Stacie's Birthday Weekend

Last weekend I went up to Logan for my Aunt Stacie's surpise 40th Birthday Party!  And no, no one lives in Logan.  It was all of my mom's sisters, all of them live in Idaho except my mom and Marcie.  Logan was sort of a half way point--plus Stacie loves Logan!

Lana and Valerie (sorry if I'm not giving someone(s) due credit) organized everything.  We rented a ginormous house.  It was seirously huge.  Gorgeous.  Most definitely '60's.  Groovey.  Logan was the only boy/man there.  Mara stayed home with Sean.  It was just so fun to spend time with family and celebrate Stacie! 

I attempted to make her a birthday cake.  It turned out alright.  It was my first time working with gumpaste and I'm afraid I failed on that end.  The gumpaste is the big flower on time and the polka dots on the sides.  I used our Homemade fondant recipe so it was actually edible.  Thanks to my old ward's relief society sisters for that recipe.  It's so good and easy!  Beats the world out of store bought in flavor and cost.

Even though I got home beyond exhausted, it was so much fun!  We used to do a "sister's weekend" every year, but somehow that tradition has dwindle.  I hope this sparks that flame again!  Yay to being closer in age to most of my aunts than my cousins!

I just want to do a little tribute to Stacie.  I moved up to live with her in Parma, Idaho about a week after Sean left on his mission.  It really helped the first couple months go smoother because I felt like I was on vacation and that Sean just didn't come with me.  After I got there her youngest was born.  It was an eye opening experience living there.  Her kids ranged from age 14-newborn.  Five in all.  I got a taste of living in the country and found that I actually liked it a lot!  Stacie has taught me so many things about being a good mom.  I know that she loves each of her children and would do anything for them!  I hope she knows how much she means to me.  I love you Stacie.

Wowzer!

Not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty proud of myself for making my header!  Go me!  I know, to all you it was probably the simplest thing ever.  I got photoshop for Christmas and have been trying ever since!  I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of it.

Private vs. Public

What to do, what to do?  Hmm...I'm thinking that for now we will be a public blog.  I'll probably change my mind again down the road, but for now this will do. 

If you're coming across my blog for the first time, please leave a comment so I can come look at yours too!  Even if we only know each other through this friend or that friend.  Isn't that how blogging goes?  I love learning new things from other people, and what an amazing tool blogging is for that! 

In the October 2009 Ensign there was a whole article about blogging.  It has inspired me.  Go here to view it. 

Best book EVER.

Seriously.

Cold wintery days...

...make for play inside and take fun pictures days.  We've sure had a lot of them lately.  So here is a hodge podge of pictures from those days!  Aren't Logan's big eyes beyond adorable?  Oh, and I can't hardly get pictures anymore of Mara that aren't blurry because she is always movin'!!!

Mara's first snowman

Have I ever mention what an incredible dad Sean is?  Well, he is.  No joke.  He could play with the kidlets all day long and never get tired of it. 
This particular day we decided our front yard was in desperate need of a snowman.  Mara has been obsessed with the snow so we figured she'd love it and.....we were right!  She tromped around the yard for about two hours playing around.  Fell down many times and learned the art of getting back up even though she was wearing twenty pounds of clothes!  Too funny.  She'd roll around on her back, back and forth, until she'd get enough momentum to then place her hands on one side of her and push up.  Quite the genius, I know. 
As they neared completion I realized that as the mother it was my duty to make hot cocoa and gather supplies to adorn the little white man with.  So I set the water on to boil and started looking, and looking, and looking...hmm.  Should've planned for this.  Now I know.  So our beloved snowman is decorated with carrots.  He doesn't only have a carrot as his nose, but also as his eyes...and his mouth...and his buttons.  We almost used them for his arms as well, but decided these cast off branches from the tree would do the job a little better.
It was the perfect day for making a snowman because it stayed cold for a long time so he didn't melt away.  Mara's favorite book became Frosty the Snowman and we sang that song I don't even know how many times!  Everyday we'd come to or from the apartment she would see him and fall in love all over again shouting, "Noman!" 
Thanks Sean.  Thanks for being such a fun hands on daddy.  Thanks for coming up with fun activites.  Thanks for enriching Mara's imagination.  Thanks for making the effort.  Thanks for everything!  I sure love ya! ( I know, gag-o-rama)

Mara's next snow adventure?  Sledding.  And boy was it a BLAST!  Next time I'll remember to take some pictures...she's quite the dare devil.  Only wanted to go face first on her tummy! 

A Blast from the Past

Wow!  Sean looks like he's 12, I'm like a zillion sizes smaller, Will (far left) is also a zillion sizes smaller, and John (next to Will) is about the same.  CRAZY!  This was taken the night we graduated High School, right before the all-night party.  Good times!