Read Much?

When we moved to Provo, one of the first things we did as a family was get library cards. Best decision ever. I try to go once a week. Tyson & I usually have a book to read & I love picking out & borrowing at least a dozen books for the boys & I. We've also checked out movies, participated in kids craft night, bought books from their sale, & we tried taking mason to toddler time, but he was NOT amused. No silliness for that kid.

I need to keep better track of the books I've read in the past 12 months. I tried using goodreads, but it wasn't that great. Anyway, here's my reading list for the past year.

How to Be an American Housewife
The Help
Vampire Kisses series (feel free to judge)
Shiver (I also tried reading the sequel, not so great)
Harry Potter series (I read a book a week during the summer)
Clockwork Angel
City of Bones
Witch of Blackbird Pond
Hunger Games
Catching Fire
Mockingjay
Matched
Anna Dressed in Blood
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (haven't finished)
Gunslinger (haven't finished)
The Night Circus (just starting)

Plus, dozens, maybe hundreds, of picture books the kiddos & I read together!

I have several books on hold at the library & I know I'm forgetting to list a few!

mr. mason's second birthday.

mason turned 2 on sunday! i still can't believe it. we had an elmo-themed party on saturday afternoon. that boy is so loved! his actual birthday was pretty low-key. we slept in, had pancakes, & got ready for the day. the boys went to grandma becky's while tyson & i went to see the hunger games. we ended our night with dinner, cake, & ice cream on the patio. happy birthday, my sweet boy!

these boys. they melt my heart. dad stuff.

getting ready for his party. diy elmo bunting & rainbow-colored cupcakes. opening gifts.

elmo cake. filling up on cake & ice cream. the perfect way to end our busy weekend. just us.

& may the odds be ever in your favor. eek!



baby makes three.

i'm so very pleased to announce that my younger brother & his lovely wife are expecting their first child this fall!!! i am just out of my mind excited to meet my new niece/nephew. i'm predicting a boy with blue eyes and darker skin. eek!

last sunday we went to their house for a bbq & to celebrate all 5 family birthdays we have between february & march. they posted the announcement on their fridge & waited for everyone to notice. i noticed right away...it took everyone else a little longer. =) later that night we skyped with my sister & her family in hawaii so sean & sarah could share the news with them, as well.  

birthday.

so, i'm an idiot. several of the pictures from my last post were birthday related. birthdays get their own post, here are a few bday highlights:

*mani/pedi with ash.
*oxford heels from the mister.
*birthday wishes from friends, family, & twitter buddies.
*lunch with the boys & my MIL.
*super cute birthday poster that the boys made.
*harry potter balloons, michael scott card, nail polish, & mountain dew from ash.
*taking saturday off!! i worked on my actual bday, so it was nice having a day to relax.
*watching the lorax. mason sat through the entire movie. =)

it was a very lovely, laid back 26th birthday.

xo

iphone photo dump.

i take way too many photos on my phone. and i've been slacking on the blog lately. enjoy my half-assed post!

xo

mani/pedi with miss ashley.

sweet, sleeping boy.

reading some harry potter.

felt elmo i made for mr. mason.

birthday movie with the family. the lorax.

a little craft i made on a sunday afternoon.

michael scott birthday card.

lazy afternoon with this kiddo.

cardboard house i made for the boys. tyson wrote a creepy story about it for my birthday.

movie ticket tyson saved fromour first date.

miss ashley & i @ work.

evening walks with the boys.

be mine.

i'm not into the cheesy, "romantic" part of valentine's (tyson was told MULTIPLE times that he better not waste money on lame flowers or any other cliche v-day gift), but i do enjoy doing a little something special for the people we love. 

i baked cookies for friends & family, did the typical mom heart-shaped food for mason's lunch, took pres to get some last minute v-day gifts (it's ok for 2nd graders) for his TWO girlfriends, and picked up a heart-shaped pizza for dinner. we also gave the grandmas "heart attacks". tyson & i ended the night with breaking bad, beer for him, and wine for me. perfection, in my opinion. 

a glimpse of our love day, in pictures. 

valentine i made for the boys.

my favorite sugar cookie recipe.

frosted with buttercream frosting.

pb & honey heart with bananas.

v-day lunch.

girlfriend gifts.

tradition of ours. 

heart attacks.

lately.

Making the kiddos stuffed dinosaurs.
Afternoon snack & Kipper for Mr. Mason.
Lunch at 2 Jack's, our Friday ritual.
Presley sneaking spicy Cheetos for breakfast.
Lovely flower from Tyson.
Celebrating my aunt on her birthday.
Pres getting ice cream after getting hit in the face with a soccer ball.
My brother & I.