{this moment} for Friday, June 24th

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Turning 30

As my 30th approached I thought about how I would welcome in this new decade of life. Paragliding? Bungee jumping? Hiking? White Water Rafting? Scuba diving? However, the life that I have worked to build these past years dictated a much different day. It was a simple day surrounded by my sweet little family. A day that would have only been more perfect with more of my extended family around me.

 My day began with a picnic breakfast in the hallway, courtesy of Marie. (Well, I made the food and she set "the table". If you could have seen her excitement when she came to tell me it was ready, you wouldn't have been able to say no, either.)

 The morning was typical enough that at this point I can't even remember what we did other than get ready to go to lunch. We met up with one of my best friends at McDonalds so the kids could go crazy at the play place and we could chat, a tradition that I always look forward to.

After teaching piano lessons, the rest of the evening was courtesy of Brandon. Streamers, balloons, banner, dinner, and dessert, all thanks to him. What can I say, he loves me.

Dinner was marinated pork chops (to die for!), cheesy mashed potatoes, and cashew asparagus. Brandon's plan was to grill the pork chops and he didn't even let the rain thwart that plan. He grilled in the garage! :)

 Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Perfect. (I feel a new tradition emerging .... cheesy flowers on a rectangle birthday cake, just like last year.)

This picture was right after singing "Happy Birthday." My sister Becca got to join in via phone.

Once dinner was over and the cake was devoured it was finally time to open my present. I had no idea what I was getting. Usually, Brandon berates me with questions leading up to holidays about what I might want. This year, nothing. He knew that I was planning on saving my birthday money from parents to start saving for an iPod Touch. I thought perhaps he was just going to give me my share of our birthday budget money so that I could add it to my iPod fund. 

Imagine my surprise when I opened up the present and found this:

I have been working on some minor redecorating so he thought he found the perfect addition to it. Nice, huh?

OK, in all seriousness ... tucked underneath that horrendous, uh, thing, was this:

An iPod Touch of my very own! Woohoo! We really don't go all out on birthdays so this was a super duper surprise for me. Brandon got it on video, but for the life of me I can't figure out how to share all the videos we take on any of our cameras.

Thanks to my dear family for a fantastically wonderful day. You are my world and make me proud to be 30. 

William-ese

Daddy, I don't think it would be a good idea to have a rodeo on top of a cliff because on a rodeo you ride a horse that doesn't like to be rode on and if it's on a cliff someone might be bucked off and fall off the cliff.

{this moment} for Friday, June 3rd

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember (or just look back and laugh).
Inspired by Soule Mama


(Picture courtesy of Jill)

Where May went ...

... to sand and ocean and salty air

... to beautiful gardens and time spent with family 

... to this precious threesome

... to saying goodbye, not once

...  but twice

... to watching it rain, and rain, and rain

... to welcoming a new decade of life

... to mopping floors and wiping walls
... to making meals
... to dishes
... to laundry
... to piano recitals
... to Joy School lessons
... to bath time and story time
... to three year old tantrums
... to bottles and pacifiers
... to triathlon training
... to Young Mens and Ward Choir
... to a busy baby
... to soccer
... to lullabies
... to yard work

... to LIFE

What have you been up to?