Dear Life

Dear Sara,
Thank you for inspiring me to start "Dear Life" which is a blogger letter to the person/thing you love and why. I love the idea of sharing the things I am most grateful for. You are always a great inspiration to me. Thanks for being so awesome, this one is for you.


Dear Christmas,
Thank you for all the magic that you bring. Not necessarily presents, but moments in time when the world seems perfects. Thank you for:
Little girls and boys in their Christmas outfits (especially the big frilly dresses)
The 12 days of Christmas
The Advent Calendar (I love the little treats each day)
Festival of Trees
Gingerbread houses (even if I did order premade gingerbread online since I can't make it!)
Lights at Temple Square
Caramel apples
Christmas concerts (Peter Brienholt, Kirt Bestor, Forgotten Carols)
Receiving Christmas cards in the mail (finally something that's not bills)
Watching/reading the Nativity Story
The blooming Amaryllis Flower









This is the Amaryllis. I took this picture on the night that it snowed all night. There was so much light outside and it was casting a beautiful shine on the flower. In the past this flower only has one bloom, but ours had four flowers that came out this time. It is so fun to watch it bloom in the middle of winter.

The other two pics are recent ones of Liam. One with the hat that has stayed on his head all week whenever we go out since its been so cold outside. The other with him drinking from a glass. He loves drinking from a cup way more than using a sippy. We'll see how that goes!

Confessions of a Housewife

I start out with a disclaimer that these confessions are just my random thoughts put into words. Mostly for the girls I used to work with and my other housewife friends who completely sympathize. Thank you for not judging me by this or any future confessions I may make.

So I think this might have to be a regular part of our blog. Ben can update his life with "Confessions of a Professional." A professional what . . . well that's up to him. Anyway, so I will just start telling my stories. So the last 3 pots of rice I've tried to make have gone to pot. I've either burned, undercooked, or not added enough water. So yesterday Ben had the great idea to make rice pudding for breakfast. I was suppose to be watching it, and all the milk overflowed into the burner. No, the rice pudding did not turn out. So today when making lunch, I was left to attend Ben's family recipe for Mac N Cheese, when the stove top caught on fire because yesterday I forgot to clean to burner. Of course I was freaking out and laughing all at the same time, and Ben was not available to help (ehem, he was occupied on the can) so I was running around the kitchen waving my arms with dish towels so the smoke detector would stop, while trying not to pee my pants. (All the while Liam didn't even blink at the alarm - weird) The Mac N Cheese did turn out, luckily. But I did spent a good 45 minutes cleaning out the pot used for the above mentioned dish. Oh yeah, and I pulled the blinds in the kitchen down, and they came unscrewed and fell down on top of me. That was fun too.
Then this afternoon, I was changing Liam's diaper -- which as a side note, when feeding your baby solids for the first time, go easy on the prunes -- his poop was so liquidy when I went to clean him the wipe slipped right off his butt and spread poop all over my pants. Good times.
Oh, and by the way I'm never watching reality TV again. I am going to fight for the return of the sitcom. Any old loser can be on reality TV. I will admit, I am sorely bitter about the results of "The Bachelor." There was a part of me that loved watching these girls fall in love with Brad, I don't know, something cute and romantic. Whatever. No more reality TV.
Ok, maybe American Idol, but that's it.
My little baby is still napping. Normally that would be great, but now its 8:15 pm. I've gone in and turned the TV on, walked around making noise, nothing. He is conked. He's just so snuggly and peaceful. He won't be snuggly and peaceful tomorrow morning at 4 am! I guess I better sign off and get that boy up!

We have so much to be thankful for

Even though our Utes didn't win, at least Liam looks cute in red!

Check out how long the chompers are getting! Yikes! I'm scared.

So for anyone who doesn't know, our favorite neighbors Robin and Troy adopted our little weiner doggies. Look how spoiled they are with their sweaters. And yes, they each have more than one.

Having fun on the slide at our friend Liz's house! Look at the mini rock wall for the kids. Hilarious.

This is Liam trying to get out of a nap by laughing and being cute.

This Thanksgiving was really special for me. I realized how great it is to have the most simple things of life. My father-in-law was over the other night and he told Ben how happy he was to see our fridge full of food. Not because we are eating well (and our bellies are starting to show it!) but that we are able to provide for ourselves. He said he can remember going to his sister's to babysit her kids when he was younger and they had NO food in their fridge. It really made me reflect on how good it feels that we can provide our little family with a warm place to live and that we've never gone hungry. We have clothes on our backs and loving families that surround us. It is so easy to get caught up in all consumerism this time of year, and all year really, so it was refreshing to take a step back and recognize all that we already have.

We all went over to Ben's parent's house for Thanksgiving dinner. I am soooo grateful both of our families get along so well and we are able to share the holidays together instead of splitting the day. Liam had fun throwing his toys on the ground and watching me pick them the whole time. He is to point where he loves holding his toys over the side of the high chair and dropping them. We have staring contests in the mornings, I think he's waiting for me to lose it!

Ahhhhh, and then there was the football game. So much for the "All Red Weekend" . . . we had face the hecklers at our ward on Sunday . . . errrr . . . that's why we may have to move out of the southern end of the valley! I just can't take some of BYUers. Oh well, hopefully next year . . .

Rock on Mike

Ben is always playing jokes on me. The other night, he fell asleep in bed while I was making Thanksgiving cards. So I climb into bed and lay my head on my pillow and feel this strange crinkling sound. I reach into my pillow to pull out a picture of Michael Bolton. Ben burst out laughing and said he thought I would sleep better if I looked at Michael Bolton's swaying curly mullet and lushous chest hair. Michael Bolton just epitamizes romance doesn't he! So I called Ben's assistant and asked her to put his picture as Ben's screen saver. Ben thought I snuck into his office! The office was in riots. So any of you have any good office jokes I can play on Ben -- email me directly!

Chomp Chomp is Right

So on Liam's one week anniversary of getting his teeth his took a divot out of my nip! (Can I say nip online?!) So I did everything that I had read I was suppose to do - scream (that was easy) bop him on the face (softly of course) and say no sternly. After all that, he just looked up with his big sparkling eyes and started laughing! I yelled for Ben to come get his son. Man I was so mad. I think that was the first time I was really so mad at Liam. I would take all the sleepless nights in the world over what is now termed "the bite". Those little chompers are razor sharp. I can't wait for when he's old enough for some meat -- I'll give him a big hunk of steak to gnaw on!

The Little HalloWeenee

Here is Liam with his girlfriend Bianca! She is such a cutie, her and Liam are only a few weeks apart and have been cuddling from the start. I love seeing these two together, they are so funny when they see eachother.


So anyone who knows us well knows how crazy Ben and I are about the TV show "Arrested Development." This show introduced me to "The Blue Man Group" which I didn't know was the real deal until our last trip to Las Vegas in August where they were performing. I went to a Halloween party on Tuesday, and I was so excited when no one could recognize me! It took all I had not to laugh, but as soon as I did it gave it away who I was. When I got home, it took a good 40 minute shower to get all the blue out. But it as worth it to tribute these hilarious mimes!



Liam was a Pea Pod for Halloween! He was so cute. I looked quite a bit online for a costume, and when I saw this one I just busted up! I think he really liked wearing it, he didn't put up a fight one bit. On Sunday we had a family Halloween party at Ben's parents house and we did a mini trick or treat for all the kids. On Halloween morning we went to the parade at Sandy Elementary and then over to Ben's work to show his officemates Liam's costume. Our friend Teisha took this picture and touched it up, she did such a good job! Thanks Teisha!

Chomp Chomp

Liam got his two bottom teeth in! I can't believe it. The first one came through on the bottom right on Saturday, and the one the bottom left came through on Sunday. I was so surprised!

Growing strong!

Here is Liam enjoying some time with his uncle Richy Rich. Que Guapo!

Liam getting some loves from his papa before leaving for church.

Liam's first day of his new high chair. Yes folks, he is moving on to solids and loving it.

Liam's first taste of rice cereal. He kept trying to steal the bowl away -- he just wanted to drink it up! Yummy!

This month has been way fun! Its so true that every stage gets funner and funner. So Liam got his 3rd haircut already! His hair grows so fast. I spike it up, but if I let it get too long his hair gets crazy! Too bad its not curly.
So when I took him to the doctor's office early this month for his 4 month check up, he said Liam was ready for solids. I don't think I was quite prepared, I kind of got a tear in my eye. My babes is getting old! I was planning on exclusively nursing until he was 6 months, but the doc says the boy needs some food. It was so funny the first day, because I expected him to just open his mouth and start eating. Most of the cereal was all over his face and on his jammies. But after about 3 days he started opening his mouth big to eat a spoonful and is loving eating . . . well, not green beans. He does an awesome bitter beer face with green beans.
Not a whole lot new with Ben and I, I just finished reading Freakanomics -- I highly recommend it. It was such a good book, I could hardly put it down. Ok, and I hate to admit it, but we are totally hooked on "The Office" this season. Ben had a class on Thursday night scheduled for his next session, but I think he secretly changed it so we could have our Thursday ritual of oreo shakes with "The Office". I'm pretty sure we'll be buying the previous seasons because we never had time for TV before. I'm kind of having this mixed emotion going on because we used to always pride ourselves on not watching any TV, but when Liam goes to bed I just find that I can't get enough of reality TV! Horrible. Confessions of a housewife . . . more to come in a few weeks.

Aaah Aaah Aaah Chooo

This night was so funny. I wish we had thought of recording when he was laughing hysterically, but this is still a pretty good clip of Liam having one of his laughing attacks. He was suppose to be in bed, but he just wasn't tired. When he got his second wind, boy he got it! Ben and I were sitting talking and playing with him, then I sneezed. It was over -- for the next 1/2 hour we were all laughing. Needless to say after that laughing fit he wasn't tired one bit. What do you do. But what a fun night!

Liam is now 4 months old!

Liam is just getting funner every day. This has been the month of squeals! Liam is cooing and squealing non-stop. He seems to always be saying “Look at me! Look how cute I am!” Then when we look over he gives us a huge smile showing off his gums.
When he’s sitting in his bouncy seat, he gives loud outbursts of coos, and seems to be saying “Look at how strong I am,” as he pumps his legs and arms as fast and hard as he can. He also holds his arms out stiff with his hands fisted and it looks like he’s riding a motorcycle. When he does this he purses his lips out like it takes all the concentration in the world to perform such a feat of strength.

Here is Liam snuggling with mama under some blankets!

Ben has started his balancing act with Liam. He will hold Liam in sitting position in his palm and balance him. At first it scared me to death because I was sure he was going to fall. Liam actually really loves it.

Drools! I think Liam will start teething soon . . . drool is everywhere now. His shirts get soaked now, and so do mine!

Another major development this month is Liam has found his thumb! He loves sucking his thumb! He also will suck any combination of two fingers, three fingers, four fingers, or even all five at a time. He does a pretty good job getting that whole fist to fit in his mouth too!

It has been so nice having Ben around more. He had 3 classes the first session of the semester so Liam and I were really missing him. Now he only has 2 and it seems so much more manageable. We are just clinging to the last days of warm weather. We have all really loved going on walks every day to the park or around the neighborhood. Its so beautiful outside with the leaves starting to change colors.

Well, we'll show you more next month!

Enjoying family time together.

Liam is enjoying every minute of his tummy time.

Liam's favorite time of the day is bath time! He loves to splish splash!

Hello everyone! We finally gave in to the trend of the bloggers too! I'm really doing this to post pictures of Liam instead of emailing them a million times. Things are going well for us, Liam is just loving life. He's laughing a ton now and he thinks Ben is the funniest guy ever.

We loved having Ben out of class for a few weeks. He is back in school now, finishing his MBA program. He only has a year left, so next summer he will be done! It will be a huge relief for him and us.

I love staying at home with Liam. We have lots of fun activities we do throughout the day. I am amazed at how much he loves looking at books and playing games. He is so fascinated with the outdoors and loves being outside. He also really likes going for hikes in his pack, and he's already proving to be an outdoorsman like his dad.I think his favorite thing to do is watch the kids run through the fountain at Liberty Park. He laughs and yells - he's pretty anxious for his legs to start working to get him places!! He pumps and pumps them when he sees the kids running by, its so cute!

Its been a really great summer. We took Liam on his first road trip to Las Vegas for Ben's work. We were really worried about him, but he did great! He slept a lot and enjoyed the red rock scenery when he was awake. We also took him camping and it was his first time being bundled in warm clothes. I'm not sure if he liked that too much. It was pretty funny to see him squirming to get out of his little sweats.

Its been so good to see so many family and friends lately. We hope this is a good way to keep in contact with more of you. We love you and hope to hear from you all soon!