Perfect Little Moments

     Yesterday was Mother's Day (Happy belated Mother's Day Mom's!) and I wanted to make dinner for my Mom. As we both had been thinking about what to make for dinner we separately thought of making barbecue brisket. I love it when we have those moments where we're in sync, where "great minds think alike". **smile** (Perfect little moment #1).
      We hadn't had it for a long time and it sounded good, and we laughed when we figured out we had both thought of it. It takes some preparation and lots of cooking time, but it's relatively easy. So the night before I started marinating, the next morning started cooking. It was five hours before I had to touch it again so I had some free time.
     Sundays are usually my time to relax with the poodles for a bit. I gave Briana a ride to work, took the poodles with me, and after we went to Fort Utah Park.
     The temperature was ideal for me, warm/cool, a little overcast and windy, and the park was deserted. (Just the way I like it!) I let the poodles out to run and chase the ball, and for just a few minutes a perfect peace and sense of well-being settled over me, like a gift from Heaven, and I have to think it was. I savored that moment, holding onto it for as long as I could (Perfect Moment #2).
     There's so much turmoil in our lives. I'm always trying to put my difficulties in perspective, but often feel bogged down in my frustrations, worries, anxieties, and it's something I deal with on a daily basis.

     But today I remember thinking: No matter what happens, no one can take this moment from me.

For these moments, I am truly grateful. (P.S. The brisket was fabulous too!)

Happy 40th Jason

Jason's Tres Leches cake and his victory pose after successfully putting out the fire on the cake :) Today is his actual birthday but we had his party on Saturday night.

Look at these faces!

I will always, always remember and love them at this age, so much. This is Wyatt with my brother's girls, Avery and June doing an Easter egg hunt in our front yard. Avery is 4, Wyatt is 3, and June is almost 2.

Buffy's Blog

I know my blog has been pretty neglected for months, however, I made a header and it's name is Buffy's Blog. Ha ha! I'm not a professional blogger, but I want my blog to be an outlet for me, creative or otherwise, and to reflect more of me than just being a Mom, etc. etc. I was dubbed "Buffy", I hope affectionately, by a neighbor friend in high school and it stuck. Buffy was me before marriage, before kids, and it represents a time when I didn't have any labels per se, but was just living life and figuring out who I wanted to be. I guess that still applies today...on second thought, yes, it definitely still applies today. :)

Is She Really Gone

I am missing my friend today. A lot. There are days like this when I still can't believe she's gone. My friend Trudy. It's been almost five years since she died. My mind is flashing back on her smile and laugh, her face, and it's hard to believe that I can't just call her and go see her. To describe the friendship I felt with Trudy is difficult to put into words. An unbreakable bond, a joy and comfort that just always felt like "home". Always laughter, but more than just a sense of fun, a deep comradeship. I don't know if I've ever felt as much belonging as I did in that friendship.

Then, out of the blue, her daughter Linzy called, and I instantly remembered it was her birthday (Linzy's). She told me she's getting married this Fall. I'm so happy that she called, and so sorry that Trudy won't physically be there with me to see her daughter be married. Is it strange that talking to Linzy brings tears to my eyes, and emotions well up all over again? I wonder if she feels the same stab of emotion talking to me as I do talking to her. I feel like exchanging memories about her Mom, and saying again how much she means to me, but I don't want to make anything more painful for her than it already must be. She lost her Mom so much sooner than most of us do. I don't know how that feels. I wish all the comfort of the angels for you Linz, and a wee bit for me too, if possible.

July 1, 2011 P.S. I borrowed this photo from Trudy's sister Jenny that she recently posted on facebook. This is Trudy telling me not to take myself to seriously :)

I miss you every day, Trude.

I Need A Vacation- BAD

So, Jason has been gone to Blanding for work for over a week. I've been with Wyatt for over a week, no breaks. Yup, I'm going to lose it. I'm not one of those people who can spend unlimited time with their children (wait, are there even people like that?). The only thing that keeps me sane is those times when I can check out from mommyhood for a couple hours, either with friends or by myself. Especially because we don't go on real vacations, so those little breaks are literally all I have!

(I can't even daydream about being somewhere else without interruption. Grrrrr!) Just had to vent today.

Updated Links

I was bored out of my mind last night so I added a bunch of links I like to the blog. Now I just need to organize them somehow!

Sir!

This is the look you get from a child that hasn't been photographed in a long, long time. A little too excited, poor kid.

I took a couple pictures of him in his current military phase. He is loving all things soldier, camo, weapony, shooty, saluty. (He actually salutes us, yes).

I've found the 'yes sir' 'no sir' thing really works! If I give him an 'order' followed by 'sir' or 'soldier', I get results! Obedience without question, is this actually possible?? I love it. I love being saluted. I'm fine with being called sir. Maybe I could've had a military career. I'll never know now, unfortunately.

I'm wondering how long I can make this phase last.

Seriously Overdue

It's been months since I checked my blog or anyone elses! But, it's a New Year and I'm looking forward to 2011. Odd numbered years are always better for me :)
More soon.

Bear Lake

This just makes me say "ahhh"- so relaxing. Except later the wind blew really hard and overturned the shade tents!

Ol' Ephraim the Bear. Wyatt was afraid of him and wouldn't pose!

We went to Bear Lake w/ some friends over Labor Day weekend. We stayed at a KOA cabin, which I hadn't done before, and I loved it- that's my kind of camping :)

Summer 2010

Summer is really going by quickly, isn't it? I love it- the long, sunny days, or even better, a warm summer storm. Grilling, family, and friends. This 4th of July was so far my favorite holiday of the year! Jason is busy, busy which for us is a great thing! He loves to work in his yard and we love to watch everything bloom and grow.

Lately I keep getting drawn back into the past, feeling almost homesick for those days. Then I remind myself that someday, these are the days I'll be longing for and so it brings me right back to the present. Change is difficult for me, I want to keep all the good things just as they are. I guess I'm just a sentimental fool :)

Indian Food

Yesterday I made some excellent Chicken Tikka Masala, one of my favorite Indian dishes. I had some big doubts about whether it would be good, but we all agreed it was DELICIOUS. And so much cheaper than the restaurant. I even made Mango Lassis! Yum. In fact, I may have to make it again right away. It's worth it to make the basmati rice instead of regular. And, I have a recipe for Gobi Aloo that I will be making- a potato/cauliflower dish that I love. I miss the vegetable Pakora with mint chutney, and naan from the restaurant, but maybe at some point I can figure out those too. I found the recipes on Allrecipes.com. (People always take pictures of their food, I don't know if I'd ever remember to do this).

Darling Graduate

PF Chang's before Graduation

I'm so excited that Briana has reached this milestone. Congrats Bri! We love you!

Vegas/Venetian in April

Gorgeous.

Briana's Birthday

Briana turned 18! We had dinner at Tucano's the night of her birthday and the next night she had a friend party at the house. Wyatt gave her a bouquet of suckers. They played Rock Band, hit a pinata, and ate BBQ.

Christmas 2009

It wouldn't let me fix the red eye!

New Portraits

Thank you to my sister-in-law Crystal Hadlock who took these amazing shots. A link to her website is on this page under "Links I Like" so check it out. I am thrilled with them!

Two Year Old Perspective

Wyatt figured out how to use the camera and this is a sample of the shots he took. I thought it was interesting to see what he took pictures of.

Halloween

I figured it was the last year I could get away with a cutesy outfit.

This has been the year of the dogs, so it was only fitting he was one too!

Love the tail.

Briana, Wyatt and Trace.

Wyatt didn't want to get into his costume, I think it wasn't manly enough or something, but once he did start trick or treating on our street he had a great time!

Birthday

So I have become such a slacker with having someone take group photos of us! Wyatt playing with my birthday balloons is really the only pictures I have- I opened some gifts and cards and later we went to dinner with my Mom, where once again I forgot to take pics.

Wyatt thinks he can play on the counter top- he found his pacifier and then put the pot on his head.