BFF's!

Finally! We have peace and Best Friendship! I think the boys have finally realized it doesn't need to be a love/hate relationship! We have found ourselves dealing with co-conspiratos lately. Including this morning when we woke to two cute kids, dressed like twins and attatched at the hip. They have been the funniest pair! Ty's been teaching Jake all his soccer moves and showing him how to throw a football. Jake has been helping Tyler learn how to be a party animal and stay up until midnight!
It's been so cute to watch these two. The other day Jake fell out of a chair ( I still haven't figured out why yet) and he only wanted Tyler to hold him. So Tyler picked up Jake, carried him to the couch and held him while telling him, "It's okay baby, I'm here". So cute!

Confessions of a Blog slacker.

So this morning, as I was going thru the drill of checking emails, family websites, facebook, etc...I did what I always do. I checked my blog. Now, why am I checking my own blog you ask? Let me tell you what I just realized. I check my own blog because subconsciously I wonder if a posting wrote itself. I check a blog everyday, that I run, in hopes that somehow there will be new information. The miracle of the blog I guess. So, upon realizing that is what I'm doing, I have come to the realization that I should probably stop waiting for the miracle and just write something. So this week I will attempt to be a faithful blogger. We'll see!

8 Things....from Tanya

8 things I am passionate about

• My Husband
• My children
• My feelings for the Savior
• Food, cooking eat, eating it, sharing it....
• The need to laugh my way thru life
• My favorite pillow
• Helping others
• My church calling

8 books I've read & enjoyed

• The Book of Mormon
• The twilight series
• Pride and Prejudice
• The five love languages
• No Doubt about it
• Being the Mom---AWESOME!!!!
• If you give a moose a muffin
• All relationship books!

8 words/phrases I say often

• Maybe later
• Right
• That is what I'm talking about
• Um no
• Sure
• That's what I thought
• Love you more
• You. Are. Awesome

8 things I want to do before I die

• Go on a mission
• Send the boys on missions
• Cooking school in Italy
• Own a sailboat (30' sloop for those who care)
• Visit Jerusalem
• Nursing degree (bachelors)
• Become a grandma
• Watch the sunrise every morning for 1 year

8 things I've learned over the past

• People are more important than things
• Debt is not a necessary evil, it is just evil
• Happiness cannot be bought from money
• Everyone needs vacation
• No one cares if your house is clean, you shouldn't either
• My relationship with Brian is more important than anything
• The Lord never stops loving us, just gets disappointed in us sometimes
• It is more important to be who you are than who everyone else thinks you should be

8 places I want to see.

• Italy
• Jerusalem
• Yelapa-again for longer this time
• Fiji
• Egypt
• Oahu-again
• Southern Caribbean
• New York

8 things I need

• My house to sell
• A vacation with just Brian
• A new nail polish color
• To loose 8 lbs.
• To go back to Washington with my family
• Some Seattle fish and chips-Steamers to be exact
• A real baseball team in UT
• Another vacation with just Brian

I TAG:

• Kecia
• Jessica
• Carmen
• Ashley

Have fun with this! It's nice to just reflect on life a bit!

Brian Update...

I would have posted a picture with this...but I think my days would be numbered if I did!

Brian had his surgery on Monday. It took the healthy side of 5 hours. The doctor was very pleased with the results. They were able to remove the disc, scar tissue and a little bone, which they used in a graft with donor bone and a compound to create a cage and support system for his vertabre. He had a really long night on Monday night and at 4am Tuesday morning he decided he just wanted to walk. Amazingly enough, he was able to stand, with the help of a nurse, and walk about 10 steps down the hall, and 10 back.

From my perspective, I haven't seen Brian walk so well in months. He was not leaning to one side anymore, he was straight up and down. He didn't need to lift his right leg for each step. From his perspective, it was the easiest time he's had walking in months. The most pain free.

Funny thing, when Brian came out of surgery and the pain meds had worn off, he said it was the least pain he'd been in for months. It kinda made me feel a little bad about griping about him laying on my new couches for a month and a half! Poor guy.

The doctors are hoping to send him home Thursday morning. I would love that! It would be nice to have him home. Thank you all for your prayers and calls. We love you all!

My 10 YEAR Reunion!!

This last week I was lucky enough to go to Washington for my 10 year reunion! I had a blast! I stayed with Grandpa Joe, who was very patient with my late hours and made the best breakfast I've had in a long while. I was able to see so many friends and visit so many special places, I will be smiling over these memories for a long time to come!
Above is Katie, my longest-term friend, we had a blast together. This is Kristen, and we had some good laughs and good times catching up on all we've been thru the last 10.
Here is Brianna, Me and Tiffany. I was able to drive into Seattle the day before the reunion and have lunch with Brianna. I was also able to have breakfast with Tiffany the monday after the reunion. It was so nice to see her new baby, Blake.
This is Matt, me, looking a little more than tired and Kristen. I think the best part of the reunion was everyone falling back into our old jokes and friendships, it was as if the 10 years were just a week or two.

All in all, the reunion was a blast! I was really terrible about taking pictures, so there weren't much, I"m waiting for someone else to stick theirs up and I'll add them.

Pizza....for a hundred?!

Jake has become the line chef of the family. I was making pizza for us and the Kofeds, our good neighbors and dear friends. The recipe makes 5-6 large pizzas, so we had dough to spare! Jake was nice enough to help me knead the dough!
Besides I think he liked making such a big, "okay" mess!
What a pro!
That is one happy kid! Think play-doh, but bigger!

We ended up with 6 large pizzas and a large tray of cinnamon sticks.

First Day of School

Finally! I've found the cord for the camera to get some pictures on here! This is Tyler on his first day of school. He was so excited to wear his Indiana Jones shirt. Not to mention the pride in taking his lunch to school in his Camo lunch box!

His teacher is Miss Neilson. She is just incredible! We went and met her two days before the first day, and he just adored her. I think it's going to be a good start!