Who is this?

Holy smokes, do you see some similarities? This is my mom on the left, and on the right is Amelia. (duh).

Happy 60th birthday yesterday, Mom! You are loved!

Beautiful Christmas Video

Courtesy of Foundation Arts.

We're here!

We made it safe and sound! And we're enjoying every second of it!

It's Tuesday and I'm turning back time

5 years ago today...

...we were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City, Utah temple...

and it's been a wonderful 5 years.

Happy Anniversary to us!!!!!!! It's true, marriage just keeps getting better and better.

Thanks to the wonderful, good, patient man I married. You've helped me become a better person, obviously. I needed you to be my steady force, to balance all the wacky weights I throw at you. Can you believe it's already been 5 years?!?

I love you to life!!!!!!

I finished it!!! ... Surprise!

I FINALLY finished my Christmas Advent Calendar!!! I started working on it when Conrad was 6 months old. If you've been following my blog for a long time you might remember when I first mentioned it. Or perhaps you might remember this time. Or this minor time. Or this time when I even included a picture. Or this time when I was mostly just nesting. Or the last time I gave you a clue 4 months ago.

I have to give a lot of credit to Josh. He kept pushing me forward, encouraging me to get it done by this Christmas. He helped me along so I didn't break our sewing machine, and also helped me so I didn't mess it up in so many different ways. Josh is my lantern in the dark when I am working on crafts. He is amazing at figuring things out.

Also thanks to a fine woman in our ward that provided a cutting table, and rotary cutter (or whatchamacallit), and the best quilting skills I could ever dream for when it comes to the quilting side of my Advent Calendar. Thanks for helping me along to Lisa!

Here's to a fun tradition and memory for my kids!

Conrad singing again!

"Whenever I touch a velvet rose, or walk by our lilac tree, I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world Heavenly Father created for me."

(Notice the burp-ish noise right when he says "Heavenly." Oh, how I love my boy. He is growing up too fast.

the balls

Amanda, I made the balls! They did not turn out beautiful and clean-shaped like yours, but I made them. And here is what happened.

Conrad found them when I wasn't watching (the first photo is staged, obviously).

Right before lunchtime of course, so he enjoyed the 2 that he happened to put in each hand.

(Oh, I guess I took one of them away at the point of these pictures)

Here is the video I shot of him when I found him.


And here he is when I wouldn't let him have more.

He didn't care what they looked like, he LOVED them. How could you not love a cake ball, though? (FYI to y'all who don't know what a cake ball is, click on HERE to see some beautiful balls and a lovely description.)
(Yes, me and Josh were snickering in the kitchen when I told him I had some big balls for him to try. Oh, you gotta love having a sense of humor.)

(To Amanda, I made them using strawberry cake mix and buttercream frosting, then dipped in white chocolate. It was for a baby shower for my hairdressing girl, so that's why there's a lot of goodies in my kitchen--- leftovers!)

Amelia's first word, and something else I really like about her

Watch the video to hear Amelia's first word! (Although, you don't have to convince me that it's just random babbling. I already know that, but this is my daughter, and it's so much fun having a daughter!)






Conrad waking Amelia up. He LOVES to do that now that he can get out of bed by himself in the morning without me or dad. (although this picture was taken after this morning's nap). What a cute face he just happened to pull as I shot the camera.





What a little twin to Grandma Jane. I am in love with her upper-lip/moustache area! It is exactly like Grandma Janes!


Compare here! It is uncanny!!!