Maddy and her new Winnie the Pooh train...

As you can see, this is a huge hit! This is the train's 2nd day home, plus a few days at the cabin...but look at her go! She's so proud of herself!!

Christmas 2009!

This Christmas, we spent a long weekend at the cabin. It was a perfect weekend! We got up there on the 23rd. First time that early before Christmas, but so nice to be able to relax. Christmas Eve, Jer and his family got up there and we were soon able to begin the long awaited festivities. For those who don't know (uh, where have you been???) my mom does xmas eve jammies every year. This year she made them, the bottoms anyway. Moose for the boys and kids, and leopard for the girls. They were cute and, as usual, very comfy! The kids had a great time. Special xmas eve stockings for everyone via mom/mimi. Maddy wasn't sure what all of the craziness was about. She soon found that she had new toys and books though, and was very excited!
6 am xmas morning...

the girls on xmas eve

me and my first baby

opening her first santa present...she continues to kiss and squeeze this thing everytime she sees it.

6 am, right before meannie momma woke her up. Couldn't resist the yummy sleeping position!

Jer and his family

Sissa and her family

My cute mom and dad. I snagged the wrong picture from my photo album...they weren't quite ready to say cheeze...but cute none the less.

Us on xmas eve

Me and Maddy on the snowmobile...she didn't get a ride this time, but did the last day. A short stint around the parking lot.

All in all, this was by far the most perfect Christmas. I am so thankful for a family that I not only love, but whom I truly love to hang out with. We always have so much fun. Whether it's a competitive game of nickels (and noone cheated this year...), to extreme sledding (at least extreme for us...a long slick hill with a nice jump, only one injury...), movies, arcade games, reading (mom and sissa), snowmobile rides, and a lot of laughs! Every single year I feel more and more blessed to have the family that I have, the parents that I have. None are more loving, or generous, or compassionate, or FUN as mine!!

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday and best wishes for a safe new year!

Thanksgiving and other catch up...

So, it's been a busy month and a half. With Thanksgiving, the boutique, and the various Christmas activities...it's gone by way too fast. Hard to believe that Christmas is almost here! That means I need to finish shopping. Thanksgiving was fantastic. My grandpa and Aunt Julie came up for it. It was so nice to spend the day with them. Then the frantic planning of our shopping night. It used to be morning, now it's started at 9 pm! Where there used to be at least a few hours of sleep, there is none. I wouldn't trade it though. McDonald's, Pretzels, and LOTS of diet coke keep us going! I swear no one has a funner mom to tag along with. She's got more energy than all of us put together. I swear it!! It's so much fun though! I'm not sure I can find the right words to describe what happened here, since I don't even know. Did my dad put it there? Did the kids? He just seems a little too happy to be donning an orange flower. Love my dad!

Sissa, Grandpa, me, and Jer. Love this pic!

Me and my cute little sista! Yes Sissa, we are hot!

Muggy's ridin' mimi's rooster!

First Thanksgiving!!

Hally Happoween...

So this year's Halloween was especially fantastic. I didn't have to beg my teenager NOT to go trick or treating with her friends, and she got to go anyway, with her sister and cousins. I hope, for Addy and Emmy's sake, that their neighborhood is built up more next year, and more people will be home. We scored 4 candies there...then moved on to our neighborhood. To Matt and Melissa's delight, we took the kiddies to the Griswold's halloween house. Luckily after being scared half out of their cute little tights, they scored huge with king size candies. Maddy wasn't even phased...YET! Here are the girls planning out their candy strategies...or just being plain yummy!
Here are the girls...

Maddy in full costume...

The weekend before, we had a booth in the What Women Want expo in St. George. It was our most successfull weekend to date. Yeah us!! We put in a lot of hard work and long hours to get ready for this. Kudos to my cute mom, and the mastermind behind this whole thing. She is where we get our creative streaks from, thanks mom. The woman is a machine. Only taking a day off after we got back, she was right back into gear to get ready for our opening at Quilted Bear in Midvale. (We've been in Provo since October 1st.) I must say that the long hours might have been excruciating had it not been for Micheal Jackson and my extremely talented baby sister's dance moves. It definately helped get through the long days. Go Sissa....

On the way home, we stopped to visit my cute Grandpa in Nephi. He has apple trees so we helped clear him of some apples. The girls loved the 'run-on-the-apples-game' they screamed and laughed. As soon as we got home, Dan made homemade applesauce...it was truly the BEST!

One of our favorite things to do in the fall is tour the Alpine Loop and stop at Sundance for lunch. Sundance was gorgeous (of course) and we picked up new ski gloves for CHEAP. Muggy tried on some ski glasses! We're looking forward to getting her up on one of the dozen pair's of pink skis that we've already spotted around town. I guess she has to learn to walk first, that will help immensely!

Daddy and Mad's at Sundance.

The 3 loves of my life at Sundance. Am was tired??? or maybe tired of pics...she couldn't keep her eyes open.

Before that, the babies turned 2! 2?? Holy moly! Here they are...yummy as usual.

Maddy also enjoyed the b-day party...and their toys!

Yeah for Fall...

This is my absolute FAVORITE time of year. It's not scorching, the air seems clean (yeah right, but just let me have it for a moment) and the colors are fantastic. We always take a drive to see the leaves. This is the year of firsts for Maddy. So this is our first trip to a pumpkin patch with all the cousins. Eatin' hay...of course!

Fun walk with the family...

First 'social' bath. Cousins Addy and Emmy came over so they all took a bath. They loved it, especially after the twins got to the other side away from Maddy splashin'. Notice Addy covering herself...Uncle Dan walked in and she immediately put her arms up. Sooo cute!

First back pack ride with dad. She's waiting patiently for dad to get off of the phone. Seems we always are...but she just squealed and smiled the whole way!

Long, busy summer...

Sooo, it's been a long, busy summer. As you can see, it's been over 3 months since I last posted. Between everything that's going on we found a weekend to take a quick camping trip. Other than hurricane-force winds that hit our last night and a little rain, you couldn't have asked for better weather! Maddy is now days away from 7 months. Cutting her 2nd tooth, and learning all sorts of new tricks... She's a busy little bee and misses NOTHING. She's not exactly cuddly, but that yummy little smile will melt even the grumpiest of dad's long-day work moods!
My cute sista, and Mad's camping...

One of her little yummy's, Emerie... What a big girl smile! They are getting so big and have the funnest personalities! We love them!!

Last night of camping...the girls!

The entertainment saucer. Sort of a savior of sorts. It helps me get things done during the days. We love this contraption! Thanks Auntie Sissa for letting us borrow this and everything else.

Watching fishing with dad...

Watching football with dad...

Helping dad open presents... we love paper!

Am's 18th birthday! I can't believe my other 'baby' is officially an adult. My how time flies! She is truly a HUGE help with Mad's and Maddy LOVES her sister!! It's like having 2 moms. Which, for now, is good. Needs are met, the entertainment level is kept on a happy medium... Later on she may have her doubts. Love you Am!!

Pool party with the cousins. Emerie had a good time, regardless of her facial expression in this pic.

Addy playing with Mad, and Mad wondering ' Why you touchin' my toys?' They love each other a lot!

Am's graduation!

Yes, it's true. I am the mother of a graduate! I am so proud of Ambree and all she has accomplished through this long journey! She is an awesome person! There is no other way to say it. She's sweet and extremely kind to everyone around her. These are my 'girls'. I've felt like a mother to them all at one point or another. I love them all! Am truly has some amazing friends.

May...

Sunday we ventured down to Nephi to introduce Maddy to her Great-Grandpa Bean. Maddy's middle name is Jane after my Grandma who passed away last year. She was the sweetest, most incredible person I've known and I miss her terribly! What an angel Maddy is. I tend to think that she's got a lot of my grandma in her. Grandpa loved her! (Of course.) Thank you to my husband who reminds me how lucky I am that I'm 37 (ouch, that's right 37) and still have grandparents. I love you honey!

In saying that, Maddy's grandpa, or poppa, to all the grandkids, loves her and you can see how taken she is with him. My parents have a way with the grandkids that has them in fits to leave their house. They LOVE them in a way that I think most, at one point or another, would rather live with them! They are so lucky!! We are so lucky!!

Most of all, I am so lucky!!! Seven years ago today, my younger brother Ryan passed away. Not a day goes by we don't think of or miss him. Anyone and everyone who knew him, was and is the better for it. That was the most heartwrenching time for my family. The positive of that is that the rest of us have gotten so much closer in these past 7 years. I'm closer to my sister, my brother, and my parents. We've had our ups and downs, but my parents, after having to endure what no parent should have to, have been the glue. I am so in awe of them and their strength. Their relationship with each other, their relationships with us, their kids, and with their grandkids. There is so much love that surrounds them and you feel that when with them. To my parents, I don't tell you nearly often enough, I love you. I respect you. I admire you. I look up to you. Thank you for your love, your support, your generosity, your caring, your kindness, your unselfishness in all you do. You two are truly the best parents on earth! I am so greatfull for you both!!

Wicked, family, friends, and too much d*%# rain!!

This weekend was the best in a long time!! My cute, sweet, beautiful mom got us tickets to Wicked. I wasn't sure at first even what it was about. Soooo glad that we went! It was the BEST play I've ever seen. Bar none! If anyone has the chance, go see Wicked! You won't be dissapointed in the least. We started out going to Olive Garden, yummo! There's never anything wrong with pasta and breadsticks. Boo to all of the anti carb people. You're truly missing out! Hence the reason I'm not dropping baby weight yet. Oh yeah, and the cookies, candy, etc. I need to get out of the 'I'm eating for two' mindset. There are umpteen pairs of skinny jeans in my closet getting dusty! One day soon... Oh and it rained!

My cute little sister and my other cute little, well taller, sister.

Me and my momma!

Mad got her first shots today. This pic was not of her today but previously on one of her few bad days. Her face was much sadder today. She looked at us like, 'you're letting them do this?' Heartwrenching! She is growing, healthy, and other than a few times in her brief life, fantasticly sweet!! I cannot get enough of this little girl!

On Sunday, 3 of my dearest friends came over for catch up and food! We all know each other through Kimba (2nd from the left for those who don't know her.) If there was one positive in my previous marriage, this is it!! I met Kimba in 98 living next door to her and her beautiful little Breezy. Who, for those who haven't seen her lately, is 14, tall, and yes extremely gorgeous! We all knew she would be.

Carma, Teri, and Kim, I love you all and had a fabulous time with you here. You all mean the world to me and I am so thankful everyday for your friendships. Until next time ladies...

These are the 3 best friends anyone could have. Beautiful, sweet, and would do anything for you! What more can I say?? Oh yeah, it rained. Still the best weekend!!