Colorado Trip!

It has been a whole year since we have been back. We missed it. We were ready to visit. Matt had to work in Denver so I took the chance to go and visit. Two days of driving. It was worth it. Bear with me, a lot of pictures were taken...

We were able to go to our old ward, which was so much fun. It was so nice to see so many familiar faces and really feel at home. Our super cool friends, James and Melanie hosted a little get together for us at their home. It was so nice to be able to visit and reconnect with friends.

The kids had a blast playing and hanging out with friends. James and Jessie were both able to go to school and see a lot of people. James even went to early morning seminary (we thought he was crazy but we were proud of him).

While the kids were off hanging out with friends Myles and I were able to visit Inspiration Playground. This playground opened right after we moved. It was absolutely incredible. It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun.

On Wednesday we were able to visit Loodles Coffee Shop. Mark Ludy is one of our favorite children's authors. He happens to live in Windsor, Colorado and his wife owns this little coffee shop. Every Wednesday he hangs out in the lounge and doodles. People come and watch him. We were able to hang out with him. He was so awesome. He signed several books for us and let Liam peek into his art studio. Super cool!

Matt had an afternoon free and we were able to take the kids to Cinzetti's. All you can eat Italian Buffet. Funny story: Myles was asleep when we went in. The kids all started getting their food. Myles woke up and I got him situated in his high chair. He looked around and said "Um, I would like a number six." Maybe that's a bad sign when your kid starts ordering by number...

Anyways, check out Liam with his dessert dishes. This is the real reason we go there. Incredible desserts. yum...

We also got to hang out in Denver a couple of days with Matt. Hotel swimming pools are one of our favorite vacation spots. They had a blast.

We had a great time visiting Uncle Jesse in Denver. Dinner + LOST= A great evening. The next night Matt, Myles, Jessie and I went over to his house so Matt could get some acupuncture on his knee. Simon and I didn't get along well. A little Benadryl helped but we had to cut our visit short. Matt's knee is doing much better though. Thanks Jesse!

The trip would not have been complete without a trip to GOODWILL! Love this store. Have I mentioned this before? I have missed you my dear friend. We actually had to buy a topper for our van to take home everything. Sorry Matt...

We had a great time visiting with Uncle Richie. Myles has found a new best friend. They had a blast playing football and flashlights. Liam was finally able to play that video game he has been wanting to play. Sure enough, it scared him. And Myles learned the cutest dang trick {dripping with sarcasm} What does a mommy say? No, No, NO.... thanks Rich... When did this happen?

Our last night we got to hang out with our friends. Melanie's famous tacos, a mean game of Blockus and a movie night for the kids. Thanks for all the fun memories.

We had a blast. It was a long trip home. We wish we would have had more time. There were so many more people we wish we could have spent time with. Till next time...

happy {HEART} day

Artwork by Liam

Poor Baby...

Yesterday Myles had a procedure done at Children's. We felt very blessed to have a wonderful doctor taking care of him. This kind man is currently booked a year out and he worked us into his schedule (not even on his regular surgery day). We felt confident that he knew what he was doing and would do what was best for Myles.

Long day. Sad boy. Thank goodness for pain medicine.

Happenings...

I could spread some butter on him and just eat him up. Messy face and all. Life is all about playing hard and sleeping good.

Honor Roll Recognition Ceremony. Yep, that's right! Liam is on the honor roll. I could not be any prouder. Love him. Love his crazy hat hair.

Love that fact that he was the only kid that took a bow.

He attends a school where all of the other children are pixalated. Strange, I know.

We paint or draw every single day. Every single day.

Somebody loves me. And when I was surprised with these at my door that's what I said. Myles said " I luvel lou mom." Yummm... I luvel lou too.
"Myles luvel cherry chantpoop"
Translation: "I love my cherry shampoo"

We went to a dinner theater with our Arkansas BFFs. These kids ROCK and are serious fun to hang out with. It was different than the regular old dinner and movie. It was fun.

And they are super cool people.

365 days

It has been a year since we left our home and traveled south. I cannot believe that we have passed our one year mark for moving to Arkansas. A lot has happened in the last year. Lots of laughs. Lots of tears. Some great accomplishments. Some setbacks. We have made some good friends. We have missed some good friends. We have survived severe weather, tropical depressions, tornadoes and the unbearable humidity. Some days it has felt like 100 years since we left. Other days I can't believe it has been a whole year.

On our first night in town, we had none of our possessions yet and it had been a long, long trip. We took the kids out to King Buffet for dinner. We thought it would be fun to start a tradition and go there for our "anniversary". It was a horrible tradition. We won't be doing it again next year.

Don't they all look so excited?

In our prayers...

This past week our friends David and Nicole lost their little boy tragically in a house fire. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their family at this very difficult time.

Play Hard Little Man...

Thunderstruck!

OH. MY. GOSH.

January 28, 2009 will go down in my personal history book. About a month ago James was surprised with two tickets to the AC/DC concert. His very first concert. And it gets to be AC/DC. It was decided that I would go with him. So excited. On Tuesday I talked to a friend about it and she ended up getting some last minute tickets on eBay for super cheap. So Wednesday, the day of the show, I got on eBay just to see what they were going for. I scored a super great deal for tickets, which meant that we now had four tickets. So Megan (me), Matt, James, One of James' friends, Tina and James all headed down to ROCK LITTLE ROCK! It was amazing. It was incredible. The energy was palpable. They truly are some of the greats of rock-n-roll. After more than 30 years they are ROCK icons. It was a great night. So cool. Phenomenal.

In the news...

Wrestling season is up and running. He made the paper. Awesome job James. He pinned his opponent in 37 seconds. And yes folks, you read that right. 285-pound weight class. The boy is wrestling heavy weight. Way to go James! Or as Myles would say, "Tackle him James!"

I should clarify that James is not technically a heavy weight. He is wrestling Varsity Heavy Weight. He weighs in at 195 but will be wrestling boys who weigh between 215-285.

And the heavens opened...

for just a moment it was the most magnificent sight...

a few weeks ago matt and i went and saw marley and me. there is a scene where the kids see and play in the snow for the first time. it was beautiful. it made me cry. right into the full on ugly cry. i miss the snow. not the cold, driving in the snow or the snow after it has been plowed but the beautiful stuff. the ginormous snowflakes. the fluffy stuff. the sledding kind. so when i saw this out my window i cried. it was splendid. then it was over as quickly as it had started...

i know this sounds silly to all of you who are buried in snow. not sure i would trade you but i enjoyed this moment...

After many, many pleas to play giraffe with Myles this is what happened.

Me: Hi Daddy Giraffe. How are you today?

Myles: Ummm. Me just want to kiss.

So they did...

This is what I found in my shower this morning.

I love you mom...

Ah, thanks Liam. I love you too...

Heard at our house today. "My belly TOO BIG. My pants braked."

Yes, my friends. You read that right. I saved 203.67... This seriously made my week. And to make it doubley sweet I am half done with birthday shopping for the year and I have already started my christmas shopping.

My New Years Resolution

1. Just be better. Be a better Mom. Be a better Wife. Be a better Friend. Be better organized. Just Better.

2. Take care of myself. Make monthly goals. Reach them and if I am not able to don’t beat myself up about it. Stop this insane roller coaster ride with my weight. Stop reading The Ten Secrets of Skinny People. Stop comparing myself to anyone. Run more. Eat healthier. Love myself. I am worth it Dammit!

3. Be grateful. Be content. Stop crying about what is lost or what didn’t work out like I thought. Be grateful for all the really great things. What’s done is done. Let it GO! Live Happier. I realize I haven’t been doing this as well as I thought. I talk often about being home sick. So, instead of missing it insanely I am grateful that I was able to live in a place I love. I have some of the coolest friends in the world who just happen to live in a place I love. I am so grateful that my kids got to experience living in such a great town. It helped shape who they are now. I am grateful that I have an awesome place to visit. I am grateful that I have been able to move to a place and make some totally cool friends and experience new things.

4. Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. Teach my kids this principle. Take care of what we do have. Budget. Budget. Save.

5. Live in the moment. Joy in the journey. Laugh more. Play More. Stress Less.

6. Go back to school. This is a big one. Stop standing in my own way. Now is the time.

7. Love Much. I have so much love in my life. DAILY! I have the greatest family and friends. Let them know. I never want them to question how I feel about them.

8. Clean more. Computer Less. Simplify.

9. Do the best I can IN ALL THINGS. Accept that I can only do so much but do it all the way. Do the best that I can.

Party like it's 2009!

we had a wild and crazy new years. okay we didn't. But it was a new years eve.

We took Jess, Myles and Liam to the Disney Radio Noon Years Eve party. Now this is my idea of a party. Done by 12:30. Home in time for naps. My battery flashed dead as I went to take my first pictures so all I have to document this is cell phone pix. Myles was so excited to go to a dance party. I have to get him recorded saying that. I go to dance party... They danced. They ate. We went home.

We took James and Jessie to our church for a youth New Years Eve Party and then took the other kids out to a quick dinner and a trip to Walmart. Wild, I know.

We went home to watch Dog the Bounty Hunter, read emails, play a little xbox and watch the ball drop in NYC. Myles was hugely disappointed. When we said the ball was going to drop he just assumed it would be a football. It wasn't. He was upset. But the miscommunication didn't end there. We started getting bundled up to go pick the kids up from their party. Liam thought we said New Years Eve Park. He was also upset when we ended up at the church party and not some park at midnight. He said in response to not going to the park "This is just January First to me. Nothing special." (think Eeyore in your head. Same voice.)

We got there at 11:30 to pick the kids up. Just because we are lame parents like that. But by the looks of it we got there just in time. There was some strange teenage boy following Jessie around. We were glad to quickly put an end to that. Nothing like a dad standing between two teenagers to quickly put put out that "spark". We were out of there by a little after 12. Home tucked in bed before the New Year had reached much further west.

Here's to 2009. Hopefully it is a good one.

I am working on my resolutions. I am a believer of them. Sure I don't always achieve them but I still believe in them. I am sure I will post more about that later. Once I narrow it down.

Time with Grandpa and Grandma

My parents came to spend some time with us after Christmas. It was the longest visit we have had since March. It was much needed. The kids just loved spending time with them. It was fun to watch. They brought Jessie's friend R with them. (they met through gma and gpa and really bonded when Jessie spent two weeks this summer in Missouri. Bonded or were never apart. R has come to visit once before. She is just a doll and we all wish we could keep her. Especially Myles. He is particularly fond of her). We got to do some real tourist things while they were here.
Matt, James, Grandma and Grandpa visited the Clinton Library.

I stayed behind and took all the kids swimming.

We visited the Big Dam Bridge. I am excited to go back to this. Kinda cool.

Myles, Mom and Liam

At the middle of the bridge

Just thought this was cute...

Click on image to see enlarged

We took the trolley around Little Rock. It was really cool to see parts of town that I had never noticed before. It was fun until Myles heard Grandpa say we were going under water. Then he continued to yell. "We going in ocean. We going die." Nice.

Thank goodness most people couldn't understand his language.

Oh and we had to wait 15 minutes to board because a passenger had thrown up and they had to wait for a city worker to come and clean it up.

Thanks for coming to visit guys. We had a lot of fun.

Come again some time.