take time to breath

lately it feels like im always on the go with things that need to be done and house that needs to be clean.
i feel like my girls are always holding on to my legs while im doing the dishes or making dinner..
i feel like i cant shower or eat or get dressed without a little one climbing all over me.
i feel exhausted at the end of the day while thinking i got nothing done, why should i be tired?

i feel like a bad mom.

then today, i put all chores aside, and played with these two sweet gals all day long. It was a breath of fresh air. the weather was perfect, and it was nice to actually play with them instead of them begging to play with me. im so lucky to have these two by my side all the time.

Ryah is getting so big, last night joe was putting her to bed and she says, "dad your my princess" then giggled, she cracks us up, and has such a funny sense of humor. Aubree's two front teeth came it and has been a little cranky with more on the way. she's our sweet little angel and is trying to walk, she has taken a few steps, but gets scared and sits down slowly. I love watching them play together and laugh together. This morning Ryah woke up and Aubree and I were playing in the front room, and ryah say, "AUBREEEEE....and Aubree sprint crawls to her bed and stands at the edge of it just squilling so excitedly, waiting for ryah to crawl down and play with her. They are handfuls, but i feel so blessed to have them.

At the end of a day like today i feel like i will be ok. i have taken a breath, and let it out slowly, then realize what a blessing it is to have two beautiful daughters and a wicked hott husband who loves me :)

Yep, i would say im pretty lucky

slayer joe

This season was a good one for Joe. He got a nice elk and a huge bear. As for me, Joe's charm can talk me into just about anything. Yep, the second picture is our Sunday night activity, he talked me into butchering the elk with him...it changed my whole outlook on meat. it was pretty gross.

I'm pretty proud of Joe. he is amazing and can do just about everything. i kind of like him, even though he made me butcher his elk ( on our kitchen table).

i met some cool people yesterday

Last night I met Michael McLean...

For those of you who don't know him, look him up. He is an amazing musician who has written music and lyrics for 25 albums which have sold over a million copies. He has produced and directed several movies including Mr. Krueger's Christmas and has written four books with accompanying cds and one of those being The Forgotten Carols...to say he is talented would be an understatement. Joe calls him a big wig. and yep. i. met. him.

My mom and I went to A Nashville Tribute to the Prophet Joseph Smith yesterday (amazing) and he was there as a guest to the show. Anyway afterwards we were waiting to get some more tickets for later that night to another concert for Due West. Everyone had kinda piddled out the door and we were standing at the booth of merchandise. My mom had purchased a cd and wanted mr. mclean to sign it. As we were standing there I look to my left and Michael is standing there (looking up because i had 4 inch heels on) makes the coment, " you win the most fashionable dress for this eveing" ... and me, i have been listening to this man since I was like eight or nine, so i was absolutly undone. I thanked him and he started asking me if I was doing school and living in the area and what not, just like we were old buddies. And I told him how I live in Snowflake with my husband and have two kids, a 2 year old and an 10 mo. old and he just looked at me strangly. Then looked at my mom and started asking her questions...like so this is your daughter? and my mom was like yep. youngest of seven... and he was like WHAT?! how can this be, you cant be a day over 32 and my mom was like uh... nope deffinatly a few days over 32... and then they started talking about grandbabies, and he asked mom how many she had, and when she told him 17, he just about died. His exact words were, " I gotta sit down to process this". so he sits down and he turns back to me and says, " you look so young, I thought you just started having kids when you were like 15/16... this explains this a bit, your mom looking so young, i just thought.." then he trailed off and was just being so nice, it was so fun to talk to him because everyone else had left and he was just hanging out. I do have to agree with him though my mom looks awesome! And I'll take the most fashionable award from him anyday since he knows his stuff! Skinny jeans with blue scrounched high heels with a black peacoat on with a belt around the waist must be in. haha. Thank you M. McLean for making my day. It was so fun to meet you and such an honor.

Then I met the man who wrote the songs for A Nashville Tribute to Joseph Smith Jason Deere. And the beautiful talented woman who sings the emma song Kathrine Neilson. These people are so talented and amazing!

Then Joe, my mom and I went to the Due West concert. met those dudes. If you like country, definatly test them out. They are really good. we went up to the front stage and started dancing and joe bet mom to get on stage and dance with them...and my mom being so brave got up there and started dancing! She cracks me up. They will be big, soon. they really are good, the singer is AMAZING and they are very entertaining. They have a cd out and im pretty sure they have a couple songs getting started on the radio.

the worst part of it all is i have zero pictures. but if you get a chance look up Michael McLean, A Nashville Tribute to the Prophet and Due West. You'll never regret it. It was a good day of music yesterday. Thanks mom for letting me in on the news of it all coming to town.

maybe next post i'll have pictures:)

meeting my expectations.

These are the family pictures Kate took once again for us. She is amazing. This is my family, these are our attitudes. Ryah can seriously give a d.i.r.t.y look I tell you(pic 4). Aubree is always happy. Joe is always a great guy. and I am always trying to keep us in line. I love my family so much. Those two girls are the greatest blessing to Joe and I. They are always so so fun. Thank you Kate for capturing us as we are. I love you! Family pictures are the best.

two.

My sweet Ryah Jane has turned two. I can't believe how old she is...she really is growing up so so fast. It has been so fun to see her funny personality. She cracks Joe and I up on a daily basis. Her birthday party was so fun, all her cousins came to celebrate and Jackie let us use her beautiful/fun backyard. The weather was perfect and the food was delicious.

Ryah came to us June 22 2008. It was a long hard labor. Her heart rate kept dropping and was so slow and faint the nurses sometimes couldn't find it. I never felt so helpless and said so many prayers. But Ryah is a fighter and made it safely to us that evening. I am so greatful for this sweet little girl. I love her with all of my heart. She keeps me on my toes and laughing all day. I hope she knows how much I love her, and how much her daddy loves her. Hope you had a wonderful birthday Ryah!