Flashback Friday: Let's Start From the Very Beginning

This is baby Syd.

Nick constantly tells me how confident he thinks I am. I am quick to respond that it is indeed confidence, but not egotism.

That's right, I'm not conceited, I just know that I'm awesome = confidence.

Occasionally it bothers me that Nick is so apt to point out this so-called quality of mine. I feel that some people give confidence a negative connotation by associating it too closely with narcism. And I don't want to be pinned as that big-headed-high-horser (yeah, that's word).

But then I thought about it a little more. If everyone in the world had good self-confidence, I think the world would be a better place. No abuse, no pornography, no gossip, no immorality, no peer pressure, no manipulation, no bullying, etc. If everybody knew that they were amazing, the way God wants us to feel, then things would definitely be better. Because everyone knows that many of the bad qualities out there begin with low self-esteem (IE: Sue Sylvester, Hilly Holbrook, Tom Riddle, etc.)

I don't want to get too preachy or anything, especially since its Flashback Friday, but Kathryn Stockett is RIGHT.

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

And that is the truth!

And I am not ashamed to say that I think I'm kind, smart, important and a lot of other things that are totally and completely awesome.

Because I'm that awesome and because I was born in November, this month's Flashback Fridays will be all about me.

Here is me at four months old. I'm guessing I'm in the 142% for weight. Wowzers, girlfriend's got a triple chin - that definitely hasn't changed much.

The ears you notice? Loud and proud they are!

(That was Yoda inspired because we share a common abnormality)

I want to give props to my mom for putting a flower in my hair. It probably wasn't easy since I have no hair to attach it to.

Also, I can't decide if Ev looks like me as a baby. Sometimes I see Nick, sometimes I see me, but that's when I'm usually comparing her to what we look like now. Do Ev look like baby Syd?

Let's hope Ev doesn't ever look like this:

Happy Friday everyone!

Yakivegas Baby

The weekend before last (wow that sounds so proper of me) we drove up to the Yakivegas. Every time we go back to the Yak I can't help but love it more than the time before. (Corny, but true)

Our last trip was no different. Straight up barrel of monkeys for everyone I think.

The grandkids got to hang in Grandma She-She and Grandpa Smart's bed. They watched Scooby-Doo in their jammies, sweatpants, and ... the nude. (Love that Al Pal)

Darc and I rummaged through the Attic and found many a treasure. Nothing, however, beats our high school letterman's jackets!

Okay everyone, were letterman jackets cool at your high school? Because I swear on the entire batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that I just ate that they were indeed cool at my school.

I used to wear them to the football games and cheer in the stands like a madwoman.

Does that make me a loser?

RAM POWER CAN'T BE BEAT!

Okay, I might be a loser. But I will point out that Darcee's jacket has a bold '98 on the front of hers. Who's the loser now?

Anyway, here are C & K at their finest.

And what's a post without the Ev?

G-pa and Al Pal watching some quality television. I believe it was Scooby-Doo in spanish.

(Gotta love Youtube)

We also celebrated my Grandma's 83rd birthday.

She is an amazing woman and I'm so grateful to have not only known her, but to have grown up so close to her. She deserves to be celebrated for sure.

But what's a celebration without some girl time?

All the girls went to lunch with Grandma to get some additional party time in.

Cousins!

Three generations.

Mother-Daughter

All the girls.

And we also celebrated C & K's birthday at the Burnett's house.

Sibling love.

Grandpa Great and Ev

The lower half of The Face's face.

MONSTER! Oh wait, its just The Face.

Obviously a good time was had by all in the Yakivegas.

Happy Aunt-hoodiversary

4 years ago today, I became an Aunt for the first time.

Happy Birthday C & K!

We love you so much!

P.S. You are the ONLY people I would EVER share my birthdayness with.

November belongs to us!

Eviecake, Eviecake

Getting to Know Evie Jordan

Age: 6 months

Weight: 15 lb. 2 oz. (28%)

Height: 25 3/4 inches (50%)

Head size: 16 3/4 inches (50%)

Favorite Food: peaches or butternut squash

Least favorite food: barley cereal

Foods she has tried in the last month: apples, pears, zucchini, leeks, asparagus, sweet potato

Favorite hobbies: playing with Dad, chewing on feet, biting Sophie la giraffe's head off, cooking with Mom, and getting massages from Mom or Dad after bath time.

Favorite chores: Vacuuming, watching mom scrub toilets, taking baths.

Favorite workouts: playing in the jumper, yoga, and walks with mom.

Least favorite workouts: tummy time, strength training with Dad.

Ideal Date: Going to Joanns with Mom and coming home to Dad surprising us at the door. Then off to Home Depot as a family, followed by a nice dinner of peaches. A long luxurious bath and some milk before bedtime.

Pet peeves: When mom takes too many pictures of me and when people at the store ask Mom if I'm a boy when I'm wearing a pink headband.

If I could go any place in the world I would go to: Portland to visit my cousins, either of my grandma's homes, the light section at Home Depot (it mesmerizes me!), or Paris. (duh!)

Things that make me laugh: Mom, Dad and Aunt Darcee.

My best friend is: Ally Pally (my cousin).

Favorite TV show: Dad only lets me watch football, but he doesn't know that Mom has let me watch Project Runway on occasion. So to answer the question, Project Runway is my favorite TV show.

Favorite college football team: GO DUCKS!

How many teeth do you have? Just one, but I have three more that you can see under my gums and I drool buckets each day.

Can you roll over both ways? Yes, but I'm pretty lazy and usually I just lay on the floor kicking my legs.

Are you sitting up by yourself? Almost. My record is seven seconds before falling over.

Crawling? Not even close.

Other things that I love: Cupcakes, when mom wears me in the Bjorn at Costco, sitting in my Bumbo, and screaming like a parrot on a daily basis.

Proof that Evie loves cupcakes:

The reason why Mom is so behind on all her chores:

Flashback Friday: Always and Forever

My parents were married in the 70's. Need I say more?

Here is a video clip of their "song," Always and Forever. I think the video speaks for itself. You know everyone was busting a move at their wedding...

This June, it will be 33 years since my parents were sealed in the Cardston, Alberta Temple. My mom summed up their marriage perfectly when she said this to me before I got married,

"I thought it would be crazy to get married at 18, but I knew it would be even crazier not to marry a guy like your Dad."

She definitely got the crazy part right.

(This is where you insert an interruption of some weird narcissist joke by my Dad. Here are several that he is undoubtedly thinking in his head right now):

"Yeah, crazy good!"

"Crazy? Are you talking about the crazy anacondas that you call my biceps?"

"You're mom just couldn't get enough of me."

"Edward Cullen has nothing on me."

"I am handsome Rob."

I could go on, but I don't want to steal all my Dad's jokes or he won't be able to comment for lack of jokes.

This is how my parents met. A beautiful college cheerleader meets a buff college wrestler.

Engagement pictures. The nightgown - ahem, excuse me, the dress my mom is wearing makes her look so tall. So tall in fact, that Nick commented that it actually makes my Dad look statuesque too.

They truly bring out the best in one another.

And their wedding day.

I am convinced that my wedding pictures will never look dated. Is it possible to escape it? The head to toe white on my Dad is just awesome. My parents are like floating heads amongst a sea of white polyester and lace. Jokes aside, these two are ridiculously good looking. And 32 (almost 33) years of marriage has exponentially multiplied their undeniable hotness.