Favorite

We have been having a FABULOUS Christmas vacation. We've been up with family all week long and we LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I apologize for the horrible picture, but it's honestly one of my favorites. Rob caught us just as we were coming down to see what Santa brought us. See that excitement on Evva's face? And on mine?

Santa and an elf of two made this little dollhouse just for Evva. She LOVED it! It came complete with little Hedgehog calico critters and some furniture with a fireplace that really works!

I had a chance to get together with my BFFs! I love these ladies so much! They are amazing examples to me and I'm so blessed to have them in my life. We've gotten older, gotten married and had kids, but no matter what, whenever we get together, it's like we never parted.

We have a problem...

Evva has decided that she will no longer just lay down for her nap. We have to snuggle. Not that I'm complaining, because she has never been this way. However, she has insisted we snuggle on this chair for the last week. Today after trying to lay her down and screaming for a good 20 min I noticed she needed her pants changed. After taking care of that, she RAN to the chair and continued whimpering. I stayed back to see what she did, she totally fell asleep. Until I tried to move her to her crib, at which point we started all over again. Needless to say, that is something we will be working on durning Christmas break.

Savers

Found this a Savers the other day for $5. Brought it home cleaned it up, threw a little throw pillow together and ta-da! New favorite chair in my home. The other favorite chair in my home was $5 too. Dude, I love me a deal.

To all of you from us...

Decking the halls

Sort of...I've been working like a mad woman and Rob is wondering when we'll take the kitchen back from the fabric and glue gun. But I was honestly so sick of so many of my Christmas decorations, so it was time to revamp. And I was feeling a little crafty {actually I totally needed a project} So I made this cute pillow and stockings and a few other little things that I will have to add later.

Rob asked that his had no flowers...so there you go, how about a tree. I guess that's more masculine.

We did some family pictures before Thanksgiving...it was super windy...but we got a few between wiping Evva's nose. {seriously, we're going on 3 weeks...chronic runny nose?}

And I took a few for my cute Grandparents...Evva just had to sneek in. {I love her shirt!}

And this folks was the highlight of the weekend...Evva had been playing hard for the last 2-3 days and was resisting naps. I tried to keep her awake for the big Thanksgiving day feast, but as soon as we sat down she grabbed my arm, snuggled up and FELL ASLEEP! This has NEVER come close to happening. My little munchkin was all tuckered out.

dirt cups

Evva had her first dirt cup the other day...you know, the chocolate oreo kind. I feed it to her, which is why she isn't as messy as she could have been. But she was still in L.O.V.E!!!

Picture overload...

Not here...over on my photo blog...don't worry. I'll be back to post about our life soon. But for now, just enjoy these.

Check it out!

Alrighty, I think it's time for a give-a-way.

I'm giving away a free photo session!

Go check it out on my photo blog!

Tatiana Riley Photography

Labor Day 2010

We hiked to Ensign Peak. Just us three. Then we had a picnic. Just us three. Then we explored the east side of SLC. Evva slept in her car seat. Then we spent the afternoon at home. Just us three. It's funny, but as much as I love our family. Sometimes it is nice to be just us three.

p.s. Rob asked me to help him cut his hair tonight. This has been an ongoing learning experience for me. Rob gets a little frustrated and I laugh and tell him I don't understand what he wants me to do. Honestly I don't, I'm not a faker.

He asks me why my mom didn't ever teach me to cut boy hair. I laugh. She did. My dad throws on a #1 and I do his entire head.

He looks at me like "This isn't funny, it's serious." Then he says to me,

R: "Isn't this a young women requirement?

T: What? {Laughing uncontrollably}.

R: "Why isn't this a YW requirement? It should be, women need to learn how to take care of their husbands."

...Still not a crack of a smile on his face....

I'll talk to Sister Dalton about that.

Good Day

Good testimony meeting {Serve God by serving others}, Good nap {Rob let me sleep longer and got up with Evva}, Good lunch/dinner {tomato sandwiches, corn on the cob, and watermelon-all home grown} Good laughter {Evva eating corn on the cob for the first time, playing peek a boo under the blanket, jumping, and kisses}, Good walk {with good neighbors}, Good cookies {Thanks honey}, Good movie {Harry Potter 6}.

Good Sabbath.

I'm so blessed.

Bed

No pictures today because it's been a little crazy...actually I did take one, but it's for a surprise, so you know... Anyhow, Evva was a little trooper today! Such a little partner! She ran errands with me for 5 hours straight!!! Contained in either her car seat, the stroller or a dressing room. Bless her little heart!

When we got home she ran around our house like a mad woman.

Laughing and screaming.

I loved it!

Good Night!

P.S. 4 miles today on a new path. Loving my Garmin!!!!!

Good taste, Good eats, and Goodbyes

Evva is obsessed with shoes. If she sees a pair anywhere, she brings them to us and wants us to put them on. This time I had her put them on. So pretty!

And, she has found the whip cream in the fridge. Now, if she sees the fridge open, she comes running, spits her binky out, grabs the can, takes the lid off and puts it in her mouth.

And today we had to say goodbye to these guys. We have loved watching them grow and will miss them So So So much!

Evva is obviously really sad about it...

The best day, today

Evva,

Today I had so much fun with you! You are learning and developing so much lately. Today you dumped out all your Baby Einstein books and worked really hard at getting them all the fit into the box again. At first you got a little frustrated, and mommy had to help a little, but you kept working at it. I was so amazed that you worked on it all afternoon, and then when daddy got home, you showed him and worked on it some more. You would dump them out, put them back, dump them out, put them back. You are working things out and I love seeing your little brain work.

You also got out my pink high heels and put them on today. I LOVED it! You walked around for a little bit while I told you how pretty you looked! I just smiled and thought of how this was your first time playing dress-ups. You're getting so big! And you truly are so pretty! I lvoe you my beautiful little girl!

Nursery

Evva is 16 months old today. I visit teach the lady who does nursery in our ward, and since Evva is the last one her age to go into nursery, she told me I could start coming in with her. The first time we walked in, Evva's eyes got so big and she looked at me like "Did we just walk in to a magic room!?" It was so great! She loved it so much and has loved it ever since! Today Rob brought home her very first picture that she colored in nursery. Tender, I know! Since we have never been able to figure out our scanner, but now have a reason to, I will be working on that tomorrow! She's just growing up so fast!

Triathalon

This morning I participated in the "Share a Smile" triathlon with some people from my office. They asked me to do the swimming part. So I dusted off my goggles and swim camp {ok, I had to get new ones} and started going to the pool a few mornings a week with my faithful running partner Charlene {LOVE HER!!!!} Anyhow, after a few days of that, I mentioned to Dr. White that I was going to be ready for that 1.5mile swim, to which his reply was, "Did I not tell you I was kidding about the distance?" Nope! You forgot to mention that little detail. So the swim was only a quarter a mile, but still fun to take part none the less.

{Barb-hygienist-Ran, Dave-Barb's husband-ALL, Brent-Cindy's husband-ALL, Dr. White-Biked, Me}

And just so you know, this is Evva playing "Beek-Boo". We LOVE IT!

Shots

Evva had her 15 month appointment today...nevermind that she'll be 16 months on Sunday. She had shots today and was not happy about it. Poor thing has been sore all day.

So we've been watching lots of Phineas and Ferb, and Signing Time. She's still recovering from the flu...

Stats...

25lbs 5oz*31in tall

And she's talking! Kind of!

She loves stairs and anything she can climb up.

The words she can say are

Momma

Dadda

Nanna

Poppa

Shoes

Blankie

Binki

Milk

More

Good Girl

Bath Tub

Book

Keys

Jesus

{said while pointing to any picture on the wall}

Two

Four

and she can make the following animal sounds

Duck*quack, quack

Cow*"boooo"

Lion*RRRAARRR

Monkey*OOoo, OOoo

Pig

{this sounds more like she's trying to get rid of some mucous in her throat}

Sheep* AAaaa, AAaaa

Home...

Last week we ended up staying up north all week due to our car being in the shop! We loved it! Seriously! Who loves having their car in the shop? We do, as long as it's up there. We loved being with family! {And we love Hyundai of Logan for working with us so great!} I don't know why, but I feel like I can enjoy the moments up there a little more. Maybe it's the family. Maybe it's the porches. Maybe it's the openess. Or the quiteness. Or maybe it's just because that's where I learned to live!

While up there we got to visit my grandparents for a little bit and I got to meet little Liam!

Evva got to play in the sprinklers!!! We loved this!

And we were pooped when we finally made it to our own home. We just relaxed and of course, read lots of books.

I can't tell you how excited and happy I get as I drive past Willard Bay. It's like such a change of pace. I honestly feel that when I hit the overpass just north of Smith and Edwards, life slows down. The country music goes on and, weather permitting, the windows go down and I just breath all the fresh air in! I LOVE IT! We sit out on the porch, we drink lemonade, and we just sit back and talk. The crickets chirp, it gets really dark and quite at night and we just talk...and listen...and soak it all in!

26

That's it...I'm getting old! This is the first year that I've really dreaded getting older. Now I've over the hill and closer to 30 than I am to 20. Dang it! I wanted to be young forever. I had a wonderful birthday and wrestled this little monkey throughout the day. We were able to go to Maddox and spend the rest of the week with friends and family. How's that for a "stay-cation".

{P} Family

Just did a session for this amazing family! Check out more here.

Summer Time!

It's been a little crazy here. I feel like I haven't had time to sit down and do a real post, but since everyone loves the pictures, I figured I'd just do some of that. So sorry for the absence.

This was an outfit I wore as a little girl. Pretty much it was a little small when she wore it, but she reminds me of pictures of me wearing this.

I ran my half-marathon in Bear Lake. It was a good thing to have accomplished. I'm kind of looking forward to the next one. Don't know where or when. But I loved the fact that I did it...the next day. Once I finished I just wanted to be done!

Some of my supporters

Evva is LOVING to climb up into our big chair {yes, she's CLIMBING like no other!} and read her books. She climbs up, throws them all from the table onto the chair, then sits on them while she reads and gets frustrated when she can't get one that she's sitting on.

We've been spending lots {but not enough} time with cousins.

Jumping on the trampline

Wearing her gaucho pants! {I LOVE them!}

Playing in the water

{And these two are my favorites}

And curling up in her blankie and sitting in the sun when she wakes up at Grandma's.

And loving life!

Remember

We're still here, and we're alive. It's been a crazy hard 2 weeks. I'm just now starting to feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things. However, the thing I've learned the most about these past 2 weeks are my FAMILY! Holy cow am I grateful for my family. And not just because they do so much for me, but I'm grateful that I can do things for them.

Last Sunday, we were on our way home from my mom's and I got a call from my cousin telling my that my cousin Tagg and his sweet, sweet, wife Katie, had lost their baby at 32 weeks along. Devastating. I dropped Rob and Evva off and headed to American Fork. Not knowing what to expect my sweet sister came to watch Evva the next day while Chandi and I were able to stay at the hospital until Katie's parents arrived from Texas. Seeing them have to make decisions about everything that had to be done brought me to tears countless times throughout the following days. They are much to young to have to be doing this. And all Tagg kept saying was that it's "Part of the plan." I believe it is so rare and such a tender opportunity to see a man show so much love and concern for his wife, and I'm still in awe at how Tagg took every moment to make sure Katie had everything she needed, to comfort her, to strengthen her, and to cry with her. It honestly touched my heart in ways that will stick with me forever.

I know that they feel so weak and hurt at this moment in time, and I can't say that the pain will end soon, but I know that they don't want to forget. They don't want to forget the little time they had to hold his little body in their arms, they don't want to forget the feeling that was in the room. They don't want to forget the love they felt for this little boy who was sent to help them return to our God above. They want to remember what it was like to give him a bath, and dress his little body. They want to remember the way they became closer and had to lean on each other in ways they never thought they would. They want to remember how thin the veil was and think of it often so they can remember what they will be working towards for the rest of this earthly life. And I pray they do.

They asked me to take pictures for them when little Zachary made his way here and all I could do was pray that I would be able to capture those tender, tender moments that they could hold on to so that time would not let them forget the little moments. It was a complete honor and I hope that I have given them something priceless to remember.