One Year Ago Today..

..I took a long walk to the post office and had to stop multiple times to sit down and catch my breath.

..I took a shower and noticed the "girls" looking a little different.

..I sped over to the drug store to pick up pregnancy tests.

..I peed on a stick.

..I called my best friend to tell her Brandon's & my lives were about to change forever.

..I had blood work taken.

..I rushed to Walmart to buy a KU romper.

..I took this video:

..God blessed our lives tremendously.

Yes, it was one year ago today when we first learned we were going to be parents--and what a crazy, amazing, emotional, and wonderful experience it's been!

Read the whole story here.

Reunited (and it feels so good)!

Last Thursday was a total Monday..

..I woke up, began making my coffee in the Keurig, walked off to do something else, and suddenly realized that I forgot to put a cup under the spout..

Huge mess.

Then, Mr. Jax had the blowout of the century all over our clean, Egyptian cotton sheets..

..yuck.

Makeshift sheets during Thursday's nap time (he was so happy when I took him out of his clothes so I let him nap in just his diaper).

Anyway, it was just one of those days until I received a text from my dear friend Abby seeing what we were up to and if we were up for a visit from her and Ben (her adorable little boy) on Friday.

Umm, yes!!

Abby and Ben live 5 hours away so it was such a treat--and surprise!--to hear they were coming to visit! They arrived in Denver at around 11 on Friday morning and we spent the afternoon shopping, catching up, and eating delicious Red Lobster. It was a perfect day!

We didn't get too many pictures because these two little tykes were tired and grumpy (though you wouldn't know it by looking at them--cuties!).

I have to include a few throwback pics..

The Roomies (FREs), circa 2010--this was actually the night that Brandon and I first met.

Oktoberfest 2011 (why are our lips white?)

Abby's graduation day (with Mal Pal!), 2012

Abby's bachelorette party in Downtown Wichita, 2012

My bachelorette party in Downtown Denver, 2012

Abby's wedding day, 2012

My wedding day, 2013

As you can see, we've been through a lot together in the four short years we've know each other and it's been weird not seeing each other on a regular basis since moving.. hopefully we'll get to catch up again in June when we (plan) to visit Hays!

In other weekend news:

• We got Brandon some new tires on Saturday morning/afternoon.
• Burger Saturday at Giant Burger. 
  
  
• Jax now has pink eye in his right eye (ugggggh).
• Family pictures in south Denver.
  

  

  Don't adjust your screens, folks--this picture is super blurry! Brandon found a great Groupon for pictures in Littleton (which is why we had them taken in the first place) and the proofs they sent us are all really tiny and of poor quality so we can't steal them.. we have a viewing next Saturday and will buy the rights to all of them then so check back next week for all of our pics!

• Swim suit, capri, & shorts shopping at Kohls and Gordmans--I'm now summer ready! 
• I took my first baby less nap since having Jax (it was lovely.. we're going to begin crib training next weekend).
• Nice visit with Ryan (one of Brandon's best friends and best man at our wedding) and his girlfriend, Allison.

Have a great Monday, everyone! 

Friday Funnies (Easter Edition)

..yes I know, Easter was last week.

However, I didn't get to post an Easter Funnies last week because of travel/family visits so I'm just going to do it today (plus, the season of Easter has technically just begun--the only part of it that's over is the commercial/Easter Bunny/Peeps part of it)!

If you like my Facebook page, you may have seen my Easter countdown with daily pictures of the Easter Bunny (keywords being may & have--only 10 or so people see my posts because I don't pay FB to "promote" me.. whatever, Zuckerberg)--Easter Bunny pictures seriously crack me up so I'm going to be sharing a few more of my favorites with you..

..today..

..like, right now..

..let's go.

Is that not the cutest little boy ever?!

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Happy 92nd Birthday, Grandpa!

Yesterday was my Grandpa Julius's 92nd birthday!

A bunch of our family got together on Friday evening to celebrate Grandpa's birthday and we all had a wonderful time visiting, laughing, and feasting on delicious food (I had one pound of crab legs, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a roll--amazing!). My dad comes from a family of nine boys so our family get-togethers are always big and fun--we wouldn't have it any other way!

Here are a few pictures my dad snapped at the restaurant:

This picture really captures how happy I was to be eating crab legs (my fave).

The birthday boy (at the head of the table)!

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you may recognize that cutie on the left--that's my grandpa's older sister, Millie, who still plays poker, drives a red sports car, and walks a couple miles everyday. Love her!

My Grandpa Julius is one of my favorite people in the entire world and I'm so happy that Jax has been able to spend some time with him--I never knew any of my great-grandparents so I love the fact that Jax has not one, but two living great-grandpas (the other being Brandon's Grandpa Emil, who lives up in North Dakota)! 

Here are a few more pictures of my Grandpa Julius:

Grandpa and his boys; Christmas 2012 (my dad is top row, second from the left)

Grandpa and Aunt Millie; Christmas 2012

Grandpa, Joey, and Me; March 2013

January 2012

I'm not sure exactly when this was--I actually Googled my grandpa one time and found this picture of him. He is a contributor to a book about World War II and I believe this was taken at a signing for it.

Joey's graduation; May 2012

90 candles on his 90th birthday; April 2012

90th birthday; April 2012

Grandpa, Aunt Kay, and Aunt Millie; Christmas 2008

Grandma & Grandpa dancing at my cousin Nick's wedding; May 2009

My all-time favorite picture of Grandpa.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa! You are loved by so many and are a role model to all of us--I'm so lucky to not only know you, but to call you grandpa! 

Four generations at Jackson's baptism; March 2014

Easter 2014

Sunday was Jackson's first ever Easter and it couldn't have been better!

I absolutely love Easter--it's such a joyous time of the year and I'm so happy that we were able to share it with such wonderful family and church community! Jax was spoiled rotten by his extended family and by the Easter Bunny which was really fun for us, but I'm looking forward to when he gets a little older and can comprehend the true meaning of Easter season and why it's so special (though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to see him Easter morning when he finds his basket--seeing that joy is always fun).

Here's a recap of our Easter weekend!

Thursday

• Brandon, Jax, and I woke up early to go to the DMV to get our Colorado plates and tags--I figured it'd be a really unpleasant experience and that we'd be waiting forever but we didn't have to wait at all to talk to someone and were in and out within a half hour (when we left, the waiting room was packed)! 
• Jax and I headed to my parents early in the afternoon so we could go to Holy Thursday mass with my family. 
• Dinner, visiting, and relaxing before church. 
• Church. 
• Greeted Brandon a little after 9pm (he gets off work at 7 and left right after).
• Bed.

Friday

• Brandon and I woke up and headed to my hometown DMV to get our driver's licenses (the place we'd gone the previous day only did tags and plates, not licenses) while Mimi Carol babysat Jax.
• Rested and kicked back.
• Enjoyed seeing my dad's side of the family at my Grandpa Julius' 92nd birthday party.
• Back to my parents to watch the end of the Rockies game.
• Bed. 

Nana (Brandon's mom or "Mamma Nancy") sent Jackson three new shirts for Easter!

Jax and I sat in the car and nursed, played, and Snapchat'd while daddy and Mimi Carol picked up a few things at Walmart.

More on my Grandpa's birthday dinner tomorrow.

Dad is so much fun to play with!

Saturday

• Slept in, played, and watched cartoons.
• Met the Easter Bunny (Jax was not amused)! 
• Had lunch at a benefit for my parent's neighbor (she's a really neat lady who was diagnosed with terminal cancer--the thing I love about small towns is how tight knit everyone is and how the community comes together to help their neighbor and friend. Please pray for Laurie and her family!). 
• Naps. 
• Holy Saturday mass.
• Chinese dinner with my family and Auntie Sharon, Ross, Turin (one of my besties & Jax's godmother), Peter (her fiance), and Reid--can't wait for the big wedding in June!! It'll be our first road trip as a family of three! 
• Bed. 

All smiles before meeting the Easter Bunny!

The face of pure terror.

My gang before church.

Sunday

• Woke up early to help my mom with last minute Easter preparations (which included making my famous fruit pizza). 
• Visited, ate hors d'oeuvres, and drank wine (on my folks' gorgeous patio) with my family, Aunt Nancy, Uncle Rolf, and family friends Jim & Ilsa. 
• Delicious dinner of steak and chicken kabobs, rice, grilled pineapple & veggies, deviled eggs, and homemade rolls.
• Fruit pizza, lemon bars, and coffee on the patio. 
• Long country walk with my mom and Jax (thank you, Ergo!). 
• Call the Midwife.
• Bed.

Jack's basket from the Easter Bunny (the three books were from Papa Tony & Mimi Carol--Jax also received three new outfits from his Nana, a radio & stuffed bunny from Papa Bryan & Gramma, a knitted bunny from Great Aunt Nancy, and two cute outfits from Ilsa)--such a blessed boy!

Pretty table with Jax's Easter goodies, chips & salsa, and flowers.

My bunny and me.

Since I haven't blogged about it yet.. I got Jax's Easter outfit at Kohls for $.83 (I had a $10 gift card that came in the mail and then I got an additional 20% for starting a charge card)!

Good food..

..good company..

..and good desserts!

Brandon headed home after the Rockies game on Sunday night and Jax and I left first thing Monday morning (Jax travels much better in the morning). We had such a wonderful weekend and will always remember this beautiful Easter--we are so blessed to have a Father who loves us so much and to have such wonderful family and friends (on both Brandon's and my sides).

I hope all of your Easter's were just as blessed!