Speaking of Bebo...

Some days I feel a little more broken then others.  I find myself longing for peace and truth and I have the burning desire to be with my God.  It is days like today that Bebo really comes in handy.  Maybe these songs will lift your soul like they do mine!

Bebo Love

Do you all know who this is?

Yes, it is Bebo Norman!!  I am in love with Bebo.  My sister, Ellen, took me to one of his concerts when I was probably 13 years old, and ever since I have been hooked.  I remember being at The Aggie, feeling so cool to be out and going to a concert with my older sister, and I remember tears coming to my eyes as I watched and listened as Bebo performed.  Pretty powerful stuff!!!  I have seen him one other time over the years, but it never seems like enough.  By chance I looked up his upcoming tour dates/locations, and sure enough he will be in Colorado Springs in May.  I pounced on the opportunity and am excited to say that Cole and I bought our tickets.  I can't believe I will be enjoying all of his goodness in such a short time!  I'm so very excited :)

Have any of you heard of Bebo before?  Do you love him like I love him?  Hopefully so!

A Perfect Christmas

2010 brought one an amazing Christmas!  One of the best I have ever had!  We had almost my entire family together, which considering the size of our family, doesn't happen all the time.  The only missing member was my brother Sean and his family.  We were really bummed that they couldn't be there with us, but also grateful that the rest of us could be together.

Some of the highlights:

*My sister, Ellen, went shopping with me early in the morning on Christmas Eve.  I had some last minute items to get, and we both left our kiddos at home with the dads.  I haven't gotten to shop much since having a baby, especially without Tavian with me, and especially not with one of my favorite people!  I really enjoyed that time with her!

*Christmas Even dinner at Hibachi.  Ever since I can remember one of our Christmas traditions was to eat Chinese on Christmas Eve (probably because they are all that is open!).  It used to be Chinese buffets but in later years we have upgraded to Hibachi.  This year we had a group of 25 plus 2 infants.  Talk about a crazy, fun time :)  The food was yummy and we got an entire back room to ourselves which made it more intimate!

*All of Christmas day was wonderful.  Andrea, Luke, and Augustine stayed at our house so we did Christmas morning/Santa stuff with just us.  Around 12 we went over to Sarah's house where everyone else was and opened the rest of our gifts together.  It was a blast.  We got some wonderful gifts!!

*Andrea's family and my family also spent a few hours in downtown Fort Collins.  We ate lunchat La Luz, grabbed some Starbucks, and walked around.  It was wonderful!

*Tavian had some big milestones on Christmas as well.  Not only did he get his first black eye (he is all boy!), but he also took his first step.  Notice I said step, not stepS, but we were still so excited!

*My sister Ellen and I are the musicians in the family and I had another special time with her playing piano and guitar together.  We used to do stuff like that all the time and I have really been missing it.

*We even got to celebrate Augustine's first birthday.  Cole and I were so glad we got to be with our Godson on such a special day!!!

Andrea, Luke, and Augustine came to town mid-morning on Christmas Eve.  They stayed with us the entire trip (until the following friday), and we had SO much fun together.   I can't tell you how even the most ordinary, every day things, are more fun with them with us.  Dinnertime was special.  Playing games after the babies went to sleep was super fun.  Waking up and getting to see my sister every single day was just the best.  It has been so long since that has been the case.  It was a small glimpse of what it will be like when they move back (in 2 years...but who is counting?).  I just felt so blessed!!

There was really only one glitch over the holidays.  On the 26th Augustine got really sick and started throwing up.  He was sick for quite a long time, and seeing a one year old throw up is so heartbreaking.  I think Tavian caught what he had because he was having stomach issues for the rest of the week as well.  But, even with some sickness, the boys still did really well and we still managed to have a great time. 

I know this post was a bit jumbled, but I had a lot to include!  I think I will remember this Christmas forever...well of course I will, as it was Tavian's first!  I'm just so happy that his first Christmas will be remembered for all the right reasons.  Happiness, family, love..to name a few.  And, thankfully, no drama :)  Who could ask for more?!?

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!

My Thoughtful Hubby

I came downstairs the other morning and this is what I found on the kitchen table.

Yup, he is a keeper :)

It feels good to be loved!

"Lets put a smile on that face..."

I think that the following story is HILARIOUS!  Hopefully you will too!!!

My best friend is Amy Davis.  Her and I have been friends for years and we have tons of inside jokes and funny memories.  Our humor has a pretty large range, from goofy, to morbid, to sometimes even sick and twisted.  When the movie Dark Night first came out her and I saw it together (along with my dad and sister).  We were both thoroughly disturbed by the film. Heath Ledger wasn't even to be seen in the film, if you know what I'm saying.  He totally became the character, and Ames and I were both pretty sure it was at his own expense.  Sad.  But there were parts during the film that we laughed.  Not "ha ha" laughter, but "omg i'm nervous and uncomfortable" laughter.  (We also couldn't believe that my dad and sister were genuinely "haha" laughing at some of the craziest parts)  Anyway, to this day we joke about it and laugh and talk about how we don't ever really want to see the movie again.

Well, I was walking the isles of Wal-Mart a few weeks before Christmas.  I glanced towards the card isle and something caught my eye.  I had to get it.  I was instantly laughing.  I needed a card for Amy's Christmas gift anyway, so why not?  Never mind that is was actually a Birthday card, she wouldn't care!!  I told Cole it would be perfect!

Well, as soon as we got home, and I had stopped laughing, I realized that although it was super funny, it really wasn't appropriate for Christmas (In a moment you will see why!).  I decided I would take it back and that I would just show it to Amy for laughters sake.

Here is the card:

Now, considering what I have already told you, pretty funny, right?

But there is something that I had completely forgotten about when I gave Amy the card.  A few weeks before this Amy got really sick and one of the things she was diagnosed with was Bells Palsy.  Yes, she could only move half of her face.  The other half was frozen.  Meaning that when she smiles, only one side of her face smiles...

You may want to go replay that card and look at it again now that you have this additional information!

Basically Amy thought I was being really sick and twisted and making fun of her Bells Palsy.  

L-O-L

As soon as she heard, "Lets put a smile on that face.." she laughed, but through her laughter she managed to ask, "because of my palsy?"  

omg I fell to the floor laughing.

I may be sick and twisted, but even that is pushing it for me.

Oh man, too funny!

And don't worry, Amy's face is now back to normal!!:)

See?

 (ok, she's not actually smiling in this pic, but she can smile...promise!)

First Snow Storm

Snow has finally arrived in Fort Collins.  I can't believe that it took so long to get here, but unlike other Colorado folk I enjoyed the wait!.  I have always been happier in the sunshine, so I consider it a personal favor from God that the weather stayed nice for so long :)
Having said that, there is something beautiful about a baby seeing snow for the first time.  I have yet to take Tavian out in the snow to play (although I hope to do it at some point this winter), but the following video completely captured my heart!  Hope you all enjoy!!
(and yes, he only has one sock on and isn't wearing a diaper....just adds to the cuteness!  lol)

I seriously couldn't think he was any more precious!

#1 Phil Phan!

Be prepared...The story I'm about to tell you is crazy!

So freakin crazy!

It all started with my love of Phil Vassar, an amazing country musician.  Cole and I see him every year when he comes to the Grizzly Rose (you may remember my post about it last year), and last night would make concert #5.  Every year I have wanted to fight my way on stage but every year once we arrive the task seems too daunting.  On the drive down I asked Cole if he was ready to pull out all the stops to help get me on that stage.  I raised my fist in the air and jokingly yelled,  
"Tonight's the night I meet Phil Vassar!!!" 
Hmm, a little foreshadowing, maybe?? 

Just about to head into the concert!

This is actually a really long story, but I'll do my best to just relay the highlights.  A friend of a friend of a friend new a girl (I'll call her Sally for privacy's sake) that knows the right people and had two extra VIP passes to the show.  Even though I had no clue what having a VIP pass meant, I knew I wanted one of the extras.  Well, she gave them to two other girls that were "losely" related to our "group"....bummer!  The good news is that those girls didn't know Phil Vassar and so they gave them to me and my friend Breanne.  I asked one of the security guards (Steve) by the VIP entrance what having a wrist band meant, and he said it meant I could do the meet and greet with Phil and that I should get in line.  OMG!  I couldn't believe that this was happening to me!  My dream was becoming a reality!!!  

As I made it back stage and about 10 feet from the room where Phil was, another security guard asked to see my backstage pass.  Uh, what pass?  So I showed him my wrist band.  Turns out I needed a something else.  "Nooooooo!"  "Porque????"

I begged and pleaded that Steve had told me the wrist band was sufficient and asked that he let me go.  I was so close, surely he wouldn't dash my dreams when I had made it so far.  Actuallly he would.  Breanne and I were "escorted" out.

I found myself back by Steve.  He felt pretty bad (considering he really did tell me I could go back there!).  He pointed to an old man sitting at a table of 4 and said he had heard earlier that he had 2 extra Meet and Greet passes.  The next thing you know I am approaching a table full of strangers and asking the old man if I can have his extras.  Turns out he had already given them away..."Noooooo!"  

(can you believe I actually did all this??...don't answer that!)

I went back to Steve with my hopes dashed.

I begged some more. 

To no avail.

Finally Steve said, "The owner of the bar is standing right behind you.  He's who you would have to talk to."

Had to get a picture with Steve, since he really tried to help me

I think you know what is coming next.  Yes, I turned around, tapped the owner of the bar on the shoulder, and explained (in a high pitch, talking way too fast manner), how much I loved Phil Vassar and how I thought my VIP wrist band meant that I got to meet him, and how I had gotten so close, and how all I wanted was to meet him...

Then walks in Sally who is so drunk and crazier then I could every get you all to picture, and she starts telling the owner (who apparently is her friend) that he doesn't need to help me and she is clearly aggravated with all of the attempts I have made to get backstage.  He asks her if she knows me.  She says, "Yes, I know her, but you don't need to let her back." 

I pretty much wanted her to shut her pie hole!

To my surprise the owner said, "it's no big deal", and he whipped out two backstage passes (he thought Sally wanted one).  Sally told him she had already gone.  Quick on my feet I grabbed them both, said I would give one to my friend, and hurried off in the direction of backstage!

The mean security guards in the back were awfully shocked to see me again, and were initially a bit skeptical about how I had gotten the passes.  I guess it isn't everyday someone walks up to the owner of the bar and asks if he'll let them back...lol.  Just leave it to me!

But...

All my work paid off :)

And I think I earned it!

 I got multiple hugs, I'm pretty sure there was a kiss on the cheek, he signed my pass, and we got to chit chat for a few minutes.  Breanne and I were the last that got to see him!!

I triumphantly reiterated to Cole on the way home,  
"Tonight's the night I met Phil Vassar!!!"  

He couldn't have been more proud!

That was my fun, crazy story.  But here are more pics from the night:)

 I love and miss my old roomies, Shan and Breanne

Best performer ever!

I realize Shan and I look pretty sick in this pic, but please 

note the nastys behind us (but actually in front of us).  Who wants to look at that all night??

 Still real annoyed with those nasty jokers...they must have 

come up for air right as this picture was taken!

Sad Fact:  No pictures taken with Cole...lame!

Fun Fact:  I was wearing the shirt I wore forever ago on the night I met Cole.  Lucky Charm perhaps?  I have met some memorable people in that shirt! :)

Oh, and before you go thinking that the above crazy behavior was alcohol induced, I am proud (I think) to say that I only had one beer all night.  I'm sure those of you who know me well aren't a bit surprised!

Thank you for your time Phil!
Til next year:)