Kairi

As I 've said before I have been blessed with friends! Well My other best long time friend is Falesha. We have been friends since 6th grade and really really close friends since she was about 13 and I was 15 She now has a baby named Kairi and I am very proud to be her honoray Aunt!! She is such a precious girl and a very happy baby! It's really fun to have a friend with kids yoru own kids age to watch them grow up together. Though I'm sad to say I don't get to see Flea as often as I would like but we both are always there for each other no matter what. I'm so proud to be her friend.

A year ago today

A year ago today I had just brought home my third little miracle. How quickly time passes. This past year has a been a fun one though. Wesstin has brought us so much joy and really completed our family. I'm so proud to be the mother of 3 wonderful boys. Wess is such a funny guy! He keeps us all laughing. We call him our rolly polly because he loves to roll around on the floor or anything that is soft. He loves to talk and point. He's words so far are HI DA, JUICE, and MA MA he's working on Hayden . He is now a 50% walker and loves to push anything he can all around. Some of my fondest memories of him are in our garden happily digging dirt or picking tomatoes. He's a precious boy and I have tons of pictures in my memory of him. I just am still amazed at how different each child is even thought they have the same parents and are raised in the same household. I do believe each person comes out with there own personality but I also think it shows that we as parents grow and change with each child. I know that with each child I have earned and yes I mean EARNED more patience mostly because I had to. I have learned to just chill out and I have learned more about my limits and what is really important to me in life as a mother. Hayden taught me that it is not about me anymore. Balancing the check book must wait. There is someone elses schedule which is MUCH more important. Brendon taught me that I cannot do everything there are times I must claim defeat and say I just can't! Wesstin taught me to just enjoy the moment. It will not help to get frustrated about all the things I can't do because I must tend to a crying baby and not school or nurse and not do the dishes. Just sit back and enjoy the task at hand whatever it may be and eventually everything else will get done. After all what is the point of doing things with a scoul on your face. Kind of defeats the purpose of life I think. They've rounded me out a lot I'd have to say. As I raise my children I really find a lot about myself and grow up alot myself. Each day I find out more and more what the definition of mother really means to me. That is a whole blog in its self. I love these three boys more than ANYTHING in this world!! As I watch my year old boy explore his world I feel so blessed to get to experience the first words, walking, problem solving and everything else that comes with this ride of life not once but three times now. Being a parent is not something you can truly grasp until you are one. It truly is a miracle. There is nothing else or anywhere else i'd rather be. I love you sweet boy!

I have been very very very blessed with wonderful friends in my life. I have had my best friend Sara since 8th grade. She is more than a sister could be in my life. Life has a way of not letting you hang out as often as you want but.....the weekend of the 8th (my birthday) Stevan took they boys camping and Sara came over and spent the night. We had such a good time just being together. We drove my truck around, Made yummy yummy pizza, garlic dip and drank a few coronas. It was so much fun and needs to happen much more often.

Looking cool in our boots heading out to the garden.

Yummy pizza sauce

PESTO!!

I also have a really really great group of mom friends here in Emmett. Well last weekend we all got together with NO KIDS!! My friend Heather has a 2nd house they own which she kindly offered for our party place. We all brought yummy food and drinks. Naomi brought her karaoke machine. LET me tell you we had lots and lots of fun. I got to stay for 2 hours which were amazing. It was so nice to be able to think and be silly and just be ME for a moment. As a mom you sometimes forgot who that is until you get a moment to remember.

Naomi and I

Jill and I

Heather and I

Gina and I

Dawn and Gina

I am so so so thankful for my friends!!

And were another year older.....

Well okay technically I won't be until Saturday but close enough. Mine and my brothers birthdays are all within 3 weeks of each other which makes for a cake filled month! Yumm Helps that Hayden and Wesstin joined our birthday club to. My mom got here the day of Ben's 21st birthday. She brought him an ice cream cake which is our absolute favorite kind! It was a nice day we didn't really do anything special we were just glad to be together. Gus came over a few days after his 16th birthday and we had a little celebration for him. I made him a cheesecake, mom got him a harmonica and Hayden let him play his psp as long as he wanted. It was so good to see him and to be with both my brothers for a while. Gus brought his Ukulele with him which was very fun to hear him sing and play. He is SUCH a talented person. We have known he was special since he was little. That kid is going to be famous some day. You just can tell. i'm so proud to be his big sister. He is also the best uncle in the world!! He let the boys try his ukulele which they thought was so cool! Gus has always been so patient with the boys. Since Hayden was born he has made them forts and soft places to lay down. He follows them around and doesn't get mad when they follow him everywhere. He is wise and mature beyond his years. I just couldn't ever ask for a better brother. Better brothers I should say. We all get along great and you know they'll always be there for you and you for them. Even though we are all 5 years apart it's been fun to see each of us change each year and see how we all are getting closer as we become adults. I can't believe we are ALL almost adults it seems like just yesterday we were running around our house chasing each other, riding bikes together, playing Nintendo together or just being silly together. Sibling bond is so so unique and I am so glad i have such awesome people to share it with. SO Happy Birthday to us all and here's to many more fun years to come!

Pete and Betty's Place

Some of you have heard me talk about Pete and Betty before. They are two of my absolute FAVORITE people in this whole world! Betty is a mother figure, mentor, role model and above all friend to me. She is always there through thick and thin. I can call her to cry or laugh or anything else in the middle. She always has sound advice. She loves my family as her own. She has truly taught me family means much more than blood you find your true family in the friends you share unconditional love with. There house is one my absolute favorite places to be. They have 5 acres on a dead end road and it is so peaceful there. They have the most perfect setting for a sunset I've ever seen. Every time I go there you feel like you've been wrapped up in a warm blanket and you never want to leave. Did I also mention Betty's cooking is the best I've ever tasted!! And that Pete makes the best fires and campfire coffee I've ever had. Stevan grew up with Pete and Betty and it sure does show. Every time Pete and Stevan are together I think to myself so that's where he gets it and I mean that as a compliment. Pete is a hard working honest, generous, kind, gentle man. He seems to always have a smile on his face. He's one of those people that when they speak you listen. I have a lot of respect for Pete and I'm proud to be called his friend. Needless to say a get together with them is a guaranteed good time. I treasure every moment I get to spend them and there kids. We had a wonderful bbq about, gosh almost a month already. Pete bbq'd ribs and Betty made potato salad and delicious delicious bread! We had a few drinks the kids got to swim in the hot tub and then warm up around a fire while roasting marshmallows. Pete and Betty are just the type of people you can be yourself around no matter what. You don't have pressure to impress or mind or p's and q's you just get to.... be, and that is great. You don't find many people like that in the world anymore. I am so thankful they are in our lives every single day!!

The chalk board in the bathroom.

Little Wesstin getting a drink




The three amigos Brendon, Gavin( Pete and Betty's grandson) and Hayden. They had so many adventrues that night. They found frogs, cats went exploring under the deck and through the trees.


Melisa Pete and Betty's daughter-in-law
Levi (Pete and Betty's son) Stevan and Pete chit chatting on the porch
The boys running around
Brendon is in his underwear becuase they got there cloths wet splahing in the hot tub.

Levi showing the kids how to smash the little marshmallows into big marshmallows

Melisa, Betty, Gavin, Brendon, Wesstin and Me, Hayden