Playing Catch Up

Just playing a little catch up.

 Its been over a month now,

but at the beginning of February Jarom and I were able to make a quick trip to Utah.

My best friend, Heather, got married and we got to be a part of their big day. 

It was my first sealing I've been able to attend and so special that it was one of my very best friends. 

We left the day before at 3pm our time and didn't get to Utah until about 1am.

We were exhausted on Friday.

(And you can tell in the pictures)

Unfortunately I had been sick all week too.

And spent our whole trip feeling awful.

It was so fun to be back in Utah though and be able to see family and friends.

It was a beautiful day for Heather and Jacob 

and I am so happy for them.

Married life really is the best.

The next day on Saturday we also got to have a birthday party for my mom.

She turned 50 years old a couple days earlier.

And she has been begging my dad for years to throw her a party for her 50th birthday.

So, of course, we did.

And it was a great success.

Lots of friends and family showed up.

We had tons of food, cake, and cupcakes.

I found this cool idea for a poster and made it prior to coming out to Utah.

It was so fun to have all my cousins there with their little kiddos.

Gabby 

Ruby Jane

My cousins Chelsie and Ryan

Mom with her Parson's Bakery cake, what else?

All the little kids were great helpers in blowing out the candles

The Crofts clan

Connie and Richard

My cousin in law Clark and Mom

Mom and Carlie Grace, who just adores my mom

Tani and Paul Anderson

Zach playing with the cousin's kids

Alana and Mom

Syd and Meg

My favorite Dad.

He is such a good man. 

Melanie, Mom, Alana

Audrey and her boyfriend Ian were in town for Heather's wedding.

So we got to spend a long time catching up with her.

So grateful for her!

Tani and Mom

And a bunch of pictures of Mom.

It was such a fun party.

And I am so grateful to all the good friends and family we have who were so willing to help out.

Throwing parties is a lot of work, but so much fun.

We truly are so blessed.

Kiss Me, I'm Irish

When I was a wee lass 

(see I really am Irish)

I remember going camping somewhere with my family.

This was a very pivotal time in my life as I was trying to decide what my favorite color was.

As we were driving through the woods I remember seeing all the green.

Green bushes, grass, leaves.

It was everywhere 

and I loved it.

I even tried to convince Heather that her favorite color was green too.

And she believed me...for a while. :)

I have loved green since.

So its only appropriate that I LOVE St. Patrick's Day.

My mom always made it a big deal,

I mean it helps that we have Irish blood in us.

She would dye the milk green, the butter, sour cream.

We would buy green shirts the night before to wear to school

and we bought a new one every year.

We had a party each year.

I always wore a "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" tattoo to school.

(Although, on a side note, no one ever did kiss me...)

I love this holiday.

Have I emphasized that enough yet?

This year, however, I was hundred of miles away from my mom.

And so Jarom suggested that we throw a St. Patrick's Day party.

My very first, big girl party.

So we threw a party together for Jare's family.

My brother and sister in law and niece were here from Utah

and so we had the party while they were here. 

We decorated the apartment with all of the lovely decorations that my mother supplied.

(Thanks mum)

We did a potato bar with green sour cream, green butter, broccoli, and other toppings.

I made green clover jiggler's (jello).

My mother in law made sugar cookies.

We had a ham and a salad.

We also each had our own Leprechaun names. 

And my sister in law and mother in law brought a bunch of stuff for us to wear. 

It was the first time all of Jarom's side of the family has been together since our wedding.

And it was so much fun.

Jarom was so wonderful in helping me clean and get everything ready.

I really did marry such a good guy.

It was so fun to have all of our nieces and nephews together.

Little Tyson is such a hoot. This little guy has got so much personality.

Green plates too. Green everything as much as possible

After dinner we did a little sugar cookie decorating.

My mother in law made little rainbow and clover shaped ones.

Caleb is in the highway patrol and had to get to work but was able to stop by for a little bit.

We were all super happy about that. 

Lou loved our little balcony and pretty much stayed out there all night. 

We also put out chocolate coins all over the place for the nieces and nephews to find.

They loved it!

Mum looking all Irish in her hat. 

Wade and Dad

Beck, Jessee, and Lou bug

Budrikins got hit with the swing a couple hours earlier and was bleeding all over the place.

It was a little bit of a rough night for the Hardwick family.

But we were grateful to have them regardless.

Beck is super good at this decorating cookies thing. 

Jare and Lou

She lives in Utah so we love when she comes to visit.

Reagan and Grandma

Reagan with a pile of frosting.

The only right way to eat a cookie. 

And Lou trying to catch the balloon.

I have been so blessed with my in laws.

They have been so good to me and I am grateful to have them so close.

Throwing our first St. Patrick's Day party was a great success.

We may or may not throw another one next year.