Ten Whole Years

Then...

WOW. Ten years is a long time, but it has gone by so fast I can hardly believe it. Corey and I just celebrated our ten year anniversary on May 8th. With a new baby and a 3 year old at home, we kept it pretty mellow, but still memorable.

Later...

My gift to him was ten days of gifts with notes attached, each containing a reason I love him. It was actually really fun to put together and do. It started with an e-mail sent to his work account saying, ...how do I love thee? let me count the ways. There's one for each year we've been wed for the next ten days. He loved it, and looked forward to the prize every day (he even reminded me a couple of times when he didn't get it as soon as he'd hoped...where's my surprise, he'd say). One day we did get to go to dinner and spend the night at a hotel since my mom was in town to watch Ash. I think he was extra surprised about that one.

On our anniversary night, we had a babysitter watch Asher and we went to dinner at Seasons in Old Town, which was exactly where we ate the night he proposed. After dinner, we walked around the Plaza and even sat and reminisced on the bench where he asked me to marry him. It was kind of fun to realize how much we've done and been through together over the past decade, and exciting to look forward to the next ten years and what they might hold. Corey surprised me with some beautiful diamond earrings.... I am not a big fancy-jewelry type of a gal, but these I love (who could resist, really?)!

Now...

So here's to the ten years we've spent together...to our beautiful children, our marriage, all we've been through.... I love you, Corey and can't wait to spend another ten (and more!) experiencing life together.

Day for Mammas

Mother's Day this year started with a special treat...breakfast in bed! I remember as a kid we always did that for my mom, so it brought back memories for me. Asher came up with Corey with a plate of food and excitedly exclaimed, "Mom, we brought you some lunch!" Love it. Of course, the whole time they were getting it ready, I had to make myself stay in bed. The sounds of two boys struggling to make something in the kitchen downstairs made it all the more enjoyable and special. Beckett's gift to me was sleeping a couple of hours longer than usual (6 hours between feedings...woo hoo!), and believe me that was priceless. Asher also gave me a present and wanted to know if there were any more...he wanted a present to. I loved that he kept telling me, "Happy Mom's Day." Little boys sure do know how to melt their Mom's hearts, don't they?
At church, the primary did their customary song for Mothers. Now that Asher is a sunbeam, he gets to participate, which is SO fun as a parent. This was his first time getting to sing in sacrament (there was one other time, but I didn't have him go up and he ended up belting the chorus from our row way in the back...bad mom, my mistake!). He was unsure at first. When all the kids were being corralled at the front, he kept looking at us like are you crazy, you never let me run up to the front. Once he decided it was okay, he ran. I can't say he actually sang any of that song, but it was sure fun watching him look all around and at the kids who were actually singing.
After church we grilled some kabobs and relaxed. Good day, and I am one lucky momma. I love that I get to be one, the good the bad and the ugly, it's all worth it!

Corey and I both have amazing mothers, neither of which we get to be with on their special day, so we are sending out hugs, kisses and lots of love to them. We love you!

Blessing Day

We finally debuted our little guy at church. We've avoided it like the plague with Beckett because of all the kiddos and germs, and well, doctor's orders. It was also his blessing day, so we had a little bit of family in town too. My parents and Corey's mom were in town for the event, which was really nice, and Corey's brothers were there for the blessing too.

Getting ready.

After getting him ready for his big day, we were off to church. On the drive over, I asked Corey if he was nervous at all. He confided to me that he was only worried he'd say Asher's name instead of Beckett's! It went smooth as can be though, right name and all. When Corey was getting Beckett out of the car, I looked over at him and was horrified by what I saw. Beckett had spit up all over and had curdled, white chunks running down his face and covering his front and shoulder. Ahhhh! I guess he was looking a little too perfect, so he had to make things right.

Corey gave Beckett an absolutely beautiful blessing, and Beckett was a perfect baby up there. Aaron told us that Beckett was just laying there chilling and looking around during the blessing. During the rest of sacrament meeting, he fell asleep, snuggled and kept me warm. I forgot how nice it is to have an excuse to have blankets at church. I am always cold, and now I have reinforcements with me!

Afterward, we headed to our place for an early dinner. It was fun hanging out with family. Asher especially enjoyed all the grandparents and uncles and was really sad when he woke up in the morning and realized everyone was gone. What an enjoyable day we had, and what a sweet little boy we've added to our family. We sure do love our boys!

The family:

A picture's worth a thousand words...

...So, this post is worth a lot more than that! I think I must be the luckiest momma ever. After having Beckett, I had TWO amazing, talented photographer pals who gifted us a photo shoot. I love them; the photos turned out beautifully. The hard part now is which ones do I NOT choose to put up! I am so grateful to my generous friends for sharing their talent with me and for forever providing my family with these priceless captured moments. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

These are some of my favorites from each shoot:

Pictures with Pam (Click here for her blog site)

Pictures with Bri (Click here for her blog site)

Sworn In

This past Monday, we spent the morning in Santa Fe for Corey's 'Swearing In,' the final step in the process to officially becoming a lawyer. I was going to leave Asher with a friend, but at the last minute decided to bring him since the ceremony was for "family and friends." I felt bad about leaving him when he could be there just as easily. Besides a very exciting trip to Costco, this was our first real trip out as a family! Jail-break! It was liberating I must say.

The kids did great on the drive up and back, which was a real plus. But the ceremony itself was another story. Asher did as expected. He was a typical 3 year old, taking advantage of the situation, knowing full well we'd give him anything he wanted to keep him quiet. Beckett, on the other hand, who doesn't know he can bargain like that, did as he pleased...and he wanted to be fussy. So, thinking I had plenty of time until they announced Corey (which also includes a fellow attorney friend of his, a.k.a. a movant, saying some very complimentary things), I went into the lobby area to feed Beckett. It only took me about 20 minutes, and just before I was finished, Corey came out to tell me it was almost time. No problem, I thought, as I readied my camera. I stood at the back entrance area waiting...waiting...waiting. Then, Corey sneaked back to tell me they'd already done it. WHAT?!? I was fuming mad, and went outside for a few minutes to re-group. After I came back in, I did get to catch the part where he actually raises his hand and takes an oath. I guess that was at least something.

The big moment.

Corey and Nathan (his movant...the guy who said all the nice things I didn't get to hear).

The redeeming part of the day was lunch. We went to this cute restaurant on the Plaza in Old Town called The Pink Adobe. It was relaxing, yummy and fun. And anything followed by some delicious gelato is worthy of doing. (I do love gelato, mmmm.)

The family...Beckett is in the stroller:) And that is Asher's new response to someone telling him to smile.

I am glad I was able to partially attend his big day in Santa Fe. I am also glad this marks the final step to Corey officially becoming an attorney. Congrats again, babe, and I'm SO glad we're done!

Easter 2009

Happy Easter! This year it felt more like November than April, waking up to pouring rain and grey skies...a total anomoly for us here in the desert. On Saturday morning I sent Asher and Corey to the local park for the community Easter events which are usually so fun for the kids. I guess somebody whimped out due to the rain and cancelled the whole thing without any notice or signs. Asher went down a slide, drenched his clothes in process, and they came home. What a bummer!

Corey's parents were in town this weekend, so everyone came over for an Easter BBQ in the evening. We ate, visited, and Corey challenged any takers to some more Wii (surely the newness will wear off soon??) Claudia gives us each a See's Rocky Road egg for Easter each year. I am always horrified by the fat content in that delectible, cute, little, half marshmallow egg...and I always manage to eat the whole thing within a day. A little here, a little there and somehow it dissapears. Very mysterious, and very yummy.

My Easter baking experiment...a "Pink Azalea"cake.

Dying eggs was a highlight this year. We told Ash to gently place the eggs into the dye, and his interpretation involved simply dropping them into it, so we had a couple of casualties but he had fun.

Easter morning was entertaining watching Asher excitedly bound down the stairs at the sight of his Easter loot. The Easter Bunny gave Asher a "Thomas" backpack in lieu of a basket loaded with fun stuff. He thinks it's pretty cool to have a backpack since Daddy always has one with him. Of course, Daddy's isn't nearly as cool. It was a fun morning, and a fun holiday.

Ash just had to try on the bunny hat. And bounce around the house.

I am torn on major holidays as the "true meaning" seems to get so muddled with all the other festivities. I admit that Corey and I are easily sucked in to the frenzy of the commercialism...it is fun, after all. We have a lot of friends who have the Easter Bunny visit their homes on Saturday, so that Sunday can be focused on the real meaning of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ and all that it encompasses. I wonder if we should do the same, or if we'll be able to strike a better balance ...it just seems tricky to let the kids get all excited over candy and prizes from the Easter Bunny, and then to try switching to a more meaningful tone all in the same morning.

These are a few recent pics I wanted to post:

Asher loves to frost those cupcakes...and eats as much frosting as he can in the process.


Still helping with the laundry.


Sharing ice cream cones with the little buddy.