Marriage is for Losers

I recently read this article (tipped off by one of my cousins- thanks Meagan!), and absolutely loved it!

I highly recommend you check it out- excellent advice and perspective on the positives of being a 'loser' in your marriage.  It changed the way I want to handle conflict and is a great way to strengthen your relationship!

Happy reading!

Thank Heaven for Little Girls

Sometimes I pretend I'm a professional party-planner.  Like I'm five years old all over again.

I love themes, shopping at packaging stores like Xpedx (I could seriously live there!), and, of course, an excuse to come up with all sorts of delicious new recipes.  

Lucky for me, my talented sister shares my obsession and this last weekend we collaborated to throw a "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" baby shower for our gorgeous and equally-talented friend Chloe.

So. Much. Fun.

Check out the entire baby bump series Melese has done for Chloe here

Our menu included:

Turkey Bacon Avocado Sammies on Baguettes

Apricot Yogurt Parfaits

Zesty Ranch Kettlechips

Chewy Oatmeal  Pies w/ Grapefruit Cream Cheese Filling

and Caramel Apple Cake w/ Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Making a break for the broccoli and cheese

Yesterday was Sam's first day of nursery.  It was awesome.

Today Reese registered for Kindergarten.  It was. . .  illuminating..

We almost made it home without incident.  Almost.  I'd let Sam out of his stroller to play with the toys and books they had out for little siblings while Reese completed her assessment, so when she finished and came back I turned around to put Sam back in the stroller.  An instant later, my peripheral vision spotted her pink coat mingling with a line of first graders headed down the hall.

I looked up and sure enough, she'd wiggled her way right into their line and was following the teacher in an orderly fashion toward the lunchroom.

AHH!!  I thought.  I still hadn't finished buckling Sam in, the hall was filled with tiny students, and my soon-to-be-kindergardener was marching farther away by the second.  I snapped Sam in and took off down the hall- leaving my surely bewildered baby behind- dodging parents, kids and teachers.  I finally caught up and squeezed through a doorway filled with Reese's new-found classmates.  I noticed the teacher turned around several times to make sure his class was following, and I wondered how he could have missed the little girl that was a full head shorter than the rest of the line and decked out in complete snow attire.  Hmm. . . one of life's little mysteries, I guess.

I buzzed my way up to the front and snatched Reese by the hood just before she helped herself to a tray and silverware.  'Mom,' she complained, 'It's lunchtime- and I'm in school now!!'

Part of me waited for the Kindergarten Cop cry of Stranger! as I pulled her away and we hightailed it back to our patient little brother; fortunately, that film was before their time.  We gathered the rest of our belongings, ignored the looks from other mothers wondering where I'd been and why I left my child unattended, and headed for the door.

Needless to say, I'm not too worried about Reese feeling out of place or nervous her first day; I'm more concerned she'll hop a school bus bound for the outer reaches of Cache Valley, meet a nice family with a swingset and a pet cow and disappear forever.  All because she's in school now, and that's just what you do.

It's a Snowday!

Logan has been a blizzard the last few days (seems a little mean since we were all just settling into some nice spring weather only a week ago, but that's Mother Nature for you- always a trick up her sleeve!), and Reese has been begging to get out and play, so yesterday

 she and Ryan had a Daddy-Daughter Snowdate.

They came in to get me about an hour or so into it to show off their hard work- this is what I found. . . 

Meet the Frosty Badgers!

There's Daddy,

 

Mommy,

and the Kids

Today at church we received several compliments- especially on the pepper noses!  I guess those accurate heights gave away the artists. :)

 Here's to Daddy Daughter Dates and getting through the interminably-long Logan winters!