Goodberg/Wood Tribute ;)

When I first started working in LA, I was so nervous. While my previous jobs had its total share of drama and craziness, I worked with some really really wonderful people who became super friends. I mean, it's rare to have co-workers who take you out for a mormon-friendly and completely benign but still A-maz-ing bachelorette party. Not to mention a bridal shower at work. Not to mention listening as I planned every detail of my wedding. At work. (oops.) Ohhh WRG, I still miss and love you guys!

Well, it wasn't long after beginning work at my new job here that I felt amazing people coming my way again! Emily and David, along with Michelle and Jamie, invited us over for dinner just a few months after starting work. It was a fabulous evening, full of fun conversation and lots of laughter. But even after that night, I had no idea the impact these people would have on my life.

I have said before that my pregnancy was hard. Like, really really hard. Physically. Emotionally. And going to work day after day was not my favorite thing to do. But Emily and Michelle, they made each day better, and not only listened to my woes day after endless day, but also were there as an unbelievable support system through it all. We walked at lunchtime, and then didn't walk at lunchtime(no early babies!). We got treats and we didn't get treats (no GD!). We took stairs and we took the elevator, and they helped put together an amazing baby shower at the office, too! They were there at the hospital after Ryan was born, and brought a beautiful care basket for me after we got home. They have been angels in so many ways, keeping in contact with me even after I quit my job, extending warm friendship when I really felt a void in the adult-social(aka work) life. Oh, I just am sitting here crying as I struggle to express how much these two women have meant to me. They, along with their spouses, have become amazing Aunties/Uncles, or Godparents, or Buddha-Mama/Papa's, or whatever you want to call them, to Baby Ryan. He loves them. We love them. We are so grateful for them.

Anyway...the point being...several months ago (now...oops, this post has been a draft for awhile!) Two very significant things happened.

1. Michelle & Jamie Moved to England

2. David and Emily got Married!


The first one I can't really talk about. It makes me cry. Still. Four months later. But I'm SO happy for them because they're both in school finishing some well deserved degrees and they get to live by the sea and they look SO happy! So I'm really really really glad that Miche and Jamie get to fill their dreams and soar together and I'm glad that I get to watch from a distance. And then when we have crises (is that plural for crisis) in England they come to our rescue, and then when we move to England someday then they'll show us around! (Wishful thinking!)

We love you Michelle and Jamie!

Next, I'm SO happy for Em and David and their nuptials! Em was a BEAUTIFUL bride. And I mean BEAUTIFUL. In all her pictures she glowed. And David looked so bright, too. I was pretty devastated that I didn't get to go to their wedding (loooong story...) but they let us make it up to them by taking them to a fancy dinner in downtown LA!

Congratulations, Goodbergs! Oh, and David has a book coming out soon that I'm so excited to read! It's not every day you're bffs with a published author and his wife!

And as a side note, Emily and I had a post-wedding baking night that was SO fun! Emily is famous for her marshmallows, so we had a 'mallow themed baking night. I made some S'more cookie bars, and Emily made a Fall Pumpkin Caramel Spiced Marshmallow pie bar with Gingerbread crust. DE-Licious!

Little Pals

This is Ryan's friend Jack. They are the funniest little friends!


Ryan learned how to say "Ja[ck]" about a month ago, and whenever he hears Jack or whenever we go outside, he yells "Ja! Ja!" over and over, looking for him. Last week he spotted Jack in church, and let the whole audience know that he saw Jack (for about 5 minutes!). Jack loves to snort back and grin in return, it's adorable. They're good little pals.

Our little Pun'kin!

Our Saturday "to do" list was short this week--I wanted to get Ryan to a Pumpkin Patch!


He was ready and waiting!!!

And then he saw the pumpkins!

So we got ready to go in and explore!

And it really was a world of pumpkins!

Ryan liked the little one the best. He couldn't carry around the big ones as easily...

And he thought they were so tasty!

Did I ever tell you how difficult it is to get a descent picture of this adventurous kid?

Or that it gets tiring sometimes trying to keep up with him?

But he is so cute it's worth it!





Ryan's buddy Jack came to join us at the pumpkin patch.

They chilled out among the pumpkins for a bit.

And then we attempted family photos...

I think we were going for modern art...

We just need to photoshop a few different faces in, and then we're good to go.

What a fun day at the Patch!

I need a haircut, I really need a haircut.

After seeing this scraggly boy, I realized I could not wait another month until his first birthday to do something about his hair! So...since it's his 11 month birthday today, I figured we'd celebrate with a haircut!



He looks great!



Speaking of which...I REALLY need a haircut, did you see those scruffy bangs? Maybe we'll do something about that between conference sessions on Saturday :)

Lately...

...oops, was that MY smoothie?

...I clean up so nice! Thanks for the shirt and tie, Grandma Price!
...and I got new shoes!

...and I look just like my dad!
I'm also a computer genius like Dada.

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I got excited last week about learning how to decorate a cake so I could make Ryan's for his birthday...and while the cake tasted all right...it was a disaster to look at! (Elizabeth....I will be contacting you for hire shortly!)
Angie sent me this awesome recipe, and it was delicious! Nothing like "almost too much chocolate" (if that's possible!)

Forest Lawn

...Please forgive my randomly strung together thoughts on this post--there is so much I want to get out, and tying it all together isn't really working tonight, so bear with me!

A View of the Old North Church from the Mosaic
(look at that beautiful grass!)

3 Facts leading to this post's significance:
--Those who knew me in high school and college might remember my love for Cemeteries. I would go there to read my scriptures, write in my journal, or just think. The Plano cemetery was my favorite--a beautiful peaceful view and lots of memories surrounding those buried there. Sugar City cemetery is also a favorite, and of course the Twin Falls cemetery. I was thinking about those cemeteries just the other day, remembering how I really grew a lot in my testimony on those grounds.
--Lately I really have been missing the monuments in DC. A great place to go and reflect, to think about important things, or just to BE somewhere beautiful with friends and loved ones.
--Ryan loves grass.

Forest Lawn is the name of the cemetery chain around Hollywood. On Labor Day, Seth and I kind of randomly happened to end up there (meaning, we had other plans that fell through and we were driving around there anyway, and Seth has wanted to go for awhile anyway, so we decided it was a great time to go!). I was SO glad. It was beautiful!

We parked by the "Birth of Liberty" mosaic, which, according to Wikipedia: "At 162 feet (49 m) long and 28 feet (8.5 m) high, Birth of Liberty is the largest historical mosaic in the United States. It is composed of ten million pieces of Venetian glass and depicts twenty-five scenes from early America, from 1619-1787." It is beautiful!

We walked around for awhile, and then let Ryan down in the grass in front of the mosaic. (a non-cemetery portion of grass!) It was so fun to let him crawl around and for Seth and I to talk about politics and other important matters in this little quiet peaceful place. A wonderful respite from the City. And the smog. And people. It reminded me of DC monuments mixed with old cemetery visits. And, after some research, I realized why I liked it so much: According to Wikipedia(again):

The first Forest Lawn, in Glendale, was founded in 1906 by businessmen who hired Dr. Hubert Eaton, a firm believer in a joyous life after death, who was convinced that most cemeteries were "unsightly, depressing stone yards," and pledged to create one that would reflect his optimistic beliefs, "as unlike other cemeteries as sunshine is unlike darkness." He envisioned Forest Lawn to be "a great park devoid of misshapen monuments and other signs of earthly death, but filled with towering trees, sweeping lawns, splashing fountains, beautiful statuary, and... memorial architecture"

This is my kind of cemetery! If it weren't in L.A., I would insist upon being buried here (probably in plots by Walt Disney, because, hey, that'd be cool.) (Oh, wait, i just looked and he was cremated...so maybe I wouldn't be "next to him" per se).

So, um, here it is, people:
Ryan Loved Crawling up the steps! Practice makes perfect, and not broken heads, right?

My version of the "Panorama"

A closer view...
...and even closer! (can you believe the detail that goes into this!?!? I could never be an artist!)

Grandparents, Grass, and Swings...

...are all of Ryan's favorite things in Utah.

Oh, what a wonderful trip! I made a quick trip up to Utah to visit Mom and Dad, and to have reprieve of my 4 mile radius of my life (I can only get as far away as I can run back, unless kindly neighbors take pity on me!)

It was a joyous trip. Days spent busily doing errands and fun, nights spent recovering and chatting. I love Mom and Dad's back porch swing, their cozy home, their yummy food, and their willingness to help me out! It's always comfortable, going home. It's even better having adult companions during the day to laugh at all the fun Baby Ryan makes!

Ryan's highlights of the trip:

--GRASS. Oh boy, this kid loves being let loose on green, lush, non-dog-poo'd, thick grass! (of course he'd also love to be let loose on the trampled thin LA grass, but since it gives me a panic-germ-attack we try to avoid that!)


--PLAYING! Resting before his ballgame with Grandma...


...And, Play Ball!!!
ohhhh, more grass!!!
--MORE PLAYING! Playing in the bucket I used to play in when I was his size. This brought back such memories! I think I tried to squeeze in when I was 6.
--Blowing Bubbles on the grass with Grandma:
--SWINGING and swinging with Grandpa:
--LEAVES . Ryan likes us to pick a leaf for him and then he'll hold it as long as we'll let him!Don't worry, Mom knows me well and offered to clean off the swing before Ryan sat in it!
Oh, I just love this little man.
This is a random sidenote, but have you ever seen a leaf bug? (i'm sure that's their technical name). I was looking for a leaf for Ryan to play with, and didn't have my glasses on, so i almost walked over and picked it up! I'm sure glad I didn't, it was scary enough for me to just see it!

On Tuesday, Angie and Pat and the kiddies came up to lunch! It was so fun to see and catch up with Ang, and fun to have Ryan interact with her kids! Thanks for coming up so I could see you!Aren't they adorable??

Had a quick chance to meet some friends pretty close to Mom and Dad's house on Thursday. It's been too long, and it was so fun to see you guys!

Also got to have brunch with this fine lady, Amy Harper! It's been 7 years since we saw each other, and so much has happened in that time. Namely, I think we grew into a friendship--one that I really really like. Something good should be said about reading blogs and staying up via social networking sites. It might be years before we see people, but it is so fun/easy to catch up and come together--and maybe the insight of reading someone's blog allows us to see how we've all changed, grown, and expanded our knowledge about life, people, and love. I have so much respect for Amy--her hopefulness and positive outlook on life is contagious! And...baby Ryan LOVED her!

I also got to surprise Cara right before I left, thanks to her hubby Brandon. They were headed to Lehi for the weekend, and Brandon arranged for me to meet Cara at the Gateway! It was so fun to see her, to catch up and just talk and shop for a bit. As always, time is too limited, but it's the "moments" that I'll treasure! That rendezvous was followed by a fun drive to see Donker and her family. We enjoyed cupcakes and each other, it's always so fun to see Ryan with other kiddos, they were so nice to him! (And I forgot to take pictures of both of these, sorry!)

Before I knew it, back to the big city. I wish I would have had more time and had the chance to meet up with SO many more people, it's always a difficult thing to be time-limited in a place where everyone is gathered--I would have loved to see all the people I LOVE!

I have to express a HUGE thanks to Mom and Dad for such a GREAT trip. It was SO fun to stay with them, so fun to share my baby boy with them. I am SO grateful for their help, it was a respite I desperately needed and am so grateful for. I love you Parents, thank you so so so much!

Walking Baby!

As soon as we got back from Utah, Ryan really got into walking. He also got into carrying around his shoebox...everywhere he goes. He even tries to hold it behind his back when I'm about to put him down for his nap...like he thinks he'll get away with that!!!

Ryan The Giraffe

Grandma and Grandpa Johnson sent Ryan this Giraffe dress up costume yesterday, and I tried it on him this morning. I could not stop laughing long enough to cut off the tags or make a descent non-laughing video, but it's worth it to post so you all can laugh, too!! Ohhhh, baby Ryan, you make us so happy.

I don't like pretty in pink...

or 16 candles (gasp!)


Seth and I were filling out our Netflix queue, and after veto-ing several of his movie choices, I realized that I categorically don't really like any movies from the 70s or 80s. I have been trying to think the few that I might like, and here's what I've come up with.


--Time Flyer
--Parent Trap 3, Hawiian Honeymoon
--Parent Trap 3
--Annie
--Rocky IV (Actually, I don't think I've seen the whole thing...but I like that part in the mountains...and I just secretly think that if I don't put it on the list that someone will defriend me on facebook or something for it)

I've been trying to figure out why, and I have a few theories.

1-I like when people look pretty in the movies. Specifically, pretty hair. 70s and 80s hair? Not so much.

2-I have absolutely no clue about cultural references from the 70s and 80s. I barely have the 21st century, and that's only because Seth clues me in.

3-Please see #1 & #2.

...Am I alone in my dislike?

Also, as a side-note, I may or may not watch "Secret Life of the American Teenager" sometimes (cough, every episode) and someone told me that "Molly Ringwald" was the mom on it...and I thought they were referring to "Molly Weasley", Ron's mom on Harry Potter, because I somehow thought Ron's last name was Ringwald. (isn't there a Ringwald somewhere in Harry Potter?) ps Molly Weasley doesn't look very much like Molly Ringwald and I was really confused.

...so maybe I'm not the best judge of movies, or TV shows for that matter. I will not be posting my DVR schedule anytime soon!