Walkin in a Winter Wonderland....

Holidays are good in Carpinteria, CA. Spent today paddle boarding, makin sand castles, diggin tunnels, gettin a little color... Not sure when we will make our way back to Utah but could some please shovel our driveway since I hear it's been snowy and foggy out that way. Thanks in advance.

Beautiful Disaster

its beautiful because:
well...look at them. are you kidding. to walk in and see this. i stand and stare for at least 5 minutes as my heart pounds, and without fail, i think, wow, i am so so lucky. and maybe i choke up, or maybe my eyes well with tears. quite frankly, there is nothing more beautiful. to be able to see your kids sleeping, safe, snug, sound, and together. mmmm. precious.
its a disaster because:
they are in MY bed. OOPS. so much for never letting my kids in MY bed...they have TAKEN OVER my bed. and a small admission...i might look at this scene...ponder...then take my pillow in their room and, well, go to bed:) i figure im sleeping, they're sleeping, dad is sleeping (cause he can, right there next to them), OH, and don't let me leave kaya out. NOW, she thinks my bed is cozy too.

ive learned through the years this phrase holds true in our household:
NEVER SAY NEVER!

Hair bands

Grandma was here visiting Utah a while ago, and on one of her visits to our house, Rae got spoiled.

Raegan loves grandma Trudy's hairstyling techniques. Try as I might to do the same thing...its NOT the same.

Thanks, grandma! We love your visits!

New best friend

We love it when Becca surprises us...especially my little Rae. For one reason or another, she has grown to worship Aunt Becca!

She sits really close to her, close enough that Becca can smell the fresh scent of her breath:) She insists on being entertained by Becca during her whole stay.

Its pretty cute. We love you Beccs. Keep visiting. K:)

Pure sweet sweet JOY...

From birth to ONE!

Well, when someone says, 'geez, she seems like a mellow, happy child.' I say, 'SHE IS!'

I can't even begin to describe the amount of joy this little perfect bundle brings to our small family. She IS the definition of JOY. She has been the best little baby ever. She started sleeping through the night, well more than 'through the night' at 6 weeks. She would sleep for TWELVE hours!! And still does! She wakes up happy. Plays happy. Eats happy. Sleeps happy. She is the happiest little individual on this living Earth right now. She smiles all day. Literally.

My favorite part of the day is getting her out of her crib. She gives me the sweetest little loves, rests her little head on my shoulder, for a good 30 seconds AT LEAST, and then whips her head around to look at me with a big huge grin.

Her dad, well, he is smitten by this child. I can't tell you how many times he and I look at each other while she just crawls around at our feet and say...'seriously...is she ours?!' This little girl, just like our other little girl, has daddy wrapped right around her pudgy little finger. The way he looks at her, plays with her, takes care of her, is priceless. It was love at first sight, and it continues to just GROW.

For me, well, I think her cheeks are swollen every night I lay her down to sleep from all the kisses I maul her with through out the day. For real. She is the most loveable, kissable, adorable blessing! All I can say is God knew what he was doing sending her to us.

The first 2 children I had it was like clockwork...4 weeks hit and they WOKE UP...as they say. They were difficult...to say the least. So, I was really anxious when about 2 weeks after having Mayci...she seemed to be 'waking up'...ALREADY! She had colic. No doubt. She screamed and cried anytime her eyes were open, but her really really bad time was from 8pm to literally 3am...non stop scream. Shawn and I tried everything, and finally we resorted to switching off. Some nights I would start with her and he would end with her, and vice versa.

I specifically remember, and cant count how many times I held her during this time and thought of my friend Natalie. I had been told almost exactly when Mayci was 2 weeks old and started colic that Natalie had lost her baby to pertussis. Every time I held Mayci, I thought of her. I cried. A lot. And as difficult as that time was for me and Shawn...the sleepless nights, the endless hours of what seemed like a tortured child...I knew it was nothing compared. So, in thought of Natalie, during those difficult, late night hours, I held my baby close and appreciated and cherished like never before every crying moment I had with her, as I knew Natalie would have done and would have wanted me to do. Natalie gave me that perspective then, and I still carry it with me now. What would Nat do?

So to Natalie. Thank you.

I also remember thinking during that time...'well, this must be it. God wants me to stop having children. I must not be a good mother.' Whether it was the hormones, or the exhaustion...those were real thoughts. And I was so sad. I really didn't want to stop, but I knew that having another very difficult baby would take a lot out of me. I had resided to that decision, and started beating myself up. I thought it was a message sent from above that I am not competant enough for more kids. How many mothers that have colic babies think this? Probably none...but to my credit, my other 2 kids were really difficult babies. So, for one reason or another, I thought this.

Almost immediately after I had these thoughts, one night, I put her in the swing. The same swing Shawn and I tried to use over and over and over again...with no avail. But this time...she slept...during her miserable hours. I remember so well exactly what I was doing. I was working, on our kitchen table, sealing envelopes and addressing envelopes... And peeking at her every 5 minutes waiting for her to wail. But she didnt. She slept. One am rolled around and she was still sleeping, so I layed on the couch and fell asleep while Shawn went up to bed. He said he would stay up with her, but I made myself a bed on the couch, and fell asleep. She woke at 3am. I took her upstairs, fed her, layed her in her bed, and she slept till 10am. WHAT!

Since that night and up to this day, she has been the best sleeper, eater, baby ever! I remember thinking shortly after her schedule changed for the better that maybe Im not done having babies. I thanked my Heavenly Father that night, and every night, for trusting me and believing in me with his precious perfect little angels. I couldn't ask for anything more.

I love you Mayci. I love you so so so so much...its dangerous.

Happy FIRST!

Wow

Isn't she beautiful?!
Its an older picture that I came across last night.
Oh man. I love her.

Better late than never...

Halloween 2010...pretty low key:) Raegan, a butterfly. Evan, a tiger. And they were happy ever after. PS. Is it a crime that Mayci was nothing? She was still happy ever after too:) She slept the whole halloween evening anyway so Im glad I didn't waste the time. Others, Im sure, beg to differ and have huge problems with this. Oh well. Thats me. Take it or leave it...alright!

We enjoyed a day at grandma's, carving pumpkins, making homemade doughnuts....a first and not a last...and enjoying some of Rachels yummy chili and Jamie's unbelievable homemade rolls.

Oh, and we attended my parents trunk or treat! It was fabulous! The end.

Wanna piece of me???

We hope that Evan's recent romp with the coffee table won't hurt our retirement plans since we were banking on his "money-maker" to take care of us all. hahaha.

Evan was a champ last night when we took him to the ER to take care of his wound. Apparently we were laughing at him trying to reach the balloon string and if you know Evan, he HATES the spotlight. In his shy response he ran to Mom and tripped over the rug and went head first into the table.
He fell asleep on the way to the ER so Farrah kept telling the Doctor that as soon as he wakes he is "going to freak." Absolutely not!!! He woke up and wondered what was up but didn't cry once and was asking where the Doctor was and what "they were talking about outside." The Doctor proceeded to tell us about sedation possibilities and the "Taco Roll". (Evan with his hands behind his back rolled into a tight blanket of some sort and Mom or Dad holding his head down. While he was explaining the Taco Bell technique I noticed how calm Evan was and just told the Doctor that we should just let Farrah hold him and let's see how that works. Doc gave us a funny look but said ok to the proposal. Farrah said she would lay with Evan on the table and just cuddle him. So Farrah and Evan on the table with a "blanket" over Evan's head other than a baseball sized hole where the Doctor could focus on the cut. Evan was a champ. Didn't peep at all. Farrah counted to him and did the alphabet to keep him occupied. The Doctor was pretty shocked as were us parents. The only thing Evan complained about was that his arm was stuck under Farrah so we had a slight pause and reposition to finish the procedure. I have no idea how that kid didn't cry. Crazy!!!! And Farrah was so awesome with him. So this was the first of probably many trips to the hospital with young ones and we pray they can all be like last night. I did tell Evan that chicks dig scars. :)

Never gonna catch up...

So, I never really got around to posting all summer long. I'm kind of tired of always trying to play catch up! (this is it...then I MUST live and post in the present:)

We had an emotional, fun, exhausting, and busy summer...

My sister was on bed rest with a serious and scary situation. And my sister-in-law and her family put our never used basement to GOOD use:) That was my summer:)

SO...Rachel. While on bed rest there was not much I could do for her but visit her, and PRAY...so I tried to be with her as much as possible especially with the condition she was in. But I must say, it was emotionally exhausting and sometimes physically exhausting with the late night visits, but through it all, I CANT COMPLAIN! And feel really stupid even saying it was exhausting from MY end...but it was. I found myself on my knees a lot, in tears a lot.

But, here we are now, in a much better place. A MUCH better place. Miraculous. And so blessed. Beyond blessed.

And then Laci, my sis-in-law, and her little family of 4 girls and 1 boy on the way....at the time....were in the process of moving from Cedar City to somewhere here in Ut County. And in the process and before their move, her two oldest girls tried out for some really good club teams here in Ut County and MADE them. So, Laci's little fam made the trek WHO KNOWS how many times from Cedar City here to attend practices, tournies, games, scrimmages, house hunting, and so forth. And we had the opportunity to 'house' them during their 'transition'.

We got to tag along with them and hang out with them A LOT! We even got to have Haylee AND Madi stay behind with us so that Laci could take care of her life in Cedar. I got to know this little family well and I must say...Im glad to call them FAMILY. Her girls are awesome. They are so so good with my kids and my kids worship them. We are happy that they are finally here, and settled!

The following pics are random, but Madi, she truly is the 'baby-whisperer'. I can't count how many times she has put my little Mayci to sleep. She is amazing! When we hang out with this family, its like hiring little baby sitters! They all come running for Mayci, rip her out of my arms, and I wont see her for HOURS. Literally. They are SO great. In fact, Im starting to feel guilty about it, so at the Vball games, I now give them a dollar a game (CHEAPSKATE) ha.







And despite Raegans NEED for personal space, I thought she did really well all summer. She definitely had her moments, but for the most part, she loved having 'visitors' and sleepovers all summer! When they moved in to their home in Highland, she asked and continues to ask 'mom is laci and kids coming today for a sleepover?' But now that she and Evan know they live SO close now, they bug me probably every day about going to aunt Laci's:) Its great.

So, needless to say, the summer was a lot of 'home-time', not much vacationing. But I wouldn't change it at all. I was able to bond with my sister at a whole new level and I got to know a really beautiful family.

more happenings of the recent past...

Bear Lake...a new escape!

So...I guess one REALLY good thing came from living in Logan for 2 years. Every time my dad would visit, we would trek up the beautiful canyon and check out his EMPTY lot that looked out to Bear Lake. We'd get out, walk in the DIRT, and every time I would TAUNT my dad..."Why is this empty...You HAVE to build something here...look at that view..." and on and on. Really. So, here we are, a few years later, with just that. The most beautiful cabin you ever did see...we like to refer to it as the lodge. It ain't no cabin if ya catch my drift. It's breathtaking. Beautiful. SO SO nice. We have been able to enjoy it a couple times so far and I must say it was wonderful. Cant wait for the next venture up there.

And all of you can thank ME for our new little home away from home:) I knew my nagging would do it. Not really, but hey, look what came only a few years after!!!

SO, here are a few photos (thanks to Jamie...of course) of our most recent excursions:

Here I am quite disgusted by that girl laying out right in front of me. Disgusting...isn't she?! Put a shirt on, and shorts...or pants for that matter. Or how bout a snow suit:)

Here is Evan...thoroughly enjoying being completely buried under all that sand. The kid can be drenched in ketchup...and wouldn't care. Seriously.

Just part of the gang...

Evan and Logan...daring the freezing cold water. Pretty water though.

Really...just the most precious face this world has to offer. Its quite scary.

Catch up...

Raegan's first day of Kindergarten....I was fine here:

Not so fine here:

I honestly was SO great with pre-school...didn't shed a tear. Was so excited. But for some reason, as I walked Raegan to school and said goodbye to this face:

I got a big ol' frog in my throat...and broke down in tears once I made it through my front door. I pondered what the difference was...between pre-school and this. Still don't quite know, I guess its just the 'real' school thing. The beginning of the end:) She really is a big girl now. I am so excited for her though. She LOVES it, and so do I:)


And now...here is a report of the two that stay home with me...

Take tubs together:
(check out that tan line)

Wake up smiling:

Get beautiful each day:

Melt me with that face:

and those eyes!

Crawling...and playing:

Play dress-ups:

Sometimes with Raegans dress-ups...haha:

And most the time with imagination:
(I personally like the glasses tied up to his shorts)

So, one day, Ev tells me he needs to go potty. I say...OK. Go. Then, I see him make his way out to the back yard. Didnt think much about it until I saw him do this:

Yes, folks, that is Evan peeing on our backyard lawn, and Im sure you can all guess who taught him that. Right. His papa.
Here he is finishing up:

And here he is, realizing I caught him!
Had no idea he did that. I busted up laughing, he didn't like that, but I couldn't help myself. Hilarious. Guess thats what we get for not buying a home with a toilet on the main level!!! By the way, this has now turned into a normal daily occurence. Oh well.

(p.s. little did I know, his dad does the same thing, and I only caught on to what he was doing after I caught Evan. At the end of the day, with the kids asleep, just chillin on the couch...he just gets up, opens the slider, exits for a few minutes, returns...and no questions asked. Never really thought much about it. Then this happened with Evan and it all made sense. Must be something special about peeing under the stars...or sun in Evans case:)

Classic

This is a funny story. My post below describes my new found love of gardening. Something I know NOTHING about. We planted a seed, it grew. I had no idea when they would sprout, nor what they were supposed to look like. We planted SIX zucchini plants...that goes to show we really had NO idea (for those that don't know, you really only need ONE zucchini plant, because each plant produces TONS and TONS).

The unknown was kind of fun though. To see each seed sprout, and then turn into a plant, into an edible plant...awesome. I really didn't know it was a real garden item until I saw multiples of one kind of leaf or flower, in some sort of line, that was about the same height...and so on.

We planted cantaloupe. As a seed. It sprouted. And grew. Into this:


Isn't it beautiful. Green. Full. Tall. Same size. In a row. Cantaloupe! Surely it is. So everyday, I watered it, checked on it, even smelled it. Weeded around it. Watered it. Smelled it again. Then...little blossoms started appearing on a little vine, beneath this tall structure. I was so intrigued...thinking...how in the world does cantaloupe grow?! Im sure from these tiny flowers...but why such an enourmous stalk? Whats the purpose of this tree like trunk. It can't grow from these. It's too heavy. Hmmmmmm? Guess we'll see, sooner or later.

Then, I saw. My husbands sister and her family had been in and out of our home all summer, watching with me, all these garden items mature. The father of this family, Brian, yes you, Brian, knew a little something about gardens. A little something more than ME. Whenever he was here, he would watch me tend to my precious plants, and hear of how proud I was of these miracles, and see the incredible excitement of picking a fully mature product of my garden. So, to his credit, I understand why he didn't have the heart to tell me that my cantaloupe, my tall, beautiful, green, vibrant cantaloupe plants....

.....were WEEDS! Weeds, people. Weeds, that actually grew to my HEIGHT. Thats fine. I was so proud of them. Thinking each time I would walk into my house after watering them...'wow, what a miracle...can't wait for fresh garden grown cantaloupe'.

Funny huh. Can't wait for next years garden. Ill know that cantaloupe grows on a vine...and JUST a vine! Brian uprooted the WEEDS, and tried his best to keep the vines of the cantaloupe rooted. Just to let you all know, HE SUCCEEDED. Now, I just might have some cantaloupe. One plant survived the demolition. Ill report if and when a fresh peice of garden ripe cantaloupe ever enters my mouth:) Thanks Bri! YOUR the best:)

Garden...

Boy, am I gonna miss this new little baby of mine:) In just a few weeks it will be buried under a few feet of snow and I will be sad eating store bought tomatoes and zucchini, beans and sugar snap peas, but most of all...cucumbers and peppers (my favorite garden growns...so far)!

I have always wanted a garden. I remember getting off the bus in grade school with one of my best friends...and she had tomatoes. Without fail, before we opened her front door, we would each grab a big ol' red ripe juicy tomato and dig into it as if it were an apple....MMMMMM!

So, because Ive always wanted one...I got one. I even plowed it with a freakin shovel....because I was so anxious to get it started. Shawn helped me push the little seeds into the ground:) So grateful for him:) Im kidding Shawn, I really do love you:) And to his credit, he knew more than me when it came to this project, I just did all the manly work. Partly because, and like I said before, I was very impatient...and some people might argue Im part man:)

So, we pushed the seeds into the ground, and weeks later, to our surprise...a miracle occured! SPROUTS! From then on, I have been out in my garden every day watering away, checking on each little sprout, weeding like crazy, and now....enjoying the luscious fruits of my labor. Its a new found hobby...I love it. And I will miss it. So I will enjoy it. For now. Until that awful, cold, white stuff wipes it out! Blah.