Wednesday, February 15, 2012

the BIG 30

As I have been thinking back over my birthday... I used to wonder where Orin got that "It's not all about you, it's all about me" comment on his 3rd birthday (see here), however, maybe he gets it from me! 
Although, I do have to say I don't feel like I am a diva every birthday... just the major ones! :) At least that's my version of myself! Anyway... I was spoiled!

Breakfast with fresh fruit & flowers! Perfection!

Shawn had court, so I made myself breakfast with my three favorite little men! They look oh so excited that it's my birthday!

Lunch at The Stoppe! My absolute favorite burger! So good, so bad (for you that is)!

Dinner with family & friends... loved the Costco cake... so yummy (thanks Melina)! 
(I look creepy in this pic! Yikes... beauty wises my 30s have been a rough start... postpartum is not looking good on me!)

Amazing gifts... I felt so spoiled!! (shoes, home decor, pedicure, See's California Brittle, White Chocolate Raspberry cupcake from Martha Greens... my friends know me well)!
 And it doesn't stop there...

Shawn sent me to the SPA! ALL DAY! YAY!!!!!!
 It was the absolute PERFECT day! 80 degree weather... and completely relaxing & carefree (I had almost forgotten that was possible)! 
We started our day with a Swedish massage, then joined in for some water aerobics, after which we flowed in rafts for about an hour.  No children to worry about drowning, no snacks to hand out... it was heaven! I am pretty sure we said the phrase, "This is amazing!" Like 50 times!
We then met up with Anna & her sister Colette, and ate lunch.  You could just order what you wanted and the food was amazing as well!
We then moved on to mineral baths, mud baths (which was sooo fun, my kids were jealous when I showed them pics), and then what they call The Grotto.  You go down into a "cave" and they paint you with this coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera mixture & get to relax in a warm cave, then shower, then have apples & water in a waterfall cave... ahhhhh!
Johanna & I then made sure we went in every pool/hot tub.  They have these ones where you are supposed to jump from a super hot bath, to a super cold bath (55-60 degrees) and it's supposed to do something good for you... shock your system or something.  I HATE cold water (I get that from my dad!) however, in the spirit of adventure, we took the "plunge!" And not just once, but back and forth like SIX times.  My body was super tingly each time- hypothermia? :) 
Before we left, we enjoyed hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms.
The day was incredible. 

As soon as I got home, my boys came running up to me and said, "We missed you mom!" It made me realize just how lucky I am this year.  It was so, so, so nice to get away from 8-5, but I was so grateful that I no longer leave them each day like I used to when I worked.  
Even a day at the spa doesn't beat that!  
(Although it was kind of close)!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Farewell 20's

I am 30.
I totally felt like this was a big deal...
and so I did what any mature, very soon to be thirty year old would do...
I acted, humm, how should I put it... a bit dramatically?! Shawn had planned some surprises, but as the days got nearer my birthday... I was wondering what was up! You see, Shawn has spoiled me in the past, so I blame him for my behavior! :) So although I spoiled the surprise (he finally told me), I had a fantastic birthday, which I will post about next (I'm sure my husband was happy when it was over)!
Being 30 is not a big deal...
and in honor of this new milestone, I thought it would be fun to look back over my 20s... it seems like it was forever ago, yet only yesterday (isn't time funny that way)! It was so fun looking back through pictures of the past ten years.  First of all, I miss having developed photos!  I loved being able to actually flip through pictures, so my goal this year is to actually develop some pictures from the past 5+ years. It seems strange that I didn't even own a digital camera in my early 20s! (Oh how I miss the excitement of picking up that roll of film from the developer... another goal... dust of my old film cameras)!

When I was looking for this pic, I thought it was my birthday, but it's actually my cousins (a month after mine... so I'm just over 20)! The funny thing about this picture is that there is Shawn... a few weeks after our first date & although I thought he was fun to hang out with, I was not interested (oh how things changed... a year later)!

Fishlake, UT with some fabulous college friends!

BYU Hawaii summer 2002... working at the PCC... not as a dancer... but a greeter... plate scrapper for pigs...    much less glamourous!

Vegas trip, when I realized I did actually like Shawn (he refused to come & I was totally bugged by that)... Valentine's weekend 2003

Started dating Shawn sometime after my 21st birthday... lucky me he was still available! :)

Study Abroad summer 2003


Shawn came to Cincinnati & then drove with my family to Florida for Christmas and...

He still decided to marry me! January 16, 2004

College graduation April 2004 with my cousin & grandparents (my grandpa passed away in August of that year :(

June 5, 2004 
Best day of my life (so cliche yet true!)

Honeymoon cruise to Mexico... ahhh! So ready for another honeymoon! :)

23rd birthday

Living large in our single wide!

First year teaching... fourth grade, Geneva Elementary, Orem, UT... August 2004... such a bad pic, but I have hardly any of me teaching without kids in them!

Our first anniversary... on a weekend cruise!

My first Gardner family reunion in Island Park, ID

Playa del Carmen, Mexico 2006


Just to embarrass myself, first pregnancy... and birth of baby Orin! July 30, 2007

First beach trip with our little man... My first realization that going to the beach will never be the same (pretty sure he screamed a good part of it)!


Disneyland October 2007 (Orin has been three times... other boys never... got to love student loans, full time jobs!)


26th birthday!

Oahu, HI visiting Westbrook clam... so jealous of them!

Orin's 1st birthday

My sister leaving for her mission, June 2008

27th birthday

Last day in our apartment... moved to our house & had Brody the same day! March 20th, 2009


My adventures while Shawn studied for the BAR (at least one of the times)... Zions, UT... summer 2009


Sedona, AZ same trip


Gardner reunion Island Park, ID (& Yellowstone) July, 2009


Thanksgiving 2009... just because they're cute!

Brody's 1st birthday, 2010

My favorite year teaching! Miss those girls!


Much needed trip to Cincinnati, summer 2010

My ten year reunion with some amazing friends! Fall 2010

My gorgeous sister's wedding, April 2011
 

Yeap, just as huge... third pregnancy!

Third boy, Wyatt is born May 16, 2011

Gardner reunion, Zions, UT July 2011

Trip to Fish Lake, and Provo... go Uncle Jake! September 2011

Christmas in Scottsdale, AZ 2011

Three of my favorite miracles of my 20s!

Looking back over these past ten years, I realize just how amazing life really is... there have been ups and downs, but I am grateful for this crazy life I have.  Can't wait to see what the 30's bring!