Missing Mom

Today is my mom's birthday. She would have been 49 years old today. It is weird to think that my mom would be rounding the corner to 50 soon. I can't ever imagine her aging and getting old. I miss her so much, and I wish she was here. I guess it is true what they say, when one door closes it opens another. I lost my mom, but being with Rob has opened so many doors for me. I have a whole new family, and I never imagined I could love the Story's as much as my own family, but I do. Not to mention that Rob and I have made a fun little family of our own with Tyke & Bennett. I am just really grateful that families are forever. I love all of my family so much. My neighbor growing up, Verla Fraiser, once told me that a real family doesn't have any in-laws, or steps. I love that because now instead of having 3 sisters I have 5, instead of 1 brother I have 2. As well as 2 moms and 2 dads. And don't forget the kids... 7 nephews, and 7 nieces. It really makes life, twice as sweet! Anyways, just wanted to share my thoughts today, and tell you all that I love you and appreciate you. Especially those of you who help me with Bennett. I am so lucky cause Dixie, Ging, Ellie, Jen, Nat, and Alia are all so willing to help. And not to mention my other sisters...Krista, Tammy, and Tares. You guys are the best!

Face Lift

Just want to send out a THANK YOU to Ellie for making my blog so cute! If anyone else wants to update their blog with the talents and creativity of Ellie, just click on my links to Ellie's Cute Blogs, or you can go to http://blogginbeautifully.blogspot.com/. She will hook you up with a darling background, cute headers, font/color changes, and blog set up. You can also look at a few other blogs she has created. Thanks again, I love it!!

Allen Girls & Grandkids

Ging & Tay Allen, Jo, Madi, & Pierson Robison, Bennett & Kate Story, Jackson & Trit Burrows.

St. George Weekend...

Well, I haven't been down to see my Southern Sisters since Jackson was blessed over a year and a half ago. I guess it was definitely my turn to make the drive. Ging and I loaded up Tay & Bennett on Thursday evening and headed down to see the kids. We had a really fun time, and the weather was so gorgeous. We stayed with Trit, Dustin, and Jackson at the Burrows home. It was fun for the kids to get to play all day every day. Friday we mostly just hung out and played. I did have to make a Jimmy Johns run, but other than that we just played. Friday night, I tended the little dudes while Deli, Ging, and Tay went to the Drake Bell concert. They had so much fun, and thought that Drake was a real HOTTIE!! Tay now wants to be Mrs. Bell, and even got a Drake T-shirt. Saturday, we took the kids swimming. We were at an indoor pool, but the water was still COLD! Madi and Bennett's lips were purple, and we were all freezing. Ryan went and told the lady that the water was freezing, but she insisted that the water was 87 degrees. I think the cyanotic children proved otherwise, but we had fun anyways. Saturday night we took all the kids out to dinner. CRAZY TOWN! Try getting a table for 11 on a Saturday night. Sunday, we just layed around all day until Jo's church got out, so that we could celebrate Miss Madi's 2nd birthday. After her party we hit the road and headed home. It was a really fun trip, but it was so nice to come home. Jo & Ryan are doing really well. They are living in Coral Canyon right now in the tiny house you have ever seen. They are just about to move into their new mansion here in a couple of weeks. I think Jo deliberately moved into the smallest house ever while she built her new enormous house. I don't know what she is going to do with all that room. I hope it comes with a maid. Her kids are so darling, Pierson is 4.5 and is playing T-ball this summer. He is such a good boy, and is excited to be going to Kindergarten this fall. Madi turned 2 on Sunday. She is a little gorgeous woman. She is so hilarious, and had us all rolling the entire trip. She talks so cute, and is a wild little girl. Deli & Dustin are doing good too. They are living with Dustin's parents while Dustin goes to school, and Trit works. She has a paper route, and then she works half days at America First Credit Union. She comes home at lunch, and the Dustin goes to school. It works out good for them not to have to have someone watch Jacks. Jackson is 21 months old, and in to everything. While we were there, he just about ate a grasshopper and had no problem picking up a lizard and throwing it in the bushes. He is so cute, and imitates everything that you do. He even nags at Dustin in Deli's tone of voice. He yells, DUST anytime he needs his daddy. He has the cutest chubby cheeks, and little blond hair do. We had a nice trip down south for the weekend, thanks girls for the fun. And thanks to the Burrows for letting us come invade their space, destroy their house, and eat their food. Love you guys...

The boy is 1!

Well, our little "B" made it a whole year. He is such an angel and we are so grateful that we got him. Last night we had a little party for him, I was just listening to what everyone was calling him. That little guy has a lot of names. I was just thinking that I should write them all down, so we can remember all the fun things we called him. So his actual name is Bennett Race, but the list of aliases is quite extensive...

B

Bees

Bees Wax

BeeZee

Benny B

Ben

Benny B Bobby Beaver Buffalo Boof

BenneWennett

Racer

Race Face

Racee

B-Diddy

Bean

Benihana

Little Dude

Little B

Love Bug

Angel Face

And my dad calls Jackson & Bennett, Bennett & Broke it.

In my family, you don't actually go by your name. I am pretty sure my dad has a nickname for every person that he associates with. And I have taken on some of that, and usually just shorten everyones names. I usually just call everyone the first syllable of their name.

All this naming got me curious, so I just went and dug out my baby book. My parents did the same thing and called me all sorts of funny names...

Cute Kate

Tiny Mite

10 Pounds of Fun

Gorgeous

Cooly Cooly

Boola Van Dyke

Boot-Bate

Funny huh....

Anyways, I was just looking at my little guy today, and can't beleive that he is one. What a fun age. He is so cute, and all of you who know him know of his beautiful blue eyes. I don't think I have ever taken him out of my house without someone stopping me to tell me how cute he is, and how amazing his big blue eyes are. He has the biggest blue eyes, and they are framed in with the longest blond eyelashes you have ever seen. He really is an angel baby. I am excited to watch him learn and grow more and more. I love you Bennett, Happy 1st Birthday!!!

Tag...I am it!

I have been tagged to do the husband survey....Here goes!

1. What is his name? Benjamin Robin Story.

2. How long have you been together? We have been married for three years, been together for 5.5 years, and have been friends since Junior High.

3. How old is he? He is 27 years old. He was born on Friday the 13th, of February 1981.

4. Who eats more? Are you serious...Me! Rob never eats. He likes to drink. For dinner he will eat five bites of food, and then drink 5 gatorades. He doesn't need food to live. He hates food and to eat. And he even hates treats, because he doesn't have sweet tasting taste budes after he bit his tongue off in high school. Food is like the one thing we don't understand each other on. I love to eat, obviously. And Rob just isn't feeling it. I sometimes wish that I had a hungry man.

5. Who said "I love you" first? Probably me. I have been in love with Rob since 7th grade, so I was probably jumping the gun a little when I made the confession.

6. Who is taller? Rob! It would be pretty weird if some guy were shorter than me. I am only 5'2". Rob is about 5'10", so when I don't have shoes on, he is way taller...

7. Who sings better? Rob. He has a beautiful voice. I love it when we sing together. Although, since I don't play violin anymore, he always tells me that I am flat. So, now I never sing in front of him, cause I am scared that he'll tell me that I am off key.

8. Who does the laundry? That would be me. I pretty much do all of the housework. Isn't that what homemakers are supposed to do? Rob goes to work, and I stay home and raise the baby, clean the house, and cook the meals.

9. Who pays the bills? When we actually pay our bills, it is me. Rob and I are both horrid with bills and money. We try, but we really should hire someone to do that for us. I am thinking Ginger would be really good at that.

10. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I sleep on the right side. For the first two years of marriage, it was opposite. But since we have our B, the right side is closer to the door. So when I was nursing him, we switched so that I could be closer do the door. Weird huh, cause usually once you pick a side, you stay there forever...

11. Who mows the lawn? We both do. Our lawnmower broke last year. So, whenever it was my turn we would just borrow someones push mower, but if it was Rob's turn, all of the sudden it was no big deal to load up his dad's "swather" and head down to our place. Interesting huh... Acutally, I really enjoyed when his dad's was here. I would just load up Tyke and B on my lap and we would get ir done....

12. Who cooks dinner? When we have dinner, it is me. Since I go to school every day from 4:30-9:30 we don't eat a whole lot in the evenings.

13. Who drives? Rob! I hate to drive with him, he is the worse side seat driver ever. He even tells his parents how to drive... So he drives us everywhere we go.

14. What does he like to do? snowboard, snowmobile, ride motorcycles, fix cars, read forums, have sex, you know...the usual man things.

15. Who is more stubborn? Uh...Rob. I am like the most easy going person ever, and he is SO stubborn. It is in the Story's genetic make up to be stubborn and have a temper.

16. Who kissed who first? I don't remember...we kissed for the first time when I was in 8th grade. I just remember that it was on his parents couch. And he is an awesome kisser. I kissed a lot of boys after Rob, and no one even came close. I guess that is why, I went back and married the guy. LOL.

17. Who proposed to who? What is this question? What woman would propose to a man? He proposed to me. It was super fun, I always told the boys that I dated that if they didn't propose in a cute way, that I would say no. I guess Rob put a lot of thought into it, cause he did a dang good job.

18. Who has more friends? Rob, although they always end up being both of our friends. He is still best buds with all of his high school buddies, then he has work friends, then he has car friends, then he has snowmobile friends, then he has his random friends that I have no idea where he meets these people....

19. Who is more sensitive? I am going to have to go with Rob on this one. He is very sentimental to a lot of things, and his needs and feelings are really sensitive.

20. Who has more siblings? Me! I have Amos, my brother, and then Ginger, Josie (Ryan), and Deli (Dustin). So I guess I have six. Rob has Brad (Deb), Amber, and Ellie (Kent). So I just have one more than him.

21. Who wears the pants? Rob... There is never any alteration. Refer to ?# 15 for any questions...

I love my husband very much! He is a wonderful provider, and such a good daddy. Not very many men would support there wives through school, and take the kid for hours on end every night. You are the best!! Love you!

The 25th Anniversary of Me!

Well, it is official...I am 25 years old. This event happened on Sunday, March 16, 2008. My Rob took me on a wonderful surprise, and we had a lot of fun. I couldn't believe that Rob could pull of a surprise like he did. He arranged the babysitters, packed the suitcases, and made the reservations all right under my nose. We went and stayed at The Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. It was so gorgeous and fabulous. We got all dressed up, and went to PF Changs for dinner. It is one of my favorite places to eat, and the food was so yummy. After dinner, we went and met some friends at the Tavernacle. It is a social club, that has two pianos. They will play whatever songs you request, and it was tons of fun. Rob requested that they since it was my birthday, that I stand up on the piano and have everyone sing to me. I also had to dance on the piano, to me and Rob's song... "poor some sugar on me." It was hilarious. We had such a fun time, and it was nice to just be the two of us. We have only spent one other night alone together since we got our little B. So, it was nice to sleep in and not have to do anything. Thanks Honey!