Has it really been a week already?!

So, we have been in Sparks for a week now and I can't believe how the time has flown. For so many months I have been longing for the luxurious relaxation of being done with school and living with mom and dad. It has been wonderful, but I can't say there is anything relaxing about my new found freedom. Apparently, I did not want to relax as evidenced by the fact that 7 days have flown by crammed full of bbqs, pools, playing in the yard, walks, writing, and hanging out. Despite this first week not being full of zzzzzz, it has been bliss. Here are a few things we have done since arriving back in Sparks: Xiana has found a new best friend.

I can't say that said friend is altogether pleased with the revisions of her peaceful child-free household, but fortunately she is not the boss! I told my mom she got the cat here under false pretenses.... no kids!
Xiana has also really enjoyed being able to look for her "gah pa in the coseet (closet) after he gets home from work and joining her for breakfast in the morning. She loves to chase the "kii cat" around and go for walks on the golf course. She does not, however, love that we do not let her jump in the "wah wah" on the golf course. Like her mother, she thinks any body of water is available for swimming. So... Grandpa remedied the situation and got her a pool.

It clearly doesn't take much to keep us happy! She is thrilled to have her bed in her new house, but doesn't quite understand that we are gone from Vegas. She desperately misses her friends and after several days kid free got a visit from my cousin and his kids. Xiana was eating dinner in her high chair when they arrived and she promptly said, "all done...kids!! kids!! kids!!!" She then proceeded to play with her cousins and have a blast. We are working on some play groups to help assist my little socialite. We went to church in our new ward:

Previously I posted that Santa would be bringing dishes to my little kitchen helper this year, but grandpa decided that December was too far away and purchased an array of dishes and pots and pans. She now makes us "cakes and mashed potatoes and hot dogs and water" and insists that everyone in the house tastes her delicious concoctions.



Additionally, I have learned all kinds of things about Xiana that I didn't know. For instance: she can count to 10 all by herself. She knows the words and tunes to A LOT of songs. She understands EVERYTHING! Grandpa was looking for his camera yesterday and she was underfoot while I was preparing dinner so I told her that grandpa had lost his camera and could she please help him find it. "Yeah" she said, and off she went. A few minutes later she yelled down the hall, "I find it, I find it" Playing along I responded, "you did? Did you tell grandpa?" "yeah" she authoritatively responded. Right then I looked up and she was dragging his camera bag over her shoulder telling me, "here you do" I don't even have a camera bag so she is just as observant as she could be. There are a lot of things that she knows and does that I didn't realize because she did them at school while I was away at work or school of my own. I am so grateful to be able to spend this time with her and just wish it would last forever.

Finally, here are some pics of our last few days in Vegas. Again, you are all greatly missed!!

We said goodbye to friends

We hung out with friends at bday parties

we said goodbye to useless hats

We went to many fountains many times

We got a cute hairdo from Jauna

We hung out with friends

And we, fortunately, got to meet baby P before we left LV!!!