3 years and a baby later

Anniversary: May 12

Celebrated: May 16

Posted: May 28

Happy Belated Anniversary, Babe!

I love you.

saving babies... one dollar at a time

so lorin, ashton, alisha and i are signed up to walk in the march of dimes walk on saturday! we are so excited to be helping a great cause. the march of dimes helps with research and other stuff with preemies (like prenatal care and preemie care). i have had a few friends that have delivered prematurely and their babies had to be in the nicu for weeks. my bff works in the nicu and some babies don't make it. i couldn't even imagine what that would feel like. so, pick up your finger....drag it and click on this if you guys want to support us in this cause! or better yet, want to join our team?? click here! lets save some babies!

how can you say no to this?


or this?

a bbq and a bunch of animals

We had such an awesome weekend. We just had so much fun that I am so exhausted right now! I should go to bed but I want to post before I let another 5 weeks slip by....
Also Lorin volunteered to go get some groceries....he's called three times in 20 minutes. Ha.

Thursday, Carrie, Eric, Janelle, Ashton and I went swimming. It was so relaxing. Unfortunately, Ashton was a little afraid of being dunked in the water or even being put on his back. He used to love it but I haven't taken him swimming for a couple of months! I ruined him! Ok, well, I think I can get him to like it again.....He would just hold on to whoever was holding him so tight so they wouldn't let him go! How sad.

So on Friday we went to Mike and Karen's home in Bountiful. We had a nice BBQ and stayed up late to play Catchphrase. 5 adults....random words.....way past bedtime....equals hysterical laughter and pure insanity. Two words guys: No problem! I am so sad I didn't get any pictures- what was I thinking? Ashton loved playing with Brooke's toys...and Brooke, too :) Thanks for having us over guys.

Saturday we went to a few yardsales (my idea- if we can go to a yardsale then Lorin can take us on a "short" drive). We found some sweeeet deals and were tempted by some offers but we really don't need more junk! Theeeeen, we went to the ZOO! I think we were more excited to see it than Ashton. He loved the Aquarium in Sandy so we just figured he'd like these live animals. Noo. He was more interested in licking the wood and Lorin's hand. We walked around, saw some cool animals and had some awesome kettle corn. Hmmm. I am not making that sound like an awesome time. We just enjoyed each others' company and enjoyed telling an 8 month old about these animals he couldn't care less about! Well, at least the adults had a blast! We came home, Lorin offered to take me to a nice restaurant to celebrate Mother's Day but I was so tired. We had a nice relaxing evening at home, made dinner and watched Dark Knight for the 80th time....Yeah, that wasn't so relaxing but whatever. You know, Janelle made a good point. Who actually reads what we post on the blog? People just want pictures. Well here you go:

oh, yes....the wood...yum

yes i got it muahahha

this metal is great....the giraffe isn't too bad either

hey mom

oooo look a little girl

wanna piece of me?

a big kitty

tastes like chicken

the "short" drive back home......how beautiful is utah?

this one is for you alisha:

the face is back.

7 days green

My brother has been in the MTC for one week today. I am eagerly awaiting a letter :) Ha...we'll see. I am so happy for him and know he will do the best he can. He'll come back speaking Spanish like a native ;) I am going to mail him today a scrapbook I put together with the help of family and friends. It contains letters that will hopefully encourage and uplift him. I am excited to give it to him. I actually worked all morning on it last Wednesday to give it to him before he left but I forgot it on the stairs with the excitement of getting to the MTC early! Thank you to everyone who helped me put it together and wrote encouraging letters. As some of you know, my brother is the first missionary on our side of the family since my parents are converts. I would have gone except someone caught my eye as I was preparing.....;) To those of you that are interested in what my brother, Elder Richard Gutierrez, is teaching visit this website. I know that what he is teaching is true. I have prayed to know whether the Book of Mormon is true and whether the gospel is true. I have always known it is true.

Easter (part 2)

We had a fun Easter weekend. On Friday, we went to Lehi's Easter Festival with Janelle and Bree. We saw the Easter Bunny, a golden eagle, an owl and walked through an art exhibit depicting the Savior.

Ashton was a brave boy! He was not afraid of the Easter Bunny....although when he gets scared he holds his ears....but he didn't cry!

He loves putting everything in his mouth!

These eagles have been known to pick up big horns from the mountain and drop them....and eat them... Look how little Ashton looks!

Someone gave him a Starburst package.....when Bree tried to take one out he got so mad! Ha!

You may be able to see that Ashton is looking down....well, he is looking at a little girl and smiling! What a flirt!

hahahahah i love this picture. Ashton is not amused.

balancing act. how cute do they look? they match.

ashton scoping out his next target

ashton trying to eat the chase dog.

Then on Saturday morning we went to an Easter Egg Hunt at the Hollywood Connection. There was supposed to be a hunt for kids 0-5 so we thought that may be fun for Ashton. When we got there it was PACKED! They divided the 0-5 group into 2 groups: those that need help from their parents and those that don't. We went over to the parents' side and Lorin went with Ashton when the buzzer went off. Well...we were not successful in getting even 1 egg. These parents are ruthless....this one mom saw that Lorin was trying to get Ashton to pick up 1 of 3 eggs on the floor...well she looked at him, picked them up and put them in her daughter's basket! Um....I'm pretty sure this activity is for the kids....And who steals an egg from a baby? Hahhaha. Oh my. That was funny. Well, Ashton found something better than an egg:

yes, that's right. that my friends is a wrapper.

someone threw that thing ashton is sucking on at us.....finders keepers suckas! just kidding, you snooze you lose. ok. i cleaned it off and gave it to ashton after someone through it at us. we are among very classy and civilized people.

the crowd! i think that is the mom stealing..i mean helping her little girl get the eggs.

more people

OK! almost done! Theeeennn, we went to the aquarium in Sandy. Ashton loooooved it!

So did Lorin:

I love this face.

Look! No hands! I was a little scared he would fall into the water with the fishies and stingrays...yikes.

trying to touch the fishies

he loved watching them swim!

Easter (part 1)

We watched a video in Relief Society that played this song but showed different pictures. The message is the same and it touched my heart. This Easter Sunday was very special for me. The Resurrection of our Savior was more real for me as I stared at Ashton while watching this video. He slept in my arms, which he rarely does anymore, and I listened to the words of the song. Ashton is my whole world and I would do absolutely anything for him. I've never felt this kind of devotion before and as a mother I think we feel the need to protect and love our children. I can imagine to a very minute degree what our Heavenly Father felt as he watched his Son die for the rest of his children. And Jesus did so willingly- he volunteered to give His life so that we may return to our Father in Heaven. I love my Savior, my Healer, and my Heavenly Father. I cry when I think about Jesus on the cross but I know that He lives!


Wow I am super emotional. I look at Ashton when he sleeps and sometimes he smiles- I wonder if he can still remember Jesus and what it was like to be with Him. We had a nice Easter morning watching the cartoon version of the Resurrection with Ashton. We taught him briefly as he was cranky and wanting to take a nap. We had a great time at church, Lorin taught a great lesson to the Elders Quorum and then we had everyone (14 people) over for Easter Dinner. It was so fun to get together with family and friends and share an Easter message. We chatted, laughed, and decorated eggs and cookies. It was a great weekend! Thanks for coming everyone and bringing your sweet food!