Surprise!

My mom turned 60 last week. We managed to pull off a surprise party for her at our house. It was a lot of fun putting together. The decor was a sort of rustic theme, food highlights were pulled pork sandwiches (from Johnny Rebs...yum) with hawaiian rolls that my professional sandwich maker (Nathan) so graciously put together, and cupcakes from the Frosted Cupakery on 2nd street. Yes, yes. My fabulous friend Andrea took pictures with her fabulous camera....check out her blog here, she's for hire!

the reveal...she turned bright red, good times!

Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting...it's a win-win people

I found this yummy apple cider punch recipe at bhg.com, google it!

the food table...we put together these chip cones with scrapbook paper. More trouble than they were worth? Possibly. Fun to do arts and crafts with my husband? Definitely.

Collage by Andi

(sorry for the closeup of my mug but look at Carys' hair, and my adorable niece Sydney!)

I love how sweet this picture is, my mom with my nephew Derek.

Watching the slide show....tear. Nothing like a photo montage set to good music. I used Matt Redman's "You Never Let Go" and Matt Maher's "Hold Us Together", two of my absolute faves.

one more decor pic, sorry I can't resist. stems in clear water, is there anything better?

Me, my mom, and my bro

Confession Time

Anyone who reads this blog probably knows that I am not a girly girl. At all. I like to watch Sportscenter probably more than my husband does. I grew up with a shrine to Michael Jordan hanging above my bed. I didn’t discover eyebrow tweezing until 12th grade (exhibit 1: my junior year picture, just take my word for it). My varsity jacket was the boy version, not the “cheesy” one with the zippered hood. Back in elementary school, I had a knotted hairball on the back of my head so gnarly that it took the Super Cuts girl an hour to comb it out. I’m pretty sure this happened multiple times. Those poor Super Cuts girls, they probably drew straws when they saw me coming! Maybe it’s because I was so tall growing up, liked to play sports, and felt awkward, that I never felt like I fit in with girls that well. I was that girl who was friends with boys. Yes I did have some amazing girl friends, but I was so not the girly one.
Long story short (too late!), along the way from then to now, I think I have gotten much better in the girly department. I do love to shop, I like makeup and I’d like to think that I have some form of my own style. But still, I always dreamed that I would be raising boys. I would have a couple sons, and then maybe throw a daughter in there just for fun. I had it all planned out, didn’t you know that God? So there I was in 2008, pregnant with my first boy, right? I vividly remember the ultrasound tech telling me, “it looks like you have a little princess here!” I thought there must be some mistake. But I hated the feeling of being disappointed when I had this amazing miracle growing in my belly. Then a few months later I met the 2nd love of my life and I couldn’t believe how blessed I was. My beautiful, sassy, hilarious daughter Carys Jordan (yes, named after that Jordan), I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the entire world. I really do love having a daughter!

So now in 2010, I was ready to have a son. OK Lord, I told him, you taught me a great lesson with my daughter and now I know you were right all along, so now gimme that boy!….right? This time my doctor even told me, the heartbeat sounds like a boys because it’s slower, I felt different this time around, heartburn and other stuff, it must be a boy. I was all pumped up, and there we are looking at the baby’s legs spread eagle on the ultrasound….ain’t nothing going on down there except 3 little lines and this baby is a GIRL too! I felt like a terrible mama yet again, I should be really excited! I cried in the parking lot while Nathan hugged me, I couldn’t believe I reacted this way. What I was acting like was a spoiled brat who doesn’t know what is good for them. The next 2 days I kept thinking about the baby I wasn’t going to have, more than the baby that I was having. Oh it sounds so mean when I read that! Now I know that the Lord is showing me something about His will, that it is ALWAYS better than ours. I know this sounds like Christianity 101, but its something that is truly learned when you are faced with a certain reality. Easy to say, but not always easy to take. It was my pride that led me to think that I know how my life is supposed to go, and this pride is truly ingrained in our flesh. We can’t overcome it without HIS help. And He is also telling me that I am girly, I am His daughter, and I am not defined by anything but that.

I am so thankful that God always gives us another chance, when we are repentant after acting like complete fools. His mercies really are new every morning. I started to think about women who can’t even conceive a child, who am I to be even thinking this way at all? I think about how much fun I have with Carys, dressing her, snuggling with her and decorating her room…..and how much I just absolutely adore her. How she loves tutus and kitties, dinosaurs and elephants.

And I rejoice at the thought of the 3rd love of my life that is coming my way.

It's a girl....again!

I'm not going to lie, I am still in shock that we are expecting another girl! Looks like the Lord's will for me is to raise some adorable, lovely young ladies. I have so many lessons to teach them: be bold in your decorating, aqua/red or orange/pink are good color combos, retail is for suckers, the Yankees stink....

Maybe something in me knew because a while back I saved this picture of a cool shared girls room that I just loved. Now this is pink done right...and the portraits are my favorite part.
(from online magazine Lonny)

Boo!

Another Halloween has passed, and still my husband is being a good sport. Although my dream of incorporating spandex into our costumes is dying a bit more each year. One of my dream costumes is to be pairs figure skaters...i know, awesome right? One of my favorite shows Community used it this year when Senor Chang dressed up as Peggy Fleming. I couldn't find a pic of it so here he is from the legendary paintball episode. If you haven't seen it, then i'm just sorry. Awesomeness!
So here we are this year as the Mario Bros and Princess Peach. (not just some ordinary princess!)

Flashback: here were are 2 years ago. Yoda wasn't really cooperating.
SUPER Flashback: this has got to be our all time favorite, Colonel Sanders and a chicken...all home-made or thrift store bought of course....Classic!

Passing Down

We got this Boise State t-shirt for Carys. Now the whole family has official Bronco gear. When I first got it in the mail she pointed at it and said, "No, I don't like that one!" Then the first time she had to wear it, more tears. Well sorry kid, these are the cards you've been dealt, a blue turf and a crappy strength of schedule. Life's just not fair sometimes!


Then the other day we were eating Top Ramen together. Yes I know it has a ton of sodium, but its just so yummy sometimes. I was using chopsticks and of course she wanted to use them too. I had some training ones for her to try. See she does have some Chinese in her!

I Stare You

I found this party post out in the blogosphere, is this a hilarious party idea or what? I would be terrible at it....but seriously, this is good times. Can I be friends with these people?

Coming Attraction

So the news is out that we are expecting another little one next year, April 4th! I just had an appointment today and got to see him/her at 13 weeks. I could see how much the baby is already moving their arms and legs around like crazy, having a grand old time. The reality of this pregnancy is creeping up on me slower than last time, probably since Carys keeps me so busy! It's such a blessing to be able to see the miracle growing inside of me and hear its heart beat. I can already feel my heart expanding with love for our next baby, and its awesome. Not to mention my belly too, but that's another story.
Check it out below you can see the head, body, and arms...I finally figured out how to use my scanner! On November 4th, hopefully we will find out the sex of this little being...

My mind is still adjusting to the reality of having two kids. I was someone who barely even changed a diaper before Carys came along! But I know that if I just trust in the Lord for strength and wisdom, I have nothing to fear. I have far, far more to rejoice about than I ever would to complain about.

I was carrying Carys in a parking lot the other day and I told her, "wow you are getting heavy, girl" and she says to me, "You can do it Mommy!" Ohh she is the sweetest. How could I not be excited at the prospect of another one of these precious ones...

(Thanks Andi Lucero for this amazing picture!)