happy thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year with the Jones family. We had dinner at Tim's parents house with all of his family, grandparents and Aunt. Later that evening, we enjoyed our traditional movie with my family & Tim's family. It's a tradition that's been going strong for 11 years now. This year we saw, "Fantastic Mr. Fox."

what are YOU thankful for?

If you haven't seen this video already, you must.
This message is beautiful!

Payton is THANKFUL for...
macaroni & cheese
that we're not naked our whole lives
Utah Utes
football & soccer & basketball (okay, all sports)
Mom & Dad
my brothers
reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid
all toys & legos
my friends
food (except for enchiladas)
my thanksgiving & Utah Utes place mats

Parker is THANKFUL for...
Mom & Dad
scissors
his head
all sports
my legos
lots & lots of friends
Payton & Cooper
my place mats I made all by myself

Cooper is THANKFUL for...
balls
milk
big brothers
puppies
bears & monsters
grandparents
mommy
daddy

baby love

My first born is seven going on eight years old. Since that time, I've had two additional babies. Tim's side of the family has been great at producing cousins, but my side of the family, not so much. I've waited a long time to have one of my siblings experience the joy of procreation. Finally, after patiently (okay maybe not so much) waiting, my sister and brother both welcomed their first born child into the world this past week.

Harper Jean Norton
6 lbs 13 oz
20 inches long
Friday, November 13th
Proud Parents Brian & Erika Norton

My sister lives in Vail, CO and since I do have three children, it's not so easy to just drop everything and go visit her. It was excruciating to not be there with her. I love staring at pictures of Harper and can't wait to meet her in just a few weeks. I can be patient for a little bit longer. Tim was working in Denver this past week and was able to go visit them. I was so comforted knowing that he was taking them dinner and giving them a hand delivered care package.

Six days later we welcomed another baby into our family...

Sophia Rae Bergstrom
8 lbs
21 inches
Thursday, November 19th
Proud Parents Clint & Becca Bergstrom

Luckily, Sophia lives near and I've already been able to love on her. She is delicious. If it wasn't illegal, I would have run out of the hospital with her.

I love these babies so much!

There is nothing better than a brand new baby. There is nothing better than the feelings that overcome you in the hours and days after the birth of a child; your child. I love hearing every detail of the birth. I love talking to my sister and brother and hearing their feelings and emotions. I love remembering my own first born and his birth. I love being able to experience all the emotions with them. I'm not sure what's with all the nostalgia lately, but I love that too!

In honor of my siblings new babies (and to indulge myself) here are some pictures of my first born.

hours old

2 days old

2 weeks old

6 weeks old

2 months old
I did not style his hair that way...it was out of control and was not manageable.

It was manageable once it got longer, but it looked like a bad wig.

6 months old

9 months old
Payton & Sydni McAllister

Payton at 1-year-old saying, "I don't know"

14 months old
Clint & Becca's Wedding

16 months old
Already loving sports

18 months old
Payton & Jaxson Chilcote

2 years old
Payton with his first cousin, Ashton

Thanks for letting me indulge. I seriously can't believe where the time has gone. I've had three babies. My youngest baby is on his way to becoming a man and I just want it to stop. However, it's remarkable how amazing every single stage of a baby, toddler and child's life is. I'm constantly in awe and wonder of how my little first born has turned into this:

Okay, you get my point...enjoy those sweet little babies while they last!

johnnie connie

Last weekend, I was with three of my best friends driving down Walker Lane at 10:30 pm on a Friday night. The circumstances were familiar. This was something we had done together many, many, too many times before. However, this time it was different.

Instead of driving in my green Dodge Neon with my CD player (with a detachable face) blasting while we sang along to tunes like; Glycerine or Ride that Choo Choo or Kiss Me with Your Mouth; we were driving in a Suburban filled with car seats, sippy cups and an ipod that was turned off.

Instead of screaming to the lyrics of a song, we were enjoying talking and laughing with each other. We had so much to talk about that we didn't have time to sing along to the music.

Last weekend, as I sat in the car with Michelle, Camille & Heidi I realized that it had been over 12 years since we made this drive together. So many feelings came rushing back to me.

For a moment, I felt young. For a moment, I felt the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders. For a moment, I was not a mother. For a moment, I was a carefree girl out for the night with her friends. For just one tiny moment in time, I was the old me. The old me that used to be so carefree.

In this moment, I thought about the difference that 12 years has made. The last time we did this drive together we were young and so, so, so carefree. In fact, we were so carefree that this was the only thing we had to do on a Friday night. Cruise Walker Lane and visit our good friend; Johnnie Connie.

We were so carefree that we befriended this statue and gave him an entire family (Bonnie, Lonnie, Ronnie, Connie and, my personal favorite, the exchange student; Franschwany.) We spent much time talking about our great friends the Connies. Everyone that knew us, knew them. We visited Johnnie often and left him many presents (like the one in the picture above).

We built this fictitious family because it was fun. We had nothing better to do. We all had jobs, school, boyfriends and responsibilities, but for the most part, our lives were carefree. It was a fun way to escape our daily realities.

Now, 12 years later, we are raising our own families. We're not spending our time visiting little jockey statues and making up entire families. We're telling silly stories to our own little people in our own homes. We still have jobs, but they are much different. We still have school, but it's for our children not ourselves. Our boyfriends are now our husbands. Our responsibilities are no longer small, but much greater than they used to be.

We still find ways to escape reality. Last weekend, this was the perfect reality check for me. After a long week with a sick baby, a husband out of town, a friend moving away, adjusting to new routines, and feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. I was able to escape reality for just a moment. I was able to join the land of the Connies. I was able to remember the feeling of being so carefree.

As I drove up the hill to my home at 11:30 pm on a Friday night, I realized that I love the new me just as much as the old me. I've been blessed with the most amazing life. This past weekend was a great reminder of why It's so good to revisit the old in order to appreciate the new.

As much as I loved the Connies, I wouldn't trade my Tim, Payton, Parker or Cooper for a Johnnie, Connie, Ronnie or even Franschwany ever!