Girls "Wild Bowling" Night

Girls night was a blast this month! We started out the night by going to Cafe Rio for dinner. It was delish! I love that place! Afterwards, we (with the exception of Trish, who had to go home to work on stuff for their business...LAME!) went "wild bowling".


What do I mean by "wild bowling"? Well, we each got a chance to get a strike on each frame. But if we didn't get a strike, we got a "handicap" for our second chance. Here are a few of the "handicaps":

Under one leg...

Backwards granny bowling...

Oven mitts...


Wearing a tiara...

I, personally, liked the tiara. In fact, I felt it was lucky because I got a spare on that frame. I decided that, since it was so lucky, I would wear it for the remainder of the game. Unfortunately, it's luck ran out shortly after! It was such a fun night! All of us had such a great time with it! I really wonder what the other people in the bowling alley were thinking about us!?! Haha! Anyway, it was a blast! I loved it!

**Note: If you live in the area and need a night out every once in awhile (who doesn't), just give me your email address & I'll add you to the list! We would love to have anybody come!** --Lindsay

Happy Half-Birthday Coconut!

My baby is six months old! His half-birthday was on Monday! Seriously, I can't believe how fast the time has flown by! We went to his six-month checkup today & he's doing great! He's still a tiny little thing compared to other kids his age though! Here are his stats:

Length: 26" (25th percentile)
Weight: 15.0 lbs (10th percentile)
Head Circ: 42 cm (10th percentile)

So, basically, he's short & really skinny...like his mama! When the doctor was examining him, he found that Cohen had an ear infection. He asked me if he had been fussy lately & was quite surprised when I said he had just been sweet as strawberry pie! He asked me if Cohen had been sick recently. I told him that a few weeks ago, he had a horrible cough for about a week. The doctor said that the ear infection probably started when the cough started. That was 3 WEEKS AGO! YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT MY BABY HAS BEEN SUFFERING WITH AN EAR INFECTION FOR 3 WEEKS & I HAD NO IDEA!?! He hadn't shown any symptoms of having an ear infection. But, as I started thinking about it...he kind of had. He hasn't been sleeping through the night lately...waking up once or twice a night usually. I just thought he was teething or something & didn't think much of it. Also, there were several times when he would be eating, that he would randomly scream. I just thought he had a bubble & needed to burp. So, after the doc told me about the ear infection, a lot of things started making sense. But, poor Cohen! He must be a pretty tough little sucker to go through that kind of pain & not make a big deal out of it! What a sweetie!

Other than the ear infection, Cohen is doing so great! He loves to babble (very loudly...especially during church) & has the cutest little laugh in the whole world! He can roll when he wants to, but will usually lay there and cry for a little bit before doing it...hoping that someone will come do it for him. He's also learning to sit & can sit unassisted for about 5 seconds before falling flat on his face. He's coming right along...much to my dismay! I just want him to stay small (and immobile) forever! He is just so stinkin' cute! Here's more proof of said cuteness...as if you needed any more! But, nonetheless, here it is! --Lindsay

What Being a Woman Means to Me

Okay, so a few days ago, I was asked to speak to the Mia Maids & Laurels in my ward. The topic? "The Joys of Being a Woman/What Being a Woman Means to Me". What in the flippin' world?!? Are you kidding me??? I will be the first to tell you that I complain A LOT about being a woman! I mean, when you're told that "life is not fair", it's not a joke! Women have to go through a whole lot of crap that men will NEVER have to go through! First of all, we are the ones that have to be pregnant (and go through the lovely monthly cycle that allows us to get pregnant). We are the ones that have to put up with the uncomfortableness of pregnancy, along with the spreading hips & extra weight gain that comes with it too(on that topic, why is it necessary for me to gain weight in my FACE while I am pregnant? How is that vital to the baby's growth & development? Anyway, moving on...) all for the sake of humankind. Secondly, it takes us a whole lot longer to get ready for the day than it does for men. It drives me CRAZY that it takes Mike a total of 10 minutes to look totally awesome & it takes me an hour! Again, not fair! And here's another thing...nylons! Whoever invented them should be SHOT! I'm serious! I could go on & on! Why didn't someone ask me to speak about the TRIALS of being a woman? I could write that talk in a matter of minutes! Anyway, as you can imagine, the last few days I've been racking my brain about what I had to offer these girls! I seriously didn't know what Heavenly Father wanted me to say to them! Then, an idea came to my head. I decided that I needed to make a list of all the little joys & fun things that I've had in my life because I am a girl. I sat down & started writing anything that came to my head. I started with joys that I had when I was a little girl & worked my way up to joys that I have in my life today. Some of them were spiritual, some were just fun & some were down right silly. After I got done, I decided that being a woman wasn't half bad...in fact, I decided that, by in large, it pretty much ROCKS! So, since mainly women read my blog (with the exception of Poppy), I thought I would share them with you too...so that you can see how awesome & important we all are! (It starts at birth & works it's way up to motherhood...)

What Being a Woman Means to Me

Being a woman means that, as a baby, I can be blessed in a beautiful white dress
Being a woman means my mom gets to glue cute bows on top of my bald head so that no one thinks I’m a boy
Being a woman means I get to wear cute frilly dresses
Being a woman means that I can hold tea parties with my friends & teddy bears
Being a woman means I get to play dress up & wear my mom’s high heels and my grandma’s wigs
Being a woman means that I get to watch all the Disney princess movies & dream about MY Prince Charming that will come someday
Being a woman means that I can dress in pink from head to toe & TOTALLY pull it off
Being a woman means playing with Barbie dolls & listening to my Whitney Houston records (What? It was the early 80s, give me break!)

Being a woman means I get to look up to my mom & dream about the day when I, too, will be a mom
Being a woman means that I can be a friend and example to my sisters

Being a woman means that I can be baptized...& then make everyone wait afterwards while my mom blow dries my hair
Being a woman means that I get to join Young Womens when I turn 12 and get away from the “annoying boys”
Being a woman means that I can attend Young Womens camp every year…which is WAY more fun than scout camp
Being a woman means that I have the ability to be outgoing & make friends with anyone I meet
Being a woman means that I can wear my hair a variety of ways…long, short, curly, straight…whatever I want
Being a woman means doing my best in school to gain as much knowledge as I can
Being a woman means not having to shower together after PE like the boys do
Being a woman means actually using stalls in public bathrooms…YAY FOR PRIVACY!!!
Being a woman means I don’t have to collect fast offerings in the freezing cold!

Being a woman means that I can be a good friend
Being a woman means that I can be a good example to those friends
Being a woman means having sleepovers with my friends & staying up half the night talking about boys
Being a woman means that I can figure out what my talents are & then work on developing them
Being a woman means that I can learn more about my Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ through studying the scriptures daily
Being a woman means that I can smile at others as I walk down the halls in school
Being a woman means that I can sing into my hairbrush when I’m alone in my room
Being a woman means getting 100% on a test that I studied really hard for
Being a woman means that I can develop my own personal relationship with God & Jesus Christ through prayer
Being a woman means that I can babysit to earn money…which is a lot better than mowing lawns in the heat of summer
Being a woman means that I can serve in my Young Womens class presidency & help the other girls
Being a woman means that I can use yummy smelling shampoos & lotions
Being a woman means that I can have faith in my Heavenly Father & that I can help others increase their faith as well
Being a woman means that I can talk to my friends on the phone for hours…as long as my homework is already done
Being a woman means that I can go to chick flicks with my friends & then laugh when we’re all crying at the end
Being a woman means having integrity & the courage to stand up for what I believe in
Being a woman means that I can use makeup to cover up all my zits & use one of God’s greatest creations…mascara!
Being a woman means that I can develop my own testimony of the gospel, instead of relying on others’
Being a woman means I want to serve others, so that I know what Christ like love feels like
Being a woman means that I can learn all that I can about the gospel by attending church & seminary
Being a woman means that I can wear modest clothing & still looking smokin’ hot
Being a woman means that I can be asked out on dates
Being a woman means my date opens doors for me & pulls out my chair for me to sit down because I deserve it
Being a woman means that I can come home from that date & talk to my mom for an hour about it
Being a woman means I get to shop for a prom dress
Being a woman means that I can break up with a boyfriend for not treating me the way I deserve to be treated
Being a woman means that I am allowed to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream because of the aforementioned breakup
Being a woman means figuring out for myself what my divine potential can be
Being a woman means that I can exercise and take care of my body
Being a woman means I can accessorize, accessorize, accessorize!
Being a woman means that I can choose who I think would be best to lead our country & vote for that person
Being a woman means I don’t have to register for the draft like the boys, but can join the armed services if I choose
Being a woman means joining Relief Society & being part of the largest women’s organization on earth
Being a woman means having faith
Being a woman means having hope
Being a woman means having charity
Being a woman means serving God wherever I am needed
Being a woman means going to college & gaining as much knowledge as I can
Being a woman means realizing I can be anything I want to be as long as I’m willing to work hard to get there
Being a woman means that I can set a goal & really accomplish it
Being a woman means deciding whether or not I want to serve a mission
Being a woman means realizing that, even if I don’t serve a mission, I am a missionary everyday of my life
Being a woman means I can wear red, patent leather pumps
Being a woman means I can choose any career I want and probably do it as good as or better than any man would!
Being a woman means finding that Prince Charming that I’ve been dreaming about my whole life!
Being a woman means marrying my Prince Charming at the right time, in the right place & by the right authority
Being a woman means that I get to plan my wedding & feel like a princess for the day
Being a woman means that I can be a good visiting teacher
Being a woman means that I can be a good listener when someone needs to talk
Being a woman means I can support my husband & be his soft place to fall
Being a woman means I am the first one to see the result on the pregnancy test
Being a woman means being able to buy myself a whole new wardrobe…even if it IS maternity clothes
Being a woman means feeling my baby practice his soccer kick on my insides
Being a woman means sending my husband to Taco Bell at 3 am because “the baby” wants a chalupa
Being a woman means knowing my life will never be the same the second I see that new baby
Being a woman means I am the CEO of my family
Being a woman means that I am the one my boys come to when they are hurt or sad
Being a woman means that I am the first teacher & main influence in my children’s lives
Being a woman means realizing that through influencing my children, I influence the next generation of leaders
Being a woman means I can make sure my family is holding Family Home Evening, family prayer & family scripture study
Being a woman means making sure homework is done, carpool is driven & that there is a lunch in everyone’s backpack
Being a woman means being there when my children go to school & when they get home too
Being a woman means being my children’s biggest cheerleader
Being a woman means constantly putting the toilet seat down!!! Seriously...is it really that hard boys?
Being a woman means cleaning pee off the wall! Why do little boys (and sometimes big boys) have such bad aim?
Being a woman means that I can teach my boys how to work
Being a woman means that I can teach my boys to respect women…and to put the toilet seat down
Being a woman means everyone has to eat what I want to eat, because I’m the one that does the grocery shopping
Being a woman means that I can use PMS as an excuse for being grumpy
Being a woman means I can make a “honey do list” & then just sit back and “supervise”
Being a woman means that I can have a night out with my friends when I need a break
Being a woman means realizing that I need to put myself first sometimes, and not feel guilty about it
Being a woman means being able to wear pink from head to toe and STILL pull it off…even at 30!
Being a woman means being a leader in Heavenly Father’s church & realizing that I really can have an influence on others
Being a woman means realizing that I can be an “angel” in someone else’s life
Being a woman means that I can pull my family through any trial it may encounter & we can be stronger because of it
Being a woman means having lots of other women to look up to as role models
Being a woman means realizing that I am a role model for others
Being a woman means I can choose to be happy
Being a woman means that I can continue to gain wisdom everyday of my life
Being a woman means that I am one of God’s greatest creations (remember, a woman was God's final creation...after He had worked out all the kinks on the man)
Being a woman means REALLY realizing what it means to be a daughter of God & ACTING LIKE IT!

Afterwards, I blathered on for the rest of the time about something...but I, honestly, can't remember what I said exactly. Then, I closed with this quote from Elder Holland:

"I want you to be proud you are a woman. I want you to feel the reality of what that means, to know who you truly are. You are literally a spirit daughter of heavenly parents with a divine nature and an eternal destiny. That surpassing truth should be fixed deep in your soul and be fundamental to every decision you make as you grow into mature womanhood. There could never be a greater authentication of you dignity, your worth, your privileges, and your promise. Your Father in Heaven knows your name and knows you circumstance. He hears your prayers. He knows your hopes and dreams, including your fears and frustrations. And He knows what you can become through faith in Him. Because of this divine heritage you, along with all your spiritual sisters and brothers, have full equality in His sight and are empowered through obedience to become a rightful heir in His eternal kingdom, an heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ."

How can you not read that without feeling like you are the coolest thing on the planet? While there are many things I don't like about being a woman, I've decided that there are MORE things that I do like about being one! I don't know if what I said helped the girls. But, I hope they left knowing how awesome it is to be a woman & that they have the potential, with Heavenly Father's help, to become all the wonderful things they are meant to be! So, here's to some girl power my sistas!!! Sorry, to get all sappy & spiritual...I just felt like I should post it on here as well! --Lindsay

What My Children Think of Me

I've seen several of my friends post things like this on their blogs. I thought it would be fun to see what my kids think of me...

1) What is something mom always says to you? C: No!; A: I love you!
2) What makes mom happy? C: When I give her flowers; A: When I say "I love mom"
3) What makes mom sad? C: When I wear my shoes on the carpet; A: When I fight with Connor
4) What does your mom do to make you laugh? C: Make a funny face; A: Be nice
5) How old is your mom? C: 66; A: 22
6) What was your mom like as a child? C: She probably liked to play with dolls; A: She played with toys
7) How tall is your mom? C: 100 feet; A: Big
8) What is your mom's favorite thing to do? C: Clean the house; A: Teach preschool
9) What does your mom do when you're not around? C: Feed Cohen; A: Talk on the phone
10) If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? C: Doing the weather; A: I don't know
11) What is your mom really good at? C: Being on TV; A: Washing the dishes
12) What is your mom not so good at? C: Making her bed; A: Vacuums up our toys
13) What does your mom do for her job? C: Weather on TV; A: Go to the TV
14) What is your mom's favorite food? C: Everything; A: Chicken noodle soup
15) What makes you proud of your mom? C: For cleaning our room; A: For getting me a drink
16) If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? C: Cinderella; A: Spongebob
17) What do you and your mom do together? C: Watch cartoons & clean my bedroom; A: Clean my room
18) How are you and your mom the same? C: Our eyes are both blue and our hair is both blonde; A: We have yellow hair
19) How are you and your mom different? C: She's wearing a pink shirt & I'm wearing a brown & blue & white shirt; A: She has long legs & I have short legs
20) How do you know your mom loves you? C: She kisses me; A: She cleans up my toys

Apparently, I clean...a lot! --Lindsay

A Small Taste of What Motherhood is Like

Last Saturday, while I was driving home from work, Mike found out that our next door neighbors were moving. He volunteered to help them, but then realized that--since I wasn't home yet--there was no one to watch the kids. I was only about 15 minutes from home, so Mike decided to let Connor "babysit" Aiden & Cohen for a few minutes. Mike told Connor just to come next door & get him if there was a problem. Connor was so excited to "babysit". He got a bunch of toys out for Cohen to play with & started "entertaining" him. Well, apparently, after a few minutes...Cohen wasn't very happy about the "entertaining" that was taking place (can you say "overstimulation"?). He started crying...and apparently, wouldn't stop. Connor tried everything he could think of to get Cohen to stop screaming, but to no avail. Connor finally gave up on trying to make Cohen happy and started watching for me out the front window (why he didn't just walk next door and get Mike, I'll never know). Luckily, I pulled up just a few minutes later. Connor met me out at the car and said, "Mom! Cohen has been crying for like 10 hours...AND I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! I'm going to Jaxon's house! I need a SERIOUS break!"

I busted up laughing! I can't tell you how many times I've said the exact same thing to Mike when he's walked in the front door...well, except the part about going to Jaxon's house! Jaxon might think it was a little bizarre for Connor's mom to show up on his doorstep for a "serious break". --Lindsay

10 Years Ago

The other day, Mike & I realized that it was 10 years ago this month (January 1999) that we first saw each other. It's a pretty amusing story, so I figured I would tell you all about it. This picture is actually the first picture that was taken of Mike & I. It wasn't taken in January 1999 though, it was taken in April 2000 (the day I graduated from BYU). Why don't we have any other pictures of us during the first year that we knew each other, you ask? Well, we pretty much HATED each other that year. Let me explain...

I saw Mike for the first time at church. It was the new semester and he had just moved into Sparks II Townhomes, where I lived. He walked into Sunday School, looking all snazzy in his cute little suit & I just remember thinking how good looking he was. He sat down & started looking around the room. I thought he was checking out all the girls, to see what his prospects were...and I was bound & determined to be one of those prospects. I was actually dating someone at the time (Mike Lovell, for those of you who were there...he was sitting right next to me in fact) & I had a missionary out, but I could have cared less at that moment! His eyes were still scanning the room & as his gaze came to me, I TOTALLY made eyes at him...just to let him know I was interested. I would love to say that his eyes lit up & it was love at first sight...but, unfortunately...no. He looked at me for about half a second & then moved on to looking around at everyone else. The following is a recount of the thoughts that went through my mind, "Did he just blow me off?!? Oh my gosh! He TOTALLY BLEW ME OFF!!! WHAT A PUNK!!! Who does he think he is? He's good looking, but he's not like 'Ricky Martin good looking' or anything (again, remember, it was 1999...Ricky Martin was totally hot back then)." I decided then and there that I would NEVER give "that guy" a chance.

Later that night, my boyfriend at the time (who was the Elders Quorum President) went around to meet all the new guys in the ward & introduce himself. After he was done, he came over to my apartment & told me, jokingly, that I wasn't allowed to go over to Apartment 36. When I asked "why", he told me that there were too many good looking new guys in that apartment; therefore, I just needed to stay away. Well, when I found out "he" (meaning Mike) lived there, I told my boyfriend he had nothing to worry about.

After that, I didn't talk to or look at Mike for almost a year! In my mind, he was a punk who thought he was too good for me, so there was no way in you-know-where, that I was going to give him the time of day & make his ego even bigger than it already was! If I ever had to pass him on the sidewalk, I would act like I was looking in my bag for something or I would pretend that I was really into the conversation I was having with the person I was walking with. I would do ANYTHING before I looked at him. Mike, in turn, thought I was totally stuck up & did the same to me in return.

Eventually (as in almost a year later), Mike moved to another apartment in the complex & we were forced together in a Family Home Evening group. After a few weeks, I realized he wasn't an egotistical punk; he realized I wasn't a stuck up diva & we became great friends...and, eventually, started dating. (That's a story for another day!) When we started dating, I asked Mike about the first time we saw each other in Sunday School. He remembered it as crystal clear as I did. He told me that he had seen me right as he walked in the room & automatically thought I was really cute, but...at the time, he had a girlfriend that he had left up at Ricks (where he had transferred from). So, he had taken a half-second look at me & moved on. A few months later, Mike & his girlfriend ended up breaking up. At that point, he thought about asking me out, but then decided not to because I was acting like I wanted nothing to do with him. Pretty dang funny, eh?

So, Mike & I always tell everyone that when we met, it was love/hate at first sight. It's not exactly fairy tale material, but I wouldn't change any of it for the world! I love Mike to bits & pieces and I'm so glad we ended up together (eventually...after a LONG misunderstanding). Pretty hard to believe that was 10 years ago! In some ways, it seems like it was yesterday & in other ways, it seems like it was a million years ago! Love ya Mike! --Lindsay

Our New (Old) House

As many of you know, the Storrs family has been living in a construction zone for the past 6 months. Basically, every room in our house has been torn up at some point. If you don't live close to us (and haven't been able to experience the craziness in person), here's what we've been up to...

About a year & a half ago, when Mike & I were thinking about having a baby (Cohen), we played with the idea of selling our house & building a new one. As soon as we started talking about it, both of us immediately did NOT feel good about moving. We felt like (and still feel like) this is where we need to be right now for whatever reason. So, we decided that instead of building a new house, we would just finish the basement & remodel some of the upstairs to make our old house feel like a new one. Mike said he could do most the work himself to keep costs down...but he says that about everything! Silly man! I can't tell you how many times I have seen something I wanted to buy, only to have him say, "I could make that for 5 dollars!" Can't a girl just BUY something every once in awhile?

Anyway, fast forward a few months to last winter...my sister's husband was working as the manager of a tile store in Salt Lake, but had decided that he wanted to move on to something else. We decided that we might as well buy some tile for the basement (even though we wouldn't need it for awhile) while he was working there because he could get us such a good deal. So, we went and picked out some beautiful tile. Greg ended up getting us SUCH a good deal that we decided to tile the upstairs kitchen, entry & bathrooms too (to replace the pergo & vinyl we originally put in) so that everything would match!! We also decided (and this is my favorite part) to HEAT the tile too. I love tile, but I HATE how cold it can be in the winter. I swear I am cold blooded...my toes are always freezing...so the thought of warm tile sounded like a fabulous idea to me! Anyway, a huge "Thank You" goes out to Greg for getting us such a great deal!!

When the tile & everything came in a few weeks later, Mike got to work. First, he decided to tear apart the boys' bathroom & start there. This is what it looked like for several weeks... (Yes, the toilet really IS in the bathtub)

Mike had never done tile work before, but he paid a guy to come teach him how to do it & then he took off on his own after that. (Have I mentioned that I LOVE having a handy...and hot...husband?) Anyway, here's the finished product...

Mike did a great job & he picked up the art of tile work very quickly...although there WERE a few mishaps along the way...

After the boys bathroom was finished, Mike decided to tackle the entryway & then our master bathroom. Here's a picture of the master bath before it was grouted...

And then, he got up the courage to tackle the kitchen...which was quite the feat because it was so much bigger than the other rooms he had done previously. Here's a picture of it halfway done. I took it so you could see the heating element. It's those little silver cords that you see running from left to right across the picture...

Everything ended up looking great when it was done! It ended up looking so good, that it made our original carpet look like CRAP next to it! Mike got the "let's re-carpet the house bug". The original plan was to re-carpet the house at the same time we put carpet in the basement, so that it could all match. But, Mike convinced me that it could be YEARS before it was time to carpet the basement & that we couldn't live with our crappy carpet sitting next to our beautiful tile for that long. He DID have a good point... So, yes, we ended up re-carpeting the upstairs (and bought all the carpet for the basement too, so that it can all match someday...it's now out in the garage...where my car is supposed to be...oh well).

There is a guy who lives in our neighborhood that owns his own carpet business. Mike told him we were interested in re-carpeting & he told us he could get us a good deal....and he wasn't kidding! We picked out the carpet that we liked & he ordered it. Then, we actually went to another carpet store to see how much a similar carpet was selling for there. It was $45 per square yard!!! We got it for less than HALF that much! Holy cow!!! I love paying half price! Yes, we're cheap & we know it...and LOVE it! So, here's a big thank you & plug for James Carmon! If you need carpet, he's your man!

Anyway, so this past week, the carpet came in & our life has been complete craziness since! We (and by "we", I mean Mike) had to move all the furniture from one side of the house to the other side & into the kitchen area. This is what it looked like...

The old carpet was ripped up...

And then, the pad was laid (James was able to get us the memory foad pad for just a little bit more than a regular pad! It's delicious!!!)...

And, then the carpet was laid...

After that side of the house was done, we (again, meaning Mike) had to move everything from the bedrooms (including the furniture that had previously been moved in there the day before) back to the other side...

Including our beds...so we had a campout in the family room one night...

Here's the finished product in our master bedroom. I wish there was a way to take a picture of carpet & have it actually look the way it does in person...

It's the prettiest carpet! It's a warm brownish-gold color. The strands are different widths...some are fat/others are skinny, so it has a textured-look to it. And, it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO thick & soft. Here's a picture of it in my little sitting room. I think this is a better picture of it...

And, here's a picture of the carpet up next to the tile...

Again, the pics don't do it justice...wish they did, but they don't! The color isn't as warm as it is in person. I am sooooooooo in love with my new (old) house right now...and my wonderful husband too (Mike made me put that in)! --Lindsay

Bye Bye 2008; Hello 2009

Well, 2008 has come to an end! We ended the year with a party with some of our good friends. The Michaelsons, Bangerters & Skinners came over to our house last night for a little get-together to ring in the new year. It was quite the "boy party"...since there were 12 little boys & only 1 little girl there!

We started out the night with a little dinner of finger foods (party meatballs, lil' smokies, chili conqueso, chips & salsa, a fun holiday drink, etc.).

After dinner, the kids played some Wii & attempted to watch a movie (for about 10 minutes) while the parents played games. Eventually, the parents took over the Wii & tried our hands at Guitar Hero. The kids decided to be our "groupies" and made their own mosh pit in front of the TV...

At this point, people started trickling out. Two of the Michaelson's kids were asleep so they decided to head home. The Bangerters had another party they needed to make an appearance at, so they took off too. After that, we hung out with the Skinners (continuing the Guitar Hero party) until about 11:45...at that point, they took off because 2 of their kids were asleep.

So, we rung in the New Year with just the 5 of us in our little family. Yes, even Cohen woke up for the momentous occasion! Here's our attempt at a family self-portrait...

2008 was a great year for our family! We are all feeling very blessed right now! My sister, Kristin, did a cute little thing on her blog a few days ago...she did a Top 8 of '08 list. I thought it was a really cute idea, so I've decided to copy her & do one of our own. Here they are...

8) Our trip to Moab...

Back in October, my parents, sister & brother-in-law, & our family were able to go down to Moab for a few days. The boys went biking in the morning, while the girls went swimming & shopping with the kids. Each afternoon, we went hiking in Arches National Park. It was a fun little getaway!

7) Working on the basement...

We started working on the basement over a year ago, but because of MBA school & a VERY long "honey do list", Mike didn't have much time to work on it until the last month. It is now fully framed, the heating is done, & the electrical is about halfway done. I love having a handy husband! Hopefully, next year at this time, it will be done. That's our goal at least.

6) Connor starting kindergarten & Aiden starting "joy school"...

Connor FINALLY got to start kindergarten this year & was super excited about it. He is doing great! Aiden, who missed the school deadline by 6 days, started going to a "joyschool-type" preschool two days a week. He loves it & is learning a lot!

5) Our trip to Disneyworld in Orlando...

Back in May, our family was able to go to WDW in Florida for a week. We had a blast! We were able to stay on Disney property at the Pop Century Resort & got to eat at least one meal a day with some of our favorite Disney characters! We loved all the parks, but decided that the Magic Kingdom was still our favorite. It was seriously one of our favorite vacations ever!

4) Kristin & Dan getting married...

By baby sister, Kristin, got married to Dan Walker on May 8th in the Bountiful Temple. It was such a beautiful day & a beautiful wedding. I am so glad that Kristin found Dan...he is such a great guy & they are perfect for each other!

3) Mike graduates with his MBA...

At the beginning of May, Mike graduated from the University of Utah with his Masters of Business Administration. It was such a happy day...more so for me than for him because it meant I didn't have to be a single parent anymore! Mike worked his little tail off for 2 years to get that degree & it was awesome to see him walk across the stage & get his diploma!

2) Paying off Mike's MBA school. This probably isn't the 2nd most exciting thing that happened this year, but it went with #3, so I figured it would make more sense if I wrote about it afterwards.

And now, the #1 thing that happened to us in 2008...drum roll please (as if you don't already know what it is)...

1) Cohen was born on July 26th...

After a night of cheeseburgers & bowling (which I'm sure had something to do with his early arrival), Cohen Richard Storrs was born 4 weeks early on Saturday, July 26th at 9:48 am. Cohen has been such a fun addition to our family! We love, love, love him...and he was DEFINITELY the best thing to happen to us during 2008!

So, that's my year-end recap! As you can see, we've had a great year & are feeling very blessed right now! We hope 2008 has been a great year for all of you as well! Here's to 2009 being even better! --Lindsay