the Lansfords

At the Zoo

2012-01-30T06:16:00.000-08:00

I should really never under estimate my son's love for animals. The concept is super foreign to me but last week we decided to embrace it with a trip to Hogle Zoo.

Love that the weather was so beautiful and love that admission was free. We waltzed in after his afternoon nap and didn't feel a smidge guilty leaving just an hour or so later.

The elephants were super fun for Crew. There were three animals in varied sizes so Crew immediately labeled the Daddy, Mommy and Baby.

Birds and fish were also a favorite. So much in fact that:

I had to keep pulling him off the ground to keep him from trying to touch them under the partition.

But hands down, I think his favorite part of the zoo was walking around with his favorite "snah."

We have a new love/hate relationship with the fact that Crew has learned the difference between on-the-go snack food and what we really eat at home. Judging by the way he is gripping the cup, can you tell which is his favorite? :)

We've been so spoiled this year. I have no idea what we'll do when winter decides to come.

Med School Bound

2012-01-27T12:30:00.001-08:00

No. Not us. Thank goodness.

But my younger brother, Ben, recently was accepted to Midwestern University in AZ for med school. He has spent the last two years filling out applications, flying all over the country for interviews, praying over a handful of offers and is now ready to head off on this new adventure.

We got the family together this month to celebrate his decision plus the fact that we get to keep him around til his program starts this Fall.

Love you brother! We are so proud.

A Dallas Christmas

2012-01-02T06:04:00.000-08:00

We're still basking in the afterglow of a wonderful 10-day trip to visit the Lansfords in Dallas. We are blessed to see them often but it's always a blast to return to Cole's hometown and reconnect with the friends and places we love so much.

My pictures don't do the trip justice as I stopped snapping pictures after Christmas morning but lets just say we had more than our fair share of shopping, sports and FOOD, FOOD, FOOD!

We had a Christmas Eve baking day where Rylie led us through making nearly 70 cupcakes, dipped pretzels, cookies and the prime ribb (ok, we just watched that one). But we had a great time.

Crew helps with the icing

Tony and Gail make a salt bath for the prime rib

The Lansford's LDS ward met at 8:30 am on Christmas morning so we postponed breakfast and Santa a few hours. We enjoyed the meeting and took the opportunity to snap this picture afterwards.

Once everyone was back in their new jammies, we commence the gift giving. Crew's reaction to his gift from Santa was exactly what we hoped. I was worried he might not really understand how to play with the bike but as you can see, the only thing better than the bike was a figurine of Jesus on the side table. Thank you, Nursery!

Merry Christmas!

Bukey Christmas Baking Day

2011-12-06T15:06:00.000-08:00

As a kid, you look forward to the arrival of the late-December package containing all of Grandma's Christmas presents and stocking stuffers. That being said, I most looked forward to Grandma's "other" package that arrived the first week of December.

Every year, my Grandma Supola baked literally dozens of different goodies in the month of November and then shipped them off for us to enjoy the entire month of December.

Since she lived in Montana and we lived in Idaho, Oklahoma or Texas, this package was the primary way we connected for the holidays. Each treat came in its own colorful tin, carefully wrapped in contact paper to preserve eat yummy bite. Opening a tin and discovering its contents was an exciting event. Was it fudge, toffee, peanut blossoms or shortbread? Either way, the goodies were always homemade and somehow, chalk full of love. Even as a child, I think I understood the magnitude of the gesture and couldn't help but feel special, loved and important.

Grandma passed away a day after Christmas in 2003 and I think about her often. So in honor of her love, time and gifted calories, we decided it was time for the first annual Bukey Christmas Baking Day.

Favorite moments from the day...

Nicole and Nixsen decorate sugar cookies

Crew has a run-in with a very chocolaty spoon

Janice selects her favorite cookie cutters (out of one of Grandma's old tins)

Nixsen charms us with her version of every Disney princess song

Cutting cookies

Begging for another marshmallow

Manning the candy station (Keep stirring, keep stirring!)

Pouring the fudge. hmmmmm!

Crew enjoys his first sugar cookie

The boys crack nuts for the toffee

It was amazing to have that much of the family together in one place. Love you guys and love you, Grandma!

Jumping in the Leaves

2011-11-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

or at least trying.

As part of our ode to fall, I really wanted to play in the leaves with Crew. Lucky for me, both our trees decided to drop all their leaves over night last week. Talk about a leaf-filled playland!

Crew wasn't sure he wanted anything to do with it.

So I jumped in to show him how much fun leaf crunching can be.

Throwing the leaves did end up being a crowd favorite...

Along with waving at any and all passing cars.

But before you know it, he's on to the next thing.

Love you, lil guy!

Back Yard Apple Picking

2011-10-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

Finding myself a little short on time and creativity today, Crew and I headed to the back yard to keep busy for that last hour before his afternoon nap. My sadly overgrown fruit trees caught my eye and I decided to have mercy on the worst one, this apple tree. The branches are literally "heavy" with fruit, most of which had become a snack for some lucky bug/worm.

I decided to pick some of the apples and at least haul them to the trash cans. Beware, branches of overgrown apples tend to drop a few at any given moment. Crew escaped unharmed but I did get one or two to the face.

Look at these beauties! For two years the men in my life have tried to convince me that this is a crab apple tree but I am not buyin' it. They look pretty awesome (and free) to me! :)

I guess only a deep dish of apple crisp will tell.

And just because Crew and I had so much fun with all the rotten ones. A little video for your viewing pleasure.

Snip, Snip: Baby's First Hair Cut

2011-10-13T09:23:00.000-07:00

Despite a very painful loss from our Utes last weekend, the game's silver lining was winning two free haircuts.

Crew's been sporting a hard core mullet for ~~weeks~~ months now and we finally decided it was time to get it cut. Truthfully, I was a little attached to it, especially when he got those little sweat curls in the back.

But it was time.

As you can see, he was less than enthusiastic to begin.

Luckily, our stylists was prepared.

He was willing to lick the sucker only if I held it. Plus a side view of those lush locks.

As the sugar sinks in, the mood visibly improves....

What a handsome guy! Now, what to do with that envelope of baby hairs?

Fall Family Fun List

2011-10-09T10:12:00.001-07:00

This week I found the most inspiring list of Fall Family Fun To-do's on one of my very favorite blogs. It was just the "kick in the butt" I needed to get started on enjoying my favorite season.

(http://www.bowerpowerblog.com/2011/10/totally-self-explanatory/)

I'm committing to many of them, including our recently-been-done task of visiting a pumpkin patch.

My sister and I took the kiddos up to the Pack Farm in Farmington. We loved the mini hay bale maze, scare crows and dormant tractors just waiting to be explored by the little guys.

We also managed to come home with a few rockin' goodies. Pumpkins are great, but don't you love all the weird gourds? They're definitely my favorite.

A few additions I'll be making to the list include:

Soup Dinner with homemade Sourdough Bread
Halloween costume making
Halloween Pictures
Drive one of the "Utah Fall Tours"
Hunting down the perfect pair of boots

Any other ideas for the list?

Utah Man am I

2011-10-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

Maybe we're gluttons for punishment or maybe Cole didn't want to track down a sitter for the evening...either way, Crew made it to the University of Utah's Homecoming game with us this weekend.

Amazingly, there is almost nothing to report except it was a huge success.

Crew loved:

the kettle corn and corn dogs (I know, dinner of champions)
the cheering crowds; he loved to clap along
the kids in the rows around us and
the "players;" Lots of pointing and say,"Yes, players"

I doubt he will be tagging along on all future games but it was fun to be together as a family for the evening.

18 Months

2011-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Every time I blink, I feel like Crew discovers something new or shows us more of his rapidly developing personality.

Things I really want to remember about this stage:

Crew LOVES dogs. He signs puppy when he hears one bark, sees one on the Dr's calendar and especially when we arrive at the babysitter's house.

Expressing Emotions. When Crew is frustrated, he isn't afraid to hit, grab or whine about it. Luckily, he is quickly learning the meaning of the words "soft and gentle." Because we are first-timers and don't know how else to do it, we all (including Crew) stroke our checks slowly while saying soft, gentle. Most of the time, it stops any physical outbursts. :)

Watch out, Crew and his cars are under foot! Just this week, he connected the dots about pushing things with wheels. He will mostly push around "Chuck, the dump truck," the singing school bus (below) and the carrier for all his wooden blocks.

Our little soloist. In addition to the constant babbling, Crew does his fair share of singing to me. I mostly notice it when we are driving in the car. Call me sentimental, but I wish I could bottle up his little, unidentified songs and keep them for when he's 16 and driving me crazy.

So Helpful. Crew can be distracted with any opportunity to be helpful. We get things out and put things away together. He loves to bring me items I often use. I can't help but laugh when I see him trying to drag my purse or his full size backpack across the room to me. LOVE it!

(Crew with a giant spoon and our unmatched socks basket)

Growing Boy
Stats from the Dr's
Head: 18.4 inches (22%)
Length: 30.51 inches (6%)
Weight: 20.92 (2%)

He's still pretty small for his age so we've officially started Project:Pack on the Pounds. More to come on that as I figure out how to reverse everything I've ever done to try and loose weight. :)

Good Bye Summer, Hello Fall

2011-09-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

Fall is my very favorite time of year. I love the leaves, the warm soup and the chill in the air before we actually have to deal with snow.

That being said, there is a sense of sadness as we wave goodbye to summer, Bees games, hikes and bike rides.
How I will miss you summer! Til next year...

Untitled from Maura Lansford on Vimeo.

And maybe, one day, I will have enough energy to blog about our one yard project this summer. Maybe.

Clue: I will NEVER self install one of these again. :)

A la Baja

2011-08-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

After months of hemming and hawing about what we should do to celebrate our five year anniversary (anniversary=May 13), we finally bit the bullet and decided on a 4-day cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. In the midst of really busy schedules and a eye for frugality, it turned out to a quick but really fun trip.

Catalina Island is about 3 seconds from Long Beach. So I'm pretty convinced we set sail just far enough to be in "international waters" for the Casino and then chilled the rest of the night.

In the morning we took a ferry into the island and set off for our kayaking excursion. We traveled along the coves of the island until we got to a small private beach and the Frog Rock formation.

Cole is such a water baby. While all the other couples were looking for shells, this man was out swimming in the ocean til the tour guide called him back in.

The next day we made our way to Ensenada, Mexico. We got duped into paying $4 for a shuttle ride 1.5 blocks into town. During the two minutes on the bus, we were sold on a tour to the local blow hole and street market. We were pretty crunched for time, so we don't have any photos of us haggling for those dang maracas. Needless to say, we finally got those, a poncho (for Crew) and a few silver bracelets for a semi-reasonable price. Having a hubby who is fluent in Spanish helps open a few doors with some vendors. :)

We did manage pictures of the blow hole and the yummy fish tacos.

Another highlight was paying $.50 to use what I believe is the nicest bathroom in Mexico. Well worth the investment.

We spent the last full day of the cruise at sea. I got all the laying out and reading that my albino body could handle.

Turns out we also look pretty good all cleaned up, so here's a picture from the night of the Captains Dinner.

Overall, such a wonderful trip. Loved hanging out with my handsome man and literally leaving everything behind. Next time we want to bring friends. Anyone up for a Cruise in 2013?

Festivities

2011-08-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

Regardless of the fact that the 4th of July was a million years ago, I couldn't pass up a quick post on the weekend. We were lucky enough to have Cole's family in town from Texas and the Depews up from Arizona.

In true Lansford fashion, we made our way up to Park City to enjoy the Alpine slide and coasters. The lines were long and the weather was toasty, but we managed to keep ourselves entertained. :)

After a fun day in Park City, we headed up to Odgen for BBQ with the Richins and fireworks with the Bukeys.

In between Crew decided it was time to cool off. My mom spent the better part of an hour helping him climb in and out of this bucket of water. Wish I had this on video but the pics are pretty cute too.

I guess the fireworks were a little bright for my boys...

Best Dam Bike Ride

2011-08-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

Back in July, Cole trained and rode in his first century ride, the MS Best Dam Ride in Logan. My mom surprised me by offering to watch Crew for the day...So while Cole rode 100 miles in and around Cache county and parts of Idaho, I treated myself to a yummy breakfast, a pedicure, shopping (without a baby!) and a chick flick.

Pre Race Jitters

BikeMS Best Dam Ride, Logan UT from Maura Lansford on Vimeo.

Crossing the Finish Line

Best Ball

2011-07-12T16:25:00.000-07:00

With a little poking and prodding from Cole, Crew and I joined him for the annual ward golf outing. I was one of two ladies and Crew was definately the only lil' one. Thank heavens for sweet ward members who are patient with my need to dominate my hubby's time on the weekends!

Crew was such a stud. He loved racing around in the golf cart and at every hole, hopped out and tried to carry a club over to the hole. Cole swears he's a natural.

We played "Best Ball," and as you can imagine, my ball wasn't used often. I did sink an awesome putt for birdie, though! And one of our drives landed our balls right next to each other. Must be love!

Despite that one short drive for Cole, he was one of two winners of the "Longest Drive" award. We enjoyed a yummy lunch with our sweet gift card!

Three cheers for my cute Bishop and his wife. He played nine holes just two weeks after knee surgery. What a trooper.

Stuck on You

2011-06-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

At the end of our Target purchase today, the young cashier handed me a sticker and asked,"Would your son like a sticker?"

Truthfully, I almost handed it back. To date, any attempt by me to interest my son in stickers has been met with blank stares and immediate disinterest. "Why waste a sticker?" was my knee jerk reaction.

So glad I took the sticker with a quick thank you.

As we made our way out of the store, I stuck the sticker on the end of his nose. He was a little annoyed so I gestured to him that he should return the favor and put it on me. He did so, and immediately started to laugh. We continued to play our little game all the way to the car.

The game even acted as a welcome distraction from our usual "fight mom as she puts me in the car seat" routine he started to pull last week.

By the time we made it home, the sticker had lost its stick, was smashed at the bottom of his seat and long forgotten. Still, I couldn't help but smile at the fun I'd enjoyed from our simple game.

Nap Time

2011-06-03T15:54:00.000-07:00

My son is such a good napper. He takes two really reliable two-hour naps per day. Nap times are my sanity and are what literally allow me to keep my job. On the occasional day nap time is interrupted or cut short, I almost don't know what to do with myself.

I used to know Crew was ready to get up by this little whimpering noise he use to make. I would head to his room and get him out of his crib.

Recently - and I think its his new found ability to hang on to his Binky for the entire nap - I've noticed that if I don't check on him, I don't even know he's awake.

Instead, I walk in to to find him just chillin' in his favorite position. Backside, arm up, with one leg propped on the bars of his crib. As if to say,"Take your time, Mom. It's all good."

Cutest child ever. Um...yeah!

New Home for the Unmentionables

2011-05-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

After weeks of half-hearted efforts to finished the dresser...it finally lives in the master bedroom full of our socks and other unmentionables.

Over the course of this project I learned a few valuable lessons about refinishing second-hand furniture.

Measure the distance between the holes for the hardware. I wanted to switch out the hardware for something a little more sleek. However, my dresser happens to have custom hardware in a size that apparently doesn't exist anywhere on the Internet. Luckily, the pulls have grown on me.
Open and close every drawer before making an offer to the seller. I opened four of the five onsite only to realize when we got home that one of the drawers wasn't lined up with the others. Luckily, I know my way around a power sander.
Check to see if the drawers can be removed. Trying to paint drawers while they are still inside a dresser=complicated contortionist positions to get the entire surface area covered. Luckily, in a young, skinner life, I was a very limber dancer.
Don't be afraid to try colors or finishes that are new to you. My heart yearned for a glossy, loud yellow. After some of the challenges above, I opted to add a dark gloss to some of the edges to cover mistakes. Luckily, I don't totally hate shabby chic.
Buy the fancy, thick wrapping paper upfront. For the lining of the drawers, I learned the messy way that the cute Target gift wrap, ain't gonna cut it. A week of waiting and one roll of SMOCK paper later, I was able to achieve the desired effect.
Always negotiate a lower price. After nixing 5-10 dressers that would have cost well over $700, we were overly excited about the prospect of a custom-looking dresser for $100 plus the cost of paint and supplies. As you can see from the bullets above, also factor in surprise expenses and the laziness bug that may hit you mid-project. Luckily, we still saved a TON of Moolah!

Verdict: We love it!

AT-MC-ISO-K

2011-05-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

"All-That Married Couple In Search of (a precious) Kid"

Did you notice the snazzy new button on the side bar of our blog? Of course, silly me! Everyone uses a blog reader, right?

Well then, for all of you who don't actually visit the site, you should check out the newly-added adoption button for some of our dearest friends ever!

Last week was the six-month anniversary of their LDS Adoption profile "being live," so I figured it was about time I "friend-up" and do my part to spread the word to whatever portion of my friends and family don't cross with theirs.

By way of introduction... we met Jarad and Ashely Reddekopp in 2006 as newly weds while living in a upstanding and very reasonably-priced Midvale apartment complex (code for totally ghetto and full of gang violence). Since the boys worked together in the Elder's Quorum, we got to know them quickly and instantly hoped they would think we were cool and fun enough to be friends.

Fast forward through a year of ward activities and game nights. Before we knew it, they were moving to Millcreek and we were off to Sugarhood. They wouldn't be able to shake us. It was during this time they announced to us they were ready to start their family. I remember because it was the night we took the Fun Bus to Wendover and back. Remember how crazy those little old ladies thought we were crazy for being excited about winning 20 bucks?

Any who.

Little did they know that the journey to grow their family would have winding turns, valleys, bumps and a lot of heartache. Three years of it in fact.

During this time, they stayed busy graduating from school, working new jobs, traveling together, developing talents, and having fun with great friends (and new neighbors), us!

Better job opportunities took them to Colorado a year ago but we still see them as much as we can. If you follow this blog you may remember some of our joint adventures here, here, here and here.

And every night we pray for the birth mother who will be the blessing which will allow my best friend's to have the blessing for which they hope for the most.

Cutting to the chase.

Please take a minute to click on the side bar and get to know a little more about this amazing couple. You can also read a letter to their birthmother, a fun survey and see pictures on their LDS Adoption profile.

If you are as touched by their story as I am, please add their adoption button to your blog too. You never know who in your life maybe in a situation to answer their prayers.

We love you guys!

This is where the magic happens...

2011-04-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

or something equally awkward like that...

After five years of hand-me-down furniture (that I hated), mismatched bedding, and no decor of which to speak, Cole and I decided to make redoing our master bedroom a priory. My hope is to finish it before the weather gets nice so then we can focus our attention outside.

This weekend we were able to get the walls, ceiling and baseboards painted. In the first picture, the walls look purple, but are really Granite Gray. We also assembled the beautiful new bed that has been sitting in our garage for two weeks. The boys were good sports for my picture taking craziness.

I also started sanding my oh-so-lovely new-to-me ksl dresser. While still a hand-me-down of sorts, I am loving this and pretty sure it is going to end up an amazingly cheerful yellow!

With a lightfixture, bedding, art, and accessories to go...I'm so excited!

Adventures in the life...

2011-04-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

My sister, Nicole, was on Spring Break for work so we got to tag along on a few adventures with her and Nixsen this week. On Monday, we took the kids to the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum. Need I say more? Crew loved it. He spent two perfectly content hours splashing in water, gardening, coming down the slide and building with giant blocks.

His eyes were as big as doughnut holes as he watched all the older kids run around. For a kid who is most speedy as a crawler, he was much more interested in me helping him walk from display to display. I think he definitely felt some peer pressure to be walking.

Cousin Nixsen felt like a pro at the museum and did such a good job of showing Crew just how everything worked!

And....totally unrelated to the information above, I got tired of our usual lunch fare this week and decided to feed Crew some pasta and marinara sauce. About two bites in, I realized what a messy lunch this would be. Yes, I had to mop and wipe everything within four square feet of his plate....but look at that smile! He was sick of my sandwiches, too.

Glamorous Yard Work

2011-04-04T11:06:00.000-07:00

In addition to enjoying General Conference, we were able to steal a few hours in between sessions to try and keep momentum in the yard.

Earlier in the week, we had a visit from the aeration men.

I seriously hate all the turd looking clumps but Cole has me convinced it was a necessary step towards the luscious yard I so desire. I thought I could avoid it by saying it was too expensive, but it turns out that it's really cheap. Dirt cheap, even. :)

All the dirt clumps did result in some entertaining footage of the lil guy. Not sure how much dirt he ate before we noticed but the evidence is all over his face. The joys of parenting a little boy.

Untitled from Maura Lansford on Vimeo.

In our quest for the perfect-for-us yard, we are currently doing a lot of removing. It's free and getting rid of ugly is the first step towards making it beautiful! We're trying to brainstorm uses for 60 perfectly good (but ugly) cement cylinders.... Ideas?

Weekend Fun

2011-03-27T05:22:00.000-07:00

After the busy-week-that-would-not-end, we were able to enjoy a work-free weekend together! Hurray! I know that everyone is busy so I don't want to complain (too much), but man, I love when the weekend comes and Cole and I can spend some time together. Even if we are just doing amazingly exciting things like...measuring the yard for a sprinkler system. :)

The yard was originally outfitted with a system of yore, but years of renters ignoring the yard made its fair share of broken, overgrowth-covered sprinkler heads and just plain sketchy plumbing.

Luckily, Cole has family in the plumbing supply biz, so we'll have some much needed guidance going into this project. On Saturday we took the first step - Drawing out the yard to scale so that the plumbing supply store can let us know exactly what we need. An hour or two in the yard reminded us just how much work needs to be done. Unless we want Crew to disappear into the hole from the old For Sale sign, we better get to planning!

We are also enjoying the fruits of our first-ever Bountiful Basket. The downtown pickup time of 7 a.m. was killer but then again, so was the produce. I can't wait to enjoy this food all week long...I'm seeing some spinach n' cheese raviolis, zucchini bread and general yumminess in our future and loving it!

Thanks to the generosity of my sister-in-law, the Jazz's less-than-amazing season and my hubby's low ball offer on Jazz Flash Seats, we enjoyed watching a baby-free Mavericks victory in style. It's amazing how much the game experience improves when you don't need binoculars to see.

As always, Cole managed to make friends with the wide arrange of characters who were sitting around us. I had trouble restraining myself from snapping pics, but lets just say the Jazz fans ranged from apostle-looking types to men with fewer teeth than my one year old. :) Such a fun date.

Our Hungry Caterpillar: Crew's First Birthday

2011-03-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

To help distract me from the fact that my BABY is now a year old, I decided to focus my energy on planning a fun celebration with family and friends. Since Crew is too young to know or care about the party, I picked one of my favorite books to read with him, thus a "Very Hungry Caterpillar" theme. In my defense, Crew loves turning the different sized fruit pages.

We were lucky enough to be joined by lots of our family and friends. Thanks to everyone who made the time to celebrate with us.

(Especially the ones who drove all the way from California!)

We started out with a light picnic style dinner, complete with some of our favorite summer foods. Oh how excited I am for good produce again!

Once we were sufficiently full, we moved to the main event of the evening...the cakes...

Truth be told, this was Crew's second crack at smashing a cake. During his one year photos he had very little interest in anything other than the candle, so I was interested to see how round 2 would go....

Yeah. He figured it out just fine. Go figure.

Our lil guy is definitely a "share-er." We found that he likes to feed others as much as he enjoys eating himself.

The high chair ended up being a great place to snag a few pics with our guests.

Granjan and Granrand

The Lansford siblings

More of our favorite ladies

Some how we missed pictures of the Jones, Richins and our neighbor guests. Sorry guys!

After the food, we had fun opening Crew's gifts for him. He was a little tired at this point.

Maybe me too, a little. It's like I had never seen a Very Hungry Caterpillar-themed jack-in-the- box before...

Literally trapped by all the fun loot!

When it came time to say good night to our guests, we sent them on their way with their own customized snack mix. Just in case they were "...still hungry."

And because I had a little too much fun planning all the details...

Homemade Birthday Sign

Centerpiece

The candies are fruit-shaped runts

One year album and first finger painting project

Love my mini baskets.

And a very special thank you to Katie who designed the invites, waterbottle wraps, cupcake toppers, food labels and goody bag stickers. What a special touch!

Happy Birthday Crew. We love you!

Over the Hill and Sliding Down

2011-03-07T16:42:00.001-08:00

We celebrated my dad's 60th birthday this weekend with lots of family time in Ogden.

The weekend got off to a great start when our favorite out-of-town family arrived from Arizona. Despite several close calls, the arrival of the Depew family for the weekend was a complete and total surprise to the old man. Since this was my first time meeting Stratton, their visit felt extra special.

Nothing says, "Party!" like a Friday-night trip to Fat Cats for a night-o-bowling.

Sisters=Best Buddies

Because our bowling skills are lacking, we also enjoy

Foot poses

Head banging

Chair Spinning

Backwards Bowling

Too Cool for Skool Poses

Charm School Demonstrations

Tail Feathering it when necessary

Love them

really love him

Really, really love him

Saturday was busy with golfing for the boys, lunch dates for the girls and lots of prep work for our yummy lobster and steak dinner.

Feeling undocumented?

Following the yummy dinner, came the Bukey Family Variety Show (aka Everyone Makes Up a Song/Poem/Insert Talent, dedicated to my dad)

Come Thou Fount (Dad's Favorite Hymn)

Original Song to Oh Blah Dee Song

Mom's Amazing Randy-themed Jeopardy Game (complete with tribunes from childhood, army, midlife friends and extended family)

Not pictured but appreciated: Maura and Alyssa's Original Poem and Nicole's touching list of 60 Reasons She is Glad my Dad was Born.

One harmonized version of "Happy Birthday" later and we were ready to tie the bow on this Birthday weekend.

Love you, Dad. And Happy Birthday!!!!

T-G-I-March!

2011-03-01T15:14:00.000-08:00

Not sure if it's this beautiful 52 degree weather we're enjoying today or if I just believe that March is really inching us closer to spring, either way I am smiling from ear to ear.

March is on its way to being a chaotic, amazing and memorable month.

My family will be celebrating my dad's birthday this weekend. Can you believe this guy is 60?

I can't wait to spend quality time with the whole family!!!

After a busy weekend with the Bukey's, I get a week long visit from some super secret house guests. (So excited, so excited)

We are also looking forward to a quick Moab get away with the Lansford clan where I am aching to give this beauty a whirl...

Crossing my fingers that Crew will love it too.

After which the Lansfords will join us in SLC for a rockin' week of birthday celebrations. Get it? C for Crew and C for Cole.

Oh, and did I mentioned that my best friend will be flying into Salt Lake for a week to help us celebrate?

hmmmm.

I love you, March!

Project Backsplash: Mission Complete

2011-02-17T15:46:00.000-08:00

When it comes to home improvement projects, I have a confession. Sometimes I blog before a project to force myself to get my butt in gear.

For those who know us best, know that the kitchen backsplash has been quite the ordeal.

Frequently over the last year, we would measure the walls, spend a Saturday visiting every tile store we could think of, grab samples, test samples, crunch the numbers and then loose all motivation to actually complete the project. Either we couldn't find what we both liked or what we both liked was waaaay out of the budget.

This time, we found a perfect blend of the trendy glass tiles we love and the conservative stone our Realtor recommended. I gave you a sneak peak in the last post but just because I love it so much, here you go again. My less-than-stellar photography skills makes the tile look a little green but all the tiles are a safe, neutral brown, beige or clear color.
In all honesty, this project really took us three weekends to complete. :)

Weekend 1: We spent the weekend prepping, laying out tiles, figuring cuts, running to Home Depot to have them make the cuts, applying the tiles to the walls and generally, looking rough.
Not sure how the professionals do it, but we found unusual positions were necessary to tile the corner of the kitchen.

Weekend 2: Scrapping excess mastic out of the grout lines (this job was seriously the pits), filling the lines with grout, cleaning the tiles as quickly as we could manage and again, looking rough. With so many lines to fill and our enthusiasm for wiping excess grout with giant sponges, we later found a few areas that needed more grout. The tiny bits of tape are to give Cole a big heads up that he needs to re grout underneath the tape.

Weekend 3: Scrubbing tiles to remove excess grout from textured tiles, a little hiccup with grout remover (that started eating the edges of our tile), sealing grout lines and again, cleaning away sealer haze as quickly as we possibly could.

Once that was done, we also had to learn the finer points of reinstalling light switch and outlet covers. Surprisingly, more to it than we thought. Long and short of it, after three weeks of my kitchen looking like this: I nearly giggle every time I walk in and see this.
And I smile as I wash my hands in front of this.

What can I say? I am in love.

Boot Schooching Boogy

2011-01-28T14:55:00.000-08:00

Despite the lack of blog posts to prove it, we are keeping busy at the Lansford house. Most recently, I finished up a big tradeshow for work and then spent a week (sick) trying to recover from it. :)

The biggest news around here is that Crew is crawling like it's nobody's business. After two weeks of attempting to barricade the stairs with a loveseat, we finally broke down and bought a few baby gates. Not the most attractive looking home decor, but I feel more confident letting him run around now.

And then there's nothing like your baby's first birthday to get your butt in gear to finished up a few much needed home projects. On the docket this weekend, kitchen back splash.

He's Been Here, He's Been Here!

2011-01-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

Since the everyone is old enough to appreciate a morning to sleep in, Christmas morning at the Bukey house had a slow and lazy start to it. Just what the doctor ordered for this busy bunch.

We have adopted the Lansford tradition of a big, yummy breakfast on Christmas morning. Sausage, egg and cheese casserole has been a staple for the last few years, but this year I branched out and attempted Stacy's Famous Cinnamon Rolls. She's in no danger of losing her title but we did pretty well for our first time around.

There's no mistaking that Santa knew where Crew and Nixsen were opening presents this year. :) The old man was pretty generous to our kiddies.

Randy's "homemade" gifts

Group Shot of Christmas Dinner

Twas the Night before Christmas

2011-01-09T08:24:00.000-08:00

It was our turn to hang with the Bukey clan for Christmas this year. My parents live north of us so it just made sense to pack up all the madness of suitcases and presents, and spend a few days with them.

Christmas Eve activities included a whirlwind of Christmas movies, sugar cookie decorating, two readings of the Night before Christmas, traditional Christmas Eve PJ's and the reading of the Nativity from the Bible.

Ol' Saint Nic

2011-01-09T07:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas week, I decided it was time to make the plunge and take Crew to see Santa at the mall.

The Bukey sisters decided to make an afternoon of it and met up for a chics-only lunch at Jason's Deli. It was so nice to hang with my favorite ladies for a few hours amid the craziness of the holidays.

I think Crew felt like such a big boy in his high chair as Grandma "sneaked" him tiny pieces of fruit from the salad bar.

After lunch we headed to the mall to see Santa. An hour and a half of waiting in line later....

hmmmm. Maybe next year? :)

A Night on Temple Square

2010-12-22T12:54:00.000-08:00

On Monday night, Crew and I met Cole downtown for our first annual trip to see the lights. Being that it was the week of Christmas and Family Night, the place was a Zoo. However, we both commented how much friendlier of a Zoo it was in comparison to oh, maybe Fashion Place Mall this time of year. :)

One of my favorite parts was the little system people came up with for finding and securing a parking spot. As we were unloading the baby and all of his gear, we had several cars roll up, lower the window and holler, "Coming or Going?." For some reason I loved the random and yet, very effective nature of the cat call.

As you can see, the lil man wasn't overly thrilled to be out in the cold past his bed time. Lucky for us he was still a good sport though.

Hey Good Lookin'

2010-12-19T20:56:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned how much I love the men in my life? Between a week-long business trip to New Jersey and two weeks of prepping end-of-quarter roll overs, I am looking forward to every second I can squeeze in with my two best guys.

(Shameless pic of my handsome pair right before church today!)

The end of the week and my long holiday weekend can't come fast enough! :)

Ring in the Season

2010-12-05T14:11:00.000-08:00

The changes in my life and schedule this year sure allowed me to reevaluate the way Cole and I have celebrated Christmas in the past. It may just be the addition of a babe, but boy, am I excited to celebrate Christmas.

We decided to kick off the month by visiting the Festival of Trees. We had never been and it didn't disappoint. We got to see more than 800 different elaborately decorated Christmas trees. Extravagant and amazing don't even begin to cover the caliber of trees and the intricate displays. It was also incredibly humbling to see the pictures and read the stories of loved ones who had been treated at Primary Children's Hospital.

I should have taken more pictures but each aisle seemed more impressive (and crowded) than the last. Crew did enjoy a new point of view, though!

We could have spent hours there but it was off to set up for the ward Christmas party that night. We were given the awesome task of creating centerpieces that cost a total of zero dollars. Luckily, I had some very classy stuffing left over from Cole's Halloween costume. Add that to a few of our favorite Christmas decorations, and you have a totally free centerpiece. Everyone raved about Crew's new Lil People Nativity. Call me crazy, but I kept my eye on that one. I didn't want some cute kid going home with our Baby Jesus!

The evening's special guest had a fellow imposer. What? Not the real deal? Could have fooled me!

Although I have to say, Crew was less than impressed with the Jolly ol' Elf.

We are a little bit sad that the Activities Committee is being disbanded but secretly excited that we will enjoy next year's ham and funeral potatoes from the comfort of a metal chair. :)

Yeah for the start of Christmas fun!

My Simple Pleasures

2010-11-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

As cliche as it sounds, I swear that I will never judge other mothers again. (Glancing upward watching for lightning to strike) But seriously, I really wish that I never will again.

Everyday I am proved wrong about my former perceptions of the life of a stay-at-home, work-from-home, insert-your-situation-here mom. Gone are my assumptions of "all the time in the world" to craft, read, cook, clean, budget, serve, etc. I feel accomplished to just shower, work a few hours, have the bed made and grilled cheese 'n ham sandwiches on the table by 7 when Cole comes home. :0

With that in mind, I decided to celebrate a few projects that I am especially excited to have done. Because in my world, they are my recent, simple pleasures.

Finishing the quilt for Stratton James Depew.

My sister welcomed her first baby to the world two weeks ago, and this quilt was finished and in mail just after his arrival. I average about one quilt project a year (usually prompted by a birth) and this was my second of the year. I love putting my heart and a few pricked fingers into a gift that will be used by the person I love. Since Stratton is so far away, I like thinking that he will wrapped up in my love before he even meets me. Cheesy, yes. True, double yes.

Filling the blank void above Crew's changing table.

I have pined for this wall hanging since three weeks before Crew was born.

Since they never went on sale, I finally had to face the fact that I needed to fill the void with something else.

My favorite photo from Crew's newborn session was a no brainer but big, inexpensive art can be hard to come by. I snatch up the rainbow/family print while at a baby blessing in Utah county. I went out in the hall and found a table of art work the church library was giving away. Cole was mortified that I took it, but why not, right?

The ABC's were actually a puzzle we found on sale while at the Pottery Barn outlet last month. I love the colors and there is no way I could have found a 24x36 piece of art for that price!

The Patio is Finally Poured.
Yes, we prepped the ground for the patio back in September. Yes, my husband was pouring concrete while snowing was swirling around him. Yes, I will be enjoying a mug of hot chocolate on this concrete slab in exactly one week (once it is cured). (Squeal!)

Hurray for the little things!

Home from the Springs.

2010-11-02T06:14:00.000-07:00

We were able to sneak away for a long weekend to visit our favorite people in Colorado Springs--Jarad and Ashley!

It had been a few months since we saw them last so when a cheap flight deal landed on the weekend of a Utah vs. Air Force game, there was no turning back.

After flying into Denver and driving down to the Springs, we decided to check out the Western Omelette. A local burrito joint, made famous by it incredibly hot green chili sauce. The restaurant's motto is "Can you take the heat?," and boy, did we try. Cole was brave and tried the hot sauce. The rest of us agreed the mild had more than enough zing and flavor for our taste buds.

That night Ashley's brother and sister-in-law were gracious enough to watch the bambino for us while we rooted on the Utes to a close victory over Air Force. Our camera was left in the car so maybe a few of Ashley's photos will make their way on here later?

Sunday afternoon we made our way over to the Garden of the Gods. Wow, what a cool place to walk, jog, climb and bike.

Cole loves to perch our son in random places that look dangerous and then send pics to Grandma Lansford to make her freak out. We were also able to snag a few fun family pics.

A too-chilly-for-Crew Monday morning canceled a short hike that we had planned but all was made right when Jarad's boss surprised us and sent him home with the day off. With an entire day to play, we headed to Denver.

I had never been to the Denver Temple so we took a few minutes to stroll around the grounds and snap pics.

Although none of us are overly fish-loving people, we decided to check out the Denver Aquarium for the lil man. Two and a half hours later, we left still talking about the many cool, disgusting and amazing creatures inside.

As you can see, the visit to see the fish was a big hit with both my guys.

On our way out we ate an early dinner at Beau Joes. Winner, Winner, Pizza dinner! This place had the freshest toppings and to-die-for whole wheat crust. The crust is so yummy and thick, in fact, that they bring out honey for you eat with the crust separately. At this point in the day, I was lazy and didn't take any pics, but another great place to eat if you are ever in Colorado.

With full bellies and a tired lil boy it was time to head back to the airport. Thanks for such a fun weekend guys!

Ghoulishy Good Times

2010-10-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

This week our ward hosted a Fall Party/Costume Parade at the ward house (don't you love how PC we are?). We started out with an easy dinner of sloppy joes and salads while everyone arrived and got settled.

Being on the committee, Cole and I got to plan and MC the entertainment aka "Minute to Win it" games. We had a couple games for the adults including Junk in the Truck and Dizzy Mummy. So glad we have good sports in our ward!

I had no idea how excited the kids would be by the games. We did Hanky Panky, Dizzy Mummy and the Paper Dragon. Even after the party, the kids were asking if they could take turn trying out the games.

Right after the games, the kids got to parade around the gym in their costumes while collecting candy from the adults. I was able to catch a few favorites for a pic. While I don't have pictures to support it, it is worth noting that the world is indeed safe...I counted no fewer than nine Buzz Lightyears ready to fly off and save the day.

At first I was bummed we didn't get to decorate cars in true Tunk or Treat fashion, boy, did I change my mind when we looked outside. Over the course of the party, it snowed an inch!

And of course, our favorite lil monkey!

He likes it! Hey Crew!

2010-10-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

Now that Crew is creeping up on 7.5 months old, I decided that we really needed to take the plunge and try some rice cereal. I have avoided it for a few months now because nursing is so easy and honestly, this cloth diapering mama is not looking forward to the changes it will bring to our diaper changes. :)

That being said, we surged ahead.

Crew was already familiar with his baby spoons and bright orange bowl, as we had been letting him play with those when he started showing interest in our food at meals. He loves to suck on them and more recently is throwing them on the floor and then looking up at me expectantly to pick them up.

I mixed his cereal with a little bit of milk so it would be a recognizable flavor. As I inched in for the first bite, I decided to follow the wise advise from Hitch: I would go 90% and let him come the remaining 10%.

At first he didn't seem sure how to best work the spoon. However, after a few awkward licks, sucks and a little spill, we started to get the hang of things. Worked like a charm. He ate almost the entire serving.

Since the initial introduction, we have limited cereal feedings to about once a day. But looking at this face makes me think I should be doing them more often. This little guy really likes his eats!

Family Pics with Veronica Reeve

2010-10-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have been a admirer of Veronica's work for literally years. I stalk her blog, make note of cute outfit elements and mentally scout out visually interesting backdrops and locations.

She was such a pleasure to work with despite Crew's cold and less-than-stellar performance.

Check out a few teasers she posted on her blog today.

She also has a few more here.

Can't wait to place my order and get my wall decor on!

Introductions

2010-10-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

Between Crew being under the weather, family pictures and conference, we had quite the busy weekend. That being said, we did head up to Ogden to hang with the Bukeys and the Richins on Sunday afternoon.

Crew made a new friend in my older sister's dog, Ty. As you can see, Ty was the perfect gentleman until Crew decided to poke the puppy in the eye. I am surprised that Crew took to the dog so well. Cole and I are both "not animal people." Period.

Kinda feel bad for the lil guy that he will never a pup of his own but at least he will always have one of my sibling's pets to play with (my sister is always working her husband over to get a few more).

In True Oklahoma Fashion

2010-09-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

As all of you know I am not the blogger of the family but in this case we are making an exception. Last night we rounded up my sisters and headed out to the State Fair. Crew got his first up close exposure to cows, goats, sheep, and rabbits. He couldn't help but just stare and I'm sure in his mind he was saying what the crap are those. No pony rides yet for the little man...but for Maura it was a different story...

Along came "T-Bone" the bull, the State Fair's own mechanical bull. We couldn't help but see if this Oklahoma girl still had any country in her. Well...you tell me? The evidence is pretty convincing!

Will someone please get this one a hat and some boots!

On another note, Today, Maura hits the big 27! Happy birthday from Crew and I. We Love you SO much! Thanks for being a wonderful Wife and Mom.

Game Faces: Crew @ Utah Football Game

2010-09-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

So as much as I love to stay positive about what I post on my blog, I have a little confession. Remember when we were so excited to take our 6 month old son to a University of Utah football game?

We gave it a whirl last weekend and came away with a big fat FAIL on that one. As a preface, I did the best I could to create the best scenario possible.

Fact: I woke up an hour early to get his schedule "on track" to have him just waking up as we arrived at the game. Hopefully, giving us three happy (awake) hours to cheer on the Utes. I was sure that he might be a little fussy at the end from being tired, but Cole and I agreed that we could live with leaving a few minutes early if need be.

Fact: I had a full bottle to handle the hunger situation.

Fact: We were armed with our baby ear plugs. Having successfully used them through several Bees games this summer, I was silly enough to think they would block out most of the noise.

Result: Crew was in the stadium a total of 2 minutes before he was belligerently screaming. Nothing I did could calm him down. I learned that my son is talented enough to cry and drink a bottle at the same time.

So Crew and I retreated under the stadium, found a little shade and snapped this phone pic.

And, yes, Aunt Baylee will be babysitting for the rest of the season. :)

Laborious Labor Day :)

2010-09-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

The home of our dreams has left much to be desired in the way of a back yard but we have dreams and visions of it becoming a place where we love to host parties, watch Crew play and just hang out. Unfortunately, hosting much of anything has proved to be difficult since the home never had so much as a slab of concrete to house the beloved grill.

We were able to make the space work for Crew's blessing party, thanks to a tent rental, but I hardly doubt my husband will let me rent a tent every time we want company over.

So when we saw that a neighbor was extending his driveway, my excavating-skilled brother would be in town for a few weeks and we had a long weekend to dig... it lit the fire under our butts for getting started on a patio.

So here is a little "before" action for ya. We spent Saturday marking out what we wanted, moving all those rocks from underneath the stairs and rototilling a beatiful 13x13 section of our lawn.

Don't be fooled, people, the ground above looks all soft and ready for digging but you are wrong. Beneath the first 2 inches of dirt lay a hot mess of white clay. As an Oklahoma gal, I am used to working with this hard and stubborn stuff but what a surprise to find it here in Utah!

We opted to run a slow sprinkler over the ground on Sunday evening so that the ground would be ready for us first thing Monday morning.

And then we dug,

and dug,

and, seriously, dug some more.

By the end of Monday, we had a beautiful 8-inch deep hole in our back yard. Next we have to get the framing up and fill the first few inches with gravel. But first, we need a few days to regain feeling in our backs and shoulders. :)

My neighbors always question what we do with Crew while we are working. Have they met my kid? He took two amazing naps and chilled in his pack and play under a tree while he was awake. Love him!

Time for Kick Off

2010-09-08T13:26:00.000-07:00

The Lansford clan has anxiously awaited the start of the Utah Utes' football season. We scouted all over town for the best priced gear (yeah for padded seating), followed up often on the estimated arrival date for our season tickets and blocked out the dates of every home game on our various calendars.

And just when we thought we couldn't wait any longer... the big day arrived. Although Cole had to remain professional (the season opener was a Thursday), Crew and I dawned our crimson gear for the entire day.

Check out our little stud. Don't know if you noticed, but he loves red.

We decided to leave the lil man with Aunt Baylee and Taylor for the evening game, but can't wait for him to join us this weekend when we have an afternoon game.

Go Utes!

A Quick Escape

2010-07-18T19:12:00.000-07:00

Any summer that we can, we escape up to MT for a few days at Swan Lake. This is one of my most favorite spots in the world and I have been looking forward to showing it to Crew.

The cabin is several hours away and despite being nervous of how Crew would do for that long in his car seat, he was a champ!

As a preface, the cabin is being built in stages. One outstanding item being a shower. We were however, able to craft a pretty awesome version of a shower with a newly installed garden hole. So we are clean, but definitely not our cutest!

The first night the mommies took to bathing the babies in a big plastic bin. My mom has a similar photo of me as a baby, except I was being bathed in a metal pot. Crew and Nixson were good sports but for now, I think Crew wants to stick to his own plastic tub at home.

Being at the cabin is all about being lazy, My favorite lazy spot is the beach. With Cole and the boys golfing most of the days, we jimmy-rigged this awesome spot for crew to lounge.

The family enjoyed their fair share of cards, scrabble and that game with the pebbles. What is that one called?

Crew had no shortage of admirers who wanted to play with him. I think his expression here sums it up nicely.

Such a nice place to relax. Loved it, just loved it.

Disclaimer: We took this vacation the last week in July and I am just posting about it now because I am trying to avoid being post-less this month. Hoping to get my camera back from my mom...so more posts coming soon.

Lazy Saturday Afternoon

2010-07-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

After a couple extra busy weeks of work, chores and places to go, we enjoyed a Saturday afternoon at home. Crew and I were able to lay out a blanket under the shade of our biggest tree and just relax.

I love watching him taking in new things that he has never seen before.

Don't you just love how the shadows bounce around his little face?

He has been very excited about sucking on those little fingers lately. I am a little worried he may choose to take after his dad. Any guesses on how long Cole sucked his thumb? (love ya honey!)

My neighbor Liz came over to share this yummy watermelon. The perfect summer treat.

Oh, and did I mention that while we were sitting on our tushies Cole insalled the coolest new house numbers for us?

The duct tape was our super classy template. I plan to show them off once we finish a few other "front door" projects.

I <3 Saturdays.

A Name and a Blessing

2010-07-01T05:15:00.000-07:00

On Sunday May 30, 2010 we were able to officially give Crew a name and a blessing in our ward. Because of my sister's wedding the day before, we were able to benefit from the blessing of extra family in town for the special weekend.

Cole gave Crew a beautiful and simple blessing, encouraging him to learn the teachings of the gospel, courageously surround himself with good influences and look for opportunities to serve the Lord.

Following the blessing, we had the gang over for some food and family time. Thanks to my talented friend, Jarad, we have some awesome pictures of the festivities.

The first order of business was to document both sides of the family. In addition to everyone who lives in Utah, I was lucky enough to also have my sister Alyssa and brother Bryan in town from Arizona and Oregon. It felt wonderful to have so much of the family together.

We were also blessed that Wes and Stacy were able to join us from Texas. Here is a pic of the Lansford clan.

Because we were a little anxious to get the grill up and going we missed official photos of the Tipps and Richins, who were also wonderful enough to join us for the party.

Grill, did you say grill? Yes, my friends. Cole finally got his grill. This has been a desired purchase since the day we went under contract for our beautiful patio-less backyard.

I warn you. The man makes a killer kabob.

Don't you love how fancy photography can make regular food look special? :)

We love our friends (here and here).

Katie, how did we not get a cute picture together?

Such a fun day.

Yes, he got stuck and wasn't sure how to get back down.

Nothing like a little weekend sunbathing.

Last but not least. My little guy was such a champ. Between his Binky, a quick nap before the BBQ and all the "loves" from his favorite people, Crew was such a good little boy.

Couldn't you just eat him up?

Rain = Outdoor Shopping

2010-06-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

The rain this weekend kept us from working on a few outdoor projects so...we decided to head to Park City for a little retail therapy. For anyone who knows me, I love me some outlet shopping. We always start at the bottom of the outdoor mall by JCrew and then slowly make our way around.

With our beautiful lil addition we have now learned that if we want to make it to even half our favorite stores, we must hustle and choose our stores wisely.

Armed with a bottle and two diapers still didn't afford us a full three hours of shopping.

That being said, I learn a few tricks every time we go. So far:

Tip 1: Be prepared to changed a diaper on the pubic changer or on the front seat of the car. You never know when the family bathroom will be occupied by a mall employee who is trying to change her clothes for a date.

Tip 2: The mall has one rocking chair for nursing mothers. A quick trip in advance to every bathroom may be necessary to locate. In case of a meltdown, it will be worth it.

Tip 3: The Crocs store has a pair of cushy chairs at the front of their store. Low traffic and a husband who is great at acting like he is anxiously looking for a pair of shoes will score you at least a half hour sit. (Should you have made the mistake of not locating the rocking chair)

Tip 4: Always bring your carrier canopy and a blanket. The mall designed the ramped areas (for handicapped and stroller-ed guests ) outside the covered walk ways. Staying dry or in the shade will be nearly impossible.

Tip 5: Purposefully forget your water bottle in the car. By the time to make it to the top of the hill, you will be dying of thirst and will be "forced" to make a trip to the TCBY by Old Navy. SCORE!

Discount shopping, whatever the hassles, is totally worth it. I will share more wisdom as I learn. For now I will leave you with a few shots of us before we left, while we were still dry.

Marriage Is What Brings Us Together Today

2010-06-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

Gotta reference a classic where you can, right?
Saturday of our jam-packed Memorial Day weekend included my sister Anne's wedding. The happy couple was married and celebrated their special day at Tuscany Gardens in Roy, Utah. Despite my best efforts to fulfill my bridesmatronly duties and document with photography, the photos in this post have been shanghaied from Michelle Raye's blog, my sister's uber talented photographer. (Her photos are clearly watermarked)
We were lucky enough to have almost everyone there (we missed you Briggs!) and were super excited that our aunt and cute cousins were able to make it down from Montana.
I know I am biased, but isn't my cousin Carson the cutest ever? The couple had an outdoor wedding surrounded by family and friends. As the bishop of my parent's ward was conducting the ceremony I couldn't help but think back to the day that Cole and I were married. So excited, a little nervous and unable to snag a bite of that delicious food we had spent so much time planning.

Like Anne and Lucas' ceremony, we too were told that the most successful marriages were those that included not two but three individuals.

That Christ, at the center of any marriage, is a the rock that will help you pull you through tough times, savor the beautiful ones and overlook those *dang* dress socks your husband never quite manages to get into the dirty clothes bin. OK, so maybe I added that last one on my own. :)

Seriously, though.

We love you guys and are super excited for your new journey together!

Family Fun Night

2010-06-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

Days after, I am still basking in the fun we had over this Memorial day weekend. We were able to host family and friends for a wedding, baby blessing and birthday party all packed into just a few days.

The night before Annie's wedding us sisters had a grand plan to take her out on the town for one last night of bachelorhood-like freedom. This ended up being a struggle as we tried to figure out what would be fun for us old fart mommies and Anne's friends (college freshmen). We were also torn about leaving our two bros who were in town for all the festive activities.

Hence, emerged Family Fun Night.

We loaded up the cars and proceeded to Ogden's finest bowling alley and arcade. There was bowling, "dance, dance revolutioning," pizza and lots of laughs.

What a fun night! I love you guys!

Wedding Shower of Firsts

2010-05-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

So have I mentioned that my baby sister is getting married? Yep, its true. It is hard to believe that she is really all grown up but we couldn't be more excited for the couple-to-be.

In their honor, we hosted a bridal shower last weekend complete with:

a mini candy station

a tree of well wishes

along with tons of creative gifts to help the couple celebrate their many upcoming "firsts." Here she is opening her first junk drawer. I mean, how can you start your marriage without post its, tape, pens and a box of Trojans? Aren't my sisters-in-law the cutest?

Unfortunately, we were too busy running around organizing food, chatting with old friends and trying to get the fiance video interview to play to get better photos of us sisters enjoying ourselves.

Note to self: Snap more exciting pics once everyone (including Alyssa!) is in town for the wedding next week.

2010-05-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Crew,
You are just a little over two months old and every day you fill my life with more joy than I ever knew was possible. Every coo, smile and clasp of your little fingers hits me to my core. There are moments when I just look at you, lift my hand to my heart, pat twice and say "Pitter Pat." My heart is not quite sure what to do with all this new found love.

I love getting to watch your growing little leg rolls, facial expressions and sounds as you begin to discover your little voice.

I am so excited for everything to come.

Thanks for being my new little bud.

Love,

Mom

One Month In

2010-04-12T10:29:00.000-07:00

Crew's First Month (and glowing accomplishments) In Review:

-Meeting the Families
-Nursing (pretty) well
-Hanging in his Boppy
-Perching on Daddy's shoulder
-Sleeping in the Pack N Play
-Demanding his pacifier
-Immediately spitting it out
-Pooping
-Smirking and smiling during his BMs

The past month has flown by and I can hardly believe how much Crew is growing. I am also surprised at how much I have enjoyed getting to spend almost every minute with this lil guy. I feel like I have a new little buddy for all my daily activities and revel in each of his milestones and changes. What a whirlwind of events, emotions and learning moments for both Cole and I.

Not surprisingly, I am now convinced the motherhood will be the hardest and most rewarding venture of my life. I am so grateful for the privilege to be Crew's mother.

The Prince's Pad

2010-03-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

One of the funnest parts of being pregnant was planning Crew's nursery. I had hours of fun pouring over blogs, magazines and Web sites dreaming about what colors he might like, theme vs. no theme, how to get furniture I liked without paying an arm and a leg, and so much more.

Because I had so much fun, this may be the longest home improvement post I have ever written. If you don't need the play by play, see the two collages below. If you want the nitty gritty, keep reading.

and

Hope you enjoy; this is our favorite room yet!

Just three months ago, our designated baby room looked a little like this:

and this

Amidst months of home renovations, this room became the perfect "catch all" for Christmas decorations, out-of-season clothing and home decor that still needed to be unpacked and put on display.

Once we cleared out all of the bins and such, we got to work prepping the ceilings and walls for some much needed color. This included patching the walls and removing literally 10 ceiling hooks like these:

While we appreciated a good hook as much as the next guy, our most recent theory is that the room served as a green house of hanging plants for some previous owner.

Once the walls and ceiling had been prepped and primed, it came time to choose the wall color.

Knowing that we wanted fun colors and visual interest, our weekend of paint sampling resulted in the following finalists:

It was a tight race between the green and dark blue but we played it a little bit safe with the wall color knowing that there were a lot of colors and patterns to follow. Because of the bold nature of the blue, we used it as an accent wall and finished off the other three walls in a cream that had just a hint of blue added.

Uninspired by any of the bedding I could afford, I took my mom up on an offer to help me with a bumper pad and crib skirt. I planned to round out the bedding with a homemade quilt by yours truly. After weeks of combing local fabric stores, I fell head over heels in love with this collection by local designer Riley Blake:

With our basic inspiration in line, it was time to tackle our storage issues. The closets of a 1960's split level leave much to be desired. The addition of a baby didn't change the fact that Cole would continue to need the baby room closet for his clothes.

Thanks to the "Billy" closets at Ikea and a little brainstorming by Cole, we were able to come up with a storage solution that gave us bukoos of storage, cute shelves for decorating and a kind of swanky built in storage look.

Cole started with two six foot bookshelves and mounted them to the wall. He then added the half sized shelves in front of the original bookshelves and bracketed them to each other. We finished each new storage unit off with doors and beautiful pulls from Anthropologie.

Butting the two shelves together gave us a really deep space for drawer length containers that now hold Crew's clothes, accessories, bath necessities and everything else he needs.

With the storage dilemma solved we added the recliner and changing station.

The recliner was a no-brainer once we realized that we would end up paying the same amount for a quality wood glider as we would a gliding recliner. Plus, the cheap-os in us love the idea that when we no longer need the chair for rocking little ones to sleep, it is neutral enough that we can use it in another room of the house.

Normally I think changing tables are just another piece of expensive furniture for new parents to buy. However, since we plan to try reusable diapers (once Crew is big enough to fit into them) I figured it would be a good investment to have a designated station for all the diapering "stuff."

The matching changing table for our amazing find of a crib was going to set us back a whopping $450, so we opted for a similar styled table with a dramatically smaller price tag (gotta love online shopping).

Favorite finishing touches like the letters

these curtains

and stocking the shelves

proved to be the perfect projects for Stacy (Cole's mom) and I as we patiently waited for the lil man to make his appearance.

Of course lengthy descriptions aside, this finishing touch was the only thing I needed to make the nursery complete.

We just love this guy!

"New Mommy" State of Mind

2010-03-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

What a blur the last two weeks have been at the Lansford house!

We welcomed our first baby, are conquering nursing one feeding at a time, hosted the Bukey's for Dad birthday dinner, celebrated a too-low-key birthday for Cole, survived three doctor's appointments and even managed a few afternoon trips to run errands with the family. With all the help from family and friends I have been surprised and maybe a little overly confident about my recovery.

(i.e) Last night we made a diaper run to the local Walmart. We walked in, bought the diapers and walked right back out. Conversation consisted of mindless chatter about how surprised we are at the number of newborn diapers Crew goes through each day.

As we approached the car, Cole grabbed the carrier and I dutifully pushed the cart to the cart holder, while thinking about just how well we have our roles down. We drive home.

As we pull into the driveway I turn around to grab the diapers and take them inside, when I realize they are nowhere to be found. (86 pack of newborn diapers gone=26 dollar loss)

Cole looks at me incredulously and says, "Did you not grab the diapers out of the cart?"

We raced back to the store and with a little luck (I mean, it is Walmart), our diapers were sitting right in the cart where I left them.

Breathing a huge sign of relief, we finally let ourselves have a good laugh on the way home.

...Although a little crazy and sleep deprived, this new mommy will get it eventually.

Crew Wesley Lansford

2010-03-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

Crew Wesley Lansford
Tuesday March 9, 2010
3:31 p.m.
6 lbs 15 ounces
20 inches

What's In a Name?

2010-02-25T13:20:00.000-08:00

With just a week left before we meet baby Lansford, the topic of the lil one's name is a frequent source of conversation.

As a nod to tradition, the baby's middle name will be Wesley to show proper respect to the many other first born Lansford men before him.

Oh, and did I mention that I am totally cheesy and want the baby to have the same monogram as Cole so we are limited to "C" first names only?

I put up a poll on the side of the blog with a few of our top name choices and would be interested to know which ones our friends and family like best. If you have a moment of baby-naming inspiration and want to add a name to our list of "Names to Consider"...let us know. We are still open!

We are pretty sure we won't make a final decision until we officially meet the bundle of joy but a list of top two or three names would sure help the "crazy planner" in me feel more prepared.

Happy Love Day

2010-02-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

Even though it is now Tuesday, I am still basking in the fun of a much-needed long weekend. In addition to the day off, Cole and I were lucky enough to have two house guests!

Ashley and Jarad were in town celebrating his grandpa's birthday and as hosts we got to steal them for the better part of the weekend.

Among the fun activities, the boys took us to Tepanyaki for a wonderful Valentines dinner. It was my first time at a hibachi grill and I had a blast as our cook sliced, diced, threw and prepared each portion of our meal.

Besides the good food and entertainment, it was awesome to have such good friends here to share it. Love you guys!

Riding in Style

2010-02-10T15:55:00.000-08:00

Confession, folks.

We are pretty obsessed with the child-to-be.

The photos below will only begin to prove our nerdiness when it comes to preparing for the lil man.

So thanks to the generosity of both the Bukey and Lansford grandparents, our tyke's Chicco Key Fit Stroller arrived earlier this week. After an immediate and pretty painless assembly, we were itchin' to take this baby for a test ride.

Cole, ever the cautious daddy, wanted to figure out how all the snaps, levers and pulls would work.

Using our only available model, Cole and I tracked about the house taking the "baby" in and out of the carrier, stroller and base. Watch out road, this baby is ready to ride in style!

Substitute baby...

Cole with the carrier...

Ready for our first walk...

A La Basement Bathroom

2010-02-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

Although this project has been done for a couple months now, I still thought it would be fun to post a few pictures of our finished basement bathroom. For those of you who don't remember what we started with, the bathroom used to consist of a vanity and a sadly misplaced toilet. We decided to add an oversized shower and replace both the old toilet and vanity and tile the floor. Add a bright splash of color to the walls, super sexy glass tiles and a few white towels/accessories and, Wallah!

Before:

After:

Planning for the Photo Shoot

2010-01-25T15:45:00.001-08:00

I will admit that coming back to work after a long and busy tradeshow week led my mind to wander towards some more superficial baby planning today...

Forget the fact that the baby bed featured in the post below and a few pairs of baby shoes is all we have to show for the last 7.5 months of pregnancy....I am ready to plan for the newborn photo shoot!

A few well spent minutes on etsy.com helped me come up with a few favorites for the standard "naked newborn with cute head gear" photos we have to look forward to. Feel free to weight in on your favorites!

I think this elfish special from deusprovidebit might be delightful.

Although this one from knitrgal might be perfect for our little pea in the pod.

From the same vendor, just cause we hope this little one doesn't fall too far from the tree....

I love the colors and brim of this one by preppypeach but wonder if it would be better once he is older?

In case baby lansford shares his father's first love, ForStitchesSake has us covered.

And my personal favorite. adriennekinsella's design will show who will be the king of our house.

Baby's Got a Bed

2010-01-09T19:08:00.000-08:00

One word....

SWOON!

Thank you, oh thank you Clearance "As Is" section of RC Willey's outlet store. You have helped me achieve my dream of owning this simple, beautiful and "oh so modern" crib.

The babe is kicking with excitement.

O.K.

Needless to say, this mommy-to-be is chomping at the bit to get cracking on the rest of the nursery.

A Texas Christmas

2009-12-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

As the title of the post suggests, we were able to spend Christmas in Texas with the Lansfords this year.

Some of our non-Christmas related highlights included:

Lunch date with high school besty, Hanna

Shopping at every mall in the Dallas/Fort Worth area

Buffalo Wild Wings night with the Larson Family

A tour of the New Dallas Cowboy Stadium

Legit Texas BBQ with Adam, Tiffany and (little did we know) baby-to-be

Decent wins @ Bowl Games for both Mountain West schools

Four wheeling around "the track"

Shopping for Conner/Cannon/Parker/Logan/Liam with Grandma Lansford

An embarrassing number of trips to Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy

and so much more...

The hour plus-long walking tour of the New Cowboy Stadium was a bit of a struggle for this prego, but we are sure glad we went. "Jerry World" as we lovingly refer to the new billion dollar stadium is quite the facility and pretty much worth every penny of the tour ticket. Did you know the Jonas brothers paid 8 grand to play halo on the stadium's big screen the day of their Dallas concert?

Not to be outdone, Texas surprised us with a white Christmas this year. It started snowing the evening before Christmas Eve day and 3-4 inches of snow stuck with us through the end of the holiday. Christmas at the Lansfords also means days and days of good meals, football, movies, games and quality time with the extended family.

We are so incredibly grateful for the time we got to spend with the family. Merry Christmas!

The Feel of Carpet between Our Toes

2009-11-18T14:18:00.000-08:00

Oh glorious carpet!

Yesterday we installed carpet in our basement family room, guest room and hallway. Cole and I wasted no time enlisting a friend to help us drag in our TV and couch. "Lie to Me" (DVR'ed) was never quite so enjoyable. I look forward to vacuuming it again tonight, just because I can.

Feast your eyes on our flecked beige carpet, perfectly butted with our now-finished baseboards and trim. We are itching to entertain our Thanksgiving guests with our comfy new floors.

Movie Night Anyone?

Celebrating Halloween in Style

2009-10-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

Cole's office decided to throw a Halloween party for employee's kids this afternoon and were, of course, encouraged to dress up in costumes. After bouncing around every possible idea, including dressing up like the gang from Jon and Kate plus 8, his team settled on a "Christmas" theme.

Enjoy the photos below of his clan in their ugly grandma sweaters, amid holiday decorations, ready to pass out their candy canes.

Their boss, Teddi, was out of the office today, so they dressed up the little bear to "represent"...

Snips, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails...

2009-10-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

If you were taking the voting seriously, majority rules. Our ultrasound yesterday confirms we are having a BOY!

Ultrasounds to follow. Now to figure out this scanner...

Up on the Countertops and Dance!

2009-10-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

Ok. No worries about that happening here, but we were really excited to see our counter tops installed this week. Our contractor worked with North Salt Lake Marble/Granite and we are really pleased with how they turned out.

See below for a few befores and afters. The plumber will follow later this week to put in our final plumbing and faucet.

Is "Baby Bump" a Boy or Girl?

2009-10-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

It's that time folks. Today's doctor's appointment should let us know if we are expecting a boy or girl this March. If not, we have a second ultrasound scheduled in a week that should definitely clinch it.

Cole and I have affectionately taken to referring to the child as "the bump" or "the baby bump" and are both hoping that knowing the gender will make this whole experience seem a little less surreal. Plus it'll be fun to start thinking about nurseries and baby names!

Stealing an idea from a similar post by a friend, here are our personal predictions:

Maura: This mommy-to-be feels like a big slacker. I have no idea what the gender of our baby will be. However, I am a huge sucker for those flower bows the size of your baby girl's head and the idea of a big sister. Although, who wouldn't want a mini-me version of Coleman?

Cole: Lets get real. I am the second oldest in my family. The oldest is my sister Baylee. Maura as well is the second oldest and has an older sister. Maura's older sister, Nicole, just had her first child and its a girl...see a pattern? Well, I think its about time the pattern is broken. My prediction is a boy to buck the trend. Our families are due for a boy to be the first.

Our officially, not official poll is located to the right. What do you think it will be?

Work Weekends 6, 7 & 8

2009-10-04T07:56:00.000-07:00

Despite the lack of posts on the topic, we are still very busy working on the house.

In the last couple weekends we added all new windows (separate post to follow), finished tiling and sealing the grout for the basement bathroom, installed all of our closet doors and trimmed out the entire main level. Cole has also been busy trimming trees, moving rocks and generally clearing all the little areas of stuff around the yard.

In addition to the planned efforts, we had a few surprises. Our roof has a little leak, our furnace is original to the house-not three years old, and our mortgage was sold to another lender which delayed getting some of our cash to work on the bigger projects.

That being said, we are rolling right along. We love sitting back and looking at a part of a room that is almost there. In these tired moments we get a glimpse of how worthwhile all of this will be.

Since budgets (and FHA) dictate this handrail must stay, Cole gave it a good sanding, two coats of black spray paint and a beautiful matte finish.

Please expand larger. Please ohhh, please ahhh!

As previously mentioned, in 1961 there was no such thing as "standard pre hung doors." Rather, folks used their own handy skills at cutting door holes and filling them with semi-custom doors in sizes that don't exist any more. As years went by, people continued to paint and reuse the same doors until the poor doors looked something like this.

Luckily, my dad is a genius and was able to frame out all the doors to an almost standard size, we found a door place that didn't charge an arm and leg to help us mark and cut special doors, and this weekend we hung some doors.

Snow is a good reminder

2009-10-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

that at some point Cole and I needed get the furnace checked out.

When I was scouting out a good price for a furnace tune up this morning I came across this Utah Diva Deal.

http://www.utahdealdiva.com/2009/09/incredible-deal-on-furnace-inspections.html

$50.00=cleaning, lubricating, replacing filter, carbon check, green sticker and the peace of mind that heating our house this month won't result in burning down our new home.

The few companies I called this morning were quoting me upwards of 100 bucks, so check it out.

You just have to schedule an appointment before EOD tomorrow.

Labor Day in the Mile High City!

2009-09-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend, Cole and I opted to escape all labors and visit our friends, Jarad and Ashley, in Colorado. Jarad had vowed to run a marathon before his 30th birthday next month and we thought it was the perfect opportunity to support him and have an awesome weekend with friends. We started the weekend with golf/girl chats in Loveland and then shopping and eating in Estes Park.

The next day we headed into Denver for a very full day of the Denver Art Museum, the Taste of Denver, yummy lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings and shopping at the Outlet Mall in Castlerock.

On Monday, we were up bright and early to support Jarad as he ran the American Discovery Trail marathon. So much fun!

We had a great weekend! Thanks, guys.

Camping in a New-to-You House

2009-08-31T07:39:00.000-07:00

So...Cole and I decided to move into our house this weekend!

No, we are not done but we are 100 percent ready to be troopers and make things work for a "couple of weeks." That being said we are without a fully functioning kitchen and as a result, are enlisting your help.

We do have:
basement refrigerator
microwave
rice cooker
crock pot

Any ideas on how I can keep us feed quickly, easily and without a lot of fast food? (P.S. Our only running water is in the bathroom so extra points if your meal ideas use very few dishes!)

Projects of WW 5

2009-08-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

Work Weekend 5 has been a beautiful continuation of work week 5.

During the Week:
Baseboards and Casings - Our pre-primed baseboards and casings were delivered to our driveway on Tuesday afternoon. Cole and I were able to spend every evening this week painting these babies so they would be ready for my dad this weekend. (Too much painting; no time for photos)

Kitchen Cabinets - The cabinet guys arrived from Idaho on Thursday afternoon with our java colored kitchen cabinets and bench. By noon on Friday morning, you could kind of get an idea of what the room is going to look like.

Weekend Projects:
Basement Baseboards and Casings - Where to start? If you are following this process, then you are aware that our house may not have a single square corner, level floor or straight door jam. Despite that, my dad was able to make really good progress hanging door casings and baseboards in the basement. This project will span the next week or so, but it felt good to get so much done downstairs.

Basement Bathroom Tile - When we first toured our house, the basement bathroom really stuck out as an oddity to us. The basement bathroom is almost the exact same size as the upstairs bathroom but had only a sink and a toilet. The last of which was positioned almost in the middle of room.

We immediately decided to add a tub and replace the linoleum with tile. After recommendations from parents, contractor and plumber we re-opted for an over-sized shower.

With rough in plumbing and sheetrock done, mom and I decided to get started on that tile. Photos taken about 10:30 p.m.

Entryway stairs - A seemingly small project that has spanned the last several weeks. The area quickly lost the nasty carpet, but upon removal we discovered more than four layers of paint separated us from the beautiful pine floors. We have lost count of the number of layers of paint stripper, the hours of chiseling, scraping and orbital sanding, not to mention the number of people who have braved this chore. To everyone, thanks. We are finally ready for some stain.

After all the projects, I am so grateful for a quiet Sunday of relaxing!

Adventures of Tiling a Kitchen

2009-08-09T06:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend we were able to prep and lay all the tile for our new kitchen floor. With cabinets on the way this week, we knew we would have to get this one done quickly and right so's not to hold anyone up.

We spent the previous weekend combing about seven different tile/flooring stores in SLC and settled on five or six finalists that made it back to the house for final judging. On Thursday night we laid them all out in the kitchen. Using our counter and cabinet samples, we systematically eliminated tiles based on color (too dark, too red, too wrong) and finish (too shiny, too many grooves, too wrong) until we landed on the undeniable winner.

We also spent Thursday sweeping, vacuuming, and swiffering every square inch of the floor, a week of drywallers will leave you with loads of dust.

Snap shot of floors, in all their tar and felt glory, prepped and ready for the next step.

Given the nature of the original surface and that fact that floors in old homes are rarely level and walls are almost never really straight, our next order of business was to lay backer board to help even the playing field.

Because we settled on a diamond pattern for the floor, we knew that we would need several half and quarter tiles for around the edges. Janice anticipated this and only had to cut two more tiles last minute.

Then the process became chalk the line, line one up, spread the mastic, place the tile, adjust the tile, add the spacers, grab a "second set of eyes," and continue. Cole, a tile-laying virgin, was a model student and within a few tiles was laying them like a champ. Randy was amazing too.

Lest you think Janice and I were slacking on the job, we were busy priming and painting the kitchen walls, moving the sprinklers every 30 minutes, handing spacers and prepping next week's work space...

But until then, there is a looksy at the kitchen tiles ready for grout on Monday.

Work Weekends 1 & 2

2009-07-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

What a busy two weeks we have had! Cole was out out of town in NY for work, I was here with a trade show down at the Salt Palace and somehow, with a massive amount of help from my fam, we still managed to accomplish so much on the house!

Weekend #1 consisted of a lot of demo. My dad and brother pulled out all the ugly old 2-inch tall baseboards and moldings around the doors and the five humanly-removable layers of kitchen floor. Mom and I stayed busy cleaning everything in view, patching and sanding walls, removing porcelain tile window sills, and prepping and painting ceilings. There we are in action....

During the week, my amazing mother painted pretty much the entire house. Thank heavens for the borrowed paint sprayer! Plus, the contractor came and demoed the entire kitchen, so at this point, we really have to do this thing.

During the last two days, we pulled up all the carpet and got to sanding the wood floors beneath. I have to be honest, we were pretty scared about the condition of the floors (see nasty oil stain below) and the fact that none of us had ever refinished floors before. Regardless, hours of sanding, bleaching, vacuuming and repairing later, we are so excited to get some stain on the floors this next week. Stay tuned!

Introducing...

2009-07-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

our new house!

As many of you know, Cole and I have been trying to buy a 1960's brick split-level in Cottonwood for just over 2.5 months. Drama aside, we now own the place and are hard at work cleaning this baby up. She has had a number of renters over the last 40, yes, we just found out, 40 years so we are ready to fix her up and make her feel like home. Welcome to our official "before" pictures of the interior! Exterior to follow shortly.

Summer Nights

2009-07-12T08:04:00.000-07:00

Last month we were able to rope Katie and Scott into coming up to Salt Lake City for a Bees Game. With a mid-game rain delay, we were also able to hit up Red Rock for some yummy dinner before heading back to the game.

The Bees made a valet effort (only losing 5 to 8), but our real entertainment was this intoxicated Bee's fan in the upper deck. He had a very vocal opinion about every player of the field and warming up in the bullpen. At one point he was so out of it that he dropped his phone below and had to stubble down to find it.

Gotta love summer nights at the ball game!

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

2009-05-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Murray Park Pavilion 1 provided the backdrop for Cole's super fab Graduation BBQ last week. Cole and Wes fired up the little pits that the park provided and cooked us up some very tasty grub. We had a good mix of family and friends join us to enjoy the food, cake and the volleyball pit. Thanks to everyone who came, especially those who brought food.

Utah Man Am I

2009-05-17T08:19:00.001-07:00

Because of my less-than-stellar blogging efforts lately, this post is a bit of old news. However, I am still very proud of Cole and had to post a few photos from his commencement last week. We opted to just attend the Business School program (lots of "name calling"-very few speakers/musical numbers). As you can see from the photos, Cole's parents flew in from Texas for a few days and we loved hogging every minute of their time here. We were also joined by my parents and Nicole, Scott and baby Jones-to-be. Thanks for all of your support. We are finally legit! Hurray!

Graduation here we come...

2009-04-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Even though Cole official graduated in Dec., I was able to con him into walking in the formal Spring graduation taking place next week. I just think that it is emotionally necessary to do. I mean, if you never walk, did it really happen?!?

Walking next week could mean avoiding long, sleepless nights, waking up in a cold sweat after a dream of your employer firing you for falsifying your education. OR....

It could just be a great excuse to get his family up here to visit and and have a party with all of our friends.

Hopefully, if you read this blog you are our friend and not some crazy person. To all the friends, you are officially invited to our party!

Salt Lake Marathon 5K

2009-04-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Cole and I completed our first 5K with the Salt Lake Marathon. In preparation I followed the Couch to 5K training program and Cole, true to form, simply showed up and had no problem keeping up with my slow, but steady, pace.

Contrary to the lie I told my boss earlier last week, I had never run further than 2.5 miles prior to Saturday. This 5K was a great opportunity for me to prove to myself that I can do anything I put my mind to. Our finishing time was 39:16, so we ran a 12:38 minute mile. For a girl who was laughed off the middle school track team (I learned the hard way that hurdles are a beast) and got a B in a college fitness class (for failing to run a 15 minute mile), I have to admit I am really proud of myself. We are not runners by any stretch of the imagination but we ran the entire race and are looking forward to a possible 10K later this summer.

Note: Please excuse the lack of makeup and the cherry red faces. We forgot that the "before" pictures would be much better looking. Gotta love the thrill of the finish line!

Monuments and Memorials

2009-04-01T22:16:00.000-07:00

While we were in DC we were able to see the

We loved all the monuments and memorials (it gave us a bug to re-watch the National Treasure(s)) but I think our very favorite was Arlington Cemetery. There was such a peace and reverence everywhere. As we watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and listened to the soldier play TAPS, I couldn't help but feel the calm reassurance that we are all known and not lost to our Heavenly Father.

Wedding Bells for the Pixtons

2009-03-26T21:47:00.000-07:00

Casey and Allie Pixton's wedding was the perfect excuse to take an extended weekend trip to DC. On Saturday morning we were privileged to attend their sealing in the Washington, D.C. temple. Later that afternoon we met up with the rest of the wedding party at the Cosmos Club for pictures and final preparations. The ring ceremony was beautiful and it was really sweet to hear some of the couple's personal promises to each other. Cocktail hour and the full blown reception rounded out the day. Cole and I spent a lot of the evening drooling over the beautiful building but also managed to fit in dancing, over eating and getting to know the couple's friends and family.

As a side note: Cole bought me this silk dress especially for the trip and while it was beautiful, it was incredible light weight. Through out the entire day and evening, I had a really hard time keeping this dress in line. Just imagine with me going in and out of the subway system with the ever changing up and down drafts. Then imagine me walking several blocks with the city buses whizzing past. Lets just say, we both had a hilarious and creative time keeping me G-rated. Oh, the memories...

Great Falls National Park and Dam

2009-03-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

While staying in V.A., Cole and I were able to sneak out to Great Falls National Park for a few hours. We hiked along the edge of the dam and river, even doing a little trail running towards the end. We had slightly chilly but beautiful weather, none the less.

Mount Vernon

2009-03-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

After arriving at the Ronald Regan National Airport, with nothing of great importance pulling at our first few hours in DC, we passed a sign on the side of George Washington Parkway that read, Mount Vernon-11.5 miles.

We looked at each other, smiled and headed in the direction of George Washington's (GW) former estate.

Once a parking spot was secured, Cole and I made our way through a jam-packed visitor's center and headed towards the grounds. Divided into multiple areas, each area of the estate is complete with detailed descriptions, clothing and furniture of the times. We were floored by the number of slaves that were packed into one-room structures, were properly impressed by the large windows in the gardener's cabin and a little grossed out by the underground areas used to store the salted meats.

The main house itself was amazing. The tour included beautiful art work, detailed moldings, exquisite dishes, hand-made furniture and a peek at the very bed GW died in.

My favorite part of the entire tour came as we were filing through GW's study, the last room on the tour. The woman in front of us paused with the most confused look on her face and blurted out "So where were the bathrooms in this place? " to the nearest tour guide.

Really...Really?

Gotta love it, people, gotta love it.

Spring Fling to D.C.

2009-03-26T13:23:00.001-07:00

Last week, Cole and I were able to steal a few days away from work to visit Washington D.C. We managed to see everything we wanted to, plus squeeze in a wedding for one of our good friends from Cole's mission and BYU-I. The next several posts will be about our adventures in V.A.

Ode to Cole

2009-03-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

So today is Cole's 25th b-day and....

Obviously as his wife, I think he is totally wonderful and amazing but I thought his special day would be a good excuse to let him know some of the things his family loves most about him too.

1. "I would say that one of Cole's best qualities is that he is very easy going. It takes a lot to get Cole ruffled and in a dramatic family like ours...that's a great quality to have. He doesn't get upset easily and that makes him easy to be around and talk to. We love that he is friendly, mild mannered and just really easy to be around! There are not enough people in our life like this!"

-Nicole, sister-in-law

2. "So right when I got back from my mission, I wasn’t very good at handling social situations and I was determined to maintain my Spanish that I had learned. Well, a week after I got home we went to Angie Graves’ wedding reception. I was definitely out of my comfort zone. However I remember talking to Cole in Spanish quite a bit. Spanish was something that I loved and being able to talk to him in Spanish put me right back into my comfort zone.

I think another good memory is when we were all up at the cabin a few years ago. We all decided to have a race in the lake from the dock to the floating trampoline. I totally thought I was going to dominate because I was in better shape than all my brother’s-in-law. Well I started out fine but I quickly realized that I was not a swimmer. Needless to say, I didn’t win. Even though Cole “The Fish” Lansford did win, it was still pretty fun."

-Ben, brother-in-law

3. "His hair - - I love to play with his hair - - it’s thick and glossy…and he is so good natured, that he will lay there with his head on my lap and let me play with his hair for hours…

….LITERALLY…HOURS!!"

-Gail, aunt

4. " The thing I love most about Cole is that he has always been black and white, he has always had a testimony. I remember driving along one day, Cole was about 12. I said Cole do you have a testimony? He looked at me first really confused and then with so much conviction in his eyes and very matter of fact “Yes I do” And proceeded to bare his testimony. And then he said “Mom, why do you ask?” He has always been really good, very sweet. When he was 5 he was the only kid in primary that had all the Articles of Faith memorized. Going on a mission was never a question for him. He had one of those badges that said “Future Missionary” He always had to wear it to Primary.

When he was three or four we were driving playing the opposite game. After we had been playing for a while I said to him, trying to trip him up “What is the opposite of trees?” He thought for a minute and said “NO trees” He has always been black and white, never gray with him. I am so proud of the man that he has become. I have truly never had to worry about Cole I knew he would take care of the people and things he loves. He treats people with respect. He has integrity."

-Stacy, mum

5. "What can I say? I loved you the first time I met you. (even though I'd met you before :)) One of the things I most appreciate about you is how positive you are and how you always improve any situation with your great personality, your kind words, and your acceptance of others. Every time you're around, life is a little more fun. Thanks for being you and for making me smile."

-Janice, mother-in-law

6. "What do I love most about Cole - His brilliant Shirt/Tie combinations.

What is his best quality - His thick goatee."

-Scott, brother-in-law

7. "We love Cole because he is so nice and happy all the time.

He has been a great example to his cousins and we are so glad he is in UTAH!!!!!!!

He will eat anything I fix and say thank you for it as well.

We love him."

Cynthia, aunt

8. "His best quality is you! "
-Wes, dad

9. "One of things I love about Cole is his ability to make everyone he's around feel accepted and comfortable. His interest in others is part of that but I think it is one of his gifts of the spirit."

-Randy, father-in-law

10. "The thing I love best about Cole is that he is always happy and ready to have a good time. It is not hard to make him laugh or smile, and he makes you feel like you are exactly the person he wants to be hanging out with at that time. What a great guy!"
Alyssa, sister-in-law

Happy b-day, hon! We all love you!

Workin' 9-to-5 (ok, 8-to-6)

2009-03-06T21:32:00.000-08:00

This week Cole started his first post-college "grown-up" job as an analysis with the operations office of Goldman Sachs here in Salt Lake. We are really excited for this opportunity but believe me, it wasn't a quick process...

July:
Cole did an internship with GS and L-O-V-E-D it.

September:
Cole was offered a full time position for January (and accepted it, of course).

October-November:
Maura and Cole feel pretty comfy during Cole's last semester of school.

December:
Maura and Cole wonder why he hasn't received a start date for January.

January:
The first of the month comes and goes, Maura starts to think maybe, February 1?

February:
Month begins and Cole gets an email saying March 2.

February (one week in):
Cole gets another email saying July 16. (With the economy being what it is, we were excited to still have an offer but honestly bummed that Cole would have to wait so long to get started.)

Then, three weeks ago Cole gets a call asking if there is any chance he can start in just 10 days...

We respond, Heck Ya!

Pictured: Cole on his way out the door with water bottle and brown bag lunch in hand.

2-for-1

2009-02-26T08:31:00.000-08:00

Want a free meal on T.G.I Fridays? Take your sweetie on a date before Sunday. I know I am!

http://www.fridays.com/promos/bogo_2009_02.aspx?fromhome

Love is in the Air

2009-02-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

Given a busy Saturday morning schedule with family in town, Cole and I celebrated our day of love on Friday evening instead of Saturday. In loo of some exciting Valentines gifts, we decided to forgo a busy and expensive dinner out on the town and instead stay in.

We made the agreement that I would handle dinner if Cole would cover desert. I found this was easier said than done given the fact that I had never cooked a piece of red meat in my life. Lucky for me, I married a hero who volunteered at the last minute to handle the fillets. I turned my attention to the super creamy mashed potatoes, steamed asparagus and store- bought rolls.

As if saving me from the meat wasn't wonderful enough- Cole agreed to watch All the President's Men (one of my all time favorites) with me. Despite falling asleep half way through, he was able to stay awake long enough to unveil his exciting desert, Winger's Asphalt Pie. Unbenounced to me, this is what Cole remembers as our first desert together. Beyond feeling a little guilty at forgetting this detail, him remembering was sweet enough for me.

Our point and shoot camera (pictured on the end of the table) was completely dead so please enjoy the slightly grainy camera-phone photo below.

Don't Be Stupid...

2009-02-02T16:09:00.000-08:00

And try to honk at the jerk cutting off your neighbor in traffic and forget to look at the car in front of you. You will inevitably rear end a Windstar mini in your Kia Spectra.

Word to the wise, the van's bumper will win.

However, at least you will be pushed into the parking lot of the ever-classy Del Taco on Minuteman Drive while all of 5 o'clock traffic drives by thinking, "Bummer, but I'm glad that isn't me."

All drama aside, while I was sad to see the car of my college (and postcollege) years bite the dust, Cole and I are having fun looking for a gently-used replacement.

Farewell, Kiosk, Farewell.

Winning Windstar Bumper

Local's Version of a Sick Day

2009-01-30T13:16:00.000-08:00

After a very busy and stressful week of trade show work, my boss volunteered to treat interested members of the team and spouses to a ski day at Snowbird. Cole and I have season passes there this year, so gratefully this beginner was on her home turf.

As you can see from above, I had to work hard to keep up with the more experienced veterans, but boy, was it a fun day.

Below is a picture of my co-worker, Liz. She started the day on this pair of skis that her parents had picked up at a rummage sale many moons ago. They served her well until after lunch when she went to clip in, we all heard an ominous snap...needless to say, they had skied their last run. We left them in the snow where we knew they would have wanted to remain.

Never fear though, Liz did get seriously hooked up with a pair of demo skis (pictured below).

Thanks, guys. We all deserved this local's version of a sick day...

Its Time to Celebrate!

2008-12-28T15:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas at the Bukey's was crazy, fun as usual. We jump started the festivities last week with Alyssa and Briggs before they took off for Canada with a weekend of presents, performing at church, last minute shopping, and loads of movies and games.

Cole and I spent Christmas Eve at the parentals and enjoyed the time we had with them, Ben, Bryan and Annie. Christmas morning was full of fun presents (wii for Cole and Dyson for me), yummy muffins, the traditional "Lansford" sausage, egg and cheese casserole, and lastly the ever-important honey-baked ham. (Nicole and Scott met up with us after a busy morning with his folks.)

As you can see above, Cole spent a good portion of the afternoon teaching Dad and Ben the wonders of Madden 09. How successful he was is still up for discussion. But when it comes to Wii bowling, watch out! These parents have some serious skills.

Regardless of the gifts, fun and family time, it is always a blessing to have a few days to pause and reflect on the gift of our Savior and His life.

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!