happy fourth!

Our bright eyed and bushy tailed baby hello 5 am! got us up in plenty of time to make it to our town parade this year. We didn't dare take her last year...one month olds are not so much for fire engine sirens and whatnot. But this year! Packed up with a milk and a green smoothie, we found a darn near too-good-to-be-true parking spot and cozied up with some neighbors and their friends. Before we even sat down we got boy scouted and walked away with a Burger King coupon book. The luck! It was fantastic. And this little girl soaked up the fourth parade with every ounce of american pride she could muster.

It's not the right sign for sign language, but I taught her how to go choo-choo! like a train conductor pulling down his horn and that is pretty much good for any large vehicle right now. So firetrucks were super! exciting! and gave us lots of full face grinning and shrieks. This girl has a knack for getting straight up over the moon ecstatic about the right things. It makes me proud. She really didn't get the going and getting candy part of the parade, though. There are plenty of years ahead for a 9 am sugar rush so we didn't push it. ;)

Small town living is the way to go for us. People we know in the parade, tons of candy and free balloons! Turns out our little town has quite the party for the fourth-we had a full on fair after too! And I missed a 5k apparently? Next year, baby. There was even a candy drop. CANDY DROP! Get this. We all stood around the perimeter of the school field and a pilot in a perfectly pink crop duster flew low and dropped a ton of candy. Twice. I'm never leaving this place.

headband from freckled feather & co

We hope you're enjoying your day as much as this house is. Light a sparkler and smile-really smile! Being a US citizen is a blessing. We are so happy to be here. I'll leave you with this gem that Anna shared today:

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was one like in the United States where men were free."

Ronald Reagan

weekday surprises

shirt and dress: target / vest: thrifted / belt: gap / shoes: wal-mart

There was a big, long box sitting at my desk yesterday. (I love a good surprise!) When I opened it I found a vase full of lovely roses from my sweet man wishing me a happy Mother's day. My amazing florist boss arranged and fed them for me and now I get to enjoy the thought of becoming a Mother all weekend long. 

A very happy Mother's day to all of you, and especially to all the wonderful Mother's in our life. We love you!

There is a Mother's day printable over at Love Stitched if you're interested!

The New Year: 2012

We thought for new years we'd forgo cold weather and hang out with my Grandparents in St. George.

Cache and I managed to stay up to midnight by accident. Around 10:30 I was mighty hungry (surprising) so we wandered to the kitchen and found my Grandma was still awake watching Antiques Roadshow and HGTV. YES! We don't have cable so shows like those are kind of a treat for me. She called it a night not too long after and we stayed up watching people buy houses we could never afford. All of a sudden we heard car alarms and fireworks! So we looked at the clock and duh, it was bedtime. I mean midnight.

So the first day of 2012 we explored Snow Canyon. Little known fact: it was named after the Snow family that donated it to the state, not because it has white mountains among the red rock. Weird.

Neither of us are very into new years resolutions...we're more if you want to make a goal, do it. Don't wait until january around kind of people. I am working on this lovely little set though. A good way to set my compass for 2012. Love the idea of writing a letter to yourself. Baby will be getting one too.