Christmas and Anniversary

As predicted, Santa found us all this year--and no one got any coal. We had a blast. Of course our kids were spoiled by everyone who knows them! We first got up early in the morning and opened all the gifts that Santa left at our house. Then we left to Grammie and Papa's house, Zollingers, and got to open a few gifts there. Next it was off to church. I think it's nice to be able to celebrate Christmas on a Sunday. I loved it. Later we went to see Nana and Papa, the Park family. There we were spoiled even more. Finally, we were off to Nana S's house. That's Jared's Nana. She is the best spoiler of all!! We hade the best meal there and yet again opened some gifts! Oh my goodness, we were so SPOILED!! Thanks for a great Christmas!!

Today is also our 6th anniversary. I can't believe that I am here. It feels like yesterday that I was taking the plunge! Not only do I still love Jared today, but I think I might even love him a little bit more than I did 6 years ago! Even after learning everything there is to possibly know about Jared I still respect and love him so much. Here are a few of my most favorite things... Jared addition.

1. He is honest. I have learned something in watching other marriages, as well as being married, if you don't have trust, there is nothing. I know that Jared is always honest. No matter what, I can trust him. He is almost too honest... that's not a bad thing unless you are trying to rip someone off.

2. He is funnier than crap. Maybe it's just me, but I think his ability to turn any song into one of his own is funny.

3. He is attractive. Although his hair is gone, I like the way he looks. He is fit, and can you just say killer smile!!

4. He is a great father. Some dads get home after work and think it's a pain to have to help around the house, or play with the kids. However, Jared loves it. The kids love to hear him talk like a pirate. He makes great forts. He reads book after book, after book, and never gets tired of it.

5. Jared always makes everyone feel loved and safe. People are drawn to him because of his ability to make you feel like you are important to him... and you are. He may not remember your name right away, but if he sees you and remembers your face, chances are he will say hello to you and rekindle your relationship.

6 He tells me every day that he loves me and that I am beautiful. Even on Fat days!! Did you know that I thought he was WAY WAY out of my league when I met him. HE WAS! However, somehow he thought I was good enough to be with him. He thinks I'm pretty great. Either I am the worlds best minipulator, or maybe he really does think I'm good enough for him.

7. He puts me in my place. I have always said that Jared makes me want to be a better person. I think he might be the one person that I know that never speaks about other people in a negative way. He tries his best to always use good language. When I fall short of these kinds of things, he is always there to put me back in my place in a loving way.

8. Jared can take a joke. I think that we laugh more at our house than any other family. I could be wrong, but we have a lot of fun at our home.

9. Jared is quick to say he is sorry. I don't know why, but I struggle with this one. Sometimes when we fight, I will make an effort to appologize first. However, Jared makes it difficult to be the first to say it. I have been first a hand full of times, but he is the one who usually says "sorry" first.

10. Jared loves the church and the Lord. It took me some time to accept that I would never be Jared's #1. I know that I will always come second to the Lord. I am ashamed to say that it took me some time to be ok with that. However, I know that it's a good thing and I would never have it any other way!!!

Thanksgiving and tender conversations.

Thanksgiving was so good this year!! We had thanksgiving with the Zollinger family, and it was the best dinner we have ever had as a family!!! Growing up my mom always made things homemade, but then we got older and busier... and well, the food got quicker and less quality--naturally. So as we have been getting older with our own families, we have been slowly getting back into good homemade food. Well this year we mastered it!! Jared did the worlds most moist turkey and we all were able to fill in the rest of the blanks. Every part of dinner was awesome.

Now I would like to share a conversation that Ryan had with Jared a week or so ago. Jared had her in the car and was talking to her about what to do if someone asked her to do something that she knew was bad.

Jared: Ryan, what would you do if someone told you to do something that you knew was bad? Like one of your friends.

Ryan: I would not do it.

Jared: You're so smart. You know that you really are a smart girl!

Ryan: Yeah, I would say no and they would say, "Ryan, you're so smart." Then I would do a summer-salt!

So Sweet!!

Another side note, Jared is the man! He did the impossible last week!!! He managed to surprise me! He had a long weekend and managed to surprise me with a get-away. I just woke up one morning and he told me that I needed to pack the kids bags for two days. I was so shocked. Ryan didn't even spill the beans! Jared and I ate ourselves STUPID and stayed down town. It was so much fun! Early Anniversary! I just am crazy about my Jared!! Thanks Sweetie!!

Halloween

This year was so much stinking fun! Ryan finally got into the spirit of Halloween! She understood the concept of Trick-or-Treating! At first when we were deciding what to be for Halloween Ryan told me that she wanted to be a princess with RED hair. As time passed and she got more into it, she kept adding things to it. She wanted to be a queen and wear the queen dress. with red hair and a crown--the crown would also make her a princess. So she would be a red-headed Queen/Princess. However, she also wanted to wear a pumpkin mask with Fairy wings. So then she would be the red-headed, pumpkin, fairy Queen/princess. However, the requirements for the wings were that they must be functional. Meaning, they must allow her to really fly. When I told her that they didn't make those kinds of wings she was disappointed... but only for a second. She then requested that I start looking right away for magic pixie dust that would allow her to fly with her dress up wings. Lucky me, I had to break the news that there was no stores in the state that sold real magic pixie dust! Finally, she also requested that she be able to ride the unicorn while being the red-headed, fairy pumpkin queen/princess. MAN ALIVE!! In the end she settled for a red-headed queen.

McCallum was Frankenstein. EASY!

We had a blast knocking on doors and collecting tons and tons of candy! Here are some of the pictures. I've also added some from when we went to Gardner Village to see all the witches with Nana Lynn. Thanks for the fun pony ride Nana!

Pumpkin Pickin'

A few days back Jared and I got take the kids and go pick pumpkins with Nana, Lisa, Justin, Boedi, and Paisley. It was so much fun! Ryan knew just what she wanted. She walked right into the first cluster of pumpkins, pointed to one and that was that. Done. Boedi, on the other hand, was so picky. We walked all around the patch and nothing seemed to fit. We just could not get him to decide on a pumpkin! Eventually, he found one that he liked and we were able to go. In the car on our way to dinner he said to Lisa, "Nana, it was impressive that we got to pick pumpkins." I just laughed! He uses such big words all the time! Smarty pants! We had a blast!

Sisters

I just loved this picture of my sisters and I at my Gran's funeral and thought I should post it. YUP, we are all sisters with the same mother and father. Crazy how different we all are!! From Left to Right: Natalie, Andrea, Stephanie, Me, BreeAnn.

Grannie the Great

And then there were none... My mom's mom past away this past week. We were really almost relieved to have her go. I only say that because she has been alone for so long, and her health was not too good. I, of course, miss her; but this was for the best. At her funeral I was able to play a flute solo. I think she would have liked it.

Things I'll always remember about Gran...

1. Bushel and a Peck. She sang me that song as a kid. Hence my blog name.
2. If you want to get pregnant, stand on you head. (she didn't understand why I couldn't have kids.)
3. How easy it was to make her dry heave. I always got a kick out of that.
4. She never forgot to tell me how much like her sister Josephine I am.
5. She loved her mission to South Africa
6. One time I dyed my hair dark. She told me she didn't like it at all. I looked like "a Mexican." Later she felt so bad that she apologized about it. She told me that she didn't want to be remembered as the Grannie that said negative things. Then she picked up and put on a boxing glove and punched me in the head. She insisted that I fight her. When I wouldn't hit her back she punched me in the head again! Funniest day EVER!!!
7. She Hate, Hate, HATED cats! They'll give you polio you know!!
8. She loved the color purple.
9. She loved to write. She was a teacher. She also loved to read.
10. She always stayed so happy and positive. Even after fighting breast cancer, having both knees replaced, and losing her memory, she never was negative. She was a real example of how to keep a good outlook on life!

I love you Grannie! I'm so glad you are finally with Grandpa! I look forward to seeing them again... although not too soon.

Gloria (Redford Boudrero) Cook (1924 - 2011)

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Gloria Redford
Boudrero Cook
Gloria Redford Boudrero Cook, our sweet mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, returned to her Heavenly Father on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011, surrounded by her loving family. Gloria was born July 19, 1924, in Logan, Utah, the oldest daughter of Louis David and Elva Lloyd Redford Boudrero.
Gloria was raised and received her early education in Logan schools, graduating from Logan High and receiving a bachelor's degree from Utah State University. Gloria was introduced to Verl W. Cook while teaching at Syracuse Elementary. Gloria and Verl were married Dec. 29, 1948, in the Logan LDS Temple.
Gloria loved teaching children; she taught elementary school in Malad, Idaho, and Syracuse and Pleasant View in Utah.
Gloria was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in Primary, Young Women's and Relief Society. Gloria was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She and Vero served a mission to Johannesburg, South Africa. Gloria's life was a living example of Christlike charity and love; caring for her mother, siblings, children, extended family and friends.
Gloria is survived by her children, Verlene (David) Cole of Willard, Scott (Rose Marie) of Ogden, Kyle (Holly) of Payson, Carol (Steve) Keitel of Fruit Heights and Sally (Mark) Zollinger of South Jordan. Her legacy includes 30 grandchildren, one of which is serving mission and one who is on active military duty at this time; and 54 great-grandchildren with two more on the way.
Gloria was preceded in death by her husband, Verl W. Cook; grandsons, Louis Patrick Cole and Darren Todd Cook; and her parents and siblings, Blaine Boudrero, Robert Boudrero, Ida Ellis, Josephine Fletcher and Roma Packer.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at the Logan 4th Ward chapel, 294 N. 100 East, Logan, Utah. A viewing will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. prior to the funeral. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Perpetual Education Fund.
Special thanks to the staff at Emeritus Estates and Hospice for Utah for their loving care

Something to do

As many of you know, Ryan is a major Tangled fan. It's one of her favorite movies of all time. I mean, she makes me sing the magic song when I brush her hair... I don't mind though because it keeps me young. So the other day I got this fun little idea. Why not make her some long hair to look just like Rapunzel. So that's just what I did. It's been a real hit ever sense. She sat and watched the entire movie wearing it. She even wanted to sleep in it, but it's too heavy and wont stay on. Plus she has been tricking everyone we know into thinking that she's the REAL princess Rapunzel and not Ryan. Silly!

First Day of School

We decided to do preschool this year. It's not the pre-K class, but it's a class for three year old kids to prepare for the Pre-K class when they turn four. Ryan needed something to be her own thing and we decided rather than her learn to dance, sing, or play a sport we would develop her learning in the class room. Any how, Ryan did much better than I anticipated. I thought she might cry and freak out a little when I dropped her off, but there was none of that. Earlier that morning she sounded a little nervous, she just wanted to hear that her school was going to be a lot like her nursery class at church. Later, on our way to school she sounded nervous again. She asked me: "mom, this is going to be like my class (meaning church class) right?" I told her that it was just like it. You get to do singing time, and have a treat, and listen to a lesson, and have a play time. To this she replied: "And color a picture?" After I told her that she would get to do that, she was all on board!

When I took her into the preschool she was one of the first kids there. I gave her a hug and then turned to leave. I got a few steps down the hall when she sounded really worried. She wanted another hug and a kiss. So I gave her a hug--she hugged me as if it were her last hug she'd ever get from me. Then I told her that she was not allowed to have TOO much fun. "You listen to me Ryan, you are only allowed to have a little bit of fun. If you have too much fun I'm going to have to get you into big trouble. Understand." She of course smiled at my teasing and told me that she was going to have "This much fun." Then she held her hands as far apart as she could. Ryan let me know that she was going to have the most fun... a lot of fun. I proceeded to tease her that if she did I would have to get her into BIG trouble. The teacher, Mrs. Balls, laughed and assured Ryan that she would only have a little bit of fun, and that was only if she tried really really hard. Then I left. No more trouble after that. What a big girl. She stayed the entire time and had fun. She even got to paint a picture of an apple. She also did a show and tell of her camera and took a picture of the class. Although the picture is mostly just of the teachers face and one kid in the background.

Sweet girl, I'm so proud of you!

By the way, Ryan loved the backpack she got when she went shopping with her Nana! Thanks Lynn!!

Lake Blanch, Florance, and Lillian

Memorial Day was good for us, we decided to go and do a little hike--McCallum's first. Although Ryan had already scheduled a day of shopping with her Nana, we took Mac up and hiked Lake Blanch. I must say, it was a harder hike than I anticipated. It was such a hard climb the entire way up. It's only about 3 miles to the top, but in that 3 miles you gain 2700 feet elevation. Needless to say, my hips are tights today! Ryan on the other hand spent some time shopping for the perfect backpack. Tomorrow she'll be testing it out for her first day of school!! Stay tuned for a post on that one tomorrow!

Lake Powell and more!

First I must say that my last post is no longer accurate. During the week Mac has learned himself how to walk! At Lake Powell he was walking all over the place. Not a main source of transportation yet, but getting there quick! That means that he walked at a year--tomorrow is his big FIRST BIRTHDAY!!

We were so luck this year... I mean how many kids can say that they get to go to Lake Powell three times in a year? We had such a good time. This trip it was just my parents and my one sister, Natalie, and her family. It was so fun, we were almost out numbered by kids this trip. Ryan was so big, she Knee Boarded, and caught a ton of lizards with me! I really had thought that she would not really want much to do with the lizards, but I was wrong. She wanted to hold all of them, name them, and let them sit on her hat and rest. I wish I would have got some pictures of her with the Lizard on her hat! I really need a water proof camera!!!

Mac had a blast at the lake too! He was so busy all the time! He finally got comfortable in his jacket--that made boating so much easier! He was intrigued when we would pull someone behind the boat! He liked swimming and would jump off the swim deck behind the boat! This kid is fearless! When it came to being on the house boat, this kid was impossible! We set up coolers so that he could not leave the front room when we needed him to stay put. However, he taught himself how to climb over the coolers fast! He also managed to climb up the ladders! He needed 150% of our attention just to keep him safe! (We would never give any less!)

Jared and I had a good time as well. Jared learned how to surf. Although he couldn't quite do it without a rope yet, he'll get it soon I'm sure! This trip I mostly surfed, but I did get to wake board too. Although I must say, I played it safe. After my brother Jeremy got hurt on his first ski run, I decided to lay off the flips! It was still a lot of fun!

I should also add a few of these pictures. I have been trying to get some good shots of McCallum for his first birthday, but it's been hit and miss. Yesterday I went out again in hopes of getting a quick photo opt with my sister Andrea--she makes the kids smile! However, Mac was tired and it was poorly planned. Here are some of my favorites though.

Turning one

Can you believe that this little boy will be a year?!! That's right he turns one on September 4th! Due to the fact that we will be away for his birthday, we decided to celebrate a bit early. Plus, if I made his cake at Stephanie and Jared's party it would get eaten by someone other than just me!

It seems like only yesterday that we were even waiting for this little guy to come! I can't believe how fast the time goes! All these months of growing and changing have just flown by. Now at one year old, McCallum is so fun. He's not quite walking by himself yet, but he gets around anything he wants to. He loves to make trouble. In fact, I think it makes him happy to hear me tell him "No." He is constantly getting into the cupboards that are off limits, or the cords that are not to be touched, or the remotes that are not to be played with. He loves to laugh, and is always smiling. Mac also loves the water. I constantly have to keep him out of the bathroom. Either he will try to get into the tub, or I find him splashing around the toilet! I try, but he can open the lid. At times he has even squeezed through the door! He's constantly on the go! I just love this little boy!!

Here are some of the photos from his party including the iguana cake that I made for him! It was a lot more work than I had planned... but it turned out great! I was proud that I did it without help!! Happy birthday my little guy!! We love you!!

28

I am a little behind on writing my darling Jared a Happy Birthday blog. I think I was waiting to do his party with McCallum, but I better not wait. So Happy 28th old man!

After Jared spent his special day working, I took him to Sportsman's and got him the gift of his dreams... a Leatherman tool. Wow! I really tried to get him to get another knife that he was drooling over, but he was just not committed. Funny boy! He has a wod of cash in his pocket, and he wont buy anything he wants. Silly! After we grabbed a bite and got the kids home and in bed. It was a good day. I hope Jared thought so too!

So lets all raise our glasses and toast to a man who works hard every day, who never quits smiling, and who never lets anything bother him! Cheers! I love you Jared!

Horses and 4 wheelers

We had a really fun weekend with our good friends Nate and Lyndsie! They put up with us crashing their family trip to the cabin. We really did have a great time! Ryan got to ride horses. She was so excited to see that there was a white horse... Maximus from Tangled. Although his name was Expensive. I thought we were going to have to let Nate and Lynds keep Ryan forever because she had so much fun with them.

Ryan also spent a lot of her time caring for a baby kitten. They were nursing it to good health and she loved that! She took that stinkin' thing everywhere! She fed it with the bottle, gave it naps, and gave it love. They tried to send it home with us, but that was an easy NO! She was so stinkin' cute. I guess she just loves animals!

Thanks Nate and Lyndsie! We had a blast! So much so that Ryan has been singing songs about you all day long. About how much she loves you and the horses!