Date Night

James took my on the loveliest date last night. We packed up a little picnic and then went to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point. We went with James's dad while James and I were still dating, so it has a sort of reminiscent feel to it. And this time around, the tulips were actually still out in abundance (we went a little late in the season last time), so we got to see all of the beautiful varieties. Here are my favorite pictures from the evening:

Idaho Visit

This past weekend we went up to Idaho to enjoy watching the NFL draft with Anthony and Heidi (yes. seriously.). We had the distinct pleasure while we were there of babysitting for our little niece Bella, as Melanie was visiting from Ohio for a wedding. Bella is the sweetest little baby girl and we had a ton of fun playing with her. Check out these adorable photos of James with his niece. Isn't he gonna be the greatest Daddy?

Aren't those stockings just so sweet?

Baby Bellsy's like "I am ready for my closeup."

I really adore the look on Bella's face in this picture. I don't know quite how to describe it, but it's charming.

So cute, huh?

Who needs toys when your uncle has a foot?

Watching Anthony and James play with Bella was just priceless. These West men are just the greatest in the world, I've decided.


Oh, and P.S., Austin Collie was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round and Fui Vakapuna went to the Bengals in the 7th round. Go Cougs!

I Love Chuck

Everyone should watch this show.

Greece Pictures

I know I promised Greece pictures, but there are just too many to choose from! I've uploaded them all on facebook, so if anyone wants to see them, go here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=244310&id=551240506&l=4d662458f7

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=244315&id=551240506&l=6770427cd9

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=244318&id=551240506&l=33748cdcd4

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=244324&id=551240506&l=9e7116f9f1

These are the public links so everyone should be able to see them. Sorry about before!

Pretty Much How I Feel about Twitter

*Greece pictures coming soon!

So Long, Farewell!

Well, I'm off for a Greeky adventure! :) I'll be gone until the 19th when I hope to bring back lots of lovely pictures of my wonderful excursions and mostly of me soaking up some mom and dad time. :) Happy Easter to all, and don't miss me too much.

P.S. James will be all alone, so he may appreciate a well-placed meal invite from time to time?

Things We Did in March

So since I didn't blog throughout the entire month of March, I will try to recap the month in simple pictorial fashion.

In March, we:

Had a lovely, if short, visit from our brother-in-law Tim

Had another lovely visit from Christian, Jen, and the Kiddos

more picture on my facebook page

Said goodbye to Battlestar Galactica

Found out my mission president is now our stake president



Had Family Home Evening every Monday

Memorized the first three paragraphs of the Proclamation to the World on the Family


Watched Willow with my awesome friend Megan


Read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy


Went to the temple with the awesome Wilde family (Grandpa Wilde, Denise and Kelly Roundy, Elliot Wilde, and Jacob and Valerie Russell) to do sealings


Bought another robot that will clean our home for us

we call her Roo-by

And, last but not least,

Found out we are having a boy!

Hopefully we will have ultrasound pics and possibly a video to share with you soon. James has been swamped with school and I'm too tech un-savvy to figure it all out. So you will just have to be patient. But we are so excited for our little boy!

Favorite Quotes from Conference Weekend

I haven't posted in over a month (shame on me) mostly out of sheer laziness. Also, I've been feeling less and less inclined to spend hours in front of the computer and more and more inclined to clean house. Strange I know. Not like me.

Anyway, here I am again to share some funny things that were said during conference. We spent Sunday with James's awesome family over at his Uncle Franklin and Aunt Kathleen's house. We stayed after to sit and gab because that's what we like to do, and in these conversations, some funny things were said.

After hearing me tell a crazy story about James:
"Have you ever seen a couple more suited to each other than these two?" -Aunt Kathleen
"Yeah - salt has pepper, and James has Charity." -Aunt Ann
(how sweet is that?)

When we drove the little kids home (they were having too much fun playing Guitar Hero to leave when their parents were ready to go), they were talking about "the most ferocious of the girls" they had been in a play with recently:
"Franklin, she could hit you with a pair of glasses and you would bruise. Okay?" - Linford. That was just so funny. I think you had to be there though, Linford had such attitude in his voice. Okay?

Then later:
"I'm flopping like a potato in the summer." - Linford again, master of the simile.

Conference is so great. I loved so many of the talks and I always love feeling the love and concern our leaders have for us. They are such wonderful examples of Christlike love and service. And of course, I love getting together with family and sharing food and stories and laughter. Ah, conference. I think it's my new favorite holiday. :)

(Thinking about it, conference really is a holiday - a holy day - a day (well, two) set apart for the edification of our souls. Yay for Mormon holidays!)