H*U*G*

Yesterday when Damon was in the bath, he put these letter together...and I couldn't help but take a picture....The funny thing is that he doesn't know letters, sounds, or especially words...so I thought this was really cute.  So give the people you love a big HUG today.  

Late Congrats to Bekah and Chris!

So these two love birds actually got married in May, but I just got some pictures....so here is the delayed post to congratulate my Sister-In-Law, Bekah,  and her husband Chris.  I am sooo sad that we weren't able to make it to their wedding....but we are so happy for them.  They are such a cute couple and we wish them the best! 

 

gosh, she's gorgeous! 

tagged

So I totally spaced that a friend of mine tagged me a while back...I actually need to do 2 separate tags, but I'll save the other one for another time....(sorry Deborah)

8 things about me....

1.  I love to untangle things....it's a weird quirk...but if you've got a pile of tangled up necklaces give me a call - cause for some weird reason I LOVE untangling stuff.  

2.  I hate straightening my hair.   I do usually like the end result when I actually take the time to straighten it....but it just take so long.  I have to keep it in a towel longer to dry a little bit that way, then blow dry it with a round brush (which sucks), then straighten it with a flat iron, then use a curling iron after that if I want.  The worst part is that it is so hot and humid out here, that after having my hair down for 2 hours....I am ready it pull it up!  So all that work for nothing!  

3.  I've lived in DC for 3 1.2 years now...and have been to maybe 2 museums.....it is horrible and embarassing..I know.  I've been to lots and lots of monuments...but for some odd reason museums are harder for me to get to.  

4.  A lot of you know this, but I have a extremely odd obsession - I can't even believe I'm typing this for people to read - but I am OCD about pulling out my leg hairs.  okay, I said it.  I know its weird and kind of gross.  I won't elaborate...I said it, and now I'm moving on. 

5. I am deathly afraid of shots/needles...etc.   I thought that after giving birth, that fear would disappear, because I thought giving birth would be so traumatic that I'd be able to handle anything after that.   Somehow for me, giving birth wasn't really that bad, and I am still terrified of needles.  I cringe just thinking about them. 

6.  I still feel like I'm 21.  (Until I look in the full length mirror).  

7.  I used to have a bunch of friends that were in a few different bands....(cool bands, not dorky bands) - and a few of my friends (you know who you are) were total groupies.  We would be right in front of whatever "place" they were playing, dancing like crazy..and I mean crazy....singing..you name it...I used to be super cool.   

8.  I have ridiculous, and I mean ridiculous amounts of gray hair.  I spotted the first when I was 22!  Another obsession...pulling those out! 

so now you all know more about how weird I am. 

I tag Alexandra, Jackie, and Annette  :) - or anyone else who wants to make a list! 

Memory Lane

I saw this on my friends blog, and thought it looked like a lot of fun....

Here are the directions....

1.  As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I have together.  It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember...

2.  Next, repost these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses.  If you leave a memory, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave a memory for you! 

A few 4th of July Pics..

Just a quick post with a few pictures from our 4th of July...I always seem to wonder why I don't take more pictures on holidays....

We joined our good friends Alexandra and Brigham, at their family bbq.  We also invited our friends Peter and Shelley along (of course no pictures)....it was a lot of fun.  Mike got to light off the fireworks he bought in North Carolina - which made him very happy.  Then we headed over to a local fireworks show.  It was a fun night...I wish I had more pictures! 

Damon doing sparklers....
  Andrew doing sparklers
Damon and Mike, Andrew and Brigham

Shoulder rides are the best

Watching the "finale" of the fireworks show....I love that couple in the background kissing....GAG ME!

Birthday Gift

Thanks to all my girlfriends for the gift card to my awesome Pottery Barn.  I got some bedding that I've had my eye on for months....but for sure couldn't afford. I love it!  And...lucky for me, Mike likes it too...because I didn't tell him I was buying it...He didn't really have a choice in the matter.  :)

Thanks to Alexandra for the cute sunflowers,  they brightened up our apartment and made me smile.  

Jokes on Me!

Okay...so they totally got me....It took a lot of tricks and secret emails...but this group of chicks surprised me with an awesome birthday luncheon at Cheesecake Factory.  I was absolutely shocked!  I am always part of the organizing committee for all of these type of surprise get togethers - which it seems like we've done a lot of lately...so I thought for sure no one would do anything for me (which I was fine with) because it might be "surprise overkill"...., and because I'd probably figure it out.... I was out of town for my super good friend, Kelli's, birthday back in June...we had been planning to go to lunch to celebrate her birthday....and it ended up randomly that the day that worked out best to go to lunch for HER BIRTHDAY was going to be on my birthday.  It was before she went out of town for the 4th, but before I was back to being busy babysitting...(whoa, say that 10 times fast).  So she suggested Cheesecake Factory...I would never turn that down, she picks me up....Jackie offered to babysit as a birthday gift... we get there and at first I see my two friends Jenny and Annette sitting in the waiting area...my first thought honestly was - "oh wow, jenny and annette are going to lunch today also - and at the same place, wow!"...I am a dork, so then I saw two other girls who I know sitting next to them...and it all fell into place.  Jokes on me!  I even saw Tiana driving in the parking garage..and just thought she must have been going shopping.   Once again, I'm a dork.   I know Jackie was the main organizer of all of this....she is honestly the sweetest person I know.  I don't know how she pulled this off, but she did!  Thanks for everything!

The group....Alexandra with her two boys, me, Annette, Jenny, Aubrie, Tiana, Kelli, Elizabeth and Annika...and sweet Jackie is taking the picture
My awesome friends Jenny, Aubrie, Tiana and her baby Ellie

My cute friend Aubrie....I look like a giant next to her....gotta love those skinny friends....

  Elizabeth, Jackie, and Elizabeth's girl Annika

Me and my sweet friend Annette

I am so grateful for having the most awesome girlfriends anyone could ask for.  I still can't believe how lucky I am to know so many great women.   A bunch of the girls contributed to a gift card to Pottery Barn for a birthday gift, I finally got the bedding I've been wanting for months....another post.....Thank you Thank you Thank you! 

More Mom's Birthday Pictures

So I should have posted these weeks ago, but I've been waiting for more pictures from my family...which haven't made it my way yet...so I thought I'd post the few that I have.   These are from my trip to Utah in May/June....These are from the Surprise Party we had for my mom's 60th Birthday.  

       My mom and sister's favorite.....the buttercream icing!  
My cute mom....I'm sure she'll be mad I posted this picture...but I think its cute! 
                      My mom and her siblings...Lynn, mom, Anne, and Mark.  The biggest surprise was that my sister came down from Idaho, Lynn came from Arizona, and Mark rode his motorcycle up from St. George for her party.  She definitely didn't expect any of that!  These 4 are only all together maybe once a year, it meant so much to us for all of them to be there.  I love that whenever they are together, we take their picture, and they always stand this exact same way...without even talking about it..they just merge together into this position and always look so great.     I love my mom's family.  :)

Fun at the Splash Park

Just some fun pictures from a play group we had last week.  

   Taylor, me and Damon....not the best picture...but we'll take what we can get  :)
    Taylor, Elise, and Damon....these three were hilarious!   They were inseparable...I would just look for their bright pink, blue, and green suits, and find them immediately.  They went everywhere together. 
     See what I mean?

      Taylor and Damon running away from this fountain. 

This was too funny not to take a picture
            They each found their own spot.  They had so much fun.  

Surprise Baby Shower!

No, No, No...the surprise baby shower was not for me....It was for Mike's super cute cousin, Heather.     The shower had to be a surprise because Heather's mom (Mike's aunt) flew in from Utah to be at the shower.  Her mom hadn't seen her pregnant yet, so it was a great surprise for Heather to see her mom.  She was absolutely shocked! It was great.  We had friends and family lying to her for weeks!   Dana, Amy and I were so happy and excited to be able to pull off such a fun shower.  

  Heather's shocked / super confused look on her face as she showed up at Dana's house.  One of the first things she jokingly said was "I'm mad I don't get my steak dinner" - (which is what she thought they were going to do)
                     So excited to see her cute mom.  
             Me, Amy (due a month after Heather), Heather, and Dana

             Amy - thanks for the ride, I dont' know what I would have done without you! 

 Dana - thanks for opening up your beautiful home for the party! 

 Heather - thanks for having a baby and giving us an excuse to plan something fun! 

       yummy  cupcakes...yes, Deborah's buttercream frosting!  yum! 
The whole group.

We had such a fun night.  Mike and I are so excited for Heather and her husband Chris to welcome this little baby into their lives.   We love you guys!