And in case you're wondering...

... I WILL own one of these someday.

This is the most beautiful car I've ever seen, and I'm in love.

*T

My mouth is watering...

So the holidays are a time for celebration and family, right? A time to get together and remember our Savior and His birth, a time of giving and service. Well, there's also the bittersweet tradition of FOOD... lots and lots of yummy food. I say bittersweet because, while my mouth loves the scrumdiddleeumptiousness (?) of all the holiday goodies, so do my love handles. I mean, really... how can you say no to this:

or these...


or this minty goodness...


Muddy Buddies?! C'mon!

Fig Newtons in a jar? I think YES!

Ross's fav

I can't even begin to describe my love for these. Oh. So. Yummy.

So will I join the thousands who start off the New Year at the gym? Yes. Will I say goodbye to (most of) these goodies until 2011's holiday season? Unfortunately. Have a gained weight this holiday season? Surprisingly and thankfully, NO. Go me:)

*T

Choffy is pretty much amazing

Triest and I where introduced to Choffy by Ingrid (Triest's mom). And it is pretty much the best thing ever! It is brewed chocolate. Just like coffee is roasted, ground and than brewed (soaked in hot water) coffee beans, Choffy is roasted, ground and than brewed cocoa beans. Just like coffee you can add creamer and sugar (I just add a scoop of Splenda). This drink is great for the winter months and has all the health benefits of eating dark chocolate, and...it is delicious!

If you live close to us you need to swing by and we will make you a cup! You can also learn more at drinkchoffy.com/chocolove.

I copied the following paragraphs from an article on the health benefits of Choffy and chocolate by Dr. Eric Durtschi.

"Choffy is made from 100% cacão beans (also known as cocoa beans), roasted to perfection. All the antioxidant value, mineral benefits, neurotransmitter rejuvenating properties, and overall health-giving qualities of chocolate are found naturally in cacão beans. No sugar, no dairy, no chemicals. Just one ingredient: cacão.

The cacão bean is one of nature's most fantastic superfoods due to its mineral content and wide array of unique and varied properties. Since many of the special properties of cacão are destroyed or lost in the process of making chocolate, we feel that planet Earth’s favorite food is still unknown to most of us.

While Choffy uses roasted cacão beans, many of the health benefits found in its natural state are still preserved, allowing us to deliver a healthy and delicious product that will easily fit into most every lifestyle. This document describes many of the health benefits of the cacão bean that survive the roasting process.

Cacão beans are extraordinarily nutritious

Cacão is the Best Natural Source of the Following Nutrients:

Magnesium: Cacão appears to be the #1 source of magnesium of any food. Magnesium is one of the great alkaline minerals, helping to support the heart, brain, and digestive system. In addition, Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, and is associated with more happiness. The most deficient major mineral on the Standard American Diet (SAD), over 80% of Americans are chronically deficient in Magnesium.

Iron: Cacão contains a significant amount of iron per serving. Iron, a critical mineral in nutrition, is part of the oxygen carrying protein called hemoglobin that keeps our blood healthy.
Chromium: Chromium is an important trace mineral that helps balance blood sugar. Nearly 80% of Americans are deficient in this trace mineral.

Anandamide: Anandamide is an endorphin that the human body naturally produces after exercise. Anandamide has only been found in one plant—cacão. Anandamide is known as "the bliss chemical" because it is released while we are feeling great. Cacão contains enzyme inhibitors that decrease our bodies' ability to breakdown anandamide. This means that, when we eat cacão, natural anandamide or cacão anandamide may stick around longer, making us feel good longer.

Theobromine: Cacão usually contains about 1% theobromine. Theobromine has been shown to strengthen the enamel of the teeth and to reduce the incidence of cavities.
Theobromine is a chemical relative of caffeine but is not a nervous system stimulant. Theobromine dilates the cardiovascular system making the heart’s job easier. This is one of the major reasons why cacão is an important part of a heart healthy diet.

Antioxidants: Cacão contains the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world. These antioxidants include polyphenols, catechins, and epicatechins. By weight, cacão has more antioxidants than red wine, blueberries, açai, pomegranates, and goji berries combined.

Manganese: Manganese is an essential trace mineral. Manganese helps assist iron in the
oxygenation of the blood and formation of hemoglobin.

Zinc: Zinc is an essential trace mineral. Zinc plays a critical role in the immune system, liver, pancreas, and skin. Additionally, zinc is involved in thousands of enzymatic reactions throughout the human body.

Copper: Copper is an essential trace mineral. Copper is found naturally in plants with vitamin C. In the human body, copper helps to build healthy blood.

Phenylethylamine: Phenylethylamine (PEA) is found in abundance in cacão. PEA is the chemical that we produce in our bodies when we fall in love. This is likely one of the main reasons why love and chocolate have such a deep connection. PEA also plays a role in increasing focus and alertness.

Tryptophan: Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is transformed into important stress-protective neurotransmitters including serotonin and melatonin.

Serotonin: Serotonin is the primary neurotransmitter in the human body. Serotonin is similar in its chemistry to tryptophan and melatonin. Serotonin helps build up our “stress defense shield.”

Does Choffy contain caffeine?

Contrary to popular opinion, cacão is a poor source of caffeine. A typical sample of cacão beans will yield anywhere from zero caffeine to 1,000 parts per million of caffeine (less than 1/20th of the caffeine present in coffee). Unlike caffeine, Theobromine will give you a noticeable increase in energy without making you feel nervous and jittery.

In February 2008, Dr. Gabriel Cousens discovered in clinical tests on healthy people that cacão does not elevate blood sugar in the same way as caffeine containing foods or beverages. In fact, Dr. Cousens found that cacão has less of an effect on blood sugar than nearly any other food.

What is cacão?

Cacão is the seed (nut) of a fruit of an Amazonian tree that was brought to Central America during or before the time of the Olmecs. Cacão beans were so revered by the Mayans and Aztecs that they used them as money!
In 1753 Carl von Linnaeus, the 18th-century Swedish scientist, thought that cacão was so important that he named the genus and species of this tree himself. He named this tree: Theobroma Cacão, which literally means "Cacão, the food of the gods."
There is no evidence to implicate cacão bean consumption with obesity. Cacão is actually one of the great weight loss foods because within its extraordinary nutrition profile it contains the minerals and molecules that help curb appetite.
summary
Incorporating Choffy into your daily diet can help you take advantage of the many benefits native to the cacão bean and assist you in leading a healthier and happier life."

Ross

Yes, I took a sabbatical...

Life has been very busy and yes, I'll admit that I've had no desire to blog. Does that make me a bad person? I don't think so. I've had other things to deal with, and blogging was at the bottom (and by 'bottom' I mean VERY BOTTOM) of my list. In short, here's what's kept me from keeping you informed about my life:

*Ross started student teaching in August, and he's now halfway through his last semester as an undergrad! Woot!
*During his first week of student teaching, Ross got a call to the front office. The mother of one of his students hit his car and basically totalled it. She had a big SUV and his 15-year old, 207,000+ miles, already-been-in-2-accidents (not by Ross, I'll add) Mercury Sable met it's end. On a good day, that car was worth maybe $700. We were told it would cost at least $2500 to fix it, which we decided wouldn't be worth it. So, we had to look for a new car, which was NOT part of our budget plan. It took almost 2 weeks of searching and stress and budgeting and more searching, but we finally found what we were looking for: a 2005 Toyota Corolla. We got it for a great price and the gas mileage makes me absolutely giddy! We need this to be Ross's run around car that will hopefully last through all of grad school, and we have been very happy with it so far :)

*We moved! Life in Alpine was great, but when you're 26 and have your own family, living with the parentals is... well... less than ideal. We love my parents and Gabe loved seeing Mimi and Poppy every day, but it was time to find our own place. We found a nice apartment in old town PG, and within about a month of turning in an application, we were moving in! We love having our own place and we really like our cute little community.

*I started having really bad migraines the week we moved in, so after several doctor and chiropractor visits, I was told to just slow down. The chiro said I was suffering from neuro-emotional stress (whatever that means), but with all that happened in such a short time, what do you expect?! Ross was leaving for school at 6:45 each morning and would go straight from school to work, so most days he wouldn't come home until after 8pm. I was at home with a very active little boy, I was beyond exhaustion, and there was still a lot of unpacking/cleaning/sorting to do. I was feeling guilty because I was SO TIRED and didn't have a spotless house and a warm gourmet dinner on the table when Ross came home every night. And with guilt came more stress, and the more guilty and stressed out I became, the more emotional I was. And I know what some of you are thinking, but I am NOT PREGNANT. Headaches- yes. Exhausted- yes. Pregnant- no. Anyway, Ross finally sat me down and told me that all he wanted was my happiness and for me to take care of sweet little Gabe. He helps around the house more, he'll cook when he can, and he's been very understanding of the whole thing. He even quit his job for the next 8 weeks (until student teaching is over with) so that he can come home earlier and focus on family and student teaching. And it just so happens that our school grant came through the day before he quit, so our finances are right where we need them to be. Thank you, Heavenly Father!

So, I hope my explanation gives me an excuse for taking a blogging sabbatical. Now that things have slowed down just a bit, I'm hoping to get back on the blogging horse. Maybe I'll even add some pictures next time (gasp!). But for now, I thank you for reading this very long post and give you my word that it will not be 3 months before I write again:)

*T

PS- blogger won't let me put spaces between any of my paragraphs... anybody know how to fix that?

tossed salad and scrambled eggs

I'm sure I'm not the only mom out there who feels like this after church:

... right???

I love my son more than life itself, but Sundays are getting harder and harder. We bring snacks, books, a bottle, finger puppets... but he is SO SQUIRMY that I get absolutely nothing from church meetings. My brain feels all kindsa' scrambled once our 3-hour stretch is over. I have five months until this kiddo goes to nursery, which is roughly 20 Sundays. I don't know if I can handle 20 more Sundays! Thank goodness Ross is such a hands-on Daddy, otherwise I'd be inactive. I look forward to church until we're about 15 minutes into Sacrament Meeting, and then I realize it's practically impossible to get Gabe to sit still for 30 seconds at a time. He's not tired... he takes a nap right before church. And if he doesn't take a nap, it's World War III. If Gabe had it his way, he'd spend the first hour of church climbing up and down the stairs that lead to the podium. Obviously, that won't happen. So please, mommies of the world... share your ideas with this scrambled egghead as to how I can quietly entertain my 13-month old during church. I'm desperate!

*T

old glory

"You're the emblem of the land I love,

home of the free and the brave."

I love this flag.

Happy Independence Day!

*T

a soup lover's delight

This post is for all of you Olive Garden lovers out there (or for those of you who may want a new, super delish recipe) . My Aunt Vilate gave me the recipe for Zupa Toscana, so I decided to try it out last night. Ross and I are searching for new low-carb recipes now that we're doing the Atkins diet again. Yeah, let's not talk about that. Anyway, this meal was such a success that I had to share it. And even though I omitted the potatoes to make it more carb-friendly, there wasn't a drop left in the pan by the time we were through! I should've taken a picture of the final product, but I was so excited to eat it that I totally forgot =)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. sausage, cooked and crumbled (I used a 12 0z. package of reduced fat turkey sausage and it was still delicious)
3/4 c. diced onion
1 1/4 tsp minced garlic
1 quart low sodium chicken broth (and believe me, you'll want low sodium!)
2 medium potatoes, cubed to your liking
2 c. kale leaves (I used a little more because they're good for you) - cut off stems and cut out the core of the leaves, then slice thinly
1/3 - 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream (obviously not whipped)

Place drained sausage in separate bowl. Put onions and garlic in the saucepan that cooked the sausage, and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and cooked through. Add chicken broth and potatoes and simmer for 1 hour (but if you omit the potatoes, just simmer the broth/onions/garlic for about 15 minutes). Add sausage, kale, and cream and simmer for another 10 minutes, which will allow all the flavors to mix together. Remember to use a saucepan that's big enough to hold everything. I actually used my electric skillet and it was perfect. I'm pretty sure this will be one of your new favorite soup recipes! I'd love your feedback (hint, hint) :)

Enjoy!

*T

The Tank is 1!!!

It's hard to believe that this little boy....

... is now a year old! We celebrated Gabe's birthday on Father's Day, which was actually perfect because we had most of the family together. We were in Virginia visiting Ross's family, so we had a get together at Ross's parents house. My sister and my dad were there as well, so it was quite the party! My in-laws made a big German feast for dinner, and then we cleared the table for the cake annihilation. I put the photos in order from blowing out the candle to the final hose-off, so you'll see how messy he got. It was so fun to just let him just have a heyday with the cake, and he loved it!

The feast. I love all the different facial expressions.

Blowing out the candle...


Dipping his finger in the cake for his first taste...

HE LIKES IT!

He kept sharing with Poppy. He'll be such a good big brother:)

He'd get a fistful of cake in each hand and make this cheesy, super-excited face.

Power to the baby!

Posing with Mama.

Poppy made an elephant noise and it scared Gabe. He's pointing at Poppy like "Why would you EVER do a thing like that???"

Hosing of the Tankster. Luckily it was so steaming hot in Virginia that the cold water didn't even phase him.

Gabe kept trying to drink from the hose. He loves playing with water!

The Graham fam in its entirety.

Opening presents with a clean baby. He got some bath animals from Ellen Young, my 10th grade English teacher. Gabe is obsessed with elephants, so he was excited to see an elephant in the mix!

Poppy got Gabe a fandangled swim vest. It was hard for him to walk around with it on, but it'll definitely keep him floating when we go to the pool!

At a year old, Gabe continues to amaze us with his intelligence and personality. Here are a few fun facts about our little dude:

- He took his first steps two weeks before turning one, and by his first birthday he was a well-seasoned walker!

- He points at EVERYTHING. He used to point with his entire hand with the palm up, but now he points with his pointer finger.

- He can say a few words, including Mama, Dada, Papa (which he uses for both Poppy and Grandpa), bah (ball), beebee (baby), uh-oh, and dah (dog). Most of his vocabulary consists of NON-STOP baby babble (that we love to hear). He also makes an elephant sound when he sees anything having to do with an elephant or when he wants to read his elephant books, and he'll bark when sees a dog. Smart kid:)

- He loves anything with wheels, and he gets mad if one of his cars turns on it's side and he can't push it as easily.

- He's a pro at climbing the stairs. I can turn my back for a minute and he'll already be at the top of the stairs. He also likes being chased up the stairs, which is fun for me because he has a cute, high-pitched squeal whenever he's being chased.

- He loves babies, but we don't give him full access yet because he's still working on being "soft". He gets so excited when he gets close to a baby that he waves his arms up and down, and it's not too baby-friendly.

-He loves being outside and he's a champ when we take him for hikes. He'll sit in the baby backpack for hours without complaining, and he'll usually fall asleep before the hike is over.

- He's transitioned perfectly from formula to regular milk.

- He's the least-picky eater I know. He'll eat just about anything and is always willing to try new things. Some of his favorites are bananas, chicken, Cheerios, green beans, and rice cereal.

- The only thing he'll sit down and watch is Baby Mozart. Other than that, TV doesn't really interest him.

- He'll "conduct" whenever he hears music, whether it's on the radio or in church. He'll stand on our laps when we sing the hymns at church and conduct right along with the chorister. He'll also sing along to ANY music (hymns, ringtones, commercial jingles, Ross's opera, etc), and he sings while he plays the piano. And when it's all over, he claps :)

- His favorite 'toys' include phone chargers, computers, remotes, and anything that shreds easily (newspaper, toilet paper, paper towels, dryer sheets, etc.).

- He sleeps about 10 hours at night and takes a 2-3 hour nap during the day.

- He LOVES books! He'll put a book in his lap and run his fingers over the words and babble away like he's actually reading it. And I can sit with him for 30 minutes at a time and just read to him. I think he'll be an early reader :)

- He loves bathtime. He'll splash with his feet and will stick his head under the running water.

- He's the sweetest little cuddle bug. He gives awesome hugs and is now giving kisses. He'll also lay his head on my shoulder and pat my arm whenever I pick him up. Melt my heart!

- Gabe has no fear of animals. See my last post for examples :)

- It's hard to get angry with him because he gives us the cutest little scrunch face if he's doing something naughty. He listens well and knows what "NO" means, but it's hard not to smile when we scold him. He's just too cute!

- He's the ultimate charmer. Most who've met him are smitten by his sweet face and good-natured attitude.

- He's got a pretty sweet mohawk :) It's actually the only thing we can do with his hair that'll stay. Anything else just doesn't cut it.

We love Gabe so much. I feel very blessed to be his mommy and spend my days with him. He's always making me smile and he teaches me the importance of not sweating the small stuff. When it comes to amazing kids, Gabe is definitely at the top of the list! We love you, Bug!

*T

Animal Adventures

I think it's safe to say that my son is obsessed with animals. No matter the size or species, Gabe loves them all. My parents have a yellow lab, and Gabe will be the first to crawl to him and yank on his ear or pat his head. My grandparents live next door, and they have two cats. Gabe has watched them sprawl out on the ground and roll onto their backs, so whenever Gabe sees the cats, he'll crawl over to them and try to roll over them. He doesn't do it do be mean (obviously... he's not even a year old), but those cats usually run when they see him... which he then thinks is an invitation to play:) Lately, we've been trying to indulge his love for animals. In the last month, we've gone to Hogle Zoo, the Dino museum, and Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point. I was unsure how he'd react at the zoo because I wasn't sure he'd understand it, but he proved me wrong! He was very alert and loved seeing all the new animals. His favorite animal/animal sound lately has been the elephant. He'll walk around puffing air through his lips and he laughs out loud whenever I read him his elephant books. It amazes me how smart he is and how quickly he picks up on things! Here are a few pictures from our recent animal adventures:

Gabe saw his first real elephant when we went to Hogle Zoo. He made elephant sounds the whole time we were at the exhibit.

We met at the zoo with our friends Brady and Chelse, and their son Logan is 3 months younger than Gabe. Logan didn't quite get it, but Gabe loved it!

This is a perfect example of how fearless Gabe is with animals, no matter how big. This cow would stick it's head through the bars right where Gabe was, and Gabe never even flinched! We actually had to catch him a couple times because the cow would get so close that it almost knocked him over. Maybe Gabe will be a veterinarian...

Gabe found a baby dino at the dino exhibit, and they were fast friends:)

My Aunt Tammy has a HUGE bloodhound named Metro, and Gabe was amazed by him when she brought him over to visit. Gabe's a really big kid, but you can tell by this picture that Metro is one massive dog!

I love how adventurous my son is. He loves climbing, rolling around on the ground, and he LOVES playing outside. I'm so glad the weather in Utah is finally warm enough to allow us some outdoor playtime! Gabe may have a handful of bruises across his forehead, but nothing stops this little tank! He is ALL BOY. Believe me, I'm constantly chasing him and keeping him from further injury, but I love being his mommy. He keeps me smiling all day long =)

*T

Buehler? Buehler?

I've felt a complete lack of motivation to update my blog lately (can you tell? It's been a month!). Does anybody even read this thing?

he/she

*he*

1. Sitting in front of the TV, what's on the screen? dirty jobs, history channel, castle, the office, glee

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? blue cheese

3. What's one food he doesn't like? are you kidding?

4. You go out to a restaurant, what does he get to drink? water, root beer, diet pepsi

5. Where did he go to high school? lee davis high school, mechanicsville, va

6. What is one phrase he says all the time? "take it easy!", "no worries"

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? TIES.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? reuben.

9. What would this person eat everyday if he could? a big, juicy steak.

10. What is his favorite cereal? cinnamon toast crunch.

11. What would he never wear? a bra.

12. What is his favorite sports team? byu cougars.

13. Who is his best friend? me.

14. How many states has he lived in? 6- VA, UT, ID, IN, NM, AZ

15. Does he have any nervous habits? fake laughing,

16. What could he spend hours doing? playing his computer/phone games

17. Who would he vote for? Mitt Romney

18. He is: an awesome tenor, a great daddy and hubby, a teacher, a chef, very kind, PATIENT.

*she*

1. Sitting in front of the TV, what's on the screen? ellen, the biggest loser, the office, glee

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does she get on her salad? ranch.

3. What's one food she doesn't like? mushrooms, peppers,

4. You go out to a restaurant, what does she get to drink? water with lime, lemonade

5. Where did she go to high school? atlee high school, mechanicsville, va

6. What is one phrase she says all the time? {i love you} in sign language.

7. If she was to collect anything, what would it be? shoes, jewelry.

8. What is her favorite type of sandwich? peanut butter and honey.

9. What would this person eat everyday if she could? otter pops

10. What is her favorite cereal? raisin nut bran.

11. What would she never wear? a bikini.

12. What is her favorite sports team? byu cougars.

13. Who is her best friend? my hubs, vi, chelse.

14. How many states has she lived in? 7- VA, IN, NM, AZ, UT, ID, CA.

15. Does she have any nervous habits? biting nails, cracking knuckles.

16. What could she spend hours doing? reading, computer stuff, talking with friends.

17. Who would she vote for? Mitt Romney.

18. She is: a mommy, a wifey, tall, a strawberry-blonde, fair-skinned with freckles, a sister.

i tag: Jess Harwood, Angela Zeyer, Melissa Nielsen, Sue Gilchrist...

and anyone else who reads my blog. :)

*T

time's a flyin'

Holy moly, these past few weeks have FLOWN BY! After a long-awaited arrival, my in-laws flew into Salt Lake on General Conference Sunday. Gabey and I met them at the airport (surprising my mother-in-law), and then joined them in Park City the next day. We didn't plan on staying in Park City, but I-80 ended up being CLOSED that night because 18 stinkin' inches of snow fell. 18 INCHES! It started when I was driving up the canyon to get to Diana's (my MIL's sister), and it didn't stop until later on the next day. Luckily, Diana is a grandma and had a pack'n'play that Gabe could sleep in. It was fun spending the extra time with my extended family, but it was stressful nontheless... I had no idea when I would get outta there! It took Bruce, my father-in-law, an hour to clear a path to my car when I had to leave, but we got off the mountain safely and finally got on the road to head back to Rexburg. Julia, Ross's youngest sister, came with me to help me prepare for the festivities (and to help with Gabe). We were able to get the house cleaned by the time everyone else showed up Wednesday, which was just in time for Ross's senior recital. My mom and Aunt Vilate made a Costco run before heading up to Idaho, which SAVED ME! We ended up having around 30-40 people stay for refreshments after his recital, so I was very happy and VERY grateful to have their help with the food. Thanks Mom and Vilate! As for Ross's recital, he was awesome. He's such a ham (as most of you know), but it made for a very entertaining evening. His voice stayed strong for the whole recital, and he really made me proud. His voice teacher only had good things to say about his performance, and for all of you who know Kris, her compliments mean a lot more than most. She's as professional as they come, so we take what she says to heart. Good job babes!

The day after Ross's recital was another big day, as Ross had a few finals and Catherine (my other sister-in-law) had her recital. Ross and I both sang duets with her, so it was another big night filled with more singing, more friends, and more food. She did a great job, and it was fun to have a Jazzy touch to a recital (which are usually more Classical/Romantic/Baroque). Friday was Ross's last day of finals, and Saturday was graduation! We all joined together for Commencement, and then each college met to celebrate the graduates from each of the different colleges (i.e. College of Performing and Visual Arts, College of Business and Communication, etc). I was so proud as Ross walked across that stage! He had a huge smile across his face, as did I. He has worked so hard and music is NOT an easy degree. Okay, so he technically doesn't graduate until December when he finishes student teaching, but he walked because his entire family would be here and it was his final semester of classes. Either way, it was a great day to celebrate! Here are the pics...

FINALLY! He's got a degree to go along with all that hard work! Good job baby!

Shaking hands with our friend, President Kim B. Clark.

Ross, Alan, Bro.Linford, Brady, and Katelynd. These people are fantastic and SO talented!

Ross and Gabey after the convocation ceremony.




The whole Graham fam (minus Yours Truly... but somebody had to take the picture).




I couldn't help but post this. He's such a goofball!

This next set of pictures is from a FFFN (Fun Formal Family Night) we had with some friends of ours. Brady and Chelse Hodgson are some of our best friends here in the 'Burg, and Chelse had the grand idea that we needed to put our wedding dresses to use one more time. We invited some other good friends, Katelynd and Ben Blake, to join us at the local bowling alley for our FFFN. We got some looks from most of the people there, and a few even asked us if we were just married (which was funny because our babies were with us...). It is NOT easy bowling in a wedding dress, lemme tell ya! My petticoat that fluffs it up underneath is in Utah, so it was kinda droopy and really long. Chelse and I had to be creative when it came to the actual throwing of the bowling ball since we didn't want to rip our dresses, but it was still a lot of fun. Ross wore his tails and Brady bought a groovy cream-and-brown tux from D.I. for $4. I don't know what got more looks that night, the dresses or that tux. We took lots of pictures, and we'll have fun memories to look back on when Chelse and Brady are at Florida State. We love you guys!

Can't you just tell it's a bowling alley by the gorgeous wall in the background?

Chelse and I sportin' the wedding dress 'n' bowling shoes look. Very fashion-forward.

And the tux and multi-colored shoes are quite the statement. Look at that form!

Ross is now out of school and we're packing for our move to Utah on Friday. I wish I had a magic wand or some Mary Poppin magic to get my house in order! Packing is my least favorite past-time, so it's always slow-moving getting things ready to go. I love unpacking though (it's much less A.D.D. for me), so I'm chomping at the bit to settle in down in Alpine! Check back soon for pictures of our new home!

*T

my sweetness

It's taken me just a few months to figure out how to upload more than 5 pics at a time, but now that I've got the hang of it, ya'll have to suffer through my picture overload:) I LOVE this boy. He has stolen my heart time and time again, and his smile makes my day (as I'm sure you'll understand when you see these pictures). I recently read a blog written by a mom I don't know. Her 3rd son was diagnosed with cancer when he was 6 months old. They noticed that he wouldn't move in certain ways, and he always got fussy during tummy time. They found out that he had a tumor growing on his spine, and it had branched out into the nerves around his vertebrae. During the last weeks of his life, all they could do was make him comfortable. They decided to take him home to spend time together as a family, and he gently passed away in their arms soon after. As I read this mom's blog, I cried. Hard. There are days when I get frustrated with my son, especially as he's teething and going through a "mommy" phase. Yet as this mom talked about her baby boy teaching lessons of love and blessing everyone who knew him, I realized that I need to truly cherish this time I have with my son. Once he hits a certain age, he'll never have another "mommy" phase again. He won't let me squeeze his little cheeks or tickle his chubby legs. I won't be able to hold him as he falls asleep in my arms. These are things that I do every day now, and I don't want to take them for granted. He loves his mommy and daddy, and we love him with everything we've got. He gives the best hugs, he's crawling EVERYWHERE, he's got a goofy personality, and his smile is contagious. See for yourself...

He seems worried for some reason... I'm not sure why.

CHUB!

He puts everything in his mouth.

This is Mr.Bedhead. I LOVE this face!

Bonding time for Daddy and Gabey.

Another face I love.

Gabey loves chewing on wrappers. Is this normal?

I don't even know what this face is, but it's funny!

I love Gabriel. He gives me purpose in this life and he helps me to be a better person. I don't take him for granted, and I love being his mommy. He is one of the greatest blessings in my life, and I thank Heavenly Father every day that I have a strong, healthy, goofy son. Life is good:)

*T