Feeling something like cheese whiz

Both were sick and wanted MOMMY! YAY

     This picture is not the most flattering and I really hesitated putting it up for others to see but it just captures how HAPPY I am! I love my kids! I love my cheese ball of a husband! I love my life! It's perfect! It's not perfect but I sure am blessed with so many great people in my life that I can't help but just shout for joy! So little side note, there's a good chance I will be using a plethora of very cheesy cliches so if you don't want to read, stop now. Who knows, though, I may not. Continue if you dare. 

   Anyway,  I have been feeling a roller coaster of emotions lately and thought 'hey I should share'. My twist and twirls starts with this overwhelming sense of love for my innocent little goobers that keep me on my toes, then the next minute I want to just burst into tears because they're not allowed to grow up and leave me. Then feeling my heart slowly let go to the idea of them getting old and getting married and not needing me anymore, followed by excitement of having grandkids and thinking of what that would be like. And then I end up back to square one and just feeling lucky that I have them in my life. Did you get dizzy? 

    Weston, my lovely, cuddly, adorable, sweet husband is so patient with my emotions that I think he deserves a plaque to be hung on the wall of being the WORLDS BEST HUSBAND! He's so amazing with the little munchkin and the little lady always lights up when she sees her daddy. When he's been working all day and I forget to return the library books he's willing to go out and return it for me. And He'll even play games with me even when it's late at night when he should be sleeping. It may not seem like big things but its moments like these that make me weak in the knees and fall flat on my face because I'm so in love! Weston...you are MINE!

     I love my family! Everything about me is inseparably connected to my family. I know I am my own person but I have found out so much of who I am because of Oliver and Madeline and Weston. They challenge me to be better everyday. I live for my them! Mom, Dad, if you're reading this, I'm starting to get a glimpse of how much love you have for us. And all those things you've done to try to keep me safe but I thought you were trying to ruin my life, Thank You! Even if I was being a pain in the rear end, thank you!   Ok, so not as many cliches as I had hoped for but here are some pictures of my awesome family!

 

Happy Birthday Oliver #3

HaaapppPPPYYY BIRTHDAY TTOOO OLIVER!!! (pretend I wrote this on his actually birthday 1/26)

     This year we had more friends to celebrate with which made it a lot of fun and we did a little bit more decorating as well. We put up some purple streamers with some different colored balloons and made an Oliver shrine. It was a lot of fun especially when we got to watch his face light up in the morning. He was somewhat in awe, I think, because it took a few minutes before he finally said, "The balloons are beauutifull!" I love him! Those weeks of bed rest were worth it. Yes I will hang it over his head for the rest of his life! I'm such a great mother, HA!
      Oliver got some great new toys which Mommy loves because it keeps him occupied very well! Thank you again to the grandparents and friends that contributed to giving me, the mommy, some alone time. 
      Oliver we LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! And we are so glad you are part of our family!

Just a couple of his toys that he got for his birthday. We forgot to pull out the camera because we were having so much fun.

New Years with the Mahanas!

After a fun filled Christmas we had the privilege to host the wonderful Mahanas in our home. When they got here we got to eat some Philly cheese steaks from Pats and Genos. We thought we would decide which is better for ourselves. Both were really good but the general census was Pats. It was GOOODD! Who knew processed cheese could be so good?! Anyway they were only going to stay for the night then visit the Big Apple early next morning. I had a dentist appointment in the morning, so when I arrived they were all gone. Now Weston and I don't normally have a lot of people visit us from out of state so it was really sad that our house went from FULL to EMPTY in less than twenty-four hours. Weston had to go in to the lab for a few hours but he came home early. We thought well hey why not lets go NYC too. We stalked them to NYC and had a lot of fun seeing the lights and the skyscrapers. While we were there there were a few places that we a must-see, one being the ground zero and Chinatown.  It was amazing to be walking around New York with its boisterousness but, walking into the memorial and feeling everyone's respect for the heroes and those that had lost their lives was beautiful and quiet in comparison. It was sooo crowded.
        Overall New York was a blast. I was a little overwhelmed but the good company made it worthwhile.   Glad that the hotel was in NJ where we can park the car and just take the bus to NY. Definitely worth avoiding the hassle of finding parking.  The fun part of taking the bus was the drop off at  NJ. The bus stop was seriously at a median on ramp exit where we then had to walk through the underpass of the highway. It was insane! I should have taken a picture of it. We all got off the bus a little confused and had a good laugh afterwards. Hahaha! Thanks Stephen for figuring it all out. We came home on the night of the 31st to avoid the craziness of New Years Eve which was quite nice.
        When we arrived home it was late, however, we still stayed up with the kids to watch our local New Years celebration. Fireworks just aren't the same on television but it sure was an adventurous weekend!

SO awesome for letting us tag along! Thanks again!

Me being overwhelmed! HA!

The clan headed over to Chinatown

'Twas a warm Christmas!

I was really excited that I wasn't pregnant this time around. I could RIDE rides! WAHOO!

Thank you for watching the kids! Gramma and Grampa are troopers for the many meltdowns they went through. Thank you again!

Tribond is a great way to pass time! So much FUN!

I think it's suppose to look like I'm carrying the sphere. Didn't turn our right.

She was so patient and sweet with us.

Madeline with the Dunns Christmas morning

Thank you again! We LOVE YOU guys!

Aren't they so cute!

Oliver had a blast in the sand.

FISHING TIME!!

Grampa's ready!

Great form!

Newlyweds matching, so cute!

Oh weston I love your face!

Oh weston, It was so much fun seeing your geeky star wars side. Glad you had your dream come true!

Stockings filled with love!

Our beautiful tree!

Toy story mania! OoooHH yeAHH!!

Christmas in short was a warm, fun-filled, family adventure in Florida, and it was WONDERFUL! Thank you Gramma Beck and Grampa Beck for making it happen and for the Dunns and the newlyweds for joining us. LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Turkey, gravy, yuuuummmm!!

     

 HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVEN THOUGH IT HAS PAST ALREADY!

  This year we weren't able to celebrate with family BUT we were able to celebrate with friends, the second best thing. We went over the Noyces, our wonderful friends who are so patient with, not only us, but our lovely rambunctious Oliver, and  our clingy and adorable, Madeline. We were fed very well by our friends. Kudos to Zack for a delicious meal. We contributed a little with desserts and a side dish. It was a very nice low-key evening, quite relaxing. And I wanted to make a pioneer hat for Oliver and a bonnet for Madeline which turned out kind of cute. I was hoping to make one for all of us, but I didn't have big enough paper for our adult heads. Overall Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful with great company.

    My post won't be complete until I express my gratitude to my Saviorn for all of the blessings He has given me (the list is endless but I just want to share some, in no particular order):

1. My life as a wife, a mom, a daughter and daughter-in-law, a sister, and friend
2. My Bung Bung and Mads!!! How can I not be grateful for my rascals. They keep me alive! 
3. The sun. I didn't realize how much I love the sun until it got gloomy and cold.
4. Games! 
5. Weston! He keeps me laughing even when I'm in a crazy pre-period time. I'm really lucky!
6. My in-laws for having Weston and loving me!
7. The smell of rain and wet trees
8. My heritage. It's pretty cool if I can say so myself.
9. My wonderful parents and crazy brothers.
10. A very cool sister!
11. Smiling and laughing! my favorite things to do even though Weston may say otherwise 'cause I'm a booger a lot of the times! jk jk
12. Friends
13. CHOCOLATE and any kind of desserts!

The list can go on and on, and I hope and pray that I will always be able to recognize His hand in my life and thank Him for it.