Happy 1st Birthday Rian

Our cousins baby girl turned 1 last week and I got the privilege of taking her pictures. I took a few the week before, and the day of the party. The party was candy land themed and it was so cute. We got to have it at our house, and it was super fun getting to decorate a party for a girl, I never get to do that. We had giant candies hanging from the beams in our kitchen and jars filled with different candies. I love taking first birthday pictures they are so much fun!
It was crazy day though Garage sale in the AM birthday party with 30 adults, and then after party with all our "big cousins"...no wonder why I can't seem to heal after all my surgeries.
Anyway here are a few pics I took. Rian Elizabeth you are a beautiful sweet natured little girl. I had soooo much fun taking your pictures and I can't wait to see what you become someday. I love you and happy 1st birthday!

Remodeling the new house....NOT because we want to

Okay, so our lives have been complete and utter chaos since...well I would say last June when Eli was born. Poor baby he has no clue what normal life is, but then what really is normal and maybe this is just the way our lives are going to be now? So... 1)Eli was born 2)we sold our old house 3)started building a custom home (serious chaos) 4)moved into an apartment (only 1100 square feet, all five of us and our yellow lab!)5)took our first road trip to California (sorry but that was chaos too, do you remember the zobo story)6) My first surgery the begin of March when we were supposed to be in the new one at the end of the month (ps the day before this surgery I tore three tendons in my ankle, bruised the bones and broke my tibius or something like that, which lead to several sessions of physical therapy because I had time for that) 7) second surgery the week before we were moving because evidently I'm allergic to all stitches besides silk and I had to learn the hard way 8) moving and unpacking 9)Third surgery in June (a tumor, not cancer thank goodness) 10) My incision opened a week after the surgery (which happened to be 4th of July and we were at the lake, sucked for me!) which left me with a huge hole in my stomach because they couldn't close it back up 11) trip to MI (road trip again) 12) found out I had a hernia from an incision from the tumor surgery so had to schedule another surgery 13) Lake Powell Trip (which everyone should go on) 14)Hernia repair surgery which was way worse then they thought and I am still recovering and it was two weeks ago today...it's going to be a long recovery 15)WE HAVE A WATER LEAK IN THE NEW HOUSE....WHAT??? and yes we had mold and yes they had to rip out the dinning room and our floors and probably re-sand and re stain the whole house to match the dining room. I noticed the wains coating bubbling awhile back, and this is what it ended up looking like before it was all said and done. Oh, did I mention that my sister is getting married in three weeks. See... complete and utter CHAOS!!! I know I am blessed and other people out there have a way worse story, but it still is not fun living in chaos and I know some was brought on by us, but still did we really have to add all the surgeries into the mix?!?! and the water leak? Anyway they have been tearing out the dinning room be for a few days and put these huge air purifiers in our house. Can we say LOUD it is miserable, like my house is not loud enough already with three boys plus we have to have the cartoons blasting in the background and then everyone has to yell anyway to hear others because of the filters, I have never heard the word what so many times in three days and it is getting annoying! Now the rebuild begins, so more chaos. I think I need pain and suffering for this. HMMM...I wonder if that really exists?!?! I'm so on board if it does! Anyway my point was poor baby Eli he is such a good baby and I think it's because he was born into chaos and he has no choice but to be good! I hope for his sake this all ends soon. I guess the saying is true, when it rains it pours, but it could be much much worse. So we are remodeling our four month old house!

Kindergarten...already???

My baby (I mean big boy) started school last week. Not just school, but his very first year of all day school. His teacher from last year did the loop program, so thank goodness he got her again (fyi the loop program is when a teacher has the same group of students two years in a row). She is an amazing teacher and E adored her. Somehow his friends Easton and Emma got in his class again as well!!! For those of you who don't know, Ethan and Emma have been best friends since they were two months old (I know, I know someday this will change), and Easton and Ethan have been friends since they were three, so I'm still amazed that they are all together again because there was a lottery system and only 21 out of 40 kids got picked to participate in the program.
So the first day of school was complete and utter chaos. First, I was having surgery that day at noon, so I was nervous about my surgery, and all kinds of emotions of E starting school were running through me. I could not have my coffee that day, and that is never a good thing! Those of you who know me well are well aware of this. I just wanted a few pictures, but Ethan was so not into it. I tried not to get mad, but I did, and really didn't want to start crying already. Daniel came in the living room and told Ethan that this was a very important day for mommy and daddy because he was the first one to go to big boy school. He is a sweet little boy, so thank goodness the talk worked. We leave for school and yes all five of us went! Traffic was horrible, I was thinking really is he going to be late for his first day of school, and do they give tardy slips on the first day of school? we finally get to school, and on time...but no parking. But don't let that stop Daniel...we were walking our baby into his classroom no doubt about it, so he drives over the curb and onto that grass and yes that is where we parked! We walk in and down the hall towards his class as I am holding the tears back. He gets to his class and sees Easton and talks to him for a bit (and yes C and I dressed them the same again this year, think what you want we think it's cute! p.s. I don't think thier dads do and are probably wondering at what age this is going to stop!) and then Emma shows up with her mommy and daddy (who are like family to us) . We set them down for a few pics and gave them a kiss and left. Jaime and I leave our babies crying (no not our kids, us)...I mean real tears falling while we were walking down the hallway of the school.
I think we were both wishing that they would have been a little sad, but no they were not they looked so grown up sitting there, they just waved goodbye to us, and they have no idea what is in store for them over the next several years of their lives. This is just the beginning, and they will grow so fast. I just pray that they make the right choices in their lives, and listen to their mommies because we do know best regardless of what they think (even and the age of five, because they both think they are smarter than us!)
After the emotional goodbye we dropped the other boys off and I headed to my fourth surgery of the year. My good friend Carissa texted me while I was waiting to go back for my surgery and she said "think on the positive side, you get to be drugged and asleep during the first day of kindergarten while the rest of us have to think about how big our babies are getting all day" She did have a good point! Unfortunately, I couldn't be there to pick Ethan up on his first day of school, nor do I remember our conversation for the next few days about school! I do remember him saying school isn't so cool mommy...it's so long! I have not gotten to take Ethan to school yet, and rode with my friend Jaime to get him one day. Hopefully I recover soon, so I can start to take care of my kids again. Thank you Jaime for helping out with Ethan this week so much (and me), I wouldn't want anyone else to play mommy for him during this important time in our lives besides you!
Here are a few pics I took on the first day. Don't look at the one of Ethan and I too close. I couldn't wear any makeup before my surgery!

Graves Family...minus Daddy!

I got the honor of taking some pictures for a very good friend of mine and her boys about a month ago. I thought we were never going to get them done becuase of the crazy weather we were having. I am just now posting them because it was a gift for her husband for Fathers Day. She said he loved them, so my job was done! It was SO much fun. S-thank you for not going to Penny's or Sears, and I hope you are happy with your pics! Here are a few of the many I took.

Welcome home...finally!

Okay, so now that we are in the new house and somewhat settled, perhaps I can find a few minutes a week to write on the blog again! I has been a crazy and chaotic couple of months around here! The last few months at the apartment were insane. Daniel was traveling, I had to go through not one, but two surgeries. We had to be out of the apartment on the last day of March and the new house did not seem close to being done (but our builder did work a few miracles and we made it, although we had no yard and the paint was not completed on the outside on move in day). There were some tears shed the last few weeks, like when I realized the cabinets were not designed right in our master bath. The sinks and lights were not centered and we had a center cabinet on the wall between the sinks that was not going to fit once we put mirrors up. Daniel was gone and I came to the house to check everything out, FYI it looked like extreme makeover in my house. There were at least 20 workers here to get it all done for us to be out of the apartment. Anyway...I walked into our master bath and had to walk out because it was like a bad dream. Nothing was centered, and the granite was in with the sink holes cut out. I instantly started to freak. I grabbed Matt and Todd (aka the trim guys). We knew them fairly well because they were at the house everyday for about two weeks. They came in the bathroom, and they didn't have to say anything because the look on their faces said it all. I said "I just want to let you know I am going to cry." They were very helpful and we got it figured out (thank goodness). We had to take a cabinet down that was between the sinks and move some lights, but it all worked out.
Throughout this process I realized what little we need in order to survive. I wish Daniel had taken everything in our two storage units to the Goodwill instead of the new house, because now I have to find somewhere for all this stuff, and I am feeling a little overwhelmed. We have been here for over a month, and have put no decorations up because I'm afraid I'm going to change my mind, and if anyone has glazed walls you know they can't be touched up! Owen still wants to go back to the the "partment." I think it is because we were all so close. They have a play room upstairs, and I think they have played in it maybe 5 times. I think I'm going to give away all the toys too!
Easter was our first holiday at the new house and here are a few pictures! Yes that is a steri-strip on E's nose. Daniel and his cousin Clint were watching the kids when Melody and I went to pick up dinner (we were gone for literally 45 minutes) and Owen hit him in the nose with our bed rail. I also forgot to mention that the 3 year olds were playing with REAL darts while their daddy's were downstairs. That's what happens when you leave the two of them with the kids!

Save the Tatas

Save the Tatas...I love that phrase, I don't know why, but I just do. I have not had a loved one that has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and I hope I never do. My friend Erin's mom just got diagnosed with it recently, and has to have a mastectomy this week. A few of us girls got together tonight to make some meals for Erin's mom and dad to make their lives a little easier after the surgery. Erin made us all pink ribbon aprons, and they were super cute!

We had a great night spending some time together, and I know that we made Erin's day! Thank you Jaime for organizing it all, and hosting "cooking club" for the month...girls I am not kidding... we should do this monthly. I really think a cooking club would be a grand idea! We will just switch off houses?!?!

Erin, please know that your family is in my thoughts and prayers, your mom is such an amazing person and she will do great!

Happy 5th Birthday Ethan

Wow...how the years do fly. Today (I guess yesterday now)was my baby's 5th birthday. I remember the day I “knew” I was pregnant. Daniel and I lived in Washington, and we were out to dinner. I was one week away from graduating from the University of Washington, and so ready to celebrate. I said to Daniel, "I think I need to go get a pregnancy test before I go out tomorrow after class." He was like "whatever," but I did it anyway. We got home, and it said to do it in the morning, but I couldn't wait. So, I think it took like 5 seconds for it to show up. I wish I was not the only one who saw Daniel's face. He was on cloud nine, and I think that is one of the happiest moments of his life. We both looked at each other and started crying, for joy of course. Daniel went to every, I mean every, doctor appointment with me. He loved to hear the heartbeat. We wanted the gender to be a surprise, so we waited the whole nine months to meet “snickle fritts”. I vaguely remember him coming into the world. I was in labor for several hours, and ended up having an emergency c-section. When the doctor was debating on what to do, I remember seeing the fear in Daniel's eyes, but at that point I think he was more worried about me than the baby. I don't remember hearing Ethan cry, I do remember the doctor saying "it's a boy" and looking over at Daniel. He had the biggest smile on his face with tears rolling down his cheeks. They brought Ethan over to me wrapped up like a baby burrito and my heart melted. I was in love with this little man who looked just like his daddy, (actually those were the first words can came out of my mouth when I saw him). I could not wait to hold him. It seemed like an eternity because I had to spend awhile in recovery. I will never forget the first time I held him, it was the most wonderful experience of my life, knowing that this little person depended on you for EVERYTHING. He was the best little baby (well, almost, his baby brother is giving him a run for his money!) He smiled all the time, and with his eyes too. He loved to feel skin. It was so funny because I remember Jaime holding him one day, and Ethan kept putting his hand down her shirt and she said, “I feel like I’m being violated by a 6 month old!” As he grew older him and Emma would sit next to each other on the couch, and when he would get tired he would suck his thumb and rub her neck, she would look at him like…what are you doing? Emma and Ethan were best friends, and I am sure they still are (they did not have much choice since Jaime and I spent everyday together). Unfortunately, I don’t remember all the cute things he did in his earlier years (you were right mom…I hate saying that!).
Ethan, These are my most memorable things about you this year…
1) You have learned to read!
2) You still want to snuggle every night
3) You still call me mama
4) Your are extremely talented in sports (I think this is daddy’s favorite)
5) You stopped sucking your thumb
6) Sometimes you start laughing at silly things and can’t stop
7) It took you 30 minutes to come downstairs at Emma’s house because you put on her ballet leotard, and only because she wanted you to so bad. You were so embarrassed but let Mommy and Jaime take pictures anyway. (Daddy was not happy about this at all, and only said it was okay because a girl wanted you to do it
8) You started big boy school, and never looked back when I dropped you off, I cried
9) You give me a kiss and hug every morning when you get out of the car
10) It cracks me up when you say “what the…”
11) You are a great big brother
12) You are not a morning person like Mommy, and stubborn just like Daddy!
Here is my wish for you (with tears pouring)...
Ethan,
I love you more than words can say. I love being your Mommy. My goal is for you to someday be just like your Daddy.
He is an amazing man, and well respected. You have a great role model and I am greatful for that (thank you mom and dad #2 for raising such a wonderful man). He works hard, and loves, and respects his family…that is what you should strive for. He makes the right decisions with his life and I pray that you will too (I know you don’t understand these words, but someday you will). Grammy, Grumpy, Papa and Nana love you too, and would do anything for you…always remember that. Your grandparents are very important people in your life. You are blessed to have so many people that love you so much in your life.
So, these last words to you… Godspeed little man…I love you, and can’t wait to see what you grow up to be (well I can, because it is going so fast. It will be here before we know it, and my grandpa always said “don’t wish your life away”)! I already am so proud of you!
With all my love,
Mommy (and Daddy)
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox