Quinn's first swim

This is Bob. He originally lived in Seth's sisters pool. Sara gave him to us. We take him with us every chance we get. He came to Maui with us. He comes to Snowbird or other pools we swim in. We love him. He is a part of our family. Oh and check out Elmo in the background. He just back floats the entire time. Seriously I had to check his pulse to make sure he was still alive.

I've known Seth since I was 16. He is great at pretty much everything he does. He is remarkably good at being a father though. I love this photo. The day he became a father pride took on a whole new meaning for the man.

Quinn swam in a pool for the first time. We headed up to Snowbird. Beautiful blue skies and warm air. This inversion is horrible. We had to escape.
He loved it. We took Piper to the same pool to swim for the first time. I guess it's a family tradition now. He was relaxed and sweet. That's just his personality though. Oh and he's back in the basket in our room. Didn't work out to well moving to the crib. He's just a little guy and gets cold in that huge crib. That's what I tell Seth at least. Maybe in the spring we will try the move again.

Nutcracker 2011

Piper went to her first ballet tonight. We saw the Nutcracker. My sweet husband got tickets for Piper and I. I danced with Ballet West so to be able to take my little girl to the ballet was extra special.

It was a dream come true.
Thanks Seth. Your girls love you!

Bittersweet

My sweet little boy has left our room. I can hardly admit this without getting choked up. Quinn is my baby. I am not the type that looks forward to my children leaving the nest. On the days I go to work I don't feel like I can fully breathe until I can put my arms around them. My mom told me once that if a mother does her job right her children won't need her anymore. Some times I think this job sucks. I am basically working harder than I have at any job before so that I can get fired one day. Actually motherhood is the absolute best job I have ever or will ever have.

I do love the idea though that Quinn and Piper are officially sharing a room now. They can start the beginning of their own unique relationship. I truly hope they will be as close as my brother and I have always been.
So I have been searching for a rug for their room for over a year. I don't know if you have priced area rugs lately, but they are ridiculously expensive. There is this company called Flor. They are amazing. Thru one of my brother's random contacts, he found us these flor tiles for next to nothing. So woo hoo, I finally have a rug for their room.
I hope in 30 years Quinn and Piper are sifting thru some guys shed on a dark, cold winter night bickering over flor tiles for their children's rooms. I hope not a day will pass when they won't give one another a call. I hope they will always have the laughter, support and love that I have always felt with my brother.

The boys first Thanksgiving

What an incredible Thanksgiving. Seth made a delicious turkey and stuffing. Wow! There was lots of good loud conversation, screaming babies, head strong preschoolers and love everywhere. I don't think we could have asked for a more perfect day. I love my family so much. I love them more and more the older I get. They are smart, opinionated, talented, fashionable, and so unique and interesting in every way. After the party died down my mom stayed behind and did all the dishes and we just talked. This was one of my favorite moments of the day.

My little man

I spend every day with a bald, uncircumcised little man who farts, poops, and throws up on me continually.

He doesn't talk much, but he looks at me with his big blue eyes and melts my heart. Oh and one more thing, he keeps me up most nights.

I AM TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH HIM!!

Mom

Yesterday I had the privilege of being the nurse for this young couple having their first baby. My favorite! Young, scared and about to experience the most amazing moment of their lives. LITERALLY.
I get to share that with people and get paid to do it.
So there is a moment after you give birth where the dad usually leaves the room to go announce to the family in the waiting room that their baby has arrived. Often it is mom, grandma and baby left in the delivery room. It is such a precious moment. The grandma tells her daughter how happy and proud she is of her. It is a moment in a woman's life that you will remember forever. I'll remember it forever. Some of my favorite times with my babies have been when I am just with my mom.
Yesterday I got to witness my cute patient and her mom have this time. I looked away pretending to chart with tears in my eyes.
You start life loving your mom and thinking she is everything. You need her to survive. Then you become a teen and you go thru times when you feel she is destroying your life and think you can live without her. Then you have your own children, and this is when you need your mom more than ever. She knows more than you. Her advice is the best. I listen to her for the first time in my life and want her to tell me what to do.
My children love her and are safe with her.
Our moms won't always be around. This terrifies me more than anything.
I hit the jackpot being JWs daughter.

Anniversary trip

Seth took me to Arches National Park for our 10 year anniversary. The place is amazing. Truly amazing. It almost seems fake. We camped one night. It was super cold at night, but it was snuggly and fun. I'm glad I am barely tough enough to sleep in those conditions. It makes coming home to a warm shower and bed so nice. It always amazes me how close these adventures are from our home. 4 hours driving and you can experience this amazing place. Utah really is such a great place to live. We can't wait to take our kids there. We would hear kids in our campground and both feel a little sad. Piper and Quinn spent the day with PP and Bears, and then they spent the night with my mom. It is an amazing gift to have someone in your life who you trust completely with your children.

Thank you mom, Patrick and Erin. Don't know what we would do without you.

Oh and P.S. Pine tree arch is the best and No. 53 camp spot in Devils Garden Campground is the best. It is the most secluded tent spot. This campground sells out frequently because it ROCKS!!, so make reservations in advance.
This campground is ideal for kids. It has bathrooms and a dish washing station.
Love it.

10 years

I have to hurry and write this down, because I think remembering what you did on your 10 year anniversary is really important. I met Seth when I was 16. We were friends at first, then a little more. We dated on and off until October 2001 when we were married. I have loved him, the kind of love that makes your guts ache when you are away from someone since 2 months after meeting him.
Today on this cool crisp autumn day it has been 10 years. We woke up and rushed off to Piper's preschool Halloween parade/party. Mom went with us and Nana, Papa, Patrick, Erin and Ronan and of course Quinn were there as well. Piper was an octopus and Quinn and Ronan were firefighters. I cooked most of the afternoon. Uncle Jason, Seth's brother and Seth's best man at our wedding, joined us for dinner. Piper wouldn't eat and Quinn was crying. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. As I write this Quinn is sleeping in his little basket next to our bed and Piper is sleeping in her big girl bed 10 feet away. This is where we are in our lives right now. One day our kids will be grown and we can go to fancy restaurants and maybe even travel. I know for a fact that I will long for the days that we have now.

History thru matches

You definitely appreciate everything more as you get older. That's one of the beauties of aging.

I loved my grandparents. I miss them all the time. I wish they were alive so I could appreciate their hard work and lives more now that I am able to really understand.
I've talked a little bit about them before. I am totally bragging about them, but I am so proud to be a descendant from them.
My grandpa was Lincoln Carter White. He was a great businessman and loved to fish. He owned Bullfrog Marina in Lake Powell at one point. He also owned Schubachs Jewlery for years. Massey of Massey's Jewlery, still in business, exists because of my grandpa. When he came to this country my grandpa taught him the business. I love going into Masseys and hearing the guys talk about my grandpa. Schubachs is still around but he sold it many many years ago to another company. His generosity was legendary. Something that got passed onto my mom. My grandma was Aline White. She was a spit fire. She owned rental property around the valley.
They loved to travel. They paid for my college education as well as my siblings and cousins. Thank you a million times.
When my grandma died I got her match collection. They have sat in a box for many years, and this past week I found some old Italian olive jars and displayed them in our home where they can be enjoyed.
Wow they are amazing. They are a eye into their past. A glimpse of where they went and places they loved. I wish they were still alive to tell me about their travels, but I will just imagine them going to all those places and smile.
I am so grateful to come from these amazing people. I hope my grandchildren will think of me the way I think of them.

Disneyland

When I thought about having kids one day the fact that I could take them to Disneyland came to mind. I love the place. I love the smell, the memories, the energy. I love that everything is happy there. You go there and suddenly all your worries go away. It reminds me of my dad, my brother and of being young and pure.
So every October Seth and I try our best to take a nice vacation. Fall is an amazing time of year to travel. Cheaper and less crowds. Two musts when traveling.
I have been waiting for Piper to be the right age and this year she most certainly was. We packed up the family truckster and headed to California. The weather was not optimal, but the crowds were. We pretty much walked onto every ride. Oh and by the way, Piper and I rode the Matterhorn together. This is my favorite ride other that Pirates. She was barely scared. No crying. So proud of her.
The first night we got there Disneyland was having a special trick-or-treat Mickey Mouse party. It was so fun. After the park closed you got to stay until 11 pm (night is my favorite time in the park) and trick or treat. There was also a special Halloween parade. Such a great time of year to go.
We stayed in Vegas on the way to California and on the way home. I think I hate Vegas. It is just gross. It is everything that I hate about Americans. Consuming, consuming and then consuming some more. We stayed in a nice hotel and ordered room service and had a lot of fun.
I love traveling. It might be one of my favorite things to do in life. I can't wait to start planning our next trip. I hope that my children will love traveling as much as Seth and I do. There is so much to be learned from traveling. I really think it brings a family closer.