Leap Frog

My coworker's wife had their first baby TODAY. Her next real birthday will be 2012. How cool is that?

The Theatre, The Theatre...What Happened to the Theatre?

Last weekend my MIL, Camme, took all the girls to Utah Classical Ballet Academy's Hansel and Gretel at the new Franklin Covey Arts Center in Provo. I can't tell you how excited I was to go! Maybe I'm a little too old to experience excitement at that level, but since I used to take ballet, I couldn't even wait!

The ballet was incredible. Hansel and Gretel is a German play, so they had singers who sang the parts of Hansel, Gretel and the Witch in German, it was pretty cool! And the dancing...wow! These girls were so incredibly talented, especially Hansel. I was so overly jealous the whole time, and seriously ached to go back. Let's just say that I'm an IDIOT for ever quitting ballet.

After the 45 minute performance, there was a ten minute intermission, so we snapped some pictures. The little girls were loving the ballet, and any time there was a pause of sorts Ellie would ask in a shocked and somewhat scared voice, "Is it over!?". She was dancing like crazy in the aisle, and having the time of her life!

After the intermission there were a few pieces not related to the Hansel and Gretel ballet, and they were incredible. I miss everything about ballet, even my sore, bleeding feet from pointe shoes!

Dinner at Sizzler beforehand. Aunt Jeri, married to Steven Covey, purchased 35 tickets which she sold to the family, so there were a lot of cousins, aunts and such there!

Madi, Adrie, Kyra and Ellie

Grandma Doris and Grandpa Big Ard also attended!

Tysen, Shaley, Kecia, Me, Mazie, Camme, Madi and Adrie (both hidden), Ellie and Lacey

Before the ballet was about to start!

Mazie and Kyra with Kecia during intermission

My little dancing nieces!

Kecia and me

Grandma and Madi

Leishman girls

How cute are these girls!

Thank you Camme - This was so much fun!

sisters-dear, what movie is the title from?

Weekend with the Girls

My little friend, Ali, turned 21 February 17th. You may remember this event from my "Happy Birthday" post. We decided a celebration of this event was in order, and booked a hotel room in Park City for this last Friday night.

Mary-Kate and I headed up around 5 p.m to meet Ali there (she'd gone up earlier with some friends to do some shopping). First item of business upon arriving in Park City: Eat! Tadd suggested a place called Main Street Pizza and Noodle, which was delicious!

Ali-Dear, Me and Mary-Kate (Not pictured: Ashley)

Awaiting our pizzas we ordered. I decided a nice mix of pepperoni, black olives and sundried tomatoes would be tasty.

Not a cute picture at all, but we both did the exact same face without knowing it. We're the same!

I swear things like this always happen to Ali. There we are chatting away and eating our delightful pizzas when hers comes crashing down from the stand. It was pretty funny!

Mary-Kate immediately donned this fuzzy robe when we arrived at the hotel.

Getting Ali ready for her night out as a 21 year old!

I call this creation, "Plant Head".

We call this "The Betty".

Does anyone here know me well enough to laugh at this picture? I am not this sort of outfit-wearer, but I feel like I pulled off the emo look quite well. Bonus!

My dad would've looked at Mary-Kate and Ali and immediately assumed they were going "ho-in", which is what he called my sister, Megan's, nights out when they'd dress up in outfits like this.

The face I always pull as I'm speeding away from the ATM booth where Ali and Mary are withdrawing cash.

Here we are!

We visited a dancing club in Park City, and it just happened to be some Rock & Roll Soul Night, and the Jazz Dancers were there! If you didn't already know, I look to them as idols, fascinating young women they are. They were giving away free T-shirts from the stage, and I later on happened to find one on the floor. So what did I do? Put it on of course! That's the number I'm wearing in the picture above.

She has a huge crush on me.

Alright, I reciprocate her feelings.

Three buddies!

We had SO much fun this last weekend, and I definitely feel like we should make it a yearly event. What do you say girls?

Black Hawk

We have a new addition to our home, and it's name is Black Hawk. Tadd has wanted a remote controlled helicopter ALL HIS LIFE, and finally bought one. It literally took three weeks to arrive, and every day was painful.

Here is the infamous helicopter just waiting to be flown

I promise he's excited, he just hates posing.

And she's off!


I'm not sure how long this helicopter will last until Tadd wants a bigger one. Geez, he's just never satisfied!

Eight Boring Hours of Work

1. what time did you get up this morning? A late 8:10
2. diamonds or pearls? I've loving pearls right now
3. what two things do you always have with you? Cell phone (to play Brick Breaker, of course) and my purse
4. what is your favorite TV show? Grey's Anatomy
5. what do you usually have for breakfast? Lately it's been a breakfast wrap at the Nu Skin Cafeteria ("Caf" as it is more fondly known). Eggs and cheese wrapped in wheat tortilla with fresh salsa!
6. what is your favorite book? I'll go with the rest of the female population on this one and say the Twilight Series
7. what is your middle name? Ann
8. what food do you dislike? I dislike foods, but it doesn't mean I won't them. I'm practically a human garbage disposal, it's sick.
9. what is your favorite CD? Hairspray
10. what type of car do you drive? Kia Optima
11. favorite sandwich? Burning Bridge from Gandy's
12. what characteristic do you despise? Ditzy (ha!)
13. favorite item of clothing? Currently, my Seven for all Mankind skinny jeans
14. if you could go anywhere in the world on vacation? Anywhere tropical. I miss the sun!
15. what color is your bathroom? Chocolate brown and bright pink with tan walls, it's super cute
16. favorite brand of clothing? B.P
17. where would you retire to? Sunny, Sunny, Sunny!
18. what was your most memorable birthday? Any birthday involving a sprinkled donut in bed with presents
19. favorite saying? Give Me Strength (and in the sarcastic sense)
20. when is your birthday? Aug 13
21. are you a morning person or a night person? Night!
22. what is your shoe size? 6.5 (If anyone has a pair of royal purple pumps that size, give them to me! I need them for Haley's wedding!)
23. pets? Just the husband
24. what did you want to be when you were little? I honestly can't remember ever thinking about that, I was such a deep child.
25. what is your favorite candy? Cinnamon Bears!
26. what is your favorite flower? Any flowers my husband buys me.
27. what is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Right now, March 5th when we embark on a vaca to Cali!
28. what church do you attend? Good question. Brand new to the ward since we just moved...I THINK it's the Provo 4th
29. what are you listening to right now? People talking to Executives on the phone, captivating...
30. what was the last thing you ate? Totino's Pizza! Those remind me of my G-ma Sally, she used to cut them with scissors...them Irish women. 3
1. if you were a crayon, what color would you be? Is there a clear one?
32. how is the weather right now? Actually not terrible...a tiny bit sunny.
33. last person you spoke to on the phone? Pat Mechlinski, yeah...I know her just as much as you do.
34. favorite soft drink? Diet Coke
35. favorite restaurant? Not sure, I love so many. Lately I've been craving Outback like nobodies business.
36. hair color? Biz-rown
37. sibling(s)? Five. Add the in-laws and you've got 16, almost 17.
38. favorite day of the year? 4th of July
39. what was your favorite toy as a child? Probably food. Isn't that a toy?
40. summer or winter? S-U-M-M-E-R
41. hugs or kisses? Kisses
42. chocolate or vanilla? Usually vanilla...some things are just too chocolate-y
43. when was the last time you cried? The other night on my bed because of my stupid cold sore, I'm such a baby.
44. what is under your bed? I shall tell you exactly what is under our bed: a box of developed pictures that I'm not crafty enough to scrapbook, and two empty frames as well as one wedding picture.
45. who is the friend you have had the longest? I'll say my sissies
46. favorite smell? Rain
47. what are you afraid of? Spiders! I had to kill one at the salon last night, and thought I was going to die since Tadd wasn't there to do it for me!
48. plain, butter or salted popcorn? Kettle Corn
49. how many keys on your key ring? House key, mail key (which doesn't work), salon key, truck key, KIA key. Then on a separate key chain in my car I have two locker keys for the salon and a cupboard key for the salon. In case anyone wants to steal all my color go for it...I never lock my locker.
50. how many years at your current job? Almost 4.5.
51. favorite day of the week? Sunday! No workie for me!
52. how many towns/cities have you lived in? Only Provo...
53. do you make friends easily? My personality is positively magnetic, people flock to me, I just can't help it.

If you'd like to do this tag, feel free. It was liberating.

The Cullen Family

Thoughts?

Happy 1st Birthday Baby Bree!

Annie Bree Cox is one today! I can't believe this past year has gone by so quickly. Bree was born with Down Syndrome, and is truly the sweetest little baby I've ever met. She has taught all of us more than any other child has taught us. She is a little miracle baby and very much a blessing from our Heavenly Father.

Check out Bree's cheesy grin while sitting on Grandma's lap!

The boys chillin' with Papa. How cute that they all match!

All the cousins are very good about helping the other kids open their presents. Bree's presents were no exception. She hasn't quite grasped the concept of ripping open her gifts, so the girls help was welcomed!

Little Ave and Taddow. Tadd couldn't be more thrilled that Ava can say his name!

As is tradition, Bree had her own little cake to play in at Kecia's parents house Sunday night. She wasn't too thrilled about it, and just sort of held the cake crumbs. Kecia helped her eat her special cupcake for our party.



Bree weighs a whopping 15 lbs and 14 oz! Griffin (not pictured) weighs about 15 lbs and 5 oz. Bree is eight months older than the boys, she's just a little munchkin!

She played with this little scrap of paper she tore off the whole time she was "opening her presents", it was so cute.

You can sort of see on the left the yellow sundress Tadd and I gave Bree. She'll look so cute in it!


Hooray! It's my birthday!

This was hilarious. After the presents had been ripped open, it took all of three seconds for the cousins to take off leaving Bree looking at her wrappings.

Happy Birthday Bree! We feel so blessed to be your aunt and uncle!

Happy Day of Birthy, Al!

Although two days late, I still wanted to wish Ali a Happy Birthday over the world-wide web!

I love this Ali-girl. We were meant to be friends, what with our goofy actions and silly laughs. We were meant to drive 18 hours to San Fransisco, and not speak for the last few hours of the drive home. We were meant to love Friends together.



Here is the beautiful poem I spent hours on in honor of you.
You may thank Mad Libs for this...

My Love
Your skin glows like the papaya, blossoms love as the tulip in the purest hope of spring.
My heart follows your violin voice and leaps like a racoon at the whisper of your name.
The evening floats in on a great parrot wing.
I am comforted by your scarf that I carry into the twilight of cellbeams and hold next to my elbow.
I am filled with hope that I may dry your tears of juice.
As my falange falls from my button, it reminds me of your scissors.
In the quiet, I listen for the last bark of the day.
My heated wrist leaps to my hat.
I wait in the moonlight for your secret diet coke so that we may scream as one, wrist to wrist, in search of the magnificient blue and mystical mall of love.