Say CHEESE!

Much thanks to our fabulous photographer, Laurie Millar, for these great family pictures!

p.s. she is so amazing that there were so many good ones that it was REALLY hard to narrow it down to a few to post!

(which is why there are so many collages)

She is fantastic!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!!!!

Happy Birthday to our sweetie pie!
(Monday)

I find it hard to believe it has been a year already - to think that just one year ago I was utterly exhausted but completely exhilarated as Mason came into the world and blessed our lives. I have learned so much from him over the course of this year and am so grateful that I have the privlege to be his Mommy.

OK, so I'm feeling a little sentimental!

We had a party for him on Saturday and we had a BLAST! The evening was full of food, laughter, presents, cake, and a horrible BYU football game in the background. He was suprisingly clean with the cake (I had to smash his hand into it!) but started shoveling it in as soon as he realized what goodness lay before him. It was a great time and he was incredibly spoiled! Thanks to everyone who helped celebrate it with him - including long distance relatives who called to sing to him! He loved every minute!

2 out of 3 looking at the camera... too bad it was the important one who didn't look!

He really wanted to share the cake with us!

The Cake! Don't look too closely... (its a party hat!)

I realize this video is a little random, but until I figure out how to change the extension on our video camera video files, this is what you get :)

Stuff I Enjoy: My toothbrush

A Toothbrush?, you may ask. Yes, a toothbrush.

I have a million dollar mouth. Growing up I am 99% positive I never got a clean bill at a dental checkup -- ever. It didn't matter how much I did, it seemed my teeth were just doomed to be failures. Cavities, cavities, cavities, and a root canal at age 19.

Enter Sonicare.

I have had one tiny, MINUSCULE, didn't-even-know-it-was-there cavity since the beginning of my affair with my Sonicare (and my dentist called that the "Mason tooth" since it happened some time during pregnancy). This is a big deal - this is since the start of 2006! That may not seem like a big deal to some (3.5 years?), but it is momentous for me and my pearly whites.

Don't ask me the science behind it... maybe it helps me brush longer, maybe it just does a more thorough job of brushing/gets more grime than the average brush... maybe they infuse each toothbrush with magic in the factory - I don't care, all I know is that it is working and its a miracle.

Not to mention how AMAZING your teeth feel after using it. Like you just got out of the dentist chair & your teeth are slick from cleanliness.

I promise I don't work for Philips -- I just really like the product. Yes, it can be pricey - but the toothbrush will last YEARS and I think the investment is 100% worth it. So, if you have tooth woes - or just appreciate teeth hygiene, I really recommend checking it out!

From Ducks to Doo-doo

Here is a quick snapshot of me and Mason on Saturday afternoon after feeding the ducks with Daddy... about 1.5 hours before a stomach virus hit me...



and left me feeling like this:

Here is to being back to normal soon! It seems that a LOT of people have been getting this bug in the last week or so, so keep washing your hands and try to stay home if you're sick!
P.S. Good news, as of yet, it doesnt seem the boys have gotten it - although Mase might have had it Thur/Fri... not entirely sure. I'll be crossing my fingers!

We <3 Grandmas

I've been on a blogging hiatus! Granny Kay came to visit from TN and we spent the week playing, eating, swinging, shopping, eating, strolling, pumpkin-picking, shopping, reading (during nap time), eating, and more! We loved having her here and can't wait to see her again soon (which actually will only be in about 3 weeks).

"Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever."

~Author Unknown

Mase even got some "pre-celebratory" chocolate cake while out to dinner one night - (it is almost his birthday!)

Can you tell how excited he was??? Thrilled!

Denial

Today it is getting up to 60 degrees - heat wave! This morning when I checked the current weather for Salt Lake it said it was 41 - plenty warm for a quick walk, right? Turns out it wasn't 41 locally- it was definitely in the 30s. We walked anyway... thanks to this get-up:

(thanks Katie for the awesome, super-warm blanket!)

Although he was all snug and cozy, my ears and hands were frozen by the time we got around the block! I think I might finally accept that too cold is too cold.

If anything, we got a good laugh out of it!

Mall Walking

I'm confessing, I went over to the mall this morning to check out the walking scene. As winter looms over our heads, I know we're going to need to get out and I thought it might be a good option.

I got there at 8:30AM and it was me, Mason, and 4 friendly seniors citizens in the entire mall.

That's it.

Admittedly, about 4 other Moms had shown up by the time I left at 9. What can I say, it is going to be a happening winter!

Mall Walkers Unite!