Just because...

I haven't blogged for awhile...life has been crazy, but not worth blogging about I suppose. Other than the nice weekend we had. I just wanted to quickly say Happy Birthday on my blog to my sweet neighbor Jeri. Her birthday was last Friday and I have been meaning to make note of it on here ever since. She's a doll and a great friend. I think she'd do anything for anyone, and she is so outgoing and friendly to everyone! Thanks for being you, Jeri!

Also, Saturday was Keith's 27th birthday....he's getting up there :) Gavin and I tried to make the day fun for him by making him breakfast in bed and letting him relax. Gavin and I went out to mow the lawn so he could just chill, but I don't think he can sit around when others are working, so he joined us for some family yard work time. So, happy birthday to you, honey. I love you.

So this is not even a picture of his birthday, but it felt lame to blog without a picture!

Family Get Together

Last Sunday my mom and 2 of her sister had a little get together at my mom's house. It's always fun to see our extended family. We had dinner and just hung out. My brother has a scooter that he decided he was going to show me how to ride. I am a HUGE chicken on things like that so I was being pretty whimpy and he just hopped right on behind me and took off! I screamed the whole time, but finally warmed up to the idea of trying it by myself. Other than that, everything was pretty low key and I just enjoyed talking to my family. Gavin played so hard with his cousin Kenna. He loves going to Grandma's house because there are TONS of balls for him to play with. He walks around throwing them everywhere and yelling, "Ball!" at everyone. Here are a couple pictures of my family!

My brother Austin and his fiance Chelsea

Me and my cousin's wife Emily

My cousin's Riley and Aubree

My cousin's Blake and Amanda playing Wii bowling

My niece McKenna

My sister, my mom and I

Yes, my son can fit a golf ball in his mouth!

My brother, his finace, my cousin Jon, his wife Emily Gavin, Keith hiding, and me

Our Little Family

Oh I wish I were a....Nancy Webster???

I just wanted to share the fun day that Gavin I had today! For those of you who do not know, I am the secretary in our primary presidency. and whenever it is someone's birthday we take our meeting to a restaurant. Today was our lovely president's birthday and we spent the afternoon at Chili's. Despite Gavin's restlessness, it was wonderful! I love spending time with these fun, faithful women (and their daughters!). It's never hard to find something to smile about when I am with them. I love how well we work together, and how there isn't contention among us. I love feeling the spirit when I am with them, and how they bring so much love and kindness to the children in our ward.

And although we find time for the spiritual side of things....there is always room for fun! Nancy would never let us do anything without having a bit of fun too. INSERT: Nancy also loves to tell random stories at any moment, so you had better be prepared! Today we found ourselves visiting the brand spankin new Wal-Mart they just built down the road. Seeing as how it was opening day and would probably be the only day the bathrooms would ever be clean (I still didn't use them!) we thought we might as well grace it with our presence. Besides, the Weiner Mobile was there and Nancy just HAD to get a picture to send to Kip in Colorado on his mission. (He had sent her one just like it awhile ago.) So here for your viewing pleasure is Nancy Webster, Primary President, birthday gal, and wonderful friend! I love you, Nancy. Happy Birthday!

ABC Tag

A = ADVOCATE FOR: Smoke free EVERYWHERE!
B = BEST FEATURE: skin....no not the skin on my face, but the rest of my skin is really soft :)
C = COULD DO WITHOUT: PMS :)
D = DREAMS AND DESIRES: To be a good wife and mother
E = ESSENTIAL ITEM: Water, I love water
F= FAVORITE PAST TIME: Playing Guitar Hero!
G = GOOD AT: Crocheting and digital scrapbooking
.H = HAVE NEVER TRIED: shark? I don't know, I usually try everything
I = IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS: I would invest it :)
J = JUNKIE FOR: Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes at Taco Hell, I mean bell, and Peanut Butter
K = KINDRED SPIRIT: my mom
L = LITTLE KNOWN FACT: I have gray hair, lots of it
M = MEMORABLE MOMENT: Gavin's birth
N = NEVER AGAIN WILL I: eat pork rinds
O = OCCASIONAL INDULGENCE: reading instead of cleaning my house, oh wait, this says occasional
Q = QUOTE: "You can respectfully disagree with me, but you would be wrong." Dave Ramsey
R = REASON TO SMILE: My family
S = SORRY ABOUT: using the last of the toilet paper and not replacing the roll
T = TAG SOME FRIENDS: Brittani, Jenn and Tammy
U = UNINTERESTED IN: Rap music and Kung Fu, Martial Arts movies
V = VERY SCARED OF: spiders
W = WORST HABIT: easily angered
X = X MARKS MY IDEAL VACATION SPOT: ARUBA
Y = YESTERYEAR DECADE OF CHOICE: Duh, the 80's....the only decade my big hair was ever cool
Z = ZODIAC SIGN: Pices

Mother's Day

I meant to do this yesterday, but was busy all day with church and mother's day activities. I just wanted to write a little bit about how lucky I am to have 3, yes that's right, 3 mothers!

My mom, Kim, is amazing! I don't think I quite apprecitated her as I should until I had Gavin. She has spent my whole life putting her kids first. She always says that the only thing she ever wanted to be was a mom. I know that things were not always easy for her, and that she had to work really hard as a single mom, but we never did without. She has always made sure we knew that we were loved and that she was always there for us no matter what. I always remember her saying that no matter what we did she would always love us. She's a very kind person and always wants to make sure everyone else has what they need. She thinks of everyone else before herself. And best of all, she overlooks my short comings! She has been a great example of the mom I want to become.

My step-mom, Amy, has somehow found it in her heart to put up with me! I wasn't always the nicest kid to her, but we've come a long way! She didn't have to be like a mom to me, but that didn't stop her. I appreciate that she loves me for me, and as her own. She has always been someone I could easily talk to, and has been a good example to me with the way she loves her children. I don't know that I could take on as much as she has and do as well. She's an inspiration and definitely someone to be admired.

My mother-in-law, Carol, has lovingly accepted me as a daughter-in-law. She is a great example of a daughter of God and has set a great example for me as faithful woman. She has taken on so much responsibility with her family and church callings, and done so well with all of them. She also always notices the little things. When Keith and I were dating, I always used this silly smiley face cup at her house, and after we were married she bought me a cup just like it because she noticed that. For some reason, I've always remember that, and thought it to be such a fond memory of the subtle little things she does for me. She is so funny too, and will always leave me a message or say in an email, "Love Mom 3"

So to all of my mothers.....thank you for what you've given me. The examples of the mom I want to become. I feel if I can just in a little way emmulate a few qualities from each of my wonderful mothers, I will become the woman I want to be. Thank you all. I love you, Mom 1, 2 and 3 :) Happy Mother's Day!

"Hi!"

Gavin has found that he now understands what a phone is for...well, sort of! He gets the basic idea, that you hold it up by your ear, but whether or not he understands that the voices coming out of it are talking to him....that's still to be determined! It was the cutest thing the first time I noticed him doing it. I kept pretending someone was on the phone for him and then I would hand it to him and he would put it up by his ear. I decided to call Keith and have Gavin try it out with a voice on the other end. I called and said, "Daddy, Gavin wanted to call you." Then I handed Gavin the phone and said, "Say hi dad". I kid you not, clear as dad the kid said it. Now every once in awhile he will say hi. And when you say hi to him, most likely he will pick up the closest thing he can and hold it up to his ear, be it toy, sock, or just his hand! Naturally, he hasn't quite figured out which way it goes up to his ear, and sometimes he thinks it's still just something you throw...but it's cute all the same!