What's up

Several things have come to mind since the last time I posted which was probably in 2009.  I don't know.  I feel like it's been forever since the last time I wrote on the blog.  Anyway, here you go.

1. Henry has been really attached to me lately (right when he's supposed to transition into nusery for church).  This is the advice I've gotten from people on how to handle him going to nusery:

• Stay with him for a while and ease him into the atmosphere
• Drop him and leave
• If he's screaming you should probably let him know you haven't left him forever
• Don't let them bring him to you if he's screaming
• Don't worry about it
• Worry about it
• Be enthusiastic about the nursery and show him all the fun things
• Don't be any fun when you're in there
• Don't sneak out when he's not looking
• Sneak out when he's not looking
• etc.

He did pretty well last week.  This week was disasterous.  Here's to knowing I have an endless amount of Sundays to hopefully get this whole parenting thing right. 

       2. I keep saying I can't wait for this year to be over (aka I can't wait to be done with school).  I'm always thinking, "If I didn't have school I'd be doing this or that."  When in reality, I know that isn't how life works.  The same thing happened when I got married.  I thought I'd somehow get a sense of fashion and enjoy cleaning a house.  Nope.  I know I need to suck it up and live life even though I have a lot of school work but I don't know how to do it.  And therefore, I just keep waiting for this year to be over.

       3. I hate that the word gender implies that you either like cars or dolls.  I've been witness to a very boyish boy.  He loves balls, buses, cars, airplanes, and trains.  But in reality, liking those things doesn't make him a boy.  I know this can be a much more complex issue but I really dislike that hobbies/interests are used to define gender.

       4.  When I go to the store I usually buy one dessert for the week.  I can never decide between ice cream or italian ice.  I want both.  They're just equally good in different ways.

       5. Lastly, I want to go to Disneyland.

Sorry ladies... he's mine :)

As promised, here is the story of our 3rd anniversary.  Although, I would first like to give some back story.  Our first anniversary was spent in Plymouth, Massachusetts where we go a hotel, walked around the quaint town, and saw the famous and rather small Plymouth Rock.  Our second anniversary the hubs wanted to plan himself.  The whole story can be read here but basically I was really worried that he wouldn't think of something or forget to set everything up and it would be a disaster.  However, it ended up being probably one of the top 3 dates we have ever been on.  We went on a Boston Harbor dinner cruise and danced the night away.  Apparently, the hubs enjoyed the whole "surprise wifey with something really awesome" thing and he decided to do it again, even though he's in the middle of his end of the year project. 
So, he comes home from the lab and tells me he's taking Henry to sleep at a friends house and that my ride would be here at 7:15 to pick me up for dinner.  Confused and slightly worried I got ready.  As it turns out, one of his classmates is at the door to drive me to dinner in his mini cooper (pretty sick ride if you ask me).  He starts driving me into campus and we're getting closer and closer to the lab that the hubs works at.  I told Pete, his classmate, that if we were eating in the lab to take me home right then because I wasn't going to do that :) 
Pete drops me off right outside the lab and another one of the hub's classmates opens my door wearing tan shorts, no shoes, a suit jacket, with a cloth on his arm (he looks like a goofy/fancy waiter).  He walks me behind the lab.  I wish now that I would have taken a picture of what I saw.  You know in the movies when the guys sets up a table for two with candles in a super romantic spot?  Well, there was the hubs sitting at a table for two in the middle of a pond with fountains and everything.  It was soooo sweet!  His classmates served us 3 courses (that may or may not have come from Applebee's carside-to-go) and even played some music.  It was probably one of the most romantic settings ever.  And it was so much fun!  Here are some pictures-

I also wish I would have gotten pictures of what happened after dinner.  The hubs pulled out two super soakers and we totally had a water fight.  It was awesome and I clearly won.  Anyway, it was such a nice night and it was fun to rekindle the light of our marriage.  Morgan (Thomas) and I are pretty opposite and different in a lot of ways but honestly, I'm so glad we're different.  He shows me how to be who I am regardless of the people around me.  He always makes me a better person and he never lets me forget that I'm loved.  So, to the best three years of my life.  Happy anniversary babe!

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Visit Shutterfly.com to create your own personalized photobook.

I judge. Do not judge me.

Once upon a time, I told myself I wouldn't be one of those mom's that only posts facebook statuses, blogs, and pictures about and of their children. I just figured those mom's were overly obsessed with their kids and they needed to get a life. Well, my view has changed and here is why:

1. Yes, when a mom makes a remark about how their baby is the cutest baby ever, everyone else is thinking... actually, I've seen better (or is that just me?-semi joking) Anyway, the beautiful thing about posting pictures of children is that NO ONE can say, "Wow, what an ugly baby." So, why not post a billion pictures of your kid playing with tampons on the bathroom floor. (Or is that just me again?)

2. Children aren't the only thing in a mother's life but often, they are the most important thing in a mother's life. So, why, when you are telling the world about your life, would you post something other than the most important? I'm proud of a lot of things I do but not quite as proud as I am when J Henry learns a new trick.

3. I'm proud of being a proud mom. I feel like it's very important for people to get an education, have hobbies, and be independent. And I think when people see mom's only posting about their children, they might think the mom isn't living life to her fullest or somehow restrained by the presence of her kids. While in some cases this may be true, there is NO experience like that of being a parent. I have learned how capable I am because of Henry. I've felt feelings of love, fear, anxiety, and gratefulness deeper than I ever have before. My love for my child doesn't make me any less of an individual.

This is probably where I should say sorry to all those moms I judged before I became a mom. Sorry.

Well, this post is way too deep for my liking. Tonight, I was eating rocky road ice cream. I probably had a good 2 cups of ice cream in my bowl. There were only 2 chocolate covered almonds in the whole thing! AND I ate them at the beginning! Man, I was so mad.

I'm glad you all got to read this. Word to your mother.

Madie, Merry thanksgiving, Much too Many pictures

I just looked at the picture of Henry in the bathtub below and a Brittany Spears song just came to mind and I automatically changed the words in my head, "I'm not boy, not yet man."  Sorry, glimpses into my head can be scary.

 I did not do this to my son, that was my husband.  Just in case someone is going to report us for abuse.  I know not to put my kid into a dryer :)

 Chilling on campus.

 I turned around for 20 seconds tops and he's gotten into the oats.  I'm still cleaning it up.

 On top of Hoover Tower!!!

 Doing a man's work :)

As for the series of next pictures.  My sister-in-law, Madie, got home from a 1.5 year long mission to England.  She came to visit us for a week and a half.  At some point during that time she felt the need to take pictures of herself with my phone.  As a result... I will post them here :)  Love ya sista.

 Madie was here for a week when everyone else came to celebrate Thanksgiving!  It was actually a really great time.  It was so nice to have Jane, Lyle, Pa, Mimi, and Madie here.  Madie had us all make a list of 5 people (alive) that we would like to have lunch with.  Mine: Julie Andrews, Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Julie B. Beck, Chuck Norris. Oh ya. 

 Papa and Nan gave Henry some cool birthday gifts.  He LOVES cars and trucks :)

 We made bread and rolls.  And they rocked.

 The whole gang!

 Da food!

 Henry with Pa and Mimi :)  The hat and Wooly the Wolf were gifts from them.

 Woah!  Look at that Jedi! 

 This hiking pack has been AMAZING!

 Nan trying to take Henry back to Utah with her.

I love the holidays, I love family, and I love Jesus.  My life... is awesome.

Henry Turns 1!!!

You know how when you're growing up it always seems like the younger sibling gets privileges sooner or better than you did?  Like, when I was 10 I went to bed at 8 o'clock but my little sister Emmee who is 10 goes to bed at 10 o'clock (I'm not actually sure how true this is but I'm just illustrating a point).  Well, it gets worse when you have your own kids.  My son, now at the ripe old age of 1... went to Disneyland for his first birthday.  I know, I know it sounds ridiculous.  But sometimes the grandparents just can't help it.  It's a serious condition I call wowilovemygrandsonsomuchmorethanmyactualchildreniamgoingtogivehimeverythingheneedswantsanddoesntwantjusttomakesureheisasspoiledaspossible syndrom.  But to be honest, I'm really ok with it.  Because I LOVE DISNEYLAND.  I secretly want my husband to be an imagineer just so we can go to Disneyland whenever we want.  When I talk about things I would buy if I were rich- an annual pass to Disneyland is probably in the top 2.  I would dress up like a princess just to get into Disneyland.  I would do just about anything just to go to Disneyland.  Lick a toilet bowl, wax a tiger, run until I passed out, walk on hot coals, kiss a fish, run outside in my underwear, eat a mouse, watch a medical show without closing my eyes, sneeze with out closing my eyes... all of these are things I would do just to go to Disneyland.  ANYWAY, all in all it was a really really fun trip and Henry enjoyed it too. 

We got there at 12:30 at night.  He naturally woke up when we got him out of the car.  And he naturally ate a birthday cup cake at the same time.

 He loves talking on the phone!  Great Grandma and Grandpa Rogers called him :)

 Some of my family came and MT's sister came too.  It was nice with such a big group because while some people went on rides with Henry, others got to go on the "big people" rides.

 Peter Pan was Henry's first ride a Disneyland.  It got pretty dark at some points and he started to whimper... but liked the rest of it a lot :)

 I'm one!!!!!!

Another cupcake before bed of course!

I want to go back.  It was so great.  I think I'll have another kid soon just so I can go back again.  This is a first birthday tradition right Grammy?!? :)

PS. That wasn't an announcement.  I'm not pregnant.