9 years ago today...

Looking back, there are a few things I'd change about my wedding:

1. My dress
2. My photographer
3. Better planning of the day to guarantee my sister was IN my pictures and not stuck behind in a house nursing my 3-week old nephew in a not so nursing-friendly bridesmaid dress (live and learn)

But of course the one thing I wouldn't change is the man I married. I know that I love him more today than I ever did back then...and that is saying a lot.



I love this shot because it wasn't planned or posed. This moment between Aaron and I was captured by my mother-in-law using her film camera. Aaron pulled me in for a kiss right after we'd walked out of the San Diego temple for the first time as husband and wife. To this day, it's still my favorite of all our wedding pictures.



Aaron,

Growing up, all I ever wanted to be was a wife and mother, and you made me both. I love you babe and am so grateful for this life we created together. Happy our 9th Anniversary ;) Go us!

Love,
Marcy

Leda's first bee sting :(

We went to the beach this week with family in town, and Leda had a too-close encounter with an ornery bee at the beach. I felt so bad for her. No one expects to get stung while playing in the sand and minding their own business.



She screamed for a bit, I could tell it really hurt her. I didn't get a pic of that of course...what kind of mom would I be if I had?

At first I was quickly looking around for ice to put on it (had none), until my sister recommended cold/wet sand. Brilliant! Worked like a charm and she immediately stopped screaming.



What a trooper! She's definately our most emotional child and cries about practically everything, but she really was a big girl during this experience. Shocking!

When it was over she said, "Oh well, the bee is all dead now. It's okay" lol.



An hour after this bee episode, we lost Leda for only about five minutes (felt longer) when she followed my cousin Daniel to the bathrooms a loong way away and we didn't know it. It was quite honestly the scariest five minutes I've ever experienced. We'd even contacted the lifeguards and had perfect strangers walking up and down the beach for us. When Leda returned with cousin Daniel by the hand, I fell to the ground and sobbed while gripping her in a ginormous bear hug. I literally felt my knees buckle beneath me when I had her in arms. In that short amount of time I'd invisioned these above pictures being the last ones I ever took of Leda. Scary. I do not want to EVER experience that again! Whew!

Have you seen this?

My friend Kate introduced me to this blog: "Seriously, so blessed" and I owe her big for all the times I've laughed because of it. So now it's your turn. It's pee-your-pants-hilarious and you all deserve the comic relief!

THE LINK

Enjoy!

It's haaapening...

I'm becoming Cruella Deville, minus the villain-ess traits and nasty cigarette of course.

I'm speaking about her hair.

My mother once warned me that she (who used to share my exact hair color) started to go gray at 30. I just never really believed it would ever happen to me :(

I seriously wake up every day to find a few more white hairs that I need to pull out from the top of my head. It's starting to freak me out. I've always been so happy to not have to dye my hair, but now I'm starting to wonder how much longer I'll be able to stay oh natural? Does someone have a crystal ball?

AHHHHHHH. I know I joke about being old at 30, but I truly don't believe I am. I actually love where I am at 30, I just don't appreciate these white (not gray, WHITE) hairs coming out to mess with my head--both literally and figuratively.

Our fourth of July weekend in pictures...

It began with a family swim at the Kite Hill pool


This year we asked my Dad (history buff) to talk to the kids about America and why we celebrate the fourth. The kids were so into it. Here is Leda with grandma enjoying the lesson...

Spencer really appreciated what Grandpa was saying


He had to get closer to see what Grandpa was pointing to


Way to go Grandpa! Thanks for the cool stories and the prep you put into this!


The kids (well, Leda and Spencer) led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and then sang us some patriotic songs they learned at preschool.


After a BBQ, we did "California fireworks" sigh. Aaron still can't believe this is all his son is allowed to "set off" on the fourth of July.



Then it was off to watch REAL fireworks.


Here is Grandpa explaining to Chase what the fireworks do...man, does Chase ever love his "bampa"





The next day we headed with my folks out to Pasadena for a BBQ with friends. Here's a picture of my parents with some of their best friends. My Dad grew up with Steve in Arcadia, and his wife Janet and my Mom were college roommates at BYU. Needless to say, they've all been friends for years...and I grew up with their kids.


Their backyard is just gorgeous, and the kids got to swim while the adults talked and ate. It was such a nice evening. Chase had a ball running around. I don't think he'd seen such a big yard.


I love this smile on Spencer. He had such a great time, he cried when we left and asked, "Mom, when can we go back to this place?" The next day he asked Aaron, "When our house falls to the ground, can we move to a place that has a pool in the backyard?" lol


We met 10 years ago this month. Ahhh...


Steve and Janet's daughter, Shannon and I have been friends since birth. Here's a picture I found of us together in a singing group. I think we were seven here. Hilarious, no?


And here we are today. Shannon's pregnant here with her third and that's why no body shot was allowed in this picture...her request even though she's adorable, so all we're left with is a fat-face angle shot of me. ;)


And here are our girls today. Her oldest daughter Lauren (4) with my Leda (3). It really is neat for me to see our kids becoming friends. How adorable are these girls? Shannon, I think our girls are way cuter than we were as children. ;)


And this is for my sister: She often comments that it looks like we have SO much fun from the pictures on my blog. And while we do, I feel I should say: the only pictures I didn't get this weekend were the ones of my kids fighting. And trust me, in between the fun there was plenty of fighting going on. I'm not sure what that was about...something in the water maybe? lol. But ya, this weekend there were moments where I was pretty much wondering why I gave my kids siblings :)

The Bachelorette Finale at my house!

For those of you who watch The Bachelorette, and can part with your husbands who secretly watch the show ;) please come to my house Monday night (around 7:45) to watch the season finale together with girlfriends and snacks that (mostly) aren't good for you!

I know I've spoken with a lot of you, but I don't want anyone to feel left out...so I figured posting this here would be the best way to go to avoid that. Please come, the more that are here, the more fun it will be! Even if you lurk on my blog and never told me, or don't even watch the show, please know you're invited!

Only thing I ask is to post a comment if you're coming...so I can plan for snacks. Give me a call if you don't know my gate code and just a reminder, you need to park on the street Alistair.

Yay for a girls night IN!

Happy belated birthday(s)!

On June 26th, my mom celebrated a birthday! I won't tell you her age because I'm a good daughter, but I swear to you my mom gets more and more beautiful each year.

The kids and I brought her breakfast (a healthy donut with candles) and sang to her on her doorstep. She was totally surprised, and it was a lot of fun for the kids. They love their Grandma!

In fact, when Aaron and I were on our honeymoon, and obviously before we had kids, we found this plaque in a gift shop that read, "The best thing about having you for a Mom, is knowing my kids get you for their Grandma" and I bought it then and there because I just knew she'd be such an amazing Grandma to my kids, and she sure hasn't let me down. Nor has she let me down as a mother. She has an amazing ability to balance being a mom and being a friend. I'm not sure how she does it, but she pretty much has it perfected.

oh, and while I was snapping this picture just after my kids had performed (I'll spare you the video), my mom said to me (while still holding the smile), "Uh, Marcy if this is to go up on your blog, you are to warn people that I just got out of bed and have no makeup on" lol...so you've been warned. Did I do good Mom? :)


That night, thanks to my friend Camille for offering to watch our kids (you rock), Aaron and I were able to join my folks for a yummy steak dinner at Lonestar. Isn't it amazing how much you can talk about without the interruption of kidlets? We love you Mom!


Then my mother-in-law, Shirley celebrated her birthday on June 29th! She was here a few weeks ago, so I took her to a girls dinner and a movie (no pictures to show though, BOO!), so even though we weren't with her for her b-day since she was back in Montana, we still felt a part of her day anyway since we'd just had a great visit. Isn't she beautiful?


I love my MIL. I sooo lucked out in that department. She is kind-hearted, funny, not overbearing at all, non-judgemental, supportive...all those things you sometimes hear mother-in-laws aren't. Plus, we like the same movies and have a ball whenever we are together ditching the boys (and kids) and going theater hopping. lol.

Our girls trip to Seattle in April: