It's True.........I really did get to meet him!

Some people didn't believe me when I said I was going to David Archuleta's concert! They definitely didn't believe me when I said I might get to meet him! So here is the proof! Believe it now folks, I have got the picture to prove it! Here is how it all went down!

One of my BGF (best girlfriend) Kendra is his pianist on the tour. They were coming to Richmond and she got us tickets to come to the show. Chip was going to come with me, but he had to work so I called my BFF Jen from NC and she came up to go with me. I got a babysitter for Cash and Bryson, and we set off for the show.

Kendra texted me early in the afternoon asking if I could please go to the store and pick up stuff for David's throat. It was swollen and they were worried about his voice for the show. Of course I went off in search of everything on the list. When we got there we got to go backstage and this is when we met him. We gave him the bag of goodies to help, talked for a few minutes, and got this picture. He was so nice and sweet and just seems down to earth and a good teenage kid. We told him there were tons of people and how they were so excited to see him and that seemed to get him excited. (while waiting to perform he was backstage watching idol - love it!)

When he spoke to us he could barely speak, and I really wondered how he would be able to come out and sing, and yet he delivered an AMAZING concert! He sang straight for 1.5 hours, and was so good. His voice is so pure and he is just awesome live! I thought he was great on idol - well he is even better live! I don't know if I have had that much fun in a long time! My favorite song was called Somebody Out There - which he wrote with the guitarrist named Mike! I also liked a duet he did with Kendra a LOT! The whole thing was simply spectacular!

After the show we got to go hang out with Kendra on the bus! It was SO MUCH FUN seeing how they travel and learning more about the tour. We got to meet the band players - who are all AWESOME, and also hilarious to be around, and it made me want to be a part of it all!! Each one of them is so talented and they work great together! It was great to catch up with Kendra, talk about life, learn about what she does on tour, and just hang out. It was over too fast, but it was a great night! Thanks Kendra for making us feel like VIP at the event and introducing us to your cool peeps!

I can't say enough about how talented Kendra is! She is just so awesome, beautiful on the inside and out, funny, great performer, unbelievable musician, great singer, and above all great friend. I had so much fun!

Also, the drive too and from was great to be able to catch up with Jen - we always have a blast and it had been over a month since we last hung out - so WAY too LONG in my mind - so thanks Jen for making the trip up to hang with me, even though it was just for 1 night!

Kendra: the girl that made the night possible for us!

My BFG Kendra after the show in the bus!

My BFF Jen in the bus

Finally hanging out again.............after way too long!

I LOVED her boots - so had to get a pic!

Kids are more like their parents then we think!!!

Cash is now 6 months old, and is more fun then ever!!! I have been making mental lists lately of all the things I love about him. As I was thinking about them, I realize that he is more like me than I thought. Here is the list:

Cash LOVES bathtime....and splashes and kicks the ENTIRE time
He likes having his fingernails and toenails clipped - and sits quietly and still while I cut them!
He loves snuggling with his blankie to go to sleep - and if you put the blanket next to his face he won't even cry when you leave, and is asleep within 2 minutes of putting him in his bed!
He loves his exersaucer and jumperoo and just being up and moving around
Cash LOVES parties and is a social butterfly (he is SO good anywhere we go)
Cash loves to watch dance videos with me; if he is fussy and I turn on a video of someone in my family he will watch it quietly and LOVES the music)
He loves any music and sings along in his cute little babble voice in the car!
He loves his Daddy and watching him get ready in the morning and playing peek-a-boo
Cash doesn't fuss at all when he is being dressed
He loves his mommy's jewelry - especially earrings and necklaces
He loves books
CASH LOVES ICECREAM (am I a horrible mommy for giving him a little sometimes?)


eating YUMMY icecream cone


All of these reasons, (plus many more), are what I LOVE about little Cash right now! He is so fun and such a good little baby! And I LOVE icecream too, so was delighted that despite him hating any babyfood I give him, at least I know he likes some food!

Today while I was thinking of how he is like me in all these things I started to reflect on the ways that I am like my mom, and more the ways that I wish I was more like my mom. Here is the list:

I wish I was more productive each day like she is: I don't know of anyone who can fit as much into a 24-hour period as she does!
I wish I was as good of a cook as she is, and that I would get up and get breakfast made and dinner made for my family each day like she does!
I wish I had her legs - she has NEVER had cellulite a day of her life!
I wish I had the spiritual insight and was as good of a teacher as she is!
I wish I was as confident about things as she is!
I wish I was as smart as she is!
I wish I was as skinny as she is - had 6 kids and only 130 lbs. pretty impressive!!!
I wish I was as good of a mommy to my little boy as she was to me!!!
I wish I were with her today or could talk to her today to tell her Happy Birthday and how much I love her and am glad that she is my "mommy"!

Happy Birthday Mom - I hope you have a great relaxing day in Mexico! I love you!

It is amazing as we reflect on our families how much we are like our parents, or our children are like us - in some ways it is scary how alike we really are! What are ways that you are like your parents, or your kids are like you?

Sound Sleeping

So after getting all the advice from everyone about how to cure my son's sleeping problems, I have implemented a new schedule in our house:

Bathtime: 6 pm
Stories: 6:30 pm
Feeding: 6:45-7:15
Put in bed between 7:30 and 8 pm

It has been going so great - He seems to LOVE his crib and being in his own room. It was so hard for me to let him sleep in his own room the first night, but ever since then it has been wonderful for both. So thank you all for the great advice, and especially thanks to Cash for taking to the new routine and letting us all have some peace and quiet at nights!!! He also has been going down for naps in his crib all by himself and hardly ever cries....wahoo!!!

However, the other day I heard some weird noises coming from his room during nap time, so I waited until it got quiet again and then went in to check on him - this is what I found:








At least he was sleeping still eh? Sweet dreams my little man!!!

Friday's Friend

In Honor of Valentines, Meet My Best Friend (and true love) in the WHole World: Chip

Age: 29

Birthday: November 26

Favorite quote:
He didn't answer but the very first quote I ever heard him say, and one I know he likes is............"If it looks like a rat, and smells like a rat.......it must be a rat"

Favorite Treat:
Dried mangos


What is favorite hobby?
Skiing/Wakeboarding


Dream vacation?
Lake Powell

Something you can't go a day without?

Coke (its bad i know...working on kicking this habit)

Favorite memory since becoming a dad?

Watching cash learn how to use his jumperoo


Thing I admire most about Chip:
I admire so many things about my hubby and best friend, but one thing that is at the top of the list is how Chip always does what is right. He has more integrity than most people I know, and is such a good example to me of doing what is right because that is what we should do.

Chip and I met in the accounting program at BYU and the rest is history. We have been married for almost 3 years, have a cute little boy named Cash, and have tons of great memories together. One of my favorite memories however had to be going to the lake every weekend last summer and watching him wakeboard. He is a great wakeboarder, and totally got me hooked on wanting to learn and to have a love for boating. I am sad we won't be able to go each weekend this summer, but hope we can make a trip down a couple times so that he can teach me to get up on the wakeboard - since I won't be pregnant and just have to ride along. However, riding along watching him do flips and jumps was a highlight of my weekends - seeing how happy he was out in the water, and how good he was, and I will never forget that. I love that he is such an awesome athlete! I would post more but I am making my list of 100 reasons I love him for our exchange tomorrow so don't want to spoil it by saying them now! Happy Valentines my love! I love you more than ever and am so happy we are in it for eternity together!!! xoxoxooxxo

Sleep Question Post Follow Up!

Thank you ALL for the advice and comments on helping my little one sleep. For the last 2 nights I have tried putting Cash down between 7:30 and 8 pm. The first night - he went down great, only woke up once to eat, and then slept til 8 am!!! Holy WoW!!! It was awesome! I don't know when I got such good sleep in a LONG time!

I thought all our sleep problems were fixed and we were back on track - the easiest fix ever right? Wrong!

Last night he went down again no problem at 7:30, and yet woke up at 11, 1, 1:30, 2:25, 3:15, 4:30-5:15, and 7:40 he wanted to stay up for the day! So back to square 1! I did let him cry himself to sleep from 4:50-5:00 because I just couldn't handle it, and I also gave him oragel then, because I think he is starting to teethe; however, Chip wasn't home last night so that made it a little harder to let him cry......bummer night!!! I am gonna keep trying, and will be getting that sleep book today also! So hopefully we can get it fixed soon!!!!

HELP ME PLEASE!!!

You would think all this bouncing in the videos below, which sometimes goes on for an hour at a time, would help wear my little guy out so he would sleep through the night (especially when the hour he jumps is right before bed time)! Well, not the case - this past week has been the worst week of sleep in our house since Cash was born! I thought it was cured when 2 nights ago he only woke up once, then back to bed until 10 am sunday morning.....however, last night it was back to reality, waking up ALL through the night, and one exhausted and grouchy mama this morning!!! He goes to bed fine on his own between 9:30 and 10 pm; in fact, we just put him in bed awake and he will put himself to sleep - it is from 1 am on when the problems begin!!! Help me please! What are your tricks for getting your infants to go back to sleeping through the night!

Friday's Friend

Today my Friday's Friend is...........

Meet: My BFF Lindsey Christensen
Age: 27
Birthday: May 12

What is something you wish you did in HS but never got to?
I never got to be a cheerleader and never got to date a football player, it was so sad. I actually had a lot of fun while it lasted, and I am glad I don't have to go back.

What is your favorite quote?

I am sure there are a lot of spiritual, motivational, and uplifting quotes that I like or have motivated me in life. There are also a lot of great movie and TV quotes that have made my day, but I don't have one that I live by or that I can even recall right off hand.

What is something interesting that most people don't know about you?

I had plans to get married and start a family when I was 20, I even wrote out a schedule of how many kids I wanted and when I wanted to have them, I think I should have four by now. But I am almost 28, I got married when I was 25 and we have no kids, and I have no regrets I couldn't be happier with the way life has panned out.

What is your most favorite treat?

Tres Leches, it's delicious and if I am eating it I most likely will have just eaten a yummy pork burrito at Cafe Rio. I also love sour patch kids and smoothies.

What is 1 goal you have that you will complete by your birthday of this year?

To hang up pictures and decorate our bedroom, the guestroom and the family room. I just want the house to feel complete.

What is something that you can't go a day without doing?

Well there are the everyday necessities like eating, sleeping, praying, brushing my teeth etc. I don't know that I have any daily quirks or routines. I guess right now it seems like I can't go a day without checking out the blog world...


What I admire most about Lindsey!
Lindsey is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. Working with her at Culinary Crafts (and also Training Table but I have tried to block those memories out) I saw first hand at what a hard worker she is. When she takes on a job, she does it right - no matter how much work it is or how hard it might be. Whether it be washing all the pots and pans til they are 100% sparkling clean, or picking up that last piece of trash at an event, or making sure the presentation of something was the very best it could be - she always gives 110%. She puts in a full effort at everything she does, and often when I would want to cut corners (especially at work) I would look over and see Lindsey working away and it would motivate me to be a little better! Also, she always does her work with such a good attitude. Anyone who knows Linds knows she is always up for a good time - she can change plans at a minute's notice, is super spontaneous, and is always fun to be around. She helps everyone have a good time and just having her around makes everything way more fun! She has truly taught me the meaning of "work hard, play hard".

My Favorite Memory with Lindsey!!!

I have SO many memories and fun times with Lindsey, but one of my most favorite memories over the past years occurred when we lived together and shared a room. We went to different schools, and had different schedules, and yet at the end of every day we would lie in our beds in the dark and just talk about things! We can talk about anything and everything! We talked about school, work, boys, dating, church callings, people that were bugging us, things going on in our families - just everything! It was always nice to have someone to share your deepest secrets with and who would always listen and/or give advice when needed! I used to look forward to coming home and just having talk time with Linds. I have many fond memories of those days - thanks Linds for being the best roommate and friend I could ever ask for! Luv you!!!

I have know Lindsey since I was 11 years old. Although when I first moved to Provo we weren't friends - in fact, she was very mean to me and hated me for reasons I won't post, we did become great friends in HS and have been best friends ever since. We lived just a few houses away, have our birthdays 3 days apart, and pretty much hung out every day for years or at least talked on the phone. I lived at her house for 1 semester in college and feel her family is my own too. Her family is SO FUN to hang out with and I loved feeling a part of it. Also, our parents are best friends, so that is something fun too!!! She is my favorite person to work out with, has the funniest sense of humor and can make anyone laugh, is a super great teacher and so creative, can usually figure out how to fix anything, is a great cook.....all except Mac n Cheese (sorry Linds - but we all seem to get sick when you make that), and is just the bestest friend ever! I love you Linds - thanks for being my BFF!!!

One of my favorite nights - dressing up for '80's prom!

Having fun on a trip to Vegas!

Bridesmaids at Danielle's reception....pretending to get a drink!!!

My maid of honor and me at my wedding!

The Simple Things in Life

Wouldn't life be nice if we were all so easily entertained?

6 weeks til I win $80...hopefully!!!

This might not seem like a lot of money to most, but it is a whole lot more than money that I will gain if I win! I have joined a group of 4 women in my ward and we are having our own Biggest Loser contest. Each person put $20 in and at the end of 6 weeks whoever lost the most weight gets the "pot". I am determined for it to be me!!!

Each day I have to post what I ate in WW points (so all you weight watcher fans please give me any tips since I have never done this)
Exercise I did
Water I consumed
What time I stopped eating at!

Thus, I am in need of all the tips - both for WW and for exercise routines that are great and shed pounds quickly! I would love to hear your advice, tips, things that worked for you, etc. etc.

I plan on winning this and getting rid of the baby weight I gained once and for all!!! Bye bye pounds, hello new body and victory! Now, off to run on the treadmill! :)