Wolf Girls...and Dad

Why do I love Twilight? Same reason I like junk food. It's good, it's addictive, and it's fun to enjoy with other people. Nothing wrong with a little junk food every now and then. Moderation in all things right?

While I was in Utah last week I indulged in a little New Moon brain candy with my mom, two of my sisters and our friend Kristen. We all wore Wolf Girl shirts, even my mom because she's awesome like that.

Somehow my Dad ended up joining our girls night out. He made some excuse about how he never sees Mom and something about date nights and blah blah blah... We all know he's big time team Jacob. Just own it Dad. Own it.

We got to the theater an hour early so we could have the perfect seats. It was actually great that Dad was there because then he could take pictures for us. And since I am me, I made him take a lot of pictures. I guess everyone was making weirdo faces in the other ones though so here's one with everyone normal (except for me, but I was pretty excited that night I guess this one works.)

So I have to say, I totally loved the movie. I thought it was TONS better than the first one, and I loved that one too. So yeah, I was pretty happy. Acting, script, makeup, all of it was better. Yes there were some laugh out loud cheesy moments (flash forward of Bella and Edward the bohemian vampires running through the forest, hilarious!) But I thought the Wolves were awesome and the Volturi were exactly how I imagined them. The Facepunch movie scene was SO funny and the Edward, Jacob, Bella love triangle was well played. Great movie, great night, and everyone had fun (especially my Dad : )

Happy Birthday Papa Rigg!

It's no wonder I have such an amazing husband, he comes from some pretty amazing parents. Today is Taber's Dad's 79th birthday and I just wanted to wish him a happy birthday and list some of the reasons why I love him.

1) We share a love an affection for Mama Rigg's fudge. She must make him a batch of it every week because he always has a tupperware full of it in the car and in the fridge. I like it as much as he does and once I ate his supply dangerously low. Now I think he tells Mama Rigg to make extra when I'm around : )

2) He eats adventurous foods like frog legs. When we lived in Tennessee he would order them every time.

3) He loves his grandchildren. I'll never forget his reaction when we told him we were pregnant with Teya. He stood up, clapped his hands and got all teary eyed. It really touched me to see how happy he was. He now has 26 grandchildren but he still regularly hints to me that he'd like some more ; )
4) He is no stranger to the outdoors and can gut a fish faster than anyone I know. He also drives a mean tractor ride.


5) He is one of the most generous people I know. He gives and gives and never expects anything in return. It seems like one of the things that makes him the happiest is to be able to give to other people.

6) He's a good father to Taber and taught him some very important things like to always do the dishes after dinner.
7) I've never seen him go to bed without his regular bowl of ice cream. When he comes in town to visit if the freezer isn't stocked with his particular favorite (Dreyer's vanilla) then you better believe there will be a midnight run to make sure he gets it! We really are two of a kind. : )

8) He has always made me feel like a part of the family since the day I first met him.

9) He is a multi-talented Renaissance man who can claim the titles of legendary river runner, doctor, surgeon, pilot, poet, father, grandfather, and great grandfather.

10) He supports us in everything we do. When we were in Living Legends he would fly out from Alaska for all our shows. When we were moving to Tennessee he came out and helped us drive across the country. No matter where we live he makes an effort to visit. We are so blessed to have him as a part of our lives and I hope he has a very very happy birthday!

BIG EXCITING NEWS!!

A week and a half ago when Taber and I flew out to Boston, it wasn't entirely a birthday surprise. We found out last minute that he was actually being considered as a top candidate for an HR manager position at a General Mills plant in Methuen Massachusetts. We flew out to make sure it would be a good fit for Taber and our family. The visit went very well and he was offered the job, which means we'll be moving to New England in just 7 weeks!!
Boston is over 1400 miles away from where we live in Minnesota. It's going to be a long and snowy ride in the middle of January!

Taber will be at a Yoplait plant where they make Gogurts, Parfaits, Yoplait lights and a few other things. It's always fun to tell the girls that Daddy's going to work to make some Gogurts!

We're excited for this promotion and for the opportunity to live in a part of the country that is new to us.While we were there we were able to find a great house in a beautiful neighborhood in Nashua, New Hampshire. We will have plenty of room for visitors so if you've been wanting to get out so Boston, now you have an excuse!!

Friday Foto: Decisions decisions....

This picture is a flashback to 2005 when Taber was applying to MBA schools. He had been accepted to Notre Dame so we flew out there to check out the campus. Here he is standing in front of the famous Grotto

We loved the campus and decided that's where we wanted to go. We told everyone, they even published it in the school newspaper where I worked, "Mrs. Rigg moving to South Bend!"

But the BYU option kept coming back to us. We'd already been there for undergrad and it just didn't sound that exciting or adventurous to go back. But he was accepted there and they offered him a scholarship, hard to turn down. I finally agreed to fly out to Utah and check out the program with him. We went on a great tour and at the end it just felt so right. Looking back I can see why that was the best option. I ended up getting pregnant and don't know what I would've done without my family nearby to help with the baby after I had to go back to work. My sister also got cancer and I was so glad we were in Utah and close by to help out and support her through that. So many wonderful experiences came from choosing to go to BYU. It's funny how clear it is looking at it all in hindsight, but I remember at the time how agonizing making that decision was. Thank goodness for prayer and the spirit to comfort us when we're stepping out into the unknown.

More Organization Info

A Couple people mentioned they were interested in hearing more about getting organized after my organization post. So here is a link to Camie's blog. She's the gal who taught the class and she posted a great handout with all the fabulous tips! CAMIE'S ORGANIZATION HANDOUT.
Enjoy!

Beautiful, Historical, Delectable, Boston.

When Taber and I were setting up our Boston agenda
there was one major priority on my list: Food.
As a true foodie, I judge the awesomeness of a vacation by how good the food is.
With that in mind, I will say, Boston was A-MAZE-ING!
(aka: delicious ; )

Before we left I asked some of my friends who had been to Boston
where the best places were to eat.
Several people mentioned the Italian restaurants in the North end.
Two specifically mentioned Giacomo's. So of course, we had to go.
I will now add my recommendation to that of others,
if you go to Boston, eat at Giacomo's.
It's worth the long wait in the street.
And the butternut squash ravioli is divine.

After we hit Giacomo's we were told by pretty much everyone that we HAD to get dessert at Mike's Pastry, which was just down the street. That place also had a huge line but Holy Cannoli!! It was WORTH it!!

Here is my prize from the pastry shop. A chocolate chip cannoli. Light flaky pastry shell filled with sweet ricotta cheese and sprinkled with chocolate chips. Mmmmmm......

Okay, I'll take a break from the food for a minute to talk about some other trip highlights. While we were there Taber got us tickets to see Topol, the original actor who played Tevia in the Fiddler on the Roof at the Boston Opera House. He was reprising his role in a farewell tour traveling across the country. It was so amazing watching this legend on stage. Even in his 70's the guy hasn't lost any of his magic. His comic timing and incredible voice were unbelievable. It was such a great performance and so worth the hour we spent driving around lost and confused in the maddening streets of Boston to find the Opera house. (we actually ended up just parking somewhere and hailing a cab to take us there, that's how lost we were)

Some cool pics of the Opera house at the top of this collage. On the bottom, me with one of the actors during the intermission and me in front of the Marquee sign.

And now, back to the food. So the one thing I REALLY wanted to eat on this trip was a Boston cream pie, IN BOSTON! My friend Joanne had this picture of a Boston cream pie on her blog from when she went there, and ever since I saw it I knew I wouldn't be the same until I had that pie. I emailed her and she told me where to get it. I had my hopes set high, but our schedule got crazy and by the time we were able to go, the restaurant was closed. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I'm a glass is half full kind of girl, so we found another restaurant that only serves dessert and is open super late and there I ordered a fancy little version of their Boston Cream pie. It wasn't the traditional kind, but it still danced on my taste buds and I left feeling full and happy.

Another highlight was driving out to Salem, MA where the witch trials were held. It was a cool city with lots of history and it was nice to be able to walk along the beautiful harbor. The first two days we were there it rained a lot but we finally got some nice weather and were able to spend some time outside.

We found a little light house and got kind of camera happy. Here are just a few of the pics we took. Then we went to a cute little restaurant by the dock and ate clam chowder and fish and chips. It felt very New England-y : )

The whole weekend was a lot of fun. Taber had business for part of it but we were also able to do some fun things, see some great sights, and of course, eat some amazing food : )

And I also have to give a shout out to my wonderful mother who came out on such short notice to watch the girls. Not only did she keep them fed, clothed, and thoroughly entertained, she also went the extra mile and took them to church, (25 minute drive) wrestled them both through sacrament meeting by herself, and then chased Brinley through the halls for the last 2 hours so Teya could enjoy nursery. There really aren't words for how much I love that woman. I'm so glad the girls got to be with her while we were gone.

Feeling the Love

I don't think I could've asked for a better birthday this year. So many people went out of their way to make me feel special, and believe me, I was feeling it!

The birthday love started last week when my dear friend Kara threw me a surprise party during playgroup. She made a delicious ham and asparagus quiche, chocolate chip pancake muffins, and the most DIVINE chocolate peanut butter cake ever to grace my taste buds.

I can't imagine how much time it took her to do all that cooking and have it ready by 10 in the morning! She really is an angel.

me and the girls at my playgroup party

On my actual Birthday another dear friend, Maria, offered to watch the girls all morning so I could go to the temple. It was one of the most thoughtful and sweet gifts I've ever been given. Going to the temple on my birthday was so refreshing and such a wonderful way to start my day with love in my heart and a greater perspective on life.

While I was gone Maria helped the girls decorate the house with balloons and homemade signs. They also baked me a birthday cake and Teya got to decorate it. When I came home the girls were jumping around yelling "SURPRISE!" and "CHEESE!" (because that's what Brinley shouts when she's smiling : )

Teya holding her beautiful cake creation

After Maria left, Brinley went down for a nap and Teya continued spoiling me with sweetness. She kept saying things like, "Happy birfday mommy, I'm so happy it's your birfday. Thank you so much for this birfday, it really makes me happy." She kept petting my hair and giving me hugs, then she offered to give me a birthday pedicure and manicure. Like my cake, it was done with so much love and affection; even if it was a little rough in spots, the gesture was so sweet I will never forget it!

That afternoon I received a fabulous candy bar bouquet from my Sister Naomi and her husband Kevin who live in Chicago. Obviously they know me pretty well, flowers are nice, but chocolate...now that's what I'm talking about!!

When Taber got home we got ready to go out on our couple birthday date. That's my "I'm really excited and hyper and hungry" face.

He took me to Benihanas. The food was amazing and our chef was hilarious! So entertaining and fun.

Waiting for our table

Our awesome chef making the onion tower

Getting creative with the fried rice

When we got home, even though I was stuffed silly, Taber had MORE birthday cake and presents! I'll admit, I had a "feeling old" moment when I saw that my cake said "Happy Birthday Mom" and not "Becca". Then I realized what a compliment that was because being a mom is awesome, and 29 really isn't old. : )

We had cake and opened presents with the girls. Taber, being the thoughtful guy that he is, even wrapped up some little presents for Brinley and Teya which made Teya's whole night.

He also surprised me with a book. I was sure it was a cookbook because that's what I asked for. But when I opened it though this is what I found: Guide to Finishing Your First Triathlon. Um yeah, I don't think I EVER said I wanted to do that. I guess this is my payback for getting Taber a Guide to Finishing your First Marathon Book back in April for his birthday. This should be interesting...

My other fun surprise is a trip to Boston. Last week Taber found out he had to go there for a business trip so he decided to take me along. We called my mom with only a week's notice and asked if she would fly out to watch the girls. Even though she works full time, she managed to pull some strings and flew in yesterday. We spent the day together playing with the girls, getting pedicures, and of course, eating lots of yummy food. Taber and I are taking off today and are excited to see a little bit of New England. Thanks to everyone for all the kind birthday wishes, I am without a doubt, feeling the love.

Happy Birthday Becca!

Today is Becca's birthday and so in honor of this momentous day I thought I would take over her blog for a minute and share a few of the many things that I love about Becca. Happy birthday love!

10 things I love about Becca
1. I love the way you love our girls. I love how you have so many holey jeans because of all the time you spend on your knees playing with our girls.
2. I love your eyes. You have the most beautiful eyes in the world. Your eyes are stunning to look at, but you also have the gift of using your eyes to see the good in everything and everyone you meet.
3. I love your sweet tooth. How lucky am I to have our home filled with sweet moments so often.
4. I love that you have a heart of a teacher. You are so good at encouraging others to reach their best. There's no way I could have got into grad school or made it out with a good job without that encouragement.
5. I love that you are fearless. You are not afraid to take on any challenge. Whether it’s deciding that you are going to run a marathon or not even flinching to rescue a rat that has fallen into a window well.
6. I love your voice. Your voice warms the entire room when you sing. Even if we are just singing a simple primary song to the girls it sounds like we have a music star in our midst.
7. I love your sense of humor. You have the gift of making people laugh and it's a lot of fun being able to laugh often.
8. I love how you are close to the Spirit. In every major decision we have made you have always been so close to the Spirit. Even in everyday happenings you always make a point to bring the Spirit into our home.
9. I love how you are so passionate about music. I love how if a song is playing with a solid beat I know you will be moving to the music. I love that when we run together I always know when a Beyonce or Justin Timberlake song is playing on your iPod because you suddenly turn our steady pace into a sprint.
10. And most of all I love that you are my wife and best friend! Happy Birthday!

Teya's first cavity

Today I took Teya in to have her cavity filled. I'll admit, I was nervous. I didn't let her know it, but my stomach was in knots imagining how she would react to the whole experience. I spent the week before talking excitedly about how "FUN" it would be to get her "silver star!" (aka cavity filling.) I talked it up like it was the best thing that was ever gonna happen to her.

She bought the whole thing and was jumping up and down for joy to be at the dentists this morning. I on the other hand was not. I was feeling sick for telling her that it was going to be so great. I just knew something was going to go wrong, she'd see the needle and flip out, the drill would scare her, the laughing gas would make her sick, something was going to happen and she would never forgive me for telling her it was fun.

I kept my cool when they took us back and Teya was still all smiles and happiness when they put the laughing gas on her.

Then they pulled out the giant needle. The Dr. Suess cartoon does not exaggerate! THAT IS SERIOULSY HOW BIG IT IS!! My whole body tensed and I braced myself for her reaction. I was sure she would start screaming and thrashing around in the chair. My heartbeat accelarted and I watched in slow motion as they stuck that monster in her mouth.

Her little legs went stiff but the nurse quickly grabbed her hand and the dentist starting telling her a joke. The next sound that came out of her mouth wasn't a scream, it was a laugh! She was laughing with a giant needle in her mouth. The nurse talked about how silly it was that they were putting sleepy juice on her tooth. The dentist said, "boy I hope your teeth don't snore when they sleep!" Everyone was laughing, Teya loudest of all. I started to relax and realized I had been nervous for no reason. These people are professionals, they do this all the time, of course they know how to make it as easy and painless as possible.

The rest of the process went as smooth as could be. Mr bumpy came in and cleaned out her tooth. Mr thirsty straw helped suck out the water and tooth crumbs and then the dentist filled her tooth with her beautiful "silver star" that was as sparkly as Teya had hoped it would be.

Teya left the dentist office with some bling in her mouth, a prize in her hand, and a smile on her face. Hopefully we won't have anymore cavities, but at least if we do, I can honestly tell her that getting them filled will be "Fun!"