My TRUE love

Has it really been 7 YEARS?!!!! WOW! Time really does fly!

Today Greg and I celebrate 7 years of wedded bliss. I know last year I shared my thoughts about how Anniversaries are so special. Birthdays come and go with little effort on our parts. Unfortunately, Marriages don't always. It is something you must work at daily, some days you work harder than others.
Greg and I both agree that this year has been our most difficult. We have had some amazing ups and some very challenging downs. Through it all I definitely feel that we have grown as a result. In fact I think these last few months have possibly been the best ever.... at least since kids.
Does anyone else find they had more conflict with their spouse since kids? I know we have. I think it's because you focus so much energy on the kids and work and the house and all your responsibilities, it can be easy to neglect each other.
I am trying harder to show Greg how much I love him.
"It's not enough to take the one you love for granted. You must remind him or he'll be inclined to say, How do I know she loves me? How dose he know he's mine? Do you write a special blog post that's meant just for him? Make a slide show of pictures where he's really cute. You'll find your own way to show him. With the little things you do. That's how you know. That's how you know. He's your love"
Did I just break into song? So Sorry. Giselle, is that you?
Anyway- I have such great memories of our wedding day, Even more from the years that have followed.
I love Greg and hope we will continue to work and grow together for many more Anniversaries to come.
(Sorry- I feel like I'm cutting this short, but We've got a date!)

5/9/2008 "David Cook Day" in KC

**Fair Warning- I can already tell this will be a long post. If you are not a fan of David Cook (you must not really be my friend. J/K... kind of) you may want to skip it entirely. Charles- I'm talking to you. This was an AWESOME day and I think I forgot for a few moments that I am a "semi-grown" woman, wife and mother of two. I acted very silly, very star struck and much more like a 12 year old than 26 yr old. I'm a little embarrassed about that, but just a little. Since then I have thought of a million ways I could have handled it better, much more cool & collected- but I'm getting a head of myself. Anyway -If you're up for it come with me to relive the joy that was David Cook day:


Okay- so here's how it all went down. As you saw in my previous post. I'm a fan, have been from the beginning. I mentioned that his hometown is about 20 mins from where I live. After last weeks results show it was known that the top three remaining contestants would get to travel to their hometowns to visit fans and do a little PR.
Of corse the local news was all over it. They announced that he would have a full day with lots of public events. They had given away 10,000 tickets to a concert being held at his high school. Any they were all gone. Another option was that morning at around 11:30 he would do a little concert in downtown Kansas City at this great new venue that just opened up. That's the one I went to. I emailed some friends to see who could come with me, (remember this is like a day's notice and in the middle of the day). Most of my friends who wanted to come couldn't because of prior obligations. I was lucky that Fridays are the only day we don't have a set schedule. Plus I had just watched my friend's son for a few hours so I called her on the off chance that she might be able to return the favor and take my boys for the morning. She was happy to and that meant I could go kid free! That in itself was a treat. Two other friends were planning to go and we were SO excited!!!



The morning came and my friends couldn't go anymore. One friend thought that is was at 11 at night, silly girl and the other's little girl woke up sick. Although I was bummed about them not coming, I still really wanted to go. I know it's seems a little more crazy and obsessive to go alone, there is definitely strength in numbers, But I knew I would regret it if I didn't go. So I did.
I knew my only chance to really see him was to go early. I got there about 2 hours before it was to start. There was already a pretty good crowd forming( enough to make me feel better about going so early because I wasn't the only crazy one, but not too many that I had missed my chance). I was able to be right up front touching the stage! Right by me was a cute young Mom with her two teenage daughters. We became friends and had a great time visiting until the show started. One of her girls is about to start beauty school. I thought that was a fun coincidence. Also I ran into an old friend ( who knew I had those out here) who I haddn't seen since Tate was a newborn. She hung out with us and it was so fun talking with these girls. I was SO glad I didn't let the idea of being alone stop me from going.



Okay so here's my first giddy fan moment. We were chatting and waiting. It was about an hour before the show was to start. We knew David (We're on a first name basis now) had a full day of appearances and we didn't expect him to even be there yet. Right in front of us, the back part of the stage, had two big black doors. Camera men and the tech crew had been coming in and out just setting everything up. The door opened and to my surprise was a brand spankn' new matta-ress! (J/K- That was for all you girl's campers, Kyle)
I just feel so silly all intense to my David Cook story..... Anyway He was standing behind the door! I was surprised to see him.
I said- "Oh My gosh- there he is!" And I waved. He totally saw me (see this is where I feel like I'm 16 writing in my "guy diary"- yes I had one and this definitely would be in it). I can't say that he really waved back because he didn't use his hands, but he did that thing you do with your forehead and your eyebrows like to say, "Hey, What's up?" You just did it didn't you. Anyway-It was awesome. I know he saw me. For a moment in time David Cook and I said Hi... (ahh)... and then the door shut and we didn't see him again until the performance.
I'm sorry I'm such a dork. I hope you all know I really love Greg.

Here are some video clips from the event. And just so you know that is NOT me yelling in the background. I knew better, I was planning to put this on the blog, so I kept all my silly comments to myself!
We were SO BUMMED that he didn't use the mic that was right in front of us! He spoke on our side at first, but they had everything set up sound wise for the one at the other end of the stage. ;(
(Thanking his brother)

He sounded every bit as good in person as he dose on the show. It was really cool being that close!
(Singing Living on a Prayer- the song he auditioned with)

I was so impressed with what a humble nice guy he is.
(talking)

I was also so impressed by the whole American Idol crew. They're the group you see on the stage with him. They all seemed like such nice people. They were really friendly with the crowd and the camera guys would show some of the audience the pictures they took of them. I was happy to see that.

So after he sang "Always be my Baby" it was over and they had him walking through the crowd on his way to the street. It was a mad house! He started again at the opposite side from where we were and I really wanted to get a picture with him. Again, the silly 12 year old coming out. I tried to get close and did get pretty close to him, but my camera wasn't focusing. I think because of ALL the other people crowding around and pushing. I felt bad for the guy. Everyone was yelling his name, I'm sure it was crazy for him. I got a decent picture of him, but not with him. I went back to my new friends and we exchanged emails and said good-bye. I was sure at this point he had left already. But as I walked away I saw the giant microphone that had been with his crew still out in the road. I debated for a minuet.... How crazy am I? Do I try one more time, Or do I act like a normal person and just go on home? What do you think?

I tried one more time. This time the crowd was barley moving. I couldn't get to where he was. (This is probably the point where my wallet was stolen out of my purse, which was on my arm.) There were so many people pushing and bumping I didn't even notice till like 20 mins later. Losing my wallet has sucked! And it almost ruined the whole day, until I got home to see the video & pictures and decided I'd still do it again. But I left out the best part.
So the crowd wasn't moving. I couldn't get to where he was and I was just about to leave when I noticed I was standing next to a limo. His limo? I thought I'd wait and see. Sure enough the parade of camera men, photographers and yes, David came right in front of me! This is the part I have re-lived a hundred times.
I could have been so much cooler. So much smarter, but I was so star struck, shocked that he was right there! I was a total dork. I should have asked him to take a picture with me, but I was so worried that he wouldn't hear me over the crowd and that he would just get into the limo and I would have nothing. So somehow I snapped this "stalker" shot right in his face. No- there is No editing, no zooming- I wish I could say there was, it would sound a lot better than this too-close crazy fan shot!



I did manage to gain a little composer and say, "Hey David- You're doing a great job- High Five!"...... HIGH FIVE? Are you kidding me? I finally met this awesome & totally cute rock star and I'm all... High five! I am a retard! I pray they didn't get that on film!

He did return the high five, and say "Thanks"- so at least I wasn't left hanging. And that was it. I was the last person he talked with before he got in the limo and left. ( I am so dramatic to say it that way). I laughed and said I'm sorry as I walked away from the limo. It could have been worse, someone right before me asked him to sign their dog!

I was totally on a high, I went to grab my phone and that's when I noticed my wallet was gone. But as I said before, It was an AWESOME day! Almost worth losing it. "It" being both my wallet and "my cool". I had so much fun and I am excited to see what the future holds for this amazingly talented guy that gave me a day I'll never forget!

Mother's Day

To start off Mother's Day Greg let me sleep in while he took care of the boys. He looked up a recipe on line for whole wheat waffles and made them from scratch. (I still haven't told him we had a mix for that). It was really sweet.
Tate was excited to see breakfast in bed. I don't think he'd ever thought of that before. He was egar to come and help me eat it. He was so cute, he had to wiggle his chubby legs to be under the tray too.
It was such a pretty day outside, I wanted a picture with my boys. Too bad Brody didn't. The rest of the day was relaxing. Every Sun. night we have "Family Movie Night". I picked Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium and we had a great time watching it with popcorn & M&Ms.
Yesterday Brody's class hosted a mother's day tea party. Brody and I had been looking forward to this for a long time.... Can't you tell by his GREAT smile? Hopefully someday (soon) he'll start posing for pictures again. Anyway- All the Moms came and we had treats, lemonade & tea. Brody especially liked the doughnuts. Then we had story time together and the kids sang songs for us. It was really cute!
This is Brody's girlfriend Avery. He wanted a picture with her in her "cool shirt." But then he wouldn't pose for it. She had a great smile for the first few mins, but Brody wouldn't look at the camera. This is what we ended up with. It's still pretty cute!

Playing Catch-up!

I am slacking this year with keeping this thing updated! We have had a great spring so far. I am always so surprised at how much I LOVE the springtime. Growing up in Az I never really had one. It is so amazing and beautiful to see the trees grow purple, white or pink and then turn green. That song "Popcorn popping" finally makes sence to me.
Espceially after such a LONG winter- it is so nice to have beautiful weather again.
Although we have had some crazy storms. I have never heard wind and thunder like we get it out here. Maybe next time I'll film some so you know what I mean.
Here are a few of the things have have been keeping us busy.

Brody had his Spring School Performance. I wish I could say he knew all the words and did a great job, but I'm going to have to pull a Paula and just talk about how cute he looked. Silly boy- couldn't keep his fingers out of his nose! Is he the only one? Do you Mom's of 4 year olds have this problem? I don't know what to do. Anyway- as you'll see in the video he spent most of his time on stage looking at his friends, picking his nose or arching forward. It is definitely funny to see. Someday he'll figure it out! At least he really did look super cute!
On stage- the one shot I have withOUT his fingers in, well you know.
With his buddy Austin who "graduated" from Pre-School.
Our family after the performance.



We got a treat after for a job well done!
I was pleasantly shocked that the ice cream didn't end up all over their clothes!

The entire next day, and every day after, Brody was singing one of the songs he learned at school. Since he didn't sing much during the performance I was able to get him to sing some for me before we went to the gym one day. I know random time & place to film, but they were confined. It seemed like as good of time as any.
BYW- He and Tate have watched this like 50 times. They love to see themselves on the computer, they just laugh and laugh. It's so cute!


What else?....Oh, I thought this was so cute. Our computer is in our room so as I get ready in the morning, or put laundry away, I'll let them watch "shows on the computer". That's what Brody calls it. It's actually you tube. They watch Lighting Mcqueen, Veggie Tales, Monster Trucks or Transformers. It's pretty cool that they can maneuver the site. (But I stay close by, just in case the were to stumble on to something not too good). Anyway one day it was close to nap time and I was finishing up some laundry. When I came to get them for bed I found that Tate had already fallen asleep. He was out!! It was so cute. Brody hadn't even noticed.





One more thing. I took this of Brody with my friend Kristin's new baby. She came over to get her hair done. I usually schedule my appts. during nap time or in the evening when Greg is home to help with the boys. But she and I couldn't find any other time so I made an exception. I was worried about how well they would do, but I was so amazed at what a sweet little helper Brody was. He would sing his "friends" song to the baby, help him with his pacifier and even shared cars with him. It was so cute to see him making friends with the baby. .... Now I know what some of you are thinking, "oh, time for another if he's such a good helper." Don't even think about it! Besides we asked Brody if he wants another baby and he says, "Nah, Just Tate". I couldn't agree more.... at least for now.


*** Check back soon to see pics form when I met David Cook!!!!! I want to post them SO bad, but I thought I'd be a bad Mom if I blogged about my celeb crush before my son's school performance! But rest assured they are coming.