6 boys

I definitely couldn't live without my 6 adorable nephews. Now that they will all live out of state I'll pretty much never have a vacation to an actual vacation spot again since I can't' help myself but go see them as often as possible.

Adam and Karlie and their family live in Arizona where Karlie works as a nurse in the neonatal unit and Adam is starting law school in August.

Nick is 5 and just says the most incredible things. It took him a long time to get a hold on the whole talking thing, but once he did, it's hard to stop him. He asks great questions and really pays attention to what goes on around him.

Alex has the most expressive face I have ever seen. He wants what he wants (I guess that could be said about most 2 year olds) and it's hard to refuse him when he looks up at you with those big blue eyes. He's the sweetest older brother and really likes taking care of Dylan.

Dylan just turned three months old. In this picture he was about a week old, and he's even cuter now. Karlie posted some pictures of him this week on their blog and he's a dollface! He's got Karlie's awesome eyebrows and sweet demeanor.

Rachael and Lance live here in Salt Lake and they're moving to Pittsburgh in a month so Lance can go to dental school. I'm so sad to not see them on a regular basis!

Owen is three and the nephew I know best because we've lived in the same place the longest. He was a terror as a baby but he's quite a pleasant boy. He loves the number 4 and the color green and his mom and grandma. He is incredibly imaginative and loves to take anyone along for the ride who will go with him. He can do huge puzzles by himself and he knows his way around town. He's a very sweet brother.


Oliver turned one in March and he is a riot. He looks like his mom with very blonde hair and very blue eyes and the greatest smile. He is starting to walk and he gets really excited about it. He especially loves the stairs and other dangerous activities, so he generally has a couple of bruises on his cute face. He's a pretty happy little camper.


Chelsea and Jon live in Illinois where Jon is in medical school. Chelsea is here for the summer, so I'm excited to soak up all of them that I can before they head back.

Benjamin is the first official tank baby in the family. My dad likes to call him Big Ben Willes, in hopes that he'll be a football player. We figure if any of the women in this family are going to raise a football player, it's probably Chelsea. Ben has a great smile and the most fantastic cheeks! He's a mover and a shaker and he's got strong lungs.

blind dating

One of the things I could for sure live without is blind dating. Except as it turns out I probably can't live without it because those are pretty much the only dates I go on, which says a lot for what people think of me once they get past the blind part of the dating process, but this isn't really about a pity party.

Actually, this weekend I had a really fun blind date. Remarkable, really, since I didn't even know the people who set me up, but seriously a good time. Friday night withstanding, I'd just like to remind all my married blogger friends why you can be grateful to not be living in the land of the setups. Here are the hard things about blind dating:

1. what to wear. this is one of the worst parts. i mean, is the guy going to be offended by a little cleavage or is that going to be an attractive way to get a second date? the problem is, i don't know if the goal is to offend or to get a second date until the date is over and by then it's too late to decide which shirt to wear. and then there are the shoes. it's tough to choose shoes because you never know how tall the guy is going to be and you don't want your footwear to leave you towering over him.

2. the setup. the idea with the blind date is usually that someone you know sets you up. this is often the most mortifying part. i mean, you really find out what your friends think of you when you see who they decide is a good match for you. they say things like "i think you have a lot in common" and the guy turns out to be ridiculously boring and you have to ask yourself if your friends think that's what you have in common. more often than not, and this is more true the older you get in mormondom, the only thing you actually have in common is that you are both single and you are both mormon. note to all wouldbe matchmakers: when setting up friends, make it a general rule that you have at least one criterion beyond those two.

3. this last one is not limited to blind dates. it pretty much goes for all dating. i have a problem that could nicely be referred to as a lack of censorship. you know all those rules people tell you about dating? how you should ask lots of questions and not state your opinions too strongly and not talk about embarrassing things about yourself and not reveal too much about your level of interest in the person and be flirty and touchy in an appropriate leave him wanting kind of way and laugh but not too loud and all that other stuff that gets you a second date? i categorically forget every one of those rules every time i go out on a date. i pretty much say whatever i think. one of these days, someone's going to find that really attractive. until then, i'm wondering if anyone knows a real-life hitch who could maybe help me out.

one date i had recently i totally shook the guy's hand at the end of the date. like a missionary. i was nervous. he was nice enough. i mean, he didn't get out of the car we were in with the other couple who was out with us, which is really his bad, but i definitely gave him a handshake. i got out of the car and laughed at myself. it's not my first bad move. i mean, there was the time i told a guy that my family called my sister "rotch the crotch" as a nickname. and the time i told someone "maybe" when he asked about going out again. and the time when i was playing catch phrase on a first date and had the word "booby trap" and pointed to my chest. seriously. i'm about as unslick as they come.