Monday, February 8, 2010

things to consider...


...when your kids tell you they are going outside to play and it's snowing, it's probably important to double check what your kids are wearing.
...bunkbeds always seem like a great idea, but changing those sheets can be a beast.
...when your baby poo-poos in the tubby, it's once less diaper you are changing.
...homemade onion rings are better fried, than baked (thanks mindy & nachelle).
...when your husband says he is going to be home at 4:30 or 5, always plan on 6:30
...if you havent used or worn something in the past 6 months, someone else could probably use it.
...reality sTEvE is usually always right.
...it takes less energy to give someone the benefit of the doubt, than to be critical.
...going to bed at 9pm needs no explanation (you've heard the phrase "early to bed, early to rise...")
...when someone driving behind you in a minivan, follows you frantically into a parking lot and pulls up bedside you (as you both are dropping your girls off for dance class) and runs out of her car and starts frantically telling you to roll down your window, while pointing her finger at you & shouting about how you "cut her off back there on such & such road"...never, EVER roll down your window.
...lighting a candle always makes your home seem cleaner.
...when your husband falls asleep in sacrament meeting, don't get mad at him...because the truth is you wish you could sleep sitting up as well.
..."victoria" does have a really good "secret" (post nursing bra essentials).
...underated: a good work out, breath mints, mascara, binkis, good conversation, being happy for others, fabuloso cleaner, fresh bed sheets out of the dryer.
...keep it real my friends.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

flip flops in january...

i usually think January is a bit of a bore but it turned out to be a pretty legit month...we flew to AZ for the rock-n-roll half marathon mid-month! it was super fun to be back on old stomping grounds & hanging at the arnold's pad. janae ran the race with us...it was her first half and she "rocked it"


cam was so hysterical that day...i swear the kids didn't break a sweat - how can guys do that??? - he was taking all sorts of crazy pics during the race...check him out in the background of the pic of me & janae...then he said he took the pic to the right cause he was taking a picture of all the mile markers (which i might add that timing is wrong) but i swear he was taking it of the chick running with minimal clothing LOL!


need i say more on the two pics above he took? it was like he had 5 red bulls before the race but the thing is he has never had a red bull in his life. i almost knocked him out after he took the pic of me running...that's when i drew the line and made him leave us...he ran the first 5 with us to "get us pumped!"


my favorite running partner! (ntyocew).


gave a shout out to john mccain who was cheering people on at the beginning of the race...


it is a perfect race with perfect weather! luv az...


grandpa johnny with lundyn & jill


we got to meet up with some great friends (and also missed out on seeing some great friends, who will we def. catch next time!) how cute are seth, lu, vanny & caleb! we rocked the watson house, it may never be the same!


luv ya meg.


linda & her vannah


sometimes people are put into our lives and have such an impact that it is hard to explain the difference they have made. we sure luv the arnold's and their friendship.


as savannah would say "i can't wait to have lunch with my nurse pam!" it was great to meet up with pami for lunch, a day after her birthday! i luv pam, she is a great example to me...she is full of life, love, knowledge, inspiration, and so much character.


but pedis & lunch with sar were great, dropping in on miss prego james was super fun, taking snacks & magazines to carly who is on bedrest with twiners...my girls luved wearing flip flops in January...

this last week we took a quick trip to north carolina to see duke play at Cameron indoor. cam works with a girl whose dad use to play for duke, so she hooked us up with tickets...seriously it was pretty much a once in a lifetime experience...we stayed at the washington duke inn that is on the duke campus
a quick little get-a-way...no kiddos...

the campus is pretty amazing...so much history.
it was crazy...we headed down to check things out in the early afternoon (the game didn't start til 9) and the arena was open and we literally walked right in and gave ourselves a self guided tour...cam was taking a million pics.


the media room, the locker room...don't think we should have been in these places...

the atmosphere was pretty crazy amazing...we had awesome seats! all decked out in our dukie gear!

we beat florida state, it was a great game! emily got a pic with dick vitale!!!



the next day we went golfing on the course...ive never been before so i was not very good at all :) but it was super fun, a beautiful sunny day!



always so fun being with em & matt...to the airport chocolate croissants, to the dessert room service (LOL), to "give harry potter his sweater back", to hot tubs, bookstores, and memorable times with bf's.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

ain't that top picture the truth...

seriously...how exhaustingly awesome, freaking magical, spiritually empowering, endlessly delicious, over the top fantastic was this holiday season...and now, like the picture above, we are busted!
we were suppose to chill here in denver for the christmas holiday, which has been the norm the past 3 christmas's wherever we have been, because cam usually has to work. but cam ened up getting off early on christmas eve and didn't have to work until sunday so completely last minute, he concocted a plan to drive to utah to surprise my fam! we pretty much threw everything into the car, the girls put on their christmas jammies from nanny & a key on the door for santa in case he needed to leave any big gifts at our house, and we rolled out! we watched christmas movies all the way to utah...ate sugar cookies...sang Christmas songs & could hardly contain ourselves...we wrapped jillian in a basket and then doorbell ditched my house...it was perfect timing because our big family party was just starting...my mom answered the door and was confused...and then started screaming & everyone came running to the door! it was so fun! it was great to be "home" for the holidays even if it seems like a blur now...like savannah said numerous times this month, "i wish everyday was christmas!" im sure like many of you, i could post a million pics but here are some of my favorite highlights...
leaving the key for santa...
he did drop of a new kitchen for lucy & desk for vanny!
getting ready to pull off our doorbell ditch, look at jill cheesing!
surprise, yes this picture is dramatic & over the top! LOL
twas the night before christmas story by poppy freeze...
we sleeped over at em's with chris & lindsey...mom & dad came over early in the morning...although it was a bit crazy it was so fun to see the cousins get excited for each other, celebrating, kissing & hugging, and playing with their loot!
seeing the look on the girls faces when they opened up gifts they asked for from santa...like, "wow, he really did bring it!" so priceless. vanny's barbie computer.
lucy kept telling everyone all she wanted was a "snowglobe"...she was in awe. she has been carrying it around ever since and even sleeping with it.
christmas lunch with the entire freeze fam at the marriott in provo...yes! no cooking or cleaning up for the women, it was delicious!
an awesome ski day at brighton with everyone!

jillian luved getting all the extra attention, snuggle time, kisses, hugs, and laughing & smiling to please everyone. ..i luv this little girl...she is growing too fast...
*if you have a few extra minutes, you should read this great article...i read it a few days ago and it really hit home to me.
here's to 2010 everyone!!!
After we put Christmas away…by Dean Hughes
January is such a great month. It feels downright stimulating to lay off the rich foods, clear the sugar from our veins, work up a sweat on the old stationary bicycle – and feel so righteous about it. January is also that wonderful time when I’ve worn out my desire to go to the mall ever again. Every day that I don’t charge a penny on my credit card, I feel like I’m bringing a healthy balance back to my life & checkbook. (SO much joy for doing so little!). It’s that dark, cold time of the year (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), when we may feel some cabin fever, but sleep comes so naturally. It’s great to go to bed a littler earlier, turn on the electric blanket, and curl up like a big old bear (we’ve even stored up the extra fat to sustain us through the hibernation). I just hope, as we throw out the dried-up Christmas tree and store away all our decorations, that we don’t put away Christmas entirely—that is the best part of Christmas. We seem to care more for others during the holidays and make special effort to express those feelings with out cards, our greetings, our donations to those who are not as blessed as we are. And then, for some reason, we act almost as though those expressions were part of our over-indulgence, and we seem to withdraw to a spirit that isn’t nearly as generous. It almost seems as though we’re a little embarrassed now, in the cold of winter, for all that warmth we shared. Do we think it got a little too cheesy, a little too over the top? What is we took a treat – a healthy one – to all our neighbors now or in April or September? Would people think we had gotten all weird on them or something? How did we get started with the idea that we should be what we really ought to be in December and then pull back and wait again for eleven months? I remember a United Way director who said that Americans love to buy turkey for a single mom with kids at Thanksgiving or Christmas, even though she would be helped much more by a case of peanut butter in August – and that’s when no one thinks about her. Interesting. “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie. Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent…” It sounded good, didn’t it? When I was a bishop, I once had our chorister do all Christmas songs during a sacrament meeting in July. I told our members that we always say that we want to keep the spirit of Christmas with us all year, but we won’t work very hard to do it. The songs were just a little reminder. Maybe we should sing them all year. To celebrate Christ’s birthday, we eat too much and spend too much, and we feel guilty about it. It feels good to return to some austerity. We vow not to get so carried away next year. Suppose we actually did that? Suppose we cut back on some of the eating & spending next year but began right now to spread out the spiritual side of Christmas to every month of our year? It may sound a little too idealistic, but don’t we actually know people who do just that? The fact is, there are those around us who need us every month of the year, and we need them. We also need Christ – his Spirit – with us, always. I think this should be the year we make some changes. Let’s do this year right, and then make next Christmas the fitting conclusion to a year full of kindness & generosity. I’m serious. We can do it.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

10 years and counting.

when you think about the past ten years of your life...there is alot to remember. and then when you try to think of the "best of the best" or your greatest accomplishment or the fun adventures & trips or the growth, challenges, and successes...it's hard to pinpoint one thing that ties it all together or makes it meaningful. for me, the best part of the past ten years of my life, is sharing it all with my very best friend.

engagement...

the institute building in grand junction, colorado where we first met
a perfect night downtown with cam to celebrate our 10 year.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

the king

when i was pregnant with jillian everyone kept saying "so you really want a boy, right" "oh, so you are trying for the boy, right!" and then when we found out it was a girl...i can't tell you how many people said "oh that's too bad" "strike 3 you're out"...i could list the responses. but the one that always sticks out is "your poor husband" and that's when i have to respond and say HELLO peeps...don't be feeling sorry for this guy! he is what i like to refer to as "THE KING"...everyone adores him, everyone wants to sit by him at dinner, everybody misses him when he is at work, everyone wants special attention from him when they are having a bad day, and everyone thinks he is pretty much the bomb.dot.com.
"THE KING" also seems fitting because while cam & i went skiing for the day, we came back and the girls had made him this crown to wear for his party! cam's birthday was this week and this is one of the many reasons i luv him...i don't know many guys that would have this reaction to a birthday gift...picked out by savannah and obviously not really meant for him...but given to him for his present, nonetheless


his party concluded with a couple hours of singing on the wii...i don't want to embarass myself or cam...so i won't be posting any videos of that.
so, next time you see a family with only girls...don't feel too bad for the only guy...i think this daddy is getting lots of luv!

happy birthday j. / ronald / cam.ron / rook / cam2

Saturday, November 14, 2009

"mini"


Growing up I remember my mom taking us to watch & cheer for my dad at his "mini" marathons...I absolutely luved it! We would "scout" the route & go to a couple different spots to cheer him on & I remember my mom with that BIG vhs camcorder on her shoulder recording it while all five of us tagged along for the ride! I always wished I could have run a "mini" (1/2) marathon with him, like my sister Amy did. In this picture he won the raffle after the race & received $100...he used it to buy a swing set for us. My dad use to "urge" (some might say force...) me & my sisters to run to stay in shape for sports & for health. While I strongly disliked it when I was younger (crying about it, fighting him on it)...he persisted and thus we became runners. As I've gotten older, it has become a major outlet and strength to me...it's helped me get back into shape after having my baby girls but it has come to mean more than that to me and I never feel better than after a nice run. I'm extremely grateful for a dad who "urged"...for those who don't know my dad, some might say he was a little "too" persistent & while most parents would get sick of trying to support their kids when they were so not-willing or those parents that preferred to spend their time at the country club or on cruises...my dad was always there, pushing me, teaching me, and loving me. And I'm sure he knew that one day I would be very grateful for it, and I am. I love that my girls see me running... they "pretend to go running like mommy" and I hope someday I can run some "mini's" with them!
This morning I just finished a half ("mini") marathon in the backcountry of Highlands Ranch...it was my six month goal after having Jillian. It was a trailrun, 30 degrees, very hilly, but FUN to be running with my friend Heather! While I am a very average runner (Savannah asked me last night "so are you gonna win or what???"), I luv the chance it gives me to think, evaluate, plan, reflect, rejuvenate...today I was thinking alot about jillian...my dad...and that hundred dollar bill. *cami

Heather just started running 4 months ago!
We had some great runs together this fall!

My little Jilly bean...where have the past SIX months gone...

My biggest fans...thanks Cam for watching the girls so much for me while I trained...wished you were on the trail with me!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

royalty...


this past weekend my sweet friend janae came to visit me from arizona...it was so great to have her here! she flew in on friday and we had lunch at jimmy john's and just ran errands...that night we drove downtown & picked up J-Ru's yummy middle eastern food and met cam at the hospital for dinner...

i could say alot about janae (she is fun, patient, kind, light-hearted, a fantastic mom, has a strong testimony of jesus christ, understanding, determined...to name a few) but more than anything- one of her best qualities is that she is a true, loyal friend...which is very, very hard to come by. i was having a kinda hard week and to have her here for the weekend, was such a blessing. she doesn't need to be impressed and she doesn't judge. she was giving my kids baths, cleaning my kitchen, telling me what a great mom i was and was even laughing at jay leno with me at night. she has been through alot in the past year and i know that good things are headed her way because she deserves the very, very best!

ya we are posing in front of the denver temple!
i finally made it to the "royalty"...the royal gorge that is! the world's highest suspension bridge, yes i know you are impressed. i had to show janae a good time while she was in town (lol!) so i planned a day trip with some of our friends and we drove to canon city, colorado - which is about an hour & half away...it was beautiful weather and despite a slow start (two stops for gas, whoops! and jeff's walk-in order at mcdonald's...yes, the "face of all the tardiness" ha ha) the day went off without a hitch!

check out the bridge in the background...

jeff & mindy...nachelle & jay...janae...me & cam...
and all the cute kiddos of course.

...it was kinda windy...comical.

cam saw this side of the road go-kart place on the way and was determined to stop on the way home...some said it was their favorite part of the day!!!
i must admit, it was legit...

...and he doesn't get out much, above & below...proof.


checked another thing off my to-do-list in denver...luved it...you didn't disappoint gorge.