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Emotional Week

This week has been pretty crazy.

It started Tuesday morning when T.J. and went to the temple to do sealings. We were showing our recommends at the desk when the man told me my recommend had expired THAT day. It was May 1. I started crying immediately and telling my sad story of how my husband was leaving that night for four months and how I just needed to go to the temple. They said they’d see if the temple presidency thought it would be okay. I sat there on the bench, crying. About twenty minutes later, someone returned and told me they’d make an exception and let us in because they felt we needed to be there.

I knew the reason we needed to be there. It was because WE needed it. I needed the peace and the strength to help me get through these next couple of months and as a couple, we needed to go together before he left.

Doing sealings was great. It really put things into perspective. So many of the names we did were from hundreds of years ago and so I kept thinking, if they could go hundreds of years… I can go four months.

Tuesday night, we headed to the airport. T.J. was flying standby, his flight was leaving around 11:30 pm. It was too full so he didn’t make it on the flight. He slept at the airport to see if he could make it on the morning flight at 6 am. Unfortunately, that flight was also full so he decided to leave the airport and find another option.

His parents were amazing and got him a flight with their skymiles so he would make it there on time and not have to worry about flying standby any longer. The flight was booked for this morning at 8:30, which meant we got to have two extra days together.

These past couple of days felt like a dream. It was wonderful to have him back at home and getting to be with him just a little bit longer. We went on a long drive Wednesday, watched the sun set at the Y overlook. We got a snowcone, which made it feel a bit like summer. We watched Hugo, which was such a good movie. And we played with our little girl and spent time with T.J.’s parents.

So far I’m doing okay. I took a really long (embarrassing-ly long) nap this morning at T.J.’s parents’ which was good because when I’m tired, I’m overly emotional. And we kept busy today by going on a long walk, sitting up at the temple, and playing outside. Plus, thanks to my friends and family who have checked up on me and invited me to do things with them. I know I could not do this without all of your support.

I don’t know if it’s exactly hit me yet. T.J. is usually busy with school and work anyways, so right now it doesn’t feel like he’s going to be gone for four months. It just feels like he’s at the lab working on graphic design all night.

Anyway, T.J. made it to his apartment safely. He said it’s the size of a matchbox, and smaller than I could even imagine. But he’s a trooper and excited for his internship that starts on Monday.

We’re going to be okay. Let this adventure begin…

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Our Life Lately

Our little family has been trying to spend every free moment together since T.J. is leaving next week. (He was supposed to leave tomorrow, but it was pushed back… hooray!) And because the weather has been so nice, every day we have been outside. We’ve gone to parks, had picnics in the front yard, gone on hikes, and visited City Creek again.

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Easter

I am a bit behind on my blog posts, so I’m finally posting about Easter. Dressed in our Easter outfits, we headed church that Sunday and had a nice Sacrament meeting. Afterwards, we went to T.J.’s parents’ home and had a delicious dinner with turkey. We died Easter eggs, played with the kiddos, and had an egg demolition. Enjoy the pics:

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More Changes

In addition to T.J. leaving me, my sister-in-law and her husband are moving to Boise this week. It came as quite a surprise. Josh got a job up there about two weeks ago and they decided it was right for their family. I am so happy and excited for them to start this new journey but I have got to admit, just writing about it makes me cry. And then cry again. They’re our closest friends and we will miss them (and their darling Cohen) so much.

Favorite memories with the Jones’:

Camping in the windy desert, driving to Albuquerque, playing countless card games, Thanksgiving at Wade’s, when Lacey told us she was expecting, meeting Cohen for the first time, many dinners at JCW’s, when Lacey let me crash at her house and sob about my job, playing Mario Cart and having Josh kill us over and over again, fire pits, croquet, egg demolition, playing Kinect, movie nights, that one time the website hosting guy flirted with us on the phone HA, weekend in St. George, Black Friday shopping, crying together during 17 Miracles, staying up late and talking.

Miss you guys already!!!

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Whirlwind

I visited Kentucky for 12 days because I wanted my siblings to meet Eva and it was my mom’s spring break. My sister from DC even came down with her two girls for the second week.

Everyday was filled with an activity. Shopping at Kenwood. Spending time with Blair and meeting her cute boyfriend Hamadi. Lots of Grilling outside. Firepits. Egg hunts. Conference. Watching The Mentalist (my parents got me hooked!). The Cincinnati Zoo. Walking downtown. Going to parks. Visiting my friend Lelia. Eating breakfast with Heather at Frisch’s. Skyline. Visiting with my brother. Cincinnati Art Museum. Trying to get Eva to sleep in a crib. Playing with Claire and Amelia. Giving the girls baths. Celebrating my dad’s birthday. Rio Grande with Blair. UK Game. Picnics.

Overall, it was wonderful. It’s always so hard to leave because I never know when I’ll be back and see my family again. Hopefully I’ll visit this summer!

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The Big 23?

When I was young, I would spend weeks planning my birthday parties. I’d send out the invitations, help prepare the cake and goodie bags, it was usually a slumber party and a BIG ordeal in my mind. Since then, I’d be okay if we just skipped over the day because it just reminds me of how fast time flies. Am I a downer or what?

That being said, I still had a wonderful birthday. It was the first time in five years since I got to celebrate it at home in Kentucky with my family. I went shopping with my mom at Kenwood mall, ate my favorite meal (Skyline Chili), and topped it off with cheesecake from the Cheesecake factory. We even watched The Muppets movie as a family. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful birthday texts, gifts, and messages!

Two days later, my brother came up from Lexington and we went to Montgomery Inn Boathouse on the river to celebrate a little more. If you aren’t from Cincinnati, this place is known for their ribs. Whenever anyone famous comes to town, they always eat there because they are the best!

I looked in my baby book to see what we did for my third birthday… twenty years ago! My mom wrote that I was very excited and looking forward to it. We had donuts for breakfast, a party with my friends and neighbors, went to a restaurant on the river and my Grandpa sent money for a tricycle!

Here I am at 3 years old:

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Spring is Here when my Birthday is near!

Last weekend was wonderful. Simply wonderful. My Birthday was this past Tuesday and since I was going to be out of town on the actual day, we celebrated early.

Thursday we went to Sammy’s for dinner because we had a Groupon there. I’m embarrassed to tell you it was my first time. It was good but not very baby friendly because the music was loud, so next time I will not be bringing Eva.

T.J. took pretty much the whole weekend off of studying to hang out with Eva and me, partly because he wanted to be with us since we were going out of town, but mostly (I think) because he’s getting a little tired of doing work this semester. So, after Sammy’s we watched our two new favorite TV shows… Awake and Touch. Perfect night.

Friday T.J. had a really bad allergy attack, as you might be able to tell from the picture above because it started Thursday night. He woke up and wasn’t able to go to work because he felt so sick. Fortunately after a couple of hours it calmed down with some medicine and so we decided to head up to Salt Lake to a French Bakery called Les Madeleines. T.J. is doing a branding school project for them so it was a wonderful excuse to eat delicious French baked goods.

Les Meleines was conveniently a couple blocks away from the brand new City Creek Center that just opened up. I love going to grand openings, the people, the entertainment… just to be a part of it… it’s so exciting! We were there in the late afternoon so it wasn’t too overwhelming and Eva did great in her stroller the whole time. You have to go soon! The H&M and the Forever21 there are incredible and the whole mall is so nice! I can’t wait to go back! Oh and afterwards we walked around Temple Square since it was just across the street. It was so beautiful and got me so excited for Conference!

Saturday I was surprised by my husband with cupcakes from my favorite cupcake place–the Cocoa Bean. So, a day that starts off with cupcakes is bound to be awesome. And it was BECAUSE WE SAW THE HUNGER GAMES! Let me tell you something. When you haven’t been to the movies in more than three months, just GOING to the theater is exciting. I was practically skipping because I was so happy to get out (sad to say it, but true… without Eva) and get to relax for a couple of hours without any interruptions. And of course, I loved the Hunger Games. I think if I wouldn’t have read the books I wouldn’t have liked it as much because the character development was pretty weak and the plot moved so fast. But I supplemented with what I remembered from the book. None the less, it was still awesome.

So there you have it. I have a great husband who made the weekend memorable and great in-laws who helped out with Eva to make it all possible! Miss you guys!

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Stuff My Parents Say

You know how they made a thousand of those videos on YouTube like Stuff My Girlfriend Says or Stuff Nobody Says? Well, here are some things my parents say often, especially when I was in high school…

  • We do what we have to do so we can do what we want to do.
  • I’m up, everybody’s up.
  • We don’t do that. (WE really means, YOU)
  • Sorry, sorry. (My dad says sorry twice if he really doesn’t mean it)
  • Maybe. Maybe not. (Always means no)
  • I don’t want to tell you want to do, but I think you should take that off your blog.
  • No elbows on the table.
  • If you get everything when you’re young, what’s there to look forward to when you’re old?
  • Remember who you are.

Oh, I love those guys… can’t wait to see them next week and hear all of those things in person again!

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Playing Catch Up

Last weekend was quite busy with lots of socializing and partying! Saturday we headed up to T.J.’s aunt’s house for a baby shower. T.J.’s cousin Annie is having a baby boy in April so we got to visit with a lot of T.J.’s family and eat out with some of them on Saturday night. 

Eva tried out Annie’s baby gift. She told us that she loved it and wants one for herself.

We tried a new Thai place in American Fork. I wish I could eat peanut curry every night!

After dinner, we visited with some of T.J.’s old high school friends. I love this group so much and wish we could get together with them more often.

Sunday we spent the gorgeous day up in American Fork. Look at our little gnome with those chunky thighs getting ready for a walk around the block!

 

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Birthday Month

March has started which means it is officially birthday month. My sister’s birthday was on the 6th, my sister-in-law’s and father-in-law’s are this coming week, and mine is at the end of the month. So, we celebrated Lacey’s at Red Lobster this weekend. It was T.J.’s first time eating there and he, of course, loved it. He got crab legs and I got the coconut shrimp. Delish. Oh, and fun fact for my parents, I finally like crab! Of course, growing up I hated it which was lame since we would go to Florida and eat seafood often. But I tried T.J.’s crab and thought it was wonderful.

Eva was an angel at the restaurant. She finally is getting to the point where she can entertain herself pretty well. So she sat contently on my lap while we enjoyed our meal.

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