E A S T E R | 2014

Hello friends. I know... It's been a while (pronounce as whhhhile), so I figured I would right a little post during Calvin's nap time and catch you up on a few things and about our Easter weekend :)

So here's a little update on my little family of 3: Tyler- is working so hard to finish this semester and keep good grades! He's doing awesome... He works nights and gets home usually between 4-6 and is up for his first class by 10:30. I couldn't be more grateful for his hard work. Love that baby daddy of mine <3 

I (me, myself and Irene ;)- have been doing my usual routine of hanging out with Calvin every minute of every day. Mothering is my main job these days, and I wouldn't have it any other way :) I have also been busting my butt to get to the gym and eat healthy every day for the last 3 months. I still have 3 weeks left in my 8 week challenge, excited for it to be over and to eat a cheeseburger would be an understatement! Haha. 

Calvin- is busy being a growing boy! It just hit me the other day that he is now not so much a baby anymore, but a growing toddler. He is slipping away from me every minute that passes by, but I can't help but be grateful for the fine boy he is turning out to be. "And he's so smart, Jenny." (Try saying that without tearing up. Forrest Gump for those of you who didn't catch on...) but really, he's so smart. He's starting to mimic little words and lines Tyler and I say: love, thank you, please, no no no, la la la, and night night. He's starting to like books! I've been worried he wasn't ever going to like them... But as of late he will bring me a book and sit my lap while I read to him. I love it. He has 11 teeth!! 3 of them just came through in the last week! He loves to play outside, drink from his sippy cup, play with his ball, play chase, and dance. We love him so much. 14 months never looked so good. Tyler and I often look at each other at random times and say "he's so cute, babe. How is he so cute?" 

Easter weekend was so great to us. Although I didn't get to have any Easter candy because of my challenge... I saved it all in a gallon size Baggie to save for my cheat day... Coming up real soon. 

Playing the Easter bunny was fun for me. After cal went to bed Saturday night, I stayed up and prepared. I made bunny bait for my primary kids, which smelled so delicious. I didn't even lick the spoon or my fingers...  

      (This is as crafty as it gets for me...)

                 Stuffed our Baskets

And enjoyed my time with my family I have been so blessed with. I'm so grateful for my Savior, and for the many sacrifices he made me for me personally. Because of him I get to live with these sweet souls for Eternity. There is no greater blessing than that. 

Here's a few more random pics from the last couple weeks! Hope everyone had a great Easter! 

These folks are my cosmetology instructors... And two of them are retiring this year so I won't be able to see then as often. Love them so much <3

                  Dwight K. Schrute

A blog will be coming soon to fully explain what these keys go to :)

Mustache Bash

So i know im a little behind and all, but i have to make a quick post about Calvins first birthday!!

When Calvin woke up that morning, i burst in his room with a handful of balloons and showered them over his crib. The look on his face was priceless. Like, the best day of my life face. haha. We (and when i say we i mean Calvin) then had oreos for breakfast (because what one year old doesnt deserve cookies for breakfast on their birthday?), and afterward headed to the gym. I know, i feel like a terrible mom for taking Cal to the gym daycare on his birthday, and i wasn't originally planning on going, but lets face it, I've become somewhat of a gym junkie...any who... i didnt feel as bad taking him because i know he LOVES that place. So we went and he had a good time with the other kids. I had to run a few errands for party supplies after the gym, so we did that, went home and Calvin had a nap while my mom came over to help me decorate the cake and set up for the party. So my lovely sister Sarah is a baker! she is awesome, she does cupcakes and cakes and cookies and lots of yummy treats. She even has a bakery out of her home! Sweet Bliss Cupcakes. They are amaze balls, let me tell ya. So of course i had her make calvins cake and some sugar cookies! The plan was for her to bake the actual cake at home, and then come down to Pocatello early to help me decorate it. She lives in Idaho Falls, and the weather was really crappy and stormy that day (just like it was the same day a year prior ;) So she called me and told me she wasnt going to be able to make it, and that she had sent the cookies and cake home with Tyler (who works with her husband and they had work in Idaho Falls that morning, luckily). Soooo... i had my mom come help me. Cause shes good at that stuff... and im not the greatest baker... Heres the final product. I was pretty proud!

Cute right!? we actually made the fondant and all! I even frosted it! (i guess my skills from working at Mrs.Powells bakery for two years finally payed off ;) We got the birthday banner and picture banner all set up, the table organized and hung the tissue pom poms i made just in time for people to start arriving for the Mustache Bash. Honestly, there were so many people in our tiny apartment i hardly remember what happened next haha. We opened presents, and watched Calvin get spoiled rotten! While we were all sporting our mustaches of course!

We got Calvin a slide, some outfits and couple pairs of cute shoes! He loooooves his slide. And is finally starting to be able to sit and slide down on his own haha. We have been practicing ;)

It was honestly such a fun day. And we felt so loved by everyone who came and supported Calvin and our family on his day! We love you all and thank you for coming to party with us! We love our Calvin so much and i still cant believe how much love can grow in just a years time. Here are some more pictures from the party, including bath time with cousin Ise after he ate his cake :)

12 | m o n t h s

One year. 12 months. 52 weeks. 365 days. 525,900 minutes. (I know you all thought it was 525,600 huh? ;) how do you really measure a year though?? 

On March 1st, 2013 at 11:51 am, after 8 hours of exahsting labor, I finally delivered this beautiful baby boy. 

Calvin Tyler McKee weighed in at 7.4 lbs and 21 inches long. Along with the birth of this sweet babe, came the birth of my motherhood. The absolute best calling in my life. I live every day for his laughter, cries, kisses and hugs. I read a quote a while back and fell in love with it, but I can't remember where! In a few short words, it describes exactly how grateful I am to my first born son. "I made you, but you made me a mother." And there is no greater gift that anyone could ever give me than that <3 

Anywho, here is how I would measure Calvin's first year. I've never been good with words, so pictures will have to do. Happy birthday Calvin! We love you more than you will EVER know.

 

Thursday Thoughts

It's Thursday mid day, and I'm caught between going to the gym, or getting in the shower and doing gym later tonight. I've finished my secretary job duties for the day (did I mention I started a little part time job?) and the chattering coming from Calvin's crib has turned Into silence as he's lulled himself to sleep. 

So here I sit. On me couch. Being lazy. And thinking...

I can't believe my babe is going to turn one next Saturday... 

I need to go to party palace and get some red straws for the "mustache bash" we are throwing for cal...

I hope Tyler gets the right stamps to put on the invites...

I should probably curl my hair and put on makeup today...

I need to make my grocery list...

I need to go buy some flowers for my new vases...

The dishes in the sink... I should probably do those...

I think I'm gonna go shower... Gym can wait till later. 

E L E V E N

So I know im a bit late on my monthly update on Calvy, but he is officially ELEVEN months old! I honestly cant believe he is almost one... we pretty much treat him as though he already is haha. Its horrible right? I almost feel as though its my fault he is growing up so fast because we keep expecting so much out of out little over achiever. I have to keep reminding myself to just STOP sometimes and enjoy rocking him to sleep instead of putting him in his crib, or wishing he didn't have to be entertained all the time so I can watch tv in peace. Just STOP. These are the moments I should be cherishing the most. My baby is growing up. And its breaking my heart every time I STOP to think about it. At 11 months Calvin is a professional walker and even runner! And I STILL think it is the cutest thing on the planet to watch him walk... he is still sooo small for his age. He has lost almost two pounds in the last two months... im blaming it on the walking and constantly being on the move. He loves to play chase,, peek a boo, and hide and seek. He loves to snuggle his stuffed lion and giraffe (melts my heart every time). He also loves to go anywhere and everywhere! He is not a home body, that's for sure. He still loves to give snuggles and kisses and im not even mad about it ;) Calvin is not a big fan of baby food anymore. He will eat greber organic bananas and mangos and that is it! so he mostly just eats whatever we are eating...table foods. I have been on a bit of a healthy kick myself lately, and I make a green smoothie every day for lunch and I always find myself sharing with Calvin haha. He goes to bed between 9-10 and wakes up around 3 for a bottle and sleeps till around 9. He takes a morning and afternoon nap, each about 1-2 hours at least. As far as likes and don't likes go, He is pretty much the same babe as he has been his whole 11 months of life. And he is still so well mannered. ugh... we just love him love him. Don't get me wrong guys, he throws his fits and cries when he doesn't get what he wants sometimes. But if im being completely honest, I hardly have room to complain. We honestly think he is the cutest babe we have ever beheld. God truly outdid himself with the sweet spirit he sent to Tyler and I.

A beautiful life

Last night AND today I've gotten to rock Calvin to sleep and enjoy his snuggles. He's had a bad diaper rash the last couple days, so that's probably why. I'll take what I can get, though! Snuggles aren't easy to come by lately! Little boys are way to busy for them I guess. But it is nice to be reminded that he still enjoys to be snuggle by his momma every now and then. 

So here I sit with all the lights off, tv off, a little Enya playing on pandora, and my babe snuggled into my chest with his blanket. Can it get better than this? I think not. 

It's the perfect time for me to go through my camera role on my phone and reminiss on the past. I am truly so blessed. I have the most beautiful life, surrounded by beautiful friends and family. I am so blessed.  

And I'm just... So grateful. 

Happy Monday everyone.