Our Life – meet the butters

Lola’s 3rd Birthday Party

Published on July 3, 2021July 5, 2021 by JButtersLeave a comment

Young, Wild & THREE!

July is hot, so when looking for a place to hold Lola’s 3rd birthday party we wanted somewhere indoors with a park-like feel. After a lot of searching, we settled on one of her favorite places: the gym! It was the perfect place for a family birthday party. Mimi, Maman, Grandma, Grandpa, Jaron, Alex, Shani, Brian, Lincoln, Bentley, Dad, Mom and Bodhi all came to the jungle themed event. The birthday girl got to run around on the mats, climb ropes, ride her scooter, hit a piñata and even eat her requested pink cake! And even though she managed to fall and bust her mouth open, once Dad turned her favorite Purple Hat Song on and the bleeding stopped she was back to her normal shenanigans.

We love you, Lola Moon! Happy 3rd Birthday!

Bodhi’s 1st Birthday Party

Published on May 22, 2021July 5, 2021 by JButtersLeave a comment

Super Bodhi is ONE!

We celebrated the big birthday boy with a superhero-themed water day at Grandma & Grandpa’s house. Mimi, Maman, Aunt Taffy, Grandma, Grandpa, Jaron, Alex, Shani, Brian, Lincoln, Bentley, Dad, Mom and Lola all attended. The kids played in a sprinkler toy while the adults enjoyed the misters, although Bodhi wasn’t a fan of the sprinklers themselves. He warmed up to the idea eventually once he found the water toys. His favorite part, however, came later when he found out what cake is. He did not hesitate to dive right in!

We love you, Bodhi Bear! Happy 1st Birthday!

Letters to Lola

Published on August 29, 2018August 29, 2018 by JButtersLeave a comment

Shortly before Lola was due to arrive, Andrew and I each wrote a letter to our baby girl.

From Mama:

To my sweet Lola Bear,

This journey has already been so special. You are such a blessing to your father and I, and we know you’ll be one to the world as well.

While I think most mamas would be so excited to meet their babies, and I am, I also don’t want you to leave me just yet. I treasure being able to safeguard you from the outside world, and to know we have a special bond no one can take away. I am very happy with you still here inside of me.

What I wish for you is a life filled with love, adventure and impact. That you find your people, your pleasures and your passion. I know you’ll make such a deep impression on this world, because you already have on your parents. I hope that you always know you matter.

I love you to the moon and back, little one. Always and forever.

Mama Bear

From Daddy:

Dear sweet Lola,

I am anxiously awaiting your arrival. I have never felt more ready for something than I am to be your father. You are an absolute blessing to me for which I will always be thankful. I know you will overflow my heart with love and joy. I cannot wait to watch you, teach you, learn from you, care for you, guide you, help you, lift you up when you fall and be your confidante and friend when life hits hard. You are so loved already.

Love, Dad

Baby Sesame

Published on July 29, 2018August 20, 2018 by JButtersLeave a comment

On Father’s Day, June 18, 2017 we found out we were going to be parents. I had taken a pregnancy test a few days before and gotten a negative result, but I knew it was still early and I was convinced I was already having food aversions. I waited until Father’s Day to take the next one, secretly because I thought it would be cool to tell Andrew on such a special day.

And then there was the plus sign…

I think I had a mini heart attack. I was so shocked and excited I didn’t know what to do! I then made a card that said “Happy Father’s Day”, left it next to the pregnancy test on the bathroom sink and then found a way to get him upstairs. My heart was beating out of my chest.

I think it took a minute for him to process, and then he responded with some “is this real?” and “are you serious?” We had officially decided to start trying for Baby Butters once we both turned 25, and this was our first attempt.

We spent the rest of the day doing the typical Father’s Day activities including visiting my dad and grandpa. Luckily that meant lunch outside, because Andrew needed his sunglasses to hide his tears of joy that were streaming all day!

The next few weeks were full of planning for the future, secret texts of excitement between us and giving the baby the nickname of “Sesame” (due to how big the baby was at the time). I even bought some Aunt t-shirts for my friend group and an outfit for baby Lincoln to help announce the news once the time came.

Fast forward to July 12, our first baby appointment. I was super nervous because I did not know what the appointment would entail, but Andrew kept reassuring me it would be fine and reminding me how awesome it will be to see our baby. The doctor eventually came in and began by checking for the baby’s heartbeat. Nothing was coming up, so he moved from the regular ultrasound to the vaginal ultrasound. Still no heartbeat, but we could see a baby measuring about 6.5 weeks (two weeks behind our estimate of 8.5 weeks). Our hearts sank a bit as he explained we were either 2 weeks off of the conception date or going to miscarry. We left the office with an appointment to come back in 2 weeks.

The next 14 days were spent reassuring each other that our baby would be fine and we must have the date wrong. Or our baby is just measuring small. And that my nausea and achy body must be morning sickness. We still hadn’t really told anyone what was going on (only Andrew’s boss knew), so all we had was each other.

On July 26 we went back to the doctor. I hadn’t had any bleeding, so we were pretty optimistic. We even planned to visit our parents after to tell them the news. However, Baby Sesame had not grown. We were devastated by the news.

On the way home (in tears) we let our moms and my sister know we had been pregnant and that we had miscarried. Then we went home, snuggled the dogs and let the full weight of what happened hit us.

Friday, August 11, I started to physically experience the miscarriage in the same hour that Andrew called to tell me he had been laid off. On top of that, the next day happened to be my sister’s baby shower. I was in a lot more pain that day, and after barely making it through teaching dance I ended up spending her shower holed up in my mom’s room instead of being able to celebrate with her. This is the only picture we got, after everyone left.

We will always treasure the memory of our Baby Sesame.

5 weeks pregnant:

9/11 Memories

Published on September 11, 2017September 11, 2017 by JButtersLeave a comment

Today is the 16th anniversary of the day that both Andrew and I first experienced a nation-wide tragedy. Before September 11, 2001, we had only heard stories of the past American or world events that our parents and grandparents had experienced. The events where they knew exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. The events that changed the way they looked at the world.

Below is a quick look at what we experienced as mere nine-year-olds.

Jory:

A typical morning as a 4th grader involved rolling out of bed and bringing my clothes to my parents’ room so I could sleep a little longer. As they got ready they always had something on the TV, whether it was news or cartoons. Today it happened to be the news, and my parents were in a solemn mood. We watched the towers in flames and heard the warnings of more plane hijackings in the works. They (in simple terms) tried to explain the little they knew about what was going on to my sister and I, but I don’t think at that point we really understood. We just knew something very bad and very big was happening to OUR country, that we were taught was pretty much invincible.

We got ready and went to school where my mom was the principal. I think that is where it finally sunk in. There were a lot of phone calls calling kids out for the day, and my mom was busy figuring out how to address this with students and teachers. We were so far from the actual attacks, but Arizona has a very large nuclear plant and it was thought we might become a target. I don’t quite remember the rest of the day, probably because it was a blur, but I do know it was all my friends and I discussed.

Over the next few weeks all the coverage of the rescue missions was constantly on our TV. One of the biggest things that hit me was all the pregnant women that no longer had a father for their unborn babies. My mom was pregnant at the time, due with my brother in November. Talk about a reality check. Those images will be forever imprinted.

Andrew:

Like most, I vividly remember the details of that day like it was yesterday. I awoke on September 11, 2001 and strolled downstairs to eat before school. We were expecting a delivery of couches that day so our living room was empty other than the movie case and the TV. I stepped off the stairs and could see both of my parents frozen, just locked into the TV. As I came closer I quickly realized what was happening as they played and replayed the planes crashing into the World Trade Centers. It was death and destruction the likes of which I had never seen in my life, and it hit me hard. At some point, it was decided that we would cautiously go about our days as normal as possible. So off to school we were.

Once at school, it was a madhouse- teachers and students were lost and not a thing was instructed that day, as the catastrophic event took all the attention. While watching media coverage in my 4th grade classroom, it was clear that many of the kids did not fully understand what was happening. I am a very empathetic person and I quickly became upset during recess when classmates were joking and laughing about the atrocities that had taken place only hours before. I went up to the office and made a call to my mom to come pick me up. We then went home and spent the rest of the day as close together as a family as we could and just spent time sending thoughts and prayers to those affected most.

September 11, 2001 will always live in infamy, but it also showed how strong the American people can be when they stand together and united. This should be the American standard of excellence always, not just in times of great adversity. We are all Americans together and that pride and unity should show every day.

–Andrew & Jory

Dobby’s Adopt-a-versary!

Published on September 11, 2017 by JButtersLeave a comment

I honestly can’t believe it. Tomorrow our baby has been with us for 3 years! Time definitely flies – it seems like just yesterday he put his sweet arms around my neck for the first time (read his adoption story here).

Some things to know about Dobby:

Since Bella joined our family, he has become more welcoming to people that aren’t mom and dad. He used to shake with fear and run for the other room, but now he might even go up sniff them!
He loves to be in charge. When playing with his cousins Ella & Hazel, he has his own way of letting the group know he is the alpha. By the end of each play date they are all following him around.
He enjoys being held. Try picking up Bella and she’ll squirm until you stop, but Dobby will hold still, keep his arms around your neck or even nuzzle your chest.
He loves his kennel. Every morning before I leave for work he knows it is coming, and even waits by his crate if I’m not moving fast enough. He has his favorite stuffed animal (a purple bunny) that he’s had forever to snuggle inside, and I think it makes him feel safe.
He LOVES to swim. If we take him over to my parents’ house he will spend hours jumping in, swimming back to the steps, hopping out and repeating. If someone is swimming laps he will try to swim right along with them, and he loves to fetch in the water.

The other day my sister reminded me of a Dobby story from when she and Brian were dog sitting, and I think it describes him well:

When Shani and Brian had first moved back to Arizona, they dog sat for us while we made a quick California trip. They had Ella (way bigger than Dobby), and she liked to play on the porch of their 1st floor apartment. As I dropped off Dobby to them, I mentioned the half-wall on the porch might be low enough for Dobby to jump. Ella had never tried this, so we all figured it would be fine.

Fast forward to the next afternoon, when I call to check on Dobby:

Me: How’s he doing?

Shani: Do you want the truth or a lie?

It turns out that when Brian got home from work the day before, he tried to go say hi to Dobby. Being the timid dog he is, Dobby freaked out and hopped their wall, forcing Brian to chase him (at full speed) around the entire apartment complex until finally cornering him on a 2nd floor landing. But that’s Dobby – unsure of people, fast and determined!

I’ll close this post out by trying to emphasize how much this fur baby has changed my life. He has seriously brought out the mama bear in me and I don’t know how I would survive anything without his snuggles and affection. I love my mama’s boy! Oh – and Andrew loves him, too 🙂

–Jory

Travel Time: Austin, TX

Published on September 4, 2017 by JButtersLeave a comment

So every now and then we like to get out of our normal surroundings. This time we chose Austin, TX for a long weekend getaway. It kind of just lined up- Andrew’s work has an apartment and car there, we have heard such fun things about Austin, and I was off of dance for the month of July.

I wasn’t feeling so great on the trip and Andrew needed to catch up on some sleep, so to be really honest we did not end up doing too much besides watch movies in bed! A few things we actually accomplished and enjoyed were:

Jack Allen’s Kitchen – We definitely ate here more than once! It was close by our apartment, had an amazing atmosphere and the most delicious food. We had the baked macaroni and cheese with chicken and the fries the first time around, then the queso the second. The queso had shredded pork and guacamole in it, which should absolutely always be a thing.

The Blind Pig Pub – This is definitely the place we had the most fun at. After walking around 6th Street in the morning, we happened by an empty pub that was getting ready for some live music. We walked in thinking we’d stay for one drink and a few songs, but we ended up staying for almost 5 hours! Andrew even bought a hat and commemorated our experience.

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Bikini Sports Bar – This is not a place I would most likely frequent, but the circumstances that brought us to it definitely influenced my feelings for the better. It started one morning while we were in a long line for Voodoo Donuts, which led us past the spot. We kind of laughed at the silly signs saying “drop off your husband” and “best breasts,” but knew it was never a place we would go to. However, after standing in the hot, humid Austin summer weather and then getting inside the donut shop to find no air conditioning, thinking we were going to pass out from dehydration, we rushed next door for water and food. It was heaven, and thus Bikinis saved our lives!

Although we did not take advantage of all the things Austin has to offer, we had a great time taking a break from or normal lives, spending time with each other and catching up on sleep.

–Jory

Happy Bella-versary!

Published on June 20, 2017June 20, 2017 by JButtersLeave a comment

June 19 is a very special day. One year ago yesterday, Bella joined our family. She was only about three months old when we got her, so she’s now been a Butters the overwhelming majority of her life. Here are a few pictures from when we first adopted her:

You can read her adoption story here.

One year later she’s grown up to be the most lovable beast who we couldn’t imagine life without. Some things to know about Bella are:

She LOVES people. Like almost has a heart attack when people come over because she is so excited.
She gives lots of kisses. You might want to bring a towel with you if you are coming over.
She doesn’t know her own strength or capabilities. She’ll get scared to make a small jump or almost knock you over coming down the stairs.
She adores Dobby. If they are separated at all she’ll whimper, and she always tries to snuggle with him at night (much to Dobby’s dismay).
Tennis balls are her favorite toys. She’ll carry them around in her mouth, nudge them off the couch or bed to see them bounce, and race Dobby for them during fetch.
Green beens (and possibly zucchini) are her favorite food. She goes gaga for those veggies!
She often lays with her back legs on the couch and her front ones on the ground, just for fun.

Our Bella-boo is the absolute sweetest, and we can’t wait to spend many more years getting to know her!

-Jory

May Wrap-up

Published on June 6, 2017June 6, 2017 by JButtersLeave a comment

I’m a bit biased, but May is my favorite month. It is the end of the school year, beginning of summer and the month of my birth. It has Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and while growing up always meant dance recitals. May did not disappoint this time around – here’s a look at another wonderful month in the life of the Butters Family:

On Wednesday, May 3, we found that Baby Reeves is a girl!!! We can’t wait to spoil our niece with so much love. October can’t come fast enough!

Cinco de Mayo fell on a Friday, so we chowed down on Los Dos Molinos New Mexican food with Cindy to celebrate. Not exactly the right geographical location, but good food nevertheless.

The first Saturday of May I joined Heather and her bridal crew for a fun bachelorette weekend. We got glammed up at a Scottsdale hotel, played some party games, met Carlos the Uber Driver, chowed down on Kona Grill and hit Whiskey Row for drinks and dancing. We had so much fun jamming out in our little corner that we stayed there the whole night! By the time we made it back to the hotel we were exhausted and ready for some Zzzzs.

A week later was Werner Wedding Weekend! Friday was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner (where Andrew had to make an impromptu thank you speech and I killed it in cornhole), along with a groomsman sleepover.

Saturday was wedding day, but also my dancers’ competition day. I somehow managed to teach dance, drop in to see the number compete, make the ceremony, drive back for competition awards and get back in time for the reception without missing a thing!

The wedding itself was wonderful. Heather was beautiful, Andrew gave a heartfelt toast and we danced the night away wishing the Werners a happy and blessed life together.

Sunday was Mother’s Day. We started the morning with breakfast at Crepe Bar with Cindy and Mariah (still in town from the Werner Wedding) and Gardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Then we had dinner with my mom and family, where we got to celebrate two moms this year due to the pending arrival of Baby Reeves!

For my birthday, Andrew surprised me early with The Apple Dumpling Gang movie, then birthday burritos, a Target Gift Card and beautiful flowers. At work we went to Windsor for lunch and I got my favorite chicken salad sandwich. I had to teach dance the night-of, but everyone made me feel very special by singing and constant “Happy Birthday!”s. My mom and sister even stopped by with dinner and presents.

On May 24 we took off for our 25 hour turnaround trip to see Mariah graduate. We crammed in manicures and pedicures, meeting Mariah’s new boyfriend, a graduation ceremony and a super-fun graduation party all before our flight home. Congrats Mariah!

Memorial Day Weekend helped to round out the month. Friday at work I was charged with the student worker seating chart and moving logistics for our new building. I then partied at Board and Brush with my mom, sister, Aunt Katie and cousin Macy and ran back to GCU for an overnight event.

Saturday I had my Andrew birthday dinner at Olive Garden. Sunday we met up with Bailey and her family at OHSO for her dad’s birthday, then had dinner at Blue Adobe for my family birthday dinner. Monday was Murph, so after the workout Andrew and I played pool volleyball with some gym friends.

We stay busy, but are blessed to have such amazing family and friends to keep us sane and entertained. Happy June!

-Jory