hb mia!

it's hard to believe that my tiny baby girl is 6 years old today--


i've been especially melancholy & a tad bit emotional the past few days as i ponder this turn of events. and i ask myself, "how did this happen?"

so, today i choose to celebrate instead of mourn the years that are flying by way too quickly.

mia, i love you so! you are my favorite little snuggle-bunny in the morning. thank you for being such a sweet, happy little lady with the minnie-mouse voice......


xoxo.

thankful thursday

so many things to be thankful for these past few weeks:




**for two brothers who help with my computer.

there is nothing more frustrating than when your computer decides to "check out"--i'm obviously WAY too dependent on it's abilities and equally as frustrated when i have absolutely not the first clue on how to deal with it.

thank goodness for techie brothers who will take care of us. and the approximately 3,000 viruses that we had downloaded on our hard-drive. GOOD TIMES!




**for my cute button bracelet that my seester loni made for me. (but NOT for the haggard-woman photo. even the ever-reliable go-to "glam pose" can't help this one.)

**for photos sent all the way from costa rica that bring a smile to my face. (love you, dad! nipper forever!)

**for mia-notes.

this one was quick to chastise me for my lack of interest in the school project.

translation: "my mom is not getting my poster done."


she was right. i was slacking. i have since been corrected.




**for surprises in the mail--the GOOD kind.

i received unexpected prizeys from both hers & hers. and i loved each and every aspect of them--

they included many wonderful things, including this little gem:



my favorite part was when my brother, mike saw this and said, "maybe?"


classic. thank you to my gals--much love!




**speaking of much love, could i heart the new foo album anymore?

i think not.

& my blogging bff heidi put into words what i have for so long been unable to adequately express with her comment:

"i just saw them on snl and i had to wipe my chin because of my dave grohl drool. he's my favorite kind of unwashed."


true, that.

miss katie gets asked to the dance. (two different ones!)

katie had the wonderful opportunity to attend not one, but TWO different dances with two different but equally wonderful dates.


she was absolutely breathtaking:

we are eternally grateful to our jody for working her magic with the hair and the make-up. we realize that every girl is not so lucky as to have a personal stylist, and for that we are thankful.


katie & christian made jr. prom look GOOD:

then, it was steven's turn for sr. ball:

this mother wanted to give her daughter MAD PROPS for being smart and opting for wearing the same beautiful dress to both dances, thus saving her parents $$ while pocketing a little incentive purse money for doing so:





and the whole neighborhood rejoiced:

thankful thursday

things i am thankful for this week:



**walking into my living room and spying this:

it's sick & twisted, yes. but it brings me much joy to see dave kicking back wherever he wants, regardless of whether or not a cat should be anywhere in the vicinity. like it's his birthright.


privileged, pampered, spoiled, & thinking he's entitled to things that he shouldn't have?



i've taught him well:

**the chance to fit in this freaking awesome documentary. on a tuesday evening. in 3-D, nonetheless! :

(who says we should turn our heads to the wall and die? they can kiss my 41-year old behind.)




**the small & simple things that make such a difference to me. like pink tape on my bicycle:

muchas gracias to my biking guru friend jared who hooked me up.

i especially love the little lizards on the ends of the handles:

**this adorable little guy who was sitting on our porch waiting for katie the other night 'round bout 10:30 p.m.:

righteous shout-out to katie's date christian---you are the MAN.

i'm especially grateful, as the mother of 4 girls, that there are good guys out there that are still asking our young ladies to dances. it means the world to them, and to us.



**&, finally--speaking of cute ways to ask a girl to prom.....have you seen this video? it restores my faith in humanity.


i die for the adorable-ness of mr. pitts :

chandi's news at nine

i must say: i thought that chandler's creative "newscast" about this book (thanks, aunt loni!) was showing signs of early genius. (didn't you know that reporters drank diet coke from 32-ounce cups on their desk?)

i loved that it was an effort that involved almost every member of the family showcasing their thespian skillz. do i smell emmy nomination in our future?


my favorite part starts at 2:12

48 cups of sugar went into the 47 bottles of freezer jam we made and why am i shocked?

for the first time in my entire 41 years of existence, i made strawberry freezer jam WITHOUT my mother or my sister basically doing it for me.



i'd say get your affairs in order, people--the end is nigh.


i couldn't have done it, however, without my technical support crew:

a special THANKS to bailey for helping with each and every step and counting out the 48 (that's FORTY-EIGHT, PEOPLE!) cups of sugar that went into our 47 bottles.

thankful thursday on friday

so many things to be thankful for this week!

{jody, dannielle, kamari}

**what would a t.t. post be like during these months without me talking about the beautiful weather? if you are sick of me talking about it i won'teightydegreestodaydo it anymore......

but i SHOULD mention that it was perfect biking weather with my gals.





**this card that dannielle gave me this week--it couldn't be any more perfect.


until you get to the inside, and then it gets perfecter:





**the issue of dixie state college magazine that came out this past week with my mother on the cover:


i think she is adorable.





**a husband who takes out the trash. it's a big deal.

russ has been gone all week for work and i had to take the trash to the curb. it's only the SECOND time since i've lived in my current house that i've had to do this chore. (fyi? i've been in this home for 8 years......)


but i think that i looked very stylish as i did the job:





**great hotel hook-ups.

have i mentioned that i LOVE my husband's job in the hotel industry? the traveling perks are by far the best part.

i've thought for several months that i should compose an ode of love to the cosmopolitan hotel--but why should i when she does it so much BETTER?

i shant.





**& finally, have i mentioned how excited i was to meet mark from sytycd? cuz i was. MAJORLY. & who doesn't love a man in black eyeliner twice as thick as your own?