A Lovely Week

Valentines Day lasted all week for the Hughes Family.  On Tuesday, thanks to Amy, Jared and I got to get out and do a Temple Date and Ice Cream. It was wonderful to get out together.  He also surprised me with this gorgeous bouquet of flowers!! We did sealings in the temple, which we haven't done in over a year, so it was really nice. 

Tuesday Night, we had a special box come to our door, via the UPS cupids.  In that box was a KINDLE FIRE HD!!  Our definite splurge of the year. :)  (After putting 97% of our Tax Return into various savings and debts, or potential debts such as our little child on the way, we decided we could invest in something fun!)  Jared was sweet to suggest getting me a tablet that I could play with…but Dallin and Daddy got comfortable playing fruit ninja pretty quick!  :)

Our ACTUAL Valentines Day began with some heart-shaped pancakes!  Delicious!

And Dallin made valentines!!

The sun popped out of the clouds again, so I couldn't resist the outdoors. 

And Dallin couldn't resist the puddles…

or the swings….

...or not smiling for a picture with momma. lovely.  

He was happy.  I promise.  He just doesn't like to brag.

That night, we made a heart-shaped pizza.  Delicious and Adorable!

All in all a great day full of love and happiness for our little family.  

We're Blessed.  No Doubt About It.

Monday Musings

The sun is up earlier than usual this morning, and it is so bright that I don't even need a light on!  It's amazing what that can do for a soul on a Monday.  There is a lot on my mind this morning, and I am filled with a motivation to begin again.  Breakfast has been served AND cleaned up, Laundry has been sorted AND put in the washer, Scriptures AND prayers have been read, and both me and my boy are DRESSED (granted my idea of an outfit today is yoga pants and a hoodie...but still. :).  It's freezing outside, but the air is crisp and friendly, and I am grateful for the illusion that spring is just around the corner. (T-4 months.)

Anyway, here's an update on what's been happening:

Yesterday, when getting ready for church, I looked in the mirror and thought--"oh my gosh this shirt makes me look pregnant!"  then I realized..I AM pregnant.  It's amazing to me how this fact is still sinking in.  With Dallin, it seemed like every day, I was examining my belly, willing it to get bigger!  But with this baby, I have yet to have this realization that another child is on the way.  Don't get me wrong, I am excited, but I think I am also having apprehensions about mothering 2 children. I don't know if it's a good thing, bad thing, or just normal, but I am still getting used to the idea.
Maybe its the fact that anytime I sit down to research my new little one, a little child comes and pounds on my keyboard-- Or it could be that any time I try to sit down and read 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' a little boy somehow manages to rip a page out, or bust his lip on a door frame, or run out of the cheerios that he's eating, or have a diaper that needs to be changed or I will throw up, or find a story that HAS to be read RIGHT NOW, or just do something so adorable that I can't help but put down the book/laptop, and kiss every inch of his face.  Anyway, we didn't take a picture (again, so different than Dallin's pregnancy...lol.) but we sure did smile when we looked at that little belly popping out, thinking of our little naval orange wiggling and kicking around in there.  We love you little orange. :)

The weather was nice enough (a balmy 33 degrees) that we got out this weekend.  I didn't many pictures, but I think this one sums it up.

 Dallin was so happy to be outside he refused to even look at me.  But we ran and played until we couldn't feel our noses, toes, or fingers anymore.

Life is good.  We are blessed.

Extraordinarily Average

I used to be great at journaling...all they way from when I was in elementary school through high school.  Even in college I did a pretty good job...until I got married. :)  I don't know if it's because my husband has just become my living, breathing journal, or just the fact that my life has been busy- but I have almost nothing to count up my last 4 years of life.  Recently I have gotten interested in my family history.  I have even been able to read a couple self-written histories of my ancestors.  It has been so inspiring reading about the power of a well-lived life!  I have supped strength from their day-to-day stories and been re-inspired to record the not-so-luxurious happenings in the life of our family.

And I have to admit blogging my journal is a little intimidating.  I am not a 'bells and whistles' kind of girl.  I don't take breathtaking photos, create fabulous decor, or have any outstanding skills that I can share with anyone.  Instead, I haven't got a smiling picture of my little boy for the last three months (he is much more interested in touching the camera buttons), I have yet to take a picture of my baby belly (14 weeks already), and my dinners as of late have left us enjoying a bowl of cereal instead. But, who doesn't want to know about that??  I find it refreshing when I see someone else's child tantrum in the store, or when I eat another person's partially-burnt rolls. I find it equally uplifting when I see another mother beam at her child's excitement/milestone, or confide that they too just changed out of their pajamas for the first time in the last two days.   There is nothing more inspiring to me than to know that someone else understands me, and what I am going through.

So I am writing this from a selfish position.  I believe that my life needs to be recorded, if not for the sake of my sanity, then for the sake of my great great grandchild who may find relief in reading that I too lock myself in the bathroom for 5 minutes while my child runs amuck in my 700 square foot apartment. My life is extraordinarily average.  There are spurts of above average and below average--and I choose to (try to) relish every second of it.  I love this quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley:

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey…delays…sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

And that sums it up for me...for today.  

Hughes Happenings

It has been too long since I have updated--So much has happened in the last two months.  

Dallin is the light of our lives and is growing like a weed!  

In fact, this last month he graduated!! :)

And So did We!!!!

Our families came up to celebrate with us, and we partied all day long. 

 Everything went smooth thanks to Grandpa watching Dallin all evening.  And Amy came out to support us as well.  Everything went pretty smooth--Except we did leave the tickets taped to our fridge and didn't realize it until 10 minutes before the Commencement began. :P haha--but we only had to break a couple of laws to retrieve them....

                                            The best part of Graduation: The Candy Leis!!

Since then, our Summer has just flown by!  We spent lots of time in the water.

And went for some hikes.

And spent LOTS of time with family--livin' it up summer style!

Grandma and Grandpa are essential to summer fun these days.

And cousins have become best friends.

Life is good.  Dallin is 10 months old today and he is crawling like a maniac!

He also eats like he's never tasted food, laughs like he lives with a comedian, and never wants to sleep. Sometimes when I peek in on him (hoping to find a content, adorable, deep-sleeping child) I find this instead....

Have I mentioned that I haven't stopped laughing ever since this boy was born? 

Well I haven't.

: Adventure Edition

Since we're back in our familiar territory of Rexburg ID, 

we have been galavanting all over the area and enjoying some family adventures. 

 First off, we took full advantage of a very cold, rainy day and drove to Mesa Falls.  

It was so fun-- Dallin even got to wear this great fluffy outift!!

       Which, as you can see, he enjoyed so much. :)

But seriously, it was so nice to get out into the wilderness and enjoy the waterfalls! Because of the dreary weather, we were one of the few people there, so we got VIP access to all the 'picture-perfect areas!' Thanks to all the rain, everything was so vibrantly green, and the color was food for the soul.

   And the view was just breathtaking.

We even got a family picture--thanks to a lone couple we ran into.

And a friendly yellow bellied marmot crossed our path as we walked around.  Pretty neat. :)

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A couple weeks later, we got to drive down to Logan to see Mom and Emma ride the Little Red Riding Hood Century Ride. Here's mom after 20 miles or so--looking amazing!!

Dallin really got it the spirit, onsie and everything.  He loves his aunt Emma!!

Throughout the day, Dallin, Amy, and I drove along and followed Mom and Emma through their ride.  We had a great time, and they did such an amazing job riding!!  Grandpa joined up with us near the end, which was great because Dallin really needed a cuddle buddy. 

And nobody's arms are as inviting as Grandpa's!

Here they are nearing the finish--they aren't even winded!!

 The weather was just perfect and it turned out to be a great 100-mile biking day!

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Next on our list of adventures was introducing Dallin to the wonderful world of water!!  

He has always loved bathtime

(haha, I love this picture--it's like the paparazzi caught him bathing!)

But he wasn't so sure about the splash park...

Nevertheless, we took him to the little pool in Rexburg last week...

It took a little prodding, Aunt Amy, and a trusty-wide-rimmed hat, 

But before we knew it he was crawling everywhere!!

We always knew he'd be a waterbug, just like his Momma!

[ life is good ]

8 Months Come and Gone

  As of Friday, our little (and not-so-little Dallin Christoph is 8 months old.  I can't believe how much has happened and how profoundly my life has changed since he became a part of it. Let's take a second to remember:

1 Day Old: Helloooo World!

1 Month Old: Settling in on daddy's lap

3 Months Old: Baby Blessing.  He was blessed that he would be a light to all those he would come in contact with--and it has proved true every day since.

4 Months Old: Doing the Bath Time Boogie! 

5 Months Old: Here's My chill little man.

6 Months: A half year old and full of smiles and giggles

7 Months Old: Daddy's little outdoors boy

8 Months Old:  Have I mentioned he is the joy of my life?? 

This picture doesn't even capture the half of it!!

Life has been good to me.  I always knew I wanted to be a mother, but I completely underestimated how much I would love it.  I can't imagine my life any other way (dirty diapers, sleepless nights, and all!)