THE DUKE AND DUCHESS

Full disclosure. I got up at 5:30 and watched the wedding on DVR delay. I dozed a few times but for the most part I watched all 6 plus hours of coverage. Brad got up for school at 7:30 and asked with as little enthusiasm as possible, "Are they married yet?" And indeed they were. My favorite parts:

1. Her dress was perfect!
2. Will whispering at the alter "You look beautiful" to her.
3. The amazing hats - I'm wearing one to every wedding I attend from now on.
4. The music as she walked down the aisle was divine.
5. Will and Kate's surprise drive of the blue Aston Martin out of Buckingham Palace.

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Am I a bit ridiculous for getting up two hours earlier than normal to watch the wedding of someone I've never met in a country half way around the world? Perhaps. But it was so much fun! How often is something so joyous celebrated by so many people across the world? Um. Never. Even the Olympics can get a bit tense, you know with the competition and all.

Kristin and I decided that if we had lived remotely near each other we would have watched the entire six hours of coverage together in our wedding dresses. THAT would have been a party.

EASTER 2011

We went to Naperville for Easter this past weekend to spend time with the family, which was totally worth it, but came with some bad and good.

THE GOOD
We got to spend time with family.
We got to get away from Alton and Brad had some time to decompress from an especially hard week.
We got to drive in comfort in our new car (did I mention we bought a new car?).
We got to celebrate Finley's first Easter.
I didn't have to make Easter dinner.

THE BAD
We were there for less than 48 hours.
Three kids got the flu, which made keeping Fin healthy a bit difficult (luckily none of us appear to be affected so far).

All in all we never regret a tip up north. Especially when it took us out of town just as a tornado took out some of the major airport in St. Louis about 30 minutes from our house. Yikes! Luckily we came home to our fully intact house which was a little touch and go because initially the reports had the tornado heading directly to Alton. Anyway, we had beautiful weather in Naperville and enjoyed an Easter egg hunt outside and ate way too much food inside. Here are a heap load of pictures of Finley. I might have been a little shutter happy. She does this laugh with her face scrunched up and her mouth wide open - it's the most adorable thing ever and I couldn't stop taking pictures. Some of these are really blown out but I love her face in all of them. I'm still learning to use our highfalutin camera.











Brad and his brother Ken were a little cruel when hiding some of the eggs for the bigger kids. He had to lift Carson up for this one. The hardest egg to find? It was buried in the yard under some grass.








Finley's cousins (Grace, Ella, and Cassidy) were in love with her and she was loving all the attention. I think she gets a little bored hanging out with me all day.

ZOOT ZOOT ZOO

We've had a few sunny Saturdays so a few weeks ago we went to the St. Louis Zoo. I think everyone else had the same idea because it took us about 45 minutes to find a parking spot. But it was definitely worth it - we got there mid afternoon and all the animals were energetic and awake. Last time we went all the animals were resting or totally asleep. LAZY. Anyway - we had a good time being out in the sun for the first time in months. It makes it feel like Spring might actually be coming at some point, probably after all the tornadoes make their way directly through St. Louis. We've seriously had tornado warnings almost everyday for the past two weeks. It's a bit scary waiting around your TV with your shoes and raincoat on just in case you have to make a run for your life to the basement. Brad and I were even discussing who would grab what if we have seconds to make a dash (me: Finley and our camera. Brad: hard drive and journals).

But besides sunny Saturdays and tornado warnings we are getting ready for Finley's first Easter and getting Brad ready for externships and applying for residency. Its a bit stressed around these parts to say the least so it was good to get some stress out at the zoo. Finley didn't really pay much attention to the animals but she loved sitting on dad's shoulders - I think she's still a few months away from appreciating fun actives.

TEN MONTHS

Our chicken noodle is ten months old. And this month more than any other has made me emotional. The other day I boxed up her winter clothes that are forever too small for her and it made me genuinely sad that her babyhood is winding down. There is less than two months until she is a 1-year-old and no longer a baby. Soon I'll stop tracking her age by months and she'll be walking and saying her first words. And I'm so not ready! For a long time I was preparing for a baby but I don't think I've been adequately debriefed for a toddler yet. Maybe someone should throw me a toddler shower - I think the gifts might help. Just kidding. Anyway. We just rearranged our entire house in an attempt to make it more child friendly and we are currently shopping for a more spacious car. My oh my, how quickly a baby upends your entire life. Good thing she's adorable. And so totally worth it.

She has recently developed some strong preferences so this month I'll go through the list of her loves and dislikes.


Loves going on walks but dislikes being strapped into the stroller. Actually she hates all manner of confinement: car seats, diaper changes, high chairs... it sometimes makes me feel like my profession is alligator wrestler.


Loves supper time but hates getting her face wiped afterward. Side note - Brad hates messy face pictures. And usually I do too - but check out that double chin. Fantastic.


Loves to play with all manner of toys but dislikes this soccer ball at Ashley's house. You can see how the rug bunched up after she quickly scooted herself back in terror.


Loves to crawl into her office (under our desk) but dislikes when we take away her CDs and pull her back out.


Loves to read Brown Bear Brown Bear but dislikes when I don't let her hold it while we read. Interesting fact - I actually do think this is her favorite because it's the only book she doesn't chew on. Although maybe that's just because it doesn't taste good.


Loves napping on the way home from church with her leg up over the side but dislikes waking up still buckled.


Loves to visit Dad at school but dislikes when he goes to school with out her.


Loves having two new teeth to chew with but dislikes growing them, the process was so painful that she hardly slept. All better now though and she has six teeth showing.


Loves to make messes but dislikes clean them up.


Loves to help me cook but dislikes following an actual recipe.


And finally, loves to help me clean the dishes but dislikes when I stop her from crawling into the dishwasher.

DID YOU HEAR?

If you haven't read Hunger Games then you probably don't care. But for those that have, this is big news. The three leads have officially been cast. I'm not sure how much Gale will be in the first movie... but if they make the other two books then he has quite the meaty role ahead of him. I probably shouldn't care this much about a movie that will be aimed at the 16-year-old crowd but I don't care. I'm still not ashamed of my love for Twilight or Harry Potter or American's Next Top Model or Zac Efron or I should probably just stop. Anyway, here are the leads:

Gale Hawthorne - Liam Hemsworth
Katniss Everdeen - Jennifer Lawrence
Peeta Mellark - Josh Hutcherson


I think the acting might actually be good. But they look nothing like I pictured. Jennifer Lawrence is not scrappy/athletic enough. Josh Hutcherson seems too small - but maybe that's because I think of him in Little Manhattan. (Haven't seen that movie? So cute. Watch immediately.) And I just pictured Gale different. Oh well. Evidently the studios didn't bother taking my notes on casting so I guess I'll just have to live with it. In all honesty I think this could be good. I'm more excited than I have any right to be.

Anyone else excited? Just me? Okay.

FOOL FOR APRIL

I love April. It's my favorite month because it's the best month ever. Proof:

1. April Fool's which is also the day I got got engaged four years ago
2. General Conference
3. Weather is my favorite combo of generally warmer and rainy
4. Most of the time we get Easter
5. My birthday
6. And this year: Wills & Kate's Wedding (you know, my friends Wills & Kate?)

With so much good stuff going on it's a wonder why the entire month isn't just considered a holiday. Wouldn't the world be a better place? I think you get my point. Anyway, so in honor of the day of fools I've included one of my favorite pranks ever. I'm not a great pranskter. Case in point - I was going to wake up Brad at 7:45 telling him it was actually 8:45 and he was late to turn in a major project. He said if I'd done that he might have punched me in the leg. So I'll leave it up to the professionals. It's from a few years ago so you've probably seen it - but it's worth another viewing. GENIUS IDEA but note to self - don't ever hang out with these guys.