Vist to Utah and Arizona in April

Before going to my older sister Rachel's wedding in AZ (where Jacob later met up with us), I took Brock to Utah to visit close friends, family, and the school where I taught 6th grade. I NEVER took pictures, but here are the ones I did take.

On my lap at the airport: he did great!

Utah

Andrea Jo Gardner, my best friend and joy! Pretty much I look up to her in every way. She's the one I think of when in doubt- "what would Andrea do?" is a consistent thought in my brain. We had homemade Cafe Rio with Lynne and Raechel, got our nails done (which I botched... twice!), went to yumminess soup/sandwich place, and -of course- went shopping and -of course- stopped by norties and banana. Oh banana:). Yes, we are VERY high maintenance when together. She is the one who taught me that shopping is, in fact, very fun! -I was just going with all the wrong people (aka not AJ).

This is my little man dressed and ready to go at the Stites house.

Take 1: silly

Take 2: Can you tell how lucky I was? Don't they just look like the most upstanding, fabulous kids ever? Well that's because they are. I still regret not seeing more students than I did, even though it really was such a quick strip. NEXT time, I will.
Left-Right: Sierra (she's gonna go big with her talent on stage. She is QUITE the entertainer. I found myself laughing with tears whenever this girl gave a presentation (and taking notes on how to work the crowd!).
Olivia: I found myself missing her so much! She reminds me so much of my little sister, that I feel like her big sister! She isn't afraid to be crazy, either!
Preston: It almost made me sad to see him because he was so different! Okay, Preston was still the same polite, silly, and full of life Preston. But he LOOKED so different with the foot of height he gained! It took me a little bit to get used to the new him, but was thrilled to do so:)

Left: Shawney Tagg- my team teacher who rocked! She and I split the lesson planning load, and collaborated with all sorts of teaching things (I'll spare you)!
Middle: Bethany Tagg (sister in laws) who taught 8th grade when I taught there, now is the school coordinator/go-to girl. Mallory Lenhard is missing, she taught 4th and carpooled with us to school. I LOVE these girls! I have such good memories with them and am so grateful for this year of my life thanks to them! (and my students)
p.s. I promise it really looked like a bear!!! It's probably a new breed- bearcows.

AZ time I did all sorts of fun things here, especially with Brock's 2 1/2 - 4 hour naps, I just never had my camera (don't even have pics from the wedding), but here are the times I did.

At Mango's Cafe (best Mexican food EVER) with Nick, such a good uncle!Macho Nachos: love of my life (sorry Jacob)

Brock kickin' it at Grandma O's

Easter!

Photo Shoot with Grandma Juli at Target

Sharing the laughter

I have so much to share, but get overwhelmed when I think of blogging all that has been going on - nothing huge, but the little joys add up, especially with Brock changing and growing everyday. But here I am with ZERO posts in the last while. So I will start small, and eventually, hopefully, get back in the swing of things to keep family + friends posted on our happenings in Ohio.

So here is a little laughter we get to enjoy every time I get the hiccups. I hope this brightens your day, as this is one of those things that gets us through the other sort of hiccups that come now and again.

RICE CEREAL

What is this?

Spoon!

Open

Shovel

Mouth-full

Hehe

More?

That's enough

Really, I'm done

YAY!

Cutest. Baby. Ever.

Want to see?/ Paris Me Manque

Many weeks ago I posted a few pictures I took in various markets while studying abroad in Paris. I called for a vote of the top 5 pics to help me decide (because I sort of suck at any decision without input: Ask Jacob, it drives him crazy) which I should hang up on my striped wall in the kitchen. Although pretty much everyone voted on different pics, I took a tally, asked the hubs (husb is a weird nick name, so hubs works, right?) and chose 5 pics. So what took me so long? Well, frames are expensive. And I'm picky. So YAY for Ikea! Isn't it so fun? I want to go back already. I had to take advantage of these great priced, super cute frames. I printed the pictures that night, and they are already hung and BEAUTIFUL!

I just love being in my kitchen now! -at least for a different reason than the food, anyway. It brings back some great memories of the classic French scenery and the fresh yummy yummy oh so yummy food. It was so fun to get up on the weekend, and without anyone just browse up and down the open-air markets with so many sights and smells. This was the perfect place to see the French really in action and in their element- there is a sort of simplicity and freshness in all the commotion and chatter, I just love it. My favorite meal wasn't at some fancy cafe on the Seine, or at a local restaurant that's been around since the French Revolution: it was from/at the market.

This is how you do it:
Step #1, pick up a baguette from the bread maker,
#2 grab a fresh tomato from the produce stand, #3 buy a mini round of goat cheese, --Preparation: NONE. --How to eat: take a bite of the bread, while the bread is still in your mouth - take a bite from the tomato, then from the cheese, then chew. Repeat until done and oh so happy. THEN, top it off with a fresh apricot for dessert. 3 Euros later, you got yourself some yummy stuff (seriously, it's pretty darn tasty).
****note: the Market by the Place de la Bastille open Thursdays and Sundays is a wonderful open air market to visit if, no when, you get the chance:)

So come to my my humble kitchen and take a small glimpse of Paris. Thanks for the help with the pics! And thanks to those who gave advice on the frames!

Sleeping to Smiling: A Photo Progression

These three are from December 2010, when Brock was still a little guy...

And this is when the missionaries were over for dinner, February 2011. Brock was out...Hooray, outside! February 2011.

Here Brock looks like Dopey, one of the seven dwarfs...

Happy Smiling Boy! March 2011.

Brock Smiling. So cute!