My NYC friends!

I had the rare and FUN opportunity to see some old friends today in Las Vegas. They were visiting here from NYC. It was SO FUN TO SEE THEM! It was Paul's birthday today! They were staying at the Palazzo, and Brendan and I were able to go up to their room and hang out for a little over an hour. We took a picture before we left. It was SO GOOD to see them! I resemble a chipmunk in this picture, but it's darling of everyone else, so I sacrifice. :) L to R is Wade Foster, Paul Canaan, Me and Brendan, Carlos Encinias, and Karyn Mann. SO fun to see them. :) I miss my friends.

Wade and I were really close in Jackson Hole and BYU, and he just got done doing another performing job on a world tour cruise ship. I LOVE WADE! He is one of my favorite people. He's so crazy and makes me laugh so hard. Karyn amazes me. She is one of the coolest ladies. She is a social worker in Manhattan that works with AIDS victims. She has a heart of gold and is so fun/funny. I miss her. She has the best laugh. Paul and Carlos have been in so many Broadway shows that I've lost count. Paul is currently in "Legally Blonde" on Broadway and is involved with the reality tv show of "Legally Blonde:Casting Elle Woods" or something like that, 'cause he's good friends with the director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell. I saw the preview/commercial on my tv the other night for it and said "Hey! That's Paul!" LOL. He too is hilarious. He's one of the funniest people I've ever met. I have such successful friends...I'm in awe of their lives. I miss the city SO MUCH! It was so weird sitting with them with Brendan...it's so strange how I'm a mommy now, but I wouldn't trade being a mommy for anything in the world.

Brendan was so cute today at the casino...squealing at every chink/chang, lights, fountains, chandeliers, view from the suite of the tiny cars, etc. He loved being there in the excitement and we had so much fun looking at everything. He was a good boy too, around my friends...only gave a couple of dirty looks. LOL He is teething still and was SO TIRED, but he still had fun and laughed a little. He let me stay for over an hour, so I was grateful. :)

It was SO FUN to see them! Hopefully I'll get back to Manhattan soon so I can visit again soon. :D

Rehearsals for "Beauty and the Beast"

These first few are pictures my friend Erik took (he plays Gaston) that I stole to put on here. This was us getting our 'rehearsal costumes'. I play the wardrobe, so my cardboard cut out was massive. In these pictures we are rehearsing in this huge warehouse.

Me in my cardboard armoir. :D

Our Mrs. Potts, Brooke, is darling...she is built like a supermodel and is a cocktail waitress on the Strip. She's a sweetheart. Here we are rehearsing...no one wore their costumes after that first day except me. LOL

One night at the warehouse Lamar couldn't take care of Brendan 'cause he was in UT all day for work. So I got permission to bring Brendan with me to rehearsal. It was SO FUN! We were in the warehouse, and he hadn't started crawling yet, and there were plenty of people giving him attention/watching him for me. He LOVED watching rehearsal that day! We were learning "Be Our Guest" choreography and he was just squealing and smiling the entire time, watching the teacups, saucers, napkins, etc dancing by. He was totally taken by it, watching it all. It was so precious to watch him front center in the audience watching mommy. :) I loved it. :D

My friend Evan is also a daddy, so he was having fun playing with Brendan too. Brendan just sat on his blanket with his boppy and chewed on toys, squealing, and watching Mommy rehearse. It was a cute night.

Lately rehearsals have been FREEZING!!!! "Beauty and the Beast" is at an outdoor ampitheater here in Vegas and the weather got really freaky this week. Got really cold. So we've been rehearsing in very cold temperatures. This is the house/where the audience sits...right up against the red rock cliffs! It's SO PRETTY there!!!! Especially on this really cold and rainy day...the clouds came in and I felt like I was in Jackson Hole again. I was so happy that day. I realized how MUCH I miss climbing mountains and being above the clouds. I need it.

This is my friend Sevyn, who plays the Beast. We were freezing. Now remember...this is the end of May...in VEGAS and we're wearing our ski clothes almost. It has been really cold!

More layers came on as the afternoon went on...

It made rehearsals very interesting...all of us in our fleece, gloves, scarves, etc. This is our set before it was finished painting. It looks alot better now. That's Mrs. Potts on the stairs, and Belle in front.

I'll post more when I get more. These were all of me. LOL. I'll take a lot more when we get our costumes/makeup/wigs on. :)

The "Mad Face"

Brendan just learned how to make a 'mad face'...he furrows his brow and gives ya a really dirty look. Lamar and I think it's hilarious. So we'll make the face back at him and then he smiles and laughs. But sometimes not. This picture, even though it's blurry, looks a lot like both Lamar and I. He's such a good mix of us. He's smiling...pre-mad face. :) Then he gives dad the crusty...

Then Mommy...

And then laughs about it...it was cracking us up.

This one is super blurry, but it's a better shot of his mad face. It's so cute! Oh so mad! LOL

A video, if I can get it to work FINALLY, of him going back and forth between smiling and the mad face. :)

Another cute video of Brendan giggling at Lamar, bonking his head with a water bottle. We love our giggly little dude! He's so fun to have around. :)

Brendan is Hildebrand

Okay...so I brought home my viking hat that I wear in "Beauty and the Beast" with the good intention of working on it and embellishing it so that it looked good, and of course never got around to it. BUT I did allow Brendan to wear it for a minute and he looked hilarious. Wanted to share. :)

More Brendan videos!

I tried to post this in my last post but my computer was acting up...it wouldn't work. I love his little laugh. I love how when he laughs he weeble wobbles like he's losing his balance...so cute!

Here is another video taken last night of him saying "Dada" over and over again...I think it's so cute how right at the beginning, when he's saying "Dada" he looks up over at Lamar in the corner...like "Dada's over there Mom."

Mommy wasn't feeling well today...the whole family stayed home from church 'cause we were all so tired and icky feeling. Here's a picture of how I was feeding him...pardon the pjs...and my poor baby is in desperate need of a haircut...he's a shaggy little rockstar right now!

Last video...he was learning how to eat the 'graduates' finger food puffs...he hasn't quite figured them out yet...but he's working on it! Brendan found a Target bag full of new clothes for him right before this video was taken and strewn them all over the floor. So my floor looks like a sty. And again...pardon the boy's hair...anyone have any great ideas of how to give a VERY wiggly 8 month old a haircut?!?!?

I couldn't decide which video to put on here, so I put them both. :) I'm sure just the grandmas will watch them both, so here ya go! :) He's so fun to have around...

New video of Brendan dancing

He dances now! He's not as into it like he normally is, but it gives you an idea.

Playing with Brendan and photo shoot! :)

Okay...this is going to be a long one, 'cause Mommy took a ton of pictures last night and tonight. :) Little man was being so cute! :) I couldn't possibly pick between all these pictures...they're all cute. So enjoy the looooong post! : )

This is daddy showing him what a baseball bat is...

Learning how to hold the bat...

Just a cute picture of him...our little athlete. He's SO STRONG he could hold the bat himself!

He threw himself backward into Daddy's hands...I think the look on his face is fun. "Hi Dad!"

I love his big blue eyes in this one...
Okay...now jump to tonight...we were getting him ready for bed. I wanted to take some pictures of his muscley little self to show the grandmas and the grandpas. He's SO STRONG! His little back is so muscley. :) These pictures just don't show it...but they're still cute. The little superman pulled over a big wooden chair the other day! We were lucky he didn't hit himself with it. AND he pulled a baby girl OLDER than him completely across his lap to his other side with one hand at church. Just Whoosh! And he pulled her across himself. And then clobbered her. He doesn't understand his own strength and hurts people...especially momma. I should've taken a picture of my eye...I have a big red spot on my eyeball where he karate chopped me in his sleep. The dude is SO STRONG! LOL

For some reason the videos I kept trying to put on here won't work...so they'll be on the next post. Grrrrrrr.

Here's him lounging on our bed...smiling away...

Okay...an 8 month old is NOT supposed to be this tall!!!! (Note the cute chubby leg rolls...but no tummy roll! He's solid in the middle.) Look at this little brute! He is solid. "Brendan get what Brendan want" is Lamar's motto for him.
The little charmer...

He's so much fun!

Okay...I realize this next one is not the cutest one of his face...he's spitting. BUT LOOK AT THOSE SUMO LEGS!!!!!!! LOL! Another brute shot...RAAAAH! Don't mess with Brendan!

He's so giggly!!!Our happy little guy...again...note the muscles! This one makes me laugh...his little double chin. He was just cracking up at who knows what...so was I! I love the mysterious dimple in his right cheek...neither Lamar nor I have dimples...not sure which side of the family that came from! :) We LOVE it!Okay...I SWEAR to you he was posing for these next several pictures...the little ham. Especially this one, at eight months old!!!! Sorry it's slightly blurry, but I wanted to show his funny little expression... I mean look at this kid!!! He's totally posing 'cause he knows the camera is on him! He was NOT doing those faces until I pulled up the camera...uh oh...the little actor is taking after mommy...
Totally smiled when he saw the camera...
Again... And another ham shot...he was really not in that good of a mood. He was more in a mood to take photos...it was cracking me up!!!Then of course he fell over...I know this shot is super blurry, but look at that stomach! He has a total barrell chest with really strong tummy muscles...it makes me laugh...look at how thick his mid-section is!!! He is ALL BOY. In his sleeper finally...again with the posing smile...

Playing with Mommy...Daddy picked up the camera...

Giggling together...I just can't believe he looks me in the eye standing on the same level I'm sitting...he's SO TALL!

Okay, so I realize this is NOT the best picture of me...by far...but I liked this one of us laughing together too...even though I look horrible. It's all good...it's the moment that counts, right? :)

My first Mother's Day and Brendan's first tooth!

First of all, Brendan got his first tooth last Monday!!!!! He had been sticking his tongue out all last weekend when the Winkel family was here, and Monday out it came! So we took some pictures of it tonight. It's SO CUTE! I can't believe he's growing up so fast!!!!

It took us a couple of pictures to get a shot of the tooth...

Brendan...hold still! :) He was trying to jump jump jump the whole time...

Almost got it.... got a smile!! You can sorta see it...

THERE IT IS!!! His first tooth! :) The one next to it is not far behind...

ALSO a new first this week ....HE SAID "MAMA"!!!!! Over and over again. On Mother's Day nonetheless! SO CUTE! My heart wanted to burst with joy each time he said it today. :) What a perfect present. :) I tried to get it on video tonight of him saying it, but he only says it when he wants to, and it's always a surprise. It's cute though...when he does say it, sometimes he'll look up at me with a big surprised grin like "Hey mom...did you hear me? I said mama!" It's darling. :)

I was so happy today...to finally be in the 'mommy club' at church. I know some women have such a hard time on Mother's Day...it breaks my heart sometimes. It was so fun though today, to be struggling to hold onto a jumping bean during Sacrament Meeting for the first time on Mother's Day. To finally be able to understand what it means to be a mommy. Last year I was very pregnant, so I was an almost-mommy last year on Mother's Day. So it was cool to be holding a healthy, squealing, happy baby boy today. :) I LOVE being Brendan's Mommy!!!! He is such a blessing in my life. I love you Mom and Grandma! Happy Mother's Day to you too! AND especially to my little sister Cherie...Happy Mother's Day to you too...I know how long you've wanted to be a Mommy and all the struggles...I'm so happy for us both. First time Mommies!!!! :) Yay for us both. :) Happy Mother's Day to everyone else too. :)

Uh oh!!! How we found Brendan

I left the room for a sec to get some more toys for Brendan to play with in his crib, and this is what I came back to....AHHHHH!!!!!!

Lamar, in post haste, removed the crib, lowered it, and now we can safely put him back in there. The little stinker. We had no idea he could pull himself to standing yet. He was looking over the edge of the crib looking at his toy he dropped...good thing I came back in when I did. Oops!

Brendan's HUGE sinister belly laughs

Okay...this is my favorite video ever. Brendan was SO tired he was falling asleep in his highchair right before I started playing this game. He was so silly and giddy. I put his baby spoon in my mouth and spit it out over and over and apparently it was the funniest thing he's ever seen. But he's been laughing hysterically at this game ALL DAY and tonight too! FUN!!! We've played it with water bottles, baby food jar lids, toys, etc. Laughs abundant today! :)
I love how his laugh kinda sounds sinister...a little bit manic, a little evil, but CUTE! :)
The poor thing has inherited my obnoxious laugh, that's for sure! :)

Aunt Shoni's SUU Graduation/Winkel family reunion

This is going to be a long post! It was a VERY eventful weekend with the Winkel family! Mama and Papa Winkel flew in Friday morning and then Aaron (Lamar's oldest brother) came in Friday night. Saturday morning we left really early to head up to Cedar for Shoni's SUU graduation!

We were on our way to Cedar City when an RV blew up...stopped the I15 for almost a half hour.

So...as I sat in the car the rest of the Winkel clan got out and walked amongst the cars talking to everyone, and getting a traffic update for everyone by hiking up the median. I love that about the Winkels...they are so friendly and cute. Papa Winkel was out looking for bottles and snakes while we waited. Lamar and Aaron were on dad patrol to make sure Papa Winkel didn't venture too far, in case we started moving again. Brendan loved all the cars...Lamar took him on a tour of the freeway too. It was humorous, but sad 'cause we missed breakfast with Shoni due to the traffic stop!

I dropped off Mama and Papa Winkel, Lamar, and Aaron off at the SUU graduation and went to visit my old best friend John Marriott. He recently came down with leukemia and I wanted to see him. It was also his birthday. He looks REMARKABLY good for just going through a month of chemo at the Hunstman Center in SLC. He was in good spirits and moved around pretty good for being so weak! It was his first time meeting Brendan! I actually hadn't seen him in over two years as well. TOO LONG! I love my Johnny!!!!

Shoni and Cindy (cousin) both graduated/walked from SUU with their masters!!! They are both school teachers. AND extremely talented. These ladies are always the leads in the musicals in UT. :) We thought this was pretty funny...

It was a mini family reunion! There was another Handy cousin that also graduated! We got a picture of the entire family there. It was too bad we didn't get much time with them!

Brendan loved all the new people! He really liked Mark, Kristi's hubby. (Kristi is Lamar's sister)

It's Kristi and Kendra! Kendra weighs the same as Brendan and she is 2 years old! LOL! She is sooo pretty. :)

Another one of Mark and Brendan playing...

Lamar and I were walking on this huge lawn on the SUU campus and Lamar stopped me to take a picture of our shadows together. I thought it was very cute of him! I like this one. :) Nice that we had a huge bag in between us...lol

Mark was still holding Brendan was Lamar took this (we think) ADORABLE picture of Brendan! We're biased...

Shoni the graduate finally got a chance to hold Brendan! He loved everyone and would go to anyone.

Brendan and Kendra were playing on the grass together! They weigh the same...LOL!

Brendan kept trying to touch Kendra...even attempted to hug her legs at one point and face planted into the grass. Didn't phase him...sat right back up and played. :)

After the graduation we drove back down to St. George and went to Mark's family's home for dinner. It was wonderful! Brendan and Kendra were playing together again...so cute! Remember, he's 8 mos, she's 2. :) LOL

Everyone was laughing at Brendan's cute leg rolls...his legs are quite chubby compared to Kendra's!!! :) We ate at the Vicker's home which sat on a golf course in St. George. It was such a beautiful home! Their balcony was so pretty, with such a great view We took a Winkel family picture. It was fun to see so many of the family in one weekend!

Here's a video of Kendra playing with a balloon, and Brendan watching her intensely!

Back at our house Papa Winkel was teasing Brendan and Brendan was giggling up a storm...

This is a cute video of Grandpa Winkel swinging Brendan in his car seat. I was so worried he was going to hurt his back! It was so cute though...hearing Brendan giggling at him. He LOVES Grandpa Winkel! :)

Then we drove back to Vegas Saturday night! Sunday we went to our Stake Conference and then drove to Uncle Ron Winkel's house! We saw Ron and Vickie, their kids Nathan and Elena, and Lamar's cousin Von came with his new wife Sierra Jane too! It was such a fun night of old stories and laughter. We had a blast. :)

This is of Ron and Gpa Winkel (Ken) laughing about old stories. They told some good ones! :D They had us all in stitches. :)

Vickie, Sierra Jane, Von...

Gma Winkel (Liz) and Lamar...

Brendan loved Elena!!! She was so cute with him all night! Aaron loved Brendan too! I love this shot of Brendan and his little chubby tummy hanging out.

Brendan was sticking his tongue out all weekend 'cause a new tooth came in! He's growing up so fast! He just got his first tooth. I'll see if I can get a picture of it later...it's cute. :)

Looking up at Grandma Winkel! I think this is darling...

I finally got a Winkel '3 Generations' picture! Ken, Lamar, and Brendan! :) So sweet. :)

It was SUCH a fun weekend! We were sad to see everyone go this morning. :) LOVE YOU ALL!