the babysitters

My parents are on their 30th anniversary trip (wahoo for 30 years!) which means Jake and I are chaperones...or did we just get 3 teenage babysitters for a week?  Either way, it's been too much fun.  Too much fun for Myer because he always has a fresh audience, willing arms to pick him up, and friends to take him to the park.  A little stay-cation at it's finest.

Sad will be the day when we go home to just us three.

miss nae nae

She's walking!

And our theory is, if Myer saw her walking around 

he might want to join in the fun.

So here's hoping!

And p.s. I really wish I could see this girl more often.

What a heartbreaker.

Sad to see them go,

but my sister and her husband will be traveling in London for a week this summer

so guess who gets to babysit?

ME.

So this time goodbyes weren't so bad.

But bad enough.

Love you lots Maddix, Navy, and Jamie!

See you in June.

a letter

Myer-

I debated about stopping these letters after 1 year, but you haven't stopped growing.  If anything, you've grown leaps and bounds in just a month.  But maybe not a letter every month, just every so often...

You are copying and mimicking everything.  After your Dad or I take a sip of water, you are right there with, "Ahhh..." or when we laugh, you join in with a fake laugh and a knee slap.  What a crack up.  And your other title is Jokester.  You egg on your dad to wrestle you, you play peek-a-boo with your ears rather than your eyes, you think you're hiding when you're really just ducking your head, you pull up your dad's shirt to find his belly button, you like to look at yourself in the mirror while babbling, you fold your arms after we've had prayer, and when I find you up to no good, you do this little "huh?".  Wheresoever did you get this personality?  And I love that it's showing so soon.

You are babbling and signing a lot.  Words you know in sign language are: MORE, FOOD, FINISH, MILK, CAR, WATER, AIRPLANE, BABY, BALL, PLEASE, SHOES, and DAD.  My favorite signs are when you're describing a car driving around or an airplane flying.  Precious, precious, precious.  Words you say are: Bye bye, Mama, Dada, baby, ball, and kitty (or doggy).  With your growing vocabulary comes more sociability.  We've made so many new friends at the neighborhood park; adults included.  Thanks for getting your mom out of her shell.

You took your first steps!  (At a church party no less...) We haven't been able to get you to do it again, but at least we know, and you know, you can do it.  Maybe we need to sing more hymns to get you walking?

We go outside every day because you go crazy if we don't.  You crawl to the front door and pound on it till we go out.  I am so grateful that little park is so close.  Not sure what we would do without our second home.  So every day I pack us up lunch, and walk down to the park where we swing, watch cars drive by, and kick the ball around.  I was looking forward to the day I could just go outside with my boy and just hang.  So no complaining here.

When we found out we were pregnant with a boy, I secretly prayed for a boy just like you and I can't really explain you, but you are who I imagined in my head: playful, happy, curious, and active.  And I am seeing just that.  Didn't know I could be so particular.  Funny, I also prayed for someone exactly like your father.  God loves me and blessed me with the two best men I could ask for.  Love you, love you, love you,

-Mom

City Creek Center

You can't come to Utah unless you visit the newest "it" spot, aka City Creek Center so we took Jamie and the kids.  This was my first time too, and I did not mind the 40 min drive to do my shopping here.  I think I about died when I saw jcrew, H&M, and Anthropologie (coming soon) all next to each other.  Yummy.  The kids liked the fountains and little fish they'd spot in the creek.  Don't you just love Maddix's pose?  He saw my brother Oakley crouch down for a pic and this is what we got from sweet little Mad dog each time.  I just love him. 

Of course Myer took matter into his own hands and had to push the stroller the.entire.time.  Gah.  So we saw City Creek in detail, but not all of it.  So it gives us an excuse to come up again.  And again, I'm sure.  A new favorite spot?  Heck yes!

in town

We got Jamie and the kids for two short days, but we'll take what we can get!  Of course we tried to jam everything in we could like cars, playing with Remmie, snuggles, and other crazy stuff like making a train on the treadmill... don't ask...

Boys. What can I say?

bijou, bijou, bless you

 Amidst the crazy crazy busy weekend

I pinched in a stop at bijou market.

Picked up a pillow to start off the family room re-make

and two prints to finally finish my kitchen collage.

I spy a colorful theme...

So many other fun things at the market like wrapping paper,

jewelry, headbands, wooden cars, signs, bow ties, onsies, and even birthday banners.

Not sure how I walked out of there with only 3 things in my hand...

Bijou gets me every time.

Christmas, again, may be another story.

dst2012

This piece of art, done by my friend Hilarie, is titled "All is Not Lost".  This basically sums up my weekend.  Being around people with the same ideals and hope for the future was uplifting.  I felt the conference had a theme centered around Deaf education, and this time I felt like we were presented some possible "solutions".  So definitely, All is Not Lost.  It was so so good to see everyone again.  I am seriously proud of my friends that I've made while in the Deaf Studies program; all of them still breathing strong Deaf Studies!  It's the best kind of reunion.  I'll be honest, I wanted to chat more with friends than actually listen to workshops, and my brain kinda hurts from getting concentrated ASL three days straight, but can I have some more please?  Missing it, and can't wait till 2014.

(and I should mention the above piece was on display during the conference.  Hilarie you should be so proud! I am!)

we're trying

Someone is just too darn good at crawling.

Or someone is just too darn cautious

to take the quantum leap and walk on their own.

I try to secretly pull away my hands

but Myer has such a death-grip that he knows and starts squatting to sit.

Cheater.

My back hurts.

food for thought

On a mommy-daughter lunch outgoing,

my mom took us to Food for Thought.

Most darling place.

And the food is equally delicious.

I had the turkey bacon avocado sandwich with the thai chicken salad.

And I certainly didn't forget about dessert with a lovely lemon bar.

This was totally a chick place but Jake is just going to have to deal cause I'm going there again.

Or better yet, let's have a girls lunch.

Who's with me?

I'm truly serious.

Easter Sunday

The perfect day to be together as a family.

After all, that is what Easter means to me-- we are able to be a forever family

because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us.

That gives me at least 2 people I mean, reasons, to celebrate.

his first egg hunt

We crashed my parent's neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt

and ended up with quite the haul.

Thanks to Aunt Sierra and Papa's help.

And naturally Myer is oh so serious about the whole thing;

can't show too much excitement,

or look at the camera for that matter.

Man, when there's a prize involved, don't mess with boys.

But I did catch a smile though,

on our way home I peeked in the rear view mirror, 

and saw him clutching his little basket of treasures, kicking his legs, and smiling to himself.

Victory.

Happy Easter!

looking forward to it

As April decided to take a back step and become January this morning, it made me look forward to next week.  And not just cause it'll be in the 70's oh yeah but for what's in store... Starting Wednesday is Deaf Studies Today! Conference which will last until Saturday.  I'll see my old professors, friends who've moved away, and of course friends who've stayed here.  I promise I'm not just excited for the social part, but it is a big motivator for going!  Also next weekend is Bijou Market, aka the ultimate Etsy one stop shop.  And guess what? No Christmas shopping for anyone.  Just me! Wee!  And lastly, my sister and kiddos will be stopping by for a few short days.  Seriously all happening in one weekend.  It's like an assorted box of cupcakes-- a sample of all my favorite things-- Deaf Studies, shopping, and family.  Boom!  Again, my snowy weekend is looking a whole lot better.  Cheers to next week!

it's in our blood

Dance is a part of my family like fry sauce is a part of Utah.

And I know I've said this before,

but nothing gives me more joy than seeing my little sister, Sierra

dance to the choreography to my other little sister, Jessie.

Beautiful pretty much sums it up.

Proud sister moment? I think so!

I can't wait to see where dance will take Sierra

and she's going places.

(have you seen her legs??? Dang!)

our conferencegram weekend

1. inspiration for the weekend  2.  bare feet at the park

3.  Sunday morning snuggles  4. multitasking

Conference weekends are the best weekends.

Favorite quotes:

"Family time is sacred time and it should be respected and protected."

"Rather than be cast down, look up."

"Our Heavenly Father did not put us on this earth to fail, but to succeed."

"You can't be right by doing wrong, and you can't be wrong by doing right."

"Stop it."

"Praying with children may be more important than any other example."

I love the feeling in our home during and after Conference.

I wish it happened more than twice a year.

Try as we might, we're going to hold on to these feelings till October.

Hope you all felt the love last weekend cause we sure did.