Three To The Six For The 36th

I love this picture...it epitomizes how the boys look up to their father.

The Potter clan in Moab a few years ago...we just like to dress alike

Jim and Noah at Stadium of Fire...just enjoying each others company

This was taken many year ago but it is one of my favorite.

I cannot believe that little Jimmy Potter, always the 'sour-cooper' from the olden days, the punker skater from the middle days, and now the law student to the right now days, is turning 36?! I can't believe that when we met, you were 23...I can't believe that when we got married, you had hair (I personally believe that most of it fell out due to your wife...dang that wife!)

Words are failing me right now as I try to describe the man that I have shared the last 12 years of my life with. I cannot find the right words to describe his love for his boys, his love for me, and his love for his family. I am searching for the right words to describe how he makes life so much better and yet I can't...I just can't put into words how much I love you.

Happy Birthday Mr. P, you are the single hardest person to shop for because any gift I give you will never show the appreciation that I have for you. You are the perfect husband, you make me and the boys better because you are in our lives. I love you green eyes. Happy Birthday

Thirty-Three...is it for ME?

Taken in December of 2007 Christmas Time...working on our annual Ginger Bread House
Valentine's Day a couple of years ago...
After a water fight with the kids


So there comes a time in your life when you finally decide to act your age...you start to dress age appropriate, you start to drive the dreaded family automobile, you may even pay off your student loans, buy a house...you know all the usual stuff that marks 'age appropriateness' Some accept these milestones with much gusto and graciousness...I am NOT one of them. I don't want to dress like I am 33...what the heck does a 33 year old even wear? I do drive a mini-van but every time I get behind the wheel of our family-grocery-go-getter, I imagine a Porsche (that may be the closest I get to driving a Porsche). I have paid off loans, but that just means it is time to either rack up more from your husband (check) or you (not so much check). We did buy a house, I must admit that one, but we live in the ghetto, not so much your typical dream home. Unless you are an illegal looking for cheap housing, in this case not so much. But even though the facebook quiz says I am 26, I am, and will be (for at least a year) 33.

I hate that I am getting older, I hate that I found a gray hair that was 2 inches long (what the hell?) and I hate that my body does not heal as quickly as it used too. But even though I am fighting it, I am what I am...I am a 33 year old woman who has the most amazing husband ever; I truly married my dream guy. I have three amazing, healthy and pretty handsome, if I say so myself, boys whom call me mom (and some other things that I cannot write on here). I have amazing friends that I love and adore, some three doors down some three states away. I have a wonderful family that I consider close friends and not just distant relatives. I am healthy, I am happy (when I am not PMSing) and I do love my life. It is full of stress, heart ache and tough times, but it is mine and I love it. I owe everything I have to Heavenly Father, I owe everything I am to my parents and I owe everything else to those whom I love. I am not perfect, I never have been nor will I ever be but here is to one more imperfect yet perfect year!

BTW I think what made this birthday so great is because Jim got me Golf Clubs, cute pink Golf Shoes and a great Pink Golf Glove to mark the anniversary of my birth.

The Zoo for Two

Here is the good lookin' bunch: Sammi, Spencer, Katie, Noah, Annie, Elijah

The first wedding couple, Annie and Elijah (acutally she kept saying to Elijah, 'stop touching me')

I just think Spencer loves putting his arm around cute girls...

Okay, this is the couple we really want, Noah and Katie (I kept telling them to get closer but they both of crushes on eachother so they were nervous)

Noah, Elijah, Katie, Sammi, Annie...aren't they all so cute!

My cute friend, Angie, called me this morning at 10:00 mind you, to see if I wanted to take my handsome boys to the zoo with her and her gorgeous girls...hmmm, wedding video opportunities, of course! I did have to admit to her that I was still in bed sleeping but luckily for me, the kids were dressed and ready to go so I threw on my lucky green Yankees hat and we left. There are some really cute pictures of her girls and my boys and like I said before...great pictures of an amazing wedding video HAHA!

Randomness of Nothingness

Noah being all noah-ee

Could I have asked for cuter boys?

Sour-face Spencer...he smiled right after I took the picture, figures!

I love this picture of Elijah...it tells you everything you need to know about him.

These are just some pictures I took today of the boys and thought they were cute...Actually Elijah kept saying "ya, Mom, put that one on the blog" so must oblige the 'lij'

Roamin' in the Hood

Enjoying a little ice cream and sun shiny or what I like to sugar and nice.

The is part of the bronze statues that are downtown Omaha...Noah is in the green...ya, it's that BIG

Spencer said "boobies"...I know, he is going to need a REALLY good psychologist, know one?

I thought this picture was so cute of Noah

Elijah standing by the first half.

The boys had today off and it was so beautiful outside that I thought that we would go roamin' about Omaha and take some pictures. We first went to the park to have a picnic and feed the ducks. Unfortunately when we sat down and I reached for my camera, I found that battery was dead, and I was too lazy to go get the other one out of the car. So I figured I better take the boys somewhere else and take more pictures and then I remembered this amazing bronze park in downtown Omaha that is a tribute to the Pioneers. I have told a few people about it (family that lives outside of Omaha and that will never venture here) so I thought I would bring the park to you...courtesy of some really cute boys! Oh and then we had to stop by Maggie Moo's for some ice cream...

Noah the St. Patrick

Oh goodness, is this really my child...wait, NO, this is Jim's child, JK...love ya Noah
The Gang Green...just not in the disease sense
Noah wearing his Celtics shirt with pride...does he NOT understand that the Celtics hale from the same city as the Red Socks?

These were just some pictures that Noah's teacher, Miss. Bacome, whom we all love and adore, took on St. Patty's day. I think the girl on Noah's right, our left for us direction illiterate, is one of his many admires but doesn't return the favor if you get what I mean!

5 Times the Years...2 Times the Trouble

Not sure which baby but again, know we love you!

Aunt Shelly and Noah admiring one of you...but we admire both of you

Mari's twins, Hadlie and Connor who are about 12 weeks older than Spencer, turned 5 March 15th! I can't believe they are 5...they have grown up so fast. We were bummed that we couldn't stay in UT a few more days and celebrate their big day but just know we were thinking about those two cute faces. I found these cute pictures of when they were still at the hospital and I am sad to say I can't remember which baby is which but just know that somebody in Nebraska loves you!

Nana and her Three Boys

I have been looking through old photo's trying to find some pictures of my niece and nephew, Hadlie and Connor, who turned 5 yesterday and I can't seem to find any...yet. However I found this one of Nana and the boys and I just had to put it up. Jolene and Dick came with us to St. George in September of 07 and we went on a little hike and took some great pictures...I have always loved this picture and now it just means so much more!

My Tribute To The Shopaholic

As many of you may know, Jim's mom, Jolene, passed away this past Monday due to complications from cancer. It has been heart wrenching to watch all of his family start the mourning process...as I know it too well. As I begin my own journey of loss, I feel compelled to write my own obituary for the women that I called Jolene, for the women my children called Nana, for the woman who Jim called Mom.

Mary Jolene Potter died Monday, March 9th due to complications from cancer. She was an amazing lady who loved to shop and those who knew her well, loved to shop with her. I will miss walking into Nordstrom and being greeted by those who knew Jolene well and hearing them ask questions regarding her beautiful grandchildren. I will miss going to movies with Jolene, ever the watcher hardly the critic. I loved going with her because the treat wasn't the ultimate nachos or the endless popcorn bucket or her zip-lock baggy filled with peanut MandM's and sour patch kids that she would get you...no, it was watching her transform into a giddy teenager when the movie was about to begin.

I will miss talking to her regarding the latest Hollywood gossip tidbits or the latest Gospel principle...she knew all of these tidbits and principles, the perfect picture of well rounded. I loved the way she smelled, I can still smell the light blue in the air and hope that it will never fade. I can still hear her voice...to many things rattle around my head but clearly and distinctly I can hear "Love you guys". I will miss her Sunday dinners, "how did she cook that..." is what we would always say as we jumped in our car to drive home after such fine feasts with the left overs in a missed-matched plastic container. I will miss seeing her always manicured toe nails, always in a fire engine red...to match her radiant personality.

I will miss seeing her tip her glasses on her nose, her head tilted down, her beautiful eyes pointed up to make her point or to let you know she was listening. Maybe that is what I will miss the most, the listening. I certainly had my share of ranting and raving and she we always listen, always the quiet listener that I needed. I will miss her excitement on getting ready for another vacation/trip/get away...her excitement of the prospect of some great adventure that awaited her. I will miss her voice; I will just miss her.

I am too young to have already buried a parent, Jim is too...we should be old and gray ourselves when we our parents find their final resting spots, not when we need them still...not when we still see so much life left in them. It is a constant why but with no answer. I love you Jolene, you were amazing, you have shaped and molded my life, I just wish I would have told you sooner.

Okay Feeling...G.U.I.L.T.Y

Ummm, Lexi, I think you still pull this face when your mom says NO

Katie and Eire, or as our friends used to call him, Arnie

Caden when he was just a lad.

I just posted a little blurp to my niece Alli for her birthday and I though I better post some words to my nieces and nephews that I forgot..."surprise, surprise, Aunt Ann and Uncle Jim forgot my birthday, well that never, NEVER happens"! Anyway here are some funny pictures of my nieces and nephews that have had birthday's so far this year...even though I know nobody in the Potter family reads my blog!

Alli the Woo

Alli and Nana - 2000

Ode to the days of sibling-birthday-sharing!

Okay, I realized today that my little Alli-woo who was 3 years old when Jim and I got married is turning 15 today! Yes that is one to the five to equal of 1-5. I can't believe she is that old...I swear I remember her going off to kindergarten like it was yesterday and she isn't even my child. However after a quick search, literally of about 30 seconds, I found some cute pictures of Alli and Lexi birthday sharing. Alli, we love you...even though you never read my blog!