13 Going on 30!!!!!!

This cute guy turned 30 in February!!!

He made me promise that I wouldn't do anything for his B-day besides something simple with the kids or whatever.So he got that but YAAAAHHH RIGHT........ I mean 30 IS A BIG DEAL RIGHT?!!!!!!! So we went out just he and I to Tepanyaki, or so he thought........ I went easy on him just inviting the fam dam tho - don'tcha think?!?! He was happily surprised and we had a lot of fun!!!!! Love u baby so much and I'm so glad you can't give me anymore crap about being in my 30's.

Valentines!!!

Valentine's Day is always fun and I enjoy having a day to celebrate LOVE!

It is also special to me as 8 years ago Ry proposed the day after V-day just to throw me off his trail. Turkey!

Ry outdid himself first by taking the big girls Lys and Bella out on a daddy daughter date Friday night to Ihop and Kangaroo Zoo! This is my favorite tradition our fam has started.

Saturday was Mama's night out with dad complete with flowers, a trip to a yummy Thai food place / a movie, and a couple gifts!! He had made me promise not to get him anything and "honor his wishes" and so I didn't (except a little gag gift) so I kinda felt like a jerk. However, we had a great long overdue date and loved every minute of our time together! My sweetheart

V-day breakfast!!
The big girls out on the town during their daddy daughter date!!
At Ihop on their date with Dad!
Special V-day do!

Lyssie's do!
Can you feel the love?!?!?!

Australia

Our trip to Australia turned into......

a trip to

Timpanogos

Regional
Hospital

The day before we were supposed to leave for Australia

our sweet 5 month old baby who already had croup was

diagnosed with

Pnuemonia in the

morning

and later that same night

in the ER

with RSV.

They admitted her the day we were supposed to leave. I probably analyze things too much but for me the timing of this was all too strange. And as disappointing as it was to miss out on a trip like this to Australia (all paid for by Ry's company) we knew where we were needed and were humbled by it all.

We were there from Sunday night to Wednesday afternoon.

We received numerous calls from friends and family offering their love and support while she was there and even when she got out.

Sweet tired tan Ryan with his little sickie baby.

This was the scrumptious meal prepared by our VT's Wednesday night when we were able to bring Laynie home.

A whole chicken

with potatoes

and

carrots, (rolls not pictured)

Jello salad w/sprinkles
(a big hit with the girls :)

especially since I am not a jello maker at all.

And a chocolate cake to top it all off! This was a big hit with Ryan :)

These sweet ladies went all out for us.

In the end we have a happy healthy baby, are saving lots of money from all the stuff we've been returning from our trip(plus not having to pay taxes on the trip), are still kinda tan since we had to build our base tan before we left, and have discovered a whole new appreciation for our children and the love we have for them and that we would do absolutely anything in our power for them. We've joked that one day when Melayna is a teenager and angry at us about something we'll tell her "We love you so much and we can prove it.."

The Disposable Sweater!

This is how my sweater looked when I bought it

This is how my sweater looked after it's 1st wash on delicate of course like the tag says

And unless you want to hand press every individual freakin petal (who has that kind of time, not I) this is a one time- wear / throw-away / disposable sweater.

So I was in a mood last week...... one of those moods where you don't really worry about saying exactly how you feel. And I was out shopping for my trip to Australia in my new found favorite store where I previously had purchased this sweater and I had to say something about it and this is how it went.........

Me: "you know that flower sweater that is so cute that I washed once and all the flowers have shriveled up and now looks like GARBAGE, and I can't wear it now?"

Manager: Oh yeah I got the same one washed it once and same thing happened to mine so I had to get rid of it.....

Me: (growing angrier by the second) "Well I'm sorry but that's not ok with me, I don't buy things to wear them once and get rid of em" and (quite frankly in my opinion she is just silly if she is going to accept that) I want to talk to your...........looking at her tag ohhhhhhh she is the manager. Hmmmm....

Manager: "Well I can't really do anything on my end I'd have to talk to corporate about this (this store does not return things. And when and if they do it's for in-store credit and they are very strict on their 30 day policy) and my 30 days was long up and gone.

Me: "Yes please you call corporate I will wait right here."....... I'm happy to report that once she got ahold of corporate a few days later she granted me a return for in-store credit.

Moral of the story ladies is we do not have to take crap like this laying down or standing up!! When something doesn't make sense question it. The End!

Alyssa turns 5!

My how fast the time has flown since my precious baby Alyssa was placed in my arms and I got to look in her beautiful eyes and meet her for the first time! And now she's 5........When did that happen?

Alyssa is a smart, beautiful, and sweet young lady. She's currently enrolled in pre-school, is working very hard on her reading and writing and in the fall will be moving on to Kindergarten! She loves her gymnastics class and also wants to take karate, dance, basketball, and swimming. (however, I like to keep the classes down to one at a time otherwise I think it's a little overwhelming for them and me). She misses her Oregon friends a ton but is enjoying playing with her cousins. She is a huge help with her sisters and loves to bake with me! We love her dearly and are so proud and happy to call her our daughter! Happy Birthday Sweet babe! LOVE YOU BIG - Mom, Dad, Bella, and Layna

The night before her big birthday bash with the big family (all the cousins,aunts,and uncles) She and Ry had a daddy- daughter birthday date!! She was able to pick whatever she wanted to do and wherever she wanted to eat and she chose bowling and McD's!! She was so proud that she beat daddy and bowled a score of 99! This date will be a new tradition in our family for the girls on their birthdays, as she felt so special and was beaming when she came home!

The next day we had her big family party complete with swimming (her fave) at the Legacy Center in Lehi and back to our house for pizza, pinata, cake, and ice cream which was a ton of fun!

The next day was her actual B-day on Sunday and we saved her big present for then and let her open it after dinner of her choosing

And last but not least her special request was to get her first pedicure at the salon with Mommy and we were finally able to make time for it yesterday!! It was so much fun

(had to crop this to cut out the cankle I'm currently sporting. Hopefully getting surgery on that soon!)

1st Christmas in Utah!!

This Christmas was a chance to take a much needed pause from the hustle and bustle of our every day lives..............and that's just what we did! It was our first Christmas in Utah in our new home!

Ry and the girls bundled up to hunt for that perfect tree!

A) Do they look a little cold to you???

B)Take a good look at that beaut, cuz it's the last real tree we'll have while living here in Utah. ( A cool $50 later, seriously??? We all know where those trees come from.........)Our first big snow! So much fun!!!! Bella loved trimming the tree!
Our friend Joseph who just left for his mission was there to help too!
Bella and Lyss's pre-school Christmas program
If this isn't the real santa?!?!?!? We believe!!! My sweet Lys :)
This pic of the cousins cracks me up! Tyce, Jackson, Bella, and Lys
.......and I want a pony, a barbie, etc. etc. etc, are you getting all this santa?! My sweet girls and I Christmas eve night. I was diagnosed with strep on the 23rd and got a gnarly penacillan shot in my hip/back and bam it was gone by Christmas. I love modern medicine, just wish I would've taken a pic of the softball size bruise it left it was awesome!!!

We missed and celebrated our friend, Kevin Michael's 30th birthday on December 24th by watching one of the last movies he was in.

My sweet little Layna snow angel baby
My favorite pic from Christmas Day!
Let me show you how this works Layna!

And the girls rode off into the sunset with their Daddy by their side!

2009 for the Loftins

I'm afraid to say this but I don't know that we could have crammed more life changes into one year than we did in 2009. I'm grateful for the trials and challenges and blessings that we went thru this last year and so thankful for the friends and family that were there with us to experience them all.

January - Had our first doctor appt .......after we learned we were expecting baby #3

Alyssa turned 4!!!

February - Ryan turned 29 and celebrated in Cali with his very best friend, Kevin Michael in San Diego doing what they love best; on stage - making music together

playing there gig at the cafe in SD

The boys...Ryan and Kev

Ry was promoted with Federated to District Mktg Manager

Bella tried out Dance class and loved it!

March - brought Grammy Judy's 60th B-day And .....Papa's 60th B-day

An incredible trip to Hawaii

April - Grammy Marty turned 60!!
and we put our sweet little house on the market........

and after only 25 showings and 4 months later we sold it!

May - brought the annual trip down Waterloo for the boys!!!! (boy are we going to miss this.....)
And Alyssa finished up her soccer class which she loved!Bella scored her first basket ever and Alyssa cheered her on all the way!!!
June .... we enjoyed the beautiful summer weather in Oregon!

July - brought two of our very best friends JoeLisa their first baby!

PETE!!!

An awesome visit from one of our best friends Kevin Michael which we are so sad to admit the pics were lost.

And an offer for a new position in Utah for Ryan

August - brought our beautiful baby girl #3 Melayna Lynn
September - we went a house huntin in Utah and found one in a week...

We attended the Oregon Alumni Reunion and connected with old friends

You can't see her but Melayna is in the Bjorn on Ry's chest, Ryan, Jason, and Kevin

and we blessed our sweet new addition on Sept. 19th
October - Bella turned 3 but we celebrated on the 3rd!

Three days later on the 6th (her actual b-day) we said goobye to friends and family and moved to Utah to a house that wasn't ready.....

(We were finally able to move in October 21st)

6 days after that on October 12 we received the devastating news that Ryan's life long best friend Kevin Michael had passed away in a car accident the night before and on October 30th we attended his funeral service in California which Ryan spoke so beautifully of his friend and sang at his service.

Kevin's beautiful babies Tyler (1) and Mia (2)

Kenneth (Kev's brother), Ryan and I

Kevin's dad, Ron Michaels and Ryan

November - brought Thanksgiving and a trip to California to be with Ryan's family

December - brought a peaceful relaxing 1st Christmas in our new home which we enjoyed very much, and will be my next post!