HELP...What should we be for Halloween?!

We could be BATMAN!!



We could be a SPIDER!!




Or we could be FROG!!

Carter is 2!!

It was Carter's 2 year old birthday Saturday! I can't believe he is 2. Now Jason calls him 2 year old instead of Carter. He's getting to be such a big boy. I go in and look at him at night and just stare at him in awe of how big he is getting and how lucky I am to have him. I love him more than anything! He brings me true happiness at a time in my life where its hard to find.

Carter's Big Birthday Bash

We had a jungle theme for his birthday this year. He loves animals and with his jungle room I thought it suited well for him this year. Lots of family and friends came to celebrate with us and Carter got so many presents. He hasn't stopped playing with all his new toys since he opened them. We had so much fun. His favorite thing lately is cars, balls, horses, and cows. And he got lots of them for his birthday! Happy Birthday Carter we love you! Here are some pictures from the big event!



Our good friend Angie made us this awesome monkey cake and cupcakes! Thank you Angie!



This is Carter being mad cause mommy won't let him eat the cake and cupcakes yet!



They were so pretty how could we eat them.



Carter got so into opening his presents. It was so fun to watch him. However, he didn't understand why he kept on having to open more when all he wanted to do was play with one of them!



He got so embarrased when everyone was singing happy birthday to him...it was so cute! But when he got to blow out the candle he was all over that so Jason kept relighting it and he kept blowing it out and everyone kept clapping for him, over and over again!

More...

"I just don't get why I have to sit by these yummy cupcakes but I can't touch them! Arrrr"



"I have the best mommy ever" :) :)



"Jump on Brylie, I'll show ya how a 2 year old rides a horsie"



"I have the best daddy ever" :) :)



"SPENT...Let's end the night with a little yogurt in my new glow in the dark jungle jammies, I promise I will try not to throw up all my cake this year"

Casey is Coming HOME!!

My fabulous little brother is coming home in one week!! One week! It feels like he has been gone forever and like he would never come back. We lost half of our family all at once and it felt like that was how it was going to be from now on. But we are getting a huge part of our family back! He comes home from serving his mission in Little Rock, Arkansas next Tuesday! It will be so nice to have his amazing spirit and infectious laugh back in our presence. One day our entire family will be reunited, and what a great day that will be.

My sister wrote a post listing 10 of her favorite things about Casey...I decided to do the same:
1. His contagious laugh
2. His easy going spirit
3. His peacemaking ability
4. He is always up for anything
5. Going to lunch and movies, his forte'
6. His understanding
7. His compassion and sensitivity (he will make a perfect husband someday, being raised with so many girls)
8. His sense of humor is irreplaceable
9. Care and concern for others
10. Everything!!

His homecoming is Sunday November 9th for any of you in St. George! Love you Casey! Can't wait to see you!

Pregnant...and glowing...or at least trying to...

A good friend of my sisters is a fantastic photographer. She asked if she could do some maternity pictures with me. To be honest I don't think I was particularly looking forward to having any pictures taken of me in this condition. Fat and ugly. She did such a great job. I think I will really be grateful I have them. Anyway, here are some of them.

Sweet Scent

This weekend I finished the baby's room. As I was clearing out the closet I realized I needed to move the boxes that store all of my mom's clothes. As I picked up each box one by one and moved them to a different room I couldn't believe what I was doing. You never think that one day you will have every article of clothing and every possesion of someone you love in boxes, someone that should be here with you...someone who never should have left...Someone you no longer get to be with...You find yourself doing things you shouldn't be having to do.... All of their things...what happens to all of their things...I sat down and opened a couple boxes and buried my tears in the clothes, and there she was...her smell. Her sweet perfect smell. The smell I would smell as I layed on her lap (even at age 25), the smell of her perfume, just the smell of her existence. Grieving is a thing that I don't understand. It comes in waves. For awhile you are fine. You can talk about them, You can look at pictures, You can think about them without losing it. Then all of a sudden a wave comes crashing down and it feels like you just found out she's gone. How could it have happened this way? How did my life end up in this place? But then the wave passes again and it seems almost bearable. I wonder if the waves will ever stop...