First Swim of the Season

We have been waiting for our first opportunity to go swimming. Aubrey has a few cute swimsuits and sandals and I couldn't wait to get to use them. Thanks to my friend Kim for inviting us to her apartment pool to go swimming. And thanks to the weather for being warm enough! Now we can't wait to go to 7-peaks. Hopefully soon!

Fun with the Attridge's

We had a fun evening with Esther & Bryan yesterday. I had bought Jeff a tri-tip to celebrate his citizenship, so we invited the Attridge's to come for dinner. Aubrey, actually warmed up to them pretty quickly! At one point she even crawled off of my lap and onto Esther's lap to play with her necklace. I don't think that has ever happened! Maybe her clingy days are coming to a close! That would be such a relief for me! She also played ball with Bryan and Esther for awhile. Esther even got a kiss from Aubrey towards the end of the evening.

I also made star shaped sugar cookies and frosted them red and blue for the celebration. The stars didn't hold there shape very well when they were cooked - because these cookies are so light and fluffy and melt in your mouth type of sugar cookies! Thanks Keri for the amazing recipe. You may be appalled to know that your Canadian sugar cookies were used to celebrate Jeff becoming an American!! :)

BBQ in the Canyon

Last Sunday Elliot & Katie invited us all to a BBQ in Provo Canyon. Elliot made us some yummy chicken topped with Wingers amazing sauce. After dinner we were all going to take a short walk and then head home. Well, we ended up getting stuck in the canyon for a few hours because there was a terrible fatal accident right at the entrance to the park we were at. So, we took a long stroll instead and the boys even started a fire in a fire pit without any matches. They were our "Survivor Men".

Walker

So, I have heard from many moms that their babies stopped being clingy once they learned to walk. I really want Aubrey to go to Grandma & Grandpa Buell, when we visit them next month. So, I have been really working with her. She can stand alone, she can push herself to standing just using the floor, she can even dance while standing - but she is too chicken to take a step! So, I bought her a cheap walker to try and help her take some steps. Just after a few tries she was walking like a pro. with it. But, she still won't attempt any steps on her own. If a move away from her as she is standing and call for her, she will bend over as far as she can until she reaches me. That little stinker! Oh well, we might not make walking by the Canada trip, but I still hope she will play with them and not be clinging on to me the whole time!

Jeff's a Citizen

Today Jeff officially became a citizen of the United States of America. He was sworn in at a ceremony this morning. I didn't expect the ceremony to be as nice as it was. I even got teary eyed. There were some really cute first grade kids who did a little program for us. They sang several patriotic songs and told us why they were glad to be Americans. They also had a welcome video from President Bush and a musical slide show of America with the song, "I'm Proud to be an American." And of course the candidates all rose there arm and repeated the oath. After the ceremony we went straight to the Post Office so Jeff could apply for a passport. Cross your fingers that it will come really soon, so we can go on a trip to Canada. Then we had a celebration lunch at PF Changs. Congratulations Jeff for becoming an American!

Congratulations Stacy

My friend Stacy has been a closet poet for years. She finally decided to share her talent a few years ago and has won several awards since! She has an amazing talent and I am glad that I was one of the first to read her poems! I know one day she will be famous - so I hope when she is she will remembers the little people!

This year at the Utah State Poet Society Annual Contest she won a first prize and an honorable mention. Below are her two award winning poems. "The Question" won first prize and "Dreaming Herself Alive" won an honorable mention.

She gave me permission to post her poems - but remember that her poems are copyrighted.

The Question

Desire in the eyes

of the boy,

hands on her waist

waiting permission.

Smiling like someone

just given

an unopened gift.

A rolled up Navy uniform
reveals her nickname,
“Bunny,”
sewn into his arm.

The photograph fits
in the book,
before my father.

“Would I still be
your little girl,” I ask,
“if you had married him?”

She winks at me.
The question floats
over us,
into the past.

I tilt the picture sideways,
away from the ending.

A fiery harbor,
a plane flying
too close to it,
singed the sky black,
the boy who flew.

I take one more
guilty look at his face.
The man who could have
erased me.

~Stacy W. Julin

Dreaming Herself Alive

She had hair the color of the sun
when it’s too bright to look at.
Ex-husbands she prayed
she would not see in heaven.

Her life went by as a season.
Changing color like leaves,
drying up before their wonder
can be revealed.

Songs came to her in dreams.
She could play them upon waking,
in the dark.
Her fingers dribbling
up and down the piano keys.

Paintings on her walls,
mostly unfinished,
landscapes of places not visited.

She was an old woman
with a clock and a floor heater,
always keeping rhythm.
Reading the Bible, Frost, Dickinson.

From her blue chair,
she fed me words
that ran around my head
and down my spine.

She’s a dreamer, people said.
But when the color left her eyes
along with the faces in her scrapbook,
it was all there still,
in her vivid
musical dark.

~Stacy W. Julin

The above poems are copyrighted to the author, Stacy Julin and may not be used without her consent.

Boondocks

We had a little family get together at Boondocks on Saturday. I have never been there before - it was fun. They have mini-golf, laser tag, batting cages, arcade games, car racing, & bumper boats. Aubrey's favorite parts were the color button arcade game (see pic below), holding the extra golf balls during mini-golf, sharing Elliot & Katie's pizza & waving at mom as she would pass on the race course.

Picnic with Daddy & the Ducks!

Since today was finally a beautiful spring day and since we don't get to see much of Jeff on fridays - we met Jeff at the Botany Ponds for a picnic lunch break.

Aubrey only says about 5 words and duck is one of them. (Her other words are MaMa, DaDa, that & ball) Ducks have been her favorite animal for months. But, she hasn't seen a real duck since last summer. I didn't think she would know what they were - but boy was I wrong. As soon as she saw them she started pointing excitedly and saying, "duck, duck, duck". We got a little video of her saying duck below.

She was giggling more before I started filming - but you can hear a small giggle below.

MORE PICS FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS

Alabama Adventures & Marvelous Mothers Day!

Thanks to the Bagley Family for the most wonderful time in Alabama!

First of all, Aubrey was a little dream girl on all of our flights. There was lots of playing, sleeping & cuddling - but absolutely no tears. (I wish I could say the same about her behavior while in Alabama.)

The Bagley's were such great hosts. We had sooooo much fun!

DAY 1

We arrived to a really fun greeting at the airport. Karen, Thomas, Kaylyn, Tyler & Katie were all excitedly waiting for us! Once we got to their home, Dane was home from work and awaiting our arrival. We got a tour of their beautiful home and played in the backyard for a bit. Then we had a wonderful dinner. We tried giving Katie and Aubrey a bath together - but they were a little shy and didn't enjoy it much. Then Aubrey got to open a fun birthday present from the Bagley's. They got her a musical card - since Aubrey likes music so much, and toddler crayons and markers. (She played with them today and loved them!)

DAY 2


We spent the morning playing both inside and out and the afternoon shopping. That evening Kaylyn gave us a really good family home evening lesson on Daniel and the Lion's Den that she prepared herself! Then we went to their beautiful, new outdoor mall. We took a little stroll, rode a carousel & had ice-cream. Aubrey had her first taste of ice-cream and absolutely loved it! She kept grabbing my cone and pushing it up to her mouth. We were both quite sticky afterward!

DAY 3


We went to a the Children't museum. The kids had such a fun time. I think this was Aubrey's favorite part of the trip. They have a talking tree there, a play fish pond, puppet show area, pretend grocery store and farm, a climbing area, & water fountains to play in. Thomas, Kaylyn and Tyler were real sweet and entertained the babies the whole time. They put on puppet shows, played grocery store and farm. Tyler gathered all of the ducks for Aubrey - because he knew that ducks were her favorite. Aubrey actually went to Kaylyn for a few minutes without crying! This was an amazing feat - cause she was very clingy the whole trip.

DAY 4

There was a tornado warning this day. Karen got a call from Tyler's preschool that he needed to be picked up early. After she returned home she found out that the older kids school was also closing early - so she went and picked Thomas and Kaylyn up as well. We made chocolate chip cookies and played clue. While playing we heard alarms ringing through the streets. They are a warning that a tornado is on it's way. That was pretty scary. But, we checked the news and it wasn't headed towards us, thankfully or we would have had to hang out in the closets! After the storm past we went for a walk to the school and played on the playground.

DAY 5

Dane only works half day on friday - so we went to the Space and Rocket center. It was really fun. They not only have educational information on Rockets and space travel, but a rock wall to climb, playground, and some rides. It was a really neat place. Aubrey warmed up to Karen and actually went to her a few times!! Hurray! Afterwards, we went to a yummy southern BBQ. I ate way too much - but every bite was delicious! We returned home and packed up for our trip back home. Then Dane, Karen and I played clue and Wii. And I won both Clue and the wii bowling! Hurray for me!

Thanks again Bagley's for showing us a wonderful time in Alabama.

MOTHER'S DAY

So, Aubrey & I get home on Saturday evening. I expect that Jeff has spent his week relaxing and taking a break himself. Instead, I come home to freshly painted hall and entry way walls and new baseboards. Jeff spent the whole week working on the walls as a mother's day surprise for me! What a very sweet husband, and an awesome surprise. He also had flowers waiting for me.

Today he watched Aubrey so I could have a much needed and wonderful afternoon nap. Then he made a scrumptious dinner for me. We had Steak, twice baked potatoes, corn on the cob, garlic bread and salad. I had the best mother's day! I love you Jeff - thanks for all of the wonderful surprises!

My Mom

I just wanted to wish my Mom a happy mother's day! Thanks mom for all you do for me. You have always put your family first and served us unselfishly. I have always known that you love me and that you delight in my accomplishments. Thanks for being the best mom ever! I love you!

My Mother-In-Law

Happy Mother's Day to you also! Thank you for always making me feel loved and part of the family! You have always been so kind to me! Thanks for also adoring our little Aubrey. I love that you want to hear all of the stories and see all of the pictures! We can't wait to see you next month! We love you!