i love.

i love this tv show.

i especially loved the latest episode theatricality. i laughed so hard i cried. especially the vampire scene at the end with tina and principal figgins. omg i get giggly again just thinking about it. hysterical.

and i am SO in love with this song from the episode. obsessed. i keep replaying it over and over...

do you watch the show?

10

elyse on a bike ride in DC

My little sister Elyse turned 10 on the 23rd of this month. I am actually shocked that she is 10 years old. Not because I think she should be much younger (like I feel with the rest of my younger siblings) but because I often think she should be more like 13 or 14 with her sassy personality and mature sociability level. As the youngest of 10 kids it was only inevitable for her to be well beyond her age. I feel like I can have a normal conversation about anything with Elyse (and its been that way for years) and I don't even always feel that way with people my own age. Elyse is extremely smart and witty. She can crack a joke like you won't believe and says the funniest things. Event though she's mature for her age, I love that she still loves to be young and silly and goofy. She loves to run around and get dirty and have fun. Elyse is also extremely competitive and athletic. One time we raced each other and I kid you not she outran me like you would not believe. I was so shocked I made her race against Steve and it almost blew my mind to see her keeping up with his sprint for a good while until his long legs got the best of her little body (it shows how good she is when my husband felt the competitive need to show up a 9 year old). Elyse is loved by everyone in our family. She is so beautiful and kind. She is so full of life.

Elyse Happy 10th Birthday. I love you!!!

elyse ryan and adam in rochester

for your personal enjoyment courtesy of steve's iphone

day one:

me at my finest. ha. bloody gauze. bug eyed. pjs. no make up. chipmunk cheeks. classic.

in bed.

now we're talking.... laying out poolside that afternoon while baby is napping.

hairy hubster

kate

freezing those cheeks

now for the best part....... the video of me right after surgery. HA!

(Don't get me wrong- Its really not all that funny)

day two:

*please note: I look pissed off in every single photo. I promise I was happy, well, as happy as you can be with achy teeth and starving your head off.... but it was impossible to smile- hence, the pissed off look. (steve just told me i had to clarify that).

me and baby enjoying the warmth outside. took a little dip in the pool.

loving the cool water

evening walk with mom and dad (my favorite part of the day)

me and the jaynester. again, i look mad. ha. whats funny is i actually tried to show a little smile here. FAIL.

steve sporting his "cheeks"

ok.... now seriously people. i wasn't anticipating how hard the food thing would be with this whole recovery process. i was told about how sweet it would be to go under, i was warned about the achy teeth, the swollen cheeks, but nobody mentioned how RIDICULOUSLY hard it would be to see other people eating delicious food while I'm stuck swallowing down jamba juice with a spoon.

can i get some good food ideas from those of you who have been through this? something that you loved to eat during this time that just got you through it? i'm getting desperate and its only day two.

well, steve just farted and now it smells so i'm going to bring this post to an end.

i'm not kidding and i'm not all that sorry if that grossed you out. (so maybe i am a little POd then I'm letting on here... sorry)

i'm looking forward to some sweet food ideas when i check this thing tomorrow.

please please PRETTY PLEASE don't disappoint.

thank you in advance!!!

cheeks

mmm mmm mmmm! oh how i love her cheeks. i had me some cheeks like that too (but a lot less cute). luckily i didn't puff up too much but they were definitely there post surgery. i've got some lovely photos to share and maybe even a video... if i can overcome my embarrassment and put it up here for you guys. steve was so awesome to take it. it sure is weird watching it when you have no recollection of it whatsoever- a little trippy let me tell you.

all is well. i am recovering nicely but i am definitely missing eating real food. but i can't complain. uncle brad did an excellent job and i am feeling pretty darn good (minus the hungry for real food part.) in fact, most of my day yesterday (day of surgery) was spent at the poolside in this awesome arizona heat. see, i really can't complain.

hope you are all having a lovely weekend filled with all your favorite foods.... will you eat something really yummy for me today? a hamburger, slice of pizza, a sandwich, waffle with syrup.... anything other than a shake please.

if i can't then someone's gotta...

pictures and updates of my recovery to come soon. like tonight.

don't you just want to munch/squeeze those cheeks?!?!

wisdom teeth

i took these the other day and just thought they were so cute. she looks so big to me in that top picture

so tomorrow i am adventuring out to arizona to get my wisdom teeth pulled. why arizona? steve's uncle who lives out there and is a maxillofacial surgeon is going to do it for me- for free. got to love him! i am a little nervous for the recovery... but i'm not gonna lie- i am excited to go under. i have never gone under before. it will be nice to be passed out and sleep... i've kind of forgotten what that feels like.

wish me luck.

and if you're lucky, i may just humor you with some chipmunk photos soon.

evening swim

steve and josephine took jayne on an early evening swim this past friday up in alpine. she was loving the warm water and the much bigger "bath tub" compared to her sink at home. she really has no fear. there was a lot of splishing and splashing and diving going on. i think she is going to be a good little swimmer this summer. you just wait and see.

avocado shake

i wish i had a prettier picture to show this sucker off- but the lighting was bad and i wasn't about to take the time to make it perfect because i wanted to drink it right there and then (as you can see i already had a sip)

ever since javi and suzi showed me how to make this shake i just can't get enough. i've made it every day the past week. you wouldn't expect it to be all that great but it surprises you. it is so yummy and refreshingly different. and a pretty green color too. perfect for any time of day really. i love this shake. so i thought i would share it with you.

there are no exact measurements but this is the general idea

(two servings)

one avacado (peeled and pit removed)

5 cubes ice

milk to cover

two big spoonfuls sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

(and throw in a little more of any of these ingredients that you think it needs)

enjoy!

and this girl just can't get enough of this green goodness (and mashing it into her tray is seems to be a fun thing too)....

Javier and Susannah- The Wedding

Javier and Suzie were married in the Timpanogos Temple. It was beautiful and sunny. The flowers around the temple were a sight to behold. These two are so in love. Their reception was beautiful too. It was held at Steve's parents house. They had delicious food, dessert, and dancing. I wish I had captured some sweet dancing shots but we were all too in the moment to be worrying about photo taking. Ha.

I took a ton of photos (and snagged a few from monette's camera). I'm just going to let the pictures speak for themselves (more like I don't feel like titling 50+ photos).

warning: serious picture overload. don't bother starting if you don't have a huge chunk of time to spare and if you don't feel like seeing one too many pictures of jayne, me, or steve.

don't say i didn't warn you.