out to lunch

Yesterday, Noah & I went out to lunch with Diana (Steve's mom), Steve, and our friend Jason. It was lots of fun! We went to Friday's Front Row at Chase Field because Steve thought it would be fun for Noah to look out into the baseball field, even though there wouldn't be a baseball game going on. It turned out to be the day of the monster truck races so it was a perfect lunch spot! Noah sat right by the window and loved looking out at all the big trucks. He also loved throwing things and acting way too wild at the restaraunt, but I didn't have to sit next to him so I got to enjoy my lunch, unlike Steve & Jason!
This picture is dark but it shows what a perfect table we got to sit at!

After lunch, Noah watched the balls in this big maze outside of the stadium. He was in heaven!

No, he's not sleeping in this picture, just loving the time he got to spend with Daddy!
Daddy & Noah
Jason & Noah - (Jason is our new friend that is doing the same program as Steve right now. He's hung out with us a few times and Noah just loves him! He's fun to have around and such a nice guy.) Noah was exhausted afterward. This was a lunch date that we both looked forward to all week, and we're thankful to Diana (Grandma Hunt) for planning it!!
Since my blog isn't private, I won't go into much detail - but for anyone that knows our family and is confused about the time we spend together after the history of the last 6 months, all I have to say is that I don't regret any decisions I've made or that I am continuing to make every single day. I pray so hard to know the right things to do in my life, and I try my best to act on the answers I receive from prayers. Right now, spending time together is what feels right and it makes us happy to be together. Steve & I get along good together now like we did in the past (for the most part) - just like most couples that have a few struggles, but lots of happy times too. 6 months ago, I made a decision that I knew was right, and I know there was a purpose for it. I don't know the purpose, but I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for our family - for me, for Steve, and for Noah too. Although my decision was a tough one to make, I have seen some positive changes because of it, and I hope that things will continue to change for the better.

I don't know why I feel like I have to explain myself on my blog, but I know that lots of our family & friends care about us and want to know how things are going. It might be hard to understand why we do some of the things that we do, but like I said, I am doing my best to act on the feelings I have about what to do in my life right now. I am so thankful to know that I can pray and receive comfort and answers to my prayers, because without that knowledge, I would be a wreck! I don't know if any of these last 2 paragraphs have made sense, but thanks to everyone who cares about us and prays for our family.

the end of an era

It was a SAD moment when I heard that the original Mattas was closing down. I have so many memories of that place! Mattas was where we could be found 90% of the time when we ditched during high school - I mean, when we took long lunches. I never ditched. It's where our family could be found eating dinner when my dad went out of town (since he doesn't like Mexican food). Every time we heard that he was leaving town, we'd all be excited because we knew we'd be going to Mattas. I think of the many many times that my friends & I went there on the weekends - sometimes for dinner, and sometimes when they opened their doors at 11am (oink oink)! It was where Auburn & Bryan's wedding luncheon was held, and it was where we just had a luncheon for my mom's 50th birthday. In fact, my mom's 8 year old birthday dinner was at Mattas. It's been around forever & I can't believe it's closing. It's a dang good thing that the one on Higley isn't closing down. too, although it's just not the same as the experience of the original Mattas on Main Street. Nobody's chips & salsa come close to Mattas and I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't able to satisfy my cravings still.

Just this past week, my dad was out of town so of course on my mom's night for dinner, she got Mattas (Wednesday). The very next day - Thursday - is when we found out that it was closing down. So, my mom, me, Suzanne & Lance, and the kids of course - headed to Mattas for one last sit-down dinner at the original restaraunt. We got there around 7:30 and there was a 2 hour wait. Since the Higley location will still be open, we weren't that desperate to wait 2 hours. We just went to El Charro instead! The point of my story is that the next night we were telling Auburn about it and she said "You guys had Mattas 2 nights in a row?" Suzanne said, "No, we just tried." Then Auburn's reply back was "In Fatty Town, that's all that matters" (that we tried to eat Mattas 2 nights in a row). Oh my gosh, maybe you had to be there but I cannot stop laughing about it. In fact I am all alone right now and I have tears because I'm laughing so hard.

da na na na na na...

You say it's your birthday... Da na na na na na... It's my birthday too...

Hey Jude...

(I know that this picture is at the dance & not in the car - but I couldn't find a picture of the scene of Sam & Farmer Ted in the car when he sings that).

Anyway, Happy Birthday Alisse!(Since she was the best SAMANTHA BAKER DAVIS JR. for Halloween this past year, I had to use a special introduction for her birthday post! Just look at the pictures below - it was exact!!)

I won't post any embarrasing pictures of Alisse since she didn't do that to me on my birthday - so Alisse, you can thank me later for leaving cottage overboard off of this post.

Some of my favorite pictures / things about Alisse:

*Alisse is a great sister - Here's 3 SMOKIN HOT LADIES (don't be fooled - we do have one more sister but she's not in this picture and she doesn't have a blog - at least not anymore!)

*Alisse is fun to hang out with even if we're just being stupid or acting gay, as seen below (literally). This was us in Hawaii 8 years ago and I still remember taking this picture. I was laughing so hard that I probably peed my pants. Auburn & I were a couple, and Suzanne & Alisse were a couple - we took these "Prom" pictures at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

*Alisse was there in the delivery room when Noah was born. I don't know if she thinks that was such a good thing for her to witness for the first time - but I appreciated the support I felt by her being there.*Alisse is so photogenic, and she was one of the prettiest brides.

*Alisse is a great babysitter and she volunteers to watch Noah ALL THE TIME even though he's not the easiest kid to be in charge of! If you ever read her blog, you know what I mean - she loves kids and is always babysitting. She'll realize when she's a mom - just how nice that is to have someone volunteer to take a (sometimes sweet and sometimes not) boy off your hands!

*Alisse lives just 4 houses away from me and it's very convenient sometimes - her & Scott have been a great help to me in some crisis situations including 1) smashing a spider & 2) letting me rush Noah over to their house when I've had to go somewhere without him. It was also pretty convenient when we stayed out really late for a GNO and I didn't want to go into my house alone at 2:30am so she went in with me to get my essentials, and then we walked to her house so I could just sleep over there and walk home the next morning. What a lifesaver!

*Alisse is always doing service for other people. I feel like I'm always the one on the receiving end but I notice that I'm not the only one. She always thinks of other people before herself.

*Alisse is really good at whatever she does. She's in the sign language program and she practices, studies, and teaches other people so that she can be pro someday (it seems to me like she already is).

*Alisse is a good listener. There have been times in the past few months where I will be talking to her about something and all of the sudden I realize "why I am talking about this or what even brought it up?" But it feels good to have someone to listen to you without feeling judged, and Alisse is great for that!

Thanks for being a great bee-bee sister Alisse, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I ♥ you!

I can't believe it!

Happy Birthday today to Riggs! I really cannot believe that I have a 9-year old nephew. I still remember sitting in the waiting room the day he was born. It was one of the best feelings ever when I became an aunt! Riggs was born with a special heart so he spent a lot of time in the hospital when he was a baby and then more time as he grew and needed more surgeries. I don't even know how old he was in this picture but it was after one of his surgeries. Riggs is definately a miracle boy but he would be so special to me even if he wasn't. He has always been the best big brother to his BFF Jax.

(They are both so cute.)
And he's great at being a big protective brother to Roxy too.
Last year was shocking to me that Riggs was old enough to be baptized, and now he's half way to being an adult! The past 9 years has gone by way too fast!
He is such a sweet boy and I love him so much! Speaking of being sweet, this morning I called him and sang him "Happy Birthday" in my ugliest voice. Afterward I asked him if I sounded good and he said "I don't know" and the tone of his voice was like he was trying to be nice and not laugh!!
Happy Birthday Riggs! I love you so much!

love is in the air!

Valentine's Day is just a month away! How fun would it be to get one of these cards in the mail? Or better yet - send them out - (especially for all of you that didn't do Christmas cards)! Amy from Sweet Ivy Designs seriously does the best job - I got my Christmas cards from her and I
L ♥ O ♥ V ♥ E ♥ D
them. She has a lot more on her website so check it out and order yours before it's too late!! (http://www.sweetivydesigns.com/)

Don't you love them? Me too! They even inspired me to change my blog colors for the Valentine season, if you didn't notice already! ♥XOXO♥