I was just telling my sister…I am kinda freaking out that she is almost here because I feel like I can’t even keep up with life now! How in the world am I gonna find time to feed and take care of another little body?! I was feeling like such a mental crazy woman wondering why MY life feels out of control…then I stopped to think about what happens in my days lately…and a HUGE part of the chaos comes from having a blind husband who needs help driving him to and from bids or picking or dropping off trailers, writing up his bills, keeping track of checks and taking them to the bank, helping him on the computer, etc AND a sweet angel boy who NEEDS his mom for EVERYTHING including feedings, playing, diapers, you name it, AND then I still have to do the normal things like pay the bills, do the laundry, make dinner, etc. AND since we are showing our house that is for sale so often I have to REALLY clean not just pick up. ;)
Once I stopped to think of all the things on my plate I didn’t feel like I was out of control and crazy…I just realized our life looks a lot different then other people. Not that other people aren’t busy BUT having a blind husband and a brain injured child creates a lot of EXTRAS for me that most other people don’t have to worry about! SO…now I feel better knowing I’m not completely out of control…I just have a very busy life! ;)
SO…that is why I still have a couple months of blogging to catch up on! ;) So while Dakota is napping at the moment…instead of doing ALL the other things on my list I SHOULD be doing…I am going to sit, relax, and blog! ;) Because I have a lot of things to catch up on that I don’t want to forget about and if I don’t do it now…it’s only gonna get crazier!
So I am taking us all the way back to February cuz that was kind of a big month for me!! I turned the BIG 3-0 and that doesn’t happen every day!! ;) I still can’t believe I am 30…but I honestly LOVE the sound of it! ;) It used to scare me to think of being 30 but now I look at 30 like a HUGE accomplishment! I feel like I graduated out of my 20’s and I earned the title of being 30! I am older, wiser, more mature, a little more wrinkled ;)…and I deserve the title of 30!! ;) Now people can take me seriously because I’m 30 and not in my 20’s…right?! ;)
It was seriously the best birthday ever!!! You know me…I like to celebrate ALL month so on February 1st I asked Zach…what are we doing today to celebrate?! He just looked at me and laughed. I was kidding…sort of! ;)
I got the funnest surprise the night before my birthday! My cute friend Lacy had asked me if she could take me out for a birthday treat. Of course I said yes since I am ALWAYS up for a treats AND great company! ;) When she knocked on my door I was surprised with several of my dear friends who weren’t just taking me out for a treat…they were taking me out for a shopping adventure to City Creek!!
Sephora Selfie! ;)
We spent most of our time at Sephora dishing out our favorite products and trying stuff on! Mandy is the makeup QUEEN and taught us all she knows…at least what she had time for! ;)
We stayed so long the stores were trying to kick us out! So we ended the night at the YUMMY Cheescake Factory because they are always open late, ;) where I got the YUMMIEST Oreo cheescake my mouth had ever tasted before! It was heaven!
Heaven right there on that plate!!!
We partied like we were 30!! And then rolled home at 1 a.m.! It was the funnest birthday surprise ever full of some AMAZING woman inside and out, fun, and lots of laughter! They sure knew how to make a girl turning 30 feel special! ;)
The next day I could feel that I was 30 because that late night just wore me out! ;) It was a rainy day and Zach had wanted to surprise me and take me to the Ice Castles in Midway BUT since I was the one that would have to drive the hour there and the hour back in the rain and tired…we decided to keep it a laid back kind of night and went to our new favorite movie spot The Movie Grille and kicked our feet up, held hands, and watched a flick! It was perfect!!
Just owning that comfy chair like I am 30!! ;)
Even though he didn’t celebrate every day of the whole month with me…he sure made turning 30 the best it could ever be…just having him by my side!! Love that guy!!!
I love that he is ALL mine!!
I was spoiled other days of the month though by my wonderful friends and family!! I had a couple dinners and lunches with friends.
Olive Garden night with these lovely ladies! We celebrated all 3 of us at the top since we all had birthdays right around each others!
Lunch at my favorite local joint Old Grist Mill! I am kind of a regular there since I LOVE their sandwiches, cookies, raspberry rolls, muffins, you name it, and prices!! ;) And I love these inspiring ladies as well!!
I love that birthdays are just an excuse to get together with all the people you love!!!
Even Zach’s grandparents took us out to dinner to celebrate! They are seriously the sweetest and every day I feel so blessed to have them in my life!! Even though I have only been a part of their family for 7 years…I feel like they have been MY grandparents forever! They are so full of love and goodness and make me smile every time I see them!!!
Love them!
Of course we had to celebrate Friedli style at Zach’s parents. They never leave 1 holiday or birthday uncelebrated and I SO love that about them!! They are SO good at making you feel like you are one in a million and I couldn’t have handpicked some better in-laws then them!!!
Some of my party decor! Everyone wore black and brought me some nice old lady gifts that were much appreciated! ;)
You just never know when you will need some hemorrhoid cream, catheter, and some gas-x!!
It was a wonderful birthday month filled with lots of love and wonderful people! I am very blessed!!!
Unfortunately in February…the only thing that wasn’t so wonderful…was we we lost a very special man in our lives…Zach’s grandpa, Papa Ed!
I wish EVERYONE could have known this great man! He had this HUGE and contagious smile and EVERY time you walked into his room at his assisted living home he would flash you that handsome thing and it would just make your heart SO happy!! Even in his 90’s he was sharp, witty, and just so dang fun!!! He would make you laugh EVERY time you saw him!! He was ALWAYS, ALWAYS happy…even though his days were probably dull and boring…he NEVER ever complained! I admire that SO much about him!! I hope if I live to be that old that I will not complain. That I can spread happiness and cheer EVERY day like he did!!!
Halloween 2013. He LOVED Weber State!!!
He was a man of my own heart…he LOVED his treats!!! He had a snack drawer that was right by his recliner that Zach’s mom and aunts kept stocked for him. I think he lived off of chocolate ever since I met him until the day he died!
They filled it and had it stocked at his funeral. It was so sweet!! These are a few of his favorite things! ;)
He touched many lives including my own and I will miss getting to see that handsome and charming face of his and hearing his witty and funny comments BUT I know he is with his beautiful wife and that makes me smile! I look forward to the day I get to see him again and I hope that he will still have a treat drawer up in heaven and I will sit and eat treats all day with him when I get up there! Cuz that's what my heaven is gonna include…lots of treats and wonderful people to share them with! ;)
His funeral was oh so sweet!! Zach’s mom and 2 sisters each spoke about him. I know I’m wierd but I LOVE funerals for that reason alone! You learn SO much more about the person you love so much and they always inspire you to want to be more like them!!
One of my most favorite things they did was have all the grandsons where Papa Ed’s handsome polos as they carried his casket.
They didn’t fill them out quite as well as he did but they all looked so sharp! ;)
And of course the grandkids who loved him so much released balloons for him!
Dakota thought that part was pretty cool!
The whole fam!
We LOVE you Papa ED!!!! We will miss you EVERY day until we meet again! ;) Sure can’t wait to see that handsome smile!!
Papa Ed and Dakota!!
March was a BUSY but fun month as well!!
My best friend from high school Abbey got married!!!! It was SUCH a beautiful and happy day! I got to be a bridesmaid in her beautiful wedding and it was so special to get to share that day with her and her new hubby Paul!!
They are seriously the cutest and most perfect little couple…I couldn’t have handpicked two better people to be together!!
They are practicing their imaginary candle lighting here! ;)
Fortunately for me the wedding was in AZ so Dakota and I got to make a week long trip down for a visit! ;)
The timing couldn’t have been better because my sweetest little nephew Cord was born the day I got there!!! Oh man…he is handsome and I love him!! I wanted to hold and love on him all that I could but I had to fight over him with his sister Trai! She is LOVING having a baby brother so much!! ;)
I think Dakota liked him too…not so much when he cried though! ;)
My sweet and talented mom worked hard the days leading up to the wedding to get my bridesmaids dress all ready for me! Being a pregnant bridesmaid made things a little more difficult. Luckily Abbey picked a great dress for pregnant people since 3 of her 6 bridesmaids ended up being pregnant! ;)
The preggos with the skinny bride! ;)
My talented mom ripped out part of the zipper in the back and made it a tie back so it would fit nice and snug, added a little jacket with sleeves, and hemmed the bottom. She seriously AMAZES me!! I wish I had even an ounce of her talent…I can’t even sew on a button! :/ Don’t get me wrong…she tried to teach me when I was young but you know…who wants to sew then! Now I am kicking myself for it! ;)
Thank you mom for making it SO perfect!!!
There was a lot of fun wedding events to be a part of! ;)
Us girls of course had to go and get our nails done…what’s a wedding without pretty nails…right?!
Bride to be!!
We had the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner! It was so fun to get to meet some of the special people in their lives!!
All of us bridesmaids minus Allison. Isn’t the location gorgeous?!
My 2 best friends I couldn’t live without!!! They are some of those friends that you have that are with you through the thick and thin! And even though we each live in different states we never miss a beat when we get back together!! Don’t know what I would do without them!!
All of us girls got ready together the morning of at the place! It was so fun to get pampered and get your hair and makeup done!!
Abbey getting beautified…looking like a beautiful little angel!!
The wedding couldn’t have been more perfect. We were all a little nervous since it was an outdoor wedding and there was LOTS of rain in the forecast. But heaven was sure shining down on them because it stormed the night and morning before, was sunny and beautiful (a little windy) during the ceremony…and then during the reception while we were safe inside it down poured!! Everything turned out so beautiful and she was truly one of the most beautiful brides I have ever seen!!!
See what I’m talking about?!
It was such a magical day and I was SO happy to get to be a part of it all! These 2 are dreamy!!
I die over this picture the photographer captured in the rain!!
Since Zach didn’t get to make the trip with me…luckily I had my other 2 favorite men in my life there to dance the night away with me at the reception!!
Sure love these 2!!!
Dakota and Nana
Of course I had to finish the night dancing with these 2 beauties!
Our last time together for who knows how long?! :(
Dakota got lots of time with Nana and Papa and cousins while I was so busy! I was SO grateful for their help! Dakota is a lucky boy!!
We ALWAYS love our time in AZ!!
In March I got to take my first vacation to St. George with some girlfriends to go and visit our friend Amanda!! It was such a blast to just have girl time with no kids and live it up!! We had so much fun and laughed SO much tears even started running down my legs at one point ;) (TMI i know…I’m blaming that one on Navy!) As much as we all love being moms and wives it is so good sometimes to step away, get refreshed, and come back ready to be an even better mom and wife!!
We did lots of fun things including shopping…of course!
Amanda introduced us to this little gem…full of vintage treasures!!
No one walked away empty handed! ;)
We of course did our fair share of eating…my fav! ;)
Found a doughnut shop from heaven…can you tell from my face! Fractured Prune…thanks Jenna for introducing us to that delight! ;)
Of course we had to hit up the infamous Swig to see what the rave is all about…twice!!
It was delicious BUT I think I would still take my Chocolate Chip cookie from Paradise Bakery over this!
Amanda took us on an adventurous beautiful Red Rock hike! She was our navigator…a little scary…but we made it out alive! ;) Had lots of fun taking really immature pictures along the way! ;) (I forgot I was 30 for a minute!)
(I’m leaving the real crazy ones out…I don’t need any blackmail! ;))
Of course we left enough time to lay by the pool and soak up some sun…
And have RIDICULOUSLY fun game nights…
that lasted until 1 and 2 in the morning! Luckily we got to sleep in! ;)
We ended our fabulous weekend going to church with Amanda…
It was SO hard to say goodbye!
She does my heart good and I wish I could be around her beautiful self ALL the time because she is one of those people that makes you want to be a better person!!
LOVE YOU AMANDA!!!
Then we partied and jammed out for the next 5 hours all the way home!
It was the happiest moment to see how excited this little boy was to see me!!
He DOES love me!! ;)
I was SUPER spoiled cuz the next weekend I got another little mini girls weekend with my sister Katie and 2 nieces Shea and Paige!!! They came up to go to the LDS woman's conference and we had SO much fun!! I can’t believe how old my nieces are getting…it is sad but also super fun!!
We played cards and had movie night!
Saturday we spent the whole day down in Salt Lake shopping at City Creek before going to the amazing conference!
These girls already know how to shop…my sister has trained them well! ;)
Made me super excited to have a girl to shop with one day! ;)
We shopped until we literally dropped!!
Then we went and filled our spiritual buckets at the Woman's Conference! It is always such a neat experience to get to be at the conference center, filled with wonderful woman, so close to a prophet of God!! There is no experience like it! It was sweet to have my 2 nieces there for the first time!
Don’t mind that my belly and upper region is suffocating my niece! ;) Poor girl! Navy just wanted to be in on the picture too! ;)
After we were spiritually fed we went and fed our faces with some yummy food and Cheescake from the Cheescake Factory…yes…twice in a couple months! ;) Navy is lucky!! ;)
We like our Cheescake! ;)
The best part of having them was just the time we had one on one with them…all to ourselves!!! My nieces are so good to Dakota! I love that they are not afraid to just talk to him and sit him up to join in with them!!
That sums up those 2 months…hopefully I can blog about Easter before Christmas comes! ;)
