Happy Birthday Joshua

It is hard for me to believe two years ago today you came into our lives. What did we ever do without you? You add so much joy, love, happiness and a need for patience to our little family. I love everything about you...

I love your sweet little face

 

I love the special bond you share with your sister and your dad that started immediately

 

I love how you love bath time

I love your smile, your giggle and your belly laugh

 

I love the two of you together

 

I love how you love to wear hats

I love how you will snuggle your sister on the couch and watch a monkey show (Curious George)

 

I love how your birthday is within days of Aunt Ritz, and Mormor

 

I love your big brown eyes and long eyelashes

 

I love your curly hair (and I love that on the morning of your birthday you will go with your mom and we will each eat two donuts and 13 donut holes and then come home and you are sneaking more treats)

 

I love how you have changed me into a better person, I love how you made me the mother of a son, I love how you made Audrey a big sister, I love how you have strengthened our family in every way, and I love celebrating you.  I love you Mr. Man.  Happy second birthday.

 

Valentines Day School Party

I love going to Audrey's school parties. Since Mandy is the room mom it turned out darling. I love that I get to "help" but not "be in charge". Ha!

Sweet kids. Joshua's shirt says, "Mom's Little Romeo". Thanks Memor for the true true true shirt.

All the kids singing "Skid-a-marink, I Love You" for the parents.

I am reading a cute book called, "Have You Filled a Bucket Today?" It's about how everyone carries an invisible bucket and we need to fill each others buckets by doing nice things, and showing love for others. We then decorated little buckets.
I am wearing what I call my "teacher face".

Checking out the snow storm.

Passing out valentines.

 

Audrey's loot!

 

Day O Love

Valentines Day 2010 did not disappoint. It started on Friday night with a fun date with Chris and Megan. We went to one of my favorite restaurants, Maggianos, and then to see the movie Valentines Day. Since it was opening night, we got to the theater early and our fabulous husbands waited in line to get seats while Megan and I shopped, and even tried on the clothes! I have never seen a movie on opening night and I was a little skeptical of it, but I have decided I am a fan. At funny parts the whole audience would laugh and it was fun to be part of such a big group. It wouldn't have been as fun if we didn't have good seats, but thanks to our hubby's, we did.

Saturday morning all four of us went to the gym along with Mandy & Colby, and Chris & Megan. After a lame attempt at yoga, we called it quits and all went to get donuts instead.

Sunday, the actual day of love, we started our day with a fun breakfast for the kids (those pictures on are Dave's camera, which is at school, so those pictures will come later). That night we had a little dinner over here.

Love these people, and especially the person taking the picture.

The Hot Tamale challenge. Colby dared us to all eat 10 Hot Tamales at the same time. It didn't seem to bother them very much...

Good thing Megan didn't go into labor...

and I was sweating bullets and I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head. I am clearly a wimp when it comes to eating hot things. However, I pulled through and was able to swallow that hot mess.

Our handsome men

Our beautiful, boot wearing girls.

Happy Love Day!

My New Nephew

Welcome to the world little man.  

Rockwell Luke

February 18, 2010  8:27 pm

7 lbs, 8 oz  21 inches long
I can not wait to kiss those cheeks and squeeze those knees!

 

My sister, Melissa, and the new big sister, Savy.

 

 

California Natives + Current Texas Residents = One Lousy Snowman

Proof. We need serious lessons when it comes to making a snowman around here. Owning gloves would have helped for sure, and having Dave around would have helped even more.

Regardless of our pitiful snowman, we had tons of fun playing in the snow.

 

 

 

Nice warm tubbie to defrost the frozen hands. Santa gave them bath foam and they loved playing with it.

 

It sure is pretty when it snows, but I'm glad it doesn't snow too often. The schools were closed all over the Dallas area. Dave's school didn't get the memo. Bummer.

Nine

Nine years ago today I did the best thing I have ever done...I said yes.

Nine years ago today Dave and I got engaged. We were living in Utah at the time, I was going to school and he was applying for business school. February 16th, 2001 was a Friday night.Dave's sister was coming into town so the plan was to go to Salt Lake, pick up his sister and then head to my friend's wedding reception. Once we got to the airport, Dave had me go inside to wait for his sister while he circled the car outside. While I was waiting, I felt someone come from behind me and give me a big hug. It was Dave and he had a dozen roses, and two packed suitcases. I was VERY confused. He took my hand and just said, "Let's go."I had a so many questions but he wouldn't answer any of them. We had designed my ring together and the ring store told us it wouldn't be done for at least another two weeks. I thought Dave had planned the trip hoping to get engaged, but since the ring wasn't done we were just going on a fun trip. We flew to Oakland, and our rental car was waiting for us. I felt so excited, but a little disappointed because I really wanted to get engaged and I thought the ring wasn't done. Dave blindfolded me and drove me to a beautiful lookout of San Francisco, where we ironically spent the last six years. It was there that he asked me to marry him, and of course (and obviously) I said yes. He then pulled my ring out of him pocket. It was finished! The ring store had to work extra hours to get it done in time, but they promised Dave it would be done for Feb 16th and they delivered. We then drove to Dave's parents and knocked on their door and surprised them with our visit, and with our good news. We then drove to my parent's house and totally surprised them as well. Our families got together on Sunday night to meet each other and start planning the wedding. It was a perfect way to get engaged. I love Dave nine times more today than I did on that day, and my love will just keep growing.

Congratulations Baby Sister

You are going to make one beautiful bride. We are so excited for you guys. Love you.

 

Be Mine

Forever and ever, and ever.

Happy Valentines Day

Super Bowl

Fabulous people. Yummy food. Great game. Thanks MaLeah and Ceb. Your bowl rocks.

Today

Today
Audrey

is 4 years, 5 months and 29 days.
She:
*loves school
*loves her Dad, brother, and most of the time, me
*asks for a baby sister constantly (no, this is not an announcement)
*loves all things pink, twirly, sparkly and anything to do with cosmetics
*is such a sweet little girl
*says the cutest things. The other day we were walking into Walmart and I said to her, "Audrey, I love grocery shopping with you". (And I really do. It is so much easier to do it with her than without her. She is such a big help with Joshua and she brings her little "list" and will check things off as we go along.) She said back to me, "Mom, I don't really love grocery shopping, but I do love being with you." Melted my heart. I wish I could freeze time forever at this stage.
*on Groundhog Day, I told her what day it was and she said, "Ahhh! Groundhog Day? Does that mean I get to go visit my groundhog?" She had a very confused look on her face, and then said, "My Grandpa?"
*loves to watch movies and listen to music. Her favorite movie right now is, "Fairytopia" and her favorite song is "Party At the USA", she means "Party In the USA". She loves Taylor Swith (Swift) and yes, Miley Cyrus.
*has an amazing memory. She will ask me if I remember something I will have to have her tell me all about it before I remember the specific memory she is talking about.
*is her Daddy's girl and my whole world.

Today
Joshua

is 1 year 10 months and 28 days.
He:
*doesn't like to sit still for very long (hence the fuzzy picture).
*loves balls, bikes, his boots, and Audrey's dressups
*loves his binki and must have two at all times. One in his mouth and one in his hand. He switches them every 15 seconds or so. Even in his sleep. I have watched it happen many times.
*isn't speaking quite yet. Audrey's school was giving free speech assessments and I took Joshua in to make sure everything was okay. Audrey didn't have school that day so she came with us. The speech therapist took one look (or should I say listen) to Audrey and said not to worry. Joshua is the little brother to a very talkative little girl, and not to worry one bit. And so I don't.
*we play charades a lot around here. He will point to something, or even better, act it out until I finally figure out what he wants and when I get it right he will say, "Uhhhhh huhhhhh." Darling.
*says, "Oh" (but it sounds like "hhhhoe") after I say things and it makes me laugh. "Joshua, it's time for bed." "Hhhhhhoe." or "Joshua, your mom loves you." "Hhhhhhoe."
*loves his football. He will run around the house throwing it and he calls it his "hu hi" (hut hike). He wants to wear his "hu hi" sweatshirt all the time (he is wearing it in this picture).
*loves Curious George. To let me know he wants to watch it he will squawk like a monkey until I say, "Do you want to watch the monkey show?" and then he says, "Uhhhhhh huhhhhhhh."
*loves the tub. He and Audrey will play forever in the tub. I just finished reading The Hunger Games and Catching Fire and while I read it they played in the tub for two hours one day while I read on the bathroom floor. Heavenly.
*is my sweet, sweet, boy and his daddy's pride and joy.

Today
I am 29 years, 7 months and 12 days.
I:
*am recovering from a horrible weekend when all four of us had the stomach flu. Not.fun.
*haven't left the house all day.
*am up to my eyeballs in laundry.
*miss my family. I wish I could be there for my Mom who has to have surgery on her leg and my sister who is about to have a baby.
*just got dinner delivered to me by sweet Megan (THANK YOU!) We missed the Couples Valentines Day Party (we were puking) and she was kind enough to bring me some of the yummy dinner they had.
*am grateful for my support group here in Texas.
*feel so blessed to have good health. Nothing like being sick to make me realize how good I have it.
*am so so so grateful for Dave. The flu hit me about 12 hours after everyone else and it was a tender mercy I was able to be sick on a Saturday so Dave could be home. While I slept and puked all day, he cleaned up the previous nights puke that happened all over Audrey's bed, scrubbed the kitchen, and did the laundry. I am one lucky girl.

This was me on Saturday afternoon. Dave had tubbied the kids and I was in bed and they came to snuggle me.