Backstory
Andrew and I met March 31, 2006 at a dance and Trolley Square (a shopping mall in downtown Salt Lake City). Neither of us were initially planning on attending but thanks to the woo-woo powers of the universe (and more than a little nudging by fate) we both found ourselves there and wound up being near each other that night. In a groggy atmosphere of too much perfume, sweaty bodies, exceptionally loud music and the pungent aroma of the occasional stink bomb we found each other and it was "Wow, they are totally hot!" at first sight. We didn't dance together once that day (or any day since for that matter) but as our two groups of friends merged and interacted that night we both found ourselves drawn to each other and Andrew patiently handled my high energy constant chattering and terribly unabashed flirting.As exhilarating as that night was that likely would have been where our short story ended had it not been for a mutual friend who (for whatever reason) saw the potential for something great and orchestrated events where both Andrew and I were invited. It didn't take long for us to exchange numbers, start dating, and fall madly in love. Less than 6 months after we met on a sunny October day Andrew and I got married. That's where our family story truly starts.
After only 1 1/2 months of marriage Andrew and I decided we were ready to be "parents". At a local Humane Society event we fell in love with a small, shaggy, dejected looking puppy. We couldn't stand the thought of leaving her huddled in a kennel so we adopted her that day. We joked with those around us that Mandi was our "trial run" before having kids. If we could keep a dog healthy and happy for awhile then maybe we could think about adding a human baby to the mix. One month after adopting Mandi we got a bit of a surprise when we learned that we were going to be parents! We jokingly hoped that our one month as puppy parents was adequate proof that we could do it for real.
James was born the August after we were married. 6 lbs 6 oz of energetic "don't want to miss a thing" cuteness. James was born with an "oldest" mentality. He was 100% boy and although he was a bit of a challenging baby (and by "bit of a challenge" I mean that he never napped, rarely slept at night, refused to nurse, demanded attention 24/7 and made me seriously wonder if I could handle having any more kids) he was such a sweet and passionate boy.
2 years and 3 months later Matthew came and from the get go he was determined to be his own person and be nothing like his big brother. He was mellow, content, easy to do anything with, and we were so relieved to have a baby who would actually sleep. I was so happy to have 2 boys who could be friends with each other.
A very short 19 months after Matthew was born I gave birth to a massive 9 lbs+ baby boy. His delivery was terrifying and although the chances of him having issues from it were very high we were blessed with a bruised and sore but perfectly normal baby boy. Luke was such a strong brave baby. Even with his traumatic birth the NICU staff was amazed at how little he cried and how easy going he was. In no time at all he was home and bonding with his brothers.
After Luke came Tyler. After 3 boys I was desperate to finally have a girl. I absolutely adore making girly items and have wanted a daughter from the time I first started pretending to be a mom as a small girl. I found out Tyler was yet another boy the day after my Dad's funeral. While the loss of my amazing Dad and the discovery that I was having yet another boy was more than I could emotionally process at the time I found some comfort in the fact that I could pass my Dad's name on to my my little Tyler. Tyler Allen was born safe and sound on a hot July day and from the time I first held him I had the overwhelming sense that he came specifically to help me through the rough transition phase after losing my Dad. He was my lifeline and that sweet little boy brought so much joy to me during that difficult time (and he still does to this day!)
Carter was our surprise baby boy #5. We thought we'd give it one more shot to have a girl down the road after Andrew had finished his schooling. Carter had other plans and in the spirit of consistency he decided to come roughly 2 years after his older brother. While coming up with a name both Andrew and I liked was a little difficult after already having 4 boys we were so glad to have another healthy baby boy in our family.
That brings us to now...
So here we are. 5 busy boys, baseball teams, soccer teams, homework, housework, yard work, a busy job for Andrew (all while he is a full time student himself), a baby, a meddlesome toddler, boo-boos (oh there are always so many boo-boos!), shenanigans, craft projects, kid messes, and nonstop craziness for me at home. It seems our to-do lists are always a mile long but our hearts are full and we are so very blessed.So why start a blog if you're already so busy? I know, I know, who willingly chooses to add 1 more thing to a life that is seemingly already bursting with too much to get done. Well, I do! Writing is an outlet for me and with so many friends and family scattered far and wide I felt that documenting life and all its awesomeness would just be fun. Sharing is caring, right?
So here it goes...
Welcome to our blog! If you've stuck with me thus far I am so grateful! Here you will find accounts of our day to day lives. I'll talk about our hopes and dreams for the future, give glimpses into our daily lives, and share those golden parenting moments that make you wonder if you should laugh or lock yourself in your closet with a gallon of ice cream and Adele music blaring loudly. I will post projects I'm working on, share activities I do with my boys, I'll pass on delicious recipes, post photos (lots of photos!) and anything else I feel like sharing with the world. If we're lucky I might even convince Andrew to post the occasional yard, trailer camping, or DIY tip (or at the very least get him to share them with me so I can post for him!) I hope you find something you like here. :)Talk to you soon-
