Weekends!

This post was started clear back before Christmas but because I've been such a slacker, I decided to just add to it and it just became way long. Two posts in 24 hours... wohoo. Here it goes. Remember how in my last post I was complaining about how crazy life is? Well let's just say Caleb and I live for the weekends. I get really depressed come Sunday night around 11 pm because I know what's coming for the next five days! Pure craziness and long 16 hour days. Big sigh. Our cute old landlord whom I like to call Grandma Maxine always wonders why we're never in Orem most Friday evenings and Saturdays... well I say it's because we're home. Home as in we go back to where we came from and we forget about work and school for a period of 24 hours. And we wouldn't want it any other way. The weekends are a chance for us to get away from our crazy lives and be with the people who we love most. So here's a look back on the past few months and what's been going on. a.k.a. much needed blog catch-up time. Our lives on the weekends...

Caleb's Dad had a lot of hotel credits that were going to expire back in December. So thanks to him, we were able to go away for a weekend to a hotel in Salt Lake. It was fun to chill with Sarah and James, and Andrea and Luke. We went out to dinner and spent the rest of the night telling stories and playing TTR.

The highlight of our Christmas... Andy had our name and bought us these matching bunny costumes. He couldn't believe they made bunny suits in Caleb's size... so he couldn't resist. When Caleb and I were opening our presents he got a head start. When he saw that his present was some type of a pink material he quickly handed the present to me thinking they got mixed up. Nope, just a pink bunny suit for him. Two months later and he still likes to sleep in his.

I enjoyed Christmas break way too much and spent my days doing a whole lot of nothing! Christmas was fabulous. We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house and then headed to the Perks to be with them for Christmas morning. We were spoiled this year by everyone. We had a lot of wii tournaments and played many games. Andrea and I talked a lot about that brand new baby that is growing inside of her! I am so excited for her! We also played Settler's a lot and I let Sarah win a few times. Another highlight included seeing The Blindside with my parentals. I loved it so much I ran away with my sisters over the break to go see it with them as well. It is now on my top five list. Love it!

My family was able to escape to my sister's backyard, a.k.a. the mountain, for some good ol' sledding time. Jake, Caleb, and the kiddos all made it to the top of the hill before the rest of the adults were there to supervise. Of course Jake and Caleb being the way they are dared Luke and Abbi to go down the tallest, steepest hill first. And being how that these kids would do anything and everything my husband tells them to do, they agreed to his dare no questions asked. Not even kidding you, after snowboarding for several years, this was NOT the type of hill I would even attempt, even if I plowed the whole way down, it was just that steep. And mind you there were rocks, or should I say boulders, and trees you had to dodge going down this hill. Anyways they went down and somehow survived. Fun times.

The Sunday before Christmas Santa found us at the Lawson home. This Santa becomes a lot different person in that costume compared to when he drives his school bus. It's always fun to sing songs and see the excitement on the nieces and nephews faces. And sometimes the not too excited face. Funny side note. My dad spoke in church a few weeks back and I went to go listen. Mike showed up with Amelia who happened to see Santa at church. She made the exact same face and started to cry again. She must have known it was the man behind that red suit!

Caleb found some time over the weekends to join in on my dad's hobby and create a wooden bowl. It turned out lovely and his mom loved it christmas morning.
We rang in the new year with all of these people up at Caleb's friends million dollar bachelor pad. It was good to see people who we hadn't seen in a long time.
We were smiling and laughing the last second of the year 2009 and kissed the first second of 2010. Just the way it should be.
I love this girl and can honestly say I made another bff in the year 2009. She teaches English at Provo High which is right up my ally. She teaches the older siblings of my kids. Thus she gets to hear me vent a lot and gives great advice.

We were able to celebrate this cute girl's birthday. Sammie's personality is my favorite and she always brightens my day anytime I get the chance to see her. She is also in LOVE with Caleb. She really acts like his girlfriend. As soon as she realized he bought her a present she became all bashful and got the cutest grin on her face. If you click on the image you can see her bashful face. I will never forget this face or this moment.
Amelia also had a birthday and turned one! One word to describe her = precious. She too loves Caleb a lot.
We were lucky to babysit this lovely girl for a night. Caleb and I were having so much fun with her that we didn't put her to bed until close to midnight. Oops. Considering one o'clock church was the next day and Em did not get the chance to have a nap, I would bet my brother wouldn't agree, but it was totally worth it. Caleb bought her a chocolate milk shake and he is her favorite too now.
We had fun making funny faces.

This is Emry and Amelia's new dog. She is my new buddy and I wish she was mine!
Caleb feels the same.
This girl had a birthday too. Madison Joy is growing up so fast. I still remember the day she was born. It was magical. I was only twelve years old, but yet felt so "old" because I became an aunt for the second time, and was so excited to have a niece! She had tons of dark hair and looked like an Eskimo baby. You wouldn't know now with all of the gorgeous blond locks she has. And now she is ten! Crazy! Madi was the perfect little doll for me to dress-up and curl her hair, what happened to those days?! Caleb and I were able to go up and spend a day with the Tylers. We went to the Airforce Museum and played Clue. Caleb had never played before and now he loves it! Aubrey even went and bought it for him for his birthday. We love you madi! And just an f.y.i., madi is obsessed with Caleb too. Noticing a theme? All I hear when my nieces and nephews are around and Caleb is not... Where's Caleb? Even when I flew 2,000 miles and surprised Porter and Carlee by knocking on their door they answered and said... Where's Caleb?!
And happy b-day to P-man! We didn't get to celebrate Porter's birthday with him (oh how we wish), but thanks to skype we do get to see him a lot more! This boy cracks me up. Just a few things about Porter...Everyone deserves to have a big brother just like him. He really is the kindest big brother I know. He's always concerned about the well being of his sisters and would do anything for them. He even shares his treats and toys with them, which is something I've noticed most six year-olds struggle with, but not Porter. He is Caleb's partner in crime anytime they get the chance to be around each other. We love you Porter and hope to get to see you soon!

January is the month of birthdays and my mom is a part of that. We were able to celebrate her special day with her. She is my rock and I don't know what I would do without her. Her testimony is beautiful and she is the best seminary teacher ever. She wouldn't ever say it herself but her students love her and think the world of her. One girl even wrote a note saying she wishes she had a mother who was just like her. Her motherly love radiates and God knows that so he has put her in this calling. Anytime I go home I find a new note laying around from one of her students thanking her for the difference she is making in their lives. This week she told me that everyday before she walks into the seminary building she sits in the car and says a prayer. She prays not for herself, but for her students. She prays for them to feel the spirit and for their lives to be touched. She is such a selfless woman. Any person who wakes up at 5:00 am everyday to volunteer their time to serve the Lord is truly amazing... and I get to call her mom. I am lucky.
D and Jake have made the trip down to our place a few times recently to do dinner and a Settler's tournament. There isn't a lot of entertainment here for the kids, so Sammie resorted to the floor and Cameron followed behind. All of the adults get so into the game that we don't always make the best babysitters. One night it became really quiet and we found the kids upstairs chillin with Grandma Maxine. She had no idea where the kids came from but she sure knew what to do with them. She showed them her toy room and they were up their for a good five minutes before anyone of us even noticed.

And most recently... this bundle of joy and her mother unexpectedly came into town. It was the perfect surprise. I was able to get a substitute for school and play with them, my sisters, grandma and mom for four whole days! Shay and I have always had a special relationship and I treasure our friendship and especially treasure any time I get to spend with her! Tessa has the cutest personality and I love her laugh and love how she says bad guys.
Here's to life and what we live for... the weekends.