"Tiffany" Bridal shower for the best!

I have been waiting to throw this shower for way too long! But boy did I have a great time planning it when the time finally came along! Erin got married! It's true. And I think it was worth the wait! She found a fantastic guy who is living out their dreams with her. I am so happy to see Erin so happy. She truly deserves it and I wish them both all the best!

Here is the happy girl...

I've known Erin for a long time. We met our Sophomore year in college and it must have been meant to be because we were instant friends. In the weirdest of situations, we just clicked and have been great friends every since. Knowing Erin so well, I know that she loves things that sparkle. Erin truly has a taste for the finer things in life. So the theme of the shower was "Breakfast at Tiffany's" All things diamonds and all things sparkle! Let's not forget waffles, bacon, sausage, fruit, whipped cream, homemade syrup, milk and orange juice. It really was so much fun to put together. I had so many ideas and had to narrow it down. Luckily I thought it turned out pretty cute! Plus I think Erin liked it, which was a bonus.

We opened presents, which is always fun, especially when you have a bunch of girls who have been around the block before.

Each guest went home with their very own Tiffany Box and ring. We also enjoyed a few cake pops and cupcakes cause what is a shower without treats?

Here are the original 4! We were roommates back in the day for about 3 years. If we weren't in the same apartment we lived across the hall. Love them all. Me (please ignore my crazy pale skin), Erin, Janelle, Jessica.

I'm so happy for you Erin! Your wedding was a dream and I hope your future is too! Love you!

Crew's first day of Preschool 2011

Crew was so excited to start school. He had to sit and watch Reagan go for a year and now it is finally his turn! It was hard because Reagan started one day before Crew so for one day he had to watch again wondering if he really was going to be able to go, but when his turn rolled around he was pretty excited!

Here is my cute kid getting ready for his first day...

I told him not to move around so much and this is what he gave me...

Apparently if he cant run or dance or spin he can't smile either.

This is his super cool race car backpack. He has been wanting a backpack more than school, I think.

Here he is outside his new school. It was pretty bright so this is the best I got. School, here we come!

First day of School 2011

Reagan loves school. She loves everything about it, especially all the friends she has there and her wonderful teachers. This year for Preschool I had a couple of things that were very important on my list of requirements as I decided where we were going to go.

#1 - since Crew was also going to be in preschool I wanted somewhere that had 2 separate classes for each of them at the same time. (This proved to be a very hard thing to find. Either they had to go to the same class or one of them would go MWF and the other T/TH. So they would never be gone at the same time. This seemed very stupid to me. If they are going to school I wanted it to be at the same time.

#2 - since we have 2 preschoolers that means we are paying double for preschool. As I looked around I found that this could really send us to the poor house. So I needed to find somewhere that wasn't going to cost more than our house. This was also hard because if I wanted to get my #1 request I was apparently going to have to pay big bucks for it. I really was dragging my feet about this whole thing.

Luckily I was soon introduced to Granite School District's Preschool Program. I wasn't sure if we would be allowed seeing that we don't live in the district, but apparently that is not a requirement for Preschool. Lucky us. Also, since they are a public school entity their prices were very hard to beat! I am sending both my children to preschool for a price that is fantastic and let me tell you just what I'm getting...

Reagan's class is M/T/W/Th from about 9:00 to 12:00. (Most preschools are only 2 or 2 1/2 hours long)

She is in an elementary school with two teachers, a speech therapist, a behavioral therapist, and a school nurse specifically for the preschoolers, and a parent helper (sometimes 2) every day.

Crew gets to go on T/Th for the same time frame with the same teachers, therapists, nurse, and parent helpers.

It has been a dream and I am so happy that we found this solution. Reagan loves it and is learning so much. She is right on track for Kindergarten and I couldn't be more happy about it.

Here is Reagan on her first day of school...

She is a total poser. I love it!

Not sure about this one...

First day in front of her new school...

First day with her new teachers, Miss Angie on the left and Miss Samar on the right. Thank you for all you do!

Trek

I have so many feelings about Trek. I don't even know where to begin. I think I experienced every emotion and completely fell in love with my "kids". We were asked to be Ma and Pa over a Young Single Adult group and I'll be honest, I wasn't very happy about it. I didn't think it would be near as fun as the younger kids, but I was completely wrong. It was the best!

 

I had to fill out a survey for the Trek committee after we had returned home from Trek and I thought I would share what I wrote there because it was so soon after our adventure and my feelings were still very fresh. So here you go...

 

FORMING YOUR FAMILY

Things to think about: Finding out about your family ▪ How your family was called together ▪ Ages ▪ Boy/Girl ratio ▪ Other thoughts ▪ Suggestions

            LOVED our family. It was nice to have a list of names beforehand to have in mind as we departed for Trek. I will be honest and say Steve and I stressed a little bit about how we were supposed to introduce ourselves to the group. We were told to come up with some funny limerick or something that would make the kids want to be in our family and I was worried because I felt like that was something we were trying to avoid. Steve and I spent a lot of time talking about this and then we ended up worrying about nothing because they didn’t do that. I was very relieved. I thought it turned out better the way they did it. The only thing that would have been better is if they had told us where to gather our family. I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing or where I was supposed to go and I thought that was a bad first impression for our family to be scrambling just as we were put together. Everything turned out fine and I am so glad for the YSL’s we experienced Trek with.

WOMEN’S PULL

There’s a LOT to think about here.  Please share.

            I have so many emotions about the women’s pull and I don’t know how to write it down. Our experience was an eye opening one for me and my girls. We had been told very little about what we would be doing and we were sure we would be fine. As a group we brainstormed ways that we could help the other wagons. We thought it would be best if we went first so that we could go back down and help others up, but we were told that we would not be allowed to do that. So we changed strategies and decided it would be best to go last and motivate those in front of us. We would make sure no one was left behind by being the last in the train. The trail was long and full of hills. I remember looking around after the last hill before the really big hill wondering where the men were. Weren’t they supposed to watch us go up the hard part? I was confused because I was sure we were doing the hard stuff. Then we came around the bend and saw the crazy mountain that was yet to be climbed. I realized that my girls were very tired and we hadn’t done the hard part yet. I knew this was going to be much harder for us than any of us had anticipated and I started to get worried that we might not make it. I had a wagon full of YSL’s and the only thoughts that were going through my mind were thoughts of the wagons before us with much younger girls. We waited at the bottom of the mountain for the wagon ahead of us to make it to the top. This also gave my girls a rest. I looked up and saw our men lining the trail up the mountain. I knew it was time but I was very hesitant to start walking. Finally I urged the girls to begin our trek. It was crazy hard even from the beginning. As we reached the boys in our family their faces were heart wrenching. They all had red eyes and seemed desperate to help us. I could barely look at them. My mind was racing… this is so hard!... I don’t know if we can do this!... How did the other wagons get up this hill?... How did the pioneer women do this without their husbands and with young children? I thought about myself as a pioneer and having to take my small children across the plains and up big mountains. My heart broke, or exploded might be a better word. I could barely move my feet up this mountain but I felt the spirit stronger than I remember feeling it. Brother Cox and Brother Lowry stood on the side of the trail singing “Come, Come Ye Saints” as I tried to yell encouragements to my girls. The boys were spraying us with water and fanning us with their hats. I remember looking up and doubting that we were going to make it to the top. My two youngest girls seemed to be losing it. I thought one of them was on the verge of throwing up and the other was about to pass out. But we had to keep moving. All of a sudden a rush of girls came flooding from the top of the hill. I didn’t quite know what was happening but I realized they were trying to find any way to grab our cart and help us to the top. I was relieved because I knew with them we could do it. It felt like we started running to the top of the mountain and then all of a sudden we were at the top and the men grabbed the cart and rushed it away. My emotions were going crazy. So many things were going on inside of me and I needed a moment to myself. I felt complete gratitude for those who had gone before me, for those who had given me this experience , and for those I experienced all of this with. It was so hard but it was so amazing. I was a ball of contradictions. I was so happy to have accomplished the feat of climbing the mountain but never wanted to even look at it again. I needed Steve. I was looking all around trying to find him in the see of wagons and people. Finally I spotted him across the field and started that way. He saw me coming and began walking towards me. When we reached each other we hugged and that was it for me. I was a mess. We cried and held each other for a long time. I remember feeling a love for him that was so much stronger and deeper than I had felt in a long time. I told him to never leave me and he promised he wouldn’t. It was such a tender moment for us. For me. After I recovered I found all of my girls and gathered them together. We talked about our experience and I told them that we needed to learn a lesson from this. Our lesson was that we thought we were untouchable. We thought we could do anything and that it was the other families that were going to need our help. We were way off. We were the ones we struggled. We were the ones who needed their help. This is the same with life. There are times when we think we have it all figured out. That we are the ones who are doing everything right, but that those are the times we will trip and fall. Make mistakes and need extra help. Those are the times that we need to accept the help that is offered to us. Our family changed after the women’s pull. We became a unit. A whole. We needed everyone in our family and couldn’t do anything without everyone there. It was awesome.

 

MISC

Other things that you want to share or suggest that are not listed above . . .

            Trek is something I will never forget. This whole experience was done so fabulously that I can’t even express my gratitude. Job well done!

Finally, will you share one or two family or personal experiences that were meaningful to you? With your permission, we would like to compile these stories in our Trek history book.

            There was a point before Trek when I was sure the Stake leaders had called the wrong people to be Ma’s and Pa’s. At least in the case of Steve and I. I was sure I couldn’t offer all that was needed to be offered as a Ma. I worried that I couldn’t give the kids what they needed. But I learned something on Trek. It wasn’t about what I could give to the kids, it was what I could get out of this Trek experience. Trek was for me, and not the other way around.

Something changed in me while I was on Trek. I had such an incredibly awesome experience and I hope I never forget it. When the circle broke at the Stake Center after our final prayer it was like my heart broke. I didn’t want to leave these people of the feelings I felt on the mountain. I felt the spirit around us every minute on Trek. It was there through everything and I didn’t want to lose it. Steve and I still talk about it most nights. I’ve had a hard time being home because I feel like I can’t get that feeling back. I want it to be around me all the time as strongly as it was around me on Trek. I feel like a changed woman. I am grateful for that. The bonds that were created, the lessons that were taught and mostly, the gratitude that I gained for our pioneer ancestors are more than I could have imagined they would ever be.

            I will forever be grateful for this experience. I will always remember that there is a reason for every calling and to never say no, and to always do my very best no matter what. I know now that if I do I will be the one who comes out ahead. Thank you for this experience.

Bedroom Redo

This is something else we've been spending a lot of time on this summer. This is the only room in our house that we haven't touched since we moved in 6 years ago. There are rooms that I've painted 2 times, but my poor room was left alone. I think it was because I didn't know what I wanted to do there and therefore didn't do anything.

Then, for Christmas, my parents gave me this beautiful chair and I really wanted to put it in my room. My room isn't very big so the chair was a tight fit, but I love the chair and that was a place I could look at it every day without worrying if my kids were going to get it dirty. So I started plans for the bedroom redo.

I found that the colors of the chair were a really hard color pallet. I couldn't find a bedspread that I loved so time continued to pass without any changes. Then we decided to put in a new window because I knew I was done with the storm window. The chair had to be moved downstairs while the window was put in.

Well... while the chair was in my living room I found that I sat in it a lot more. I also found that my kids didn't really care about it and pretty much left it alone. I also realized that it matched my living room! I wouldn't have to change a thing! So I decided that the chair would stay there. I have loved this choice. But that left my bedroom still not finished and completely back to square one.

Steve and I looked and looked at pictures of bedrooms to decide what we wanted to do. He found a picture of the wall paneling and I was pleasantly surprised to hear that he liked it and thought we should do it! We lucked out and were able to have Steve's brother, John put up the panelling and all I had to do was the caulk and paint. The process was forever because I never seemed to have the chunk of time required to get it done. But finally I did and I love it!

I'm thinking it might be fun to try and build a padded/fabric headboard... What do you think?

Reagan's Preschool Graduation

I think it's so funny that these little kids have a graduation for preschool, but on the other hand I loved seeing Reagan all dressed up and excited for the big celebration. It was fun to see what they had learned and meet her friends that I have been hearing about. So, I guess it's ok.

Reagan went to preschool this past year at Brighton High School. I really was happy with our experience. It was close, she loved all the people involved, couldn't beat the price and her bag was full of goodies every day when I picked her up. She learned a ton and had even more fun!

For her graduation they hosted the parents and families in the atrium and served cake. So funny! Reagan loved every minute of it. She still talks about how she "celebrated from school" so she is done now. Here are some pictures from the big day...

Vegas Baby

Wow. It's been awhile. I have been buuusy. But hasn't everyone? That's what it seems like to me. We have been really enjoying the beautiful weather. Swim lessons, bikes, slides, swings, walks, pictures, play dates. So many fun things! I just haven't spent any time editing pictures for the blog. But I thought I should probably put something on here as I realized I hadn't even posted their Easter outfits from months ago. Whoa. I am behind. But that will have to wait.

As summer was about to be upon us Steve and I realized we weren't going to be able to take our family on any kind of big trip this year. It just wasn't going to fit in. But we didn't want it to pass without doing something together. We wanted to try a vacation with just our little family. This was risky because we have 3 little ones under the age of 4 and we wanted it to be enjoyable and not a nightmare. We decided to stay close since we only had a few days. Steve picked Las Vegas. After a bit of hesitation we decided to go for it since our options were slim. It ended up being better than we ever could have hoped for.

I didn't take many pictures for a couple of reasons... #1 - it took both Steve and I's full attention to make sure the kids were safe and on their best behavior so there wasn't much attention left for picture taking. #2 - I took my point and shoot and the memory card was being screwy, I found out later that I needed to reformat my memory card. I took this one great picture of Crew in our hotel room... It speaks volumes of our experience.



Let me give you a brief rundown of our trip to Vegas. It was awesome! Really, it was. The kids were great! It made us so excited to do something again next year. They got along well and were very obedient. There is so much to see in Las Vegas, especially for the kids! We saw the tigers and ate at the Rain Forest Cafe at the MGM Grand. We saw the fountains and the beautiful moratorium at the Bellagio. We walked through the shopping mall in Caesar's Palace and had our own show at their fish aquarium and enjoyed a frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity. We saw the pirate ship at Treasure Island and the Volcano at the Mirage. We drove the strip many times. We went shopping and swimming at our hotel. We stayed at the Excalibur and Reagan was in heaven. She thought it was her very own castle and wore her princess dress every minute we were in our room. Crew was made a knight and saved her from every dragon they saw. So much fun.

I did take a bunch at the St. George Temple. We stopped there to let the kids run around and they really had a great time. The visitors center there has a lot of fun things for kids. If you haven't checked it out, you should.













So fun. Seriously. Love this little family of mine.

A little something

Just a little something to brighten your day!

20:52

I have been taking pictures, but I haven't been posting them. I will, promise. I have been so very busy with clients and they come first. But I wanted to share one today. My kids gathered some chairs and made their own train. Do you think we like trains at our house? Somehow Cache was the conductor but he wouldn't stay on the chair for very long. Reagan and Crew were happy to be the passengers.



*please ignore the mess that lays all around them. it's just all a part of the play;)

Summer Dance Workshop

Michelle Nielsen held a dance workshop for the young girls in the neighborhood and Reagan had the best time. What's more fun that dancing with all of your friends? Thank you Michelle! You are incredible!