I know what this means-- MORE SLEEP FOR ME!

I keep trying to get Sam to upload a video to the blog, so maybe in a couple of days we'll get one up. Until then, I can share our fabulous, oh-so exciting news: Bria slept through the night! We put her down to bed last night at around 9:30, and she didn't wake up until 8:00. Sam and I woke up at 8:00 and realized that she hadn't woken up at all. I decided to go check on her, and she was just lying in her crib awake, just kicking her feet. I can't even tell you how excited I am about this new development. Also, since we have moved, Bria has developed a much better napping routine. She had about two rough days of 30-45 minute naps, but now she usually naps somewhere between 1.5 - 2.5 hours. I am loving it. I should probably use that napping time to finish unpacking, but I am feeling rather unmotivated. Oh well.

Sam and I are going to Colorado next weekend where Food Boy is going to be in the Moondance Film Festival in Boulder. It will be a fun way to spend our anniversary weekend, and I am excited to see some of my friends and show Bria around my home state. I know she will really appreciate it. Ha ha. I haven't been to Denver since my friend Jenna got married over two years ago! I can't believe it's been that long. Anyway, if you know anyone in Colorado, make sure to tell them about the Moondance Film Festival, and tell them to go see Food Boy!

More Change

Tonight is our last night in this apartment. We have lived here for nearly four months, so it seems odd to be moving again so soon. I have spent the summer de-junking, so this move is much more organized than the last. I took a trunk full of stuff to DI on Saturday, which felt so nice. I have thrown away so much and I am really proud of myself. I tend to hold on to stuff just in case I ever (and I mean ever) need it. I think this stems from the time my parents made me give/throw away half my shoes when I went to college and I still miss some of those shoes (I used to have upwards of 60 pairs). But I am now reconciling myself with the fact that I may never fit in those white pants I wore when I was 16 and if some of the shoes I am now throwing away come back into style, I can buy new ones. It's very refreshing to feel like I only own what I need and use.

We are now on to our fourth apartment as a married couple. We are excited to move to more northern Provo and get away from some of the student traffic. We are also going to be attending a family ward, which will be a nice change of pace from the student ward we have attended since we got married (the same ward all three years). It will be nice to feel a little more settled than we've felt all summer, but I also hope we won't live there too long. It will be at least four months, but maybe as many as twelve. Either way, we are going to really try and make it feel like home.

Ladies and Gentlemen . . .

We have a laughing, rolling baby! That's right folks, Bria has shocked us all by laughing and rolling over for the first time both within the last five days!

The first laugh came on Tuesday (for me) and then didn't appear again until tonight (for Sam). She first rolled over Friday morning. I set her down on her tummy and then I sat down at the table to write a letter to my sister. I just wrote the address on the envelope when I looked up, and Bria was on her back (looking quite shocked, I might add). Then today, she rolled over while both Sam and I were watching. It makes me so happy! I can't believe how fast she is growing. She really has made some big development over the past week-- grabbing toys and chewing on them, gaining more control over her hands and arms, etc. It's so fun to watch.

Also, we have been without the internet for FIVE DAYS! It comes free at our apartment, and then it just stopped working on Tuesday. I am pretty mad about it, since our landlords have been pretty evasive about the whole deal. We hope it will work sometime next week, but who knows? I had to come up to campus tonight just to check my email. Maybe it's good to break my computer addiction, but I would still rather have the internet at home!

Three Months Old!

Bria turned three months old yesterday. I can't believe how much she has grown already!
Here she is on her first day home from the hospital:

And now here she is three months later:

In other exciting news, Sam and I went on our first post-baby date! Sam's nephew David was in town for cross country camp at BYU, and he stayed at our apartment for a night on each end of the camp. After we picked him up Friday, we put Bria to bed for the night and then headed out! We went for ice cream at Sub Zero (we're addicted) and then we saw the movie Mamma Mia!, which I loved! ABBA is some of my favorite music, and I thought it was just such a fun movie. I kept wanting to dance, but I thought that might be a little weird, so I just moved a little bit in my seat. I think I had a huge smile on my face the entire movie. And I might admit to having a crush on Colin Firth.

Today I took David to the airport, and since I was already in Salt Lake, I thought I would take advantage of it. I stopped by temple square for a bit and just sat outside with Bria. It was a really nice break from our normal routine. Plus, no matter how tired or hungry she is, Bria loves being outside. Then we stopped by Old Navy at the Gateway and Chadder's in American Fork (it's like In-N-Out, which I happen to think is overrated, but I was starving).
I think this picture looks like I photoshopped Bria into it. It's the real thing. I promise!

Also, we found an apartment in Provo to live in once we're kicked out of here in August (it's single women housing during fall/winter). My sister Lindsay is moving up to Salt Lake for her husband's new job. They have a nice apartment, so we are going to move in there. It's perfect timing! Hopefully we won't live there too long before we get to move to Virginia.

Bria Takes Boston!

Well, this is going to be a long one!

We left for Boston last Saturday, the 5th. It was a long day-- we left Provo at 5:30 am and didn't get to our house in Plymouth until 7:30 pm. Bria was so great on both flights (layover in Denver). I was so nervous about her screaming the whole way, but she only had a few minor meltdowns.
At DIA (denver airport), my home sweet home:
The entire Mangum family (Sam's parents, siblings, and their children) stayed in a huge house right on the beach in Plymouth, which is south of Boston. That first day we just hung out and got settled. The next day, Sunday, we went to the Boston Temple. It was dedicated in 2000 and was the church's 100th operating temple. Sam was a freshman at BYU when it was dedicated, but he got to come home for it. He also worked in the temple laundry before his mission.
It's hard to get that many kids to sit still for a picture (all the grandkids):
We went to lunch at Panera, and I just about died from joy. I looooove Panera, and I am so sad there isn't one in Utah. And even though it's July, I got the broccoli cheddar soup.
The next day the family went to Plimoth Plantation. The plan was to go right at Bria's naptime, but we decided to just forge ahead and go. Bad idea. We got about two minutes down the path when Bria started screaming. So we just decided to go home so she could sleep. It was a good decision. It was so hot and humid, so I don't know that I would have enjoyed it that much either. Sam and I went downtown Plymouth and had lunch and Sam had the best meatball sub in the world. Seriously.
That night was a reunion type get-together at the Zellers'. All sorts of friends came by to see the Mangum family. Sam got to see his friend Andrew, who used to go to a camp that Sam worked during the summers.
The next day was Girls Day Out. All the women (and the two nieces old enough to appreciate it) went to lunch and then shopping at this store called the Christmas Tree Shop. I had heard all about it for years, and finally got to go! It's kind of like Michael's meets the Dollar Store. The guys took all the kids and went bowling.
That night we ventured to Scituate for family pictures. It is right next to Norwell, the Mangums' hometown. There is an awesome lighthouse, and it was so beautiful.

After the pictures, Sam and his sister Rachel took me on a little tour of Norwell.
Wednesday was the big day out! It all started with a Red Sox game. In order to maximize Bria's happiness, we went in late and got there during the 5th inning. On our way walking to Fenway from the T, we stopped in a McDonald's for a quick bathroom break. There was an Asian tourist there and she came up to me and said, "excuse me, can I ask you a favor?" I was feeling a little unsure about that, but I said ok. She said, "I'm a hug Red Sock Boston fan. Can I take your picture?" So she took a picture of our whole group and her because we were wearing shirts that said Boston on them (see below). And yes, Red Sock Boston. Not the Boston Red Sox. I loved it. Bria was such a champ. She even fell asleep during the game and slept through all sorts of cheering for Varitek, Pedroia, Ramirez, etc. It was awesome. I enjoyed a Fenway Frank, ice cream, and some lemonade.
After the game, we took the T over to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market where we had dinner. I didn't know it was Faneuil Hall and kept thinking they were saying Thanial Hall, as in short for Nathanial. I was quickly corrected. After dinner, we had our first trip to Mike's Pastry. Holy deliciousness. Sam and I bought a cannoli and shared it that night.
Thursday we all just hung out. Bria and I pretty much slept all day. It was pretty nice to just hang out. That night, we had a lobster dinner. We got 13 live lobsters and brought them home to cook them. There was much playing with the live lobsters, including scaring those afraid of them. Our nephew Trevor liked to kiss the lobster on its back. When we told him that was probably pretty dirty, he responded "they're not dirty. they were in water!" I maintain that they are dirty. I enjoyed the lobster, though I had Sam break it all open for me. It wasn't my favorite food in the world, but it was fun, and I'm glad I tried it. And I enjoy the tail much more than the claw. While cooking the lobsters in the non-air-conditioned house, it was much hotter inside than out!
Friday we went in to Boston again, hoping to do a tour. It was booked until the evening, so we all split up and did our own things. We took the T to Mike's Pastry again and bought two cannolis, a lobster tail, a neopolitan, and an eclair. We brought most of it home and shared some with my mom. Can I just say that Mike's Pastry is amazing? AND, you can order it online: mikespastry.com
The lobster tail:
We finally got down to the beach that evening. It was so beautiful! Sam raced his nephews into the freezing ocean. Bria got her first experience with sand.
That night we had closing ceremonies. Bria got an award for Best Smile. Mine was Best Breakfast (I made a sausage cheese strada). Sam's was prettiest toenails or something, because he let Amanda and Jenn paint his toenails. So pretty.
The next morning, we headed out early and flew home. Bria was even better on the flights home. She is seriously a dream baby.
Sam and I needed a vacation from our vacation, so we stayed at my parents' house and slept a lot, and hung out with my mom (who is leaving for Oregon today). We played tennis on my parents' tennis court while my mom watched Bria, and we finished off our Mike's Pastry with my mom. It was a great way to end an awesome week!
That will be our last vacation for a long time. And it was great! We had an awesome time, and it was so fun to see where Sam grew up.
Also, today, I cut Bria's rat tail. That hair in back was getting way too long, so I snipped it off! It looks so much better.

Sam's and the USA's Birthday

We had a great Fourth of July. Sam turned the big 2-6 and we also celebrated the big 2-3-2 for the country (is that right?).
We went up to my parents' house with some friends where my mom made a fabulous breakfast for everyone. It was a pretty lazy day talking and hanging out. I was nice to spend time with my parents because they just moved (after the 4th) to Oregon for the summer. My dad owns some restaurants up there (Qdoba), so they are going up to get some hands-on work done with them. I'm really going to miss them, even though they will be back at the beginning of October.
We wanted to watch the fireworks at Stadium of Fire here in Provo, but we didn't get to for two reasons. 1- we would have watched them from my sister Lindsay's balcony (she lives across the street from the stadium), but police had blocked the street and wouldn't only let you onto the street if you showed your drivers' license and it had an address on that street. 2- We left for Boston early the next morning and we hadn't packed, so we didn't really have time to watch the fireworks. We did go out on to the sidewalk and see a few from our apartment, but that was it.
Coming up next will be the Boston Chronicles. We just got back this weekend from Sam's family reunion for a week in Boston. I was great!

Tummy time! She hates it less and less all the time:

The birthday boy and his daughter:

My dad, me, and Bria:


Bria and my mom:

Some pictures and some news, but not in that order

Nothing very exciting has been going on around here. We are looking forward to the Fourth of July, Sam's birthday, and our trip to Boston all in the next few days. Also, in some not-as-exciting news, we have decided to stay in Utah a little longer. Sam is currently looking for jobs in both Utah and Salt Lake counties. Since the cost of living is just so much lower in Utah, we are putting off our move to Virginia until probably next spring. We are disappointed because we were so excited about moving, but we think this will be a better decision in the long run. Our apartment right now rents only to single women in the fall and winter, so we have to move in mid-August. So we are just waiting to see where Sam gets a job, and then we will be moving wherever that is. I am hoping it will be in Salt Lake, but we'll just have to wait and see.


Just sitting on the couch next to dad.


Bria sleeps in the funniest positions sometimes. She looks like some stubborn princess in this one.


Sam took Bria on some errands while I had my old roommates over for lunch. This is right before they left.

Bria and I went for a walk down to the park. She loves being outside, so we try to go on a walk every day.