Italian Surprises and My Best Friend

This is a tribute to my dearest friend, Laura. I could write dozens of posts about her, and most likely will as time passes. This is just another example of why I treasure her so much.

A few weeks ago I was looking for a fun way to surprise Brenton with a date. He's always coming up with great ideas for us to do, and so I wanted to give him a night off. As I tried to come up with ideas, nothing sounded fun. While talking to Laura about it, she came up with the great idea to turn our kitchen into an Italian restaurant. More than that, she even came over to help me transform the kitchen and make the meal. I constantly feel that Laura does so much for me that I can never repay her kindness. This was again one of those times.

In between taking care of Ryan and finishing the laundry, Laura made bread stick dough, while I prepared an antipasti and pasta dough. That's right, we made pasta from scratch. I'd never tried to make my own pasta before, but Laura brought a recipe with her by an actual Italian. I was surprised at how simple the dough was to make. We rolled the dough out super thin, and cut it into linguini-sized strips. We took turns entertaining Ryan as he got fussy, too. I was so grateful to have Laura there. Ryan loves spending time with her.

As the afternoon flashed by, Laura cut out several silver stars to hang from our ceiling above the table to give the room a fun romantic look. Yes, she's that thoughtful and amazing. I whipped together a quick playlist of italian music and ran upstairs to change. Then it was time to start boiling pasta and set the table. Before we knew it, Brenton was home, and very surprised! 

Everything turned out lovely. The pasta was delicious, and so fun to make. Brenton was very excited!

I'm so grateful for Laura. She goes above and beyond what I would ever imagine, every time. Her kindness, friendship, and love have meant so much to me. Having a best girl friend is indispensable, and I couldn't ask for a better friend than Laura. I love you, sweet, beautiful girl. Thank you for being my best friend. 

Celebrating Early is the Way to Go!

Brenton and I decided that we could save a lot of money if we simply celebrated Valentine's Day a few days earlier than the 14th. So on Wednesday the 9th Brenton took a half day at work and took me out to lunch. Earlier in the day a beautiful bouquet of roses was delivered to our door. I was not expecting that at all.

We ate lunch at Tucanos Brazilian Grill. It's one of our favorite places. Brenton had a $50 for $25 coupon, and so we were even able to get dessert! The food is so delicious, and it felt great to get dressed up, get out of the house, and spend time with my sweetheart. 

Upon arriving home, I noticed another package on our doorstep. As I picked it up I read, "Godiva" on the side. My dear husband had sent me chocolates, too. And not just any chocolates, but Godiva!!! You don't eat Godiva chocolates, you experience them. It's a symphony for your mouth every time. I'm in love with their chocolate. 

In addition to these lovely tokens of affection, Brenton bought me a hat in the style of my favorite actress, Audrey Hepburn. I love her style. I think she is such a classy, timeless lady, and I love emulating her fashion sense. I was so excited to wear it to church this past Sunday. 

And now the real question you're all asking is, "but on actual Valentine's Day, didn't you feel left out?" The answer is, "nope!" I had beautiful flowers to look at, amazing chocolate to eat, and a flooded dishwasher and disposal to take care of. If we hadn't have celebrated early, that would have ruined my day, but since we'd already done something special, I could attack the problem, get it fixed, and be grateful it didn't spoil any plans that we had made. A win-win in my book!!! 

Life's moving on, and I'm so grateful to be married to my best friend. He is more than I could have ever hoped for in a spouse. I am continually amazed by his sincere love for me, his kindness, generosity, and adoration. He is my hero, and I love him with all my heart. Not to mention we have the most incredible, adorable, sweet baby boy in the whole world. My boys are amazing and my cup runneth over. 

A Formal Apology

Well, men, as it turns out I owe all of you an apology. For years and years I have been baffled that there are certain words in the English vernacular that when uttered cause an immediate chuckle, smirk, snort, or burst of laughter from each of you. "Really?" I've thought to myself as a boyish grin crosses my husband's face. Really? I would expect this from a twelve-year-old boy, not a grown adult. I have rolled my eyes on many an occasion as these common words slip through a normal conversation, and every man in the room snorts into his shoulder. Can't you just grow up and let that kind of humor go? Don't you realize how juvenile you appear by laughing at that? Little did I know that it is part of the Y chromosome to react in a laughing manner whenever a bodily function word is uttered. I had no idea!!

How did I figure out that men don't really have any control over their reactions to the choice words relating to bodily functions, you ask? Well, it happened just last week. It was Brenton's late night for classes, which means I put Ryan to bed myself. I was just about to give him a bath, and was pulling off his diaper when I noticed he was not finished loading it up. So I simply said, "Oh, do you need to poop?" Ryan looked at me and burst out with a giggle. Surprised, I quickly told myself, "Oh, he just thought the way I said that sentence was funny." So I tried saying a few different words, such as, "ketchup," and "pumpernickel." Zero reactions. Nothing. Then I tried funnier words like, "dribble," and "flobbywobble." Again, nothing. I resigned myself, looked straight at my son, and said, "poop." He gave a huge smile and a big chuckle. I couldn't believe it! At only five months old my little boy knew there are certain words that are just funny because he's a boy, poop being one of them. I was shocked!

So to all you men, I apologize. I didn't know that you literally have no control over laughing at these simple words. For every time I rolled my eyes at you, poked fun at your inability to compose yourselves, and even got ticked off, I'm sorry. It turns out you were right all along, and you can't help it. My apologies.

Brenton's Top 25

Today could have been a disaster. It had all the right set up to be one. Today was the day I decided to go through my closet, all my drawers, and only keep out the clothes that currently fit me. This meant things I thought I could wear I would try on, realize I was too fat, and have to box up. Recipe for emotional breakdown? You betcha.

It's been very hard for me emotionally to accept who I am now. I'm still 20 pounds heavier than I was when I got pregnant, and that was already 15 pounds heavier than I was when I got married. I often feel that since Ryan is four months old I'm supposed to be all better and back to normal. I posted on my Facebook status last week how I felt, and received many wonderful comments and messages that helped me realize many new mothers feel this way, and I'm not alone. The fact is, pregnancy tears a woman's body apart. It just does. And with Ryan's extremely difficult delivery I have to add a lot more recovery time. On top of that, the emotional part is difficult because while you're pregnant, it's easy to imagine, "Well, I'm big now because there's a baby inside of me, but once he's out things will go back down and I'll be me again." But I'm never going to be that person again. I wish I'd known that earlier. All I ever heard was, "it's worth it." And yes, that's true. Ryan is worth every extra pound on my body, every inch of stretched out skin, and every stretch mark. I wouldn't trade him for anything, ever. But when he's been screaming for four hours, I didn't get any sleep the night before, and I'm within an inch of my sanity, he doesn't look that cute. And I don't stand there smiling saying, "Wow, this was worth it!"

So yes, I'm chunky, and working on it. Yes, some days I'm so tired I question what I was thinking 13 months earlier. Yes, some days I feel completely alone. And yes, sometimes I tear up when I see my pretty clothes I used to wear that I now don't have a prayer of fitting into. So what does all of this have to do with boxing up clothes and Brenton's top 25?

I started going through all my clothes and sorting them into piles based on weight goals. Ideally, I'd like to lose 30 pounds, but I'll settle for 20 to be at the weight I was before I got pregnant. I sorted my clothes out by 10-pound increments so that as I hit each new goal, I'll have all my clothes to pull out of storage as a reward. In each box I wrote myself a short congratulatory note. To keep myself motivated as I packed up I put on some music. I saw Brenton's ipod on the table in our room so I plugged it into some speakers and looked for a good playlist. As I searched, I saw the list, "Top 25 Most Played." Intrigued, I clicked on it. I figured it would be pretty fascinating to find out what Brenton listens to the most. Over half of the list were love songs that are special to the two of us. In fact, 9 out of the first 10 were our love songs. It made me smile and tear up knowing I have the most wonderful husband in the world.

It always amazes me how even during times that may seem difficult, Brenton somehow finds a way to make it better, even if he doesn't know it. It was just another reason why he's such a great fit for me. He turned a potentially hazardous afternoon into a very sweet one, and I smiled as I said a quick prayer of gratitude that I married my very best friend.

Now that my closet is cleaned out, I no longer have to open it every morning seeing the clothes I can't fit into. Everything I see I can wear. That's a good feeling. And I'm about to start aerobics and strength training five days a week at 6AM with my best girl friend, Laura. I'm nervous about it, but having a friend to go with me is great motivation. It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life. And I'm feeling good!!

The Belles on Christmas Day

This was my first Christmas not spent with my parents. Last year Brenton and I spent our first Christmas together in VA, but with the addition of little Ryan, we decided to have a nice, quiet Christmas in our own home. It was a new experience combining traditions from two families into one, but we created a lovely holiday that fits our new family perfectly.

On Christmas Eve, we dressed up, made a fancy dinner that my family growing up used to make on Christmas Day, and had a small family devotional dedicated to the Savior. We read the scriptures, sang hymns and Christmas carols, and bore our testimonies about Jesus Christ. Afterwards, we gave each other the two gifts that we handmade. Then we put Ryan to bed and Brenton and I watched the George C. Scott version of "A Christmas Carol."

Christmas morning, we woke up and showed Ryan that Santa had visited our house. It was fun to show him different presents, and then give gifts to each other, too. Brenton's theme for me was definitely Beauty and the Beast. He got me several new Belle items. One of them was a Belle figurine on a carousel horse. Another was a Beast and Belle trinket box. Then there was a new Belle barbie doll with several outfits. He even found a Belle Christmas ornament that I didn't have (an impressive feat, believe me). By the time all the presents had been opened, I was surrounded by Belles. It was wonderful!

We enjoyed the rest of our day together, Hoyos style. We watched Christmas movies, played with Ryan and his toys, and munched on finger foods. It was a lovely day.

Now it's a new year, and I'm excited to see what it brings for us. 2010 was definitely an adventure, and I'm sure Ryan will make 2011 just as exciting. Like most new beginnings, I've taken time to ponder on all the blessings we've received during this past year. As I've sat rocking our baby to sleep, I've shed many a grateful tear over the fact that both he and I are alive, healthy, and happy. Brenton is doing well in school with a major he loves, and we have a lovely home that fits our budget. Both of us are working to lose weight. Brenton has a great job that allows me to stay home watching Ryan, and I'm starting an online crocheting business next week. I have so much to be grateful for.

Christmas Season Festivities

This past week was busy, but very fun. It's such a joy to me to have a cozy home full of Christmas decorations and lights. I've been working away on Christmas presents, and taking time to show Ryan all the excitement that comes with the season. Daddy reads him a different Christmas story every night, and Mommy sings Christmas songs all day long.

This week we made 2D gingerbread houses with my best friend Laura and her date, Jeff. We also made Christmas cookies (my mom's classic and delicious recipe) and decorated them with our dear friend, Ethan. Lots of yummy treats and lots of love! It was fun to start our own traditions as a family, and remember that the season is about sharing joy with those that we love so much.

Jeff and Laura decorate their house. It was Laura's idea to make them 2D so that we wouldn't have to focus so much on trying to keep the house from falling apart, and could just spend the time decorating. She's a smart lady!

Poor Brenton! The bag broke while he was trying to squeeze out frosting for the windows. It was pretty funny.

Our finished house

Jeff and Laura's finished house

We had a really fun time, and ended up chatting for several hours after we finished decorating our houses. It helped me realize that the reason we do these little get-togethers is for the pleasant company with dear friends more than anything else.

Making cookies on Saturday. I prided myself in the fact that I made them taste just like Mama's.

Brenton was a great help and made all the frosting

Ethan helped us with the decorating

Ethan and Ryan having some playtime

Our finished cookies!!

So here's to many more fun Christmas traditions in the Hoyos' home. Thanks to our wonderful friends and our sweet baby who keep making this season such a joyful time for us.

Gingerbread Boy

The Christmas season's here! I'm so excited that we get to spend it as a family, just the three of us. I've been enjoying getting all the decorations out, putting up the tree and placing gifts under it. One of the new Christmas projects I've been doing this year has been to make little crocheted Christmas toys for Ryan. They look so cute, and I'm happy that he's starting to get into toys to keep him entertained. Lately his favorite has been the little Gingerbread Man. When I finished making it, I handed it over to him and he immediately hugged it close. It was so darling. Here are a few snapshots of our little guy with his new toy.

Since the Christmas toys have turned out so cute, I've decided to start selling other ones after the first of the year. I'll be making little dolls, snugglies, baby dolls, and stuffed animals. I'd start selling them sooner, but I need to build up a stock first, and I just don't have time during the Christmas season. If you're interested, I'll be making a Facebook page about it in a few more weeks so feel free to spread the word. I've decided to call it "Hooked on Toys." Clever, huh? I know. I know. Get excited!!