Oakeson Adventures

San Diego

2011-07-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

Isn't it amazing that the Utah Bar Association has their conference in San Diego every four year. It was a great excuse to get away.

We headed to St. George on July 1 and spent some quality time with the Tolman's at the Silver Creek pool. It was a fun coincidence that their family has a vacation home in the same development as Mimi and Pop. After celebrating the fourth in St. George we headed to San Diego. We went to the San Diego Zoo, the beach and the USS Midway Museum among other things. We also ate out so much that I have been excited to cook every night this week. I don't say that very often.

Here are some fun pictures from our trip.

Watching the Koalas--turns out there isn't much to watch as they sleep a lot

Graham loves birds, but was cautious during this close encounter with a peacock.

Riding the Skyfari is a must!

Graham was more interested in singing to this plaque than watching the orangutans, who were very entertaining.

Clowning around with Drewbie and Jamison Tolman

Graham loved the beach. We stayed right through his nap and he went into a nap-coma the second we got in the car.

Apparently sand doesn't bug this kid.

The USS Midway was very cool. Graham got to climb in lots of planes and touch buttons galore.

We also spent a lot of time in Seaport Village, which was right across the street from our hotel. Lots of fun sights and great food, especially the Greek restaurant.

Bikes

2011-07-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

It is official, we are now a biking family. Jesse got the Weehoo I-Go for Father's Day. It is amazing!

I also got a new bike and besides our trip to San Diego and the crazy hours Jesse had to work before and after, we have been on the bike every evening and weekend that we could. There is nothing better than exercising together as a family.

Last night we were getting ready for our evening ride and Graham climbed into the trailer without our help and this is what happened.

It is the worst feeling when your child gets hurt and the bump on his noggin was much worse in person, causing us to feel like inferior parents.

In an attempt to make Graham and ourselves feel better we headed to Harmons for some gelato (in the car and not on the bikes). It worked.

Quirky

2011-07-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

I guess all kids are quirky in their own way, but my son never ceases to amaze, amuse and sometimes concern me.

Back in May we were at Grammie and Pa's house and he got his shorts dirty so he wore cousin Kate's home. The next morning he wanted the exact same outfit of his shirt and Kate's shorts back on. I put them over his jammies and he was pretty excited about it, which I thought was weird.

Last month this loose thread on Binky Bear caused a near colossal melt down.

Sometimes I wonder about this kid.

Turning 30

2011-07-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

Turning 30 isn't all that bad, especially when Beyonce also turns 30 this year. Seems to lessen the blow. We had a fun get together with friends and family. Here are some pics of my "pretty in pink" party.

Although I didn't get any pictures of the adult guests, these are a great representation of how much fun the kids were having.

The BYU Football Cowboy Ball

2011-07-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

Although this happened back in May, it still deserves a post because it was absolutely amazing!

The BYU Football team has a charity called "Thursday's Heroes" that connects the BYU players with kids who have special needs or who are experiencing challenging circumstances. The kids get to go to the Thursday practice, hang out with the players, and get tons of awesome gear.

Holly Mendenhall put togther a fundraiser for the charity. Due to the fact that Mimi and Pop know the Mendenhalls and they are very generous, we got an invite. Thanks Mimi and Pop for a wonderful evening!

There was an auction to break some of the players out of jail. Dinner with that player went to the highest bidder and Mimi and Pop bought JJ Di Luigi, starting running back.

Bruce and Mary Smith, friends of Mimi and Pop, are huge JJ fans.

We all had to get our picture with this guy.

Oh, and then there is the quarterback, Mr. Jake Heaps.

And Cody Hoffman, wide receiver.

It was so fun to meet all the players, eat some amazing food, and dance to country music which is only allowed on this special occasion. It got us totally stoked for football season.

Family Fest--April 2011

2011-06-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

April turned out to be a family filled month.

Emma came to visit and we were able to meet Caleb Duss.

Graham was especially excited about the new baby.

Then Spencer graduated from BYU

And Tiffany and Eli were able to come!

April (Snow) Showers

2011-06-26T21:06:00.000-07:00

Here goes an attempt at bringing my blog up to date...

Our spring was down right dreary. This is what I awoke to conference morning.

In an attempt to lift my spirits, I turned to crafting. Here is what my Easter mantle looked like.

I later added this little diddy in place of the Jelly Bean topiary.

Feeling Crafty

2011-04-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

It is a bit of an understatement that I have been feeling crafty lately. After the madness that comes with Christmas, I felt like I had time on my hands to get creative. Here are some of the things I came up with.

"Bitty Banners" for friends...

and babies

An owl that I saw on etsy and reinterpreted

"Freezer Paper" stenciled shirts, thanks to my crafty friend Darcie

And finally, a bird silhouette that I had been putting off for at least six months. I had covered a square canvas with scrapbook paper and black ribbon, with the intention of printing off a tree and bird silhouette to trace on. I could not figure out the logistics of a perfect silhouette so I just put it off, and kept putting it off. One day I decided it was do or die. I started free-handing and it actually turned out. The best part was that I found it quite therapeutic.

And the winner is...

2011-03-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

Me! I was the winner of the Oakeson family bracket. Some of you might be thinking that we don't have a national champion yet, but with the way things have been going this year everyone's bracket is already dead. As of Saturday I was in the lead, and although I had picked Kansas to win it all (the only no. 1 left), I just needed them to make it into the final four to seal the deal. I was shocked when I got into the car after church to hear that VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University--I had never heard of them either) was beating them by more than 10 at the half. After they lost, Erin needed North Carolina to win to take the lead from me. With $100 on the line, I was rooting for Kentucky to win. The finals should be very exciting this year and I will be so relaxed during the games after I have a massage and facial with the winnings!

Pretty Party

2011-03-29T16:20:00.000-07:00

I had a visiting teaching luncheon last Saturday. I think Graham's party awakened the sleeping party planner in me. Looking forward to my next excuse to start planning.

A Boise Birthday

2011-03-29T16:09:00.000-07:00

Spencer decided to head to Boise for his birthday and since work wasn't too busy for Jesse, we decided to tag along. We also celebrated my dad's birthday a little early. The weekend was full fun activities, including BYU Basketball (they were still winning at that point), a Basque restraurant (delicious) and the Boise Zoo.

I hate reading...

2011-03-03T14:43:00.000-08:00

certain children's books.
Graham loves this book.

I, on the other hand, don't because it requires me to think.

I don't really care who is hiding.
I prefer rhyming books or funny books. Or books that are both, like this one.

I decided to ask my mom if she ever felt the same.

Question: Were there ever certain books you hated to read to us?

Answer: Oh yeah! (without hesitation)

She immediately brought up this book about Louis Pasteur, the guy who created the first vaccine for rabies.

She said we were facinated by the illustration of a rabid dog foaming at the mouth (which is totally how I remember it, too). However, the book is really long and has a lot of text. I can see how that would be annoying.

So, what do I do? I am seriously considering hiding "Who's Hiding" and any other book that annoys me. Will this scar my child?

Hard to Imagine

2011-03-03T13:03:00.000-08:00

When Graham was just an infant Mimi gave him this adorable bib.

I was so excited for him to wear it, but I couldn't imagine that he would one day be big enough to fit into it.

Now that he is 2, there are a lot of things that I would have had a hard time imagining when he was just a baby, some annoying and some cute.

He is tall enough to turn off the lights, but not tall enough to turn them back on.--Annoying

He walks up and down the stairs going forward, without holding on to the banister.--Amazing

He loves to say "no" even though he often says it to things he wants.--Less annoying than I though it would be.

When he needs some comforting he runs his fingers through the back of my hair.--Love this!

Graham's Funny Little Man Party--The Guests

2011-02-24T13:27:00.000-08:00

I can speak for both Jesse and I when I say we feel very lucky to have such wonderful family and friends. Thanks to everyone who came and made the party a big success. It was so fun to see all those kids in that bounce house and I feel sad I didn't get any pictures of them. Here is an ode to the guests.

Most of the Mooso Crew

The rest of the Mooso Crew

The Monson Gang

The Felix Clan

The Oakeson Faction

The Dayton Bunch

The Tanner Tribe

The Davidson Folks

The Other Oakesons

And those not pictured including the Wilsons, Wildes, and two of my favorite gals, Mimi and Miranda. How you guys got out of this mandatory photo op, I am not quite sure.

Happy Birthday Funny Little Man!

Graham's Funny Little Man Party--The Crafty Stuff

2011-02-24T13:07:00.000-08:00

Graham's second birthday party was a blast. Not only was the night of the party fun, but I had a great time crafting-it-up before the party. It reminded me that at one point in my life (my prepubescent life) I wanted to be a party planner. I would like to give a special thanks to my two assistants: Jesse, who didn't have a choice, and Miranda, for being a wonderful best friend.

I was inspired by Bliss Bloom Blog and her Funny Little Man Party. Here are some of the pictures.

After all that hard work I got a picture after the "A" in Graham fell off and I didn't even notice.

The treat bags had sidewalk chalk, bubbles and mustache/lip suckers.

Getting Graham to demonstrate the mustache sucker was harder than I thought it would be. Apparently he hates mustaches.

I loved the pinwheels--one of my favorite parts! I had to look up a tutorial on how to make them and downloaded a virus while I was at it.

For dinner we had grilled turkey paninis and dessert was cookies, ice cream and milk. If you want a killer cookie, try this recipe for Chocolate Fudge Butterfinger Cookies. They were a real hit.

Boise and Back

2011-02-15T14:39:00.000-08:00

Last week Graham and I flew to Boise to visit my parents in honor of his last free flight before he turns 2. The longer I am a mother the more I appreciate mine. It has been difficult having her so far away--yes, a 5 1/2 hour drive/45 minute flight is considered far.

Graham loves all the stuffed animals at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Great Grandma and Grandpa Mooso

Boise Temple

Freezing in the Park

Crafting--a mom and daughter tradition

Silly Morning

2011-02-15T10:48:00.000-08:00

When your mornings are filled with dance parties and santa-jammie-hats you know you are lucky. Also, I am pretty sure that my son has talent already.

In the Birthday Spirit

2011-02-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

Forget the holiday spirit, I am in the birthday spirit. Christmas was a busy time and crafting got put on the back burner. However, the last couple of weeks I have really enjoyed finishing up some projects including Graham's birthday crown and a birthday banner. Second birthday, here we come!

31-year-old Man has Birthday Party at Jungle Jim's

2010-11-08T20:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks Dad!

9.20.2010

2010-11-08T20:38:00.001-08:00

Exactly 19 months after he was born, he learned to climb up on the bar stools to the coveted computer. A defining moment in my life, as I felt it was over. Luckily he hasn't gotten the concept of pushing it over to the other counter where the laptop now resides, but he continues to amaze me daily in his development. He had his 18 month check-up on the same day and the doctor asked me how many words he was saying. I said I didn't know and estimated 20 or so, which he seemed to think was pretty good. My interest was peaked so I came home and made a list of all the words he was saying. Turns out it was over 40. What a smart boy we have, but I still think he looks too small to be on a bar stool.

The September of the Shahas

2010-11-08T12:47:00.000-08:00

When Erin and the kids come to town I know we are always in for some fun times. We were lucky enough to have them around for two whole months. It was sad to see them go, but here is a tribute to their last month in Utah--a time I fondly remember as the September of the Shahas.

The Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point--Graham had to be retrieved from the kid section to prevent sand hucking.

Notice how Graham is running away from the Shark and Hannah is running towards.

This is the Place State Park--all geared up.

Hannah showing Graham the ropes. You can tell she has been practicing.

We went to St. George for a couple of days. When I say we, I mean me, Erin and Heather (3 adults) and Graham, Hannah and Kate (3 kids under 3). It was a tough ratio, but luckily we had Heather around to rescue us and Erin to plan fun activities.

We went to the red sand dunes in Snow Canyon. I keep wondering when Graham is going to realize that it is not fun to eat sand.

Oh where, Oh where has my entire summer gone?

2010-08-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

It seems like summer really flew by this year. With a cold May and an early fall, it seems like we were short on time, but not on fun. Here are some highlights.

It started with a surprise birthday party for Mimi in St. George.

Lots of yard work and still a long way to go.

A couple of races, including the Law Day Run.

A visit to Boise to see the family, including Tiffany & Eli

And to celebrate Tyler's graduation

A trip to Hogle Zoo with Grammie, Auntie Em and cousins Mary and Duncan.

Fun with friends

A bit of hiking

Some backyard pool parties, thanks to Mimi

A Mooso Family Reunion in Idaho Falls

A visit from the family

Including crafting with my mom

The splash park with Mimi

And cousins!

April Happenings

2010-05-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Great Grandpa Oakeson's

Emma up to her usual antics and Graham a little concerned.

Jaden's Graduation from BYU

Jaden graduated from BYU and he and Emma will be heading to Texas Tech for medical school in July. The college of Life Sciences had more graduates than any other college this year and Jaden was picked as one of the two speakers to address the whole audience because of his accomplishments and cancer research (Cancer should be very afraid of our family from now on). Jesse missed the festivities because of work, but we are all very proud of Jaden,

especially Graham!

*Note pre and post haircut photos of Graham. This is a future apology to my child for letting your hair get so unruly.

Morning Pleasures

2010-05-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

1. Waking up to a clean house

2. Next day brownies

3. Morning routines--including, but not limited to, baby bed head, milk face and wakey-wakey eyes.

Lessons in Life

2010-04-29T17:37:00.000-07:00

Lesson for this week: Do not leave your garage door open.

A week and a half ago Jesse came back in the house after walking out the door to leave for work and said that he had left the garage door open the previous night and someone had come in and taken some of our stuff. It was one of the worst feelings, to know that someone had been inside my space and taken my things. I felt so violated. They took both of my strollers (including my BOB), an iPod, some gift cards and my sunglasses. Even though I filed a police report I still felt pretty helpless, especially considering the fact that the officer told me he had never heard of a stroller being stolen. He said the thief probably wanted it for him/herself and that I would never see it again.

Lesson about Michelle: I love detective television shows.

Later that day I started calling some pawn shops and asking if they sold strollers. I quickly found out that pawn shops will not buy strollers and they suggested I call Kid to Kid. I thought it was worth a shot. I called the closest Kid to Kid and what do you know? They bought 2 strollers that day from the same person matching my strollers. It even had the linky-doo still attached to the handle that I used for Scout's leash!

Now the waiting game. Once a detective is assigned my case I should get my strollers back. Seems like they should just hire me.

Happy Easter

2010-04-09T11:13:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter filled with family, food and conference. Graham felt pretty snazzy in his new Easter outfit. It was so fun to have my parents and brother visiting from Idaho for more than just a couple of days. Along with the rest of the Utah Mooso's there was never a dull moment.

Addicted to Deals

2010-04-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

I can barely contain my excitement. I have recently become addicted to deals and I want to tell the world about it. I have my mother to thank. Not only has she taught me how to be money conscious and deal savvy throughout my life, but she also introduced me to freebies2deals. I love this website because it tells me how and where to get great deals, but it has also led me to other awesome websites like hip2save, thefreebieblogger and a ton more. These websites have taught me about couponing, free samples, instant win games, and rebates, just to name a few.

This week I feel like I really took advantage of Kmart and it was awesome. They are doubling their coupons this week. Normally I wouldn't even know about this and if I did know I probably wouldn't care because I have a strong dislike for Kmart. However, these blogs listed the best deals (usually free) and where I could find the coupons. So, I gave it a try on Wednesday and got the following for $3.22.

The only things I paid for were $1 for each of the Ziplocs and $.50 for the Febreeze. Everything else was free and I just had to pay for the tax. While I was driving away from Kmart that day I felt the addiction set in.

The next day I went back and got the following for 3.17 (let me mention you can only double 5 a day).

Once again I only paid 1.19 for each of the shave creams and everything else was free.

This morning I felt like I was getting the hang of it so Graham and I went again (P.S. Graham seems to hate Kmart). Before heading over to Kmart we stopped in at Einsteins to get our free bagel (thanks to my obsessive deal hunting) and then we got the best load of them all--everything for 1.61.

The only thing I paid for was Raising Arizona for $1! I can honestly say that I think this is fun. Is that weird?

The First Year Adventure

2010-03-30T16:41:00.001-07:00

I wish I could say that this birthday post took so long because I was coming up with something either delightful, witty or insightful to say. Although no such thing is contained in this post I can say that the first year with your first child is magical. I feel like I have never been happier. Although I have imagined and reimagined what it would be like to be a mother, I am happy to say my imagination was lacking. How could I be so blessed? What a magical adventure. We were so glad to have our wonderful family there to celebrate this special occasion with us.

Graham loved his airplane cake.

Maybe a little too much.

I think dad loved the birthday wagon more than Graham did. Maybe not.

Happy to be 1!

Happy Holidays...a bit late

2010-01-17T15:07:00.000-08:00

How the holidays came and went in a flash. For those of you who have been wondering if we fell off the face of the earth, we haven't. We just moved which feels like the same thing. If I could give you one piece of advice it would be to never move over the holidays. We moved out of our old house the week after Thanksgiving and moved into our new house on Christmas day, living with the Oakesons during the interim. It made the holidays a bit chaotic, but we are excited to be Draper-ites and we are settling into our new home. Here are a few pictures of our holiday adventures.

Thanksgiving in Boise with the Mooso Family

and with cousin Jovie

A lesson in martial arts was the first order of business.

Graham's first Thanksgiving, cut short by the overpowering desire for a nap.

Graham's mistrust of Santa began in Boise.

Turns out he also mistrusts barbers.

He got his first haircut on Christmas Eve.

The excited parents had to wake up this sleepy-head on Christmas morning.

Max Hall jerseys were a must for BYU fans this year.

Happy New Years at the Tin Roof Cafe

with Uncle Jeff, Mimi and Grammie (not pictured).

As usual, Graham is a bit concerned about his parents and their hi-jinx.

Adorable Torture

2009-10-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

Although we think Graham's monster costume is pretty darn cute we found it more fun to put parts other people's costumes on our helpless son. These are some of his favorite looks.

Halloween at Gardner Village

2009-10-09T09:20:00.001-07:00

Thanks Erin! You are amazing.

Snorting

2009-09-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

As long as I am in the posting mood, I decided the world was ready for this--Graham's snorting.

Top of Utah Marathon

2009-09-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it! I finished my first marathon (possibly my last). Thanks to everyone who supported me and watched Graham during my longs runs. Thanks to my running buddies Graham and Scout. It was a good experience, but honestly I thought that after 16 weeks of training I would feel a big sense of accomplishement for around 16 weeks. It only lasted 2 days. On to the next challenge.

Love those chompers

2009-09-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

So I have to admit that I love the fact that Graham's teeth are so far apart. Jesse sometimes refers to them as crazy, but I think it makes him even cuter. The first top tooth popped through on August 22nd and the other came out exactly one week later. Now he has four teeth total!

Another thing that amazes me about Graham is that his attachment to a certain stuffed animal has manifest itself at such a young age. I call him Barry the Bear and Graham loves to eat him, roll around with him and shove him in his face as he is falling asleep. It has brought back memories of all the stuffed animals that I have loved at the different stages of my life. He is definitely my son.

18 Miles!

2009-08-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

Enough said.

P.S. The Top of Utah Marathon better watch it's back.

Six months and Six years

2009-08-21T15:08:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Graham turned six months old. He asked if he could celebrate by getting some semi-regular food, so I obliged with squash. He liked. He is getting so big--rolling everywhere nowadays and blabbering endlessly. "Mamama" is his favorite phrase lately. He is experiencing a little trouble sleeping, which is new for us, and we are trying to adjust his schedule accordingly. I just had to get out the "Babywise" book for some good advice. Here are some of my favorite recent Graham moments including his first squash experience.

Today is also our six year anniversary. The past six years of marriage have been wonderful. I feel very lucky to have met Jesse. He makes me a better person and I am often amazed by how we are able to fill in each other's gaps. We make a pretty good team. I am always saying "You think you're so funny," as I try to choke back a laugh, but the truth is that I am the one who thinks he is funny. I hope he never stops making me laugh.

Cheated

2009-08-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

I am really ticked that I have lived in Utah for 10 years and I just barely went to Gardner Village--how come no one told me how cool it is? We had lunch at Archibald's, went to the petting zoo (note to self--do not wear flip flops when going to a petting zoo), and got in some shopping. If there is anyone who would like to apologize for the aforementioned violation, I am all ears.

Recent Realizations

2009-08-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

1. A week and a half ago, August 6th to be exact, Graham's first tooth popped out of his once harmless lower gum. I had been checking it constantly for a couple of weeks anticipating the moment with excitement. However, as soon as I realized he got first tooth I was quickly overcome with sadness at the realization that Graham will not be a baby forever. I know this sounds weird, but I honestly hadn't thought about it before. Although I know I will love every stage of life he goes through, these past six months have been surreal and wonderful and I am trying to soak up every minute of it before it is too late.

2. Jesse and I went to the Metropolitan for an early anniversary celebration. I have heard Jesse talk about it before and when I saw half-price gift certificates on Utah Real Deals, the bargain lover in me just couldn't resist. Jesse and I love to eat out, but that night we realized we aren't the type of folks that can really appreciate "a gift from the chef" (especially when it is a grape covered in goat cheese), being called madam and good sir, or wagyu beef that is supposedly so delicious you should eat it raw. I am going to stick with my faves--Pizza Factory and the Cowboy Grub.

3. Last week I ran the first long run that actually gave me some pause beforehand. The 16 miles were tough, but I realized that I can do it. I also realized that even though I might be very hungry afterwards, corndogs are not the answer.

4. Today I posted a desk and some other office furniture on KSL.com. They were sold within three hours. I realized that there are few things that can make you feel as good as getting money for something you almost took to D.I.

Jesse Time

2009-08-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

Last week Jesse took the bar--a grueling 2 day test that kept him preoccupied for a good portion of the summer. Although it was hard to have him gone so much, the pain was tempered by the excitement I felt every time I realized I didn't have to teach again in the fall. After the test was over on Wednesday we officially began the Summer of Jesse. The time flew by with fun family activities like biking, bocce ball and bargain hunting. Jesse went back to work on Monday, but it somehow feels different knowing that the studying, which has felt like a third wheel in our life, is finally over. You know that feeling you have when you climb to the top of a mountain and you can see the terrain you just traversed as well as everything that lies in front of you--that is how I feel today and it feels pretty great.

Graham's Blessing

2009-05-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

On May 10th, Graham was blessed and it was a special first Mother's Day for me. Jesse gave him a wonderful and articulate blessing and Graham wore Jesse's blessing outfit.

Meeting Eli

2009-05-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Graham was totally stoked to meet his cousin Eli and to teach him a few things about life since he is 4 weeks older and wiser. It was so fun to hang out with Tiffany and Andrew and compare stories about being new parents. It was the first time our entire family had been together in over 2 years. My only wish was that it could have lasted longer. Tiffany, I already miss you so much.

Eli and Graham loved their matching outfits

Jovie couldn't get enough of the babies

Family hot dog roast in the canyon

We found a safe picnic spot away from the water for Jovie

It was nice to spend time with Grandpa (and Grandma) Mooso also

A Homecoming and a Graduation

2009-05-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

On April 22 at midnight, Elder Mooso arrived home from his mission to Brazil. It was wonderful to see him again. The two years seemed to fly by for the most part, but it was always hard on Sunday evenings to have family dinner without him. I am so glad he is home and I am thankful for his wonderful example.

Tyler and I were on the poster committee.

The next night Spencer cooked us a Brazilian meal and we had what he called "Brazilian Christmas." The food was delicious, especially the guava paste with heavy cream for dessert. How could something with heavy cream not be delicious? The gifts that Spencer brought back were amazing. I loved the artwork and the gourd instrument. Graham and Jesse loved their new soccer jerseys.

The next day was Jesse's graduation from Law School! I am so proud of him and all of his accomplishments including working on the Law Review and making the Dean's List last semester. However, I am ashamed to say that I drained the battery in our camera while deleting pictures during the ceremony to make room for the big event. I wasn't able to do his big day justice. Luckily, my family is on the ball.

This is what Graham thought of his dad's big day.

The non-stop party continued. We attended the temple together as a family on Saturday and caught up with the extended family that came for Spencer's Homecoming. Spencer gave a wonderful talk on Sunday, followed by more family time. Graham got to meet Great Grandma & Grandpa Mooso, aunts and uncles, and my cousin Riley who is a baby charmer at the ripe age of nine.

Graham's Ten Week Profile

2009-05-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

A.K.A.: The Great Grahambino, Grahambo, Special Buddy, Goo Bear, Pookie, The Dude

Weight: 15.5 lbs

Talents: Eating, sucking on fingers (especially on the left hand), smiling, cooing

Interests: Peek-a-boo, mirrors

Goals: Improve burping and binky skills

Biggest accomplishment to date: Slept through the night 5 out of the last 7 nights

A look back at ten wonderful weeks

2009-05-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

Graham, loving life outside the womb

A special visit from Tiffany, Lil J.J. and Miranda

Enjoying the bouncer

Jesse was the pro bather

Our first walk with Graham, featuring the Davidsons

A little nap time on the couch

A little nap time on the couch with Dad

A little more nap time with Dad

Testing out the awesome swing we found on KSL classifieds

Just chatting

Just looking cute

I can't get enough of that smile

Grandpa Mooso's birthday

I hope Graham likes this hat as much as we do

Catching up with Uncle Tyler

?

This is how I found Graham after I finished the taxes.

Thanks for an extra long nap.

Graham and Great Grandpa Oakeson

Graham with Great Grandma Later and Grandma Mooso

Graham sporting his favorite hat and Emmy's shades

Auntie Em

Graham was excited to meet Aunt Erin and Cousin Hannah,

even if he can't keep up yet.

It turns out Graham loves the Cowboy Grub

just as much as the rest of the Oakesons

Mixed Emotions

2009-04-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

I always looked forward to the day when I could say that I would never have to make another concert poster. Surprisingly, I have mixed emotions.

My Graham

2009-04-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

I always knew that I wanted to be a mom. When people asked me in high school what I wanted to be when I grew up the only thing I was sure about was motherhood. The realization that I wanted to be a dance teacher was a surprise that came later and the past five years have been a wonderful and necessary experience. Now I feel like I am beginning the journey that I have been excited for my whole life. I am in love with my little Graham and can’t believe he is finally here.

Here We Go!

2009-04-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

I didn't think I would ever want a blog, but I was happy when Jesse started a blog to document our new family. After seeing his first post, a picture of Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz, and finding nothing about our family I began to have my doubts. Although he is doing a good job, I realized that he is too busy to update it as much as I think he should and I have a different idea of what makes a good family blog (I am not sure if posts about Kenny Rogers would qualify as noteworthy). Now that I am beginning a new chapter in my life as a stay-at-home mom, I hope this will serve as a way to document our family’s adventure together.