Easter

Easter Sunday... it was actually a lot of fun. Our boys woke up from their naps to find the Easter Bunny had come. He left them a Spiderman and Cars basket and a note saying they needed to find the eggs he had lost along the way. That led them to their big Easter egg hunt of 5 eggs a piece. It's funny... when "hiding" eggs for a one and two year old you have to make sure they are "hidden" in very obvious places. The upside is we found all 10 eggs. I remember growing up and every single year we never found as many as my dad hid. We had a huge ole lawn and we would link hands as a family and cross the whole lawn trying to find the one or two missing eggs but never could come up with all of them. One thing I continue to find entertaining is how, as parents, we're all excited and in the end it is only a 15 minute episode!

So in all these pictures, Porter, as always, looks super serious like he won't smile. In reality, he is saying cheese and trying to pose for the camera. I think another gene he got from his momma is his unphotogenic nature. Dang it. He really is a cute kid and has been so much fun this last month or so. His little personality is shining through and he is just a riot!

Taneal made an appearance

What is one of the wonderful things about Southern California? Well, everyone wants to come visit you. That's excellent because, to be honest, I don't like traveling near as much as I used to. I love our little home piece out here, so it's great to have people over. My friend, Taneal, from St. Louis (my only high school friend that I still talk to!) came over this past week and we took advantage of going to all the cool places around here- Santa Monica, Gladstone's, Beverly Hills (ok maybe not so cool, but she did get to see the pavarazzi), Venice Beach... It was fun. It was also kinda crazy because I haven't seen her for a long time and she has really never seen me as a mom. Things have changed since our young, care-free hang out days. I'm a full-time mom and she's a teacher and going to school to get her PhD. I'm glad we've matured a bit since our high school days!

note: in that picture of Dallin, Yosh and I, Dallin was being all funny. He kept saying, "We're a family,. Take our picture." But he was saying all sentimentally, it was funny.

So here's the dirt. Tonight my friends Anneli and Kady had a viewing party to support Brooke's AI experience. Access Hollywood was there to document the whole deal. It was pretty cool and... I got an interview so who knows this could be my big claim to fame! ha ha just kidding (not on the interview part, but on the claim to fame!) but they are airing it tomorrow- Wednesday- so maybe Yosh and I will have an appearance. Once again, Brooke had another great performance. She really is a great performer... I think she has a strong following!! Keep voting!!

Well before Marlena and Tamara get my blog an R rating for all the use of the word "boobies", I better update the blog!
So last night was precious. Our friends came over with their little 3 month old daughter and Porter started insisting on holding her. Yosh was holding her and I was holding Porter and he kept reaching his arms out and saying, "Uh Uh, " which in baby language meant give me that baby. So Porter and I held her together and he was in heaven. He was so gentle with her and so content just sitting there holding her. I'm wondering if he got his momma's love for babies. He didn't make a peep. You know how usually a kid is interested for 15 seconds and then over it... well that wasn't the case. A little later when I was holding them together again he got down off my lap and started reaching to carry her around by himself! Of course I had to draw the line there! Yosh needed a picture of it all. I have a feeling he's going to use this as a tactic of persuasion if you know what I'm saying! Not happening!

So there have been requests to see the new place. Disclaimers: 1)I'm not a good photographer. 2) I'm not done putting it all together (and probably never will be unless Cami comes out and does it for me!)




left to right: This is mine and Yosh's font, I mean bathtub. I don't know if this pic does it justice but it is a deep, walk down tub. The boys absolutely love it and think it is a swimming pool. Seriously, the other day I walk in to see Porter jumping off the bottom step. Next pics are of the boys' room. I have to say I really love their bedroom. I've been looking forward to doing it for quite some time now. It has a sports theme to it. original, I know. Although I'm not quite finished, I still love it!


This is the living room. Yea, I can finally fit all my furniture! It's very spacious and feels great. Next pic is the dining room/office in the back. I haven't done much with the dining room- ok, anything- but my sister-in-law Cassi came last week and helped me completely organize all of our papers and office stuff. Thank you! The pic doesn't do our work justice!! Last is the kitchen. I no longer have to use a garage storage unit as a pantry and I have plenty of room where all the fam can be in the kitchen together!

I didn't take pictures of all the rooms but this gives a general idea! Now, most importantly, this is the sun setting on the ocean 3 minutes from our house....

I know, I know, I know... where have I been and why haven't I posted? I do have good excuses... life has been crazy. Let me give you a little time line.

January 19 Yosh and I brought the boys down to Santa Monica and were just relaxing. We were talking and saying that maybe we should think about living by the beach. I mean, come on, we live in Southern California, shouldn't we at least TRY the beach life? But we had no real reason to move, and we liked where we currently lived, so there was no real motivation to get us looking. Well, the next Friday it kind of came up again and we decided to go scope a couple areas out- Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades. Friday night we looked at a place and thought it seemed like a pretty nice area. We didn't really like the placed we looked at but thought it might be fun to live in the area. Saturday we looked at another place and the next thing you know we're telling the lady that we want it. This is on Sat the 26. Well they already had another couple that was willing to start renting on March 1st, so if we wanted the place we needed to start renting before then. Because of our schedules, the only plausible week to move was the following one. Somehow we got everything packed up and moved on Wed the 30. Crazy, I know. Everything happened so quickly (which was actually real nice because I had no time to think which meant I had no time to stress out about moving!) We had our first visitors that weekend- Hailey, Derek and Devree were in town- and just tried to get everything unpacked and in decent condition before we left to go on vacation on the 10th. It was a great deadline because I just kept telling myself that we only had to work hard for a week and a half and get everything done and then we could relax and come back to a HOME! It was a good goal and motivator and brought forth results! I'll have to try to post some pics of the new place. We are now only 3 minutes from the ocean, it is almost 2 times bigger than our previous house, and the kitchen bathrooms are nice!!! Not to mention there is a clubhouse with three tennis courts, a kids pool and regular pool- both heated year round, and a playground. I feel like we're living in a resort! Huge improvements and we are loving it so far!!

Anyway we took a nice 2 week vaca to Hawaii (well for the boys and i it was two weeks. Yosh got about 8 or 9 days!) We stayed with Yosh's grandma the first five days and then had our own place the other week. it was great because there were always plenty of willing hands to help with the kids. The first week Ali was there in addition to Grammy and the second week Derek and Chelsi (Yosh's cousin and his wife) were there. Seriously we got into the perfect routine of eating, hanging out, playing tennis, eating again, swimming, playing cards, and then eating again, and then possibly more cards. I mean life does not get much better. We did not have one bad weather day! Oh it was incredible. The boys got sun-kissed and loved playing in the pool. Especially at the Marriott where there was this 2 foot deep pool so they couold play all by themselves. Dallin loved learning to swim (he's getting real good!) and doing backflips. Porter would just cruise along on his tippy toes trying to keep his head above water. He also loved putting the water wings on and just floaing. They were in heaven! But all good things must come to an end and this was no exception. Fortunately after two weeks, I was okay with coming home!

Our good friend Brooke has reached the top 16 on American Idol. She is a great talent. Check her out and make sure to vote for her this Wednesday!

This week, Simon said, "I absolutely loved it!" C'mon, if Simon is lovin' it, she must be pretty good..... Get everyone you know to vote.......

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fo5XUxO_FAM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=icnU7zI-KkI