Brittany's first birthday!

Brittany's first birthday was February 6, 2011. A fun, good weather day sandwiched between two very rainy/cold/kind of snowy days on either side. We had a great day!! Luckily it fell on a Sunday so we were able to do the big family party on the actual day. Here's a picture of some of the party decor:

It was the first chance I had to use my entertaining table topper which I got from Jared's parents for Christmas. My mom, Jared's m

om, and Su

zanne all brought things to eat, and in the end we had way more than we could handle. It was all so good! We had a lot of fun planning and putting on her party. Sam, Brittany and I set everything up a couple days before the actual event to see how everything fit, and we had a blast. They were very interested in helping me put flowers and napkins everywhere and showing everything to the dog. Here's a picture of the countertop featuring our main course, hot dogs:)

Brittany loves sweets so we were expecting her to just attack the cake. However, when the time came, all the cousins, a candle to be blown out, and the singing of the birthday song proved a little overwhelming, so she decided to be a somewhat reserved. She got into it, though, after a bit. It was a very tasty cake. I had some of her leftovers after the party.

Our family would like to thank everyone who was able to come support us as well as all those who called and sent birthday wishes. Thank you!! We can hardly believe that a year has gone by since Brittany was born. She is a delightful, cute little girl. Her smile brightens up the whole room and when she laughs you can't help but laugh too. She is also a mischievous little thing. Already she loves to tease Sam, so it will be interesting to see how their relationship grows and develops over the next 12 months. She is almost able to walk, but seems quite content with her ability to get around by crawling, so we aren't sure when she'll get to that milestone.

Brittany loves to read books, play with Sam and Wally, sing and talk to her momma, play peek-a-boo, clap her hands, climb all over daddy, eat the dirt from the plant in her room (to our chagrin), look out the windows, drink from her sippy cup, look at the fish at the library, stand up during her baths, be tickled, play with her toys, go on stroller rides, visit grandma and grandpa, and have her picture taken. We love all that she has added to our family. Happy birthday, Brittany!!!!

Sundays

I thought that we were getting better with making Sunday mornings less stressful, but then today came along. It started last night with getting to bed way too late, and then wanting to sleep in a little bit this morning. Jared was not feeling well (perhaps because we got to bed too late? Hmmm...) So, I fed and dressed the kids by myself. We got to church on time, miraculously, and Jared started feeling worse. So, instead of having him drive himself home and then come back to get us an hour and a half later, I suggested he wait until after Primary opening exercises so I could drive him. Unbeknownst to us at the time, neither the primary secretary (who is in charge of the schedule) nor the primary chorister (who does all the children’s music) had informed anyone that they would not be at church today. AND, on top of all that, it was ward conference, so all of the people from the stake were there to watch us. So while I’m holding my one-year-old baby on my hip, the poor president and I are try to figure out how to substitute all the missing people, Jared’s sitting in the back dying, and I’m putting on a happy face and saying “Welcome to Primary today!” Opening Exercises took a lot longer than it usually does, and after a while Jared left, so I had to go find him before I could drive him home.

On days like today, I miss the carefree Sundays of my singlehood. I went to church. I felt the Spirit. I felt edified and fed. After church, I fed myself, and then either wandered campus to have a good think while I walked, or went to my favorite place in Rock Canyon to be alone and meditate. When I wanted to, I came back to my apartment and hung out with friends or called my family. So nice. So truly a day of rest.

I expect that someday Sunday will once again be a peaceful day of rest, but I don’t expect that to be for a very long time. However, it would be nice to feel the Spirit again at church. I did cry at church today, alone in a corner playing with my baby. But they were tears of stress, not of joy or an overflowing of love.

I don’t want to go back to the Sundays when I was single. I just want to find some way to make my Sundays now a day to look forward to instead of a day to dread.