Winter 2016 and Spring 2017 (oh yeah, and a new baby on the way!)

There is a phrase in journalism "burying the lede" (frequently and understandably misspelled "lead"), which refers to starting a news story with nonessential details and then eventually reporting on something far more important. Kind of like, "Today in the news, the Salt Lake Cubs win the Wasatch Little League Championship. Stay tuned to hear about how Miami, New York, and LA are currently underwater."

That's pretty much what this blog post is going to be. You get to hear all about the mundane details of my life (replete with 10,000 photos because iPhones) followed by my single biggest announcement of 2017 -- which was already announced on Facebook months ago so calm yourself.

My reasoning? Well a lot's happened since my last post in October. And while this is far from a complete record of our family, I've taken some really cute pictures since October, which will get lost in the ether if I don't post them here. So off we go.

FAMILY PHOTOS!!! Yay! Once a year, we do family photos courtesy of the Wasatch Presbyterian Family Photo Fundraiser. I think it was worth moving to Utah just for $50 family photo sessions. As our family grows, getting a good shot of everyone is increasingly difficult. Another fun evolution is that I've all but stopped caring what I look like so long as the kids are cute. Let's be real. That's who everyone looks at in these photos anyway, right?

Winner! Christmas card! 

Last year we got a lot of flack for leaving Stan out of the family photo. He proved his worth this year by being a perfectly photogenic dog. 

Mom, Dad, son, daughter, dog. #Americandream

In case you couldn't tell by the spectacular leaves above, those photos were in October. My dad actually said looking at one picture, "Are those real?" Yes, Californians, that is what we call "Fall" in many other parts of the country. November and December were a predictable whirl of Thanksgiving and Christmas. We did our annual Thanksgiving football game and dinner at Heather's. Christmas in California. New Years with a small group of friends back in Salt Lake City. We voted for President in November and lost bigly.

Harper's portable recliner.

Aidan as Antonio in Much Ado about Nothing

Future blackmail photo

Voting day. We were so happy and optimistic. 

Thanksgiving football in the snow. 

Our annual game included a chicken this year. 

Gobble 'til you wobble. 

Harper's first Thanksgiving food coma.  

She recovered. 

Tiina and Aidan making a snowman.

And gingerbread houses. Tiina couldn't believe those come pre-cut and packaged in America. Cheaters. 

 At Brother's Junior Jazz basketball game

Oliver! with Aidan at Pioneer Memorial Theater

Temple Square at Christmas

Milo came to visit! 

Brighter than the tree.

Dinner with my three lifelong besties in Marina del Rey

Christmas in California 

Siblings

Food! 

Those boots tho!

Huntington Beach Pier

Christmas lights with the cousins

Robert, Bob, and Aidan Robert

Harper keeping a wary eye on this creepy little girl.

Dad found the almond in the rice pudding -- a Finnish Christmas tradition.

New Year's back in Salt Lake

Auntie! 

Ringing in our 7th new year together

After all the fun and festivities of the holiday season, January brought the saddest of goodbyes. After a year of amazing memories and experiences, our beloved first au pair Tiina went home to Finland to be with her family and boyfriend Milo. It was awful to lose someone who played such an important role in Harper's first year and someone we all came to love as part of the family. Tiina and I hit the town for her last weekend in the U.S. (I got to be the old person at the club) followed by a party the next night with some of her American friends and family. When we finally said goodbye for real, Harper and I shed a thousand tears and vowed never to love again.

Ready for a night out on the town.

Our first stop of the night. 

Last stop of the night. We went four other places in between where I fought off no less than twenty guys hitting on Tiina. Her beauty and intoxicating Finnish accent are apparently catnip for American males. 

Goodbye party and photo booth fun. #aupairlife

Harper thinking that Auntie's crazy.

Princess Stan

Finland and France in the house.

One of Harper and Tiina's last days together at suicide rock.

Ugly tears the day Tiina left

Harper felt it too.

But here's the funny thing about life. You love, you loose, you hurt, and you do let yourself love again. Shortly after Tiina left, our second au pair, Desiree, arrived from Switzerland (I did have to go back to work after all). I had spoken to Desiree several times since she agreed to join our family, but as soon as she stepped off the plane and gave us her megawatt smile, I knew we had scored with another amazing au pair. Desiree is great with kids, kind, independent, and hilariously funny. Like Tiina, she has become part of the family and been an amazing addition to our lives. Which means in six months to eighteen months when Desi leaves, I get to feel excruciating pain all over again.

It is funny the ways a second au pair feels like a second boyfriend. When Desiree first got here, I was worried about posting too many pictures on Facebook because I didn't want to make Tiina feel sad or jealous. I tried to watch how much I spoke about Tiina to Desiree because I didn't want her to think I was comparing or that I was still hung up on our first au pair. It's ridiculous and complicated because humans are ridiculous and complicated creatures. As I hoped would happen, I've found I have plenty of room in my heart for two fabulous au pairs. I even think in some ways God found a way of matching us with the just right person for both years of Harper's life. I have never met anyone more calming than Tiina who I think had the capacity for countless hours of baby snuggling, singing, and nurturing. Desiree, who is super creative and fun, has exposed Harper to a myriad of toddler activities like arts and crafts, baking, and outdoor play. Simply put, they are both amazing au pairs that we adore, and we are so, so lucky to have them both in our lives.

At the airport waiting to meet Desi.

I always have the cutest au pairs! 

Celebrating Desi's mom's birthday remotely.

Go Jazz! 

So crafty. 

And organized!

One of Harper and Desi's projects that is now hanging in my office. 

And another.

At Little Gym.

Let me hold your phone! 

Matching leggings from Aunt Heather. I die. 

Desi with all her charges.

Super sweet sign I came home to one day. *swoon*

Desi with her host grandma and grandpa in Huntington Beach.

I've taken some other cute photos since October as well, shared here for posterity.

Aidan at his annual Patriotic Program.

My dad, grandpa, and great-grandpa were all featured in the military slideshow.

Getting ready for Easter church.

My dream come true.

Mermaids and Warlocks party at Lenore's, January 2017

See, even though I've become a non-blogging recluse, I still have friends. 

Warming up her feet after playing in the snow. 

Heather got us matching leggings too. :) 

Natalie had twins!!! 

Aidan on his way to JA Biztown.

His role was as the CEO of Chik-Fil-A.

Apparently he kept running around saying, "At this rate, we aren't even going to break even!"

Too good-looking for his own good. Someone muss his hair up, please. 

At Discovery Gateway, the Salt Lake Children's Museum

With her boyfriend, Sawyer.

Pink Prom 2017

And the very next night at the AIDS Oscar Gala. Also, incidentally, the day I found out...to be continued.

Harper with her neighborhood friend.

BOB came to visit! Yes! His first unaccompanied minor trip in February. 

Hitting the slopes with the boys.

Need for speed at K1 Speedway.

Sad goodbye. Come back soon, Bob!

Aidan in the KidStage production of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Soda." 

And Julie came to visit! It makes me so happy when my loved ones love Utah!! 

Harper on staycation at the Westgate Hotel in Park City.

First haircut! 

Morning walk in Millcreek Canyon.

Aidan "crossing the bridge" from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.

Morning walk at Sugar House Park.

With KJ's adorable new baby, Emerson, in LA. 

Harper and Curren in the church nursery.

We love Papa!!

First dentist appointment, 18 months.

Trombone recital at Dilworth.

New potty!

Sand Hollow Family Camp, May 2017

Starbucks with mom.

One of my all-time favorite pictures. 

Law Prom w/ Chelsie, June 2017.

Double photobomb.

And with my actual date, Robert. 

Annual UGurt on the first day of summer camp.

Aidan asleep on Stan.

At Dani and Marisa's wedding

Happy day for the Salt Lake Lawyers! 

Baking yogurt cake, June 2017

Oh yeah, and I'm pregnant. :) Baby #3 is due November 3rd, but will likely be here a week or so early since we have a c-section scheduled for October 27th.

Pee stick at 4 weeks pregnant, February 25, 2017

Ultrasound at 11 weeks, April 13th

Facebook announcement, April 19th. Spoiler alert: It's a boy!!! 

My next post, which will hopefully be before this baby is born, will give a lot more details about this pregnancy, which has been pretty standard and thus overshadowed by the daily demands of work and raising two kids.

Thanks for joining me on this eight month trip down memory lane!