A great birthday

I had the most wonderful birthday week and only have this bad picture of me (but cute of the boys!) to show for it!
I had delicious meals with friends and family throughout the week...nothing better than eating out :) Thanks to all who treated me to such fun morning and afternoons out!

On the actual day McKay "surprised" me with an overnight stay in Park City. My Mom came over and we took off for an evening alone...so needed and so nice! We stayed at Newpark Hotel which was a very nice place...just across from the outlets and connected to the new Cafe Rio.

After spending a few hours at the outlets (and mainly purchases for our two, soon to be three, children) we headed to Baja Cantina for dinner...highly recommended by friends and it was great! We picked up an apple pie caramel apple from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and headed back to the hotel to relax for the evening.

Before McKay headed out to help his Dad at their property in Coalville the next morning we stopped at Starbucks for some breakfast. McKay swore Jennifer Aniston was there with us much to my arguing that it wasn't her. After some fact checking he indeed was right and we were amongst a celebrity. Way to go my celebrity spotter husband! Although I'm not really into doting on other human beings who probably think they are above the rest of us...who cares!

The week ended with a delicious dinner on Sunday at my parents. Thanks Mom and Dad for a fun night! We have one party left to go with the Ercanbracks next weekend...I love birthdays!

Again thank you to my amazing husband for making it a great day...

Still a girl!

Our 20 week ultrasound was yesterday and it was reconfirmed its a girl! I was pretty sure anyway but it's nice to have a double check! She looks perfectly healthy and beautiful! January can't come soon enough!



Her little hand was up by her face most of the time.

The tech was having fun with the fact that you could see some muscle definition in her little arms :) Watch out brothers!

She has quite the little collection of clothes going already thanks to Grandmas, aunts and wonderful friends (and maybe Mommy has bought a few things too!) Can't wait to decorate the nursery totally girl!

Her memorial

My Dad conducted a short and very sweet service for my Grandma. She wanted it that way. My brother, sister and I had the chance to share a few memories of her. This was list of 10 things I loved, learned and will miss about her...

1. Pistachios and coke at night and chocolate covered peanutes and 100 Grand's in the refrigerator.

2. Judge Judy

3. Aggravation

4. Her cooking

5. Sitting on their front porch in the evenings playing washers and enjoying the cooler weather.

6. A birthday card in the mail each year with a $25 check to "spend how we wanted"

7. Trips to Disneyland courtesy of Grandma

8. Her organized, clean house

9. Her love for my boys

10. Her love for us

I love the poem my Dad shared which was also shared by Maria Shriver at Tim Russert's funeral awhile back.

The Little Ship

I stood watching as the little ship sailed out to sea. The setting sun tinted his white sails

with a golden light, and as he disappeared from sight a voice at my side whispered, "He is gone".

But the sea was a narrow one. On the farther shore a little band of friends had

gathered to watch and wait in happy expectation. Suddenly they caught sight

of the tiny sail and, at the very moment when my companion had whispered, "He is gone"

a glad shout went up in joyous welcome, "Here he comes!"

I know my Grandpa was waiting with open arms to see her again. It gives me so much comfort to know they are with each other watching down on our family.

A house that built me...

For the past 29 years I've been visiting this house in Chino, California...

Last weekend it was time to say goodbye. It's hard when both grandparents pass on and the reality hits that everything that was theirs on this earth gets divided, sold or given away. I took a few pictures to help my memory over the years.

Grandma's decor stayed pretty much the same my whole life. She enjoyed a simple life without too many "extras" and was perfectly content with her life that way. I was given the picture in the right corner for the baby's room.

This was my grandparents room. We eventually stayed here when we'd go visit. When my Grandpa passed my Grandma started sleeping in another bedroom in the house.

This game was the one my Grandpa "invented". Typically these two green boxes are about four feet apart from each other and the point is the stand on the end of one and throw washers into the three holes on the other. The front hole is 1 point, middle hole is 3 points, back hole is 5 points. The first to 21 wins!

This was my favorite room in their house...my Grandma lived here. She was such a wonderful cook and everything she made was delicious. Favorites included homemade macaroni and cheese, orange whipped salad, ground turkey sandwiches, angel food cake with sauce and chocolate cupcakes with pinoche frosting.

This picture will always remind me of them. My Dad said he remembers this picture in their home for as long as he can remember.

And the empty chair. My grandparents spent much of their time relaxing in the family room watching their favorite shows. Every night you could find my Grandma sitting here eating pistachios and drinking a coke.

I will cherish all my memories of this home and will miss it. I'm so grateful for the knowledge I have that this empty house isn't the end of my grandparents. I will see them again in a perfect and beautiful place.

Preschool Time!

Peyt was so excited to start another year of preschool! We have a few great ones to choose from right around our neighborhood and he's going just up the street which is nice for me!

He decided to be a goof ball the morning of his first day...

All ready to walk in!

He walked out front of the line his first day!

Peyt has about 30 cute neighbor kids his age that will all go to school together. Brooke, Sam, Peyt and Chase are all little preschool buddies!

Here's to another great year of learning Peyt! I hope its a great year for you and we get all ready to start kindergarten next year!