Last weekend was so much fun. Jordan (Brad's youngest brother) and Jenika Jeppson were married in the Salt Lake Temple on Saturday May 15. Connor and I were in Utah for the entire week to help Brenda with all the last minute wedding preparations and so the Jeppsons could spend a few extra days with Connor. We (Brenda, Jenn, and me) made 380 wedding favors (toole, chocolate kisses, and ribbon), 2 bouquets, 8 center pieces, and 3 white chocolate cheese cakes (Brenda made them, I decorated them) for the reception. We also did all the shopping and food prep for the days leading up to the wedding.
Brad arrived Thursday night and we all went through the temple on Friday with Jenika for the first time. It was wonderful. Then on Saturday afternoon, Jordan and Jenika were sealed for time and all eternity. There were about 50 people in the sealing room (about equal numbers from both their families) and the sealer in his talk before the actual sealing described the sealing room as the Lord's family room in His house. That was very sweet.
After the sealing, we took pictures on the temple grounds (it was a beautiful day and the grounds were gorgeous, as always), had a big family luncheon (of about 60 people) in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and then the reception was at the church later that night.
It was fun to be in Utah and see everyone. Congratulations Jordan and Jenika!! You two are so cute together!
Here are all the wedding preparations:
This white chocolate raspberry cheesecake (d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s, by the way!) is 100% homemade. We made the cakes, frosting, and milk chocolate triangles on top with dark chocolate piping details. I was enlisted to do all the decoration, piping, and details. Brenda had much more confidence in me than I did, but I think they turned out pretty well! (P.s. this cake took us 4 days to make!)
There were a lot of silly faces that day:
Yep, these were the faces in all the wedding pictures. Priceless...
We all had a great time decorating their car.
We left some of the cans full and unopened so they exploded as they drove off! (They weren't big explosions, more like fizzing really.)
This is Jordan's friend Broc. He wanted to make sure their wedding night would be one to remember. (Read the PowerBar he's holding.) We all got a great kick out of this and I think these will now be included in every honeymoon basket we give after car decorating, one for each the bride and groom.
And, of course, I can't ever stop taking pictures of my two favorite boys.
Not the best pic of me, by far, but it was the only one I had of both of us. That's what happens when you're the one behind the camera.
It was a very fun week.
On this, my first Mother's Day, I can't help but reflect on my life as a new mom. While it definitely has its challenges (many, many challenges!), I can't help but count my blessings and see how wonderful and happy life is with our little boy. He is truly the joy of our lives and we are so happy we can call him ours! He's super cute (to us; if you think so too, icing :) ) and he brings so much happiness into our home. He is growing by the day and the time goes too fast, for sure. I love being a mom. Pre-Connor, I never knew I could love another person this much. (Are you gagging? Sorry, it's my Mother's Day.)
I love, love, love this poem from a friend's blog. It's perfect for my Mother's Day:
You are my I love you
Author: Maryann K Cusimano
I am your parent you are my child
I am your quiet place, you are my wild
I am your calm face, you are my giggle
I am your wait, you are my wiggle
I am your audience, you are my clown
I am your London Bridge, you are my falling down
I am your Carrot Sticks, you are my licorice
I am your dandelion, you are my first wish
I am your water wings, you are my deep
I am your open arms, you are my running leap
I am your way home, you are my new path
I am your dry towel, you are my wet bath
I am your dinner you are my chocolate cake
I am your bedtime, you are my wide awake
I am your finish line, you are my race
I am your praying hands, you are my saving grace
I am your favourite book, you are my new lines
I am your nightlight, you are my sunshine
I am your lullaby, you are my peek-a-boo
I am your kiss goodnight, you are my I love you
Especially now that I'm a mom, I have a whole new perspective on my own mother. Wow. What a wonderful mom I have! I have so much more understanding now that I know what I put her through!
So, to my mom, you are amazing. You made this motherhood thing look easy but now I know, IT'S NOT!! (What else did you lie about, liar?! :) ) I envy your organization, patience, punctuality, and cleanliness. You taught me everything I know about cooking, sewing, reading, service, this list is too long to keep going! Your willingness and enthusiasm as our family's chauffeur, pack mule, maid, cook, bank, sports manager, teacher, travel agent, and santa clause is inspiring. Mom, I only wish I can eventually be half the mom you always are. Now that you're a grandma, I'm glad that Connor and Jaxson will have the opportunity to learn from you too. You truly are amazing.
This is a poem I wrote for my mom for Mother's Day: (there are several inside jokes, so some may not understand)
My Favorite Teacher
You taught me to sew, you taught me to cook,
You taught me to read and find a good book.
You taught me to play ball, you taught me to clean,
You taught me to be nice, and never be mean.
You taught me hard work, you taught me good manners,
You taught me to budget and keep up a planner.
You taught me to listen, what you say goes,
You taught me to love my Morton toes.
You taught me to decorate, you taught me to see
That when something looks wrong, shout “This offends me!”
You taught me rejecting peer pressure is ok,
And when it comes to school work, get an A.
You taught me to behave, always do what I should
You taught me “Good honk!” like no other could.
You taught me service, you taught me charity,
You taught me of Christ with perfect clarity.
You taught me to love, you taught me to mother,
You taught me to sing to sweet baby Connor.
You taught me my whole life, always showing me how
And the best part is you’re still teaching me now.
You are my favorite teacher, you teach me everyday.
I just want to wish you, Happy Mother’s Day!
I love you mom!
And for all the other moms and women that have made a difference in others' lives, here is a quote from the late President Gordon B. Hinckley that I shared in my Young Women Mother's Day lesson yesterday.
“Woman is God’s supreme creation. Only after the earth had been formed, after the day had been separated from the night, after the waters had been divided from the land, after vegetation and animal life had been created; and after man had been placed on the earth, was woman created; and only then was the work pronounced complete and good.”
Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful women out there!
We've been having a lot of fun the last couple weeks. Brad's mom Brenda came down the week before last for the entire week. She came down to watch Connor because I was supposed to take the Professional Engineering Exam on Friday (16th) and Saturday (17th), but I found out the day after she booked her tickets in March that I can't take it until October this year. Sorry Brenda. But we were glad to have her and she seemed glad to come anyway!
On Monday when she first got in, Brenda, Connor and I decided to head north to Solvang for the day. Brad had to work. :( We had fun looking in the shops, eating yummy Danish food, and feeding Connor his very first aebleskivers from Arnie's! He LOVED them!!!
We had a great week of home cooked meals (thanks Brenda), a clean house (thanks Brenda), clean laundry (thanks Brenda), and a few days to sleep in (again, THANKS BRENDA!!). Connor loved being able to spend more time with his far-away-grandma.
Connor loves ice water! Who'd have thought?
It should come as no surprise that Connor still loves to hang with Dad. He shares Brad's love for electronics (notice his interest in the phone - it's actually his because we got new phones a little while ago. He loves it!!). Notice the spots on Connor's pants?? He is a messy after-eater. He doesn't get any food on him while he's eating, but after he's done he always spits some up and gets it all over his clothes. Great.
I just love this happy face - my little monkey.
The last two Sundays we had some friends, Jared and Aubrey and Connor's gf Addie, over for dinner. Addie is only 4 hours older than Connor! We made some yummy dinners and played the new Super Mario Bros. Wii. We love having them over. Unfortunately, they will be moving to Arizona soon, Jared is taking a new engineering job there. We are so sad!! At least they'll only be a half a day's drive away. It will give us an excuse to get away for a weekend every once in a while. We are going to miss them!
I never got around posting about this, but I now have a Disneyland pass! Connor's first D-land trip was with my friends LeeElle and Becky, and his friends Cohen and Kevin at the beginning of March (the 10th). He L-O-V-E-D it! He was so happy and well behaved all day - he isn't even that good at home! At our friend LeeElle's suggestion, I may have to name my next child Walt.
Our first stop was at California Adventure for a Disney character meet-and-greet with Chip and Dale. I was worried at first that Connor would be freaked out by the over-sized chipmunks, but he loved them! He just smiled, grabbed their fingers, and sucked on their noses, just like any normal kid would. :) It must have been girls inside the suits because they really loved him too.
His very first ride was on Toy Story! Great ride. But 45 minutes of waiting in line is exhausting. He fell asleep just as we got to the front.
The beloved umbrella stroller.
Second ride - It's a Small World. He couldn't take his eyes off all the lights and colors.
We tuckered them out (l to r: Connor, Kevin, Cohen). After 2 rides and walking for a few hours around the park, we decided to stop for some ice cream on Main Street before heading home.
While we were getting ice cream, look who showed up!! We had front row seats!
He was so exhausted by the time we got home around 4:30. He fell asleep immediately in his car seat and didn't wake up until 11 p.m. that night. We had a lot of fun!!
We went back for our second trip 2 weeks later again with Becky, Kevin, LeeElle and Cohen, and this time Amy Jo and her beautiful girls Ashley and Taylor, and my friends Matt and Christine and their son Braden came too! We had too much fun riding on the Carousel, the Matterhorn, Pinocchio, Pirates of the Caribbean, Casey Jr.'s train, Dumbo, and Toy Story again. Connor wasn't as happy this time because I think he was teething, but we still had fun.
Thanks ladies and babies for the great time! I can't wait to go back!!!
We met at BYU, dated 1 year, married in the Salt Lake City, UT temple on August 5, 2005. We graduated from BYU in April 2007, moved to CA for 4 years, now we live in Pleasant View, UT in our new house. Connor was born October 23, 2009 in CA, and Blake was born June 28, 2012 in UT. Life is busy and ever-changing, but we love it.
