First taste of coke...# 1 Mom here

Guess What Autumn learned how to do this week? Suck through a straw.

Grandma Joy usually has a big cup of coke with a straw on the counter. Autumn likes to play with the straw. On Sunday she was sitting there playing with the straw and the next thing I know she has coke coming out her mouth and getting all over her cute birthday shirt.

It cleaned up pretty well. I don't let her play with grandma's coke anymore...just cups of water. :)

The Birthday Party

Yesterday we had Autumn's Big 1st Birthday Party!

My sister Juli made her cute invitations, thank you Juli! Aren't they so cute?!

Well I couldn't find my camera half of the party and it was a little CRAZY with all the kids there running around (I somehow always forget how many kids there are in my family!) So there aren't a whole lot of pictures. But here are some. Enjoy!

Lovin' the tissue paper more than the presents

Looking at Dillan like "I don't think so buddy" She didn't really love eating the cake

Some way cute princess cookies my mom made Princess Lex and Princess Autumn Autumn with Holland

Autumn and sweet Jane

Logan and Autumn after the party had died down a bit

Some of Logan's good friends-"The Husbands"

"The Wives"

Logan has kept in pretty good touch with most of his high school friends and it is so much fun when they all get together! They all married pretty awesome people as you can see! :) We have fun!

One Year Ago...

This little lady was born

This morning while I was feeding her breakfast I told her the story of her birth. I told her that a year ago her Daddy and I went to the hospital very early in the morning to have our baby girl. We were so excited we couldn't sleep the night before (although I wished I would have once they started my labor, it's hard work.) It was a very long hard day and finally around 11:00 that night she was finally ready to meet us. After ten minutes of very hard pushing a little princess was born. She was 7 Lbs and 20 inches. She had dark hair and smooth skin and and she was the most perfect thing I had ever seen. I was so tired after all of that hard work that all I really wanted was to get some sleep. So I let everyone else hold and love my baby first. Then after some sleep it was my turn. Once I held her in my arms I never wanted to let her go. Her Daddy was in awe of her. He couldn't get enough of her. He was so proud to show her to his family and friends. He loved her more than he thought he could. I told her that her cry sounded like a little lamb and I loved it. She was so tiny and perfect. And she still is.

Autumn's first picture. Just minutes after she was born. 2 weeks old. Her first Motorcycle race! 1 Month 2 Months
3 Months 4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

7 Months
8 Months

9 Months

10 Months

11 Months

Today. 1 Year Old. Happy Birthday Autumn.

Autumn,

We love you so much. You are such a sweet girl. You have the cutest laugh in the whole world and when music comes on you dance and bob your head. You can almost walk. You can go up and down stairs all by yourself (although Mom or Dad stays with you when you're on the stairs just in case, you've fallen down them once and it was really scary.) When you give kisses you put your tongue out. You say momma and dada and it melts our hearts. We are so lucky to have you.

Love,

Mom and Dad

Flo Rider

For Christmas Joy and Kevin got all of us kids gift certificates to do flo rider. This weekend Aaron was home so we all decided to go together. It was a lot of fun!

You can either boggie board or surf. This is everyone in line waiting for their next turn! Jaxson was a little scared to try it at first, but he went and LOVED it. I wish I would have got a picture of him actually on the board. He was a natural. Even Kevin tried it out. I think he liked it. Brooke has been before and showed all of us up with her 360 tricks!

Aaron has also been before and taught Logan how to get going

Logi did pretty good!

Grandma and Autumn watched

After boardin everyone tried surfing...

even me (no pictures :( sad I know ) and Brooke
Grandkids with Grandparents
Do you like how red Autumn's cheeks are? It was really warm in there because you get all wet, really hot for spectators.

Afterwards we were all starving so we went and got some NYPD pizza and it was delicious! My favorite one was the alfrado with mushrooms and chicken...to die for! With full tummies we went home and fell right to sleep!

Can I just say?...

I HATE TEETHING...(because it means Autumn doesn't sleep...like ever. No naps. Up all night. She has to get tired sometime right??)

My little Mess Maker

Autumn has recently figured out how to open cupboards and drawers. Luckily I don't have handles on any of my cupboards or drawers so they are a little tricky to open for her...but she can get the bottom drawer in the kitchen open pretty well (the drawer of her things) She loves it...

Dream Bedroom

Logan and I have been looking at homes the last couple of days, just dreaming about when we will be able to buy one. When we do I have so many ideas of what I want to do with each room...

This is my inspiration for our bedroom. (Do you think it's too feminine for Logan?) I just think this room is so elegant yet relaxing. I would probably want to do a lighter lavender wall though rather than this plum.

It's so fun to dream. One day we'll get here.

Out of Place

Sometimes I feel out of place in my life. I wonder how I got to where I am.

Why don't I really talk to my best friends anymore? Just because we graduated from high school and moved to different places doesn't mean we shouldln't be friends anymore. It seems like most of my high school friends still hang out and talk to each other...why don't I? I miss my friends. I miss being comfortable with girls that used to be like sisters. I miss having someone to call when I'm having a bad day, or some where to go when I need a break from my life.

Why are Logan and I so boring? Sometimes I just feel crazy about my husband and then sometimes it gets stale. Lately he has been so busy and I hardly ever see him. This should make me miss him and want to be with him more, right? Sometimes it does. But usually when he gets home he turns on a basketball game and I stick to my evening routine of making dinner, cleaning the kitchen, and getting Autumn ready for bed. Get ready for bed. Go to bed. We have almost no interaction. Our relationship exists through the same old text messages everyday. "how's your morning going?" "how's work?" "what are you up to?" Sometimes I just miss our "Dating" stage. I know it will never be that way again...but why not? Why can't we just be giddy about eachother and so excited to see each other? Why can't we just be so in love it's crazy all the time. Oh probably because everytime we feel so excited to see each other Autumn has a poopy diaper or is crying because her teeth hurt or she's hungry. So one of us has to go take care of it, usually me.

Why am I doing hair? Sometimes I LOVE my job. But lately I've felt bored with it. Probably because it's so slow. Building a clientel is so hard. And one unhappy client can make you wonder why you do what you do? Am I even good at this? Am I ever going to be busy and actually make a decent amount of money? These are questions I ask myself all the time.

Why am I a mother? I sure love Autumn, but being a mom is so hard sometimes. Especially at night. I feel like I can't even remember the last time I got to sleep through the night. Why does she always wake up at midnight? and then again at 3:00? and again and again. I can't even flush the toilet at night for fear she'll wake up (she is in the room next door to the bathroom). I would let her cry herself back to sleep except that we live in my in-laws basement and when she cries for more than two minutes my mother-in-law comes down and gets her. I don't want to keep them up all night, so I guess that means I get to get up. I don't have patience when I feel tired and I get upset easily. I wonder why I can't be a better mom.

Why don't I have a burning testimony? I read my brothers mission letters and always cry. I know the church is true. But I don't have any burning desire to share the gospel. I don't feel like praying everyday. I don't like to read my scriptures. I do it because I know I should. But I don't do it because I want to.

I feel like I am in a rut. Lately I have just been questioning who I am and how I got here to this place in my life? I feel like every aspect of my life needs improving. Where do I start? How do I be a more interseting wife? A better friend? Have a stronger testimony? Love my daughter more?

I don't always know the answer to my questions. But this morning I opened my email and this is what I found...

Hey honey, I'm only forwarding this to you so you can get an email from
me today! I love you and I hope you know that. I may not be the best
at expressing myself, especially in person. I may not sound one-hundred
percent sincere at times, and I may be a little too light hearted, but I
do love you. I know I always talk about how I'm with you because I
choose to be with you, not because I need to be with you, but I don't
know what I would do without you. You are beautiful, enjoyable to be
around, creative, a wonderful Mom/Wife, and determined if you really
commit to something. I hope you have a good day.

Love,

Logan

After reading this I all of the sudden felt a little better about life. I know I have so much. Everyone goes through hard times. I'm sure I'll find the light at the end up my tunnel...in fact I'm starting to see it already.

Sometimes when I'm bored...

I attempt decorating...

Luckily I have an awesome mother-in-law who shops at cute decor stores like Rod Works and Tai Pan all the time and gives me all of the gift cards she gets for spending at those places. So I am able to do some decorating with out putting a big dent in our bank account (because I really could spend ALL of our money at either of those stores. I love them.)

This is our table center piece and it makes me smile when i look at it. So much better than just a plain boring table!

I feel like it is important to put inspiring words around you. I spend a lot of time in my kitchen so I felt like that was a good place for inspiration.


I am not very good at hanging pictures. I put way too many holes in the wall on this little project. I don't know a better way other than just estimating where to put the nail, trying it and moving it accordingly if it's not quite right. I'm sure there is a better way that is better on your walls...but this way works for me for now.
I'm still looking for the perfect picture to put in the bottom right frame...it has to be a simple picture since the paper is so busy. No luck yet.

I love Autumn's Room

I just had to include this picture of Autumn doing one of her favorite things: pulling all of her headband out and throwing them all over the floor.