Max's Up Birthday party...

Here's the birthday boy...interestingly, when I bought this shirt (at TJ Maxx, best store, ever!) I had a difficult time finding a 12 month...lots of 3 mo, 6 mo, 18 mo...there can't be a large enough market of really small or fat babies that they would actually mass produce these shirts...or so I thought...until my new pediatrician told me about how she has patients who are 5 and on Lipitor (that's to lower cholesterol) CRAZY!!! I am happy with my tall skinny man! I got a message from the Piedmont Alumni page to go see Disney Pixar's Up as it is set in the Bay Area and even has a few shout outs to my little hometown of Piedmont, including our local ice creamery, Fentons...plus, the main character Russel is Asian and looks sort of like a fat Max. Thus the theme arose.

We gave out up bookmarks. You can download them for free and then all you have to do is laminate them...gotta love the Internet!!! Just go here and print!

http://family.go.com/entertainment/article-648689-disney-printable---up-bookmarks-t/

Here is the Up cake I made...it doesn't look that special...but I hand rolled each tile and each piece of siding from Starbursts and tootsie rolls for the house...I went to, at least, nine different gas stations in search of the right type of candy to be the garden hose, I almost burned down the house three times in attempts to make the perfect cascading "Paradise Falls," the manager of Ace and I spent hours trying to figure out how to get mini balloons filled with helium that would actually float...so, it may look unimpressive, but it was made with love...So, here it is...

I just really like this picture of our punch that Meradith took with her fancy camera. As for the star shaped ice cubes...gotta love IKEA.As entertainment, the kids watched Up...how cute are these girls?!
Jim holding the birthday boy!

Meradith and Lucia. We were so happy that they drove all the way up to celebrate Max's birthday with us!

Family shot. Eric and Max blowing out the one lonesome candle. I love that Brookie is encouraging Max to blow out his candle. This is my favorite picture...I love that I married a man who is my counterpart, in that he is so much that I am not...if left on my own, I would never have let Max strip down and go at his cake, but I am so happy that we did!!!!

We were happy that so many friends showed up to help us commemorate this wonderful day!
Here is one of our favorite gifts...a BYU jersey I found online...this will cause quite the controversy in our ward!

Jody got me a little side gift, as well,...and I'm not embarrassed to admit that I loved it (o.k., a little ashamed)!!!

A year ago, when Jody visited me in the hospital, she made an amazing gift basket filled with goodies, one of the items was a bottle of Pear Cider. I decided to save it to drink with those I loved on his 1st birthday...here we are partaking...unfortunately, Geoff, Jody and the kids had to leave before we opened it!
Here's to another great year filled with growth, development, health and happiness!!!!

Ruby Tuesday on Friday

Jim, Carli, Chuck, Geoff, Jody, the kids, Eric, Max and I all went down to park city to "surprise" Julie for her birthday...we had cake, presents, good food...we only wish Annie, Bryan, Adam & Camille could have come!

I made a Rum Raisin Custard cake...it was my first attempt and based on the results, I think I will make it again.

Chuck holding Max...I mean, Batman!

I wish I had taken more pictures, but here are all that I have...Happy Birthday, Julie!!!

HaPpY BiRTHdaY, MaX!!!

I can't believe it's already been a year since Max was born. Remembering back one year...we had just had a "surprise" party for Julie...(and by surprise, I mean she put on lip gloss before we got to the restaurant) at Don Pedro's the night before. I got up and went to work,...I even blogged about how I felt no closer to having this baby then I did in the second trimester...Kristee Christensen had just had Lindzi the night before...

My blood pressure was a little high, so I went home to take it easy...I guess Dr Hansen, Eric, Julie, Jody, Dawn from my work all knew what was coming...but I was in denial...I still had a few weeks, right?

The rest was all so surreal...I had never even thought about having a baby...I know that sounds ridiculous...but I was big on not counting my chickens before they were hatched (literally). I routinely went on the baby boards...and for those of you who don't often peruse those sights...they have a tab for trying to conceive, pregnant, mother of new born, toddler, etc...I NEVER once clicked on the tab of Mother...a lot of people thought I was being superstitious, I just didn't want to get my hopes up.

I think I was a little scared to think about being a mother, too. My entire life, I had always held strong to the notion that what I wanted most was to be a mother. It's like that dream job, or car, or toy...sometimes it's so hyped up in your mind, that it's bound to disappoint. What if I wasn't satisfied being a mom? Giving up my career, my identity, my life?

After one year of being a stay-at-home mom, I can honestly attest to the divinity of this sacred calling. I am filled with the spirit when I think of how my life has exponentially gained depth, meaning, joy and love. I only hope that I can give Max half of the wonderful gifts that he has given me.

He filled a void in our lives and marriage that we didn't even distinctly know was there. The first time I held him, the spirit bore witness to me of His plan and my part in it, the same way it did the day I was baptized and later, on my wedding day as I knelt in the temple with Eric.

Happy Birthday, dear son, we love you so much!

...And Happy Birthday to a certain BeLOveD Grandma!!!!!

Happy New Year!

For New Years we had fondue...this isn't really a picture of what we had...I got this off of the Internet...but you get the point.

Eric with the kiddos...I love how Dylan is pretending to punch Hankie and Hankie's face...

Chuck, Carli and Max...pre-gorging...

Camille, Jody, Na-Na and Adam...This will be Adam and Camille's last New Years sans children...I remember being pregnant at New Years and not really being able to fully comprehend what the coming year would bring...congratulations and we're so happy for you two!

Here we are before our annual New Year's barefoot run in the snow around the house...the kids gave a good effort...I think they made it to the porch and back...maybe when they get a little older...they can be like me and Carli...

Here are our feet afterwards...

We headed down to Provo for Jason and Meradith's New Year's bash...and did a second run...this time actually at Midnight...I don't know why the obsession with the feet picture...

I love this picture of Max...he really took to Dave...

Here Dave and Katie are trying to get Max to take his first steps without us...mean!!!

Becky and Brandon...I love how Becky had to cover up the baby bump...the impressive part is that you can't tell she's pregnant other than the belly...Becky and Meradith, they're the only two girls who I know can pull that off...jealous!!!

A girl shot...Meradith and I wanted to get a 'guys' shot but thought it might end up looking a little awkward...

Here's Dave...the little alcoholic! (it's sparkling cider, of course)

Here's Max...this one is also sparkling cider...and, boy, did he like it!

Happy New Year to all those whom we couldn't be with. May this new year bring all the love, peace, joy and comfort that your heart desires!

I stole this picture from Jason & Meradith's blog...I'm adding in response to Jared NaSTy comment!!! You snot!!! :) Just kidding...I wanted a group shot and was sad I didn't get one...and now I do!

Christmas 2009 wrap up

Christmas this year was the cherry on top of a wonderful year...it was the year my first child was born, a lot of new friendships and connections were made that make us feel so grateful for all that we have...I wanted to express my fondness for many of those friends...we made mango salsa and pumpkin bread for our friends...we thought we were being so crafty...apparently, we pale in comparison to many of the much more talented and creative people out there!

We headed over to Evanston to spend Christmas at Eric's parents' house...here is the Max on Christmas Eve.

Santa made a surprise appearance Christmas morning...
Here are some of the highlights of our spoils...a wii, a Ipod shuffle, a fly rod, a wii game and microphones,...

and Eric's parents and Eric surprised me by getting these paintings that I bought in China stretched, set and framed...BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!!!!

Some more highlights...Carli got these for Julie...

I, too, had to try them on...

We had our traditional Christmas brunch with Finnan Haddie, bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, bacon, English muffins, fruit salad, poppers, bacon, bacon and more bacon...Max had his first taste of bacon...and he is definitely a Phillips as he LOVED it!
On another day I made some crab cakes

and some Thai food...Chiu's Chowder...

we played some Hulk Operation...for about two seconds...

the boredom set in and we started doing weird things...Carli got a hand wax spa and managed to remove the entire glove intact...the gauntlet was thrown and we were all up for the challenge...

Can you match each person's hand....? My favorite is little Max's hand was thrown in for no reason...

You have to have tried this to appreciate how difficult it is...

We played a lot of wii fit and sang on the wii...then we went to see Avatar

I won't spoil anything...but, seriously, I stayed up for hours afterwards thinking about this movie...it's up there as one of my top 5 favorite movies, ever...it's liberal and flanked with politics, racial, ethnic and cultural biases...but AMAZING...a little existential, but AMAZING. I highly recommend it!

Twas the weekend before Christmas...

...and the stockings were (finally) hung by the (wood burning stove) with care...

We also had our ward Christmas party...we were happy to have had another successful party as activities coordinators...we couldn't have done it without our amazing ward leaders and members! Each family got personalized Kemmerer 1st ward ornaments and treats after a ham dinner and a white elephant exchange party. Eric and I had a great time and are just happy to be a part of such a great, growing and ever changing ward!

Here's Max playing with boxes while I put some finishing touches on the tree.

I'm not sure if any of you know Eric's youngest sister...she's just been called on a mission to...just kidding...we were trying on old clothes and noticed Carli looking very "sisterly-like" and we had nothing better to do so we completed the look...

Here's sister Phillips holding Max.

Eric and Max after a bath...my guys...they're so edgy!

We all had some last minute shopping to do, so Chuck, Carli, Julie, Eric, Max and I went down to Layton and Ogden and battled it out with the crowds. As reward for our successful day, we treated ourselves (and by we I mean Julie treated us) to Eastern Winds.

All of the food was great...as a testament to how good the food was, at one point Carli accidentally spilled her soda all over Chuck's leg...he was about to take a bite of food and even after the soda spilled, he was physically torn as to whether he should move or take a bite of food...it was classic...I wish I had it on video...we all laughed...I'm laughing now as I type this...oh, Chuck!!!!

Max enjoyed the food...but I think he liked the chopsticks the best...soon, my son!