Halloween, surgery and a getaway {not in that order}

I have to admit that Halloween is not my favorite holiday. I always try hard to make it fun for the kids though. I have a few simple decorations that I put up and I have to say that my apothecary jars full of skulls might be my favorite.

 

These large spiders adorn by door thanks to some heavy duty magnets.  They up the creep factor for sure.

 

I made this pumpkin when I was in elementary school. My mom has kept it since then.  The weird thing is I actually remember making it.

 

 

I made this banner with my best friends when we lived in Oregon.  We stayed up into the wee hours sewing, and talking, and laughing. I sure miss those days.

 

Here is Miss Brooklyn as snow white.  The girls have taken turns a couple of years wearing this.  I made it when we lived in Oregon and it was a labor of love. It's held up well all these years and she looked beautiful

 



Anna volunteered to be in her school's carnival haunted house without me being aware until the last minute. This was my attempt at making a fairy princess scary. Nor sure if we succeeded but she seemed to take her roll very seriously

 



Carter was the most adorable fearsome pirate around

 

 

Last but not least was Lila the lion

 

Aaron and I have a had a trip planned to Arizona for months. He needed to go for work and we decided I would tag along and we would have a getaway for my 30th birthday. Three days before our trip Aaron had to take me to Urgent care because of some severe pain I was experiencing and I was having trouble catching my breath.  To make a long story short they did a chest x-ray. EKG, Took blood and urine, and eventually had an ultrasound on my gallbladder which in the end was the culprit.

 

In tears I realized I may not be able to go on my trip after all as I need surgery to take it out.  The surgeon after taking a look at me concluded that I surgery could wait until after my trip. YEAH!!!

 

Aaron and I had a great trip. We were able to see a few friends, sleep in, eat yummy food and do some great shopping.  It was the most amazing weather, although the Arizonians (is that how you say it) thought it was freezing at 77 degrees or so. Crazies!!!

 

We owe a humongous thank you to my mom and in-laws for staying with our brood white we were gone.

 

My surgery is scheduled for next week and I am a bit nervous.  I am grateful that they were able to find out what was wrong and that they are able to fix it with a relatively simple procedure. 

 

Never a dull moment! 

{dad}

 We had beautiful weather one Spring, Sunday afternoon, and Aaron decided to take Carter out side to hit a few balls.  It made my heart melt to watch these two together, and made me so grateful that Aaron has a son.  

Aaron decided to play catch. Not sure why he thought Carter was going to be able to catch this ball but... you can see what happens next......

 Ouch!

Boy do I love the men in my life!

{more} firsts

 

Last Saturday Aaron ran his first half marathon in Mesa Falls, Idaho. He has been training so hard and I am so proud of him.  His goal was to finish in under two hours and his official time was....

 

2 hours. 1 minute and 26 seconds

 

Pretty darn good if you ask me. Way to go Aaron!

 

I love that their official gear bag was a potato sack. 

 

Gotta love Idaho

 

 

Our Carter spent his first night in his big boy bed.

 

I wanted to make sure the transition went well and was established before we moved Lila in the crib.  We introduced the bed and told him that he was done with his binkies at night now that he has his new bed. I was bracing myself for a fight and a long night. Aaron tucked him in and we didn't hear a peep until 8:30 this morning.  For the most part we have been blessed with really good sleepers.

 

 

Here is Lila just for kicks. She'll be two months this week. She has grown so much and is starting to smile and coo at us. I love it.  She is sleeping great, 10- 8am.

I feel like a new woman!

Our dad

{love you}

Dam Marathon

As I have mentioned in a previous post,  Aaron has taken up running. Not just a little running, a lot of running.  It started with his work weight loss challenge back in February, and the fact that many of his co-workers are avid runners. A 25 lb weight loss later, and a lot or training lead up to the Dam Marathon. (The full marathon starts at the location of the Teton Dam that burst back in 1976)  Aaron actually trained for the 1/2 marathon and found out that it was full when he went to register. Bummer! He ended up running the 10K instead and I couldn't have been more proud. He came in at 51 minutes and 40 seconds (9th place)... which I am told is a great time, especially for someone who just starting running just a few months back.  I was so glad that I decided to wake all the kids up early and waddle over to cheer him on.  He is planning on running a 1/2 in August with a friend from high school. I giggle sometimes because he used to make fun of all the runners when he was in high school.

Jenn, Liz, and Aaron

(The Rudd and Company Crew)

Itch it if it itches, even if its in your britches

(Did your parents ever say that?)

Headed Home!

handy (& hard working) men

(Helping dad fix Nana's sprinklers)

I tell Aaron often that when I married him, I had no idea how handy he was.  At first, something would break or I would want something built and he would say, "I can do that."  I didn't really believe him at first. Slowly though, I began to realize he could fix just about anything.

  Another thing that I love, is that Aaron knows how to work.  When we first started dating, Aaron was landscaping with friends for a large company that did everything from sprinklers to ponds and any other yard related thing you could imagine. He worked very long hours and was very tan. :) 

After we were married he mowed lawns, and was the "maintenance man" and an appartment complex and worked very long hours, fitting in work and school.  Then after undergraduate school, he went off to Ohio State (Go bucks) and got his Masters degree in 10 months.  He worked very long hours and I was so proud of him. He did the same studying for his CPA exam, and communiting long hours to work in Portland.  I never wondered or questioned that Aaron would do whatever it took to take care of our family. 

Aaron is also one of those people that would do anything for anyone.  He doesn't bat and eye or complain. He just says "sure!"  All his best buddies are that way too. Maybe it was something in the water there in good ol' Sugar City.  

How grateful I am that my little Carter is going to be able to grow up with such a wonderful dad.  Sitting side by side, learning how to be an exceptional man and father. 

Love you A!   

he's at it again