Happy Birthday Ian!

I'd make fun of how old you're getting but it wouldn't be worth it since I'm older than you. Instead, I wanted to point out some of the qualities I love about you.

GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR

Always up for a laugh, a prank, or a hoax,
but mostly just laughing at your own jokes.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

HARD WORKER!

Being productive and busy is always your quest.
You rarely sit down to take a rest.

SUPPORTIVE!
You were there by my side every step of the way
when we were at the hospital for Tatem's birth day.

BEST DADDY IN THE WORLD!
Every day after work with Tatem you nap.
I love that you don't hide being a sap.

LOTS OF HOBBIES
Golf, Soccer, Running, and Me.
Are things you like doing
for hours with glee.
*wink* *wink*
(that's funny, right?)Now you're 30 something and still as handsome as ever
I'm glad I get to hang out with you forever and ever!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART!

Seriously, I just love her to pieces!
We hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Bread of Life

Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I decided it's time for me to learn how to make bread. I was explaining this to my morning walking friend, Holly, and she recommended I swing by D.I. and pick out a bread maker, claiming the D.I. has tons.

They probably have tons because of all of the new stay-at-home moms who get excited to make bread, ask for a bread maker for a birthday or Christmas, then use it once or twice, then find that a bread maker takes up a lot of space, sits in the pantry shelf for a year, rarely gets used, and then gets donated to the D.I.

Holly helped me pick out the best break maker there. It looks brown new (inside family joke). It still had the protective film on the buttons and came with an instruction manual. Purchasing price $15!! Holly emailed me her favorite recipe and I quickly made my first loaf which turned out fabulous. It was entirely impossible to wait the recommended 30 minutes before slicing! Truth be told, we didn't even slice it. Ian and I split it and devoured it like the last remaining chocolate candy bar on the face of the earth.
Now worried that homemade bread may overtake our lives...and our waistlines...I looked up healthy bread recipes on my favorite food website, www.kraftfoods.com. I found Bread Machine Applesauce Granola Bread labeled Fiber rich, Low fat. Perfect. So off I was making another loaf of bread. Apparently this recipe has LOTS of fiber in it because I swear I pooped five times just from the aroma of the bread baking! Final product, again, absolutely fabulous! I think we are in trouble over here! I'm addicted! Next, I plan of trying the Blueberry Yogurt Bread. YUM!

So, if the trend is correct, I should be making about 5 or 6 more loaves then moving the machine to my pantry shelf where it will sit, unused, for perhaps a year, then donating my bread maker back to the D.I. But in the meantime, I'm loving it!

Getting the important things done first.

I decided to design and create (sew) Tatem's nursery months before she was born. My intent was to have it freshly finished for the day she came home from the hospital. Well, Tatem is nearly 3 months old and, well, ...at least her curtains are finished! Currently, Tatem sleeps in a pack 'n' play at the foot of our bed. Ian is getting anxious to have her move to her own room. The crib bumper isn't done yet and neither is the crib skirt for that matter. Every day Ian asks if I worked on the bumper. The answer is always, "No, I don't have time. I have a baby to take care of." However, I did miraculously find time to work on more decor for her nursery. Sure it's not the bumper and it certainly wont get her into her own room faster. I found the wooden block letters at Michaels, painted them black, then made my own mixture of Elmer's Glue and water to hodgepodge the paper onto the blocks. I think they turned out pretty cute!

And do you want to hear something really exciting? I found 3 Pottery Barn floating shelves at D.I. for only $3 each. Tatem may never be able to sleep in her room, but it's sure to be the cutest room in the house!

And for even more exciting news, click here!

CAN YOU SEE WHY I WANTED THE T-SHIRT?

ADAM'S FIRST RACE!
He ran the Teton Dam Half Marathon with Ian and his Father-in-law, CHES, who took FIRST PLACE in his age division!Red, White, and Blue in honor of Flag Day. Or just by coincidence.

We stood at the finish line 2 hours after the race had started ready to cheer on our runners as they crossed the finish line. About 10 minutes passed as we anxiously looked down the roadway toward all the the exhausted runners when all of the sudden, ADAM and CHES were standing behind us, well rested, with water bottles in hand. Oh Teton Dam, we missed them crossing the finish line!!!!! Adams first race, and we missed it. Amongst our profuse apologies, Adam said, "Oh, that's alright. Ian is still out there. We can all cheer him on!" Apparently, running is an individualist's sport!

"No child/man left behind" does not apply here!!
We were all able to see Ian cross the finish line moments later!
GOOD JOB GUYS!!!

I have to give a shout out to my amazing friend Alicia who is racing this weekend...180 MILES FROM LOGAN TO PARK CITY!!! (She's crazy!)
GO GET 'EM! YOU CAN DO IT!
I hope you don't poop your pants!
Not that I know any runners who have done that before...ok, well, maybe just one, but I really think you can refrain from adding your name to that list.
YOU ARE AWESOME!!!

Dam/Birthdays

My brother ADAM, and my husband IAN
are running the TETON DAM MARATHON

Saturday in Rexburg Idaho.
I was going to sign up to be a dam race volunteer but lets be honest, I only wanted the dam t-shirt.
Good luck with your dam race Ian and Adam!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM!HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITH!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VAL!!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRAIG !HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE !HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUKE!!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAGE !!HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRITTNI !!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET WIFE!!

I love my wife Natalie for many reasons - here are but a few:
1. Look at the angel daughter she has given us!
2. I love her laugh and smile
3. Her love of others through "Service" - (She continually redefines our last name!)
4. Her love for our little girl
5. The sacrifices she has made during our marriage (i.e. School, poverty, Twin Falls, 10+ moves in 8 years).
6. Her solid support of me while getting an education
7. Her qwerkes (i.e. Seeing 12:34 on the clock twice a day - And more recently 11:29 - twice a day -Our birth dates - the 11th and 29th)
8. We have shared one car for nearly eight years - without complaint - ooops she is here to pick me up!! GOT TO GO - and take her to dinner to celebrate her 29th birthday!! ;o)

LOVE YOU NATTYBEAR! Ian

Toddler Fingers vs. Baby Eyes

"Oh look, fresh eyes! I must poke them out!"

"Me too!""Crap, it's my only remaining good eye and she's gettin' real close!"

Tatem loves her cousins

STELLA, McKENZIE, and HANNAH!

Tatem's Weekend

We had a great weekend with family and friends!

(I stole this picture from Hollys blog. Thanks Holly!)(And I stole this one from Tres and Roseanns blog. Thanks guys!)

The sweetest lullaby you've ever heard!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Prospective Suitors

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Baby CASH invited Tatem to come and play...in UTAH. Tatem decided she wanted to surprise Cash by showing up on his door step. So, my Ricks College roommate, SARAH, drove us to Utah so Tatem could play with CASH...and CAMERON.
CASH and CAMERON happen to be cousins. They both come from amazing families. Their Mommies, NALANI and CARRIE, were my Ricks College roommates as well. If I ever had to give up my family and choose a new one, this one would be it.
TATEM IS GOING TO BE MY WAY IN.

All 3 babies are only 6 weeks apart!

Notice Cash working the ol' stretching maneuver, ending up with his arm around Tate. She seems unimpressed so he goes for the nuzzling. He works quick. Ahhh baby love!

At church yesterday, an "experienced" lady in Relief Society asked me, "How can you tell a First Time Mom from a Mother of 5?"

"When the binkie falls to the floor, the First Time Mom will immediately pick it up, boil it for 10 minutes, and make sure it's properly sanitized."

"A Mom of 5 will find it in the toilet, dip it out, wipe it on her pants and call it good!"

Totally true.
I am a First Time Mom!

I'm trying my hardest for the "First Time Mother of the Year 08" award.
* I go to Target at least every other day looking for nothing in particular.
* Instead of using the microwave for 10 seconds, I warm up her bottles in a bowl of water, adding at least a good 7 minutes of extra loud crying to the already frantically hungry, crying baby.
* I only forget the diaper bag when I'm going to be gone from the house for longer than 3 hours.
* I tell the baby's daddy, "you're not doing it right" all the time.
And finally
* I ordered 1 million dollars worth of pictures of her 1 month photo shoot at Sears Portrait...and then went across the mall to Kiddie Kandids and ordered another 1 million dollars worth from them.

Seriously, who needs that many pictures of your 1 month old???
Oh, a FIRST TIME MOM DOES!!!!
How in the heck does a first time Mom afford the rest of the months pictures?
Daddy scolded Mommy and said, "Tatem is gonna havta wait till she's TWO YEARS OLD for her next photo shoot."

Oh Daddy. Maybe you should try for the "First Time Daddy of the Year 08" award. (See the Mommy for the qualifications)


*

My Gift(s)

In celebration of my first Mothers Day,

my sweet husband Ian bought me
a very pretty, dainty, ring.
I get to wear it now, but in time,
it will be a gift for Tatem.
Look closely and you can see her holding it.
I told her to stay out of my jewelry box!
The other day I caught her in my make up bag and wearing my high heels!
I've already got to keep an eye on her!

Tatem's Toes

This Year, It's Official

The day after Mothers Day last year, my best friend and self appointed fertility specialist Brittni said, "I am not going to let another Mothers Day go by and watch you celebrate empty handed!" Who knew she was a prophetess...or a witch...or just a good guesser.

Happy Mother's Day to all women,
but especially
to all the NEW MOM'S
celebrating Mother's Day
for the FIRST TIME!!
My Ricks College Roommate
NALANI and her baby CASH
(with husband JED).

My sister LINDSAY and her baby HANNAH
Wishing Lindsay a very special First Mothers Day.
Since last June, Lindsay has become a mother of two. She was able to hold her baby boy ISSAC for a short time in January. Now he is keeping a good eye on his family from Heavens view.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Daddys Little Girl

3 weeks old today!

Tatem is loved!

Thank goodness for family! I have the best one around!

Aunt Lindsay came to take care of us at the beginning of the week. We were so happy to see her! She is such great company and we love her so much! Thank you Keith and Thank you Hannah for sharing your Mommy with us! We are hoping Keith and Hannah can join her next visit to Idaho.

AMAZING FAMILY!
Ian, Tatem, Me, Aunt Marci, JayJay (Grandma Anderson), Aunt Lindsay, Uncle Adam

Uncle Adam was driving through Twin and decided to stop and introduce himself to Tatem. She is so lucky to have family so close by!
The best thing ever is that Aunt Marci lives only 10 minutes away. Marci has been my salvation! She is an amazing sister to me, and a wonderful Aunt to baby Tatem. Seriously, we are so lucky to have her close!
Then Aunt Sage and her ADORABLE baby Maya (and the rest of the family) made a trip to Twin Falls to see baby Tatem. We loved having their family visit and hope they come back soon.

And THANKFULLY, my sweet MOM was able to some and spend time with us over the weekend. Tatem loves her Grandma JayJay, and is anxious to meet her Grandpa Anderson. Thanks for all your help, Mom!

(See Brittni, people really do visit Idaho!)