Celebration overload....

Holy Schnikes we've had a lot to celebrate over the past 10 days! 

Here is a brief summary!

Starting with my beautiful and amazing mom!  Happy Birthday Mama Smidt!  We had a big conference at church the night of my mom's birthday which she was in charge of so we surprised her with her favorite chocolate cake and a couple hundred of her friends singing her "Happy Birthday!" 

 I love mother-daughter-sister time.  We love you Mom!

The next day we went to Tawni and Scott's baby blessing(s).  Yep, TWINS!  It was a beautiful day!

And of course, my little muscle man will have the most pictures because, well, look at him, he's stinkin' adorable.  I can't get enough of him.  RUSSELL turned ONE and it was certainly a birthday we will never forget!  

This is the progression of his cake experience.  Started out confused, tasted the frosting, got his hands dirty and then wanted them cleaned off!!!  He's so funny!  

Coley did a great job making such a cute party.  

My kids came home dirty and sticky, which is a sure sign of success!  

 Then on his ACTUAL birthday we spent the day in Oregon!  My parents, Coley&Jason&Russ, and me and the kids drove to Bend Friday night.  The next morning he had his birthday breakfast, then we all headed to Eugene for the Duck game that afternoon!  What a lucky little duckling.  :)

While I was in Bend, I met up with an old and dear friend Alex!  We used to be neighbors and she's the kind of person I just 'clicked' with.  Our kids are the same ages, our husbands played baseball together, and we always had so much fun together.  She's probably one of the the funniest people I know!  We went to their house, the kids played, and then her and I went and got some Frozen Yogurt to just chat and catch up.  It was fun to see her and share some laughs.  Some friends you just see after years away and it's as if you had never been apart.  

Saturday morning we drove around and saw our old houses.  The house we lived in when Jack and Liv were born.  Also the green house that Dan and I built.  Of course we had to stop for the world's best pizza too.  It was like a trip down memory lane driving all around town.  Bend was a fun place to live and is full of so many fun memories.  We will have to go visit more often.  Maybe even make a winter trip for some good Oregon skiing!  

Lucky lil Russ got to celebrate his real birthday at Autzen stadium!  Well, someday he'll think it was lucky.  He wasn't a huge fan of the actual game.  Autzen is seriously loud.  Even with noise blocking ear plugs it was a little much for him.  But it was a fun day!  Long day, but fun day.  KJ was in heaven.  KJ's first Duck game was when he was 3 months old and he wasn't a huge fan of the noise way back when either.  But now, he can't wait to go back! 

Of course...the DUCKS won.  ;)  They're having a great season so far!  

KJ loved going on the field after the game was over.

The picture below was taken a few years ago in the same spot, with his Uncle Jesse.  We will be sure to go back again when he comes home from his mission.  Gotta keep the tradition alive. 

And the last of our celebrations for the week....Liv lost her first tooth!  She was beyond excited, which made me happy for her.  But I was also sad that she's hit this milestone!  Pretty soon she'll have a checkerboard smile.  She's already got two more loose teeth!  Slow down my little one!  She made the tooth fairy a special box, pillow, book and pretty note.  I love her innocence.  I love her.  

All in all, it has been a pretty eventful past 10 days.  Life keeps changing, life keeps getting more and more busy and chaotic, but I can't complain, overall...life is GOOD!