My Birthday Baby!

Asher's big birthday bash was planned for that Sunday but Paul and I still wanted to do a little something as a family to celebrate with each other our baby's 1st birthday.

Paul suggested we do a picnic.  I knew just the place...I don't go to many parks but my nephew shared this place with me when I was babysitting him earlier this year. It's the nicest park I've been to so it's #1 on my list.  Daybreak would be the name. 

We stopped by Leger's at Jordan Landing (our new favorite place for sandwiches) and then we were off.

Picnicking on the grass:

Asher gets a kick on the swing - a beautiful view behind him: 

Asher and Paul on the slide: 

He played a bit in the sand: 

Hung out in the 'globe': 

And Dad helped him hang like a monkey!: 

After the playground we decided to walk down to the beachy area of the lake.

My two handsome hunks: 

Me and my baby boy:

Asher loves water so once we entered the water he really loved marching in the water to splash around: 

He kept trying to sit down and play so we stripped him and Paul took him into the slightly deeper water.  Asher felt like he still had to pick his feet up above the water when he walked so it looked really funny ;) 

It was such a beautiful night - perfect temp, perfect weather.  It did start raining at the end but it was a warm rain and made it fun.    Asher was tired by that time so we wrapped him up and dried him off and he was asleep before we even reached Bangeter :)

What A Cutie!!

As I mentioned previously, I was busy planning baby's 1 Year Pictures! (Why all the planning, you say?  Well I already knew what he was going to wear...I bought it several months ago and decided to save it for this.  But I had to find something for me and that is waaaaay more difficult than I would like to admit.  And Paul had something in mind and it took a few tries to find his shirt he wanted.  Oh....and let's not forget the cake I researched for forever and debated on and then trial and errored and...phew was I glad when it all just decided to come together for me!)

These are few of my favorites...I sure do love the smile on this guy!

And whatever this was...: 

One of my favoritests of the favorites: 

Said cake I worked on - vegan, sugar-free (still not exactly what I want in his mouth but he didn't want to eat it anyway and I figured that would be the case): 

Always a classic: 

5 Years, Baby!!!

Paul and I celebrated 5 years of marriage last week!  We both feel like it's been much much longer and yet...how has it already been 5 years??  

Paul and I have been fortunate enough to go on a nice vacation for each of our anniversaries...it's something we always look forward to.  But then, as most of you know, our baby was born only two days after our anniversary (awesome timing, I know).  So last year I was large with child and awaiting to 'pop' and this year, well, his first birthday trumped a vacation (and we feel he's a little too young to be dumped onto somebody for several days right now).  I mostly busied myself with his 1 Year pictures and his birthday party.  However, Paul and I did get away for the night.  Dropped the little guy off at my mom's, grabbed some Indian takeout and Culver's frozen custard and headed on up to the mountains for some peace and quiet and we enjoyed a night of just each other by the fire.  :)

A Sprinkling of Fairy Dust

Oh how I have looked forward to this!  This is the second year I was invited to attend Merry's Fairy Party.  Last year I was large with baby and put together an outfit last minute and I even surprised myself at how it came together.  I loved it!  Now I look forward to all the different fairies I can be.  

This year I thought I had more time to prepare than I did.  Luckily it still worked out.  Sam, my sis-in-law, lent me her butterfly wings...she also has a ton of Asian stuff so she brought stuff over for me to peruse through.  I decided to go with this robey thing.  It was totally awesome.  However, the wings didn't jive with it and someone suggested a great place to find some wings.  I lucked out and found the perfect pair that was cheap (the most important factor!)

So here I am this year as an Asian-type fairy.  (My fairy wings were called Nymph wings...mabey I am an Asian Nymph??? ha ha ha):

It helped to not be 8 months pregnant as well. Here's a view from the back: 

My hair and make-up: 

I was thrilled to be getting quite a few votes throughout the evening for Best Costume.  It came down to Me and Mindy as tied but I gave it to Mindy because she made her wings and they were awesome :)  Next year though....Ima gonna fight for it!!! ha ha :)

My contribution for the evening...my raw dip was super yummy! 

Our wonderful host and her homemade fairy outfit.  I loved that she created wings from flowers: 

This year a few men were in attendance and their outfits were pretty cool!  This guy made his own wings, belt, clothes AND shoes - yes shoes (out of leather)!!! 

Some other creative fairies from the evening: 

Is it weird to dress up, eat dinner with fairies and prance around outside for all to see??  Nay, I tell you.  It is quite wonderful, indeed.

Keane!!!

On Tuesday, June 26th Paul and I headed downtown for a spectacular evening of music from the amazing Keane, enjoyed by and with great company, Paul and Teresa.  

I love concerts at the Gallivan Center...so laid back, open, outdoorsy (my favorite).  The sound was great, Keane was awesome and we had a blast singing and dancing the whole night away!

Paul, Me, & Paul:

Me and Teresa:

Yeeeeee Haw!!

We've been to so many rodeos this summer - which makes me happy all through my soul!!!  Only a couple of them did I remember to take pictures and those were the two where Asher tagged along (a very ornery, cranky, way past his bedtime Asher).

Chewing on a Sno Cone straw in an attempt to make him happy...in turn this face made me happy:

"Whyyyyyyyyyy do they gotta do this to me?  Uggggghhhhhh." 

Asher was so tired due to an early afternoon nap due to the fact that he wakes up at 5 am and he refused to nap between then and the rodeo so he so sleep-deprived he refused to be held by anyone but me.  It was a long night.  But truthfully, I didn't mind...he's my baby :) 

Draper Rodeo, last Friday the 13th!  Asher was much better rested but still refused to go to his Aunts or Uncle.  So testy that he couldn't even appreciate his bunny ears: 

Am I crying or laughing??? 

LOVE the Draper rodeo grounds.  It was a perfect night.  The T-storm cleared up just as the rodeo started making it perfect hoodie weather, but not too cold.  It was really fun! 

Zoyie had been begging Paul for some quality sibling time and so we towed her along with us.  It was her first rodeo and she was so excited! She had her hair all done and a cute little black cowboy hat :) 

The 4th Festivities 2012!

This year for the 4th of July, my sister-in-law, Sam, had this amazing idea to do our own hide race.  I mean, we have the horses, the access to an arena, and several acres full of misc. junk that surely we would be able to construct our own 'hide'.  Well, construct we did!!!

Paul pulling off slabs of wood from a crate:

My dad screwing those slabs to a giant piece of old carpet (seriously it's the same carpet from when the carpet was laid in that house...about 17 years ago): 

Asher and Samantha taking a ride on our hide, testing it out: 

Our baby!!!! 

And this is my other baby...my favoritest one :)  Looks like such a little boy sitting there on that step and not an almost 11-month old infant.  My, how fast they grow.:

At the arena putting on the gear!  We grabbed my dad's grease monkey suits, snow goggles, bandannas, and leather gloves.: 

Samantha:

Paul (I don't know why my brother only shot one video of Paul..and that's of him, eating dirt):

Gaven swallowing dirt:

My last and best run...of course:

This was us at the end, when I took my turn and Gav switched me spots on the horse.  Halfway through we had to do some creative thinking to help with the slicing of the rope past my hip bone when I carried those heavier guys.  The solution was chaps and a jean jacket rolled up and tucked inside the waistband of the chaps for padding against my hip. Here, Gaven is demonstrating the fashion: 

This was BUTTLOADS OF FUN!!! We can't wait to do it again!  Afterwards we headed back home and grabbed the food off the grill, grubbed down on some excellent bbq and Sam's patriotic berries and fruit kabobs!:

and then sat on the grass and enjoyed the fireworks from across the entire valley.  Riverton's was the closest and  so it was the best but I have always loved watching the night sky being lit up by color and sound all the way down to Sugarhouse.  We were also visited by some small creatures.  Having these guys hop through the grasses and bushes that surrounded us can be quite unnerving until you figure what it is.  When one finally popped out, it scared the crap out of me.  I haven't touched a toad since we moved into that house...I am just not a fan of the feel of them and plus they pee on you almost instantly, which was the case with this person.  NO. THANK YOU.

A great holiday spent with family and reflecting on our freedoms made possible by so many others.