11 year anniversary

Eleven years ago today at 3 pm I married Seth Thomas Dunlop. We met at age 16 and 17 at East High School. We dated forever, broke up a whole bunch, lived together for years, and then said "I do." 
I wouldn't change a thing. Marriage is hard. Let's just be honest. You change, your partner changes and so does the world. You have to find a way to keep all this change from disrupting your unity. 
I always wondered if my parents ever loved one another. I hate wondering this. For a child to know that their parents truly love each other is a gift that will give their entire lives.
I keep this blog so my children will know me and have a record of our family and our history. 

I love your father more than you will ever know. I love him more and more the older we get. I don't care if we embarrass you by kissing. I can't keep myself from kissing him.
We fight and we disagree. This is normal. How you solve your conflict is what matters. You can't promise yourself to someone for an entire lifetime and always be on the same page. It is unrealistic to think otherwise.  

When your father looks at me I feel so incredibly beautiful. He makes me laugh every day.

I hope more than anything that my children will find a partner as amazing as their father. 

We brought Piper and Quinn to the church where we got married today

First Unitarian Church in SLC. Married by Rev. Tom Goldsmith

Let it be known that this is the day Quinn discovered fry sauce. We love Crown Burger on Highland Dr. It is our special family lunch spot on Saturday. We love the Greek family who owns it. One of our family traditions.

We had dinner at Pago and saw Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. We went out for coffee and desserts at Gourmandise. It was a perfect anniversary.

 

Dunlop family update

The first snow fall happened 2 days ago. I had both of my kids at home. We were still in our PJs and played polly pockets all morning. I love this time in our lives. 
Piper is going to preschool three days a week at the U. I co-oped yesterday with her class and I can't even express how wonderful this preschool is. Piper cried as we were leaving because she wanted to stay. 
Piper is starting Kindergarten next fall at the U. I can't believe I am even saying this. She misses the deadline because of her October birthday. The U is the only school in the state that has a deadline after her birthday. Our options are to do a 3rd year of preschool, no school, or do Kindergarten at the U and then the next fall she will start Kindergarten at Uintah. So yes she will have 2 years of Kindergarten. When she enters the school system they will evaluate her and maybe move her into the first grade. I have talked to parents whose kids had 2 years of kindergarten and they loved it. So that is Piper's plan.
She loves dolls, princesses and things getting married. When she tells me her dolls got married she says "but don't worry mom. They went to college first." She takes swimming class every Monday with Emily Cannon. She is wonderful. I am determined to have my kids be excellent swimmers. It's a huge safety issue for me.
Quinn has a ferocious appetite. He eats 2 and 3 eggs for breakfast. He head butts things and has the biggest smile I have ever seen. He is a HUGE mommas boy, and I can't say that I mind it one bit. He goes to Kindermusik class every Friday and loves it. I love it to. 
Seth is working at Meta Design. He is a wonderful father and an amazing husband and my best friend in the whole world. He makes me laugh every day. I absolutely love kissing him. 
Life is busy and crazy. We don't get a lot of time together, but this is short lived. In the blink of an eye our kids will be gone all the time. I day dream about taking warm romantic trips with my Seth. I want to go to Italy with Seth and sit in a cafe and take all afternoon to share a bottle of wine and people watch. It will happen. Maybe not right now, but we will get there. 
I am working my 2 12 hour shifts in labor and delivery each week. I love my job but it is extremely stressful. I love that I can work so little and provide so much for my family. You take the good with the bad I suppose. I love sitting in my kids room with them and soaking up all their little trinkets, folding their little socks and hearing their sweet voices. Making their lunch and reading to them is just about the best life I can imagine. 
I ask myself all the time how did I get so lucky. 

Piper 4 years old

Quinn 15 months old

Adding her coins that she earns from working at Piper's Quilts.

Piper and Quinn love playing in this cupboard. The salad spinner might be one of Quinn's favorite toys.

Pumpkin patch

Sunday morning pancakes. Might be my favorite time of the week.

 

Piper turned 4

My beautiful little Piper girl turned 4 Oct. 27. We celebrated her birthday the day before at Sugar House Park. Seth made his famous chili. We had yummy chocolate princess cupcakes from the Sweet Tooth Fairy. It was one of the first brisk days of the season. The sun was warm and glorious. Patrick, Erin, Ronan, Bug, Yale, Harbertsons, Walkers, Langstons, Eli, Iris, Aiden, Quinn, Nana, Papa, and Grandma Jeanette were all there to celebrate with us.
We had the Boobiliboo clown come. She is the cutest girl. She does magic, balloons, and face painting. She was an actress is NYC and California. She was great. She made it so fun for the kids.
Happy birthday to my Piper girl. Don't grow up to fast. Today you asked me when you would be a woman. I feel like you are nearing that mark way to fast. I love watching you grow into the amazing woman that I know you will be. 
Thank you for letting me be your mother. I do my best every day to guide you, and show you the love that you shall always know. 

Ronan Patrick Quinn

This photo made me think of how much I love seeing photos of my mom when she was a young woman. For that reason I am going to try and include photos of myself so my kids can remember me as a younger woman.

Boston

So often in life you have expectations about something, and then it happens, and it's just not quite as good as you thought it would be. 
Well HELL no, Boston was the exact opposite of this. It was incredible. 
I know I don't get out much these days, but it really is a spectacular place. I loved everything about it. 
It's official. I am a city girl. I love goals, deadlines, walking fast, and having a purpose that you needed to be doing 5 minutes ago. I love riding the subway with every walk of life.

I love Utah, but when you step outside of the place you realize that we really are in a bubble sheltered from so much. It really drives me crazy. 
Boston was full of beauty, history and class everywhere you looked. I love old things. I have never seen such beautiful people and surroundings. Boston felt very clean and safe. I would have no problem living there. 
I met Stephanie at the University of Utah. We were Kappas together. We were roommates for some time.She is the funniest person I have ever known. 
She now lives 40 miles outside of Boston with her husband. She lives in a beautiful old farm house in Dove, NH. Dover and Portsmouth are little towns right on the coast. A must see. 
I think about my close women friends, and I hope more than anything that my Piper girl has women in her life like I do. They carry you. They make you want to be better. They make you smile and laugh when you are lonely or just having a rough day. They give you the truth and always have your best interest at heart. 
I am totally and completely blessed to have the great women in my life that I do. I cherish them and know how lucky I am to have these women to grow old with.

I remember way before I was even married thinking how I always wanted to do girls only trips. I can't stress how important they are. 
Thank you Stephanie and Erin for the trip of a life time!

Boston City Library. Can you imagine. Oh and you can have tea just inside the courtyard here.

We went shopping and fell in love with the same sunglasses and scarves.

Men and women were created equal. They are moral beings and whatever is right for man to do is right for woman. A quote on a building that made me love Boston even more.

Mikes Pastries. It was 1130 at night and it was this crowded. I had my first Cannolli. It was spectacular. I loved the North End. It was my favorite part of Boston. It is little Italy. People were straight off the boat Italian. I heard Italian being spoken everywhere. Cobble Stone roads. Dark, narrow, crowded streets. Little local stores only. Women dressed in gorgeous leather boots sipping cocktails and handsome men in expensive suits smoking. It was beautiful and perfect in every way.

This was for my Piper girl. Make Way For Ducklings is one of our favorite stories. It was written about this park. It was spot on. This first morning we were in Boston I went for a run all by myself thru the park. I thought of my little lady and how I can't wait to travel with her one day and experience the world together.

I promised Piper I would take a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard. Here they are sweetheart.

Stephanie and Captain Josh's home

These photos were left on my camera and I would sneak peeks when the lonesome for my kid pains got bad.

Captain Joshy and sea hag Stephanie's lobster cages