three years

My little one some how turned three years old today...I can't figure out how this has happened. Three years has flown by so fast. It has been the best three years of our lives. So what do you do when you turn three years old..you have 2 different birthday parties of course!

Here we are celebrating Lyza's birthday at Grandma Nae's and Papa Jer's house. We had a great dinner, pink cake, and presents!

Here Lyza is with her cousins Braden and Halle!

Here is birthday party #2...notice the color of choice. Lyza's only requests were that she had a pink cake, pink party hats, and "goodie bags." Let the pink festivities begin...

Lyza with her cousins Kelli and Sami.

Pink party hat and Pink shirt...can you guess our favorite color?

We gave Lyza a bike for her present...she was instantly in love.

Now we just need to learn how to steer and pedal.

Happy 3rd Birthday Ly Ly...You make us so proud!

crazy week in review!

So to post about all of the fun/crazy things that have gone on in the last week would be impossible. It was completely insane and crazy but every moment was so worth it!

First of all, because it was such a crazy week, I of course started having contractions and got completely scared that I was going to have a baby. (I did not have time for a baby this week??)

Next was preparing for my Dad's 60th Birthday Party. It was a surprise - and that is no easy feat to pull off with my Dad!

He really was happy - just didn't smile for the camera

We actually did surprise my Dad, and the party was a success! Many friends and family were there and it was a night to remember.

Looking pretty good at 60!

There was actually another surprise to add to the party, that even my mom did not know about. My sister Sharielle flew into town to surprise my parents. She arrived after the party started, rang the doorbell, and my Dad answered. Lets just say it was the best surprise....tears were flowing from both parents. That is always the way we know if we pulled off a good surprise! Shalice and I definitely had to do some creative lying to pull this one off - but it was worth it.

Best of all, we got to take a picture of all of our pregnant bellies together. Something that will not happen again, seeing as I am ready to have a baby any day now!

Shar - 20 wks, Shalice- 34 wks, Me - 38 wks

Oh yea, and on Friday and Saturday was Lyza's Spring Concert for her dance group. Friday we had dress rehearsal and Saturday was her performance. Lyza did such a great job and we were so proud of her. It was a busy weekend to say the least!

Best of all, however, was being with my sisters! We don't get to all be together very often, so it is definitely time I cherish. We laugh until we cry - literally, and it is so much fun. Thanks Shar for flying out and spending time with us

And don't worry the craziness didn't end there! It was also Lyza's birthday on Wednesday, but hopefully I can get a separate post for that...no promises!

Finally, thank you to Shalice for letting me pretty much copy her post about the same crazy weekend...it saved me a bunch of time! Shalice, sorry if your blog has a copy right on it! Love ya!

perfect question

Every night before Lyza falls asleep we talk in the dark in her room. Tonight she asked me,

"Mom, how long are you my mom for?"

I looked at that cute little face and said,

"Luckily Lyza forever, and ever and ever."

salt lake 1/2 marathon

The running season has started for the Bull Family. And when I say "for the Bull Family" I mean...Steven runs and Lyza and I cheer him on at the finish line.

Last Saturday Steven ran the Salt Lake 1/2 Marathon. He completed it 15 minutes faster then he had ever run a 1/2 marathon before. We were so proud of him.

mom...these are for licking

So I made the mistake of putting the beaters, I had used to mix cookie dough, in the sink after I was done mixing the dough. I left the kitchen for a minute and returned to find that Lyza had pushed a chair up to the sink and dug out the beaters. She looked and me and said, "Mom, these are for licking!"

From the picture above...she enjoyed every lick!

new babysitter...the ipod

So we figured out that an ipod with the movie "Enchanted" playing on it will keep our toddler occupied for an entire Jazz Game.

We didn't have anyone to watch Lyza for our last Jazz game, but not to worry our ipod is our new babysitter. Worked like a charm!

you know your a good dad when...

You know your a good dad when you will push a HUGE pink car/shopping cart around your friendly neighborhood grocery store.

What do you do when you 2 1/2 year old girl (who loves the color pink) sees the shopping cart of her dreams as you enter the grocery store?

Well at first you try and persuade her into not completely embarrassing you by having to push this monstrosity around the store. Then you even bribe her with a "treat" of her choice if we don't have to take the cart out. Finally, you suck up all of your manhood and give in to the little girl who has you wrapped around her finger.

What does mom do? She laughs the entire time and makes you stop and take a picture.

What a great evening!!

makes me happy

Please tell me that you all saw the opening number of "Idol Gives Back" this week? This was the best 3 minutes of my week! They had some of the finalists over the past 3 Season's of So You Think You Can Dance perform with the final 8 Contestants.

It was so great and amazing and made me so excited for the new season of "So You Think You Can Dance." to start.

All I can say is that I have watched the turn section with Nick, Danny and Travis about 20 times. Seriously are you kidding me? They are all insane!

Here is a link to view the performance if you missed it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_T7lzxviuY&feature=related

Enjoy!!!

the sleeping one....

Why is it that when they are asleep you just can sit and stare at them for hours.
Why is it that when they are asleep you think to yourself..."I could have a dozen more just like this?" (You quickly take back this statement once they actually wake up and start acting like a 2 year old again.)
Why is it that when they are asleep you try to memorize their face at this young age so you can recall what it looked like when they are all grown up.
Why is it that when they are asleep you say a prayer in your heart thanking Heavenly Father for this choice experience of being a mother.

not feeling well

We are home bound today! I came to this realization at about 4:30 this morning when Lyza woke up with a fever and the flu. You feel so sad for the little ones when they don't feel well. So we slept (if you can call it that) for the rest of the night on the floor in our bedroom.

Lyza kept asking me, "Mommy, did you ever get sick when you were little?" and I said yes. Then she said, "Did you lay on your mommy's lap in the bathroom like I am?" "Um Sure???" I replied.

So I guess I will be working from home today and trying to make the little one feel better. I am so sad because Lyza was so excited to go to my baby shower tonight and open presents...but I think she might be in "quarantine" still.

Here is to a day at home.

hematoma

So this lady came to my house and took some blood for some insurance stuff that we were getting. She said that she had been taking blood for many years...but somehow I think she might need to brush up on some of her skills.

Being pregnant I have been pricked numerous times at my doctors office for blood and this has never happened. But the insurance lady left me with this souvenir for the next 10 days. (the picture doesn't actually do it any justice...it was much worse in person.)

Thanks so much for the present!!

struggling with the world...

So I have tried not to post about upsetting things very often. I am not sure why I don't post about them, I guess I like to try and remember the good things that happen. That is not to say that I won't start posting about things that upset me.

But today I can't seem to shake the gloom and disappointment I am feeling about this world. I know I am generalizing when I lump the entire "world" into my categorization, but it just seems easier today to generalize.

Last night they found the body of a darling little 7 year old girl that went missing 2 days ago. I think I have probably cried about 3 or 4 times over this news. I didn't know her or her family. But the thought that anyone could harm a child in any way devastates me.

I think it is because now I am a mother and I have a child. I pray everyday that God will keep her safe and out of danger. I don't know what I would do if she was ever harmed.

So today I am struggling with the world. Why do people in this world do the things they do? Why would anyone harm this beautiful girl, or any child for that matter?

I know that there are good people in the world...and I feel blessed that I know so many good people. But today the "bad people" of the world are all I can think about.

So to all the mom's in the world...go home and hug your babies a couple of extra times tonight, keep them safe, and most of tell them how much you love them.

Sorry about the "ranting"