Miracle Babes

My sweet sister Rachel, has waited years for these babes to get here.  We have all prayed so hard for this miracle, and the time has come.  To celebrate Rachel and Ryan, my mom, sisters and I threw her a shower.  Rachel is loved by so, so, so many, so lots of people came to support her.  We made all the decorations at sisters trip, and now they are hanging in the boys nursery.
Congratulation Rachel and Ryan! We are thrilled for you!
 

 

 

 

 

 

My Outlet

Kenneth Cole is one smart man.
And I am one lucky lady to have such amazing sisters.  Of course we fought growing up, but they are honestly now my best friends.  They are, and always will be, my outlet.  The people I will go to when I need something, or even when I don't.  My go-to girls when I need a good laugh, or someone to listen while I cry.  Lucky for everyone, my one and only brother married someone who just naturally fits into our family.  Carrie is perfect in every way, and we are so lucky to have her.
I feel so incredibly blessed to call these girls my own, my blood, my sisters.

Sisters Trip 2012

 We flew into California on Tuesday, April 10.  I spent the 11th all day with my sister Melissa, then Jess flew in that night and we headed to San Francisco with Lukie for some dinner.  On the 12th, Jess and I left my Mom's house, drove down to pick up Melissa, drove to pick up Rachel, had lunch with Carrie and Baby Ty, went to go visit Andrew at Apple, and then headed down to Beverly Hills for the start of our sisters trip! 

 

Rrrrrrrrrrrroad Trip!

We were all raised loving a good deal, so the first stop: the Outlets, of course.  

 

 After shopping and then driving, we finally pulled into Sara's place in Beverly Hills at about 1 am.  Sara and Ben had a last minute opportunity to go to Thailand for  two weeks, and then extend it to one month (luckies), and we missed her so much on the trip.  She would have been so disappointed in our lack of cooking and dancing that occurred.
Friday morning at Grand Luxe Cafe. 

More shopping!!!

 

We spent all day Friday shopping.  We hoped to go to the beach, but it was pouring rain, so it was not meant to be.  Carrie was able to fly down early Saturday morning (Andrew had to work on Friday), so we picked her up, got donuts, and then started our workout. Good thing we had sugar overload so we could hike the Hollywood sign.  Rachel wanted to ride the horses. :)
 

 

Sitting in the same spot as we did 3 years ago.  My how things have changed.  

 

Since we couldn't go to the beach on Friday, we did it on Saturday instead.  It was so windy that we all got free exfoliation.
 

And then spent the rest of the day shopping.  There was a common theme amongst our shopping, coral and stripes.  Every thing we bought was either one or the other.  And I'm pretty sure we all have twinner clothes. 

That night we stayed in, ordered a pizza and made the decorations for Rachel's shower.  

Jess wanted to feel Rachel's twins move, so she put her hand on Rach's belly, and one of the babes gave quite a kick and it scared Jess so much that she feel off her chair.  And then I about feel off my chair laughing.  

 Sunday we went back to the mall, got our free Sprinkles cupcakes, took Jess to the airport, got our Cafe Rio fix, and then headed home. 

 

 

 

Melissa and I don't know how to drive a stick, so the poor pregnant lady, and the pumping lady had to do all the driving.
Helpless.
 

My sweet mom watched our kids while I was with my sisters, and Dave was with his Dad, driving the truck (I got the better end of that deal).  Austin is obsessed with my Mom.  After four days of not seeing me, he still wanted nothing to do with me.  Only my Mom.

Nope.  Nothing.  

After not seeing Dave for almost a week...

My Mom still won.  Every time.  

Thank you Dad and Mom for watching the kids, and thank you sisters for a weekend to remember.  Coral and stripes!!

California Bound

 

 

Unfortunately, almost as soon as we moved to Colorado, we found out that due to circumstances way beyond our control, the job was not going to work out.  Fortunately, we found a new job that Dave is thrilled about.  He finished work on April 5th, and the kids and I flew to CA on April 11 for three weeks of family fun.  Dave and his amazing Dad supervised the packing of the truck, drove it to our new home and then met us in California.  Flying with the three kids by myself was an adventure, but they did really well.  I swore I would never let my kids play on the ground of an airplane.  Never say never.  I loved this carrier my inlaws bought me, and Austin feel asleep in it the second we got OFF the plane.  I booked the flight during nap time, hoping he would sleep, but that was not the case.  He made friends with a flight attendant and she loved parading him around.  We had so much fun spending so much time in California!

Ragsy

My family has a tradition of naming our cars. Growing up we road around in Bubba, our suburban. My first car, Kirby, provided lots of fun memories. Sara and I were able to take Kirby to college to "share". I was able to borrow my Grandpa's car occasionally in college, and Cheerio got Jayme and I into, and out of, all sorts of fiascos. When Dave and I were first hanging out back in 2000, we drove from Provo to California for a road trip with Arianne, Mindy and Craig. We took Kirby. We stayed at my parents house. We were outside washing Kirby (my Mom has a thing for clean cars. Many memories of washing cars growing up). Anyhow, she said, "Will someone go get some rags inside?" Dave paused and said, "Rags. That is what I am going to name my car. And someday I will go from Rags to riches." Little did Dave know that he would end up marrying me, or that he would get his MBA, only to go on and do 7.5 more years of school, and it would be 12 years later until that dream was realized. We retired good old "Ragsy" as the kids called him (gender: boy, Francy-our swagger wagon: girl), in April. I love this car.

 It was car Dave picked me up in for our first date. We brought all three babies home from the hospital in this car.

This car fixed itself. When there was something wrong with it, it would seriously just fix itself. Except for our two year wedding anniversary. Rags decided he wanted some TLC and needed a new transmission. So our gift to each other was a $2,000 new transmission. But other than that, and a little tune up now and again, Rags was awesome.

 I have so many memories of driving around Provo in our dating days. Of Dave taking me back to my apartment late and night in the freezing cold, and Rags was so good at heating up quickly and blasting the hot air. Our newlywed days, of driving to hang out with Ryan & Heidi, or over for Sunday dinner at Anika's with Chris and Megan. Our San Francisco days, and how Rags needed 2.5 squares of sidewalk to fit into a parallel parking space. Driving to Addi's, the Marina Safeway, and all over the city for Audrey's modeling jobs.

Once we had Joshua, we got Francy, so when I think of Rags, I remember being a mom to only one sweet little girl, and my little sidekick and I went everywhere together. In Texas, Dave took Rags to school everyday. He was such a good commuter car. Until the air conditioner went out in the middle of the summer. Money was verrrry tight, so we tried to not fix it, but after Dave would come home dripping in sweat, I put my foot down and we fixed the AC. But it wasn't as bad as we thought. Good old Ragsy just needed a little charge and he was good to go.

Audrey full on shed some tears when Dave drove away with Ragsy for the last time. When we would sing the "Happy Family" song ("I love _____, and he loves me...), Joshua would make us include Rags and Francy into our song. We take these cars and they become pseudo family members. We love you Rags!

Worst picture of me in the entire universe, but this is up loading up baby Audrey in Rags and coming home from the hospital in San Francisco.  2005.

Coming home from swimming from someone's aunt's cousin's best friend's home.  Finding a swimming pool was hard to do in San Francisco.  

On the way to a modeling job.

Playing in the courtyard at our apartment complex.  AKA, the backyard.  

Baker Beach. 

 

Coming home from Pleasanton where we bought these sunglasses at the Nordstrom half yearly for probably $7. Aunt Mimi watched Audrey for us in hopes that it would put her into labor with baby Savy.  It totally worked.  2007.

 

On our way to Monterey to visit SuEllen and her kids.  I was 9 months pregnant and had major contractions and was convinced I was going to have to deliver Joshua all by myself of the long, windy drive home.  No cell service.  That wasn't very smart of me.  

Then we got Francy and Rags officially became Dave's car again, which explains why there are no pictures of him until the last day we had him. 

Our last day with Ragsy.  April 7, 2012

The summer that Dave and I met (2000), I was asked to go back to Girls Camp to be an adult leader from my home stake.  I went, and they did a really cool "Tree of Life" lesson.  This was my little piece of fruit from the tree at camp.  I hung it on Rags that summer, and it has stayed there ever since.  

217, 335.5 miles.  Impressive Ragsy, impressive. 

RIP Rags.  Thank you for all the fun memories! 

Randoms

Random pictures taken by my trusty phone.
Conference Sunday park outing.

Some school work by Audrey. 

My favorite part is when she calls me "wonderful". Best pay day ever. 

A self portrait by Audrey. 1st grade.

This rocking chair was given to me by my friend Shannon in San Francisco when I was pregnant with Audrey.  I had looked everywhere for a good chair, and finally found one (so I thought) at Costco.  After borrowing a friends big car and driving down and picking it up, I told Shannon about my find.  She told me she was getting rid of her chair and asked if I wanted it.  I used to babysit her kids and I rocked Noah in that chair.  I loved Noah, and I loved that chair.  The Costco chair went right back, and this was the chair that I rocked baby Audrey, Joshua, and Austin in.  When we moved, it had to go.  We were tight on space and this thing is a beast. I was so sad to see it leave.  Thank you chair, for so many memories. And for putting up with so much spit up and poop.