Just keeping it real.

This picture pretty much sums up how I have been feeling lately...

I honestly feel like I am losing my mind.
I have been so spacey lately.
I am not usually so scattered.
I am not usually so out of it.
I guess I am in some sort of weird funk.

A friend told me yesterday that sometimes when our minds are so full of thoughts and if we are too stressed it will "purge" out some of the less important things.

Maybe that is what is happening.

Or it might be because I am so over living in 600 sq. feet of space with two VERY active and loud but incredibly cute and fun boys.

Or maybe it is because I counted how many times I vacuumed my floor yesterday and it was six. Is that normal?

Or perhaps it is just that I am getting old and should except the territory.

Or maybe because elements of my life would make a great script for these people...seriously.

Or maybe because "just one of those days" has became more like "just one of those months" for some odd reason...

So to help rejuvenate my sanity today I took a walk, while listening to Enya (love her!), and took a little mind vacay to this place...

It helped a little.
It always does.
If now I could just somehow get my hands on some pastizzi to make the fantasy a tad more real I think we would have some real progress here.

Have you heard?

Todd is no longer an unemployed man. That is right, he signed today with a consulting firm, our #1 choice. I am so proud of him. He has been working his little tail off preparing for the grueling interviews for BCG and after both rounds of interviews, he got the offer. We were and are ecstatic. So where is this consulting firm and where will we be moving you ask? Well here are a few hints....

If you you still don't have it, maybe this will give your brain a jolt...

Yup, we are moving to the Lone Star State. We will be heading to Dallas sometime this summer. Here is what I am looking forward to the most about moving to Texas in no particular order:

1. Trying out the "stars at night" song on innocent bystanders to see if it really works.
2. Mingling with my fellow Republicans.
3. Going through sticker shock at how cheap everything is.
4. Eating great Tex Mex and BBQ.
5. Hearing "y'all" and "fixin" in every day conversation.
6. Warm weather and NO SNOW!
7. Getting that superiority complex that all Texans get.
8. Super Target. Enough said.
9. House hunting for a Texas sized home.
10. All the AWESOME family friendly activities Dallas has to offer.

So yeah. In a nutshell we are pretty dang excited.
Who wants to come visit? :)

Halloween Festivities

The boys caught the swiney...after all my disinfecting, vaccinating, hand washing, etc, so Halloween was limited to our quarantined apartment this year. Poor boys. The boys got a visit from a good, nice little witch who brought them some goodies since they wouldn't be Trick or Treating this year. Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle David also came up and had a little Halloween party with us. Even though the boys weren't able to go out to all their Halloween parties with their friends, we had a very fun Halloween together.

Tagg at his Joy School Halloween party singing the "Fat Pumpkin" song...

Peter Pan and Captain Hook!

A note from the good little witch who brought the boys some goodies!

Our little Halloween Par-tay...

Tagg the little sickie...

Grandma and Grandpa brought up some fun Halloween games for the boys Halloween night...

Sunbeam Party

Thatcher has had the best, BEST Sunbeam teachers, The Calls. He has loved them, and we have LOVED them! They were so sweet and threw this cute little party for all the Sunbeams and their families. They have moved out of our ward and we are so sad! They will be missed!

Bend it like Thatcher!

This is Thatcher's first year in Soccer and he LOVES it. He is pretty good, but I have to say he is like his Mom and his favorite part is socializing with all his little friends. They are so cute chasing the ball around in a little huddle, and scoring goals. It has been a lot of fun to watch him play!

How bout them Apples!

We were excited to take part in the New England tradition of Apple picking again this year...we had a blast and the boys LOVE Apple Picking. I do not know what it is, but they have the best time. seriously. Although you could never tell from these pictures! It is so hard to get these boys to smile long enough and sit still long enough to get a decent pictures! We had a great time and we will miss going to this fun family farm next Fall!

October 24th

8 years ago today I was doing this...

That day I met one Crazy Pretty Lady who would become my "bosom friend",
I also met one very diligent Elder...

Then came a lot of personal growth...

Seeing many mighty miracles...

And making kindred friends for life...

Shortly after I fell in love with that diligent missionary...
and he became my diligent, wonderful, husband.

Then came these two monkeys...

...who I couldn't love more...

I am so grateful I was where I was 8 years ago today.
October 24th 2001 changed my life forever...

GIVE AWAY!

Okay guys...I have finally gotten settled again after our move and I am feeling jazzed about my Party Decor, so I am having my first give away!

Go on over to Panache and Pizzazz Parties for the details!

Kirtland and Palmyra Trip

On our way back to Boston from Kentucky we decided to make it fun and go through Kirtland and Palmyra. I have been to both places several times before since I am from the East Coast, but Todd and the boys had never been. I am always up for a good summer road trip, and we had such a great time! Along the way we sang songs, played the "animal game" and "20 questions", watched Scooby Doo episodes, stayed at hotels, ate Denny's breakfasts, drove through summer thunderstorms and beautiful scenery, and most of all had so much fun just being together.
We went to Kirtland first and toured the Kirtland Temple and Newel K. Whitney store, house, ect. It was really neat and the cute sister missionaries there did such a good job catering the tour to the boys. One of the highlights was sitting upstairs of the Whitney store as a family in the "School of the Prophets" and feeling the sweet spirit that still resides in that room.
After visiting Kirtland we drove on to Rochester and stayed the night there and visited Palmyra the next day. It was a special family experience to take the boys to the Hill Cumorah, Smith Home, and Sacred Grove. Every time I visit Palmyra my testimony is strengthened as the spirit bears witness to what happened there almost 200 years ago. In a remote town in the middle of upstate New York the gospel of Jesus Christ was once again restored to the earth. To a common farm boy who was only 14 years old a sincere prayer was answered and the world was forever changed. As we sat in the Sacred Grove my thoughts couldn't help but turn to numberless times I told the very story of young Joseph kneeling in that very thicket of trees to the Italians and the Maltese, each time the spirit witnessing to me again of the validity of that event. It was wonderful to be there as a family and reflect back on what was started there, and the legacy of faith that our family has been given.

We're Back!!!

It is SOOO good to be back!
We really did love Kentucky, but we TOTALLY missed Boston!!

Tagg Turns 3!!!

On September 1st, our little Tagg turned 3! I cannot believe my baby is 3 years old! We had a friends party the Saturday before his birthday with friends from church and Westgate. We love our Boston friends!! On his birthday Taggie started Joy School, so after it was over we came home and opened presents and had cake and ice cream later that night. Tagg is such a joy to have in our family, he cracks us up and is SO loving and kind. He brings lots of laughs and love into our little family and we couldn't imagine life without our little Tagg-a-lag!

Labor Day Weekend

For Labor Day Weekend we headed down to my parents house in Rhode Island. It was also Todd's birthday on Saturday, and the BIG BYU game (Go Cougars!). On Todd's Birthday we went to Narragansett Beach, and had a BLAST! The kids loved playing in the waves, finding sea shells, building sand castles, and taking turns burying each other in the sand. It was such a fun day!
Todd got his only birthday wish that night when the Cougars beat the Sooners. For those of you who don't know Todd has two loves in his life...Me and BYU football. I am being serious. To say we bleed blue is an understatement. It was a very exciting game and was a perfect end to Todd's birthday!

Welcome to the Big Kids Club! :)

Joy School!

The boys started Joy School! We are double timing it this year as Tagg is in the 3 year old group, and Thatch is in the 4 year old group. They are LOVING it and come home saying the cutest things about the things they have learned. We are so lucky to live around so many great families who we do Joy School with! I love that my kids can go over to their homes and learn from some of the most amazing women I have ever met.
When I am not teaching I have the house to myself for 3 WHOLE HOURS! I hardly know what to do with myself. It has been a serial experience going to the Grocery Store mid-day all by myself!
We are looking forward to a VERY fun Joy School Year!



Thatcher and Taggart first day of Joy School, September 1, 2009.

Tagg all ready for Joy School!

Thatch's second year of Joy School...

Here is Tagg's cute little group that I taught last week.

Panache and Pizzazz Parties!

Hey everyone! I have started a little Partyware blog and Etsy shop and would love for you to come by and take a look! Please grab a button while you are there and spread the word to all your friends! Thanks!