THANKFUL

a LITTLE thanksgiving post...

I'm thankful that my mother-in-law thought to fill these little turkeys with pillow mints...

Pillow mints were the main course of Max's Thanksgiving feast.

I'm grateful for rice cereal. This is the Thanksgiving rice cereal coma. I'm grateful for Paul's seating arrangement.
My place was right behind this big ol' platter of turkey...first dibbs!I'm grateful that Emily could come...she helped our team steal the win with the word 'Velveeta'I'm grateful for Paul and JoAnn who put in all the work to make holidays together so special...and delicious!I'm grateful for a house full of cousins who love to hold and play with my boys...which allows me to spend some down time with this guy (the older one...).And I'm grateful, so very grateful for the other two loves of my life...

What a great LOVELESS thanksgiving it was.

Tears for the 'Teeple'

A week ago today was our anniversary and just before we went to bed we decided to watch our wedding video with Max. We thought he would enjoy seeing his Mommy and Daddy on the TV and since he recognizes the Temple, we thought he would enjoy even more seeing us together at the Temple.
That's what we get for assuming... he cried. For some reason it made him sad. He wouldn't tell us why he was sad, but I've never seen those big blue eyes so full of tears.

Riddle me this...everyday for the past week he asks to watch the 'Teeple' show at least once a day, usually more. And everytime he watches it, he gets teary eyed. One of the most joyous occasions of our lives brings our little boy to tears.

Why he wants to watch it over and over I'm not sure. Perhaps it's because he thinks he is the little boy in the photo-montage at the beginning (all pics of Ryan when he was little) of the video. Or maybe he likes seeing our reflection stay in the reflection pool as we walk away? Or maybe our little guy is actually likes making himself sad?
It's a sad sad mystery...

So Happy Together

We celebrated 5 years together yesterday... To the love of my life...may the next 5 be as great as the first. I love you.

We Got Away

In our 5 years of marriage Ryan and I haven't had a "get-away" of our own...we have never left our kids overnight with anyone. So to celebrate the best 5 years of our lives (and fulfill much needed time alone) we decided to go to San Francisco a few weeks ago. It wasn't relaxing, but it was really fun. In fact, we wore ourselves out. Now I know what everyone means when they say that it is really good to get away, just the two of you, every once in a while. I was reminded of how good of friends Ryan and I are, how much we love doing things together & how much we trust each other.

Highlights from the trip were definately our tour of Alcatraz (Ryan's fav) and biking the Golden Gate Bridge (my fav). We did a lot of walking as we shopped, shopped, shopped. The best part was just being with him. He still makes me laugh...everyday.

30 is settling in

It's been a week since I turned 30. I guess I feel pretty much the same except for the fact that along with 30, my birthday brought swine flu to the family (Ryan and Luke) so my first week of being 30 has not felt so flirty and fabulous as has been advertised by many of my friends who have expereinced this coming of age before me. Hopefully it gets better. I am determined make my 30's the best decade of my life so far. I guess I should start that with less complaining...eh?

a BIG THANKS to Mark & Jeff for the yummy birthday dinner and cake

(I mean really, who else has brothers-in-law like these two?)

Stay-cation

Three of my 5 beautiful sisters + myself + one darling little 2 year old all decided to have a little get away. It will be the first of many more to come (hopefully the next one will include the 2 Texas sisters and the 1 Mother and 1 sister-in-law from the land up north). We had a great weekend in Park City full of shopping, eating, swimming and most of all laughing and listening to one another. Other than our husbands, there are no other people in the world in whose company we can more fully be ourselves. We can compare thighs, behinds, hair, wrinkles and more and laugh and laugh. Only sisters will tell you what you really look like in a pair of skinny jeans.We share a bond that can't be described. They make me feel safe, loved and welcome. In the words of Dash from The Incredibles "I love my family."

One gut-busting moment: Our solution to Jolea's hair woes...Carrie's extensions.

Meet JOlea DIRT. We laughed till our sides ached.

Magic...by Michelle

Turns out, my beautiful and talented friend Michelle is also a magician. That is the only explanation as to how she could have managed to get so many great pics of this circus. Thank you friend for offering your magic skills. These are a very few of my many, many favorites.