For me?

I'm not sure what I love most: the fact that she picked me flowers on her way home from school? The fact that there ARE flowers to be picked (yay Spring!) or this sweet face as she gave them to me?

Day (totally) made!

Wordless Wednesday

Week of March 28, 2012




Rhonda

Yesterday I got to see one of my besties, Rhonda Hynek (and her beautiful daughter, Hailey) for breakfast in Salt Lake City. One of the best mornings I've had in a LONG time! So good to see good friends, my heart was full.

Rhonda has a tradition of bringing her daughter up to SLC for the General YW Broadcast each year for a weekend of fun. I was so glad to see them,  give them a squeeze and get to visit for an hour. I'm grateful for good friends. Sigh. It's hard moving away from a place AND people you love so much. Rhonda is one of those special people for me and I'm glad that friendship exists no matter the state you live in.

Yay for best friends AND the best breakfast I've had in...uh, ever? If you're ever in SLC (Sugarhouse) you must try the "hole in the wall" Blue Plate Diner on 21st East. Best Eggs Benedict you'll ever have in your life. Swear it. Though I can't guarantee your company will be as good as mine.

My date with the Sun

(disclaimer: it really hasn't been that cold here, it's snowed a mere six times, I believe, this winter and never really stuck. Not a once have we shoveled anything, and I can count on my hands the times I've worn my heavy coat. I'm really not complaining)

BUT

It was nearly 70 degrees here today and I'll take it! I'll take it! And when I picked up Chase from pre-school this afternoon, after our hugs he said, "Mom, you smell JUST like the ocean!"  He must have known this Californian-turned-Utahan was needing the sun, the real-feeling sun...and the compliment.

So some of my afternoon was spent here:

Snuggling her:

And this monkey on my back:

And then finally soaking in these lovely views from my blanket...

I kinda LOVE having a backyard.

And it will be 70 the next four days. FOUR days!

Thank you sun.
And if I can't meet you at the Beach,
 I'll smell like one and meet you on my blanket out back.
It's a date.

Wordless Wednesday

Week of March 21, 2012

St. Patrick's Day

Okay, it's not a huge holiday in our family, but we always manage to try to get in the spirit. Only thing I didn't do this year (and Aaron is thanking me) is that I did NOT make corned beef & cabbage! Gasp! 

But there was a little green-wearing to school the day before St. Patty's day...

And the next morning I had some time (yay Saturday!) to make a green breakfast...

And though it was the actual St. Patrick's Day...A certain 9-year old wasn't feeling the whole "wearing green" thing two days in a row, but he figured out a way to get himself covered. And we couldn't stop laughing. Love the humor in this kid!

Gabe turns 4

Our nephew Gabe turned 4 this weekend and the family took to bowling.

  We had SO. MUCH. FUN.

I think it'll be a new tradition to head to the bowling alley for birthdays. Kids in one lane, and adults in the other (where I managed to pull FOUR---yes, four---0's in a row until Aaron had mercy on me and put the bumpers up when it was my turn, not proud)


Here's the cake that older brother McKay made for Gabe. He wanted one to match Chase's. Turned out great!

The grandkids with Grandma

The Valadez clan!

Happy Birthday Gabe, we love you so much! And when we pulled up to the bowling alley at the same time as the Valadez van and my kids jumped out yelling "HI Kiki! HI Gabe! HI...." it warmed my heart so much. So grateful to celebrate birthdays together again!

Family dinner Sundays

Now that my side of the family is all living in close proximity again, Sunday dinners have resumed and are a real treat.

Lately our Sundays have been filled with the "ROB cake"...as he's requested this bad boy be named after him. It's filled with chocolate gonash and it's delicious. We don't have it EVERY Sunday, but nearly ;)

And it wouldn't be a Sunday without these cute boys, Spencer & Carter inventing something new with Legos. This week it was a blender. And it really spun around once you wound it up! These two are so creative and love being best friends.

And last but not least, it wouldn't be a get together without Rob doing something to make us all laugh. In this photo op I was taking a pic of the boys (above) and Rob decided to try to get them to laugh by doing the obvious...

I'm so grateful for family and for these memories we are allowed to make on a weekly basis, once again. Even if some of the memories include my crazy brother and his backside.

Angel Chase?

Today as Chase was eating lunch, he put this cardboard circle on his his head and 

said, "Look, I'm an angel!"...

then walked over to look at himself in the mirror 

and as he was walking it fell off-- 

and then said, "oops, it doesn't fit!"
 

No truer words have ever been spoken ;)

Wordless Wednesday

I'm gonna try this "Wordless Wednesday" thing from time to time, and use it as an opportunity to dump my iphone pictures to archive. 

Week of March 14 2012

At least she's courteous...

...demanding, but courteous!

translation:
"Leda's room
Please stay out
Please thank you.
and if you want to
come in you have to ask"

Spacers for Spencer

So Spencer had his first orthodontist appointment today. Whoa. I feel like a grown up!

He's still two years (or so) away from braces, but needed some spacers to allow some room for some of his teeth to come down. He really likes Dr. Nord, and I liked discovering that we have some orthodontist coverage in our dental insurance. Whoop whoop!

And so it begins... One kid started, two to go!

Randoms that make me laugh

Random thing #1:

A few minutes after being tucked into bed, without fail, Chase has to use the bathroom again. And by "use" it could mean he has to really go...or 9 times outta 10 he needs to bust out something like this before heading back to bed:

(sisters Hello Kitty cup, a tape/lint roller, my ear plugs and my eye make up remover)

Random thing #2:

Next up was Leda. I saw this the next morning after her bath. She must have been enjoying her bath so much, she thought her mermaids should enjoy one too!