Evening Run

Oh my goodness I love summer and last night gave me just a tiny taste.  It was absolutely gorgeous warm weather and we headed out to enjoy it.  

Asher loved being pushed all around in the running stroller and Marcus biked along with his brother and mom.  

Many more runs to come.

Growing Up

I don't know what it was about this weekend but I suddenly felt like Asher is so big.  I just kept looking at him and all that he was doing and felt like he wasn't a little baby anymore.  I know he is still technically a baby, but he doesn't seem like it to me.

It is so fun seeing his personality come out and see what he loves and doesn't love.  Lately he just loves balls and cars.  He is all boy, and he came that way.  Until a few months ago we hadn't even given him cars or balls, but once we did he immediately loved them.  He just seems like a little boy the way he plays with this basketball.

Tiny

August 16, 2011

I can hardly remember so many of the details of the day.  My baby sister was getting married, and I was so excited for her.  But I had a 12 day old baby and was recovering from a c-section.  Every step I took was carefully thought out and it hurt me too badly to even stand up straight.  A few days before I finally dared try on my bridesmaid dress and it didn't fit.  My incredible sisters and husband searched high and low and found me a replacement just in time.  I was so nervous about how the day would go. I was nervous having my newborn out with that many people, I was nervous to have to nurse in public throughout the day, and I was nervous I just wasn't going to make it to the end of the day.

I remember walking into the temple, feeling like it was no small miracle that we had even gotten ourselves there.  Marie was tending Asher in the waiting room and it felt weird leaving him.  I saw my uncle and he asked me how I was doing.  Tears filled up in my eyes and I couldn't get any words to form.  All I finally was able to get out was a tiny little 'fine'.  He realized it may have been better not to ask.  That was not the only time that happened this day.

The day was absolutely beautiful.  Elise was the most gorgeous bride and her and Mike were so happy together.  I was so glad that I was there, and knew that I would never have been able to miss it.  Miraculously I made it to the temple, to the luncheon, and to the reception.  I was on lortab and so I know I missed out on a few things that I wish I hadn't, but all in all it was a gorgeous, beautiful day and I was so happy to be there.  I couldn't get up and dance with my sisters and cuter than cute nieces and nephews, but all I can remember now is how happy I was to be there, watching my happy family while holding my tiny baby in my arms.

By the end of the night I couldn't stop from crying once again as I hugged Elise and wished her congratulations.  We got into our car to drive home and I cried most of the way home.  I don't know why now but my emotions were so raw and my body was physically exhausted.

Asher was such a teeny tiny baby and I cannot even believe he was ever this small.  I was looking through Elise's wedding pictures yesterday and all of these memories came back to me.  I never posted these pictures on here and I love them because of what a beautiful day it was.

I must say I think my family is beautiful and feel so blessed to have them.

That's More Like It

Back to the cake I made last week.  I was able to push all of the cracked pieces together and frost them and it looked decent.  I took it to the family party anyway and it tasted so good that no one even cared that it wasn't perfect looking.

Since it was so good I made it again for Sunday dinner this week with my family.  This time I kept about 3/4 cup of the batter out of the round pan so it didn't overflow all over my oven and it didn't fall apart this time either.  It ended up gorgeous and so delicious!

Get the recipe from the cute blog The Little Red House here.  It is so good it will wow even non-coconut lovers.

St. Patty's Pictures

1. Little Asher

2. Asher and his cousins David and Steven in their matching shirts.

3. Me and Marcus at the St. Patrick's party.

4. More matching shirts - Marcus and his brother James.

Nailed It

We've all seen the cookie monster cupcakes on pinterest.

*source*

When Marcus and I saw this we laughed and laughed.  So Sunday I was making a delicious, beautiful chocolate coconut cake (from The Little Red House) for a big family party.  When I got it out of the pan and it basically fell to pieces we both couldn't stop laughing long enough to even get the words out...'nailed it'. 

Tag--

You're It.

My friend Mare tagged me in a fun little post so I decided to go ahead with it.  Beware, it is somewhat lengthy.  But you will learn so much about me. :)

1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you've tagged them.

haha.  Engagements, May 2007

11 Random things:

1. I just spent a lot of time looking through all of our engagement pictures.  I think I look mostly the same but Marcus looks so young to me.
2. I love massages.
3. I could never get enough sleep to feel rested. I'm always tired.
4. My biggest fear in the whole wide world are bees.
5. I am having a hard time getting back into running since having my little baby.  I love running so much but it just hurts now when I do it.  There is always pain somewhere...my shins, knees, thighs...and not just an out of shape pain, but a pain pain.  But I will push through it.
6. I get a bit of anxiety whenever I spend very much money.  Especially if it wasn't very carefully planned out.
7. I hate, hate, hate ketchup, mustard and mayo.
8. I want to cut my hair really, really short.
9. I am so bad at picking favorites. I just stared at so many pictures and couldn't pick one. If you ask me my favorite food, candy bar, vacation place, I will tell you about 5 things, or ask for categories. Or say 'it depends'.
10. I love the weekends, even now that I don't have a job. I love when Marcus is home with us.
11. I like food more than I did before I was pregnant.

Answers to Mare's questions:

1. One item I could not live without is my bed.
2. The best book I have ever read is the Hunger Games.  Does that make me sound totally lame and like I'm a non-reader?  Maybe so but I don't have a good memory so all I can remember is that it is the best book I have read lately.  I always love a fun, easy read. Oh, but The Help was an amazing one that I've read lately too.
3. I am a definitely not an early bird but lately I'm not that much of a night owl either!
4. One trait I want my kids to inherit from me is my ability to not stress about things.  Kidding.  Totally kidding.  This was a hard question!  I don't know.  My brains?
5. My ideal Friday night is going to get a delicious dessert with Marcus and then just hanging out with him, whether at home or doing something we've been wanting to do.  Even running errands, but just having him to myself and doing something fun.
6. My biggest pet peeve is when people sit next to me and just shake their leg or something so rapidly I can feel my whole body vibrating. For a long period of time, like a whole class or meeting at church.
7. If I had $1000 I had to spend in one day I would buy a new wardrobe, buy Marcus some new Toms and probably buy Asher a really expensive darling outfit.
9. I am most proud of graduating from college, running half marathons, and having a healthy pregnancy without complaining too much.
10. My favorite vacation is our trip to Europe.  There were so many crazy, funny, scary, random memories with Marcus that I will never forget.
11. I would definitely rather a pedicure over a manicure!

My 11 questions:

1. If you could be anyone for one day who would you be?
2. Sweet or Salty?
3. What is the hardest thing you have ever done?
4. What is your biggest pet peeve?
5. If you could have any talent and be awesome at it, what would it be?
6. What is your favorite way to relax?
7. What is your favorite college memory?
8. Would you rather cook or clean?
9. If you could only use one item of makeup what would it be?
10. What is your ideal Saturday?

Tag, You're It!

April J.
Nina O.
Christine C.
Ashley C.
Katie S.
Tierra F.
Elise B.

I decided to go with some wardies and my sisters.  And if any of you do this, I will be more than surprised.  :)  Go.

My Little Owl Guy

I kind of love ceramic animals.  I have a few birds, and now I have my lion.  And whenever I go to TJ Maxx or any store like that, that is the first thing I look for.  Something cute and cool.  And this week I found the best little owl there! He was darling but was white with strange bits of tan on him.  So I painted him "ivy leaf" and now just love him!

And since I've been sick and haven't had the time or energy to do any of the projects I've had in mind, this was just the mini project I needed.  And thanks to Asher's third nap yesterday I had the time to do it.  Also it was the perfect test run on the color since I was trying to find the perfect shade of green for my TV stand.  It is exactly what I had in mind.  Now I just need Asher to take a REALLY long nap and I'll get on it!

7 Months Old

Asher is seven months old!  (Yesterday...)

This was the hardest picture to get so far.  Asher would not hold still long enough to get one and it seemed like his hands or feet were blurry in all of the pictures because they were constantly moving.

At seven months:

Weight: 17 pounds even (He finally gained some weight!  He gained 1 pound 8 ounces in a little under a month)

Since switching Asher to formula we have seen such a change in him.  We always thought he was a good, happy baby, but now he is even better and even more happy.  He is so much more content and just loves life!  We are so happy that he is full now and doing so well.

-Asher now sleeps the entire night.  He goes to bed at 8:00 and wakes up around 7:30.  

-He takes a bottle 4 times a day and eats solid foods 3 times.

-He loves squash the best.  He also really likes sweet potatoes and carrots and loves trying new foods.

-He usually takes 2 good naps and sometimes a third shorter nap depending on how long his other naps were.  It seems he may be ready to phase that one out.

-He still hates being put in his car seat but is really good in the car now.  He will even take long naps in his car seat if it's nap time.

-He is constantly laughing.  He is the happiest little thing and just looking at him makes him laugh.

-He is so social.  He loves being in new places and seeing new people.  He will laugh or make crazy sounds to get everyone's attention.  He is especially loud and happy at church where he gets lots of attention.

-He loves grocery shopping now that he can sit in the front of the cart and see everything that is going on.

-He is always moving.  He still rolls a ton.  He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth, but for now can only scoot backwards.    

-He sits really well and only topples over when he wants to -- if he see something he wants and needs to get it.

-He got his first tooth!  Just the top of the tooth is poking up.

-He is more independent and can entertain himself so well.

-He loves it when Marcus gets home from work and just laughs and laughs when he sees him.

-He is so much fun and we just love hanging out with this sweet little guy.

See last month here.

And...the outtakes.  You can see he's just constantly moving!