Happy B-day to MEEE!! And Happy Mother's Day, too!

On Mother's Day I turned 25... yep, the big 2-5. Being in the Quarter Century Club feels a little weird, actually, part of me feels like I should still stay I'm 21, but another part of me feels like I should be older than 25. Having a kid does that to a person! But anyways, I had a SPLENDID b-day, filled with everything I could ask for! Friends, San Diego, shopping, new MUCH needed capris and other awesome presents, the beach, yummy food, cake and ice-cream, a lazy Mother's Day for me (sorry Steve, you weren't allowed to be lazy) and Village Pizzeria in San Diego (my favorite pizza place EVER... if you're ever in San Diego, hop skip and jump over to Coronado and go there!!)..... what could be better?!

And, as far as the Mother's Day part of the day goes, Steve made it very special, with flowers, breakfast in bed, taking Jake through most of church (until Jake got cranky half way through Steve teaching the lesson in Teacher's Quorum), watching Pride and Prejudice with me and not complaining once!, and making me some yummy dinner. But I'm SOOO lucky, because I realize that even though he treated me so special this weekend, he treats me special EVERY day. I could NOT ask for a better husband to spend eternity with. And, I'm also so lucky to have such a fun, smart, spirited, hilarious son. Of course being a mom is challenging, and tiring, but I know it's the most important job I will ever have, and I just LOVE my little boy and he makes my heart smile. I love being his mom!!

When I got a b-day package, Jake was my mail carrier :)

We started the weekend off right when Steve met us at Chik-fil-A for lunch!
Some of Jake's best buds: Kaleb and Candice. This was at the little party we had Friday night.

Lunch break at the Horton Plaza in San Diego. Cheese-ball ;)

Our FAVE beach in Coronado!!! LOVE this place!!!

Waiting to eat some awesome Village Pizzeria pizza. YUMMO!!

Cupcakes and presents!! I got some MUCH NEEDED things, and I don't want to bore anyone with the list, so I'm just gonna say thanks everyone!!!!

Haha, this book was a present from my lovely mother, who knows Jake well ;) This made me laugh, and even from reading the back of the book and the first few pages, I KNOW that this is describing Jake, and it will help us BOTH!! Thanks Mom!!!!!

Tribute

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

This is dedicated to my own mom, and my mother-in-law :)

The one word I could use to describe my mom is: BEAUTIFUL, inside and out. I love my mom so much, and she is not only my mother, but she is my best friend (after Steve, of course). My mom is seriously the most patient, understanding, loving, even-tempered, saintly person I know, and she would do (and does) anything for anyone. She is the kind of mom who LOVES being a mom, and her children know it. She is my ultimate example for the kind of person I could only hope to be. We have had our ups and downs (what mother/daughter relationship hasn't?) but definitely WAY more ups than downs. And if it was a down it was most likely my fault anyway ;) But I'm so SO grateful to have my mom in my life, and I'm grateful to have her as an example. I try to be like her every day, and there are a lot of times when I could very easily lose my patience with Jake when I stop and think about what my mom would do in the situation, and the answer is always, "She would be patient and stop what she is doing and just give him a hug and show him she cares." Which is then what I try to do, and then things really do get better. So each day my goal is to be more like my mom, and give Jake the same feeling that I got from my mom every day: that I am LOVED.

Steve's mom, Kris, is also an amazing example to me. She works so hard to be dedicated to her family, and that she is!! She knows how to do pretty much anything, which comes in handy to someone like me who needs to LEARN how to do a lot of things! She is an excellent mother and grandmother, and Jake is actually her 17th grandchild. She raised 7 children, Steve being the baby in the family, so there are many people who need her love and attention and guidance, and she does SUCH a great job of providing that to everyone! I'm so grateful that she raised Steve to be the person that he is, she did an amazing job because he is an amazing person! I love going to Idaho to visit them because she has provided such a fun environment for all of her children and grandchildren to come home to. Thanks, Kris, for ALL that you do, we love you!!

Lately

Here are just some random pics of what we have been up to lately! Life is great, just super busy! Hmm, can anyone else relate?? ;)

We went on a pretty hike not too far from us with our good friends Nate and Autumn Zarlengo. They have a little boy, Kaleb, just a few months older than Jake, and they play SO WELL together, it's really really cute. Steve works with Nate, and they just moved to Murrieta from Palmdale (where we used to be, too), and we are SOOO glad!! We've been having TONS of fun together.

If that's not a guilty face, I don't know what is.... hehe

HA, so Jake still has his shoe obsession, and he decided to try on Steve's work boots one night and they were so heavy for him, he could barely lift his legs!

Playdate at the park with Jake's first girlfriend, Candice!

Twinners ;)

Two of his FAVORITE things: his blanket and kitty, aka "Mow" haha.

I just wanna pinch those cheeks!!!