By the way, Cole is walking!

He's even better at it now but this was the only video I had on the computer already.


This is just a cute video of Cole falling asleep in the car after our weekend at the snow a while ago.

A break away from the life of cookie sagas

The great weekend started with 3 fresh tasty batches of perfectly baked peanut butter cookies... by 7:45am. (Why wasn't the fund raiser made with PB Cookies?!?!)
And almost all of those cookies were polished off by a car of 4 girls in a matter of little more than 5 hours. Thus began an all too short weekend full of junk food, music, talking, chatting, gabbing, shopping, dancing, and lots of laughing.

Thanks to a hook-up through Dan's work, our sewing group booked a spur of the moment Vegas trip for a little get away time from the 24/7 shifts. Three little babies joined us including the only male in the group---witto Gavin. He was SOOO good. I know it's gonna be a great trip when Shannon and I are together-- we have so much fun getting away and playing, this weekend was no exception. I found some great buys along the way and ate at the most missed, best Mexican food restaurant EVER---CAFE RIO!!!
After shopping and eating and staying up late getting injured during some games of spoons...
I had one of the best nights of sleep and sleeping in. It's been a long time since I've slept in past 8am--and it felt sooo good. It was so nice to not have to be "on duty" all day every minute. I had no one to worry about but myself and I actually shopped at Ross. I had lost all endurance for stores like that because I either had kids with me or was paying someone to watch them. So I was glad to take all the time in the world to find some adorable clothes. After more shopping, and more Cafe Rio it was back to the double-suite hotel room. I brought along a spa foot bath and a paraffin wax kit so all 9 of us got free pedicures :)



When I got home, the dreams of being smothered by children who missed me terribly was shattered when I got home and got Cole from his crib after his nap and he cried when he saw me, then he wouldn't even look at me, and then he leaned over for Dan to take him as soon as he saw him. Allison at least smiled at me when Dan got her from her nap, but she still had a death grip on him until she woke up a little more. I was glad it didn't really bother me...I liked that my kids love their daddy--especially the typically mom-clinging Cole. Not to mention...Dan gave me the rest of the night off and got both kids ready and off to bed by himself. It was a little rocky getting back into the swing of things but Allison was THE BEST listener today. She got in the car from Shannon's right when I asked (yes this is a big breakthrough) and she went pee and poop on the potty WITHOUT ME! Ah the sweet life of a mother. Really, it IS good to be back...I feel rejuvenated.

NoteS to self...

*Don't wait until the last day of the return policy period to return expensive jeans to store 30 minutes away in Vista...on the day you have to make sugar cookies you've never made before….for people to sell.

* Don’t leave sick, feverish, achy, sinus infected, Bronchital husband at home alone with no one to care for him for hours.

*Don't volunteer to bake sugar cookies you’ve never made—for people to sell.

*Read list of ingredients more than 2 minutes before making cookies you shouldn’t volunteer to make for people to sell.

*$4 Lemon Extract only contains 3 Tablespoons.

*Taste all white substances before adding to batter.

*Don’t add forgotten egg ingredient to completed batter.

*Flour sitting in food storage bucket for more than 4 years maybe smells musty.

*When in doubt, buy two Lemon Extracts the FIRST time.

*Just take the whole wallet in the store in case the card you just used there an hour ago suddenly decides to pretend to be expired.

*Don’t leave parking spot unless you’re sure you didn’t forget anything in the store.

*Don’t leave open bucket of old musty flour and open bucket of good sugar open with 3yr-old access to teaspoon….

*Don’t seal lid to bucket with the slam of a foot. Foot may end up with flour on it after breaking through lid.

*Don’t step!!!....where Cole drops his whole, uneaten Ritz crackers on the floor—makes for crumby feet.

*Don’t be stubborn and insist in getting one batch right after four failed attempts.

*Don’t resort to margarine after running out of real butter(16 sticks).

*Don’t add half melted margarine to salt, I mean sugar—makes for runny—not fluffy-- batter.

*Call to say you can’t bring the cookies more than 30 minutes before they are needed.

*Don’t sob in front of 3 yr old—it confuses them.

*NOTE TO SELF….GO BACK TO BED AND START OVER TOMORROW!

God bless Panda Express

Sorry for the mushy gushy picture but Wendy just took our pictures this weekend and since it's V-day this week and Dan and I already celebrated on Friday by indulging ourselves at Ruth's Chris (with a gift card of course-Thanks Pete!)I decided to make a shout out to good 'ole Panda Express. Yes, that is where it all began.
P.S. Isn't he hot?!



And after that came these cute buggers...

Happy Birthday Cole!

How does a year go this fast? They really do grow up fast. It makes me realize that I better know what I'm doing before they grow up and I have no time left to teach them what they need to know.

Cole is soo much fun. He is growing out of his clingy, whiny stage and has turned into a smiley ball of energy--and a great napper!!! YAHOOOO!!! I LOVE his little dimples when he smiles and when a someone starts telling him how cute he is, he shrugs his shoulders, puts his head down and shakes it with a coy look. His first "word" if it is one, is "uh-oh". It's funny how we get all excited when he does something as simple as pointing at things and making sounds. I'm really looking forward to him walking...hopefully sooner than later.
I've been thinking back to the moment I knew I was going to have a son. It wasn't when I was pregnant either. One day I was sitting in sacrament meeting watching the priests bless the sacrament and I had an overwhelming feeling, and the words came into my mind that I would one day have a son of my own blessing the sacrament as these boys were. It was like a glimpse into the future.

I know the next year will speed by so I'm trying to soak up these fun times while he's young. We love you Cole! Happy 1st birthday buddy!

We had a little birthday party for him yesterday because Dan is out of town today. We pulled it together last minute so here is my spur of the moment car cake I made for Cole. He started digging in before we even finished singing to him!

I love this new little digital camera

This camera has a cool feature where you can take a black and white picture with a color accented. I'm sure there are other cool features on it I just need a second to myself to read the manual...maybe in 2009.

Just a thought

My dad is an amazing man. When I think of one word to describe him it is "wise." He applies everything he learns right away and then he is sure to share his new found knowledge with anyone who cares to know. One thing I have learned from my dad is an interesting perspective on the word "hypocrite." He says although he knew the definition of a hypocrite to be someone who professes to be something they're not (in simple terms), he said there's more to it than what we usually think. I automatically think hypocrites profess to be MORE than they really are but he shared that a hypocrite can be someone who acts, pretends, or professes to be more OR LESS than they really are.

Guilty.

I think that as a mom especially to my daughter, it is so important for me to be an example of someone who is real. Of course I have faults and weaknesses that I am working on. But it is important for my daughter to see that I can be confident in who I am and not allow myself to pretend to be less than who I am. Really, I think that's what our Heavenly Father wishes more women and mothers WOULD do! He sees our potential and I think it hurts him to see so many of us living under that potential and settling, or professing to be less than we really are.
Just a thought.