I got this…RIGHT?!

This AMAZING woman….

my mom has been here since May 1st.. She came before my due date in case I went a little early she would be there for Dakota. I’m not going to lie…it wasn’t until she got here that I felt like…okay I am ready to go. I had to know my Dakota man was going to be well taken care of!!

Since the moment she stepped into my house she has been NON-STOP cleaning, cooking, sewing projects for me, running errands, grocery shopping, making Dakota’s food, and just taking care of us all!! In fact after a couple of days the nurses had been around my mom one of them asked me, “Does your mom just like to clean?” When I say non-stop I am not joking! She wore me out just watching her!!!

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(On this picture on the left…she ripped apart the bumper I had someone make for me to make it thicker and to fix the ruffle on top how I liked it! It was SO much work but she did it so patiently!!)

She also made this cutest carseat canopy for me!!!



She is one of the hardest working woman I know who selflessly gives of herself, her time, and her talents so freely. If I had to pick my mom’s love language it would definitely be service!!

Once Navy got here she kicked into an even higher gear. She became the sole lifter of Dakota for 2 whole weeks….except when Zach was home which was usually just late evenings. It was SO hard for me to not have that independence and just lift him and carry him like I normally do but my mom was so amazing and even though I know how hard it was for her to do it all she did it so lovingly.There is NO way I could have done it without her!! She gave my body time to heal…she forced me to go soak in the tub and take naps while she continued to just do it all around here!!

Well on, May 25th we finally decided it was time for me to put on my big girl panties and do this 2 fully dependent kid thing on my own! As hard as I knew it would be, I knew it was time. My poor mom had put her whole life in AZ on hold for me for so long and it was time to let her return to my cute Dad who was probably starving to death without her! ;)

That whole day before she drove away we both had tears welling up in our eyes. Saying goodbye was SO hard! I cried for 2 whole hours!! You don’t really know how much you need and miss your mom until she is here and then leaves! I was overwhelmed at the thought of doing it all on my own and overwhelmed with love and gratitude for all that my mom had done for me and my little family! I knew not only I would miss her but I know my cute kiddos will miss their Nana too!!!

She is truly one in a million!!!!

It has been a few days now of doing it on my own…and I have survived. I even made it out the door for Navy’s doctors appointment by 9:15 with all of us fed and dressed! (I was supposed to be there at 9:15 but making it out the door at 9:15 was accomplishment enough! ;))  I was pretty proud of that moment! ;) I haven’t had to cook dinners yet because I have had some amazing friends bringing me meals but tomorrow will be the true test I guess because I will have to be a big girl and make my own dinner! ;)

Pray for me!!! I got this…RIGHT?!

NAVY JO FRIEDLI IS HERE!!!

Navy Jo FINALLY came to our little family on Monday May 12th at 10:30 a.m. and she couldn’t be more perfect!! She was 7 lbs 12 oz and 19.5 inches long!


Few hours after she was born. She was so alert and awake!!

I started contractions and went in on my own and was able to have a VERY successful VBAC!! I will blog about her birth story later when I have more time! But all I can say is it couldn’t have gone any better!!


Zach and I getting SUPER excited. Mind you this was after I got the epidural! There were no smiles going on before then! ;)

Time is definitely not on my side now. ;) I thought I was busy before but now a spare minute is hard to find, and if I find one, I am usually soaking in the tub or taking a nap! ;) So sorry for this long delay of her announcement!!

The first week I would title as ADJUSTMENT! Dakota’s birth was SO different because it was an emergency c-section and then for 2 weeks it was visiting him in the NICU…I never got to take him home and experience “normal” newborn life with him.

Physically I can’t even remember the healing aspect of it because I was SO focused on Dakota and him getting better I didn’t have time to think about me. Nursing was also different because all I mostly did was pump and give away that white gold to the nurses to give to Dakota. It wasn’t until I got to take him home 2 weeks later I experienced the real nursing experience.

So this go around has been completely different. Experiencing the physical aspects of labor and healing has been tough. Trying to nurse a baby who wants to sleep ALL day every day has been tough. I have resorted to a spray bottle to try and keep her up and even that doesn’t always work (mean I know! ;))

Adjusting to the emotional roller coaster that first week was quite different for me too. I’m not much of a crier or even very emotional but about day 3 and 4 I would just cry…for no particular reason at all. I would look at Zach being the cutest dad and cry. I would cry because of how much I love ms Navy Jo and then turn around and cry because I was unsure how in the world I was going to take care of Dakota and Navy by myself when my mom leaves. I would cry because how grateful I was that the VBAC went so smooth and then I would cry because I wasn’t able to pick up Dakota yet. It was all so weird and I was feeling like a crazy person. Luckily my sister and friend assured me that as normal and that they cried too! Zach wasn’t so sure it was normal! ;) I don’t remember feeling like that with Dakota but I’m sure I was…it probably just made more sense because he was still in the hospital and it manifested itself “seemingly” more normal! ;)

It has been an adjustment just managing 2 kids. I change a TON of diapers now and juggle trying to give Dakota enough attention between the millions of feedings that Navy needs. Dakota has his last day of school this Friday and I’m not sure how this summer is going to go but I sure hope I can entertain him enough with a little sister in tow!

Week 2 has already been SO much better! I feel like a “normal” person again!!! Physically I feel SO much better and emotionally I think I’m back to normal! ;)

Navy truly has been such a sweet, happy, and content little girl and I thank Heavenly Father every day for hearing my “order” I placed for a good baby and blessing me with one! By the 2nd night she was already going 4 hours at night between feedings and now has consistently been going 5 hours and even then, I am trying to wake her up to eat. She is pretty much just happy and content in her few moments in the day when she is actually awake! We think she is just gorgeous as ever but of course we are her parents so we will think that! So far most people think she looks like me but I can never tell when they are so tiny. I did look at a baby picture of Dakota and think she looked like him except for the eyes!


It’s crazy how fast they change and grow!!

Dakota first met her in the hospital (don’t have that picture yet) but he didn’t really have much response to her.

When we got home he was kind of the same way. Slowly day by day he looks at her a little more. I’m sure he is wondering why I am always holding her on the couch so much (feeding her!) ;) He has started to smile at her sometimes though. I can’t wait for the day when she will just light up his world. I’m sure he is just waiting for her to wake up and play!!! ;)


He stared at her on the way home from the hospital…thinking who in the world is back here with me! ;)

 
He sure makes Navy look so tiny!! I feel like he has grown SO much since she has come!!


His first smile at her! Having someone on the floor with him is pretty fun!! ;)


We try and let him snuggle her as much as possible! We have to really make sure he doesn’t stiffen up with her in his arms or wave his arm and smack her! ;) Pretty soon she will be tough enough to take him though! ;)


Sure love these 2!! I’m excited to see all that the future holds for them and to see them grow to love one another!!


I can’t believe we are a family of 4 now!!!

MoM

There was a time 3 1/2 years ago I thought the gift of motherhood was going to be taken from me! As I saw my son laying on that bed, the thought that if he dies, then I am no longer a mom…RIPPED at my heart strings. The thought of that beloved title that I took for granted until that day was the hardest thing to bare!


Fortunately for me…that title wasn’t taken from me although Dakota’s ability to say “mom” was. Being a mom for me now LOOKS a lot different then what it did before that day, but being a mom MEANS more to me now then it did before that day!!

I learned from this trial that being a mom is a LITERAL gift from God! It is something that only He can give us and when he does give us that gift we must cherish it with ALL of our hearts…because he can also take it from us at any time.



I was always that person that thought…that would never happen to ME! Things like this happened to other people I watched on the news…not me! Well…tragedy can strike anyone at anytime…including me!! No one is immune and no one can prepare for it.

So even though being a mom is literally the hardest job in the world and at times you feel a little crazy…never take the title of MOM for granted and cherish EVERY day you have with your kids! Because it is literally the best and most rewarding job in the world!!


Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mom’s out there!!! And a very special Mother’s Day to ALL the woman in my life that are true examples of what a mother truly is…there are too many of you to name!

I just have to share my MOST favorite quote by one amazing woman and mother…Marjorie Pay Hinckley!

PLEASE COME AND JOIN US!!!!!

Well…Navy’s due date came and went yesterday and still no Navy! I guess no one told her it was her due date!! We aren't sitting around fretting or upset though. We are just enjoying our one on one time with Dakota man until she decides to come!


I love my snuggles!!

We even took him to the Bear movie yesterday since she didn't come. We figured we will just keep partying and maybe it will make her jealous and she will want to come! ;)

I am pretty patient although Zach is getting a little frustrated since the weather has been so bad and rainy that he can’t work…he would love for her to come while he isn’t stressed in the middle of a job! ;) He is such a planner!!

Well…I am writing this post today…because I am already SOOOOO excited that the 2nd annual F2TK (Fight to the Finish) 5k race is getting closer and coming together!!



Last year was their first one and if you remember we did a Team Dakota!

My heart was so full of love and gratitude to each of you who came out and supported Team Dakota and this great cause!!! I wanted to hug and kiss each one of these sweet people!!!!

Now those of you who know me know I like to run and go to races!! BUT this race was BY FAR the BEST race I have EVER done hands down!! Not because of the course, or the competition, or the awards BUT because of the spirit of love and celebration that was there. I wouldn’t even call it a race…because there was no competition, there was no winner, no awards, nothing of the sort. Instead it literally brought tears to your eyes to see the swarms of people each in their different color shirts representing a different team and person that was SO worth representing! There was just LOVE in the air and it was the coolest feeling ever being there!! I can’t even put it into words…but those that were there ALL felt it and walked away a better person…I know that for sure!!!

They had an opening ceremony that really brought the true meaning of it all together. We released balloons of each color representing each team!



As you slowly jogged or walked the course you would pass by pictures of each person that the team was representing. Instead of being in a hurry to finish…I looked at each face in that picture and thought about that person…some I knew, some I didn’t. Those I didn’t I wondered what their story was and longed to know them. Those I did I smiled as I thought about their courageous fight in life and the example that they are to me!!

One of my most favorite people of course Dylan…I love that angel boy so much!!!!
Dakota was trying to sign I love you too! ;)

But of course to see my sweet Dakota man’s face on his own poster sure made my heart swell!!! He is my greatest example of Fighting to the Finish!!

Love that cute face SO much!!!!!

A team that struck me the most was yellow…I can’t remember their team name. But a young boy who was working on getting his Eagle Scout started this team. His goal was for each person on his team to push someone that was in a wheelchair. It melted my heart to see all of these kids like Dakota…who would LOVE to get up and run this race if they could…being pushed by loving hands!!

Dakota thought they were pretty cool too!!!

I can’t say enough good things about the AMAZING people behind this race who I love with all of my heart…one of the biggest Ann Smith who lost her sweet 14 year old boy to cancer. I have gotten the privilege of getting to know her more and more over this last year and man she is one of my biggest heroes!!!

This is Ann and her cute family!!!

I was so privileged to get to help even a TEENY TINY bit by helping pick up all the shirts for the race in Zach’s dump trailer…that’s how many shirts and people they had come!!

Me and Chelsea…my talented friend that designs all the shirts and does all this behind the scenes work all for free! She has a heart of gold!!


We delivered the shirts to Ann and Becky at 11 clock at night a couple days before the race. Instead of complaining and acting like what a pain this was going to be to get all of these shirts delivered…they were SOOOOO excited for them to arrive…even though it was 11 clock at night. They opened up each of the boxes and looked at each team and just went on and on about each of the teams and how wonderful they were! I marveled at the sincere goodness in these 3 woman…Ann, Becky, and Chelsea who were spending SO much time, work, and service into something that they personally didn’t gain anything from. They are some of the most AMAZING woman I know!!!

Ann puts in countless hours and work to out this race together to raise money for The Giving Trees organization that she started and continues to do in honor of her sweet son Tyler. ALL the money they raise from this race goes to creating more trees that she puts gift cards and money on to give to other kids and people that are facing life-threatening things. They bring a tiny ray of hope and light into the lives of these people who are facing unimaginable things!!!

I have been in that dark place and I can tell you that every gesture of love, kindness, and support that you receive from others makes a HUGE difference in helping you feel your Heavenly Father’s love for you and to help you get through!!!!

So…I’m calling all and everyone that can come..to join us again on AUGUST 9TH with Team Dakota to run or walk to celebrate and help this great cause move forward!!!! (It is the day before Dakota mans birthday so we will probably celebrate there with cupcakes or something…maybe make you where a birthday hat or something!!! ;))

Now until June 9th registration is $25. June 9th through July 9th it is $30 and June 9th is the deadline to join a team and get a Team shirt. I’m pretty sure that you can still register up until the day (for you procrastinators) but you won’t get to wear an AWESOME team Dakota shirt…you will get the race shirt which is still pretty awesome because it is Team Tyler!! ;)

To register go to this link and scroll to the bottom to where it says click to register. Find Team Dakota on the drop down. We look forward to seeing all your beautiful faces in our new team color this year…NAVY…for Dakota’s new sister!! ;)


Here is a collage of all the goodness of that magical day!!!!

Still makes my heart so happy to see and remember all of this goodness!!!!

Dear Navy,

You are 39 weeks and 3 days in my tummy right now

…which means you could be in my arms any day now!! I can’t believe how fast the time has flown from when we first found out you were coming and were as tiny as a poppy seed to now!!

Our love for you has grown EVERY single day and my heart could burst right now with how much love I have for you and I haven’t even gotten to see your tiny face or hold your little hands!

We are so excited, nervous, happy and scared for the day you come into this world!! It has taken your dad and I a long time to feel like we could bring another little person into our family after Dakota’s accident! We still aren’t sure how everything is going to go and how we will do it…BUT we know Heavenly Father told us it was time and because of that we have faith that all will work out and that you will be a HUGE blessing in our lives!!

I sometimes wonder if I know how to be a mom anymore to a healthy child. I have gotten to be a pretty good mom to a brain injured child…blending meals, cleaning and changing trachs, suctioning, therapy, diapers, etc. BUT sometimes I fear I won’t remember how to be a good mom to you. I hope that you will be patient with me as I try to be the very best mom I can to you AND Dakota!! I will have to relearn a lot of things! Physically I might get exhausted and lose my patience at times but I hope that you will understand!!
Navy, I won’t always be the perfect mom but I hope that I will find a way to teach you the things that are most important in this life. It has taken your mom a lot of years and tears to learn some of these things that I hope I can teach you while you are just a little girl!! Dakota has taught me SO much in his short 5 years of life about a lot of these things!! Because of him, I know I will be a better mom to you, then I ever could have been without him!!

Before I had Dakota and as he was just born, I wanted so bad to teach him to be the smartest kid, the most talented kid, politest kid, the best at sports kid, and of course the cutest. Now I realize that (except for the politest) I don’t care if you are ever ANY of those things! You will learn your ABC’s one day…I will never stress about teaching you that! If you never ever are able to catch a ball or be the best dancer on the stage…I won’t even bat an eye about it!

All I hope and dream for you is that you have a HUGE heart that knows how to love!! I hope that I can teach you to love EVERYONE no matter who they are, what they have done, or what they look like. That you will love and serve others as your Savior did! That you will NEVER treat anyone unkindly or judge another! I want you to have compassion in your heart even while you are young. I want you to be the kid that stands up for someone being made fun of, reaches out to someone who is sad or lonely, or gives a hand to someone that has fallen down! I want you to KNOW what compassion is and feel it in your heart…even when you are only 3!! I want to give you opportunities while you are just learning to walk to love and serve others! I won’t ever shy away from sharing the difficult things that are going on around us in fear that you are too young or it might scare you! I want you to know that there is SO much heartache in the world…not to bring you any fear…but to teach you what an important part you can play in helping ease the pain in others hearts!!

I want you to know where you came from, who you are, why you are here, and where you want to go!! I want you not to just learn and memorize the words to I am a Child of God but I want you to REALLY know what they mean!! I want you to know who God is and how important he is in your life!! I want you to live every day for Him and be the daughter of God He designed you to be!! Navy you and every person that comes into this world has an unlimited potential to be something AMAZING!! But only your loving Heavenly Father who is sending you here to me can help you to see and know the potential that is inside of you!!! I hope that you will learn at a young age how to pray and come to him to seek the guidance that I know you will need…as I have needed it…to help you on your journey back to him!!

I wonder how I will be able to teach you all of these things…I know it is a lot to learn! But I know that this is what I will focus my daily efforts on and I know Dakota will play a HUGE part in helping you to learn all of this as well!!

Navy, our family is a lot different then others. You will grow up and find that out as you go to friends houses. You will see that your brother is different then most and your Dad can’t do some of the same things other dad’s can do. Many people have told me you are so lucky to come into our family…you may wonder if that is true when you see all the challenges that you have to face on a daily basis with our family that other kids don’t…BUT I hope that one day you will see how those challenges are really blessings and that you are a pretty lucky girl!

I hope that you will love Dakota with ALL your heart!! I hope that when you look in his eyes and see his sparkly smile that you will see pieces of heaven and that they will remind you of where you came from and where you hope to go someday. You will have to be really careful, helpful, and patient with Dakota and sometimes you may wish that you had a “normal” brother that could wrestle and play with you BUT I hope that you will one day see how lucky you really are to have an angel right in your very home. If you let him, he will teach you the things that are MOST important in this life!! Not through anything he ever tells you but through his sweet, sweet spirit, his eyes, and his smile. He knows more then your mom and dad will ever know and he can help guide you through this crazy life you are about to live!! I hope that you will feel the love he has for you in his heart and that your love for him will be just as strong…even if you never get to hear his voice tell you I love you…at least in this life!

Navy, your Dad may not be able to always see your beautiful face, play catch with you, or take you for a daddy/daughter date on his own as much as I know he would love to!! But I promise he will ALWAYS love you will ALL his heart and he will give you the world and that is what truly matters!! He will play with you, laugh with you, cry with you, protect you, hold your hand (a lot!!) and be your biggest hero! He will be the best example you could ever have as you grow up and start to wonder what kind of guy you want to marry!! I hope that you will always be patient and helpful to him!! He will need you to be his helper sometimes…he will need you to be his eyes at times to help him do things. I hope that you will have a loving, serving, and happy heart and that you will find so much joy in the time that you get to spend with him!!!

Navy…we LOVE you SO much! We can’t wait to see your beautiful face, hold you in our arms, and give you all that we have to offer…which to the world may not look like much but if you could see in our hearts it is so much!!
I know your Heavenly Father is preparing you right now…whenever you are ready we will be here waiting!!!

All our love,
Mom, Dad, and Dakota

Where is the time going?!

I feel like I have been THEE most horrible blogger in the world because seriously…I honestly feel like the minutes, days, weeks, and months are just flying by and every day I feel like what in the world happened today?! Life is like a big whirlwind at the moment and in a few weeks it’s about to get even crazier when Miss Navy enters into it!!

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! ;)

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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! ;)

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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!!

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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! ;)

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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!)

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(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…

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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! ;)

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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! ;)