Out Numbered...

So I guess it's about time I announced that baby #3 is on its way... you know, since I'm 15 weeks and all. I kept convincing myself that something was wrong so that's why I have waited so long... but nope! We are expecting a perfectly healthy baby GIRL! Ohmigosh. Another Hiley? Someone get me a xanax! :-) Benson was so funny when the tech said girl. He let out a groan and then said "But mom, that's not fair!" Too funny! Hiley was so happy! She's called girl all along! So did I actually. There wasn't any reason as to why either. Huh? I am however, so in L.O.V.E with the idea of her having a sister!

You know what's so cool though, with the first two I didn't have a blog so this will be fun... well for me anyway! Soooo on that note, this has been the "hardest" pregnancy and it wasn't even that hard in comparison to some of the stories I have heard. I was sick for about 3 solid weeks and I have been exhausted. The headaches have just started to come more frequently now which is by far the thing I dread the most. Tylenol? Really? I might as well eat a tic-tac! Lameness. I am older this time around too and have 2 more to chase. (How do people do it with more?!) I have recently cut back at work though which I think will help tremendously... so I'm now working 3 days instead of 4 to 5! As of right now, I am due July 25th! Holy HOT!!! It is good because Ben will be out of school but bad because I live in St. freakin' George and it gets bloody hot!

Guys! I want a silhouette so badly! My mom got one and they are AWESOME! I'm totally going to win this one! haha. We'll see! ;-) Anyway, click on the link above and check out all the details for this give-away. Or don't. That's fine! Better odds for me!!!

Tiny Dancer

Hiley had her first dance recital on Saturday and it was so fun! I absolutely loved watching her! She loves, loves tap and the jazz part of it. I think she might be just a tad A.D.D for ballet! ;-) During that number, she got distracted by the back drop and didn't dance for a minute. So funny. Typical Hiley!
She loves to put make-up on and get her hair curled!
She had quite the audience there too
with her mom, dad, brother, two aunts and grandma and grandpa there!

Dad said next year, we are trying soccer! ;-)
Anyway, we are so proud of her and think she did a great job!!

Lately....

This year for Benson's 5th birthday we went all out
with a Batman Themed party!
This kid is C.R.A.Z.Y about superheros right now and
thought this would be the perfect way to celebrate!
With all his buddies there,
we decorated gift bags,
had PB&J's, purple kool-aid and
bat poop... (aka cocoa puffs!)
We played pin the bat on batman, "bat, bat, joker"
(instead of duck, duck, goose!) and they hit the pinata!
The kids had a blast and I was exhausted
so you know that means all was a success!
The kid got spoiled and also loved having G&G Meier in town to help celebrate!
(P.S. This party was in September sooo I'm just a little behind in posting this!)


In October, I took a much needed road trip to Vegas with 4 of my FAVORITE girlies! First stop? The DI! Love the thrift stores right now! We had so much fun shopping, eating, laughing, and shopping, oh and eating! The highlight?? Mmmm, wouldn't YOU like to know?
Haven't you heard the saying?
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!!!!
**I just quickly have to say that I absolutely love these girls. I know that they have not been in my life for very long but I cannot imagine it without them now. Girlfriends are so important to me and I am so lucky to be able to call them that. They have made me a better person and make me want to try just a little harder to be more like them. They each bring such awesome and amazing qualities to the table

and like I said before I am so blessed to know them
and I don't know what I would do without them!**

Thanks ladies... for everything!

So my dear sweet awesomely talented friend Brooke over at
All Things Thrifty has pretty much given everyone I know the bug...
the decorating bug.
(Wait until you see what we have in the works
RIGHT NOW, ahhhh! I can't wait!!)

Anyway, so I must admit I sorta liked to decorate but
never really LOVED it.... so this project was my very first and I am.in.love!!

I bought this bad boy about a month ago at the DI.
I had NO clue what to do with it. All I know is I wanted it. Want to know why?
Because it cost me EIGHT DOLLARS!
That's right! $8 big ones!
And it was sooooo cute!
So I brought her home!
(and hid it in my neighbors garage so that Ben wouldn't see it.
I knew he wouldn't see the vision like I did. Haha.
I didn't have a vision, lets be honest.)
I just thought she was soooo cute! Anyway, after I gave her some
serious LOVE...
stripping of the paint, sanding, priming and spray painting
she is gorgeous!
I love it! She now sits in my living room as my coffee table.
It's perfect because we have ZERO extra room but
because its not very wide, it works perfectly!
Thanks Brooke for giving me the bug....
I now have approx. 5 projects in the works right now!!! Yikes!

Pardon me...

So, I have been so torn with the idea of posting another blog entry, one which will push my sweet grandma down on my page. It's been hard deciding what to write about too but that picture that pops up every time I log on really tugs at my heart.... Seriously, though you can bounce whenever you want. My post today is LAME! :-/

Anyway, I've been sort of numb lately. Not sure why... A lot of things I suppose. It's so weird what death does. I came home and immediately started looking for anything with my grandmas handwriting on it. Recipes, notes, birthday cards. Why now? I should have been cherishing these items a long time ago. How about the blanket she made us when we got married? Now I don't want to use it. I want to save it in a box and never get it out. (She would be so mad at me if I did. I can actually hear her saying "If you don't use it, who will?!" :-)) I miss her so much.

With all this though it has made me think. It has made me think about how we spend our whole lives trying to obtain all these material things. Working to make ends meet. Trying to get what everyone else has... but what do we take with us when we go?
A whole lot of nothing.

As sad as this has been for me, it has opened my eyes (and my heart). I am so so grateful for the gospel and how much comfort it has brought me. I needed a blessing due to a "task" I was asked to fulfill. How grateful I am to have a husband who holds the priesthood and who was able to help me feel peace and comfort at a time I didn't think was possible. How awesome it has been to know that she is whole again and is reunited with those that have gone on before her. How awesome it is that I KNOW that I will one day be united with her.

OK, I'm done. However, my sweet friend Jamie had this little poem on her blog. She lost her brother and had this for him. I loved it. :-) I'll leave you with it now....

"Wish Heaven had a phone so I could hear your voice again. I thought of you today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are memories and a picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake, from which I'll never part...God has you in his arms. I have you in my heart."

Gram

Mary Frances Bradshaw

How do you say good-bye to someone you love with your whole entire heart? Someone who has been a part of your life since the day you were born. How do you let go of someone so dear to you that it physically hurts when you think about it? Then how do you go on with life when the slightest thought of them brings instant tears? How do you keep it together for everyone around you when all you want to do is crawl into a hole and never come out? How do you explain to your children why you are so "sad"? And then how do you explain to them where "white" grandma is?

I've never done this before. I'm not very good at it so I'll just say this... You don't say good-bye, you say "I'll see you soon". You don't ever really let go either. You deal with the pain for awhile and then carry their memories with you, forever. You go on with life, tears and all, because you have to. Because you do have children and because you know that that is EXACTLY what they would have wanted you to do. You keep it together for all the "outsiders" but for those few who are dear to your heart, you let them help you. You let them pick you up off the floor and out of that hole because that is why they are in your life. And one day, they will need you to do the same for them. You tell your children exactly why you are sad because they do actually understand what is going on. You let them know that even though you are so sad, its OK because you're happy too. No more suffering, no more heartache, no more pain. And then you tell them that "white" grandma went back to live with her Heavenly Father. That she is whole again and that one day we'll get to see her!

Words cannot express the love that I have for this woman.
She is a rock. She is a wife, a mother, a grandma, a great-grandma, a friend, a saint. She was positive and wise. She was hilarious and charming. She was mean. ;-) She was honest. She loved with her whole heart. She was talented and generous. She was caring and she was thoughtful.
She IS everything I would like to be.
Gram, I love you so much and will miss you more than anything.
Until now and then, til I see you again, I'll be missing you, Love Me

I officially feel old. How do I have a 5 year old? It's crazy!
No more toddler. Just this sweet, sweet "boy".
He's a little kid. I don't know how I feel about it. :-/

Let me tell you a few things about this "kid"...

- Oh man, do I love him!
- He HATES to be in trouble and really is such a good boy!
- He loves his sister, Hiley!
- He would eat pizza all day, everyday if I let him!
- He's kind. For example: "Hi, mom. How was your sleep?"
- He LOVES to play with his friends. And again would play ALL day and night if allowed!
- His favorite treats are oreos and well, anything sweet really!
- He does not like dogs.
- He loves his grandmas (and grandpas!) but mostly grandmas! ;-)
- He is totally into super heros right now!

Well, like I said above, I just love him so much. He's just a cool, laid-back kid.
He's had his share of melt-downs but they are few and far between and I am so grateful for that.
I am even more grateful that he is mine.
I love you Benson Boy.
I hope you had a good birthday!