My Birthday Top Ten

(*Note: This post is a bit self-indulgent. Please overlook this as I am trying to document my life.)

I turned 28 years young last Thursday (February 22). Here are the top ten reasons why I had a great birthday:

10. I received lots of cards in the mail. Hurray for good mail!

9. My very generous parents bought me these running shoes that I picked out.

8. I received 3 great necklaces. Two of them were from my in-laws, and this darling cupcake necklace was from my sister Roxy and my mom. They also sent me a cupcake stand. What a creative, themed gift!

(This was the best picture I could get. Sorry it's blurry.)

7. Brandon spoiled me rotten. He took me to Barnes and Noble and let me buy whatever I wanted. Nothing makes me more giddy than picking out children's books to add to my (already huge) collection. I got these:

Brandon also let me refill my bottle of this:

Angel is my favorite perfume that I have been wearing for years. The cool thing about it is that you can take your empty bottle back to Macy's (or any department store perfume counter) and they will refill your bottle! Yes, it's true! It costs about $20 less than buying a brand new bottle.

And he bought me this:

HOORAY! I've wanted a fondue pot forever. Who's up for a fondue party?

6. I got to go to Red Robin and drink a Freckled Lemonade....my favorite! (Oh, and eat too!)

5. This hot guy came with me.

4. We finally got a great picture of Addyson smiling. She entertained us the whole time we were eating at Red Robin.

3.Ashley had these nice things to say about me. Thanks, Ash!

2. I bought some of these, ate the whole bag, and didn't feel guilty about it. (I wait all year for Easter for these to come out!)

And the number ONE reason I had a great birthday is (DRUMROLL PLEASE)...

Brandon made me this adorable, homemade card with the sweetest words inside. The fact that my masculine, gun loving, animal killing, Jeep driving man actually took the time to put glitter inside of the balloons he drew just melts my heart.

Isn't it funny how the simple things are always the best?

All in a Day's Work-by Addyson Scheaffer

My life is pretty busy. To start off the day, I like to exercise. I have a little tummy time to strengthen my upper body. I'm getting pretty strong and can roll over onto my back.

After my workout, I like to take a long, luxurious bath. Mommy pours warm water all over me and washes my hair. I feel so pampered! But the best part is that afterwards, she rubs me down with lotion and gives me a massage. AAAAHHHH.

Next, I get dressed. I like to look my best. Luckily, I have a whole dresser and a whole closet full of clothes. Check out these awesome shoes my Aunt Roxy gave me! Am I stylin' or what?

Usually I get to wear several different outfits during the day...I don't mean to have my diaper leak out the sides and up my back, but what can you do? $@# & happens! (Don't tell Mommy I said that.)

Usually, Mommy and I have important errands to run. We go grocery shopping, to the bank, to visit Daddy at work, or to Target to check out the dollar spot. Here I am all strapped in and ready to go in the car!

By day's end, I'm worn out! I love to cuddle on the sofa with Daddy and sneak in a little beauty rest.

Of course, I have to eat too! Just check out my cheeks if you don't believe me. MMM, milk.

What can I say? It's a great life!

I've Been Tagged...

What I was doing ten years ago...

I was still a senior in High School! Hanging out with "The Nine," dating Rob, getting ready to go to Dixie in the fall...and loving life! I think I had just started working at RCWilley as a greeter, and I was really into working out and going tanning. (Uuggh?!? I will never go tanning again...I would rather be white than have skin cancer and wrinkles.)

What I was doing five years ago...

Let's see...February 2003. Brandon and I had been married 2.5 years. We had moved to Henderson, Nevada and just bought our first home. 53 Blaven Drive...I loved that little house! I was attending NSC working on my teaching degree, working as a dental assistant for Dr. Hadley and hating it, and serving as the primary chorister in our ward.

What I was doing one year ago...

February 2007...I was about one month pregnant with Addyson and fighting having no energy at all. I was working at Eagle Montessori school and loving it, serving in the Young Women, and starting to think about life as a mom!

What I did yesterday...

Yesterday I was awoken around 8:30 am by Addyson Jane cooing on the baby monitor. I fed her, changed her, and then was vomited on by her. After cleaning it up, I checked email and blogs for a while, ate some breakfast, and called to confirm Primary talks for Sunday. She went down for a nap and I did the dishes, folded some laundry...and watched The View. When she woke up, I fed her again, changed her again...and we got ready to go on a walk. I loaded her in the stroller and we walked for an hour. It was a beautiful day and I am trying to get back in shape...so we alternated walking/running . When we got home, we got Stampy and went back out for a short walk with her. Went to the car wash, fed Addyson again (noticing a pattern here?), folded some more laundry, got in the shower finally (at 4 pm), and got ready. At 7:00, Brandon, Addy and I went to our ward Adult Valentine's Dinner and Dance. Had a great time watching people too old to dance try to dance. I did some slow dancing with Brandon, which was fun...and some line dancing, too! Came home about 9:00, fed Addyson, put her to bed, and Brandon and I watched some tv and had some alone time. Went to bed about midnight. Great day!

Things I enjoy...

Reading the Sunday paper, getting good mail, getting and sending text messages to/from my family, frozen yogurt with cookie dough topping, Costa Vida sweet pork salads, entertaining, clean sheets, freshly vacuumed carpet with lines, SugarLand's new song "Stay" on CMT, hunting for new recipes online, sunny days, Addyson's smiles and giggles, kissing her belly, the smell of Brandon's face after he shaves, listening to talk radio, talking on the phone with my mom and laughing uncontrollably, eating macaroons, going hiking, Stampy curling up next to me...and reading in the bathtub.

5 Things I would do if I had a million dollars...

Buy a really nice boat, Pay off the house, travel A LOT, give some to my family, and never work again.

5 Places I would run away to...

Any cruise ANYWHERE; Sedona, Arizona; Island Park, Idaho; Lake Powell, Utah; and anywhere warm with a great beach.

5 TV shows I love...

King of Queens, Cash Cab, American Idol, Paula's Home Cooking, Jeopardy, Oprah, and CSI. (I know, that's more than five.)

5 Things I hate...

Stretch marks (Yuck?!@!), ketchup on burritos or scrambled eggs, the sound of a plastic spoon scraping the bottom of a styrofoam cup, baby spit up and the F-word. (Oh, and living away from our extended family.)

The 5 biggest joys of my life...

Addyson, Brandon, my family, my testimony of the gospel and eating.

I'm tagging...Ashley, Jaime, Tami and Christy!!!

All Things Valentine's Day..or What I've Been Up To

I have been consumed with Valentine's day lately. I really enjoy showing those I love how much they mean to me, and this holiday gives me an opportunity to do that.

I had to make cookies for a Primary teacher training meeting.




The theme for our meeting was "Lead with Love," which fit in great with Valentine's Day. I also made these for the centerpiece on the table:




There were three of them down the middle of the table. They were easy to make...the lollipops and buckets came from the Target dollar spot. I have also been doing the "Seven Days of Valentine's Day" for Brandon this year. Every day leading up to V-Day, he has received a little gift or treat, with a note attached telling him one reason why I love him.





This is so fun to do and is pretty inexpensive. I have left gifts on his pillow, in his car, and dropped them off at work. I hope he's enjoyed it and that it has made him feel loved.



I went visiting teaching today and I gave the ladies I visit these:


I filled the same little buckets with little Valentine's items. I also mailed off a package to my parents, sent several Valentine's cards to siblings and grandparents, and dropped off treats to my neighbors.
**What do you do for your loved ones for Valentine's Day?**

I Don't Mean to Brag, but...

Weekend Update

This weekend I (with the help of two other friends) gave a baby shower for my friend Kaydee. She is having a baby boy in a few weeks. It was an open house brunch. Don't you just love brunch? It's that magical hour that's not quite breakfast, not quite lunch...and have you ever been to a brunch where the food wasn't delicious? We had quite a spread of spinach, ham and mushroom quiche (I made that), blueberry french toast casserole with blueberry syrup, a gorgeous fruit tray, 2 other savory breakfast casseroles, and juice. It was simply divine. Kaydee got a ton of great stuff, too!



Kaydee

Kaydee is one of those people who looks GREAT pregnant. She's still skinny all over, with just a cute basketball belly. She actually has that pregnancy glow. If she wasn't so nice, I'd hate her guts. I looked like a beached whale when I was nine months pregnant.

My mom gave me this great decoration to use for the shower. She went to Wal Mart, bought some wooden letters to spell out BABY, painted them blue, and stuck them in a wooden stand. I wove some ribbon through it, and BAM- a centerpiece for the table. I thought her idea was ingenious. Of course you could do the name of the baby, or paint it pink if it's a girl.



Today is, of course, Super Bowl Sunday. We usually either go to a party or have a party, but this year we stayed home and were low key. Neither Brandon nor I really cares about football, but we like to watch the commercials and have an excuse to eat. I made these ...and we had chips and salsa and other munchies. We also made homemade peach ice cream in our new ice cream maker we got for Christmas. Yes, it's the middle of the winter and it snowed several inches today...but why not? It was delicious. Here's us vegging out:





Me enjoying the ice cream!


Brandon and Addy

It was a great weekend!

**Do you like brunch? Any great ideas for baby shower decorations? What did you do for the
Super Bowl?**

An Attitude of Gratitude, #3

Here's my list for this week:

1. I am grateful for the snow we have been receiving. I don't enjoy the cold, I don't enjoy driving in it...but we really need the water.




My house and the snow

2. I am so grateful for the most wonderful parents in the world. My parents are my best friends, other than Brandon. They are so supportive of me, and would do anything to help me out. They are also so FUN! I love being with them.




My mom and Addyson

3. While I was devastated about the news of Gordon B. Hinckley's passing, I am so grateful to have had him as my prophet for the last 13 years. I am grateful for his life, his example, his wisdom, and his optimism. I am grateful for the way he inspired me to be a better person.



One of my favorite quotes of his:



" I pray that each of us will be a little more kind, a little more thoughtful, a little more courteous. I pray that we will keep our tongues in check and not let anger prompt words which we would later regret. I pray that we may have the strength and the will to turn the other cheek, to walk the extra mile in lifting up the feeble knees of those in distress."



Click here to see a tribute to President Hinckley. I will miss him greatly.