Moments to Love

These are moments I love.. Walking up stairs and finding my two sweethearts asleep on our bed! I could sit and watch this forever..

This Holiday Vacation has given us lots of time to spend with daddy and little Max is eating it up!
Max is Golfing Every Day and He loves it and So I love it...
mmmkay so maybe I get a little jealous... Cuz to play a round of golf takes like 5 hours...

But he loves it so im happy for him! Then we get to play with him all the rest of the day!
Well sometimes we go with him! Little Max loves the golf cart. He is like a little puppy sticking his head out into the wind! Its fun! But hopefully this week we will get lots of photos and ill have lots to blog about!

Until then...
Happy Blogging

Love, Amy and the Maxes

Unexpected happenings

So apparently....

I'm a bad Blogger!
Haha and after many comments outside the blogging world about it, I have decided as one of my new years resolutions... ill be better. I promise!

First off I would like to Introduce my newest little Nephew! Came about a month early... some say its the curse of my mom planning baby shower type events... whatever it is, he was ready to be here and we could'nt be happier!

Driggs Allen LeBaron

He is so sweet! And apparently a great sleeper... Megan has great sleepers... im jealous!
But very happy for her :)

So we had a little luncheon planned for her and the sisters and moms and had some yummy soup and rolls. It is so fun to see people at get togethers.. and so nice to have some time to have Adult conversations besides the usual baby talking I do most of my days now(well except for when Max gets home.).. but lets be honest, what husband wants their wife to go on and on about nothing? Not mine.. so yeah its nice!!



Another unexpected but not so happy happening... was that ONE hour after this photo was taken... the house looked like....(scroll down)


This....

The entire top story is gone besides the shell and what wasnt ruined from the fire... was ruined from the water and Smoke Damage!

This was the place Max and I called home for the first 6 months of our marriage! Well in the apartment above the garage!

How sad huh! They had lived there for oh I think a little over 25 years and had just remodeled and from personal experience let me tell you...

It was the cutest home inside you had ever seen!!

I would just dream about my house looking the way this one did! Debbie has such cute style and taste and such a unique eye for antiques and colors..
It breaks my heart. But who am I to talk. I dont even live there! Well all things are taken care of now... and they are figuring most things out. Monty and Debbie are being positive and looking it as an excuse to just fix all the little things they would have changed if they could!
Well I know Christmas just passed, but I will do a separate post about that when I get a little more free time...

I guess Writing in my Journal and being a good blogger cant both happen... and I am more faithful to my journal. But thats how it should be right? Anyway! Love you all! Talk to you later!

Love, Amy and The Max's

Happy Birthday Homeowners!!

Time Flies When your having fun!! It has been one year now Since we bought and moved into our lovely home!! Yay for us and the house!
It has been such a fun year with so many happy times, so I thought I would do a
quick run through!
Here are some fun pictures of the past year of our lives!

Masterpiece... Yummy lookin huh... it was..

My First Sewing project since my craft area was set up... I re-purposed one of my old shirts and made him one!
Visiting grammy's class!


Let the good times roll...

I have a dream...

Oh how Max and I want to go back and visit Portugal. 

I want to meet the people he taught, see he places he lived, eat the food he ate, and walk the streets he walked! I want to be in the place that built within my husband all the love and knowledge he has of the church. 

Someday... a girl can dream right? Who knows... maybe much later in life we will be sent as a couple to serve? Wouldn't that be amazing!

If I had to choose one of the best things my Dad ever gave me, it would be sharing with us his kids his love for the country he served in and showing us just what that meant to be 100% in the service of others and the amazing feeling that overcomes you.

To serve a mission... now that would take hard work and sacrifice. Unconditional Love, and a steadfast testimony. I can't imagine 2 years! 2YEARS! The first time I went to Peru, we were there for 2 Weeks, and I was still sobbing at the end!  I remember Immediately arriving home and getting a big bucket to place out in the family room that had the writing "Amy's Peru Fund, accepting donations :)". I wanted to be back there RIGHT THEN! 

Taking us down to Peru on humanitarian trips was no "Vacation" as they say.

My parents could have used the money to take us anywhere else, Disneyland, Mexico, California... any hot spot vacation... but instead they took us to the middle of the Swampy, bug infested, no ice, always super hott with like 98% humidity, nobody speaking English, not a car in sight, no t.v. no heated water, only carbonated water, most awesome, amazing , humble, grateful, and fun place I have ever been.  They gave us one of the greatest gifts a parent can give, a lesson and shared love for service. Something I never will forget.

And the memory I will keep always with me, after building the k-12 school bathrooms for the school for the first time ever, the school threw a thank you ceremony for us involving cultural dancing, food, speeches and thank you's.  After all was said and done the people of this little town were allowed to come and thank us and give us hugs, and I 

 will never forget... this little girl about 7 or 8 came to me with open arms, greeted me with a kiss on each cheek and in barely understandable English with a tear in her Eye said "Thank you" and then she handed me two things... a scrunchie hair tie, and an old beat up worn out stuffed animal with a pull string that no longer worked. I tried to give them back to her and she refused. She was so sincere. I had never seen that look in someoned eyes. I had never been a part of something that impacted someone so completely. With another hug and a goodbye she walked away. I cant even explain the feelings I had, This little girl who had NOTHING, was giving me all she had. I was completely stunned. Why cant I do that? Why cant I give all I have! I have a long way to go in life and many lessons to learn. No way am I even close, but I hope to always keep that little girl in my heart and remember to give whenever I can and pass it along to my children. 

Someday I hope we can have the same experiences with our kids. There is so much love in service. You cant help but feel it anytime you help someone. Who even needs to go far away? There is enough tradgedy going on right here! 

 Max and I will make it over to Portugal! Hope its sooner than later, but either will be fine.

"Blessed are they who can Give without Remembering, and Receive without Forgetting"

Reflection for a great reunion!

Sooo... excited for this weekend. Why? you ask..

because for the first time since my wedding my entire family, brothers sisters nieces and nephews and parents will all be gathering at our cabin this weekend! And I am so excited! It will be so fun watching Ryder and Donna play and Max and Lily interact! To tell you the truth I miss the most my brothers and little Brooke bein away!

I remember all growing up I wanted to do everything with my brothers! I wanted to follow them, do the same things the were doing, I always tied to act like the "cool" little sister so they would let me hang around when their came over...even as far as to go to the gym with them every morning at 4:00 am on school days and let Milo feed me Protein Shakes (Yuck...)
They were always such great examples to me and still are! I can remember countless nights where Marc and I would sit up and talk about our Dilemmas he had become my best friend and im not sure he ever even knew it! When they all (even Marc) ended up moving to Provo for school and then went on missions I wondered if it would ever be the same again I was so sad. Then I graduated and Bam... I promise I was up there about every other week for the first few months! And I was right... It all had changed.
But it was in a good way! I was an Adult and they treated me like one! Ha kinda embarrassing but I still felt like that little girl who just wanted to be around my cool older brothers.

My favorite was when Marc came back from his mission. Megan was still around when he got home and they obviously started hittin it off right away.
It was so awesome... Just like old times. Marc would come in my room everynight and wake me up just to tell me what an amazing girl he found and all the great qualities she had... and I remember the big night when he said "I am going to ask her to Marry me, any Ideas? It has to be way different and Crazy... I want to surprise her" It was the saddest thing, because as much as I loved Megan I was so scared I was losing my best friend. Who would I talk to about my decisions. The things I couldnt talk to anyone else about. (About what I was going to do when Max came home). Well it all worked out as you can see.
Because I married my Best friends Best Friend.
Every moment with all my brothers made me want to be a better person, to treat others better.

Life Lessons From my Brothers:

It doesnt matter who they are or what they look like,they are a person. And every person deserves a Smile

Treat everyone the same, always have a good time and in every conversation laugh atleast once

Movie nights are boring, go do something Crazy

Be who you are and not who others want you to be. Even if you were 500lbs, If your confident, everyone will love to be around you!

Anytime somebody starts to talk about someone, say something nice about the person and then make a joke and laugh. Even if its Dumb.

Girls that have good posture are 1,000 times better looking than those that Slouch.

Dress Modestly, how you dress portrays the type of person you are. Most guys motto - "If I can see it... I can touch it" So cover up every inch of that skin.

I love my brothers and am so grateful for the friendships I have made with them! I cant wait to see them this weekend and give them and their wives and kids big hugs! I cant believe we have kids now... where has time gone!
I Love my older brothers
I love all the years and I look forward to more!

The Shabby Apple Competition!

Disclaimer- I'm not and Artist ... so put in your chic goggles here for a minute while I explain what i'm thinking...

What do you think? This is my Entry for the Shabby Apple Dress Competition!
I hope I win!! Because I would love to own this dress! Because its about time someone made a modest dress for Long Torso'd people like myself and others I know! Right? I want to make it in a lightweight breezy fabric like Rayon with Cotton and It will be forgiving And only hug the good places and be forgiving in the rest... With cute 3/4 rolled sleeves and a perfectly embellished addition of buttons, a slightly popped collar for statement(optional) Who wouldn't want this dress? Do you follow my thinking? Ha I have this image in my head... Does anyone else see it?

Inspired flapper... but I want it in a Cream or White or sp=ome spring color that makes ou think.... gosh that girl looks comfortable in that dress... and I want it Chic! Dolled up with some Pearls! Oh How I love Pearls...

Anyway besides me doing this contest... all you LDS girls out there in need of modest-wear... go check them out... You wont regret it... if nothing else... its just a little Eye candy Oh and they have Maternity!!!

The Shabby Apple

Quick catch up..!

So I guess I should say what our family has been up to! Sorry I have been terrible at updating lately!!

So here it goes!

As of late... Max and I took that trip to thatcher with family which was a fun little get-a-way!

Max got together with some old friends and played a little football! I think guys miss highschool football more than they are willing to admit! Its so fun to see them get all excited and competitive again... Brings back memories!

I am LOVING being a mom! Max got his first tooth today! I knew right away... today when he bit me instead of just some slobber... mommy got a little razor! But who cares! My boy gots teeth! We danced around the family room for the next five minutes...

Oh what excites a mom! Good thing he wont remember how wierd we are with him now... Ha that is if we mature at all over the years! Too many fun moments.

And last but not least... every moment my little man closes his eyes... I take off to my craft room to take on my next crafters challenge! I watch for them everywhere and just cant get enough of how any things there are in the world to create! But I make too much stuff... Hence, - My 2nd love after my Family - Pepperblossom Decor!

I never knew I had such a passion for creating! I always loved scrapbooking and being surrounded by such a crafty family (new amazing projects almost every month, and an overload of them every family reunion) I couldnt help but become one of the Crafters!

So our next Open House is this Saturday (Sept 26th) and I am super excited because its the Holidays! I live for the Holidays!! I promise you If I was allowed to be carried away  with the decorations... you wouldnt see a baron wall in my house (tastefully done anyway)... but I have promised my husband I will not take after my loving mother who has a mini-storage deticated to her decorations... But hey I have a feeling this year I may get my hands on some!! (Love you Mom!) Anyway we have like 15 vendors this boutique and through october we will have around 30 different coming to participate a la mi Casa! Its so fun! So party at my house every weekend in October!

Anyway! We are living a blissful life! Trials come and go but they make all the good times even Better! Hope its not so long till my next entry! Ciao.

Royalty in the family...

So what started in just a fun activity for a girl and some roomates turned out to be completely sureal and possibly.. life changing! 

Last weekend after the boutique of course :), all us

 Germaine's loaded in the car and headed on over to Thatcher Az. Home of not alot of people and not very known valleywide except those that have heard of Eastern Arizona University or have roots there. We headed off to go support Lynsee in he quest to become Miss Graham County and recieve a scholarship. Mostly she was doing it because it

 was going to be a neat expreience and heck.. why n

ot! But what was totally unexpected is that when me got there... this pageant stuff was the REAL DEAL! I always wondered where the Miss America girls started from! Well this is it!

 So after a fun night of cheering and watching some amazing girls share their passion for life Lynsee Germaine was crowned Miss Graham County! Amazing huh! All of us going thinking we know she could win.. but there are probably girls who are ALL ABOUT THE PAGEANTS who are going to be there... but that was no competition for her!

My Highlight of the evening was her answer to her misc question:

"Lynsee, if you could ask Pres. Obama one question, what would it be?"

Without even thinking twice Lynsee responded with...

"I would ask him,'What in the World are you thinking about health care!!!'" If you didnt know.. my father'n'law is a family physician. We have strong feelings on this subject!

Needless to mention the crown went nuts! Oh how I loved it! 

Then Sunday morning before takin off She and her roommates made us breakfast Yummy it was! And we got a family picture in front of Pres. Kimballs Hous

e! What a fun weekend! It is so amazing to be able to be so blessed to be able to just take off and go somewhere with all the family and have a good time. Alot of families dont ever have the opportunity to do that and I am truly grateful! Love you all! Hope all is well!

Searching for our new AMIGO!

I know its a little early.... BUT... im just too excited! Here's the plan! - 

Max and I decided in J-January it will be time to add a new friend to our CASA and our familia! And we know just who it will be... well sorta!!....

Isn't he so cute!  Have any of you seen the goodie flick Turner and HOOCH? It has been one of Max's desires for years to be the owner of a Dogue de Bordeaux AKA French Mastiff! They are such sweet dogs and are so adorable! I'm ecstatic! Hope to find you soon little Amigo! 

cOUsINS Are fUN!

Brad Ash, and Ryder boy came to visit! So we tried to snap a few shots...
anyone who has tried to take pictures with many infants knows how hard it is... so here is one of the best... no smiles, but atleast everyone is looking!! Sad new little Lily couldnt be here!

Not Ed!!

Jillian! Ridiculous!!! Ed?! Either of the two other guys would have been better! Ahh No!  I loved Kiptyn! 

For the love...

All grown up!

Isnt it insane how all of the sudden were old enough to have kids! How amazing and fun that now our kids get to be friends!! Where has time gone? 

Its Utah!

There were two problems, big ones...

1. I missed Milo and Mandee

2. Little max and their little girl Lily had not met yet!

So I set out to fix these! Us Minus max.. who couldn't take work of..

sad we would miss him.

Originally the plan was

 for max and I to drive to my mom's hop in the car with tanner and james (dropping them of at EFY), My beautiful sister Brooke (checking out BYU campus before going up in the fall), and my dear mother who was willing to make the drive with a baby who hates his car seat and I. Hey what are grandma's for... 

I swear it is impossible for a grandparent to ever say know when it comes to spending time with a grandkid! We would stop through Vegas to visit Brad, Ash and Ryder in their new little place just to split the trip to two days, and because Ryder is so freakin cute you can not resist the opportunity to see him!

Anyway, that was the plan... then after being stuck in traffic on our way home from heber on fourth of July weekend... WOW... sO NOT dRIvING!!

So we purchased a flight and I was so nervous!! I did not want to be one of those moms that has a screaming baby the whole flight, but then I guess in my defence, you cant fly to or from Utah without expecting kids onboard am I right? 

The morning of , I was so nervous. Lets just say its a whole different way of traveling! Elevators to get everywhere and then at the gate if baby makes one little peep, people look at you like "hey you better be able to control that kid", give me a break! He is five months old!

The moment came, bottle in hand we started to take of...

He did so perfect! Did some flirting with the little girl next to us, then about 20 Min into the flight, he fell asleep and slept not only through flight and landing, but ALL THE WAY TO PROVO! It was so nice! Ah what a relief!

Mandee and Lily picked us up and it was so fun seeing her! She is beautiful! So much hair and so much personality! At a month and a half younger we had to watch max around her... she is petite like her mom... so he would clobber her! 

Anyway the trip was so fun! We went shopping, went to the pool, and did alot of the fun things girls just HAVE to do on trips! Im sure Mandee was exhausted, as any mom would be from being out of routine for a week! But they were so nice to let us come and we love them and their sweet little girl so much! Next time we see them is November... so much will change by then with these kids! Its insane how fast it goes but slow at the same time! 

The Cherry on top of the whole trip was  My max surpising us and waiting at  the baggage claim to come get us! I cried I was so surprised and excited to see him! My bestfriend that I missed that whole week! And seeing him miss his little boy, is just the most touching thing ever! Nobody got to hold him all night, Daddy had dibs and wasnt givin him up for anything!

I love my family and am so blessed to be surrounded by such love! So excited for ETERNITY! Its going to be the best!