Panama

Right after Christmas, we visited Panama with my family. My Uncle Curt and Aunt Melanie are the mission leadership in Panama, so we went to down to see them and visit some fun places in Panama. Hazel has actually done a fair amount of traveling already as she is a regular jet-setter (this was her 20th flight) so we weren't too worried about traveling overall, and Panama is really safe. It was fun to take an international trip together.

These two got the smallest row.

Hey, back there!

Not enjoying the life-jacket or forced-lap-sitting.

Until this. My arms got tired.

The next few photos are from our visit to an Embera village. We were able to see some of the crafts the people of this Embera village do and eat lunch, which was fresh and delicious. As neat as it was, these visits can be kind of hard. Because of recent (in the last 100 years) laws, the Embera people can't do the hunting and fishing they used to, and rely on tours and tourists buying the items they crafted for their livelihood. I feel happy to buy beautifully-made items (we purchased some very beautifully woven baskets and a wooden snake for Hazel), but I wonder how some of the Embera feel about this being their livelihood. There are some who probably love what they do, and others who don't, but don't really feel they have the choice to do something else.

Casco Viejo (where we had amazing fish tacos at The Fish Market). For some reason, it was funny to see these large pelicans up high in a tree.

Panama Temple.

Didn't want anyone else holding her after church.

The Panama Canal is really cool. It was so hot, though, and there wasn't shade by the crowded edge, and if we moved into the shade, we lost our viewing spot. Tough choices. We watched boats come in from each side, the lock fill up or empty, depending on the direction the boat was going, and then the lock open again and the boats pass through. The canal opened in 1913, and is being expanded in the next couple of years. It's definitely an interesting engineering feat to see in person.

A nice, shady little nature walk after the canal.

Ziplining! Who is that teenage boy with the backwards hat in the front?

My mom, Curt and Melanie walked through the rainforest with Hazel and by the pools while the rest of us ziplined. Hazel was hesitant to go to my Uncle Curt when my mom felt it was too steep for her to carry Hazel, but warmed up to him.

These two buddies.

Oh, hey, El Macho.

Hazel loved eating these little octopi in the paella a few of us ordered (which was delicious, with lots of fresh seafood!).

Christmas in California

We headed out to my parents' house for Christmas this year. It was so fun to be there with all of my brothers and a few of my cousins and their families. I always loved our big family gatherings at Granny's house for Christmas and I loved it again this year. It was fun for me to see Hazel playing with everyone and having a good time. It was also nice to participate in some of the traditions I miss when I'm not at my parents' house for Christmas, like the Buchanan Family Gift Game and seeing the Oakland Temple lights.

Taking a little nap on Granny. Everyone fights over sleeping Hazel since that's usually the only time she'll snuggle.

Hazel's tiny chair was probably her favorite part of Grandma and Grandpa's house. Luckily, they can't resist buying things like this for Hazey to use.

This was actually at home in Utah, but it's it cute that Hazel is playing with the Nativity set? Mostly she just drives the pieces around the house like they're little cars.

I always love to hike St. Joseph's Hill in Los Gatos.

Chatting on the St. Joe's hike.

"Hey, a friend my size!"

Grandma even made a set of matching PJs to fit Hazel. 

A little sweetie just sleeping on our Hailee.

This is really dark and hard to see (dim your screen or lights if it's really important to you), but we went to see "Annie" at the theater and I got Hazel asleep during the previews. When she woke up, she had a great time still, because we let her shovel handfuls of popcorn into her mouth. Here she is, eyes big and hand scooping that popcorn into her mouth. She makes such a cute tiny person.

Thanksgiving and BYU-Cal Berkeley game!

We headed out to the Bay Area to go to the BYU-Cal Berkeley game, which we were really excited about, then less excited as the season progressed, then... it's a surprise! Keep reading to find out how the game went. We were out in California for Thanksgiving and got to spend some time with Hazel's favorite peeps.

We took this picture with the plan to send out a Christmas card. Don't worry about the fact that you didn't get one. It's because we never sent any. Or even made an e-version to post on social media (which was plan B).

Only calm at the Thanksgiving table if Uncle Casey would hold her. And feed her candy, probably.

We went to the Cabot Science and Space Center in Oakland with Mike and Jewel. Hazel was really into the black hole exhibit. Don't fall in!

Mike and Jewel also witnessed Hazel's first ice cream cone, which was really mine, but her little tongue power-licked it all down, so unlucky for me. That honey-something flavor would have been really memorable had I tasted it. Chris, however, is holding that video hostage on his phone, where he keeps all of the photos and videos I try to nicely ask him to share with me.

True fans. We even braved the Cal section for the game, which led to some extra-good times.

Loved sitting with Grandma.

Someone had to teach her the fight song. Which we sang at each touchdown. Which we had more of than Cal. We won! Go Cougars!

Hazel really likes the Wheatleys, especially Lisa's bling.

Labor Day weekend in St. George

We spent the long Labor Day weekend (more than two months ago...) in St. George visiting Spencer. I love national and state parks and was excited to visit Snow Canyon State Park while we were there. We did a very hard hike to Jenny's Canyon and then spent some time walking around the petrified sand dunes. I enjoy hiking and exploring and it was fun to visit a park I hadn't been to. The drive through Snow Canyon is beautiful.  It's a relatively small park so it felt sort of surprising to suddenly be surrounded by great rock formations and dunes. We also did some swimming and a lot of hanging out, learning about fractals (Spencer and I got sucked into an educational program on television and couldn't get out. Also, why is the Discovery Channel and History Channel filled with shows like "Finding Bigfoot" and "Cajun Pawn Stars"?) and watching "The Lego Movie" (which is why "Everything is Awesome!" has been coming out of my mouth daily for two months now).

I was keeping Hazel awake until we left at 3:00 p.m., so she was pretty grouchy at this point. Then she got ahold of this paper and was much happier, so I let her play with it and even eat some. She loves paper the way I love ice cream.

A little nervous because she knows tickling is coming...

Just having a grand time while I got my chili-cheese fries craving satisfied.

She was in a peek-a-boo phase. Also, the ottoman in the foreground was where she first pulled herself to standing.

Even napping at Uncle Spencer's makes her smile.

Uncle Spencer let Hazel bring this very exciting red cup toy home, which made her weekend.

Red dirt is good for the body.

Cool phone camera, Mom.

This face sums up hanging out with Uncle Spencer.

Happy Birthday Hazel!

Hazel turned one! It was back on her birthday that this happened, which was a while before I am actually writing this. Maybe I'll backdate this post so it looks like I wrote this around her actual birthday. Here are a few pictures of Little Hazey that help illustrate what she's like.

On her actual birthday. I remembered to take a family photo, but we were all a little hangry.

Loves reading books, but has to turn the pages, or else book closed, it's all over.

Showing her grandma the baby doll (from Grandma...) after opening her birthday gifts.

At one year old, you wouldn't know that she's tiny for her age if you catch me holding her, as we look about the same size...

Beginning to learn how to relax on the couch with the help of Baby Einstein's First Signs.

Likes to push the stroller, which gets tiring, except for the person riding in it.

Has figured out the most fun way to ride in a shopping card. Also the most dangerous (maybe except (PSA!) putting a carseat that seems like it fits on top of a shopping cart up there, which should never happen!).

"Oh hey, today I turned one."

At one, Hazel is the queen of the table, whenever there is a table."

Has learned the skill of carrying three important food items at once.

Learning to work out. Thanks to Uncle Spencer for the workout gear.

Just kidding, this isn't Hazel. It's me. Just trying to show her what she has to look forward to in about six months (including the hair barrette and dress, which I have, waiting for her. I'll ask my mom about whether she has the shoes still...).

Sand Hollow tri in St. George

In October we went to St. George for a weekend to do the Sand Hollow tri. Kelsey, Kendra and I were finally able to do a tri all together, and my dad and Trevor decided to do it. Then Uncle Reed and Colton decided to do it. So we pretty much dominated the awards ceremony, but what can you do?

Pumpkin Patch

We visited Wilkerson Farm on Saturday to pick out some pumpkins. Hazel climbed the hay and pumpkin stack, ate some hay and enjoyed a wagon ride. Usually she only gets wagon rides at her babysitter's so this was a real treat. Plus, there were pumpkins inside and she got to pick one out just her size. I mean, she tried to pick one out the same size as her but couldn't pick it up, so she picked one out that was the smallest of them all, sort of like how she is smallest of them all.

Just offering me some of her dried-cornstalk-lunch.

I think she understands how self-timer photos work because she looked away just in time, every time.

I warned her about not breaking off that perfect curly stem.

Oh my parents are vegetables? Whatever.