be still my heart ...

my heart melts 

when i walk downstairs

and catch a glimpse of this

Cirque Du Soleil - THE IMMORTAL TOUR

The minute this show was announced ...
{over a year ago} 

I wanted to go

I had to go

what could be better?

Cirque de Soleil 

and 

Michael Jackson

are you kidding me

I have wanted to go to a cirque show for as long as i can remember


of course
knowing me
i waited until 3 days before the show
to buy our tickets


we got the
tippy tippy top
can't get any higher
in the arena
seats

i didn't care
i knew it would still be incredible


how lucky were we
when a Sprint Center employee asked our entire section
if we wanted to move to lower level
{seats that had not been sold}


no hesitation here
YES PLEASE


section 105
down in front
row 11

I am completely in awe of these performers

the dancing, the flying, the costumes, the celloist, the band, 
the acrobatics, the contortionist, the lights, the music,
the guy with only one leg
... amazing ...
 the mummies and zombies during Thriller
 the TRON suits during They Don't Care About Us 
the lights on the body suits as they performed Human Nature 



the entire show was absolutely incredible 



pretty cool that my mom took me to the
Jackson Victory Tour
back in 1984
and
even though Michael isn't with us anymore


we got to take Sam to a 
Michael Jackson show
in 2012


we all enjoyed the show 
so much
that I'm pretty sure
we will need to go to 
every
cirque du soleil show
that we can

Happy New Year

The Best of 2011

Oh what a year it was

My heart is filled to the tipy top today

looking back at all of this past year in photos!

It's all about the A.T.T.I.T.U.D.E.

What a great quote to start off

the New Year

something to keep in mind

Ringing in the New Year

Third year in a row ...

we are ringing in the New Year

with the Meyers

It's always a party and a great get away 

for all of us

Sam/Keaton/Rylee played the Kinect

and the adults had a few cocktails and reconnected

...

I have so many resolutions  plans for this New Year

of course the usual list:

lose weight. exercise. be frugal.

creative. adventurous. thoughtful.

read lots of books. write thank you notes.

But more than just a list I really really want to work

deeper ... on myself

I am going to love every single minute I get to spend with my husband and son

whether it’s fixing breakfast, lunch or dinner, helping with homework, 

driving to activities or snuggling at bedtime.  

I am truly grateful for this family that I have been given

Life is moving too fast and I want to soak in each precious moment

I am going to focus on becoming healthy.  

exercise. eat better. vitamins. play.

Live every moment to the fullest and just be happy to be alive
I need to take care of myself and feel better about me.

I am going to be a better friend

I truly love my friends will all of my heart, and sometimes, 

I don't think they know that.

My one little word for the year is connect 

I will connect better with

myself, my husband, my son, my friends, my life.

Welcome Two Thousand Twelve

 I'm ready

show me what ya got!

on the agenda

... for today

~ Take Mom & John to the airport

at 6:00 am

{mom, did you forget that i am on break}

They are visiting Colorado for a few days!

...

~ Bowling with Brad, Sam, Kevin

and Kim and some of her family

{such a good time}

...

~ To Shannon's for just a bit

Brad is painting murals on the boys' walls

...

~ Movie @ The I-max

  Mission Impossible with Kim's family

and Kevin

{we loved it}

...

It was a really great day

but I'm exhausted

Ga' Night!

Christmas Blessings!

Christmas morning started a little earlier than usual this year.

Sam is usually so good about sleeping in. 

He has never been the kid that gets up at 5:00

yelling for everyone else to get up too

He usually sleeps til about 8:00 or so and stays in his room

until we have our coffee brewing and camera ready 

This year he woke up at 6:00, when I let the dogs out

but he stayed in bed, trying to go back to sleep until 9:00

~ he said it was the longest night ever ~
at 7:00 he was still awake and I said 
"let's get up!"

poor little thing always thinking of everyone else

even on Christmas Morning!

We relaxed and played with all of our new goodies

until we headed over to grandpa and grandma's, in the afternoon

 for more family festivities.

We enjoyed eating, visiting, playing with cousins

and eating again

until it was time to open more presents!

a beautiful mess

After we were finished here
we still had one more celebration
to get to


Matt and Toni were having chili
for all of us to visit with 
Grandpa Bob and JoAnn

I love the busy Christmas day
spent with so much family!

Christmas Morning

This is the face of a

truly surprised and happy boy

on Christmas morning

His very own laptop

christmas cookies

Thank You Sissy

for letting

Sam make Christmas cookies

at your house

seriously

Thank You

so much

Blue Man Group

Date night with my guy {my little guy}

I was so excited when we got these tickets

given to us

hello ... tenth row!

I could not wait to take Sam

I felt bad for Brad not to go

but we only had two tickets

I just knew how much Sam would love this show

He seemed excited

and acted excited

until it was time to go

and then he was like

'i just don't really want to go'

{insert broken heart here}

Wha??

How could he NOT want to go see

THE BLUE MAN GROUP

What is wrong with this child

Brad had to have a little heart to heart

with our boy

he expained how excited mom was to take him

because she knew how much HE was going to love it

how she was so looking forward to 

seeing the smile on his face

through the entire show

well ...

he sucked it up

and went

{for me}

Guess who LOVED the show?
yep
my little guy


He sat on the edge of his seat
in awe
wide eyed
a permanent smile
plastered across his face


I knew he would!!
{momma knows}


the bright lights
 the loud music
the visual effects
the hilarious comedy


all things this little guy loves


on the way home
after the show
he said
 he was sorry that he had said he didn't want to go
and sorry if he hurt my feelings
{they were really only hurt for about a minute}


he said he loved the show


After we got home
at 10:00
{on a school night}


he couldn't wait to tell Brad all about it
he talked
non-stop
explaining every detail of the show
and how much he loved it


ahhh
 a great date night
for both of us

Huzzah!

Renaissance Festival 2011

here we come!

We had such a great time last year

that we couldn't wait to come back

throwing knives, axes, stars

shooting bow & arrows

 interesting things to buy

the turkey legs

countdown to candy!

This year for Halloween

 he says he doesn't want to trick or treat

anymore

and I'm just a little sad

he changes his mind

and

we encounter a true zombie

{I know it's a little gross, but he loves all things Zombie, right now
 and HE loves how he can really look like one}

...

Things are in full swing

and I am happy and excited

First we stop by to see our wonderful neighbors

Ray and Paulette

{who love Sam to pieces}

look at Ray pretending to be a zombie

cute.cute.

Then we head on over to my sisters

for our traditional Halloween night out!

She has all the fixings for chili and potato soup

to fill our bellies before heading out on a cool night

Brad gets all the kids faces/makeup ready

Not the cute.sweet.costumes. 

they wore when they were young

but I'm okay with all the blood and gore

they loved it


After the traditional trick or treat route ...

{minus Logan & Dalton, they were out with friends}

where we get to see some of our old friends

that we usually only get to see on this one night

every year

... we headed home to 

count/dump/trade their loot

Everyone had a  fangtastic time

I love this Halloween tradition

I love that our entire family comes together, to see the boys

I love how all the adults walk together, while the boys run from house to house

I love

every.single.bit.

I am so not ready for this trick or treating tradition to come to an end