The Pearson Family

Sunday Ramblings

2012-02-12T21:42:00.000-07:00

Here are my out of order, random thoughts for the night:

1. I am so sad Whitney Houston has passed away. I grew up to her music and she was the reason why I loved singing so much. I would spend hours in my room belting to her songs. I wanted my voice to sound exactly like hers. I feel sad that she let something like drugs take her talent away.

2. I officially signed up for a 5k in April. So far training has been going really well. I really want to do well the 2nd time around.

3. My little Will loves music so much. We ALWAYS have music on in our home. He loves to dance to anything. He also loves to steal Brad's headphones and dance to the music he hears. I also like to sing a melody and listen for him to imitate it. I'm really impressed with his love for music. I think he might love it as much as I do :)

4. This past week I got together with the 3 other Senior Class Officers from my high school. It was so great to see them all after all of these years. I think it's been almost 10 years since the 4 of us have been together. We started planning our 10 year reunion and I'm excited to get it all organized. It will be fun to see a lot of other people I haven't seen for a long time.

5. I have also been blessed to be surrounded with some really great friends as of late. I feel so lucky to have people there for me no matter what state I may be in . You know who you are and I am blessed to know you.

6. Brad got a promotion/raise at work. This has also been a HUGE blessing in our lives. It will be nice to build up savings again after buying our new home. He has worked so hard to get where he is and I couldn't be prouder.

7. Tonight we skyped with my brother and sister-in-law. I miss them so much. Hopefully a Disneyland trip will be happening this year...

8. Will has become obsessed with reading lately. We read some books 5 times before he goes to bed at night. here we are yesterday afternoon reading together. I can't tell you how much I love spending time with my boys.

Here's to another great week!

Weekend Highlights

2012-02-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

Here are the highlights from our weekend :)

1. Friday we invited our friends the Fergs over for dinner.

We haven't seen them in years so it was so much fun catching up and meeting their beautiful girl Madeline.

2. Saturday we went thrifting and found some amazing 1960s side tables. I can't wait to redo them and show you guys what they end up looking like.

3. We met up with our friends the Fedotovs for dinner on Saturday night.

It was at a yummy Polynesian place in South Jordan.

I love them so much and I don't think I could ever get sick of hanging out with them. haha

4. Today was my little sister's 24th birthday!

We had the family over for dinner and watched the Superbowl together.

My baby sister is growing up and I can't get over it.

I love her so much and I'm so proud of all she has accomplished this far in her life.

Love you Marciepants!

We had a complete Italian meal.

Lobster ravioli (pictured below), Brie cheese and garlic ravioli, mozzarella sticks, breadsticks, creamy tomato basil soup, and salad.

We are bloated. :)

5. I hit 1,000 subscribers on YouTube!!!

I never thought I could ever reach that number by just doing my little videos.

I love having the opportunity to put myself out there and help out people from all over the world.

Thank you for your support everyone!

6. My friend Sarah and I have decided to run a 5k in April.

I am actually going to train this time so it should be fun.

Happy Sunday everyone!

Ski Weekend

2012-01-29T21:51:00.002-07:00

Why do weekends always have to go by so quickly?

This past weekend was very busy. (I feel like I always say that but I say it only because it's the truth :)

On Friday I worked at my mom's restaurant.

It's always fun to help out and to make fast money.

It was INSANELY busy and I didn't stop for one second for 5 hours straight.

I loved it though and it always feels good to make money.

Saturday Brad and I went up to Sundance to ski.

A couple of years ago I got new skis and new ski boots.

It's sad that yesterday was the first day I was able to use them.

Here I am (so excited!) to FINALLY be putting them to good use.

The weather was perfect.

I had so much fun and every time we ski I am so grateful to have the most patient husband in the world.

He's an incredible skier and instead of going down crazy black diamond runs he got to ski with me.

He is such a great teacher and knows exactly how to teach and help me.

We had never been to Sundance before.

It was okay but we probably won't be back.

The weather and view was gorgeous though.

I even found a $10 bill on the ground.

I love when random stuff like that happens!

This past week we also had Will's 15 month appointment.

He is doing well and everything is normal.

I thought I'd write a few things that he likes to do at the moment.

Our little guy loves to tell our dog Winston "Shhhhhh!!!!!" every time he barks. It's hilarious.

Will also likes to point to his belly button and say "button!"

He also imitates every sound I make. This includes coughing, singing, grunting, etc.

He loves to help around the house with the laundry, cooking and sweeping.

He is obsessed with baths and loves to splash all of the water out of the tub.

He also likes to feed himself with a fork or spoon. I think he's going to be a lefty.

He loves to kiss us awake every time we pretend we're asleep.

He did this today when Brad was really asleep.

His kisses are always the best.

He also is growing his first molar.

Poor guy has been sick AND teething.

It's crazy to look at Will and realize that he is no longer my baby but my TODDLER.

I see his personality more and more every day.

He's an easy going, loving, care free, adventurous little boy.

Oh yeah did I mention he LOVES to dance around the house carrying my phone while it plays Justin Beiber?

Love this kid and his daddy too.

We also went to our neighbor's house for dinner last night.

We feel so lucky to be living next to such a great couple.

We instantly clicked and I already know we are going to be great friends.

That's all for now!

Count Your Blessings

2012-01-27T14:12:00.001-07:00

It's Friday.

We just got home from a friend's house and I'm eating chocolate chip cookies.

Will is napping and I thought it would be a good time to write down my feelings.

I feel so overwhelmed (in a good way) with life.

I want to preface this post by saying that I am in NO way trying to brag or act like I have a perfect life.

I have definitely had my share of trials and heartaches.

I am grateful for the hard times because they make me appreciate the good times.

Let me start out by saying that I am so happy that my little guy is feeling better.

We had a rough weekend because of strep.

I have never seen him so lifeless.

Seeing him smile and play again makes me truly appreciate his health.

I am also so happy because I love our neighborhood.

We have met so many new people and they have been so welcoming.

It has always been difficult to make a lot of friends in our previous homes because we weren't there very long and there were so many other transients.

Now I know we are here to stay and I can't wait to get to know these people better.

It feels good to settle down for once.

I am happy that things are also going so well with Brad at work.

He works so hard and they are definitely rewarding him for it.

I'm so proud of his desire to provide and save for our family.

I am also loving THIS raspberry cheesecake shake.

It's the most delicious thing in the world and it's right by my house.

I think we're in danger if I get pregnant again.

I think I would go here everyday.

So basically life is great right now.

We couldn't be busier/happier!

Last night we went ice skating for Brad's work party.

It was Will's first time on the ice and he loved it.
Enjoy the video :)

I hope you all have a good weekend!

Strep

2012-01-22T20:13:00.001-07:00

The past couple of days have been pretty eventful.

On Wednesday Brad's Mom flew in from Cincinnati.

On Thursday Brad's sister Anne opened her mission call and found out she will be serving in Nicaragua.

Here is the video of her opening her call.

I started crying because as you all know I believe so strongly in missions and I know Anne will love every minute of it!

We are so excited for her!

She will be a great missionary. We love you Anne!

We also found some of the most DELICIOUS shakes I have ever had!

Ask me and I will tell you the secret location.

They are simply AMAZING!

Yesterday as you all know was snowing/raining all day.

I was happy to stay at home but sad because something was wrong with Will.

He had a high fever and was so lethargic.

All he wanted to do was cuddle and sleep.

Today I went to church with my mother-in-law while Brad stayed at home with Will.

Brad sent me a text saying Will's temperature was 102.2.

It immediately got me worried and I sent a text to my doctor brother.

He said I should definitely go to an urgent care and get some sort of antibiotic.

We rushed to the urgent care and found out that Will has strep.

The doctor said his throat was huge, red and swollen.

We got his medicine for him and came home to rest.

He's been cuddly and feverish ever since.

I am amazed with Will because he handles everything with such a good attitude.

Even though he doesn't feel well he never cries and he still tries to smile and talk and say things like, "Big boy!" and "Fishes!"

I really hope my baby boy gets feeling better soon.

That's all for now!

10 Years

2012-01-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I received an email from a fellow Senior Class Officer from high school.

It was about planning our 10 year reunion this summer.

I could hardly believe that it has been that long since I graduated from high school.

I thought about all that had happened and how much I have changed.

I definitely enjoyed my time in high school but I realize now how hard it was for me to find who I really was.

I thought it would be fun to list something monumental that has happened each year in the last 10 years of my life.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next 10 years.

2002: Graduated from high school and started school at the University of Utah. Started speed skating after the winter olympics in Salt Lake.

2003: Brother Jerry comes home from mission in Thailand and sister Mindy graduates from high school.

2004: Brother Jerry gets married and Mindy and I move out on our own in downtown Salt Lake city. It was such a great experience and Mindy and I laugh all the time about our memories there.

2005: Went to Oviedo, Spain on a study abroad and moved into the infamous "Geish" residence off of Foothill Blvd. in Salt Lake.

2006: Baby sister Marcie graduates from Bingham. I graduate from the U of U, travel to Rome, Paris, London, Washington D.C., California, Vegas, and NYC. ( I was obsessed with traveling) Decide to go on a mission and leave on my mission on October 11, 2006.

2007: January my mom opens up her Thai restaurant. Feb. 2007 I met my husband Brad in Mariupol, Ukraine. I spent the entire year living in Mariupol, Lugansk, Donetsk, and Kharkov Ukraine. One of the best years of my life.

2008: April I return from Ukraine and struggle with adjusting to normal life. May my sister Mindy returns from her mission in France. July my husband Brad returns from Ukraine. September I am engaged , November we travel to Cancun and December we are married.

2009: Move to Provo, Utah. Travel to Hawaii for our official honeymoon and get our dog Winston. My little sister Marcie also gets married.

2010: March I find out I am pregnant with Will :) June my sister Mindy gets married and in October Willy is born.

2011: We move to Salt Lake City and in May I start my YouTube channel. Brad graduates from BYU and I run my first 5k. In December we find out first home!

2012: We move to Lehi, Utah and into our very own home!

It's been a crazy 10 years and it has had a lot of ups and downs.

I'm so grateful for the trials I faced and for the amazing people I have met along the way.

I'm also so excited to see what happens in the next few years.

That's all for now!

Some Mommy Thoughts

2012-01-12T12:35:00.000-07:00

Last night I couldn't sleep. (surprise surprise...)

I came across this talk from President Ezra Taft Benson in 1987.

It was so powerful to me I thought I'd share it with all of you.

Here is the LINK.

Here are some of the quotes that really stuck out to me.

I hope it makes some of you mommies out there feel good about what you do each and every day.

Enjoy!

President Mckay: "Motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good or ill in human life..."

President Benson: "Young mothers and fathers, with all my heart I counsel you not to postpone having your children, being co-creators with our Father in Heaven.

Do not use the reasoning of the world, such as, “We’ll wait until we can better afford having children, until we are more secure, until John has completed his education, until he has a better-paying job, until we have a larger home, until we’ve obtained a few of the material conveniences,” and on and on.

This is the reasoning of the world, and is not pleasing in the sight of God. Mothers who enjoy good health, have your children and have them early. And, husbands, always be considerate of your wives in the bearing of children.

Do not curtail the number of your children for personal or selfish reasons. Material possessions, social convenience, and so-called professional advantages are nothing compared to a righteous posterity. In the eternal perspective, children—not possessions, not position, not prestige—are our greatest jewels."

The second quote really hit me hard. How often do we tell ourselves those things? It is so comforting to know that the Lord will take care of us if we just have the faith and trust Him.

President Benson : "Now God bless our wonderful mothers. We pray for you. We sustain you. We honor you as you bear, nourish, train, teach, and love for eternity. I promise you the blessings of heaven and “all that [the] Father hath” (see D&C 84:38 ) as you magnify the noblest calling of all—a mother in Zion."

Hope it made your day like it made mine!

That's all for now :)

Our First Weekend in Our New Home

2012-01-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Our first weekend in our new home was definitely an adventure.

Friday night we had a pizza party with a lot of our mission friends.

One of our friends (Tolik Miganov) was visiting from Ukraine and we hadn't seem him in almost 4 years!

It was such a great reunion!

Here are some pics from the night:

The biggest problem with the night was at 6:30 the gas company decided to turn off our gas. :(

They just figured nobody lived here since the other family moved out.

Thanks for notifying us!

This was a huge problem because we have a gas stove/oven.

Luckily our friend's parents lived 5 minutes away and we were able to bake the pizza in their oven.

We had a cold weekend but we luckily had space heaters.

On Sunday we went to our ward for the first time and we loved it.

It is exciting seeing so many other young families with young children.

Will was loving life and making friends left and right.

I think he will fit right in.

Our house is slowly coming together.

I can't wait to start decorating!

We're Here!

2012-01-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I woke up and couldn't believe it.

We were in our very own house.

There were boxes everywhere and I had to weave in and out of them to get breakfast for Will.

It felt like Christmas morning because I still couldn't believe this house was ours.

We spent all weekend moving.

We had so much help from neighbors, family and friends.

It was so exhausting but we got it done quickly.

I spent every moment I could yesterday unpacking and organizing.

I loved the feeling of emptying another box.

Will and Winston have been a bit confused.

They recognize our belongings but are kind of confused about where we are.

I hope they are able to adjust soon.

I never intend to use my blog as a means to brag or boast about my life.

I just have to say how grateful I am for everything I have been blessed with in my life.

Maybe it's the house; maybe it's the new year.

Either way I have this huge desire to be more grateful and show more gratitude to those who help me in my life.

I am so grateful for a husband who works so hard each and every day.

He is such a man and I can hardly believe he's mine.

I'm grateful for the family and friends who without hesitation dropped all of their plans and jumped in to help us with the big move.

I'm grateful for a curious little toddler who loves to give kisses and cuddles.

I'm grateful for the trials I faced in 2011 and how they helped me learn and grow.

I'm still trying to figure out some New Years' Resolutions.

Well that is all for my morning ramblings!

Better go play with Will!

Christmas Week

2011-12-31T11:29:00.002-07:00

We had such a marvelous week last week.

It's the one time every year that all of the siblings, their spouses and kids are all together.

We had so much fun spending time together.

We carried on a Grandma Chidester tradition and had a day baking sugar cookies together.

It's always fun seeing George with the kids because he loves them so much!

It's also fun to see the little cousins play and kiss one another.

Christmas morning was also fun.

The 3 of us opened our presents and then we headed to church.

I got to sing in the program and Will was so upset because he couldn't sit with me on the stand.

He's definitely becoming a momma's boy more and more every day. haha

Christmas afternoon we got to talk on the phone with Brad's family and brother in Guatemala.

We miss them all so much!

We then headed to my parents' house and had a delicious Christmas dinner.

(Jerry and Mindee already left when we took this pic. :(

I love my family so much and I wish we could all be together more often.

We had such a great week amidst the stomach flu that everyone somehow managed to get.

I'm so grateful for all the great gifts we received and for the biggest Christmas present I'll ever get; OUR HOUSE!

Brad moved the couches today so I am currently sitting on the floor.

Love it.

Can't wait to be officially moved in in a couple of days!

Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Antsy in My Pantsy

2011-12-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

You know that feeling you get when you're about to go on a date with the guy you have a huge crush on?

Or that feeling you had when you got your first kiss?

I have that feeling RIGHT NOW!

Today, yes TODAY we are going to close on our home!

I have butterflies in my stomach so badly right now.

This is a HUGE step in our lives.

We couldn't be more excited!

More later!

David Archuleta Concert

2011-12-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

Last Monday my mom's restaurant was asked to cater for David Archuleta at Abravanel Hall.

David and his family are regulars at the restaurant and like to eat there whenever they are in town.

My mom was so thrilled when David gave her 3 free tickets to his concert that night.

Marcie was busy so I was able to go with my Mom and sister Mindy.

It was so so so much fun!

The music was amazing and David sang it all so beautifully!

We had amazing seats too!

I loved relaxing and hanging out with Mindy and my mom.

Marcie we missed you!

David also announced he was going to serve a mission.

I couldn't help but tear up because I thought about how incredible of a missionary he would be.

He is such a great person with such a good heart.

I'm so thankful for his kindness towards my mom and my family.

It was a fun night and it was a great way to start off last week!

More about Christmas later!

That's all for now!

Christmas Card

2011-12-23T17:53:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Love,

Us!

We Had A Good Day

2011-12-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a busy day but we had fun.

I woke up and started packing some of our belongings.

Will thought he'd help and ran out to the family room and grabbed some of my workout DVDs and spoons.

Thanks for the help and hint! haha

I also received a package from NYC from a company called Skinceuticals.

I can't tell you how excited I am about this!

They contacted me a couple of weeks ago and they wanted me to review their products on my YouTube channel.

I'm a sucker for skin care products so it felt like Christmas getting all of these products for free.

I can't wait to see how they work!

We also had our family pictures taken.

Will would NOT smile for the life of him.

It was freezing outside so we moved into the studio.

He wasn't very excited about sitting down in one position for very long either.

The photographer was so great though. It was fun to work with him.

It will be interesting to see how they turned out! haha

After our pictures were done we headed to one of my favorite antique shops downtown.

We walked around and got ideas for how to decorate our home.

We were starving so we headed to Cafe Rio.

Yum yum as always :)

It was freezing by that point so we headed home.

We sat in traffic for over an hour.

I hate traffic but I didn't mind it too bad because Will was passed out and so cute.

We came home and our good friend Colby stopped by for a while.

We called my sister Semenisheva in St. Petersburg and chatted for some good time.

I love being around these people.

They understand us and they love us.

I'm so grateful for them in my life!

We have put up our tree but haven't had time to decorate it.

It looks so sad! haha

My sister Mindot is coming to town TOMORROW!!!

I think I'm going to die from excitement because I love being with my family so much.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

I Can't Wait For Christmas!

2011-12-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

This time of year is so much fun.

It's cold outside and there are always yummy treats to eat.

I'm especially happy because it's the one time each year that my family gets to be ALL together.

I can't wait to see my siblings in-law and niece and nephew.

I had to add this photo of George because he was gone on deployment in the last pic.

Can you believe Christmas is only a week and a half away?

We are moving so soon!

I should probably go and pack some things while Willy naps.

That's all for now!

Quote Of The Day

2011-12-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

I found this quote in the Ensign from this month.

I hope it comforts you just like it comforted me.

Enjoy :)

“To those within the sound of my voice who are struggling with challenges and difficulties

large and small, prayer is the provider of spiritual strength; it is the passport to peace.

Prayer is the means by which we approach our Father in Heaven, who loves us. Speak to

Him in prayer and then listen for the answer. Miracles are wrought through prayer.”

-President Thomas S. Monson

I Miss This...

2011-12-11T22:33:00.002-07:00

It's 10:20 at night.

Will is passed out, I have a cold, and Brad isn't feeling well either.

I should definitely be in bed.

Instead I'm missing Ukraine.

I'm missing the babushki, speaking Russian 24/7, the juice, and super kontiki.

Most of all I miss the people I met while I was there.

When it's cold outside I always tell Brad, "Remember when it was colder than this and we would have to tract all day?"

I miss serving with Sem.

She is my sister that lives all the way in St. Petersburg.

I think she understood me better than anyone on my mission.

I wonder what Karina is up to these days.

She's the one second from the left.

She wanted to be baptized but her parents wouldn't let her.

She's probably 16 or 17 now.

Oh the Gushins.

I saw these two be baptized by their son Sergei on the left.

The father is now Branch President and they've been sealed in the Kiev temple.

We still skype sometimes but I want to go to their house and eat some yummy sweet and sour chicken!

Oh Sister Margarita.

We loved FHEs at her house.

Misha had a baptismal date and backed out.

He wanted so badly to go on a mission. He's the dark haired boy.

Stanaslov on the right was so close to baptism too.

I wish I could call him up and see how he's doing!

I miss this girl the most.

She backed out of her baptism a few days before.

She found us and wanted to be taught everything about the gospel.

I remember sitting in the kitchen with her and talking about life for hours on end.

She always felt like a sister.

I miss her so much!

Then there is this beautiful woman.

Sister Tumy and I were the first sisters to teach her and she was baptized shortly after I got transferred.

She was amazing and gorgeous inside and out!

Then there are these beautiful girls.

I hate to say I have forgotten their names.

The one on the bottom left loved missionaries so much and would always bring her sisters to church with her.

This picture always makes me laugh because right after it we enjoyed a lengthy and heated bible bashing session.

Mama Bigun.

She was the first person I understood in Russian.

She checked up on me my whole mission.

She really was my mom away from home.

She always welcomed me with open arms and was always a shoulder to cry on when I needed it.

Love her so so much!

I even miss those nights when we had no appointments and it was FREEZING outside and all we had to do was tract. So many good memories with so many ornery people. haha

I also laugh at this picture because my future husband took it.

I would pay so much money to go back to my mission and watch us knowing what I know now.

How cool is it to meet your spouse in Ukraine ON your mission?

Sorry for all the random pics and memories.

This is more for me than anyone else.

I remember someone telling me that once I got home to America after living in Ukraine for 18 months that it would all feel like a dream.

I can't even tell you how true it is.

I miss it so much but there isn't a day that I don't think about someone over there.

I am so so so grateful for the opportunity I had to live there.

It changed my life forever.

If you're reading this and thinking about going on a mission...GO RIGHT NOW!

haha

No but seriously....

That's all for now!

The Croup

2011-12-09T13:11:00.001-07:00

The past couple of days have looked like the picture above.

Willy always wanting to cuddle.

He woke up this morning with a barking cough and I had a feeling it was time to go to the doctor.

Although he was exhausted and could hardly breath he still managed to smile a little bit for the picture.

It turns out our little guy has the croup.

No fun but now we have the steroids for it.

The doctor said he'll be better with rest in the next few days.

I don't think you can ever really understand love until you have a child.

It hurts so bad to see them in pain and you would do anything to make them feel better again.

Right now Will is passed out and will hopefully sleep for a long time.

I hope he feels better soon!

After the doctor we came home and I found this lovely quote on Pinterest.

Love it and love my little man :)

So True!

2011-12-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

I have found this to be true time and time again!

Today

2011-12-07T22:08:00.000-07:00

Today:

1. Will woke up not feeling well. He would NOT let me put him down for anything.

I can't complain too much though; I love my cuddly, chubby guy.

2. Hit 800 subscribers on my YouTube Channel. So crazy! I never thought it would be possible to even have 100 subscribers. I feel so lucky to be able to talk to so many women from all over the world!

3. I did a kickboxing video while Will took a nap. It was alright but I still think Zumba is a better workout.

4. I went to my parents' house and watched Brad and my Dad move HUGE furniture. I'm so glad I'm not a boy and I never have to carry heavy things like that.

5. I found some old CDs at my parents' house. It was so nostalgic listening to them on the way home. Some of the songs included: She Will Be Loved, Unwritten, and old Surfjan Stevens stuff.

6. Had a prayer answered today while I was reading in the Book of Mormon. Love when that happens.

7. Ate yummy cashew chicken from Simply Thai for dinner. I don't think I could ever get sick of it!

8. Talked to one of my Young Women on FB chat. I am going to miss those girls so much. I've added a lot of them on FB so I can stalk them after we move. I can't wait to see them grow up. Love them!

9. I wrapped a couple of Christmas presents. It honestly hasn't hit me that Christmas is coming so soon. Maybe putting a tree up would help get me in the spirit.

10. I got to cuddle with my hubby today after Willy went to sleep. Love little moments like that.

That's all for now!

It's Monday!

2011-12-05T13:39:00.001-07:00

Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a good weekend.

It's been a wonderful day.

Will slept in until 10:30 this morning so I could get a lot done.

I know I've said this time and time again but I love him so much.

I know every mom feels this way about their children but I truly feel like he is a light in everyone's life.

He is not afraid of strangers and he always wants to make friends.

He has such a good heart too.

Everywhere we go people come up to us and tell me how "big" and "beautiful" his eyes are.

He has eight teeth now and sleeps all night most nights.

He says, "Granpa, puppy, dada, and Granma..."

I love whenever he wakes up from naps because his hair always stands straight up!

I am so thankful for this little family I have.

I feel so lucky so be Will's mom and Brad's wife.

That's all for now!

Thanksgiving Weekend

2011-11-28T21:57:00.003-07:00

We had a great Thanksgiving!

Brad cooked up a delicious dinner.

We ate and ate and ate.

It was so much fun to relax and just hang out with family.

Randomly on Thanksgiving night I decided to go to Target and check out the Black Friday sales.

My friend Sarah met up with me and we waited outside for 2 hours.

It went by quickly and we got some incredible deals!

My proudest accomplishment was this tv.

There were not very many and I was happy to be in the first 100 people so I could snag one.

Sarah and I are starting to get good at waiting in line for good deals.

It's fun to have a buddy with me when it gets intense!

Brad and I have had so much fun getting ready to move to our house.

Since there were so many good deals during Black Friday we were able to get some good things for our new home.

I've been eyeing this rug for a while now and it was 55% off so I had to get it!

Brad has also taken some furniture we already owned and painted it.

He's worked so hard and I think it's turning out great!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

That's all for now!

IT'S OFFICIAL!

2011-11-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day.

The sellers accepted our offer on THIS home!

I blurred out the address so people can't stalk us. :)

I can't wait to have a place to call our own!

I'm so grateful for everything that has happened today.

I can't wait to close on the house and get moved in!

I Can't Sleep

2011-11-22T22:48:00.001-07:00

I have never been a patient person.

My family and husband always joke about it.

I remember specifically in piano lessons my teachers always told me to "slow down."

I actually quit piano when I was 12 because I felt like the teacher was taking it too slowly.

I wanted to learn more and learn it quicker than she was teaching it to me.

I also used to wake up with my brother at 3 AM on Christmas morning.

My poor parents would wake up along with us.

We just couldn't wait any longer to open our presents.

When I was learning Spanish and Russian I would get SO impatient when I couldn't communicate.

I would study study study until I could finally understand what was going on.

I would talk to myself and dream in the languages too.

I just HAD to learn it as quickly as possible!

So this now leads me to my current impatient state.

OUR HOUSE HUNT.

We have now put in 2 offers in on 2 wonderful homes.

I am SO IMPATIENT once again.

I can't stop thinking about:

Where are we going to live?

What are our neighbors going to be like?

How will I decorate the house?

Will we make new friends?

Where is Will going to grow up?

How far will it be from Brad's job?

When will we move?

As you can see I have a lot on my mind and I can't sleep.

I know I just need to relax but I've always been the type of person that has to plan ahead.

I like to know where we are going to be.

I know that it's Heavenly Father testing me and trying to teach me the importance of patience.

Wish us luck!

Hopefully we can find out soon!

Being Dependable

2011-11-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

I love days like today.

I woke up and went to zumba.

It felt so so good to sweat and to work out.

The teacher Veronica is so inspiring and makes the hour go by so quickly.

We went to Simply Thai for lunch.

Who doesn't love amazing FREE Thai food and time with my parents?

I love how it has become a place that we can always go for yummy food and good times.

We then did something very grown up.

We went shopping for washers, dryers, and refrigerators.

I never knew there was so much to think about.

The options are endless.

It was fun dreaming about them being in a place that we can call our own.

After that it was time to go back home.

I needed to prepare for my YW lesson tomorrow on "Being Dependable."

I have always felt like preparing lessons was so great because I always end up learning so much.

It has made me think about the people that I depend on and how grateful I am to have people that are there for me no matter how crabby or happy I am.

I am grateful for people who love me for me.

After finishing up my lesson I decided to bake some sugar cookies to give to the girls at the end of the lesson. I have found THE greatest sugar cookie recipe in the world! I have honestly tried dozens of recipes and this one is the best!

I couldn't decide what colors the girls would like so I thought "Tiffany Blue" would suffice. :)

We then met up with Marcie and Graydo at Fashion Place Mall.

We ate at Corner Bakery and shopped around.

Of course we hit up H&M.

This may or may not have been my 4th time there this week. :)

I think we've been there so much that Will even knows his way around the store now. haha

We got home and then it was time for me to practice.

I'm so excited to be a part of our ward Christmas show this year.

I love playing the piano and singing while Will is running around.

He loves to pound the keys and sing along.

I really hope he will love music as much as Brad and I do.

So there you have it.

A day in the life of me.

That's all for now!

This Will Make Your Day

2011-11-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

Love this.

One of Those Days...

2011-11-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

Forgive me all while I vent on my blog.

-I woke up today wishing I could sleep in for an hour or so longer. It definitely doesn't happen when you're a stay at home mom and you are the only one home to take care of a chubby guy named Will. :)

-I heard about some people treating some of my family members disrespectfully. It makes me so angry when this happens. I will seriously beat anyone up if they hurt any member of my family. Yes I'm protective like that.

-I overheard a conversation at my mom's restaurant today that made me so mad. I won't go into details but I wanted to march over to the table and put the woman in her place. Of course I didn't but I sure as heck wanted to. :)

-Does anyone else out there ever have the feeling of being overwhelmed?

I think I feel overwhelmed by life 90% of the time.

Back in college I could work 30+ hours a week, take 16 credit hours, do an internship, be involved with multiple clubs on campus, and stay up until 3 every night and NOT feel overwhelmed.

Now that I'm nearing 28 my body is slowing down on me.

I just never seem to have enough time to please everyone that I want to.

I try my hardest but I know it's not always my best.

So there you have it world.

It feels good to get it all out there sometimes doesn't it?

I love being a mom and a wife; don't get me wrong.

I don't think there is anything greater in the world.

It's the best job in the world but it definitely comes with trials and challenges.

I can't wait for Brad to get home so he can help me get through this day.

That's all for now!

Monday Morning Thoughts

2011-11-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

1. I love being married to my best friend.

I love daydreaming about how we used to be missionaries and friends and neither one of us had any clue that we would spend all eternity together.

I love spending every second I can with him too.

I love getting in deep conversations about all sorts of topics and not having any secrets between us.

I love you Bradface.

2. I can't get enough of the Will man.

He just gets cuter and cuter every day.

On Friday we went to the grand opening of H&M.

There were literally thousands of people there and it was so crazy and loud.

Will liked to go in front of the crowd and dance to the music.

Everyone was laughing at him because he would run around and say hi to complete strangers.

I love watching his personality grow.

3. I love this cooler weather for so many reasons.

I especially love that I can dress Will up in his pea coat and warm winter hats.

4. We are still waiting to hear on the house.
Brad talked with the agent and it will most likely take another couple of weeks.
I am spending way too much time on Pinterest trying to design our new house in my head.

5. I'm really excited for Christmas this year.
Since my family lives all over the place and everyone is married we rarely are all together.
It will be fun to see my siblings, their spouses, and my niece and nephew.

6. Poor Willy wasn't feeling well this week because of his stomach.
I have had to switch him to soy milk and he is feeling so much better and he loves it!

7. Brad bought some ski passes this past week and I can't wait to go skiing for the first time in a couple of years!

Here's to a good week!

WINTER BABY PRODUCT MUST HAVE!

2011-11-09T12:14:00.002-07:00

My favorite baby product for the winter!

Thank you Jerry and Mindee!!!

1st November Weekend

2011-11-06T17:18:00.002-07:00

The past couple of day have been great!

I spent all day Friday with my sister Marcie and husband Graydon.

It was so nice just relaxing and hanging out.

We went to lunch at Ruth's Diner. It was delicious and I loved my portobello mushroom burger!

On Friday night Brad and I went to the temple with Marcie and Graydon.

It's sad to say that it was the first time we have been together for a session.

We went to the Jordan River temple.

It's one of my favorite temples for 2 reasons.

It is where I got my endowments out and it's where Brad received his answer to marry me. :)

I love the peace I feel when I am there.

I felt like I received a lot of answers that I needed to hear at this time in my life.

I really wish I had time in my life to go every day!

Saturday morning I woke up early and waited in a snowstorm for almost two hours.

It was totally worth it though!

Ivory Homes was having their yearly model home furniture sale and I was lucky enough to be invited!

It was pretty intense with people sprinting everywhere to get the items they wanted.

It was great to have Rachel there to guide me and help me!

We scored this "chair and a half" and two great barstools for our new home.

I also got some great accessories and a rug.

Normally I'm not one to wait in line and run to get good deals but I was certainly happy I did this time.

It's also crazy just waiting to hear back on our offer.

I really am ready to start the next chapter of our lives in our own little home.

I'm crossing my fingers that we'll find out this week!

It's now bath time for Willy so I should probably put an end to this post.

That's all for now!

Sugarhouse Park

2011-11-03T11:22:00.000-06:00

I have always loved Sugarhouse Park.

I have been there for so many different occasions throughout my life.

My parents used to always take us there when we were young and we'd feed the birds our biscuits from KFC.

I've been there for 4th of July, dates, sledding, Christmas lights, ice blocking and picnics.

I remember going there on multiple occasions with my sister Mindy to eat yogurt and talk about life.

I love that I can now share my love for the park with my little boy Willy.

Yesterday we sat and played with the birds for a good 30 mins. He loved to just watch them walk, eat and poop. He thought it was hilarious when they would quack.

No matter where I live in Utah it's always nice to come back to Sugarhouse Park.

I've had so many good memories there and I love making new memories with my favorite little man.

Our Busy Week

2011-10-30T20:54:00.000-06:00

This past week was busy busy busy.

I felt like we were always on the go.

On Tuesday we made a big step and put an offer in on a house that we love.

I really hope it works out because it would be a dream come true but I am also trying to be patient and realistic. I will keep you all posted.

We stopped by the house last week and it was as if Will was right at home.

He was running up and down the sidewalk and playing with the leaves.

It's crazy to think that this could be our very FIRST house!

This past week one of my dear friends Andrea held a Halloween party at her house.

It was Will's first little party and he was excited to dress up.

It was funny though because he missed his morning nap that day and was totally mellow the whole party.

It was so cute to see so many little ones dressed up for Halloween!

My friend Andrea is the cutest mom and had fun games and decorations.

Thank you for inviting us!

Here is Will and Lily (My friend Rachel's daughter.)

I loved watching Willy walking around in his costume.

Rachel and I couldn't breath because we were so obsessed with our kids and their costumes. They were so cute!

Since Will turned ONE on Monday we had his one year appointment as well.

It was such a nightmare experience.

A little bully pushed Will over in the waiting room, Will cut his mouth in the doctor's room, and Will had to get 4 shots.

We also had to wait for a VERY long time before we were even seen.

Needless to say I'm glad it's over but I was excited to see that everything was okay with Will and to get his stats.

Here they are!

Weight: 22.9 lbs. (50%)

Height: 29.2 inches (75%)

Here is a picture of the two of us waiting to get the shots!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TOMORROW EVERYONE!

Will's 1st Birthday!

2011-10-25T14:56:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday we had a party to celebrate Will's 1st birthday.

It was so much fun having close friends and family there with us.

We received so many great gifts and Will was so excited to have so many people over at our house.

I had such a blast putting together Will's "Little Man" party.

Yesterday was Will's real birthday.

I cannot believe it has already been a year since I became a mom.

We celebrated by driving down to Provo to meet Brad at work.

We went to lunch at our favorite Indian restaurant too.

We then had dinner at Simply Thai and celebrated with my sister Marcie and parents.

A little about Will at 1:

He has 7 teeth.

He runs around everywhere!

He likes to go to his bottle drawer in the kitchen and drink from empty bottles.

He is obsessed with taking baths and usually takes 30-45 mins. every night playing in the water.

He is so friendly to everyone and anyone.

He doesn't like to watch tv or kids movies too much.

He loves music and bounces up and down and nods his head to the beat.

He sleeps through the night. ( This is something I love!)

He's very independent. He doesn't like anyone to help him walk. He can do it on his own. (a trait I think he picked up from me.)

He shakes his head if I tell him "no no no."

If he sees that I'm upset or if I'm crying he loves to hug me, kiss me and give me big smiles.

He likes to give funny sour faces if you take something away from him.

I love my little man Willy Pete!

That's all for now!

House Hunting

2011-10-19T09:36:00.000-06:00

Life has been C-R-A-Z-Y this past week.

Brad and I are searching for our first home.

There are so many options and decisions to make.

I find myself day dreaming all day long.

I try to picture what our house will look like and how I will decorate it.

I try to think about the neighborhood we will live in and what our neighbors will be like.

It's such a big step in our lives but I am so excited to settle down somewhere.

We have moved once every year since we have been married.

It will be nice to finally stay put!

Professional Mom

2011-10-14T17:05:00.000-06:00

5 years ago I was a totally different person.

I was 22, on a mission and I thought I knew what I wanted in life.

I wanted to come home from my mission, go to grad school, and be a tv journalist.

I would have died at the thought of being a stay at home mom.

I always saw myself being a working mom.

The thought of being at home scared me.

Life has obviously changed in 5 years.

I have completely changed.

Sometimes I get down when I think about the success that I could have experienced in my life professionally.

I also wish I could help pay the bills.

But then I realize that Will is my profession.

Brad is my profession too.

I want to take all the energy and desire that I had to be on tv and put that into my home.

I want to be a PROFESSIONAL MOM.

No I don't like sewing and I never will but I can do everything in my power to make my home a loving home.

I want to be the mom who makes dinner every night and has fresh baked cookies in the cookie jar.

I want to have time to workout and clean the house.

I want to serve and teach my children to love and not judge others.

I love spending every day with Will and teaching him all about the world and how it works.

I'm so grateful that I can be a mom.

I have a lot to work on but I've found my new "dream job."

That's all for now!

My Little Man

2011-10-13T14:22:00.000-06:00

I love my little buddy Will.

I can't believe he is almost 1!

The other day we were playing around with the camera.

He loves to take pictures!

I can tell so much about his personality already.

He loves to joke around and make funny faces. (as pictured below)

He is also very detail oriented and focuses on little things for long periods of time.

He loves to walk and run everywhere we go.

He also loves to dance whenever there is a beat to dance to.

He loves strangers and will walk up to anyone and smile and say "hi."

He also loves puppies and Winston.

They have become great play buddies.

He also loves his Daddy so so much.

He gets so excited when Brad comes home from work.

He squeals and runs up to Brad for a big hug.

He makes me feel like I'm the most important person in the world.

I'm so thankful that I have a little man like him in my life.

He always reminds me of what is truly important in this life.

Thank you Willy!

Random Sunday Thoughts

2011-10-09T15:27:00.000-06:00

1. Yesterday I was craving Indian curry. (I ALWAYS crave Indian curry.) I found a recipe online, went to the grocery store, followed the recipe directions and was SO disappointed with the result. It was so gross. Major Indian fail!

2. Will's 1st birthday is coming up. I'm having so much fun planning our little celebration.

3. Will was all the over the place in church today. He was walking up to the stand and up and down the pews. We were in a different ward but he didn't care. He made friends with everyone he walked by. I love seeing him become so independent and manly.

4. I went to Zumba yesterday for the first time in a couple of months. It felt AMAZING. I feel like I lose 5 lbs. every time I go. I sweat so much but it's so worth it. Love Zumba and always will.

5. Brad's new job is going really well. We are thinking about moving and possibly buying a home in the near future. I love looking online and dreaming about what could possibly become our new home. I can't wait to decorate!

6. Today is one of those days when I realize that I have so much to work on. There are so many things I could be doing to help more people and to be more Christlike. I've been thinking today about how imperfect I am and how I need to change my way of thinking sometimes.

That's all for now!!!

Forget- Me- Not

2011-10-04T14:21:00.000-06:00

You know those talks that just get to you?

This one was speaking to me today.

Love it.

If you're a woman you should check it out too.

It's so powerful.

It definitely helped me feel better.

That's all for now :)

New Testament Movie

2011-09-30T16:11:00.000-06:00

About a year ago I heard that the church was going to be filming a New Testament movie that was going to be used for missionaries, seminary, General Conference, etc.

After months of waiting and almost forgetting about it I was finally contacted and I was able to film this past Wednesday.

I was just an extra in the film but it was so incredible to be a part of such an important project.

We got great costumes and they also took care of our hair and makeup. They actually painted us so we looked a little darker too.

I left my house at 5 in the morning and didn't get back until 8 at night.

It was a long day that included a lot of sitting around.

I loved it so much though because I was able to meet so many fascinating people.

There were people from all over the world who flew into Utah just to be an extra in the film.

I felt the spirit so strong while we were there.

The set was incredible and looked exactly like it would in Jerusalem.

The actor who played Jesus Christ was also incredible.

I kept saying throughout the day how it all felt like a dream.

I felt so blessed to be a small part in this film.

We were told that we are not allowed to share any pictures with anyone but I figured this picture would be okay.

Enjoy my tan feet :)

Grateful

2011-09-25T21:47:00.000-06:00

This past week was insane.

It was full of so many ups and downs.

I won't bore you with all of the details but all I can say is that I'm thankful for prayer.

So many of our prayers were answered this past week and it gets me emotional just thinking about it.

It's amazing how some of our darkest moments precede our greatest times.

If you want to know more details, just ask :)

Will also turned 11 months yesterday.

He is such a toddler right now I can hardly stand it.

Yesterday we were at Gap and he was holding my hand. He saw something he wanted, let go and walked 3 ft. all by himself to a display table. He started to throw the items on the table on the floor.

I laughed so hard. My little boy is growing up and walking on his own!

He also tries to say "puppy" and it comes out as "bubby." Love it!

He doesn't eat baby food anymore. His palette is too refined for that haha.

He especially loves mussaman curry and grapes.

He's also drinking from a big boy straw sippy cup.

Every night he practices walking from Brad to me and vice versa. The other night he went about 7 ft. all by himself. I can't believe him!

I love him so much and it's so much fun to see him grow into a little man.

That's all for now!

Crazy Weekend!

2011-09-17T22:10:00.001-06:00

The past 48 hours have been a complete blur.

This is seriously the first time that I have sat down since yesterday morning.

We have had so much going on and I can't wait to tell you guys about some changes in our lives.

First off, do you remember how I auditioned to be in the LDS Church's new movie about the New Testament? (Well, I did like 10 months ago haha)

Anyway, after countless emails back and forth and sending profile pics and measurements I found out that I made it!

There were over 11,000 people that auditioned to be in the movie and I am one of the lucky ones that gets to do it!

I'm only going to be an extra but I can't even tell you how excited I am to be a part of such a special project.

The movie is going to show in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and used for missionary, seminary, etc...

I probably won't even be shown in the movie but I'm so happy just to be there to see how everything is done.

I was told they would like me to film from Monday-Thursday this upcoming week. Unfortunately I am not available for all those days because each day is at LEAST a 12 hour day. I can't abandon Willy for that so I'm only going to film ONE day next week. That is definitely enough for me considering that I have to drive almost 2 hours just to drive to the set!

I will all let you know how it goes!

Second of all, Brad got a new job!

He sent in his resume on Thursday, Friday he had an interview and he was offered the job right there in the interview. He starts this upcoming week.

I think it will be such a great opportunity for him to get some real valuable experience.

Right now Brad, his grandpa and I are watching the BYU/UofU game while Will sleeps.

It's funny because Brad and I have been talking trash the whole game. I also think it's hilarious to look at Facebook and read all of the hateful comments about each school.

All I can say is that I love the U and it truly is a great school with great people. I think it's funny how some people hate it so badly and they've never even stepped foot on campus or experienced what it's like to go there. I think BYU is a great school too (I actually almost went there but turned down a theater scholarship to attend the U instead) but I felt like the U fit me and my personality better.

All I can say is STOP THE HATE and SPREAD THE LOVE.

That is my thought for the day.

That's all for now!

I also thought I'd leave a cute little pic of my chunky guy in his U of U gear!

NAUTICAL STRIPES

2011-09-14T22:28:00.000-06:00

My sister Mindy has an amazing fashion blog called NAUTICAL STRIPES.

She has amazing, classy style and I think you all should check out her blog!

She is doing an amazing GIVEAWAY worth $85.

It would make my day if you supported her!

Check it out HERE!!!

GOALS

2011-09-12T09:13:00.000-06:00

We had a good weekend.

On Saturday morning we drove to Stansbury Park so Brad could participate in an olympic triathlon.

For those of you who don't know what an Olympic triathlon it's a 1 mile swim, 26 mile bike ride, and a 10k. Brad has been training since January and it definitely paid off.

His goal was to get under 3 hours and it only took him 2 hrs 19 mins!

I was so proud of him and all of the hard work he has put into preparing for this big race.

Brad took 16th overall and 3rd in his age group.

He even got to stand on the podium!

Can I just tell you that Brad is my hero?

I love him so much and he motivates me every day!

Will and I had fun waiting for Brad during the race.

He even walked up to a little boy and tried to take the sucker out of his mouth. haha

Have I told you how much I love skinny jeans for babies?

Last night I found my journal from 2002.

I found this list of 15 goals that I wanted to accomplish in my life.

It makes me happy that I have been able to do a lot of these things. It also makes me laugh because some of it is so random.

Here is my 15 Goals in Life list from 6/19/02.

1. Get married in the temple

2. Go to the olympics

3. Visit the Eiffel Tower

4. Go to Hawaii

5. Be interviewed on a talk show

6. Sing National Anthem at a Big Event

7. Go on a cruise

8. Meet one of my childhood friends from Saudi Arabia

9. Visit the Alps

10. Give a speech as a special guest

11. Save someone's life

12. Speedskate at a national level

13. Finish at least 4 years of college

14. Own a horse

15. Be fluent in another language

Yay for September!

2011-09-06T15:39:00.002-06:00

We had a good weekend.

We didn't do anything too exciting but it was still fun.

My parents and siblings went out of town so we spent the holiday just the 3 of us.

We went shopping, ate at the Dodo restaurant (one of my favorite places) and watched movies.

I love our little family so much.

I often look at these boys and think, "How did I go so long without these two in my life?"

I love our little posse.

It doesn't matter what we do as long as we're together.

Have I mentioned how obsessed I am with Fall?

I love the crisp, cool air and pulling out cardigans, scarves, and boots.

Fall always reminds me of going back to school at the U.

I love the U of U campus. It seriously is my favorite place. It's so beautiful in the fall!

I had some amazing times at the U and wish I could be in school all over again because of all the incredible people I met while I was there.

I also love fall treats and candle smells.

I also can't wait because Will's birthday is next month!

I'm trying to decide what I want to do for his birthday to make it memorable.

Well, enough rambling from me!

That's all for now!

Ready for Halloween Already...

2011-09-01T22:18:00.001-06:00

My Mom and I found Will's Halloween costume the other day.

One word about how I feel about it:

OBSESSED.

I can't wait for October 31st!

10 Months Old!

2011-08-24T15:42:00.000-06:00

10 Months ago today my life changed forever.

My little man Willy was born.

I can't believe how much he has changed since that day!

(Don't mind my swollen face and body 60 lbs. ago! ha)

He is learning and changing every single day.

He is very curious about new objects and textures.

He loves to empty anything that is put in front of him.

Here he is in San Diego emptying Brad's travel bag.

I love his mischievous face.

While we were in San Diego we had a lot of breakthroughs.

He crawled for the first time at Jerry and Mindee's house.

He wanted to play with his cousin Tayden and that was enough to motivate him.

He also took 5 steps by himself at Mindy's house.

He also had 4 new teeth come in.

He still loves "Go Diego Go" and the "Rescue Pack" song.

He loves "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and loves to dance.

He takes his walker all over our house and is always so proud of himself as he cruises around.

We always call him "Bob" or "Bobs."

Random we know! haha

He loves strangers and has to try to make friends out of every stranger he meets.

He loves to smile and show off his 4 top teeth.

I have learned so much from him about life and what it means to be selfless.

I love spending every moment I can with him because he is only a baby once right?

I can't wait to see what he learns next!

It's Been A Long Time

2011-08-22T21:52:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness.

So much to write about!!

Let me be fast!

Brad's family came into town a few weeks ago.

We hung out, ate yummy food and went to Cecret Lake.

That place is very special to us because 3 years ago Brad and I were engaged there.

That was our first time being back since.

After having fun with Brad's family for a couple of weeks we headed to sunny San Diego for a couple of weddings and to visit my sister Mindy!

I love this couple so much.

Maddi was GORGEOUS!

I was so happy we could be there in the temple with them.

I have a feeling we are going to be lifelong friends. :)

We also took Willy to the beach!

We also went and visited my brother Jerry and his wonderful family.

I have no idea why we didn't take any pictures together.

On our last day in San Diego we hit up our favorite taco/burrito place in San Diego.

It was featured on "Man vs. Food" and we are obsessed!

We had so much fun seeing Mindot and our friends down in San Diego.

She is such a good host and I love her so so much!

Last weekend I also did my first 5k.

I didn't do amazing but I didn't care. I was so happy that I could even do it!

Hopefully I can train better and do another 5k this fall.

It was fun though and I learned a lot!

Phew! Tons of things going on in our lives.

I'm actually pretty excited for Fall.

My YouTube channel has been so great as well.

I have learned so much from so many mommies from all over the world.

Today I hit 312 subscribers and I couldn't believe it.

That many people watch my videos? CRAZY!

haha

That's all for now!

Will is 9 Months and Sarah's Baby Shower

2011-07-31T21:23:00.000-06:00

So much to blog about before I get behind!

First of all, on July 24th Will turned 9 months old!

We went to the doctor and found out he is 21.4 lbs. and 50% for weight, height, and head circumference.

He is still trying to walk and cruising around the coffee table and couch.

He babbles all the time and loves eating everything that we're eating.

He also loves the shows "Yo Gabba Gabba" and "Go Diego Go."

He loves when I take him on morning jogs in our jogging stroller.

He just babbles and talks to me while we run.

I love him more everyday.

I don't think he could be any chubbier or rounder :)

One word: OBSESSED :)

On Saturday I held a baby shower in our backyard for my dear friend Sarah.

Can I just say how much I love Pinterest.com?

I got so many great ideas on there and I had fun putting it all together.

I made a little crepe bar.

I think I made about 40 crepes.

Don't worry there's only one left because we all can't stop eating them. haha

Poor Sarah was put on bedrest this past week.

She is such a trooper though and we were still able to have the shower.

Isn't she beautiful?

After the shower I took some pics of Will in his diaper.

I love his rolls!

Only a few more weeks and Will is going to have a little buddy named Aleksandr!

After the shower Brad and I headed to the Salt Lake Temple.

Our friend from Ukraine Alyona Shubina was getting sealed.

I haven't seen her in 3 years and I was so happy to be there on her big day.

We had a very busy weekend but we had a great time.

I was so excited too because my YouTube channel now has over 200 subscribers.

Thank you all so much for your support!

That's all for now :)

Baby Gap Mini Haul

2011-07-25T12:49:00.002-06:00

I'm A Mommy is obsessed with all things Baby Gap.

The other day they were having a C-R-A-Z-Y sale.

Check out my YouTube video

HERE

to find out what I bought my little man.

Hope you're all having a wonderful Monday!!

I Need To Blog

2011-07-20T16:46:00.003-06:00

It's time for a new blog post.

I must admit that I cringe every time I pull up my blog and it's a blog from over 2 weeks ago.

This is my attempt to post something new. :)

Life has been good but busy.

Brad's had a lot of bishopric meetings and I've had Young Women meetings.

There is hardly time to relax let alone blog.

I've found myself spending more time on YouTube and my videos.

It's fun to do something different for a change.

A couple of weeks ago Brad and I spoke in sacrament meeting.

It's crazy because neither one of us has spoken in sacrament since our homecomings 3 years ago.

It was such a wonderful opportunity and I loved hearing Brad speak.

It reminded me of when we were missionaries and how I was always impressed with his testimony and love for the gospel.

I have also been so grateful for true friends lately.

It's amazing how people come and go in our lives but it's always comforting to know that you have solid friends who are always there for you.

I also have a love/hate relationship with social media lately.

Sometimes it makes me compare myself and my relationships with others.

I hate that I look at who commented on what and who DIDN'T comment on my stuff.

It's all so unimportant but I'm such a girl sometimes and I get hurt.

I'm definitely contemplating getting rid of my accounts so I don't have to worry anymore.

Life is just so much easier sometimes without all of the technology don't you think?

Brad is also my hero.

Not only is he working hard at his job but he is training 2 times a day for his olympic triathlon in September.

He's lost so much weight and all of his clothes are baggy on him now.

I am so proud of him and his hard working personality.

Will is growing every day and next week he'll be 9 months old!
He's standing on his own now and talking all of the time.
A couple of weeks ago David Archuleta was at Simply Thai (he's there weekly) and Will met him.
David and his whole family kept talking about how cute Will was and David said, "Wow his eyes are so big! They are bigger than his mouth!" It was hilarious.
Will loved David and was all smiles when they met.
I love random run-ins like that.

That's all for now!!!

4th of July

2011-07-06T10:55:00.000-06:00

We had such a fun 4th of July.

Sunday night we had 2 couples sleep over at our house.

Both of them were Ukrainian mission friends.

We stayed up until 2 AM talking and laughing.

First thing Monday morning we headed to our neighborhood breakfast.

It was fun and delicious.

After breakfast we headed to the pool.

It was strangely cloudy but we still had a good time.

Will was squealing because he was so excited to swim.

He even went on a huge slide a few times with Brad.

After swimming we met up with my family and went to my Grandpa Chiddy's house.

It was fun showing Brad where I spent all my time growing up.

Here is Will trying on my Grandpa's shapka. haha

Will and Grandpa Max.

After my Grandpa's house we headed to dinner at Famous Daves.

Oh my goodness it was so so so delicious.

We all died because it was so nice to eat BBQ and not have to prepare it ourselves.

We then ended the night at Baskin Robbins.

Yum. :)

After ice cream Will was spent and we headed home.

He passed out for the night right after we walked in the door.

No fireworks for us.

We were so tired though so we were content. :)

We had such a great day with amazing friends and family.

I love holidays like that.

Brad also signed me up for a 5k a couple of weeks ago.

To be honest I am NOT a fan of running but I thought it would be fun to challenge myself and have a goal to work towards.

The last time I did a 5k was in 6th grade and the whole time I kept thinking, "Am I done yet?" haha

My race isn't until August so it will be fun to prepare for it.

Will is also starting to take more steps on his own.

Sometimes I will let go of his hand and he will just stand there on his own.

He's also just eating our food when we eat together.

My little baby is growing up so fast.

I love seeing what he'll learn to do next.

That's all for now!

Will's First Step

2011-06-27T16:49:00.000-06:00

Today has been a wonderful Monday.

Will and I were playing around this morning and something big happened.

HE TOOK HIS FIRST STEP!

He was standing up on his own and didn't realize I let go of his hands.

He took a step and remained standing until he realized he was on his own.

I was so excited I sent Brad a text right away!

I wonder how long it will take before Will is walking on his own.

Brad and I have also been eating healthy over the past month or so.

Brad has already lost 10 lbs!

Since my mom owns a Thai restaurant I am definitely a self-declared "Thai food snob."

I did however find THIS recipe and I've already made it twice.

It's supposedly a Thai Chicken Pizza recipe.

Of course it isn't "authentic" but it sure is delicious.

It has become one of our favorite meals.

It's so easy and healthy too.

I'm never a big fan of blog posts without pictures so I will leave you with a picture that makes my day every time I see it.

Enjoy!

(I am so obsessed with this guy!)

New Mommy Video

2011-06-26T00:28:00.000-06:00

Today has been a wonderful, relaxing Saturday.

We slept in, went grocery shopping, played croquet with Marcie and Graydo, had a BBQ, and ate Sub-Zero ice cream for dessert.

I also filmed another video about my skin care routine because I had received a few requests to do so. You can check out the video HERE.

I just started the blog for I'm A Mommy too so you can keep up with me over HERE.

I hope you all have a great Sunday!

That's all for now!

8 Months!

2011-06-24T21:15:00.001-06:00

Happy 8 months to this chubby guy.

He doesn't crawl and he doesn't even try to.

He likes to grab our fingers and walk EVERYWHERE.

I think my back aches from bending over so much.

He likes to stand up against the coffee table or couch.

He loves to laugh and giggle.

He loves to eat.

He loves his sippy cup. Thank goodness he likes it because he still hates the bottle.

He loves iChatting with Aunt Mindy and laughs every time her face is on the screen.

He sleeps on his stomach.

He grabs his toes and sucks on them all of the time.

Baby toys bore him. He only wants to play with anything that he isn't supposed to.

He loves to flirt with the girls that work at my mom's restaurant.

He loves people watching.

He loves to grab things off of the shelves or racks as we shop.

He is already in 9 month clothing.

I feel like he has grown up so much in the past couple of weeks.

I can see so much more of his personality in all that he does.

He is happy and outgoing.

I can also tell he is strong-willed and stubborn at times just like me :) haha

If he wants something he definitely wants it WHEN he wants it.

We love him so much and I can't ever imagine our family without him.

Love you Willy Pete!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-20T14:35:00.001-06:00

We had a great Father's Day.

I should have taken more pictures but I was too busy enjoying the day to do so.

I loved cuddling with these two,

opening presents,

playing around,

and eating blinchiki with strawberries and bananas.

My family came over for dinner and it was fun to spend time with all of them.

I'm grateful for all of the fathers in my life.

I love Brad for all he does every day to support Will and I.

He an amazing husband, father and best friend.

We also went to the REAL Salt Lake Game against DC United.

It was awesome because Marcie got us special VIP-type tickets.

We had amazing seats and free unlimited food!

We were so full it was hilarious.

I'll post pics when I get them off of Brad's phone.

I also posted a new video on my YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

It's about what products I use when I'm in a hurry and on-the-go.

That's all for now!

Happy Monday everyone!

This Is The Latest

2011-06-15T16:27:00.001-06:00

Last weekend Brad did a triathlon at Daybreak in South Jordan.

He did such a good job and I was so proud of him!

Today my mom was sworn in as a U.S. citizen.

We went downtown to the Rose Wagner Theater.

The program was 2 hours long and Will was a perfect little angel the entire time.

My mom has lived in America for 31 years and she made the decision to finally become a citizen. She was so excited. :)

It's amazing to think about the amazing things she has done since she has been in America.

I am so proud of her and all that she does for everyone in our family.

Go Mom!

I have had so much fun doing my new YouTube Channel.

I've been able to meet a lot of other moms from all over the world.

It's fun hearing about their experiences.

It fascinates me.

Well,

that's all for now!

My Life Motto

2011-06-14T12:39:00.002-06:00

Love this.

Weekend Update

2011-06-13T14:04:00.000-06:00

This weekend was fun.

On Friday I got an email from the church telling me that I had made it through the first cut to be an extra in the upcoming New Testament film. I guess they cut 11,000 people so I was really excited to have made it through.

I will keep you updated with how the 2nd cut goes!

On Saturday Brad did a triathlon at Daybreak in South Jordan.

He did such a good job and I was so proud of him.

(Pics to come later)

He placed 29th out of 131!

He has been training twice a day and his hard work definitely paid off.

He is my hero!

Yesterday was my first time teaching in Young Women.

I love the girls and other leaders already.

I feel so lucky to have the calling that I do.

Brad also got called yesterday to be the Assistant Ward Clerk.

Bishop Bytheway told us how busy we were both going to be with our callings but that everything would work out. It will be time consuming and a little difficult with our little baby Will but I know that if we work hard and serve hard we will be blessed.

I'm so excited to feel a part of the ward and to serve the amazing people in it.

Yesterday we also went to my parents' house for dinner.

Jerry, Mindee, Tayden and Mylee came over for dessert.

It was so hard for me because I knew it was the last time I was going to see them before they moved to California.

Now two of my siblings are out of state :(

I'm excited for them to experience something new but I am sad that Will won't get to grow up with his cousins Tayden and Mylee.

Hopefully they will move back here when they're a little older!

Well Will is down for a nap and I think I should take one myself.

That's all for now.

Happy Monday!

New Video

2011-06-10T16:27:00.000-06:00

I just uploaded a new video to my YouTube Channel.

Check it out HERE.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Swimming Lessons

2011-06-09T14:47:00.000-06:00

Will started swim lessons this past Tuesday.

It has been so much FUN I can't even explain.

He is by far the youngest kid in the class.

All of the other children are at least 2 years old.

Right when we got in the water he started grinning from ear to ear.

He started splashing splashing splashing everyone and everything.

The toddlers around us saw his example and started splashing too.

It was hilarious.

Since Will is so young he has no fear of the water and therefore is a great swimmer.

I put him on his belly (my arm supporting him of course) and he will kick his legs and move his arms to swim the length of the pool.

It's so funny to see his bum crack as swims across the pool.

I love his chubby thighs kicking and kicking trying to push through the water.

Today was our 2nd lesson and Brad took an early lunch so he could join us.

We were laughing so hard at Will that our stomachs hurt.

It's so hilarious to watch our little boy try to swim.

It's so great watching Will learn and grow and discover the world.

That's all for now!