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Oh yes we do!

Pink Bowtique has the most adorable accessories & outfits. EVER. Their products are made by hand... by 4 wonderfully creative women; my mother being one of them. Their attention to detail is unparalleled by ANY other children's accessories I've ever seen. Even the smallest embellishments are made by Swarovski and are individually heat-pressed.

We're talking... the ultimate in posh for the sweetest little tots.

Haven cannot get enough of her fancy "ensemble!"

Thanks pinkbowtique girls, for making

the finest accessories any princess could hope for.

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Haven's First Day Of Preschool

She's growing up so fast.

Too fast.

In fact... I wish Haven could just stay her

little innocent, sweet, inquisitive, feminine, curious,

optimistic, loving, helpful little 3-year-old-self forever.

Glorifying The Mundane

I had to keep myself busy... to distract myself from the fact that Haven was at school... for the first time ever. *Sigh. I can't believe she's growing up so fast.

Jenny, a sweet friend in my ward, started up a Mommy & Me Preschool...

I know... she's a GENIUS!!! She's thought of everything from: field trips, detailed schedules of each day's events, learning itineraries, books, songs... like I said. ev. rie. thing. The following pics I've taken from her blog of the day's events:

"Mommy & Me" Preschoolers

Bailey, Sarah, Haven, Jacob, & Marissa

I love that they're all in nursery & preschool together.

Here's her cute daughter Sarah:

Happy little Haven

Sweet Bailey

Adorable Marissa

(she corrected me yesterday and told me it's pronounced:

"MO-rissa" Love it.)

Here's Jacob the little man of the group

Haven & Bailey enjoying Free Time

From Jenny's Blog:

We kicked off the school year by talking about the Letter Aa. Note to parents: Have your children tell you what sound "A" makes and then have them sing you the "A song."

The A says "a"

The A says "a"

Every letter makes a sound

The A says "a"

Our number of the day was zero. I think they got the concept of "0" down pretty well. We worked on tracing our names. I'm going out on a limb here, but I predict by the end of the year they will ALL be able to write their names. We did a couple of pages out of our preschool workbooks.

For snack, we had apples and crackers.

FACT: Musicians use both of sides of their brain more frequently that the average person.

This is going to be a FUN YEAR!

extraordinary day

CAUTION: HOT

The post you are about to read kind of personal.

I just love my husband. He came home from his daily hike this morning with a Starbucks hot chocolate, just for me. He held me in one of his strong bear hugs. Then told me he heard a song that reminded him of me... so much in fact that he said he was mad he hadn't written it. I had never heard it before... but now I don't think I will ever forget it. {Just to ensure I don't...

I just had to post this, as my blog is my backup memory.}

To hear the song click the play button:

Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are download at emp3

{Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are}

My world paused for a moment as I reflected on how lucky I am to have a husband who loves and appreciates me, just the way I am. I think it's so easy to lose ourselves in mommyhood that we forget that under the PB & J smudges, last season's attire, windex scented hair, and translucent "boug" smears from little hugs that we're still the same woman our husbands fell for. Society's standards of beauty can be so inundating that we forget that we create our own. I may not be the vision of beauty to many... but he thinks I'm pretty cute. Now whenever I need a rewind button to replay this morning I can always view this post. I was born to love this man. I am so grateful for everything that makes him Greg and for his sweet reminders of why I am so lucky to call him mine

for the rest of eternity.

I just love these extraordinary days along the way.

Kind Of A Big Deal

Drake may be a man of few words but he just showed me that he at least
understands them. I just asked him to bring me a diaper & wipies...
and HE DID! It may sound lame... but to me it was KIND OF A BIG DEAL.

"Don't TREAD on me!"

My laundry session was just interrupted by a shrill

followed by the sight of this:

Yes, Haven just got one of those little battery powered quads stuck in a snarl when she tried off-roading these treads on her threads.

Poor girl had to JAM her finger into the wheel to get it to stop.

Awww. Poor baby girl. I guess that's one way to ensure she never makes that mistake again. Live and learn.

Haven's First Dance Recital

Haven's Dance Recital

Apparently, Haven's motto is:

"When in doubt... TWIRL it out."

Haven singing "Beautiful Doll."

DISNEY WORLD!

   

Here we are on our JUNGLE SAFARI expedition. {... and we were 96% sure that our tour guide was Ben Stein's twin brother b.t.w.}  

Drake's just got this pointing thing figured out... so here he is showing off how he can grunt as he points to things of interest :)

Haven couldn't help but wave at EVERY princess or Character we saw.  She also thought that every time they would wave to a crowd or blow a kiss that it was meant JUST for her... and you know what? She couldn't have been more right. :)

Random I know... but look look how awesome that is!  

Only Disney would have TILED CROWN MOLDING in their restroom.
Estoy enamorada.

Breakfast at The Crystal Palace

 Haven couldn't have been more excited, we had to remind her to eat.  Drake on the other hand, was like "Who are these clowns failing miserably at trying to distract me from my meal? This is the most food I've ever seen at one sitting... hey Eeyore make yourself useful and pass the bacon."

Proof that you're never too manly to pose with good 'ol Winnie the Pooh.

Haven & Momma time on the Carrousel

Haven loved this 3D show.  She kept trying to touch things she thought were in front of her face.  It's so fun watching her experience life.  She is too much fun.

SILLY DRAKIE!

My cute in-laws, still holding hands while Papa Updike led the way with the light up sword.

Drake was enamored with Minnie, and Haven was so excited that her and Minnie Mouse had the same ears!  I think Haven didn't really like the silent treatment the characters would give her when she'd try to carry on a conversation with them, while Drake is a man of few words.  He apparently thought Minnie's Silence was Golden.  Lucky for us, aunt Heather had this sweet gig already planned out so that the kids got a more one on one meet & greet with the characters.  They felt SO special.  Minnie spent so much time with Drake while he was content just trying to figure her out.  He couldn't get enough of her nose.  Thanks Heather!

While DROPPING on the Tower of Terror.  

The look on Gracey, Megan, & Landon's faces: priceless.

I can't believe how brave they all were! & I couldn't help but notice how "like father, like son" Greg and his dad are. As even while introducing their intestines to their throats while dropping, they still could't resist the urge to see the faces on the little riders next to them.  THIS WAS SOOOO MUCH FUN!

We took this at the Polynesian Resort in front of the coolest Maori looking carving.  Greg especially loves all these things that are reminiscent of his Tongan-Speaking Mission in New Zealand.  We can't wait to go there someday.

Beau's little face looks just like a Cherub in this pic.  I've got some cute lil' nieces and nephews.

Haven wanted to hug Mickey because... 

"I'm dressed like Minnie and He's Mickey Mom!!!"

THE most handsome man I've EVER laid eyes on.

I lost big time.  Good thing I'm a hilariously uncompetitive loser.  HA!

My BOYS!

We stayed for the extended hours so we went on this like 5 times.  

Haven was in Heaven.

Freakiest sit down and relax ride ever.  It started out great and informative showing how household inventions have  reshaped the way we live our lives today.  This is one ride you don't want to get stuck on.  Take it from us, 'cause we did.  Second ONLY to hanging over the edge of the stratosphere, this is one ride you don't want to be practically alone on during a malfunction.   THOSE AREN'T PEOPLE... take a close look at your screen, they're creepy human looking robots that we had to watch malfunction for almost an hour.  It's called the Carousel of Progress... more like the Carousel of Hello.

Leaving our cabins at Fort Wilderness.  

Haven loved that she got to go on golf cart rides everyday. 

Drake's first Dumbo Ride... I don't think he realized he ever left the ground.  He was too into playing with the joy stick to see what it was actually doing.  Such a boy.  Love him!

Our CARNIVOROUS Moment

These DRUMSTICKS are HUGE... but by our 80th bite and only having eaten less than a quarter of them, we were done.  I'm not sure if it was the tendons protruding and almost poking our eyes out or Steve's use of the word "fleshy" to describe what we were all eating but yes...  nearly eight barely eaten Turkey Legs were thrown into the trash.  Sick.

Haven LOVED Pirates of the Caribbean.  Seriously.  

If it were up to her we probably would have just laid down and slept on it for the night.

Haven's Favorite Rides

1. Teacups.  Shocker.  What little girl doesn't love that ride?

2. Haunted Mansion... huh?  This one really was a shocker!  She's 3!  She kept telling me that they were "funny Ghost-es" and she LOVED the part where you face the mirror and it looks like one's hitching a ride with you... FUNNY GIRL.  Always full of surprises this one.

3. Pirates of the Caribbean.

4. (She said these ones so fast.  Her new thing is talking as fast as she can and gasping in between words.)  "The Carrousel... and Peter Pan's Flight (gasp) with "TINKERBELL!" and the Small World one... (gasp) and the Winnie the Pooh one, he's cute!"

Haven, Gracey & Daddy enjoying Tea Time!

They were such troopers!

Landon, Uncle Steve, Daddy & Drake.

They loved the Parade of Lights.  

I love that when Disney does something, they go all out.  Even nighttime was so magical.  It was even more magical than I remembered.  I don't know if it's because I'm able to really take it all in now, or that I'm able to see everything through two little sets of fresh eyes for a new perspective on things.  Either way it was a wonderfully memorable trip, and we feel so lucky that we were able to have such great company along the way.  Love you guys!   Oh, and DISNEY WORLD WE LOVE YOU too!