You are amazing!

Some days I feel like I'm a rock star and other days I wish I could have stayed in bed. This is especially true as a mom. Being a mom is like a crazy rollercoaster with lots of ups and downs, but always worth the ride. I watched this video on a friend's blog and loved the message so I wanted to share it with all of you mom's out there. You are all amazing!


P.S. I have a new goal to keep track of more of these ups and downs by "typing" in my journal three times a week (yes, I've gone for the technology route of typing up the entries on my computer). I'm sharing this little tid-bit with you in hopes of having some accountability and support. Here's to keeping a history of our lives and our families!

I love surprises!

Aaron knows that I love surprises so when I came home from a gym class on February 13, I was excited to find the following sign on the door:

I stepped inside to find a path made out of conversation hearts (sort of hard to see, but you get the idea). The trail of hearts led to little framed signs that Aaron made for me many a few years ago. Each of the frames a title in the center like "I love Becky" or "Becky is my Sweetie" and surrounding it were little reasons why he loves me. By each of the framed signs was a small chocolate treat (excellent taste, I might add).
When I got to the end of the trail, I found two smiling faces waiting for me! Did I say how much I love surprises? Because I LOVE SURPRISES! The best part is that I thought this was the big surprise that Aaron had been hinting at for the entire week. Little did I know (insert devous laugh here)... Aaron wanted to go to dinner and use a gift card that I got for him a while ago. Apparently, I was feeling adventurous when I bought it because it was to a Thai restaurant. Off we went with Sasha and a bag full of back up food supplies for her in case she didn't take to the Thai cuisine. As we got out of the car, I noticed that Kerry and Larry, Aaron's parents who live in Layton, happened to be getting out of their car to eat at the same restaurant in South Jordan. Whoa, what are the chances?!? Wait a minute...you can't fool me. Aaron planned it. Not only did they eat dinner with us, but they stayed with Sasha while Aaron and I went to see Avatar (awesome movie, by the way). So, thanks to my hubby for knowing that I love surprises and making this Valentine's perfect. For Aaron, I happen to know that the fastest way to his heart is through baked goods and thoughtful, homeade gifts. So, I made my first attempt at homeade sweet rolls. Let's just say that they tasted great, but didn't turn out as well as I had hoped since they didn't rise hardly at all. Seriously, I let them rise for 2 hours in the morning and then again after I put them on the baking sheet while we went to church. Aaron was happy so that's all that matters, but if you have a great cinnamon roll recipe, I'd love to get it. For the thoughtful, handmade gift I made the little book below (thanks to Christina for the great idea). It starts out looking like an ordinary book... But when you open it up, SURPRISE! It's a little different than expected. Love you, sweetie! We've been enjoying the Olympics so much that we thought we'd let Sasha join in the celebration by wearing a shirt that's sort of a shout out to all bobsledders, speed skaters, aerialists and any spandex-top-wearing athletes out there. Future Olympian? I wouldn't doubt it!

Hello...again!

I know, I know...it's been way too long. Well, I'm back and promise to be better if you'll forgive me for the longer-than-usual hiatus. We've had so much fun over New Year's and being able to spend lots of time with family and friends. Okay, so sometimes Sasha and I get a little stir-crazy being inside more than usual, but we're surviving. We've still managed quite a few trips to the park or just walking around outside to find treasures (live dogs or cats are the most exciting for Sasha). I have to be careful when I say "park" or "outside" because Sasha assumes that the effect is immediate and we'll be heading out instantly. She is such an outdoor/nature girl. Her loves right now include any living animal, leaves, pinecones, music and pianos. If there is a piano in sight, she wants to play it. She even got in a duet with her cute cousin, Abrie.
The Fireplace - a Tale of Triumph

Over a year ago, we decided to remodel our fireplace because it was gargantuan and a definite hazard. Just picture a fireplace with a huge, black facade surrounded by bulky, square, white columns and golden accents. It probably would have been more suited to a Roman palace. We were so excited to begin the project that we tore out the steps and columns in one night. Yay us for being so proactive. Eight months later, the project was still in the same condition that we had left it - a gaping hole in our family room wall with chairs and various objects in front of it to keep Sasha out. Not to be bested by our fireplace, we decided to again take action and found a beautiful mantle on ksl. A short two months later, we tackled the task of finding tile. At last, we were able to put everything up and remove the barriers that had been there for so long. Drum roll, please...

The fireplace is complete! Okay, joking aside, I have to say "Thank You, Thank You, Thank You" to my sweet honey, my dad and Aaron's dad for working so hard to finally complete this project. I absolutely love how everything turned out and Sasha is very grateful to have free reign of the space again. The photo doesn't do it justice so you'll just have to come over and check it out yourself. Man, it feels so good to complete a project!

We send out a big "I love you" to the newest member of our extended family, Jake Tribe. Congrats, Lys and John - he's adorable!

I promise to post more photos of Sasha soon. You won't believe how long her hair has gotten and all the new words she's coming up with, especially as she copies everything we say.

The other day, Aaron bumped his head and said, "Gosh!" Sasha immediately started copying him as she walked around the house saying "Gosh," but it eventually wore off and we forgot about it. Then, just the other day, Sasha was trying to climb down from a chair, but a pillow was in her way. All of a sudden, she said, "Gosh!" and I couldn't help but crack up. I love, love, love this stage (even with the beginning of tantrums and such) as Sasha learns to express herself more to us. Kuddos to all those moms out there - you are amazing!

Merry Christmas!

We've decided to take advantage of technology and send out our Christmas card online. So, here's the blog version:

Merry Christmas 2009! What a year it has been! We've had lots of fun adventures, most of which revolved around a cute, little toddler you might know, our little munchkin Sasha. It's been so great to experience things as if for the first time with her. I have never seen a child so passionate about so many things...being outside, stuffed animals, real animals (especially dogs), beads, necklaces, jewelry, grandma and grandpa and the list could go on. She loves running around and exploring any drawers, cabinets or compartments. Her vocabulary is growing like crazy and includes words like "mama, papa, wow, dog, happy, hot, and outside." Guess we'll have to watch what we say more closely. :) We celebrated her 1st birthday this year and our favorite part was when she tasted sweets for the first time and decided that she really liked cake (see photo below). In fact, she liked it so much that she eventually just bent over and planted her face in it. That's our girl - go big or go home!

Aaron recently changed jobs and joined a partnership with Global NES, Inc., a renewable energy company based out of Colorado. His company sells and implements energy analysis and reduction measures along with renewable energy technologies. In short, Aaron is super hip. As always, he's working hard on projects around the house and will soon complete the redo of our fireplace. YIPPEE!!

For me, things have changed in ways I didn't anticipate. Since being laid off from my position as wellness coordinator at Regence, I have been able to do some projects for my parents' business so it has been a blessing for us all. Plus, I get to spend lots of time with sweet Sasha.

We love our home in Sandy and continue to make small changes here and there. So far, we have a new roof, furnace, microwave, dishwasher, landscaping and fireplace. Phew! We have loved having a garden this year and look forward to developing more of a green thumb.

We are especially grateful to family and friends for your love and support. At this special time of year, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and His message of peace and love. We love you and wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love,
Aaron, Beck & Sasha

P.S. Here another cute photo for those who endured and read the entire letter. :)

Happy 386th and other craziness...

What a fun summer! I'm sad to see the warm weather go, but I do love the crisp weather of autumn. I'll definitely miss moments like the one below where Sasha and I are playing in the water on one of those perfect summer evenings.

We had such a fun trip to St. George and Vegas. It was so sweet of Grandma Barlow to let us stay with her. Sasha enjoyed getting to know GG as well. We got to go hiking, see all the sights in Vegas, hang out with GG, visit my brother Jon and his kiddos and check out the dinosaur museum. It was quite a packed few days, but we enjoyed every minute (well, except for maybe the last 30 minutes when Sasha decided she was done being in a car seat). :)

Yes, it's true that I'm now 386 months old. Aaron and I were joking the other night about how interesting it is how we measure age. It's logical, but amazing that it's evolved into the system we have - measure in days for the first two weeks, measure in weeks until 3 months or so, measure in months until 2 years, measure in years until mid-life crisis and measure in decades until the bomb drops. So, maybe I'll buck the system and start measuring in months. Okay, it would be a pain and I doubt it will happen, but proved to be an entertaining conversation.

I have to thank my sweet hubby for making my birthday such a fabulous one this year. I think the celebration probably lasted for 2 weeks with all the things he had planned, not that I would ever complain. The fun began with a family party the Sunday before my birthday. It was so great to get everyone together. My birthday was on a Tuesday so we went to a casual dinner together and took Sasha. Then that Friday he took me to Benihana (I've always wanted to try it, but just have never actually gone). There was a slight hiccup when we got to the Gateway - Aaron thought I had the keys and I thought he had the keys. Yep, you guessed it...we locked the keys in the car. An hour and a half later, we got into the car and were finally on our way. We had a fabulous dinner and then headed over to the Sky Box for a night of fun and games. They have some pretty active games so both of us got quite the workout from the evening. Phew, what an evening! Finally, he took me to the State Fair on Saturday with Sasha and enjoying the great atmosphere while being dazzled by the performances and exhibits. Thanks, Sweetie, for everything - it was a blast!

Sasha just had her year checkup so I thought I'd list a few stats:

• 19.1 lbs. (14th percentile), 25 inches (45th percentile), head circumference 50th percentile
• LOVES to walk and is trying to run, which is sometimes successful
• LOVES to eat...no, I mean she really loves to eat; she can finish her meal, eat some of mine and still want more; favorites are pretty much anything that mama and papa are eating, but she does love zucchini quiche, banana, zucchini bread and especially her bottle (not sure how the whole weaning thing is going to go)
• Loves being outside, walking around or digging in the dirt; will eat pretty much anything she finds on the ground, including the pill bug that Aaron pulled from her mouth the other day (yuck!); especially likes the hose with the soaker attachment
• Is learning to love going on bike rides...okay, she pretty much despises her helmet thus far, but we're hoping she'll get over it. Have you ever seen a one-year old give you a "crusty?" Well, here's what it looks like:


• Loves the daycare at Gold's Gym, where we go every morning for mama's workout; in fact, sometimes Sasha doesn't want to leave with me because she loves playing with the other kids so much
• Opinions, opinions, opinions - all of sudden, Sasha has decided that she has very strong opinions about everything; if it doesn't happen her way, it's usually the highway (of tantrums); we're learning to work together to find the best ways for expressing emotion
• We got Sasha a cheetah costume for Halloween, which hangs in the coat closet; whenever we open the closet, Sasha ooohs and ahhhs and wants to hug the costume - so cute!
• Sasha has started playing the shy card by hiding behind mom and dad when strangers come around; however, she usually gives a cute little coy grin, showing her two beautiful teeth (yep, she only has her two teeth on the bottom center and that's it so far)
• Sasha loves being around other kids, especially when she can follow them around and watch them (this also applies to other adults and animals as well); we got to spend an afternoon with Jacey and Amelia, which is such a treat since they live a ways away and we don't get the chance to get together as often as we'd like; so great to see you, Jace! We'll miss you!

Sasha's excited for the chance to finally play in the snow. Ahh, our cute, little Stay Puffed Marshmallow Girl.

What a fun adventure this first year has been and we're so excited for the upcoming holidays. Can you believe Halloween is almost here? Before long, it will Thanksgiving, Christmas and then New Year's. We're having such a great time experiencing everything with Sasha. It's almost like experiencing it for the time again - at least she keeps us young and on our toes. :)

Happy 1st Birthday, Sasha!

Could it really be that just one year ago, our little Sasha was born and forever changed our lives (for the better)? Happy 1st Birthday, munchkin! Here's a look at how we got here and some highlights from her birthday party on Saturday, Aug 29. Thanks so much to everyone for coming and celebrating with us - it was a blast!

How it all began...

Sasha Mary Henson was born on September 1, 2008

7 lbs, 1 ounce

21 inches

Time to celebrate with a Safari party since Sasha loves animals (especially lions) so much. Here's a taste of the decorations complete with animal crossing signs, vines, leaves and animal print everywhere.

Our back yard was transformed into a jungle oasis with the help of mom and dad's gazebo and mister. I have to thank my sweetie Aaron for working so hard to fix up the yard by putting in the new edging and making it look so beautiful. Thanks love!

No party is complete without plenty of games to play, especially soccer. The kids also enjoyed the sidewalk chalk and the swing.

The lion pinata came next with lots of wild swings. Aaron almost lost a few limbs holding the string up, but luckily escaped with only a few bruises.

Gifts were lots of fun for Sasha, although she didn't enjoy the whole idea of opening a gift and not playing with it. I loved her silly expressions of wonder and awe when opening the gifts. Thanks again to everyone for the gifts and for your generosity.

Special thanks to Brandan, Becky and family who sent a wonderful book from Oregon.

The much anticipated cake experience was last, but definitely not least. I attempted making a cake from scratch this year since I've never really tried before. The bottom cake is Texas sheet cake (chocolate) with white buttercream frosting and black fondant stripes. The top cake is french vanilla with yellow buttercream frosting and brown fondant spots. Rachel and my mom supplied all of the cake making supplies and I'm glad it turned out pretty well since both of the vanilla cakes kind of fell apart when I took them out of the pans. Hallelujah for frosting, the duct tape of the baking world!

Sasha's "crash" cake made of french vanilla with a chocolate buttercream frosting.

Sasha started out a little timid with the cake, not knowing what to do with it since she hasn't had sugar or sweets before. Aaron put some frosting in her mouth and thus it began...

Sasha took the lead from there and got more and more into the cake. Not only is she an amazing cake eater, but very flexible too. :)

I cut the cake in half so she could actually taste something more than frosting and that's when the real party started. She picked up one of the halves of the cake and starting shoving it in her mouth as fast as she could.

By the end, she was literally covered in cake and loving every minute of it. It was so hilarious to watch her experience sugar for the first time. That's our little one - go big or go home!

So, Happy Birthday to you, our sweet daughter. We love you so much and are so grateful for everything you have taught us. We look forward to many more lessons and fun adventures with you!

Summer adventures...

Okay, so I've been a slacker in the blogging world and I'm trying to redeem myself by posting some great photos and fun updates. Lots has happened since I last wrote in June, but rather than write an essay that would most likely bore you, I'll give you a few tidbits along with what you really want...photos. May, June and July consisted of lots of fun and interesting adventures:

Sasha attended her first REAL soccer game and loved it! This crazy group behind us even had a big horn and yelled at the referees non-stop, but Sasha seemed to like the chaos the best.

Sasha's first time swimming in grandma and grandpa Henson's fabulous pool. She used to hate the water, but ever since taking swim lessons, she's a splashaholic.

Aaron went on his annual Guys Only backpacking trip in the Uintas. They had a fabulous time relaxing, hiking, fishing and playing games.

Sasha finally got her first tooth about 3 weeks ago so she's eating even more solids and loving all the variety. Mostly, she just wants to eat anything mama and papa are eating. I had to put a few photos from this dinner session because she was being so dang cute.

Sasha is walking! I know, it's hard to believe that just a few months ago, she was barely scooting around and trying to get the hang of the whole crawling thing. Now she loves the freedom of moving around herself and getting into everything in sight. We have proof with all the bruises on her forehead from falling down (she's still a little wobbly at times, especially on grass). I promise to post a video that we took of her really walking, but my computer was being really slow so you just get one video this time. The below shows me chasing Sasha - she loves it when I pretend to chase her.

Other updates that I don't have photos for include:

The Henson family reunion took place over the 24th of July weekend at the Canyons in Park City. It was so much fun spending time with family, swimming, having marshmallow gun wars, hiking around while taking in the beautiful scenery, enjoying the cooler weather, relaxing in the hot tub and laughing a lot with family. We loved seeing everyone and celebrating Grandma GG's birthday. Thanks to Kerry and Larry for organizing such a fabulous event!

I was laid off from my job as wellness coordinator for Regence at the beginning of June. I admit that it was pretty tough on me because I loved my job and being able to help people in so many different ways. It was perfect because it was only 1 1/2 days a week so I could still spend most of my time with Sasha. I'm looking for opportunities so we'll see what the future holds. :)