Cher's 40th Birthday Girls Weekend to Scottsdale

I have the greatest girlfriends in the world! Due to circumstantial conflicts (i.e... 5 kids in 4 years) my dream trip of going to Italy for my 40th birthday has been postponed. A girl's weekend was the perfect substitute, and we opted for Scottsdale for many practical reasons (warm in January, a little easier to get to, etc.). Eight of us were able to come, and a few others tried but couldn't swing it, but they were missed. Here is the group: from L to R it's Liz, me, JJ, Holly, Michelle, Caroline, Sarah, Tiffany. THANK YOU so much for flying in from DC, Colorado, California and Utah, you guys! I felt very loved, and it was seriously the perfect girly-weekend (food, sleep, shopping, makeovers, movies, girl chat, blow-outs, massage-ish thingy's).
Candy store with over-the-top huge candy. Matt loves licorice (though he's more of a Red Vines guy than a Twizzlers, but I still took this shot for him to text him while I was gone).

Appointments at the "Dry Bar" were really fun.

I wish I could remember the name of this restaurant - is it True Food or something like that? Anyway, all healthy and organic clever combinations. And, yes, Liz did get me/us some bad-for-you cakes, as needed! Thanks, Liz!

Here's Michelle, Caroline, Sarah and Tiffany

Me and Liz.

Holly, Tiff and JJ at the Dry Bar

Caroline added into this angle.

Thanks for making that weekend so memorable, ladies! I love you all more than you know and miss you like crazy. Hope to see you all again, soon!

And more catch-up blogging....

I need to do a better job of taking pictures because it's the kids who always have the camera, and they are always photographing Luke. Well I want more of the whole family, so it's a goal of mine to work on that. Here's a great couple of shots of Nate and Kayla with the baby. Luke adores all of his siblings, individually, and has the greatest relationship with them. With Kayla it's all fun and sweet and kisses and giggles. Ashley's the other mom of the house - she's so amazing and so capable it blows my mind (she can get him to go to sleep better than me sometimes!). Shaun and Nate are true brothers in every sense of the word. They get him to laugh at true boy things, wrestle with him, and are great babysitters for me when I need to make dinner or be a carpool mom. I am determined to get more pictures of the other kids on this camera...

And a word about my amazing husband... every night he puts Luke to bed. It's his "time" with Luke and it's a little tradition. I'm with Luke all day long, and Luke is in a phase right now where he always wants ME, literally always, and I'm kinda his whole world. As much as I love it, and know to soak it up because it won't last forever, I also just sometimes need to get dinner made or run one of the teenagers somewhere, etc., so it can be tricky. I love Luke's cuddles and kisses, and he is the biggest gift to our family. At night when I need to clean up the kitchen and get the older kids dialed in (homework, chatting time with them, etc.), Matt established this little routine with Luke and after we bathe him and get pj's on him, Matt takes over, reads to him, plays with him, calms him down in his room, and puts him to bed. It's his time with Luke, and gives me some of my own time. I have the greatest husband - I feel humbled and blessed to have him every day of my life.

Various Updates

Messy Mook (aka Luke)

Had a wonderful girls weekend in January... have more shots to upload of the whole group still. It was a wonderful time.

Christmas dinner with Christmas Crackers courtesy of Auntie Nichole. Another new tradition!

Could my girls be any more beautiful??!! This is Christmas Day.

Stockwell family tradition to act out Luke 2 every Christmas Eve with all of the cousins.

We did a little combined Luke and Cher birthday this year since my mom was in town. He turned 1 and I turned 40!

Late November and early December. Love the pointer finger - he points at everything.

Luke's First Halloween

Kayla and Ashley wtih a neighborhood family.

Luke with the Fentons.

With our dear neighbor, Julie.

Luke Walking Today! Woo hoo!!

Luke began walking between 2-5 steps about a month ago, but would give up trying when he realized he could crawl to his destination much faster. Today, however, he took a major leap forward in the walking department.... I hear my life is about to change. :)

This is what Luke gave to Grammy Shannon for her birthday - I love you, Grammy!

Lot's of Stuff - Family Sealing, Kayla's 16th, Homecoming, Girls DC Trip for Sal's Bday, and more...

This is today, October 11th, and Matt wanted to catch a shot of Luke and his pointer finger - he uses this like crazy, but not for long, and it's the cutest thing...

Random shot of Luke on Sept. 28th

Kayla's Homecoming Dance last month - she's so beautiful and we can't believe she can date and drive and has a job and runs cross country and get's amazing grades...shall I go on? Kayla I want to be just like you when I grow up!!

Luke didn't know what to think of all of us gathered around taking pictures of Kay.

So cute!

Sometime in September we took this picture of Nate and Luke, ready for the tub. Love the fat.

We love his little hands.

In September I was able to fly out to DC to join all of my friends for a surprise birthday party for Sarah. She was SO surprised, and her reaction made me cry - we love her so much and wanted so badly for her to feel loved and surprised. It totally worked! She had no idea.

Fun to be with the gang again!

The night I flew into town we had dinner with Camille, Kory and Karen. First time for me away from the baby and it was tough (I'm a rookie) but it was so great to be with these girls. I learn so much from these women and am so grateful they are my friends.

In August Auntie Nicole and Mira came to town and Nicole took the kids to "Afternoon Tea" at the Grand America Hotel. This quickly became a tradition as they are already talking about her next visit. She taught them manners and they had fun. Here's Mira, Nate and Shaun

I had to take a picture of this cup before I tossed it. It's the 32 oz. cup they gave me in the hospital when I had Luke, and it was by my bedside for months, literally until August, because when you're nursing you are so thirsty all of the time. It was cracked and broken and time go.

In August we had a big family birthday party for Dad Don at Marie Calendars. Here's John, Tre, Syd, and Ian.

Me, Mom, Luke. The next one is so cute...

Seriously...

Laurie and Dan's clan!

Kayla, Nate, Ash, Shaun (and Dad's head!)

Melissa, Gavin, Syd

Cute Dad and Uncle Ed!

Luke in August and the Montage Deer Valley

Kayla's 16th Birthday Party! She wanted to have a water fight/whipped cream fight. See below.

Finally, our temple sealing day on March 4th. Luke is just 2 1/2 months old!

Salt Lake Temple
March 4, 2011

This video below is great - short, and ends funny...