Nanny Who

Happy Birthday Little Miss M

2012-02-01T17:15:00.000-08:00

I will probably say this every year but I cant believe that my little girl is 4 years old today! It seems like just yesterday we received the call that she had been born and we had a whirlwind weekend to get ready to bring her home. That was and will always be the weekend that made my life complete. Little Miss M is such a joy to have in our family. She is sweet & kind but also fiesty with a little spunk mixed in. She is the best thing in my life! I couldnt let this day go by without recognizing M's amazing Birth Mother for this wonderful blessing. Even 4 years later I marvel at her strength and courage.

We had a quick little photo shoot today before her birthday lunch at Spaghetti Factory. She was very specific about how long she would give me to take pictures. Thankfully we got some great shots!

This afternoon I asked M to list a few a her favorite things. It was so cute to hear her sweet innocent answers

What is your favorite color : PINK (She loves anything and everything pink... She is definately all girl!)
What is for favorite Toy: Strawberry Shortcake
What is your favorite fruit: Apples (She truely loves apples. She will grab a large apple and bite away at it until it's all gone)
What is your favorite TV show: Wow Wow Wubzy (we love Nick Jr. at our house)
What do you like to eat for lunch: Cereal (This is so her. She loves cereal and likes to eat it whenever she can)
What is your favorite snack: Goldfish
What is your favorite animal: Giraffe (This shocked me, I had never heard her say that before)
What is your favorite song: Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam
What is your favorite book: Tangled (She loves the book we have that follows the story of the movie)
Who is your best friend: Chloe & Ally (Her cousins)
What is your favorite thing to do outside: Play in the snow
What is your favorite drink: Diet Coke ( this one is totally my fault. She asked for it all the time.. Too bad I have been off the stuff since the first of the year)

What is your favorite Holiday: Christmas
What do you like to take to bed with you @ night: Lumpy (her purple elephant she has had since she was a baby)
What do you like to eat for breakfast: Cereal (no suprise there)
Where do you like to go to dinner: Spaghetti Factory
What do you want to be when you grow up: A Princess

Here are a few more things about Miss M.

She is quiet. Dont get me wrong she can make noise with the best of them, but for the most part she speaks softly and is very mild mannered.
She's a little shy. It takes her a little bit to warm up to new people or new situations.
She LOVES to draw. If she has a notepad in her hand she is happy! She especially loves to make lists but she also likes to draw people, like mommy and daddy.
She has to grab pamphlets from anywhere we go. If there is a free pamphlet, note or business card, she has to have it and bring it home.

She loves lip gloss and thanks to her Aunt Tricia she has a purse full of them. M.'s Aunt Tricia always has a new lip gloss for her everytime she sees her. (We currently have about 20)
She is a night owl. No matter how hard we try she does not fall asleep until 10pm or later. (The plus side is that she doesnt get up until 9am or later)
She has a stubborn streak! She likes things her way. She chooses who will buckle her in the car or who will help her do something and she will NOT allow anyone else to do it.
She is a story teller. She loves to make up stories and tell them to you. She also is very animated and uses her hands to tell the stories.
She thinks the words poop, fart and butt are hilarious.
She loves Disneyland. At least once a day she asks me when we are going to Disneyland.
She is very computer literate. (She likes to watch Nick Jr on my computer and she can get on and find the bookmark with out any help from me)

She asks WHY for EVERYTHING. I swear I hear "Why Mommy" 400 zillion times a day and she will continue to ask you "Why" until you give her an answer she is satisfied with.
She is a friend to everyone. It is so cute to watch her at school. She is very good at making sure everyone is involved and happy.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl! I am so lucky to be your Mom!!

Tis the season...

2011-12-05T19:47:00.000-08:00

December is finally here! We are ready for Christmas. Miss M is excited about everything! She loves the lights, the decorations, the music, and SANTA!

We have already done a lot of things to celebrate the season. I wanted to share some pictures of the fun we have had so far....

We attended the tree lighting ceremony at the Gateway. We have done this a couple of time and always enjoy it! There was great music, hot chocolate & cookies! We had so much fun, especially because Papa, Mimi, Aunt Wendy, Ben, Uncle Dee & Carter came along.

Thanksgiving was a blast this year. We went to Papa & Mimi's. The food was delicious! This year I made a lots of yummy treats. The highlight was the Mac & Cheese, the Toffee Pumpkin cheese cake and the Peanut Butter pie (This was a last minute idea, but it was oh so good!) To keep the kids busy this year they got to create their own Turkeys. The kids had so much fun personalizing their own Turkeys.

The day after Thanksgiving we attended The Grand America's tree lighting ceremony. We started this tradition last year and it was so fun, we decided to do it again. The Grand America is a beautiful hotel! They have a "scavenger hunt", where you look at their window displays, answer some questions and then get a yummy cookie at the end. They also served hot chocolate, which was delicious!

Miss M was all about the window displays. She has so much fun looking at each one!

Hot Chocolate....Yum! Miss M. drank her entire glass. The girls loves hot chocolate!

Miss M had to put her pencil behind her ear, just like Mommy.

Mimi came along, so much fun!

Wendy and Ben came too. Miss M. has a bit of a crush on Ben.

Lastly, we celebrated tonight by attending the festivities at The Square at 2600. They had carriage rides, treats and SANTA. Miss M. was so excited to see the big guy, but then she got all shy when it came time to talk to him. That's okay, she whispered to him what she wanted for Christmas. This year all Miss M wants for Christmas is a Hairdryer!?! That girl is so funny. She has an idea in her head and thats all she can think about. We shall have to see what Santa brings her. Im pretty sure the big guy will deliver!

Wow, we have been busy and it's only the first week of December. We have lots more planned. This month is busy but we wouldnt have it any other way!!

Wyatt Preston

2011-11-09T22:24:00.000-08:00

My sister, Heidi, had her 2nd little boy today!

Welcome

Wyatt Preston Jacobs

7lbs 4oz

20 inches long

He's pretty cute and we like him ALOT!

Big Brother LOVE

Happy Fall Y'all

2011-10-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

We have been having so much fun this last month. I love Fall and the weather has been BEAUTIFUL! We have been taking full advantage of these lovely days. Here are some of the highlights....

First and foremost.....WE ARE OFFICIALLY POTTY TRAINED!!!!! This is such a monumental achievement in our household! Miss M resisted for a very long time and we were at our wits end with her, until her Daddy broke out the big bucks and offered her one dollar each time she went potty. Hello....that did the trick! I will be darned if that kid didn't go right in and go potty. Since that day she hasnt looked back! She has the strongest bladder and can hold it like nobody's business. She even stays dry through the night! Hip, Hip, HOORAY!!!

We have lots of "big girl panties" & in the beginning she liked to fold them all & look at them

Yes, that drink is Diet Coke. I was desperate & trying anything to get her to go on the Potty...Don't Judge!

We made another trip to DISNEYLAND! It was a special trip because, not only was part of my family there but Jo & Josh came with us. We had so much fun and did everything!! Miss M especially likes the Alice in Wonderland & The Little Mermaid Ride. (We rode each of them multiple times) She also is big enough to have her own seat for Buzz Lightyear and Toy Story. She loves to shoot the guns and is pretty good at hitting the targets on the ride. We watched the new Mickey parade and LOVED IT! We also watched Fantasmic! (My favorite show) We had such a wonderful time!

Their favorite part...The Maps!

Daddy even rode the roller coaster with Miss M. SHOCKING!!

Pretty as a princess!

"Unca Dee" & Aunt Wendy are Miss M's favorites

Joy School is going Awesome! Miss M LOVES school! She has so much fun and has made great new friends. We are so blessed to have such great families in our neighborhood! Last week we it was our first time to have Joy School at our house. The lessons this week were focused on feelings. The kids got to put faces on a pumpkin and then we carved the pumpkin together.

On Wednesday we hosted our Joy School Halloween Party. We had learned two songs on Monday and invited the parents to come and listen to the kids sing. It was so fun! We decorated sugar cookies, made a ghost, got dressed in costumes and paraded around! When the parents came the kids sang the songs. They were so cute, adorable and sung the songs PERFECTLY! As party favors, I made each child a mummy juice box, and a halloween candy man! I think I had more fun then the kids!

Too Cute to SPOOK!!!

Well, there you have it, a quick (wink, wink) update. I have more but I will post sometime next week...Im tired and ready to go to bed...goodnight.

Back to School

2011-08-30T19:28:00.000-07:00

Wow! Where did summer go? I cant believe we are at the end of August. I have been sorely neglecting this blog. Where have I been? We have been BUSY. We have been swimming, Growing a garden, Playing outside, went to the Bountiful 24th of July Parade, went down to St George, saw The Little Mermaid at Tuacan, went to Girls Camp and got Miss M. ready for School!

Today Miss M. started Joy School! We are lucky that there are lots of kids in our neighborhood that are M's age and a bunch of us decided to do Joy School. (Basically a parent run pre-school) Pre-school is just so expensive and I wasnt sure how we would afford something like that, plus I wasnt ready to send M to pre-shool yet. Joy School works out perfectly. She goes twice a week and once a month we host it at our house. It works great. Miss M was so excited and ready to play and learn with her friends.

I just cant believe that my baby is big enough to go to school. We started a family tradition yesterday by having a special dinner and Family Home Evening last night. After we read scriptures, Scott gave M. a fathers blessing for the school year. I know lots of families do this and I love the tradition! I am very excited tostart it in our little family.

Today I took some pics of M. and wanted to document her "favs" right now, so I just listed them on the picture. The answers are hers. It was so cute when I asked her questions and she gave me the honest answers.

Lastly I have a confession: I finally caved and went to the darkside and got on FACEBOOK! I have been so opposed to facebook for the longest time and it was becoming more and more apparent that a person can't function in society without a facebook page! It's sad that this is what the world is coming to and now I am a part of it. (oh, I feel a little sick even typing this) I did set myself some rules though: I dont post "fluff" (I hate people that think they need to document every second of every day) and I wont ask anyone to be my friend. If you want to be my friend on FaceBook, you have to ask me. That's it! Oh and yeah, the main reason for joining FB is because I wanted to get on Pinterest. I am TOTALLY addicted to Pinterest! I LOVE it. If you are not on Pinterest you should be and if you want an invite just ask me and i will send one to you.

That's all for now :) Cheers!

Sparkler Fun

2011-07-02T22:34:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen those cool pics where people are making a shape or writing something with a sparkler?... No?....Well....I have and I wanted to figure out how to do it. Today while at the store I purchased some sparklers, called up my sisters, went to my parents and had lots of sparkler fun. It was a blast and we got some cool pics out it. We will most DEFINITELY be doing this again!!

Heidi did pretty good at writing her name

Wendy was a little nervous with Scott so close to her hair with a sparkler

Miss M didn't want to get to close, even with Dad there.

We wouldn't be our family unless we did the Mickey Icon.

Baby Quinn

2011-06-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy few weeks around here! We have been busy doing church stuff, summer stuff, and family stuff. We have a new arrival in our family. My brother and sister-in-law just had their 4th baby, and it's their 4th little girl!

Baby Quinn arrived on June 23, 2011 and she is such a sweetheart. I spent the day with the other girls while Mom and Dad were at the hospital. These girls couldnt contain their excitement! They were so happy to have another little sister and they couldnt wait to go to the hospital to meet her.

Big Sis Carlee - so in love!

To say they were smitten with her would be an understatement! She is just a sweet little doll. It was a shock to see all of her dark hair. (All the others have light hair and have been pretty bald)

I think it's safe to say that we all like her.... A LOT!

I was so excited when I got to spend a little time with Baby Quinn today while Mom and Dad went to an appointment. Miss M wasnt sure what to think. When I asked her if she wanted to hold her, Miss M said "No Thanks, Mom...I too small" (I think she was glad that the baby wasnt staying)

Did you actually think I could have this squishy little baby at my house and not snap a few pics?

No Way!!

Happy Birthday!

2011-06-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post a quick note wishing a Happy Birthday to someone very special to our family.

Today is Miss M.'s Birth Mother's Birthday. It is because of her selfless sacrifice that I became a mother. I am eternally grateful for that blessing. Jes, you are an amazing person. I marvel at your strength and courage. We hope you have the most wonderful day today. Please know that we love you and think about you all the time!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

And I couldn't leave today with out posting this picture

Today our YW had a 5k Fundraiser to raise money for girls camp. We also had a fun 3k walk. Unfortunately I couldn't run because I had to manage the Bake Sale (I know...5k and Bake Sale - gotta love the irony) Anyway, our neighbor took Miss M on the 3k Walk. I dont know how long she walked (I heard that our neighbor had to carry her for a bit) but Miss M was ALL about the Finish Line. It was so cute to watch her run to cross the finish line. This picture just captures it all. I Love it!!

The Dentist

2011-05-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

Today Miss M went to the dentist for the first time! It was so exciting. I love our dentist and his staff (That's saying a lot because I have never liked any denstist I went to). They were so good with Miss M. Scott came along and held Maggie while she watched the hygenist clean my teeth. When I was done, we asked Miss M. if she wanted to get her teeth cleaned and she willingly sat in the chair. The appointement couldnt' have gone any better. Miss M. did fabulous and was so excited to get the Pooh Bear toothbrush at the end. The dentist said her teeth look great and BONUS: No cavities! HOORAY!!!
(I unfortunately do not have that luxury.... I broke a tooth a couple of months ago so now I have to go back and get a crown....UGH!)

She was a little nervous to begin with but she did great!

Look at how her feet are crossed.... too cute!

All Clean and with her new toothbrush!

Hide & Seek

2011-04-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

Carter-man is here playing with Miss M today. They have been running all around the house having lots of fun. A little while ago things got quiet. I went to investigate. I could here a door opening and closing so I thought they were in Maggie's room. I looked in there, no kiddos. Now, my house isn't big so I wondered where they could be.

I called....no answer...

I called again.....no answer...

As I walked by my closet I heard two little muffled giggles coming from inside...

I grabbed my camera and waited until these two little stinkers popped out.

Friday

2011-04-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

At our house,

Friday is cleaning day.

We generally just stay in our PJ's until the cleaning is done,

Today, however, it was decided that princess attire was needed.

TuTu's and Tiaras are always in style!

Today, I LOVE...

2011-04-06T14:23:00.000-07:00

...The fact that no matter how hard she tries she cannot see her book through my glasses, but she wants to be like mom so she tries, really hard. Oh how I love her!!!

...Even though there's snow outside as long as there is sunshine and you have your boots on you're good to go..

... TANGLED!! It finally came. Aparantly our copy was on the slow boat and arrived yesterday. That's okay, we made up for lost time. I think we have watched it 3 times already!

....Spring in Utah. One day there's snow, the next day it's sunny, warm and beautiful. We LOVE our swingset--Thanks again Nettie!!

... Yellow Shoes! I have wanted yellow shoes for the longest time. and I found these online and had to have them. Can you say, springy, fun and Cuuuute!!

...This sweet little lady. Did you know that markers make really lovely lip gloss? Okay, not so much, but how can you resist that face?

Who says...

2011-03-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have been a bit of a struggle for me. Im not sure why, but I just dont feel 100%. I dont want to go into it all here... Im working through it.

Each day when I go to the gym I have to watch VH1 videos. I cant get through a workout without them. Mostly it's just music, but sometimes the video just strikes a chord and I have been know to burst into tears as I am running on the treadmill. (I know, pretty sad right?)

I saw this new video from Selena Gomez today. I really like it. Not only are the lyrics beautiful but I love the typography in the video as well. Very creative!
"who says you're not perfect ... who says you're not worth it ... who says you're not beautiful..."
It's a great message.

Robots are Expensive

2011-03-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

When Scott had his surgery back in November the Doctor was assisted by a Robot.

Aparently,

Said Robot gets a paycheck..

Insurance companies don't like to pay Robots...

Got a invoice to pay Robot...

Robots are Expensive...

I am pretty sure the Dr's fee would have been the same whether he used the Robot or not...

My savings account would have preferred he didn't use the Robot...

My heart is glad that he did.

Having this guy around for a very long time is PRICELESS!

What do you do on a Rainy Day...

2011-02-19T15:35:00.000-08:00

Go "Jumpin' in the Puddles" of Course!

Miss M. got the cutest puddle jumpers from Randall and Misty for her birthday. She has been wearing them everyday, patiently waiting for it to rain. Today was the day. She was soooo excited to put on her boots and try them out. The boots did not disappoint! She was a little leary at first but, it didnt take very long for her to get the process down.

I think we have a new favorite past-time!

Thanks Randall and Misty for the awesome present. They are just perfect!!

Something New

2011-02-06T19:45:00.000-08:00

I have really talented and creative sisters. My sister Heidi can crochet like nobody's business. I mean totally amazing things are created with her crochet hooks. She is starting a little side business selling her creations, so while we were at my parents house on Saturday we went outside to take some pictures of the things she has made. Here are some of the pictures, go ahead and check out her new blog as well if you would like to see more. (I promise you wont be dissapointed!)

Oh Yes... and you may have noticed all the pictures are of my baby sister - she's the pretty one (again, why didn't I get those genes?) and loves the camera or the camera loves her :) (If you couldn't tell).

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!!

2011-02-01T16:23:00.000-08:00

Gosh, I guess I cant say "baby girl" anymore. My baby is turning 3 years old today. Where does the time go? It seems like yesterday we got the call that she had been born but then it also feels like there has never been a time when we didnt have her.

I love this little girl more than anything. She has truely made my life complete. She is such a big girl now and definately has her own mind and personality.

There are so many great things about this little girl but here are a few of the recent highlights:

She rarely smiles for the camera. It is a joyous occasion when she asks me to take her picture or I can sneak one of her smiling. Typically when the camera comes out, she looks the other way.

She is obsessed with brushing her teeth and does it frequently.

She LOVES money. she will gather up change from around the house and put it in her bank. We now have 3 banks of which she puts money in on a regular basis. (We have even turned this love into bribery for going potty... our fingers are crossed and we hope this method works )

The dog is still her best friend- she drags her around, cuddles her and kisses the dog all day long

Oatmeal is an essential food group at our house. She would have it morning, noon and night.

"Yo ho, yo ho, pirates life for me" is heard regualrly at our house. However on Sunday she followed that phrase up with "Follow the prophet"

Her desinated spot for eating, cleaning, or helping mom is on top of the kitchen counter. It's my fault,I have put her there since she was tiny and now she just sits up there to do most anything.

She has an obession with between her toes. She does not like to have socks on but when she does and they come off, she immediatly has to check between her toes for any "goobers"

She can say the ABC's and count to 10 but she can really only identify the letter "M". When you ask her what the letter is she will say "Maggie"

She is very excited about going to Mickey's house again. She has been wearing her mouse ears non stop for the last few days.

She is such a big helper and loves to help around the house. She is very good at dusting

She loves Popcorn or "Popping" as she calls it.

After we went and saw the movie Tangled she spent the next few days just stroking her hair. (she loved the movie so much we went and saw it twice)

She is turning into quite a little artist. She loves to draw.

She is so loving and randomly comes up to me, throws her arms around my neck and says "I Love you Mama, to, to" (I dont know where she got the "to, to" from but it's pretty darn cute)

I am so lucky to be her Mama. She makes everyday a little bit brighter.

I love you...Miss M. Happy Birthday!

Guess what I got to do today??

2011-01-07T16:22:00.000-08:00

I got to spend the afternoon with this little sweetheart. This is Ian, our newest grandbaby! He gave me a little attitude (but who wouldnt after I stripped him down and moved him all over to take pictures) but he finally settled into it and we got some great shots. These are just a few I quickly grabbed and edited before we head out to dinner. Jo, THANK YOU so much for letting me take his pictures. They turned out great. He is just PERFECT!! Love ya!!

We're Ready and Waiting for the Big Guy in Red...

2010-12-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

I seriously can NOT believe Christmas is here. It has been soooo much fun with Miss M. this year. Here's hoping the Big Guy in Red heard her plea for a Pink Kitchen. We had a great night with Scott's family tonight and we have come home and done our best to settle this excited little girl down. We are all ready, The Christmas PJ's are on, all the christmas books have been read and we have sprinkled Santa dust all over the sidewalks so Santa will make sure to find our house.

Cody was even here and participated in the fun!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

We hope you have a Wonderful Holiday and a

Wonderful New Year!

Let it Snow... and an Update

2010-11-23T20:04:00.000-08:00

It seems like forever ago that I updated my blog. Life around here has been pretty crazy. For those of you who don't know.... October was a pretty crazy month for us. On Oct. 1, Scott went in for a routine colonoscopy. I had been bugging him to go for a while now, so I was happy that he finally listened and made an appointment. As Scott was waking up the Dr. came in to talk to us and tell us about the procedure. You know it's not good when the first thing out of the Dr.'s mouth is "You just save your husbands life" I seriously thought he was joking and then he said it again. My stomach just sank and I quickly realized they found "something" Oh boy, my worst fear ( The week before Scott's appointment I had A LOT of anxiety and I couldnt really figure out why). Turns out they found a large "mass" in his colon that had to be surgically removed. Whoa..... that is totally not what I had anticipated. After that meeting we spent the next few weeks, meeting with surgeons, having more tests and then finally Scott had surgery on Nov 2 to remove the mass. Dr. Griffin was awesome!! He performed a Robotically Assisted laprospopic Bowel Resection (I know... right!!) Basically they went in cut the tumor out of his colon and re-stitched it back together. Scott looked like he had been in a knife fight. They made 4 small incisions and 1 medium incision in his belly. Anyway... ALL IS WELL!! We found out that they were able to remove all of the cancer and since we caught it early, it hadn't spread anywhere else in his body, so all is good. Scott has bounced back pretty quick and he is basically back to normal. His wounds are healing and aside from yearly colonoscopies he should be fine :) The moral of the story... get your colonscopy when you turn 50 - if not before. It really can save your life!!!

So, now that I can breathe again, it's back to life as normal. This little goober is keeping us on our toes!

Tonight began the "Blizzard of 2010" Miss M. really wanted to go out in the snow so I pulled out the "vintage" snowsuit that we had (I think it was one that I wore when I was little) and let her go out while Scott was shoveling the snow. She loved it and had so much fun.

NOTE TO SELF: Get Miss M. some snow gloves. Her little hands got pretty cold and it freaked her out when we came inside and her hands started to thaw. Oops...sorry babe!

Sneak Peek

2010-10-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

Meet Munchkin, Fraggle and Giggles! These cuties are my nieces. I LOVE these girls! (Even if each one of them gave me attitude while taking these photos) Camie, I hope you like these. I will try hard to get all the others finished ASAP. Thanks!

"I Love Temple"

2010-09-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

Last night we went over to Ma's house to wish her a Happy Birthday. From her backyard you can see the Bountiful Temple. Miss M. was so excited and kept saying "Temple, I see Temple, Mommy" So we took a drive up around the temple on our way home from Ma's house. We drove up the hill and as we came around the corner Miss M. yelled "There it is!!" She was so excited. We were talking to her about the temple and how pretty it is an so on, when suddenly Miss M. says "I Love Temple". My heart just burst. I am so grateful for the temple and I am thankful that even at her age Miss M. is developing a love for the temple.

Goodbye Summer

2010-09-06T22:50:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that summer has come and gone already. Where did it all go? We ended the summer the same way we started it by having a family party at the swimming pool.
We put the floaties on Miss M. and sent her on her way. She LOVED it!

Then she discovered she could jump off the side and all I heard the entire time was "jump again..Mom?" She even went over and jumped off of the diving board. My baby jumped off the diving board! (Of course I had to be in the water to catch her, but still...no fear!) I'm sad that we didn't get to go swimming more often this summer. Oh well, we will spend more time at the pool next year!

Crazy kid!

Sisters? You couldn't tell right?

I think this is why Miss M. wanted to jump. She wants to be like her cousin.

Our little Fish!

Cutie pie!

Love the Hair...Thanks Uncle Eric.

Goodbye Summer and Hello Fall. Can't wait for all the fun we have planned for the next couple months.

Miss M. gets a Potty

2010-08-16T18:06:00.000-07:00

Today is a big day! Miss M got her very own potty! Miss M is showing a little bit of interest in the idea of going potty. The last few days she has announced everytime she went to the bathroom in her diaper and she would immediately lay down so I could change her. She is still pretty scared of the big potty so we went to the store and let her choose her own potty. She was quite excited about everything until I put it on the ground and told her she could sit on it. She was really worried and didn't like that idea at all. She even started crying when Scott picked her up and sat her on the potty. She is warming up to the idea though. We are taking things slow. Right now the new potty is sitting in the bathroom and she likes the idea of sitting on it with her clothes on. She has even gone in there a few times without me, just to check things out. We will try this for a few days until she is ready to sit without her diaper. No rush, we will let her do it on her own time.

20 Years Ago....

2010-07-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

I can't belive that my baby sister is 20 years old today! I can remember thinking when she was born that when she turns 20 I would be 36 years old, and that seemed sooo OLD. Well, here we are 20 years later and 36 doesn't seem so old any more!

When I was 16 years old I was less than thrilled to have another little sister However when she was born, our family became complete and I quickly got over my issues.

Wendy you are a great little sister! You have turned into an amazing women. I admire you for so many different reasons. You have so many qualities that I wish I had. You are tall and blonde. (How did I not get those genes?) You are positive. You have always been a free spirit and you have a carefree attitude toward life. You are an awesome Aunt and babysitter. You are confident and very talented (She can sing and act, people!) You know what you like (Ahem....The Jonas Brothers) and you aren't afraid to declare it to the world. I know you have a strong testimony of the gospel and I am proud of you for your dedication to going to church each week and serving in your calling.

I hope you have an Awesome birthday today! Say goodbye to those teenage years!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WENDY-LOU!! I Love ya!

Fun in the Sun

2010-06-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Miss M. and I went to spend some time with my family (Scottie was working hard and couldn't come) Miss M. had so much fun with her Aunt Wendy and her cousins in the pool. She didn't want to get out even though she was shivering. She also threw a fit when I wouldn't let her get back in after dinner. I can't wait for her to start swimming lessons. We are so excited for Summertime!!

Today

2010-05-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

Today....

I ran, jogged, walked 6 miles!

I turned 36

and I got to take pictures of this little guy!

It's a good day!

Bridal Pictures

2010-05-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Last week we went out to get some pictures of Misty and Randy before they get married next week. It was an adventure but it was fun. Here are some of my favorites ...

We set it up ahead of time for Randy to be "suprised" when he saw Misty. I love the expression on his face. It was sweet to see him so excited to see her!

We went to a location I had never shot before, the bugs were a challege, along with the fine art photographers out there doing a nude "fine art" photo shoot (yes, I said nude....) but it made for some pretty dramatic photos.

This one is hands down my favorite. I dont know why, I just love it!!!

Now we are just a week and a half from the big day. The countdown is on!! Congrats guys!!

Carter

2010-05-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

Went out this weekend to get some pics of my nephew Carter. This kid is as bad as my own and would NOT smile at me. Oh well, we got a couple good ones!His hair is a bit crazy in this one. Kind of looks like a mop top, but we found this cool old truck and had to get a picture on it.Miss M came along too, but she was NOT interested in posing for the camera. She would only stand there because I handed her some candy. Oh how I long for the day when my own child will want to have her picture taken.

Don't Bother Me... I'm Eating!

2010-05-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday J!!

I can't believe that this little guy is ONE! Wow how time flies. We all went to his house to celebrate today and had a great time!

He LOVED his cake (Great Job Jo!).

Here are some fun shots. Enjoy! This one is my favorite... He looks absolutely stuffed!! (Sugar high anyone??)

Mom got the lucky job of clean up!

Thanks for sharing the day with us. LOVE YOU!

Max

2010-04-25T20:42:00.001-07:00

Meet Max! I got the opportunity to take pictures of this sweet little boy yesterday. He was soooo cute and Oh.....those eyes!!! Yes they are that blue and absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! I think I'm in love. Thanks Brandy for the fun afternoon! Here is a sneak peek, I will get your disc of pictures out by the end of the week.

We are in trouble now!

2010-04-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

Miss M. has been quite adventurous lately. The other day in an attempt to get her binkie away from her I threw it in her crib. She has never even tried to get in or out of her crib, so I thought that was a great idea.
She must have really wanted that binkie because in a split second she hopped up and climbed into her crib. She was so proud of herself until she realized she couldnt get out of her bed once she got in to it.

For the last few days we have been playing this game of in and out. She would climb in her bed and then say "Mommy, Mommy, MOMMY" until I would come and get her out. It appears that she has tired of that game, because tonight she learned how to climb OUT of her bed. I guess she is telling us that it is time for a big girl bed (good thing Ma has one ready for her!)

I'll admit I am really sad about this turn of events. My baby is growing up so fast and no matter how hard I try I cant stop it from happening.

It's a BIG Day!

2010-04-09T11:55:00.001-07:00

Today for the first time, Miss M. decided she wanted to wear these...

Up until this morning Miss M. wanted nothing to do with Potty or even the panites. Today was the first day that she has shown any interest in this adventure. Ok, so she still wont go near the "big potty" but after her bath this morning she decided she wanted to wear the panties that she received for her birthday. (Thanks Mimi)

I was going to take bets to see how long it would be before we had our first accident, but I didnt even get the pictures downloaded before it happened. Oh well, small victories! We will try again another day.

Mommys Little Helper

2010-04-05T15:49:00.000-07:00

I LOVE being a Mom! I am extremely blessed to be a mother and to be able to stay home with Miss M. (As you all know we went on quite a journey to get to this point in our lives and I am so grateful that we did.) Having a two year old is so exciting. I love watching her grow and seeing her change everyday. I never know what to expect with her. The other day we were doing laundry and the phone rang, when I came back into the room, this is what I discovered. She had wrapped herself up in all the warm, fresh out of the dryer clothes. (I can't say that I blame her) She looks so angelic in this picture too...

Last week, I decided to make some sugar cookies for Easter. Miss M. was a big helper. She discovered how yummy it is to eat cookie dough and how fun (and messy) it is to roll out the dough and cook it. (Don't worry any of you who had my cookies, Miss M's made and ate her own and any germs in the cookie dough from her little fingers cooked out....right?)

I love this little munchin, more than anything. She is so special and I love that we get to do everything together. She is my little shadow and even though it can be frustrating at times I wouldn't have it any other way. I am so thankful and very blessed!

***

General conference was really nice this last weekend. I felt there were lots of talks about family and the importance of being good parents. I am going to try and be a better Mom (and Step-Mom) and I am going to try and teach Maggie the best I can. I am also going to do better to make sure our family (including Scott's kids) gets together more often (We had a fun breakfast the other day with Scott's kids and we need to that more! Thanks guys for coming out and spending time with us. Love ya lots!)

Too Funny

2010-03-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

I was checking some blogs tonight and on one of the blogs I "stalk" posted a funny website http://www.urbandictionary.com/.
Oh my gosh.... you just search your name and it brings up funny "definitions". Some can get pretty racy so beware, but if you want a good laugh check it out.

Here are the definitions for our names:

Natalie:

A very pretty girl who is shy at first but then she will open up. She is very trustworthy and has a great sense of humor. She falls for people fast and doesn't trust easily. She is beautiful inside and out people just don't realize it..... yet. Shes kickass and a great friend to have.
Man, Natalie is the total package.
I got to get me a Natalie

ha, ha, ha.... but the funniest is what is said for Scott.

Scott:
See: Jesus Christ or
Chuck Norris

"Oh my god it's Scott!"

OR

Scott :
pronounced: (SK-OT)
Incredibly good looking with a great six pack.
Usually found surrounded by a group of girls but can sometimes be found laying back and reading a book. Always there when you need someone to talk and can easily make you laugh. Friends always come first for scott.

Girl one: Gee last night guess who i hung around?
Girl two: o duh girl i already know everyone was hanging around a scott, he's such a swell listener.

I guess Im lucky to have myself a SCOTT!!!

Can You Do This?

2010-03-15T22:28:00.000-07:00

SHE CAN!!

Oh Baby

2010-03-02T18:06:00.001-08:00

I got the privilege of taking some newborn pictures of this sweet little one and his mom and dad! I had so much fun. He was such a good baby until we decided to undress him or put him on his tummy. He didn't like that so much. Oh well, it all worked out and we got some cool shots He is such a cutie and look at that HAIR!! LOVE IT. Thanks Megan and Jeff for letting take pictures of your cutie pie!

"Sew" Easy Valentine Garland

2010-02-11T17:06:00.001-08:00

I don't typically decorate my house for holidays, but this year I felt a little inspired this month to put some Valentine decorations around the house. I didnt want to spend a lot of money, but I wanted to brighten things up a bit, so I went on the lookout for cheap and easy Valentine Decorations.

I came across this cute blog that had a tutorial for a felt heart garland. I thought this would be simple and easy and best of all....CHEAP.

***Side note: Red Felt around Valentine's Day is very hard to come by! I had also wanted to make this heart wreath, but there wasn't a styrafoam heart or red felt (from the bolt) to be found from Layton to Salt Lake., Darn. maybe next year.)

I was up in Layton one day and decided to stop at Hobby Lobby. They had craft felt. (Craft felt comes in sheets and it's not quite as high quality but it's cheap so I was all over it.)

I picked out 4 colors. Red, Hot Pink, Light pink and Purple. I purchased 12 sheets at around .30 cents a piece. Not too bad. When I got to the register she rang it in at 50% off so I spent a grand total of $1.50. Yes folks, one dollar and fifty cents!

Next, I came home and began to cut hearts. I made a template of 4 different sizes and then folded the felt and just randomly cut. This part took the longest (which only was about a hour)

After I had cut all the hearts I went down to my sewing machine and began sewing. I just randomly picked up hearts and sewed them together. It couldnt have been more easy. It literally took me about 20 minutes to sew and I had two complete garlands that were each over 9 feet long! I strung one over my hutch in the living room and the other over my fireplace. It was just what we needed to brighten up each room.

Happy Birthday Little Lady

2010-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

I can't belive my baby is turning TWO! It seems like just yesterday we brought her home. The last two years have been to most wonderful years of my life. This little girl has enriched my life more than anyone or anything, EVER. I am so lucky I get to be her mom! It's hard to see her getting so big and gaining her own independance but I love to see her learn and grow. It seems that she learns something new everyday! She has made our family complete.

We decided to take her on a little field trip to the library and took some "2 year old" pictures. I can't believe we actually even got some shots because she wouldn't slow down for a second. She is our little book worm and she was on a bit of "Book Overload" but she had a great time.

Life with a two year old is definately going to be fun. She has her own little personality and she cracks me up everyday.

Here are some of the funny things she does....

She loves to drink the milk from my cereal after I eat the cereal every morning. (And she gets mad if I forget to give it to her.)
She could eat spaghetti everyday and not get tired of it.
She likes to get my measuring spoons out of the drawer and use them to drink the dog water. (yuck, I know)
She will run and hide behind the bathroom door when you call her name or if she is doing something she shouldnt.
She LOVES mom's make-up and has been caught getting in it multiple times (you would think I would learn to put it somewhere else.)
After she "passes gas" she waves her hand in front of her nose and says "PeeeeUUUUU" and then laughs and laughs.
She will pick up the phone and jabber away unless someone is on the other end....then she is completely silent.
She relentlessly torments our dog. She will brush her hair, lay on her and chase her all around the house.
She will say "BYE" and blow kisses to cashiers, waiters or waitresses, or anyone when we leave a store or restaurant.
She loves giving doggie kisses. She will randomly come up to us and lick our cheek, our arm or our leg.

What a great kid she is! I love her more and more each day.

Happy Birthday Little Lady!!!!

Miss M. and the iPOD

2010-01-19T19:40:00.000-08:00

I cant believe the little baby is going to be TWO in a couple weeks!!

****

It's time for an intervention. Thats right, we have a problem at our house. Miss M. is addicted to the iPod! Yes, our almost two year old knows how to turn it on and find the apps that apply to her. She knows how to find the pictures, the games and the movies. There are more movies for her on the iTouch, than any adult living in our house.

I used to think that parents who purchase their young children iPods (or more specifically the iTouch) were crazy. I am here today to eat my words! No, we have not purchased Miss M and iTouch (yet) but as you can see by the pictures below, she is the one getting the most use out of it. In our defense.... she really only watches the iTouch when Daddy is home (because it is actually his, and mine doesnt have speakers (thank goodness)) In addition, it has saved us many times from a "meltdown" while shopping and it was a LIFESAVER while we were on vacation. HOWEVER, I do fear, at some point we will have to break her of the iTouch just like we have to break her of her binkie. Oh No!

Want a Free Sample? I do!

2010-01-07T17:34:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, If you want a free caramel apple you can go to this website and order one. Hey, it's free so whats not to loose??

Giveaway at Blue Cricket Design

2010-01-06T15:13:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite blogs Blue Cricket Design is having a giveaway and I want to win it! The Vintage Pearl (which makes way awesome jewelry)

is offering a gift certificate to their website. One of the chances to win was by blogging about the giveaway, so thats what Im doing. If you have a second go check out Blue Cricket Design and see how cool she is!

2010 already??

2010-01-05T16:43:00.000-08:00

I swear it was just Thanksgiving. Wow I cant believe I havent posted since November. December was a whirlwind month for our family. We started it off by spending the 1st two weeks of December in Florida at the "Merriest" Place on Earth.... DISNEYWORLD!!! We had an awesome vacation. My entire family was able to go, and it was really special to be able to spend the time with them. We had so much fun and Miss M. was perfect the entire time. (Not one meltdown, if you can believe that!!!) It was so fun to watch her get excited (and a little scared) over the characters. She was very brave and went up to most of them by herself! It was nice to go and take our time to enjoy everything that Disneyworld has to offer! Here are some of my favorite pics from the trip....Christmas came just after we returned home from our trip. We had a great holiday. Miss M was so funny to watch. She enjoyed opening presents and true to her girly nature she promptly "showed off" all of the new clothes she received. She was quite happy with all of her new toys but her favorite had to be the rocking horse she received from her Aunt Tricia and Uncle Clint. And here we are in 2010. The christmas decorations are down and I have returned to the gym after a month (Yeah, I was lazy and my muscles are paying for it today.) 2009 went so quickly and I didnt even scratch the surface of things I wanted to do. For the new year, I have just resolved to do better!

2010 is going to be a fun year. My baby turns 2 in a few weeks and then this summer Randall is getting married. We will undoubtedly return to Disneyland and I am more determined than ever to complete the many projects we have around the house. Who knows, I may even complete that 5k I've been talking about. Happy New Year, everyone!

They're so SWEET, Im getting a toothache!

2009-11-30T20:20:00.000-08:00

Dont you just love.....um.... LOVE?

In quoting one of my most FAVORITE movies of all time "LOVE actually is all around!" (If you can name the movie I will give you a prize. well not really but we can pretend!)

Young love is the sweetest of all. These two kids are no exception! Congrats Randy and Misty! Thanks for letting me take your pictures! These are just a few from the beginning of the session. There are LOTS more to come.....

I love you guys very much!!!

Happy Birthday Buddy!

2009-11-20T21:08:00.001-08:00

My favorite Nephew turned ONE on Wednesday 11/18. I cant believe it's been a year! We had a fun little 1 year photo shoot the other day and I wanted to post some of the pics. (Heidi, I will have a disk for you on Sunday)

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T22:43:00.000-07:00

What a fun day we had. Tonight, Miss M is exhausted and completely sugared out! We had planned to go to the Gallivan Center (I read in the paper that there was a big event there for kids today) So we loaded up the car and off we went. When we got there it was like a ghost town - yes "ghost" is cool for Halloween but I mean there was NOTHING there. What the heck??? Why did they advertise something that wasnt going to happen? Well instead of calling the day a total loss we decided to go to the Gateway for lunch and to see if what we could do. What a great idea that was!!! Most of the stores in the Gateway do "Trick or Treating" for kids so we had a blast walking around from store to store getting candy. It didnt take long for Miss M to get the hang of it. One piece of candy was all it took and she was running all around with her bag out waiting for people to put candy in it. I am sure she will be carrying around her Trick or Treat bag for the next several days.

Miss M's costume turned out better than I planned and she looked so adorable! I dont claim to be the greatest seamstress but I am grateful that I know my way around a sewing machine enough to be able to make a costume for her.

Thanks to my family for coming along and spending the day with us! We had fun together!!!

Here are some pics of my nieces and nephew from today!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

It's getting closer.....

2009-10-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

GUESS WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL TODAY!!!!! These are the travel documents for our DisneyWorld trip! Basically we put them on our luggage and they will pick up our luggage and deliver it to our room - We dont have to lift a finger! How cool is that. Our trip is so close, I CANT WAIT!!! The paper chain count down is up and we are counting down the days until our vacation. YAY!!!!

Oh Yeah.... Halloween is in a couple of days - We did a trial run with Miss M.'s costume at the ward "Trunk or Treat" and she is so stinkin cute! We are keeping it a suprise until Saturday, but here's a sneek peek...

Sweet Baby Love

2009-09-30T19:22:00.001-07:00

I got the priviledge of taking some pictures of this sweet little baby boy the other day. AJ was placed by his birthmother into the arms of our good friends Criscell and Spencer a few weeks ago. He was the easiest baby I have ever photographed. He stayed asleep pretty much the entire time! What a cute little bug! Criscell and Spencer we love you guys and couldnt be happier for you! Oh yeah, guess what his birthday is....9/9/09. How cool is that!!

Ain't She a Beauty?

2009-09-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it myself. After searching and searching for many moons this beauty was discovered and became ours today! Hooray! I am so excited. She is loverly. Sometimes the planets align and everything works out perfect. This was one of those times! Is it bad to love a car this much? Oh well.

Happy Family-versary

2009-09-02T00:10:00.000-07:00

September 2 is a special day in our family. On this day 12 years ago, Scott and I were married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. Who would have thought that 11 years later we would be entering the temple again with our beautiful daughter and seal her to our family forever! I can't believe another year has passed. What a great year it has been!

The last twelve years have been filled with much JOY and a little sorrow but we have made it through together and we are a stronger couple today than we were 12 years ago. So in honor of 12 years together I have compiled a list of the 12 things I love most about my Awesome Hubby!

1. He tells me he loves me everyday

2. He does the dishes (most of the time)

3. He works so hard for our family and is happy that I can stay home with M.

4. He Loves the Savior

5. He has such a vast knowledge of the gospel and helps me to learn all that I can.

6. He does all of the yardwork, even though he doesnt like it very much

7. He willingly goes along to support me in anything I want or have to do. (even if that means that he has to go to a wedding reception in a horse stable, just to support me while I took the pictures.)

8. He is GREAT dad!

9. He lets me control the TV and more importantly the remote

10. He encourages me to follow my passion and he always tells me how good I am (even if I dont think so)

11. He is friendly to everyone

12. He is my best friend and I cant imagine my life without him!!

Thanks for a great 12 years. I can't wait to see what the future has to offer. You are the greatest husband anyone could ever ask for. Miss M and I are very lucky. I love you both very much!!!! Happy Family-versary!

Question: What does an 18 month old put in her purse????

2009-07-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

Answer: Anything she wants to!!

Miss M. has recently discovered the benefits of carrying a purse. M is all about the purse. It started with Grandma. She bought M. a little purse for her to use while she was at Grandmas. After Grandmas house, M. came home and immediately searched for a purse of her own. We didnt have much to work with but sometimes we as women have to make work what we can find! What she found was a small Paradise Bakery paper sack. For days she has carried this sack around the house putting things in it and taking them out. Oh the joy of being a girl!! Well, I could stand it any longer and had to get her a purse of her own. We found this cute little woven purse (just her size) and of course we had to have it. M. hasnt put that thing down since we got it. She has gathered all sorts of things to put in it from individual coloring book pages, to a spare binkie and of course the all important toothbrush! She didnt want to give up her beloved paper sack either so most of her days are spent with a bag on each arm walking through the house. Her new little bag even made an appearance at church on Sunday. I was walking out the door for church and I called for Miss M. to come so we could go and she came running with purse in hand. Hey, who can blame her? A girls gotta have a purse.

Miss M.'s Birth Mother

2009-07-12T22:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, I cant believe summer is half over already. We have been crazy busy doing lots of different activities.
Yesterday we had the privilege of spending some time with Miss M.'s Birth Mother and her parents. We are lucky enough to have an open adoption relationship with Miss M's Birth Mother and we get together every so often. Yesterday we decided it would be fun to go to a movie. People often wonder about our relationship with our Birth Mother. The time we spend together is like spending time with old friends. We talk about life and what is going on with her and her family. She also gets to see the divine Miss M. and hold her and see how big she is growing.
We love her very much and we are thankful for the sacrifice she made for our daughter.
I asked her if it would be okay if I posted some pictures of her and Miss M. and she said yes. So, just in case you were wondering. Here is Miss M. and her Birth Mother.

Christmas in June

2009-06-17T20:07:00.001-07:00

We got a little taste of Christmas yesterday. My family ventured upto Union station in Ogden to see the Disney Christmas Carol train. Disney is coming out with an animated movie of A Christmas Carol in November and as a promotion they are sending a train across country showing pieces of the movie and how it was created. It was a beautiful hot day and we stood in line for 2+ hours (crazy....YES!) but we spent it together as a family and it was fun. It was cool to see the train and to be able to do it as a family is very special. This was just the first of many Family Fun days I have planned this summer. Hooray!

Sneak Peek

2009-06-08T22:38:00.000-07:00

Today I had the pleasure of taking pictures for my friend Brigette and her sisters. I had so much fun and we had the perfect location.

Brigette, It was a total blast and I am so glad I got to see you. Your kids are adorable! I hope you enjoy the sneak peek!

Old Chair + Backyard = Cute pics!!

2009-06-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I took this awesome photography workshop. I learned so much and I am so happy that I did! I think it paid off, I definately learned things that helped me on Sunday when I took pictures of my brother and his family. After we took the family pictures we went to my parents house for dinner. My mom has this cool old chair from my grandparents (unfortunately I broke the leg trying to get it outside.... SORRY Mom !) but it did make for some waaaaay cute pics! All the kids were so good and did great with their pictures, except one..... my own!! Enjoy!

Garden 2009

2009-05-25T09:54:00.001-07:00

Each year Scott tries to grow a garden. (I say Scott, because I do not like to garden) I especially HATE weeding! Scott doesnt particularly like weeding either so most years we loose lots of crops to weeds.

This year we heard about square foot gardening and we thought we would invest a little money to buy the supplies to try it.

Oh my GOSH!!!! It works great! Our plants....from seed....are doing AWESOME. I swear they double in size each day......

.....and guess what..................NO WEEDS!!!! AMAZING.

Thanks Scott for doing this. I cant wait to harvest and eat our veggies!

Oh yeah.... Miss M. loves to help Daddy in the garden too.

Look what I found

2009-05-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

I found this great blog/website with awesome handmade jewelry. I like this necklace and pretty much everything she sells. I wouldnt object to receiving something from her as a gift on my birthday. (hint, hint)

I thought it would be cool to learn to make it or something similar, but it would be so far down on my project list that I would never get to it. Maybe someday....

You can see other cool necklaces here.

My new favorite pic...

2009-05-12T20:50:00.001-07:00

Today we spent the day working in the yard. Maggie had the time of her life, playing in the dirt and then the sprinklers. I think the look on her face says it all. She absolutely LOVES her big brother and they had so much fun playing in the water today.

Happy Birth Mothers Day

2009-05-09T21:51:00.001-07:00

I know this is a late post, this day is almost over, but I cant let the day end without expressing my love and gratitude for Maggie's Birth Mother. I am excited to celebrate my 2nd Mothers day tomorrow and that would not be possible without the strength and courage of another mother who made an incredible sacrifice. She selflessly made a choice to place Maggie with our family. My life changed forever that day 15 months ago when we received the news that Maggie was here and her Birth Mother had chosen me to be her mother. I love Maggies Birth Mother and I graciously welcome her into our family. She is sweet, kind and gentle, but she is also strong and courageous. I can only hope that Maggie will also have such wonderful attributes. Not a day goes by that I dont think of her. So on this very important day I thank her from the bottom of my heart.

HAPPY BIRTH MOTHERS DAY!!!!

Happy Birthday Jaxon!

2009-05-02T13:51:00.001-07:00

Last night at around 11:30pm we got the call that Laurie Jo's water had broke and that they were on the way to the hospital. We went to bed fully expecting it to take a while and that we would see baby sometime in the afternoon. Well, we received the phone call at 4:00am annoucing that Jaxon had been born! Wow, that was fast! We all went to the hospital today to meet him. He's pretty darn cute!

Here are the stats --- 6lbs 7oz and 19in long.

Maggie thought he was pretty cool. She gave him loves and it lasted just about a minute until she wanted to take the blanket off and see the rest of him.

Scott is a proud grandpa. Yup, thats right kids, Scott is now a Grandpa!! I however am NOT a grandma :) .

Where have I been????

2009-04-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, to all of you who have been asking, I am alive and well and I am FINALLY updating my blog. Life around here is pretty crazy. You would think I would have all the time in the world now that I am home with Maggie, but things just are busier than ever.

Life with a 1 year old is an adventure. She is definately her own little person and is ALL attitude.

She is growing and changing everyday.

Here are some highlights from the last couple of months:

*Maggie loves books and magazines, She loves to flip the pages and she has learned that you need to lick your fingers to make the pages turn.

*She took her first steps on April 14, 2009 and she continues to learn to walk. She still isnt walking 100% of the time but she walks more and more everyday.

*She has 5 teeth (3 on bottom and 2 on top)...2 more are coming in on the top.

*She loves the Disneyland Sing Along video that we have. It is the only time that she will sit still for 30 minutes straight (thanks, Heidi)

*We went to Disneyland in March and Maggie wasnt sure about any of the characters until we got to Mickey. She almost leapt out of my arms to get to Mickey. She put her arm around him and gave him kisses. It was the cutest thing ever!!!

* Maggie know the answer to the following questions

-" Maggie, what does the doggie say?" Answer: "Arf, Arf"

-" Maggie, what does the cow say?" Answer: "Mooo"

-" Maggie, what does the lion say?" Answer: She growls...roar

-" Maggie, what does Mommy say?" Answer: Maggie shakes her head no

(who taught her that???)

* Maggie has new purple crocs (shoes) and she LOVES them. She has to have them on, even with her pajamas.

I love her more and more everyday! She is such an amazing little girl!

So, there is a quick recap for you. I promise to do better!

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-14T10:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

A look back

2009-02-04T22:55:00.000-08:00

I have been creating scrapbook pages for Maggie's Birth Mother each month during the last year. When Maggie was placed with us we bought two identical bears. One bear was given to Maggies Birth Mother and the other bear was for Maggie. Each month for the last year I have taken a picture of Maggie with the bear. This way Maggies Birth Mother can see how big Maggie has grown.

I purposly did not look at all of the pictures until I sat down to complete this page. I can't believe how big she is. My baby is definately not a "baby" anymore.

Happy Birthday Maggie!!!

2009-02-01T19:12:00.001-08:00

It seems like just yesterday we received the phone call that changed our lives forever! What an amazing year it has been. We have been blessed with the most beautiful girl in the world. She is perfect in every way. She completes me!! I love being a mother. I am so thankful for Maggie's Birth Mother and the courage it took to make a plan for Maggies life. A plan that included Scott and I as her parents. She is an amazing woman and I marvel at her strength. We are forever linked. I am blessed to know her.

Happy Birthday Maggie!!

I am proud to be your mother. Thank you for being a great daughter. I look forward to the next year and all of the new and exciting things to come. I love you with all of my heart!!

New Week, Sick Baby and New Daily Photos

2009-01-26T20:22:00.000-08:00

Last week Maggie just wasnt feeling well and wasn't herself all week. We had two bouts a vomit.... YUCK! That was the first time she has ever thrown up. She handled it like a trooper. Poor Baby! Thankfully, today, she is back to her funny old self.

Anyway, here are my daily pictures from last week.....

2009 P.O.T.D.

2009-01-20T21:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!

I have started a fun project for 2009. I decided to take a "Photo Of The Day" each day this year. This seems to be a popular activity for lots of people this year. Unfortunately I didnt get the Project 365 kit from Creating Keepsakes, but I found a great alternative so I have decided to do a kind of hybrid project. Some of the scrapbook will be done digitally and some of it will be using paper scrapbooking. I am really excited. It will be fun to see the scrapbook at the end of the year and see all that we do. I will try to keep this blog updated with the photos.

Here are my photos so far.....

Quick post

2009-01-19T19:18:00.000-08:00

I know I havent blogged in a while. I have been busy working on other things. I did want to blog today about a cool giveaway happening on a blog. I get 10 entries in the giveaway if I blogged about so here goes. This is a way cool stroller and would be awesome to win!
http://inevergrewup.net/giveaway-25-bumbleride-indie-stroller/

See quick post. I will post more later.
xoxo

The Magic of Christmas

2008-12-16T18:58:00.000-08:00

I love getting mail during the month of December. Each day brings something new and exciting. Warm greeting from family and friends arrive each day and it makes the season so special. Today was no exception. Maggie received a very special letter today from a magical place. She received her first letter from Santa. I had no idea that this letter was coming. It was as much as a surprise to me as it was to her. How exciting! Christmas time is a magical time. Thank you to Santa for remembering our sweet little girl.

We know you are busy and we appreciate the personal message you sent to Maggie. I hope this holiday season is as magical for all of you as it has been for our family so far!

Now we are more excited than ever for Santa to come!!

A Day late, but good none the less... Happy Birthday Scott

2008-12-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

1. Where did you meet? At work. He saw me and immediately fell in love with me!
2. How long did you date before you got married? We started dating in Oct 1996 and were married in Sept 1997
How long have you been married? Too Long.... 11 years.
4. What does he do to surprise you? Cleans the bathroom
5. What is your favorite feature of his? His eyes
7.What is your favorite quality? He has the biggest HEART
7. Does he have a nickname for you? Nat
8. What is his favorite food? Meatloaf
9. What is his favorite sport? Sports?? whats that?
10. When and where did you first kiss? In the Training Table parking lot after dinner on our 2nd ldate... He just couldnt wait any longer!
11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Everything.
12.Do you have children? 2 girls and 2 boys
13. Does he have any hidden talents? No, he's a pretty open book willingly shares his talents with others.
14. How old is he? 50
15. Who said I love you first? Scott
16. What is his favorite music? He is a Donny Osmond groupie
17. What do you admire most about him? His is the most friendly person I know.
18. What is his favorite color? Doesnt have one
19. Which side of the bed does he sleep on? He sleeps on the left side of the bed.
20. Will he read this? Of Course

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas...

2008-11-30T23:08:00.000-08:00

I cant believe that it is December. I just dont know where the time has gone. It seems like yesterday we brought home our sweet little baby girl. Now she is 10 months old. Boy time really does fly.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Scott's family this year. The food was so yummy. My contribution was an apple pie, which was pretty easy and fun to do. Scott loves this pie and has asked for it for his birthday which is this Thursday. Maggies first Thanksgiving was great. She really likes Turkey. I was hoping that she would eat enough turkey and then take a good nap, but that didnt work. She ate turkey and then was ready to play all afternoon. I guess that myth is busted!!

The day after Thanksgiving we decided to go to the concert and tree lighting ceremony at the gateway. It was really fun. Jon Schmidt gave a quick little piano concert and then they lit the big tree in the center by the gateway fountain. Maggie was mesmerized by the lights. I guess they used LED lights so they kindof created a light show with the lights. Maggie just loved it.

I love Christmas time and this year is special because we have Maggie to share it with. I am going to make a point to savor every minute of it! Happy Holidays!

Adoption Awareness Month

2008-11-09T22:38:00.000-08:00

November is Adoption Awareness month. To celebrate Scott, Maggie and I attended the 3rd Annual Adoption Walk with me 5k at Liberty park. We bundled Maggie up and braved the cold air. We had so much fun, saw good friends and had a yummy burrito (compliments of Chipolte... YUM)

It is so amazing to see how adoption has blessed the lives of so many people.

We are obviously blessed to have Maggie but Maggie wouldn't be in our lives if it wasnt for her courageous birth mother. Not a day goes by that I dont think of her and the sacrifice she made on Maggies behalf. We are lucky to have an open adoption and to have a great relationship with our birth mother and her family. We are eternally grateful for them and all they have done for Maggie.

In our family we celebrate Adoption everyday, but this month in particular our goal is to spread one word..... that word is...... ADOPTION!! Our goal is that you all know and understand how special adoption is and that it is a viable option for anyone who is faced with a crisis pregnancy.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T14:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, It's Halloween! I decided to get my creative juices flowing and made Maggies Halloween costume. I set the bar pretty high for myself. Isnt she the most adorable thing you have ever seen!! I think so. Have a Happy Halloween!!!!

Witchy Weekend

2008-10-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

I absolutely LOVE fall. This time of year is full of so much excitement. I love the crisp fall air, the leaves changing colors, and the anticipation of whats coming in the next few months. There is so much to do this time of year out in the community. As a fun activity, Scott and I, along with my sisters and nieces went to the Witches festival at Garnder Village. What a great time we had. It didnt cost any money and we got to spend time together having fun. I love traditions and doing things together as a family. I am glad that Maggie has such loving Grandparents, Aunts and cousins. I definately think this will be on our list of yearly traditions!

Funny Faces

2008-10-12T21:34:00.001-07:00

This week I tried to capture the funny faces Maggie makes. Somewhere along the line she decided she liked to suck in her bottom lip. She also tries to suck in both the top and bottom lips and when she does that she usually ends up with a crooked fishy face. She is so hilarious!! I cant believe this little girl is 8 months old. It doesnt seem possible!! Each day I wake up and think there is no way I could love this little girl anymore and by the end of the day I am more in love with her!
She is truly a miracle and I enjoy each and every minute we spend together!! Enjoy the pics!!

The Happiest Place on Earth!!

2008-09-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

Last week we spent the week in the most glorious of places.... DISNEYLAND. I just love Disneyland. We had a wonderful time together. It was the first of many times we will take Maggie there. It was such a cool feeling to be able to have my own child in Disneyland. She was such a perfect little baby too. She was happy to just ride around in the stroller. She would fall asleep when she was tired and she would ride the rides and not get scared. We has a great time and enjoyed every minute of it.

Here are some highlights.....

Our family at Disneyland

Toy Story Mania!! Coolest ride EVER!!

Goofy Messing with Dee at Dinner in Goofy's Kitchen

Check out Maggie's eyes. She would get so wide eyed as we entered any ride.

Everyone looks good in Mickey ears.

Oh yeah, who taught the 7 month old to sip through a straw??

The magic and wonder in even the smallest of eyes

Everyone is a Prince or a Princess in Disneyland

So, Why do I love Disneyland???

Here are my top 10 reasons.

10.The magical sound that the turnstiles make as you enter the park.

9.The quotes throughout the park from Walt Disney.

8. The excitement that you see in any and every person who is standing in Disneyland

7. The Characters around the park who always make me smile

6. The memories I have there with my family

5. The music from the parade. "Welcome to our family time...." Who needs to say more??

4. Fireworks

3. Tower of TERROR!! I could ride that ride all day!

2. The food. If you have ever had a Disneyland corndog, you know what I am talking about!
and the # 1 reason I love Disneyland

1. Because my husband does and he is always willing to go, even if we go with my family :)

Wow, look at that man. Who couldnt love a man wearing such a cool outfit!

FOREVER!

2008-09-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

What an amazing word...Forever!! On Tuesday Sept 2, 2008...(our 11th wedding anniversary) we were able to take our beautiful daughter to the temple to be sealed to us. It was a beautiful day. Maggie was wonderful and the sweet sisters in the temple couldnt get over how beautiful she was. They said she was the sweetest baby and they had a wonderful time with her in the childrens center. Maggie is truly a miracle and she has a special spirit about her. She touches everyones heart!! i cant believe I am her mom! I am so blessed! I am thankful to our friends and family who were there to share this special occasion for our family! I love you all!!

In addition, we gave Maggie a name and a blessing in church yesterday. Scott gave Maggie a beautiful blessing. I am so grateful that I have a husband who honors his priesthood and could give Maggie this wonderful gift. I know the blessing he gave came from our Heavenly Father and was meant especially for Maggie. I am so lucky to be married to such a wonderful guy! It was even more special because Maggie's birthmom and birth grandparents attended the blessing. They were so sweet and excited for Maggie and our family. I am so thankful we have a good relationship with Maggies birth family. They are amazing people and we are lucky to have them as part of our family!!

After church we had a yummy luncheon with our family and friends. Thank you to everyone who brought treats and came to share in our joy. We are blessed beyond measure!!!

Families are Forever!

2008-08-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

Our lives are crazy busy right now. Scott is going in for surgery on his wrist tomorrow. I created the annoucement above to send out for Maggies blessing, but I am just not getting things done like I had hoped. I guess people will have to settle for an e-vite. I just wanted to post this here so if I missed sending you one for some reason, you will know whats happening. Thanks for all of your love and support.

It's Offical!

2008-08-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

Shout Hooray! Today our family went to court to finalize our adoption! YAY!! I must say that I was quite nervous going today. I dont know why.... (for those of you who know me, you know that I stress out for no reason)

Anyway, we met our attorney and case worker early this morning to go over all the paperwork. When court started we were sworn in and our lawyer took over. It was all pretty simple and easy, no need to worry at all. After reviewing all of the documentation the judge gave his approval to complete the adoption. He used the words "as if she had been born to you!" There is no difference!! How awesome is that. Maggie is officially ours.

I am so grateful for this beautiful baby girl. She is a miracle to our family. Thank you to her birthmother and the selfless sacrifice she made on Maggies behalf.

Poor dog

2008-08-10T22:00:00.001-07:00

Wow, it's been a while since I posted. Sorry! Who knows where the time has gone. July was crazy busy.

Maggie is growing so much and she is changing everyday! She is becoming more mobile. She hasn't learned the coordination of crawling yet but that hasnt stopped her from using her arms and legs to pull and propel her forward. Her main motivation for moving....... The dog!!! Oh how she loves Chloe! I am not sure what is so interesting about the Dog, but Maggie cannot get enough of her. The two of them play a little game of "cat and mouse". The dog will lay on the floor on one side of the room. Maggie will scoot over to her and just as Maggie gets within reach the dog will get up and move to the other side of the room and the game starts all over again. The dog has to keep her guard up at all times because if she doesnt Maggie sneaks up on her and scares her.

I have to say I am grateful that we have a dog that is so good natured. She doesnt get upset or mad at Maggie. She doesnt nip at her or anything, which is so nice!!

The other day I think the dog had enough. They had been playing their usual game for a while when all of the sudden I heard the dog let out a little bark. I looked over and she was looking directly at Maggie. Maggie just laughed and the dog barked at her again. Then she just snooted and ran downstairs. I didnt see the dog again for a few hours. I think the dog had had enough and she barked at Maggie as if to say "Leave me alone!" When Maggie neglected her pleas the dog just gave up and went downstairs to santuary!

Chloe has no idea what is in store for her as Maggie gets older. She really doesnt have a chance..... Poor Dog :)

What I was doing....

2008-07-08T20:41:00.001-07:00

Sorry it's taken a few days for me to complete this. I was looking for an old picture from 20 years ago and it was hard to find. Anyway, here goes nothing!

20 years ago

1. I was 14 years old and had just got my first pair of glasses (The big bug eye kind popular in the 80's)

2. I was in the 8th grade and had the BIGGEST crush on a guy named Jason ( A boy who turned out to be not as cool as I thought he was)

3. I was rocking permed hair with poofy bangs, big glasses and tapered acid wash jeans.

10 years ago

1. I married my best friend

2. Was getting used to my life as a wife and new step-mom

3. Found out that the company that Scott and I worked for was closing and we would both have to find new jobs.

5 years ago

1. I was struggling with infertility and trying to decide to move forward or stop fertility treatments

2. Started a new job with Sorenson Genomics doing something I had never done before.

3. Discovered my passion with photography

3 years Ago

1. Began our journey down the road of adoption

2. Became an advocate for adoption and became an active volunteer in the Families Supporting Adoption organization

3. Decided to make the jump from glasses to contacts. (Loved it!!)

Last year

1. I lost 50 lbs

2. Learned how to bake bread (from scratch people!)

3. Refinished our basement and got new carpet in the entire house

So Far this year

1. We adopted the most perfect angel and I became a full time mom

2. I discovered my obsession with Peach Fresca and cupcakes

3. started running and lost 10 more pounds

Yesterday

1. Spent the day with Maggie

2. Went to the Gym and ran for 25 minutes straight!

3. Did Laundry

Tomorrow

1. I will clean the house (we have our last supervisory visit with our case worker before finalization.. YAY!)

2. Make more frosting for the yummy red velvet cupcakes I made

3. scrapbook a new page to give to Maggies birth mother.

In the next year

1. We will finalize our adoption and be sealed as a family in the temple

2. Lose more weight and run a 5k.

3. Go on another vacation (Disneyland here we come!!)

3 things on my to do list

1. organize my scrapbook area

2. clean off the dining room table so we can actually eat there again

3. Find a blessing dress for Maggie

My favorite treats/foods

1. CUPCAKES! (I love to make them!)

2. Tirimisu cheescake from The Cheescake Factory

3. Frito candy (a new discovery I made and LOVE!)

3 things I would change about myself

1. I wish I wasnt such a TV junkie

2. I have great ideas but my follow through leaves something to be desired

3. I would like to stay in better touch with my friends (sorry guys... you know I love you!)

Places I love to go

1. Disneyland/ DisneyWorld

2. Paris

3. The Temple

3 jobs I have had

1. Framptons Dry Cleaners (My first job)

2. AT&T Universal Card

3. Sorenson Genomics

Impromtu Photo Shoot

2008-06-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

We received some of the most amazing gifts when Maggie was born. One of the cutest things we got was this bold printed dress from Baby Gap. Finally yesterday we pulled this adorable outfit out and put it on. Maggie looked so CUTE!!! She was in a pretty good mood after church so we had a little impromptu photo shoot.

They are not the best (I still need to work on lighting and camera settings) but the certainly capture her personality.

I am still amazed that this little beauty is mine!

She is the most wonderful little miracle!! What a sweetheart!!

One Happy Baby

2008-06-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

There have been some "Cool" things going on at our house lately. We (or I) decided that if I was going to be home this summer that we needed to get rid of our old, rickity, falling apart swamp cooler to Central Air (we also got a new furnace). We decided to go with Superior Water and Air and we had it scheduled to be installed on Thursday June 5th. I wasnt sure what to expect but, I thought it would only take a few hours.

Oh boy, how wrong was I!!

All I have to say is that we now have two new friends, Scott and Luke. They are the furnace installers that spent all day on Thursday, Friday and Monday with us. I thought they would never get it installed. (I am pretty sure they didnt think it would ever happen either) Our house is old and was built before centeral air was invented, so it wasnt easy for them to get it all ready to work. Finally on Monday afternoon, after many hours and a few mishaps, we felt the wonderful sensation of cool air coming from our vents. I was jumping for joy. It was FABULOUS! It is a wonderful feeling to know that we will never have to endure HOT summer nights listening to the clunk, clunk, clunk of that old swamp cooler!!

It a beautiful thing! We are all very Happy!!

So Here's the Deal...

2008-05-29T18:51:00.001-07:00

I felt left out that I didnt have a ticker on my website. Well guess what.....they have tickers for EVERYTHING! Now you all get to count down with me to Maggies 1st birthday! I know you are all sooo excited for this and will be on the edge of your seats with anticipation. :)

2008-05-23T13:59:00.001-07:00

Mothers Day

2008-05-12T13:18:00.001-07:00

I was so blessed to have the most amazing Mothers day yesterday. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have been given to be a Mom. It's not so much about the gifts (although they were awesome! - more on that later) it's about the joy of having a tiny little sweetheart that I am responsible for nurturing and loving. For years I put so much emphasis on getting pregnant that I absolutely refused to think about adoption. Then one day ( after a sever knock up side the head by my Heavenly Father) I realized that it's not about getting pregnant, it's about being a Mother - no matter how that child comes to you. That was 3 1/2 years ago - and the beginning of our adoption journey. Up until that time we had stuggled with infertility and I knew that going further with fertility treatments just wasnt for me. I had pretty much resigned myself to never being able to be a Mom.

How foolish I was. It's all about being a Mother! It's all about the sweet smile she gives me when I look at her. It's about the overwhelming joy I feel when I hold her in my arms.

I am grateful that I came to my senses. I am thankful for the last 3+ years that we have waited for Maggie. (It makes her that much more special to me) I am thankful that I had enough faith in my Heavenly Father to know that there was a child waiting for me and I am eternally grateful that Maggie's Birth Mother used her stewardship as a Mother to make a plan for Maggies life that included me as her mother.

Scott and the kids were so sweet to me for my first Mothers Day. Randy and Cody gave me earrings from my favorite jewelry store.

Jo and Josh made me the MOST AMAZING book full of pictures of Maggie... (WOW is all I can say. Thank you so much!!!)

and the best gift of all was this poem the Scott and Maggie wrote :

My Mom

Though your body did not conceive me.

Your mind saw who I was

I did not physically grow within you

But my soul grew in your heart

Though it took longer for me to get here

(We both had growing to do)

I came when it was time

I can not speak the words I want

So I smile and hope you hear

These special words

That are just for you

"Love you MOM!"

(Even as I type this now, I am crying) How special this poem is to me. Thanks Honey!

Milestone

2008-04-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

Up until now my greatest exercise achievment came when I was 20 years old and ran on the treadmill for 17 minutes straight. A few months ago I posted that I was going to start running and that my goal was to run a 5k. Well I am happy to report that today was the first day that I ran a 5k on the treadmill! It is amazing to see how I have been able to build up to this moment. 4 months ago I could barely run 1 minute on the treadmill and today, I ran for 30 minutes straight! It took me 45 minutes to complete the 5k (a 5 minute warmup, 30 minutes of running and a 10 minute cooldown) but I DID IT!!

I still have a long way to go. It's time to breakaway from my treadmill security blanket and actually run on hard ground. That's terrifying to me, but I am going to do it! I need to get more songs for my Ipod. Any suggestions for "pump it up" songs that I can download to my ipod?

I couldnt post a blog without including a picture (or 2) of my baby girl.... She's my real motivation for running and wanting to get healthier! Im one lucky girl!

The Girls

2008-04-11T12:10:00.001-07:00

On Saturday night Camie and the girls came to my house to spend some time with Maggie and me while the guys were at priesthood. It's so much fun to have them all around. I think Maggie enjoyed it too. I love having them at my house and I am excited that they are Maggie's cousins! Carlee is so good with Maggie. She is going to be a great little babysitter!!

While they were here we had a little photo shoot to get some pictures of the girls. They turned out suprisingly well. I still need to work a little on lighting, but I am pleased with the efforts.

I just love these girls!!

Two Months

2008-04-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

It's so amazing to think that Maggie has been in our family for two months. On one hand it seems like she has been here forever, and on the other hand, it still feels brand new. I am so honored to be chosen as her Mom. She is the most perfect little baby. She is growing so fast and changes each day. The pictures below show how much she has grown in the last month... Whew!

One Month Old....

Two Months Old...
Isn't she adorable!

I am blessed to have her in my life. I am also so LUCKY to have Laurie Jo, RANDALL, and Cody as part of my family. I would never want them to feel like chopped liver or anything :) just because I didnt mention them in a blog entry. I love them and I am blessed to have them in my life. I Love ya guys! (Do you feel better now Randall.... you MONKEY!)

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T22:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter Everyone!

I never thought that having a child would have such a large impact on small things like a holiday. I was so excited for Easter this year. From the Easter Basket to the Easter dress I wanted to do it all for Maggie. Luckily, I had purchased a cute Easter dress a few years ago, with the hopes that I would have a daughter. Amazingly enough it was the right size for Maggie to wear! She looked so cute! I also went a little overboard with the Easter basket. I know that Maggie cant eat candy yet. Scott was pretty excited over that because he gets it all by default. Maggie will get use out of the book that the Easter bunny brought her though.

Maggie is growing by leaps and bounds. It was hard as she out grew the newborn size outfits and moved into the 0-3 month size. My baby is growing up so fast. I cherish everyday with her!

Mom and Maggie

My sweet baby

I cant belive how perfect my life is. I have a great husband and a beautiful daughter. I am truly blessed!
(They both look so thrilled to have their pictures taken... could it be the headbands?... I couldn't resist ;) )

Life with a new baby

2008-02-25T21:47:00.001-08:00

I cant believe how time flies. It has been 3 weeks since we brought our sweet Maggie home. She is just a joy! If you ever questioned Heavenly Fathers plan, all you have to do is just look at a brand new baby.

I feel more like a monther everyday. It has been quite and adjustment, but I think I am getting the hang of it. I grossly underestimated the amount of time a newborn takes (and I didnt even have to give birth!)

Life is wonderful! I wouldnt change anything! I am loving every single minute of this!!!!

I wanted to share a picture I took of Maggie the other day. We tried to have a photo session but she really wasnt in to it. Oh well. At least I got one :)

"Bee Mine"

2008-02-14T07:32:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!!

Maggie got this cute little outfit for Valentines Day. It has two bees on it and it says "Bee Mine" Ahhhh..... so cute.

I had to take a picture and share with everyone!

Have a great day!

Hugs and Kisses to all on this day of LOVE!

Nat

What a difference a week makes

2008-02-10T22:32:00.000-08:00

This week has just been a whirlwind. Who would have thought at this time last week that we would have a new baby in our home this week! How amazing! After the annoucment that Maggie was coming home with us, our neighborhood sprang into action. We have had a steady stream of visitors this week, all bringing gifts for Maggie Grace. We also had a baby shower with the ward on Saturday where we received the most beautiful gifts. We received the most beautiful baby blankets. All stitched and sewn with love. We are truly blessed to live in this area and have the friends that we do. Our Family room is overflowing with gifts.

I am humbled at the generosity of all of our family and friends.

Maggie went to sacrament meeting with us today and did wonderfully. She slept the whole time. She is such a beautiful baby. I am still in awe at how perfect she is.

Scott and Maggie are just so cute. I am so blessed to have each of them. He is just such a great Dad. Maggie and I are both so lucky!

Maggie Grace

2008-02-04T21:55:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to introduce the newest member of our family.

Maggie Grace was born on 02/01/08. She was 6 pounds 4 ounces and is 19 3/4 inches long. She is the most perfect little thing!!! We feel so priveledged to be given this blessing.

Of course we will write more about it all later :)

Here are some more pics of this beautiful little girl.

Thank you!

2008-01-25T15:27:00.000-08:00

Today I have to say Thank You. Thank you Weight Watchers people for creating a program that is easy to follow. A program that lets you change your life, loose weight, but still allows you to eat what you want….. Well almost!
I don’t remember the last time that I was able to shop off the rack at any “normal” size store. For as long as I can remember, I have been shopping solely at the “fat lady store” (Lane Bryant). Which isn’t bad, they have great clothing that fits a “woman of size”, (see what I did there… I am so politically correct) I do love their clothing, it’s stylish and very comfortable. But I longed for the days I could go in to a store like Old Navy and buy something off the rack for like $2 bucks! My mouth would water at the deals we could find at Old Navy for others, but I could never fit into any of their clothes. I would have to wait until I was thinner. Well, the wait is OVER! Yup, that’s right, thanks to Weight Watchers and their truly amazing Flex points program, I can now confidently walk into old navy and pick up a shirt and purchase it… without the pain of having to try it on or the worry that it is not going to fit! I have recently purchased several items from Old Navy and I want to cry every time I put them on and they fit perfectly. (I even ordered something online, only to receive it and it be too big!!)
I have had to give up burgers and French fries (I haven’t eaten a fry in almost a year) and my life is now consumed with how many points are in everything I eat. But, it is all worth it. Am I still fat … Yes, but I am not as fat as I once was. I can only go down from here. My shopping possibilities are getting larger as my waistline gets smaller and that’s pretty darn AWESOME!

Exercise! Ugh.....

2008-01-15T11:14:00.001-08:00

I have come to realize that I have a Love/Hate relationship with the gym. Plain and simple.... I love to hate it. I really want to be one of those people who love to go to the gym and can stay there for hours but, alas, I am not that person. I can and do find any excuse not to go to the gym. So making the goal to exercise this year is a difficult one for me... but I am committed!
Last night as I started the "training" to run a 5k, I thought to myself...... "You must be crazy! You are so out of shape. Who makes this kind of a goal....certainly not you!"
But you know what, I did it. I lasted for 30 minutes on the treadmill and then I went to the track to do a cool down with Scott (who by the way is quite motivated to go to the gym lately..... what is wrong with the universe??) I know it's not the greatest of accomplishments but for me, it was something.

Movie Night

2008-01-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

Last night Scott and I had the privilege of spending some time with our sweet neighbors, Janet and Dave. They have a big screen TV and they invite us up to watch movies all the time. We enjoy going to their house to spend time with them. They have every movie you could ever want to see. I thought my Dad was a movie buff, but Janet and Dave take the cake. Last night we watched CARS. (Scott and I hadn’t seen that yet and they were willing to watch it again for our benefit.) Janet has a way of always making me smile. Janet has MS, a debilitating disease that has confined her to a wheelchair. She is not able to walk (or move her legs for that matter), has difficulty moving her arms and retaining control of her neck muscles. She also has trouble speaking. To me, Janet is simply amazing! Although she has plenty of trials in her life, Every time I see Janet, she has a smile on her face. If I ask her how she is doing, the answer is always a resounding “GREAT!!” She has such a strong spirit about her that you can’t help but feel uplifted by just being around her. (Not to mention the amazing husband she has! He takes such good care of her.) If Janet can smile through the adversity in her life, then I definitely have nothing to complain about. We all have trials, that is part of the plan… It is how we deal with those trials that measure our strength of character. Janet is a shining example to me and I am grateful that she is my friend.

Are you ready to ROCK?

2007-12-26T20:04:00.001-08:00

Christmas has come and gone. Of course it was much too quick. I think Christmas day should be extended to Christmas week! That way we could spend more time with each of our families and we wont feel so rushed. We can take it easy and enjoy things a little bit more. Yeah, that would be cool....

I was thinking that I was pretty awesome at Guitar Hero. I was doing really well and thought to myself... I kick butt!!! I totally thought that I could beat anyone in my family. My confidence was boosted when I laid the smack down on my brother earlier in the day at my parents house. (I felt like I did in my glory days. When I was 10 years old and I was the champion at the TAZ game on Coleco-vision. Yes, Does anyone remeber that system... Probably not. but anyway I so rocked at that game! Neighborhood kids would come from all over to see the wonder that was... me! I could totally rock that game! I was a legend!) I digress.

Back to Guitar Hero

After I accurately navigated the series of notes in songs from KISS and Guns and Roses. I felt like a true rock star. I even heard my brother say under his breath "Wow...she really is good!" After such confidence builders I thought I was indestructible and could certainly rock over Cody, Randy and Josh.

The game was on! I finally broke out the Guitar Hero III after we opened presents with the kids. We all ran downstairs to play. I talked a pretty good talk and then we began playing. It was all downhill from there. I started out strong but quickly realized that my Guitar Hero skills were not as polished as I had once thought. Maybe it was just performance anxiety with everyone down there watching but alas, I have to confess that I met my match and then some in Josh. Even now, saying his name stings to the core :) Yes it's true, I have to admit that Josh is an excellent Guitar Hero player. He officially Rocks over me.

So now I am laying down the gauntlet.... Josh-you beat me once, but It wont happen again. We shall duel again my friend and the next time, I will be ready. I am going to practice night an day. Next time victory will be mine!!

Oh yeah, Jo and Randy had fun playing as well! Thanks for the fun times. I Love you all!

Is Christmas really tomorrow???

2007-12-24T07:50:00.000-08:00

Holy Cow! Today is Christmas Eve. It is so hard to believe that it is here already. It seems like yesterday we were dying of the summer heat. Boy, how time flies. I love Christmas time. Each year, I try to be ready early so I can enjoy the holidays but of course it never happens. Last night, I was still makeing treats for our neighbors. I made regular caramels and then I made some caramels with cinnamon flavoring in them. Oh my goodness they are yummy. I also made some pretzels with white chocolate and cashews on them. Randy and Scott really liked those and kept eating them. I hope our neighbors like them.
As I was cooking last night I decided we should watch my favorite holiday movie..Love Actually! (The edited version we recorded off the t.v. last year) It's such a cute movie. I think Randy even liked it (cause you know, I forced him to watch it with us )
The news said that a storm is coming today. We have already had a lot of snow this year and this will just add more white to the ground. Yay!
Merry Christmas Everyone!

Moonlight Madness

2007-12-16T19:10:00.000-08:00

I have come to the realization that I am in love with vampires. I may even be pretty close to being one!! I mean the signs are all there....I am a total night owl, I really don't like the sun and oh yeah, and we wont even talk about my love for red meat..YUM. I don't know, it's too close to call. So ya know that I just finished the last book in the twilight series and my thoughts are totally consumed with Edward Cullen. He is such and intriguing character and I am going through such withdrawl not being able to read about him. I am totally sad that I finished the book. I don't know that I can wait until next year. UGH.

Anyway, Vampires have recently made their way back to primetime TV. I thought I would never get over the fact that Buffy and Angel were cancelled. My weekly rondeveaux with the darkside was taken away when those shows left the airways and I all but buried my vampire obsession. Well, it's back, have you seen the new show on CBS....Moonlight. I am so in love with this show. Look how cute the lead vampire is. I love how his soul is torn between who he is and who he wants to be. The show has such a unique perspetive on the whole vampire myth..... I just love it. If you haven't seen this show, I highly recommend it! Vampires ROCK!

Reading is Fundamental

2007-12-14T12:42:00.001-08:00

I have completely enjoyed reading the Twilight series of book by Stephenie Meyer. The story is so beautiful and slightly frustrating. I just finished the third and final book and I must say - I am torn! I dont know if I happy or sad. I suppose this is what a good book should do. See this is why I dont read! Reading makes you think. I guess I will be stewing over the ending to this book for a while. It is bittersweet.
To the shock and pleasure of my wonderful husband, I have decided that I need to begin reading. I have never been much of a book reader but you see when you turn 30, your outlook on things change (that is a story in it of itself, maybe to be shared later). Anywho, now I am on the hunt for another great story to read. I must say I am quite picky and a book needs to grab me with in the first few pages ( we cant forget the Harry Potter debacle...that book took me 3 times to finally get into, and that was only after everyone kept talking about it.) So, if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.