Family pictures

I've been wanting a family photo for awhile. I'm realizing that all our posterity will need to look at this picture while doing their family genealogy, our kids will need to have something to laugh at twenty years from now, and will probably need to feature it in a few graduation/marriage montage videos. Who knows. All I know is that this was important. So I set up an appointment, stewed over what to wear, browsed the internet on whether I liked inside/outside shots better and how to coordinate our outfits (all denim? white t-shirts and no shoes on a beach?) As you can see there were a lot of things to consider. Luckily I found awkwardfamilyphotos.com. I got tons of great ideas for our family photo. It helped me plan the whole thing so easily. I highly recommend it. Now all we have to do is sit back and wait for the proofs to come back.

If we had two kids this one would be perfect!


We tried to get a shot like this, but Lily just would not cooperate.


We thought of this one, but neither of us are big Ghostbuster fans. Then we thought Twilight??


Wouldn't Lily look cute in a chainmail shirt and diaper! Adorable!


Wouldn't this be a great Christmas card! If only I would've found it sooner.


Need a wedding photo idea? I thought this one was good. How poetic, they are both holding an object the same way, like he is thinking of marriage and she is thinking of what to serve for the reception. I'm sure you wouldn't even have to use an apple. A banana would also look nice.


I also thought this one was really cool. It is like you are always thinking of the one you love. And look how he is smiling! How sweet! Maybe I can talk Eric into getting one like this.

It's Official.

And I'm not taking it as well as I thought. We have put a lot of work in to this house and have had a lot of good memories here. I'm pretty sad about leaving it. So cue the music and take a look at all the effort to get it to where it is today...


Before





A lot of work and a lot of help




Three distinct decades of laminate


And the lovely home today












We'll miss you, but more importantly we hope we sell you! If you guys know anyone looking for a great house in a prime location, just give me a ring!




Click here to visit the mls listing.

Finally—Pigtails!

I have been waiting to do this my whole mother life. Not pigtails necessarily, just her hair. Someday they will fill out a little, but for now, it is just fun to do another mom thing I haven't done before.

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Yesterday was Lily's first birthday, so last night we had a little bash with some family. Lily had so much fun. This is what she looked like while everyone was arriving, (sorry it is really blurry).

I did a pink/red candy bar which turned out to be pretty easy, not too much baking. I just made a few chocolate items and some red velvet cupcakes. Fortunately my sister Sarah was able to come up from BYU and help me make it all.


I loved Lily in the dress we got her. She looked so stinkin cute. Unfortunately the lighting was so poor in our house and Lily was running around wild, that the only one I could get of her whole dress was this one!


And for my mother who was so sad to miss it all, a movie that sums up the party in only 2 short minutes.

VCU it is!

Well after just weeks of waiting we finally found out of 700 applicants Eric was one of the 25 accepted to Virginia Commonwealth University. If that sounds like I am bragging, well, I am. I have the smartest, most driven, successful husband ever! VCU was our number one choice for two reasons, one it has the #1 rated Nurse Anesthesia program and #2 it is only an hour away from my family!! Hooray! The best thing is this is the first school to interview him so he was able to cancel other interviews and save us lots of dough. I am just so proud! We are really sad to leave Utah because there are so many things/people I will miss, but I am really excited to move to a new place that will have so many things to do and has places like a Museum District. Don't start crying yet, we don't leave until June!

Our little bug...

This was the best picture we were able to get, she just doesn't pose well in a big fat butterfly costume.

Apparently that runs in the family because this was the best of me and Eric. Boo.

(Bonnie and Clyde by the way)

P.S. My mom and sister flew in for the week. It was so much fun. I think this was the first time in five years me and Melissa have spent more than three days together! Melissa: That is way too long. See you this spring??

Sarah was gracious enough to part from her BYU social life to spend the weekend with us. So all the girls went shopping...I think Lily hates shopping. Boo again.

What do you do...

when you used to have a great napper and now that she can pull herself up, 10 seconds after you put her down you get this:

and then this.


You move her mattress down, right? Well, then you get this: