My Mother's Day

I am very proud to be a Mother, it has truly been one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences I've ever had. Unfortunately we have church at 9:00AM, so no breakfast in bed for me. Tyler's not much of an early riser.... he did however, make me a big breakfast for lunch after which I was able to take a 2 hour nap! I can't even remember the last time I slept that long during the day.

Church was nice... the speakers gave some beautiful talks, mostly geared toward Mother's, of course. Quincy gave me a wonderful Mother's Day present by attending all of Nursery without ANY breakdowns. Yea! He was a perfect little angel, and when I arrived to pick him up at the end of Nursery he was quite preoccupied with blowing bubbles; He hardly even noticed me, and despite that he could care less that his mom was there to pick him up, I couldn't have been happier.

He also made a pretty flower from his hand prints which had a small Hershey's Kiss in the center. It was really cute. Sorry the picture isn't very good quality.

In church they also handed out some king size Hershey's candy bars.

Because I worked at the shop this weekend I was able to take home some over bloomed roses. This is one of the few small perks that I get as a floral designer. I love having fresh flowers in the house, it's even better when they're free.
For dinner Tyler made some really delicious 'Lasagna Toss'... it was a new recipe we tired out and I think it won't be the last time we have it. Even better than dinner was free dessert at TCBY. Here in Boise every year they offer a free treat to the Mother's on Mother's Day. I got Butter Pecan Ice cream in a waffle cone on Saturday and White Chocolate Mousse on Sunday (since it's free, we didn't spend any money). I am so thankful for Mother's, and I'm thankful for a wonderful son and loving husband.

Thanks for a great Mother's Day guys!

Te Amo Mae

What a wonderful holiday Mother's day is.... a celebration and day of tribute to those who have so graciously given us the very gift of life. My very own Mother has inspired me in almost every way. I know there were countless times that she sacrificed for me, lifted me up or consoled me, cheered me on from a distance or from my side, taught me things which only I would be able to pass on to my own children. My Mom prepared me for Motherhood.... in her own way. I am in awe of my Mom who continued to press on when I was ungrateful. I am in awe that she didn't ever give up on me. I am in awe that despite the way she must have felt, when I wasn't the nicest, she still loved me. I am grateful that she understood the divine plan of salvation and took on one of the most important roles she could ever have.... being our Mother.

I know it wasn't always easy being my Mom... I know that there were probably times when it was hard to appreciate the sanctity of Motherhood while spending countless hours making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, watching cartoons, helping create elaborate science fair projects, writing research papers, or enforcing late night curfews. Indeed my Mom faced many mundane tasks and yet revealed to us kids nothing but enthusiasm and joy.

There is no mother just like mine... she is unique.................. I wanted to write down all the things that make my mom special, but I couldn't pick name just one. I decided to pull out 'just a few' of things that my mom is...

...is unconditionally loving
... is competitive, she hates to loose when playing games
... is very thrifty/ frugal, and has passed this trait on to me
... is creative, she can make something out of nothing
... is good at apologizing, I have learned to do this well from her example
... is trustworthy, I know she will never break my confidence
... is diligent, she does the best at whatever she's doing
... is committed to doing what a mother does best
... is extremely hard working, she taught us kids the real meaning of "work"
... is a good 'cheerleader', she was always there to cheer us on through good and bad times
... is supportive, no matter what we wanted to do, she told us we could
... is smart beyond her years, I always find myself asking her things
... is amazing
... is a great baker, another trait I've picked up from her
... is a wonderful homemaker
... is very spiritual
... is faithful, she had counseled me in times of trial to have faith when I thought I couldn't
... is brave, she helped me through difficult times of sickness and heartache
... is extremely kind, despite the fact that I wasn't ALWAYS kind to her
... is compassionate, she constantly showed us how to serve
... is a great comforter, she always knows how to make me feel better
... is respectful
... is responsible
... is adventurous, she encouraged us to do new things, and not worry about what others think
... is diplomatic, she was always breaking up fights and making sure everything was 'fair'
... is funny, she knows the power of laughter
... is tenderhearted, she taught us to recognize the spirit
... is resourceful, she enforced the skill of using what you have and making the most out of it
... is athletic
... is VERY musically talented, she taught me to pursue my musical talents also
... is a dedicated mother and wife
... is a great listener
... is a good story teller
... is descriptive when she talks, another trait I've picked up from her
... is an example
... is lovely and beautiful
... is a nurse, she taught us good hygiene and fixed us when we were hurt
... is a good organizer
... is a leader, and taught how to lead others righteously
... is a teacher, she showed me how to clean properly
... is a follower of Christ, she taught me to forgive
... is a psychologist, she showed me how to express my feelings
... is taught me to tie my shoes
... is a life coach, she taught me to never give up
... is patient
... is an example of what a good mother should be like, I'm constantly learning from her
... is simplistic and knows how to find beauty in everything
... is caring
... is selfless, she did so much for us without being asked
... is available, she was always there when I needed her


....My mom is one in a million and I'm so thankful to call her mine!

Happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you, wish I could be there in person to tell you.

Happy Anniversary!

Wednesday May 6, 2009 was our 3 year Wedding Anniversary. Although it's not one of those "special" year anniversaries... we had fun none the less.

Unfortunately, Tyler had to work most of the day, but when he got home I made some yummy Chicken Parmesan Bundles and a tossed Green salad for dinner.
We later were able to have some delicious dessert at the Cheesecake Factory.

I have to admit, $7.00 for a slice of cheesecake is a little steep.... but they were to die for. I swear we stood at the cheesecake display case drooling until finally the girl behind the counter cheerfully asked" Can I help you?"

We must have looked like we needed help. There were so many choices and I wanted to say I'll take one of each.

However, I somehow managed to narrow it down to 2 choices and asked the girl her opinion on each of them before coming to a decision.
(Note: This isn't the cheesecake I actually got. I meant to take a picture of our slices, but somehow they managed to get scarfed up before I remembered to get a picture of them. Not only were they absolutely delicious, they were also beautiful!)
I got the Chocolate Coconut mouse Cheesecake and Tyler got the Banana Cheesecake. It was so nice of our friends the Banks to watch Quincy while we were out.

I bought Tyler some new dress shirts, as he can never have too many..... not to mention I got a killer deal on both of them. Lets just say I spent less than $13.00 for two nice name brand dress shirts. Not bad.

Later we started a movie called 'Winter Passing'

that we borrowed from the library, but it was boring and we ended up watching a TV movie called 'Blame It on Rio'.

Tyler stayed up to watch the whole thing... which didn't end until midnight. Overall, our day was very nice.

I am very thankful for you Tyler.
You are my rock, my best friend, my everything.
Happy Anniversary Babe....
here's to the next 3 years and then some..................

Happy 24th Aunt Heather!

Heather wishing you Feliz Aniversario.... we hope your day isn't only spent driving in the car, but also doing something fun.

Ps. It was so good to see you guys!

Congratulations Mike and Kelly Williams!

Friday May 1, 2009 Mike and Kelly were sealed in the Twin Falls Temple for time and all eternity. It was a beautiful ceremony and we couldn't be more proud of Kelly! It was incredible to see almost all of the Howard and Williams' families there to support the happy couple.

Left: first picture as man and wife. Right: all smiles for outdoor pictures despite the cold wind!


Our day started off a little rough.... because Quincy and Tyler flew in late Thursday night, we were all pretty tired. Never the less, we dragged our tired bodies out of bed early to get to the Temple on time. Due to lack of sleep we just so happened to forget Quincy's church shoes, so he ended up wearing these new white tennis shoes I bought for him. Quite the complete look with his little black tuxedo.

Despite the rocky start to our morning we managed to enjoy ourselves for the rest of the day. It was fun to see everyone there.... many of the Aunts, a few Uncles, cousins, Grandparents and all the siblings were there. Now we only have one more wedding to attend before we're done on the Howard side. I don't think that Derek is making plans soon though. :o)

These pictures were taken previous to the happy couple coming out of the temple. Notice how thrilled Quincy looks to be trapped in his dads arms, in the top picture. Then note his expression in the bottom picture It's as if he's looking over his shoulder to be sure that he'll stay free to run where ever he pleases.

Tyler had a hard time trying to entertain Quincy. Look at Quincy's face as Tyler's trying to get him excited about 'something.' Obviously he's not buying it.

This picture look innocent enough. He saw other kids climbing up on this wall and thought it was a good idea to take time to 'smell the roses'. The downside was that the rock the wall was made out of was chalky and his little tuxedo was covered in white chalk. Nice!


After the wedding we had a nice luncheon with yummy food catered by the AmeriTel Inn. Following this Tyler, Quincy, and I opted to nap in the parking lot in our car.

This picture of Quincy on the top is probably the best one from the whole weekend and it's because we were bribing him to smile with Hot Tamales. The picture on the bottom is the result of a late night, no afternoon nap, too much sugar, and the final crash and burn.


Soon enough it was time for the reception. Of course there were some formal family pictures taken, but they were short and sweet. Did I mention how much more fun weddings are when they are not your own? You have plenty of time eat and socialize without having to stand in one spot for hours on end shaking hands with people you don't know. We love our family and are so very proud of Mike and Kelly's decision to marry in the temple.

Indoor formal pictures at the White House, where the reception was held in Twin falls, Friday night. I received many compliments on the flowers.... Kelly's Bouquet, all the boutonnieres, the corsages, and centerpieces. It was my gift to them and I was happy to do it.

Little Jakoby, isn't he cute in his little 'shirt and tie' and tiny boutonniere? I can't believe how much more awake and alert he was this time. He is getting so big. Soon he will be Quincy's size.... and won't that be fun?

This was the only decent picture I could get of Quincy the following night at the Fruitland Reception on Saturday. He hated his flower and tried repeatedly to rip it off... even after telling him that Jakoby had a flower too. Eventually he just dealt with it.

Just look at Quincy's face... can't you tell he'd rather be outside playing in the fish pond?

Okay and lastly, these two above pictures were our attempts at getting a family photo....

This was our closest thing to success at achieving a decent family photo. If Tyler and I had a dollar for every time we heard, "Oh look at how precious he looks in the little Tux!" or "Isn't he just adorable!" or "You need to have tons of kids if they're all as cute as this one" then we would be millionaires. True Quincy is cute, but his cuteness comes with a price. An exhausting one of running all over after him and constantly coaxing him into staying out of trouble.

All in all we had lots of fun eating, chatting with friends and family, and most importantly getting to see Mike and Kelly marry.

Congratulations Mike and Kelly we wish you the very best in your new adventures together!

What was he thinking?

While I was out shopping when Tyler and Quincy were gone I saw this in the parking lot:

For some reason I thought it was funny.

I was just curious to know what all of you thought.... if this picture had a caption, what do you suppose it would say?

Splish splash Quincy was taking a bath...

I apologize that all these pictures are old, since Tyler and Quincy were gone-- and Tyler had the lap top for the week-- I haven't had a chance to post anything new for the last couple of weeks.

So one day Quincy, after finishing his bath, trotted out in his towel and plopped himself in front of the TV. I don't think he minded one bit that it was a little cold, or that his hair was wet, or that he wasn't wearing clothes....


..... In fact, he was perfectly fine with it. What a sweet kid!

New Clothes:

Quincy got an Easter package from his Grammie and Grandpa a couple of weeks ago. We finally had some nice enough weather for him to wear his new outfit. I think he looks cute.

He wasn't too happy about posing for pictures though...

After making Tyler get in a picture with him, his enthusiasm started to climb.

Just being silly...

I think it's quite apparent in the picture below that he's done with photography.

Thanks Grammie and Grandpa for his new clothes. He sure does look cute!

Get Together

We rarely get together with all of the friends from our ward. However, a couple of weeks ago our friends the Higbee's invited us over for some dessert. It was great to visit with other couples from the ward. Plus we had some yummy Hot Fudge Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, and Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.

Thanks Jen! We will just have to get together again when the weather warms up. Anyone think a BBQ sounds good?

I never knew it was possible....

... To find this much spaghetti on one child.

Quincy thoroughly enjoys eating his spaghetti, if only we could get all of it in his mouth! He is definitely Tyler's child. I remember when Tyler and I were friends, before we started dating, that he would eat spaghetti by the platefuls. Literately, the plate would be heaping with a large mound of spaghetti and I would watch in amazement as every last piece of spaghetti was consumed.

MMMmmmmm good!

Now if only we could manage to get Quincy to be this enthusiastic about other foods!

I do have to say though.... he has recently been "adventurous" in his eating habits. He has been willing to eat kiwis-- I had to tell him they were 'green bananas' before he was willing to taste them. He's also likes strawberries, raisins (he really has taken to these which I think is kind of weird), mac and cheese (this is a huge hit-- what's not to love it has cheese and noodles, his favorites), hot dogs, and as of last night 'gummy gummy' which is what he refers to fondly as gummy worms. He had plenty of these at Aunt Kelly and Uncle Mike's wedding reception.

I can't believe how big Quincy is getting. He spent almost a week with my parents in Washington. Tyler just happened to have some work in Portland. His company paid for the flight and since Quincy still flies for free, until August when he turns 2, he tagged along to visit Grammie and Grandpa.

It was great that I had a week to myself to do girl things, Tyler had a week to focus on work and training, and Quincy had a week of being spoiled by his uncles and grandparents. When Quincy and Tyler got home late Thursday night I couldn't believe how much older Quincy looked. My little baby is really more like a toddler now. He learned what red light, green lights are in the stoplight intersections. "Green means go!" He is always sure to remind us he knows what these lights mean. :o)

Tyler's Dream Date Night

Our Ward was promoting a "fill the temple" night on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. The Young Women in our ward even volunteered to babysit for free to those couples who wanted to attend the temple.

Of course we wanted to go to the temple and it was even better that Megan, a young woman in our ward, was willing to watch Quincy for free. She did such a good job. Quincy was quiet in his crib when we got home and everything was clean. Megan even brought some toys and books from home, which anyone who was a kid or has them, knows "new" toys are always a hit. Surely we will keep Megan in mind next time we need a babysitter.

It's been a while since we had attended the temple... I won't say how long, but long enough. Tyler and I were very glad to go. We saw a few couples from our ward there... nobody during the session we attended though. I love going to the temple, it's so quiet and peaceful and comforting. I love all the temple workers there who are constantly smiling and reassuring you with kind faces. It often makes me wonder what heaven will be like....

After we finished our session I convinced-- I write this with a huge sarcastic smile because it wasn't convincing at all-- Tyler to go out to dinner with me at a new Brazilian Restaurant here in Boise called:


They have these Brazilian Grills in Utah, but none here... until recently. A month back they had a promotion that if you registered online you got a free $10 gift card. Tyler made sure we were both registered. Not to mention that since we were registered online as members I got a free Birthday Meal Coupon for April.

Tyler was so excited to go, grinning from ear to ear. I was happy that he was happy.... and then we were seated....................

Did I also mention that the whole concept of Tucanos is that it's an all-you-can-eat Grill? They have a flat fee for their salad bar... which is quite affordable. And I'm sure you're thinking, "Big deal an all you can eat salad bar.... that sounds fun!" The salad bar alone has every kind of vegetable AND fruit salad you could dream of (green salads, salsa, marinated cucumbers, fruit salads, watermelon, fresh fruit, hard boiled eggs and all the dressings and toppings to boot). Then there's also a bread part which had different kinds of freshly baked breads. Oh and there's pasta, rice and beans (which is Tyler's favorite because they're cooked authentically Brazilian style) mashed potatoes, fried bananas and such.............................. seriously I could have eaten a whole meal and been completely satisfied with the salad bar.

But the food didn't stop there. They also have an all you can eat meat selection. There are servers who walk around the tables with 12-15 different kinds of fresh meat off the grill. The meats range from bacon wrapped turkey to top sirloin to spicy chicken wings to mango flavored fish to pork tenderloin and such. It was at this point that Tyler seriously looked like he was in heaven. We both ordered the works.... all you can eat meat and salad bar complete with fancy drinks.

When we were first seated our waitress, Nancee, explained how the restaurant worked and then Tyler asked her a question about a specific drink.... which led to her inquiring if he spoke Portuguese. He told her that he did and she said that she didn't speak a word, but would send someone by who did. Later, half way through our meal a waitress came up to Tyler and the two of them had a short conversation about Brazil. I love to watch Tyler speak Portuguese, I think it really throws people to hear and white kid speaking another language so fluently. It also helps that I can understand quite a bit of it.... otherwise I'd be clueless as to what his conversations with strangers were about in another language.

I tried to pace myself, but it was impossible. Everything looked good.... and who could pass up such an opportunity of selection? At the end of our meal Nancee came by to ask if we had saved room for dessert, which of course we hadn't. She showed us a delicious tray of cheesecakes, homemade ice cream, flan, creme brulee, and a chocolate cake. Though it was tempting..... we declined.

The best part was the deal we got for dinner. What would have cost us $50, we only paid $19.00 for! Good thing I had a birthday and we had our $10 gift card!

Both of us had a wonderful night. I'm so thankful for the temple, and for Tucanos..... though it might be a while before we head back. Maybe for Quincy's or Tyler's birthday! :o)

Doing 'manly' activities:

Don't mind Quincy's outfit of shorts, a T-shirt, and frog rain boots. He has been outgrowing his shoes and we had yet to get him a pair of "play shoes" for outside. (Today we actually bought him a pair of sandals... since the weather is a little too warm for rain boots every day.)

Yesterday was a nice day. Tyler decided to pull out his golf clubs from storage and clean off the spider webs. Quincy seemed to like this activity seeing as how he was right by dad's side through the whole process. After they cleaned off the clubs, Tyler and Quincy practiced their putting.

Isn't this a cute picture of father and son?

And despite the poor quality of this one, because I was sitting from a distance, I like it because it looks as if Tyler's telling Quincy how to use the golf club and Quincy's actually listening. Obviously Quincy still needs some practice, perhaps a smaller pair of clubs would help too. :o)

My men at work.

And lastly, here's a picture of Quincy wearing his hand warmers. He thought it was funny to put these on his hands. I'm sure Tyler can't wait for the day that Quincy is actually big enough to go golfing with him. It will surely be a father son activity in the future.