2 Years

Carly, our big girl, turned 2 years old back when I was great with child and much too tired to consider blogging. I am still very tired, but realize I need to blog now or it will never happen.

For Carly's birthday, we were fortunate enough to have Grandma and Grandpa Erickson and Grandma Andrews and Aunt Kier out to visit. We had a nice little party where Carly received so many gifts that by the end she really could care less about opening them all and just wanted to get up and run! You know you got spoiled on your birthday when you actually get to the point of being bored opening them all.

The highlight of the gifts would have to be between 2 awesome presents: the beautiful handmade quilt from Grandma Erickson, and the awesome tricycle from Grandma Andrews, Aunt Kiernan, Uncle Russ and Star.

We also had an awesome pinata that Carly was still a little too young (or passive) to really get into. She was more content to watch Daddy and the older kids.

It was an awesome day!

I can't believe how big this little girl has gotten. What a wonderful 2 years it has been. She has changed our lives in everyway, and we always say that we can't believe we ever thought we were happy or fulfilled before she came along. We didn't really start living until the day she was born.

We love you, Carly!

Welcome Wes

Wesley Wallace Andrews. 7/8/9 @ 8:06pm. 6lbs 13 ozs. 21 inches long. Much loved!

Car Update

So our awesome insurance company settled with us for our stolen car just a couple days past the 1 month mark of the car being missing. It was a good, fair settlement. We are very grateful!

Less than week later, the car was recovered by the police here in Taylorsville. Since the insurance company now owns the car, I called to let them know. They let us stop by and visit our car to see if we could find any property inside worth salvaging.

When the car was stolen, there was 800-900 dollars of property inside, including ALL of Marshall's fire equipment.

When the car was found, it had been stripped. They even took the light fixture out of the interior. The donut, the jack. A car seat. Cell phone chargers. Everything.

Everything except 1 item.
Any guesses?

The only item left in the car was a Book of Mormon in the back seat.
Ironic; the one item they could have really used.

Apparently the thieves didn't want religion.

Mother's Day

While reading one of my favorite blogs today, I was reminded of some of my favorite words about motherhood, found in this Ensign article.

"In a poignant exchange with God, Adam states that he will call the woman Eve. And why does he call her Eve? 'Because she [is] the mother of all living.' (Genesis 3:20; Moses 4:26.). . . Eve was given the identity of 'the mother of all living' --years, decades, perhaps centuries before she ever bore a child. It would appear that her motherhood preceded her maternity. . . I believe mother is one of those very carefully chosen words, one of those rich words--with meaning after meaning after meaning. We must not, at all costs, let that word divide us. I believe with all my heart that it is first and foremost a statement about our nature, not a head count of our children."
-Patricia Holland; October 1987

Happy Mother's day to ALL the mothers out there. Those who are still childless or struggling with their fertility, who may find pain and bitterness in this day of celebration. To those abounding in little ones, who may be too tired to enjoy today. To those whose children are grown and who are celebrating their own daughters. To those who have borne children they placed lovingly in the arms of others. To my sisters in every stage of life: Happy Mother's Day. Mothering is our nature and our eternal identity and promise. We are all celebrated today in the eternal sense, and I admire you all.

A special Happy Mother's Day to my own mother. You are my best friend, and my greatest teacher. I love you and can't possibly describe how much your influence has meant in my life, or in the life of my own kiddo. We love you Nanners!

Super Tuesdays

Marshall's schedule is such that he works 4 twelve-hour night shifts a week. This means that he is home during the day everyday. 4 days of the week, those days are spent sleeping since he was just up all night. But on 3 days, we get daddy awake all day. 2 of those days are the days I go in to work. This is nice because he can spend those days one on one with Carly. He is such a great hands-on daddy!

And Tuesdays are our family's Saturday.

For the past month, we have made a real effort to go out every Tuesday and do something as a family. Usually this starts with my OB appointment where we check on Wes. Then we head over to Denny's for breakfast (I have craved hashbrowns like nothing else this pregnancy). Then we head to some child friendly destination and try to entertain and broaden our daughter's world.

It has been SO. MUCH. FUN! We call it "Super Tuesday." The day may change as our work schedules do, but we hope to always be able to have a super family day once a week.

Here is a recap of the past 4 Super Tuesdays.

April 14th- The Gateway Museum

April 21st- The Tracy Aviary

April 28th- The Dinosaur Museum (Thanksgiving Point)

May 5th- Jump on It (Lindon)