Saturday, October 27, 2007
Simple Saturdays
My simple pleasure of the week is from this morning. First Dylan came creeping into our bed around 8:00, then came Gabe a few minutes later. They always want to snuggle for the first couple of minutes and then: it's on! The boys always end up in a wrestling match with daddy and it's usually them against him. It's pretty fun to watch. I love seeing the bond they have. I love the laughs and shrieks. And I really love that they don't tackle me!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Simple Mondays?
Hiya, bloggers and friends! For some reason, blogging on Sunday just does not happen for me, so I will do what I can!
The simple (very simple) pleasure of this week was the discovery and long-overdue unpacking of our glasses! I had thought they were lost for good. Wondering if maybe I even gave them away before we moved and starting to go a little more crazy every day that I couldn't find them. After much digging through the remaining boxes in the garage, my darling hubby found an unmarked box (sheesh! what was I thinking?!) and pulled out the glasses. Simple yes, but after a month of drinking out of purple plastic kids' cups, I think you'd be right there with me! :o)
The simple (very simple) pleasure of this week was the discovery and long-overdue unpacking of our glasses! I had thought they were lost for good. Wondering if maybe I even gave them away before we moved and starting to go a little more crazy every day that I couldn't find them. After much digging through the remaining boxes in the garage, my darling hubby found an unmarked box (sheesh! what was I thinking?!) and pulled out the glasses. Simple yes, but after a month of drinking out of purple plastic kids' cups, I think you'd be right there with me! :o)
Friday, October 12, 2007
Jackpot!
I can post pictures! Yay!
Here are some of the boys and me up Big Cottonwood in July. Gorgeous!
And here are some if the lovely Fall colors from a couple of weeks ago up Little Cottonwood and the snow at the top of Millcreek.
Here are some of the boys and me up Big Cottonwood in July. Gorgeous!
And here are some if the lovely Fall colors from a couple of weeks ago up Little Cottonwood and the snow at the top of Millcreek.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Simple Sundays
I just heard about this: http://www.simplesundays.blogspot.com (how do you do that cool little "link" thing??) from my dear friend, Ern, in Southern California and thought it sounded like a lovely idea. And I know just which simple pleasure to talk about:On Friday my hubby finished wiring our home theater and so, of course, we had to try it out. We put on some fun dance music and the whole lot of us, boys and all, starting dancing. OK - there are few things cuter than two little boys dancing their hearts out. The sheer joy of dancing and acting silly and the thrill of playing with mom and dad was all over their faces. It was wonderful. The next day Dylan ran downstairs and said "Dance. I wanna dance." And so, a new family activity was born. We rounded out the weekend last night, by watching and rocking out to a Coldplay concert - proof that my kids have great taste in music and can really dance to anything!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
It's Fall
On Thursday, my mom and I took the boys on a drive up the canyon to look at the leaves. It was the perfect day to go: 75, blue skies and amazing colors. We oohed and awed through Little Cottonwood and Mill Creek canyons and I thought "Well, here is something I missed while in Virginia - vibrant fall colors, crisp air and the canyons." Uh, huh. That was Thursday! Today is rainy and cold - with a high of 50 and a chance of snow in the SLC valley. Snow?! I think the high in Chesapeake is supposed to be 80. I have a feeling that my first winter back will be an interesting one. The boys are going to love it, though. We went almost to the top of Mill Creek and there were patches of snow, and Gabe was so excited he could hardly stand it! He and my mom had a little snowball fight and cute Dylan kept asking "What's dis, mom?" When I replied that it was snow he said "Huh?", as though he didn't quite get it or believe it. My thoughts exactly, kiddo!
Monday, September 24, 2007
I'm Back!
OK, first of all, I guess I need to start by saying that I am sorry to have been so bad about blogging the past few months! This big move from Virginia to Utah has really been challenging for me in many ways. First off, just leaving my wonderful life there - complete with amazing friends and surrogate family, not to mention just how much I loved Virginia - the history, the scenery, the beach (!!!) - was harder that I could have imagined. I know most people figured that it would be Aaron who would love it there and I would be the one who couldn't wait to move back, but it was quite the opposite. Once we got to Utah I assumed that just seeing my family again would snap me out of my funk and though it did help a lot, it still took me quite a few weeks to get over it. And even now, three months later, I still have my moments. Especially when it's my kids asking to go back. Dylan saw a picture of the two of them on the beach the other day and said "Mommy, I go there, please?" Ouch!
The other aspect of moving that has been hard is quite obvious - just the fact of moving and all that it entails. Lost items, stress and chaos, chaos, chaos! We spent a little over two months living with Aaron's dad, who was gracious enough to have us. And on August 25th we took possession of a little tri-level in Murray. It needed some love and fixing up, which we are doing bit by bit. We have painted and demo-ed (sp?) and worked and worked. It is finally resembling a house we would want to live in! One reason I was waiting to blog is that I was hoping to find the card reader to my camera, so I could post some pictures of the house, but alas, that will have to wait, as I have no idea where it is. The boys are really happy here and are oblivious to all the mess. They love the big backyard and giant Sycamore with a swing, and they are happy to have their own rooms again. Gabe started kindergarten a month ago and is really thriving. Dylan is growing up so fast and talks a blue streak, but yeah - he is still into everything! In one day he managed to draw on the wall with marker, break my glasses, draw on my MacBook with pen, undo all the dental floss and lose the knob to the grill. And that was while Aaron and I were both home!!! He is sure "high energy". I guess that is one thing in my life that has stayed the same...
It really is great to have my family around again. I missed them all so much (and I still miss my sisters in Idaho and Tennessee!). My mom and brothers have been wonderful about helping us and visiting us and Aaron's family is great, too. It is nice to have the boys around them and have them get re-acquinted with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. I still miss my friends in Virginia and I look forward to being able to go back and visit one day (and meet my friend Tricia's new baby!) and see the faces and places I grew to love so much. But right now I will focus on our new life and getting settled. I am so very blessed to have so many people to love and I am grateful for the life I have! Thanks to everyone reading for being part of it!
The other aspect of moving that has been hard is quite obvious - just the fact of moving and all that it entails. Lost items, stress and chaos, chaos, chaos! We spent a little over two months living with Aaron's dad, who was gracious enough to have us. And on August 25th we took possession of a little tri-level in Murray. It needed some love and fixing up, which we are doing bit by bit. We have painted and demo-ed (sp?) and worked and worked. It is finally resembling a house we would want to live in! One reason I was waiting to blog is that I was hoping to find the card reader to my camera, so I could post some pictures of the house, but alas, that will have to wait, as I have no idea where it is. The boys are really happy here and are oblivious to all the mess. They love the big backyard and giant Sycamore with a swing, and they are happy to have their own rooms again. Gabe started kindergarten a month ago and is really thriving. Dylan is growing up so fast and talks a blue streak, but yeah - he is still into everything! In one day he managed to draw on the wall with marker, break my glasses, draw on my MacBook with pen, undo all the dental floss and lose the knob to the grill. And that was while Aaron and I were both home!!! He is sure "high energy". I guess that is one thing in my life that has stayed the same...
It really is great to have my family around again. I missed them all so much (and I still miss my sisters in Idaho and Tennessee!). My mom and brothers have been wonderful about helping us and visiting us and Aaron's family is great, too. It is nice to have the boys around them and have them get re-acquinted with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. I still miss my friends in Virginia and I look forward to being able to go back and visit one day (and meet my friend Tricia's new baby!) and see the faces and places I grew to love so much. But right now I will focus on our new life and getting settled. I am so very blessed to have so many people to love and I am grateful for the life I have! Thanks to everyone reading for being part of it!
Thursday, June 07, 2007
One of the many places I will miss...The Outer Banks
These were taken at a beach in Kitty Hawk, N.C., a lovely beach in the Outer Banks on May 10. I have some cute ones of Gabe, but they are vertical - does anyone know how to post those? When I try it they are horizontal. Help!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
What a month! Or two...
It has been ages and ages since I last posted, but for good reason ( I think!). These past two months have seen us all going non-stop. They have been filled with fun visits and huge, life-changing moments.
Most of April, Aaron was very busy with school and preparing for finals. We also found a couple to buy our home and they put their house on the market. Toward the end of the month, my two awesome brothers, Dave and Peter, flew out to spend a week with us to take in the sights and to help us (read: do it almost all themselves) tile our kitchen. We had so much fun and I enjoyed being able to take them to some of the many places here that are special to me. The week was wild and Aaron was scarce, because it was his last week of school and he was trying to get through finals. During that week we found out that the couple who would be buying our house had sold theirs and we would be closing the middle of June! Exciting, sad and panic-inducing all at once.
Five days after my brothers left, Aaron's dad flew out, followed two days later by Aaron's brother. They were here for the huge event of Aaron's college graduation! Yes, you read that right: my husband has now officially graduated! Yay! I am SO proud of him. Way to go, honey! My "baby" Dylan had his own milestone - he turned two-years-old on May 8th! We celebrated by going to Great Wolf Lodge, a cool family oriented hotel with an indoor water park. Fun! Aaron's brother and dad stayed for a week and we were again able to travel around visiting some more of my favorite places. Another big event took place while they were here and that is that Aaron was offered a job working for some of the same people he had worked for before in SLC. He is now the official Director (!!!) of IT for Naartjie, a company formerly based out of South Africa that makes children's clothes. They have a few stores throughout the West and one at Fashion Place Mall. Congratulations, again, hun! All that misery of working for Dollar Tree and going to school full-time has paid off!
So, now the task at hand is finishing up all our little projects around the house and getting packed and organized and ready to move across the country. Again. And then there is that 6:30 AM flight with the boys to Baltimore and then the 5 hour flight home. Can you say "yikes" with me?! We are just trying to take it one day at a time (and by "we", I mean me, 'cause Aaron is freaking out - ha, ha.) and do what we can. While I am saddened at the thought of leaving behind this wonderful place and the friends we have made here, I am thrilled at the thought of being closer to family and our dear friends. As happy as I was here, that was always the one thing missing. We fly home on June 17th, as Aaron says "I can't think of a better Father's Day present!" 18 days and counting!
Most of April, Aaron was very busy with school and preparing for finals. We also found a couple to buy our home and they put their house on the market. Toward the end of the month, my two awesome brothers, Dave and Peter, flew out to spend a week with us to take in the sights and to help us (read: do it almost all themselves) tile our kitchen. We had so much fun and I enjoyed being able to take them to some of the many places here that are special to me. The week was wild and Aaron was scarce, because it was his last week of school and he was trying to get through finals. During that week we found out that the couple who would be buying our house had sold theirs and we would be closing the middle of June! Exciting, sad and panic-inducing all at once.
Five days after my brothers left, Aaron's dad flew out, followed two days later by Aaron's brother. They were here for the huge event of Aaron's college graduation! Yes, you read that right: my husband has now officially graduated! Yay! I am SO proud of him. Way to go, honey! My "baby" Dylan had his own milestone - he turned two-years-old on May 8th! We celebrated by going to Great Wolf Lodge, a cool family oriented hotel with an indoor water park. Fun! Aaron's brother and dad stayed for a week and we were again able to travel around visiting some more of my favorite places. Another big event took place while they were here and that is that Aaron was offered a job working for some of the same people he had worked for before in SLC. He is now the official Director (!!!) of IT for Naartjie, a company formerly based out of South Africa that makes children's clothes. They have a few stores throughout the West and one at Fashion Place Mall. Congratulations, again, hun! All that misery of working for Dollar Tree and going to school full-time has paid off!
So, now the task at hand is finishing up all our little projects around the house and getting packed and organized and ready to move across the country. Again. And then there is that 6:30 AM flight with the boys to Baltimore and then the 5 hour flight home. Can you say "yikes" with me?! We are just trying to take it one day at a time (and by "we", I mean me, 'cause Aaron is freaking out - ha, ha.) and do what we can. While I am saddened at the thought of leaving behind this wonderful place and the friends we have made here, I am thrilled at the thought of being closer to family and our dear friends. As happy as I was here, that was always the one thing missing. We fly home on June 17th, as Aaron says "I can't think of a better Father's Day present!" 18 days and counting!
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
More About New York...
Three things on my trip made me weep like a child:
My first Monet Waterlilies! Taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - simply an amazing place.
My first Broadway play - a life-long dream come true! And so good. I couldn't believe it.
The site of the World Trade Center. I obviously cried here for different reasons. The towers would have been been right behind the sign. Sorry the picture isn't the best, but it was hard to capture it all in one shot. It was the only place in the city that was open like that that wasn't a park and it left such a void. All around the fence there were pictures and quotes posted and it broke me down, broke my heart. Even though I expected to feel sad when I went there, I was surprised at just how much I felt. It was hard to fully take in what had happened there.
My first Monet Waterlilies! Taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - simply an amazing place.
My first Broadway play - a life-long dream come true! And so good. I couldn't believe it.
The site of the World Trade Center. I obviously cried here for different reasons. The towers would have been been right behind the sign. Sorry the picture isn't the best, but it was hard to capture it all in one shot. It was the only place in the city that was open like that that wasn't a park and it left such a void. All around the fence there were pictures and quotes posted and it broke me down, broke my heart. Even though I expected to feel sad when I went there, I was surprised at just how much I felt. It was hard to fully take in what had happened there.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Ewwww!
So, as truly happy as I am that it is finally Spring, our torrential downpour Friday reminded me of something I do not love about it. BUGS!
There was a slug on the moulding by my door yesterday morning, a potato bug in my bathroom and another potato bug (or should I say "pillbox bug" as they do here) in the middle of my living room floor. The middle of the floor. Wha...?
Just can hardly wait for the ants and mosquitoes to swing into action. To say nothing of the spiders. **shudder**
The warm weather is worth it, the warm weather is worth it, the warm weather is worth it...
There was a slug on the moulding by my door yesterday morning, a potato bug in my bathroom and another potato bug (or should I say "pillbox bug" as they do here) in the middle of my living room floor. The middle of the floor. Wha...?
Just can hardly wait for the ants and mosquitoes to swing into action. To say nothing of the spiders. **shudder**
The warm weather is worth it, the warm weather is worth it, the warm weather is worth it...
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Now that's what I call one good week!
Here I am in NYC last Friday...
And then yesterday found the boys and me back at the beach!
Life is GOOD!
Monday, March 12, 2007
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Random!
So, yeah - sorry to be absent for so long. Just have not had much to write about. Or, rather - I just haven't been feeling inspired to. There were a few silly little things buzzing around my head, but then there was that shooting spree at Trolley Square and I just got so sad. I mean, the war is one big godawful mess, but it is in Iraq and I expect to hear bad things. But Trolley Square?! One of my all-time favorite places - a place that, were I living in SLC still, I could have very well been that night. And so could any of my friends.
As time has passed, I am getting back to normal and feeling a bit more chipper. The mere fact that it is no longer February is helping tremendously! I honestly cried out of sheer relief on March 1st! I am just so not a winter/cold weather person. Gee, can't wait to move back to Utah! Ha.
This past weekend was really quite nice. I took the boys to visit some friends of ours in Lynchburg, which is about 200 miles West of where we are. And very close to the Blue Ridge Mtns! I got to see the Blue Ridge Mountains!!! Ahem. I will try to contain myself, but it is a bit of a thrill to be able to say that. Sadly, it being the beginning of March, everything is still quite brown, but there were bits of Spring poking through all over and I am sure by the end of the month it will be completely lush. One funny thing about seeing those mountains, was that the term "Rocky Mountains" finally clicked with me and made perfect sense. "Oh, I guess it's 'cause they're rocky and stuff" I'm a smarty, I know! Okay, I just went through all the pictures I took and I don't have a single good one of the view! Durn it. And I was going to post some cute ones of the boys, but they are now being held hostage by my ignorance and are trapped in my Mac Book. Argh. Guess I'll do as Aaron suggests and go read the manual! Watch for pictures tomorrow!
As time has passed, I am getting back to normal and feeling a bit more chipper. The mere fact that it is no longer February is helping tremendously! I honestly cried out of sheer relief on March 1st! I am just so not a winter/cold weather person. Gee, can't wait to move back to Utah! Ha.
This past weekend was really quite nice. I took the boys to visit some friends of ours in Lynchburg, which is about 200 miles West of where we are. And very close to the Blue Ridge Mtns! I got to see the Blue Ridge Mountains!!! Ahem. I will try to contain myself, but it is a bit of a thrill to be able to say that. Sadly, it being the beginning of March, everything is still quite brown, but there were bits of Spring poking through all over and I am sure by the end of the month it will be completely lush. One funny thing about seeing those mountains, was that the term "Rocky Mountains" finally clicked with me and made perfect sense. "Oh, I guess it's 'cause they're rocky and stuff" I'm a smarty, I know! Okay, I just went through all the pictures I took and I don't have a single good one of the view! Durn it. And I was going to post some cute ones of the boys, but they are now being held hostage by my ignorance and are trapped in my Mac Book. Argh. Guess I'll do as Aaron suggests and go read the manual! Watch for pictures tomorrow!
Sunday, February 11, 2007
The WORST movie in YEARS!!!
OK, it is after midnight here and Aaron and I just finished watching "Babel" and even though I should be sleeping, I just had to say that I cannot believe how completely awful that movie was!!! How on earth that movie was nominated for Best Picture is beyond me. One review I just read summed it up perfectly: "It is a pretentious piece of poop and anyone who says they like it are just saying that because they think they are supposed to."
Pretentious. Piece. Of. Poop.
DO NOT see it!!!
Pretentious. Piece. Of. Poop.
DO NOT see it!!!
Friday, February 02, 2007
How Big of a STUD is my husband?
Aaron has become quite the handyman. First it was new light fixtures, then new faucets and tile. He even built our deck! And now he has gone and built a wall to create a new bedroom for Gabe where our open study used to be. All this whilst working full-time and going to school full-time. The man is amazing. And pretty cute, too.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
And Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day. I just threw that in there since the odds are that I will be slacking then, too. Ha. Seriously, here I've been feeling like such putz for not posting any warm holiday greetings and then I check and none of you have, either! We are all a bunch of putzes! But at least we are in good company. :o)
Since I am here, let me recap the events:
Our Christmas was pretty wonderful. Maybe even the best ever. Yeah, I know. That is saying a lot, but I sure do mean it. We were extra blessed this year to have my sister Tammy and her family with us from Tennessee - hubby John, son Danny and daughters Caitlin and Marissa. Bunch of dolls, all them! It was so nice to have family close and made us feel not so alone and isolated. (And all that extra help with the boys - woo-hoo!) Then there was the fact that we were (amazingly) prepared and were able to get the boys lots of fun things, which was of course, doubly better because they are both at the age to really enjoy this type of thing. Dylan enjoyed the ripping of the paper a bit more than what was actually inside, but he eventually came around and started playing with the toys just as much. Gabe got more Star Wars toys than I knew existed and was overjoyed at that fact. Me, not so much, but hey - maybe Santa can branch out next year. **fingers crossed**
This Christmas was wonderful for me, because I just thrilled to see my sweet hubby so excited and happy - the old twinkle back in his eye. He has just come off a particularly rough semester at school and could not wait for the break and the fun of the holidays. He sure earned it and I am so proud. **sniff** Okay, and I will admit that I was just as excited about my gifts as the kids were about theirs! I am now the proud owner of a beautiful new Mac Book. A gift so cool and hip and sleek, that I never even imagined I would possess one. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor when I opened the box, which made Aaron grin all the more, as he was probably just as shocked as I was that he managed to keep it a total surprise. Good job on that one, Santa!
Christmas is all good things. Love, joy, the birth of Hope and togetherness. And this year I experienced all of them. It was so lovely. Oh yeah, and we went to the beach on Christmas Eve and that didn't suck! Truly, I hope you all had a great Christmas and I wish you the very best New Year.
Since I am here, let me recap the events:
Our Christmas was pretty wonderful. Maybe even the best ever. Yeah, I know. That is saying a lot, but I sure do mean it. We were extra blessed this year to have my sister Tammy and her family with us from Tennessee - hubby John, son Danny and daughters Caitlin and Marissa. Bunch of dolls, all them! It was so nice to have family close and made us feel not so alone and isolated. (And all that extra help with the boys - woo-hoo!) Then there was the fact that we were (amazingly) prepared and were able to get the boys lots of fun things, which was of course, doubly better because they are both at the age to really enjoy this type of thing. Dylan enjoyed the ripping of the paper a bit more than what was actually inside, but he eventually came around and started playing with the toys just as much. Gabe got more Star Wars toys than I knew existed and was overjoyed at that fact. Me, not so much, but hey - maybe Santa can branch out next year. **fingers crossed**
This Christmas was wonderful for me, because I just thrilled to see my sweet hubby so excited and happy - the old twinkle back in his eye. He has just come off a particularly rough semester at school and could not wait for the break and the fun of the holidays. He sure earned it and I am so proud. **sniff** Okay, and I will admit that I was just as excited about my gifts as the kids were about theirs! I am now the proud owner of a beautiful new Mac Book. A gift so cool and hip and sleek, that I never even imagined I would possess one. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor when I opened the box, which made Aaron grin all the more, as he was probably just as shocked as I was that he managed to keep it a total surprise. Good job on that one, Santa!
Christmas is all good things. Love, joy, the birth of Hope and togetherness. And this year I experienced all of them. It was so lovely. Oh yeah, and we went to the beach on Christmas Eve and that didn't suck! Truly, I hope you all had a great Christmas and I wish you the very best New Year.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
The Bear Necessities
Today Gabe was listening to 'The Jungle Book' on tape and so, of course, he was later walking throught the house singing Baloo's theme song. So adorable in his off-key voice. But my favorite was him singing the line "forget about your worries and your stripes..." Because, really - who doesn't want to forget about their stripes?!
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