What I DIDN'T do this weekend...

I didn't do the dishes or the laundry. I didn't vacuum or dust. I didn't pack a single box or clean the garage. I didn't go to church (I know, I'm a sinner), I didn't tend to my kids after 5:45 on Saturday. I didn't grocery shop, I didn't clean the bathroom.

What did I do then?

I took a stay-cation with my hubby. We stayed home without kids. We watched what we wanted to, we ate cereal at hours you wouldn't think were cereal eating hours. We nuggled and talked. We stayed in bed until 11 yesterday. Of all the vacations we've ever gone on, our stay-cation was right up there for me. I forgot how much I miss Bry. He works so much and we have so much going on it was so nice just to get back to us.

Bry I hope you know how amazing I think you are. This weekend was exactly what I needed and you knew that. Thank you for being my best friend, my lover, and the most amazing father to our beautiful children.

Rocks

Do you ever have one of those days where you think if you don't go out sans the kids you may go crazy? Your head might explode and fire might start coming out of your neck? Now you know what I was like last night. It had been one of those days and I just needed some mommy time. I knew my 3 bff's needed the same so it was for sure a perfect night for GNO. Britt and I had been talking about doing such a night because she'd been super mom since moving here so I called Bry and the plans started coming together.

Until recently I didn't realize how much I rely on my amazing bff's. Last night was total proof of how much I love these girls. We went and had dinner and hung out at Neilson's. (Btw, I'm amazed at how I can't eat most starchy foods (thank you lovely lap band of mine!) but last night my body knew I was in need and I was able to eat french fries dipped in fry sauce... thank you lapband God's!!) I felt like a school girl as we talked and laughed until they closed. I love that I can talk about anything with these girls.. and let me tell you nothing was off limits last night! It was so fun!

Thanks girls for being my besties! You make my life so much easier just being in it. I'm so glad we live so close so these girls nights can happen more often!

Get Real Mom's....

So I'm totally doing a shout out for this super awesome website that I know of. I actually helped them with the making of the website (giving my opinions and such-- my husband would call it QA'ing) and I think that it will be a pretty cool website once more people join. Currently there are 2 contests going on one to win $1000 CASH and the other to win $500 CASH! I, sadly, can not enter the contest because of my hubby's employer so if you win, we'll just split the proceeds! :) They have contests each month and I've seen the prizes, they are pretty cool!
It's called Real Moms Guide and it's free to join. Join, request me as a friend. Make my husband happy. Make me happy by having my husband stop harassing me.

I know I sound like I don't like the site, but I actually do. There are some pretty cool links and cool groups to join ( Mom's of Mesa --that's mine). There is also one for dinner ideas and one for LDS Mom's.

So, ya. Go, check out the fun. Find out about earning Karma, watch funny kid home videos , there also is a little TV show they have on there. Like I said, it's a pretty neat site! Check it out! Tell me what you think or if you have any suggestions, let me know, my opinion to them is what's important! ;)

Catching Up

My Mom, Summer, and I at the luncheon following
the funeral. Is Summer not the cutest pregnant girl you've
ever seen?!

I've been crazy busy these past few weeks! I flew to Redding, CA for my Grandma's funeral and was able to stay for 4 days. It was an amazingly beautiful funeral. I'm so grateful for the ward members there who brought dinners to my Grandpa and my Uncle's house to feel all 20 million of us and also to the sweet Relief Society who put together a beautiful luncheon after the services.
I'm also so thankful for all the amazing friends and family I have who helped me with my kids so I could go to alone.

I love my family. I miss my Grandma. I'm still grieving and know that she is in such a better place though I miss her dearly.

Summer's cutie son Carson (she stole my name)


Jared and Emma (who had the flu! poor baby!)

Bad pic, but this is my Uncle driving the hearse
to the cemetery... my Grandma's only son
giving her her last ride. Pretty cool, huh?


After a looong flight home (bad weather in No. Cal causing me to nearly miss my connecting flight and having to run through San Francisco International Airport and having my PANTS FALL DOWN!! lol) I was ready to sleep a lot. Sadly, kids don't alow that. It was back to the hustle and bustle.

Friday the kids had off school and we went to see Disney On Ice which my awesome sister gave us tickets to! We had super awesome seats (6 rows from the ice) and were entertained the whole time! Natali has now decided she wants to be an ice skater and Giovanni wants to be an ice cleaner- man that kid has high hopes! lol.


Friday night we went to see the Easter Pageant at the Mesa Temple. It was my first time ever going, and next year I will be sure to go without kids! It was still neat but the intire time trying to explain to Giovanni that it wasn't the real Jesus and that they were just actors wasn't really helping me to pay attention. But still, I'm glad I went.

Saturday was a hard day. We had to put our sweet new puppy to sleep. We don't know what happened. The vet thinks she was poisened. It was so a hard day for all of us. The kids tell us all the time how much they miss Taylor and even Sophie keeps looking around for her.

Sunday we had Easter at our house. There were 9 adults and 6 kids! It was fun!! My BFF Britt and her hubby moved to Gilbert that weekend so they came with Kase and enjoyed the festivities with my family, Bry's mom and sis and her kids, and my parents and my cous Jen! We had a fun Easter Egg hunt (well, more like we put the eggs on the grass and they picked them up) and ate yummy food!

I guess that sums up our last week! OH! Except... Guys, I've lost almost 60lbs!!! I can't believe it!!!

A Taco Stand In Heaven

At my wedding 3/23/07


When we were little kids my Grandma used to tell us we would have a Taco Stand in Heaven so that we wouldn't be afraid to die. We've often talked about this said taco stand and joked about how it will be when we all get up there and start cooking.
Yesterday I got a call that rocked my world. My Grandma suffered a massive stroke that left her with no brain waves. The Dr said it wasn't a matter of IF she would pass, it was a matter of WHEN. My dear Grandpa sat in the hospital holding his sweethearts hand and talking to her the whole time. He told the nurse "we've been married 66 years and I'd do it all again".
They put her on morphine so she wouldn't be in pain. At 1:15 this morning they stopped the morphine and at 1:25 my Grandma went to live with our Father in Heaven. My Grandpa said as he was talking to her those last 10 minutes he noticed out of one of her eyes tears were rolling down her face, he felt her Spirit so strong and knew her love for all of us.
My heart hurts. I cried myself to sleep last night. Twice. I found myself thinking about my Grandma and I could hear her sweet voice. I could hear her telling me that she was so proud of me and that I was "always smiling, always happy". I was in the shower this morning and I started wondering if my Grandma was helping to take care of my babies until they come here to me, thinking about that made me cry.
I am thankful for the knowledge of the Gospel. I feel comforted in knowing I will see my Grandma again and get the giggles when we're talking like I did in 99% of the conversations I had with her.
I'm sure she's having an amazing reunion with her brothers and sister and her parents. All of whom have been gone quite a while now. As for us? We're having tacos for dinner tonight, I can smell the beef cookin' from Heaven, can't you?