Dear Army...

I hope that you've enjoyed training my husband these past five days. I expect that he has enjoyed it as well. That's great and all, but I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind...promptly returning him. I have found that I am missing someone who can...

kiss me good morning

write me love notes before going to work

tell me that I look beautiful

work in the temple on Saturdays with me

laugh at my jokes

give me wise advice

hold me really close when I cry

go on sunset walks with me in the park

ask intently about my day

always notice my haircuts and pedicures

send me cute texts throughout the day

thank me for making "excellent" PB&Js

insist on taking out the garbage, because that's a "man's job"

read the scriptures with me

compliment my cooking, even when dinner is burned

map out our future with me

encourage me to be a better woman

pray with me, and for me

snuggle with me on the couch

hold my hand in church

and always, always, kiss me good night?

I am certain that I will not find a more perfect husband, not in the next five weeks, and not in the eternities.

But because you are training him to do good things, and because I know that these exercises make him a better soldier, I suppose that I will let you keep him for the previously-allotted time.

But just in case you change your mind, I will keep a box of Honey Bunches of Oats waiting for him in the pantry.

You can tell him that I really like carnations this time of year :)



April Showers...

...bring May babies!

Well Maya's baby, at least :)

baby aminals!!!

I guess that Microsoft Word course at BYU paid off after all

Because Maya has been having contractions (and not the Braxton-Hicks kind) since the beginning of last week, and she's already beginning to dilate, we didn't even know if this shower would actually go on. I almost texted her that morning to ask if I should go ahead and frost the cupcakes.

There were cupcakes...

Thank you Am for your fabulous recipe!!!

...and pink-iced elephant sugar cookies...

and this pink ombre swirl cake!

It was a lot of fun to make, and had a pastry-quality taste! Best vanilla cake recipe. Ever. Find it here

We also had each guest make a letter for a felt alphabet book for the baby.

I made two :)

And then they filled out wishes for Maya's baby girl:

 We ended with playing a game, where Maya tried to guess Branton's responses to questions I had asked him the day before. I think my favorite was his response to how he'll respond during the birth - "I think I'll be alright. I handle pressure really well." Maya's guess was spot on: "Oh, I know that he thinks that he will be fine. I think that he's in for a big surprise though!" Then we opened presents. There are so many cute things for babies! I was definitely not dressed that cute when I was a little one. Oh, the joys of being a child in the '90s.

Easter Traditions

Although Brady usually kindly vetoes my ideas for family traditions (i.e. Tres Leche Cake apparently is not a significant enough reference to Jesus' three days in the grave, and so it got cut from our Easter menu...although I do admit to stretching its symbolic worth just to have an excuse to eat it), he did approve the idea of decorating Peeps for a festive FHE (no religious symbolism here, by the way)...

Okay, so...not exactly Pinterest-worthy, but they DID make incredible s'mores.

 Like, incredible. If there is still leftover Easter candy at your local Target, you should buy them out.

Brady enjoyed this creativity so much, that we decided to make a wreath for our front door:

...and he even accompanied me to Hobby Lobby, to pick out the materials! "There is so much to look at," he commented as we were leaving. "Someone could spend forever in there!"

It was a moment of empathetic connection. I think that he now understands where his wife goes some Saturday afternoons.

We came home and made Good Friday dinner (no Tres Leche...) before breaking out our crafting supplies. Then Brady and I watched Skyfall and fashioned our spring wreath.