Fall...

means it is time to visit the Pumpkin Patch! 

I love Fall when the weather starts to change. Last year we did not take enough advantage of Pack Pumpkin Patch being a mile from our front door. This year I refuse to let that happen again.

And thank goodness for our new besties the Greens! I don't think a day goes by that Lily, Gunner, Stew, and Ollie don't see each other. Lily tells me multiple times a day how adorable little Ollie is and how much she just loves him. At times he gets a little smothered by her but it is all in love!

So grateful for days like this!

Lily Quotes: 2nd Edition

October 30, 2013 - Right after singing Lily's night-time song to her she tells me - "Even if you're not a good singer, Heavenly Father still loves you."

October 18, 2013 - I was preparing my very first Sharing Time lesson (yes, I am Primary President - shocker!!) and trying to gage how basic I need to be with the Junior Primary, I asked Lily to tell me something about the temple. She said, "You love the temple song because you're going to die". Completely lost for words that is what came to her mind when I mention "temple", I remembered about 2 weeks ago I was singing "I Love to See the Temple" to her for her night-time song. After the song I explained to her that it was my very most favorite song because it teaches us the importance of the temple. That we can be together as a family forever because Mommy and Daddy were married in the temple. I probably should have stopped there but I told her that even when I die, we will be together again because of the blessings of the temple. She was nervous for a few days that I was going to be dying, but after reassuring her multiple times that it wouldn't be "until she was Grandma Heslop and Grandma Stewart's ages" she calmed down a bit. But, now when she thinks of temple, she immediately thinks of my death. The things that happen when I try to teach a child the gospel. Now with my new Primary calling, I will get lots of practice at it!

March 30, 2013 - When I was getting Lily ready for bed tonight, I raised my eyebrows while trying to pull her jammie top over her head. Noticing the wrinkles form on my forehead, she says almost laughing, "You have stripes!"

January 8, 2013 - "Mama, you know what I want to be when I grow up?"
"No Lily, what?!"
"I want to be a Mama!"

December 1, 2012 - "Cows lay milk." She said while holding her "pigs in the bum" toy cow. I laughed and asked her where she learned that. She said, "From Jesus."

October 1, 2012 - Lily was talking to "Abecca" and "Acky" this morning. I asked her where Mimi and Lickey were and she said, "Mom, I don't have Mimi & Lickey anymore." Referring to her imaginary buddies, and so I asked, "Why?" and she answered, "Because I don't like a little person, I like a big person!"
So than I asked her more about Abecca and Acky, which I have heard her talking to for a couple months now. They are both girls, Abecca is 3, like Lily, and Acky is 4! I love the imagination of my sweet little girl. Hopefully this means that she got her Daddy's creativity. Not that Paul talks to imaginary people, he just can envision much more than I can :)

August 20, 2012 - "I love my Mommy, I love my Daddy, I love my brother, and I love MYSELF!" I'm glad that she has a good self esteem with high self worth! I would love to take the credit for that little lesson, but then it also makes me wonder what her lesson in nursery was yesterday :)

Birthday Paul

I was really excited about Paul's birthday this year! Probably because I felt very on top of things this year. I purchased his gift in August while we were in New York secretly, which I was especially excited for. It was something I knew he wanted, needed, and would be totally shocked. Back in New York when he was veggin' in the hotel and I was out shopping, I ran 10 blocks to Uniqlo which was this awesome Japanese clothing store we had discovered earlier that day. They have these amazing ultra light down coats that are super comfy and warm. So anyway, I was excited that I had a good gift this year!

That night I had very little sleep (I just found out the evening before that I was going to be the Primary President of a brand new ward, more on that to come), I had a pounding head ache, was so sick to my stomach, and my mind was racing. So I finally just got up at 6 a.m. and ran to Harmon's to grab a few of Paul's favorite morning foods - orange juice, raspberries, and challah. The kids had a great morning with Daddy.

Every year I always feel a little guilty that I don't do anything special on Paul's birthday. The last time I really planned anything semi-big for his birthday was eight years ago. And really he secretly planned that whole thing leading me on to think that I planned it. It was the night he proposed to me and we had our families waiting at the cabin for his "surprise" birthday party.

I have always figured I would plan some party for his thirtieth. But a week ago I decided it was time to really celebrate him, he deserved it! And number 28 seemed like a good time. So I messaged all of his friends about a surprise birthday party at his parents home. Even though he wasn't overly surprised due to a conversation he had with my Dad where he spilled that we were having a party, it was still a success in my book. We had all our good friends come, I made 10 homemade Jamaican jerk and margarita pizzas, there was a little volleyball action, and ended with homemade oreo ice-cream cake. I tried to have all of Paul's "favorites" present at the party.

We had a blast celebrating Paul. I love him with all of my heart and I am so proud of him. He is such a hard worker and I know he does it all for us, his family. I am one lucky girl to be his..forever!

Lily's First Day of Preschool

This day was a long time coming...and it finally came!! Lily could have started preschool last year but I thought that was a bit redundant to do two years when I didn't even do one (and I turned out just fine). I thought that I would be ecstatic and have no feelings of sadness on this much awaited day. But, to my surprise, I was wrong! I was a little nervous deep down inside as I watched my oldest daughter have her first experience going off into the world on her own. Watching Lily skip around and sing all morning because she knew what the day held for her made it a bit easier. It was more joyous than Christmas morning at our house!

I thought it would be a good addition to the traditional front door/first day of school picture to have Lily write what grade she would be starting and what she wants to be when she grows up. She debated between a Mom and a Teacher, but I was proud to see my job had the edge!

Somehow I think poor little Stew knew what was happening before Lily was even gone. He was extra emotional in the morning which balanced out her extreme excitement. Once we finally made the drop of Lily at school, he kept whimpering, "Sis..gone..sis..gone". It was really heart-breaking. They are the sweetest of friends and I know it will be hard on him to not have his little buddy around all day. But, it will be nice for us to have some one-on-one time. I already have lunch-dates and frozen yogurt runs lined out in my head.

Lily looked as though she had grown two years in the two point five hours she was gone that day. I am so proud of my little "monkey beanie baby girl" and the beautiful, confident, sweet girl that she has become. 

New York New York!

Six days after Our Hawaiian Escapade and red-eye flight home, we caught another red-eye to New York City! Life isn't always this exciting/hectic/crazy/glamorous so I relished every moment I could this month of August. It has completely flown by because for half of it, Paul and I were on both extreme ends of the country.

I knew this trip would require a little more energy and work because we were here for a Live Love Spa event. So we flew in a few days before the event to have a little "play time". We saw Newsies on Broadway, it was ahh-mazing! I don't know who was more excited for this - Paul and me?!

On this trip we walked sooo much! I wish I would have had one of those little step meters to really see how far we walked total, because I bet it was at least 20 miles! We only took a cab twice and the subway twice, other than that, it was all by foot! But I preferred it that way, we got to see so much of the city. Plus, I needed any form of exercise I could get with all the scrumptious meals followed by rich desserts we were consuming.

One of our subway rides was to Chinatown, Little Italy, and Soho. It was so enjoyable just walking the city with my love! He is so funny though, he would always get sucked into those little shops in Chinatown where I would find him bartering with some guy barely speaking English about how cheap he could get some cologne. Needless to say, we made it out of there with only a pack of blueberries (which were only ONE dollar - I couldn't pass those up). I'm proud of us for not buying any nick-nack junk I would be throwing away in six months.

In Little Italy we grabbed some lunch at the famous Lombardi's - the first pizza place in New York. Since 1905 they have been serving "pies" and have definitely perfected it. Although I do recall Paul saying that my pizza is better, but I think he is just a little biased :)

We waited an hour for this little gem of a restaurant for Sunday lunch. That "Famous Broadway Sundae" made it worth the wait. Even if we were stomach-churning sick the rest of the day...

Paul was such a good sport to follow me up and down 5th Avenue for a little shopping. He even let me make a few purchases :) I could have spent forever in FAO Shwarts, the famous toy store. We found some presents for the kids to help them forgive us for abandoning them this month (which I think it worked)! Stewart got a little Bullseye and Woody doll, complete with hat that he adores. And Lily got a "clinic bag" (I don't know where she learned that term from) full of Doc McStuffin's doctor toys. Plus we got in a little Christmas shopping.

Aren't these delightful little cupcakes beautiful. They tasted even better than they look if you can believe that! I even brought some home to my sweet mother for watching the kids while we were gone, but she forgot them and someone had to eat them...

I had my first limo ride..ever! We were at this amazing Mediterranean restaurant with some Live Love friends, which were drinking quite a bit, and so they called for this limo to take us back to the Hotel. The ride lived up to all of my thoughts of what a limo ride would be like. It probably had to do with the seven other people who were all a little tipsy from dinner. We were all singing and dancing and making it a limo ride to remember.

And of course, a shout out to the whole reason I got to go on this unforgettable trip with my sweet husband. Plus we spent half of our time in New York at the beautiful Guerlain Spa in the Waldorf Astoria where the Live Love Spa event was held. The last 20 minutes of the second day was by far the highlight. Paul miraculously sold the Blend Bar to this spa!! I was beyond exciting, for one that we didn't have to pack up the Blend Bar to ship home, for another that we wouldn't have to shove it in a cab to take to another spa (there were a few interested in buying it), and lastly that my husband is so amazing at his job!

Post-Nap Storytime

After Stewart's nap one day I told Lily to go in and keep him company while I finished up some baking. And this is what I found...

I have no doubt that Lily is going to be the best mother! She is already so nurturing and thoughtful to those younger than her. I love seeing the relationship and bond that Lily and Stewart have and I can only hope that it continues throughout their lives.

Our Hawaiian Escapade

Paul and I had such an amazing time in Maui last week. This had to be my favorite vacation I have ever been on. It came at a much needed time. It was so nice for Paul and I to get to spend a whole week together just the two of us. We went to do some Salts training but planned for many days of playing too.

Even the plane ride over was enjoyable, to get to do whatever I wanted and just have a little me-time, was so relaxing. I even read two entire books on our trip, which is unheard of for me. Normally it takes me six months to read one book. We left on my 27th birthday (crazy - the day just kinda rushed by that I forget that I turned one year older!) and I couldn't have thought of a better way to spend it than unwinding in a hammock on the beach next to my love...

We found a church, right next to the resort, which was totally full, almost all the way to the back of the gym. I always love going to church in other states because I feel like the members are so strong. And it happened to be testimony meeting so it was a strength to me to hear about their trials and how they learn from the gospel.

The fruit in Hawaii is out-of-control delicious, so luckily we found this fruit market off the side of the highway and stocked up on passion-fruit and mangos for breakfast and snacks throughout our trip. On the other end of this stand we found this adorable farm-house styled restaurant called Leoda's Kitchen and Pie place. It is one of those places that I am going to crave for YEARS! It was so amazingly good. We had breakfast one morning that hit the spot but as we were leaving, there was a crazy-good looking banana cream pie that was just calling to us. We had to get it. And when in Hawaii, you can totally justify having an after-breakfast dessert right?! Paul is planning a trip back to Maui in December and I told him he had to bring me back an apple hand-held from Leoda's (which is a little apple pie that we tested on our flight home..mmmm).

We ate some awesome food and saw some amazing sunsets. Sometimes life gets so crazy that I don't have time to enjoy those simple things. But I made sure to soak up every bit of it.

And I got to do a shout-out to the whole reason we were able to take this amazing trip. Training at the brand new (like not even open yet) Andaz Wailea. I was in charge of video footage of the training. It was fun to see Paul give his training, it had been awhile since I had been to one with him. I am so proud of him and the work that he has put in to make Salts the company that it is today!

Last December when Paul and I went to Hawaii we heard how amazing the "Road to Hana" was but we never had time to do it then. So this go-around, I researched all about it before we left so that we could make time for this adventure. It took about 3 hours to drive to Hana, even though it was only about 50 miles that we travelled. The road is so windy and narrow the entire way that our average was about 10 mph. The day we did this was totally unforgettable. I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life.

We drove past Hana to the Seven Sacred Pools. We started on a hike that went through the most amazing bamboo forest. It ended at an unbelievable waterfall that was so incredible. I could have spent days on this hike in the deep forest of bamboo and amazing trees and things that we saw. It was so reviving to really take in the beautiful Earth that God has created. And to do it all with Paul made it that much more special. 

After the hike we took a swim in one of the Seven Sacred Pools. There are seven natural pools with waterfalls running into each one. It was so refreshing to swim in the natural fresh water coming from the beautiful mountains above. Despite the nauseating moments in the car to and from Hana because of the crazy roads, this was my favorite day of our vacation. I don't think I will experience anything quite like it again.

On our last day we rented some boogie boards and went up to Kapalua and found an amazing beach that we had almost all to ourselves. A couple nights before, we made the mistake of watching some of "Shark Week" on the Discovery Channel. Of course most of the sharks, or incidences, or footage they showed was from where?!  Hawaii! Totally freaked us both out to get in the ocean, but the water was clear enough that we didn't let it stop us from having a blast. Then we met with a spa director at Kapalua Spa for a few minutes and she was gracious enough to let us use the spa facilities to relax for the rest of our day until we had to catch our red-eye flight home. It was an unforgettable trip...