:: Levi's 1st Birthday ::

We had such a nice party to celebrate your big day. Grandmama & Grandpapa, Uncle Tim's family, Uncle Tom's family, Uncle Greg's family, Uncle Jeff's family, the Wrights, and Aunt Meg all came over for dinner. We had a yummy feast in your honor...only the best for our son! You loved being the center of attention and were so cute!!! I want you to know that you are LOVED...you have so many people that adore you and will always be there for you. You are such a special little guy and have a great Spirit about you! I love that you are so loving, and the way you cuddle into people when they hold you. You give lots of kisses freely and make a "maaa" sound while doing it that melts hearts. I love it when you walk up to me and hold my legs while looking up at me and reach both hands out to me...knowing I will pick you up. You are such a good little eater, willing to eat just about anything...and mommy really needed that- so thank you! Levi, you are very mischievous and that's okay. You always want to get into everything, especially the stuff you know you are not supposed to (like the game cupboard, under the kitchen sink, the remote control, the toilet bowl brush/toilet paper/anything that has to do with the toilet, the big potted plant, etc...) You are walking like a pro these days, although you still have that cute baby wobble and still crawl from time to time. You can already go up the stairs all by yourself. My favorite thing to do during the day is chase you around the couch, playing peek-a-boo around the corner and catching you off guard...we laugh and roll around on the floor (I think it is your favorite activity too)! You are not as visual as your big brother (you don't love books and TV), you are more hands on. You like playing with toys, coloring, games, dancing, getting tickled, play dough, discovering, playing, but mostly just being in your mommy's arms. You love Tate and are such good buddies. You two love to follow each other around and play so well together, and I am sure that bond will only grow stronger with time! You are just starting to say little words here and there (like tank-u) and we can tell you understand pretty much everything we say...you are just getting so big too fast. You are the baby of our family and we all love and adore you!

Happy Birthday Boo-Bah!!!

No time for a nap on your big day, luckily this little snack held you over until bedtime.

Look how big you have gotten in just one year!

(Now I am going to cry...promise me you will always be my sweet boy.)

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY LEVI!

You knew this party was just for you and clapped & bopped along as we sang to you.

We LOVE our family and were so happy everyone could come to celebrate Levi Lou's birthday with us!

Mommy LOVES you more than words can say! You are such a joy and sweet boy...I just can't get enough of my mamma's boy. =)

Tate LOVES you sooooooooooo much!!!

Mommy made you a delicious coconut lemon curd cake from scratch and you gobbled it up. =)

You have a sweet tooth...just like your momma!

You stayed pretty clean for your first dessert.

You loved all your presents...and all that attention too!

Daddy LOVES his beautiful boy and had so much fun helping you open all your presents.

Aunt Hilary made you this very special book with pictures of all the Weeks' family members in it, she wanted you to have a very thoughtful gift because you are named after Uncle Tim and have a special place in their family's heart.

You really are such a loving little guy, always giving lots of kisses and cuddles.

:: sinfully good soup ::

Baked Potato Soup (yeilds 10 cups)

from the kitchen of Diana Bonilla

4 large baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 green onions, chopped and divided
12 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, and divided
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream

Wash potatoes and prick several times with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until done. Let cool. Peel potatoes and cut in bite-size pieces.

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; add all-purpose flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add 6 cups milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.

Add potatoes, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons green onions, 1/2 cup bacon, and 1 cup cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated; stir in sour cream. Add extra milk, if necessary, for desired thickness.
Serve with remaining onion, bacon, and cheese.

*Tips:
If you’re in a hurry, you can peel and dice the potatoes and boil them until they’re done. Drain before adding to soup. I also add a little more cheese and sour cream than it calls for.
You can also use a cup or two of half and half or cream to make it really creamy. ENJOY!!!

:: a stage in a boy's life ::

Tate is in the dinosaur stage right now. We visit our local dinosaur museum regularly and we can't pass it in the car without Tate pointing them out. We love to just go and play in the gift shop for an hour to pass some time. Tate loves to play make believe, and while he is usually a tiger, the back-up would be...you guessed it-a dinosaur! This dinosaur costume turned new favorite toy was well worth the $25.00 we purchased it for. Tate can't get enough of it! He uses "baby dinosaur" for dress-up, sleeps with him, and loves to play with him during the day.

:: A very Happy Halloween indeed! ::

We had a fabulous Halloween at Tim & Hilary house, along with Grandmama and Grandpapa this year. Delicious soup and scones were served for dinner...perfect for a cold fall evening! Tate loved his "baby dinosaur" outfit that daddy rushed to the store just hours before to buy (I had planned on recycling his cute monkey costume but could not convince him to put it on) and Levi was squeezably cute as a little bear. My favorite part of the night was handing out candy on the porch with Levi, Hilary, Kenzie, and Grandmama. We always have plenty of laughs and good conversation for those couple of hours. Andy had a blast with Tate and the rest of the gang going trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Another perfect Holiday I am sad to be over!

:: potty time ::

Picture taken right after T's first successful "dropping off of the kids at the pool" (he is excitedly telling daddy all about it on the phone.)

Okay, so it wasn't THAT bad!

In fact...it was pretty smooth sailing teaching Tate how to use the "big boy potty." Tate and I spent the better part of the first week in the bathroom, having quality potty time together. I don't think we left the house at all for that week, let alone the bathroom. It was fun teaching Tate all about using the potty and that gas (which Tate calls "grass" while waving his hand in the air to show that it is just that) is not one of them. I love that he calls his business "yellow" or "BIG poops!" And yes, the automatic flushing toilets do cause a big scare. After two weeks of continual trips to the bathroom, positive reinforcement, little chocolate chips, and running around the house naked he is officially potty trained. =)

What a good little boy I have!!!

:: artists ::

I think Tate is quite the artist (must be the Browne side of the family)!


I've been meaning to cut their hair for months now...but look at that little face!

Lou coloring his very first picture/eating his first crayon.

kissable fingers...

& toes.

:: The BEST Caesar Salad ::

Creamy Caesar Salad

6 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup mayonnaise
5 anchovy fillets, minced (tastes great without these too!)
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups day-old bread, cubed

1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

*Read the entire instructions below before beginning (I didn't the first time I made this and really messed up!)

Mince 3 cloves of garlic, and combine in a small bowl with mayonnaise, anchovies, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cut the remaining 3 cloves of garlic into quarters, and add to hot oil. Cook and stir until brown, and then remove garlic from pan. Add bread cubes to the hot oil. Cook, turning frequently, until lightly browned. Remove bread cubes from oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place lettuce in a large bowl. Toss with dressing, remaining Parmesan cheese, and seasoned bread cubes. ENJOY!!!

:: XoOxXOooXxxOX ::

We had the most amazing sky here in Lehi...breathtakingly beautiful!!! It had been raining off and on and the combination of the clouds, colors, lighting, and mountains made for a scene right out of the movies. On our drive to Costco for some shopping and a slice of pizza, I pointed it out to Tater. He loved it too!!! He held his toy tractor on his lap and pointed out something to me- all the other tractors by the church under construction near our home. He was very excited about the close resemblance to his toy and that they were also "orange." And then out of no where moments later Tater peeped out from the backseat something I love, and it went like this...

Tate: "I wanna talk to Jesus...Jesus in the sky"
me: "Okay, sweetie...just say a prayer and you can talk to him!"
Tate: "...and kisses too."
me: "awe."
Tate: "I give Jesus BIG hug!!!"
me: "Someday you will give Him a big hug, honey." =)
Tate: "okay."

me: "we love Jesus!"

Tate: "I love Jesus soooooooooo MUCH!"

:: you're the good things ::

...thanks to my Annie for capturing my sweeties!

:: i want that ::

:: adorable top from Anthropologie ::

:: plate or...

these vintage ABC Charts (actually anything) from one of my favorite online shops, Three Potato Four ::

:: Linda & Harriett 2010 Calender ::

:: Sheree's Running Play list ::

:: mypublisher...a good way to make photo albums ::

:: stylin' chore chart from Martha Stewart ::

:: acrylic drawer organizers from the container store ::

:: A Little Sussy's favorite polishes: strawberry margarita (toes) and spaghetti strap (fingernails) ::

:: Hang'em Awl ::

:: I have got to get my hands on these adorable/clever Bentos lunch boxes...they take packing lunches to a whole new level ::

:: this drink that can (hopefully still) be found at Costco ::