Happy 1st Birthday!!!

A cuter, sweeter, more tender, handsome boy never existed. My heart just overflows with love for my nephew Hudson. I love the way he talks and the way he and Easton play together. He wants to be just like his dad in every way which is the cutest thing ever. I have never ever seen him do anything naughty. I am not just saying that. Shelly has told me a couple stories and every once and a while she will repremand him while I am on the phone with her... but I swear she just does it so I don't feel like a total failure as a parent. Honestly though... Husdon is an awsome pair of dimples, crazy-cool hair and the sweetest voice you ever heard. Someday he will melt hearts... what am I saying.. he already does!!! Happy Birthday Leap Year Boy!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!

I'm hooked... RU?

I almost voted last night. really, I am that hooked. Two words:


David Archuleta.

signs of spring!

A few weeks ago I was talking on the phone with my mom and she was asking me if Oregon was really green because of all the rain... to which I answered no.

I believe my answer was somthing along the lines that photosythesis was not occuring because the sun was not shining. Well, the past week (since my mom was here...) it has been pure sunshine and it is has been amazing how it changes things. (That plus having a mom to cook and clean and babysit really can lift your spirits.) The great thing about living here is that as soon as you are sick to death of winter and don't think you can stand one more drop of rain... you open your eyes one day and there it is:

s p r i n g.

No waiting for snow to melt or flowers to pop open- it just happens suddenly. I can't wait to see the blossems on our main street- they blew me away last year and I am excited for them again. So... for all you folks who are still burried under snow... spring is just around the corner.

it's not enough, but something...

I have been working on a project for my family and trying to do something productive. Many of you know, and some may not, that my oldest sister Trisha died when I was 14. It has been eleven years today- and each year when February 21st rolls around I feel overwhelming grief and I don't know what to do... I don't want to "celebrate" but I always feel like I need to do something special. Well, this year I decided create a blog in her memory. I have been through hundreds of pictures and letters. I have laughed and cried and seen her life in a way I never had before. There were pictures and stories I hadn't seen in years, and I saw them in a new way now that I am a wife and mother. As I looked at pictures of her as a small child my heart ached with grief for my parents who lost their sweet daughter. New understanding and grief came over me because I know now how much you love your children, and I can't imagine how I would feel if I ever lost Easton. Just trying to understand it as a parent breaks my heart. As I looked at pictures of her with her husband Andy I wondered just how their short time together has affected him in his life. I looked back at all our silly times and realized that the few pictures we have together can never really capture the love that we had.

I think I miss her more now that ever. I know there is no way I could have ever done this before now. There are just so many emotions involved, but I have just wanted to for so long and since my mom was coming I asked her to bring some pictures and things to add. I am really in awe about the life my sister led. I always looked up to her because she was my "cool older sister" and it always seemed like she had it all together. I just can't believe the legacy she left behind with such a short time here. I want to keep her memory alive because she was a stong, motivated, kind, loving, smart, beautiful person and the best example anyone could have. When someone you love dies there is nothing you can ever do to feel complete again. There is just a peice of you that goes with them and you can't ever be the same I guess. I do know however, that God loves us, and that we will see her again. I want to live my life so that she will be as proud of me when I see her again as I am of her...

Anyways... if you want to know more about my beautiful Trisha-... the link is Missing Trisha. It's my work in progress(:

Hey MAMA!!!

Well... my mom rolled into town today. I am blogging right now because she went to sleep at 8:00 with Easton. Yep- she's an animal. Well, I guess I wore her out already! We spent the day driving to Multnomah Falls, and stuck in Presidents Day traffic. Easton is totally stoked for a week with Grammy and I'll soon be posting lots of fun pictures of our adventures. These are the times I love when she can just chill and we get to have fun and bond and well... hopefully stay up late talking. Maybe tomorrow night....