Family Time

Today is May the 4th. The snow is officially melting (it hasn't snowed in three days), the sun is shining, all our windows are open, our lawn has been mowed, the flowers are blooming, the weeds are multiplying, and it is 75 degrees. FINALLY.

We spent the day in Richmond, Utah (about 30 minutes north of Logan) celebrating Grandpa Pope's 92nd birthday - what a wonderful time. Harrison showed off by rolling all around the living room and playing on the lawn with his cousin Jackson - he even let his great-grandparents hold him for a bit. Shocking. He seems to be quite attached to Jordan and I when we are in a crowd.

All in all - we had a wonderful time. Good food was eaten, memories and stories were shared, and of course the babies entertained us all. Happy Birthday Grandpa Pope!

Great Grandma Pope and H

Harrison and his glorious thighs



Grandpa Howe and H

Great Grandpa Pope and H

Cousin Alex (3 months old) and H

Happy Birthday Uncle Dan!

Happy Birthday Uncle Dan! Hope your Birthday Sunday is super fab!
We love you and come again soon!

Harrison and a Hike

Lately our Saturdays consist of yard work, yard work, and yard work. So today we decided that Harrison deserved a little better scenery than watching his parents prune, dig, spray and weed from the denim blanket on the front lawn - and we headed down to the Dimple Dell nature reserve in Sandy. If you look closely you can see all the big beautiful homes in the background - but it felt as if we were miles away from civilization. Do mountains get any more beautiful than this? Harrison absolutely loves the hiking backpack - and actually laughs out loud and claps his hands as Jordan walks down the trails. Precious.

My Grandmas - Guest Blogger: Harrison Howe

To my Nanna and Great Grandma Ruthie -

Thank you so much for coming to visit me. My mom is always talking about how much she loves her mom and grandma and now I know why.

We had so much fun going on walks, playing in the grass, having BBQ's and just playing on the floor with my toys. Although I have seen my Nanna several times, this was the first time I met you great grandma, and I loved it. My mom tells me lots of stories when she was a little girl visiting you in Moccasin and how much fun she had. She loved the one-room schoolhouse where you taught, and cherishes those memories dearly.

I can't wait until I am old enough to go to your pre-school Nanna, in Ashland. Cousin Asher told me he loves it and soon I will be big enough.....right? I am excited to visit Ashland again in July. I promised my mom I would be a better traveler than last time.

I love you both - come again SOON!

Harrison
aka HD, Harry, H, Heavy D

One of THOSE days...

I know I only have one child.
I know I have a pretty good gig being a stay at home mom.
I know I have a supportive husband.
I know I have a darling babe.
But I still can't help having one of those days.

A day when every room in the house looks like a bomb went off...

A day when there is more dirty laundry than clean (I will spare you a pic)...

A day when I feel like I am going to die if I don't lay down and sleep for an eternity....

A day when I would kill for the sun to be shining and warm (instead it is snowing)...

A day when I have no idea how my mom survived 6 kids...

A day when nothing I do helps my crying babe...

A day when I just need some adult interaction...

A day when I realize we bought a house with so many projects
I don't know where to start...

AND THEN I SEE THIS...

And I realize that my little one has concentrated very hard on placing each
individual toy JUST SO, after examining them carefully...

And I realize that to him, the cardboard box that is making me crazy in the
living room is quite possibly the most interesting thing on the planet...

And I realize that even though I think every kitchen gadget has at one
time has been played with, I always seem to find one more
that he loves just as much...

And I realize that everything is better when it is chewed and tasted...

And I realize that after a long afternoon of 'organzing' toys
it doesn't get any better than this...

I love you Harrison.

Tagged

So.....I have been tagged several times by sisters, friends, and cousins - and I am finally going to respond....

10 YEARS AGO...
I was attending BYU, living in a corner house on the 'wild' side of Provo with Becca, Christy and Danielle, and loving it.


5 THINGS ON MY TO-DO LIST TODAY...
1. Fold the laundry
2. Make it to my softball game (on time)
3. Mop the floor
4. Go on a walk with Harrison
5. Weed ONE flower bed


5 THINGS I REALLY ENJOY...
1. Reading
2. Playing Softball
3. Watching movies with my hubby
4. Being outside
5. Salsa dancing


5 PLACES I HAVE LIVED...
1. Ashland, Oregon
2. Salt Lake City, Utah
3. Huntington Beach, California
4. Laie, Hawaii
5. Santiago, Dominican Republic


5 JOBS I HAVE HAD...
1. Bussed tables...twice
2. Waitress
3. Office Coordinator
4. Photography Assistant
5. Financial Director


5 THINGS PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME...
1. I cry every time I say goodbye to my parents (I haven't lived at home since 1994 - that's a lot of tears)!
2. I love to do yard work. I love being outside digging in the dirt. Good thing my new yard has LOTS of it to do!
3. On my study abroad I would stay out dancing until six in the morning at least four times a week! (Isn't the Caribbean fantastic?)
4. While I was pregnant with Harrison, I threw up on a bus in England. My proper English grandmother was mortified.
5. The worst day of my life was spent on an airplane with two of my best friends. I have since completely boycotted Southwest Airlines.


5 FAVORITE TV SHOWS...
1. LOST
2. Survivor
3. The Office
4. 30 Rock
5. Biggest Loser


5 FAVORITE FOODS...
1. Anything potato
2. Chocolate covered strawberries
3. Spinich and cheese tortellini
4. Spice Cake
5. Oranges


5 REASONS I LOVE THE TWO MEN IN MY LITTLE FAMILY...
1. They make me laugh
2. They love me no matter what my hair looks like
3. They are handsome as can be
4. They take care of me
5. They know I need lots of love and attention (and they give it to me)!

Four Generations

What is it about your parents visiting that just makes everything feel perfect? It has been a wonderful weekend full of graduations, BBQ's, yard work, family, and laughs. My Grandma also came for the weekend and met Harrison and Claire for the first time - we loved it. Please come again soon.

My little house

Just over one month ago, my little family moved into our first home. It is all ours - and I love it.

I love how no matter what room in the house you are in during the day, you never need to turn on a light. The windows are incredible.

I love that the kitchen has enough cupboard space to fit every single kitchen gadget I own (which is WAY too many).

I love the dark kitchen cupboards.

I love that even though the house was built in 1935 - the floors don't squeak.

I love the front porch and can't wait to sit there on warm summer evenings.

I love hearing stories of the crazy cat lady that lived here for 50 years from all the neighbors.

I love even more that the remodel was VERY extensive and no evidence of any furry creatures remain.

I love my quiet little neighborhood.

I love my kitchen countertops.

I love the dark walnut floors that Harrison helps me dust by scooting around backwards.

I love that the furniture we already have looks fantastic in the living room.

I love that I didn't even have to paint when we moved in - the colors are perfect.

I love the bathroom (even though there is only one).

I love that the yard is totally overgrown and wild and I have many hours in the sun to look forward to.

I love that after the snow melted, tulips popped up all throughout my lawn, under trees, under the deck, everywhere.

I love that my mom and sister Emily dug them up and planted them in one of the front flower beds.

I love the fact that I have tulips.

I love that my husband loves the house because it makes me happy.

A Spring Walk

It was a LONG day for Harrison and I today. He got his second tooth today
and let me know how uncomfortable he was ALL day. So when Jordan walked through
the door - he bundled him up and went on a walk through the neighborhood. Even
though it is April 21 - the snowsuit is still being used, the wind is still blowing, and
it is still COLD. I love how Harrison is sitting in the stroller - almost saying:
"I am over this winter thing." That makes two of us.

(Thanks Aunt Marla for the darling warm fuzzy snowsuit!)
Don't let the green grass in the background fool you - it is COLD here.

A Play Date

Cousin Claire and Aunt Lizzy spent the day with Harrison and I
while Emily was at her sister-in law's college graduation.


We took over the living room with blocks and cars.....

Books were read.....

Claire wanted to see Harrison right when he woke up
from his nap, so she climbed right in.....

And of course toys were chewed.....

I have a feeling these two are going to be up to no good very very soon.....

Acting cilvilized

Harrison loves to sit by his dad on the couch and "act civilized" as Jordan calls it.

The new slippery floor

I promise the house pics are coming - between the dishwasher flooding the kitchen on our first night in the house, multiple snow falls, company, and the three of us being super sick with a stomach virus the last three days, I haven't taken them yet. BUT I WILL. In the meantime - Harrison loves the new wood floors and is really good at scooting backwards (no forward crawling yet) and gets wedged underneath our furniture every time I turn my head. He thinks it is funny at first.....then not so much. (if you click on the photo of him crying you can see his tooth!)

A toothy grin

Can you almost see his one bottom tooth?

What we did today...

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!

SMALL, CHARMING, OLD AND PERFECT.

Strangely enough, I felt so calm signing my life away and handing over a big chunk of our savings account. I can't believe we finally have a place of our own. The yard needs the help of my mom, (thank goodness she is coming to town tomorrow) and I can't wait to get my hands dirty, but the house is move-in ready. I have been planning the furniture arrangement for weeks in my head at night. This weekend I finally get to see if our things actually fit where I have imagined them!

PICS TO FOLLOW!