Birthday Central

My baby is 2.

TWO!

That's amazing to me!  

For me, it seems like he got to two quicker than his older brother did.  Crazy how quickly these kids grow.

Russell and Taylor's birthdays are only ten days apart, so we plan to have a combined "buddy" celebration in June for both of them-- similarly to how we partied last year. 

When I greeted by boys yesterday morning with a "Good morning!" and "Happy Birthday, Russell!", I reminded Taylor of their party coming in the near future, in hopes that he wouldn't completly spaz over the absence of cake and ice cream that day. 


Okay, well, Taylor still had a cow.  But I'll give him a little credit--because his defensive reaction had nothing to do with cake.  He was trying to protect his brother.  Taylor made a clear argument that not having any celebrations for Russell on his birthday was definitely not an okay thing.

It was a good point.  Way to stand up for your little brother, Tay.

So we made plans.  After Russ's annual check-up with the pediatrician,

we would bake cookies so we could sing "Happy Birthday" to Russell and enjoy a special birthday treat together after dinner.

It was perfect, and Russell loved it...a lot.

We had to sing twice. 

It was a crazy time two years ago when I was in the hospital with just hours-old baby Russell.  Dare I admit?  In that moment, I had actually forgotten that it was Andrew's birthday!

Thankfully, I had a lot of help that year (thanks again to Donna, Andrew's mom, and my mom especially).  But hopefully that's as crazy it will ever get in our family of back-to-back-to-back birthdays.  I don't want to forget any of these three special guys in my life...even if it is just for a moment!

So here we are, two years later...and as I mentioned earlier, I am not pregnant or having a baby, so the Andrew Par-tay has been in full swing.

For starters, last weekend Andrew and I had a birthday dinner/movie date with two other couples in our ward (wish I had taken pics of that), and had a lot of fun.

Today, at Andrew's request, I managed to turn our favorite strawberry lemonade cupcakes 

into a delicious two-layer round cake in his honor.  It was just as tasty as the mini version.

And of course, we didn't forget gifts. :-)

I totally dig this guy! 

(and the little guy behind him, and the littler guy in his lap...)

I'll say for me, one good thing's for sure about having everyone's birthdays together: I am reminded about how blessed I am.  It can't get much better than this! 

I'm Alive

This blog has been on my mind for months now.  

Nagging me at the back of my mind, me knowing that I want to record my family's memories but somehow not being able to get myself to sit down for an hour and just post something....

...I realized that my neglect was getting really bad when MariLouise (who lives in Texas) called me just over a week ago to ask me if I was pregnant.  Our conversation went something like this:

ML: "I noticed that you hadn't been posting on your blog, hadn't been posting on Facebook, so I thought, it must be because Tiffany is sick and pregnant again!"

I laughed.  "Oh my.  No.  NO....I'm just a SLACKER!"

And after a very overdue, very uplifting conversation with my good friend, I hung-up the phone and began having visions of myself being back in the blogging world...

So, my dear friend ML, and all others who have been wondering if I've been morning sick or slowly dying (which would pretty much the same thing in my world), or something else rough-and-tough, here's proof that I am alive and kicking (and currently not expecting).  

Stay tuned...

Granny Shoes

My new running shoes came in the mail today.

I haven't run much since the Mudder because my right foot has been hurting a lot.  My gut-instinct has been telling me that it's because I need new shoes.


My gut was right.


I found out last week...


...when I went into a specialty running store where they recorded images of me running on a treadmill--pretty cool--and showed me how much my feet overpronate when I run.  


So that fun news, combined with recovering from a crazy run like Tough Mudder, make me feel like it's no wonder that my feet are killing me!


Well anyway, Boulder Running Company put me in these crazy expensive Brooks shoes that (of course), made my feet feel a zillion times better the moment I put them on.  What's a girl on a budget to do with that?


Why, get last year's Brooks model from Amazon, of course! :)  They arrived on my doorstep this afternoon. 


And they feel super nice.  Just one problem...


They don't look so sexy.  


These fat sneaks, complete with wide, un-tapered soles with those big gray "things" on the sides (as Andrew puts it), are so unattractive to my husband.  But man, they feel so great...


...maybe next time I run I'll put on a hot string bikini to keep his eyes off of my granny feet.  

('Cause the shoes are staying! :) )

28 Candles

I had a birthday again.  

Andrew took me out to celebrate the weekend before my big day, just the two of us.

We hired favorite babysitter Dillon to watch the boys, while we went to a restaurant around the corner that I've been itching to try called "Thai Bistro."

The Mango Sticky Rice--one of my favorite desserts--was heavenly.

Then Hubby and I did another first together: bowling at Fun City. 

First time for the place, but certainly not our first time bowling! (Remember our first date, ADrew?)

Fun City also had a clever game set-up in their waiting area called "Jumbo Jenga."  Super simple idea: just a bunch of wood studs chopped into pieces--and lots of fun too!

That was a special, rare treat kind of a date--that Hubby planned, I might add.  I love that man.

On birthday morning my sweet friend Jolene watched Taylor and Russell so I could attend the temple.  It had been a while since my last visit and felt nice to be there again.

When I came back to get my boys, I found them totally worn out, with lunch in their tummies.  Double bonus!  Jolene is so great.   

They were so worn out in fact, that even my resistant napper fell asleep.  

I savored that moment and took some time to be still-- watching sweet little Taylor's chest slowly rise and fall as he slept.  It was so rhythmic and perfect.  Children are such miracles.  I feel tremendously blessed.

When the World's Greatest Husband came home from work, he made Szechwan Chicken, at my request.  This delicious dish is my Aunt Robin's amazing creation--one that's quickly becoming one of my favorite meals.  

I can't resist...we eat it several times each month! 

(hope you don't my sharing your genius, Robin!)

After dinner, my grandparents and Donna & her kids came over for cake and ice cream (again, all the credits go to Andrew for that.  THANK YOU, Sweetie!)

I opened a few gifts too.  

A few are pictured here...don't my new shirt from Mom and vintage belt from Grandma make a cute combo?

This was a fun year.  I feel very blessed.  Thank you so much, dear family and friends, who bless and enrich my life so much!

The Music Man

On Saturday afternoon Andrew and I went to see "The Music Man" at Columbine High School.  It was so fun...we knew some of the biggest stars of the show!

Here they are--my cousins: Brooke (starred as "Marian"), Caden (played "Winthrop"), and Kelsie (one of the "Pick-A-Little ladies).

And I can honestly say in a non-biased way, I was very impressed with the talent and vocals of these guys.  Really--wow.  It was obvious that they've been really giving their all to "The Music Man" for a while.  

It's too bad that they only performed twice; I think these guys need an encore production!  Bravo all!

Wise Men's Gifts

"The Wise Men Seek Jesus"

While watching a moving Life of Jesus Christ Bible Video with Taylor today, I asked him if he remembered what the Wise Men's gifts to the Christ child were called.

"Uh-huh," he nodded.

"Gold, Frankenstein, and Myrrh."

Valentine's Day

One of the best parts of being a kid is getting to have fun on holidays, right?  

That's the way I see it.  

Even if it's only on a small scale, we always decorate the house and have some kid-friendly fun when a holiday rolls around.

Valentine's Day is one of my favorites.  

This year, my kids woke up to cute boy valentines from me and Andrew and heart-shaped "Special Eggs" (a tradition in the Macfarlane family.  I have my funny dad to thank for that! :)) for breakfast.

As luck would have it,  it was my turn to host Taylor's play group on V-Day.


While the kids were here, we played Conversation Heart BINGO,
frosted heart-shaped brownies,
decorated "Valentine" paper bags,
and had a Valentine exchange.


We all had a lot of fun.
(A little more work for me this time around, but definitely worth it!)

While we lived in Idaho and Mike and Stacie lived next door, we newlyweds made fun of our dear neighbors when they ordered a Papa Murphy's heart-shaped pizza for their romantic evening together.

Guess we'll see who's laughing now...because the following year, we remembered them and instead of making fun of the Tonks' valentine date, we ADOPTED their idea!  We added our own minor twist by making it ourselves...and have been doing it ever since. 

Taylor especially loved this part of the day.

And no Valentine's Day is complete without spending time with your Valentine...

(Note that Andrew wasn't fully dressed in snow gear that evening...I just didn't remember to take pictures!)

...Andrew and I put the kids to bed, then ate ice cream and the third Twilight movie, "Breaking Dawn" together. 

Good day.

Downton Abbey

Is anyone else as madly in-love with this PBS series as I am?

I stumbled upon season one of  "Downton Abbey" on Netflix last year and devoured it in just one week of watching.  


It was that good.


Then I both impatiently/eagerly waited a year for Downton's second season to air on PBS...which began last month.  Do I dare admit: I think my life over the past several weeks has totally revolved around watching this series (via PBS's website)?! 


This Monday when I sat down for my favorite "me" time of the week to watch the best TV series ever created, I did NOT expect this terrible surprise: that I was about to watch the season finale!  How cruel! It had a great ending, but (sigh), after only 8 episodes...ohhh, my heart...I think it just broke a little!  Must I really wait another year for a taste of Downton's sweetness?

TOUGH MUDDER

Last Saturday Andrew and I left our kiddos in my mom's care

Thank you Mom! 

to join the Norrises in Georgia for the appropriately named Tough Mudder event.

Don't be deceived by our [almost] clean-cut appearance here...

We were there to 

We brought-out our inner Chuck Norrises with a little face paint, 

Recited the super Tough Mudder pledge as a group (yes, really):

       

Tossed some kegs around for added badness effect,

and were ready to go.

I'll admit: between previewing the crazy course map and feeling the windy, humid-cold Georgia Winter weather in my soon-to-be sopping WET clothes, I was a bit nervous.  But I still had no idea just how crazy, cold, and wet it would get.

Pretty crazy and cold. 

Oh, SO cold.

Okay, as we like to say in Utah...

Oh. My. HECK, It was freezing!

After getting into the "Arctic Enema" ice bath (Mudder obstacle #4), I pretty much kissed goodbye any hopes of warming-up for most of the day.

In addition to freezing our shanaynays off in large dumpsters of florescent blue icy death waters, we...

 

Climbed up and over mountains of hay bales.

Crawled and ran through wiring charged with 10,000 volts of electricity. 

Climbed (or fell from!) monkey bars greased with butter and mud over more icy waters.

Climbed over 12 foot walls.

Waded through chest-deep runny mud.

Walked a mile through a shallow mud-river.

Jumped from 20-foot platforms into a cold lake....

...to name a few.

Click to enlarge

I nearly lost my mind when I saw this obstacle: what they call "Hanging Tough" (are you seeing a pattern here with the ice water thing?!).

At this point in the event, I had run for two hours, over nearly 10 miles, and was miserably frozen.  

I could harldly move my hands.

Could hardly move my legs.

I had so little motivation left...

...and they wanted me to swing on RINGS over even MORE icy cold water?!

I knew my body wasn't capable anymore.  Down the medicine went anyway...

                

I think "Hanging Tough" and the obstacle that came next, called "Walk the Plank," drained me of nearly all emotional strength.

Because when I staggered to what I thought would be the finish line and instead saw THIS:

"Everest"

I broke.

I didn't know I was capable of that.  I even chuckle to think of it now, but seriously...

I cried.

I stood there, stuggling to compose myself and feeling embarassed that I, a grown woman, couldn't keep it together during the "tough" event.

Eventually my competitive mind relaxed and the thought occurred to me: "I don't have anything to prove.  It's O.K. to walk away from this."

And I did.

I walked away from "Everest" and into my last strands of electric wiring...

...to the finish line (ahhh).

I spent the next half hour huddled among a small croud of fellow "Mudders" and a blazing fiery garbage can trying to warm up. :)


Shamefully, I also spent much of my time commiserating with others or just plain whining about the extreme cold. (Remember part 3 of the "Tough Mudder Pledge" we recited? Yeah, I didn't do so well on that one.).  I truly am embarassed about my poor behavior after the race. 

It is true, I was freezing.  Perhaps even more freezing than when we lived in Rexburg, Idaho--a place that's infamous for its cold winters. The race was also cold enough to give my poor sister in-law Mindi hypothermia!  Her body just gave out mid-way through. 

It was pretty bad. 

But that said, now that I have emotionally recovered from the experience, it's much easier to reflect on how uniquely cool the Tough Mudder was:  

The obstacles were well designed and pretty clever. 

And I love to run.

And I was doing it all with family! I especially love that part.

So it's all good...

I just now know I'd prefer to do it in the summer next time. :)

Tough-as-steel Andrew on the other hand, is already asking for more.  

He and his good friend/awesome personal trainer Tyler are getting ready to sign up for Colorado's Tough Mudder that will happen in June!  Dare I ask...does anyone want to join them? :)

Sledding

We just had an impressive snow storm this weekend, and now have over a foot of snow to enjoy.

It's a marshmallow world outside.

For those of you who have been to our home before, you'll know that there's a huge hillside just a few footsteps out our back door.  It's pretty, and we generally enjoy it from a distance in the summer. But in the winter when a good snow comes, you can't hold us back...it's the best sledding hill around!

                

Uncle Jeff, Cade, and Paige joined us for the fun this afternoon.

                                               

The bright winter sun was so beautiful against the new snow...doesn't it look a little like rainbow sprinkles were tossed everywhere?

Beautiful day.  Perfect moment.  

(Except perhaps for my sexy hillbilly smile...ahhh, yes.)