The Short and Tall of It

Almost There

2009-11-17T12:05:00.004-07:00

Well, I am almost 36 weeks and still pregnant. That is a good thing...although I am miserable and can't wait until it is over. This picture was taken a few days ago, and I am carrying 12+ lbs of baby. The babies are big - and doing well, and we are so thankful for that. I am still on bedrest, and have submitted to it as I can't really move at this point, so I am actually thankful for it. I am pretty sure that I am experiencing a condition called SPD. I have never been in so much pain in my life - but I am trying to endure it as well as I can - just hoping that there is relief after delivery. My doctor has told me that I am considered full term at 38 weeks and they will take the babies then if I haven't already had them, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We are so excited to welcome these little guys into our home and will post as soon as we have them here!

Bed Rest

2009-09-25T11:41:00.002-06:00

This post is more for me than anyone else. There will be times in the very near future I am sure that I will need to come back to this post and read my resolve and be reminded of how I choose to handle this situation, and putting it out there for the world to see somehow makes me more accountable because I can't hide behind my feelings if they aren't hidden. It is official. Bed Rest. I have been living in denial of this moment for a long time. I don't know why I thought that it wasn't going to happen, although, my doctor has been telling me for quite some time that it was going to. But, alas, we have reached that glorious (or not so glorious) point. I had a mini-breakdown earlier this week (to James, of course) wherein I realized the fact that I this bed rest is probably more needed than I would like to acknowledge. He just listened, and smiled, and inside his head wondered "will my wife ever return, and will this CRAZY lady ever leave?" There have been several things that have occurred in the past few weeks that have helped me realize this fact, some of the highlights being, me falling down the stairs, catching a flu bug after venturing out into the public world, passing out in the laboratory bathroom because "I'm a big girl and I can do it all by myself," and not to mention the pain that takes over my body after seemingly short bouts of housecleaning or grocery shopping. I don't mean to sound like a complainer - believe me, I've spent more time worrying about sounding that way than anyone would like to know. So, I would like to say this: Being pregnant is not fun, it hurts, and it's miserable at times. I would also like to say this: Being pregnant is a wonderful blessing, and I am doubly blessed with the joy of two babies at once. It is miraculous and humbling, and exciting and inspiring. I have had to make the distinction between these two statements, because for some reason, I have believed that this "wonderful" thing called pregnancy is to be wonderful in all aspects. Well, I have been disappointed to learn that it isn't pleasant, or fun, or always joyous, but out of many challenging experiences come great things. So, from all of this, I am embracing my bed rest state. I am taking the challenge, because to me, it is a great one to be confined to my house or anywhere for that matter, and making the best of it. I am not going to cry anymore about how gross I feel or how much it hurts, but I am also not going to pretend that I don't feel that way at times. I am going to acknowledge it and choose to be happy that I have the opportunity to experience all of this for my story. One day I will reach back and pull something from this experience that will help me or someone else through something. I could go on and on but the grammatical incorrectness of this is already making me itch. So, I am choosing to look forward to my bed rest. I have already created a long list of things that I would like to accomplish while I'm down. Some of these are things that I have had on my list for a long time, some are things to prepare for the babies, some are things that I want to do for fun, some are things that I am almost certain that I would never take the time to do otherwise. I have had several people say to me "Oh, I would love to have a few months of free time to do whatever I wanted, I would get so much done." I am going to fight the urge to punch you in the face and say "you don't know what it's like," and actually take that opportunity that so many others wish they had. So there. HA HA. I am going to get my paperwork and my junk drawers organized. I am going to finally do something with all of those pictures I have taking up space on my hard drive, and I am going to read those books, and I am going to enjoy it. I'm going to rest, and take care of myself and my babies because that is my job, and I am not going to feel bad about it <---- this is the part I am really going to focus on, because forces out there in the universe are determined to make me feel bad for doing the right thing, and I am not going to let them get me down. Ok, got that out. Feel better about that. Now to set a reminder in my phone to read this at least twice a day to remind myself of all of it...

I have had so many awesome people ask me what I need...(love all of you), and right now I must give a shout-out to my fabulous husband, James. He is so good to me. He cooks, he cleans, he does laundry, he shops, he entertains, and he provides me with such amazing emotional support. I couldn't do this without him. As hard as it is for me to admit this, (really hard) one of the hardest things about all of this has been being home alone all day. I mean, Lucy does her share of talking, but after a while, even she gets bored talking to me. So, if you happen to be on my side of the earth and want to stop by, I wouldn't protest. Plus, there is no charge to look at the lady with the giant moving belly.

I am happy though. I am having two babies! It still is the funniest thing ever to me, but I am so excited. I can't wait to see them and hold them and figure out their little personalities and take on the tremendous challenge and blessing of motherhood. I am in for the ride of my life and I am so excited to take it on. I am ready to be busy, and exhausted, and tired, and frustrated and all of those things that come with it because I know that I am about to experience great joy, and one (or two, rather) of the greatest gifts that God could ever give me, so give me all the crap that comes with it - it's all I've ever wanted.

The Belly

2009-09-04T11:10:00.003-06:00

So, I know when it's really bad when James comes home from work one day and says "April! you haven't updated our blog since July 7th!" Uh, ok honey, I'll get on that. I have had a lot of requests for a picture of the babies - I know you're all curious - just how HUGE is she going to get?! So, here it is!

I don't like this picture of me - (I don't like any pictures of me lately, so whatever) but I am 25 weeks here, and P.S. aren't the flowers fabulous!? James took me to the temple to see them because I couldn't get enough of them when I was there earlier that day.

So far, everything is going really well with the pregnancy. I am doing well, and the babies are perfect in every way. They are moving now like crazy - they are already keeping me up all night, which is good preparation I guess.

My family had a baby shower for me while we were in Mesa a few weeks ago and it was fabulous! It was so much fun and we got so much good stuff! Thank you again to everyone who helped put it together!

The Attanasio Brothers

2009-07-07T07:12:00.005-06:00

Yes, that is right. We are having twin boys. Breathe, April, breathe. I am still trying to catch my breath from when we found out yesterday - mostly from laughing. I am still laughing. I laughed out loud and told the ultrasound technician he was a liar, and still laughing, told him it wasn't a funny joke, still laughing, finally sat up and asked him if he would place his life on the FACT that there were two babies in there. The answer came: a resounding YES. Then I saw this image on the screen, and I knew it was no joke.

So...Here we go! James has told me his life is complete - it is all he ever wanted - seriously. I don't quite know what to feel - but I am more and more excited as the minutes pass. Yes, I am living my life in minutes right now - I'm sure that will get better once my heart rate decreases.

I have posted all the ultrasound photos on my facebook page.

Perfect

2009-06-24T12:45:00.010-06:00

I don't know why, but posting seems to take SO much effort. I think it is because I've neglected this blog for so long that I feel like I should update on everything that has occurred since I last posted. Well, those of you who know, obviously know where I have been and what's been going on, those of you who don't - just ask. I'll tell. Instead of all those um, let's call them "details," I wish to post about the really important stuff, like Britney got married, Birthday Cruises and Oh yeah, I'm not fat - I'm pregnant.

Yes! Britney got married! I was privileged to be there for all of it.

Bridal shower(s), girls nights and bachelorette party, endowment, sealing. And all the days in between too. The staying up late and talking about love and the fuzzy feelings you get when you know you've found your soulmate. The photo shoot where I get to chew the gum for the bride and change her shoes and touch up her makeup after every shot, and adjust her dress and hair. Taking notes at the showers getting so excited for every gift that was received. Giving advice that was from the heart and learning new things along the way. Dreaming about the future and getting excited about the little things. The flowers and the food and the tiny minute details that nobody would know about. I got to see all the hard work and dedication and love that went into making this day so perfect. I am so grateful I got to spend that time with Jilly and Brit.

Only James could bring this out of the beautiful bride on her perfect day.

Many tears were shed at this moment. Perfect.

Last Dance. The Mr. and Mrs.

The reception was the perfect party. Flawless. I sat and soaked it all in and enjoyed it. Such a happy feeling was there - the perfect celebration for a perfect start to a new life.

During my stay, my bff Tracie had a landmark birthday. The big 3-0. I kept telling her that 30 is the new 20, o we decided to Birthday It Up {BIU} in style. I was so elated that I was asked to be Tracie's BIU guest. We had the most fabulous time, the elation that was felt was overwhelmingly elating! I will just briefly recap some of the most elating highlights of the trip. There first was the drama of obtaining my birth certificate. Thank you to James for handling the drama with such quickness and speed - only to find out I have been celebrating my birthday on the wrong day - my ENTIRE life!?! Hello, Mike and JoAnn? I digress. There was the migraine scare, the shade cutting off circulation, the lovely Vagabond Inn complete with late night Internet searches and DIY waffle breakfast. Then, the boat. The Elation.

Our beds were amazing. More amazing were the pillows, and more amazing were the duvets. On the Lido Deck, the food - perfect. The fruit? Plentiful. 24 hour room service? Definitely used. Our dining experience was quite interesting...there was our waiter John Wayne, and our table mates Edgar and Irma, and his incessant inviting us to take photos in our "Cruise Elegant" attire. Cruise Elegant. 'Nuff said.

Yes, we ordered cheese for dessert. And me, well fruit at every meal.

Our towel animals provided hours of entertainment and I will stop there. Did I mention 24 hour room service? Oh, the time spent on the Lido Deck - elating.

Laying out, and more laying out. Sleeping, eating, laughing, eating, sleeping, eating, laughing, being Cruise Elegant - it was all so much fun! Thank you Trac for a perfect time!

YES + its true. (I took 2, just to be sure) I am not getting fatter. Well, actually, I am. But it is not because of the cruise or the wedding or some natural disaster. We are expecting our first baby! We could not be more excited for this - it has been a long road for us to finally get pregnant, and actually keep the pregnancy. My doctor has assured me that things are moving along perfectly. My due date is December 18th. We heard the heartbeat last week and it was amazing, and perfect. We don't know what we are having yet, Britney's bffer Natalie has affectionately named it babyweinerdog until we know. We are jumping out of our skin waiting for that ultrasound so we can find out what we are having. We are so excited for the privilege to become parents and can't wait!

Last but not least. Lucy and Pete are now bffs. They both had to adjust to not being around each other. Poor Lucy, she has no idea what is in store for her in the coming months. Maybe I should let her watch 'Lady and the Tramp' to kind of ease her into the idea of a new baby.

Whoot-y

2009-05-13T00:29:00.003-06:00

I am kind of obsessed...

What do they symbolize?

It is believed that a magical "inner light" gave Owls night vision. Owls symbolize wisdom, the ability to see things that are hidden, stealth, swiftness, darkness, freedom, dreams, shape-shifting, secrets, omens, clairvoyance, astral projection, magick, deception, observation, total truth, night, death and misfortune.

Creepy? I think not. I kinda like 'em.

Prepare yourself...

2009-03-19T14:39:00.003-06:00

Words can't describe the joy...Bono, I will see you soon. Very soon.

Baked Creation

2009-03-18T13:16:00.004-06:00

I have been on a journey of self-discovery as of late. Maybe that is why I have neglected the blog, because I haven't been ready to write about it. I have had so many thoughts swimming in my head, forming into new ideas and new beliefs, dispelling the dusty, old worn out ones that have only been used because I didn't realize that I could create better ones. These cupcakes are part of my journey. I have a special relationship with them, even though they have long since been devoured and enjoyed. As amateur as they are, these cupcakes brought things to me that I haven't seen in a long time. They brought me the knowledge that I can, and I will. They showed me my potential in all things. They made me realize that it doesn't have to hurt to dream, and it is better done if you 'dream out loud.' They put into perspective what is really important, banishing all insignificant viewpoints that were previously held. They took me all the way back to July 21, 2006 - a day in my life where I truly believed it when I said "I can do anything I put my mind to. I am good enough, and I am the best at what I do." I love these cupcakes. I wish I could have one frozen in time, not just in my memory, so I could keep it in my fridge and look at it daily to remind me of the catalyst its creation was in my life. I guess I'll just have to keep baking...

P.S. These are red velvet (from scratch) with cream cheese frosting. If you want some (or any other kind for that matter) I would leap for joy at the opportunity.

Root Beer Burger Run 2009 "RBBR"

2009-02-26T12:57:00.002-07:00

Ok, so there are many blog-worthy things that have happened lately, but this is the most blog-worthy of them all...and frankly, I have just beeen lazy about the other stuff. We went to AZ on Valentine's Day weekend for Elder Cotter's farewell, and for the First Annual Root Beer Burger Run. I am going to refer you to Carli's blog for pictures and explanation of the rules of the competition. I am just going to post the video. There is no audio because of copyrighting issues wih YouTube, but I think you will get the idea. I am SO proud of my husband, and my family. They truly know how to represent.

Newport Beach

2008-12-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Newport Beach was fantastic! We went with Jill & Kirt, well we met them there. We stayed at the Marriot Newport Coast Villas. We had some rain, and some cold, and some beautiful days. We did a LOT of relaxing and reading and sleeping and eating and shopping. Brit and Jess came for the last part of the trip and we spent a magical day at Disneyland! I love love LOVE Disneyland. It makes me feel like a kid again. It was so fantastical all decorated for Christmas and the CASTLE...need I say more! It was the perfect getaway vacation. I think James and I made up for our not-so-romantic anniversary! We had Christmas with the Petersens and it was so much fun! Check Britney's blog for more pictures! It was so much fun I can't wait to go back!

Update-y Matey

2008-12-11T14:58:00.005-07:00

The past month has been way busy (and fun) for us. We have had a lot going on and I have decided not to blog about it all individually, because that would be too EASY...So, here we go...

Jan came to visit us a few weeks before Thanksgiving. It was so much fun to have her in our home. We relaxed, ate good food and played lots of games. We played a lot of Ticket to Ride, and James finally discovered his strategy, which made it more fun to play. It was great fun. We love you and miss you, Jan. Come back soon, please!

We went to AZ for Thanksgiving. It was so much fun to be with everyone. We all just hung out and enjoyed each others' company. James and I got to spend some time with Trac which was super fun. I miss Trac. Sometimes I want to switch out my current roommate for her again...just because we had so much fun living together. I miss all the good times!

See if you can spot poor Jenessa squashed under Brand...she is there!

Jan made a super cute fruit turkey. He was my favorite.

We went and had a RED SOFA PARTY with Britney and Jesse. It was so fun to meet him and hang out - he is a great guy and we had a great time laughing. Of course, the best part was the girl talk til the wee hours in the morning after he left...I'll never tell... :]

She's so HAPPY! I love it!

I put up our tree before we went to AZ so we could enjoy it when we came back. It is nothing exciting, but I am excited for next year when I can really decorate it. Stay tuned.

I failed to mention that most of us got the stomach flu that weekend. James and I both got it and spent two days miserable in bed. It was such a bummer to be sick a) not in the comfort of your own home, and b) to be missing out on family stuff. It was horrid and I don't want to talk about it anymore.

We had my dad over for his birthday last weekend. I made super yummy dinner and we sang and had candles despite his protests. It was a good time.

I made FROM SCRATCH, people - German chocolate (Girhadelli Chocolate, mind you) cake for my dad. It was so amazing, even James liked it. I was so proud of myself. The frosting was so delightful I wanted to put it as a topping on all my food.

Also, last weekend I took James to see Michael McLean's The Forgotten Carols. James had never been and he loved it! He is a huge Michael McLean fan, and James was so excited to meet him after the show.

I always love going to this show at the beginning of the Christmas season because it brings in the spirit and the true meaning of Christmas so strong into my heart. I love this season and the spirit of giving and love that is in the air. I know it is cliche, but I wish that we all could feel this every day of the year. I am thankful for the birth of Jesus Christ and all that he has made possible for us in this life. I love his message of Hope and Love, and I love Him!

Oh yeah, Lucy went to AZ with us and she loved it. She wishes you a Merry Christmas.

OOh yeah baby, Lovin' me some Endorphins!

2008-11-11T10:34:00.002-07:00

I'm lovin the gym today. My workout was totally lame, mind you - hackin' a lung on the poor guy next to me, but I went, and I conquered. The other day, James told me that I was a conqueror. We are working on me believing good things about myself...SO while at the gym, I was telling myself "I am a conqueror!" Of what? Who knows, the phlegm in my lungs for all I care. The endorphins are worth it! Hey, maybe if I keep this up, I won't need those fake prescribed endorphins....the purple ones are so pretty!

365 Blissful days of marriage, and counting...

2008-11-10T12:50:00.007-07:00

What is an anniversary? My idea has always been a blissful romantic holiday for the two sharing it, usually filled with lots of romance, tokens of love and affection, relaxation and time with one another, and lots of lingerie. Well, never having experienced an anniversary before - this is what I wanted, and I was going to make it happen...of course because In my various blog stalking adventures - I admit it! - I have read a many delightful tale about the anniversaries celebrated and the festivities in which the participants partook. I was not going to be left out of the ultra-cool-I envy your life because of your blog- crowd. I wanted to post a story that would make all other stalkers and non-alike that happen upon my blog to be envious of my fabulous holiday and be jealous of how much my husband and I are in love. BARF! Who am I kidding!? Seriously!? Who has a life that effing perfect? First of all, James and I are real, and our lives aren't perfect, and sometimes...things don't always work out as they are planned...Here is our anniversary story, in its real, raw form.

In the previous months leading up to our first anniversary, I had vast fantasies and plans of what it would be like...James and I taking off on a romantic getaway weekend to somewhere exotic, leaving our cellphones and dog behind only to be in each others' arms only to be interrupted by our indulgence in room service and spa treatments. Or, showering each other with unexpected gifts of high sparkle and great value (get my drift?) and then taking off on our romantic rendezvous. While all of these ideas have been joyously swirling in my head, James and I had talked many times about our anniversary "plans." While I am wise enough to know that spending thousands on our anniversary just before the holidays isn't so great for our budget, we decided on something more simple. (So we can take that great trip in December...) So, we decided he would take the day off and we would dedicate our day to one another, spend time with each other - eat good food, enjoy each others' company, and go shopping for something for our house - something that will always remind us of our first anniversary and how we spent it together. To be completely honest, I was 100% happy with that idea. I am a simple girl who likes to make things complicated sometimes, but for the most part, I am easily pleased. So, we decided to have dinner at the same restaurant we did on our first date - The Melting Pot - the night before, so we would have all of the next day (our anniversary) together. This was our plan. THIS WAS OUR PLAN....

The whole week leading up to our anniversary, I decided to get a disease which kept me in bed for two days straight, and has kept me congested, coughing, dim, and slow ever since. I was saving all of my energy for that fateful day when we could celebrate our nuptials. The day came, and James woke up with a back injury of sorts. A completely debilitating muscle cramp that took all of the life out of him. He popped some pills and we headed off to dinner - determined to have a good time. We did have a good time. We enjoyed our meal thoroughly, we laughed, we reminisced about the past year and all we learned and loved. I was having a good hair night, which I was particularly proud of (thank you, Marie!) and James, well, he couldn't drive because he can't move so well, he walked funny and stooped over to minimize his pain, and he looked like he was in excruciating pain, as you can see from the pictures. We still had a great time...my favorite part was when we sang Christmas carols on the way home.

As you can see, we did enjoy our meal...it was amazing, as always!

James was sure that he would be able to sleep off his pain and we would be good to go in the morning. WELLL...that didn't happen. But he gets points for trying. James woke up in greater pain and me - well, I was hacking up a lung left and right. We both decided to make the best of it and move forward with our plans. We had breakfast - mostly in silence, due to both of us not feeling well and trying not to bite one another's head off. Then we headed up to Salt Lake to see the Body Worlds exhibit which I have been wanting to see since it was in Phoenix a year and a half ago. We went through that and then decided that it was time to go home. I could tell James was in so much pain. I felt really bad for him, but he insisted that he was fine. Well, Mr. Grumpy pants, "fine" is my word. I invented "fine." I understand the language and meaning of "fine," and let me tell you "fine" does not mean that you are ok, great, hunky dory, or peachy keen. "Fine" means "shut up and stop asking me how I am...I am not fine, I am not ok, and I want to punch you in the teeth." So, we're driving down the freeway, James upset at me for Googling on my phone while driving, but I had to find a chiropractor that could fix this mess. Fortunately, the one I called was able to get us in. We raced to Provo, and into the Dr.'s Office. James at this point was really not "fine" with being there, because had I listened before...he was "FINE" and didn't need to see a doctor. I didn't care. I was in control. This was our perfect romantic togetherness lovey dovey day and I was going to fix it! I was going to make it right...and he was not going to be hurt anymore so we could continue or celebration of our love. Well we spent the next four hours in the Dr.'s Office, and most of my time was spent looking at this:

James with electrodes and ice on his back. The people at this office were super nice. Freakishly nice. They were so nice I think they were on some sort of drug. Whatever it was, I want some, STAT. We finished up after another hour of physical therapy and were on our way home. Tired, sore, hacking, congested, snotty, and bummed...we headed home. Maybe tomorrow will be better? Nope. Both of us were laid up - me, sick as a dog - him, still unable to move. Today, being Monday, I look back on it all and now am able to laugh. Yes, I realized something very important that fateful day: It doesn't matter where you are or what you are doing, but if you love the person you are with, it will always be fun. Now, not that any of this was necessarily fun, but there isn't anyone I would rather have done it with than James. He is the best man in the world - the best man for me, and no romantic getaway or gift can ever change that or make it more true. I don't need all of that extravagance to say "I love you." He knows it, and I know it. That is what matters. So, I wouldn't say our anniversary was horrible, it was just normal. Things like this happen every day and it just happened to be on our day. No big deal. Next year there better be a damn parade in our honor!

Mapleton, Ya'll!

2008-10-31T14:41:00.007-06:00

Yep, you read right. We are officially Mapletonites, or Mapletonians, or, as we like to call it, country folk. Now that we are out here (like how I use the term 'out here' because we are SO far away from civilization) in south Utah County, we can officially say things like "ya'll" and I can sit in the middle seat in James' truck when we go for a ride, cause that's what a lady does. Us city folk are gettin used to the quiet chirp of crickets and the neigh of horses round these parts...(we really have neighing horses) and reckon we'll settle here for quite a while. Ok, really its not that bad, but it is a little slower and quieter here. In case you haven't picked it up, James and I purchased a HOME in Mapleton just over a month ago. Ok, so a lot of you have been bugging me, and I know since a lot of you are far far away and can't come see it for yourselves, I have decided to post pictures of our new house! It all happened super fast and I feel like I am just now getting my bearings. I have hesitated for a long time to post pictures because it's kinda scary lettin' all the world in on your happy little home. I have not even begun to decorate - yet I have done with what I have right now...so don't judge me. Our home is in a new development - we are currently one of two new homes - soon to be six or seven, so there isn't much but dirt around us. It is 3 bedroom 2 bath, on a .25 acre lot. We have a huge unfinished basement. So far, we are loving having our own place. We are so excited for all of the projects that it has brought along - James is particularly excited about putting in the yard next spring. Our neighbors are awesome - everyone in our new ward has been great. We are so glad to be here and make a home for ourselves! Please come visit, stop by if you're in town, and know that there is always a room for ya'll.

Here is the front of our home.

Great room

Great room / kitchen

Formal living room

Hallway back to bedrooms, laundry/garage & baths

Basement

We have gorgeous mountain views from every window in the house. This is the back porch view

View from the front porch

View from the front porch looking east.

Week in review.... And my rookie post.

2008-10-27T20:20:00.004-06:00

This is my fist blog attempt EVER,,,,, Make fun. I DARE YOU :)
So we went to Thanksgiving Point last week...
The night started with so mild heart attack at the scary haunted scary dinosaur ( not pictured ) Cuz I don't get scared and he was dumb anyway :)
then it was of to the races,,, Duck races that is and well me with my lucky hat well you know the out come.... Rick was a worthy opponent but hey you cant beat me when I have my lucky hat on.

Next the girls wanted picture time.. why you ask.. well their girls so we have learned to just not ask... and click the camera. They look cute though don't they.

Then Hayden needed some slide time but got camera shy,,,,
Too much paparazzi I guess.

Then we had to get in Santa chair and just relax for a bit,,,,,
Believe it or not the chair was way comfortable,,,,,

After a Crash on a hay bail and some hot cocoa it was off the dinosaur museum.
How do you like our rendition of Animal Farm :)

Here is April and her pearly Whites....

Back to my roots,,,, give me a spear and a rock and I'm good to go.

Did you really think you would gt out of here with out seeing our doggie.

And this concludes the first annual broadcast of don't laugh at my blogging....

Happy Birthday Baby!

2008-10-21T11:51:00.003-06:00

Today is James' Birthday! I did a James post a while back about how amazing he is. I still feel that way and more. Click here to read it. Jill also posted about him today. I love this post! It makes me so happy that my family loves him as much as they do. Click here to read it. There are so many things about James that I absolutely adore! These may be silly things, but I find them endearing - like his love for cheesy (I mean cheesy) 80's and 90's music...but he gets so excited about it. He is very appreciative of everything that is done for him. He is thankful for the smallest things such as laundry, a hot meal, or giving him the last bite of ice cream. I love how dedicated he is to his spirituality and his callings. He has my best interests always in mind, and is always looking to the future with a brightness of hope. James is thoughtful, and wise. He has been through a lot and always has great advice to give. He is very optimistic and always looking to serve someone else! I love this day because it is an opportunity to celebrate such an incredible man! MY man, to be exact! He is the best in all he does...he is my best friend, the perfect companion, my HERO! I love you JAMES! Hope your um, er, 29th (yes, that's it!) Birthday is the best ever!

Update, Ya'll!

2008-10-15T12:27:00.008-06:00

It's time for an update, ya'll! So much has been going on...SO much to update on, who knows if I'll get through it. We had a Webster family reunion in September in Lakeside, AZ. It was a lot of fun. It was great to be with everyone and eat good food and laugh and hold babies and look at the babies and talk about the babies and feed the babies...and Oh, yeah...

James, my ultra sexy baby holding husband beat Benson in croquet - which many gruelling matches commenced over the weekend, but this one in particular resulted in Benson running in his underwear...Classic Webster, Ya'll!

What is that strange figure running in the woods?

We are excited to make this an annual event. My family is the best, like, seriously - you are jealous because, either A) you aren't them, or B) because they aren't your family - actually, if you know them at all, then you know that you ARE family because we just roll like that.

What's with the Moccasins, Dave?

This one is DELICIOUS, just like his twin brother!

Also in September, our friends Becca & Levi moved to London for a year for grad school. We will miss them very much! Becca and I have been friends since we were 10 years old. I'm so glad she converted to Blogism. If she has time to update her blog with her super busy-foreign-school-doctor becoming-PhD-gonna save the world-super smarty pants life, then there is no reason why I can't start posting on a regular basis. Even if they are super lame posts about Lucy and her newest haircut, RIGHT?!

I made it as small as I could, Becca! Love you!

Blog Neglect!

2008-08-12T11:42:00.006-06:00

I'm bad. I'm really bad. But, whatever. I'm updating now...so all three of you that read this blog can be updated on the not-so-exciting life of the Attanasios. HA HA. I actually started this update about mid-August, and it is my mission to get up to date today. I don't know what I wrote - so forgive me if it sounds lame, it will just have to do.

Where to begin? July was filled with preparations for Girl's Camp. For those of you who don't know, I am in the Young Women's presidency in my ward. I haven't been to girls camp in over ten years. I was looking forward to it, but stressing out about all the preparations. I was proud of myself for being as prepared as I was, and I was actually able to go to bed at 10:30 p.m. the night before camp. (That means I wasn't up all night scrambling to be ready at the last minute - a HUGE first for me.) We left for camp on Tuesday, July 22. Why does that date sound so familiar? It was my birthday of course! My darling husband took me to breakfast and gave me a fabulous gift that morning. He knows my unecessary need to carry my world on my shoulder, and he got me a gorgeous handbag! It is brown and has silver embellishments everywhere and a big long strap and the cutest interior. I love it!

Girls Camp was a lot of fun. I had to leave a few days early to travel to Wyoming for the Clegg family reunion. Surprisingly, I didn't want to go home. I had such a great time bonding with the girls and the leaders. They were so much fun, and treated me like a princess on my birthday. I have never had that many birthday songs in my life! I am really glad that I was able to go and have that experience. It brought back so many memories from when I was a girl. It is a great opportunity for the girls and they love it.

I came home from camp Thursday afternoon and we left on Friday morning for Wyoming. We had family stay at our house overnight as a halfway point on Thursday night. We had Aunt Jenny, Jan, Seeta, Judy, Kenzie, Benson, and Courtney all stay. It was so much fun to have them here. We love having family in our home - it makes for more exciting life. We left late Friday morning for Wyoming, and after a few wrong turns - ha ha - we made it to the reunion. We stayed at this little place called the Wolfden Inn in Thayne, Wyoming. We were in these little cabins. James and I and Jenny shared one side of the 'Buffalo Bungalo' with Jill, Kirt & Britney. It was a cute little place. There was a little picnic area and a corral with buffalos in it right outside our door. We had the traditional parade at the reunion. They put Seeta in the golf cart with her accordion and she led the way. I will let the pictures speak for themselves on this one. I dressed up as Abe Lincoln. We went and stayed in Park City with the Petersen's for a couple days and celebrated my birthday. It was really fun and relaxing. I miss them so much...

Jand & Seeta stayed with us for a few days after that and it was a lot of fun having them in our home. We really have enjoyed our summer having family here and spending time with everyone. It has been a party!

August...what happened...?! It came, and it went. There wasn't anything too exciting that happened. We kind of recuperated from the past few weeks of going non-stop. We became completely obsessed with the olympics and tivoed every night and stayed up super late watching it all. We loved Michael Phelps, and hated the judges in the gymnastics. I freaked out seeing the men on the pommell horse...something about that just doesn't look right. James wants our children to be Olympians now...I want them to actually have a life, so we'll see how that turns out.

Throughout the summer the garden has been fabulous. The zucchinis keep getting bigger - like baseball bats - and there are so many tomatoes. If anyone wants some tomatoes, let me know. We have way too many to eat!

We are now into September...Labor Day weekend was rainy and lazy for us. We enjoyed the weather completely and watched movies and slept in. It was great. We are looking forward to some cooler weather and oh yes...Football season has started! The Giants are playing tomorrow night. Big news for us! James' work schedule changed from 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 and later p.m. to 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. We are normal! I do miss our long mornings with yummy breakfasts, but I am loving the time we have together in the evenings now. He usually wasn't getting home before 9 before, so it is super nice to have time together in the evenings. Lucy likes it too. Lucy update? She is the same...just more furry. She is eating everything in sight, and barking ALL the time. She is our baby though, and we love her. She likes to go to the park and is getting used to meeting other dogs. OK - I'm blogging about my dog...get a life!

James and I are happy though. I can say now that we are definitely settled into married life and we love it. I promise promise promise there will be more exciting updates in the very near future!

Garden Update

2008-07-14T20:08:00.005-06:00

So, the garden is alive and well. My dad has been watering it and calling me with updates about what is happening with the baby plants. I went and weeded it a few weeks ago. I took some pictures for the blog.

The very first zucchini squash! Isn't it so cute?! I was so excited to see signs of life.

My rows of Walla Walla Onions, Radishes, and Carrots. Beautiful babies, they are.

The first Bell Pepper. It is lovely.

These tomatoes are salmonella FREE.

Lucy always helps me when I go play in the garden. She loves to run around in the back yard and sniff the basil plant.

Remember that little zucchini squash? Well, I picked it last Saturday. I cooked it for James and I on Sunday and it was delicious.

I will continue with updates on the veggies. They are very happy in their soil right now, the tomatoes are budding and we have a lot of peppers. I can't wait for fresh garden salsa!

Summer Update

2008-07-14T19:42:00.004-06:00

Well, again, I have neglected the blog...and I'm sure you were all sick of seeing evil Lucy the first thing on my page. We have had a busy but fun summer so far. James' dad, Tony, came to visit just before Father's Day and stayed for a week. We had a great time visiting with him. Troy, Laura-Ann and fam came to our place on Father's Day for dinner. It was a lot of fun! Lucy enjoyed all of the attention she got from the kids. It was a great visit and we look forward to when Tony can come visit again.

Casey and Kenzie came and stayed for 2 1/2 weeks! It was a lot of fun to have them here. We went to the canyon almost every day, played lots of cards, ate good food, enjoyed the Bachelorette series, and late nights. We went to the Manti Pageant and met Sandi and Rick there. We had a lot of fun. We of course ate the local greasy pageant food and had ice cream. We laughed a lot and enjoyed being on Temple grounds. Remember: NO FOOD STUFF on temple grounds during the pageant!

Sandi & Rick

I think James is standing in a hole in this picture. Am I really that tall?!

We also went to Park City and rode the Alpine Slide and went shopping at the outlets. We really enjoyed ourselves. We all found some good deals, and I bought Lucy a hat. There was one point when all of us were in a dressing room giving me very valuable opinions on what shirts I should get. We had dinner at Macaroni Grill where we again made a major scene (well, Case & I) playing pictionary on our table. (I was really excited that Case guessed I was drawing a shoe.)

I really enjoyed having my sisters here! It brought a bit of AZ to me and I was glad that they wanted to stay with us! I am so grateful for family. We are so blessed to have such fabulous amazing people to share this crazy life with. I miss having them here - I get lonely sometimes when its just me and Lucy.

My Evil Animal

2008-07-01T16:30:00.004-06:00

Kenzie and Casey were here visiting for 2 1/2 weeks, during which Lucy became evil. Kenzie was constantly taunting Lucy while Casey pulled her tail. MEAN GIRLS! And this is the result.

Just Kidding! Lucy and I were playing one day and Kenzie hapened to get this shot of her looking like she was going to rip my hand off and eat it for lunch. We have laughed about this picture many times since because in all reality, Lucy is a sweet, loving, kind, baby. And she wouldn't hurt anyone. Unless you pull her tail.

TAGGETY TAG TAG

2008-06-26T12:14:00.003-06:00

Tracie tagged me so here it goes...

How to play this game. Post these rules on your blog; List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names....

3 JOYS
-James
-Lucy
-Movie Popcorn & Junior Mints

3 FEARS
-Latex Balloons
-Hitting a Deer with my car at night
-Blowing my nose in public

3 GOALS
-Lose my weight by November
-Serve a mission with James
-Learn how to make sushi

3 OBSESSIONS
-U2
-Sudoku
-Pillows - I must have at least three to sleep well, but the more the better!

3 Surprising facts about me...
-I count things...like how many times a clock ticks, or how many steps I take, or ceiling tiles - that's a big one.
-I can't wink.
-I love the smell of Skunk.

I tag...Skunk, Carli, Sundee, Britney & Benson

Midnight is When the Day Begins...

2008-06-16T16:04:00.006-06:00

This is THE news of the year. Well, in my world at least. I will not beat around the bush...U2 will be releasing their new album near the end of October this year. The amount of joy this brings to my life is probably insane, but does anyone realize what this means?! First of all, this means a new album...DUH - which means new material, new sounds and new lyrics. This means that Bono and the Edge are going to take us to another place that they haven't taken us before. Oh, and yes, don't forget, that this most likely hopefully (please, please, please. Pleeeeeease!) means a TOUR. My excitement is hard to contain, so please, reminisce with me on some of my recent U2 experiences. Bono for President!

Lucy got shaved

2008-06-16T15:56:00.002-06:00

Ok, so this month, June, (May update below) the first amazing exciting thing that happened in our life is Lucy's new haircut. She looks like a completely different dog. Here are the before and after shots:

aMAYzingly needed update

2008-06-16T14:35:00.006-06:00

So, I haven't updated, for like, the whole month of May. It was a busy and fun month for us. Things are only getting busier, but busy is good...we like that. Here's what's been going on:

The second weekend in May, I flew to AZ to support my friend Tracie as she graduated from her Dental Hygiene program. I surprised by showing up at her graduation party unannounced with fuchsia luggage in tow. It was so good to be there for her and celebrate in all her hard work and success. I am so proud of her. She is one of my most favorite persons on this planet. We have had so many good times together and made many memories that will last forever. I YIP U Trac! During that trip, I was able to see Sundee and Thomas and their new baby Cole. He is the cutest little guy, full of smiles.

I was also able to go on the first trip to the lake of the season with Kenz (for her B-Day), Case, Court, Ben & Jude. The water was a little cold, but not too bad. I am going to miss lake trips this summer, really sad that I won't be able to work on my mad skiing skills.

It was a good trip, really quick, and sans James, which was the bummer part. I had a lot of fun and wanted him to be there to share it with me. He stayed home with Lucy, and made sure she was taken care of. She got spayed during the time that I was gone. She was such a good little puppy and all was successful. When she was picked up from the doggie hospital, the suggested that she wear a "Buster Collar" in order to keep her from licking her stitches. It was so sad to see her with it on, and we didn't make her wear it because well, first, she didn't lick her stitches, and second, how could you with a face like that...

A few weeks later, James and I went back to Arizona. We were able to attend Britney's high school graduation, and her seminary graduation. She spoke at the Seminary Conference, and did very well. The weather was freaky weird that weekend. Her class graduated in the rain and freezing cold weather. In May. In Mesa, Arizona. The driest month of the year. In the rain. In Arizona. It was so strange. Our fun sunny weekend was more rainy and cool and gloomy than anything, but we still had a great time. We spent time with the Cotters and Pattersons and Petersens and Websters and it was hard to leave (as always). We went to the train park one day with all the babies and hit up Sugar Bowl afterward. Elsie was enjoying her shot of marshmallow creme. We had a BBQ on Memorial Monday, which was a huge bummer because James and I had to leave during. It was a good trip though, we are so thankful to have such an awesome family! We love you all mucho mucho!

Diamonds, Diarreah, and a Flood

2008-04-22T12:54:00.003-06:00

The title of this post is a little disturbing, I know. There is some history to this story; let me explain.

James got my wedding ring from a jeweler in Provo named David Payne. He owns a shop called Payne Diamonds. We had a fabulous experience doing business with Dave and would recommend him to anyone. Well, every month, and even sometimes twice a month, I have been going into his shop to make payments. Once, when our dearest Lucy was just a wee baby, I took her with me. Dave immediately fell in love with her, and every time since, requested to see her and always asked about her and when she was going to come to visit again. A few weeks ago, we had planned to completely pay off our account with Dave, so we made a plan to go in on a Saturday so we could both thank him for everything, and of course, so he could see Lucy (since I wouldn't be frequenting his place as often). We got Lucy all dressed up in her new 4th of July Dress (he got a preview) and went down to his place. He was so excited to see Lucy and wanted to allow her to run around the shop while we chatted with him. I was keeping a watchful eye on her just to make sure she didn't destroy anything or eat any diamonds. She wandered behind his counter to his work area and I quickly caught on to her and called her out, but it was too late. She had already pooped everywhere back there!

Now, without getting too graphic, let me just say that this is the first and ONLY time that our dear Lucy has suffered from doggy digestive issues thus far, and of course it had to be somewhere other than the confines of her own private potty area. James quickly supplied some paper towels and I began cleaning up the mess. All this time I am completely embarrassed, apologizing, scrubbing the carpet, apologizing profusely, gagging, apologizing. In all of my embarrassment and flustered-ness, I go into the bathroom and promptly FLUSH the wad of poopy paper towels. Side note: Yes, in any other situation, I am smart enough to know that paper towels do not do well when flushed in large quantities (or any quantity at all). Nonetheless, I flush them and OH the HORROR! I am watching as the water is rising, frozen from disbelief realizing my fatal mistake. I tried to scream, but only a small squeak came out.

I walked out to tell them what was occurring, and James could already tell from the look on my face what I had done. He leaps to his feet, runs down the hall and without hesitation dives into the toilet and begins pulling out everything that is creating the clog. I am sick. The bathroom is carpeted. Therefore, the water has run everywhere, the entire floor soaked. No towels to clean up the mess, no rags, only half a roll of paper towels and an old towel in the trunk of my car.

To this day I am still completely mortified, embarrassed at my stupidity, thankful that my husband isn't afraid to touch poop, and glad that Dave was such a good sport about the whole thing. Despite all of it, he was still glad to see Lucy, and we were glad to pay and leave.

My Fabulous Husband

2008-04-16T12:28:00.003-06:00

This post is a little random but it is dedicated to my fabulous husband, James. It may be sappy, cheesy, whatever, but I don't care. I am proud to be married to the best man in the world! There isn't enough room to write all the things that I love about James. I feel that I am the luckiest girl in the world because I get to spend eternity with him! Here are some reasons why:

James has such an amazing testimony and dedication to the gospel, his Priesthood, and to Jesus Christ.
James is a manly man. He lives for Giants football and eating meat. He has a particular passion for chicken wings.
Despite being manly, James is sensitive too, and he has a huge heart. He will do anything for those that he loves.
James is incredibly driven. He strives to be the best in everything he does, and truly, he always is.
James supports me in all of my crazy irrational female-ness. He is way more patient than anyone should ever have to be.
After I come home from the gym all nasty sweaty, or when I first wake up, or when I am sick with the flu, James thinks that I am beautiful and makes me feel that way.
James ALWAYS opens the car door for me, and will sometimes lock me out until he can get around to open it.
James sleeps on the edge of the mattress so I can have all the room I want. Now, that is a sacrifice!
James loves his family and my family, and he can't wait to raise a family of our own. He is going to be the BEST dad ever!
James always takes care of me when I am sick or having a bad day. He always wants to make sure I am happy.
James loves me more than I know or could describe. I don't think anyone in this world loves me as much as he does.
James is very grateful. One thing is he doesn't ever want to seem ungrateful, so he always tries to count his blessings.
James is so fun to talk to. I can tell him anything, and I do. We talk about any and everything.
James gets excited about the little sentimental things like family traditions and Christmas presents.
James is 100% himself - always. He says what he thinks and I love him for it. This always makes for entertainment while around him.
Oh yeah, don't forget - He's HOT! (and he knows it). James has such great confidence. He knows who he is and what he wants.
Everything James does, he does for me. He tries everyday to be a better husband and man and it's all for me.

I could go on and on and on and on, there isn't enough web space to fit it all. I love James with all of my life and soul. He is such an amazing man and I get to be with him all the time! I am so blessed to be married to such an incredible person and that we get to learn and grow together. I want to shout from the rooftops how much I love this man, and I hope that I can show him more and more every day how much he means to me.

In the Lovely Garden...

2008-04-15T15:23:00.005-06:00

Ok, so we are taking advantage of the awesome Utah weather (if it ever shows up) and planting a garden. This past Saturday, we started the process. My dad was kind enough to lend us his backyard for the space, since we can't really fit one on our balcony. It was the perfect day to be working out in the yard. We are excited to plant! We will be updating a lot about our garden, as it is our baby, and we love it.

Here we all are working. We raked, tilled, shoveled, even hoed a little. Lucy helped too.

We got to relax a little and enjoy the weather afterwards. We are going to plant in the next few weeks when it warms up for good. We are excited!

Lucy had fun playing out in the yard. She was so dirty at the end of the day, and had a dirt beard to show how much fun she had. She got a bath as soon as we got home, and pooped out for the rest of the night. Poor little Lucy!

Spa Attanasio

2008-04-15T15:05:00.005-06:00

So, James got a special treat a week or so ago. I gave him his first facial! I know, he should really be posting about how fabulous it all was, so if you want to know all the refreshing details, maybe I can get him to post about it. (He really liked it though, I know it! He has requested another one, and is very interested in looking younger, ha ha!) In the meantime, here are the during and after pictures. Oh, how beautiful!

The facial he received was a seaweed facial. He was excited to find out that it was the same facial given to Hulk Hogan on the episode of Hogan Knows Best where his wife and kids give Hulk a makeover. Very manly.

Easter in the Desert

2008-03-28T12:38:00.013-06:00

Ok, so my Easter post is a little late, but better late than never, right?

Loo's bad chop job!

James, Little Loo (she got a haircut for the trip - so AWFUL!), and I were able to travel to sunny Arizona for Easter weekend. We had so much fun! We didn't want to come home. We travelled all night on Thursday night and got there early Friday morning. Lucy and Pete were instant friends, even at 3 a.m. We had a fabulous breakfast at the Good Egg with Jan & Seeta - James and I crave breakfast from that place! We laid out by the pool with Trac - so glad she gave in to James' bad influence to pull her away from studying! We went to Kirt's family Easter Breakfast on Saturday morning at Usery Park - the desert was so green and beautiful! We had so much fun, Thanks Petersens!

We spent some time at Rigatony's with Dave and Sarah - it was so good to see them. I lost my cell phone and James had to get a spoon from the kitchen to get it out of the seat. He wasn't too excited about it. I was drunk off my food so it really didn't matter.

We were able to go to the Easter Pageant at the Mesa Temple. James had never seen it before, and he really enjoyed it. We met Brand and Kember and their family there. My favorite part was after the cock crowed thrice, you hear Gage's little voice "It's a chicken!"

We had Easter time at the Petersen's and we received fun Easter baskets from the Easter Bunny. I got some silly string and used it on the first available target. Sorry James. Also, the Easter Bunny knows my love for U2 and I got a "Boola Boola" to find my prize. I was so happy I cried, literally. I am a dork, I know. Lucy got a new Easter dress too, and she stole the show at Seeta's annual Easter Egg hunt. She was very proud of her ruffles.

We stopped by Carli's on our way out of town and Cotter and Quinci were in love with Lucy! They had so much fun holding her; they were so cute with her.

We really enjoyed our weekend. We listened to some inspirational CD's on our drive and we really enjoyed them. We learned a lot about our Savior and His Infinite Atonement. Our testimonies were definitely strengthened. We are thankful to our family for the fabulous time we had. We look forward to our next visit! Oh yeah, Lucy did great in the car. She had such a busy weekend, she was SO exhausted on the ride home. She was such a good puppy though, we were surprised that she was not more of a wild maniac. Aww, Lucy!

I've Been Tagged!

2008-03-18T15:06:00.003-06:00

My cousin Sandi tagged me like a week ago...I'm just now getting around to it!

5 PLACES TO VISIT BEFORE I DIE:

Australia

Phillipines

Italy

Belize

Africa

5 SALAD TOPPINGS:

Candied Pecans

Blue Cheese

Grilled Chicken

Avocado

Fresh Cracked Pepper

5 FICTION BOOKS:

I don't read a lot of fiction - so here's the last few I read

Angels & Demons - Dan Brown

Harry Potter(s) - J.K. Rowling

Berenstein Bears

Dr. Seuss - anything

Runny Babbit

5 SHOES:

Black flip flops

Purple peep toe wedges

Black Strappy wedges

White stappy wedges

Black hooker boots

5 HOBBIES:

Taking care of my husband (hee hee!)

Working out

Makeup artistry

Blogging

Reading

TAG FIVE PEOPLE:

Any and all that would like to reply!

Book Review

2008-03-14T15:28:00.004-06:00

Ok, so this may not be interesting to anyone, but I read two books this week and I feel accomplished and edified. I would recommend these books as well. The first book, The Proper Care & Feeding of Marriage, by Dr. Laura Schlessinger, was surprisingly good. I received this book as a gift at my Bridal Shower, and when James saw it, he made some comment about Dr. Laura being a complete man-hater. I honestly knew nothing about Dr. Laura or her books or radio show, so I was less skeptical and decided to give it a try. I really learned a lot and was pleased to let James know that she is anything but a man-hater, and that he might actually like the book. I really liked her sections on the DO's & DONT'S. As lame as it may sound, I am really excited to incorporate some of her ideas into my life, because I feel they would most definitely be beneficial to our marriage.

The second book I read this week was, If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard, by Sheri Dew. I also really enjoyed this book. It was very uplifting and fun to read Sheri Dew has an awesome way of portraying things so they are easy to understand, and rather matter-of-fact, which when it comes to gospel principles, I do better when it is presented that way. I had my eyes opened to the very simple concept, or commandment, rather, of Love One Another. It really struck me how important it is to love others and treat them as I would myself. (Seems really simple, I know, I know, I'm learning!) I think the best chapter overall was the one about Charity. This one was a shorter read, only about 140 pages, and I was a little bummed when it ended, because I wanted her to keep going!

Last Weekend

2008-03-14T15:18:00.004-06:00

Last weekend James and I went to North Salt Lake with my Dad and spent some time with family. Uncle Dan and Patrick were in town, so we met at Rick and Marilyn's house. We then met up with Brian and Jodi (and baby bump, yay!) at Costa Vida! We had a great time visiting and catching up. We then went back and played Apples to Apples. I think my favorite part was when Bill and Hillary Clinton cards were both placed in the pile (freaky!) We had a lot of fun though and hope to do it again soon. Patrick was so adorable - he is so fun to hang out with and he is smarter every time we see him!

National Champions!

2008-03-10T14:19:00.002-06:00

Britney and her Pom Squad won the National Championship this past weekend in Anaheim. We are so proud of her and all her hard work! What a way to end her Senior year! I think Jill has a video of her performance, but I found this one online. Brit is the tannest one on the squad with the hot legs! See if you can pick her out! Go Brit! We Love You!

Plumber's Crack

2008-02-28T08:48:00.019-07:00

Last week we discovered a slight problem in our guest bathroom. As you can see, there is a crack in the tank of the toilet. Note the AWESOME wallpaper (very easy to decorate with, let me tell you). There was a slight flood, but I was able to control the flow so there wasn't any water damage. So, therein began my latest plumbing project. Let me make that clear: My FIRST plumbing project. Ever. So, my Dad and I took a trip to the local Home Depot to see what we needed. First of all, they didn't carry the brand of tank for the toilet I needed, so we decided to replace the entire toilet. I was a little bit intimidated, to say the least. We found a great deal on this all-in-one toilet combo and we were on our way.

Luckily my dad was prepared. He brought all sorts of tools to help with this daunting task. Now we do have some tools, but none of them are nearly as cool as these spiffy socket wrenches that my dad had.

First, we had to remove the old toilet. That was probably the worst part. Here I am near the "hole." I was really scared of it - not really, it just kind of grossed me out.

After we hauled away the old toilet, we brought in the new baby ready to be put into place.

It was then time to attach the tank. I was obsessed with this extra long screwdriver. It was the largest thing I have ever seen.

Lucy wanted to help.

Don't forget the toilet seat!

After everything was in place, we connected the water and we were ready to go. I was so proud of the results! James was proud too. He was just going "pay someone to do it." It ended up being really fun. Thanks to my Dad for all his help! He was very patient with me.

Dish Duty

2008-02-27T19:29:00.006-07:00

One morning, James and I were quietly hanging out before he went to work. I was puttering around finishing cleaning up from breakfast and getting ready for the day, when I sat down on the couch for a minute to talk to James. We then heard this "clank" and I got up to see where it was coming from. To our ignorance, Lucy had climbed up on the counter and decided to jump off into the dishes. She was truly stuck - and caught! Of course, to add to her embarrassment, we only harassed her more for her mishap. I have been laughing about this for a week since it happened...poor thing - she was only trying to help! Here are some other shots I took of her later that morning as she helped me clean the house. This little dog is too cute! We love having her around for entertainment more than anything.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!

2008-02-20T11:30:00.005-07:00

Today is my brother Dave's 28th Birthday! Happy Birthday Dave! We Love you! James and I called him at work this morning and sang him a very off key birthday song. Dave told us we were lame, but I bet deep down, he appreciated it. :)

Dave and I at my wedding.

Dave is very talented. He likes to take pictures. Below are some of the pictures that he has taken. He rocks!

Dave and I have a lot of good memories together. There are countless road trips we have taken, which all have their own special memories...my favorite is when we got hit by the grey fox on our way back to Arizona. :( Such a sad little fox, he just ran right into the side of my car...he was running so fast too. I will never forget Dave's first U2 concert with me, and he truly came to appreciate the wonder of the band, and the amazing skills of The Edge. Dave later returned the favor by taking me to my first Dave Matthews Band concert. We now mutually share each others' muscial obsessions. I also remember all those times when we worked downtown and we would go to "Tuchetts" for lunch. R.I.P. Tuchetti - the best Italian food anywhere! I'm glad that Dave is my brother...he is awesome! I miss seeing him all the time, but we still talk a lot and I am grateful for our relationship. I Love you big brother! Have a Fabulous Day!

Loo's Travels

2008-02-13T23:02:00.003-07:00

Little Loo likes to go for car rides. Usually she just sits on my lap and quietly watch the world pass by out the window, or fall asleep on my lap. We don't go very far, but I think it is good for her to get out. Today, I took her to my dad's house so she could run around in the back yard, and when it was time to leave, we discovered a new way for her to travel. She really liked it too, I think.

April - "without kids"

2008-02-13T22:53:00.002-07:00

Last week I got to go hang out with Hayden. He is Sandi and Rick's son, and he is so much fun! He calls me "April without kids," because Sandi has another friend named April that has kids, and well, I'm the one without! He taught me how to fingerpaint, showed me all the scary parts in 'Finding Nemo,' showed me how to build Mack truck from 'Cars,' and when Sandi came home, we got to eat peanut butter and honey "spaceships." I was able to play with little Josh a little bit, but he was a sleepy guy most of my time there. I look forward to the next time we can play!

Skating Rink

2008-02-13T22:46:00.003-07:00

James took my skating rink away this weekend. It made me really sad, because now, when I leave the house, I can't practice my triple toe lutz (or whatever its called)

Actually, I am really glad that it is gone. It was a death trap! It was finally warm enough for some of it to melt so James could get it off the ground. He said it weighed probably 100 pounds.

Happy Birthday Kirt!

2008-02-13T08:47:00.002-07:00

Today is Kirt's Birthday! Some reasons James and I love Kirt:

He is always there to help
He knows how to have fun (even if it is with a bunch of teenage girls at Six Flags or Disneyland or on vacation or in the car or at home or anywhere)
He is the best example of a wonderful Dad
He comes off quiet, but can put up some mean competition in any game!
He works very hard to provide for his family
Suns fan! GO SUNS!
He is very genuine and sincere
He is very selfless and puts others' happiness before his own
He likes big A Clocks!

We love Kirt! I especially miss those times at Cabinet Connection when we would laugh about things that were happening there or laugh at nothing at all! Thank you for everything you have done for us! Hope you have a fabulous day, Kirt! You deserve it! We love you and miss you!

GIANTS WIN!

2008-02-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

As you all know by now (sorry for the late post about it) The New York Giants are the Superbowl Champions. James is still basking in his post-game afterglow, and I am so glad that his Giants took the game. It was probably the most enjoyable and intense Superbowl I have ever seen, and we were so exhausted after the game from all the cheering and yelling at the TV - which we know helped the team win. Check out this video to see the game winning play and the sounds of the game. How about the WORLD CHAMPION GIANTS!!!

Peace, Love & Britney!

2008-02-06T22:47:00.000-07:00

Today is Britney's birthday! She is 18! I can't believe it! Brit is the best sister a girl could ask for. She is so beautiful, and smart, and talented, and driven, and funny, and spiritual, and charitable, and caring, and sensitive, and and AND...she's the best!! Britney is so incredibly talented - we are so proud of her accomplishments! She was recently awarded a full ride scholarship to ASU and two weeks ago her POM squad just won the state championship! Go TOROS! We miss you and love you Brit!!

Oh yeah, and she is the best Maid of Honor any bride could ask for. She's HOT!

It's an Italian Tradition!

2008-02-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

James busted out his mad cooking skills this weekend. I LOVE it when he does this! James really enjoys to cook, and he is rather skilled at it. He has been enjoying having me cook for him lately, which I don't mind, but it is fun when he gets excited about cooking.

Here it is in process...

And the finished product! It was delicious! And James really knows how to make a presentation! Below I have pasted the recipe. We would recommend one less garlic clove; two was plenty.

RIGATONI IN TOMATO CREAM SAUCE

16 ounces Rigatoni (or other) pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (28 oz) plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce2 tablespoons basil, finely diced

1/2 teaspoon oregano, finely diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

16 ounces ricotta cheese

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup parsley, chopped.

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large pot bring 2 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook Rigatoni pasta for 11-minutes (or until al dente), drain and set aside until needed. Over medium heat, melt butter and heat oil in a large skillet. Lightly saute onions and garlic cloves, don't brown. Cook about 5-minutes. Drain canned tomatoes, dice and add to skillet with onions and garlic. Also add to skillet tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes. Stir in ricotta cheese. Mix well and simmer for 5-minutes. Stir in heavy cream and sugar. Mix well and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add to cooked Rigatoni pasta. Mix well. Stir in chopped parsley and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over top.

Lucy's First Bath

2008-02-06T21:07:00.001-07:00

Saturday Lucy got her first bath. She was such a good dog, she didn't complain at all...although I thought I had a cockapoo, not a chihuahua.

She doesn't look too happy here...just wait - it gets really sad below.

Poor little girl, she doesn't look happy at all. She seems to be saying to James, "save me!"

She is much happier now to be in her towel. She got to play with the blowdryer and then she got her toy. She was very happy then.

A clean puppy is a happy puppy!

Princess picks the Giants

2008-01-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I saw this on the news, and came across several articles about this. Princess, a New Jersey camel, has picked the Giants to win the Super Bowl. Last year, she predicted the Super Bowl win, and apparently, her record this season hasn't been that bad! Below, I have Pasted the article from ESPN. I think Princess is a smart girl. I think James would agree.

LACEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- The New York Giants have what it takes to get them over the hump in next week's Super Bowl.
At least, that's according to a pigskin-picking camel named Princess who has chosen Big Blue to triumph over the New England Patriots.
Her picks are nothing to spit at: Princess, who once belonged to heiress Doris Duke, went 11-6 during the regular season and is 8-out-of-10 in the playoffs this year. Her prowess is equal to that of some of the most famous forecasters.
"I can't explain it, but her predictions, more often than not, are right on the money," said John Bergmann, general manager of Popcorn Park Zoo, the southern New Jersey facility for elderly, abused or unwanted animals where Princess has lived since 2004. "I'm hoping she's right this time because I'm a Giants fan."
Princess' prognostication skills flow from her love of graham crackers. Bergmann will choose a game at random during the regular season, place a cracker in each hand, and use a permanent marker to scrawl the name of a competing team on each hand.
Whichever hand Princess nibbles from is her "pick" for that week.
Her regular season mark of 11-6 comes out to a .647 winning percentage. (Since she never quite got the hang of points spreads, Princess picks the games straight-up, just choosing the winner.)
By comparison, Dave Goldberg, the Associated Press football writer who makes NFL picks each weekend, posted a .664 regular season percentage.
ESPN's Ron Jaworski, the former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, had a .688 mark, but Princess topped Mike Golic, another former Eagle on ESPN, who came in at .584.
And in the interest of full disclosure, the camel also topped Wayne Parry (author of this story), whose score in a New Jersey Statehouse football pool came in at .640.
Princess started out picking games for a local radio station in the 2006 season. But when the station didn't bring her back for 2007, Bergmann kept the tradition alive.
It's the least he could do for an animal that was once the personal pet of heiress Doris Duke, the only child of tobacco and electric energy tycoon James Buchanan Duke.
Doria Duke raised Princess and her sister Babe from youngsters, Bergmann said.
The pair had their own barn and were taken on summer vacation to Duke's Rhode Island estate, he added. If weather became inclement, they were put up in the solarium, he said.
After Duke's death in 1993, the camels stayed on her estate in Hillsborough. Babe died several years ago, leaving just Princess.
When Princess' caretaker was about to retire, the estate offered Princess to Popcorn Park Zoo, which took her in.
Her picks haven't always been perfect, though.
"She actually picked the Giants a lot when they were losing, including opening day against Dallas," Bergmann said, referring to a 45-35 loss.
But take heart, Giants fans: Princess knows a Manning-led champion when she sees one. She chose Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts to win last year's Super Bowl.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Lucy Loo

2008-01-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

We have a new baby. Her name is Lucy. She is an eight week old Cockapoo. My Dad and I picked her up yesterday. She is the sweetest little thing you will ever see. She has the cutest personality. She likes to sit on your shoulder or behind your neck.

Here she is on James' shoulder.
She got tired a few minutes later...
And she was gone. She is a handful! This little dog demands so much attention! She cried all night last night and I am not looking forward to tonight. I have to constantly watch her to avoid her "messes" and catch her in the act so I can train her properly. All of the stress and frustration is going to take a lot of patience, but it is all worth it when you see that little face. I know she is going to be a good dog, it is just going to take some time. I love Lucy!

Britney Cookies

2008-01-30T18:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, so for Christmas, the Petersens (OOPS! I mean Santa) gave us a KitchenAid. I am OBSESSED with it! I am basically always looking for an excuse to use it. I love this thing - and there are so many amazing attachments. James knows what he can give me as gifts for the next few years! So, Sunday, I was craving some time with my black, shiny friend, so I decided to whip up some cookies. Not just any old cookies, but Britney cookies as we like to call them. They are the peanut butter kind with the chocolate kiss in the center. Britney has perfected these cookies and makes the best ones. This was my first attempt - not too bad, but not like Brit's.

Here is the result. They were pretty good, but I enjoyed using the KitchenAid more!

U23D

2008-01-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

We went, we saw, tears were shed, it was fantastic! James took me to see U23D on Saturday. I was so excited that I was listening to U2 all day and driving James nuts with all my excited outbursts counting down the hours until showtime. He was very sweet by acting excited too, although I do believe that James rather enjoyed it himself! It was way better than I ever expected and I think that any and everyone would enjoy it. I must say that Bono never ceases to amaze me with his vocal ability. One of my favorite performances, strangely, was 'New Years Day.' Of course, it would be a crime not to mention how amazing the Pavoratti part was on 'Miss Sarajevo.' I could go on and on...This is me in my post-show glow. That guy wasn't kind enough to move, but whatever. Bono for President!

ICECICLES!

2008-01-30T18:18:00.000-07:00

We have had a lot of snow lately and it has been so cold! As a result, we have developed these icecicles outside ou front door. This one we were particularly impressed with.

Hanaumaneemaumamanana Bay

2008-01-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

Aloha! James has been bugging me to get more honeymoon photos up here. He really wants everyone to see us parasailing and our awesome turtle. This is us on the parasailing boat. My combover rocks!

We love love LOVED parasailing! It was so quiet up in the sky. They dipped us in the water on our way back down. A lot less scary than anticipated.

This is our turtle. Yes, he is "ours." He wanted to come home with us and I promised to feed him lots of algae and whatever else he eats, but we decided it would be better for all parties if he stayed in Hanauma Bay. We miss him though.

I am a troll. We went down in this cage out in the middle of the ocean and swam with sharks. We even got a DVD documenting the whole adventure, but its not as exciting as it was in real life. One of those 'had to be there' moments, I guess.

Ok, for the finale...James did not want to go home and he was eager to tell all of America about it.

So, yes, we had a fabulous honeymoon and we can't wait to go back. We really liked the place we stayed and will probably return there in the future. Mahalo!

Prilly Crocker

2008-01-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

I am kinda proud of myself. Yesterday, I made a carrot cake from scratch. I shredded all the carrots myself and even made the frosting. I have never made a cake from scratch before, it has always been out of the box and the frosting from a can. James was excited because carrot cake is his favorite. I think I was just looking for an excuse to use the cake plate. James did the honors of cutting it last night.

Today, the cake is gone. Don't get excited, we didn't eat it all ourselves...I sent the cake to James' sales team at Heritage Web. I hope they enjoyed it...better their thighs than mine; although a piece of it sounds really good right now...

2008-01-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the biggest game of the year is on Sunday, and James is excited. I thought he was going to lose it during the Giants game last Sunday, and the game was a nail biter up until the end...he kept going out on the balcony and pacing and lifting weights during the commercials, but the Giants pulled it out! It is going to be pretty exciting since my brother Dave's girlfriend, Sarah, is a die-hard Packers fan. It should be a good game - I just hope there is snow like there was in Green Bay last game. GO GIANTS!

April is obsessed and you should be too

2008-01-17T16:11:00.001-07:00

Happy 2008!

2008-01-16T20:03:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we have been trying to get this up for about a month now, so there is a lot to update on to begin with! We are doing fabulous, loving married life and having fun adjusting to it. The wedding was AMAZING, it turned out better than we expected, and we thank you all for celebrating it with us! Please check out our slideshow for some photos, we will be posting more soon.

We went to Oahu, Hawaii, for our honeymoon - it was fantastic! We swam with sharks, sea turtles, went parasailing, ate lots of Lau Lau (James' favorite) and Laie Chop Suey. We were able to attend the Laie Temple and also go to PCC. We didn't want to come home!

We rented a convertible and we named her Penelope. She was lots of fun. James drove mostly, but when he didn't, he was taking pictures like this one.

After we returned from our honeymoon, we trekked up to Utah. Our Open House was on Tuesday, Nov. 20th, at my Uncle Vaughn and Aunt Joyce Clegg's home. It was so incredible. We were overwhelmed with the attendance. So many people worked so hardn and it turned out more than perfect. We are especially grateful to Grandma Seeta for coordinating all of it and taking pictures. We haven't gotten any pictures yet, but will post them when we get them. Everything was so fun and we recieved so many wonderful gifts (I promise thank-yous are on the way!!) but we do admit we were really glad to be done with all the rush and stress of wedding and just relax!

On December first, we enjoyed the first snow of the season. You would think that I didn't grow up with snow, and had never seen it again in my life - I've just been so used to 75 degree winters for the past seven years, I guess. We were both so excited about the snow that we went over to my dad's house to shovel it. James captured the moment on camera.

For Christmas, we went to Arizona and we loved it! The weather was fabulous and it was great to relax and spend time with family. We were voted to be Mary and Joseph in the Nativity at Seeta's house - it was James' first Webster Christmas Eve experience - he was overwhelmed a little, but throughout our whole visit, he kept saying "I love Christmas, it is so fun!" We are definitely blessed with awesome family and super fun holiday traditions.

We had so much fun exchanging our cousin gifts. I think our favorite was Quinci's reaction to the dress-up clothes we gave her. She was so funny! "So cute! Shoes! Pretty!" She was so excited for all of it, and it made our night.

We came home to a lot more snow and cold but we are excited for the new year. We have made lots of goals and are experiencing the challenges of keeping them. We both feel blessed to have each other as such a huge support. We both recieved the calling to teach Sunday School to the 16-17 year old class in our ward. We are excited to take on this calling and can't wait to teach the Book of Mormon this year!

We are very thankful to all of you for the amazing support you have been in our lives. We look forward to keeping in touch with all of you! Please check this blog frequently to see what we are up to! Also, please send us your comments, emails, etc. We Love you!!