One Year Older....and wiser too...I think

Happy Birthday to me! hehehe! I love my birthday! As silly and childish as that sounds, I've always loved that certain special feeling that accompanies the day I was born. It's not about getting presents, but let's be honest who doesn't like getting prizes, but more about those you love taking a second out of their day to acknowledge your birth and pass along well wishes. My sweet friend Ashlee had Costa Vida delivered to my door for lunch. The fish tacos I've been craving for months! And they were so yummy! And my phone was bombarded with text messages from so many people it really made me feel loved!
I wasn't expecting anything grand this year from Jason as we have a baby coming in a few short weeks (2 if anyone besides me is counting) and we are trying to finish another bedroom in the basement (hooray, all we need is paint! We succeeded.) all of which attack your bank account. But it just simply wouldn't be Jason to not do something for me. After Jason stopped by home for lunch he asked my plans and told me he would meet me at home at 2:30. I didn't have any big plans, because all the boys were home from school and taking 3 active boys anywhere 9 months pregnant is not my idea of fun. I got home a few minutes before Jason and laid Ethan down for a nap. I flopped on the couch and Jason brought me in a birthday card. It was hilarious, "Happy birthday to the woman who puts up with all my...." inside of card, "AWESOMENESS." If that's what he's calling it I won't burst his bubble. Then he had written in his barely legible handwriting some very sweet things and then something I couldn't quite make out. Oh and there was a 20 dollar bill. I smiled and thanked him and was about to set the card down when he looked at me like I was totally missing something, so I re-read the last part and it said, "Have fun at your spa day." Hooray!!!! 4 hours of pampering and indulgence were all planned and awaiting me. Jason explained that the 20 was for me to tip. (I'm a terrible tipper and it makes him crazy, and he's a ridiculously extravagant tipper which makes me crazy! Seriously who tips the gal that boxes your $8 piece of cheesecake, the only thing you ordered....to go....with a 10 spot. I don't get it.) Sorry I digress. So Jason told me to hurry up I was suppose to be to the spa in 5 minutes! I brushed back my tears, kissed him fervently and ran out the door. I spent the rest of the afternoon in total bliss wrapped in a fluffy robe and slippers! Full body massage, manicure and pedicure. Heaven! When I left the spa I couldn't wait to get home and thank him for all his awesomeness. But he wasn't done there. He arranged for my mom to take the boys over night and he and I went to dinner and enjoyed a wonderful evening just the 2 of us. It couldn't have been a better day! Jason is an amazing husband and treats me like a queen. I am so blessed!
Of course the next day my mom gave me my traditional birthday gift, a crisp Benjamin, which I promptly spent on a new pair of Uggs! I have very happy feet! And my dad even came to town this weekend and we had a wonderful family dinner with Lane and Serena and their boys on Sunday.
At 28 I have the life I always wanted. An incredible husband, 3 soon to be 4 handsome sons, a beautiful home, cherished friends, my family near by and the gospel of Jesus Christ. One year older and hopefully wiser too. I'm looking forward to lots of wonderful things in the next year of my life!!!

Bubbles

Sunday afternoon Jason and I were sitting in the kitchen listening to conference and enjoying a moment of peace and quiet.....perhaps too quiet. A little suspicious, I got up to do a head count. Kaden and Jase were easily accounted for downstairs playing the Wii. Ethan on the other hand was no where to be found. I walked in my bathroom and there he was, happy as a clam with a sink full of bubbles.

Half a bottle of hand soap makes a pretty good Abe Lincoln beard.

As the damage had all ready been done, I just let him play in it for a while. He had a great time and was nice and clean in the end.

Surprise!!!

What a surprise I had this weekend! Saturday Jason and I got up and started working on Jase's room in the basement. Jason said we could only work until 11 then we had to get ready because he and the boys had a surprise for me. I wanted to be a good sport about it so I just played along. I asked Jason if I needed to look cute for my surprise and he said yes. (I found out later he had been instructed to make sure I wore something cute or he would be in trouble!) The boys didn't really seem to know what we were doing and they were very concerned about where we were going. I just kept telling them to relax and have fun with it. Then Jason told me before we left that we were going up the mountain to take pictures of the fall leaves, which is one of my favorite things to do. We got in the car and Jason made me put a blind fold on. Again I wanted to play along even though I knew we were heading up the mountain, so I did as I was told. Jason started driving and before long I noticed we were driving in circles, going forward for a while then turning around. I was completely confused. I assumed at some point we would get on the freeway and I would be able to get my bearings, but before we were able to get to that point I started to get sick. I told Jason we were going to have to pull over before I lost my breakfast. He laughed and quickly pulled over. He told me to stay put and he would come get me out of the car and walk me around. After we walked a few steps he bent over and scooped me up in his arms. I laughed and told him to put me down I weight 800 pounds! As he put me down I could tell we were in a house.
He took off my blindfold and there I was at my friend's house with my closest friends and family all lined up. For a second I was completely confused, because it was kind of an odd mash up of people. They all yelled "Surprise" and I burst into tears! My mom, Jason and Jen planned a surprise baby shower for me! I was totally surprised and completely touched. How unexpected! I didn't even think anyone would have a baby shower for someone having their 4th boy. It made me feel so special and loved to see the people I care about the most together to celebrate the new life coming to our family.

I was given a Baby Momma crown and a tutu to wear for the party. Perfect!
My Baby Momma crown. It had hearts and skulls and glitter! And pictures of all my boys around it. I loved it!
My mom was in charge so of course there was a cake. Jen asked her why we needed a cake, because I don't really like cake and mom said, "Because I like cake." That's good enough reason for me! I did have some and it was delicious.

There was also plenty of fruits and veggies and guacamole. YUM! Oh and M&M's.

It was a very laid back shower. We ate, chatted and then I opened tons of presents!

Baby clothes are so fun! And don't worry this little boy will be dressed in style!
I saw a car seat with a cute little cover thing on it and I thought it was my nephew, Lleyton. Then I was told that was my car seat and the cute little cover was from Peggy. I felt so dumb. The cover is adorable!

Serena got the baby some bibs and the first one said, Boys are just better. I couldn't have said it better myself!

Then I opened a card that read, "I hope this will work in the baby's room." It was from a gal my mom works with. Earlier in the week she had asked what I was planning for the nursery and I told her it will have a rock n' roll theme, with skulls and animal prints.
So she got me a Russian Boar skull. Ha!!! With a strobe light under it. Most unique baby shower gift ever!!! Seriously?! Who gets a pig skull for a baby shower gift? ME!! That's right and it's totally rad!
After opening the boar skull I was a little tentative about the other gifts. But everything was wonderful!

My parents and Jason went together and got me a prime lens for my camera. It's for taking portraits. I was way excited! Now we'll be able to get some really good shots of the baby!

Melissa made me a pin board for the nursery out of zebra print fabric. Perfect! I had been over to her house a few days earlier and saw the fabric and thought it was way cute. She said she was making a quilt for Lleyton out of it. I was a little envious. I had no clue it was for me the whole time! Surprises are so fun!
Some pics of my guests.

And a picture of my mom, who's idea the shower was. Again, for the record I had no idea whatsoever about it. She said she had been planning it since June. Everyone did such a good job keeping it a surprise. All week Jason had been asking me if I had plans for Saturday and I told him every time, no, we could do whatever he wanted. After the surprise things started to fall into place. Certain "meetings" people had, an emphasis on looking cute, my mom even stopped by before the shower and inspected what I was wearing, which I thought was odd but just brushed it off. The 17 times Jason asked me that day if I had something I wanted to do. And of course the blind fold and the driving in circles around the neighborhood so I would be completely disoriented. I hadn't had a surprise party since my 5th birthday party, which funny enough was at McDonald's, and this party was something I'll never ever forget. It so deeply touched my heart and made me feel so very loved. Thank you again to all that planned and attended and made it so special!

Love you Mom!