lot of fun, and Mason enjoyed picking out where the colors went.

I have no idea how they get the gingerbread house on the box to look so perfect, but with what we had we did the best we could.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-30T18:49:00.000-05:00

This year for Thanksgiving we went to Atlanta to visit Grandma Yarbrough. And as a bonus, my uncle, aunt, and cousins drove down from Michigan! It was a treat to see them!

We visited Westminster, the place where Mommy used to work. They had lots of toys for me to play with and I even got to take some home with me...I like Westminster! We also went to the Georgia Aquarium. I loved all of the sharks, whales, penguins, and big fish!

The week was filled with lots of turkey, Grandma's famous red velvet cake, and lots of homemade party mix. I think we we're stuffed more than the turkey was on Thanksgiving!

Here are some pictures from the trip...

This was Mommy's rocking chair when she was a little girl.

Here's Blue with the weird pig.

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween

2010-11-01T10:53:00.001-04:00

This year I was Spider Mase (a.k.a. Spider Man)! I had so much fun going trick or treating! It was cold and rainy, but I went anyway. There was no way I was going to miss out on getting free candy! I can't wait until next year!

Mexican Cruise

2010-10-19T11:18:00.000-04:00

My Mom and I went on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera. We stopped at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerta Vallarta. We bonded and did lots of shopping!

Bahamas

2010-09-20T19:52:00.001-04:00

Dan and I got to go to the Bahamas thanks to his company, Tahitian Noni! Every year, Noni holds a vision retreat somewhere around the world and this year it was the Bahamas. We stayed at the Atlantis resort just outside of Nassau. We spent all of days relaxing by the pool and playing on all of the water slides, tube rides, lazy river, and rapids. Then at night we would meet up with everyone and play a round of Phase 10. We had a marvelous time and got lots of photos!

This is Atlantis!

This is one of their slides that goes straight down and through a shark aquarium.

Here's Dan and I looking "fabulous" in our swim suits.

This was one of the views from out hotel room. You could see all of the cruise ships coming and going...it was pretty cool.

This is another view from our hotel room.

I brought my tripod and got this photo of Atlantis at night...isn't is beautiful!

Here's some of the entertainment at one of the events.

This is me and Alfa, the wife of Dan's co-worker, Shane. She's a sweetheart!

Here's Shane and Alfa.

Here's Dan with his top IPC's (Independent Product Consultants), Art and Valencia.

This is an IPC group that Dan works with called "MAD Team". They are all really great people! I admire what they do; it is not an easy job.

So that was our trip to the Bahamas!

California

2010-08-18T23:38:00.001-04:00

For my birthday, Dan planned a trip to California to see some of the natural wonders of the west. First, we drove to Lake Tahoe for the night, and spent the next day at the beach and later caught a movie. Then the next day we headed into Yosemite national park. While in Yosemite, we rented bikes and rode throughout the valley, which was very peaceful and tons of fun. We also managed to squeeze in a hike. It was all spectacular! The next day we drove up the windy road to Sequoia national park to see some abnormally huge trees. I absolutely love trees, so I was in heaven! The trip then ended in Bakersfield, Ca. at the wall where Dan broke his leg as a three year old. He's lucky to be alive!

All in all, we had a lot of bonding time, sightseeing time, and relaxation time. It was a great! Thanks Dan!

This is Lake Tahoe

This is the view of Yosemite as you drive down into the park.

This was in Yosemite on our hike.

Here we are standing above the valley of Yosemite. You can see everything up there.

This is the famous tree that you can drive under in Sequoia.

Here we are standing in front of General Sherman (I think it's the largest tree in the world...I could be wrong.)

Gateway

2010-07-30T21:28:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while during the summer, mom and dad like to go up to this place called the Gateway in Salt Lake. There is a water fountain that is loads of fun to run through. And after we're done playing in the water, we have dinner at Jason's Deli. I love going to Jason's deli for the yummy ice cream I get to have after dinner.

Mommy's 30th Birthday

2010-07-17T21:03:00.000-04:00

Mommy turned 3o! I thought she wasn't going to take it well, but she did ok. It helped that daddy gave her a day a the spa. She seemed very grateful. Grandma came into town to help celebrate as well...I love to see my Grandma! We also had a party for mommy with all of our friends. It was a fun-filled day!

Calley Family Reunion

2010-07-08T20:41:00.001-04:00

This year for the Calley Family Reunion we went to Bear Lake. I got to play with all of my cousins and ride on a horse for the first time! Mom was scared to see me on a horse, but nothing happened. Mom rode on a horse too! She was nervous the whole time, but made it through without incident. It was Fourth of July weekend, so we got to see fireworks. Everyone was setting them off in the driveway and it gave me nightmares...I only like them when they are way off in the distance.

I had so much fun that I can't wait until next year's family reunion! Thank you everybody for such a great family reunion!

Me and Brayton

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2010-05-31T15:06:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Daddy's 35th birthday! Since it was over Memorial Day weekend, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house in Denver. Mommy and Daddy went to a Rockies game and then we had the family over for some pizza and Coldstone ice cream cake. It was yummy.

On Memorial day it is tradition that Daddy runs in a 10K race called the Bolder Boulder. Daddy is such a good runner! Grandpa ran in the race as well, so we went to cheer them on.

I also learned how to jump on a trampoline; my cousin Brayton taught me how. I couldn't get enough of it! It made Mommy and Grandma nervous that I might jump right off, but I managed without any accidents.

We had a great time! I always love to see Grandma and Grandpa, all of my cousins, and my family.

Look at all those candles!!

Wow, that's a lot of smoke!

Aunt Amanda

Uncle Josh

Me and Daddy at the Bolder Boulder

1st Hike of the season

2010-05-19T13:38:00.005-04:00

Well, it's finally hiking season again. So, we went on our first hike this past weekend. Mason's favorite part of the hike was when we got to the creek. He and Dan threw pine cones in the water and watched them float down stream. It was nice to get out into nature.

New Haircut

2010-04-21T11:51:00.002-04:00

Mom got tired of trying to comb the knots out of my hair every morning and I definitely didn't like it either. So, I got a new haircut...

Photo Shoot

2010-04-07T14:41:00.005-04:00

Mom and Dad took me to a studio to have pictures taken. The lady taking the pictures was really funny; she made me laugh a lot.

Anyway, I think they turned out great...

Happy 2nd Birthday to me!

2010-03-10T21:30:00.000-05:00

I'm two! That's right...two! We celebrated my 2nd birthday at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Denver. It was really cool to have everyone there! We had yummy pizza and cake, and then I got to open all my presents.

Here's some photos from the party...

I kept blowing and blowing and nothing was happening, until we noticed my hair blowing up!

Mommy and Daddy got me a tricycle!

Happy Birthday to me!

A Day at the Park

2010-03-02T16:42:00.003-05:00

The temperature actually got into the 50's yesterday, so Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Sadie and I went to the park. When we first got there, I had a bad spill as I was running down the hill and twisted my ankle a little bit. I had some trouble walking on it, but I was determined to play with Sadie and go down the slide. All went well though and we had lots of fun!

Your Baby Can Read

2010-02-21T21:30:00.000-05:00

So, we've been doing this program called "Your Baby Can Read" with Mason. Basically, you continually show the flash cards and eventually they begin to read them on their own.

Here's some video footage of him reading the cards...

Grocery Shopping

2010-02-19T18:20:00.001-05:00

I got to push the grocery cart for the first time at the store!

Check it out...

Merry Christmas

2010-01-01T15:58:00.003-05:00

We went to Denver for Christmas and New Years this year. It was great spending so much time with my Grandparents and my cousins. I got to play in the snow for the first time! We also went to the Discovery Museum and the Butterfly Pavilion! It was all tons of fun!

Here I am playing in the snow...

I got to wear Santa's hat...I hope he didn't mind.

We celebrated my cousin, Brodrick's, birthday...

where I tasted my first root beer...

and dipped my fingers into Brodrick's cake.

Here I am with one of the many presents I got on Christmas morning.

I dressed up like a fireman at the Discovery Museum...

and climbed through logs.

At the Butterfly Pavilion, I saw spiders (ewwww!)...

and starfish.

For New Years we went downtown to watch some fireworks. They were scary!

Here's a building that we saw...look at all those lights! Pretty...

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-28T19:35:00.001-05:00

My second Thanksgiving!

My Aunt Amanda and Uncle Josh came out from Denver to visit and partake of the delicious feast. I'm so glad they came!

We had a wonderful dinner, with turkey, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, and monkey bread. We stuffed ourselves silly!

It's tradition to dress the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving, so I got to help Mommy with that. Boy is it tall!

I gave Uncle Josh lots of big hugs!

There's nothing like chilling with Dad

Here I am playing with Mommy...

These are our little pilgrims...

Bring on the food!

Hope everyone had a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T16:35:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween!

This year Mommy dressed me as a monkey. I was going to be an elephant, but the costume was too small. Honestly, I'd rather be something like spiderman or superman...maybe next year.

Here's what the elephant costume looked like. I'm a little too tall for this one...oh well.

And here's the monkey costume. Fits a lot better. :)

Happy trick or treating!

Mom and Dad's Caribbean Cruise

2009-09-30T15:29:00.003-04:00

Mommy and Daddy went on a Caribbean cruise with their friends, the Loops and the Philabaums. I got to stay home with Grandma Calley and Aunt Jolynne! It was so much fun! And I'm sure Mommy and Daddy had fun too, even though they missed me terribly. Here are some pictures from their trip...

Wow, what a big boat!

These are pictures from one of the formal evenings...

They had bath tubs in the middle of a restaurant in Cozumel! Nice view!

These photos were taken in Cozumel...

This was taken in Costa Maya at the Mayan Ruins.

This was at Atlantis in the Bahamas...

These were photos taken by professionals on the boat.

This one was fun!

What a beautiful sunset!

18 Months Old

2009-09-10T16:49:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures that Mommy took of me for my 18 month milestone....

Labor Day in Colorado

2009-09-08T16:24:00.001-04:00

Colorado here we come!

I just love going to see all my family in Denver. We always do fun stuff!

Check it out...

I love sitting on Daddy's shoulders...

Family portrait...smile!

My Grandparents love me!

Me and my Uncle Josh going for a walk...

I love playing frisbee with Sadie!

We celebrated Grandma's Birthday!

Don't I look cool!

I'm a fish!

I'm drinking from a big boy bottle!

We had so much fun in Colorado as always! Can't wait to go back!

Mommy goes to Maryland

2009-09-01T16:04:00.001-04:00

Mommy went on a trip without me and left me with Daddy...Oh No! Ha, ha!

No, Daddy and I had so much fun together, but we really missed Mommy. She went to see our Maryland friends: the Loops and the James'. It was a nice break for Mommy to sleep in and hang out with her friends. Plus she got to go to Merrin's baby shower!

Check out the pictures....

Mommy with Merrin and Megan at the baby shower.

This is funny because they are Republican! Ha!

Mommy and Megan.

This was Mommy's favorite lake to walk around when we lived in Maryland. It's called Wilde Lake. It is so beautiful!

John and Megan

Mommy's Painting

2009-08-05T15:59:00.000-04:00

Mommy finished a painting of Blue for my Uncle Pat.

I just love it!

Calley Family Reunion

2009-07-29T18:20:00.009-04:00

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."

Anthony Brandt

And as the quote on Virginia's wall in her dining room says, "We may not have it together, but together we have it all."

Every year, at a new location, the Calley Family comes together for a week long reunion. During this week are fun activities, lots of food and hopefully lots of laughs. This year, I had the privilege of planning the reunion here in Utah, which was a first for me and wasn't an easy feat by any means. But I did my best and pulled together a week of well-rounded activities including LDS Church activities (such as hearing the Tabernacle Choir and president Monson, and a tour of the Oquirrh Temple), a hike up to the Timpanogos Cave, a trip to the Lagoon amusement park, a 5k/10k race, and of course the traditional softball game and a round of golf. Whew...we did a lot! Here's a glimpse of all the fun we had...

View from the top of the Timpanogos Cave trail...

We made it!!

All of the Calley men were asked to grow their best facial hair for the reunion for a good laugh; here's the results....

Ahhh, scary!

The heart of the Timpanogos Cave

After the Timpanogos Cave hike, some opted to go on a hike to Stewart Falls (my favorite) as well. And once we got to the falls, some needed a little cooling off...under the waterfall.

The Stewart Falls hike group...

Here's Uncle Carlos and Al enjoying our front porch...

The Calley Family group photo

Here's our little family photo... and as you can see, Mason wanted to play instead of take photos.

Grandpa and Brayton playing light savers...

The final day of the reunion was Pioneer Day, which is a holiday in Utah commemorating the Mormon pioneers that founded Salt Lake Valley. Part of the festivities included a 5k/10k Pioneer Day run.

Here's a shot of Dan, Jon and Dave...

Uh, I finished!!! My time was 1:03:39, which beat my last time by almost 3 minutes!

Here's a group photo of all the runners...

Dan won 3rd place in his age group! Dan's time was 43:13:20, which beat his last time by like a minute and half!

Mason loved wearing Dan's medal.

Dave won 1st place in his age group!

Jerry also won 3rd place in his age group! Here's a group shot of the medal winners...

Well, that concludes the annual Calley Family reunion. We're so glad to have had everyone out and hope that you had as much fun as we did! We love you and can't till next year!

Happy Birthday Mommy!

2009-07-16T22:00:00.000-04:00

Today, we celebrated Mom's 29th birthday. We did lots of fun stuff; but most importantly, Daddy took the day off to hang out with us! We went to our Mommy and Me class at The Little Gym and then they took me to get my first haircut at a place called Cookie Cutters. I have to say that I actually had fun...I got to sit in an airplane and watch Elmo while someone blew bubbles at me. I hardly even noticed that someone was cutting my hair. Then later that afternoon, we went up to the Gateway (an outdoor mall) in Salt Lake. Mommy and Daddy indulged in some yummy sushi (that's Mommy's favorite food), and then we went to the water feature where I got to run around and get soaking wet. Wow, that was fun!

Then on Friday night, Daddy invited some friends over to have cake and ice cream. I hope Mommy had a wonderful birthday...we love you!!!

Oh yeah!

I got to see a horsey!

Daddy thought he'd be funny and switched the numbers...ha, ha!

This is Mommy with Jenni and Alfa...

This is Mommy with Kenny and Amber...

Sunday Hikes

2009-07-12T21:00:00.003-04:00

Every Sunday we try to go on a hike somewhere up in the canyon. It's such a great family bonding activity and has become a highlight of my week.

On this particular sunday, we decided to hike the trail to Stewart Falls. And I have to say this is one of my favorites...it's filled with groves of aspens and pines, and covered with lush ferns and flowers. It's a refreshing escape from the Utah Valley desert. Then like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the trail opens up to Stewart Falls, a beautiful waterfall that makes the 1.5 mile trek worth every step....

Ahhhhhhhhh........

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-09T13:06:00.012-04:00

Happy 4th of July! Hope everyone had lots of watermelon and fireworks!

For our 4th of July, Grandma Georgia and Reid came to visit. We did lots of really cool stuff. We went to a picnic with a huge bouncy red thing, and then we went for a drive on the Alpine loop through Sundance, and Mommy and Daddy ran a 10k race at the Freedom Festival. I didn't get to see fireworks because it was my bedtime, but Mommy and Daddy did. Bet they were really cool!

It was so nice to see Georgia Grandma and Reid. Can't wait to see them again!

Mommy and Daddy did really well at the Freedom Run. Mommy ran it in 1:04:34 and Daddy ran it in 44:35. Way to go!

Here are pictures from the picnic...

This is the big red bouncy thing I was telling you about...

These pictures are from our drive on the Alpine Loop and Sundance...

I would like add a heartfelt THANK YOU to all of those that have sacrificed their lives for me and my family's freedom. I am so grateful to live in such a wonderful country. God Bless and Happy Birthday America!

Bath Tub Times

2009-06-25T13:00:00.001-04:00

Dude...don't I look cool!?

Father's Day in Colorado

2009-06-24T13:25:00.005-04:00

Mommy and Daddy wanted to surprise Grandpa Calley for Father's Day, so we drove to Colorado for the weekend!

We had a super fun time... went on a hike, walked in a pet parade and watched Daddy play "cornholio" ball with my Uncles and nephew, Brodrick.

And as always, Mommy took tons of pictures...

Here's one of the doggies from the pet parade....awww.

Hanging with Dad...

The Girls watching "Cornholio" ball...

This is "Cornholio" Ball...

This is the "Cornholio" crew....

Me and Aunt Jo

Here I am with Steve and Amanda-Kate.

Amanda, Brayton and Blaka

"Cornholios"

We had such a great time! Can't wait to see everyone for the family reunion in a month!

Love you guys!

Mason's a walking machine

2009-06-04T13:55:00.003-04:00

I think I've figured out this walking thing!

Look out Mommy, here I come....

Memorial Day Weekend in Michigan

2009-05-31T12:36:00.002-04:00

For Memorial Day weekend we went to my Uncle Pat and Aunt Marybeth's house in Michigan. The last time I saw everyone was last 4th of July; so, it was great to see everybody and hang out with my cousins, Jacob and Caleb. And what a super bonus...I got to celebrate Caleb's birthday, too! That ice cream cake was YUMMY! Here's some pictures from our trip...

The Olszewski's...

"C-dog's" 11th birthday! Happy Birthday, Caleb!

Blue, play with me!!!

Give me that...I'll show you how to eat a snow cone. Mmmmmm....

These snow cones are pretty tasty! Mom, why don't you ever give these to me?

Seriously! Blue, play with me!!!

This is my "I'm mad at you" look...

And now the "I'm so cute and kissable" look...

Uncle Pat and Aunt Marybeth look so nice...

Hey, thanks!!! How did you know I was so thirsty...

Wow, I'm way tall...

Hangin' with my Cousins...

Weeeeeeee.....

Man, what a trip...I'm pooped!

Had a great time! Miss you guys already!

Easter in Colorado

2009-04-21T16:51:00.000-04:00

Mommy got way behind with my blog because she left her camera at Grandma and Grandpa Calley's house when we went to visit for Easter. So, without further delay, here's pictures from our trip to Colorado for Easter... I have tons of pictures to share.

The Easter Bunny knew where I was! I got an Easter basket loaded with tons of cool stuff!

Uncle Josh trying to "Walk the Dog" with the yo-yo.

Uncle Steve and Aunt Amanda-Kate

Aunt Amanda and Uncle "C"

Aunt Jo, Grandma Calley and Cindy

Daddy and Mommy took me to a lot of fun places while in Colorado. We went on a hike at the flat irons, to the Denver Zoo and we also got to see my Uncle Steve play flag football.

Sadie was so glad that she got to go with us on our hike. She had a blast...

I rode in this really cool jeep at the zoo.

We saw the newest arrivals to the Giraffe Family. They were so cute...

I also got to ride on the merry-go-round for the first time! It was fun, but I wasn't sure what to think about it...

We had a great time in Colorado! Can't wait to go back!

It's my birthday!

2009-03-10T21:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me...

I turned ONE today! Can you believe it! Not only did I get to have cake with chocolate icing, but I got lots of new toys and clothes too...it was the best!

This stuff is sticky....

but tasty!

Our favorite neighbors, the Bagley's, came over to celebrate with me and have some cake too.

Hi Grandma!

And I thought I was messy! Gosh Dad!

Smile pretty...

I'm cool...I know.

What a cool birthday! Mmwwaahh! Hugs and Kisses!

New Adventures

2009-02-25T17:23:00.003-05:00

Ok, so I've finally figured out that these legs actually DO have a purpose! And now I can finally follow Mama and the doggy everywhere.

Here's first time video footage of me crawling....

Here I am trying on Mommy's sunglasses. Daddy says we need to get some that are more manly.

I learned this from Daddy. Mmmwwaaahh! Kisses!

Ok, so now that I'm crawling I have found that it's quite difficult to carry things in my hands and crawl at the same time, so I use my mouth. Works great!

I'm very proud of my stacking skills...

Hi Mommy...I see you.

All that crawling and exploring wears me out!

Our New House

2009-01-21T11:45:00.010-05:00

After many, many requests, I am finally posting pictures of our new house.

So, when we first bought the house, it was a wall to ceiling yellowish beige (as you'll see in the before pictures), which is not really my taste. But thanks to the help of Amanda, Virginia and Christy we were able to pretty much finish painting the entire upstairs before the furniture arrived. It was a huge project, but we did it. Whew! Thank you so much for your help! Without you, we really couldn't have accomplished as much in such a short amount of time!

I am just about finished with the decor, but it's always a work in progress for me.

Anyhow, welcome to our home.

Here's the foyer before...

Here's the foyer after...

This is the front office.

Dinning Room

Kitchen Before...

Kitchen After...

Living Room

Here's a painting I painted for the back wall of the living room over the stairs leading to the basement.

Master bedroom before...

Master bedroom after...

Here's the upstairs bathroom next to Mason's room. I haven't finished decorating Mason's room yet, so I don't have pictures yet...

Well, that is all I have for now. We haven't even started on the basement yet, but we will once we have the family/entertainment room finished. We're hoping to start on that in the next month or so.

Ok, so I couldn't not post new pictures of Mason. :) We took these on his 10 month birthday. He's growing up so fast. The other night I was pointing at Sadie saying dogie and he imitated me saying "dod dee". He just loves Sadie.

I also have new stats as of his 10 month appointment: He's weighing in at about 27lbs and measuring 31.5" tall. Our doctor thinks there's a pretty good chance he's going to be tall since his percentiles have been consistent all along. It's fun to imagine! I'm just happy he's healthy and happy.

Hope everyone is enjoying the new year! We love you!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-31T11:17:00.004-05:00

My very first Christmas...

We went to Grandma and Grandpa Calley's house in Colorado. Mommy and Daddy told me about this guy named, Santa; how he brings all the good boys and girls presents on Christmas Eve. Well, I was so afraid that he would be able to find me because we weren't at home, but he found me. And boy did he think I was a good boy...I got lots of presents!

My First Cookie...

Daddy and I finally did it! The Grandpa Calley tradition...standing on one hand.

This is Daddy and Grandpa Calley...

Daddy was teaching me how to play the piano.

My cousin, Broderick, was Baptized.

Santa must have stopped at our house too, because there were more presents there when we got home!

Hope everyone had a Merry, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Stay Tuned...

2008-12-04T23:06:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a busy couple of months it has been....there was Halloween, moving into our new house in Utah, Thanksgiving, and the list goes on....

I am very sorry that I am fallen behind on posting new photos and comments. :( But no matter, I have lots to share and show, so stay tuned....

Love, Mason

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T23:06:00.000-05:00

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble....Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for My Mommy and Daddy, my Doggie, my Family, and for the food on the table (especially the TURKEY!)

Mommy, me and Sadie

I've learned a new trick from the squirrels...how to hide food in my cheeks!

Now I take baths in the big boy tub!

Hope everyone had as wonderful a Thanksgiving as I did!

Maryland Farewell

2008-11-07T23:06:00.003-05:00

Well, our time in Maryland has sadly come to a close.

Maryland will always have a special place in our hearts....

With the arrival of our beloved son Mason, to the walks around Wilde Lake, and to the many wonderful friends we've added to our lives. I will never forget a moment spent...

Here's to our final walk around Wilde Lake and farewell dinner at Red Robin...

Ooooo, what are these?

Hey, who put that on my head...Dad!

Mmm....fiber.

Farewell dinner with everyone at Red Robin...

Thanks for all the great unforgettable memories!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T23:06:00.001-04:00

Halloween was a blast! Of course, I have no idea what it meant, but Mommy and Daddy seemed to enjoy it. They kept taking pictures of me in this blue outfit....

Hanging out at the local pumpkin patch...

Annual Trunk or Treat at the Church....

Megan with Samantha and Katie

Hope everyone got lots of candy and had a Happy Halloween~

Just another day at the park

2008-10-13T01:28:00.007-04:00

Mommy and Daddy took me to the park for the first time to swing on the swings! At first, I didn't know what to think and then all of a sudden I felt like I was flying...

Weeeeee...

And I'm spent...

After we finished swinging, I hung out with my best buddy, Sadie.

Utah

2008-10-08T01:13:00.001-04:00

Other than finding our really cool new house, we did some exploring in the mountains and had fun with some old friends...

Check it out!

This is what fall in Utah looks like...

Daddy's excited that he's going to be able to watch all of the Bronco Games now!

Here I am chillin with James Wilson, he was daddy's roommate back when he was in school. Thank you James and Jen for letting us crash at your house!

Movin' to Utah - New House

2008-10-04T15:17:00.008-04:00

OK, so if you haven't heard already...we're moving to Utah. Daddy's company wants him back at the corporate office, which is in Provo.

Mommy and I we're real sad when we first found out. I mean we have so many great friends and family on the east coast and we haven't even started to explore the northeast and mid Atlantic area yet. So sad. :( But we're excited about meeting new people and Daddy has lots of old friends in Utah from when he lived out here... and even better we have lots of family out west too! Grandma and Grandpa Calley are right next door in Colorado!

Well, seeing that we have a month to move out there, we thought it might be smart to take a trip out to Utah to find our new home. And guess what! We did! Mommy and Daddy are under contract for our first new home. Isn't that exciting! Everyone keep your fingers crossed that the inspection and closing goes well! We'll keep you posted. Info - it's 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths and about 3500 sf. Here are some pictures...

Welcome...

Entry Foyer

Kitchen / Dining room

Kitchen

Living Room

Back Porch

View from back porch

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

View from front porch

Mommy's New Haircut

2008-09-26T21:57:00.001-04:00

Mommy cut all her hair off!

I think she got tired of me pulling on her long hair all the time. :)

Here's a before and after...

That's my mommy! :)

Megan's Birthday

2008-09-26T00:51:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Megan!

We celebrated Megan's 25th Birthday on the 25th of September... with yummy cake, "The Office" premiere, and a fun night at Dave and Busters...oh how I love Dave and Busters!

Now that your 25 Megan, we can let you in on the "BIG" secret... I just saved a ton of money on my insurance by switching to Gieco. Ha! Yeah, OK so you save money on your insurance.

We love you and wish you a hap-hap-happy birthday!

6 Month Birthday

2008-09-10T15:18:00.001-04:00

I am half a year old!!! One more half to go until my big party!

Here are the things I can do now...
I can sit up by myself, eat cheerios, drink from a sippy cup, bite with my two bottom teeth, and do "the wiggle worm" (that's my patented dance move). Oh and I can spit food at Daddy...hee hee! :)

Here are my stats...
I'm 20lbs and 28.5 inches and still growing.

Practicing standing...

I love playing with my toys!

Sadie loves to watch me. We're best buddies!

"What Mom!"

Friends are such a Blessing

2008-09-03T13:59:00.004-04:00

" Truely great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget"

One of the greatest blessings in life is that of true friendship... We have been so blessed to have found such friends while here in Maryland. We love all of you very much and are so grateful to have you in our lives.

Labor Day Concert at the Capitol

2008-09-02T23:00:00.001-04:00

We had a really fun Labor Day weekend! Every Labor Day and Memorial Day there are free concert celebrations on the lawn of the Capitol building, so we have made a tradition of taking full advantage! All of us had loads of fun!

Here's Aunt Merrin and Uncle Matt feeding me my applesauce. They are parents in the making.

The Philabaum's are so nice! They have a cute little pug named Tucker. It is so funny to watch Tucker and Sadie play together.

The Shelton's

Berkeley's always smilin'

Me, Mommy and Daddy

Me and Daddy chillin'

Spittin' Image

2008-09-02T22:47:00.004-04:00

Grandma Calley kept one of my Daddy's outfits from when he was just a year old.

I think it's very stylin'...just like Daddy.

Trip to Georgia

2008-08-19T20:00:00.004-04:00

Mommy and Daddy took me to Georgia for the first time. Mommy had her 10 year high school reunion to go to, so I got to meet all of her old friends from high school. Unfortunately, Mommy forgot to take pictures. :( But we have plenty of pictures from the rest of the trip!

I got to see Grandma!!!

These are Mommy's best friends, the Marshburns (Brian, Susan, and JT.) Mommy has known Susan since kindergarten...and they're still best friends! I got to meet them for the first time and I just love them. I wish they lived closer to us. :(

JT is so cool!

Mary and Richard gave me the softest puppy dog ever! He's my best friend...thank you Richard and Mary!

I gave him a big kiss!

Sadie got some picture time too.

Sadie also got rough with Daddy...or was it, Daddy got rough with Sadie. I think Daddy starts it most of the time. :)

We also got to see Mommy and Daddy's good friends, the Richards (Dan, Lalona, and Brendan.) It was so wonderful to meet them. I think me and Brendan hit it off pretty well.

Pre-Season Football

2008-08-12T15:02:00.003-04:00

Getting ready for some FOOTBALL!!!

We went to the Broncos training camp and I got to see all these really big football players. And best of all, Brandon Marshall signed my jersey...while I was wearing it. Daddy went up to him and said, "Will you sign my baby?" That was funny!

Got my Broncos gear...

And I'm also representing the best of the Big 10...Go Blue!!!

More fun in Colorado

2008-08-04T18:25:00.001-04:00

Some more fun in Colorado...

We went to Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park. It was so high in sky...Whoa!

Uncle Carlos, Grandma Calley, and Daddy

Daddy standing in front of the mountain he climbed in highschool.

Me with Mommy and Daddy

Aunt Jo, Grandma Calley, and Uncle Carlos

We made friends with the natives...

Hanging out at Grandma's House in the cool jumper. I had so much fun!

Wedding in Colorado

2008-08-01T23:00:00.001-04:00

Congratulations Uncle Steve and Aunt Amanda Kate!

We got to go to Colorado for my Uncle Steve and Aunt Amanda Kate's wedding. They looked absolutely beautiful / handsome and so in love. We're so happy for the newlyweds and welcome my new Aunt Amanda Kate with open arms to the family!

Brides in the making....

I'm discovering grass...

Daddy making me laugh...

Uncle Steve singing to his new bride...

As you can see, we had a fun filled day!

Another Day at the Pool

2008-07-26T17:00:00.000-04:00

Another day at the Shelton's pool! I had so much fun, as always!

Me and my Dad, teaching me how to swim.

"Reachin out...holdin hands."

Gettin warm with Mommy.

Just chillin

Another day at the pool.

Mommy's Birthday

2008-07-16T22:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Daddy and I hung out while Mommy had a day of pampering...

First Daddy made Mommy breakfast in bed...the best french toast ever with eggs and bacon. It looked delicious. And then Daddy sent Mommy to the spa for a massage, facial, and the works; I bet Mommy enjoyed that! After Mommy's spa retreat we went to an early dinner on the lake at The Tomato Place (yummy Italian food), then Mommy went to get her hair done. She told me that she missed me the whole time, but I'm glad she got some R&R time. After Mommy got home, we gave her our present...we got her a beautiful pendant with my birthstone, Aquamarine. She was s0 happy...I think she liked it. :)

We continued Mommy's birthday celebration the following Friday at Dave and Busters with Aunt Merrin and Uncle Matt. That place is soooooo awesome! I can't wait to go back when I am older. There was so much to look at that I didn't want to blink!

Happy Birthday Mommy!!! We love you!

Eating my first solid food!

2008-07-12T02:01:00.000-04:00

So, I went to my 4 month check up this week. I had to get more shots...ugh. They weren't so bad, I cried for a minute and then Mommy gave me a big hug and made it all better. Anyway, after weighing and measuring me, my doctor advised that it might be time for me to start eating solid foods.

Weighing in the 75th percentile at 16 and half pounds and measuring in the 97th percentile at 27 inches! Yeah...almost there Uncle Pat! The funniest thing was the size of my head...it was off the charts at 18cm. I guess I have a pretty big brain? That explains why my head won't fit through some of my outfits!

So, Daddy fed me my first bowl of yummy rice cereal today. I was a little hesitant at first, but towards the end I found it pretty amusing. It will take some getting used to...

What is this stuff? Ugh...

I don't know what to think?

Ok, maybe it's not so bad!

4th of July - Visit to Michigan

2008-07-09T01:07:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July!
I had my first road trip...long, long road trip. It took us over 12 hours to get to my Aunt and Uncle's house in Michigan. I was so bored sitting in that car seat for so long staring at my monkey mirror. Ugh.

It was so neat meeting more of Mommy's side of the family: my 2nd Cousins, Melanie and Ryan, my Great Aunt Elaine, and my Step-Grandpa Reid. They are so nice! And I was super excited to see my cousins, Jacob and Caleb, again! We had some great bonding time. I can't wait till I'm old enough to play baseball and Wii with them; in the meantime, I just got to watch. :(

We went to the lake for the 4th of July and I got to see my first fireworks! They were so amazing....ooooo...aaaaaah!

It was such a great weekend that I was so sad to go. :(

One Big Happy Family!

Hangin with Dad

With Grandma and Reid

My Uncle Pat acting like a fish?

Mmmm, food!

Mom with Aunt Marybeth

Mom with my 2nd Cousin, Melanie. She's so pretty!

Me with my 2nd Cousin, Ryan.

My Great Aunt Elaine is so nice! She gave me lots
of really cool gifts, like a wheel barrel and a huge
chicky that quacks!

I love my cousin Jacob!

My Aunt Marybeth is the best!

What a great trip! Everyone was so nice to me...I can't wait to go back!

Weekend of Fun!

2008-06-29T23:24:00.000-04:00

Daddy had to go out of town this weekend for work, so Mommy and I had a weekend of fun...

We took lots of walks with Sadie, went swimming, and hung out at my best buddy, Berekely's, house.

As you see, I got lots of bonding time with Berkeley...

I learned those moves from Daddy...

Here's the look I get when Daddy takes his shirt off...!

Yeah!! We're going swimming!!!!

Strike a Pose

2008-06-23T18:22:00.000-04:00

Mommy loves taking pictures of me...I guess its because I'm just so cute.

Father's Day

2008-06-15T16:16:00.000-04:00

Daddy had his first Father's Day as a Father!

We had some cool bonding time watching Tiger Woods and the NBA finals game. And Mommy baked lots of yummy cookies.

I hope my Daddy knows how much I love him. I want to grow up to be just like him!

Trip to Colorado

2008-06-12T01:53:00.000-04:00

I went on my first airplane ride!!! It was so fun that I slept right through it all...I guess it was the hum of the plane.

Colorado is so cool and I loved meeting all of my Aunts and Uncles and Nieces and Nephews! And my Aunt Amanda's wedding was really fun. She looked so beautiful and my new Uncle Josh looked really handsome.

Daddy also gave me my baby blessing. I feel so loved and grateful to have such a wonderful Daddy.

And what was really cool...I went swimming for the first time too! It was such a neat feeling. I can't wait to go swimming again!

12 Weeks Old!

2008-06-03T11:48:00.000-04:00

It seems like only yesterday that I was nice and snug in Mommy's tummy. Now, here I am 12 weeks old and lovin life! On my visit to the doctor last week, I weighed in at 14lbs 1oz and am currently measuring about 25" long...catchin up to my Uncle Pat (just 55 more inches to go!)

Here I am kickin it in my new highchair...now I get to sit at the dinner table with Mommy and Daddy while they're having dinner.

Love my cool Nike shoes Aunt Stacey! They go perfect with my Nike attire.

Daddy's Birthday Fiesta!

2008-06-03T00:51:00.000-04:00

Hola! Daddy had a fiesta for his birthday...with fajitas, pinatas and Wii competitions. Looks like they had lots of fun....

On Daddy's actual birthday, we went bowling and Daddy taught me how to drive (not really, we just sat in the front seat waiting for Aunt Merrin.)

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-28T01:00:00.000-04:00

We had a super fun Memorial Day weekend! It's was the best Memorial Day weekend I've ever had....wait, it's the only one I've ever had. Ha!

First, my Georgia Grandma came to visit me again...I was so glad to see her! She got me this cool new bib that says, "I'm cute, not crabby." Gee, thanks Georgia Grandma!

Then we went to a Memorial Day concert on west lawn of the Capitol Building! Wow! We heard Gladis Knight and Sarah Brightman sing among others. We honored all of the men and women who have fought and given their lives for us...it was very special. So many people have sacrificed for our country...Thank You.

Of course the best thing about going to the concert was hangin with my best friend Berkeley. She was born 12 days after me on March 22nd. Isn't she a cutie! I sure do think so!

These are Berkeley's Parents, Jason and Kim. They're awesome... I always love to see them!

And then on Memorial Day, we went to Annapolis, the capitol of Maryland. We tried our first Maryland crab cake. There were lots of really old buildings and big, big boats. I liked it there....or course I slept through most of it in the Bjorn with Daddy.

Mmmm...Georgia Grandma really knows the way to my heart...by feeding me yummy food! I was so sad to see Georgia Grandma go. :(

See how much fun we had this weekend! And there's so much more to come....Daddy's Birthday party is on Friday and then I'm going on my first airplane ride to Denver, Colorado for my Aunt Amanda's wedding. I can't wait!

Many smiles of Mason

2008-05-22T22:28:00.000-04:00

I love it when Mommy and Daddy play with my cheeks and clap my hands...It makes me smile! I'm almost able to laugh, but right now it sounds like a loud "ahhh". I've also discovered that we have a puppy! She came over to say "hi" one day and that made me smile.

Grandma and Grandpa Calley visit!!!!!

2008-05-13T23:45:00.000-04:00

I got to meet my Grandma and Grandpa Calley this past weekend and boy did I have fun. I love grandma and grandpa so much. Grandma never wanted to put me down or let me sleep. And I liked grandpa holding me and also the funny way he talked to the dog.

One day we went and got our pictures taken at the mall. No, they were not glamor shots by Deb. Mommy thinks I look a lot older from my previous pictures. What do you think?

We also went for a car ride to Pennsylvania to see where grandma went on her mission. It sure was neat.

Then we went to grandpa's favorite place... the Hershey factory! We went on a tour and I learned how chocolate is made. Grandpa didn't want to leave.

On Mother's Day we made breakfast in bed for Mommy and Grandma. I also got breakfast in bed because, well, I get breakfast in bed everyday thanks to my Mommy. Grandma helped me take a bath and I showed her how good I am at peeing in the tub....Sorry grandma.

I was sad to see them go. I can't wait to see them again real soon.

Mason