"Smiling is not my talent"

That is what this he said to me on a recent photoshoot.

I tend to disagree.

sometimes I wish...

I had a little girl so I could put a dresser in her room with ribbons.














and maybe this on the walls:
...just dreaming a little.

I tricked her.

Somehow I did it and I am not quite sure...

but I tricked her into being my friend. hehe.he.

Here amazing talents inspire me to cling to my own creativity as I embrace motherhood.

She always knows the perfect general conference talk to lift and comfort my soul.

She walks tall and is proud to be a wife and a stay-at-home mom. truly proud.

Also, she is one of the only girls I know that can pull off a hat. Even a formal one in a family portrait.

Her little girls melt my heart (not to mention Eastons), and her hubby makes Derek and I laugh. (He is almost on my list of top ten people)

It's easy to find friends, but friends like her are truly sent by a loving Heavely Father to guide us and be angels in our lives.


If you want her as a friend you have to take a number... you see she has fabulous sisters and an adoring husband that take much of her spare time. I'm not quite sure how I got on the list.


oh, and last but not least- she stayed up all night re-designing my blog background for me. (thank you so much!)creative and giving. like I said... I must have tricked her.

Wheat toast and sherbet ice cream.

I can't help but think of my Grandpa every time I eat them.



He passed away after 85 years of life. All my relatives went to his funeral and it was absolutely amazing to see the posterity he and my grandma have.



I feel like even though I had him for 26 years there was so much about him that I didn't know. It was so beautiful to hear about different aspect of his life I never knew and for the few days I was in Utah again I had some really tender moments with my family that reminded me that even when life is long, it's short.

I married Macgyver.

The other day I was a bit emotional. Recent events allow me to be so I think. Anyways... I was contemplating the fact that I am slightly more sensitive than my hubby at certain times... and to be honest having an internal pity party.



Then I walked into my bedroom only to find that my laundry hamper that has litereally been hanging on by a thread in recent months had been Macgyvered. Missing grommets and pins that were terrorized by a toddler in recent years (who shall remain unnamed) were lovingly replaced by twist-tied bobby pins.



Reminding me that he shows me his love with small quiet deeds that often go unnoticed and unappreciated.

my lack of posting about it...

doesn't mean Christmas didn't totally rock. literally.

We picked up some mad guitar Hero skills- although we can't hold a candle to my sister Krystal... I'm still not sure how her fingers move so fast. Seriously though- I hate video games and I haven't had that much fun for a while.

The Polar Express party was one of the highlights of Easton's Christmas. My mom and dad gave all the grand kids pj's and then they had hot chocolate, popcorn and let the kids each have their own box to decorate which they lined up, filled with pillows and blankets and watched the movie. talk about fun! I can't wait to see this tradition evolve.

I discovered a new talent that I have. I have yet to be beat by anyone in Wii boxing. I dare you to challenge me... I will "box your head off". I won't even tell you how many people I knocked out... or how sore I was the next day.

It was so great talking in the car during our MANY HOURS of TRAVELING. These are some of the best times we have talking and dreaming and just enjoying time together.

Although the snow storms nearly kept us home in OR- we sure had fun playing in it once we survived the trip home. It was a beautiful white Christmas.

Crab fest 2008 was one to remember. This is a tradition Derek's family has of a HUGE delectable gluttonous crab feast every Christmas. More that you can imagine- this was just a small sample of the gluttony.

I had so much fun surprising Derek with a NEW RIFLE and it was so much fun since I can never surprize him! I was so busy concocting with his parents that I had no idea he was concocting a great surprise for me to...to which I will devote an entire post later. One word:

BOSCH

oh, yeah.

that lack of posting... well- you can blame these guys... they've been getting all my attention. :)

the mother-load of all blog entries will be here soon.

hopefully tomorrow...