THANK YOU JILL

Jill, the Blog party was WONDERFUL! The best part was having you meet me at the door, and point out some people I could go talk to....that alone puts me in your debt forever. I swear, the older I get the more inhibited I become, I use to be quite outgoing as a young adult....and a total ham as a child. anyway....

I don't have any pictures because I had Bub in my arms all night (except when Hannah took him, Hannah the baby whisperer ). And my take on the party? Well, first of all the food was great, that alone was worth the trip down. I received THE cutest cards from Hannah as part of the gift exchange and I got to spend the evening laughing and talking so I say the evening was a success. Jill was just as entertaining in person as she is in writing, her introductions were hysterical and a highlight of the evening was her French cowboy routine. Michelle was just as elegant as I thought she would be, Hannah was just as sweet and kind as I had imagined. Claudia has a very cool accent, and she is the kind of person who energizes a party. Those were the people I knew the best from reading blogs but I really enjoyed talking to Lori, Dana, Amy W, Annalise, Allison, Tasha, Jana and Jennifer. I wish I could have met more people but I was dead by 11:00 pm and had to go. I grabbed a caffeine free diet Coke on my way out the door, hoping some sort of placebo affect would kick in but alas...no I was dead tired all day today. I am just not use to partyin' these days.

Flabbergasted.

We just got back from an amazing family reunion in Southern Utah (THANK YOU LISA and CRAIG!) . There is so much to blog about...so many pictures to share....and no time to sit down and do it! So, all that will wait, but I had to post pictures of an amazing 'good mail' package I received before we left. Stephanie sent me this oh so very cute onesie for baby Bub,

and these super cute hair clips for Miriam. I had read Stephanie's post about these crafts on her blog. I admired them, and hoped the person who received them would think they were as darling as I did. I was floored to get them in the mail. Thank you Stephanie!!

Miriam loves the clips too!
If you haven't seen Stephanie's blog you should check it out. She makes lots of whimsical crafts and has great ideas. She also has an amazing children's book blog. I read Twilight before Twilight was popular at her suggestion. She also just started store at etsy cute, unique stuff.

We are Blessed

Bub was given a name and a blessing last Saturday. It was HOT but lovely. Mr. Bub is named after his grandfathers, two wonderful men that we adore. True to form, our little guy was a mellow fellow, sleeping all day and only getting a bit fussy when he was too hot, hungry, or tired. The angel baby routine lasted until 9:30 ish pm when he decided he wanted everyone to leave and started to wail until he was properly put to bed.
Everyone oohed and ahhed over lil' Bub. The consensus is that he looks just like his daddy, although there are definite features from my side too; his huge cowlick for one thing, his eyes, and I think his head shape. Not to mention his growth. He is already near 14 lbs, very strong and solid, just like Uncle Erik, and Uncle Mark. My mom thinks this may be our Brigham Young cross-the-plains gene.

Miriam had a near perfect day. She went swimming with her cousins that morning and then played with them all day, she got to wear her new white dress...and here she is enjoying the delicious dessert aunt Vanessa provided. She too melted around 9:30 pm and then slept all during church the next day.

I tried to get pictures of all our guests but missed some people. I think they will consider themselves lucky, but I apologize anyway.

Grandma C

Grandma R and Pa Pa

Cristin Ben and Maddie, we were so lucky they were in town.

Regan and Vanessa

Erik Kelly Alice and Claire

Partners in crime, Marcus and Josh

Madison and Sarah

Julia and Jared

I loved this random shot of my dad with some of the granddaughters. So sweet.
Our families helped provide the food THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Especially thank you to my sister Sarah who came to help me clean, took the kids swimming AND helped with the food.

The party continues this weekend at a wild family reunion!

I LOVE my GEEK!

From Lelly's Blog: A geek is an individual who is highly intelligent (brainy) and technically oriented. They are most often associated with the computer, and computer systems world. A geek is usually formal, studious and into his technical world, often to the exclusion of all else. A geek is closely related to a "Nerd". A nerd however, may or may not possess technical expertise.

Some people view the term "Geek" with a negative connotation. Are they jealous of your knowledge and skills, perhaps? We certainly think so.

I may very well be a "nerd" but unfortunately I am not a geek. I am however, in LOVE with one!! My hubby is a HUGE geek. I am so unintelligent when it comes to technology, I couldn't even begin to explain what he knows (or what he does for a living...that is over my head as well). I just know that he fixes every computer problem in both of our families, has built his own computer, takes computers apart and uses pieces of them ( for what? I don't know), and he does drool over everything new in the technology world. If it weren't for my beloved...I certainly wouldn't be blogging.

I worked 4 years as a secretary for the Dean of Fine Arts at the U of U. One day, after trying to learn this computer program to make name tags, the development director said "It's a damn good thing you are good with people....because you are bad at the computer". The tech support guys became close friends of mine:)

There are two obstacles that keep me from becoming a geek, #1 it truly does take me a LONG time to learn how to do things on the computer. In order to learn, I need a very patient tutor, I need step by step written instructions, and I need to repeat what I have learned everyday. #2 I am not interested in learning about, or using technology unless I can see a direct and immediate benefit in my daily life. That is why blogging is so great for me. I love blogs and so it has created a desire in me to learn. This is HUGE for me.

I LOVE MY GEEK!

Fancy Smancy

Miriam is one lucky girl. First of all, her cousins are visiting. Secondly she, Maddie, and Anna went to the Fancy Nancy party a local children's bookstore put on. Both Miriam and Anna (probably Maddie too) LOVE the FN books, and Anna just had a FN party so this was super pink fun for them.

They had their nails painted, made wands, colored fancy pictures, frosted pink cupcakes drank pink lemon aid, and listened to Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy. It's been so fun to see Cristin and her family! We don't get to see them often enough. When we were on our post party shopping trip with the girls Miriam said "My cousins are my most special friends...even Aunt Cristin is my most special friend" I hope she always feels this way.

The girls listening to the story.

A whole lot of PINK (with a bit of blue up front).

The party will continue this Saturday at Mr. Bub's blessing.

He started smiling just in time for the celebration!

The party is just beginning....

Our July is SO busy and I have started it way behind schedule. It's going to be fun, if only I can keep my head above water.

Here is the first event, the annual party (for both the country and my dad) at my parents cabin. This is so fun every year, there is something about the familiarity of things that makes it special. We always go to the little parade in town, get ripped off on the games at the park, give the kids 4-wheeler rides, eat great food, fireworks, and take a family pictures. The cousins are starting to enjoy each other so that makes everything even more fun. They played for hours (without too much trouble) in the new sandbox outside.

Our little family. Thanks Sarah and Julia for Bub's festive outfit. It's been so dang hot, he generally wears a white onesie everyday.

Papa with the grandkids...all of them and one more expected in October. Dang cute kids if I do say so myself!

The girls at the parade (minus Claire). Madison (middle) is so wonderful to play with the kids. She is almost 9 but has such a great imagination, and desire to play, she will play with anyone. I will be so sad when she outgrows Miriam.

The guys, minus Bub with Darin added. These two are crazy, but SO funny together. Before this picture was taken, they had been using their water bottles as bombs and rolling them into people.

This picture says it all.

Can't wait till next year!!

Everybody you say Dinos, you say DiiiiiiiNoooooos!

Strange title eh? Well not if the Dino (Dinosaur) was your high school mascot, and you got together with some high school friends last weekend (the title was a very popular chant we would do). Left to right: Nanci, Lori, Sara, and Jessica. Nanci and Lori were celebrating a milestone birthday (I will leave it up to the reader to guess which birthday) and Lori is moving to Canada for grad school. None of us had ever met Sara's little girl, Jessica just got married a few weeks ago, and I just had baby Bub....big changes and lots of reasons to celebrate. We were all laughing hysterically before this picture was taken because.....

This little cutie (Nanci's little boy) was taking the picture. He sat there with the camera ready for a loooong time while we said "okay....take it now, it's all ready, push the button, okay, push hard, push harder". What a little darling he is, all Nanci's kids are, I should have taken more pictures. Thank you Nanci for hosting the get together and for making such yummy fajitas and fruit dip! Nanci's got a bit of Martha goin' on. We have got to get together again soon girls.

SPT - In and Out Beauty

From Lelly's blog:

this week's challenge is interactive. a little less "self-portrait," a little more "self-love."

now, go ahead and hand your camera to the person on your left. no-one there? okay, how about this: hand your camera to your little, your husband, your aunt, your best friend. have them snap your photo. ask them to share with you one thing they love about you in the picture. make sure you share their comments when you post your spt.

I had Darin take my picture, and made him also pick which pictures to post. This was our conversation this morning.

Darin: I want you to title the post "In and Out Beauty" like In and Out Burger.
Me: Why because I am fast and made of quality meat?
Darin: Don't forget homemade fries.

Darin said he thinks I am beautiful overall, and when he sees me smile it reminds him of the beautiful person I am inside. It's a good thing my smile reminds him of inner beauty because I only have one huge smile for every occasion. If you ask me to smile or say cheese you are going to get the whole shabang...big mouth, large teeth, gums exposed. Photographers have asked me to "tone down" my smile for certain photos and I always end up looking strained, pensive, or dare I say it?? constipated. I don't know how to grin or half smile. But...this post is about self-love right?? I was once told that when I flash my huge smile at people it makes them feel like I really enjoy being with them. I am glad I have the ability to make people feel good by doing something so easy:) So, I love my smile too!

I just asked Miriam what she liked about the above picture and she said "Well, I only really like charm bracelets, so if I made a charm bracelet we could take a picture of that. " Oookay well I guess we are off to make charm bracelets.

Happy Daddy Day!!

Father's Day snuggle

I love this picture even though the lighting is bad so I had to add it.

We celebrated with Chicken adobo (a Filipino dish Darin enjoys), and homemade ice cream.

My mom let us borrow their ice cream maker...this thing is a BEAST! It makes a gallon of ice cream and is SO LOUD. It does a great job though.

We made Grape Nut ice cream. I read an article stating that this was a favorite flavor in New England so I had to try it.

You drizzle maple syrup on the top so I knew I would love it. It was soooo good. Next we will try avocado ice cream...yum! Hey Janes family, remember when we had olive oil ice cream at that Turkish restaurant. That was delicioso!


Miriam and I shined Darin's shoes, and gave him some practical gifts he needed.
But...we also gave him this very cool ball. The ball can be squished flat and then it pops out after a certain time so it's like a frisbee/ball.


Last but not least, my Dad mentioned that he wished he could see Bub, so here he is at 4 1/2 weeks....bright eyed little guy.

Lil' Bub is growing SO fast and furious! This is a picture of him at 3 weeks (he is 4 weeks now). He was 9 lbs at his 2 week appointment...who knows how big he is now.

We received some good...no, great mail this week. So fun to get random packages in the mail!

Amanda and Bevan sent this cute and very boyish onesies. Thanks, you guys are great, I wish we could see you more often.

I don't know how Kristi knew I was using this old climbing bag (that I used in college) as a diaper bag...but somehow she knew and she sent me THIS

beautiful diaper bag. I believe Kristi MADE it (K correct me if I am wrong). Looks like a Vera Bradley right?? Nope a Kristi C original. I adore it (as Miriam would say).

It matches my beloved purse!

Kristi also sent me tons of very cute ribbon. I have the best cousins!!

My mom made these matching blankets for Bub and Miriam's babies. For those of you who sew, I think this is such a cute gift for baby and an older sibling (if they play with dolls).