IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

HOURS AND HOURS...

2012-02-14T17:24:00.000-08:00

Justin came home with a special Valentine for Connor and Brooks. Connor's been too excited with his Valentine card to care about the Valentine.

Later...

And as for my Valentine...who would want flowers when you can have nail polish?! Justin knows me well :)

I have more photos I'll upload soon!

SMASH

2012-02-13T21:36:00.000-08:00

Saturday night I watched the rerun premier of SMASH and I'm hooked!

LOVED the music. I wish I could download the dance scenes and post them on here, but unfortunately they're not on youtube yet. Here is one of the songs I loved. You'll need to pause the music player to listen to it :-)

Not even kidding, one of the dance numbers had the exact same choreography as one of our Zumba Dances! So fun!

ALL I WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS...

2012-01-05T19:07:00.000-08:00

Was this!

Seriously, how could anything be better? It couldn't!

Although four crazy girls breaking into my house to make sure it's decorated with a haul of baby goodies and treats for Christmas is definitely a close second!

What would I do without these angels always taking care of me?!?!

And a quick side note...I never got around to posting Melissa's darling hot choc. bar party, so here's a couple pics.

Seriously the BEST gingerbread cookies I've ever had!!!

Although Dec. was a whirlwind of emotions and celebration, Santa made sure Connor and his new baby brother Brooks got their fair share of fun Christmas morning!

and after a fun day, these brothers crashed!

A little more brotherly love.

And a special thanks to "Santa" for that one last Christmas present Justin and I found hiding in our kitchen. We are still in awe of who was behind the generosity! Thank you, what a blessing!

MORE BABY BROOKS

2011-12-20T18:57:00.000-08:00

A few more pics of Baby Brooks!

INTRODUCING BABY BROOKS

2011-12-16T15:22:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the world baby boy Brooks. We couldn't love you more!

As many of you know, Justin and I had been matched with a Birthmother in Ohio due to have a baby girl in Jan. She went into labor early and we caught the first plane we could to pick up baby girl. Sadly, about thirty mins before we got to the hospital, fifteen year old Birthfather showed up claiming his rights. We were heartbroken. While we wanted to give this situation a fair chance to play out, things did not go in our favor and we were aware this adoption would not take place with us.

We got a call that a Birthmother had gone into labor early in Atlanta and had not been matched with a family. There was a baby boy needing a home. So we said a prayer and followed our hearts to Atlanta, Georgia.

Baby Brooks with discharged with us today and is absolutely precious. He is a small guy weighing a little more than 5 lbs. We were meant to be together. There are many personal details to this story that I won't share on here, but we know baby Brooks is ours and we are his!

We are a happy family right now. Thanks to all our family and friends for all your love, support, and prayers.

Yea for BABIES!!!!!!

The cutest African American face I've ever seen!!! And yes, I can say that because Connor is biracial and maintains to be the cutest biracial face I've ever seen!

CONNOR'S FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE

2011-12-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

Connor loves watching, Yes, Virginia, on netflix. He watches this twenty minute Christmas movie over and over. Did you know it's a true story?

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York'sSun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

Dear Editor,
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say that there is no Santa Claus. Papa says "If you see it in the Sun, it is so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia,
Your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds.
All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to our life its highest beauty and joy.
Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus? You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your Papa to hire men to watch all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove?
Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see.
Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders that are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, or even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond.
Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else as real and abiding.
No Santa Claus? Thank God he lives and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, maybe 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the hearts of children.
Written by Francis P. Church in 1897

BEAUTIFUL!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WITH A SIDE OF HOPE

2011-11-23T15:13:00.000-08:00

Every Thanksgiving I stop and reflect on the blessings I am grateful for.

I have so much. The most amazing husband and sweetest child. A place to call home. Friends, true friends, the best friends anyone could ever have. Still with all this, at the end of the day I find myself on my knees pleading to heaven with a heart full of hope.

This Thanksgiving the thing I am the most grateful for is hope. After all, without hope, what would we have?

Everything we celebrate at Thanksgiving is about hope. Think about the Pilgrims, did they not hope for a better life, hope for freedom, hope to make a safe voyage, hope for crops to grow, hope for safety? Indeed the Pilgrims relied on hope.

When I was six years old, my grandmother Elaine gave me a baby doll named Hope for Christmas. She gave me Hope because I hoped for a baby, a sibling. Praying for babies isn't anything new to me. I've been praying for babies my whole life. I have wonderful parents who endured much heartache with infertility. They did everything right by me, but I think the lord left a small empty spot in my heart from beginning and this was part of a plan.

On my seventh Birthday after I opened my gifts, my Dad handed me a card with a balloon stating they were having a baby. I remember running up and down our street saying,"my mom is having a baby, my mom is having a baby." If I had to mark the happiest moment of my life I think this would be it. I was young, I didn't stress or worry, I was just happy.

Christian was born in February and he was perfect. It was shortly after that Matt came along and brought some much needed spunk to our quiet house, Christian is still perfect and Matt is still spunky, always laughing. The empty spot in my heart was filled and life was good.

I think the lord decided since I had to wait so long for siblings I could meet the love of my life early, and so came Justin. As I sit here writing, I can't stop crying thinking about how much I love Justin.

I always told Justin, when we got married I wanted kids right away and a lot of them. So when babies didn't come and miscarriages did, once again the empty spot in my heart was back. And once again this was part of a plan.

After three years of marriage we decided to adopt. When others said to wait and let nature take it's course, we would end up with a full term pregnancy soon enough, we said, "no, it's not soon enough" and we're glad we did. And so came baby Connor.

Somewhere right now is a birthmother named Cheri, hoping she did right by him. She had hopes and dreams for him first. Again, without hope for a better life where would Connor be?

Still every night I prayed and prayed for more babies to come. I didn't care how, biological, foster care, more adoptions, I just wanted Connor to have a sibling. I didn't want to wait another seven years. 2011 proved to be a stressful year at our house and somehow through all of it we ended up sitting with a banker figuring out possibly everything and anything we could finance in order to put in our adoption papers. Somehow things fell into place easily and once again we were signing our names on the doted line with Heart and Soul Adoptions.

It seemed unreal to me. I surely thought Connor would be at least four before we could pull this off again.

Conference weekend we were down at my cousin Rachel's house and she was helping us get some of our adoption papers in order. As we were leaving she told us to try this small family owned burger joint called Shivers on our way home. If you've been there you know there is a train stretched through it where the kids can eat. We ordered our food and Connor loved the train. The booths were filled with children, who were siblings eating together. Connor sat at a booth by himself looking at the children sitting together and kept saying, "friends, friends" my heart broke that my little boy had to sit alone, I know this is silly but still it ached. As fast as the ache came it went away and strong voice inside my heart said, "This is not Connor's trial to endure, he will be sitting with a sibling soon enough." It was a loud clear voice and I knew that after years and years of praying and hoping, it was not in vein.

Indeed Connor will be two and a half this Dec. and we've been matched with another adoption this week. A baby girl who will come the first of Jan.

So again, we are filled with hope. Hope for a successful adoption, hope for a healthy baby. Hope for a Birthmother to find peace.

I've always loved thanksgiving and the more I reflect I realize it is the hopes of others we are grateful for. It is my prayer we can stop and look at those around us this holiday season. How can we help give hope to others? It may be as simple as donating to charity, or calling a friend and wishing them love this Christmas season. Being grateful for what we have, putting a smile on our face and enjoy the blessings we have from the sacrifices others have made. Sacrifices they made because they had hope for something better.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and may God continue to bless you.

TRICK OR TREAT!

2011-11-01T10:29:00.000-07:00

Our darling little clown!

Dick's Market trunk or treat with Jackson and Ashton

Neighborhood Trick or treating with Cade

I think this picture is so funny of all their little bums sticking out!

Enjoying his loot!

Happy Halloween!

CANDY APPLES

2011-10-08T22:31:00.000-07:00

We've had loads of fresh apples off our apple tree in the backyard,

and there is nothing quite as fun as candy apples around Halloween time.

My brother Christian helped Connor and I make them.

The only thing that isn't perfect about these apples is the fact that Connor couldn't resist licking each one of them like a lollipop after he put the stick in it. I still think they taste delicious ;)

CONNOR'S FIRST HAIR CUT

2011-10-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

This week Connor got his first hair cut ever!

Ah, SO CUTE!!!!

BEWITCHED

2011-09-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

Loved this "Bewitched" party by Hostess With the Mostess.

What a fun blog site to look at!

Tomorrow Connor and I will be bewitching our home with Halloween.

Love this time of year!

DEAR LIZZY WITH THE GIRLS

2011-09-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago my girlfriends and I decided we needed some girl time.

So we left the kiddos and husbands home and headed out.

I've been wanting to go to Dear Lizzy in Alpine for a couple years, so we headed up there.

Aren't my friends so fabulous? I've seriously been wanting to go for two years!

And can I say HEAVEN!

Loved everything about this store, we grabbed a light lunch and headed into downtown Salt Lake.

The damage...

All this shopping made us hungary so we grabbed some pizza.

And if you're feeling bad for the husbands at home with the kids, don't. They had just as much fun having a football party eating guy food and hitting the sporting good stores.

Cute girls :)

Thanks to my dear girlfriends for the great time!

FERTILITY GIFT

2011-08-17T13:12:00.000-07:00

Meet our newest adoptee.

Huey

He was given to me as a good luck fertility gift.

He's sweet and loves to hide in the plants around the house.

Here is Connor holding his brother Buford who was adopted by my brother.

Connor is of course crazy about the bunny. He can't stop kissing it.

K'NAAN - Wavin' Flag

2011-08-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

I know this song has been out for a while, but we happen to LOVE it! So if you haven't seen the music video, watch it! Remember to pause the music player. This song will make you happy :)

SUMMER FUN

2011-07-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

I've been terrible at taking photos this summer, but we've sure been having a lot of fun!!!

I'm so lucky to have my cute neighbor girls who are always up for park days, movies, the zoo. Here are some photos I have taken.

My parents are remodeling their house this summer, so we've been seeing an extra lot of Christian and Matt and it's been so fun having them around! Connor loves when his uncles sleep over!

If you know Connor well you know he is head over hills in love with Riley! The whole time at the zoo he was yelling Riley, Rhett, Riley, Rhett!!!!! Some of our best friends in the whole world, what would we do without the Merrills?

I also couldn't ask for better neighbors!!! Here is Connor with our next door neighbor Shannon at the movies. Whenever we go outside he points to Shannon's house and asks me where the "pretty girl" is. Shannon is known to laugh hysterically, like stop breathing she's laughing so hard, we love having her around!

We headed up to Eden over the 24th of July. My little brother Matt got his Eagle in scouts so my grandparents took the extended family to the Red Moose Lodge to celebrate. We had about seventy people, it was a BLAST!!!!

Connor had so much fun, he loves nothing more than to be around kids!

I really wish I would have taken more photos.

We went on a pretty fun mountain bike trail. My poor cousin Jenifer fell on her bike and got a pretty swollen eye. When we asked if she was okay she had blood dripping from her eye put her hands in the air and told us it was the funnest bike ride she's ever been on!

I can't thank my grandparents enough for the years and years of trips they've taken us on.

Some of my best memories will always be with my Grandparents and cousins :)

Connor has also been upgraded from his crib to a twin bed. The puppies sleep with him every night, Connor loves Elle and Bruiser, who needs stuffed animals when you have the real things?

Hope you're all having a wonderful Summer too!

I LOVE NOT CAMPING :)

2011-06-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing I LOVE about my Dad,

it's the fact that when we go on vacation we always have a reservation somewhere with comfy beds, a nice pool and clean shower!

I've never been much of a camper.

We spent all of last week in Lake Tahoe and had a wonderful time!

We rode a lot of bike trails and Justin and Matt did a lot of mountain biking.

Connor had a permanent grin glued to his face for the week.

Lake Tahoe is so fun. There is a lot to do and most of it is within walking distance or a short car ride :)

We like to walk around the "Heavenly Village" which is a ski resort-similar to park city.

They have a mini golf in the center of all the shops and of course

Connor thought it was the greatest thing ever!

He also loved throwing pennies and yelling "wish" into this fountain!

One day we rented a boat. Lake Tahoe is the most beautiful lake and it's great because you feel like you have the whole lake to yourself. Connor fell asleep in about thirty seconds.

We saw this eagles nest and could actually see and hear the baby eagles in it. It was too hard to get a good picture, but so fun to see!

Connor woke up and decided he wanted to be the flag boy, until he dropped it 1,000 feet into the lake, eek!

We did a little wakeboarding.

Next year we'll be getting a wet suit,

yes that's snow on the mountains and yes the water was freezing!

Still a lot of fun though.

Justin and I took Connor of the tube, he thought it was a fun time.

Here's the boys on the tube.

We all took turns riding with everyone trying not to fall off!

We spent lots of time eating at the Red Hut! Best diner food EVER!

We especially love their ice cream parlor.

We traveled up to the old west Virginia City. It was the heart of the Gold Rush!

Lots of fun shops to look at...especially the candy stores.

We travled into an old mine.

On Thursday we had plans to go parasailing and jet skiing. The wind picked up and we had to cancel our parasailing trip. Remember last years photos when Justin went up 1200 feet? you can see those pics CLICK HERE. We were going to go up with Connor this year and were a little sad when it got canceled so we

decided to take him fishing instead.

Of course Christian caught the catch of the day!

He decided to donate his fish to a cub bear who had recently been orphaned and rescued.

We're so grateful to my family for taking us up to Tahoe. It's a fun family tradition, and we're especially grateful we didn't have to stay in a tent!

CONNOR'S 2ND BIRTHDAY

2011-06-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

Our sweet little Connor boy is two years old today!

We had a baseball Birthday BBQ to celebrate!

We played water balloon Hot Potato, if the ball stopped on your lap

you were sure to get soaked!

There were a lot of kids and a lot of fun,

but it definitely got a little crazy.

Connor makes life at our house good!

I could go on and on about how much we love him!

He is EVERYTHING to us!

Happy Birthday Connor!

p.s. Did you know we've still never cut Connor's hair?

There is superstition about cutting black hair before the child is two.

At least that's what the girls at Hair Haven tell me!

BRIDAL SHOWER

2011-06-04T21:17:00.000-07:00

My DARLING cousin Marianne is getting married in July.

We decided to do a twist on the Royal Wedding for her bridal shower.

"We'll get dressed up and have some tea,

what fun this royal shower will be,

get dressed up in your tea party best,

hat or headband is a must!"

There isn't a more beautiful place in the world to be than Grandmother Elaine's house.

I had my wedding reception along with lots of Birthday parties here.

Here is my headpiece and cocktail ring I found at TaiPan.

Isn't this yard fantastic?

My sweet cousin Rachel helped hang the banner made of doiles

and Justin and Connor helped with the pom poms.

We had Grandma Elaine's tea cups and saucers on the tables,

they were gorgeous!

But not as gorgeous as the beautiful bride Marianne!

We had cookies, lemonade, tea, ribbon sandwiches,

veggie and egg sandwiches and had a great time!

It was especially great to be with all our family on this beautiful day!

Best wishes to Marianne! XOXO!!!

MEMORIAL DAY

2011-05-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

We had a great Memorial day bowling, eating pizza and visiting family.

I ended the day cleaning my house and came across a pink binder. I opened it to find a paper I had written in high school. It made me stop and reflect, I'd like to share some of it with you.

Service men and women throughout history have lived the indecent life of war to ensure for us a life of decency, they left behind loved ones while they engaged in warfare. They left the decent life and lived indecent lives for our freedom. We see the truth of their sacrifice on a plack in the cemetery of the pilgrim Fathers where we read, "In weariness and painfulness, in huger and cold, we have laid the foundation of a state wherein every man should have liberty. What we have attained with such difficulty, do not basely relinquish," and more recently chiseled on the gate of a cemetery of 6,800 WWII soldiers we read, "When you go home, tell them for us, that we gave our tomorrows, so they could have their todays."

A few years ago my family went back east. I have many great photos and wanted to share a few.

The Old North Church where Paul Revere warned,

"One if by land, two if by sea, one lantern in the steeple would signal the British army's choice of the land route, while two lanterns would signal the route "by water" across the Charles River.

Arlington National Cemetery.

The tomb of the unknown soldier.

We went to the Newseum and saw part of the Berlin Wall

Original newspaper after Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous speech.

The Washington National Cathedral is the sixth largest cathedral in the world, and the second largest in the U.S. It is the burial place of several notable people, including Woodrow Wilson, Helen Keller and her tutor Ann Sullivan.

The space window made with a rock from the moon.

Vietnam memorial

Lincoln memorial

Jefferson memorial

Washington memorial

We saw everything you could see in D.C. and I'd love to post all my photos, but I think it would take up all the memory on my blog.

I believe we have an obligation to the thousands of lives who died for us-we have an obligation to decency. Decency promotes character, and character promotes liberty and freedom for individuals and for a healthy free society.

Many men have died throughout history for freedom. I ask, can we live for it? Are we free from hate, pride, fear, and greed? Albert Einstein once said, "Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom."

READY, SET, GO!

2011-05-05T00:29:00.000-07:00

Connor's new favorite thing to say is "ready, set, go"

then he takes off running around the house.

He spent most of his morning filling the back of this truck with dog food

and dumping it out for the dogs to eat.

We have cabin fever bad today, we're excited the weather is warming up.
We are ready for some park days!

This is one of Justin's old toy cars he's kept all these years.

I love that he's now given it to Connor to play with.

So fun!

MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS

2011-05-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite books when I was little was

MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS by Robert McCloskey.

I will be headed to Barnes and Nobles this week to pick up a copy for Connor.

If you've read the book you know it's about a friendly police officer named Michael who lives in Boston and helps a mother duck and her ducklings cross the busy road.

There is even a park in Boston dedicated to this sweet book.

Here's a photo of the me at the park.

We have these signs posted around our neighborhood

We also have flocks of ducks and ducklings. Connor and I get so excited when we pass them on our walks.

Sunday we saw these cutest bright yellow ducklings. Their Mama was getting pretty upset so we kept our distance.

We also watched the cars stop and wait patiently for this group to cross the road. They couldn't decided what side they wanted to be on. Finally they decided to head for the golf course!

It's so fun having ducks in the neighborhood and you can imagine how excited Connor gets when we see these sweet ducklings. Happy Spring!

EASTER

2011-04-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter Sunday at our house. We started our day early and ended it late.

Connor woke up to a basket full of goodies.

He had a great Easter egg hunt at his Oma's house.

After dinner we had quite the baseball game going on.

Love this picture of Connor and his Dad!

LAST MINUTE EASTER IDEAS

2011-04-22T22:52:00.000-07:00

Easter weekend has snuck up quickly. Here are some fun last minute Easter ideas from Martha Stewart.

We've been roasting marshmallows on the fire pit tonight and are getting up early for Easter egg hunts in the morning. I'll be sure to post pictures soon! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

FOUR WHEELING

2011-04-16T23:10:00.000-07:00

Connor has a friend named Redd who lives next door. We are happy he has a playmate so close.
These boys are usually pretty funny when they get together. They both love football and four wheeling!

HOMES AND BABIES

2011-04-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most of you have heard the saying

"We may have a small home, but God knows where we live"

I love small homes, and I love small homes filled with happy people.

I have always said, I could easily have three children in my house and people look at me like I'm crazy!

Well... I am a crazy, but today I figured out how to make it work.

Really, what child wouldn't love this bedroom?

Lately I'm feeling like the problem isn't so much fitting three children in the home, as it is getting three children to our home.

People say to me all the time, why don't you worry about getting a larger home and then worry about more children. And they think I'm crazy. I'd pick babies over a house any day!

George Banks said it best, "I love this house. I love that I taught my kids to ride their bikes in the driveway. I love that I slept with them in tents in the backyard. I love that we carved our initials in the tree out front. This house is warm in the winter, cool in the summer and looks spectacular with Christmas lights. It's a great house. I never want to move. But the thing I think I like best about this house are the voices I hear when I walk through the door."
If you don't know who George Banks is, think Father of the Bride.
I admit their big white house might be my ultimate dream home.

CURLY HAIRED BOY

2011-04-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

This video is too funny of Connor shaking his curls!

SPRING

2011-04-03T20:08:00.000-07:00

My adorable friend made me this darling frame for Easter!

Isn't she so talented?

I feel extra blessed lately to have such great friends and neighbors!

Thanks friend for thinking of me.

Last year I really wanted a small foiled Santa at Christmas and couldn't find one that was a reasonable price, so when Justin found these cute bunnies on clearance last year after

Easter he picked them up for me. I've been waiting all year to put them out.

****warning this post is about to get pretty sappy****

As I've been reflecting on the wonderful people in my life, how could I leave out my wonderful Justin?

There couldn't be a better husband in this world for me. He's patient and kind. He doesn't lose his temper and when I lose mine (which I do maybe more than I should) he just smiles gives me a kiss and says "love you".

Not once has he ever called in sick to work.

He is the hardest worker I know. Many days he is up by 4am to provide for our family and I've never once heard him complain. He is an amazing father and husband and Connor and I love him so much!

BAD DAYS AND BALLOONS

2011-03-22T23:21:00.000-07:00

My sweet baby boy has been sick. He didn't get out of bed until 11:00 this morning. He snuggled his blanket watching television with a fever and tears all day. Justin came home and we had to run a couple errands, we knew Connor didn't feel good and felt bad making him go out. Being the great mother I am, I bribed my little man. The deal was we get in the car and I would buy him a balloon.

To the Dollar Tree we went. Connor was b-bopping around the store happy to have a balloon in hand along with a bouncy ball he found. Justin was in awe that everything in the store could really only be a dollar. We're at the register and Justin's card wouldn't read. The cashier tried manually typing in the number and told us the card number is invalid. What?! I check our bank account on Justin's smart phone to make sure we have money in the bank. In the meantime we have a line of people behind us. There is no way we can make Connor leave the store without the balloon and ball. I finally pull up our bank account, plenty of money but the card is still not swiping. Justin is embarrassed and the line is getting longer. I ask the cashier if he can please ring up the other customers. He informs us he's not sure if he can since he's already scanned our items.

At this point Justin's dying of embarrassment and I'm trying my hardest not to laugh. Our only option is to find some cash, and preferably fast considering the flock of people forming. I'm at the car reaching under the seats praying I can find a couple dollars worth of spare change. The line is even longer at this point. Connor is finding more stuff he wants, Justin's deciding the Dollar Tree is not so cool after all, and I'm relived I found some quarters.

We're getting some serious glares, but Connor is happy so it's all good. We were really hesitant if the card would work after that point and guess what? It worked fine but it is looking a little hammered so we ordered Justin and new one to spare him future embarrassment!

We got home and Connor climbed right back on the couch and laid down but was smiling cause he could see his balloon.

2048

2011-03-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

Connor hopes he will have your vote for the oval office in 2048

He's been preparing in many ways...

Volunteering with the fire dept

He's joined the FFA (Future Farmers of America)

Brushing up on his computer skills

Practicing his comedy act for Leno and Letterman

Participating in foreign affairs

He's an advocate for protecting the environment.

Getting lots of exercise

He has a great appreciation for the arts

Working on his spatial and mathematical reason

and he's been having lots of fun doing it!

HEARTBROKEN

2011-03-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

I am heartbroken for the people of Japan. I've been glued to CNN for the last three days watching this horror unfold. I can't imagine what these people are going through.

There are many people around the world still trying to deal with the devastations that have hit them. Such as Haiti, New Orleans, Indonesia, Chili and many more. I hope we all remember them in our thoughts and prayers.

MARDI GRAS

2011-03-08T19:49:00.000-08:00

Let the good times roll because it is Fat Tuesday!

We celebrated with friends,

of course masks and beads were a must!

My friend Hali made the yummiest beignets. Don't they look delicious? You can get the recipe from her blog which is on my blog list (Eye On The Lunts)

Cajun food, jazz, friends, good times!

COUNTING DOWN

2011-03-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

I've been dreaming of spring weather for about a month now.

We're ready for some park days, riding bikes, maybe lagoon, and Easter!

I thought I'd share these fun Easter ideas from Martha Stewart.

Anyone up for a craft day?

Love, love, love, this basket. It's beautiful!

The great thing is Easter is a little later this year so we have plenty of time to keep the decor up!

PUPPY LOVE

2011-02-24T23:24:00.000-08:00

Connor and the dogs seem to be the best of friends these days.

It probably has a lot to do with the mass amounts of treats Connor feeds the dogs.

Their new favorite game is hide n' seek.

I wonder where Connor is?

Rewarded with a hug for a game well played!

HAPPY LOVE DAY

2011-02-14T14:06:00.000-08:00

Connor and I started the day off by eating sugar cookies for breakfast.

Justin's mother makes the best cookies.

What would Valentines be without a little sugar to get the day started?

There were quite a few surprises around the house...

a sweet Valentine from Justin!

Connor found a Valentine on the couch.

Something for him to take to the gym in the mornings.

(Justin found this awesome backpack on clearance for ten dollars,
and the best part was it had Connor's name on it!)

He thought it was great. His new love is coloring.

Oh how I love this man. He is so good to me,

everyday with him is a love day!

Happy Valentines!

XOXO

XLV

2011-02-07T10:27:00.000-08:00

Although we were routing for the Steelers...

Connor is a Wisconsin baby so we were happy to see the Packers win!

Connor sported his #43 Polamalu jersey. Christian gave it to him for Christmas this year.

We were excited he got to wear it for playoffs and the super bowl!

We watched the super bowl at my parents house and had quite a buffet of food.

It was a great time!

ROCK N' ROLL LIFESTYLE

2011-02-04T20:59:00.000-08:00

Today we had the radio on and "Hello, I love you" by The Doors came on. Connor picked up his plastic guitar, put his sunglasses on and went crazy!

The boy can not resist a beat!

And as for me...I can't resist this boy!

LOVELY

2011-01-26T19:13:00.000-08:00

If I ever built my dream home I'd have a beautiful white kitchen.

I found these photos online. Love them...so beautiful!

What a cute cottage look!

Maybe someday...

I HAVE A DREAM...

2011-01-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream that one day, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

-Speech given by Martin Luther King Jr. on Aug 28, 1963

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! We are the American Dream!

1996

2011-01-14T12:30:00.000-08:00

Today while I was cleaning out a closet,

I came across some of Justin's old school assignments.

I thought this was too funny...

My SIXTH GRADE MEMORIES

My favorite memory of sixth grade was the Medieval Feast. I was the hunter. I liked walking in the parade through all the classrooms.

I liked going to the field trip to the National Museum of Science at the U of U. We shot airguns and threw a ball to see how fast we could throw.

I really liked the science fair. My project was on how submarines dive to the bottom of the ocean and return to the surface.

The country reports were fun. I did my report of Australia. I brought a boomerang and a kangaroo skin to show for the report. I brought kiwis, apples, grapes, oranges and pineapple.

I loved sixth grade!

LAST WILL AND TESTIMONY

I hope I live well and have a nice house on the beach. I will leave my dog named "pink" to Mrs. Richins.

When I die I will be buried in my motorcycle shirt and gloves with my helmet in my hands.

-Justin Wilcox

I guess things really haven't changed too much for Justin,

except for owning a dog named "pink" he he!

HARDWARE RANCH

2011-01-08T14:20:00.000-08:00

Justin's been talking about Hardware Ranch for quite a while,

so last night we decided we would get up early and head up there.

Our trip started out exciting when we passed this moose in our car ride.

I was amazed at the elk. The herd consisted of about 550 wild animals.

Of course, Connor was thrilled to see all the animals!

On the way home we saw another (or possibly the same) moose.

And Justin spotted a bald eagle. It was neat to see but hard to get a picture.

We learned elk are one of four animals that have ivory. Elephants, walruses, and narwhals are the other three animals. Okay, really...A narwhal? I thought it was a joke, a dolphin with a long horn like a unicorn. I didn't believe it until I googled it. Am I the only one that's never heard of or even seen a picture or this weird animal? I'm still blown away it's not a fictitious creature.
Craziest thing I've ever seen.

Here's a couple photos I found online. You can also see videos of them on youtube or through national geographic.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-01-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

"I said to a man who stood at the gate of the year, give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown. He replied, go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than the known way."

-From the King's Message

December 25, 1939

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2010-12-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

Can you guess what Santa brought Connor?

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

WHAT WE DO ON SUNDAYS

2010-12-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

This is what we do after church...

We play with the Christmas advent calendar

play with the "little people" nativity set

play with the Santa night light

on and off, on and off

we try on hats

so much to do when you're one!

THANKSGIVING

2010-11-29T15:55:00.000-08:00

I love Thanksgiving!

Justin and I hosted dinner at our house this year for his side of the family.

We had so much fun setting the table and cooking the turkey.

We got too busy chatting with everyone and forgot to get any pictures when everyone was over.

It was a great time!

The holidays are here, and we're busy eating sweets and wrapping gifts.

Hope you're all busy "decking your halls" with Merry Christmas!

THE MAGIC IS BACK

2010-11-24T14:53:00.000-08:00

I have always been crazy about the holidays,

but at some point after the "Santa Clause" stage Christmas lost its magic.

It was always fun, but it didn't seem as magical as it once was.

Last night it was a blizzard outside and I was getting ready for Thanksgiving.

I decided it would be fun to let Connor set up his Christmas tree.

He was so particular about where to put the ornaments, so excited.

When we finished decorating the tree he clapped and said "oh pretty".

He was thrilled to show Justin when he got home from work, and I keep finding him sitting in his room gazing at the tree.

I can honestly say that magic feeling is finally back.

Oh how I've missed it, and oh how excited I am for the fun times to come!

After decorating the tree we were having so much fun, we decided to get an early start on wrapping our Christmas gifts. Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I'm excited for the holidays to officially begin. Hope you have a safe, fun holiday!

ANDREA HANKS PHOTOGRAPHY

2010-11-16T12:48:00.000-08:00

Andrea Hanks is my amazing friend who is a photographer.

She has photographed fashion week numerous times,

and done many celebrity photos,

such as Priscilla Ahn, Snoop Dog, Brody Jenner and the list goes on!

I can't thank her enough for doing our family photos and

for being a great friend.

Thanks again Andrea!

THE MAYFLOWER

2010-11-10T13:32:00.000-08:00

Water colors by Nate Winters.

My Mother framed these for me as a

Thanksgiving surprise last year and I love them.

Isn't he an amazing artist?

I love Thanksgiving.
What a wonderful time of year to reflect on our blessings.

TRICK OR TREAT

2010-10-31T21:26:00.000-07:00

The month of Oct. is filled with fun festivities.

The Syracuse pumpkin walk is always one of our favorites!

Connor had fun running around with our neighbor friends,

and looking at the pumpkins lit up.

Connor had a blast trick or treating on Halloween.

Isn't he a scary skeleton?

We enjoyed trunk or treat at Dick's market. After we headed to

Bountiful Main Street for some more trick or treating.

Connor made out like a bandit, he got so much candy.

Hope you're all appreciating your sweets.

Enjoy them New Year's resolutions start in two months!

CONNOR

2010-10-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

It was about four years ago we moved into our home and decided it was the right time to start a family. Little did we know what a journey it would be.

There are days when I look at Connor and I'm over whelmed with gratitude to my Heavenly Father and Birth Mother for letting me be a Mom. I cry when I think of how blessed we've been.

We've never stopped trying to have a baby and still no luck. It's a lot of money to adopt. Another reason I'm grateful, financially we were able to afford to adopt when we did.

So here's to Connor. My happy boy, who has filled my world with smiles.

The next few photos are from the "Heart and Soul" adoption BBQ

Feeding the dogs pizza

What a sweet boy

My greatest blessing has come from my greatest trial. Isn't life funny?

PUMPKIN PATCH

2010-10-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

What a great conference weekend!

Between the Sat. sessions we decided to get some energy out at the pumpkin patch.

At first Connor was a little nervous about the hay maze

getting the hang of it

what a blast!

Pumpkins everywhere, or in Connor's words "WOW BALLS, BALLS!"

A lot of pumpkins makes for a cute porch!

Halloween is on its way and it's getting a little spooky around here!

Happy Hauntings!

PUMPKIN COOKIES

2010-09-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about the Fall season is pumpkin cookies. Here is one easy recipe.

-Spice Cake Mix

-15 oz Jar Pumpkin

-Semi Sweet Choc. Chips

Mix the three ingredients and cook at 350 for about 13-14 mins.

Mmmm. Fresh out of the oven.

THE FARM

2010-09-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

Across the street from our home we have a great little farm.

It's equipped with horses, cows, goats, donkeys and Ponies.

Connor loves to walk over at night and look at the animals before bed.

It's fun to walk out in the morning and see the farm.

It gives a peaceful feeling to our little neighborhood.

WELCOME FALL

2010-08-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

Last fall we got buckets of apples off our tree

It didn't take Connor long to get the hang of picking the apples last night.

He quite enjoyed this fresh snack!

The air was a bit cooler last night

and apples on the tree means fall is on it's way.

Thinking about sweater weather

and homemade soup makes me happy.

I love fall!

13.1

2010-08-21T17:33:00.001-07:00

We did it!

13.1 miles for the Park City half marathon

I couldn't have done it without my good friend Mikaela. We've been running together all summer. Who knows what race will be next?

TAHOE

2010-08-08T14:58:00.001-07:00

We spent most of our week at Lake Tahoe.

It was our first time there and we love it!

Can you see the "tea cup" house on top of this island?

Here is Justin and my brother Christian parasailing

They went 1200 feet in the air above the lake.

Justin said it was great. Next year I can go with Connor on my lap.

We'll have to make it a family event.

Connor loved playing in the paddle boat on the sand. Although he loved the pool he wasn't too fond of playing in the cold lake.

We did a little paddle boarding.

and jet skiing

We also had a ton of fun riding bikes through the mountains,

shopping, taking a gondola ride and eating out.

I think Tahoe might be our new favorite vacation spot!

IT'S TIME FOR AFRICA

2010-08-03T20:24:00.000-07:00

My mom showed me this music video today and I love it! I wish all music videos were this great. Pause the music player and watch it!

Doesn't it make you want to go join a Zumba class? It sure makes me want to get up and dance. Especially with my cute little bambino Connor!

OUR NEW COUSIN!

2010-08-02T21:47:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the family baby Savaeya!

We are excited Connor has a cousin to play with!

Here are a few pics from the baby shower.

We're so excited to have a girl in the family

we had to celebrate with pink!

Cute Savaeya is even sweeter than these cupcakes!

I have a lot of great memories with my cousins.

I'm thrilled Connor can start the good times

with his new cousin!

EDEN!

2010-07-26T08:25:00.001-07:00

For the 24th of July my Grandparents

rented out a lodge in Eden for the family.

We had about 60 family members together.

Here is Connor with his uncle Matt on a scavenger hunt

He found a little plush puppy

My cute brother playing his guitar

Here is Connor with my Grandparents who put this all together

Fun in the sun at the pool. I couldn't get a picture of it but we had a tower of five people on shoulders in the pool. It was pretty crazy!

The lodge was equipped with lots of games, volleyball court, basketball, fire pit, pool and the whole family. It couldn't get any better.

Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for a great weekend!

MAMA SAYS

2010-07-07T09:03:00.001-07:00

A dear friend gave Connor and I this book.

It's our favorite book.

The illustrations are beautiful

and so are the words.

"Mama says

Be good

Mama says

Be kind

Mama says

The rain will come

But still the sun will shine"

Thanks Bean!

Three Groovy Boys

2010-06-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

Can you shake it like these guys?

They sure slept good during nap time.

(you'll want to pause the music player)

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

2010-06-19T19:02:00.000-07:00

Love my Dad a ton!

He's the best cooking,

school teaching, Opera loving Dad we know.

A quick story...

When I was in Kindergarten Dad made gingerbread children for my whole class and taught us the story of HANSEL AND GRETEL.

We watched the Opera and he helped us decorate our cookies.

My school mates thought my Dad was awesome.

Would your Dad do that? I didn't think so.

We also love this guy.

He can fix a flat tire or set up a tent faster than anyone I know.

He is always willing to extend himself to others.

He takes us four wheeling and

makes everything fun.

He is a peacemaker and a friend to all.

Connor is crazy about him and I am too!

Happy Father's Day!

One year ago...

2010-06-16T19:41:00.001-07:00

We were frantically painting our hot pink room green (with the help of one awesome cousin named Jenifer) because we didn't know if our baby was a boy or a girl. We had 24 hours to put a nursery together.

"it's a 7lb healthy baby boy" phone call the next day at 8 am

we met our son Connor for the first time at one day old

and brought him home at two days old

then he started to grow...

and grow...

to an adorable 25 lb Birthday boy!

Connor can't get enough of playing with his new Birthday toys and watching "Baby Einstein" while eating chocolate cake.

What lucky parents are we? The luckiest!

Memorial Day

2010-06-02T21:46:00.001-07:00

My Grandfather and Grandmother Cena do not have a gravesite.

They've done a lot for me and I love them dearly.

I wanted a way to honor them this memorial day.

I found this vase at my favorite antique store and filled it with flowers for them.

I think their spirits stop by to visit sometimes.

I also think they bring Grandpa Alan with them-who would be our sweet Cheri's father, otherwise known as Connor's biological Grandfather who Connor is named after.

He passed shortly before Connor was born.

My Dad stopped by today and surprised me with this lovely picture.

He knows me too well.

I love it!

It is now hanging on my wall.

Today is June 2.

Last year we hadn't even submitted our adoption papers, portfolio or had a home study done.

We put them in on June 4, received a phone call on June 14 that we'd been matched with a birthmother who was coming to Utah in two days to have our baby!

When people ask about our adoption experience I always tell them the things worth telling you can't explain.

I can tell you this...

I know Grandpa Alan, Grandpa Ed, Grandma Joan and many others were all a part of this process on the other side. We feel their love and support often!

I Hope you all had a wonderful memorial day!

Connor Walking

2010-05-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

This little guy loves to cruise around especially outside. It's going to be a fun summer!

Happy 26 Justin!

2010-05-23T20:05:00.000-07:00

I talked Justin into flying to Vegas for his Birthday weekend.

Of course Connor learned to walk the day before we left. It was all he wanted to do.

We loved the frozen lemonades

and the food

The weather was fantastic and so was the pool.

We had a great time walking around enjoying the lights on the strip.

We needed a getaway and had a great time. Connor thought he was the show in Vegas and paraded his smile and waved to everyone. Of course everyone thought he was adorable. I think he was the only baby in vegas this weekend ha ha! Happy 26th Birthday Justin I love you XOXO!

Mother's day

2010-05-05T14:22:00.000-07:00

I am so blessed to have an incredible Mother!

And blessed to be a Mother to this precious boy!

Happy Mother's Day to all you girls. I love you Mom thanks for everything you do and for being Connor's Oma! XOXO!

A letter in the mail

2010-04-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

The Other day I received a letter from Connor's Birthmother Cheri. I was thrilled to hear from her. As I read her letter It made me think of this story I heard from Oprah Winfrey.

"You become what you believe- not what you wish or want but what you truly believe.
Wherever you are in life, look at your beliefs. They put you there.
When I was growing up in Mississippi in the 1950s, I never believed what people said about being poor or black or female. I would overhear my family taking about the dire circumstances for blacks, but I never believed that would be my life.
I believed I belonged to someone or something bigger than myself, my family, or even Mississippi. I believed I was God's child. Therefore, I could do anything.
I can still remember a cold winter day when I was 4 years old. I was helping to churn butter on the back porch watching my grandmother lift clothes from a boiling black pot and hang them on the line. Speaking through the clothespins in her mouth, she said, "Pay attention. You're going to have to learn how to do this someday."
A feeling inside me said, "No, Grandmama, I won't."
When I moved north to live with my mother, I wrote to my kindergarton teacher using the biggest words I could think of: "Dear Miss Newe, I do not belong here, because I can read and I know a lot of big words: elephant, hippopotamus." The next day, I was moved to the first grade.
What I couldn't articulate then but knew inside was that I could do better. That knowledge has been a constant in my life. When I know better, I try to do better."

Our dear Cheri knew our little Connor belonged to someone or something bigger than his fate in Wisconsin. She knows he is God's child and God loves him. She loves him.

"Adoption is not a breaking of trust but a keeping of faith...not an abandonment of a baby an abandonment of self for a baby's sake."
-Curtis young (Thanks Tarrin for the quote!)

If you're craving chocolate...

2010-04-05T08:28:00.000-07:00

Come to our house! We have plenty to go around. Hope you all had a wonderful Easter, ours was great.

Real men wear pink!

Happy Spring!

MY FAVORITE EASTER GIFT

2010-04-02T22:56:00.001-07:00

Three years ago Justin told me I could get a puppy for Easter. There was a condition...only ONE dog!

Which one of these cute faces would you pick?

You couldn't and that's why Justin changed his mind and decided to let us get two puppies!

A funny story...the dogs have always been a little spoiled. They sleep in bed with us, go to family dinners, they've even been known to have a christmas gift under the tree. We especially love to take them for long walks.

We regularly pass our cute neighbor on our nightly strolls. Soon after we adopted Connor we started taking him out in the stroller and left the dogs at home.

Once again we passed our neighbor who started laughing and said, "I can't believe you guys are now walking the puppies in a stroller they really are your little babies huh?"

She was quite surprised when I pulled the visor down and said, "actually this is our new baby!"

Elle and Bruiser have been a great addition to our family. Hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend!

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY

2010-03-16T19:23:00.001-07:00

Tonight when I got home from jogging a little leprechaun left me a gift on my porch!

This beautiful little book to fill with things that make me happy.

It is filled with many of these adorable pages, I only photographed a few of them.

What a wonderful surprise! I am anxious to start filling my book with things that uplift me and bring happiness.

"May your blessing outnumber your shamrocks that grow, and may happiness find you wherever you go." - Irish proverb

Hope you all have a delightful St. Patrick's day and don't forget to wear your green!

NEW JOB, NEW FRIENDS

2010-03-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

I recently started a new nanny job out of my home for two adorable boys. The problem is I don't know who's nannying who. They play so well with Connor I almost feel I should be paying them.

These pictures are of Connor and Jace. I also watch Jace's brother CJ who was at school while these photos were taken.

Look at the curls on Connor's head...so cute! I'm secretly hoping he can have Corbin Bleu hair. What do you think? Can Connor some day pull off this cute High School Musical hair do?

Here's to wishing!

Connor's first ball

2010-02-27T18:49:00.000-08:00

Connor was given his first ball today by his Great Grandmother. He spent all night bouncing it, rolling it down the hall and chasing after it. Thanks Grandma Elaine for a great new toy! If you want to hear Connor on the video you'll need to pause the music player.

Connor standing

2010-02-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

Last week Connor started crawling. This week he started standing. Who knows what will be next...maybe a slam dunk on the basketball hoop?

I hate mornings, but I loved this morning!

2010-02-04T14:42:00.000-08:00

Who wouldn't be happy waking up to this cute boy?

The face of an angel.

Last night Connor slept in my bed with me, because he wasn't feeling well. His two front teeth are cutting through. Ouch!

This morning when I woke up he crawled on top of me and kissed my checks over and over. What a great way to start the day...kisses from a baby!

Every day with Connor is a happy day!

Connor crawling

2010-01-31T19:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a video of Connor crawling for the first time. He is trying to get Justin's cell phone. This isn't the most entertaining video but it was a great way to test our FLIP on the blog!

Best week ever

2010-01-29T22:48:00.000-08:00

Christmas was amazing. We finalized our adoption and were sealed to our sweet Connor!