Mother's Day 2012

It's Mother's Day 2012. I wanted a picture of me and my chillins. Taken by self, with my new phone (gift from Jeff). I tried. I tried a lot of times. Not one picture was satisfactory. These four were the least crazy. I actually really love them. Jeffrey Junior has the prettiest lips, is very expressive with his brows,  and he's very ticklish (top left). Camille has been very concerned about her smiles lately.  I'll catch her starring at herself in the mirror practicing smiling. Reminds me of myself and makes me worried.  Jillian has had quite an attitude of independence at times and super shyness/clinging other times. I'm trying to be patient with this hoping it's a phase. As for myself...looking at these pictures I don't recognise the face starring back.  I have dark circles under my eyes with crows feet forming on the edges. My nose is larger than I remember and I can't tone down the crazy face/smile.  My eyebrows frequently go un-groomed and I'm in desperate need of a hair trim. I'm coming up on thirty and I LOVE where I'm at.  I gave a talk at church today on Motherhood. In preparing for the talk, I have been able to reflect on my current life situation and role as a mother for the past two weeks. All of these things, bushy eyebrows, crows feet, etc. are because of my role as a mother. I'm less concerned about myself and most concerned for my children and family. And it brings me JOY. I'm grateful for the woman I've changed into over the past 5 years...even if her blemishes are more than I recognise.  

did you know?

i'm 19 weeks pregnant.

my sister-in-law sarah is a "gender predictor" cakemaker extraordinaire.

the cake says boy.

on Wednesday we will see if the cake was right.

yesterday,

seven years ago was the greatest party of my life.

focus on the positive

camille is impassive.

jillian is spastic and has a weed coming out of her head.

i have a triple chin, gummy smile, and nose issues.
if you look closely, the piano has a few minor cosmetic problems. 

at-least jeff looks super handsome,

and dang, i think my hair has never looked better.

gotta LOVE family picture sessions.

kill me now.

new things in 2011

jillian has graduated sunbeams and entered the CTR classes.

she received her ring and has to wear it every sunday.

she even gave the first talk of the year in primary and didn't cry.

(a huge deal for the one who still cry's as she enters the

primary room)

hears to choosing the right and 10:00 church!

(in the 5 yrs we've lived here church has been held at two times: 8:00am ((lame)) and 2:40pm ((lamer))).

jillian also starting going to a co-op

Joy School with a few kids from the ward.

we swap weeks teaching and we are LOVING it!

look at the pure excitement on the first day of school:

Camille didn't deal too well watching Jill go to school without her.

After a few weeks I caved; Camille got her way.

Camille also started Joy School and is doing very well.

2011 has brought with it a new love of make-up for Camille.

These are just two of the many times I have found a mess of make-up on the floor

and a very decorated camillian face.

At-least she does a pretty well job matching what she wearing.

I started teaching Zumba at the YMCA in Jan.

Since then I have had two other opportunities to

teach at other gyms but had to turn them down because I

am still picking up hours at the hospital.

I'm hoping to get a couple exercise-related certifications

in 2011.

Jeff has been working from home and each month is

more successful than the last.

Hopefully 2011 will bring continued success on the 

self-employment front. 

Speaking of me and Jeff,

our Valentine's Celebration was great.

On Saturday night I took him to a nice

Japanese restaurant (he loves sushi).

After, I finished the BEST teryaki chicken of my life

we heading to the local skating rink.

we had a blast once the DJ starting playing some

old-school top 40's that jeff and i knew.

Gotta' love it.

2011...it's going to be good.

don't judge

about a year ago i took my first Zumba class.

my teacher was spunky, fun, and a great dancer.

her name is val.

i was soon a regular booty shaker in her classes.

about six months ago she approached me to take over her class as her family was planning on moving.

though i was flattered, i was working full-time and didn't have the time to devote to Latin-fitness dancing.

a new teacher was found and val stopped teaching.

come to find out she didn't move.

unfortunately she was diagnosed with cancer, thus delaying their move and affecting her entire world.

check  her out here:

http://cureval.com/

and here:

http://govaleriego.blogspot.com/

i am inspired by her.

music moves her and it  moves me.

i love dancing.

i love working-out.

Zumba is a fun blend of the two.

i really enjoy doing Zumba.

when i do Zumba i think of my first teacher, val.

as of yesterday, i am a certified Zumba instructor.

don't judge.

it's really fun.

 i feel a little shy about it but have decided to share...

to my husband,

                                                                 you are here:

i am here:

six years ago we were here:

that was cool.

let's get together and do something fun.

happy anniversary to us.

love you.

my birthday wish

i've always loved being an august baby.

i enjoy the summers.

i love the anticipation of fall

that late august brings

and i love having a birthday.

this year my one wish was to go

camping in the red rocks of sedona.

we had never been and i was eager beat the

heat and expand my love of arizona.

we found a pretty camp site among the trees and mountains.

it even had a pretty little river running through it.

(this a big deal for me coming from the dry,

drought-cursed valley-of-the-sun)

the girls had a great time

(save jill and her non-fear of bugs that

landed her with the first bee sting of her life)

 jeff cooked us some yummy tin-foil dinners.

it was so yummy that we had about twenty or so

unexpected visitors.

(note the visitor under the table)

the next morning we went to slide-rock canyon.

birthday wish fulfilled.

note to self:

don't make this face ever, i mean NEVER EVER, again.

(especially in-front of people.)

oh, and don't do drugs.

a tid-bit

i got a new do' after seeing my ginormous forehead

overtaking all the pics from SYTYCD (more on that later).

how about this little gem i stole from val's facebook?

do you love it as much as me?

26

today i am 26 years old. i am also content. i have a great husband, two sweet daughters, my own home, a great education and career, and my health. not too bad for a chick in her late 20's. (i also have a sweet new bike!)

back in the day...

i was pretty cool with my eyes half open and my tounge out.
nowadays...

jill loves to hold cam. she always holds her hand (i.e. wrist)
jill also enjoys drawing on herself when i'm not around.
who woulda thought that after 26 years of life i'd have two of the cutest little girls depending on me?


sisters from Alisha on Vimeo.

Jeff + Alisha = True Love

Four years and counting. I love this man more today because of yesterday.

mother's day

i got a piano for mother's day, anniversary and having a baby gift!!! i found it on craigslist for only $150!!! i love it. there is something special about being a mother and being pregnant too on mother's day. i'm not sure what is was but yesterday was such a good day. i woke up in a good mood that lasted all day long (a rarity lately). jill and i played the piano, jeff cooked, we went on a family walk, a zucchini is growing, my flowers are blooming, and amanda and ozzy are still together (parv winning almost broke my mood though).
since yesterday i have been more and more excited for this sweet baby to come. mother's day did my "late pregnancy bad-attitude" good!

mom and mom-in-law: i love you and thank you for teaching me and jeff continually.
.

so you say it's my birthday

is that MJ? no wait, it's alisha.
my 25th birthday was on tuesday and it was awesome! sarah watched jill for us and we got to go hiking, swimming, cliff jumping, snorkling, picinicing and having fun like we were still young. i'd been dying to get out of the heat of the desert. fossil creek is a 2 hour drive and about 45min hike but sooooooo worth it. it's really secluded and the water was crystal clear. we finished the adventerous day off with dinner at texas roadhouse. i wish everyday could be my birthday!

My Top 7

well, due to popular demand i have been stewing over "my top 7" for a week now. i think i've finally narrowed it down. however, these are not in any particular order. before i get started...jills new favorite spot to hang out is the sink!! every time i walk toward the bathroom she starts kicking and giggling etc. its a cute little sit for her!

1. Being a Mommy
who would have ever thought that being a mother could be so fun? i love the smiles, giggles, diapers, "baba's", etc. i especially love nursing jillian. now that my milk supply is less, i am realizing what a relaxing, bonding, special time it is for me. jill is always finding ways to amaze me. today while i was getting her bath ready she crawled over to me and began to pull herself up. how can you not love that?!! i didn't' even notice until she touched my leg and then promptly fell onto the floor. then she began to cry...oh man i love that cry! as you can tell i could go on and on.

2. Working in the Yard
i really love being in my backyard. i love to mow the lawn and smell the sweetness of freshly cut grass. i love to pull weeds. why? you might be asking yourself: a)i'm outside b) it makes the yard look better c)it reminds me of waking up in fallon at 7:00 during the summers and pulling weeds as a family d)it makes me feel strong when i see the earth (dirt) move and i pull out these huge roots!! i really do enjoy it. in fact, on my walks with jill, it's not uncommon for me to bend down and pull a few weeds from the neighbors yard. i love to plant flowers. even though i have yet to plant any that last longer than a week or two i still love it. i really like to water all my plants with the hose and then spray me and jill. it's so hot here now that were pretty much dry by the time we get back into the house. lastly, i love to watch my plants grow and bloom (i'm good with other plants, just not flowers:).

3. Tahoe and surrounding area
Lake Tahoe was my refuge (along with fallon) while i lived in Reno. often times i would drive up there alone and just spend the day on the sand or a rock and read and book or just breath. this is still number one on my list of places i want to live. i love the summer, i love the winter. the trees are awesome, the water is clear green/blue, the mountains are big. tahoe has it all, waterfalls, coves, beaches, islands, hiking, swimming, snow fun. i also love the truckee river and all the little lakes around truckee. i've been rock sliding, cliff jumping, fishing and camping. i really love any outdoors, but Tahoe and surrounding areas' are number 1 for me.

4. Coming Home after a long Vacation
i really love to vaction! jeff and i have been on some pretty sweet vacations. however, as much as i love being on vacation i almost enjoy coming home more. i love that first night back in my bed. can't get better than that.

5. Dancing/Working-out
i still love to dance. in high school and college my favorite activity was the church dances. i've been bugging our activities committee to get an adult dance on the schedule, but it doesn't seem that too many others are as enthusiastic about it as me. i'm going to start taking classes again and i'm thinking about teaching from home. anyway, i don't think that i will ever tier of dance.
if i'm dancing regularly than i'm working out in other ways. i love a good sweat session. give me 1 hour a day to run/swim/bike/tennis/b-ball/jump rope etc. and i will be happier, sweeter, healthier, more energetic. if i go a week without working out i seem to get into a funk. i just want to lay around, be rude and eat bad. not a good combination. when i run(this is my most steady workout) i'm outside and i love the outdoors!!

6. Laughing until I have to pee
sorry for being blunt. i really love to laugh hard. (it's also a good workout:).

7. The Primaryi love my church calling. i get to spend church with the sweetest little people ever. i know that i've spouted off about this before but it's the truth. i can feel my testimony grow as the children sing and bring the spirit into the room. this is my dream calling!!


phew, that was a lot of typing. i'm sure you're bored out of your gored. i'd like to now call out sarah p., sarah w., mom and dad, britta, monica. (did everyone else already do theirs? if not i'm calling you out too!) what's your "Top 7"?

its my anniversary

no day holds a candle to my wedding day. i had so much fun at the after-party in mesa with my family and friends. the experience at the temple was unforgettable as i was sealed to my best buddy.
tuesday was our three year anniversary. jeff was working hard but we got to go to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse (yummy!!!) and shop a little. it was nice to celebrate the fun life we've began. oh btw, my hair is in the mail to be made into a wig.

love at home

i love this picture!! jill and i have so much fun together at home. (thanks for the picture idea kristen:)