Friday Flashback 1 ~ Beautiful Babies

When I was down in St. George I went through all of our family pictures so we all could take our own home. Erich's parents did the same for their family a while ago also (that's where I got the bright idea from). I've had so much fun looking through all of our old pictures and remembering the memories behind them that I decided to do a special post every week to flash back if you will.

I'm working on getting them all scanned into our computer so we can make sure they'll be around for a long time. They aren't going to be in any particular order. Just randomly picked by me!

I figured I'd start with our baby pictures. I love these pictures so much! I think I want to frame each of them and hang them up somewhere. Erich has his mouth open with his tongue stuck out in literally every picture. It's pretty dang cute.

I can't wait to see what our kids are going to look like. From the looks of these pictures they're going to be chubby and bald!

Bye bye payments

I made the final payment for this bad boy last month! (the car, not Erich) and I just love the feeling of having no debt now. Well that's not true. We do still have school loans. But thankfully with Erich's new job we should be able to get all that paid off by next year. Having that be the only debt we have is just a really good feeling though, ya know?

I've been really thankful lately that I was raised to be responsible with money. Maybe it's because we never really had much, but I'm glad my mom taught me to stay out of unnecessary debt. And to make sure and save for a rainy day. It's probably one of the most valuable lessons I've learned and I'm so thankful that Erich is the same way. It makes life a lot easier!

...And that's all I have to say about that!

Our weekend

We had a really fun weekend. Erich's parent have been in town for the past couple weeks so we've been able to spend a lot of time with them which we're thankful for.

On Friday we went to Julie's graduation from massage school and then out to Applebee's for dinner. There were about 12 adults trying to squeeze into a booth that was probably meant to fit 8 or 9 so it was pretty funny. A bigger table eventually opened up so they were able to move us thank goodness. I don't know what we would have done once they brought our food out and we actually had to try and eat like that!

Saturday Erich had an assignment from our ward to do an early morning session and I figured I would be a good wife and go with him. I gave myself major kudos for that cause I had to wake up at 5:30am on a Saturday! It was a really good session though and I'm glad I went. It was surprisingly full too. Who knew that many people were willing to wake up that early on a Saturday? Good for them.

We went for breakfast at Denny's afterward and ate some delicious pancakes. Oh how I love pancakes. I could seriously eat them for every meal if I let myself! Later in the day we went shopping with Erich's parents and then out to lunch at Panera Bread. Then we headed home to take a nap. Well I took a nap, Erich doesn't really like them. Weirdo. :)

Later that night we headed back to the temple again to do sealings with Erich's family. I really enjoy doing sealings. It's a good reminder for me. That and the rooms are really pretty too! :)

We usually go to Dairy Queen after the temple but everyone was feeling like eating something a little more substantial than that so we drove around until we found a Mexican place to eat at. It was really good. I can't remember the name of it but it's in Factoria by the shopping malls. Very yummy food.

I just realized this post totally makes us sound like total pigs. I SWEAR we don't usually eat out for every meal.

Sunday the family all got together for dinner. We really like when the parents are in town because it brings the whole family together, and we always have a lot of fun when that happens. We're really thankful for them and all they do for the family. We can't wait until they can move back up here!

*Didn't take any pictures this weekend. Oops.

My best friends wedding

One of my very best friends got married on Saturday the 29th in the Seattle temple. It was the first sealing I got to go to since our own and it was just so beautiful to be in there. On your own day it's all kind of a blur so it was nice to be on the side lines soaking it all in. I was balling like a baby. Daniel has been my friend for only three years but I really feel like I have known him all my life. He's like family to me/us and I am so glad that he was able to be sealed to his wife for time and all eternity. They are seriously the most perfect match. I've know Wendy for almost three years also and was her roommate for half of that time and they are both really luck to have each other. It was also fun to see a lot of our singles ward friends and friends that came from out of town that we don't get to see very often. It was a really fun and laid back day!

Aren't they just the cutest couple?

My handsome hubby.

BFF's

Oh baby!

We got a new niece! Aliyah Patricia Winkler was born on Sunday May 30th at 5:06pm. She was 7 pounds 10 ounces and 21 inches long with lots of dark hair. She is the most adorable thing ever. So sweet and quiet with a cute little muffled cry. We enjoyed loving on her all day.

I find myself lately with the baby fever and this definitely doesn't help!

It suits him doesn't it?

 Just look at those cute little cheeks!

The happy parents with their new baby girl.

Salt Lake trip

 We flew down to Salt Lake on Friday to spend some time with Erich's parents before I went down to St. George. They picked us up from the airport and we went back to their house for Chinese Sundaes. (I hadn't heard of them until I was introduced to the family). They all love them. It's basically rice with a chicken and cream of mushroom soup mixture heated up and then you top it with cheese, coconut, maraschino cherries, celery, Chinese noodles, onions, ect. I'm not the biggest fan of maraschino cherries so I put on almost everything except those but maybe one day I will get there. Erich loves them so he can have my portion for now.

On Saturday I helped Erich's mom throw a shower for her future niece-in-law. We spent the day cutting up veggies, dipping strawberries in chocolate and getting everything set up and ready. It was a busy day but we had fun. And I got to meet a lot of the family that I hadn't yet so it was a good time. We got done with that at about 8:30pm and headed out for dinner at the one....the only.....Cafe Rio. It was a glorious reunion to say the least. And I'd rather not admit that I ate there a total of three times the week I was in Utah.

Sunday we went to church and then went and walked around temple square. Absolutely gorgeous. That temple is so breathtaking. I probably took way to many pictures but I just couldn't help it. We headed back and ate some delicious dinner. Turkey. It was great. And a bunch of the family came over and we just hung out. And then Monday came and I had to say farewell to my good looking husband. :( My sister came and picked me up that morning to drive down to St. George to spend the rest of the week and Erich drove back up to Seattle with his parents so he could get back to work and school. I missed him a lot and wished he could have came down but I was glad I got to spend some time in sunny St. George with my family!!

 Erich and his momma.

We went to the visitors center at temple square and watched the Joseph Smith film. It was so good and I am so glad that we were able to see it!

Salt Lake Temple.

We had so much fun on our trip to Salt Lake and we were so happy we got to walk around the temple and feel of the spirit there. It's amazing how beautiful the grounds are. If you haven't been, you should!

St. George trip

My older sister picked me up on Monday from Salt Lake and we headed down to St. George. While we were driving we hit a major snow storm. What the? I mean honestly. Thankfully by the time we got to St. George it was sunny and 85 degrees. Thank you St. George, I knew I could always count on you. We spent the days swimming and soaking up the sun. I also had a brilliant idea to sort through all of the family pictures so we could each take our own box of pics home. Well that turned out to be quite the task but I did get it done before I had to leave so that was good. It was really fun going through everything. I found some of my moms old journals and scrapbooks and I asked her if I could have them. Well she said I could and now I can't stop reading them. I love being able to read about her life. Her struggles. Her good times. How much she loves each of us. It's a treasure for me and it makes me want to buckle down and make sure I'm writing in my journal more frequently so I can hand the same thing down to our kids. Erich was surprised when he picked me up from the airport and I had a whole extra bag full of pictures and albums. (I had to borrow a whole other suitcase from my mom so I could bring them all back). I can't wait to sit down with our kids and go through them one day. To show them pictures of my mom when she was younger. She was one foxy lady! Still is actually.

Then on Thursday my little baby sister graduated from high school. I guess she's not a baby anymore but I just can't believe she's already graduated and ready to go out into the real world. She's the last one to leave the house so my mom is now an empty nester!

It was a really fun week. Lots of family and lots of Cafe Rio. I even surprised Erich and brought him home a burrito. (despite everyone telling me that was a bad idea). They don't know Erich like I do though. Soggy burritos don't bother him a bit. Oh my he was so happy. I definitely won best wife award that day! (in his eyes at least).

 Silly Journey.

Addie basking in the sun.

Myles in his ducky robe.

I was in the same place doing the exact same thing five years ago. Man time flies!

Kayla and her peeps.

Congrats graduate!

Sisterly love.

Myles and sprinkles.

Addie stuck a fork in her hair while we were at lunch and twirled it around until it was a giant knot. Not sure why she did that but we were trying to get it out and it was really stuck in there! She was not happy when I pulled out the camera and started taking pictures, she tried to duck under the table. Aren't kids just the darndest!