updates

man, i'm terrible, terrible, terrible at keeping a blog updated.

oh i update people about my life, alright.  i get to share sound bites of my life via the human vuvuzela facebook, and i feel like i've already shared too much.

but then there's no detail of my feelings, of my impressions.  and that's precisely why i got  a blog.  to register that somewhere.  so here i am, repentant and hopeful, and maybe this time i'll do better at writing things down on the blog.

so just to update my 7 occasional readers, here's what we've been up to since this last spring! :)

our maltese dog zoey had her litter of 4 adorable puppies... they were the sweetest, quietest little puppies.  then they learned to walk.  thank goodness for the puppy play pen, or they would've messed everywhere.
we traumatized the kids, and against their requests, we sold all the puppies.  they went very quick.  they were good quality dogs, with great personalities, so i wasn't surprised.  but i was very picky.  i made sure they went to good homes, and i was happy that they did -- every single one of them.  one of them went to a friend of mine, so i've been able to see her recently.  she is as happy as a clam, and it warms my heart to know she's so well loved and cared for. :)

last shot of zoey's puppies together.  they were 10 weeks old.

another piece of news is that scott decided to quit his day job and work for himself. yes, he left his corporate america high pay position with one of the biggest companies in the world, and is on his own, doing what he loves most, and being his own boss (which also means he's working crazy hours to meet deadlines).  i've never been more proud of him.  this is something he's always wanted to do, and finally the stars aligned and the right circumstances arrived.  i've been somewhat involved in helping with little things as needed.  i give him my full support; he knows it.  he has a few business partners, but one in particular that has been a tremendous asset in this partnership, and we're very grateful for him.   we've since been involved in some political ventures, and it's been interesting to participate in.  okay, it's been awesome to participate in.  especially when i get to support causes that are close to my heart, such as hb116.  i'm hoping we can make a difference and be a force for good as we help people realize the root of their prejudices and educate them so we can all move towards a better community.

with friends at the speaker's victory gala, in may

and more fun...

erica, a good family friend who used to live with us, got married! :)  she married a good guy, and i know they'll be very happy together.

with erica on her wedding day

jonah and livia are done with the school year!  i can't believe my little boy will be a 1st grader next year, and livia will be in 6th grade!  that's crazy, and yet awesome because now jonah will be going to school full time!  i'll have a little more time to dedicate to things i've had to put on hold because i was tending to my kids.  i'm way excited about that!  :)

my brother daniel's wife had their first baby.  a little princess they named vivi, who was born the day after my birthday.  best belated birthday present ever! :)  they surprised us this 4th of july by coming up to utah to spend the holiday with us.  it was the best!!! and vivi is the sweetest!  another little niece for me to spoil! :)

holding my precious niece, vivi. 

i think that's it for now... we have more family fun coming up, like the birth of little caleb (my sister's baby boy), the kids participation in the days of '47 parade, and a couple of trips.  i'll keep everyone posted, i hope promise!

the puppies are here!

our little maltese, zoey, has become a momma... and what a good mom she is!  she gave birth to her first litter last saturday feb.26th, in the afternoon.  she did amazing... and here they are, 3 girls and 1 boy.  :)

we named them after the powerpuff girls cartoon: blossom, bubbles, and buttercup.  the little boy is mojo.  :)  the kids are LOVING to have puppies at home, and so am i.  i didn't sleep much the first night, but now they're all doing great, eating well and sleeping like i wish my babies had for me!

 a *very* pregnant zoey!  just 2 days before her puppies arrived

 with zoey and her pups.  

zoey is an amazing mom... look at how tender she is with her puppies... they'll be ready to go to new homes in may... we'll miss them!

christmas with the offens

christmas eve at temple square...

this tree reminds me of trees i used to see in flamengo, rio, during christmas time

we let the kids open one gift on christmas eve: a pair of new pajamas.  :)

our christmas tree all lit up on christmas eve

christmas morning

cinnamon rolls... our tradition for christmas breakfast!

gabriel surprised me with a blu ray i wanted SO much! thanks, gabe!
you're the best!!! :)

haha... jonah thinks i look great in blue.  

Scott was far from thinking he'd get season 3 of
The Big Bang Theory! :)

yes, i gave him converses.  :)

livia and her ice cream machine

jonah and his bat cave :)

everybody with their stockings!

he's actually holding up a slinky.

awesome giveaway

HEY YOU, party lovers... check out this new blog i've stumbled upon!  SOMEONE OUT THERE HAS an amazing love for get-togethers, and gathers all these FUN AND CREATIVE IDEAS so we can have our own spectacularly stylish soirees.  and they're having an awesome giveaway, too!  so scoot on over there, and CHECK THIS OUT.  and if you enter and win it, you're welcome, and yes -- you'll have to let me borrow it!

    

pretty girls

I LOVE THIS PICTURE best friend sent me, and i decided it's blog worthy.  look at us.  AREN'T WE'RE JUST PRETTY SADIE LADIES?  this is what sets of BEST FRIENDS looks like as we GROW OLD TOGETHER.  marianne and martha are sisters, and this was taken during marianne's last visit to utah.  from left to right, COCO & MARIANNE, who have been best friends forever, and ME & MARTHA, who have been friends even longer than that.  and how fun it is; I LOVE THESE GIRLS.   as the saying goes... "amigos, ouro e vinho, quanto mais velho mais fino".
(FRIENDSHIPS ARE LIKE GOLD AND WINE - THE OLDER THEY GET, THE MORE REFINED).

girls retreat

EVERY YEAR a group of US GIRLS leaves children and husbands behind and DISAPPEAR TO A CABIN owned by one of our friends.  our slice of heaven is near oakley, utah, and we spend a whole 24 hours away from it all, IN THIS ENCHANTED FOREST of a place.

this was the first year i wasn't working during the retreat, so i was able to get there early enough on friday (the last two years my sister and i arrived around midnight due to our work schedules).  WE got to ENJOY a few extra HOURS OF FUN, and i've decided i'm getting there early every year from now on.  totally worth it! :)

during our hike

i went for QUIET WALKS, watched bambi grazing just a few yards away from me, played some HILARIOUS GAMES, laughed until i got wrinkles from it, hiked a fun trail, read a great book, star gazed (it just so happens that we caught the meteor shower that night), did some inner searching, ate a killer slice of CHOCOLATE CAKE, chatted with girlfriends, did YOGA, AND embarrassed myself playing JUNK IN MY TRUNK.  YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT?  well, if you don't know what that is LOOK IT UP ON YOU TUBE.  ;)

(playing 'junk in my trunk'.  it was hysterical!)

historical diner in oakley, ut - we had to stop by on the way back and treat ourselves to milkshakes.  

trip to iowa

every time i look out of my in-law's front room window i think to myself "i can never, ever watch 'signs' out here".  WELCOME TO IOWA, the land of endless corn fields.  and my in-laws live out there, in the middle of nowhere, absolutely surrounded by miles and miles of corn and endless sky above.  it doesn't get much more out in the middle of nowhere than that.  and i'm a city girl through and through, but I LOVE BEING ABLE TO FLEE THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE - their place is like a sanctuary to me.

THIS YEAR the sanctuary was quite busy.  THERE WERE PLENTY OF other FAMILY members at the inn.  :)

we had 4 out of the 6 married siblings out there, and although steven wasn't coming his wife amy was going to spend time there with their 2 girls.  so my kids got to enjoy what was almost a family reunion... 13 COUSINS WERE GATHERED, AND if we could have stayed an extra couple of days until amy got there it would've been 15 cousins all together.  we were only missing 5 more to complete the entire offen 3rd generation. 

too MUCH HAPPENED, so i thought it would be less boring for me to just list the many activities we were engaged in during the week we spent with scott's family:

THE KIDS... 

didn't notice the humidity

were mystified by the beauty of fireflies

WENT CRAZY on the swing set

ran around the huge property

shot guns with grandpa

climbed trees

fed the chickens

gathered chicken eggs

killed a baby chick (only jonah, actually... but who's surprised?)

went canoeing

made pretzels

met their great-grandma offen for the first time

PLAYED in the grown up size doll house

laughed themselves silly

built cool things with lego's

played with bunnies

played with the dogs

befriended the pet goat (only jonah, actually... but who's surprised?)

made tie-dye t-shirts

made cookies

ate all their vegetables

danced in the rain

made up secret hideout places (only jonah, actually... but who's surprised?) 

played in the huge tepee grandpa set up for them

had water balloon fights

went to bed late AND got up early

found gross bugs in the yard

made cousin bracelets (which is better than plain matching bracelets)

LAUGHED themselves silly some more

watched fireworks

caught & released fireflies

cried because THEY DID'T WANT TO LEAVE... 

but do you blame them?  this was one of those weeks of magical childhood summer memories some of us just wish we'd had.  for that matter, I DIDN'T want to leave EITHER!  i was having a blast there, too!

besides hanging out with wonderful family, i was really enjoying being away from the busy life and the demands of my routine.  my in-laws live in this area surrounded by a bunch of little small towns, so even to go buy milk i had to get out on the road, and i ended up driving through the most beautiful and quaint little old towns.  i know to some people that may sound like the most boring thing on earth, but I REALLY DO SAVOR that slice of americana pie these little towns serve up.  it's so inviting to visit PLACES WHERE LIFE LOOKS SO SIMPLE and relaxed, and i couldn't help but take time to go back and walk through historic neighborhoods to better appreciate the charm of it's old brick buildings.

AND MY FAVORITE part of this trip...a little hiding place i nicknamed "THE READING NOOK".  as if life by the corn fields isn't peaceful enough, my in-laws have THIS ENORMOUS OLD TREE  in their back yard, WITH A PERFECT comfy SPOT big enough for me TO crawl up and CURL UP WITH A GOOD BOOK.  the kids can't reach it, it's too high for little ones to climb there.  so i hid there with a couple of good books and spent some much needed alone time.  IT WAS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!  i love visiting them in the winter months for the holidays, but i have decided i can deal with the humid heat in iowa and venture there for as many summer visits as i can manage.