>>ONE

My sweet little Clover is now ONE year old!!  I cannot believe it!  Twelve months has never flown by so quickly in all my life.

I remember the day I got "the call" from Clover's birth mom.  What was just another day at the office quickly turned into one of the best days of my life.  We had been trying for a long time to add a baby to our family and now it was looking like it was soon going to happen.  We were going to adopt a baby!!  I wanted to shout it from the roof top and jump up and down on the couch and share my excitement with everyone.

We didn't know if Clover would be a boy or a girl until she was born.  When the nurse came out with her and announced she was a "she" my eyes filled with tears and I was so thankful to have a daughter.  I instantly fell in love with her.  I loved her before she was born, but when I held her for the first time, I just knew she was meant to be in our family.

God couldn't have blessed us with a more perfect, beautiful baby girl.  

Clover's first year of life has been quite an eventful one.  She had her first plane ride at just 2 days old as she was flown to the NICU in Billings, Montana.  For the next month she was poked and prodded and tested and observed until finally being diagnosed with Prader Willi Syndrome.  She had her first surgery at 5 weeks old when she had a g-tube put in her belly.  She spent 2 months in the NICU, has had 3 emergency room visits, been to Denver Children's Hospital 3 times, has been seen by over 14 different specialists, started physical and occupational therapy at just 2 weeks old, started growth hormone injections, has had 2 sleep studies, diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, moved to a new city, AND became a big sister!  Wow, what a year!!  I'm sure I forgot several events in there too.

Clover works extremely hard at everything she does.  Even though things are hard for her and she tires out so easily, she still has a smile on her face all the time.  She has the cutest, sweetest personality and she inspires me every single day.  I am so, so lucky to be this little girl's mama.

Happy Birthday my darling Clover.  I love you always and forever!

XOXO       

>>ELEVEN

This little cutie is 11 months old today!   Where has the time gone?  I swear she was just born like 2 days ago.

She loves her some avocado!

>>A BIRTHDAY

The kids wanted to wish their great grandpa a Happy Birthday today (and they get to do pretty much whatever they want...just look at those faces....who could say no to that?).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDPA!!

We love you!

There is no one I would rather share my birthday with!!

>>FOUR AND SIX

Clover was born on August 30th and Henry was born on October 29th.  So, that would make February the month that they turn 6 months and 4 months old.  But what day do we celebrate these wonderful events?  There is no Feb. 29th (except on Leap Year) and there is no Feb. 30th.

Hmmm....I guess that means we celebrate today?  And by celebrate, I mean that you lucky readers get to look at photos of the most adorable kids on the planet!

CLOVER

Birth (5lbs,2oz)

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

HENRY

Birth (4lbs,8oz)

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

These kids are the best!  I love them SO MUCH!!

>>WHY MY MOM IS SO DARN AWESOME

She once slapped a girl in the face for saying something rude about me.

Booyah!

And because today is her birthday!

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!  Love ya lots!

>>SO FAR, TWENTY-EIGHT HAS BEEN...

not too shabby.

I've only been 28 for two days now, but so far, I can't complain.  I'm pretty sure this may be my best year yet.

Thank you friends and family for the b-day wishes via facebook, phone and mail.  I truly have the best friends/family ever!

party cake + thirty candles

Thirty years ago today the world became a much better place...

Happy Birthday to the love of my life.

I love you.

 
Be sure to wish the birthday boy a happy 30th!  He likes to celebrate his birthday all week long...so you have plenty of time.

gramsy-lou had a birthday

Friday was my grandma's birthday.  And well, since I think she is pretty spectacular, I thought I'd write a blog post just for her.

Ten reasons why my grandma is so awesome.

1. She's hip. 
2. She's pretty.
3. She's fun.
4. She's smart.
5. She has amazing work ethic.
6. She is so incredibly nice.
7. She is so incredibly selfless.
8. She's a good cook.
9. She drives a minivan.
10. She stays up-to-date with current events.  For example, during our Christmas breakfast, she leaned over and asked me if Katie Holmes really kicked Tom Cruise out of the house. 

My grandma is the best!  I love her.

Happy Birthday Grams!!

but once a year . . .

Today is the day that only comes but once a year.

My birthday.

My 27th birthday, to be exact.

My how the years fly by. I swear it was just yesterday that I was writing my 26th birthday post. Surely it hasn't been 365 days since then.

You know what my favorite thing is about my birthday?

I share it with my grandpa.

My grandparents helped raise me...so I was close to them growing up.

I've always thought my grandpa was the best.

His name is Joe...grandpa Joe.

He would wake me up in the mornings by singing...

"It's time to get up, it's time to get up, it's time to get up in the morning...everyone knows when the rooster crows, it's time to get up in the morning."

Then he would cook me breakfast. Pancakes in the shape of my name j e n n y.

Then while I was eating, he would sneak into my room and staple my shirt sleeves together.

Then my grandma would get mad at him as she removed the staples.

Then he would hide his orange peels in my shoes.

Then when I walked into the room, he would sing...

"there she is...miss America."


I think I'm sorta like my grandpa....kinda quiet, sensitive, don't like being in the spotlight, would rather hang out at home than go "out," secretly mischievous and love macaroni and tomatoes...just like him.

Since I was young, I have always thought it was the coolest thing in the world to have my birthday on the same day as my grandpa's. I still think it's the coolest thing ever. I love sharing my birthday with the best grandpa in the world.

happy birthday, grandpa!

a super duper, fun, special, exciting day that's worth celebrating!

Today is this guy's birthday!


I'm so, so thankful that 29 years ago today, this handsome guy was born. The world is a better place with him in it.

Curtis is my absolute best friend. Everyday, I have to pinch myself to assure that I am indeed married to this incredible, handsome, charming, funny guy and that I'm not just dreaming.

One of my favorite things about Curtis is that even on his 29th birthday, he still requests 'Party' cake. He really is the coolest person I've ever known.

I love you sweetie-peetie....a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot.

H-A-P-P-Y . B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y

Are you a fan of the birthday boy? Go here and become a member of the best fan club on the planet.

twenty-six

Tomorrow I will be 26. Kind of crazy. I will soon be 30. I don't feel old though. In fact, I feel really young (except for when I try to exercise...then I feel old). Thinking back to when I was younger (even only 6 years ago), I thought my life would be very different at 26.

I thought I would have kids,
be done with school,
have bigger boobs, (you know, 26 year old boobs)
clearer skin,
not be renting,
not be a landlord (at the same time I'm renting),
not be living in Wyoming,
blah, blah, blah.

But my life is great. I may not be to a point in my life that I thought I would be at this age, but my life is better than I ever imagined it could be. I do have...

a wonderful husband,
wonderful friends,
a wonderful family,
a lot of great life experiences,
the gospel,
and a desire to be happy.

And I'll soon be done with school, and it one way or another, we'll have kids, and maybe even soon we won't be renting anymore. As far as the bigger boobs and clearer skin, I will just keep hoping and maybe one day those will happen too. :)

Life is good. I'm excited to be 26. And most of all, I'm honored to share my birthday with my grandpa, the best grandpa in the world!!

>>HE CAN HAVE HIS CAKE AND EAT IT TOO!

Today is my best friend's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Babe!!

My plan for the birthday cake was to make a scooter. Not just any scooter though, an awesome 3-D scooter (you know, like something Ace of Cakes would make). Well, tonight was proof that I am no Ace of Cakes. My attempt at a scooter eventually turned into this below. It's not just any bus though, it is a short bus. And boy was it a big hit. How could one go wrong with a cake like this?!?

I painted this picture for Curtis for his birthday. It is a picture of his Vespa GS.

It goes well with our entertainment center decor...don't you think? [And look what's on TV. How about that!]

Happy 28th Babe!
You're the best!!
The best!!

>>HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA

Because my grandma is super awesome [and because she is a faithful reader of my blog], I wanted to do a special birthday post just for her.

And yes, this is the same grandma who dreams about Brad Pitt.

Dear Grandma,

Thanks for being so awesome. Thanks for being so incredibly generous and so selfless.

Thanks for letting Curtis and I stay at your house over Christmas and thanks for cooking us all that wonderful food. Curtis (and I) sure did love that clam chowder!!

Thanks for being the best grandma ever!! We are so, so, so thankful to have you in our lives and we love you so, so, so much!!

Hope you have a very Happy 72nd Birthday!!!

Love,
J and C


My grandma really is the best. I bet she would really, really love it if you guys all wished her a happy birthday! :)